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Honolulu Zoo Going Ape Over Contributions

Going ape over contributions. That's exactly what the Honolulu Zoo is doing. That's because the latest donations are no small bananas, but total nearly two million dollars.

Sharon Weiner, Zoo capital campaign executive, says, "Today's announcement takes us to 1.9 million dollars, so we're one third of the way home."

Home is creating an entirely new zoo, something that has been a long time coming.

Zoo director, Ken Redman, said, "We're a fairly old and tired zoo. Cage and chain link is not how you want to represent animals in this day and age. We want to build natural habitats."

All the old cages would be replaced with more interactive and animal friendly exhibits and the new zoo will also have a new entrance opening up to Kapahulu and Kalakaua Avenues to attract more visitors to this 42 acre animal kingdom.

"We draw 560,000 people a year, there's no reason we can't double that amount," says Redman.

Of course much of that will depend on the city council getting into the swing of giving.

"What were trying to do is get a 4-to-1 match with the city being the four and the one being from the private sector, so the private sector supplements what the city does and most major zoos have a private public partnership going to make the zoo a better institution," says Weiner.

Better, bigger and in the hunt for world class status when it comes to zoos.

"Hopefully in 3 years, you'll see a gigantic transformation of the zoo. I think of this as the diamond in the rough that should be the jewel in the crown of Waikiki tourism."

With the expansion the Honolulu Zoo would get new animals from Asia, Africa and the Pacific.