On December 14, the Zoo will have been open to the pubic for twenty years. On the occasion of this anniversary, we will have special admission rates on Sunday December 18th. This coming Sunday adults can enter at half price ($5.00) and children can enter free when accompanied by a paying adult.
The President of the Board, Mr. Rob Heil, has prepared the following message to the community on behalf of the Zoo’s twenty years.
December 14 marks the twentieth anniversary of the St.Maarten Zoo and its governing body, the St.Maarten Zoological and Botanical Garden Foundation.
The St. Maarten Zoo was opened by a group of dedicated volunteers in 1991. Since then it has braved many set-backs. All the major hurricanes and tropical storms that have battered the island have also caused substantial set-back and damage to the zoo and its operations.
Time and time again the community in the capacity of companies or individual volunteers have come to our assistance with donations in goods, money or time and have thus helped us to stay alive. It is to those companies and individuals that my congratulations on the occasion of this twentieth birthday go out. I would also like to congratulate our current and former members that have supported us throughout the years.
From the start we , as a board, realized that the existence of animals in captivity is under heavy criticism these days. We have therefore made it our policy to exhibit only animals that are captive born, which means we usually get the animals that are surplus in other zoo. This, combined with high shipping cost or simply no airlift from donating zoos, has restricted the variety of the collection.
We also assist the customs department in the housing of endangered species that have been confiscated in an attempt to import them illegally into St.Maarten.
We are proud to say that many school groups visit our zoo as part of educational trips. We strive to educate our local youngsters on the beauty and richness of nature, while at the same time taking part in preserving species throughout the world, that are on the brink of extinction.
For instance, our own ocelot is currently enrolled in a breeding program in the US while we exhibit ocelots that are non- breeding. We also successfully bred two bush dogs, another endangered species. The babies were sent to the St. Louis Zoo to take part in the breeding program there.
Another prime example is the four Cotton Top tamarins, of which there are only a few left in the wild. We have so far successfully bred three.
Therefore, although we are in constant need of volunteers, new board members and money, we proudly congratulate St. Maarten for helping keep the Zoo alive for twenty years!
Happy Birthday and Thank You for your continued support!!
Rob Heil
President