August 2024

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.

Conservation Conversation: Animal Management

Animal Arrivals

The Flight Team Stretches Their Wings!

The raptor Weathering Yard is where our birds of prey “weather,” or perch! Just as wild raptors spend most of their time perched in trees conserving their energy for the hunt, our birds perch in the weathering yard between their free flights during the day, and go back to their indoor housing, called a mew, at night. Our specially trained birdkeepers take the raptors to a wooded area off exhibit and let them fly from their glove to the trees and back for a reward. This experience mimics how they hunt in the wild!

Animal Artists

Have you seen some of the incredible animal artwork we offer during during silent auctions? And we don't mean artwork of animals, we mean artwork by animals! While the majority of our animals simply walk over a canvas, leaving prints in non-toxic paint in exchange for treats, some of our animals are actually able to use a brush! Our porcupine will snack on food skewered on the handle of the paint brush, and our red pandas have a "false-thumb" that allows them to pick up the brush and make simple strokes. But by far, the most impressive animal artists are our Asian elephants, specifically Siri! In fact, Siri's artwork was published in the book To Whom It May Concern: An Investigation of the Art of Elephants by David Gucwa and James Ehmann in 1985. When Siri was 13 years old, she was observed doodling spontaneously on the ground with a pebble or stick. Her efforts were noted by her caretaker, who provided drawing materials and collected the results of her endeavors. At 57, Siri still enjoys painting, and is a certified Pachyderm Picasso.

Beat the Heat!

Humans aren't the only species that crave a cold, sweet treat when trying to beat the heat! We always give our animals access to private, climate-controlled areas behind-the-scenes so they can choose where they spend their time, but we also provide lots of icy-fun enrichment to help keep them cool when they choose to brave the heat! Andean bear Bjorn is a fan of flavored ice-treats.

Precious Patas Newborns

After patas mothers Iniko and Kasi struggled to demonstrate the maternal instincts necessary to raise their young, our veterinarian and primate care specialists determined that the best way to ensure the health of both Sisu and Mushu was to hand-raise them in the Animal Health Center ICU. The babies are fathered by the leader of the patas troop, Mac. The troop at the zoo mirrors this highly social species’ natural composition in the wild, in which one male and several females live together in a group. As the babies develop, their care team has begun to introduce them to the troop behind the scenes. Hand-rearing patas monkey newborns is a large undertaking – but the process remarkably has precedence at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. Iniko herself was hand-raised at the zoo in 2020 when her mother passed away during Iniko’s delivery. Guests may come see Sisu and Mushu daily from 10:15 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 2:45 p.m. at the Animal Health Center ICU viewing windows.

While we know these half-sisters are stealing hearts, and we want to share them with the public, it is important to make clear that monkeys, and other exotic animals, are not a pet.

As an AZA-Accredited facility, we have the experience and resources needed to provide these animals everything they need to thrive before being integrated into a larger family group, which mimics their natural, complex social structure. Not only is the buying and selling of many exotic pets illegal, but the trade can lead to deadly zoonotic diseases and seriously negatively affect the wild population of these species. Be wary about what animal content you interact with online so you don’t unintentionally promote illegal activities or other harmful acts towards animals.

Guests Partied Hard During Penguin Palooza!

Hundreds of guests waddled down to the zoo on Sunday, July 7, for a festive party around our penguin coast exhibit! Penguin Palooza, presented by Tops Markets, boasted a whole day of fun, with penguin-themed activities like rock painting and educational games, live music, and free ice-cream novelties for everyone to enjoy.

Thank You For Coming to Brew at the Zoo!

Despite the weather, patrons piled into the zoo to enjoy live music, animals on evening exhibit, and over 60 tasting stations of wine, canned cocktails, and craft beer! Thanks to this event we raised over $125K in support of animal care and conservation.

Thank you to our Brew at the Zoo 2024 sponsors!

Meet "Dino" Don Lessem at the zoo!

Join us Thursday, August 22, at 1 and 3 p.m. for Jurassic Park: Fact and Fiction (For Teen and Family Audiences), an audience-participation experience for all ages, with real fossils featured. Can we find dinosaur DNA? Bring dinosaurs back to life? Should we? How accurate are the movie depictions of dinosaurs? This presentation will take place at the amphitheater, located across from the old elephant exhibit next to the Contact Barn.

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

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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