donating animals to zoo's anyone ever done this?

[RTM Reptiles]

I am thinking of donating a few animals that hatch this year to the zoo becuse they dont have them and I really want to give them a morph ball python so it is somthing different for the public to see....
Has anyone done this ? Any problems ? I dont want to be paid for it I would just like maybe a mention that it was given to them. .....
Any thoughts??????????????

[TheMissingLink]

Our zoo here and most zoo's won't take animals from the public.

[FL0OD]

Our zoo here and most zoo's won't take animals from the public.

agreed

[Aric]

Having been asked this question in the reptile department at the Knoxville Zoo, I can tell you most zoos dont take animal donations.

[MarkS]

Talk to them first to see if they want it. They probably wouldn't use it as a display animal in a cage, but many zoos have other 'non traditional' departments for teaching people about animals, My herp society once donated a couple of Boas that came into our adoption committee to the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley to be used in their 'Discovery Zoo' which was a place where people could go in and actually touch animals and talk face to face with and ask questions of their handlers. But your best bet is to probably sell the morph and then donate the money.

[python.princess]

My great grampa had donated a burmese to Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle and it was on display for many years. But that was a long time ago and things have changed so who knows?

[joepythons]

I tried this at our local zoo with a albino burmese when theres died.I was told they can not take anything from the general public.The reasons were they have no knowledge of the animals genetics.Or if it has anything internal that could pass on to the other reptiles and kill them.So basicly unless it comes from another zoo they more then likely will tell you no thanks

[Sunny1]

I think that it wouldn't hurt to ask them. If they say no, at least you tried, right!

The tigers that are at the Norfolk Zoo were taken in originally being someone's "pets". They also have an educational department where they teach groups about different animals and have a bunch of different reptiles and other animals that are kept behind the scenes for purposes like that. So you never know.

Maybe there are other educational groups local to you that may take one of your animals....??