ANIMAL PROGRAMS
Animal Art By Steve Trosell, Mammal Keeper
Revenue from paintings by bonobos and lemurs benefit specific projects such as Lola ya Bonobo and the Madagascar Fauna & Flora Group, respectively. Other species’ masterpieces go to our general conservation fund which is allocated for various program needs that help us to achieve our conservation mission. World Bonobo Day was celebrated on February 14th, our bonobo team (and bonobos) worked extremely hard to prepare a wide variety of paintings available to the public for purchase. Most of them sold like hotcakes. The next time you visit, stop in the gift shop to see amazing works of art created by bonobos and other animals. Proceeds generated from sales of bonobo paintings go to Lola ya Bonobo in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the only sanctuary for orphaned bonobos in the world. We fund the care of three surrogate bonobo mothers, and with additional proceeds from painting sales, our hope is that we can increase that number to five surrogate mothers funded in 2022.
Van Gogh, Dalí and Kuni the bonobo? When thinking about history’s greatest painters you would not ever think of including animals at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, but you would be surprised to learn that a wide variety of species here at the Zoo can create beautiful art of their own. The benefits of letting the animals paint are two-fold. They get a unique experience, which provides mental stimulation and is considered a form of enrichment. Their paintings are then sold in the Mombasa gift shop, with proceeds going to a variety of conservation initiatives. We are proud to support more than 45 conservation programs around the globe. Every time you purchase a ticket to visit, you are directly supporting our mission of protecting animals and plants around the world. Animal paintings being sold in our gift shop gives you a unique opportunity to further your impact, while getting a priceless piece of art for your home.
WILD MAGAZINE • SPRING 2022 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS
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