Volunteer Updates & Opportunities
Volunteer Appreciation Week Update – BTS Tour Sign Ups
To add to the fun festivities of Volunteer Appreciation week on 4/21-4/27, the Animal Team would like to show their appreciation of the volunteers by offering BTS Tours during Volunteer Appreciation Week on Saturday, 4/27. You are required to sign up for these opportunities in advance as spots are limited. To make the sign ups as fair as possible, the sign ups will open on Saturday morning (4/6) at 9:00am in Better Impact. You will find a list of the BTS Opportunities that will be available below:
- Rico Meet & Greet
- Hospital Tour
- Manatee Springs BTS
- Night Hunters BTS
- Little Penguin Encounter
- World of Insect BTS
- Bird Show Flight Training
- TWIGA Giraffe Feedings
Active Volunteers are welcome to sign up for ONE of the BTS opportunities! If there are still available spots in the week prior to the event an announcement will be made for volunteers to sign up for a second opportunity.
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Bourbon Flights Sign Ups
Our first Toast to the Wild Event is less than 6 weeks away! Bourbon Flights will be held at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens on Thursday, May 9th from 6:30pm-9:30pm and we are in search of Volunteers. If you are interested, please click on the link below and fill out the form.
Click Here to Sign Up for Bourbon Flights volunteer shifts
* If you sign up on the link you should receive an e-mail with your assignment and arrival information around 2 weeks prior to the event.
As a Volunteer at a Toast to the Wild Event, you could assist with pouring, greeting or other tasks. Volunteers are required to arrive at Check In no later than 5:45pm and are required to stay for the entire event. If you are working at a pouring station you will be paired with other Volunteers so you are able to take breaks when the crowds are low.
There are a limited number of Volunteer spots and will be assigned in the order they are received. The Sign ups will be open for 2 weeks. At that point I will assign all the volunteer roles in MVP and send a follow up message with additional instructions.
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New Uniform Items Available 4/5
Make sure to check out the new uniform items available on the website. The new items will only be available for 2 weeks!
https://webstore.online/cincinnatizoostore
Zoo Updates
ZooTales Podcast – Double Feature
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Peak Blooms over the next 2 weeks
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A “Sting Operation”
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How well do you know our animal’s names _ Take the Quiz!
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Elephant Trek Update
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Movers & Makers – Mallory’s Feature
Mallory (+ two other Cincinnati Zoo alums) are in this month’s issue of Movers & Makers Magazine, which is focused on the environment and sustainability!
Plant & Animal Updates
St. Patrick’s Day Feature
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3/19 – Sugar’s Birthday
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3/20 – World Frog Day
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Giraffe on the run
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What does a Chinese Alligator sound like?
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Tunes & Blooms
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Flamingo Fun
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Mokonzi
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Manatee Appreciation
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3/28 – Bubba’s Birthday
Check out Lindsay’s Manatee feature on Channel 12 News:
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Meet our Wolves – Lobo Week
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3/30 – Caspian’s Birthday
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Starbuck is the CUTEST!
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4/1 – Happy Birthday to our 3 little pigs!
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Meet the Duikers
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4/4 – World Rat Day
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April is Native Plant Month
Conservation Corner
Have you seen the amazing Rain Barrels this year?
Spring has arrived, and with it, the return of the Rain Barrel Art Auction. This is our 11th year partnering with Save Local Waters to raise awareness (and funds!) for stormwater-based conservation. If this project is new to you—or if you could use a refresher—read on for some more details about the barrels, the artists, and the auction!
New this year: Instead of a week, the auction will be live for a full month! Bidding starts March 26th and runs through April 26th.
Why rain barrels?
Stormwater runoff is a major waterway pollutant. Rain that flows into storm drains and creeks can pick up chemicals from lawns and roadways, which end up in our watersheds, carrying those chemicals all the way to the ocean. (Did you know that you can actually watch the journey of a raindrop wherever it falls in the US?! Check out River Runner!)
Enter the rain barrel: when connected to downspouts, barrels can be used to catch water from roof gutters, easing some of that runoff to prevent chemical flow, flooding, and erosion. You can use collected rainwater to water your lawn or garden, or wash your car—a great way to lower your water usage bill AND have a responsible backup in times of drought! (Note: rainwater should not be used for human/pet consumption.)
Who’s painting the barrels?
A dedicated group of artists who volunteer their time, energy, and resources to transform donated Coca-Cola barrels into beautiful works of art! Some barrels are the work of a single artist, while others are a group effort. (Shout out to our own AmeriCorps members and Zoo Academy students for their barrels – check ‘em out at the bottom of this post!)
Where will they end up?
