Newsletter for friends of Blank Park Zoo Winter 2013 Zoo Tracks Introducing Tuya and Nicolai: Blank Park Zoo s Bactrian Camels When we opened our Africa exhibit earlier this year and introduced some of our newest Zoo animals to you black rhino, common eland, kori bustard and more we knew it would be big. And our plans continue to be big. If you ve been to Blank Park Zoo recently, you have seen the construction just inside the entrance of our newest exhibit, which will house the Zoo s two new Bactrian camels, Nicolai (male) and Tuya (female). We wanted to build and do something big at our new entrance, providing a visitor experience unlike any other. Year-round, you can enjoy viewing the Bactrian camels before you even enter the Zoo! These domestic Mongolian camels, unique by their two humps, can endure the extreme temperatures of Iowa s summer and winter months. As an accredited zoo by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Blank Park Zoo is able to acquire animals from other AZA zoos. This is how we received Tuya, about 2 years old, from the Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City, Kansas, and Nicolai, about 5 years old, from the Dakota Zoo in Bismark, North Dakota. On average, bactrian camels are 7 feet tall (at the top of their humps), and the males can weigh over 2,000 pounds (females are a little smaller).» More on the camels continued on page 10
Zoo Tracks page two Upcoming Events 2013-2014 Santa at the Zoo Saturday, December 7 & 14 from 10 am to 2 pm Bring the entire family to Blank Park Zoo to enjoy a day of holiday cheer. After snapping a photo with Santa and his reindeer, writing a letter to the North Pole and enjoying a warm cup of hot cocoa, explore the wonders of the Zoo, both indoors and outdoors! Bring along your scarf and hat and wish all of our animal friends a happy holiday! 2014 Conservation Series March 6, April 3 & May 1 Asia encompasses millions of miles of diverse and unique landscapes. From rainforests to deserts, Asian environments that are home to some of the world's most iconic species are under threat from intensive development, human population growth and habitat destruction on an unprecedented scale. Join us for the 2014 Conservation Speaker Series to hear about what is being done to protect three of these imperiled species. The evening event will include cocktails and appetizers, time to visit our rainforest exhibit and chat with the guest speaker. Space is limited, and tickets will go on sale for this series soon at www.blankparkzoo.com. Eggstravaganza Saturday, April 19 from 10 am to 4 pm Mark your calendars and celebrate Easter & Earth Day at the Zoo! Looking for a unique way to entertain this holiday season? It s that time of year for holiday cheer so what do you do? Book a room at the Zoo! Grab your friends, family, co-workers and more! Blank Park Zoo has so much to explore! Call 515-974-2506 to book your holiday adventure today. Keep in mind members receive a 10% discount when booking a rental space!
Thank you to our loyal members! A special thank you to our nearly 300 Loyalty Club members who have been members of Blank Park Zoo for at least 10 consecutive years. We truly appreciate your ongoing support and commitment. Loyalty Club members receive special event and exhibit previews, behind-thescenes tours, invites to VIP events and so much more! For more information on the Zoo s Loyalty Club program, please contact membership@blankparkzoo.org. Member Advantages Earn Zoo Bucks when you visit the Zoo this winter! Every time you visit the Zoo this winter November through February earn a Zoo Buck! Receive your Winter Challenge Card* at admissions and get a stamp with each visit, up to five visits. Simply turn in your Challenge Card following your final visit and earn up to five Zoo Bucks! (Cards can be turned in with fewer visits, but no additional cards* will be issued.) Member Mondays continue year round! Receive one free train ride (weather dependent train is closed during winter months) and bring one additional friend for free every Monday, all year long! These Zoo Bucks will expire October 31, 2014 and will be good at Blank Park Zoo s WildThings Gift Shop, train, carousel, camel and animal feeding experiences when available. Zoo Bucks will not be valid at the Safari Grill. When you receive your Zoo Bucks, you ll also be entered to win one of two prize gift baskets in the spring! *One Challenge Card will be issued per household. Blank Park Zoo is not responsible for lost or stolen cards. No cash value.
Zoo Tracks page four Keeper Spotlight: Bonnie Van Ellen Meet Bonnie and learn about the Zoo s Great Cats Bonnie and Deuce, the Zoo's male lion Bonnie Van Ellen has an obvious and contagious passion for her work and the animals at Blank Park Zoo. She started here in 2001 after working at the Houston Zoo. As the Area Supervisor for Carnivores and Primates, Bonnie works with the Zoo s lemurs, squirrel monkeys, gibbons, macaques and Great Cats the lions, tigers and snow leopards. When Bonnie isn t at the Zoo, she enjoys spending time with her family: her husband of almost 17 years, Eric, and her daughters Brooke (12) and Allison (7). They live in Pleasantville with their dogs, Lucy and Argos, and cats, Kiki and Dot. What is your favorite part of working with the Zoo's Great Cats? What I love about working with cats is that they are always genuine in character and intent. They continue to teach me about acceptance and being true to yourself. They are truly amazing. How do the cats behaviors differ during the winter months? In the winter the snow leopards and tigers are more active. Deuce [the lion] doesn't let a little snow slow him down either.
