Category: Animal News

September 2020

They said, ”Do you want to be an urban ecologist?”

I said, “Sure, I’ll be an Urban Ecologist.” 

Naaman and I were discussing how he didn’t know at the time that this decision would lead to a morning deep in the Genesee river gorge on a path that offered little room to move between the flowing water on his left and layered stone cliffs to his right.As the Urban Ecologist program manager I think I can safely say that most of the 15 Urban Ecologists we hired this summer weren’t really sure what they are getting themselves into. Each one applied through the City of Rochester’s Summer of Opportunity program with the hope of getting some real life work experience. Luckily this diverse group of high school students were willing to take a chance on a job that was explained as an opportunity to spend the next two years developing their future readiness, studying their relationship to the urban environment, engaging the community in nature-based activities, and working to improve the natural environment through stewardship projects. This adventurous spirit has led to a team of young people who are confidently and courageously facing the particularly challenging set of circumstances we find ourselves in this summer. 

As we considered how to run a program that kept our young people and the community safe and healthy, we saw online work as an opportunity we could take advantage of, but early conversations with our senior urban ecologists provided motivation for figuring out how to provide in-person work as well. They had spent the spring in their homes and they emphatically expressed a desire to get out in nature.  There is plenty of research to back up the idea that getting out would be good for their social, emotional, and physical health. Fortunately the outdoor work embedded in this program lends itself well to a work environment that is well ventilated with space to spread out. We have been able to create a hybrid program that provides both in person and online learning.We have used our time online and at home for a variety of experiences. We worked with an expert to take a financial literacy course. We had a video conference call with an EPA attorney in Baltimore and an expert in environmental justice education in Buffalo. We have had workshops to dissect our sense of place by considering what an urban ecosystem is and how we map our world.  We have read “The Home Place” by J. Drew Lanham and have worked on self-designed community engagement projects.Our in-person work has benefited from the fact that the Urban Ecologists have taken to heart the idea that their attention to health and safety makes a greater impact possible.  With daily health checks, masks on and six feet between each other breaths of fresh air fills our lungs, dialogue about the state of the world fills our ears and gardening soil fills our hands. We have spent several mornings tending community food gardens. We now have a deeper connection to the neighbors who benefit from the freely available fresh food and the pollinators who make that food possible. Removing invasive species in an urban forest has connected us to the ecosystems that bring people in the city peace. Sharing photo stories of Seneca Park connects us to the land in our city and the community of people telling their stories on instagram.

The Urban Ecologists sometimes ask me about getting paid for activities that hardly seem like work like hiking and reading. I tell them it is some of the most important work that can be done right now. Connecting to our environment and each other is necessary in a way it has never been before. I tell them they have a responsibility to share that connection with others. Finding a path through the urban wilderness on foot is just one of the ways they are preparing to lead our communities down an uncertain path. The skills, knowledge, and relationships they are building today will create the hopeful tomorrow we need.

– Chris Widmaier, Seneca Park Zoo Society Urban Ecology Program Manager

*Banner photo by Chris Widmaier

The Seneca Park Zoo Society Urban Ecology Workplace Development Program began 2017 in response to the lack of diversity in the field of conservation.  Now conducted in partnership with the City of Rochester Summer of Opportunity program, participants connect with nature, learn important life skills, and make an impact on their communities. Follow @rocurbanecologists on Instagram.

September 17, 2020

Seneca Park Zoo supports conservation efforts both locally and globally. This week we are celebrating red pandas and highlighting the conservation work that is being done to protect this species and the natural habitat they depend on. Red pandas are naturally found in Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests, which are one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world. These forests are also considered to be the lungs of South Asia – when they are healthy and functioning properly, they support the lives of the people, animals, and plants throughout the entire region.

As an arboreal species, red pandas depend heavily on these forests for all aspects of their survival. However, deforestation and fragmentation in this region has caused the global red panda population to decline by a whopping 50% over the last 20 years. To help protect these crucial forests, Seneca Park Zoo has partnered with Red Panda Network (RPN), who works together with local communities to educate and empower community members to protect red pandas and their habitat.

