Audubon Zoo & Aquarium Awarded Spots Reader’s Choice Awards

After tallying the votes, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and Audubon Zoo are winners of the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest.

As learned from a  My New Orleans press release, this year, the Aquarium held tightly to its 3rd place ranking from 2019, and Audubon Zoo moved up from its 9th placing in 2019 to 6th place. The 20 total nominees were hand-picked by a panel of travel experts, and nearly all are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

The USA TODAY’s 10Best begins with the following sentiment: “Someday, we’ll all be ready to pack our suitcases again and head out on our next adventures. In the meantime, we’ll keep supporting the places that inspire us.”

Recently, Audubon Zoo reopened on June 3, 2020, following a nearly three-month hiatus period, and Audubon Aquarium of the Americas reopened on July 16, 2020, following a four-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After following State and City public health directives, Audubon is reopening its family of parks and museums following a phased approach that strictly limits attendance and programming. Advance tickets to the Zoo and Aquarium are now required and can be reserved here.

All 20 aquariums nominated by the USA TODAY ranking are highly-visited establishments, and the list creators have great respect for them. “Aquariums put us face to fin with aquatic life from the world’s oceans, lakes and waterways in a fun and educational setting. The best aquariums also play a vital role in animal conservation by taking part in rescue efforts and advocating for the environmental health of our oceans. These 20 aquariums, nearly all accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and nominated by a panel of 10Best experts, represent the best in North America for their high quality exhibits and visitor interactions.”

Ron Forman, Audubon Nature Institute President and CEO had this to say about the rankings: “We’re thrilled to be honored by the most meaningful judges we could ask for—our guests. The impact of the COVID-19 crisis has been devastating to non-profit, accredited zoos and aquariums across the country, including Audubon’s, so receiving this recognition of our value to our community and the nation as we work to fully reopen to the public means so much to all of Audubon’s staff and supporters.”

In a similar line of thinking, Zoos are composed of internal and majority- external habitats, so the pandemic hit them differently, but our appreciation for Zoological parks didn’t waiver. “North America is home to hundreds of zoological parks, including more than 200 facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Short of heading out into the world’s wild places, nothing beats a visit to the zoo to foster an appreciation for the striking animal diversity of our planet. We asked a panel of travel experts to nominate their favorite North American AZA-accredited zoos – facilities that excel in the fields of animal care and enrichment, while also facilitating meaningful interactions between animals and human visitors.”

For information on Audubon Zoo and Audubon Aquarium’s hours of operations and current guidelines for visiting, you can visit their site.

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“Hope” Comes to Audubon Nature Institute

In Lower Coast Algiers at Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center (FMASSC), life is anything but on hold in the current climate humankind is experiencing as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  On Monday, April 6, 2020, the facility’s middle-aged giraffe, Sue Ellen, gave birth to her second calf– a beautiful female reticulated giraffe calf.  Coming in at 6-foot-tall, which is standard newborn height in females giraffes, and weighing 189 pounds, which is a substantial weight for the newborns of the species, she is the most recent addition to the Audubon Nature Institute.

“Things can feel very overwhelming right now,’’ said Michelle Hatwood, curator of the Species Survival Center. “But life does go on, and we have essential staff coming to work, so our animals receive the best care every single day.’’

A giraffe’s gestation period can be between fourteen and sixteen months, so the due date for the giraffe calf’s likely delivery has been anyone’s guess.  Curator Hatwood and her staff have been at the ready for some time to welcome the giraffe calf into the world.

The FMASSC’S Species Survival Plan, administered by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, ensures healthy, genetically diverse animal populations throughout its accredited facilities, of which Audubon Nature Institute is included.  Accordingly, Sue Ellen and her new calf, named “Hope,” are part of this program.

Audubon Nature Institute President and CEO Ron Forman said of their newest miracle, “What name could be more fitting than ‘Hope” in these challenging times? Hope is what has sustained our community through seemingly insurmountable crises in the past and what we must hold onto as we continue on in the coming days and weeks. May we all take comfort in the reminder that, even in the darkest of days, life continues, undaunted.”

While the species occupied much of the African continent decades ago, giraffes unfortunately now face a number of serious threats to their survival.  Such factors as habitat loss, poaching, human encroachment, and disease are among these threats.  The Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center is now home to 13 giraffes, with the addition of Hope.  She is the eighth giraffe born at the center in Lower Coast Algiers.  The giraffes at FMASSC’s location have access to a sprawling 46 acres of forested landscape on which they can roam and forage for their favorite greenery.

Unfortunately, the Audubon Nature Institute has been forced to close its facilities to the public since the COVID-19 health crisis began in the state of Louisiana. They have been requesting federal officials for assistance with funds to larger nonprofits like zoos and aquariums.  They are also asking supporters of their facilities, and animal lovers in general, to reach out to the White House and Congress to request assistance with securing funding for these types of facilities (zoos, aquariums, and museums) in upcoming legislation for economic assistance. The recent CARES Act was focused on supporting individuals and businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the legislation does not provide support of any kind for zoos, aquariums and museums that employ more than 500 people, such as Audubon.

A press release from the FMASSC is available for additional information.

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