Time to get ready for winter!

As the days get shorter and the temperature drops, Zoo staff start getting exhibits and animals ready for the winter months ahead. Monitoring the animals during the winter leaves us with a whole different set of warning signs to look for.Animals exposed to the elements are in danger of hypothermia, frostbite, and dehydration.

Hypothermia is a condition where animals are unable to create enough body heat to maintain proper temperature. Their internal body temperature begins to drop. Once it drops too low, it is difficult to raise the temperature back to normal. The signs of hypothermia can range from shivering and decreased alertness to more severe such as decreased blood pressure and slow, shallow respiration. If left untreated, hypothermia can be fatal.Frostbite can be seen on the ears, toes, and any other appendages. It can strike any exposed skin. As the temperature drops, the blood flow to these areas decreases. With decreased blood flow, there is decreased circulation and heat moving to the area. The tissue begins to freeze. Signs can include darkening of the skin, pain to the touch, and swelling.

All living things need water. In the winter, finding fresh water can be difficult. Dehydration can occur quickly in animals. Signs can range from weakness to organ failure.

So how do Zoo Keepers prevent these potential problems?

Zoo staff work tirelessly throughout the fall to hang wind breaks, plug in heaters, and add extra bedding. The goal is to have a seamless transition for the animals. All of our animals have access to areas that provide shelter from the wind and snow. This could be in the form of access into a building or a covered area of their enclosure.

Bill in winter. Photo by Marie Kraus

For those animals that are more sensitive to the cold, they are provided with as many heaters as are needed to maintain a moderate temperature. Zoo staff monitor the animals daily, and in extreme cold, much more frequently. They watch for signs of shivering, tenderness when walking, and any change in the level of alertness. If any signs are seen, animal health staff are notified immediately and action is taken to prevent any further problems. Any animal housed outside has a heated water bowl to provide access to fresh water at all times.

Animals that live indoors are often given the choice to venture outside for some fresh air. The elephants enjoy eating the snow and typically go out daily for short periods of time. Once the animals are all set for the winter, staff will start pulling out all of their gear to make it through the next few months.

If you are visiting the Zoo this winter, take a moment and thank the keepers for working hard to keep the animals safe and warm!–Robin English, Zoologist

Zoo CLOSED November 14

The Zoo will be closed to the public for routine staff training on Monday, November 14, 2016.

Questions? Please call (585) 336-7200

My Zoo Story

Hear from guests, employees, volunteers and community members about what Seneca Park Zoo means to them.These are just five of the hundreds of thousands of stories that can be told about what your Zoo means. And these stories are evidence that your Zoo is achieving its mission of connecting people with the animals in our care, so they are inspired to care for and conserve wildlife and wild places.

We encourage you to reflect on your Zoo experiences as you make your year-end charitable giving decisions. Think of what your Zoo means to you, and think of the stories your gift could inspire.

My Story: Mya Santiago

“My Zoo is a sanctuary of happiness.”

Mya Santiago, ZooTeen Leader, East Irondequoit High School, class of 2018

I have come to the Seneca Park Zoo since before I could walk. I was raised by a single mom, so my grandma and grandpa helped raise me, and they brought me to the Zoo just about every day. They instilled a lot of my values in me.

My grandpa always taught me that things I want in life can happen if you work for them. So when my mom told me about the ZooTeen program, I knew I wanted to apply. Now I’ve been doing it for three years. I love educating people, and if they just learn one little thing about our animals and their conservation, I feel great.

Being a ZooTeen has helped me grow as a person, giving me an ability to talk to many different types of people. I’ve even had some ZooCampers who have come back and apply for the ZooTeen program because of things they learned from ME! That makes me feel great.

After high school? I really hope to get into Cornell for their Veterinary Program. I want to be a wildlife veterinarian.

“Being a ZooTeen has helped me grow as a person.”

Programs like ZooTeens, ZooCamps, and the ZooMobile create opportunities for young people in our community to not only learn about animals and conservation, but to learn about themselves.

Learn more about ZooTeen programs.

My Story: Shawn Dunwoody

“My Zoo isn’t just about families; it’s about the world family.”

Shawn Dunwoody, lifelong Rochester resident, Creative Director, DunWoodē Visual Consulting

I used to think of zoos as cages with animals, and it made me sad. But now I know Seneca Park Zoo is actually on a mission to conserve animals and wild life for our future generations. That you’re connected to other accredited zoos to preserve the future of these animals.

There’s a care and concern for the animals, and there’s a care and concern for people understanding what our world looks like, and that when you support the Zoo, you’re actually supporting life to continue forward in and around the world. Seneca Park Zoo may have a small footprint but it has a global impact.

I now see the Zoo as something a bit different – an entity that cares and wants to preserve, but also wants the community to know about these things. You are focused on the community and what it needs for generations to come. This small Zoo is not just about families, but about the world family, which I think is important in supporting life globally. Seneca Park Zoo may have a small footprint but it has a global impact.

 

Shawn and his family are just one example of people in our community who thought the Zoo wasn’t for them. There are few things more satisfying than seeing the “Aha!” moment when a zoo naysayer understands the full impact of our efforts.

And Shawn’s reference to our global impact isn’t hyperbole. The Seneca Park Zoo Society recently won an Environmental Leadership Award for its biodiversity assessment, “One Cubic Foot,” in the Genesee River, a project highlighted in a six-page story in Connect, the national journal of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. In June, we replicated the project in Madagascar, with National Geographic photographer David Liittschwager and scientists from the Smithsonian Institution.

At the Zoo, our successful breeding programs with orangutans, lions, and African penguins, are helping to build genetically sustainable populations of endangered species. In fact, we just celebrated our 100th successful hatching of an African black-footed penguin, cementing your beloved penguins’ reputation as one of the most significant breeding colonies in North America.

My Story: Barbara Kelley

“My Zoo is one of the few places you can invest in the community, while also impacting the world.”

Barbara Kelley, Seneca Park Zoo Society Trustee and supporter since 2005

Like many people, I visited the Zoo with my children and grandchildren, but then thought I had “aged out” as they grew up. I got reintroduced to the Zoo about twelve years ago, when I was in a corporate role at Bausch + Lomb. Zoo leaders came to pitch us on investing in a capital campaign, and I was really intrigued with their vision. We knew from research that Seneca Park Zoo was one of the most important community organizations to our employees – from line workers to executives – so we got involved in the campaign.

Since then, my involvement with the Zoo has grown extensively.

I serve on the Board of Trustees because I believe in the deliberate emphasis the Zoo has in education and conservation. My great-grandchildren have attended ZooCamp for several years, and my eleven-year-old great-grandson always amazes us with animal facts he’s learned from camp.

I know that my energies and investment in the Zoo not only impact our community, but they impact the world. And not just for a year or two, but they have a truly lasting effect.Most people who haven’t been here in years are amazed at how the Zoo is more relevant than ever.DONATE NOW

More Zoo Stories