Category: Keeper Notes

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)

February 22, 2018

Seneca Park Zoo is home to Aurora, a 28-year-old female polar bear. Working with her is one of the best parts of my day. Aurora is the first bear I’ve ever worked with, and it’s been an amazing experience to learn with her. She has a very calm, good-natured personality and enjoys spending time with her keepers every day. First thing in the morning, she is typically inside to greet us while we start preparing her diet. Her daily diet consists of a mixture of fish (herring, capelin, trout, salmon), lard, fish oil, meat, chow, daily vitamins, and a special treat such as yogurt, a meat-based baby food, or fruit. Some days she is picky and will only eat a few things, while other days she will eat everything we give to her.

We keep a daily log for Aurora where we write down what she eats and how much, and if she had any abnormal or significant behaviors that day. Filling out these logs help to ensure that we are providing the best care possible, and by watching her behavior every day, we can tell if something is off.Beginning in late fall, Aurora will make the transition into denning season. This is when females in their natural range will dig a den to live in for the next few months – the bear will give birth in this den and raise her cubs until they are ready to venture out in the world. Even though Aurora is an older bear, she still goes through this process. She becomes less active, goes outside less often, and sleeps much more. Her appetite decreases and she’ll be selective about what she will and will not eat. Aurora will spend most of her time resting indoors, where her favorite spot to rest is the den where we provide straw for her to create a cozy space for herself.During late winter, and from early spring to summer, Aurora is very active and enjoys exploring enrichment items. We change her enrichment every day to keep her mind active. We’ll spread different spices, herbs, or perfumes around her habitat, provide straw from different species in the Zoo, and scatter food. One of my favorite things to do is give her an ice block of fish, which makes her exhibit a natural behavior of pounding on the ice to break it open. This time of year, Aurora can also be found rolling around in the snow or swimming in the pool.Aurora is an ambassador for polar bears in their natural range. When she swims past guests and I see them in awe, laughing, and smiling, I know a connection has been made. With this personal connection, it’s our hope that guests will want to help protect polar bears in their natural ranges.– Hanna Kaiser, Zoo Keeper

January 28, 2018

Seneca Park Zoo is home to four African elephants, three African lions and 12 olive baboons. And I’m sure it comes as no surprise that Rochester, NY can experience some extreme winters, so what do the African animals do in the winter time?

Many people may be deterred from visiting the Zoo during the winter because they believe it’s too cold for many of the species. In fact, almost all the animals have access to their habitats and enjoy being out in the snow. It’s a new environment for them, so it is very enriching!The lions and baboons have heat rocks in their yards that give them a warm, dry place to lie if they choose to be outside. Adding pine shavings or straw beds make it even more inviting for them. The keeper staff shovels pathways through the snow to make it easier for the animals to move through their habitats, and make sure any objects or perching areas are clear of snow as well. Providing enrichment outside also encourages the animals to spend more time in their habitats. Scattering food, putting spices and perfume on bins or logs, and making snowmen for the animals are just a few of my personal favorites.Indoor areas are always accessible and are kept at approximately 65-70 degrees. The elephants and rhino are susceptible to hypothermia and frost bite, so they can’t be outside for extended periods of time if it’s below 40 degrees and they must be dry if they do go out.There are some days that the animals just prefer to stay indoors, which is usually on the bitter cold days. This is when it is most crucial to provide an assortment of enrichment for them. Providing new scents, objects, or changing their normal routine keeps the animals mentally and physically stimulated. The baboons are natural foragers, so giving them finely chopped produce and seed mix in their bedding material allows them to exhibit these natural behaviors. Both the baboons and lions enjoy receiving their food in cardboard boxes and bags, not only do they get something delicious to eat but they get to shred the cardboard in the process! Doing more training routines throughout the day helps keep the elephants engaged and is also great exercise for them.Keepers are always coming up with new ideas for enrichment, whether it’s building different structures or rearranging the logs and other furniture in their habitats. I recommend everyone visit the Zoo in the winter to see what it’s like. It’s a completely different experience and it’s quite fun watching all the animals explore their habitats in the snow!– Randi Conway, Zoo Keeper

January 16, 2018

In the beginning of November, Seneca Park Zoo welcomed two young female California sea lions; Mary Lou and Daley, from SeaWorld Orlando. General Curator David Hamilton and I, flew to Orlando, Florida and spent three days learning about Mary Lou and Daley, as well as preparing for a long trip back to Rochester. SeaWorld trainers shared any knowledge they had about each of the girls, including insight into their personalities. We were also able to watch a few feeding and training sessions. The trip itself only took three days, but planning for their arrival started several months before that.

