The Audubon Zoo
“This is my favorite spot. I like to come out here and walk by these guys on my lunch break,” says Sarah Burnette about the Asian elephants at the Audubon Zoo. Sarah moved to New Orleans from the Midwest to attend Loyola University where she first fell in love with the Audubon Zoo. Several decades and a few hurricanes later, she is head of public relations at the Zoo and as much in love with it as when she first strolled through.
“I love how creative the layout of this Zoo is. Every last detail is thought about and considered.” Sarah points out the exotic chandeliers hanging in the Zoo café “courtesy of a local artist,” and the plaques with endearing names like “Sushi and Lilly” next to the sea lion exhibit. I am impressed by the fun facts posted around the fencing of each animal.
As we circle the Asian elephant exhibit, I notice groups of wide-eyed seven year olds in baby blue t-shirts trailing behind Zoo personnel. Zoo camp has just begun for the summer and the kids are on their way to the Monkey Pond for a swim. All of a sudden, I really want to be seven again.
The Audubon Zoo is a treasure to the local community and a favorite gathering spot for families. It features a wide variety of exotic animals including an entire exhibit on the Louisiana swamp, and even a white alligator! During Katrina, the Zoo fared pretty well because it is located on higher ground and therefore did not flood. Only one animal was lost. Sarah explained how Audubon has a hurricane procedure that just prior to Katrina had been revised with the guidance of the Miami Zoo after it suffered terrible losses by hurricane. The Audubon Zoo was able to clean up after the storm, make repairs and some revisions, and open by Thanksgiving, “but unlike the situation in Miami where the zoo suffered physical loss and destruction, the situation in New Orleans presented the problem that the zoo was fine but the entire community surrounding it was devastated. We rely on the business of our customers to support ourselves, but coming to the Zoo was low on the priority lists of people who were trying to rebuild their homes, schools, churches and businesses.”
However, less than three years later, Audubon Zoo is busy and full of activity. Summer camps, hands on exhibits, special events for holidays like Mother’s Day attract a surplus of visitors. Small rides like the beautiful painted carousel of jungle creatures and the swamp train are full of beaming children. “The community has really come back. They need this.” Sarah smiles as we watch an exotic bird nursing her nest full of eggs. Animals and the natural world have a wondrous healing power we can marvel at, on this very site of the Audubon Zoo.
