Seneca Park Zoo Society named one of Rochester’s Top Workplaces

March 29, 2018

Seneca Park Zoo Society has received an extraordinary accolade: we were named one of the best places to work in our region. The designation is based on the results of an anonymous survey taken by the full-time and year-round part-time staff of the Zoo Society.

I believe Zoo Society staff reported high levels of workplace satisfaction for one primary reason: we share common values, working toward a mission we all believe in. When you come to work every day knowing that the people around you share your values, and want to do everything possible to connect our community with wildlife so they are moved to conserve it, it matters. We do meaningful work here. We are doing our part to leave the world a better place. THAT is motivating. I could not be more proud of the team we have assembled to carry out the Zoo’s mission.Why write a post with what might seem like self-serving information? Because YOU are part of the reason we have received this award. Our guests, members, volunteers, and supporters:

  • Share our mission and believe in the role zoos play in saving animals from extinction
  • Inspire us to provide best-in-class experiences with the Zoo, while you are here on site, and through outreach programs
  • Support the Zoo in numerous ways, from telling friends and family about what’s happening here, to contributing to conservation causes, to enrolling your children or grandchildren in camps and classes, and so much more.

You are both a cheering section, and an echo chamber, championing the Zoo’s efforts and reinforcing the importance of our work.

In addition to the support of the Zoo community, the Zoo Society is proud to work in partnership with Monroe County to fulfill the Zoo’s mission of inspiring our community to connect with, care for, and conserve wildlife and wild places.

There is no better time to come enjoy the Zoo and bring friends and family as the Zoo begins its phenomenal transformation. Thank you for your support, your encouragement, and your enjoyment of all that is Seneca Park Zoo.– Pamela Reed Sanchez, President and CEO

“What keeps those birds from flying away?”

March 22, 2018

If you’re visiting with Seneca Park Zoo’s bald eagles, snow goose, snowy owl or sandhill cranes, you may wonder, “What keeps those birds from flying away?” It’s a common question. These birds live in open-air habitats with no barriers to keep them from flying away. So why do they stay?

The story behind each bird is a little different but they all came to Seneca Park Zoo as rehabilitated birds. These birds all sustained injuries that prevent them from surviving on their own in their natural ranges. Wildlife bird rehabilitators initially received these birds and nursed them back to health. The birds are all tested for their ability to take and sustain flight. If they can fly well, they are released. Those that aren’t able to fly normally will have trouble finding food and avoiding predators. Once it is determined that they are non-releasable, the search for a permanent home begins. That’s where we come in.Maverick, one of the Zoo’s two bald eagles, came to us from a rehabilitation center in Florida. Maverick was brought to the rehab facility with a wing fracture. The origin of this injury is unknown. Veterinary staff recommended amputation of the distal part of his wing and Maverick was transferred to Seneca Park Zoo in September of 2016.

Abe, the older of the bald eagles, arrived from Washington State in April of 1999. He was found by a game agent after breaking the tip of his wing on a tree branch during flight. The veterinary hospital where he was taken was unable to repair the injury and had to amputate the end of his wing. Abe came to us shortly after and has resided here for the past 19 years.Both eagles can move around their exhibit with ease and can often be seen on the higher perches. Staff makes sure they have lots of “steps” available to get them where they want to go.

Living alongside the eagles is a female snow goose. She was found here in upstate New York by a local rehabilitator with a broken and disfigured wing tip. The cause of her injury is unknown but veterinary staff at Seneca Park Zoo made the decision to amputate part of her wing shortly after arrival.The snowy owl, Winter, was found in South Dakota with a compound fracture of her wing in 2011. A portion of her wing was amputated and she was transferred here in 2012. Unlike the eagles, Winter is a little bit more vulnerable to injuries from wild animals so keepers secure her at night into the indoor area of her habitat. She even knows when it is time to head indoors. Keepers bring her food and she meets them inside.The sandhill cranes arrived together from Florida in 2011. The female crane has a broken bill while the male has an amputated wing. Neither would be able to survive on their own. To help with our cold winters, the cranes have a heated indoor area that keeps them nice and warm.– Robin English, Veterinarian Technician