Our resident sea lions, Lily and Bob, had been living together in Rocky Coasts since Bob’s birth last June. Bob voluntarily weaned himself from his mother at an early age and had bonded with staff, but had never experienced another sea lion. Lily has lived with other sea lions, but her laid back personality changed after she gave birth and she was very protective of Bob. The sea lion staff was fairly certain that Bob would get along well with Mary Lou and Daley, but we didn’t know if Lily would allow anyone to be near Bob. Our concern was that she would try to protect Bob and show some aggressive behavior towards the new girls, as well as the keeper staff.Before Mary Lou and Daley arrived, lots of information was shared between Seneca Park Zoo and SeaWorld. We learned when the girls were born, who they currently lived with, who their parents are, how much they weighed, and their current diets. The vet staff was consulted and we had sea lion staff meetings to discuss how we would handle things once the girls arrived. After all the details were collected, it was decided that Daley and Mary Lou would be placed inside the sea lion behind-the-scenes holding area with the larger pool upon arrival. This would allow them to have access to a heated indoor area with a pool, but also be able to see Lily and Bob through the gates. Lily and Bob would have outside access, the other indoor pool, and the rest of the indoor holding area.A couple days prior to Mary Lou and Daley’s arrival, staff limited access to the larger pool area in our sea lion holding, so that Lily and Bob could adjust to the area not being available to them at all times. This was important, especially for Bob, who spent significant time in there. Additional heaters were hung in three different indoor locations, allowing all the sea lions supplementary heat, since winter was fast approaching and the new additions were used to warmer Florida temperatures.The morning Daley and Mary Lou arrived, staff was ready to help make the transition from SeaWorld to Seneca Park Zoo. Lily and Bob were outside and we gave Mary Lou and Daley access to the pool room. They adjusted fairly well and there was little to no stress observed. Staff offered them food, and then gave Lily and Bob indoor access so they could see each other. Over the next couple days, we observed how the sea lions interacted through the gate and kept a log of any and all behaviors. We also allowed Mary Lou and Daley to explore inside while Lily and Bob were outside so they could become comfortable and familiar with their new surroundings. Three days after their arrival, we kept Lily and Bob separated inside another area and opened the door to the outside. Both Mary Lou and Daley peeked out the door but chose to stay inside. We wanted everything to be as positive as possible, so we allowed them to make the decision to stay where they were most comfortable.Four days after their arrival, we opened all the indoor and outside doors, allowing Daley and Mary Lou to meet Bob and Lily. The introduction could not have gone any smoother! Keeper staff remained with the sea lions inside at first, but ultimately had to exit because Bob was more interested in the keepers than the new sea lions. Within 15 minutes of the introductions, all the sea lions were swimming outside together. Pushing, shoving, chasing, open mouth lunging, and biting are some typical signs of aggression in sea lions. Luckily for us, everything worked out as we hoped it would and we saw no signs of aggression.The behind-the-scenes holding area has three cameras inside and one camera outside, so we can observe their behaviors at all times. This is important because we don’t always know what is going on overnight when sea lion staff isn’t there. One of the ways we were certain that everyone was comfortable with each other was when we saw all the sea lions sleeping next to each other inside. The sea lions were also playing, eating, and interacting with staff, all of which are very good signs that everyone has accepted each other. If I had to rate the sea lion introductions, I would give it an A+!– Kellee Wolowitz, Assistant Curator

November 7, 2017

It’s a special day at Seneca Park Zoo as one of the Zoo’s four African elephants, Genny C, is 40 years old. Genny C arrived with Lilac in 1979 and has been a favorite among Zoo guests and staff for over three decades. Her beauty and wonderful personality have made it hard not to fall in love with her.

