One of the world's most endangered cats leapt onto the scene for the first time in the San Diego Zoo's history. Three 11-month-old Amur leopards have not stopped pouncing, running and playing, except for cat naps, since they made their debut over the weekend.
The siblings, two males, named Kushka and Primorye, and their sister, Zeya, arrived at the San Diego Zoo as part of an international conservation program aimed at saving this critically endangered species. Less than 40 Amur leopards have been documented in the wilds of the Primorye region of the Russian Far East. A few cats may cross the border into China. They were once found in northeastern China, Russia and the Korean peninsula but have been decimated by loss of habitat and poaching for their thick, spotted coats.
Zoos around the world started a collaborative program to breed this species. Today, there are 300 Amur leopards in zoos in Europe, Russia and North America. Zoos in the United States have stepped up efforts to protect this species and are expanding their breeding programs. The trio that now lives at the San Diego Zoo may find new homes in the future as part of the breeding programs. The siblings arrived in San Diego from the Exotic Feline Breeding Compounds Feline Conservation Center in Rosamond, Calif.
The San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy is dedicated to bringing endangered species back from the brink of extinction. The work of the Conservancy includes onsite wildlife conservation efforts at the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, and international field programs in more than 35 countries. In addition, San Diego Zoo Global manages the Anne and Kenneth Griffin Reptile Conservation Center, the Frozen ZooTM and Native Seed Gene Bank, the Keauhou and Maui Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Centers, San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike Breeding Facility, Cocha Cashu Biological Research Station, the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center, and a 800-acre biodiversity reserve adjacent to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The important conservation and science work of these entities is supported in part by The Foundation of the Zoological Society of San Diego.
Showing posts with label San Diego Zoo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label San Diego Zoo. Show all posts
Friday, April 20, 2012
Two Tigers Born, Mark Milestone for Conservation at San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Two Sumatran tigers were born on March 6 at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, marking the 24th and 25th birth of this critically endangered species since the Park opened in 1972.
Only about 400 Sumatran tigers are left worldwide. They are the smallest of the tiger species, but once grown, males can weigh up to 220 pounds. The Safari Park is currently home to six Sumatran tigers and is fund-raising to build a new, forested tiger haven that will offer up-close views of these fascinating felines and highlight conservation efforts for the species. For more information visit www.sandiegozoo.org/tigers.
The cubs are still too small to leave their den and are being attentively raised by their experienced mother, Delta. On Thursday, keepers gave Mom a short break to stretch her legs and get a little sun while they took the opportunity to socialize with the cubs. The 10- and 11-pound cubs are being desensitized to human touch in anticipation of vaccines and other necessary veterinary care.
The cubs are only beginning to move around the den on their own paws. Keepers expect them to be more agile and ready to explore the outdoors in July.
Tigers face many challenges in the wild, from loss of habitat to human-tiger conflict, but the biggest threat continues to be poaching. Tigers are killed by poachers, who illegally sell their body parts, mostly for folk remedies. People can help protect wild tigers by making smart consumer decisions to avoid products that harm tiger habitat and refusing to purchase items made from endangered wildlife.
To learn more about tiger conservation visit the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Species Survival Program website at www.mnzoo.org/tigerssp.
Only about 400 Sumatran tigers are left worldwide. They are the smallest of the tiger species, but once grown, males can weigh up to 220 pounds. The Safari Park is currently home to six Sumatran tigers and is fund-raising to build a new, forested tiger haven that will offer up-close views of these fascinating felines and highlight conservation efforts for the species. For more information visit www.sandiegozoo.org/tigers.
The cubs are still too small to leave their den and are being attentively raised by their experienced mother, Delta. On Thursday, keepers gave Mom a short break to stretch her legs and get a little sun while they took the opportunity to socialize with the cubs. The 10- and 11-pound cubs are being desensitized to human touch in anticipation of vaccines and other necessary veterinary care.
The cubs are only beginning to move around the den on their own paws. Keepers expect them to be more agile and ready to explore the outdoors in July.
Tigers face many challenges in the wild, from loss of habitat to human-tiger conflict, but the biggest threat continues to be poaching. Tigers are killed by poachers, who illegally sell their body parts, mostly for folk remedies. People can help protect wild tigers by making smart consumer decisions to avoid products that harm tiger habitat and refusing to purchase items made from endangered wildlife.
To learn more about tiger conservation visit the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Species Survival Program website at www.mnzoo.org/tigerssp.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Butterfly Jungle Opens Saturday at San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park has added thousands of animals to its collection this week, and all of them are gorgeous-butterflies! Butterfly Jungle opens on Saturday, March 24, and runs through Sunday, April 15, 2012.
As part of Butterfly Jungle, the Safari Park has transformed the walk-through aviary of Hidden Jungle into a temporary home for 30 species of beautiful and exotic butterflies. In the aviary, thousands of delicate and colorful insects surround guests, fluttering lightly through the warm air to find flowers to feed on.
"Butterfly Jungle heralds the start of spring at the Safari Park," said Michael Mace, the Safari Park's curator of birds. "It's one of the most popular events we hold all year."
The delicate creatures not only enchant guests but make ecological sense. They come to the Safari Park in the pupae stage from Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. Mace has been to some of the butterfly farms in Central America and met with the farmers.
"If they weren't harvesting butterflies, many of these farmers would clear cut their land and plant crops or raise cattle," Mace said. "Instead, when they harvest butterflies, they leave the land in its pristine state."
People headed for Butterfly Jungle should wear bright-colored clothing to increase the chances of butterflies landing on their clothes or hats. When the insects do land, guests should enjoy the close encounter, but don't touch. And don't forget to pick up a timed Butterfly Jungle ticket! New this year, guests can use identification cards in the exhibit that will help them determine the names of many of the species.
Butterfly Jungle is included with admission to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
As part of Butterfly Jungle, the Safari Park has transformed the walk-through aviary of Hidden Jungle into a temporary home for 30 species of beautiful and exotic butterflies. In the aviary, thousands of delicate and colorful insects surround guests, fluttering lightly through the warm air to find flowers to feed on.
"Butterfly Jungle heralds the start of spring at the Safari Park," said Michael Mace, the Safari Park's curator of birds. "It's one of the most popular events we hold all year."
The delicate creatures not only enchant guests but make ecological sense. They come to the Safari Park in the pupae stage from Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. Mace has been to some of the butterfly farms in Central America and met with the farmers.
"If they weren't harvesting butterflies, many of these farmers would clear cut their land and plant crops or raise cattle," Mace said. "Instead, when they harvest butterflies, they leave the land in its pristine state."
People headed for Butterfly Jungle should wear bright-colored clothing to increase the chances of butterflies landing on their clothes or hats. When the insects do land, guests should enjoy the close encounter, but don't touch. And don't forget to pick up a timed Butterfly Jungle ticket! New this year, guests can use identification cards in the exhibit that will help them determine the names of many of the species.
Butterfly Jungle is included with admission to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
San Diego Zoo Giant Panda Duo Pair Up for Endangered Species Conservation
Over the weekend, female giant panda Bai Yun began to exhibit signs of estrus and was paired with male Gao Gao on Sunday and again on Monday at the San Diego Zoo. Although the pair showed interest in each other on Tuesday, it did not lead to another coupling. In 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009, the results of this match led each time to the birth of a single cub.
The giant panda team, made of zookeepers, veterinarians, nutritionists, scientists and others, will monitor Bai Yun's behavior over the coming months, looking for signs of a possible pregnancy. If this week's breeding attempts successfully lead to a pregnancy, it would make 20-year-old Bai Yun the oldest-known female giant panda to give birth. If this occurs, a cub could be born in late summer or fall.
