Zoo Teen Haven paints the face of a young Zoo guest.

Face painting and bake sales are not often considered especially lucrative enterprises, but our Zoo Teens have raised a staggering amount of cash for wildlife by doing just that.

Last year, the Teens brought in about $8,000 through guest donations for the aforementioned services and fees from July’s Youth Environmental Summit. More than $6,000 of their earnings was given to Peace for Conservation (Tanzania), Brevard County’s Monofilament Recovery & Recycling Program, Save the Frogs!, Bridges (elephants in Cameroon), Save the Snakes (India), FUNDAECO (amphibians in Guatemala), Friends of Nature (Nepal) and Indonesian Species Conservation Program. The projects were selected by a 10-member conservation committee. Some funds were set aside for future giving and to recoup supply costs.

Zoo Teens serve their community in pursuit of environmental awareness and career exploration. In addition to conservation fundraising, Teens support the Zoo by volunteering for special events, educating guests with live animals and Discovery Carts, assisting with camps and more during weekends and school breaks.