All Stories

7/31/21

Primates are Smart, and We Can Learn from Them

African Forest opened in 2018 with research and wellness at the forefront of its design. The exhibit design built in choice, challenges and variation which are all fundamental aspects to wellness-inspired habitats. The central Kapok tree provides multiple opportunities for species-specific behaviors. There are portals along the trunk so that the animals that have access to the tree can forage for food. There’s also vertical height for climbing, and a window for trainer-to-animal traini... Read More
at 7/31/21
Animal Wellness

7/20/21

Garden Folk Magic with Bottle Trees

Seeing strange things in your garden? Things that go bump in the night? Well, maybe it’s time to mix some old-time-southern-folk-magic with whimsical-garden-art and get a bottle tree. From fancy models made of welded metal to just old trees, the variety and type are only limited by the imagination… Bottle trees are just that: either a tree, stake, or tree-like shape festooned with glass bottles. The bottles can be any shape or size and can be hung or attached neck down with larg... Read More
at 7/20/21
AIYI Horticulture

7/20/21

Elated for World Elephant Day

Due to poaching, habitat loss, and human-to-elephant conflict, the African elephant is listed as endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. By providing better protection for wild elephants, we can help make a difference, and there’s no better day to do so than on World Elephant Day on August 12! The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) has partnered with the Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI) to prevent human-elephant conflict. Their plan calls for the stop of iv... Read More
at 7/20/21
AIYI

Meet Our Keepers

Zoo keepers do more than provide expert animal care, they also act as educators and can share first-hand knowledge of species, the threats facing wildlife around the globe, and what steps we can take to protect vanishing habitats. This week we are celebrating National Zoo Keeper Week to recognize these important professionals and shine a light on their careers. The theme this year is how zoo keepers improvise, adapt, and persist through challenges to continue to provide excellent animal care ... Read More
Featured

7/16/21

Nine Ways to Curb Your Plastic Use

Plastic Free July is about being part of the solution to reducing plastic waste in our communities. Every piece of plastic that’s been created still exists somewhere in the world. Single-use plastic is made to last forever, yet we often discard it within minutes. Unfortunately, only about 9% of plastic is actually recycled and 79% ends up in landfills or our oceans and waterways—injuring and killing wildlife. Many people around the world have already made steps to reduce depende... Read More
at 7/16/21
Conservation Featured