UTICAZOO.ORG ZOO NEWS Winter 2014 - 2015 The Utica Zoo is supported, in part, through funding provided by Oneida County. from the director The winter season at the Utica Zoo is magical and fresh. What a blessing to walk through the grounds after a new blanket of snow, listening to the call of the wild right here in the center of our city. Please join us for all that this time of the year has to offer at the zoo; snowshoeing, a bit of exercise with a nice walk around the zoo, participating in one of the many educational programs including each Saturday morning, and impromptu zoo keeper talks. There is so much more in store for 2015, so visit our website often or join one of our social media networks to keep “in the know” and view all of our great photos! Andria Heath, Executive Director How can you support the Utica Zoo? Future giving, through planned or "deferred" gifts, is vital to the growth and sustainability of the Utica Zoo. Through estate planning, donors (and their heirs) can realize substantial savings and make significant donations by structuring gifts to take advantage of existing tax laws. Utica Zoo One Utica Zoo Way Utica, NY 13501 Phone: 315-738-0472 Fax: 315-738-0475 Email: [email protected] Website: www.uticazoo.org A publication of the Utica Zoological Society Please call Andria Heath, Executive Director, at 315-738-0472 Ext. 41 to learn more about this impactful means of supporting the Utica Zoo. 2014 Board of Trustees Robert B. Jubenville, PhD President Andrew F. Biernat Alaine Canestrari Joseph A. DeTraglia Esq. Patty Fox Lisa Lovett Joan M. Sinnott, PhD Philomena Sosso John Sullivan, M.D. Jim Viggiano Kevin Wiegand William T. Winsman Sr. Staff Andria Heath Executive Director Nikki Sheehan Operations Manager Melissa Ellis Events & Visitor Experience Coordinator Mike Beck Communications Coordinator Gift Shop: Amy Hoffman Alyssa Tamburrino Carol Heburn Education Dept. Mary Hall, Education Curator Kathleen Mallory Erin Mechan Nicolette Joaquin Animal Management Amy Augustine Mike Bates Melanie Entelisano Jackie Gregory Alexandra Gemelli Dr. Ellen Hilton, Veterinarian Tim Johnston Mandie Koenig Erin Lord-Astles Jen Penas Beth Ricci Buildings & Grounds Gary Mundschenk, Superintendent Chris Donohue Mikhail Naryvonchyk Cory McKinstry From the president As the newly elected President of the Utica Zoo Board of Trustees I would like to thank all our volunteers, members and guests who have visited the Zoo and helped us celebrate our centennial year. We are very fortunate to have a dedicated and compassionate Board of Directors and Zoo staff. They take pride in caring for over 80 species and 200 animals found at the Zoo as well as the development of new educational programs and research at the Zoo. Beginning its second century in 2015, I would invite all to keep us in mind as we work toward improving your zoo experience and develop new and more exciting exhibits for all who visit. This last year we have been grateful recipients from a number of corporations and individuals who understand that investments are necessary to improve our community for the benefit of all. As we move the Zoo forward the Board has reaffirmed our mission for education, conservation, and recreation with the continued efforts to make the UZ an AZA accredited zoo. Keep in mind that we are open year round and the winter brings out some unique opportunities to see many animals in a very different environment. If you would like additional information about happenings at the Zoo, the UZ website (uticazoo.org) and the UZ Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages will help you appreciate the variety of opportunities for family fun at the “Zoo for all Seasons” - Robert B. Jubenville, PhD, President Utica National $25,000 GRANT The Utica National Group Foundation has approved a $25,000 grant to the Utica Zoo in celebration of the 100th anniversary of both the Zoo and Utica National Insurance Group. The grant is designated for extensive renovations of the American Bald Eagle exhibit with the addition of an educational “nest,” which allows children and families to be at eye level with the eagles in the nest. The Utica National Group Foundation will also be the presenting sponsor of a new cultural celebration to be held at the zoo on August 29, 2015. Utica National Insurance and the Utica Zoo were both founded in Utica, New York in 1914. The American Bald Eagle exhibit was constructed in 1989 in part by a grant from the Utica National Group Foundation. In the coming months, the exhibit will be completely renovated and this will include repairs to the netting, a new holding area, rebuilding of perches and the addition of a new watering hole. Also, a unique educational setting will be created and placed next to the exhibit that explains the diet, flight, nesting and parenting of the American Bald Eagle. Children and families will be at eye level with eagles, Fred and Ginger, when they are in the nest. Mary Hall Education curator We all know that zoos offer hours of entertainment and recreation to families of all ages. In fact, more people visit zoos yearly than attend sporting events, but did you know that many zoos are also a valuable educational resource and an effective tool to teach conservation education? In 2007 the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) set out on a three year study to find out if zoos and aquariums are successful in their conservation education efforts, and if zoos have a positive impact in changing visitors’ feelings and attitudes about conservation. Among other things, their finding showed that “Visits to