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Most South Carolinians run to grab their can of bug spray when they see a cockroach, but Abby Martin is more than happy to hold one of the insects as if it were a beloved pet.<\/p>\n
Martin, the guest engagement supervisor at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, uses Madagascar hissing cockroaches to teach children and guests that \u201cevery animal has a purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n
The cockroach, which is slightly longer and scalier than the native Palmetto bug that frightens so many South Carolinians, is one of the ways guests interact with the attractions at Riverbanks.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an opportunity for us to change their minds about them, you know. Not many people like cockroaches, but they\u2019re really important animals,\u201d Martin said.<\/p>\n
Riverbanks, which celebrated its 45-year anniversary Thursday, is among one of only 236 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums; only about 10 percent of zoos and aquariums in the nation are AZA accredited. The association ensures zoos are held to high standards of animal care, guest relations and conservation education.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re a conservation organization, first and foremost,\u201d Martin said.<\/p>\n
The distinction is just one reason Riverbanks is up for America\u2019s Best Zoo, an annual award put on by USA Today. Voting closed April 22 and results will be revealed May 3. The contest ranks the top 20 zoos in the nation.<\/p>\n
Susan O\u2019Caine, Riverbank\u2019s director of communications, said the contest is an honor, but accolades aren\u2019t the zoo\u2019s main focus.<\/p>\n
\u201cConservation, here, is the core of our mission,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat we want to do\u2026 is give our guests an up-close experience with wildlife.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those experiences include interacting with the hissing cockroaches, feeding giraffes and exploring the newly opened Riverbanks Farm, an interactive barnyard-style area where guests can get up close and personal with alpacas, owls and Nubian goats.<\/p>\n
These experiences help guests \u201cdevelop a love of wildlife,\u201d O\u2019Caine said. This love translates into support for the zoo\u2019s conservation efforts.<\/p>\n
The environmental impact isn\u2019t the only mark Riverbanks makes. The zoo brings in $150 million annually and 2,000 jobs to the Midlands,\u00a0a number that has doubled since 2008, according to O\u2019Caine.<\/p>\n
Riverbanks is the most popular zoo in the Southeast and the most visited attraction in South Carolina, O\u2019Caine said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe really see visitors from all over the United States. Forty percent of guests are from 50 miles outside Columbia,\u201d O\u2019Caine said.<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s with a sea lion, a kangaroo, a bonobo or a hissing cockroach, Riverbanks Zoo urges every visitor to interact with the creatures in their care.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe mission of the zoo is to create connections and to inspire action, which will have a lasting impact on conservation,\u201d Martin said.<\/p>\n
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Animals encounters, like this one with the Madagascar hissing cockroach, are aimed at developing a love for all types of wildlife at the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Abby Martin supervisors guest engagement at Rivebanks Zoo and Garden. She said Riverbanks’ mission is “first and foremost, conservation.”<\/p>\n
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Susan O’Caine, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden director of communications, said the economic impact of the zoo on the Midlands is significant. Over $150 million is generated annually from the zoo, which directly impacts Richland and Lexington counties.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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