Category: Animal News

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

January 2, 2019

Question: How do you transport a giraffe cross-country?
Answer: Very carefully!

In late October, a team of four from Seneca Park Zoo traveled to Santa Barbara Zoo to help bring Parker, a two-year old male Masai giraffe to his new home. I was very proud to join my colleagues, Assistant Zoo Director Dr. Louis DiVincenti, Assistant Director of Parks Lisa Nicolay, and Assistant Curator for Hoofstock Lindsay Brinda, on this excellent adventure.We flew to Los Angeles, rented an SUV and headed up the coast to Santa Barbara. The zoo has a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean and the grounds were outstanding. Good thing Parker didn’t know that he would soon be headed for the snow-belt, right? He might not want to go with us, right? Well, it was almost as if someone had tipped him off.

On the morning of October 25th, our team met up at Santa Barbara Zoo with a crew of three from International Animal Exchange, hired by Monroe County to transport the giraffe in a specialized trailer with a low floor and a tall roof, hauled by a pick-up truck. With the trailer in position at the giraffe habitat, the Santa Barbara Zoo’s Hoofstock Team took over. They tried their best to encourage and entice Parker to get on the trailer, but he just wasn’t interested. After waiting him out all morning and afternoon, we called it a day around 4 p.m. We decided it would be best to try again in the morning.Most of the next day, October 26th, went about as well as the day before! Over and over, Parker approached the trailer, peered in with the curious stare of a giraffe, but didn’t take the next step of getting on. After a second day of playing the “waiting game” all day, Parker finally decided to step onto the trailer! He was calm and showed no signs of stress as the staff who cared for him since birth said their goodbyes. At 5 p.m., we were finally on the road and headed south toward Los Angeles on US Highway 101. It was a slow go at first with combined rush-hour and weekend traffic congestion, but we made it to Interstate Route 10 and were “East Bound and Down,” just like the song.

Along the way to Rochester, our two-vehicle convoy pulled off the Interstate every few hours at gas stations and truck stops to check on Parker, replenish his food and water, and ensure he was remaining calm (which he did throughout the trip). These stops also provided us humans on the journey an opportunity to fuel-up the vehicles, get food, visit the restroom, and change drivers.At about 13 feet in height, Parker was able to stand straight in the trailer.  He was comfortable enough that he laid down on occasion along the way, which was an excellent sign that our passenger was doing just fine.

We drove straight-through, traveling from California through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania to New York.  It was a journey that none of us would soon forget, with many beautiful landscapes and very interesting people along the way.

In the early morning hours of October 29th, after 58 hours on the road over the course of four days, and a last minute detour to avoid the notoriously low clearance railroad bridge on St. Paul, we pulled into Seneca Park. We made it and Parker had arrived at the new Animals of the Savannah expansion at Seneca Park Zoo! He was greeted by Animal Care staff and, of course, our two one-year old female giraffes Kipenzi and Iggy. Parker has quickly acclimated to his new habitat, companions, and caretakers.

Be sure to visit Parker, along with Kipenzi, Iggy and our plains zebras, Lydia, Liberty, and Dottie, at the new Animals of the Savanna expansion. The Zoo is open year-round!

– Larry Staub, Zoo Director

November 14, 2018

On October 11, 2018, I received a surprising and unexpected call on my phone, “We have at least one baby Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake!” Wow! This is something that hasn’t happened at Seneca Park Zoo since 1997, and something we (well, actually the snakes …) have been working to achieve for over 10 years.

The mother, Braveheart, was born at the Buffalo Zoo on July 8, 2013. She is named for the small heart shaped pattern on both of her parietal scales on top of her head. The father, Striker, came from the Toronto Zoo and is approximately four years old. He is aptly named for obvious reasons.In natural range, Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes (EMR’s) breed in the spring/summer and give birth the next summer. Females usually give birth every other season and sometimes in three-year cycles. A typical litter may consist of anywhere between 3-19 baby snakes (neonates), but smaller liters are more common. This gives EMR’s a really low biotic potential when it comes to reproduction. Paired with other threats, EMR’s have become federally threatened and Endangered in New York State.

After receiving the radio call, I decided to move Striker into another habitat with a lone male, Molson, to give Mom a break. This way she could continue to give birth. The following day, I came in to find that we had one neonate EMR and four undeveloped ova. We often refer to these as slugs – or eggs that were never fertilized. Mom and baby were seen laying together (see image above). Although rattlesnakes do not provide care to their young, it is common for them to spend time together after giving birth. Sometimes it can last up to a week.We named this new snake Solo, a fitting title since it was born without brothers and sisters, and it is the first Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake born at any AZA-accredited zoo this year! This snake will be residing off exhibit as it grows and possibly moves to another recommended AZA institution. Once we determine the sex, it will be recommended to be paired with another EMR by the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake Species Survival Plan (SSP).

Every birth of an endangered species is a step forward towards a sustainable future for their counterparts in nature. Learn more about the Zoo’s work in the field for EMRs here.

– John Adamski, Assistant Curator