New Flamingo Exhibit Coming to North Florida Wildlife Center
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Construction is underway at the North Florida Wildlife Center – soon enough, American flamingos will have their own slice of the center.
Eighteen fabulous fowls will call the North Florida Wildlife Center home before the end of the year, Ryan Reines, the center’s founder and executive director, told WCTV this month. The exhibit will be located at the entrance of the wildlife center and be the first thing visitors see when they enter the park.
Workers are currently digging out the body of water that the flamingos will enjoy. Construction began shortly after fundraising for the project passed the required threshold of $35,000 thanks to one $40,000 donation from “The Gibbons Revocable Trust,” according to the North Florida Wildlife Center’s website. In all, $41,641.30 was raised for the flamingo exhibit.
The habitat will be designed around South Florida wetlands with authentic landscaping, a large water feature, and plenty of space for the flamboyance to socialize, feed, and flock, according to the center’s website.
“We think it’s a really great time to bring these animals in,” Reines said to WCTV. “There is this huge effort that seems to be going on to have the Florida state bird changed to the American flamingo, which I personally think is a fantastic idea. We’re really excited about this project.”
Since 1927, the northern mockingbird has held the title of Florida’s state bird, but momentum has grown in recent years for the American flamingo to take the title. In February, the Florida House of Representatives voted 112-1 to approve the American flamingo’s ascendance – the ball is now in the Florida Senate’s court.
Simultaneously, more evidence of the bird’s nativity to the Sunshine State is mounting, a topic we have covered extensively at The Popular Flamingo. Zoo Miami has been active in its work to get American flamingos recognized as a native Florida species, alongside other nature organizations in the state angling for the fabulous fowl’s flourishment in Florida. You can now add the North Florida Wildlife Center to that list.
“Once widespread across South Florida’s coastal wetlands and the Everglades, the American flamingo was nearly wiped out from the state by the late 1800s,” the center wrote on its website. “Today, this spectacular native species is making [a] slow but remarkable comeback. We are excited to welcome one of Florida’s most iconic species to the Wildlife Center while supporting its future through collaboration with zoological institutions and conservation efforts.”
The center is located in Lamont, Florida, approximately 30 miles east of Tallahassee. The non-profit opened in 2019 and has since grown to house more than 60 birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.
