Recovering from its 2016 collapse during a heavy snowstorm (thanks to a generous emergency grant from the Connelly Foundation) Birds of Paradise now stands as one of the zoo's most interactive exhibits, hosting feeding-experiences for casual guests and playing host to structured programs for special-needs students.
BIRDS OF PARADISE RENOVATIONS
Elmwood Park Zoo respectfully requests $103,934 to be used toward the renovation of Birds of Paradise's facade and walls, allowing one of the zoo's most educationally impactful exhibits to reach its full potential.
Educational Impact
Birds of Paradise 2018 Education Programs:
● 200 Summer Campers
● 120 Blind or Visually Impaired Students on "Touch Tour” Programs
● 1,577 Students on Fieldtrips
Now in its fourth year, Elmwood Park Zoo's Touch Tour programs for blind, visually and auditorily impaired learners has found its home in the Birds of Paradise exhibit. While the brilliant colors of our sun conures may not be experienced by these students, the interactive nature of the exhibit provides them the unparalleled opportunity to learn about the world in the learning style to which they are most suited: tactile investigation!
Recent Highlights
Working with the Audubon Society, Birds of Paradise helped raise $3,000 for Scarlet Tananger Conservation.
Birds of Paradise's collection expanded with two Amazon parrots who are being trained in several demonstration behaviors.
The exhibit’s sun conures were trained to demonstrate color recognition by selecting specific-colored ribbons on command.
Continuing our incredible partnership with Overbrook School for the Blind, the zoo’s Education, Guest Services and Development staff recently completed a continued education workshop put on by Overbrook.
Proposed Improvements
New Holding Area:
With an expanded, indoor living space for the exhibit, Elmwood Park Zoo will finally be able to add new species to Birds of Paradise.
New Facade
Birds of Paradise's new living-wall facade will give the exhibit an impactful first impression, not only aligning it with the beautiful aesthetics of the Trail of the Jaguar exhibit next door, but also highlighting the future of eco-friendly design concepts.