Unfortunately, the 2011 breeding season was not fruitful. Last year, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research scientists observed increases in Bai Yun's progesterone levels typical of past pregnancies, and behavioral changes, such as activity levels and suppression of appetite, at levels similar to prior gestation periods. Thermal images last year revealed activity in both the left and right uterine horns; however, ultrasound images never revealed a fetus nor was a cub born.
Bai Yun's behavior and hormone levels did not indicate that age contributed to a failed pregnancy in the 2011 breeding season. Medical exams of Gao Gao also offer no obvious age-related issues that would prevent conception. Because both pandas are in good health and both exhibited signs of breeding interest, the panda team allowed the pair to mate this year.
Bai Yun has delivered five cubs at the San Diego Zoo. In 1999, her first cub, Hua Mei, became the first giant panda conceived by artificial insemination in the Western Hemisphere and the first in the United States to survive to adulthood. Four of Bai Yun's offspring are now in a breeding program in the People's Republic of China. Her fifth cub, Yun Zi, remains at the San Diego Zoo.
Bai Yun was born at the China Center for Research and Conservation of the Giant Panda in the Wolong Nature Reserve on Sept. 7, 1991. She was the first panda to be born and survive at the breeding center. Bai Yun, who's name means "white cloud" in Chinese, arrived in San Diego in September 1996 on a research loan. Gao Gao, a 20-year-old rescued, wild-born giant panda, arrived at the San Diego Zoo in January 2003 from China after reintroduction efforts failed to keep him out of areas inhabited by humans.
The San Diego Zoo is one of four zoos in the United States with giant pandas. The Zoo began its long-term giant panda conservation partnership with the China in 1996 to study this endangered species. As part of this long-term program, the Zoo is collaborating with the Chinese Academy of Science in studies of behavior, ecology, genetics and conservation of wild pandas living in the Foping Nature Reserve.
The giant panda team, made of zookeepers, veterinarians, nutritionists, scientists and others, will monitor Bai Yun's behavior over the coming months, looking for signs of a possible pregnancy. If this week's breeding attempts successfully lead to a pregnancy, it would make 20-year-old Bai Yun the oldest-known female giant panda to give birth. If this occurs, a cub could be born in late summer or fall.
Unfortunately, the 2011 breeding season was not fruitful. Last year, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research scientists observed increases in Bai Yun's progesterone levels typical of past pregnancies, and behavioral changes, such as activity levels and suppression of appetite, at levels similar to prior gestation periods. Thermal images last year revealed activity in both the left and right uterine horns; however, ultrasound images never revealed a fetus nor was a cub born.
Bai Yun's behavior and hormone levels did not indicate that age contributed to a failed pregnancy in the 2011 breeding season. Medical exams of Gao Gao also offer no obvious age-related issues that would prevent conception. Because both pandas are in good health and both exhibited signs of breeding interest, the panda team allowed the pair to mate this year.
Bai Yun has delivered five cubs at the San Diego Zoo. In 1999, her first cub, Hua Mei, became the first giant panda conceived by artificial insemination in the Western Hemisphere and the first in the United States to survive to adulthood. Four of Bai Yun's offspring are now in a breeding program in the People's Republic of China. Her fifth cub, Yun Zi, remains at the San Diego Zoo.
Bai Yun was born at the China Center for Research and Conservation of the Giant Panda in the Wolong Nature Reserve on Sept. 7, 1991. She was the first panda to be born and survive at the breeding center. Bai Yun, who's name means "white cloud" in Chinese, arrived in San Diego in September 1996 on a research loan. Gao Gao, a 20-year-old rescued, wild-born giant panda, arrived at the San Diego Zoo in January 2003 from China after reintroduction efforts failed to keep him out of areas inhabited by humans.
The San Diego Zoo is one of four zoos in the United States with giant pandas. The Zoo began its long-term giant panda conservation partnership with the China in 1996 to study this endangered species. As part of this long-term program, the Zoo is collaborating with the Chinese Academy of Science in studies of behavior, ecology, genetics and conservation of wild pandas living in the Foping Nature Reserve.
Sun Shines on Debut of Rhino Calf at San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The female calf named Charlees, Hindi for Charlie, was born on Jan. 20 to first-time mother, Alta. The pair spent the first two months in a boma where Charlees could bond with her mother before the calf could meet the remainder of the seven-member, greater one-horned rhino herd.
The calf and mother came racing out of the boma, stopped to say hello to the other rhinos and continued trotting along the 40-acre Asian Savanna habitat where the calf saw other species for the first time including a large bovine called a gaur.
Once widespread in Southeast Asia, the greater one-horned rhinoceros is now found only in India and Nepal. Numbering approximately 2,800, this species is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In 2011, the poaching of wild rhinos increased exponentially, reducing populations of this species as well as black, white, Javan and Sumatran rhinoceros.
Charlees is the 61st greater one-horned rhino born at the Safari Park since 1975, making the Park the foremost breeding facility in the world for this species. The Park is also the first facility in the Western Hemisphere to have a successfully reproducing group of third- and fourth-generation rhinos of this species.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park Aflutter with Prep for Butterfly Jungle
Hundreds of plants full of succulent nectar are arriving in the Hidden Jungle aviary at the same time that hundreds of pupae are emerging into gorgeous butterflies in the San Diego Zoo Safari Park hatching room. This week, the Park is aflutter with preparations for one of the biggest events of the year: Butterfly Jungle, which opens Saturday, March 24, and runs through Sunday, April 15, 2012.
Once a year, guests at the Safari Park are enchanted and spellbound as thousands of butterflies flitter around them in the walk-through aviary. But all that magic doesn't happen without a lot of work. Eight months ago, the Safari Park staff began growing some of the plants that will sustain these fragile creatures. Hundreds of the 30 species of butterflies that will inhabit Hidden Jungle are emerging each day.
The Park's horticulture staff replaces 200 to 300 plants of a dozen varieties each week of the event to make sure the flowers are fresh and full of nectar for the butterflies. The plants need to be in the peak of their bloom before going into Butterfly Jungle, and the skill of choosing the plants at the perfect time has been handed down from horticulturist to horticulturist for years.
"The plants provide a wonderful nectar source for the butterflies that sustains their lives," said Cary Sharp, the Safari Park's curator of horticulture.
Butterfly Jungle is included with admission to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
Once a year, guests at the Safari Park are enchanted and spellbound as thousands of butterflies flitter around them in the walk-through aviary. But all that magic doesn't happen without a lot of work. Eight months ago, the Safari Park staff began growing some of the plants that will sustain these fragile creatures. Hundreds of the 30 species of butterflies that will inhabit Hidden Jungle are emerging each day.
The Park's horticulture staff replaces 200 to 300 plants of a dozen varieties each week of the event to make sure the flowers are fresh and full of nectar for the butterflies. The plants need to be in the peak of their bloom before going into Butterfly Jungle, and the skill of choosing the plants at the perfect time has been handed down from horticulturist to horticulturist for years.
"The plants provide a wonderful nectar source for the butterflies that sustains their lives," said Cary Sharp, the Safari Park's curator of horticulture.
Butterfly Jungle is included with admission to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
Koala Babies Receive First Medical Exam
Less than a year old and barely out of each mother's pouch, two young joeys visited the San Diego Zoo veterinary hospital today for their first routine medical exam. The two youngsters, named Thackary and Milo, were born last year in the Zoo's koala colony. Both babies are doing fine and received clean bills of health.
"Here at the San Diego Zoo we have seen instances of hip dysplasia in koalas," said Geoff Pye, D.V.M, veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo. "We try to do exams on koala youngsters at an early age so we can watch and ensure that they do not have problems as they get older."
