About Town: Palm Beach Zoo's Florida panther, Western cougar getting fancy new digs
The cats' meow!
That's what Sassy and Micco will be thinking when their new home opens at the Palm Beach Zoo in West Palm Beach.
That facility, the Candace S. & William H. Hamm III Education & Conservation Center, officially broke ground in November and is slated to be ready for the two big cats this summer.
The new structure will allow both felines, Sassy (short for Sassafras), a Florida panther, and Micco, a Western cougar from Idaho, to have access to a new enriched (fun!) habitat to explore and climb. It will also offer them a bird's eye view of the neighboring Caribbean flamingos as well as people passing by.
Though the two big cats mostly prefer the solitary life and will take turns utilizing parts of the facility, they share a common bond in that both of their mothers were struck and killed by motorists when they were kittens, and they were rescued and raised in zoos.
In addition, to providing new stomping grounds for the big cats, the center will offer visitors a chance to see other Florida wildlife up close, including the zoo's North American river otters.
The facility, which is partially a renovation/transformation of the zoo's Pioneer Hose, will have several large screens showing educational material on the animals and highlight some of the zoo's ongoing efforts to protect and save the Florida Panther in the wild.
The Palm Beach Zoo is partnered with other zoos in the Species Survival Plan. They have also teamed up with National Geographic Explorer and photographer Carlton Ward Jr.'s Path of the Panther project, which collects data and inspires action to provide corridors for panthers and other wildlife to safely traverse Florida. Special high-resolution cameras are deployed across panther habitats to collect critical information for the management and protection of the species. Palm Beach Zoo’s trained zoologists are part of the team that maintains this monitoring system throughout southern Florida.
In an effort to help provide those corridors, Gov. DeSantis signed the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act into law. The legislation seeks to purchase land to provide areas for animals to travel safely and took effect in July.
In addition to providing a $1 million donation for the new facility, Hamm, a Zoo board member, and wildlife philanthropist, has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to the Zoo and its animals. Her example has inspired a new generation of philanthropists, including in her own family. The Hamms' daughter, Alexia Hamm Ryan, and her husband Baird Ryan, are also avid Zoo supporters.
“We are grateful for the profound generosity of Candy and her late husband Bill. The spectacular expanded space will provide our panthers with even more room to roam and a one-of-a-kind experience for the 400,000 guests who attend the Zoo every year,” said Margo McKnight, president and CEO of Palm Beach Zoo.
The Florida panther is an indicator of the overall health of the habitat that supports wildlife and the ecological process upon which humans and nature depend. The future of Florida panthers relies on providing these endangered cats room to move about Florida and to safely raise their young. Connecting protected national, state and county parks, as well as private ranches and agricultural landscapes is key to protecting the Florida panther.
What: Palm Beach Zoo, Candace S. & William H. Hamm III Education & Conservation Center
Where: 1301 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach
When: opening summer 2022
Information: www.palmbeachzoo.org/
Healthier living made easier for less fortunate at Delray Beach GreenMarket
Making ends meet when things are tough just got a little less stressful in Delray Beach.
Not just less stressful but healthier, as the vendors at the Delray Beach GreenMarket recently began accepting SNAP benefits.
Helping those either down on their luck, making low wages or living on a food-limiting fixed income, the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits now allow those in the program to find nutritious food at more than 30 eligible vendors at the weekly market.
Vendors are now able reach more customers who can benefit from offerings of fresh produce, fruits, vegetables, meat, food-producing plants, and other unique food products.
“The stated purpose of the SNAP program is to help individuals in need afford a healthier diet,” said Alexina Jeannite, community engagement director for the Delray Beach CRA. “While the program mainly serves low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities, it also serves as an economic stimulus tool to help protect families from hardship and hunger during times of crisis like temporary unemployment due to economic downturn. The current pandemic is another great example of how SNAP resources have and can be a safety net tool to help keep families and individuals afloat in times of crisis.”
Held on Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from October through May and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in June and July, the Delray Beach GreenMarket is located on the front lawn of the Cornell Museum at Old School Square at the corner of Atlantic and Swinton avenues.
What: Delray Beach GreenMarket
Where: corner of Atlantic and Swinton Avenues
When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays October through May, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays June and July
Information: downtowndelraybeach.com/green-market; www.delraycra.org; 561-276- 8640
Eddie Ritz is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network. He has lived in the West Palm Beach area for more than 30 years and, from mild to wild, will cover noteworthy community happenings. He can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: About Town: Palm Beach Zoo's panther, cougar getting new habitat
