BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo and WAFB Channel 9 have teamed up to raise money for the Elephant Oasis Project, a program that will fund a shaded viewing pavilion surrounding the elephant exhibit. The pavilion will contain benches, mist fans, a life-sized bronze baby elephant sculpture and television monitors that will show videos narrating the history of the zoo and the state of Asian elephants. Mary Schoen, Friends of the Baton Rouge Zoo marketing and development director, said the zoo’s projected cost for the Elephant Oasis is $175,000. “We have Girl Scout and Cub Scout groups conducting fundraisers, school classes raising money and individuals in the community bringing their loose change and contributions to the zoo each day,” she said. The first fundraising event for the Elephant Oasis Project will be held at All Star Ford Lincoln Mercury in Prairieville on Airline Highway from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday. The zoo’s Zoomobile will bring a variety of animals for people to see. WAFB’s involvement with the zoo goes back to 1970 when Bill Black, WAFB employee, raised money to buy the zoo’s first two Asian elephants. “We take the zoo as our special cause because we’re involved with the legacy,” said Andree Zamarlik, WAFB marketing director. Zamarlik said sororities, fraternities and other student organizations should get involved with the project. “We need every dime and every penny of donations,” she said. “If they need fundraising ideas, they can call me or go to WAFB’s Web site.” In addition to the Elephant Oasis Project, WAFB sponsors Zippity Zoo Daze in the spring and Boo at the Zoo in the fall each year. Schoen said the zoo is an excellent place to learn about Asian elephants. “BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a group that has committed endless amounts of time and resources to educate the public about the plight of elephants in the wild,” she said. “Most people do not have the means to visit Africa and see these magnificent animals in person. Zoos are an excellent place for people to see and connect with animals.” The zoo’s education department presents elephant programs at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. every day. At the programs, visitors learn biological facts about the elephants and have the opportunity to ask the elephant keepers questions about the animals. Other zoos across the nation are also making changes to their elephant exhibits, but not always toward the animals’ benefit. The Philadelphia Zoo, which opened in 1874, recently decided to relocate its four elephants to accommodate the expansion of the children’s zoo and other exhibits. Three of the elephants will be moved to the Baltimore Zoo, and one will be moved to an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee.
—–Contact Angelle Barbazon at [email protected]