The buzz around town last week was who is this Ann Curry that we read was celebrating her birthday at The Shell Factory’s Nature Park? Is it Ann Curry from the Today’s Show on TV?

The mystery unfolds as Ann Curry, (not from the Today Show) the zebra came out to celebrate with us at her very own birthday party! How many zebras can say they had their own birthday party! Ann is the beautiful zebra at the Shell Factory’s Nature Park in North Fort Myers, Florida.

The Shell Factory celebrated Ann Curry’s actual birthday on November 19th with a home made birthday cake made of all her favorite foods. Ann Curry felt so special by the is special event in her honor. We only wish that Ann Curry, from the Today’s Show, could have joined us for our celebration with our Ann.

Happy Birthday Ann Curry, we love you!

Don’t forget to keep checking for more upcoming events and join us for the fun at the 70 events in 70 days celebration of the Shell Factory’s 70th Birthday/Anniversary Celebration! We love you Shell Factory!!

For students, here’s a little information on the Zebra from the Wikipedia.

“The Zebra is an odd-toed ungulate of the Equidae family, native to eastern, southern and southwestern Africa. They are best known for their distinctive white and black stripes which come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals and can be seen in large herds with other grazers.

In addition to their stripes, zebras have erect, mohawk-like manes and communicate with each other with high-pitched barks and brays. They are generally 2.3 m (8ft) long, stand 1.25-1.5 m (4-5ft) at the shoulder and a weigh around 300kg (660 lbs) although some can get over 410 kg (900 lbs). Unlike their closest relatives: horses and donkeys, zebras have not been truly domesticated. There are four species of zebra. The Plains Zebra, Grevy’s Zebra, Cape Mountain Zebra and the Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra. They can be found in a variety of habitats, such as grasslands, savannas, woodlands, thorny scrublands, mountains and coastal hills.”

The Shell Factory does it part to help Greyhound dogs get adopted and find a good home!

Please join us for the Greyhound presentation at the Shell Factory on November 25, 2007 for this great event which is part of our 70 events in 70 days.

The Greyhound adoption event will be held at the Dog Bones Cafe located at the Shell Factory. Dog Bones Cafe is located directly behind Capt’n Fishbones’ restaurant and is a dog friendly cafe where you can bring your pet to eat a meal. The event will start at 1pm and last until 4pm.

The Greyhound adoption people putting on the event are Gotta Getta Greyhound, and their phone number in case you’d like to inquire about adopting a Greyhound is (239) 731-3187. Their website is www.greyhoundadoptionkennel.com.

Things are always changing at The Shell Factory and Nature Park, but occasionally there is something that sparks our interest because it is really unusual. This weekend the landmark tourist attraction is opening Gator Dave’s Swamp. HUM, you may say is this about Florida Alligators (the reptiles) or the award winning blue and orange critters that inhabit the area from Gainesville south? Interestingly enough it is about both. The fun little outdoor area that serves food and beverages looks like the sloughs of the everglades and has blue and orange shelves that frame Saturday Football! Fans are close enough to have their children ride the bumper boats, play miniature golf or shoot water wars balloons at one another and they can still root their team to victory.

And, so, how does it get its name? Gator Dave is the legal hunter that provides the Shell Factory with the hides, claws and other Gator paraphernalia that the locals and tourists adore.

Is Gator Dave a real fellow? Why, yes he is! Enamored with alligators since about the age of 13 this interesting man has been fascinated with how the swamp critters looked and felt since his first encounter with them.

Does Gator Dave understand conservation management?

Since this early age he became very concerned about how the Gator population would be maintained. Once, the alligator was an endangered species, but that is not true today. We call them a nuisance because there are over a million alligators in Florida. It is the desire of Gator Dave and The Shell Factory and Nature Park to live in harmony with all animals, plants, flora and fauna.

The opening of Gator Dave’s Swamp is yet another of the festivities of the 70th Anniversary celebration of The Shell Factory! Can you imagine, 70 EVENTS In 70 DAYS.

The children from New Testament Baptist Church located in Cape Coral, Florida and their parents joined us for hot dogs and painting in the Nature Park at the Shell Factory Today! A big thank you to all who came out to help out today with this event.

Some other special guests joined us as well and some of those special guests included; Puffy the Alpaca; our new addition “bearded dragon”; & Maggie the miniature horse.

Everyone had a great time while giving our Nature Park some beautiful artistic additions that will be treasured for years to come by all.

Why now come out to the Shell Factory’s Nature Park and view these pieces of work which will be displayed for all to see. They will be placed throughout the Nature Park just as soon as they dry.

Some kids took a break and played miniature golf at the Shell Factory’s Miniature Golf course behind Capt’n Fishbones’ Restaurant.

This was part of our 70 Events in 70 days as part of our 70th Anniversary Celebration!

Photographs by Alene Greto, Nature Park Manager

Happy Halloween from all the animals at the Petting Farm at the Shell Factory’s Nature Park!

This what the pigs do after ‘Pigs on Parade’, they have a pumpkin fest. A big thank you to Shecklers Produce who donated 10 Pumpkins to the animals at the Nature Park.

The Petting Farm’s piggies were trying to carve up some pumpkin at the Nature Park, but instead they ended up eating it all up! Try not to make a pig of yourself this Halloween, eating all that pumpkin!

Why not carve up your own pumpkin face using some templates we found that might help you on your quest. This is the typical smiling pumpkin with an X for eyes that you normally might see for a carved pumpkin face. Or here’s a list of a few other carved pumpkin templates you might be interested in this Happy Pumpkin (oops - Halloween) Season; Jaggedy Face , Cat Moon, Triangle, Dog, Cat, Dude, Sun Face, Lion, Jack and the Classic Face.

Photographs by Alene Greto, Nature Park Manager

Did you say, “What’s at the Shell Factory & Nature Park”?  Why not take a look at the map by either clicking on the map to see a larger picture or by clicking on this link.

Why not get out your Christmas shopping list out and head on out to the Shell Factory.  You will be surprised how many items you will find at the Shell Factory; from jewelry, pearls, toys, stuffed animals, hermit crabs & hermit crab houses, Starfish coffee,  shells, coral, conchs, sealife, fossils, specimen shells, dishes, cooking supplies for barbeques; cards, candies, fudge, clothing, Christmas shop filled with every Christmas item you can imagine, red white and blue section, and so much more! You can do all your holiday shopping in one location this year by shopping at the Shell Factory!

Guess What? They even have a post office so you can mail your packages off from the Shell Factory while you’re there! Now, what can be better than that!

Don’t forget to stop at the Coffee shop for an iced Green Tea Latte. They are fantastic! Or catch lunch and/or supper at Capt’n Fishbones, while the kid’s play miniature golf and have water fights in the water bumper boats!

Then wonder on over to the Nature Park to see their new Dinosaur Section and don’t forget to go to the Petting Zoo to pet & visit the animals there.

Photograph by Alene Greto (10-22-2007)