Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The Animals Thanksgiving

We are very thankful for all the animals at Bear Hollow Zoo (on both sides of the fence). On this last Saturday 11/20/10, we held our first Animal Thanksgiving. This day was dedicated to enrichment for the visitors and the zoo residents. 

We provide for all of the animals' needs: food, water, shelter, and space. However, just like some of us, if we are given everything we need, we might just sit there and let the staff do everything for us. This is going to result in a lack of mental and physical health. That is why we engage in a documented regiment of enrichment. By combining new smells and treats with the understanding of the animals individual adaptations, we are able to stimulate the animals' curiosity (mental stimulation) and by placing the items in, under, just out of reach, and in food puzzles (physical stimulation), we are able to  stimulate the animal . On this occasion, the children that visited the zoo had the chance to help create some of this enrichment. 
A few days before the animals Thanksgiving, I was able to go with Memorial Park staff and the Athens Community Council on Aging to the DeKalb Farmer's Market. My goal was to drive the bus safely there and back, and to find new and interesting fruits and vegetables for our program. There were plenty of items that I had no idea what they were. The enrichment also helped me. The items included: Jackfruit, Durian fruit, Star apples, Kiwi, Pummelo, Guava, Buddha’s hands, Peppermint (the plant), yucca, rutabaga, sugarcane, and water okra.
After stuffing some pumpkins with some of the animals' more normal treats, we cut up the new fruit and vegetables. Everyone had a chance to see and smell the new fruits and veggies. For those that were there, they will not forget the smell of the Durian fruit. Even if the kids and animals didn’t like some of the items (the Durian) and loved others (the sugarcane), the new and strange smells and textures stimulated the participants.
We would like to wish you a happy Thanksgiving. Remember- enrich your life… Hide all of the components to your Thanksgiving dinner around the house and yard….. Or, just visit the Zoo or other wild places soon.




Posted by Clint

Friday, November 19, 2010

Calling All Horticulturists!

I've been watching some vet school students working with ol' Gus. 

We're trying to get him trained for Groundhog Day.  It's time to have him step it up a notch.  Literally.  The vet students have been attempting to teach him to step up onto a stump to make his presentation early in the morning on February 2.

It's been slow going.  He has really reduced his activity since the weather has gotten cooler.  He doesn't quite hibernate in this climate, but he definitely doesn't (want to) move as much as he does during the summer.  So while I have been sitting in his enclosure watching the trainers, I have been looking around at the autumn leaf color.  We've been working very hard to remove the invasive plants from the Zoo grounds: bush honeysuckle, privet, eleagnus, English ivy, winter creeper, etc etc.  With those plants gone, there is a LOT of hidden stuff that is now visible.  And also, there is now a LOT more space to work with.

One of the things that I would like to see happen to the Zoo is the incorporation of a botanical aspect, even some informal gardens.  I would like to get some good specimen plants put out on the grounds, as well as more colorful plantings to line the sidewalks or divide an area.  And I would like to have it all labeled so that visitors will be able to determine what they are looking at!

Plants have already been featured in some of the animal exhibits (alligators and gopher tortoises to name two), but we have decided to start spreading outside of the exhibits as well. 



                                                           (Photo of False Indigo flowers)

We have been working on an Asian influenced garden at the front gate.  It features a variety of plants of Asian origin: Chinese fringeflower, Pieris, Japanese maples, Toad lilies, Hosta, and many more. 

                                                           (Photo of Japanese Maple)

Other ideas that we would like to try are an African vegetable garden, a butterfly garden, a wetland and a bog garden.  An azalea, rhododendron and camellia garden would be nice too.

                                                   (Photo of White Top pitcher plant flowers)

The only trouble is, there are just three of us that are on staff here.  We need the extra hands to help us get things done.  If you have an interest in horticulture or gardening, or if you just have some plants that you would like to donate- please let us know!  We will take just about anything, as long as it is not invasive (remember, the plants that take over are what we are trying to control now!). 

Well, that's enough rambling for now.  It's time to close up shop and get out of here.  But seriously, please let us know if you would like to help out in any way with the gardens here at Bear Hollow!

Enjoy this fine fall weekend.

Posted by Berkeley

Monday, November 15, 2010

Oh look. This exhibit is a pile of hay.

