User:Laurenhise/My First Draft

When Scovill Zoo first opened to the public in Decatur, Illinois in 1967, it was under the name of Scovill Farm and housed little more than pigs, chickens, goats, and other farm animals. Since then it has grown to house hundreds of animals from nearly one hundred species including cheetahs, wolves, zebras, and alligators. On September 25, 2006, Scovill Zoo became one of 210 zoos recognized by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. In the spring of 2007, Scovill Zoo created a local chapter of the AAZK or American Association of Zoo Keepers to further education.

Scovill Zoo: Location and Hours of Operation
Scovill Zoo is located at 71 South Country Club Road in Decatur, IL, off of Lake Decatur.

Insert hours of operation here.

Conservation
AAZK Chapter

Originally formed in 1967 in San Diego, California, the American Association of Zoo Keepers has served as an educational opportunity for zookeepers to learn from one another. Scovill Zoo formed its one chapter in 2007 and aids in conservation projects such as Bowling for Rhinos, Golden Lion Tamarin of Brazil conservation, De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust, and the Snow Leopard Trust.

Cheetah Conservation

Due to dwindling numbers, cheetahs have found themselves on the list of threatened species, and Scovill Zoo is doing their part to help take them off of it. Five cents of each paid zoo admission goes to the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Conservation Centre. Both of the zoos South African cheetahs, Jafari and Runako, were born in Africa.

The money raised by admissions goes to the organization’s census study of free-roaming cheetahs in South Africa. The organization uses radio collars and survey farmers to try and gain a better grasp on the number of cheetahs still roaming Africa. With more information, the organization hope to be able to learn more about where the cheetahs are and help cheetahs and humans coexist more peacefully.

Save a Rainforest

By donating to the Conservation Parking Meter, set up by the Center for Ecosystem Survival, at Scovill Zoo, guests are able to give money to the Rincon Rainforest, which is 13,838 acres along the north edge of the eastern part of the Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, in Costa Rica.

Features
The Z.O. & O. Express Train weaves a 1-mile path through the zoo as the passengers receive a guided tour and behind-the-scenes peek at some of the animals residing at Scovill Zoo. Originally added in 1984, the train is a modeled after a 1863 C.P. Huntington Steam Train.

The Endangered Species Carousel contains 30 hand-carved wooden animals, each representing species protected and endangered. The unique carousel was designed especially for Scovill Zoo and has proved to be one of the zoo's most popular attractions. Guests to the zoo may contribute by adopting one of the animals on the carousel.

Exhibits
List of exhibits. (Needs more info)

Alligator, American Axolotl Bat, Egyptian Fruit Bearded Dragon Binturong Boa Constrictor Boa, Desert Rosy Boa, Smooth Sand Camel, Bactrian Capybara Cheetah Chicken Chinchilla Coati, White-nosed Cockroach, Hissing Conure, Sun Cow Crane, East African Crowned Deer, Tufted Deer, White-tailed Degu Dove, Ringed Turtle Duck, Call Duck, Crested Eagle, Bald Egret, Cattle Emu Ferret, Domestic Flamingo, Chilean Frog, African Clawed Frog, Horned Frog, Poison Arrow Gecko, Leopard Goat, African Pygmy Goat, Nubian Goldfish Guinea Fowl Guinea Pig Gull, Ring-billed Hawk, Red-Tailed Hedgehog, African Iguana, Green Kookaburra, Laughing Lemur, Ring-tailed Lizard, Glass Llama Macaw, Blue & Gold Macaw, Green-winged Meerkat, Slender-tailed Milksnake, Pueblan Monkey, Spider Monitor, Green Tree Monitor, Savanna Owl, Barn Owl, Great Horned Owl, Screech Panda, Red Peafowl Pelican, American White Pheasant, Golden Pigeon Prairie Dog, Black-tailed Python, Burmese Python, Green Tree Rabbit Scorpion, Emperor Scorpion, Plains Stripeless Skink, Blue-Tongued Snake, Corn Snake, Black Rat Snake, Yellow Rat Tamarin, Cotton-top Tamarin, Geoffroy’s Tamarin, Golden Lion Tarantula Teal, Ringed Tegu, Black & Yellow Tenrec, Lesser Pygmy Hedgehog Toad, Giant Marine Tortoise, Galapagos Tortoise, Leopard Tortoise, Red-Footed Toucan, Red Billed Turaco, Lady Ross’ Turtle, Box Turtle, Map Turtle, Painted Turtle, Red-eared Slider Vulture, Turkey Wallaby, Red-necked Wolf, Gray Zebra, Grant’s Zebu, Miniature

Events Throughout the Year
Summer Events

Fall Events

Boo at the Zoo: October 16 - 18 and 23 - 31 (5:30 - 8:30 PM)

Winter Events

Spring Events

Information Needed
History, Events from all four seasons, hours of operation during open season, padding throughout

Problems
Uploading Pictures, Hard to find information