Beyond Glass
2017
Center for
Resources
strategy
Leveraging partnerships TECO, FWC, UF
FLAQ's 1-3 year strategy to fund The Center for Conservation
* Conduct a feasibility study to determine final scope of programs -2014
* Pursue RESTORE for operations & capital - 2014, 2015, 2016
* Pursue state appropriations for capital - 2014
* Pursue grants and foundation support for programs - 2014-forever
* Develop dedicated donor base of conservation fundraisers- 2014 initiate
* Cover basic operations with current staff, board and interns
* 3% of FLAQ revenue dedicated to fund conservation programs
* 10% for conservation programs over time - 10 years?
* Develop earned income associated with conservation programs
* Sea Grass & Mangrove nursery
* Eco-tourism and Exploration Adventure tourism
* Environmental services with Birkett and associates
* Science divers
implementing our environmental stewardship
CONSERVATION
Highest standards in animal care, education and conservation
* 229 AZA institutions
* 54 aquariums
* 6000 species
* 181 million visit0rs annually
* 450 Species Survival Plans
* 115 reintroduction programs (40 under the ESA)
Protecting and Restoring our Blue Planet
Florida Aquarium is an AZA facility
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
secret super heroes?
Exploration & Research
Underway
who: FLAQ, FWC, USF
what: collecting data for multiple research projects, mapping archeological sites, identifying anthropogenic changes in springs
where: FLAQ, CFC & in the field
why: understanding human activities over time will assist in creating a more tenable future
Rescue & Rehab
RESCUE
Underway...
Problems: collectively rescue rehab in Florida is not robust enough to handle the cases & specifically the west coast of Florida is a gap
Objective: build a facility at CFC to add to the capacity
Tactic: create a co-op facility
* sea turtles would be operated by us
* marine mammal could be used by co-op member
* funding by the co-op
Mote marine, Sea World, Disney's Animal Kingdom, FWC
who: FLAQ & FWC
what: sea turtle rescue and release program,
data analysis of sea turtle release results
where: Center for Conservation
why: increased human pressures requiring greater effort
who: FLAQ & AZA facilities
what: Gulf Disaster Response Team
where: Gulf of Mexico
why: past response lacking for wildlife
rescue and rehabilitation and release
FLAQ team members
science, research & operations
executive board
Margo McKnight - programs & building design
John Muller - site development & engineering
Mark Haney- fund raising
Sea Turtles
Corals
Sharks
Lemur
African penguin
Swallow tailed kite
Animal hospital & quarantine
Research & laboratory
Underwater archeology
Shipwreck surveys
Springs conservation
Kathy Heym
DVM, Director of Veterinary Services FLAQ
Casey Coy
Director of Marine and Dive programs
Mike Terrell
Director of Animal Husbandry
John Than
Center for Conservation & collections manager
Mark Flint
PhD Assistant Prof Research Scientist UF/FLAQ/FWC
Josh Patterson
PhD Assistant Prof Research Scientist UF
MOVERS & SHAKERS
* Thom Stork
CEO FLAQ
* Tom Hernandez
VP of Energy Supply TECO
* Gil McRae
Director, Florida Wildlife Research Institute
* Craig Watson
Chairman, Board of Directors FLAQ &
Director University of Florida's Tropical Aquaculture Lab
* Mike Echevarria
VP of Strategic Initiatives FLAQ &
Board of Directors, Coral Restoration Foundation
advisory
protect
North facing view
Sea turtle care & Coral research
2nd
N
Level - Hospital, staff & researcher's workspace, labs, storage, aquatic holding & guest viewing/interaction
rooms will have microphones for Q&A's to interact with guests
displays & remotely operated cameras will
provide content in the absence of staff
coral tanks & research space
for other aquatic species
research labs, recovery rooms for animal
procedures and research
viewing from the 2nd floor down into
the sea turtle area will be assisted by remote cameras for closer views of turtles
visitors will be able to look through windows to see research up close & and interact with staff
New Q
quarantine
aquatic tank
set up for visitor
viewing through
windows
outdoor
wash down
Guest
walkways
(12 x 18)
Water & research lab
*cyro preserve
*microscopes
* monitors
* research workspace
$300k annual capital through 2019
$ 350k annual operating
gravel vegetated ground cover
(12 x 16)
QB
IT *
Electrical
closet
Med lab/Research
storage
* -30 F freezer
* nitrogen storage
* workspace
(14 x 18)
lift or crane
to 2nd floor for
large loads &
sea turtles
(6 x 14)
Surgical/recovery room
* exam tables
* research space
* holding pens/tanks
* incubators
* 2 way-coms
(4000 sq/ft)
Guest viewing for
recovery rooms
and research labs
the ability to carry out rescued & research on sea turtles will be increased tremendously including deep dive tanks for pre-release
(12 x 14)
gravel and slabs under steel frame building - 80 x 120 under roof
(20 x 16)
Vet and Research offices
* workstations
* telecom
*work benches
* computers
Bathrooms and showers
(20 x 18)
Animal
Commissary
* food storage
* cooler/freezer
* tables&sinks
gravel service road
ped-way
(12 x 10)
Lab work-up area
* shared space with
researchers
* tables & sinks
(12 x 14)
(12 x 10)
break away walls to conform to code
0
vegetated ground cover, well drained substrate
under ground fencing
Hospital & surgical
* x-ray equipment
* anesthesia
* pharmacy
* scales
* TV monitors
* 2 way-coms
(2,400 sq/ft)
Sl
Open air hallway with observation options for turtle tanks on first level
The north facing view of this building will provide visitors views of working scientists, vet procedures, recovering animals and displays
Guest deck with views into recovery & 1st floor sea turtle
rehab & rescue area
ramp walkway
to 2nd floor
gravel service road for heavy truck load access
South facing view
staff area for observation and maintenance of outdoor pens
12
4
break-away walls
elevated walk ways
around tanks
gravel
vegetative
ground cover
Schedule for design-build
2014
Sept Architect selection
Oct-Dec Architect & FLAQ design process
2015
Jan-July Architect refinements, budget, permits
Aug-Oct Contractor bidding process
Oct-Dec Contractor review and refinements
2016
Jan-Nov Construction
Nov Soft opening
2017
Jan Grand opening
momentum...
