JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – The Jackson Zoo recently received a health certificate from USDA inspectors.
An inspection of the park in September 2024 found no nonconforming items. This is the second time this year that the zoo has received a clear report from authorities.
Melissa Faith Payne, Jackson’s communications director, said she had not seen the report and could not comment.
The USDA regularly inspects parks. This is a requirement for the city to maintain exhibitor permits necessary to exhibit animals.
The city has been cited in the past for the park’s status. In April, inspectors found five violations, including the park’s walk-in cooler not working and a male Klipspringer being attacked and killed by an adult zebra.
The zebra showed signs of aggression and was removed from the exhibit exhibiting Klipspringer, but was reintroduced a few days later, the report said.
But the latest report is more positive news for historic West Jackson Park.
Last week, for example, the city hosted Boo’s Zoo, which Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba called a “successful event.”
“There were so many vehicles trying to get to Boo Zoo that we had to call JPD to direct some traffic,” he said at a news conference Monday. “This is one of those welcome problems that we haven’t had in a long time.”
Lumumba had no attendees or revenue for Monday’s event, but said it was the first major event held at Lumumba since new credit card readers were installed at the park.
Those numbers also had not been made public by Wednesday morning.
Credit card readers were installed in early October.
In August, Dr. Abram Muhammad, director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, said the device was key to helping parks increase attendance and revenue, saying officials had to close hundreds of customers this summer because they couldn’t accept credit cards at the gate. He said that he had chased him back.
“During the month of May, we had to turn away 423 potential backers,” Muhammad said. “That’s $5,000 to $7,300 in missed revenue that month alone. In June, you missed out on a potential $6,800, and in July, you missed out on a potential $11,000. did.”
Zoos are usually busiest during the summer months. It is unclear how much has been made since the card reader was installed.
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