Category: Animal News

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

April 28, 2020

Spring seems to finally be here at Seneca Park Zoo. Although spring is not the same without all of our wonderful guests. This year it will just be the keepers celebrating one of the Zoo’s most beloved residents, African Elephant Lilac, who will be turning 42 this May. Over the last 40 years, Lilac has served as an ambassador animal for the Seneca Park Zoo, representing her African elephant counterparts in nature.

Elephants are the largest land animal in the world, with the African elephant being slightly larger than the Asian elephant. African elephants weigh from 6,000 pounds for a small female to 14,000 pounds for a large bull, and can grow to be 10 feet tall. African elephants’ median life expectancy is 38 years old. They’re found throughout Africa and are currently listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Lilac came to Seneca Park Zoo in 1979 as an orphan from Kruger National Park with Genny C (42). Moki (37) joined the herd in 2015. All three elephants, although geriatric, are doing very well. Lilac continues to have a very spunky personality. The staff frequently jokes that she looks and acts much younger than her age.

You can tell Lilac apart from Genny C and Moki by her smaller stature and the hole in her left ear, which was from an injury she arrived at the Zoo with. Her favorite activities range from standing on anything she can find to chasing frisbees, blowing raspberries, and painting. She loves to problem solve and takes great pride in figuring out difficult tasks asked by her keepers. Her favorite treats are watermelons, pumpkins, and cabbages.

Lilac is patiently waiting for visitors to return to the Zoo but in the meantime, she continues to keep her keepers on their toes. We are looking forward to celebrating her birthday with you all in any way we can, this May. Stay tuned for more updates from Seneca Park Zoo!

– Jenna Bovee, Zoologist

March 25, 2020

In January, County Executive Adam Bello appointed David Hamilton, who has served as the Zoo’s General Curator for 15 years, to be Interim Zoo Director. David has worked in animal care for over 26 years. For 20 of those years, he has also served as the North American River Otter Species Survival Plan Program Leader and Studbook Keeper for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). We sat down with him to understand more about his work with the Species Survival Plan (SSP). 

Q: What is the Species Survival Plan?

A: It is a coordinated initiative to plan for and manage breeding of animals across all AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums to ensure genetic diversity and species sustainability in human care. Think of it as mega “Match.com” for endangered animals. There are Species Survival Plans for about 500 different species. They drive animal moves and breeding recommendations across AZA-accredited zoos.

Q: That’s a lot to manage! How exactly does it work?  

A: For North American river otters, we create an annual plan. We know every otter at every zoo and aquarium, as well as its lineage. There are currently about 260 animals at 110 facilities. Once a year, we ask all of the zoos and aquariums to let us know what changes they want to make, which include requests for new animals, requests to breed, or sometimes requests to move animals away to other zoos. I work with a population biologist to try to come up with a plan that will work for all involved. There are typically about 25 moves of North American river otters each year and close to 60 recommendations to breed. After fine-tuning, the plan is finalized, and the zoos start planning for the animal moves. 

Q: Why are all these moves necessary?  

A: Being part of the Species Survival Plan means that we’re all solving for the good of the species. We want to ensure there are enough animals with as much genetic diversity as possible to last for a very long time. For instance, animals die each year; across all zoos we want to ensure there are at least as many births each year as there are deaths. For each species, there is a time when a young animal would naturally leave its parents and start its own family. And sometimes, animals move because they don’t have a mate, or they haven’t reproduced with the mate with which they are matched.  

Q: How come some animals are approved to breed and others aren’t?  

A: It’s driven by a few factors. First, whether the institution has the space and skills to care for offspring. Additionally, how offspring would fit with the animals in the collection. And finally, whether the genetics of the two animals are suitable for mating.  

Q: What animal moves do you anticipate here at Seneca Park Zoo?  

A: We have made requests to receive animals in situations where there have been deaths. For instance, we’ve asked for a female North American river otter to be a mate to Sailor, our male. And we’ve asked for a mate for red panda Starlight, since Blaze died last year. We can also anticipate that in time, younger animals born here at the Zoo will move to other zoos to start their own families.

Q: So animals like sea lion Bob and snow leopard Silver will eventually leave to start their own families?

