The Brandywine Zoo is in the middle of renovations to help make the zoo a destination all year.
On New Year’s Eve the zoo only held one countdown for the kids instead of the usual two for their annual Zoo Year’s Eve party because of the ongoing upgrades.
The zoo is knocking down two older habitats to build a new one for toucans and sloths and a holding building with viewing windows where people can see inside during the winter months.
Mark Shafer is the executive director of the non-profit Delaware Zoological Society that supports the mission of the zoo. He says the new upgrades will allow programming year round.
"They'll go in their holding area and people won't have access to them or at least to see them. With this new habitat they will be able to, so we'll be able to conduct educational programs during cold months in that new habitat,” said Shafer. “And the point of a zoo really it's not just to come, see cute animals and that's certainly something we encourage, but it's to understand why we have them, and the importance of conservation and maintaining habitats for these animals in the wild."
The Brandywine Zoo is among 238 zoos and aquariums in the world that have Association of Zoos and Aquariums accreditation.
Mark Shafer is the executive director of the non-profit Delaware Zoological Society that supports the mission of the zoo. He says the new upgrades will allow the zoo to stay compliant.
"So making sure that we continually upgrade the zoo. Both from a programming perspective as well as the facilities perspective is important to maintain that AZA accreditation, and that's a gold standard and that's something we 're very proud of," said Shafer.
Shafer adds this work demonstrates to everyone that the care the animals receive at the zoo is at the highest standard in the world.
Construction is scheduled to be completed at the end of May with a cost of $2.4 million.
