Third Friday Update _ 5/20/2022

Posted on By Amber Suttmiller

Third Friday Update – May Edition

 

Vote for Us:

You can vote every day for the Cincinnati Zoo, help us confirm what we all already know…That the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is #1 in the country!  Click the link below and vote, help push us over the top!

Click Here to Vote

 

Zoo Updates:

 

 INSPIRED Experiences

I’m sure many of you have seen this image in buildings all around the Zoo!  We are doubling our efforts to give our visitors an INSPIRED experience every day and we need your help!  As time goes on you will hear more about each of the letter of the Acronym.  This week, we have 2 letters to feature.  The first will focus on the first letter “S” with a message from yours truly and the second is a message from Mollie with a video from one of our volunteer Habitat Ambassadors.
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Putting the S in INSPIRED – Story Sharer

Can you think of a time in your life when you were so captivated by a story that you remembered it for years? Maybe it happened here at the Cincinnati Zoo, as it did for me. At a Barrow’s lecture, I was enchanted by the story of Dr. Amy Dickman’s first night in the field when a lion settled against her tent and fell asleep on her arm.

Or maybe it happened when you were young – like it did for Shae. When she was 5 years old, an interpreter at the Cleveland Zoo shared a story about how wolves use the element of surprise to catch their prey, then hid with her in the wolf den to jump out and startle visitors. Stories like these create a connection and make an impact on our lives.

Shae and I are fortunate enough to work with staff and volunteers who share stories with visitors every day, but the inspiration doesn’t stop with them. Whether it’s with a Zoo visitor or a stranger in the grocery store, we all have a chance to make a personal connection by sharing a story. Lucky for us, we have one of the best story sharers in the entire world right here at the Zoo! Check out this video from Thane with an example of the S-Story Sharer approach. 

– Brittany Garera & Shae Miller 

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Putting the P in INSPIRED – Problem Solving

Here is another fun example in our INSPIRED video series – thinking on our feet and being Problem Solvers! Watch this video of how a volunteer in our Habitat Ambassador program turned a soggy situation into an awesome and memorable experience.

The “P” in INSPIRED visitor experience is all about making sure our visitors leave being taken care of. Even when issues arise, they are met with solutions that help them feel like they are being heard.  Think of a time when YOU helped solved a visitor problem.  Big or small – even the littlest act of kindness counts!   

– Mollie

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If you would like to learn more about each of the INSPIRED letters, Mollie and Kate did a wonderful job “inspiring” the staff at our recent staff meeting.  Below you will find the link to the video, it is about 20 minutes long and covers all the letters with examples and a fun role play at the end!
Click Here to be INSPIRED so you can INSPIRE

Avian Flu Update – 5/18 UPDATE- Good news!

  • One new case in Cuyahoga Ohio on 5/4 (over 230 miles away).
  • A majority of all other new cases are north and/ or west of us.
  • New species affected by this strain: American robin, red fox.  ( there are a few isolated incidents of fox and they are happening in states with high wild bird mortality, nowhere near Ohio)

Due to a lack of nearby cases in over a month, we feel comfortable reversing some of our biosecurity measures.

Birds that will be returned to their habitats ASAP:

African savannah:  Ostrich, Guineafowl, Ruppell’s and Lappet-faced Vultures, Saddle-billed stork, Gray crowned crane, Little penguins, African penguins, Andean condors, Bald eagles, Barred owl, Eurasian eagle owls, Greater flamingos

Birds that will go out for the first time this season (birds in seasonal habitats):

Moluccan cockatoo, Blue-throated macaws, Blue-and-yellow macaw, Scarlet macaw, Helmeted curassow

Birds that will remain inside until further notice (high risk species):

Trumpeter swans, Red-crowned cranes, Pink-backed pelicans, Cape Barren goose, South America and Australasia habitats will remain closed.  All species in Free Flight Aviary

Check out the video link below to see how our Little Blue Penguins spent their time behind the scenes.

