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{{Infobox Park
|park=[[Image:TheZooLogo.png|center|200px|The ZOO Zoo Northwest Floridalogo]]
|image=TheZooEntrance.jpg
|caption=The Zoo's entrance
|size=30+ acres
|facilities=
|operator=Gulf Coast Zoological Society<br/>[[Danyelle Lantz]], ''director''
|visitors=
|opened=[[1984]]
|closed=[[2009]]
|location=5701 [[Gulf Breeze Parkway]]<br/>Gulf Breeze, FL 32563
|mapcode=<googlemap lat="30.400714" lon="-86.983223" zoom="1613" width="288" height="288200">
30.40114, -86.984425, The ZOO Northwest Florida
</googlemap>
}}'''The ZOO Zoo Northwest Florida''' (also called '''The Gulf Breeze Zoo''' or simply '''The Zoo''') hosts over 900 animals on more than 30 acres of preservation landwas an animal preserve that served the Pensacola area from [[1984]] to [[2009]]. The Zoo is located Located in the [[Midway]] area at 5701 [[Gulf Breeze Parkway]], 10 miles east of [[Gulf Breeze]] and 19 miles west of [[Fort Walton]], it hosted over 900 animals on more than 30 acres of preservation land. In addition to the animals themselves, the Zoo features featured amenities such as the Safari Line Train, Jungle Café, Whistlestop Snack Bar, and a gift shop in the main building.
==Facilities & other features==*'''Lion's Lair Gift Shop''' – Zoo entrance, ticket sales and gift shop, plus administrative offices and guest relations. Enclosures held a variety of animals including snakes (One-Eyed Willy, Lucifer and One-Way), hedgehogs (Bubba, Hedge and Snowball) and a Leopard Gecko (Pepe).*'''Karibu Restaurant''' and '''Serengeti Room''' – Filled with terrariums holding frogs, tarantulas, etc.*'''Nairobi Snack Bar'''*'''Wildlife Theater'''*'''Boardwalk''' – Overlooked the African Adventure wildlife preserve and terminated near Chimp Island, with coin-operated telescopes for viewing the animals.*'''Camellia Walk'''*'''Japanese Garden''' ==Problems=====Finances===The Zoo operated in the red since its opening in [[1984]]. It sustained massive damages in [[Hurricane Ivan]], including a number of completely destroyed exhibits. Despite a $2.7 million policy, the Zoo's insurance company only paid $59,000 of more than $600,000 in damages.<ref name="closing">"The Zoo could be closing." ''Pensacola News Journal'', July 7, 2007.</ref> ===Loss of accreditation===Though it remains a licensed zoo, its American Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accreditation, granted in [[1988]], was revoked on [[March 29]], [[2006]] after AZA inspectors deemed 38 Zoo practices "questionable" and 24 more "unacceptable."<ref>[http://www.nwfdailynews.com/article/1954 Trouble in the animal kingdom] - [[Northwest Florida Daily News]], August 13, 2006</ref> ===Animal deaths===In the first seven months of [[2007]], a total of 44 animals had died in the Zoo from various causes.<ref name="woes">"Zoo woes take center stage." ''Pensacola News Journal'', July 29, 2007.</ref> In January, four kangroos died of bacteria-related illness within a three-day period.<ref>[http://www.nwfdailynews.com/article/1956 String of kangaroo deaths plagues zoo] - [[Northwest Florida Daily News]], January 17, 2007</ref> Two popular animals were found dead by zookeepers in July. Baby hippopotamus Niles died on [[July 7]]from a punctured lung caused by her father, Kiboko.<ref>"Father's bite killed baby hippo." '' reported in Pensacola News Journal'', July 13, 2007 .</ref> On [[July 17]], 10-year-old giraffe Sammy died from "acute stress and increased body temperature" resulting from a neck injury, possibly incurred by one of the posts or cables that surround the giraffes' enclosure.<ref>"Zoo loses Sammy the giraffe." ''Pensacola News Journal'', July 19, 2007.</ref>The rhino died as well. The most recent death occured to the new giraffe Colby, who was on loan from Lowery Park Zoo in Tampa, FL, on Feb. 15th, just a week after his birthday. ===Injuries and escaped animals===On [[November 13]], [[2006]], a caged leopard bit a 19-year-old zookeeper (whose last name, coincidentally, was Leopard) who was "too close" to the cat, according to Kemper.<ref>[http://www.bigcatrescue.org/big_cat_news_files/2006/FLincidents.htm bigcatrescue.org]</ref> Two cougars temporarily escaped from their pens on [[November 14]], 2006 (one day after the leopard bite), requiring all 30 visitors to be moved to secure areas.<ref>[http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articleArchive/jan2007/cougarsescape.php Cougars escape pen at The Zoo] - [[Northwest Florida Daily News]], November 15, 2006</ref> ===Employee exodus===Former docent [[Carol Mills]] and ex-employee [[Sandra Dempsey]] made vocal complaints about the Zoo's practices, which included:<ref name="woes"/>*Failure to treat flea and mite infestations.*Taking blood from the Zoo is 's goats to feed vampire bats.*Housing reptiles for months on end in danger of closing unless a concrete building without sunlight. ===''High School Musical'' fundraiser scam===In June [[2008]], Zoo officials learned that a fundraiser they had planned for more than a year was a hoax. The event, planned for August 9, was intended to raise an estimated $1 million is raised by 150,000 to help the Zoo meet its operating costs for the end rest of the year. Executive director Danyelle Lantz said the Zoo was approached a year earlier by "someone posing as a representative"<ref name="hsm-pr">[http://ricksblog.biz/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/hsm-update.pdf Planned Zoo fundraiser victim of hoax]</ref> of ''[[Wikipedia:High School Musical|High School Musical]]'' stars [[Wikipedia:Zac Efron|Zac Efron]] and [[Wikipedia:Drew Seeley|Drew Seeley]]", saying he owned a production company affiliated with the Disney Channel and producing what appeared to be legitimate documents. The hoax was revealed only after Lantz attempted to confirm the date with official sources, who denied all knowledge of the zoo's fundraiser. "We're humiliated, and we're embarrassed, and we're hurt," said Lantz. "But more than that, we're concerned for [the hoax perpetrator]. We don't know at this point if it was malicious or if he's delusional."<ref>"Duped by Disney?" ''WPMI NBC 15'', July 2, 2008.</ref> After the revelation, the Zoo board's executive committee held an emergency conference call to discuss the impending financial shortfall that would have been ameliorated by the fundraiser. Some of the options discussed included closingoutright, moving the zoo to a more densely populated area, reducing the hours or days of operation, and asking county governments for tourism-related funding.<ref>"Zoo says cutbacks, closure may be imminent."''Pensacola News Journal'', July 3, 2008.</ref> Zoo board member [[Lois Benson]] said of the hoax, "When you're on life support, you're very vulnerable to charlatans. This was one of those things you grasp at because it offered some promise. We're not done yet. ... The last thing we need is for The Zoo to close."<ref>"Zoo fundraiser a hoax." ''Pensacola News Journal'', July 2, 2008.</ref>
==References==
[[Category:Entertainment]]