85R32717 JGH-D
By: Ashby H.R. No. 2371
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Lufkin are celebrating the 50th
anniversary of the Ellen Trout Zoo on June 17, 2017; and
WHEREAS, In 1965, local businessman Walter W. Trout and the
Lufkin Rotary Club proposed establishing a zoo that would feature
the fauna of East Texas, but when Mr. Trout received a baby
hippopotamus as a gift, the focus of the zoo shifted to include more
exotic creatures; and
WHEREAS, The zoo was officially opened on June 17, 1967, and
named in honor of Mr. Trout's mother, with his granddaughter
Barbara cutting the ribbon; in 1983, it became the fifth zoo in
Texas to be accredited by the American Association of Zoological
Parks and Aquariums, and the following year, the Friends of Ellen
Trout Zoo was created to help the zoo promote conservation, acquire
new animals, build new exhibits, and purchase equipment; and
WHEREAS, Today, the Ellen Trout Zoo draws some 150,000
visitors each year from across East Texas and western Louisiana
with the opportunity to see a variety of wild animals, including
Maasai giraffes, southern white rhinoceroses, Malayan tigers, and
the largest zoo colony of cotton-top tamarin monkeys in the United
States; since 2002, the state-of-the-art Hippoquarium has allowed
visitors to view the zoo's two hippos in a natural river setting;
the zoo also features a miniature train, a fishing lake, a hiking
trail, a playground, and picnic areas; and
WHEREAS, More than 10,000 area students visit the facility
each year to learn more about the natural world; in addition, the
zoo is active in several important conservation efforts to help
preserve and increase the populations of a variety of animals,
including the Louisiana pine snake and the East Texas black bear,
and it has also provided support to protect the Orinoco crocodile,
the clouded leopard, jaguars, and other species whose survival is
at risk; and
WHEREAS, For half a century, the Ellen Trout Zoo has proven to
be an invaluable cultural and educational resource, delighting
residents and visitors alike with its unique collection of some of
the world's most remarkable creatures; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Ellen
Trout Zoo and extend to the zoo's staff, volunteers, and guests
sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable celebration;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the Ellen Trout Zoo as an expression of high regard by
the Texas House of Representatives.