Third Friday Volunteer Update _ 12/16/2022

Posted on By Amber Suttmiller

Third Friday Volunteer Update – December Edition

 

 Zoo Updates:

We are #1…AGAIN!

https://cincinnatizoo.org/news-releases/cincinnati-zoos-pnc-festival-of-lights-voted-1-in-the-nation-5-years-in-a-row/

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Podcast

Get to know Mlinzi and the rest of the troop, plus the conservation work happening to save primates, in this new Cincinnati Zoo Tales episode featuring keeper Ashley!
Click Here to Listen

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Seasons Greetings!

http://blog.cincinnatizoo.org/2022/12/16/seasons-greenings/

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Frog Call Fun with Head Reptile Keeper, Ryan Dumas

With the Zoo’s permission, the Greater Cincinnati Herpetological Society (established in 1977) conducted frog call surveys from February to August at the Bowyer Farm last year. I entered all the data into an easy-to-read excel file for folks to see who/what was singing and stirring while there. Our surveys were designed to continue until we no longer heard any frogs calling. Overall, folks had fun and we learned quite a bit about frogs and the Bowyer Farm!
 I wanted an opportunity to take a moment and recognize the work done by the Greater Cincinnati Herpetological Society and to thank CZBG for the permission and support to conduct the surveys. Chase Bodkin was particularly helpful!
 I anticipate there will be opportunities to join in next year as we’ll continue to conduct surveys.

Just For Fun:

Bengal Beetle

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Our Resident “Buddy the Elf” was at it again!

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Eurasian Eagle Owl

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Audra & Lenore

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Hippo Interactions

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Tawny Frogmouth

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Cougars

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Sleepy Cheetahs

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Arctic Fox

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Snow Leopard

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Giraffe

Plant & Animal Updates:

Manatee Update

Have you visited the new manatees yet? You can tell them apart by looking at their tails. Soleil has a smooth, round paddle, Calliope has a small notch at the end of her paddle & Piccolina has a deep notch at the end of hers.

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Ori

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Gift Idea

Birthdays

Happy Birthday Schottzie!

Conservation Corner:

I want to invite you all to an exciting opportunity to connect with our global partners! Over the next three months, we will have webinar presentations and Q&As with many of our global conservation partners to further connect our CZBG community to their work. These partners will present on their projects, wildlife, communities, and conservation aspirations. This presentation will be followed by a Q&A, where our partners will take questions from our CZBG community. Feel free to tune in from anywhere, as these will be Zoom webinars. We are excited for you all to join us!

The December webinars are as follows:

Uganda Conservation Foundation

Tuesday, December 13th from 11:30am – 12:30pm

  • Recording Link
  • Key highlights of webinar:
    • Introduction to Uganda Conservation Foundation’s initiatives
    • Focus on partnerships with Uganda’s National Parks, including efforts surrounding data collection and decreasing poaching
    • Finished with a Q&A from CZBG staff, including topics such as how the CZBG community can additionally support Uganda CF

ICAS Brazil

DATE CHANGE –> Tuesday, December 20th from 11:30am – 12:30pm

Kea Conservation Trust 

Wednesday, December 21st from 1:00pm – 2:00pm

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HUGE opportunity for you, yes YOU, to help save America’s wildlife and wild places!

Excited about our North America habitat opening in 2023? Me too! I can’t wait to see more of the species who call this beautiful country home, right here at the Zoo. But just like lions in Kenya and Elephants in India, many of our native species need our help. Right now, like NOW NOW, you can help by supporting the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA), a bill that would provide close to $1.4 billion a year for restoring wildlife populations across the U.S. It has already passed the House so it’s up to the Senate to push this through, and with your support, we can do it before the end of this congressional session!

This bill will bring much-needed resources to conserve the diversity of America’s native species.  Below are two toolkits our friends at the National Wildlife Federation put together for your socials, and below are the websites to contact senators from OH, KY, IN (language to send included in the toolkits)

Let’s. Do. This.

Ohio Senators

Sherrod Brown https://www.brown.senate.gov/

Rob Portman https://www.portman.senate.gov/

Kentucky Senators

Mitch McConnell https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/

Rand Paul https://www.paul.senate.gov/

Indiana Senators

Todd Young https://www.young.senate.gov/

Mike Braun https://www.braun.senate.gov/

Click Here for the RAWA Gardener’s Toolkit

Click Here for the RAWA Hunter Angler’s Toolkit

Volunteer Corner

Horticulture Hard at Work

Volunteers potting elephant ears this fall for us to start growing in the spring.

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Holiday Parties Galore!

Several Habitat Ambassador Teams met over the last few weeks to Celebrate a wonderful Season with delicious food from all over town…Oriental Wok to Biagios!

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Wings of Wonder Presentation

As a Thank you to the Volunteers who helped with the Wings of Wonder Bird Experience, Eddie and the team did a special Meet & Greet with some of our Favorite Feathered Friends!  They were able to ask questions, get up close views and even feed some of the birds!  If you are interested in helping next season, keep an eye out on the upcoming newsletters for your Opportunity!

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CREW Celebration

Festival of Lights opens the holiday season at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.  The CREW staff and volunteers joined the festivities at noon on Wednesday, November 30, in Treetops with their annual Holiday Potluck.  71 guests renewed friendships and shared their favorite dishes.

CREW director Terri Roth and committee chair Sue Roenker warmly greeted the group.

Holly and evergreens accented three candles (with twinkling tea lights, of course) on each table. Numerous decisions had to be made from the array of entrees, salads, and desserts on six serving tables.   

Good friends, delicious food and holiday spirit!  What more could one want!

Happy holidays to one and all! – Judy Stewart

Opportunities:

The Giving Tree

Click Here for the Direct Amazon Link

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Happy Zoo Year

Are you interested in Celebrating the New Year with the Zoo?  Join us for our Happy Zoo Year celebration and and pass out giveaway items! Giveaway items include glow sticks, party hats, and noisemakers. Two tables will be stationed in Vine Street Village for items. We may also need assistance monitoring games. Games include cornhole, ring toss, and giant tic-tac-toe.
If you are interested, please sign up in MVP!  If you don’t see the opportunity, please let me know and I will get you signed up!

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Volunteer Roles Accepting Applications

Did you know that we are accepting Applications for several Volunteer Roles here at the Zoo?  Check out the areas that are currently accepting applications and share the links with your Friends and Family!

CREW Cat Colony Assistants _ Weekends

Click Here for the Garden Engagement Volunteer Application

Click Here for the Rockdale Urban Garden Volunteer Application

Click Here for the Pollinator Watch Volunteer Opportunity

 – OPPORTUNITIES COMING SOON –
Animal Enrichment – Weekends

 

Contact Information:

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