Click Here to Watch

Just For Fun

For over 25 years, curiosity,  a passion for gardening and desire for unique ideas have enticed thousands of visitors to tour the captivating gardens showcased in Newport making it one of the most popular garden tours in the Greater Cincinnati area. 
Several selected private gardens will be open for your enjoyment, including Christina Anderson’s😊
Saturday and Sunday,  June 4 & 5, 2022
for the 24th Newport Garden Walk sponsored by the East Row Garden Club in the East Row Historic District,
Ticket Sales on the day of event will be located at St. John’s United Church of Christ -415 Park Avenue Newport, KY
On-line Tickets Sales are available! 
 East Row Garden Club – 2022 Newport  – Garden Walk

Zoo Academy Students Senior Class

For the past 47 years the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has welcomed local High School students on grounds.  Check out the graduating class of 2022, and help us celebrate their accomplishments!
Click Here to Read the Article

Happy Mother’s Day to our Favorite Zoo Animal Moms

World Binturong Day

May 14th is World Binturong Day! Also known as the bearcat, the binturong is agile like a cat in the canopy and less adept on ground, walking flat-footed like a bear. However, it is neither a bear nor a cat, but belongs to the civet and mongoose family.
Lucille is un-bear-ably adorable and sassy!

Red Panda

Made for a life in the trees, the red panda travels through the canopy with ease. Not only is the panda a great climber, it is also an amazing jumper, clearing distances up to 5ft. Hair on the bottom of its feet keeps the panda from slipping on branches.

Ajani Joe

Ajani Joe is getting cuter by the minute! Made of tightly packed hair-like fibers, the front horn may grow more than four feet long.

Ringtail

A relative of the raccoon, the ringtail is a small, nocturnal carnivore commonly found in Mexico and the southwestern United States. An expert climber, the ringtail can climb down trees headfirst by rotating its hind feet 180 degrees.

Iggy

Meet Zoo Baby Iggy! Iggy the rockhopper penguin hatched on June 1, 2021 & wears a yellow ID bracelet!

Kangaroo

With the removal of most of their natural predators, kangaroo populations have grown quite large. In fact, there are twice as many kangaroos as people in Australia—
over 45 million.

Rico

If you are like me, you LOVE watching videos of Rico enjoying his favorite snacks!  Have you ever wanted to learn more about those cute little teeth doing all that adorable chomping?  If so, check out the video below.
Click Here to Watch the Video

Plant & Animal Information:

Wallabies

Wallabies were moved on 5/10 and are now on view in our recently renovated “Hillside” exhibit!  This exhibit used to hold white lions and was refit to hold wallabies for three seasons.  During the winter, they will return to the Animal Ambassador Center.

The Chew Crew

   Chewie is stepping up in a big way for our youngest gorilla residents.  Check out the link below to learn about what is happening in Gorilla World and who is hanging out together!
Click Here to read the Article

Cacao Flowers

These tiny cacao flowers turn into big chocolate pods! Lots of big seeds need special techniques for long-term storage. CREW’s Plant Division develops these cryopreservation techniques for endangered plant species to help Save Species with Science®!

 

Zoo Birthdays

Tucker

On May 18th, Tucker celebrated his 19th Birthday!  Did you miss Tucker’s Birthday Party sponsored by Simple Truth?  No Worries, you can still watch the Facebook Live that was shared on his big day!
Click Here to Watch the Video
 This is the perfect time to listen to the brand new Zoo Tales Podcast with Tucker’s Keepers.
Click Here to Listen

Baby Hippo Update

On Bibi’s May 13th ultrasound, C.R.E.W. scientists were able to get a good view of the fetus and observe a heartbeat! They were also able to capture this image of the baby’s tiny feet! 

Nubo

Nubo turned 11 years old on May 12th! Nubo is a snow leopard. You can easily tell Nubo apart from his mate, Renji, by looking at their nose. Nubo has a black nose and Renji’s is pink.