A: Yes, that will be the plan. We try to time it appropriately when they would naturally disperse and leave their mothers. Sometimes they mature more quickly in human care and can move sooner.  

Q: What about new animals like the giraffes?  

A: Giraffes are unique because they can only be transported when they are young or they become too tall to travel. When Animals of the Savanna opened, the SSP took particular care to make sure we had animals that would be appropriate for breeding when they reach the appropriate ages. Our giraffes have very valuable genetics so we shouldn’t anticipate moves there. Eventual calves (we are hopeful!) would move to other zoos.To stay up-to-date on any animal moves, make sure to follow Seneca Park Zoo on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

Featured image photo credit: Rebecca Sturniolo, Smithsonian’s National Zoo.

January 28, 2020

If you’ve been to Seneca Park Zoo any time since 1979, chances are you’ve seen African elephant Genny C, who recently celebrated her 42nd birthday. Seneca Park Zoo is now home to three female African elephants – Genny C, Lilac (42), and Moki (37) – lovingly referred to as the Golden Girls, as they have all reached the median life expectancy of African elephants in AZA-accredited zoos. Genny C has shown signs of degenerative joint disease – similar to osteoarthritis in people – for over 10 years. It’s most obvious in her carpi, or “wrists,” but likely affects her knees as well, causing stiffness and pain in the joints. Last summer, Genny C also developed issues in two of the nails in her front feet, caused by a combination of factors, including altered weight bearing because of her degenerative joint disease.Recently, Genny C has had more significant episodes of pain and difficulty walking. Her overall attitude from her appetite to interactions with her herd mates and keepers have stayed normal, but there is no doubt that Genny C is aging. Keepers and veterinary staff are managing Genny C’s comfort using a combination of therapies. She receives glucosamine and omega fatty acids as part of her diet. She also receives an anti-inflammatory (phenylbutazone) and an analgesic (gabapentin) daily, with additional pain medications administered when needed. To supplement this traditional approach, veterinary staff are also using laser therapy and medical acupuncture to provide additional pain management. Veterinary staff are monitoring her organ function, nutritional status, and immune system through frequent bloodwork. Equally important, the elephant care staff has implemented management strategies to make sure Genny C is comfortable. For example, they created a hill in the barn to give her the opportunity to lie down more easily. Keepers are ensuring that she has access to soft substrates, high quality food, and positive social interactions with Lilac and Moki.While Genny C’s behavior is normal in many ways, veterinary staff are concerned about the level of pain she is experiencing. In the last couple of weeks, Genny C has begun walking at a much slower pace with decreased range of motion in her wrists, and keepers have at times observed unsteadiness in her back legs, which may indicate more significant arthritis in her knees. There is no cure for degenerative joint disease, and the condition will progress. Several of Genny C’s caregivers have known her for over 20 years, so they are attuned to any behavioral changes, and veterinary staff will continue to adjust Genny C’s care as needed.

At 42 years old, Genny C and Lilac are among Seneca Park Zoo’s longest residents, and they have inspired generations in our community to care for elephants and to conserve them in nature. Accepting that Genny C and Lilac have already lived long lives is difficult, but it allows us to provide the best care possible in their senior years. We will continue to closely monitor Genny C, and all the elephants, and share updates as they become available.

December 5, 2019

Writer Haruki Murakami once said, “Death is not the opposite of life, but a part of it.” We all understand this, but it doesn’t make deaths any easier, particularly here at Seneca Park Zoo.

Each time we announce an animal death, we are overwhelmed by the amazing support of the community who pass along favorite memories, and their condolences to Zoo staff, often a particular keeper who they have met here at the Zoo.

But we also receive questions. Over the course of a year or two, it can feel overwhelming, and people inevitably ask questions about whether any of the deaths could be prevented, or if there are systemic issues that are leading to the deaths.

David Andreatta, Editor of City Newspaper, recently asked some of those questions.  He provided a thorough perspective on the topic that is worth a read and can be found at the link below.READ MORE

August 6, 2019

As many Seneca Park Zoo guests may have noticed in recent months, Lou the spotted hyena has been spending more time in the behind-the-scenes area of his habitat. At nearly 27 years of age, Lou is the oldest known hyena in human care and has already exceeded his median life expectancy of 21 years.