With the highest bidders! The auction is running from March 26th to April 26th. Signage with QR codes linking directly to the auction site will be placed on either end of the Swan Lake bridge. We don’t ship barrels, so anyone placing a bid must commit to coming to the Zoo to pick up their barrel.
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SAFE Mexican Wolf Update
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Eastern Indigo Snake Conservation Work
In November 2022 and December 2023 I had the privilege of assisting a great reptile conservation organization, the Orianne Society, in surveying for Eastern Indigo Snakes in Georgia. The scientific name of these snakes (Drymarchon couperi) roughly translates into “forest ruler”. They are non-venomous and one of the largest snakes in North America (males can get up to almost 9 feet!). Although they can appear intimidating, they are famous for being quite docile when handled. Indigos are also famous for eating other snakes including venomous species such as Copperheads and young Timber Rattlesnakes. They live throughout most of Florida and much of the Coastal Plain of southern Georgia, but because of habitat loss, the eastern indigo snake is listed as a federally threatened species in Georgia and Florida. They reside in longleaf pine sandhill ecosystems which unfortunately have declined by 98%. The historic range included southeastern Mississippi, southernmost Alabama and possibly southeastern South Carolina. However, Eastern Indigo populations no longer inhabit these states. Good news is that recent re-introduction efforts in Alabama have had some success.
The Orianne Society surveys 60 total sites two times a year. Surveys are conducted in the winter (breeding season) on foot by following previously marked Gopher Tortoise burrow GPS markers. Indigos depend on these burrows to survive during the colder months. Gopher tortoises are keystone species and their hard work is appreciated by a myriad of critters such as coral snakes, kingsnakes, pine snakes, Eastern Diamondback rattlesnakes, toads, quail, newts, armadillos, rabbits and many more. I helped survey an average of 250 burrows each day. Once I found an active burrow, I would re-mark it with my GPS and searched for recent activity (e.g. snake tracks or shed skin). If there were signs of activity, we used a camera scope to see if we could find the snake. After searching for hours, we finally found a 5ft female indigo hanging outside of a tortoise burrow! We scanned her for a microchip and gathered a variety of information such as: weight, length, abrasions/wounds, body condition score and other data. Turns out she was a previously captured snake. We also collected swab samples for the presence of snake fungal disease; around 80% of indigos test positive for this disease. Luckily for them, they appear to handle it better than other snakes like water snakes and vipers. Overall, surveys have shown that Georgia is a stronghold for the Eastern Indigo and that their populations appear stable.
I feel very fortunate to work at a zoo that supports conservation endeavors such as this, and look forward to helping create more positive change as the Cincinnati Zoo’s Eastern Indigo SAFE representative . Make sure to stop by and see our young female Indigo in Manatee Springs!
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Composting Seminars
Are you interested in starting your own but don’t know where to start? Join Hamilton County Resource for a Backyard Composting Seminar!
These seminars are designed to help YOU become a composting pro.
See the attached flyer for a variety of dates where you will learn:
- How to balance a compost bin
- What materials are backyard compostable
- Troubleshooting tips
- and more!
Compost bins will also be available for purchase at each seminar!
If you’re interested in attending a seminar, make sure to complete your registration form soon because spring slots are filling up fast!
Have additional questions or concerns? Visit HamiltonCountyR3Source.org or call (513) 946-7736
Complete registration form Here!
Explore composting resources Here!
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Barrows Lecture Series _ The Next Speaker
Just sharing a fantastic learning opportunity that we will be hosting during our Barrows Lecture Series at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. The following forest focused speaker will be presenting on April 17. Details are included below. Tickets and more information can be found at the following website: https://cincinnatizoo.org/events/barrows-conservation-lectures/
The Future of Nature
The past holds a secret. There was more protection for the forests two thousand years ago than there is today. Forests and trees are foundational species for a living planet. The Celts held this knowledge in their oral culture as a new alphabet of old wisdoms. The Global bioplan will abate climatic warming. So, sharpen your shovels and open up the future for all creatures great and small. Dr. Diana Beresford-Kroeger wishes to share her hope and excitement with you.
With books for sale & signing….
To Speak for the Trees: My Life’s Journey from Ancient Celtic Wisdom to a Healing Vision of the Forest Hardcover – September 24, 2019
Canadian botanist, biochemist and visionary Diana Beresford-Kroeger’s startling insights into the hidden life of trees have already sparked a quiet revolution in how we understand our relationship to forests. Now, in a captivating account of how her life led her to these illuminating and crucial ideas, she shows us how forests can not only heal us but save the planet.
In Case You Missed It
Severe Weather Alert Update
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Volunteers can now opt in to the Severe Weather Alert System! If you would like to sign up, please click on the link below and fill out the short form. All volunteers who sign up will receive these alerts, via text message, starting April 1st.