A ribbon cutting was recently held at the new Educational Center located inside Hollywild Animal Park, 2325 Hampton Road, Wellford, SC.
Visitors were invited to visit the center, meet education coordinator Julie Schmidt and animal curator S. Nigel Platt and discuss the animals and help visitors learn about other educational opportunities at the Park.
Windows along two sides of the building will actually serve as viewing stations for animals where visitors can take a peek from the outside when not participating in programs inside. For the remainder of the season, reptiles like an albino Burmese python and other snakes, lizards (bearded dragon), and even invertebrates such as tarantulas will be visible behind glass.
“Many of these animals tend to have the “ewwww factor,” but have great value to ecosystems around the world. By having them behind glass, those who are hesitant can still watch, learn and hopefully develop an appreciation for each animal’s unique qualities,” Atchley added.
In the future, animals can be rotated in and out of the exhibits and care spaces. Some, like the giant python, will be on loan from other institutions to provide this extra element of education for school groups and individuals visiting during the remainder of Park Season.
Four new care habitat areas have been specially built for the space by volunteer Ed Foster, whose wife, MJ Foster, serves on the Hollywild Board of Directors. These have been custom built to meet the needs of a variety of animals with attention given to many features the animal keepers providing care will appreciate. Everything from the ease of access for cleaning, and sealing each habitat box for long term durability was taken into consideration.
In the animal area of the center, industrial tiles were put down in consideration of how the animal enclosures are cleaned. The tiles and glue were donated to the effort.
In the classroom spaces, carpet squares were laid, making the job cost effective, colorful and functional. Carpet squares can be replaced if necessary rather than having to replace whole rooms of carpet.
Microscopes, donated to the park, now have a home with cover slides and samples ready nearby for investigations. Animal focused books have found homes on book shelves. Elements designed to make the space adaptable for multiple projects and classes have been put in place.
“This project has been a labor of love, vision, and encouragement. That may sound a bit emotional, but all the volunteers who worked to make this happen caught a vision of something bigger than what they were doing. They understood that this building is symbolic of so much of what we’re trying to show the world we’re all about – working together to make a difference. For the animals here, it’s about showing others how special they are and why caring for the environment makes a difference. It’s the sum total of all the pieces working together that makes the big impact. To some, this will be just a building they visit. But to all who have worked on it, it is a statement about what can be done here at Hollywild and symbolic of our part in conservation education – everyone doing their part, however, small or large to make a difference,” explained Atchley.
For the remainder of the Park Season, visitors will be able to view: an albino burmese python, a bearded dragon, a green iguana, and a dumeril’s boa from the center’s windows. Special classes can also be scheduled inside the center.
“We’re excited to have this space where we can showcase animals, biofacts, and host hands-on learning events,” said Schmidt, Hollywild’s Education Coordinator. Schmidt has been with the Hollywild team for almost a year and sees this as further evidence of Hollywild’s commitment to expand its educational programming.
General Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for students over 14 and military w/ID, and $8 for children ages 2-14.
Included with admission is time in the self-guided walking park, scheduled Creature Feature shows in the park’s amphitheater, and a guided Safari bus tour. As a bonus, visitors may even get to ride the newly re-painted “Zebra Bus,” a work of art created by volunteer Harry McBride over this summer.
For additional information, please visit www.hollywild.org.