Walker owns a chain of truck washes. With 40 species on display, restaurants and a gift shop, Rolling Hills is the type of operation Cole envisions. He didn't only want a few things in place. He wanted people to come in and fall in love. While Cole touts his concept for World Wildlife Kingdom as unique, zoos everywhere are headed in the same direction, said Jane Ballentine, spokeswoman for the Maryland-based American Zoo and Aquarium Association.
Cages are out.
Natural barriers, open spaces and displays that better educate the public on animals' native environments. Land costs and the need to be near population centers to draw visitors have meant more zoos are renovating and fewer are opening. Cherry Valley officials required Cole to obtain otherwise optional AZA approval when they annexed the proposed site in August. It was among precautionary measures village leaders took after the Rockford Register Star informed them of financial trouble and problems with animal care in Cole's past. Whether Cole meets AZA standards for accreditation would depend on a thorough review of the finished project, including a look at the zoo's books.