Roll Call Update _ 10/3/22 – 10/9/22

Temporary Volunteer Keeper Assistant Roles

The following departments are looking for keeper assistant help 1 to 2 days a week through the winter.  If you are interested, please contact me through e-mail and I will connect you with the team member handling recruitment.

• Africa
• Elephant
• Primate
• Jungle Trails
• Bird Show
• Interpretive

Data Entry at the Hospital

The new Vet staff is looking for 1-2 Volunteers who could help 1-2 days a week doing data entry at the the Hospital.  This will be mostly Computer Work, but I’ve heard they are a fun crew and this is a good way to hang around the Zoo over the late Fall and Winter months.  If you are interested, please contact me by e-mail and I will connect you with the Hospital Team!

 

Ambassador Handbook and Changes for 2023 Season:

After going through all the Evaluations and Check-Ins, I was able to pull together all the information to plan for next year.  I have sent an e-mail out to all members of the team with the new version of the Ambassador Handbook, changes coming next season and a timeline for the 2023 Ambassador year.  All these ideas and changes came directly from the feedback I received from the team.  Over the next few weeks, please check in with your team and get a temperature on how their feeling.  I would love to hear honest thoughts about the proposed changes before I finalize everything when we start hiring in November.  Encourage your team members to share helpful feedback.

 

Upcoming Brown Bag:

Please see the message below from Dan Marsh with an invitation to an upcoming Brown Bag.  If you plan to attend, please let me know so that I can send in a count.

“Join us in the Education Center on October 18^th at 11:30 for a brown bag lunch and lecture by Dr. Laurie Marker Founder and director of the Cheetah Conservation Fund.  The CZBG has had a long relationship with CCF and Laurie over the past 40 years.  Starting with Cathryn and Carl Hilker, they helped Laurie get her start in Namibia, where cheetahs were routinely shot on sight, but little was known of their ecology and natural history.  Today, Namibia is the cheetah capitol of the world.   For the past 18 years, we have taken 40 graduate students a year to CCF to learn about the conservation of cheetahs and the remarkable work of Laurie and her team.  The lecture will start at 11:30 in Frisch’s Theater.  Laurie has a heck of a story to tell and it is a rare opportunity to spend time with her.”

 

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 Construction Updates:

No Additional Updates, all projects are still ongoing.

Area Closures:

• If a Habitat is Closed and it is not listed on “The Daily” – Send me an e-mail so I can contact Visitor Experience and make sure we add it.

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Animal Updates: 

• Africa

  • Fritz: As of Saturday, Fritz is 240lbs.  Introductions with Tucker through the Barriers continue to go well.

• Elephant

  • No Additional Information at this time

 

• Gorilla

  • • BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!  This information will not be shared with the public until tomorrow – Do NOT make a public announcement or social media post before the Zoo’s official announcement.  After Roll Call tomorrow feel free to share the information with Visitors if/when you are asked, but note that Visitors will not be able see this Big Announcement for several weeks.

• • • There is a New Silverback in town and his name is Mbeli!
      • Meet Mbeli! This handsome, 20-year-old silverback gorilla arrived Saturday and is behind the scenes getting to know his new keepers and exploring his new home. He’s doing great and has been particularly interested in puzzle feeder enrichment and relaxing. Mbeli came to Cincinnati from the Denver Zoo with a recommendation to join our female group, but with no immediate breeding recommendations. He will go through a standard quarantine period before being introduced to public spaces or other gorillas, so it will be several weeks before visitors will see him in Gorilla World. We’ll keep everyone posted on his progress and his introductions to the “Chew Crew”.

  • Gorilla Troop Configurations:  Ndume, M’Linzi & Mara — Chewie, Gladys, Mona & Elle – “The Chew Crew” — Mshindi, Bandia & Tulivu

• Additional Information
  • Avian Flu
    • Fall Migration is here!  Avian Flu has been detected within 120 miles of Cincinnati. Because of the sensitive nature of the most recent cases, we have decided to activate our high level protocol immediately.
    • All collection birds have been removed from outdoor habitats and either moved indoors or relocated to spaces with additional wild bird deterrents.   Our Free Flight Aviary, South America, and Australasia habitats are closed, VIPenguin tours and African penguin feedings discontinued, and the Interpretive and Bird Experience teams have modified their programs when applicable.
  • Faru, Black Rhino, was transferred out of the Zoo on Sunday morning.   I have made sure it is ok to share with you and you can share this information with visitors if they ask, but we are asked to not make any public statements or social media posts about this information. LPZ made the Announcement on 10/6 – we can all talk about it!
    • 
    • Faru (aka Utenzi) Arrived Safely at LPZ
      Thanks to a giant crane and a lot of work from multiple individuals on Sunday, Faru (aka Utenzi) arrived safely at his new home, Lincoln Park Zoo, and is settling in. He’s eating and getting acclimated to his new environment now and is already visible to the public.

      He has a breeding recommendation with 17-year-old Kapuki, so fingers crossed that they will produce a calf.  Her son, Romeo, is at the zoo, too, but in a different habitat.

      LPZ plans to go with Utenzi, the name that’s on his paperwork.

  • Keep an eye out for the Spotted Lantern Fly
    • Hopefully your team saw the message in the Volunteer Update, if not please direct them to the information so they can be on the lookout.

Scooter Pals:

If you see a scooter pal not on the “Main Loop” please ask the guest to return to the main loop.

• Let the guest know they are not permitted in that area for our animal’s wellbeing.
• Show them the main loop again- some folks don’t know what the main loop is!
• If an animal is showing signs of distress get the Pal away from the area.
  • Call Security so they can Notify the Keepers, Welcome Center, and Rocky immediately.
  • Notify Security immediately if a guest is unruly or refuses to move.  Walk away out of earshot of the Visitor before you call.

If a visitor is having a problem with one, please call Security and have them alert the Welcome Center.

 

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 Daily Special: