Foundation awards $5 million grant to planned Brevard Zoo aquarium at Port Canaveral

A family charitable foundation has awarded the Brevard Zoo a $5 million gift for the zoo's future aquarium and conservation center at Port Canaveral.

The gift from the Pittsburgh-based DSF Charitable Foundation ― which is run by the Mellon family — will help pay for the aquarium's Sea Turtle Care Complex.

Thomas Mellon founded the Mellon Bank in Pittsburgh in the 1860s and his descendants became among the wealthiest families in America.

This gift was made after David and Sara Scaife, a married couple who have a home in Vero Beach, visited the Brevard Zoo in Viera. The zoo said the Scaifes ― who are trustees of the foundation ― were inspired by the high standards of animal wellness at the zoo, saw a sign describing the future aquarium, and reached out for more information. David Scaife is a descendant of Thomas Mellon.

“Our family has a tradition of supporting zoos throughout the United States,” Sara Scaife said in a statement announcing the gift. “This project will only enhance Brevard Zoo’s reputation as a must-see destination."

The $5 million gift is the second-largest private donation to Brevard Zoo’s "Our Legacy Campaign," a $100 million community fundraising effort to build the future aquarium. The largest was a $25 million commitment in 2021 from an anonymous donor.

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The aquarium also has been approved for a $15 million Brevard County tourism capital grant funded by the county's 5% tourist development tax on hotel rooms, vacation rentals and other short-term rentals. It has received nearly $1.5 million in state grants, but Gov. Ron DeSantis this year vetoed another $2 million allocation in the state budget for the aquarium project.

Counting private donations, the aquarium has raised about $64.7 million toward its $100 million fundraising goal, according to Brevard Zoo Chief Executive Officer Keith Winsten.

In recognition of the DSF Charitable Foundation's gift, the new sea turtle rehabilitation facility will be named the Scaife Family Sea Turtle Care Complex.

Winsten said zoo officials are excited that the family would see the worth in giving $5 million to the aquarium project.

“We are grateful beyond measure for the family’s philanthropic leadership," Winsten said.

The zoo said the turtle care complex is designed to elevate and expand the work of the zoo’s Sea Turtle Healing Center, which opened in 2014 at the Viera zoo. The Scaife Family Sea Turtle Care Complex will provide a second Brevard Zoo facility capable of caring for sick, injured and young "washback" turtles that didn't make it out to sea. It will nearly double the zoo’s capacity to undertake this work.

Zoo officials said the complex will serve as a cornerstone of the future aquarium. The 13,000-square-foot complex will feature a hospital facility equipped with advanced rehabilitation and veterinary clinical capabilities, as well as an outdoor lagoon habitat that will provide long-term sanctuary for rehabilitated turtles that cannot be released because of permanent health conditions.

The rehabilitation facility will allow aquarium visitors to experience conservation in action. It will feature large viewing windows into a working treatment center and rehabilitation area, giving visitors an opportunity to observe turtles’ care in real time.

Zoo officials hope this experience will foster empathy for sea turtles; encourage a deeper understanding of the conservation efforts being undertaken to protect them; and promote actions and consumer choices people can take to protect this endangered species.

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Dr. Trevor Zachariah, the zoo's director of veterinary programs and wildlife rehabilitation programs, said the facility "will empower our team to respond swiftly and decisively to the urgent needs of endangered sea turtles suffering from pollution-related ailments."

"The public visibility of this work will educate and inspire people to care for our environment and consider the consequences of actions that could contribute to pollution in our waterways,” Zachariah added.

Zoo officials noted that the coast of Brevard County is one of the more important areas for sea turtles globally. Five of the world’s seven sea turtle species — green, loggerhead, leatherback, hawksbill and Kemp’s ridley— have a presence in the area. Brevard's beaches are considered a hot spot for loggerhead nesting.

All sea turtles are considered endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

Groundbreaking for the aquarium is expected in the fall of 2024, with a planned opening in early 2027.

The aquarium will span 14 acres of shoreline along the Banana River at Port Canaveral. Zoo officials say it is designed to reflect the aesthetic of the Brevard Zoo, and facilitate connections between visitors and Florida’s marine life and coastal ecosystems through a relaxed experience.

Sara Scaife ― who has been a member of the Pittsburgh Zoo board of directors for more than 20 years ― said that, "in addition to being a source of fun for families, the new aquarium will also serve as a major driver for regional economic development.”

The aquarium is expected to attract at least 525,000 visitors a year, including more than 300,000 tourists.

Ellen Winter, the zoo's chief philanthropy officer, said she hoped the donation from the DSF Charitable Foundation will inspire others to contribute to the project.

The DSF Charitable Foundation seeks to promote excellence in three program areas: health, human services and education, with the grant program focusing primarily on Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania.

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com, on Twitter at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Foundation awards $5M grant to Brevard Zoo for aquarium project at port