Park board approves zoo animal moves and five‑year plan as avian‑flu risk reshapes priorities

The Michigan City Parks and Recreation Board on Feb. 19 approved Washburn Zoo’s request to relocate four rabbits and to bring five fallow deer fawns into its fallow deer exhibit, and it approved the zoo’s 2025–2029 strategic plan.

Jamie Huss of Washburn Zoo described the animal moves as part of a short‑term effort to reduce avian‑influenza risk and to refresh an aging fallow deer population. "We request to . . . relocate the 4 rabbits we have at the zoo . . . so we could use some construction in the red barn, to make some spaces safer from avian flu risk," Huss said. She added the zoo wants to bring in five fallow deer fawns “because we have an aging collection” and to keep the fallow deer exhibit active.

Board members then voted, by voice, to approve the animal request. The motion passed with an audible affirmative vote; no roll‑call tally was recorded on the transcript.

Huss also presented the zoo’s five‑year strategic plan, which the board described as a “living document” that is updated annually to reflect funding availability, changing costs and evolving regulatory requirements. Huss said the plan, started in 2015 and refreshed this year, helps the zoo coordinate projects with potential donors and adjust priorities if emergencies occur. "A lot of this has been added to since 02/2015 . . . we've got past all the small projects. Now we're to more major cost projects," she said.

Board members discussed how federal and state rules have influenced project sequencing. One member said the board shifted priorities to the big‑cat exhibit years ago and that federal legal changes would have otherwise forced the zoo to lose those animals; that experience influences current planning for bird exhibits. "Because Jamie keeps track of all the legislation that's possible . . . the federal laws changed, we would have lost the big cats," a board member said.

The plan includes design work now under way for the "Wings of Wonder" bird area; Huss said the design phase is nearly complete but has exceeded earlier cost estimates because of inflation. She described avian exhibits as particularly vulnerable to avian‑influenza and said the zoo is assessing which bird displays must be modified or closed to preserve collections.

Separately, the board approved an invoice from the zoo endowment fund paying Lowe’s $561.90 for avian and barnyard fence repairs.

Why it matters: The board’s approvals keep short‑term animal welfare and biosecurity work on track while formally adopting a multi‑year plan that the zoo will use to sequence projects and solicit partners and donors. The approvals do not commit additional operating funding beyond projects already in the plan.

Board vote and procedure: Both the animal‑move request and the strategic plan were approved by voice vote at the meeting; the transcript records the motions and the board chair calling for “aye” and then announcing “motion carried.” No roll‑call vote counts or individual yes/no votes were recorded in the transcript.

What’s next: Zoo staff said they will continue to update the plan annually and adjust project order if new funding or regulatory developments arise. The zoo and board will address design and cost questions for bird exhibits as part of project planning and fundraising.