The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo is a 10-acre (4.0 ha) zoo in Gainesville, Florida. As part of Santa Fe College, It is the only college zookeeper training facility in the United States with its own AZA-accredited zoo on grounds, and has been accredited since 2000.[2]

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Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo

Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo entrance, August 2019
Location	Gainesville, Florida
Coordinates	29.6819°N 82.4382°W / 29.6819; -82.4382
Land area	10 acres (4.0 ha)[1]
No. of animals	200+[2]
No. of species	75[2]
Memberships	AZA[3]
Website	www.sfcollege.edu/zoo

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.[4]

History

The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo was established in 1970. It comprises 10 acres (4.0 ha) of forested land on the west side of the Santa Fe College main campus.

Animals

The zoo is home to over 200 individual animals representing more than 75 species, including mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and birds. The collection includes white-handed gibbon, Colombian white-faced capuchin, Matschie's tree-kangaroo, guanaco, Key deer, Visayan warty pig, Asian small-clawed otter, American alligator, Galapagos tortoise, Asian forest tortoise, Reeve's muntjac, Perdido Key beach mouse, grey crowned crane, red ruffed lemur, common squirrel monkey, ocelot, caracal, bald eagle, laughing kookaburra, Cuban amazon, yellow-crowned amazon, northern red-billed hornbill, Guam rail and emu.[5] 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 Asian small-clawed otter, red ruffed lemur, Guam rail, Perdido Key beach mouse and ocelot.

The zoo recently welcomed the birth of 5 otter pups. On December 20, 2019, the first glimpse of the pups were recorded and a few days were carried out of the den by their parents.[6]

The SF 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 SF Zoo Animal Technology Program are known as Zooies.

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.

Notes

External links

• Official website