Genny C loves her time with her keepers, especially bath time. Genny C knows over 70 different behaviors, which help keepers and veterinary staff monitor her health. Her favorite reward is a bagel! Genny C and Lilac have spent most of their lives with one another, so the duo are seen together quite often. Genny C always has something to say. If you listen closely, you will likely hear her making some sort of noise.Since Genny C enjoys spending time with her keepers, she has been involved in many research projects that have helped researchers learn more about elephants in conservation care and in their natural range. Some of these include ground breaking work understanding infra-sound (below human hearing) communication among elephants and a multi-institutional study of elephant reproductive cycles. Genny C’s trust in her keepers has also allowed the Zoo to bring in other elephant professionals and zoo veterinarians to learn from her.

Genny C is in good health and weighs in at a healthy 8,214 lbs.! We fully expect her to be with us for many more years.During your next trip to the Zoo, be sure to visit the elephant habitat and spend some time with Genny C She may just inspire you to take action for African elephants. If you want to support efforts that help save this species from extinction, attend a ZooBrew (or ZooBrrrew in the winter). A portion of every ticket goes to International Elephant Foundation. It is estimated that 96 elephants are poached each day, but with your help, we can continue making strides towards decreasing that number.– Lindsay Brinda, Elephant Manager

October 15, 2017

It’s a very special day here at Seneca Park Zoo as we celebrate the life of our female Bornean orangutan Kumang, who turns 40 today.

Kumang has an interesting history, starting with her birth in 1977 at Bellvue Gardens in Manchester, England…a zoo that was in the process of closing at the time.  She, along with several other orangutans and gorillas, were rescued from the facility by Gordon Mills, the manager of singer Tom Jones.  Gordon had a private zoo with many animals and more than enough space for the new additions.Kumang’s mother died when Kumang was only 18 months old, and a young keeper named Jeremy Keeling hand-raised her, then integrated her back into the group of orangutans she arrived with.  Jeremy went on to found a primate rescue center called Monkey World, which has rescued hundreds of primates over the years and is still up and running today.

Gordon Mills donated Kumang and several other orangutans to San Diego Zoo when she was 7. She lived there until 1991, when the Orangutan SSP recommended she be sent to Seneca Park Zoo for breeding with a male named Jiggs.  SSP stands for Species Survival Plan, and in short, they promote cooperation among various institutions to ensure the long-term survival of the species in conservation care.

Bornean orangutans are currently listed as critically endangered by IUCN, with the demand for palm oil the main cause of their population’s decline.  You can learn more about palm oil and how you can help by visiting Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s website.At Seneca Park Zoo, Kumang has given birth to 4 offspring: 2 males (Bandar and Datu) and 2 females (Dara and Bella).  She has been no less than a perfect mother to all of them, and we here at Seneca Park Zoo are so very proud of her and her parenting skills. Bandar and Datu have both been fathers to offspring, magnifying Kumang’s impact to the Species Survival Plan.

Happy birthday Kumang, we wish you many more!— Brian Sheets, Zoologist

September 14, 2017

Elephant Day returns to Seneca Park Zoo this Saturday, September 16th, and we’re gearing up for the event by sharing some fun facts about African elephants and the four that call the Zoo home.

On Saturday, guests will have the opportunity to see the elephants receive special enrichment items, get a bath or health check, go through a training session, and even participate in a watermelon eating contest against younger Zoo visitors! Learn about each individual elephant at the Zoo, and chat with our dedicated keepers to find out how they are cared for. We hope that when you leave, you will have a greater appreciation for all elephants and be inspired to act on behalf of their conservation.Did you know…• Seneca Park Zoo is the only zoo in New York to have African elephants – their names are Moki, Chana, Genny C and Lilac.

• All of the elephants respond to, and understand, over 50 verbal commands.

