- Amos Rehabilitation Keep (ARK) in Port Aransas closing pubic tours because of a change in permit policy from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Many residents and visitors are upset
- Many are hopeful for some kind of compromise or solution to bring the tours back in some capacity
The ARK in Port Aransas is stopping public tours, effective Jan. 1st. Many Port Aransas residents and visitors are sad to hear this news. The ARK has been rehabilitating birds and turtles since 1999, but the public tours of the facilities began in 2021. There will be no more tours, starting in 2024.
The reason for the tour discontinuation is because of a change in permit policy from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The new permit policy enforces new rules for showing captive species of birds to the public. The University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) decided not to move forward with pursuing the new permit.
The ARK said in a statement online, "To continue rehabilitating as many birds as it has in the past and pursue its central mission, UTMSI has chosen not to pursue the revised USDA permit for the Amos Rehabilitation Keep, which would require serving fewer birds in its current space in order to exhibit them to the public."
The ARK has been a popular place for visitors for the past few years. People are disappointed that there will no longer be any tours offered.
Neil and Deb David live in Port Aransas part-time and own property there. They have been frequent visitors of the ARK for a while. They are just two of the many disappointed people.
“Well I think it's a shame," David said. "I don’t know the whole story behind it. I’m not going to say I do, but Tony Amos did so much to create the ARK and it was such a public thing that he wanted to have that the public could come and see the rescued wildlife and I think it’s a shame.”
Many are hopeful for some kind of compromise or solution to bring the tours back in some capacity.
"Even if it could reopen with some restrictions, I’d be happy with that. I’d hate to see it closed publicly to visitors," said Deb David.
Some other ideas circulating on social media included possibly offering virtual tours of the ARK if the new regulations allow.
Neil David suggested another idea, “If there are some of the species that the public can’t be around, possibly they could set them off."
The University of Texas Marine Science Institute expresses its gratitude to the community for supporting the ARK and keeping it thriving as a successful wildlife rehabilitation center. Even though there are no more tours for now, The ARK hopes to find more ways to have public engagement in the future.
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