Zoo World News

Rio Grande Zoo Will Divulge the Details of the Exotic, Erotic, and Romantic Rituals of Animals

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:03:41 -0500

Get Information on This Tour That You'll Never Get in a Normal Rio Grande Zoo Tour By Terry Axline Albuquerque, NM - Indulge your animal instincts this Valentine's Day with a tour of the Rio Grande Zoo. The action starts on Sunday, February 14, promptly at 2:00 p.m. Love is a complex dance-even in the animal kingdom. Our resident experts will divulge the details of the exotic, erotic, and often curious romantic rituals of animals. Learn about the life-long romances of condors and cranes, intriguing mating habits of primates, and what goes on in the breeding world of reptiles. You'll get information on this tour that you'll never get in a normal zoo tour! It's sure to be this winter's most interesting day at the Zoo. Tickets for this tour are $10 and can be purchased at the Zoo's cashier booth on Sunday. Ticket cost includes Zoo admission and a special sweet treat. Reservations are required; please call (505) 764-6247. Sorry, kids. This affair is for adults only (18 and older). The Zoo is located at 903 Tenth St. SW.

A Sweetheart of a Deal At Jacksonville Zoo

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:21:29 -0500

Jacksonville Zoo is Celebrating Valentine's Day with a Special Admission Offer By Mercede New Jacksonville, FL - The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is celebrating Valentine's Day with a special admission offer on February 13th and 14th. Guests can buy one adult's admission and get one adult's admission free! Coupons for this offer will be available online at Jacksonvillezoo.org. A coupon from the Zoo's Web site must be presented to receive the discount, one coupon per person. For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 1,400 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Jacksonville Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). It is open year-round, seven days a week, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and is located on Jacksonville's North side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95. For more information on the Zoo, log on to jacksonvllezoo.org.

Acacia the Gorilla Packs Up and Moves to North Carolina Zoo

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:04:33 -0500

Acacia Booked a Seat Aboard a Cargo Jet Flight to Piedmont Triad International Airport By Rod Hackney Asheboro, NC - -"Acacia," a 15-year-old female gorilla, arrived at the North Carolina Zoo Saturday evening from the Oklahoma City Zoo, the second new gorilla to be transferred to the state zoo in the past month. "Jamani," a 10-year-old female arrived in Asheboro January 14, from the San Diego Zoo. Both gorillas were transferred to the N.C. Zoo as part of the Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP), a cooperative program of the Association of Zoos Aquariums aimed at improving the captive care and breeding of these highly endangered great apes.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's Newest Exhibit is "The Scoop on Poop"

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:50:03 -0500

Blending Fecal Facts With Fun in This New Interactive Exhibit By Tom O'Konowitz Cleveland, OH - Get The Scoop on Poop This Summer at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo DINOSAURS!, FLUTTER! and Professor Wylde return for Zoo's summer season Discover the science behind dinosaur dung, giraffe droppings and porcupine pellets this summer with "The Scoop on Poop," Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's newest exhibit. Blending fecal facts with fun, this interactive exhibit runs from Saturday, May 22, through Sunday, September 12 at the Zoo.

Columbus Zoo Helps 1,000 Endangered African Grey Parrots Confiscated in Cameroon

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:19:04 -0500

Staff Members are Scrambling to Treat the 1,000 Parrots, Many of Which are Injured or Ill By Jennifer M. Wilson Powell, OH - More than 1,000 endangered African grey parrots were delivered to the Limbe Wildlife Center in Cameroon last week after being confiscated as part of a $1.5 million illegal shipment at the Douala Airport. The shipment-that was scheduled to be loaded on to Ethiopian Airlines-was the largest on record and is the third major bust of African grey parrots in Cameroon in the past two years. The Last Great Ape Organization (LAGA), in conjunction with Cameroonian law enforcement officials, coordinated the bust. The parrots were destined for Kuwait International Airport and the Bahrain International Airport. Limbe staff members are scrambling to treat the parrots, many of which are injured or ill. Forty-seven parrots were found dead at the bottom of the crates upon arrival and another 30 did not survive the first day.