The San Diego Zoo's koala colony is the largest group of this species outside of Australia. They are currently not available for guest viewing due to construction of the Zoo's newest koala habitat, the Conrad Prebys Australian Outback, scheduled to open in spring 2013. The Australian Outback will immerse both koalas and guests in a eucalyptus forest surrounding a classic Aussie Queenslander-style house that will serve as a care center. People can find out more about the project or help support it by visiting www.sandiegozoo.org/koalas.
"Here at the San Diego Zoo we have seen instances of hip dysplasia in koalas," said Geoff Pye, D.V.M, veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo. "We try to do exams on koala youngsters at an early age so we can watch and ensure that they do not have problems as they get older."
The San Diego Zoo's koala colony is the largest group of this species outside of Australia. They are currently not available for guest viewing due to construction of the Zoo's newest koala habitat, the Conrad Prebys Australian Outback, scheduled to open in spring 2013. The Australian Outback will immerse both koalas and guests in a eucalyptus forest surrounding a classic Aussie Queenslander-style house that will serve as a care center. People can find out more about the project or help support it by visiting www.sandiegozoo.org/koalas.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Butterfly Jungle at San Diego Zoo Safari Park: Be Charmed by Fragile Winged Wonders
What: Once a year, guests at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park are enchanted and spellbound as thousands of butterflies flitter around them in a walk-through aviary. Some may even land on guests' shoulders and heads!
When: March 24 to April 15, 2012.
Who: The 30 species of butterflies highlighted this year hail from Africa, Asia and Central and South America and include the zebra longwing, orange-barred tiger and Grecian shoemaker. Old favorites such as the monarch, giant swallowtail and blue morpho also will be charming guests.Not far from Butterfly Jungle, guests can check out more winged creatures at the Safari Park's new bat exhibit: a cloud of 13 Rodrigues fruit bats.
Extras: Special activities are scheduled throughout the Park during Butterfly Jungle. There will be butterfly-themed foods, such as cupcakes, and a pre-show at the daily Cheetah Run!
Cost: Butterfly Jungle is included with admission to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
When: March 24 to April 15, 2012.
Who: The 30 species of butterflies highlighted this year hail from Africa, Asia and Central and South America and include the zebra longwing, orange-barred tiger and Grecian shoemaker. Old favorites such as the monarch, giant swallowtail and blue morpho also will be charming guests.Not far from Butterfly Jungle, guests can check out more winged creatures at the Safari Park's new bat exhibit: a cloud of 13 Rodrigues fruit bats.
Extras: Special activities are scheduled throughout the Park during Butterfly Jungle. There will be butterfly-themed foods, such as cupcakes, and a pre-show at the daily Cheetah Run!
Cost: Butterfly Jungle is included with admission to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Orangutan Celebrates Half-Century Birthday As Part of Absolutely Apes Event
Animal care staff at the San Diego Zoo offered the orangutans at the Zoo specially made cupcakes and gifts as part of a birthday celebration for the Zoo's oldest orangutan. Janey, a Bornean orangutan, turns 50 years old this year, an advanced age for this species. She arrived at the Zoo in 1984 and has become one of its best-known personalities.
To celebrate her half-centennial mark, animal care staff have created four days of special treats for the orangutans from February 17 - 20 at 9:30 a.m. The treats include cupcakes made of folivore biscuits and gelatin frosted with banana baby food. Decorated gift boxes and bags with sunflower and peanut treats inside will also be given to them to add to the fun.
Famous for their problem-solving abilities, orangutans are great apes native to Asian rain forests. They are a critically endangered species, as more than 80% of their native forests have been destroyed.
To celebrate her half-centennial mark, animal care staff have created four days of special treats for the orangutans from February 17 - 20 at 9:30 a.m. The treats include cupcakes made of folivore biscuits and gelatin frosted with banana baby food. Decorated gift boxes and bags with sunflower and peanut treats inside will also be given to them to add to the fun.
Famous for their problem-solving abilities, orangutans are great apes native to Asian rain forests. They are a critically endangered species, as more than 80% of their native forests have been destroyed.
Monday, January 30, 2012
San Diego Zoo Global Web Cam has First Public View of Condors Caring for Egg
With less than 400 California condors in existence, this endangered species is still an uncommon sight. Even rarer is the opportunity to watch condor parents incubate an egg, turning it gently with their beaks or squabbling over which one gets to incubate the 250-gram egg. That is, until now.
Visit the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy's new web camera, Condor Cam (www.sandiegozooglobal.org/video/condor_cam), to see Sisquoc and Shatash, the first condor pair ever to be observed by the public, incubating an egg on a live web camera set up in an off-exhibit area for condor care at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. For decades, field biologists, behaviorists and zookeepers were the only people able to witness a condor's parental behavior. This behavior has never been available for public viewing.
"For decades we've had the opportunity to work with this remarkable species behind the scenes," said Michael Mace, San Diego Zoo Safari Park curator of birds. "Beginning today, this rare experience is no longer for a select few. We invite you to watch, for the first time, this fantastic experience, the beginning cycle of a California condor's life, from the egg until it fledges."
Shatash, the female condor, laid the egg on Friday, Jan. 13. As a standard practice at the Safari Park, every condor egg laid is moved to an incubator for safe keeping, and the parents are given an artificial egg to incubate. The incubation behavior of the parents continues as it would with their own egg, with the male and female taking turns incubating the egg.
In the incubator, keepers monitor the egg for embryonic development. In the last few days of incubation, the artificial egg is removed from the nest and replaced with the fertile egg, allowing the parents to help the chick hatch and immediately begin their parental duties.
The chick is expected to hatch in early March after 52 to 54 days of incubation. Condor Cam viewers may witness rare moments such as the chick emerging from the egg with its white down feathers and a light pink, bald head and the parents tending its needs from feeding to clean up. When the chick is 5 to 6 months old, observers may also witness the chick's first flight! The chick continues to be tended to by its parents until it is approximately 1 year old. These are moments in the life an endangered species that very few people have ever seen.
Since the recovery program began in the 1980s, when there were only 22 condors left in the world, the Safari Park has hatched 171 chicks and released more than 80 birds in the wild. There are now more than 390 condors, half of which are flying free in California, Arizona and Baja California, Mexico.
The California Condor Recovery Program is implemented by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, zoos in the U.S. and Mexico, and U.S. and Mexican government agencies. Although listed by the federal government as an endangered species in 1967, the California condor population continued to decline, reaching a critical low of less than two dozen birds. In 1982, the condor breeding program was successfully established at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and Los Angeles Zoo. Today, two additional breeding centers are assisting with the recovery of the species at The Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey and the Oregon Zoo. In addition, condors are part of an education program that allows guests at the San Diego Zoo, Santa Barbara Zoo and Mexico City's Chapultepec Zoo to see North America's largest bird up close.
The San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy is dedicated to bringing endangered species back from the brink of extinction. The work of the Conservancy includes onsite wildlife conservation efforts at the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, and international field programs in more than 35 countries. In addition, San Diego Zoo Global manages the Anne and Kenneth Griffin Reptile Conservation Center, the Frozen ZooTM and Native Seed Gene Bank, the Keauhou and Maui Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Centers, San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike Breeding Facility, Cocha Cashu Biological Research Station, the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center, and a 900-acre biodiversity reserve adjacent to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The important conservation and science work of these entities is supported in part by The Foundation of the Zoological Society of San Diego.
Visit the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy's new web camera, Condor Cam (www.sandiegozooglobal.org/video/condor_cam), to see Sisquoc and Shatash, the first condor pair ever to be observed by the public, incubating an egg on a live web camera set up in an off-exhibit area for condor care at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. For decades, field biologists, behaviorists and zookeepers were the only people able to witness a condor's parental behavior. This behavior has never been available for public viewing.
