Doug’s 8/4 Volunteer Educator Update

Posted on By Sabrina Calhoun

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Volunteer Educator Update 8/4/2018

In this Weeks Update:

  • Volunteer Educator Program Update
  • Animal Updates
  • Press Releases & Marketing

Volunteer Educator Program Update

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Volunteer Educator Program Mid-Season Survey

Fellow Educator,

In an effort to always improve our Volunteer Educator Program please take a few minutes to fill out this brief survey. With 170 Volunteer Educators participating in our program we have a wide variety of folks on our roster, so there are a few questions about you and your motivations to be part of the program.

So we can see what is working and what is not, please rate your overall experience at each “Wild Discover Zone” so we can get an overview of how things are going. The link to the survey is provided below.

NOTE: This survey will allow a computer to access it once, so don’t stop and log off as it won’t let you return and if you share a computer with someone do the survey together, it won’t let you do it twice.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SCGHDNR

***Link to the survey is also on the Volunteer Educator Resource Site under Volunteer Educator page

Wild Discover Zone Attendance

Period 7/21-8/3

  • Gorilla 5527
  • Elephant 7382
  • Jungle Trails 2234
  • Manatee 3742
  • Reptile 2918
  • This period: 21,803

2018 Year to Date: 205,848

Manatee Update

Good afternoon. A couple of weeks ago each of the four Florida Manatees living at Manatee Springs was weighed. Below are their weights and what they’ve gained since they were last weighed;

  • Daphne 336 lbs (+81 lbs since 4/24)
  • Pippen 277 lbs (+32 lbs since 5/10)
  • Matthew 450 lbs (+63 lbs since 5/10)
  • Miles 456 (+47 lbs since 5/10)

In order to keep our kids growing, we’ve upped their food and they are now consuming a belt-busting 250 lbs, or 15.4% of their combined bodyweights each day. By comparison, the average American consumes about 2.5-3% of their body weight each day.

Please feel free to share this information with the Manatee Springs volunteers.

Winton Ray Curator of Invertebrates, Aquatic Animals & Birds

Animal Updates 8/4/18

Bearline:

  • Ultrasound training with female otter, “Sugar” is going well.

Night Hunters:

  • Due to recent squabbles the Pallas cat pair of “Buster” and “Sofiya” are currently separated. This seems to be a seasonal issue with them.

Wildlife Canyon:

  • Crate training of emus continuing.
  • Both red panda babies have their eyes open now.

World of the Insect:

  • Habitat Modifications – Starting to talk through ideas for enlarging a few WOTI invertebrate habitats while concurrently eliminating a few others. The core idea is that larger habitats are more attractive for our guests than smaller habitats and provide our staff with more flexibility in deciding what is displayed where. We would hope to  finalize our plans and receive appropriate approval this fall and enact these plans this winter. All work would be performed by WOTI and CZBG Maintenance staff.
  • Invertebrates in Education & conservation Conference – Winton to be in Tucson, Arizona August 6th through August 12th attending this conference. CZBG was again providing significant sponsorship.

Manatee Springs:

  • Manatee Consumption – Manatees now being offered and consuming 250 lbs. or 15.4% of their combined bodyweights each day.
  • Turtle Habitats – Beginning to explore potential ideas for housing/displaying some of the turtles currently maintained at Manatee Springs outside during warm months. Would like to have outside options in place for spring/summer 2019.
  • Greenhouse Glass Replacement – Working through plan for bringing guests in/out the public exit doors while work is underway. Details to be disseminated as we get closer to targeted start time (early September).

Wings of the World:

  • Bald Eagle – Griffin seems to be settling in well and is generally easily viewed by guests.
  • Guam Rail – First hatchling (with current group) discovered this morning. Four eggs remaining, unlikely all four will hatch, but we’ll see. Haven’t hatched this species out in some time. Australasian aviary to remain closed for a few days to provide a safe environment for these hatchlings until they are better (safely) able to navigate the space.

Interpretive:

  • Nova, skunk, had a possible seizure on 7/26. She was vomiting and was uncoordinated in her movements. She was checked at the hospital and slowly improved throughout the day. She is back to normal at this point.
  • Rose, Screaming Hairy Armadillo, began menstruating last week, so she is not pregnant. Keepers will pair her again with Sherman once his time with Alice is over.
  • Moe, Two-toed sloth, was featured on WLWT media last Thursday and within 2 days we filled 22 more spots for our BTS experience. This leaves only 4 more single spots open until we are completely sold out for the year!
  • Screech owl chicks are full grown now, just waiting for adult feathers to come in completely. They will have bracelets put on sometime this week.
  • Wild Encounters has begun socializing the new Savanna monitor in quarantine.

Primate:

  • Saki baby doing great. No gender yet but some new colorations coming in might be indicating female. Should have a better idea at about 1-month-old.

Press Releases & Marketing

Week ending 7/23

Social Highlights:

General Update:

  • Children’s Hospital Appreciation Days – Happening next week! Don’t forget to put it on your calendar.
    • Dates:
      • Friday 10th
      • Saturday 11th
      • Sunday 12th
    • Time: 6pm-10pm
    • Things To Know About These Dates:
      • Susan McGee sent out a schedule to all email users earlier.
      • We should be expecting large crowds those 3 evenings.
  • Zoo Access for All Day – http://cincinnatizoo.org/events/zoo-access-for-all-day/
    • Date: August 14th
    • Time: All day with a focus from 9am-Noon
    • Things to Know About this Date:
      Through the IMLS grant we received last fall we have been in partnership with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), working to become the most welcoming, accessible, and inclusive Zoo for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. We have made great progress toward this goal and we are now inviting guests with special needs to come to the first Zoo Access for All Day (on the 14th).
    • Staff members from multiple departments and volunteers (300-400 people in total) have received training to promote inclusion through CCHMC’s Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) program.
    • Amenities within the park:
      • adult changing tables (in the family bathrooms at Entry Village) – these 2 bathrooms have also become sensory friendly bathrooms meaning they will have a manual flush and paper towels as opposed to automated.
      • sensory maps – will be online by the 13th, I will make sure to send everyone the link.
      • a skip-the-line rides access pass (at train and carousel)
      • social narratives, visual supports – also will be online by the 13th and I can send a link to everyone
      • sensory bags filled with oral motor chewy tubes, fidgets, bubble makers, noise cancelling headphones, sunglasses, etc.
      • staff members and volunteers who have been through training will have the Zoo Access for All sticker on their badges to self-identify for the families we are welcoming to the Zoo
  • Visitor Appreciation Days – http://cincinnatizoo.org/events/visitor-appreciation-days/
    • Dates:
      • August 18
      • August 19
    • Things to Know for These Dates:
      • Everyone gets in for ½ price on these dates

Important Links to MVP and Zoo Educator Resource Site

MyVolunteerPage.com

Zoo Educator Resources – The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

http://cincinnatizoo.org/zoo-educator-resources/volunteer-educators/

Doug Feist
Volunteer Education Program Manager
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
513.559.7750
[email protected]