Thrive
Sunken Gardens breaks ground on $700K animal care center
Sunken Gardens began construction Nov. 1 on a $700,000 state-of-the-art animal care center. St. Pete’s historic, four-acre botanical garden dates back more than 100 years and is home to more than 50,000 exotic tropical plants and re-homed tropical birds from around the world.
Dwayne Biggs, supervisor of Sunken Gardens, says the new animal husbandry facility has been in the works for about four years. It’s funded by the City of St. Petersburg and the Sunken Gardens Forever Foundation.
“This building is instrumental in raising the bar for our animal care,” Biggs said. “Our animal care staff has grown and because of this building, our animal collection will probably grow as well, so we’ll be looking at new acquisitions.”
In the past, the Sunken Gardens animal care team has operated out of retrofitted buildings, which Biggs says has created unique challenges. The new facility, which will be located near the south gate, will meet the latest zoological standards and USDA guidelines for animal care. It will also feature specialized areas for medical care, food preparation, overnight holding, enrichment development and a designated quarantine space.
“Animal welfare is the number one priority for us,” said Biggs. “Even though we’re not a zoo and we don’t have a gigantic animal collection, our animals that are here are getting first-class care. This building is another example of that level of care that we’re providing.”
Biggs also noted that the new facility will allow the animal care team to increase their training and behavioral management efforts. “We don’t just put birds out into an aviary and walk away,” he said. “We engage, we update their exhibits and we change things up to enrich their lives.”
When completed, the animal care center’s exterior will match the style of the original 1940s entrance building. The building is projected to be completed in March.
