The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo is a zoo in Gainesville, Florida. Located on Santa Fe College's main campus, it is the only college zookeeper training facility in the United States. Since 2000, the zoo has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
Guided tours led by students in the program are available at the teaching zoo if scheduled ahead of time; visitors may also take a self-guided tours.
History The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo was established in 1970. It comprises of forested land on the west side of the Santa Fe College main campus. The zoo has been accredited by the AZA since 2000 and undergoes its accreditation process every five years.
Animals
The zoo is home to over 200 individual animals representing more than 70 species, including mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and birds.
List of animals
Mammals Caracal Common squirrel monkey Key deer Lar gibbon Matschie's tree-kangaroo Red ruffed lemur Southern three-banded armadillo White-throated capuchin
Herptiles American alligator Asian forest tortoise Ball python Common musk turtle Corn snake Diamondback terrapin Dusky pygmy rattlesnake Eastern copperhead Eastern indigo snake European glass lizard False water cobra Florida box turtle Florida pine snake Galápagos tortoise Gila monster Gopher tortoise Green and black poison dart frog Leopard gecko Leopard tortoise Prehensile-tailed skink Red-footed tortoise Sinaloan milk snake Tokay gecko
Birds American white ibis Bald eagle Barred owl Blue-winged teal Cattle egret Emu Fulvous whistling duck Golden parakeet Guam rail Guinea turaco Grey crowned crane Hawk-headed parrot Indian peafowl Laughing kookaburra Redhead Roseate spoonbill Turkey vulture
The zoo also participates in several AZA Species Survival Plan (SSP) programs, for white-handed gibbons and Matschie's tree-kangaroo as well as for the red ruffed lemur, Guianan squirrel monkey, grey crowned crane, and Guam rail.
Zoo Animal Technology Program Students spend 5 semesters learning about animal husbandry, breeding, nutrition, medical care, physiology, taxonomic relationships, conservation, enclosure construction, proper zoo sanitation, and other topics through classwork and actual work as keepers in the zoo. Students of the Zoo Animal Technology Program are known as Zooies and there is a student chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers. The Zoo Animal Technology Program degree has over 200 students enrolled in the program. The two year degree program is to have a four year degree program starting in 2023.
Events The zoo is a popular destination for both local residents and tourists. The zoo hosts several events open to the public throughout the year, including Party for the Planet (celebrating Earth Day) and "Boo at the Zoo" (BATZ) Halloween festival.
References
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