Lou has been receiving treatment for age-related conditions including degenerative joint disease, dental disease, cancer, and cataracts in both eyes that significantly limit his vision and affect his ability to move around his habitat and eat without assistance.

Lou’s cancer was cured with surgery, his dental disease was treated through ultrasonic cleanings and extractions, and his joint disease is being managed with daily medications.

Two months ago, Lou underwent cataract removal and lens replacement in one eye in an unprecedented attempt to improve his vision and quality of life. A team of zookeepers, veterinary staff, and local medical professionals provided intensive care following this procedure including administering drops in Lou’s eye four times a day over a period of weeks. Unfortunately, the eye became infected and ultimately had to be removed, last week. Lou is recovering at this time, and given poor sight in the other eye, we are doing everything we can to ensure his physical and mental well-being.

Lou was born at the Buffalo Zoo in 1992 and came to Seneca Park Zoo in 1999. He amazes and inspires animal care staff and guests alike by his gentle grace and keen intelligence.

We are encouraged by Lou’s recovery from his most recent surgery and are cautiously optimistic for his quality of life. In recent days, he has enjoyed more time in his outdoor habitat and has been interacting with guests, again. We will continue to monitor Lou’s well-being over the next weeks and months, providing him with quality care, positive enrichment and the choice of being in his outdoor habitat or behind-the-scenes.

On Monday, May 27, 2019 Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo & Seneca Park Zoo officials announced that snow leopard Timila gave birth to cubs.

Official statement:

“As a first-time mom, Timila was a bit unsure and delivered one cub in her outdoor habitat and one cub in her maternity den. Timila appears to be caring for the cub that is with her indoors. The other cub, a male who was born in the outdoor habitat, was retrieved by Animal Care staff and brought to the Zoo’s on-site animal hospital. While he appears strong and healthy, this cub will face a difficult road ahead. Over the next few days, Animal Care staff will attempt to return this cub to Timila. In the meantime, Timila will remain in her off-exhibit maternity den with the other cub. Animal Care staff will be monitoring Timila and her cubs closely and we will continue to keep the public updated on their progress.”

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Check out the local news coverage below.

WXXI: Two snow leopard cubs born at Seneca Park Zoo

WHAM: Seneca Park Zoo celebrates two new additions

WHEC: Snow leopard gives birth at Seneca Park Zoo

WROC: Seneca Park Zoo welcomes two new Snow Leopard cubs

Democrat & Chronicle:  Zoo’s new snow leopard cubs could go on exhibit in 12 weeks // Update: Snow leopard cub is back in mom’s care

 

UPDATES

June 1, 2019 – Dinolfo announces both cubs are male.

“More exciting news out of our Seneca Park Zoo on this #Caturday! Both newly born snow leopard cubs are male! Our new mom, Timila, is taking care of them very well and both are in excellent health. Stay tuned for more updates about our adorable new additions at the Zoo!”

June 5, 2019 – Zoo announces one male cub has died.

“We have sad news to report regarding the two male snow leopard cubs born to first-time mother Timila at Seneca Park Zoo on Monday, May 27th. The one cub, which required assistance from Animal Care staff immediately after birth but was returned to his mother on the following day, has died.” Click here to read the full statement.

July 9, 2019 – Our snow leopard cub is growing!

Born on May 27th, he is now six weeks old. He surpassed 5 lbs., his teeth have come in, and he received his first set of vaccines! Timila is a great mom and is allowing Animal Health staff to provide necessary supportive care to help make sure the cub continues doing well. Both mom and cub continue to den in the off-exhibit area of the Zoo’s snow leopard habitat. If all continues to go well, we expect them to emerge into the outdoor habitat and be viewable to the public in late-August or early-September!

