For Immediate Release
Contact: Gina Stiles (904) 757-4463, ext. 210
Mercede New (904) 757-4463 ext. 211

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Celebrates Grand Opening of Asian Bamboo Garden and Komodo Dragon Exhibit

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, March 6th, 10:00 a.m.

March 5, 2009 – Jacksonville, FL – The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ newest exhibit, Asian Bamboo Garden and Komodo dragon, officially opens with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, March 6th at 10:00 a.m.  Grand Opening activities will run from March 6th through 8th, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day.  Activities include Asian performers, musicians, dancers, prize drawing, and activities for children.  This exciting Grand Opening event is sponsored by Bubba Burgers.

Significant features of the Asian Bamboo Garden include the Moon Gate, the Lotus Pool, the Orchid Pavilion and the Bamboo Mist Forest.  The Asian Bamboo Garden currently is host to 111 plant species and varieties and 29 species and varieties of bamboo.  The tallest bamboo in the garden includes the Parker’s Hawaiian Giant which can grow to 70 plus feet.

“This garden is completely different from anything we’ve done thus far,” said Bob Chabot, director of horticulture and facilities at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.  “The use of hills and berms and the addition of 78 Asian species that are new to our gardens at the Zoo give it a very unique feel.  At two acres, this garden more firmly establishes us as the largest public garden in Northeast Florida.”

The Komodo Dragon exhibit is set in an Indonesian fishing village and it will feature two komodo dragons. The exhibit has opportunities for zookeepers to train the dragons through an interactive panel in public view.  Komodo dragons are the largest lizard in the world, and can measure up to 10 feet long and weigh up to 200 pounds.  They are found only on a few remote islands in Indonesia and are famous for the deadly bacteria found in their saliva, which causes their bite victims to suffer slow, lingering death from septicemia.

“Komodo dragons are endangered and protected, with an estimated wild population of only 3,000,” said Delfi Messinger, director of animal programs at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.   “Our animals are part of a managed captive group, from which we hope to eventually obtain a female for breeding,” she concluded.

For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 1,500 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Jacksonville Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  It is open year-round, seven days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and until 6:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays from March to Labor Day.  The Zoo is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95.  For more information on the Zoo, log on to www.jacksonvillezoo.org.

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