I just found out about this today at our docent meeting, although apparently the zoo press release was almost two weeks ago. Completely out of the blue, we have been gifted a 750 acre ranch in the hills of southern Arizona. It is approximately (this is a rough guess) 30 miles south of the city. So what will we do with such a ranch? Well, since it was unexpected, no one knows yet. However, tonight I am going back to the zoo for a meeting for zoo donors. I was told at the docent meeting that this will be the main topic of discussion tonight, so I will post info as I get it. (The one possibility that was hinted at during the docent meeting is VERY EXCITING, but since it is pure speculation I don't want to say anything yet). Former Tucsonan donates 750 acres to Reid zoo group
Well, they mentioned this briefly during the donor group presentation tonight. Not much detail, but since it was mentioned in a public meeting I feel safe in posting it. The one idea that was brought up (by our curator during his part of the talk) is to use it for an arid hoofstock breeding facility. The two animals he mentioned specifically (and showed pictures of) were grevys zebra and addax. However, if this goes through there would of course be others. As I said, no details have been thought of yet, since the land deal was just finalized less than a month ago. I don't even know if it would be a private center or open to the public (although I sincerely hope the latter). They now have to do a biological survey of existing species and work on fundraising and plans, which will take a few years. They are also talking with potential partners to join us in this (e.g. University of Arizona and Arizona Sonora Desert Museum). All very new (I just found out about it this morning), but very exciting! To think that my little zoo could have a second, large open range facility like Fossil Rim or The Wilds is just fantastic. The other good part is that unlike our zoo itself, which is owned by the city, this will be owned solely by the zoological society and will not have to deal with the politics (and delays) of city government. Here is a photo of the ranch house that is there and of some of the land (which I photographed off the screen during the donor presentation).
Congratulations on the aquirment firstly!. Secondly I think the arid hoofstock breeding facility is a fantastic idea. Personally would prefer if it remained an off show center, as I would worry that the zoo would bring in abcs to draw attendance to what could be a very exciting project. Large spaces for rarer hoofstock is something that is needed and so I wish the Reid Park Zoo good luck! Where there any other suggestions made?
Congrats on becoming like the SDWAP, haha. 750 acres is a lot! Will they set some aside as a preserve like SDWAP did? The potential in that land is unbelievable. Does Reid Park have a research institution in place too?
We do not have a research institution in place, but the immediate plan is to get some researchers out there to survey the native flora and fauna. These will likely be people from the University of Arizona. As for how much will be developed or set aside, it is way too early to say. The sad part, if you read the article link, is that this is a portion of a much larger ranch and the rest of the property was sold to developers. So the natural landscape that surrounds our property will over time become housing developments. (Hopefully, the current bad housing market due to the recession will delay this).
I will be visiting the site in mid March as a guest of one of our board members who is also on the ranch committee and will post photos and updates shortly thereafter.
In retitling some old threads I came across this and realized I never posted a closing statement (which I will now). The zoo never developed the ranch other than putting a few Bolson tortoises in enclosures next to the ranch house (I believe they belonged to the husband of the director at the time as he was a herpetologist). The ranch donation was a very rushed decision as the owner had to donate it by the end of the year for tax purposes and so the zoological society had something like a week to make a decision. They decided to take it, but after a while it became clear they would not be able to raise the money to develop it, so they sold the ranch and put the money towards the zoo.
