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Zoo transitions from summer to
winter
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Everyone pitches in to help with fall
clean-up at the zoo. |
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It’s autumn, and that means the zoo and its animals are
getting ready for winter. All of the tropical animals, like
parrots and monkeys, have moved indoors for the season. Other
animals, like the bobcats and sea lions, are hardy enough to
remain in their outdoor habitats all winter. In addition to
moving animals, crews are raking leaves, making repairs, and
moving equipment under cover.
While there are no visitors at the zoo during the winter (except for
students taking part in education programs), all the animals remain
here, except for the goats and other farm animals. So zoo keepers are
hard at work every day providing professional care for our
critters—they’re even here on Thanksgiving day and Christmas day! Next
time you meet one of our zoo keepers, be sure to thank them for their
dedication to excellent animal care.
Two New Arrivals
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This penguin chick hatched at the zoo
on November 3. |
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Two black-footed penguin chicks hatched this month! The first
chick, which hatched on November 3, is strong and healthy. The
second chick, which hatched on November 6, was pulled from the
nest because its parents weren’t feeding it – a situation that
is not unusual when birds have more than one chick in the nest.
Keepers are providing hands-on care in the veterinary hospital,
and report that the chick is steadily gaining weight.
This is the third time that female penguin Right Peach and male
penguin Left Star have produced chicks – they are also the parents of
Tank, who hatched in August 2006 and Butch, who hatched in March. The
pairing of Right Peach and Left Star was recommended by the Species
Survival Plan, a cooperative program among accredited zoos which seeks
to maintain genetically healthy populations of endangered and threatened
animals.
Wondering how the penguins got their names? Most of the flock is
named for the color and placement of their identifying wing bands. (For
example, Right Peach wears a peach-colored band on her right wing.) Tank
was named for her impressive body size as a chick. And Butch is named
after Butch Waltemath, a zoo volunteer who donates his time to assist
keepers in the Central Zoo.
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Visit our holiday kiosk at Glenbrook
Square on the lower level. |
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One-Click Gifts!
Give a Zoo Membership
Adopt an Animal
For more gift ideas, visit our kiosk on the lower level at Glenbrook
Square.
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