Bat houses such as these could offer bats a place to live so they can help manage mosquitoes, reducing the need for pesticides. Photo courtesy of Florida Bat Conservancy.

Time for Change!

Happy New Year! We’re ringing in 2019 by announcing three new Quarters for Conservation (Q4C) projects to vote on. For the next three months, your vote will support a project of your choice: building homes for bats, aiding local Florida wildlife or educating communities about otters!

The Projects

Bat populations in Florida have decreased significantly over the last five years due to recent hurricanes, continued development and pesticide used to manage mosquitoes. Florida Bat Conservancy will use Q4C funds to build bat houses throughout Orange County to offer these flying mammals a place to live so they can help manage mosquitoes, thereby reducing the need for pesticides. The organization will also use its funding for the installation of bat houses, to monitor the houses for residency, to establish a network of volunteers and to work with pesticide applicators to reduce spraying.

The Florida Wildlife Hospital & Sanctuary (FWH) is an organization dedicated to aiding injured, sick and orphaned native Florida wildlife and migratory birds and returning them to their place in the ecosystem. This organization will use Q4C resources to purchase veterinary equipment and supplies, as well as to fund testing for diseases. By increasing their ability to heal more patients in a timely manner, FWH can help prevent the spreading of disease back into the wild, and thus work toward building a healthy population of native wildlife in Brevard County.

The biggest problem that otters encounter is a lack of awareness about the threats facing these playful, water-loving animals. The International Otter Survival Fund will use its Q4C donations to visit communities that live near otter populations, hold meetings to educate the public about these furry creatures, engage children in the project by visiting schools and establish ‘”Otter Clubs’” in local communities.

Cast Your Vote!

Your admission to the Zoo already helps these projects—25 cents from each admission (and five dollars from each membership purchased) goes towards Quarters for Conservation. On every visit to the zoo, you’ll receive a “quarter” token to use to cast your vote for whichever conservation project most inspires you. If you’re extra passionate about any of the projects, feel free to drop in “real” quarters or dollar bills! Together, our small corner of the world can help make a large impact on conservation everywhere.