Akron Zoo Job Fair for Summer Employment is February 19

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:41:40 -0500

Akron Zoo Looking to Fill Jobs in the Areas of Guest Services, Horticulture and Custodial By David Barnhardt Akron, OH - The Akron Zoo will be hosting a job fair to showcase its opportunities for summer employment, February 19 from 1 - 7 p.m. February 20 from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., 2010. The zoo will be looking to fill jobs in the areas of guest services, horticulture and custodial. In the area of guest services the zoo will be looking for people to work admissions, gift shop and food service. The zoo's summer season runs April 1 - September 30. Applicants can fill out an application and some on-the-spot interviews will take place. Anyone interested must be 18 years or older and the Akron Zoo is a drug-free work place.

Giant Panda Tai Shan Arrives in China to Find a Mate

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:53:35 -0500

Tai Shan Will Take Part in a Panda Breeding Program at the Bifengxia Base By Enica R. Thompson Ya'an, Sichuan, China- Tai Shan, the Smithsonian's National Zoo's beloved 4 ½-year-old giant panda, has arrived safely to his new home at Wolong's Bifengxia Base in Ya'an, Sichuan. The 184-pound panda arrived at 4:26 p.m. local time in Chengdu on Feb. 5, 2010. On Feb. 4, Tai Shan's 15-hour non-stop flight departed Dulles International Airport at 12:10 p.m. via a FedEx 777 plane, also known as the "Panda Express." Under the National Zoo's agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, Tai Shan will take part in a panda breeding program at the Bifengxia Base. The Zoo successfully negotiated two extensions with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, which allowed the Zoo to keep Tai Shan for two-and-a-half years beyond the original two-year contract.

Hadari, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo's Infant Gorilla, Finds his Place Among the Gorilla Group

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:36:50 -0500

Zookeepers Work to Reintroduce Hadari Into Gorilla Group By Steph Husman Omaha, NE - Hadari, an infant gorilla, is finding his place among the gorilla group. Hadari was born on July 27, 2009 to Timu, his mother, and Samson, his father, at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo. Timu successfully cared for Hadari for three weeks until he unfortunately suffered from a broken arm. Zoo staff worked quickly to ensure proper healing. A special vest, made to simulate the mother's hair, was worn by Zoo staff to teach Hadari how to grasp and hold on. He was then cared for by keepers, animal care staff and docents around the clock. The origin of the break is unknown as it happened over night. The goal has always been to reintroduce Hadari into gorilla group therefore he was continually kept near the group so they could smell, watch and interact.

"Naked" Polar Bear Cruise to Benefit the Wildlife Conservation Society

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 08:52:51 -0500

Enjoy a Frosty Ride While Raising Money to Help WCS Save Wildlife and Wild Places By Fran Hackett New York, NY - Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises and Coney Island Polar Bear Club are teaming up on Saturday, February 27th to host the second annual "Naked" Polar Bear Cruise (bathing suit required) to benefit the Wildlife Conservation Society. Participating passengers are encouraged to strip down to their bathing suits and enjoy a frosty ride while they raise money to help WCS save wildlife and wild places around the globe.

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Joins Community Recycling Program, Paper Retriever®,

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 08:33:58 -0500

Paper Retriever® is a No-cost Program that Provides Bins to Vollect Paper For Recycling By Gina Stiles Jacksonville, FL - The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens announces that it has joined the community recycling program, Paper Retriever®, with the addition of two bins on location at the Zoo. Paper Retriever® is a no-cost program that allows organizations to host bins to collect paper which is then recycled. The program is a fundraiser for participating organizations as the proceeds from the bins benefit the host. "Paper Retriever® supports the Zoo's mission to instill passion in the next generation as responsible stewards of the future," said Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens' Executive Director Tony Vecchio. "And it's just one of our efforts to become more "green" as an institution while encouraging others to do the same."