 | 2020 Vision |  |
| The San Antonio Zoological Society is in the final year of the most extraordinary capital campaign in its 90-year history. 2020 Vision, the Zoo`s Master Plan, calls for a complete restructuring of the Zoo over the next twenty years. When complete, the Zoo will consist of five zones, each representing a different continent. Animals and plants will be displayed in integrated exhibits that combine related species. Exhibits will be arranged along a continuum, from coastal wetland to arid desert that demonstrate how the availability of water governs life on the planet! For more information concerning the first phase of the Zoo's Master Plan, Africa Live!, please phone Dawn Campos at (210) 734-7184, ext. 104 or, visit www.sazoo-aq.org for more information on the San Antonio Zoo. . |
| "When you experience Africa, its ancient rhythms and extreme beasts, it seizes your soul...and a part of you remains there forever." - John Banovich |
 John Banovich working on "Bachelor Herd" | (Over $40,000 Raised For Zoo`s Capital Campaign, AFRICA LIVE!) San Antonio, TX - John Banovich, internationally recognized wildlife artist and conservationist, donated the proceeds from his sale of 15 original oil paintings featuring species from around the world to the San Antonio Zoo. A VIP San Antonio Zoological Society reception, hosted by Mary and Mark Barrett at their home, was the site for an enthusiastic crowd who snapped up the artist`s work in just over an hour, and raised more than $40,000 for the Zoo`s capital campaign, Africa Live! |
Banovich, equally known for his art and his dedication to conservation and humanitarian causes said, " It`s an honor to be a part of the San Antonio Zoo`s Africa Live! expansion campaign, and nearly all the works in this show were created specifically for this event. I firmly believe that art can play an important role in conservation, and unlike science, it can deliver an emotional message. Art can move, reveal, and inspire us to seek a deeper understanding of the world around us. And tonight, you have overwhelmed me with your commitment to the continent we all love so much – Africa!"
In addition to hosts Mark and Mary Barrett, the San Antonio Zoo`s Board Chairmen for the Africa Live! campaign, the following attended the invitational reception: State Senator Jeff Wentworth; Louis and Mary Pat Stumberg; Zoo Executive Director Steve McCashen with wife, Joanne; and many other supporters of the Zoo.
Banovich, a familiar name to Texans through his traditionally sold-out shows with the Dallas and Houston Safari Clubs, has raised thousands of dollars for organizations that support the conservation of endangered species. He has founded initiatives of his own: "Connecting the Dots" – Restoring the Grizzly to the lower forty-eight and "Khunta Mi" – conserving the Siberian Tiger in the Russian Far East.
The San Antonio Zoo invites the community of San Antonio to contribute to Africa Live! as well. For 90 years the San Antonio community and visitors from across the nation have enjoyed the benefits of a world-class Zoo. The Zoo needs help to continue to provide our city and its visitors an outstanding family entertainment and education venue. In December 2003, The Kresge Foundation awarded the San Antonio Zoo an $850,000 challenge grant for Africa Live! with a contingency. The Zoo will receive the Kresge grant if the Zoo raises the remaining $2.9 million needed to complete the $12 million capital campaign by January 1, 2005.
The four-acre site of Africa Live! will create a trek through a wild place where animals appear free-range and the visitors are on safari. Africa Live! will showcase underwater viewing of hippopotamus and Nile crocodile; the Nanyuki Market (consisting of catering facility, conference center, gift shop); an African waterfowl exhibit; smaller exhibits (including cichlids, invertebrates, rock python, amphibians, lung fish, chameleon); a children`s crocodile crawl through, a simulated waterway; and a plethora of birds.