Conservation News:

CONGRATS!
Congrats! Gorilla Conservation & Community Outreach Proposal Funded $25K 
The Zoo recently received word that a collaborative project proposal to do community survey work & educational campaigns in central Africa has been fully funded ($24,975) by the Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation!  The research will be primarily conducted in the forests of the Djeke and Goualougo Triangles, as well as community reserves and local village hunting zones found in the periphery of the Noudable-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo, Africa.
There are several threads of research that will be supported by this funding:
  • wildlife disease (infectious and zoonotic) surveillance and biodiversity monitoring
  • develop and conduct “knowledge, attitudes, and practices” surveys to inform educational messaging priorities
  • update and conduct community outreach programs and develop educational videos about human health, conservation of apes & landscapes, and community wellbeing
Collaborative partners include – David Morgan (Lincoln Park Zoo), Crickette Sanz (Washington University), Lily Maynard (CZBG), Richard Malonga (Widlife Conservation Society), Ben Evans (WCS), Amy Roll (WCS), Yves Baucoly (WCS), Dr. Alain Ondzie (WCS), Max Mviri (Nouabale-Ndoki NP), Fabian Leendertz (Helmholtz Institute for One Health), and Livia Patrono (HIOH).

Opportunities:

Plant for Pollinators

PLANT FOR POLLINATOR CHALLENGE! 
The Hort Team and I encourage you to take the Plant for Pollinator Challenge. If you have already registered your garden maybe you could get a friend or family member to register.
This program was established in 2019 with a goal of increasing awareness for pollinators in urban areas. To date our program has been wildly successful. I am excited to announce we have 2,428 gardens registered!
Together, we can make a big difference for our littlest friends and most precious neighbors by providing vital habitat through adding pollinator-friendly plants. Whether planting just a few pots, creating a garden space, or  adding pollinator plants to an existing garden, you can do real conservation that supports the CZBG mission.
As an employee of the CZBG it is our responsibility to set an example for our community. Please register your garden using your Zoo email. The goal is to have 100% staff participation.
Take the Challenge: Register your garden between April 1 ~ May 31, 2022: Our website invites you to take the challenge with detailed information for each step, including guidelines on creating a pollinator garden. The online registration is quick and easy.:  http://cincinnatizoo.org/horticulture/plant-for-pollinators/

 

Education Volunteer Opportunity

  The Education Department is on the hunt for a Summer Camp Aide to assist the Instructor and provide special attention and flexibility by accommodating for a large spectrum of children who may need learning support.  This opportunity would be for the entire Summer, working certain days of the week during Summer Camp hours with a start date of May 25th.  
Working Conditions/Requirements:
  • Lift/Move/Carry up to 30lbs without assistance
  • Stand/Walk for extended periods of time
  • Exposure to outside weather conditions
  • Ability to work on knees for extended periods of time, including frequent bending and squatting
If you are interested in this position and would like to learn more, please click on the link below.
Click Here to Sign Up

Native Plant Sales at Bowyer

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: May 28, June 11, July 9, August 13, September 10, September 24, October 8
Time: 9:00am-1:00pm

Barrows Lecture Series:

We hosted our Fourth and Final speaker in the Barrows Lecture Series.  If you missed it, and would like to listen to her lecture check out the link at the bottom of the section.
Our final Barrows speaker of the season was Dr. Doug Tallamy.  Dr. Tallamy is the T. A. Baker Professor of Agriculture in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, where he has authored 106 research publications and has taught insect-related courses for 41 years. Chief among his research goals is to better understand the many ways insects interact with plants and how such interactions determine the diversity of animal communities. His book Bringing Nature Home was published by Timber Press in 2007, The Living Landscape, co-authored with Rick Darke, was published in 2014; Nature’s Best Hope, a New York Times bestseller, was released in February 2020, and his latest book, The Nature of Oaks, was released in March 2021. His awards include recognition from The Garden Writer’s Association, Audubon, The National Wildlife Federation, Western Carolina University, The Garden Club of America, and The American Horticultural Association. Doug lives with his wife, Cindy, on their restored property in Oxford, PA. 
Recent headlines about global insect declines and three billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current landscape designs have been at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us. To create landscapes that enhance local ecosystems rather than degrade them, we must add the native plant communities that sustain food webs, sequester carbon, maintain diverse native bee communities, and manage our watersheds. If you do this in half of the area currently a lawn, you can help create Homegrown National Park, a 20-million-acre network of viable habitats that will provide vital corridors connecting the few natural areas that remain. This approach to conservation empowers you to play a significant role in the future of the natural world.
Click Here to Watch the Video

Contact Information:

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