In eastern Nepal, RPN is establishing the world’s first protected area dedicated to red pandas: the Panchthar-Ilam-Taplejung (PIT) Red Panda Protected Forest. This forest is home to over 100 red pandas and serves as an important corridor connecting protected areas in India, Nepal, and China. Establishing the PIT Red Panda Protected Forest will bridge a gap that will create 11,500km of uninterrupted protected land. This vast area will not only protect endangered red pandas, it will also benefit other species in the region including vulnerable clouded leopards, critically endangered pangolins, and hundreds of bird and plant species.

RPN recognizes that conservation can’t be successful without the support and partnership of surrounding communities. The PIT Red Panda Protected Forest will be the first protected forest in Nepal to be managed by a network of community forest groups, which will allow the people who use and protect the region to retain decision-making power over it. RPN works closely with local communities to develop conservation programs that foster environmental stewardship while also providing sustainable livelihoods for community members. These programs include an anti-poaching network, forest guardian team, livestock herding management committee, and forest conservation nurseries. Creating economic opportunities that benefit community members while also restoring their surrounding environment is a recipe for conservation success.You can support these efforts here.   To learn more about the important work Red Panda Network is doing, visit redpandanetwork.org

– Annie Wheeler, Lead Zoo Naturalist for Programs

September 15, 2020

Welcome to our new male red panda, Willie! He recently came to us from Zoo Knoxville, in Tennessee. Due in part to travel restrictions, our primary red panda keeper drove about half-way to meet Zoo Knoxville staff at the Columbus Zoo to pick him up and bring him back to Rochester.

Willie was born on June 21, 2015, at the Greenville Zoo, in South Carolina. He was named after Willie Nelson, specifically after an old album called the Red Headed Stranger. On formal occasions, he has been referred to as William.Willie was brought here as a mate for our female red panda, Starlight, who is just two years younger than he is. You can tell them apart by comparing the coloration of their heads. Starlight has a dark colored head, and Willie has a light colored head.

Willie will have a lot of new things to get used to here, besides a new mate, and all new keepers. We will need to give him time to get accustomed to being in an open top exhibit, where people can view him from three sides. You can help him to adjust, by lowering your voices when you squeal with excitement at their “cuteness”.

They will spend the fall getting to know each other, before the winter breeding season takes place. We are looking forward to seeing his reaction to a winter with some real New York snow!

-Heidi Beifus, Primary Cold Asia Zoo Keeper

*Banner photo by Heidi Beifus

July 16, 2020

Summer is finally here and it is time to celebrate! On July 15 one of my favorite ladies turned 38 years old – Moki the African Elephant! Moki joined our herd here at Seneca Park Zoo in 2015 and has been a perfect ambassador for her counterparts in nature ever since.A few ways to tell her apart from the others are that she is our largest elephant, weighing in at a cool 8,300 pounds, and has the longest tusks. She is also our only elephant friend who knows a behavior where she makes a sound from her trunk – how amazing!

I started working with the elephants in 2019 and Moki was the first one I started training with. She instantly became my favorite – yes, I know we aren’t supposed to have favorites but hear me out. She absolutely loves food (just like me) and she’s crazy smart. Who wouldn’t love a friend like that?! What truly made me fall in love with her though is the fact that she has been very patient with me as I began learning and continue to learn the ins and outs of working with elephants. She truly has made it so much fun.

An interesting fact about Moki is that she has, what I call, an “extendo-trunk”. Elephants can reach up to 8 feet with their trunks, but I swear Moki has figured out a way to extend her trunk even longer than that! It definitely makes hanging enrichment a little more complicated, but it is so awesome to see her extend her trunk as far as she can.

We are so thrilled that the zoo has finally opened and you all can come visit. And if you do, don’t forget to make your way down to the elephants and wish Moki a BIG {elephant}astic 38^th Birthday!

-Hanna Kaiser, Zoo Keeper

*Banner photo by Wayne Smith

June 19, 2020

When a Zoo animal dies, we share the news and as many details as possible. We know how much our community mourns the loss of an animal at the Zoo.

While an animal’s death might seem like the end, for the animal care professionals who cared for that individual, it begins a grieving process. Although these animals are not pets, and not ours, there is a similar sense of loss, the same grieving that comes with losing a companion animal. We form relationships with the animals in our care, many of which last many years. And, just like when a pet ages, the relationship often becomes even stronger towards the end as a result of the increased care that geriatric animals require.

