| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution recognizing April 20, 2006, as "Lowry |
| 3 | Park Zoo Day" in Florida. |
| 4 |
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| 5 | WHEREAS, the 2004 Legislature recognized Lowry Park Zoo in |
| 6 | Tampa, Hillsborough County, as the state center for Florida |
| 7 | species conservation and biodiversity, and |
| 8 | WHEREAS, Lowry Park Zoo, a participant in the Species |
| 9 | Survival Plan national breeding program managed by the American |
| 10 | Zoo and Aquarium Association, created a Safari Africa habitat |
| 11 | and brought five African elephants, including "Ellie," to the |
| 12 | zoo for safekeeping in 2003, and |
| 13 | WHEREAS, on October 17, 2005, Ellie gave birth to a 205- |
| 14 | pound male calf, which was the first African elephant born at |
| 15 | the zoo and which was named "Tamani," a Swahili word meaning "to |
| 16 | hope," a name proposed by Sarah Eicher's second grade class at |
| 17 | Frontier Elementary School in Clearwater and selected, through |
| 18 | online voting, from among the five suggested names that had been |
| 19 | ranked highest, and |
| 20 | WHEREAS, Lowry Park Zoo, the top-attended zoo in the |
| 21 | Southeastern United States in 2004, is a stellar example of an |
| 22 | exceptionally successful public-private partnership, |
| 23 | consistently maintaining an entrepreneurial and ever- |
| 24 | enthusiastic spirit while raising 80 percent of its annual |
| 25 | budget based on earned revenue, and |
| 26 | WHEREAS, in endeavoring to connect people with the living |
| 27 | earth and playing an active role in conservation and |
| 28 | environmental issues affecting animals and their habitats in |
| 29 | Florida and throughout the world, Lowry Park Zoo serves as a |
| 30 | superb educational resource and an exciting attraction for its |
| 31 | guests, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 32 |
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| 33 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 34 | Florida: |
| 35 |
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| 36 | That the House of Representatives salutes Lowry Park Zoo |
| 37 | for its outstanding contributions to the State of Florida and |
| 38 | designates April 20, 2006, as "Lowy Park Zoo Day" in Florida. |
| 39 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be |
| 40 | presented to Lowry Park Zoo as a tangible token of the |
| 41 | sentiments expressed herein. |