May 13, 2019

Seneca Park Zoo is undergoing a transformation, and we’ve highlighted the ways our Master Plan improves the guest experience through amenities like the tram, a new café, and the ability to get closer than ever to animals at the Zoo. The overarching goal of the Zoo’s Master Plan, though, is improving the welfare of the animals.The Cold Asia habitats that opened last spring provided a new home for our snow leopards and allowed for the addition of red pandas. In contrast to the previous snow leopard habitat, the new habitat has varied substrates and levels, with high perches that allow the cats to engage in species-typical behaviors like climbing and jumping. A variety of doors and chutes inside allow the cats more opportunity to choose different spaces to occupy, and a built-in scale in one of the chutes makes it easier than ever for the cats to participate in their own health care. As the Snow Leopard Species Survival Plan (SSP) has recommended Kaba and Timila breed, these improvements well position us to hopefully welcome snow leopard cubs to the Zoo this spring for the first time in 25 years.  Custom-made nest boxes in the red panda habitat give the female a choice for cubbing, when she becomes pregnant. The indoor areas of both habitats are equipped with air conditioning to make the animals more comfortable when the weather outdoors is not ideal for them.The Animals of the Savanna expansion, which opened last fall, more than tripled the size of our southern white rhinoceros habitat. The spacious indoor savanna barn provides supplemental heating from above and below to ensure our African animals are comfortable all winter long. Both the giraffe and rhino sides of the barn have a built-in floor scale, which allows us to easily track body weight as an indicator of overall health. The barn also has chutes with removable panels to allow safe access to different body parts for health check-ups. Additionally, the barn doors were configured to make training the animals easier. Elevated feeding platforms throughout the giraffe indoor and outdoor yards promote the giraffes’ natural feeding behaviors.With County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo’s support, we’ve also leveraged other Monroe County resources to promote animal welfare. For example, after an exhaustive search benchmarking with zoos literally around the world, we decided mulch was the best substrate for our giraffes. The County Parks Horticulture Department provided the Zoo with the 600 yards of mulch required – this was the only way to obtain that quantity and to be certain no toxic trees or chemicals were used. And as with all new construction, we continue to improve the habitats as we identify opportunities to promote animal welfare. Just this week, the County Parks Facilities team built and installed the Panda Pagoda in the red panda habitat to provide them with additional climbing and shade opportunities, which we hope will make the red pandas more visible to guests this summer.Most dramatically, we demolished the antiquated Main Zoo Building, a menagerie-style remnant of the Zoo’s yesterday, inconsistent with current zoological practice. This year, we will design a new Tropics Complex, with an anticipated opening in 2022.  With this modern facility, we’ll be able to bring orangutans and lemurs back, as well as introduce gorillas to our Zoo for the first time. We’ve already decided upon our overarching goal for the new habitats: provide as large and complex an environment for the animals as possible to promote their natural behaviors. For instance, since orangutan means “person of the forest,” the orangutan habitat will feature tall climbing structures to allow the animals to engage in species-typical climbing and swinging. We will have features like large indoor habitats as nice as the outdoor ones, as well as behind-the-scenes amenities similar to the ones that I’ve already mentioned, which improve our ability to provide excellent care to each animal.

To sum it up, the Master Plan is about providing the very best welfare possible for the animals who live at the Zoo, in addition to enhancing the experience for guests who visit. Plan your next visit to Seneca Park Zoo today and be a part of the transformation!

– Dr. Louis DiVincenti, Assistant Zoo Director – Animal Care & Conservation

March 25. 2019

On Friday, March 22, Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo & Seneca Park Zoo officials announced that the Zoo partnered with the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) to participate in the development of assisted reproductive technologies by artificially inseminating Anoki, the Zoo’s 22-year-old female polar bear.

Seneca Park Zoo has a history of working with CREW on polar bear reproduction. Aurora, the Zoo’s prior polar bear and Anoki’s mother (through natural conception) was the first polar bear ever to undergo an AI procedure in 2012. This is the third attempt of artificial insemination with Anoki. The first two procedures were conducted when Anoki lived at the Maryland Zoo. CREW has attempted artificial insemination on seven bears since 2012.

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VideoPress ReleaseCheck out the local news coverage below.

WXXI: Seneca Park Zoo polar bear part of a conservation project 

WHAM: New technology used to artificially inseminate Seneca Park Zoo polar bear

WHEC: Could a polar bear cub be coming to the Seneca Park Zoo?

WROC: Polar bear numbers in US zoos plunging

Democrat & Chronicle: Seneca Park Zoo’s polar bear, Anoki, artificially inseminated

Rochester Business Journal: Zoo tries to impregnate polar bear