"For decades we've had the opportunity to work with this remarkable species behind the scenes," said Michael Mace, San Diego Zoo Safari Park curator of birds. "Beginning today, this rare experience is no longer for a select few. We invite you to watch, for the first time, this fantastic experience, the beginning cycle of a California condor's life, from the egg until it fledges."
Shatash, the female condor, laid the egg on Friday, Jan. 13. As a standard practice at the Safari Park, every condor egg laid is moved to an incubator for safe keeping, and the parents are given an artificial egg to incubate. The incubation behavior of the parents continues as it would with their own egg, with the male and female taking turns incubating the egg.
In the incubator, keepers monitor the egg for embryonic development. In the last few days of incubation, the artificial egg is removed from the nest and replaced with the fertile egg, allowing the parents to help the chick hatch and immediately begin their parental duties.
The chick is expected to hatch in early March after 52 to 54 days of incubation. Condor Cam viewers may witness rare moments such as the chick emerging from the egg with its white down feathers and a light pink, bald head and the parents tending its needs from feeding to clean up. When the chick is 5 to 6 months old, observers may also witness the chick's first flight! The chick continues to be tended to by its parents until it is approximately 1 year old. These are moments in the life an endangered species that very few people have ever seen.
Since the recovery program began in the 1980s, when there were only 22 condors left in the world, the Safari Park has hatched 171 chicks and released more than 80 birds in the wild. There are now more than 390 condors, half of which are flying free in California, Arizona and Baja California, Mexico.
The California Condor Recovery Program is implemented by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, zoos in the U.S. and Mexico, and U.S. and Mexican government agencies. Although listed by the federal government as an endangered species in 1967, the California condor population continued to decline, reaching a critical low of less than two dozen birds. In 1982, the condor breeding program was successfully established at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and Los Angeles Zoo. Today, two additional breeding centers are assisting with the recovery of the species at The Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey and the Oregon Zoo. In addition, condors are part of an education program that allows guests at the San Diego Zoo, Santa Barbara Zoo and Mexico City's Chapultepec Zoo to see North America's largest bird up close.
The San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy is dedicated to bringing endangered species back from the brink of extinction. The work of the Conservancy includes onsite wildlife conservation efforts at the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, and international field programs in more than 35 countries. In addition, San Diego Zoo Global manages the Anne and Kenneth Griffin Reptile Conservation Center, the Frozen ZooTM and Native Seed Gene Bank, the Keauhou and Maui Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Centers, San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike Breeding Facility, Cocha Cashu Biological Research Station, the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center, and a 900-acre biodiversity reserve adjacent to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The important conservation and science work of these entities is supported in part by The Foundation of the Zoological Society of San Diego.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
San Diego Zoo's Pandas, Polar Bears Go Mobile with Mobile App
New App Provides Animal, Planning Information for Zoo's Fans and Visitors
Just in time for the holidays, the San Diego Zoo is giving its fans the chance to take the world-famous Zoo with them wherever they travel this season. Launched today, the new mobile application gives users access to animal information, photos and videos.
The app also features real-time streaming of the Zoo's Polar Cam and its recently upgraded high-definition Panda Cam. This new app is powered by leading self-service mobile app platform Mobile Roadie for the iOS and Android operating system.
For those planning to visit the Zoo, the new app can also provide real-time information on the Zoo's animal presentations, shows, dining choices, gift shops and ticketing options. Users can also explore exhibits for the Zoo's more than 4,000 animals. The Map shows points of interest within the Zoo including guest services, shopping, dining and a walking trail of the Zoo's exhibits. In the app's Google map feature, users can get customized directions to the Zoo.
Fans and visitors can also share their experiences by posting comments and stories on the Fan Wall.
Six Bears, Two Species, One App
The Conrad Prebys Polar Bear Plunge is home to three adult polar bears: Kalluk, Tatqiq and Chinook. With the new San Diego Zoo app, polar bear fans can watch these white giants dive and swim around their pool, lounge on the sandy "shore" of their summer tundra exhibit or sit on the rock outcroppings and munch on vegetables - their favorites are carrots. And on the days when they have their favorite balls to play with, Kalluk can be seen "dribbling" against the glass, to the delight of on-ground guests on the other side.
The Zoo's giant pandas have the largest online following of the species and recently had their Panda Cam upgraded to high definition. The four new cameras can capture all of the eating and sleeping action from these black-and-white bears. Female Bai Yun, male Gao Gao and two-year-old male Yun Zi each have their own exhibit and the camera tracks whomever is most active.
"This is our gift to all the fans and guests of the San Diego Zoo," said Ted Molter, corporate director of marketing for San Diego Zoo Global. "This app gives people greater access to the Zoo when they're planning their visit or spending a day with us. We expect that the mobile access to our live animal cams, combined with detailed descriptions and beautiful images, will add up to family-friendly entertainment and an educational resource that can be used again and again."
"The San Diego Zoo has delighted and educated the millions of people who have walked through its front gates," said Michael Schneider, CEO, Mobile Roadie. "We are honored to be powering the app that is going to bring the joy and wonder of the San Diego Zoo to animal lovers' smartphones everywhere."
The application is available now for download at the iTunes App Store and the Android store. Search for "San Diego Zoo" or go to http://road.ie/sandiegozoo to download.
The San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy is dedicated to bringing endangered species back from the brink of extinction. The work of the Conservancy includes onsite wildlife conservation efforts at the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, and international field programs in more than 35 countries. In addition, San Diego Zoo Global manages the Anne and Kenneth Griffin Reptile Conservation Center, the Frozen ZooTM and Native Seed Gene Bank, the Keauhou and Maui Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Centers, San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike Breeding Facility, Cocha Cashu Biological Research Station, the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center, and a 900-acre biodiversity reserve adjacent to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The important conservation and science work of these entities is supported in part by The Foundation of the Zoological Society of San Diego.
About Mobile Roadie
Mobile Roadie (www.mobileroadie.com) is a powerful self-service mobile app engagement platform that allows anyone to create a fully customizable iPhone or Android app in minutes.
Apps created on the Mobile Roadie platform are professional, effective, and most importantly, drive fan engagement. Mobile Roadie powers over 2,000 apps with more than 13 million end users for brands worldwide including Katy Perry, Madonna, Taylor Swift, The Beatles, Linkin Park, Chris Brown, P!nk, Bon Jovi, Avril Lavigne, Drake, Harvard Law School, Wynn Las Vegas, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, and World Economic Forum. Mobile Roadie is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in London.
Just in time for the holidays, the San Diego Zoo is giving its fans the chance to take the world-famous Zoo with them wherever they travel this season. Launched today, the new mobile application gives users access to animal information, photos and videos.
The app also features real-time streaming of the Zoo's Polar Cam and its recently upgraded high-definition Panda Cam. This new app is powered by leading self-service mobile app platform Mobile Roadie for the iOS and Android operating system.
For those planning to visit the Zoo, the new app can also provide real-time information on the Zoo's animal presentations, shows, dining choices, gift shops and ticketing options. Users can also explore exhibits for the Zoo's more than 4,000 animals. The Map shows points of interest within the Zoo including guest services, shopping, dining and a walking trail of the Zoo's exhibits. In the app's Google map feature, users can get customized directions to the Zoo.
Fans and visitors can also share their experiences by posting comments and stories on the Fan Wall.
Six Bears, Two Species, One App
The Conrad Prebys Polar Bear Plunge is home to three adult polar bears: Kalluk, Tatqiq and Chinook. With the new San Diego Zoo app, polar bear fans can watch these white giants dive and swim around their pool, lounge on the sandy "shore" of their summer tundra exhibit or sit on the rock outcroppings and munch on vegetables - their favorites are carrots. And on the days when they have their favorite balls to play with, Kalluk can be seen "dribbling" against the glass, to the delight of on-ground guests on the other side.
The Zoo's giant pandas have the largest online following of the species and recently had their Panda Cam upgraded to high definition. The four new cameras can capture all of the eating and sleeping action from these black-and-white bears. Female Bai Yun, male Gao Gao and two-year-old male Yun Zi each have their own exhibit and the camera tracks whomever is most active.
"This is our gift to all the fans and guests of the San Diego Zoo," said Ted Molter, corporate director of marketing for San Diego Zoo Global. "This app gives people greater access to the Zoo when they're planning their visit or spending a day with us. We expect that the mobile access to our live animal cams, combined with detailed descriptions and beautiful images, will add up to family-friendly entertainment and an educational resource that can be used again and again."
"The San Diego Zoo has delighted and educated the millions of people who have walked through its front gates," said Michael Schneider, CEO, Mobile Roadie. "We are honored to be powering the app that is going to bring the joy and wonder of the San Diego Zoo to animal lovers' smartphones everywhere."
The application is available now for download at the iTunes App Store and the Android store. Search for "San Diego Zoo" or go to http://road.ie/sandiegozoo to download.
The San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy is dedicated to bringing endangered species back from the brink of extinction. The work of the Conservancy includes onsite wildlife conservation efforts at the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, and international field programs in more than 35 countries. In addition, San Diego Zoo Global manages the Anne and Kenneth Griffin Reptile Conservation Center, the Frozen ZooTM and Native Seed Gene Bank, the Keauhou and Maui Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Centers, San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike Breeding Facility, Cocha Cashu Biological Research Station, the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center, and a 900-acre biodiversity reserve adjacent to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The important conservation and science work of these entities is supported in part by The Foundation of the Zoological Society of San Diego.
About Mobile Roadie
Mobile Roadie (www.mobileroadie.com) is a powerful self-service mobile app engagement platform that allows anyone to create a fully customizable iPhone or Android app in minutes.
Apps created on the Mobile Roadie platform are professional, effective, and most importantly, drive fan engagement. Mobile Roadie powers over 2,000 apps with more than 13 million end users for brands worldwide including Katy Perry, Madonna, Taylor Swift, The Beatles, Linkin Park, Chris Brown, P!nk, Bon Jovi, Avril Lavigne, Drake, Harvard Law School, Wynn Las Vegas, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, and World Economic Forum. Mobile Roadie is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in London.
ABSOLUTELY APES IS ALL ABOUT FUN
WHAT: Highlighting some of the most popular residents of the San Diego Zoo, the Discovery Days: Absolutely Apes offers guests a chance to get to know a variety of interesting personalities.
Gorillas, orangutans and bonobos (pygmy chimpanzees) are a few of the endangered species highlighted over this long weekend celebration. Including birthday surprises for one of our oldest primate residents, animal meet and greets, special shows and booths. Children can stop by the Orangutan Outpost and have their favorite plush primate given a “check-up” by real San Diego Zoo veterinarians.
WHERE: San Diego Zoo
WHEN: February 17-20, 2012
COST: Activities are free with paid admission except for additional charge for VIP tours.
MORE INFORMATION: www.sandiegozoo.org
Gorillas, orangutans and bonobos (pygmy chimpanzees) are a few of the endangered species highlighted over this long weekend celebration. Including birthday surprises for one of our oldest primate residents, animal meet and greets, special shows and booths. Children can stop by the Orangutan Outpost and have their favorite plush primate given a “check-up” by real San Diego Zoo veterinarians.
WHERE: San Diego Zoo
WHEN: February 17-20, 2012
COST: Activities are free with paid admission except for additional charge for VIP tours.
MORE INFORMATION: www.sandiegozoo.org
Saturday, November 12, 2011
SeaWorld Sets First Section of Manta Track!
WHAT: Today marks a major milestone in the construction of Manta: the first section of track was set into place! A total of 98 sections will be placed in the coming months, with most of the sections installed by the end of the year. Manta, SeaWorld’s new double launch coaster shaped like a giant manta ray, will open to guests in spring 2012.
WHEN: Monday, Oct. 31, 2011
WHERE: SeaWorld San Diego
DETAILS: The 98 Manta track sections will be set upon 100 columns, the tallest being more than 26 feet. The longest section of track is 36 feet and the heaviest weighs 7,700 pounds. The ride, which will last about two minutes, will include more than a half of a mile of track.
Swooping over sea and sky, Manta will not only inspire riders with amazing underwater animal habitats, but take them on an exhilarating ride on a coaster shaped like a giant manta ray.
Gliding, flying and diving through more than a dozen twists and turns, riders will feel as if they are a ray, taking flight from sky to sea — so close at times that the Manta’s wings skim the waves. Riders and non-riders alike will enjoy the graceful beauty of more than 60 California bat rays, which will be seen through a glass window and can be touched in a shallow lagoon area. The exhibit will also feature diamond rays, guitar fish and more than 1,000 fish native to the California coast.
Manta will be located just north of Rocky Point Preserve. SeaWorld is working with German ride design company MACK, which also engineered the marine-life park’s popular ride, Journey To Atlantis. Guests at SeaWorld’s sister park in Orlando have been enjoying a similar version of Manta since it opened there in 2009.
Celebrate the Season with Candy Cane Treats for San Diego Zoo Creatures
People who donate $250 for animal enrichment will be recognized on Candy Cane Lane during
San Diego Zoo's Jungle Bells holiday celebration
People who love animals, or just love the San Diego Zoo, can treat the roaring, squealing, snorting wild things to some holiday cheer this year --- and be recognized with a 5-foot-tall candy cane for a $250 donation. All money raised in this holiday-themed fund-raiser goes toward animal enrichment toys and treats for the Zoo's critters. The wooden, brightly painted candy canes will be along "Candy Cane Lane," a path that leads to a light show at the Zoo's Treehouse Plaza.
Donors to this fund-raiser will be recognized with an engraved plaque on the front of the candy cane. While they can't lick the peppermint sweetness from these elephant-sized candy canes, donors can certainly share the holiday spirit. A limited number of these candy canes will be available for purchase.
People interested in donating can go to the Zoo's Wish List (www.sandiegozoo.org/wishlist)
Now in its third year, the Zoo's holiday celebration, Jungle Bells, runs December 9, 2011, through Jan.1, 2012. This year's celebration will feature extended evening hours, acrobat elves, violin sing-a-longs, a trolley ride, a nightly tree-lighting ceremony, bell ringers, lots of chances to meet our wintery animals up close, and much, much more.
San Diego Zoo's Jungle Bells holiday celebration
People who love animals, or just love the San Diego Zoo, can treat the roaring, squealing, snorting wild things to some holiday cheer this year --- and be recognized with a 5-foot-tall candy cane for a $250 donation. All money raised in this holiday-themed fund-raiser goes toward animal enrichment toys and treats for the Zoo's critters. The wooden, brightly painted candy canes will be along "Candy Cane Lane," a path that leads to a light show at the Zoo's Treehouse Plaza.
Donors to this fund-raiser will be recognized with an engraved plaque on the front of the candy cane. While they can't lick the peppermint sweetness from these elephant-sized candy canes, donors can certainly share the holiday spirit. A limited number of these candy canes will be available for purchase.
People interested in donating can go to the Zoo's Wish List (www.sandiegozoo.org/wishlist)
Now in its third year, the Zoo's holiday celebration, Jungle Bells, runs December 9, 2011, through Jan.1, 2012. This year's celebration will feature extended evening hours, acrobat elves, violin sing-a-longs, a trolley ride, a nightly tree-lighting ceremony, bell ringers, lots of chances to meet our wintery animals up close, and much, much more.
Friday, October 21, 2011
San Diego Zoo Animals Join Attempt to Break Jumping Jacks World Record
San Diego Zoo animals were stretching their wings and warming up their legs Tuesday afternoon in preparation to join the "Team Up and Jump Around the World" attempt to break the Guinness World Record for most people doing jumping jacks in a 24-hour period.
The Zoo wants to engage guests and join First Lady Michelle Obama as well as California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance and other health organizations to celebrate the importance of leading an active, healthy lifestyle. Similar "Jumping Jacks" events will be held nationally and worldwide from noon on Oct. 11 through noon on Oct. 12.
People who missed out in today's event have another opportunity to take a step to get healthy and support conservation by participating in Saturday's 2.5-mile family-friendly walk through the Zoo. The annual Walk on the Wild Side, presented by Mission Federal Credit Union, will be held at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15. Funds raised during this year's walk will support koala conservation efforts in Australia and will help build a new home for koalas at the Zoo. Visit www.sandiegozoo.org/walk for more information on Saturday's event.
During Tuesday's jumping jacks record attempt, a serval showed Zoo guests how high this small African cat can jump, while a sea lion got into the mood and jumped along with participants. Churchill, a polar bear costumed character, and Tatqiq, a real polar bear, led participants in one minute of nonstop jumping jacks. San Diego State University students moderated the event to make sure participants completed their jumping jacks in order to be counted.
The Zoo wants to engage guests and join First Lady Michelle Obama as well as California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance and other health organizations to celebrate the importance of leading an active, healthy lifestyle. Similar "Jumping Jacks" events will be held nationally and worldwide from noon on Oct. 11 through noon on Oct. 12.
People who missed out in today's event have another opportunity to take a step to get healthy and support conservation by participating in Saturday's 2.5-mile family-friendly walk through the Zoo. The annual Walk on the Wild Side, presented by Mission Federal Credit Union, will be held at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15. Funds raised during this year's walk will support koala conservation efforts in Australia and will help build a new home for koalas at the Zoo. Visit www.sandiegozoo.org/walk for more information on Saturday's event.
During Tuesday's jumping jacks record attempt, a serval showed Zoo guests how high this small African cat can jump, while a sea lion got into the mood and jumped along with participants. Churchill, a polar bear costumed character, and Tatqiq, a real polar bear, led participants in one minute of nonstop jumping jacks. San Diego State University students moderated the event to make sure participants completed their jumping jacks in order to be counted.
San Diego Zoo to Ignite a Statewide Conversation about Environmental Sustainability and Museums
What are the top environmental challenges for our region? Who is working to address these challenges? How can museums become involved? These are some of the questions to be posed on Friday, October 14, 2011, by a group of museums meeting at the San Diego Zoo to discuss how museums can inform their communities about environmental challenges and inspire action. San Diego Zoo Global and the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership will engage museum, environmental and community leaders in roundtable discussions as part of a statewide initiative, titled Ignite! Museums as Catalysts for Sustainability. The goals are to explore the fundamental ecological issues facing each region and to seek ways in which museums can be partners in finding solutions to these challenges. The seven concurrent discussions will be connected virtually, and environmentalist, entrepreneur and author Paul Hawken (www.paulhawken.com) will give the keynote address. For more information, see www.calmuseums.org/ignite.
Ignite! Museums as Catalysts for Sustainability is spearheaded by the Green Museums Initiative, a program supported by the California Association of Museums. The regional roundtables will take place concurrently at seven host institutions: Sunnylands Center and Gardens in Rancho Mirage; San Diego Zoo; Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach; University of California, Merced, Library; California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco; Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences; and Gateway Science Museum in Chico. Each site is convening museum leaders, scientists, environmentalists, community stakeholders, and artists to discuss how to preserve ecosystems and promote healthy communities in their region. Artists participating in the regional roundtable discussions will create artworks for a statewide traveling exhibition by Exhibit Envoy (www.exhibitenvoy.org).
Ignite! Museums as Catalysts for Sustainability is spearheaded by the Green Museums Initiative, a program supported by the California Association of Museums. The regional roundtables will take place concurrently at seven host institutions: Sunnylands Center and Gardens in Rancho Mirage; San Diego Zoo; Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach; University of California, Merced, Library; California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco; Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences; and Gateway Science Museum in Chico. Each site is convening museum leaders, scientists, environmentalists, community stakeholders, and artists to discuss how to preserve ecosystems and promote healthy communities in their region. Artists participating in the regional roundtable discussions will create artworks for a statewide traveling exhibition by Exhibit Envoy (www.exhibitenvoy.org).
Monday, October 10, 2011
SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL PRESENTS THE BABY PANDA IPAD APP
San Diego Zoo Global announced today, Thursday September 29, that it is launching a new baby panda iPad app. The app, called Baby Panda's New Home, was created by Zentro Media and includes content from the well known Zoo.
Baby Panda's New Home tells the remarkable story of Zhen Zhen's birth and childhood at the San Diego Zoo and her eventual journey to China to live in the natural habitat of the giant pandas. The story includes everything from Zhen Zhen's first doctor visit, to her birthday parties (including giant cakes!), to her airplane trip and eventual relocation into the wild.
"The baby pandas at the San Diego Zoo have generated tremendous interest among the public." Said Ted Molter, director of marketing for San Diego Zoo Global. "Creating an app that shares these adorable bears with kids in an educational way helps us to continue our mission of saving these animals."
At the core of the app is a beautiful children's book. Zentro Media then adds a vast treasure chest of other media such as videos, sounds, photos, fun facts and activities. The app features information about the lives of pandas at the Zoo but also in their natural environment. The app is enriched with so much interactive material that it can be experienced many times, in many different ways…by all members of the family.
"We couldn't be more pleased working with a world class brand like the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park. Having access to their content and experts allowed us to produce a wonderful app for the iPad that enriches the lives of children and their parents. It's very special when you match a content rich global brand with a top notch production studio, such as Zentro Media", says Michael Rothbard, CEO of Zentro.
The app features high definition videos of baby panda Zhen Zhen and her mother, Bai Yun along with interactive elements, photos and games. The app is particularly designed for children but is also expected to be sought after by the many panda fans who look for collectible items featuring their favorite bears.
Zentro is working with the world famous San Diego Zoo to create an exciting new series of enhanced books featuring the Zoo's "celebrity" animals. Amazing characters like Zhen Zhen the panda and Tembo the elephant are the stars of these rich multimedia books for children of all ages. Baby Panda's New Home is the first episode in this new San Diego Zoo series. The apps will be entertaining, educational and will set the standard for children's non-fiction enhanced books on the iPad.
Zentro Media is an official Apple iPad developer and a next generation publishing company combining the talents of Emmy® Award-winning storytellers with acclaimed multimedia developers. This combination of proven technical expertise and creative storytelling creates a new art form in publishing. Zentro Media has offices in New York and Los Angeles. For more information, please visit www.zentromedia.com
Baby Panda's New Home tells the remarkable story of Zhen Zhen's birth and childhood at the San Diego Zoo and her eventual journey to China to live in the natural habitat of the giant pandas. The story includes everything from Zhen Zhen's first doctor visit, to her birthday parties (including giant cakes!), to her airplane trip and eventual relocation into the wild.