After an animal dies, there are food bowls, favorite toys or blankets that must be put away. Dens or shelters need to be cleaned, sometimes to be left empty for a long period of time. All are sad reminders of a living being that touched us in some way. On top of that, we need to answer questions from guests about the animal; like where they are (not everyone may know they passed away) or how they died. Legitimate inquiries for sure, and we welcome the genuine interest in them, but talking about an animal you cared for that is no longer with us while containing your emotions in the process can be difficult. Although zoo keepers have the best jobs in the world, this is an unfortunate part of a commitment to a lifetime of care.

The recent death of our older female otter Sara prompted me to reflect on these experiences. While we had been treating Sara for several age-related conditions and knew she had outlived her life expectancy, her sudden decline made things all the more difficult. However, after going through some video I took on my last day with Sara, I thought sharing both might bring some closure and peace of mind, not only for me and her other caregivers but the thousands of our guests who sent their thoughts to us since the announcement. It might also shed some light on a seldom talked about subject that everyone who cares for animals has experienced.

So, here’s Sweet Sara, casually chasing down some fish and generally enjoying herself the day before she died. In reality, this is the kind of the end-of-life experience we want, happy until the end. This was a great day for us both, and that is the memory of her that I will always carry with me.

– Brian Sheets, Zoologist

June 17, 2020

Our red panda Starlight turns 3 years old today –  June 17^th. She will be celebrating with all of her favorite treats, including bamboo sprouts, grapes, apple slices, and apple-based biscuits.This will be in addition to her regular base diet of leaf eater biscuits and, of course, bamboo. She likes banana, pear, and the occasional blueberry as well. If she gets her “birthday wish”, it will be semi-cool and cloudy outside that day. If you recall, red pandas are not real big fans of the summer weather, especially mid-day. Like most of our carnivores, to help her get ready for it though, she is currently shedding her thick furry coat.

Many people had been asking when Starlight is going to get a new “friend”. Like a lot of our carnivores, red pandas are more solitary in nature. They interact during the winter breeding season, but the rest of the year, they tend to just co-exist. However, she was all set to get a new mate in March, and then the pandemic hit, so it has not been able to happen yet.

Once it is safe to travel with a red panda, then we will go and get him by car. At this point, we have no idea of when that will be, but until then, we will enjoy our one-on-one time with Starlight.

– Zoo Keeper Heidi Beifus

*Banner photo by Heidi Beifus

May 29, 2020

Spring is the season of new life in many parts of the world. The flowers are blossoming, the trees are budding, and many different species of animals are born. We celebrate the birth of several feline right here at our own zoo. May is a big month for all 3 of our snow leopards. The male Kaba turned 10 on the 10th, the female Timila turned 4 on the 24th, and their first male offspring, Silver, turned 1 year old on the 27th. This isn’t just a coincidence – snow leopards have only one mating season annually (January-March) and ~90-110 day pregnancy so cubs are generally born late spring/early summer. The last 8 months since Silver went out on exhibit have been filled with both adventures, as well as learning many new important life skills for his future.

Silver has come a long way during his first year of life here at our zoo. His “education” began as soon as he emerged from the nest box, at just two months of age. His mom taught him to follow her, as well as to stay put. Just like any youngster, staying in one place is not easy! He learns a lot by mimicking his mother’s behaviors. Lucky for his keepers, she is a very intelligent cat who set him up for success, and, he is extremely food motivated. Once he learned how to shift from area to area, since he was about three months old, he has been getting weighed weekly. He weighed about one pound at birth, and has been continually gaining approximately one pound per week since then. At a year old, he now weighs a solid 56 pounds! As a juvenile, aka “teenager”, he is almost as big as his mother, but about half the size of his father.

