Gazelles and giraffes on a moat-protected island at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas. The zoological garden, which opened in 1971, is named after Gladys Porter, the daughter of Earl C. Sams, former president of the J.C. Penney clothing store. Porter, a wildlife enthusiast, helped to plan and stock the zoo, which was entirely funded by the Earl C. Sams Foundation. After its opening, the zoo was given to the city of Brownsville.