For immediate release
Contact: Gina Stiles, 904-757-4463, ext. 210

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Welcomes New

 Curator of Herpetology

November 19, 2007– Jacksonville, FL – The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is pleased to announce the appointment of Dino Ferri as the new Curator of Herpetology.  Ferri came to Jacksonville from the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he was employed for nine years in several capacities and more recently as the Curator of Amphibians and Reptiles. Prior to working at Audubon, Ferri was the Collection Manager of Amphibians and Reptiles at the Ellen Trout Zoo.  He received his BA degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.

Ferri is the Chair of the American Zoological Association (AZA) Snake Taxon Advisory Group and was also appointed to the AZA’s Wildlife Conservation Management Committee in 2006.

“We are very pleased to welcome Dino and his wife Dina to Jacksonville and to our Zoo family.  Dino’s years of experience and expertise will be a tremendous asset to us,” commented Executive Director Dennis Pate.

 For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment.  Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 2,000 rare and exotic animals and over 1,500 unique plant species.  The Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  Located on Jacksonville’s north side two miles off I-95, the Zoo is open year-round, 7 days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information on the Zoo, log on to www.jacksonvillezoo.org

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