What kinds of training and enrichment do you do with the cats? We use husbandry training [behaviors that help animal keepers take better care of the animals] to monitor physical health, and enrichment [like perfumes] to mentally stimulate captive cats that would naturally be patrolling, hunting and seeking mates. What is your favorite memory at the Zoo? My most recent favorite memory is when the lion pride came together on exhibit. [The new male, Deuce, was on exhibit with the females.] It was an extremely cold February morning that we gave them access to the exhibit together for the first time. This was especially scary because we have no control in the exhibit, unlike in holding where we can manipulate space by closing doors. I will never forget bundling up so that I could stand watching them all day. The memorable moment was when the sisters were sitting in the back of the exhibit and Deuce walked by them and up on to the "pride rock". He took his place in the pride with their blessing. It was like watching a movie. Anything else you would like to share? I am thankful to the Zoo s administration for allowing me to explore, learn, and apply Reiki [a technique that assists in balancing physical and emotional well-being] as an outside-of-the-box method to provide animal welfare.
Zoo Tracks page six Give the Gift of the Zoo Membership The gift that gives all year long! Looking for a gift the whole family can enjoy? What better way than with a Blank Park Zoo membership! Receive a special gift with your purchase today a FREE plush rhino with your membership now through December 20, 2013. Use promo code RHINO13 to receive your free plush. To purchase your membership:» Go to www.blankparkzoo.com/membership» Call 515-974-2600» Visit the Blank Park Zoo membership desk Animal Adoption Perfect for any animal lover! Buy a Blank Park Zoo membership and get me free!* *Additional $5 fee for shipping or can be picked up at Blank Park Zoo. Use promo code RHINO13 to receive your plush. Does your child or grandchild love Zoo animals? A Blank Park Zoo animal adoption is the perfect gift for any animal lover! For $100, the adopter receives a certificate of adoption, magnetic picture of the adopted animal, Zoo book, and a sign with their name on it at the animal s exhibit for one full year! Your 100% tax-deductible contribution will help in the care and feeding of the adopted animal and support the Blank Park Zoo s education and conservation programs. Call 515-974-2547 or visit www.blankparkzoo.com/adopt to get a full list of the 16 animals available and adopt your animal today!
Tis the Season of Giving Give a Gift to the Zoo Consider adding Blank Park Zoo to your year-end plans! Your 100% taxdeductible year-end donation will go directly to support the care of our animals, Zoo expansion plans, education programs and more. Thank you for helping improve your Zoo! Animal Wish List The animals of Blank Park Zoo would love to get a gift from you this year! Specific wish list areas include: aquatic animals, birds and reptiles, gardens, education animals, large and small mammals. Give a gift to one of the animals at Blank Park Zoo by visiting www.blankparkzoo. com/wishlist or calling 515-974-2547. Your animal friends at Blank Park Zoo say, Thanks and Happy Holidays! Leave a Lasting Impression through a Planned Gift You have the power to make a long-term impact at Blank Park Zoo through a planned gift. As a donor who gives beyond your lifetime, you are serving generations to come and supporting programs far into the future. To learn more about leaving the Zoo in your estate plans, contact Angela Hilbert, Blank Park Zoo s development director, at 515-974- 2593 or email abhilbert@blankparkzoo.org.
Zoo Tracks page eight Thank you We would like to acknowledge and thank our top corporate partners! If you build it, they will come by Jessie Lowry, Zoo Conservation Coordinator One thousand, eight hundred and sixty three miles. That s the distance monarch butterflies travel from Central Iowa to the overwintering grounds in the Michoacan Mountain range, just west of Mexico City. Monarchs travel through Iowa in one of the longest migrations known to any animal, often traveling thousands of miles from Canada to Mexico. But, this beautiful creature and this massive migration route are in trouble. Pollinators, including these monarchs and other native butterflies, are responsible for pollinating over one-third of all plants we eat. And they are vanishing from our landscape because of a dramatic decrease of suitable habitat and host plants needed for healthy population levels. The good news is, you can do something to help the monarchs and other native pollinators thrive in your backyard. Blank Park Zoo is embarking on a new conservation initiative to bring back native pollinators by adding host and nectar plants to our landscape with specialized butterfly gardens. Starting in 2014, we hope you will join us in providing a rich and plentiful environment for monarchs and all of our native pollinators by creating natural habitat in your yard! Stay tuned for more information on how you can join Blank Park Zoo in this important conservation initiative. Please contact me, Jessie Lowry, at jrlowry@blankparkzoo.org with any questions or for more information.