"The baby pandas at the San Diego Zoo have generated tremendous interest among the public." Said Ted Molter, director of marketing for San Diego Zoo Global. "Creating an app that shares these adorable bears with kids in an educational way helps us to continue our mission of saving these animals."
At the core of the app is a beautiful children's book. Zentro Media then adds a vast treasure chest of other media such as videos, sounds, photos, fun facts and activities. The app features information about the lives of pandas at the Zoo but also in their natural environment. The app is enriched with so much interactive material that it can be experienced many times, in many different ways…by all members of the family.
"We couldn't be more pleased working with a world class brand like the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park. Having access to their content and experts allowed us to produce a wonderful app for the iPad that enriches the lives of children and their parents. It's very special when you match a content rich global brand with a top notch production studio, such as Zentro Media", says Michael Rothbard, CEO of Zentro.
The app features high definition videos of baby panda Zhen Zhen and her mother, Bai Yun along with interactive elements, photos and games. The app is particularly designed for children but is also expected to be sought after by the many panda fans who look for collectible items featuring their favorite bears.
Zentro is working with the world famous San Diego Zoo to create an exciting new series of enhanced books featuring the Zoo's "celebrity" animals. Amazing characters like Zhen Zhen the panda and Tembo the elephant are the stars of these rich multimedia books for children of all ages. Baby Panda's New Home is the first episode in this new San Diego Zoo series. The apps will be entertaining, educational and will set the standard for children's non-fiction enhanced books on the iPad.
Zentro Media is an official Apple iPad developer and a next generation publishing company combining the talents of Emmy® Award-winning storytellers with acclaimed multimedia developers. This combination of proven technical expertise and creative storytelling creates a new art form in publishing. Zentro Media has offices in New York and Los Angeles. For more information, please visit www.zentromedia.com
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
San Diego Zoo Safari Park Invites Children to "Race" a Cheetah During October Kids Free Events
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park wants kids to lace up their running shoes when they visit during "Kids Free" in October. Each day at 3:30 p.m., weather permitting, one child at Shiley's Cheetah Run will be given the chance to see how their running speed compares to the fastest land mammal. The young volunteer will run before the cheetah takes to the track and will be timed by the animal trainers. Participants will wear a special racing bib they can keep as a memento of their experience.
Kids Free celebrates the founding of the San Diego Zoo in October 1916 and offers children 11 years old and younger free admission to the Zoo and the Park every day of October.
Cheetah Run gives Park guests the opportunity to witness the world's fastest land mammal do what it does best - run! The cheetah runs off-leash, chasing a mechanical lure down a 330-foot track, showcasing its ability to go from 0 to 70 mph in just 4 seconds. Guests can line up along the track to be just feet away from this amazing exhibition of speed.
Allowing kids to "race" at Cheetah Run is just one of many special experiences planned for "Kids Free" at the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park. The San Diego Zoo was founded in October 1916 and "Kids Free" honors this historic event. The Zoo has celebrated "Kids Free" in October for 26 years; this is the fourth year the program is offered at the Park.
Both the Zoo and the Park offer the opportunity to observe amazing creatures, experience a fun day with family and learn what needs to be done to save animals from extinction. Both locations are offering visitors the chance to complete the "101 Things to Do" at the Zoo and the Park; the booklet is available for download at www.sandiegozoo.org/kidsfree or can be picked up during a Zoo or Park visit on the weekends.
Weekend visitors to the Zoo and the Park will experience even more kid-friendly activities with additional animal meet-and-greets, keeper talks and costumed character walk-arounds. At the Zoo in Balboa Park, Dr. Zoolittle will host Natures' Tricks, a show about how animals survive and adapt to their surroundings in the wild. At the Safari Park in Escondido, guests can take a seat at Discovery Station for "Tiger Tales" storytelling - ideal for ages two to five.
Kids Free is offered during the entire month of October. The Zoo and the Park are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but for opening weekend only, the Zoo will be open until 6 p.m. on October 1 and 2. Children under the age of 15 must be accompanied by a paid adult during their visit to the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
Kids Free celebrates the founding of the San Diego Zoo in October 1916 and offers children 11 years old and younger free admission to the Zoo and the Park every day of October.
Cheetah Run gives Park guests the opportunity to witness the world's fastest land mammal do what it does best - run! The cheetah runs off-leash, chasing a mechanical lure down a 330-foot track, showcasing its ability to go from 0 to 70 mph in just 4 seconds. Guests can line up along the track to be just feet away from this amazing exhibition of speed.
Allowing kids to "race" at Cheetah Run is just one of many special experiences planned for "Kids Free" at the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park. The San Diego Zoo was founded in October 1916 and "Kids Free" honors this historic event. The Zoo has celebrated "Kids Free" in October for 26 years; this is the fourth year the program is offered at the Park.
Both the Zoo and the Park offer the opportunity to observe amazing creatures, experience a fun day with family and learn what needs to be done to save animals from extinction. Both locations are offering visitors the chance to complete the "101 Things to Do" at the Zoo and the Park; the booklet is available for download at www.sandiegozoo.org/kidsfree or can be picked up during a Zoo or Park visit on the weekends.
Weekend visitors to the Zoo and the Park will experience even more kid-friendly activities with additional animal meet-and-greets, keeper talks and costumed character walk-arounds. At the Zoo in Balboa Park, Dr. Zoolittle will host Natures' Tricks, a show about how animals survive and adapt to their surroundings in the wild. At the Safari Park in Escondido, guests can take a seat at Discovery Station for "Tiger Tales" storytelling - ideal for ages two to five.
Kids Free is offered during the entire month of October. The Zoo and the Park are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but for opening weekend only, the Zoo will be open until 6 p.m. on October 1 and 2. Children under the age of 15 must be accompanied by a paid adult during their visit to the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
SAN DIEGO ZOO AND SAFARI PARK OFFER "KIDS FREE" ADMISSION IN OCTOBER TO CELEBRATE ORGANIZATION'S FOUNDING
During the month of October, children 3 to 11 years old receive free admission to the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Throughout the month the Zoo and the Park are offering extra on-grounds presentations on the weekends, a coloring contest and all new online activities on the San Diego Zoo Kids Free site. There's even the chance to "race" against a cheetah at the Safari Park!
The San Diego Zoo was founded in October 1916 and "Kids Free" honors this historic event. The Zoo has celebrated "Kids Free" in October for 26 years; this is the fourth year the program is offered at the Park.
Earlier this year, the Safari Park opened Shiley's Cheetah Run, which gives guests the chance to see a cheetah run off-leash on a 330-foot track at speeds up to 70 miles per hour. During Kids Free month, each day one child in the crowd will be given the chance to see how their running speed compares to the fastest land mammal. The young volunteer will run before the cheetah takes the track and will be timed by the animal trainers. Participants will wear a special racing bib they can keep as a memento of their experience.
Guests at the Zoo can also get in on the fun, too, by volunteering in the Zoo's new animal show, Camp Critters, at Wegeforth Bowl. The twice-daily show features 15 species of animals, original music and an all-new stage. Each show calls for two volunteers to help with the contest to earn their "camper's badge" sticker to take home with them.
Both the Zoo and the Park offer the chance to observe amazing creatures, experience a fun day with family and learn what needs to be done to save animals from extinction. Both locations are offering visitors the chance to complete the "101 Things to Do" at the Zoo and the Park; the booklet is available for download at www.sandiegozoo.org/kidsfree or can be picked up during a Zoo or Park visit on the weekends. Zoo Corps volunteers will be distributing them at locations throughout the Zoo and Conservation Corp volunteers at the Park will make them available at Discovery Station. Guests are encouraged to bring a camera to capture the action as they tackle the 101 Things to Do and submit their photos to the Kids Free website, where a winner will be selected from the Zoo and the Park each week. Winners will receive four tickets for a specialty tour. At the end of the month there will be two grand-prize winners.
