Thanks to donors, two new aviaries house former Shell Factory birds at Wonder Gardens

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. - Feb. 11, 2025 - PRLog -- A keel-billed toucan named Rita, and a Moluccan cockatoo named Dusty have moved into new homes at the Wonder Gardens, thanks to generous donors, Joy and Denis Franks on behalf of the Ammerman Family Foundation.

Rita and Dusty were adopted by the Wonder Gardens after the Shell Factory announced its closure in Sept. 2024. After spending some time as very loud officemates, their move to the new aviaries was an exciting moment for all.

"We first visited the Wonder Gardens about seven years ago and just loved everything about it," said Joy Franks after unveiling the new Ammerman Family Foundation Joy and Denis Franks Aviaries. "We live in Bonita Springs and we're happy to be a part of preserving special places and supporting important missions here."

The large aviaries are each 12 feet tall and 10 feet in diameter, with plenty of enrichment activities like toys and swings. Custom Cages USA built the new aviaries and included powered fans and heating elements to keep their environments comfortable no matter the weather.

"As a nonprofit zoological park, we rely on the generosity of donors to help us achieve goals like these two beautiful new homes for Rita and Dusty," said Neil Anderson, president and CEO of Wonder Gardens. "We're excited to be able to welcome the public to the gardens to meet our newest residents!"

For more information, visit https://WonderGardens.org/.