growing partnerships
with universities
Interships with Eckerd College
University of Florida
A member of Florida Institute of Oceanography
experienced animal care staff
education programs already activated
robust team of
science divers & boat captains
+ 750,000 guests annually
& growing social media reach
Questions?
rescue
The CENTER for CONSERVATION- Proposed Programs
Reproductive Conservation Research
on shore breeding facility;elasmobranchs, teleost & inverts
mangrove and sea grass nurseries
restoration aquaculture; coral and molluscs
Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release
sea turtle stranding/rehab facility*
headquarters for AZA Gulf Disaster Response Team
co-op marine mammal & bird rescu & rehab facility
Exploration & Research
population surveys, bottom conditions & data collection
shipwreck & archeological surveys
Wildlife Hospital FLAQ
restore
Restoration of wild populations
RESTORE
Protect the wild
Staghorn coral
Problem: anthropogenic changes resulting in loss of critical mass of coral - a great diversity of species depend upon coral reefs
Objective: restore populations of resilient genotypes to protected reefs
Tactics:
1- Ex situ cultivation and restoration
* select resilient genotypes cross and grow ex situ
* spawn and grow new colonies ex situ
* out plant on protected reefs
* repository for adult colonies and cryopreservation bank for gametes
2- In situ
* survey & monitor outplantings
* determine species interactions and biodiversity
3- Public outreach
* create AZA network to collaborate in situ and ex situ
* lobby for the reauthorization of the coral initiative
* identify and lobby for key Marine Protected Areas
* create a sister aquarium relationship with the National Aquarium of Cuba
Ken Nedimeyer, Craig Watson, Mike Echevarria, Mark Flint, Joshua Patterson, Kathy Heym, Casey Coy, John Than, Rick Klobuchar, Margo McKnight, John Muller, Thom Stork
Key AZA institutions ( and growing )
The Shedd Aquarium
National Zoo (Smithsonian Institution)
Sea World Parks
Epcot Living Seas
Columbus Zoo
Georgia Aquarium
Coral Restoration
Sea turtles
All 7 species of sea turtles are
endangered or threatened
PROTECT
development of nesting beaches
incidental fishing (by-catch)
marine debris
vessel strikes
who: FLAQ, Coral Restoration Foundation, University of Florida, Florida Wildlife Commission
what: restoring genetically diverse coral to the wild
where: on-shore propagation and out-planting in the wild
why: to help offset the rapid decline of coral
100, 000, 000 sharks are killed annually
Problem: Sand tiger sharks are THE most popular shark in aquariums - no one is breeding them - they are listed as vulnerable and declining
Objective: Reproduce Sand tigers ex situ to provide aquariums with animal to reduce or eliminate wild harvest, augment wild population if needed
Tactic: Create a co-op of AZA institutions
* share expertise in design, behavior & husbandry
* share one large breeding population
* create citizen science opportunities
SEZARC Linda Penfold, Kathy Heym, Mike Terrell, Eric Hovland, Casey Coy, Margo McKnight
Key AZA institutions
Georgia Aquarium
Fort Fisher Aquarium
Pine Knoll Shores
Adventure Aquarium
Shark Reproduction
Sea Turtle habitat assessment
who: multiple AZA institutions, & South East Zoo Association of Reproductive Conservation
what: sand tiger sharks, nurse sharks and other elasmobranchs
where: CFC, FLAQ
why: to relieve pressure from wild population & restoration wild populations
Problem: Lack of information on reef & hard bottom ecosystems critical to both commercial fishing as well as threatened and endangered species of Sea Turtle in Gulf of Mexico
Objective: Assess nearshore habitat of known loggerhead foraging areas & provide proof of concept for underwater surveying
Tactics: Deploy FLAQ science divers
* catch adult Sea turtles and assess health
* use Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council and Turtle Monitoring Group data
to guide in-water sample of hard bottoms
* select near shore site for pilot - Indian Shores, St Pete, Egmont
* test underwater survey methods to be used on deep water turtle foraging sites
Mark Flint, Casey Coy, FLAQ, USF, FWC
Incidental Catch
Problem: a common injury for the critically endangered Kemp's Ridley is incidental hooking from fishing piers - the extent of the problem has not been quantified
Objective: quantify the extent of problem, engage and educate the public, resolve the issue
Tactics: engage the targeted audience
* survey fisherpeople on piers - provide data to FWC
* public education - engage the fishermen, offer solutions and set up hotline
* habitat surveys by science divers
* replicate on piers throughout Florida
Mark Flint, UF, FWC & FLAQ
Lemurs are the most threaten
mammal group in the world - most
species are threatened with extinction
South African Coastal Conservation of Shore Birds
Duke University
Lemur Conservation Center
Duke University
ACRI swallow tail kite mapping project
Swallow-tailed kite census project
Avian Conservation Research Institute