More than 500 animals are currently being cared for at the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens. It will soon be building a new exhibit for black bears.

As stated on the zoo’s website, its mission is to be “a conservation resource providing experiences that excite and inspire children and adults to learn and act on behalf of wildlife.”

The zoo also posted, “Our community has grown exponentially and we have encroached on a valuable and necessary part of our Florida ecosystem – the Florida black bear […] The Zoo will be home to [an adult bear from Seminole County], and two cubs rescued from a home in Georgia in 2014.”

Florida recently made it legal to hunt black bears, and hunters are required to have a permit.

In response to Florida legalizing the hunting of black bears, freshman Steve Carroll states, “I am very excited. I didn’t get a permit this year though. [My dad and I] were planning to but we couldn’t get one because they already sold out. I don’t think that hunting the bears will lower the collisions between people and bears though.”

Some people are enthusiastic about having the ability to hunt black bears, but other believe killing these animals is wrong.

However, sophomore Bernard Davis says, “Killing the animals will negatively impact the environment and no one wants that.”

Upon hearing about the black bear exhibit at the Central Florida Zoo, Davis says, “I do think that the exhibit will help the ecosystem. The habitat will allow [the workers at the zoo] to study and better understand black bears.”

The Central Florida Zoo has links to donate to support it. The website also includes a link to donate towards funding the black bear exhibit.

In addition to black bears, the Sanford Zoo is also home to other animals such as rhinos and giraffes. An elephant exhibit was replaced by a rhinoceros enclosure featuring two rhinos, Jahi and PJ in 2013, and in the following year, a giraffe exhibit featuring three male giraffes, Rafiki, Emba, and Gage, was introduced.

The website also says the zoo’s vision is to “empower our guests to respect, value and care for our natural resources, as we commit to contributing globally to the conservation and preservation of wildlife.” The zoo has also stated how it wants to bring attention to the importance and ongoing efforts of wildlife sustainability.