Over this spring, Silver finally managed to get up on top of the one remaining high perch, where Timila would go to get some personal space. Although he is relentless in his pursuit of play, she out-maneuvers him every time. He has been entertaining himself with toys in the splash pool, and she has been showing him how to “fish” the decoy ducks out of it. The pool will help them to stay cool in the hot summer months ahead. The adults prepare for the heat in their own way every spring by shedding their winter coats. Matter of fact, Silver started losing his cub “fuzz” this month. He is turning in to quite the handsome young snow leopard! One of his favorite positions to lie in is, on his back with his fluffy belly up, just like his father Kaba. 🙂

– Heidi Beifus

Header photo: Assistant Curator Kellee Wolowitz

May 27, 2020

The video below was made to show what otter training looks like from the trainer’s perspective. Here, I’m working with Heather the otter. Otters Heather and Sara worked with me using free contact (no barrier between us) while Sailor, I’m still working protected contact training with (we have a barrier between us). The otters are taught with both a verbal cue and a hand signal for the same behavior. In my right hand I have a clicker which I use to let her know she performed the behavior correctly. I also use my right hand to signal a behavior. I use my left hand to give her her food reward for doing a correct behavior. Our otters are taught through positive reinforcement. We never punish them or ask them to do something they don’t want to do. Participating in training is their choice.At the beginning, I come out with a target pole. I ask her to go in the water and to touch her nose to the pole. I say “target” and then I click the clicker to let her know what she did was correct. I then give her part of her diet (fish and meat) as a reward. Next I tell her “land” and have her come out of the water. I then tell her “up” and have her get up on her “station stump”. While she is on here I ask her for different behaviors such as targeting to my hand, waving, asking for her to touch her left and right paws to my finger, and I say “stand” to get her to stand up on her back legs. By asking her to do these things helps me see different parts of her body more closely and to make sure she is healthy. Next I say “down” for her to come off her stump and then say “back”and hold out two fingers above her. This is her cue to lay on her back and hold the position as long as I keep my fingers up. This lets me check out her underside. She is also trained to let me touch her paws as well while she is in this position.

Next I tell her “water” and have her get in the pool. I then tell her “back” which has her swimming on her back, and “spin” where she will do a barrel roll in the water. Then I tell her “rock” which has her climb up on top of the rock formation and dive into the pool. These three water behaviors are natural otter behaviors that I captured them doing naturally and just added a cue to get them to do the behavior when asked to.

Next I tell her “land” and have her come back out of the water and say “up” to get her back on her stump. Then I have someone on the other side of the otter pool glass hold up Heather’s shape, a red circle, and then I ask Heather to target to that shape. Each of our otters have a certain shape and color that I have them target too. Sara’s is a yellow square and Sailor’s is a blue triangle. They all know their own shape/color. This behavior also led to several studies with RIT.

Once Heather finished targeting to her shape, I have her go back on land and bring her to the recycling bin. I hand her a soda bottle and tell her to “grasp” which she holds an object in her paws. Then I point to the bin and she drops the bottle in.

This is not a “trick” behavior as otters naturally grasp objects. I had her do this particular behavior to send a powerful and important message when viewing our otter training demo by having our otters tell you that recycling is a very important thing that you can do to help protect river otters.

Finally I have her go back up on the stump and tell her to “wave”. This is our final behavior and this is how I end the otter training demos. Then I get her to go back in the water where I give her a “jackpot” reward and give her a few pieces of her diet and then let her know the training session is over by saying “all done” and doing the hand signal.

Zoo Keeper Catina Wright

May 21, 2020

Our female Amur tiger, Katya, was born at the Seneca Park Zoo on May 21, 2005. Katya can often be found napping around her habitat or playing with enrichment. Some of her favorite enrichment items include boxes and bags, and spices such as ground ginger and nutmeg!

Once known as Siberian tigers, the name changed to Amur tiger to reflect their home range more accurately. These tigers are found within the Amur River Valley in southeast Russia and northeastern China. Amur tigers are the largest cat species in the world; adult males can grow up to 11ft long and be over 600 lbs! Adult females grow to around 9ft long and are 300-400lbs. Amur tigers are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

An Amur tiger’s median life expectancy is 14 years. At 15, Katya shows signs of arthritis and age-related issues. She receives daily treatment, which includes supplements and pain relievers, that she takes very easily in a favorite treat of hers, a fish called a capelin! Last year, her habitat was also renovated to give Katya easier ways to perform natural behaviors. A large high bench was installed, which she lays on almost daily to watch her surroundings. Surrounding stumps make it easy for her to get up and down. Tigers are one of the few cat species who enjoy water, so a large pool was buried in her yard. Katya loves to soak in it on hot days.

We can’t wait to have you all back at the zoo to learn about our amazing animals and help us celebrates Katya’s 16th year!

– Randi Krieger

*Top header photo taken by Kenny Krieger