• Elephants can sleep standing up or lying down. An elephant is napping if they have their trunks resting on the ground and their eyes closed. Elephants do need to lay down to sleep and to take that enormous amount of weight off their legs. They will lie down at night.

• Elephants communicate through smells, touch, body posture, and sounds, some that we can’t even hear. They can detect vibrations from other elephants nearby through their feet. As you observe the elephants, notice how often they touch each other with their trunks.

• With four elephants, the exhibit is always active. If you watch each elephant closely, you will notice each displays unique body language, whether raising their head or flaring their ears.

• The elephants’ favorite foods are watermelons, pumpkins, and bagels!MokiBorn in Zimbabwe in 1982
Came to Seneca Park Zoo in 2015
Weight: 8,802 lbs.

• Moki is a thinker and a problem solver during training sessions.
• She thrives on routine.
• She enjoys swimming in the pool and sometimes even brings a tire in with her!ChanaBorn in Zimbabwe in 1982
Came to Seneca Park Zoo in 2015
Weight: 8,952 lbs.

• Chana enjoys watching the world go by.
• She is a sweet, laid-back elephant who is never in rush.
• She likes to let out trumpets when greeting the other elephants.Genny CBorn in South Africa in 1977
Came to Seneca Park Zoo in 1979
Weight: 8,302 lbs

• Genny C is a very animated elephant. She will shake her head or body to get her handlers’ attention, and she can be quite goofy. She loves her training sessions and food.
• She always has something to say, so guests will often hear her make some sort of noise.LilacBorn in South Africa in 1978
Came to Seneca Park Zoo in 1979
Weight: 7,242 lbs.

• Lilac is an energetic elephant that loves to play. She’ll even stir up the other elephants to get them to play with her.
• She really enjoys touching her handlers with her trunk.

There are many tasks associated with the care of animals, and zoo keepers are on a lifetime journey of learning many details of animal husbandry. Some seem quite obvious, like giving food and water, or cleaning habitats. Other husbandry details are learned by researching the natural history of these species, or even better yet, observing them in their natural range. Usually, all of the minute husbandry details are put together after having multiple successes and failures.

One such husbandry detail became a major breakthrough for us as we raised many Eastern ribbon snakes years ago. Ribbon snakes are live-bearers (as opposed to egg-laying), and as soon as we would see breeding behavior, we would carefully observe the female to see if she started to gain weight. When she would gain over 20% of her body mass, we knew she was gravid (pregnant). When the young were born, they were just over 15 centimeter (6 inches) in length and had a girth of less than one centimeter. At that size, finding food items small enough for them to eat was difficult. In their natural range, ribbon snakes usually feed on tadpoles and leeches, as well as other small vertebrates and invertebrates, which is not practical at the Zoo, so we decided to try small smelt cut into 1 centimeter cubes. The snakes were always interested, but never seemed to eat them.

After observing for an extended period of time after offering the cut smelt, I could finally see the problem. We had been offering the smelt on a rock in the snakes’ terrarium, but by the time they had gotten to it, it was stuck so hard to the rock that they were not able to lift it off. We decided to offer the smelt on a petri dish with just a small amount of added water to keep it from sticking. Success! They started eating right away and suddenly we were better at breeding and raising Ribbon snakes than ever before.We’ve had many similar ‘wins’ with husbandry techniques recently. A few months ago, our yellow-banded poison dart frogs started calling. I knew that these males were looking for females to breed with and hoped we would get some eggs. These frogs would need cupped leaves or fallen bark to hold the water to lay their tadpoles in. We decided to try leaves from the larger trees in the aviary, but were unsuccessful with this technique. We decided to try deli cup lids placed in the habitat, and the frogs were definitely interested in them, but something wasn’t right. They were not depositing eggs in them. So, I thought it might be nice to give them a little more privacy, adding a ‘C’ shaped piece of bark over the top of the deli cup lid to give them some protection.

Since then, they have been regularly laying eggs into the lids. The lids with eggs are pulled to the frog room and kept moist until the eggs hatch, which can be up to two weeks. Once the eggs hatch, the tadpoles are moved into separate deli cups and raised with small algae rocks for grazing and some fallen pothos or ficus leaves for cover.