This past weekend was so relaxing. Not too hot. Not too cold. It was just right.

I was able to get some much needed pond cleaning and exhibit maintenance done. And I went into one of our most comical (at least in my opinion) animal's exhibit for some conditioning, Gus the groundhog.

At first glance, visitors may think we have put a pile of hay on display. But deep within that pile lives a slightly lazy and particular creature. Gus has been at the zoo about 3 years now and demands peanuts on a daily basis. The intern and I went in with him over the weekend to clean up some leftover peanut shells, cardboard box remnants, and mix up his dirt pool. While we were doing this, he rummaged through his food bowl, looking for all the peanuts, which we had cleverly buried in the dirt pool. :)






Finally, after realizing what we had done, he gave us a very disapproving glare, picked up his ear of corn and started munching away.





We continued to clean, watching him nibble his corn. The visitors that walked by kept commenting how adorable he was and how they never see him. Lucky for them, they came by at the right time on Sunday. Once we finished our task, we left the exhibit to clean more houses. Later in the day, I returned to check in on Gus and needless to say, that big hay pile was back on exhibit. Only now, there were peanut shells and a nibbled-on ear of corn in the dirt pool.

Posted by Lynsey

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Down in the swimming hole

Today was B-E-A-yooo-tiful at the zoo. The leaves are gorgeous colors and the animals are all in good spirits. And at least it wasn't too cold to function for me. :)

I went in to do some conditioning with Gus the groundhog. We spent some time together, getting him used to me being in there, walking around, messing with his things. I fed him acorns the entire time so maybe that had something to do with it. He's making his own hay burrow so if you don't see him while you're in the zoo, he's snoozing already. Kind of a lazy boy.

As I made my way around the zoo, peeping in on all the animals, I (of course) was distracted by two whiny bear cubs, begging for acorns. I collected a bowl full and sat at the fence, tossing them treats. I can't believe they are getting so big! If you  haven't been to the zoo lately, stop by and check them out. I remember when they first arrived, weighing just under 7 pounds. They've become so curious and independent in the last few weeks and it makes me wonder exactly what will happen as the weather continues to cool down. Will they go into a hiberation? Or will they follow our actions, staying awake all winter because of us giving them adequate food and shelter? Time will tell and every day is a guessing game for us lately. They are changing every day and each day is a learning experience that I wouldn't trade for the world.

And speaking of bears, I was able to sneak up on DJ, the grown bear, and see him swimming today!! He was sitting in his pond, with just his head poking out. He would raise his arms really high and splash in the water. Then he'd run to the shallow area, scoop up some muck from the bottom of the pond, and eat whatever was in his paw. Tadpoles I'm assuming. In almost a year of working with these animals, today was the first day I've ever seen him play in the water. It was amazing!! He looked so content just splashing and playing. I know he weighs ~400 pounds but he sure has some adorable antics. How did Christopher Robin say it? Silly ol bear.

Hopefully tomorrow brings great things also. We look forward to seeing you at the zoo!

Posted by Lynsey

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

There's an owl in my bookcase.....

So, we are starting a new blog here at the Zoo.

It's kind of exciting.  We plan to do our Keeper Blog here, where we talk about various happenings around the Zoo- what the animals are doing, programs or exhibits we may be working on, or just our random thoughts about Zoo life.

We will try to make it a daily publishing; but just so you know, we can't guarantee that.  Just because of what our jobs entail we may not be in the office long enough to create a post for the day.  But you can expect to read entries from Clint, Lynsey and myself on a regular basis.

As to today's title- there really is an owl in my bookcase right now:  Radar; he's our program screech owl.  One of his enrichment activies is bringing him out of his enclosure and letting him hang out in the office with us.  He likes to sit on the bookcase on my desk and watch out the door.  If he sees anyone coming up the sidewalk, he gives out his little alarm call.  It's almost like having a living doorbell sitting just in front of my head.



That's probably it for the first post.  I've got to get back to some paper work that needs to get done....  We do hope you come visit the Zoo sometime soon.  We have a lot of things up our sleeves that we are very excited about.  Keep an eye here, and you may be among the first to learn what's new!

Thanks for your support!
Posted by Berkeley