Friends of the Greenville Zoo receives Graham Foundation Award
October 2, 2013
GREENVILLE, SC – October 2, 2013 – The Friends of the Greenville Zoo recently helped secure a $49,000 grant from The Graham Foundation, a private family foundation that focuses primarily on awarding grants in Greenville County and targets organizations that can make a significant difference for the betterment of Greenville.
The grant money is earmarked for a project designed to expand the lion’s den at the Greenville Zoo, said Elizabeth Geer, chairwoman of the Friends of the Greenville Zoo. The project will include a building that will feature four den spaces, a public viewing window, a themed seating plaza and family restrooms, which is something the zoo currently does not possess now.
This grant is a great start to what will be one of the zoo’s hallmark attractions in the coming years, Geer said.
The zoo needs to raise $499,000 for the expansion, which is part of the zoo’s master plan. The expanded lion’s den would also help the zoo meet its accreditation needs.
The enclosure would be built on the space now occupied by the vulture exhibit, which would be moved to another part of the zoo. The Greenville Zoo currently has two male lions, Chuma and Saied, half-brothers that came from the Riverbanks Zoo. Once the expanded lion’s den is completed, one of the lions would be sent to another zoo through the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s Species Survival Plan breeding program. The Greenville Zoo would then receive one or two female lions to start a breeding program here.
About the Friends of the Greenville Zoo
The Friends of the Greenville Zoo is a non-profit organization that serves as an independent community outreach group, whose purpose is to provide financial, resource, and advocacy support for the needs of the Greenville Zoo. Learn more at www.friendsgreenvillezoo.org.
About the Greenville Zoo
Accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), Greenville Zoo is rated one of the best tourist attractions in South Carolina, attracting over 270,000 people annually. Operated by the City of Greenville, the 14-acre facility features wildlife from around the world.
The Greenville Zoo is open seven days a week, except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Zoo entry ticket sales close at 4:15 p.m. For more information about the Greenville Zoo, visit www.greenvillezoo.com. Follow the zoo on Facebook at www.facebook.com/greenvillezoo and Twitter at www.twitter.com/greenvillezoo.
