Animal Habitats Then and Now

by Molly Robertson, Program Director

When I was growing up, I loved animals (and still do!), so my mother would often take me to the local Potawatomi Zoo. The lions, bears, zebras, and monkeys would all be in square cages with a green floor that the zoo keeper would hose down at the end of the day. Often, the animals would look distressed, frantically pacing their bare cages with nothing to engage their mind or bodies. Even as a child, I could feel the mental distress these beautiful captive animals were feeling, and it was heartbreaking.

Fortunately, today's zoos, aquariums, and nature centers are using nature as a guide when designing animal habitats, allowing for both physical and psychological health in captive animals. A natural habitat is not only beneficial for the animals it houses but also speaks to the wild spaces these animals require to survive as a species. It's with this thinking that my vision for our beloved Darien Nature Center animal ambassadors is to leave behind the dated generic boxes that currently house them and create spaces where our students and visitors can experience our animals in a natural, enriching environment.

We have already seen the profound impact the installation of thoughtfully designed natural habitats can have on our animals and visitors. With generous grants from the Darien Foundation in 2019 and 2024, we installed two beautiful naturalistic enclosures for our native owls and turtles. Perched above the heads of visitors in the cavities of their "snag" tree, our Eastern Screech owls, Blinken and Luna, are visibly more relaxed, sleeping and eating better and exhibiting natural behaviors that we never saw in their old enclosure. Likewise, our turtles happily swim, climb, dig, and bask in their new enclosure. Who knew Eastern Box turtles like to swim!? It’s so heartwarming to see natural behaviors emerge when their habitat mimics the wild.

The Darien Nature Center has launched a capital campaign to fund the renovation of our animal room, which will blend art with function while recreating a Connecticut forest. This renovation will celebrate nature and biodiversity while immersing visitors in a precious hardwood forest. Our mission has never felt more urgent for our community and the planet. A renovated animal room will foster a deeper connection to the natural world while significantly enhancing the lives of our animal ambassadors. Your support is greatly appreciated and essential to this transformation. Please drop by or call anytime! I would love to meet with you and share information on our exciting plans for our animal room.   

Gratefully, 

Molly