March MyZoo EXTRA!

Welcome to MyZoo Extra! Here you'll find animal updates, interesting tidbits about our conservation efforts, and information about exciting events from Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. 

MyZoo EXTRA! will keep you up to date and educated about our mission, our goals, and the animals we care for.

Animal Enrichment

Animal Egg-stravaganza

Animal Arrivals

The Slothelor

Animal Health Center: Animals on the Mend 

Importance of Preventative Care for Animals:

During a planned routine wellness exam under anesthesia, radiographs revealed that male red panda Ketu had a urolith (or, urinary stone) in his bladder. Ketu was asymptomatic, displaying no symptoms of a blockage, nor any urinary issues, so the team closely monitored his health while planning a procedure to surgically remove the stone. Ketu has since recovered and is back enjoying the treetops in his enclosure! Stories like these emphasize the importance of preventative care, health check-ups for our animals, and the importance of our teams' careful observations.

DID YOU KNOW? Despite possessing the digestive system of a carnivore, pandas have evolved to depend almost entirely on bamboo.

Siri, the Rosamond Gifford Zoo’s eldest Asian elephant, has been undergoing treatments to address arthritis. About a month ago, she received her first dose of stem cell therapy and CO2 treatment as part of a multi-modal approach to promote foot health and a greater range of motion, which she has already demonstrated in her morning yoga stretching routines! Siri is scheduled for a second dose of the stem cell therapy, which will hopefully continue to maintain her increase in mobility. Other zoos have used this approach with mega-vertebrates with success, and the zoo’s veterinary team has been proud to be able to help improve the wellbeing of the elephant herd’s matriarch!

After months of work with adult male Amur tiger Thimbu, the veterinary team successfully collected a blood sample from the tiger’s tail with his voluntary participation. The team worked with Thimbu to make him comfortable with this procedure, allowing him to participate in his own medical care. This kind of voluntary blood sampling is a standard practice, and represents a regular component of preventative care for numerous species at the zoo. Routine bloodwork aids the veterinary team in monitoring overall health and catching any changes early.

Snake Stories Show Shared Symbolism

March is the season of the shamrock, as our Irish community celebrates their heritage in the lead up to St. Patrick’s Day. Here at the zoo, we’re reflecting on the universal human tendency to create folklore and myth to explain the natural world around them. Many people are familiar with the larger-than-life legend claiming that St. Patrick banished snakes from Ireland by banging two sticks together and driving them into the sea. Fossil records indicate that snakes never lived in Ireland at all, but the myth demonstrates the human urge to observe the natural world and seek to explain it. This Irish folklore reminds us of another snake-centered myth, though this one originated in Turkey. The Turkmenian markhor gets its name from two Persian words meaning “snake-eater.” While this herbivorous mountain goat doesn’t actually eat snakes, the name may have been inspired by the male goats’ formidable spiraling horns – or, perhaps it references the animal’s ability to deftly trample snakes when threatened.
 

From Ireland to Turkey, and everywhere between and beyond, fascination with the natural world is an enduring element of human culture.

Catering at the Zoo

Be on the look-out for the next issue of
MyZoo EXTRA! coming soon!

We want to hear from you! If you have any comments please email info@rosamondgiffordzoo.org

Proudly accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), our institution takes great pride in the work we do to enhance our animals' Species Survival Plans (SSP), and we are always excited to share updates with our community! 

CENTRAL NEW YORK'S CENTER FOR NATURE CONSERVATION