Second Saturday Update_9/10/22

Posted on By Amber Suttmiller

Third Friday Update – August Edition

Zoo Updates:

 Free Zoo Admission for First Responders and Military

https://cincinnatizoo.org/news-releases/free-admission-for-first-responders-and-military/

 

Zoo Tales

In this new episode of Cincinnati Zoo Tales, learn more about RAPTOR Inc, a local Cincinnati nonprofit that is dedicated to the conservation of birds of prey through rehabilitation, education, research and community service.
Click Here to Listen

Celebrating Thane

https://cincinnatizoo.org/news-releases/thane-celebrates-35-years-at-90-second-naturalist/

Elephant Trek Update

  • We have some exciting updates about the new home we’re building for Mai Thai, Schottzie, Jati, Sabu and new members of the herd. 
  • ​​​​​​​The Forest Ave wall has been completed. This wall stabilizes the hillside and adds more usable square footage to the Elephant site 
  • Picnic Pavilion is accessible to our guests and ready to accommodate company picnics. 
  • The Elephant Trek Barn is under construction! 
  • Concrete footings and foundations are underway. 
  • The Barn is expected to be completed in late 2023 
  • The Barn and a portion of the surrounding yard needs to be ready to receive Elephant from another Zoo in late in 2023 
  • The remainder of Elephant Trek (Siamang, Otters, etc.) will be completed in 2024. The public will have access to the entire habitat at that point. 
The interior space for elephants will be almost double the interior space of the current elephant house, and the exterior yards will be 5x the amount of outdoor space they have now. 

 

Building Closures coming up soon!

9/19/2022
  • The Main Gift Shop will be closed on September 19th, 2022 for our main inventory. The gift shops in Marketplace and the Train Dots location will both be open.
9/23/2022
  • The Zoo will be closing at 2:00pm on September 23rd to set up for Zoofari
  • The Base Camp Cafe will be closed on September 23, 2022 to help us prepare for the annual Zoofari Event. The majority of all other locations will be open weather permitting. 

 Just For Fun:

 International Vulture Awareness Day

September 3rd was International Vulture Awareness Day!  Vultures play a crucial role in many ecosystems by cleaning up deceased animals & stopping the spread of disease. Unfortunately, most of the 23 species of vultures are faced with dramatic population declines & are threatened with extinction.  The Cincinnati Zoo is home to four species of vultures: black vulture, Andean condor, lappet-faced vulture, and Ruppell’s Griffen vulture.  Do you know which is which?

Are you captivated by our feathered friends and want to know even more!  Check out this article from back in March all about our Scavenger Friends.
Click Here to Learn More

Turn your Sound on!

Little Blue Penguin

The smallest of all penguins, little blue penguins are also called fairy penguins due to their tiny size. Like other penguins, little blue penguins are designed to swim, not fly. They spend the day foraging for small fish in the shallow waters of the sea close to shore.

 

World Painted Dog Day

Happy World Painted Dog Day – This special day takes place every year on August 26th! The African painted dog may be the most endangered carnivore in Africa, with <5,000 remaining in the wild. We support the Botswana Predator Conservation, an org that protects painted dogs. Visit our pack in Painted Dog Valley

World Goat Day

On August 21st we wished a Happy World Goat Day from Butterbean, Butterscotch & Buttermilk our Nubian goats. These goats are larger than most domestic goats, but they are the calmest and most affectionate species. Look for them in the Children’s Zoo on your next visit.

National Honey Bee Day

It’s National Honey Bee Day!  You can provide beautiful, vital habitat for pollinators by adding pollinator-friendly plants to your yard while enjoying colorful blooms, bees & butterflies all season long
Click Here to Learn More about Plant For Pollinators

Plant & Animal Updates:

 Fritz…We just can’t get enough

 Last, but certainly not least, have you seen the video of the BIG Hippo Chase that happened in Hippo Cove?  Check out the video below to see what EVERYONE is talking about!

 Rozi & Daisy

Have you been lucky enough to catch a glimpse?  Rozi and Daisy are now getting playtime in the cheetah habitat at the zoo! They’re having fun learning about the new space and don’t have a regular schedule in this new area, but are loving it so far.

Moe & Lightning

American Burying Beetles

The 60 American Burying Beetles brought back from Nebraska this summer were extremely prolific & produced about 1100 offspring! That’s great news for the species that is endangered in Ohio! Click on the link below to watch a short video all about their journey!
Click Here to Watch the Short Video

Birthdays

 Lightning

We were so excited to celebrate Lightning’s 10th Birthday on September 1st!  Take a look at the sweet video below to see how Lightning was spoiled on her special day!

Dilbert

Dilbert the armadillo enjoying a treat! He just turned 13 on August 28th!

Hobbes – August 25th

Ajani Joe – August 22nd

Conservation News:

 National Wildlife Day

September 4th is National Wildlife Day!  It’s a great holiday to celebrate at the Zoo! The Cincinnati Zoo supports over 30 field projects aimed at saving endangered species in their native habitats.

SORALO – Wildlife Ranger Challenge

Join more than 100 African Wildlife Ranger Teams on September 17th as part of the 2022 Wildlife Ranger Challenge.  Wherever you are, walk or run 5, 10, or 21 km to support Africa’s wildlife and those who protect it. Each step counts, raising funds to support ranger teams as they stand between species and extinction.”  Here is the link if you also want to register. 

 

Opportunities:

 Bowling for Rhinos

Don’t miss the opportunity to support the AAZK Cincinnati chapter at their 7th annual Bowling for Rhinos event.  This year the event will take place on October 29th.  Click the link below for more information!

Bowling for Rhinos

Native Plant Sale

 

The 2022 Native Plant Sale dates are here! Located at the Zoo’s Bowyer Farm (2210 Mason Montgomery Road, Lebanon, OH), these sales offer a wide selection of reasonably priced, well-grown, hard to find, and ecologically important native plants.
Native plants, including ones found throughout the Bowyer Farm ecosystem, will be for sale. The preferred payment for all sales is credit card.
Dates:  September 24, October 8

In Case you missed it:

Take a look at the Graphic above to make sure that you are following the correct protocols if you are experiencing symptoms or if you have had an exposure.

Contact Information:

Brittany Garera-Stapleton
Volunteer Relations Coordinator
(513)559-7768
[email protected]