Day Trips
By Gerald E. McLeod, Fri., March 29, 2002
The Austin Zoo may look like a kiddie park, but under the surface is a humanitarian organization rescuing abused and neglected animals. Opened in 1994, the zoo isn't affiliated with the city of Austin. Rather, it is a nonprofit charitable organization and personal mission of Cindy and Jim Carroccio. Since the park opened thousands of birthday party memories have been created at the covered picnic tables down the hill from the ruckus of the parrots.
The zoo is a joyous place with monkeys on both sides of the fences playing and discovering new things. There are ponies and goats willing to exchange a petting from a small hand for food pellets. In one corner of the zoo three black bears lumber over a limestone outcropping. Scattered around the grounds are 17 big cats, the stars of the show.
Unfortunately, most of the animals have lived sad lives up until their retirement to the Austin Zoo. Of the 300 animals at the sanctuary, 90% were rescued from bad situations. Several of the monkeys worked as research subjects before coming to the zoo. Other animals were mistreated or relinquished when their owners could no longer care for them.
Big cats are one of the most problematic of animal rescues because of the expense required to house a large, dangerous animal and are a relatively new addition to the zoo. "The ones we have arrived as emergencies," Cindy says. Over the years the Carroccios have gradually added Bengal tigers, African lions, and the latest addition, two leopards.
The leopards, Rowdy and Sammy, have been in their new home since February 2. Rowdy is a black leopard whose spots are barely visible in his shiny coat. Sammy is a handsome golden-colored, spotted leopard who prefers to lie around on the platform high above the passing visitors. Sammy doesn't like to walk around because his feet hurt due to a botched declawing job done before he came to the zoo.
Until recently the pair lived a few feet from each other in a trailer of cages as part of a traveling religious show. The Reverend Lavender preached across Virginia and West Virginia using the five big cats, a bear, a wolf, and an alligator as draws to his tent revivals. One of the leopards lost part of a tail when it was caught in an iron bar door. The alligator froze to death in the open cage.
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) secured the release of three of the preacher's lions to the Austin zoo. The animal rights group was trying for the other cats when the Reverend had a heart attack and retired from the ministry. On short notice the cats arrived at the zoo in their "beestewaagen," as the Reverend called the trailer.
"We had to scramble to get a new enclosure built for the leopards," Cindy says. Like any construction project, it took longer than they wanted to get the cats out of the cages and into a roomy enclosure. Rowdy and Sammy seem content, if not happy, in their new surroundings.
Cindy says there are hundreds of big cats around the country that are in dire need of humane care. Sometimes the difference between ending up at a hunting ranch or in retirement at a place like the Austin Zoo is just a matter of the animal's luck. If the big cat is in the right place at the right time, someone like the Carroccios is able to take care of the big beast. "We do no one any good by taking animals we can't take care of," she says.
The zoo is a natural progression for Cindy's love of animals. When she lived in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Austin her back yard was full of strays and homeless critters. Cindy quit her job as an emergency room nurse and Jim left his job as a theatrical set designer to breed and show dairy goats at their ranch outside of Oak Hill.
The 25-acre Good Day Ranch soon became crowded with more misfits than dairy goats. In 1992, the Austin Zoo opened its gates. "We were literally doing it all in the beginning," Jim says. "We would put a radio up by the gate and tell visitors to call us to come let them in."
The Austin Zoo opens daily, 10am-6pm. To get there, take U.S. 290 West past the Oak Hill "Y" to the light at Circle Drive, turn right and go 1.5 miles to Rawhide Trail, make another right, and go a mile to the zoo entrance. Admission is $4-$6. To schedule a group tour or party, call 288-1490. For more information, visit the zoo's Web site at www.austinzoo.com.
564th in a series. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of Day Trips 101-200, is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.