Zoo Tracks page eight Thank you We would like to acknowledge and thank our top corporate partners! If you build it, they will come by Jessie Lowry, Zoo Conservation Coordinator One thousand, eight hundred and sixty three miles. That s the distance monarch butterflies travel from Central Iowa to the overwintering grounds in the Michoacan Mountain range, just west of Mexico City. Monarchs travel through Iowa in one of the longest migrations known to any animal, often traveling thousands of miles from Canada to Mexico. But, this beautiful creature and this massive migration route are in trouble. Pollinators, including these monarchs and other native butterflies, are responsible for pollinating over one-third of all plants we eat. And they are vanishing from our landscape because of a dramatic decrease of suitable habitat and host plants needed for healthy population levels. The good news is, you can do something to help the monarchs and other native pollinators thrive in your backyard. Blank Park Zoo is embarking on a new conservation initiative to bring back native pollinators by adding host and nectar plants to our landscape with specialized butterfly gardens. Starting in 2014, we hope you will join us in providing a rich and plentiful environment for monarchs and all of our native pollinators by creating natural habitat in your yard! Stay tuned for more information on how you can join Blank Park Zoo in this important conservation initiative. Please contact me, Jessie Lowry, at jrlowry@blankparkzoo.org with any questions or for more information.
Zoo Tracks page ten Camels, continued from cover» The new camel holding features inside and outside stalls, a heated rubber floor and a large exhibit yard for them to roam. It also has a sand pit for the camels to take dust baths, two cement pads for feeding hay, and a year-round drinker, which is water that has a heating element. Long-term plans for the exhibit include adding a new animal, likely a large bird, in addition to breeding Nicolai and Tuya as part of the Species Survival Plan. They won t be able to breed for a few years until they are both of breeding age. Blank Park Zoo also hopes to acquire another female camel for the exhibit. We are excited to provide a one-of-a-kind experience for you to enjoy the camels year-round. Thank you to our generous donors for enabling this to happen. Next time you visit, make sure to say hello to Nicolai and Tuya! New to the Zoo 1 Penny the baby fox 2 Flamingo chicks 3 Camel holding building 4 Camel yard 5 Jersey the boa constrictor 6 Stanley crane 4 1 2 5 Kids! Submit your Zoo drawings! 3 6 Send us your drawing of your favorite Zoo animal(s). Please send us your name and age with the picture, along with the name of the animal. Submissions can be mailed or emailed to membership@blankparkzoo.org. You may see your art in future newsletters!
Zoo Tracks page ten Camels, continued from cover» The new camel holding features inside and outside stalls, a heated rubber floor and a large exhibit yard for them to roam. It also has a sand pit for the camels to take dust baths, two cement pads for feeding hay, and a year-round drinker, which is water that has a heating element. Long-term plans for the exhibit include adding a new animal, likely a large bird, in addition to breeding Nicolai and Tuya as part of the Species Survival Plan. They won t be able to breed for a few years until they are both of breeding age. Blank Park Zoo also hopes to acquire another female camel for the exhibit. We are excited to provide a one-of-a-kind experience for you to enjoy the camels year-round. Thank you to our generous donors for enabling this to happen. Next time you visit, make sure to say hello to Nicolai and Tuya! New to the Zoo 1 Penny the baby fox 2 Flamingo chicks 3 Camel holding building 4 Camel yard 5 Jersey the boa constrictor 6 Stanley crane 4 1 2 5 Kids! Submit your Zoo drawings! 3 6 Send us your drawing of your favorite Zoo animal(s). Please send us your name and age with the picture, along with the name of the animal. Submissions can be mailed or emailed to membership@blankparkzoo.org. You may see your art in future newsletters!
What s inside» Zoo winter events (page 2)» Free plush with holiday gift membership (page 6)» New animals, updates and more! Winter Hours we re open year-round! 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily November through April Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year s Day Connect With Us! www.twitter.com/blankparkzoo www.facebook.com/blankparkzoo www.youtube.com/blankparkzoo www.pinterest.com/blankparkzoo Membership hotline: 515-974-2600 Email: membership@blankparkzoo.org The mission of the Blank Park Zoo is to inspire an appreciation of the natural world through conservation, education and recreation. Blank Park Zoo Foundation 7401 SW 9th Street Des Moines, IA 50315 NON PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID DES MOINES, IA PERMIT NO.5754