I’ve honed the process of noticing the small things over the years by taking the time to observe the animals in human care, as well as observing animals in their natural range. These experiences don’t necessarily have to be exotic: I have been lucky enough to travel to Panama and work with wild tropical amphibian populations, but most of my amphibian experience has come from spending many of my younger years flipping rocks and logs in the Finger Lakes region, discovering frogs and salamanders. Surprisingly, the rocky streams of Canadice Lake are not all that different from the bigger boulder streams of Central Panama.

The journey of learning about all of these unique details and making the necessary husbandry changes for the animals in our care is what I love most about my job. Taking moments to observe animal behavior, and giving them the habitat and environmental conditions to accommodate these behaviors, is what sets modern zoos apart from zoos of the past.– John Adamski, Assistant General Curator

Seneca Park Zoo’s Bornean orangutan Bella turns 4 on April 29!

Being that orangutans are critically endangered, every birthday of every orangutan is an important milestone.  We celebrate Bella’s special day not only for that reason, but also because of what an amazing animal she is growing up to be.

Proficient at tool use, energetic and playful, with regular training sessions Bella has already mastered more than a dozen husbandry behaviors that keepers rely on to help monitor the orangutan’s health.

We wish Bella many more birthdays; it has been a joy and a privilege to see her develop into the very special orangutan she is today.— Brian Sheets, Zoo KeeperThe Zoo partners with the nonprofit organization Health in Harmony to help save orangutans from extinction in their natural range.LEARN MORE

There are few animals as iconic as the African lion. Nicknamed “King of the Jungle” and synonymous with pride, bravery, and strength, the lion has been ingrained in our culture for countless decades. But like many revered animals, the true nature and behavior of the African lion is often misunderstood. With Celebrate Lions Day coming up at the Zoo on Saturday, April 15, here are some interesting facts about these spectacular cats and their importance in maintaining a healthy ecosystem in Africa.

In Africa, lions are apex predators and the largest predatory cat roaming the continent. They are the only truly social cat living in family groups called “prides” composed of adult females, juveniles, cubs, and typically one adult male. These family ties are beneficial to the pride by turning hunting into a coordinated effort increasing the likelihood of making a successful kill. Lions will often target the old, weak, and sick individuals in a herd leaving only the healthiest individuals to reproduce.

Despite their impressive hunting skills and social living groups, lions face a multitude of threats including loss of habitat, trophy and retaliation hunting, and the introduction of diseases from domestic cattle. Without lions, prey species populations experience unchecked growth that can create problems for other animals and humans alike. When lions are protected, they keep herbivore and smaller predator species in check and provide residents with opportunities for income through eco-tourism.

Our Zoo is home to three adult African lions: Chester, Zuri, and Asha. The three have lived together since coming to the Zoo in 2012 for the opening of A Step Into Africa. A lot goes into caring for these intelligent animals. As one of their keepers, I am responsible for providing them with stimulating enrichment. Lions have an incredible sense of smell and enjoy searching for the spices, perfumes, and even elephant droppings that may be hidden on exhibit.

Training is also a large component of their care. Almost every day I sit down with the lions (on the opposite side of the mesh, of course!) and work on training them to do behaviors that allow them to take an active role in their own healthcare. Important behaviors include showing me their paws and opening their mouths for visual inspections. The vet staff also comes down to help with voluntary vaccinations and radiographs. When the lion performs the correct behavior, they are rewarded with a meatball or other meaty treat. This way, they associate physical exams with receiving rewards and their relationship with the animal care staff is strengthened.

I hope that this year’s Celebrate Lions Day will give people a new appreciation for the Zoo’s lions and their counterparts in Africa. Chester, Zuri, and Asha are ambassadors for their species, and I encourage you to take some extra time during your visit to stop at the various stations to learn more about their adaptations, care, and conservation.— James Weinpress, Zoo KeeperGO TO CELEBRATE LIONS DAY