Weekend visitors to the Zoo and the Park will experience even more kid-friendly activities with additional animal meet-and-greets, keeper talks and costumed character walk-arounds. At the Zoo in Balboa Park, Dr. Zoolittle will host Natures' Tricks, a show about how animals survive and adapt to their surroundings in the wild. At the Safari Park in Escondido, guests can take a seat at Discovery Station for "Tiger Tales" storytelling - ideal for ages two to five.
When kids are away from the Zoo and the Park, there are still plenty of activities for them on the Kids Free website - sandiegozoo.org/kidsfree. Download coloring pages from the site that can be colored in and then submitted for prizes at the Zoo and the Park. There is also an animal quiz and features on creatures that are native to Southern California. Log on to the San Diego Zoo Kids Free site for all the fun.
Kids Free is offered during the entire month of October. The Zoo and the Park are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but for opening weekend only, the Zoo will be open until 6 p.m. on October 1 and 2. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a paid adult during their visit to the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
The San Diego Zoo was founded in October 1916 and "Kids Free" honors this historic event. The Zoo has celebrated "Kids Free" in October for 26 years; this is the fourth year the program is offered at the Park.
Earlier this year, the Safari Park opened Shiley's Cheetah Run, which gives guests the chance to see a cheetah run off-leash on a 330-foot track at speeds up to 70 miles per hour. During Kids Free month, each day one child in the crowd will be given the chance to see how their running speed compares to the fastest land mammal. The young volunteer will run before the cheetah takes the track and will be timed by the animal trainers. Participants will wear a special racing bib they can keep as a memento of their experience.
Guests at the Zoo can also get in on the fun, too, by volunteering in the Zoo's new animal show, Camp Critters, at Wegeforth Bowl. The twice-daily show features 15 species of animals, original music and an all-new stage. Each show calls for two volunteers to help with the contest to earn their "camper's badge" sticker to take home with them.
Both the Zoo and the Park offer the chance to observe amazing creatures, experience a fun day with family and learn what needs to be done to save animals from extinction. Both locations are offering visitors the chance to complete the "101 Things to Do" at the Zoo and the Park; the booklet is available for download at www.sandiegozoo.org/kidsfree or can be picked up during a Zoo or Park visit on the weekends. Zoo Corps volunteers will be distributing them at locations throughout the Zoo and Conservation Corp volunteers at the Park will make them available at Discovery Station. Guests are encouraged to bring a camera to capture the action as they tackle the 101 Things to Do and submit their photos to the Kids Free website, where a winner will be selected from the Zoo and the Park each week. Winners will receive four tickets for a specialty tour. At the end of the month there will be two grand-prize winners.
Weekend visitors to the Zoo and the Park will experience even more kid-friendly activities with additional animal meet-and-greets, keeper talks and costumed character walk-arounds. At the Zoo in Balboa Park, Dr. Zoolittle will host Natures' Tricks, a show about how animals survive and adapt to their surroundings in the wild. At the Safari Park in Escondido, guests can take a seat at Discovery Station for "Tiger Tales" storytelling - ideal for ages two to five.
When kids are away from the Zoo and the Park, there are still plenty of activities for them on the Kids Free website - sandiegozoo.org/kidsfree. Download coloring pages from the site that can be colored in and then submitted for prizes at the Zoo and the Park. There is also an animal quiz and features on creatures that are native to Southern California. Log on to the San Diego Zoo Kids Free site for all the fun.
Kids Free is offered during the entire month of October. The Zoo and the Park are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but for opening weekend only, the Zoo will be open until 6 p.m. on October 1 and 2. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a paid adult during their visit to the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
NEW BIRDS-EYE VIEW OF CONSERVATION ALLOWS INTERACTION San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy Takes Flight
Conservation enthusiasts, animal lovers, scientists, students, parents and anyone with an interest in wildlife now has direct access to a world that only scientists and zookeepers once had. On Monday, the new website, www.sandiegozooglobal.org, launched with the first-ever live web camera in a California condor nest.
The web cam is the first for the nonprofit organization in eight years. This window into the life of an endangered bird species will provide a unique view. With the start of a new breeding season just around the corner, online viewers may witness rare moments at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park previously only seen by condor keepers and biologists such as courtship, parents incubating an egg, hatching, parents caring for the young and a chick's first flight!
"This endeavor organizes the communication of the combined conservation efforts of the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park and San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research under one umbrella, the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy," said Allison Alberts, Ph.D., San Diego Zoo Global chief conservation and research officer. "The Wildlife Conservancy, dedicated to bringing endangered species back from the brink of extinction, represents a unique opportunity for people all over the world to come together to help wildlife."
The dynamic content available online at sandiegozooglobal.org, gives visitors to the site access to content used by researchers to better understand the wildlife they study, including a comical time-lapse video of a family of nine burrowing owls - seven chicks and the parents - busying themselves at the opening to their burrow.
"You will notice that the face of San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy is the people," said Ted Molter, San Diego Zoo Global corporate director of marketing. "The work being done by our dedicated staff is recognized as much as the species we are working to save. You will also see that each section, such as the Condor Cam page, highlights the integration of keepers, curators, educators, scientists and our partners."
The content, which includes wildlife notes from the field, is driven by these experts. There is more storytelling from a personal perspective, giving online users an opportunity to meet the people behind the Wildlife Conservancy and take part in their adventures through photos, videos and first-hand accounts of wildlife conservation.
There will also be opportunities for supporters to physically ride along with a scientist working on a local conservation project. "Like" the new Conservancy's Facebook page, which also launched on Monday, and enter for a chance to accompany conservationists into the field. A new Twitter page will provide regular updates. Another tool for supporters to get involved will be user-generated content. People can submit their own wildlife photos for a chance to have it featured prominently on the homepage.
The web cam is the first for the nonprofit organization in eight years. This window into the life of an endangered bird species will provide a unique view. With the start of a new breeding season just around the corner, online viewers may witness rare moments at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park previously only seen by condor keepers and biologists such as courtship, parents incubating an egg, hatching, parents caring for the young and a chick's first flight!
"This endeavor organizes the communication of the combined conservation efforts of the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park and San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research under one umbrella, the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy," said Allison Alberts, Ph.D., San Diego Zoo Global chief conservation and research officer. "The Wildlife Conservancy, dedicated to bringing endangered species back from the brink of extinction, represents a unique opportunity for people all over the world to come together to help wildlife."
The dynamic content available online at sandiegozooglobal.org, gives visitors to the site access to content used by researchers to better understand the wildlife they study, including a comical time-lapse video of a family of nine burrowing owls - seven chicks and the parents - busying themselves at the opening to their burrow.
"You will notice that the face of San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy is the people," said Ted Molter, San Diego Zoo Global corporate director of marketing. "The work being done by our dedicated staff is recognized as much as the species we are working to save. You will also see that each section, such as the Condor Cam page, highlights the integration of keepers, curators, educators, scientists and our partners."
The content, which includes wildlife notes from the field, is driven by these experts. There is more storytelling from a personal perspective, giving online users an opportunity to meet the people behind the Wildlife Conservancy and take part in their adventures through photos, videos and first-hand accounts of wildlife conservation.
There will also be opportunities for supporters to physically ride along with a scientist working on a local conservation project. "Like" the new Conservancy's Facebook page, which also launched on Monday, and enter for a chance to accompany conservationists into the field. A new Twitter page will provide regular updates. Another tool for supporters to get involved will be user-generated content. People can submit their own wildlife photos for a chance to have it featured prominently on the homepage.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