Fit for Travel

March 18, 2018

With old habitats closing and new habitats opening, quite a few of our animals are traveling this spring! There is a lot of preparation involved in sending an animal from one zoo to another. The whole process usually starts with a recommendation by the Species Survival Plan (SSP), a collaborative effort among accredited zoos to maintain the genetic diversity of species in conservation care consistent with the needs of each zoo. When we receive a recommendation to move an animal, Garrett Caulkins, Zoo Registrar, contacts the other zoo to share important information about that animal, like diet and medical history.Their veterinarian and I discuss the animal’s health and determine what we need to do to make sure that animal is healthy enough to travel. We also want to ensure that the animal has no diseases or parasites that might be spread to the other animals at the Zoo. Usually, what we call a pre-shipment examination is performed – it’s just a fancy way of saying the veterinarian does a good check-up on the animal before the shipment. This way, the health of each animal coming into the Zoo is well-characterized before it arrives, so we don’t have to address it immediately. This allows time for the animal to acclimate to its new home. During the pre-shipment exam, we listen to the animal’s heart and lungs, obtain fecal and blood samples, take radiographs, update vaccinations, and perform any other screening tests specific to the species. For example, for primates, we might do a tuberculous test under the skin just like a person might have done. Once all the test results are available and the animal is fit for travel, moving arrangements are made.Many times, a familiar keeper will travel with the animal to its new home to make sure the journey is safe and to help make the transition smoother. After arrival, depending on the animal, it may be housed in the Zoo hospital for quarantine or in its habitat if the animal has special needs. For example, our new giraffe will be quarantined once they arrive in their new habitat in A Step into Africa. We are very sensitive to animal welfare, so our goal is to get any new animals into their new home and comfortable living with any new companions as quickly as possible. For the first month or so, we monitor the animal closely every day to make sure that they are eating normally and integrating into their habitat, social group, and routine. Our keepers, curators, and vet staff all work together through issues like introducing the animal to the existing group or letting it into a new habitat space for the first time. As a result of our thorough planning, preventive health program, and concern for animal welfare, most animals make the transition really well!– Dr. Louis DiVincenti, Director of Animal Health and Conservation

From underrated to elevated: spiders & snakes

March 4, 2018

I want you to think of your most recent visit to the Zoo. Which animals were you most excited to see? Which animal’s habitat did you spend the most time observing? Was it an elephant? An orangutan?  Maybe you enjoyed watching the tiger or the lions as they slept on their kopje rock. If I was correct about at least one of these, it’s not surprising, because these animals have charisma. People perceive them as “cute” and “silly” and as you watch them interact with each other, explore enrichment, or train with their keepers, you can sometimes see a bit of yourself in them. And just as we relate to and admire certain species, there are others that have the opposite effect on us.Spiders and snakes seem to fit the mold of what people like least about animals, whether it’s because of the many legs they have, or in the case of snakes, their lack of legs all together. I’ve seen guests cringe when they see them, or sometimes even refuse to look into their habitat. This bad reputation is an issue that zoo keepers and conservationists face while educating guests about their ecological importance and when trying to gain support for conservation projects. While an elephant may be hard to miss, a reptile or invertebrate lying motionless under a rock may be easily overlooked. Take a second look though, and you’ll be surprised at how extraordinary these “outcasts” can be.Spiders may bug you, but they aren’t bugs! They are arachnids and are related to scorpions, which undoubtedly share their relative’s poor reputation. Unlike six-legged bugs, spiders have eight legs, and inhabit just about every place on earth with the exception of the polar regions and the ocean. Their aptitude to survive in unique ecosystems, combined with their ability to hunt and avoid BEING hunted, does deserve some admiration, if not your affection. Spiders build webs, dig burrows, and even swim underwater using a procured oxygen bubble to hunt for their prey. They feed on just about anything they can, based on the size of the species, and will gladly consume a cockroach that just may be making tracks towards your house!

To avoid being eaten themselves, they are masters of camouflage with some species going as far as to mimic bird droppings to avoid suspicion. Now, that’s dedication! The Chilean rose hair tarantula, a program animal at the Zoo, takes a much simpler route by finding a small den to hide out in while waiting for an unsuspecting insect to trigger the web its laid down around it. As the weather warms, keep your eyes open for this spider with one of our naturalists so that you can gaze into their eight eyes.Snakes share the spider’s immense contribution to pest control, along with the misplaced hostility they receive from people. They hunt and consume the rodents that have plagued humanity for centuries, helping to keep their numbers in check. Snakes have also adapted to just about every type of ecosystem on the planet, findings ways to swim through tropical oceans and even glide from tree to tree in dense jungle. The snakes that call Seneca Park Zoo home are accustomed to the presence of people and handling by animal care staff. While some guests may not be comfortable getting up close and personal with these reptiles, the Zoo makes it a top priority to ensure the snakes are comfortable with us. Staff is trained how to appropriately transport and handle them so they remain calm and the interactions are positive, for human and reptiles alike. Working with snakes means being able to read their body language and recognize if they’re calm or excited, hungry, or about to shed its skin. Since a snake can’t see too well prior to shed, it’s a good time to leave them be!After reading this, I don’t expect you to love snakes and spiders. I do hope however, that you have a newfound respect for their natural abilities and the important roles they play in keeping ecosystems healthy. Next time you’re at the Zoo, take an extra moment to read the species information in front of each habitat. You’ll be surprised at the rich diversity of these traditionally unpopular animals, and remember, everyone (even snakes and spiders) deserve a second chance!– James Weinpress, Elephant Handler

(Featured image: Red tail boa constrictor, photo by James Weinpress)