Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo to relocate

GULF SHORES, Ala. -- The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo will relocate to a nearby 25-acre site in Baldwin County in hopes of avoiding future hurricane damage.

Hurricane Ivan's floodwaters in Gulf Shores forced the evacuation of the animals in September 2004. Two more evacuations last year were caused by hurricanes Dennis and Katrina.

The zoo became known as "The Little Zoo That Could" in an Animal Planet television feature in February.

Ivan flooded the zoo with several feet of water and destroyed much of the park. Zoo director Patti Hall hosted 267 animals at her Elberta home.

The zoo will move to land along Baldwin County 6 just east of Alabama 59, the main beach route from Interstate 10, according to the Press-Register.

The property was donated by businessman Clyde Weir and his daughter, Andrea Weir Franklin, owners of the Souvenir City shops in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

Construction could begin next year.

"It seems that we've had adventures for the last year and a half, and this is another one that we just grabbed with gusto," Hall said, thanking the Weirs for the donated land, which has a value of more than $1 million.

"The exposure on Animal Planet actually has all of us speechless as to the amount of people that have come to see the zoo from all over the country," Hall said. "On June 28 of this year, the series went international in South America, Europe and the East, and we're already getting e-mails and donations from people all over the world."

Last month, 18,311 paying customers visited the zoo, compared with 8,411 in June 2004, the summer before the park was struck by Ivan, Hall said.