Mammals such as giraffes, elephants, okapi and great apes at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens eat the natural vegetation that surrounds Jacksonville International (JAX), so the Jacksonville Aviation Authority has partnered with the zoo to provide the tree clippings and shrubbery, called browse.
The zoo was in need of a local browse that was easily accessible for daily cutting, which led to the JAA’s involvement.
“This partnership is going to make a tremendous impact to the amount of healthy browse needed by our local zoo,” says Michael Stewart, JAA’s director of external affairs. “We’re pleased that we can provide the zoo access to property that meets their need to supply an enriched diet of seasonal trees and shrubs to such a variety of animals.”
Guests visiting the giraffe and elephant exhibits can watch them eating the browse collected that morning from the property surrounding the airport.
