The San Antonio Zoo received a $5 million gift from the Mays Family Foundation, earmarked for a comprehensive makeover of the Texas institution. It was stated in their social media post, as per Express-News, that this generous donation is set to energize the first phase of a significant project that aims to transform the zoo's amenities, animal habitats, and social spaces.
Among the key developments funded by the contribution are a striking new entrance, a state-of-the-art gorilla habitat dubbed "Congo Falls," and an event center with a capacity to entertain a crowd of 500, called The Ralston. Putting her belief into the expansion, Kathryn Mays Johnson, president of the Mays Family Foundation, proudly acknowledged her family's deep ties to the zoo, recalling her father's visits as a child, driven from Dallas to San Antonio by his mother, as reported by Express News.
The zoo launched a unique way for the public to show their love for the resident creatures with an Amazon wish list. This initiative, as detailed by Express News, aims to enhance the well-being of the animals with enrichment items such as sidewalk chalk for large carnivores and white noise machines for primates.
It may come as a surprise, but even a $70 bottle of perfume made the list – not for animal pampering, but as a sensory stimulant. Despite the sophisticated taste of large carnivores demanding a spritz of luxury, the zoo explains that scent-based enrichment is essential for encouraging animals to engage with their surroundings.