accredited zoos and aquariums prompt individuals to reconsider their role in environmental problems and conservation action and to see themselves as part of the solution”. The Utica Zoo’s education department strongly believes that we are also part of the solution and strive to offer affordable, quality educational programs to learners of all ages. Thanks to support through a foundation grant from Dominion Energy, the zoo’s education department has been able to offer free books and animal presentations to MVCAA Head Start classrooms and Utica’s UPK classes. The program has been ongoing since 2010 and allows us to introduce early learners to animals and their ecosystems through a fun hands-on manner, therefore setting them on a path to becoming lifelong environmental stewards. This year, through the support of local Walmart stores, the Zoo’s education department is able to offer free zoomobile presentations to local 4th grade classrooms. The programs focus on ecosystems and the community of plants and animals that live in them and will fit into the fourth grade science curriculum. The zoo is also partnering with Clinton’s Central School and developed a program with the middle school art teacher to help the students learn about birds and their adaptations as part of their study of John James Audubon. If you are planning on visiting the zoo this winter, we will be offering fun educational programs on Saturday mornings at 10:30. The programs will vary and be free with your zoo admission. For more information on these programs or any of our educational offerings go to uticazoo.org or call the department at 315-738-0472 ext. 26 or 36 As Gandhi said “The good man is the friend of all living things.” To donate to the Utica Zoo, please fill out the form below and mail it to One Utica Zoo Way, Utica, NY 13501. For more information, call (315) 738-0472 Ext. 49. YES! I want to support the Utica Zoo with a gift of $_____________________ Name__________________________________________________________________________ Address________________________________________________________________________ City_____________________________________________State_____________Zip__________ Email___________________________________________________________________________ Phone_________-________-_______Keep me anonymous_______(Name will be listed unless checked) Gift type: Cash______Check______Credit Card_______ Card number_____________________________________________________________________ Expiration Date_________________________ * All donations are tax deductible. Education PROgrams New Camel FEEDING WINDOw The following education programs can also be found at uticazoo.org/calendar The Utica Zoo has a brand new window for the Bactrian Camels. Every day at 11:30am we open up the doors for a keeper talk and feeding. The window is at the bottom of the ramp going up to our overlook, so you are actually at face level with the camels. Visitors that come to this feeding get to see the camels eat their daily produce diet. Their snacks consist of bananas, carrots, lettuce, yams, and apples. You will be just a few feet away from them and be able to learn more about the Bactrian Camel species, and specifically about Nigel and Najla. We have gotten a wonderful response from everyone with this new window. Most people are shocked to see how big these animals are once you are up close to them. Did you know Nigel weighs close to one ton? That’s 2,000 pounds! Others walk away with a new appreciation and knowledge about this incredibly adaptable species. Bactrian Camels have evolved and adapted to live in an extremely harsh environment, the Gobi Desert. Unfortunately, they are critically endangered in the wild due to competition with the domestic species, as well as human expansion on their land. Luckily there are many conservation efforts in place attempting to save Bactrian Camels. From a keeper perspective, this new window is great for our camels. Najla was hand raised and loves people. She seems to really enjoy getting close to people, and will actually examine each person as they come up. Najla especially likes to watch children, since she has never seen people that small up close before. It’s a lot of fun for keepers to watch her reaction to all the different people. The daily keeper talk is beneficial to Nigel as well, who isn’t as used to humans as Najla. As male camels typically are, Nigel is not as easy going as his mate. This exposure to new people is desensitizing him to people, which prevents him from becoming stressed. Information from this article provided by Zoo Keeper, Mandie Koenig. Zoo Adventures Join our monthly preschool program as we explore the world of animals through storybooks! Each session includes a story, animal meet and greet, snack, and activity. The cost is $5.00 / child for members and $10.00/child for non-members. The class meets in the auditorium at 10:30am. Thursday, January 8th - Over and Under the Snow Friday, January 23rd - Snowballs Thursday, February 5th - Welcome Back Groundhog! Friday, February 27th - Dinosaur Dancing Homeschool Program Our interactive classes help to further home school studies through group activities and animal interactions. The cost is $5.00/child for members and $10.00/child for non-members. The class meets in the auditorium at 10:30am. January 15th - Neat Feet February 12th - Incredible Invertebrates Winter Zoo Tales Does your toddler love the zoo? Bring your young zoologist to the zoo and enjoy a special winter story, narrated with the help of some of our animal friends, and fun activities! $5.00 per child for members / $10.00 per child for non-members. February 19th - 10:30am - 11:30am Winter Zoo Camp Need a break from the cold? Join us at the Utica Zoo for a warm weather adventure to the deserts and rainforests of the world! February 18th - 9am to 3pm - Tropical Getaway (K through 2nd grade) Have you ever seen footprints in the snow and wondered who has been there? Join our zoo educators as we investigate animals through the tracks they leave behind! February 20th - 9am to 3pm - Whose track is that? (3rd through 5th grade) Zoo Camp is $30.00 per child for members and $35.00 per child for non-members. Preregistration is required. Please contact the Education Department at 315-738-0472 ext. 36 or email [email protected]. thank you walmart The Utica Zoo would like to thank our local Walmart for donating a brand new Nikon camera and lenses. We are now able to take beautiful photos on a daily basis. Walmart is also the title sponsor of our Amphitheater, a major event sponsor for Spooktacular, and we also receive donations of products sold at Walmart on a regular basis. The Utica Zoo is grateful for their generosity and support. To become a corporate partner of the Utica Zoo, please contact Mike Beck at (315) 738-0472 Ext 49 or email [email protected] brindisi $65,000 grant Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi of Utica announced that he has awarded the Utica Zoo $65,000 in funding to be used to help with repaving paths and roadways utilized by its visitors and employees. This funding will assist the Zoo to improve its accessibility as we apply for accreditation in 2016. For the past 100 years, people from all over the region have traveled to the Utica Zoo for an enjoyable experience at one our areas finest attractions. These infrastructure improvements are a critical part of the Zoo’s mission to educate the public. “The Utica Zoo is a cultural gem we can all be proud of, and I look forward to continuing to work with its leadership and many supporters to help it reach its goal of national accreditation,” - Anthony Brindisi. new female red panda landmarks ornament Q&A with Zoo Keeper Beth Ricci The Landmarks Society of Greater Utica selected the Utica Zoo as their 2014 commemorative ornament, honoring the zoo’s 100th Anniversary in 2014. The Landmarks Society of Greater Utica was chartered by the State of New York in 1974 to promote the public education and preservation of the architectural heritage of this area. They celebrate historic landmarks throughout the Greater Utica area, and the Utica Zoo is an important piece of Utica’s history and future. Limited quantities are left for $24 apiece. Q: Why did we get a new Red Panda? A: We were recommended to bring Ming Yue to Utica as part of the Red Panda Species Survival Plan, which is a breeding and transfer plan. She was recommended to breed with our resident male, Muse. Q: Where is Ming Yue from? A: She came to us from the Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn, NY Q: Where are Red Pandas from? A: The subspecies that the Utica Zoo houses are from China’s Sichuan and Northeastern Yunnan, Northern Burma and Tibet Q: What is their diet? A: Although they are carnivores, Red Pandas have adapted to a diet consisting of 95% bamboo. At the Utica Zoo, we feed the red pandas a high fiber biscuit, bamboo, and small amounts of fruit and vegetable that we use for training or as environmental enrichment. Utica Comets fever Q: What is the breeding season? A: Breeding occurs in winter, generally January-February. Breeding season is affected by photoperiod. Photoperiodism is the physiological reaction of organisms to the length of day or night. Q: When can visitors expect babies? A: Red Panda offspring are born in the summer but are very vulnerable for their first six months. Depending on the female’s comfort level with people, we may allow her to bring the cubs out into the exhibit but we will remain especially cautious as this would be Ming Yue’s first offspring. Red Pandas have a high infant mortality due to such things as maternal neglect, lack of milk production by the female, and/or aggression from the female. Q: What are some fun or interesting Red Panda facts? A: Red pandas are not closely related to Giant Pandas other than being mammals and eating bamboo. Red Pandas were first discovered by researchers before Giant pandas. When the giant pandas were found and appeared to look similar to red pandas, they were named panda, which loosely translates to “bamboo eater”. Red panda also have a “false thumb” which is an extension of the wrist bone that aids them in grasping bamboo or climbing down a tree. They spend most of their time up high in trees. Animal wish list Utica Zoo received donations from our wish list during the holiday season. Visitors brought gifts during our annual Holiday Hoot. Students from Bradley Elementary and New Hartford Presbyterian Nursery School packed Zoomobiles with gifts for our animals. The Utica Zoo Wish List is posted at uticazoo.org/give/wishlist Utica Comets held their Season Ticket Party at the Utica Zoo. Over 2,000 fans attended the event along with the entire Comets team and staff. The Comets also had “Utica Zoo Night” at the AUD, where Utica Zoo staff members and supporters got to watch the game from the suite. snowshoeing The Utica Zoo offers snowshoeing for all ages. We have beginner, intermediate, and advanced trails. Bring your own snow shoes, or rent one of our pair. Snow shoes come in sizes for adults and children. Show shoe rental details can be found on our website at uticazoo.org. 4
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