Dale Schmidt Selected as Executive Director of The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

By Patty Peters

Columbus, OH - The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is pleased to announce the selection of Dale Schmidt to the position of Executive Director. Dale, the Zoo’s Chief Operating Officer, has served as Interim Director since the untimely passing of Jeff Swanagan in June 2009.

“We conducted a nationwide search and identified several qualified candidates for the position” said Connie Woodburn, President of the Zoo’s Board of Directors. “We have been very impressed with Dale’s ability to lead our team and move this beloved community asset and important conservation organization forward. Dale is our clear choice and it was a unanimous decision.”

Dale came to the Columbus Zoo in October 2008 from the Oregon Coast Aquarium, where he served as President/CEO. Prior to his five-year stay in Oregon, Dale was Executive Director of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and Vice President of Operations at The Florida Aquarium. He also served as a consultant to the Georgia Aquarium and learned to love the industry at Busch Gardens and Universal Studios. Dale received his undergraduate degree in natural sciences from the University of South Florida and is active in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

The Akron Zoo Gift Shop Will Stay Open Until 7:30 p.m. to Accommodate Holiday Shoppers

By David Barnhardt

Akron, OH - The Akron Zoo Gift Shop offers unique gifts for any age that cannot be found anywhere else in Northeast Ohio. The Gift Shop’s normal operating hours are when the zoo is open from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. However, on December 9th, 16th and 23rd the Akron Zoo Gift Shop will stay open until 7:30 p.m. to accommodate holiday shoppers. On December 9th the zoo will be hosting their first-ever trunk show from 4 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. featuring local artists and vendors offering an array of animal, nature and conservation gifts.

The Akron Zoo Gift Shop carries hundreds of animal related and green items in the 3,500-square foot store for newborns to adults. Some of the most popular items are stuffed animals, infant and adult apparel, jewelry and much more. The zoo also has in stock its 4th annual holiday ornament, which this year features a flamingo.

Also available for purchase these evenings and during regular hours at the zoo are popular gifts such as sponsoring a penguin, annual memberships and a wild gift card that can be used anywhere at the Akron Zoo.

Tickets are Now on Sale for ZooLights, the National Zoo’s 3rd Annual Winter Celebration

By Karin Korpowski-Gallo

Washington, DC - Tickets are now on sale for ZooLights, the National Zoo’s 3rd annual winter celebration, featuring sculptures of the Zoo’s animals in LED lights. ZooLights, powered by Pepco, will take place December 4-13 (Friday through Sunday nights) and December 18-January 2 (every night except Dec. 24, 25, and 31) from 6-8:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) members and $8 for nonmembers.

People of all ages and stages of life will find something to love in the ZooLights nightly entertainment lineup, which includes keeper talks, roving musicians, “dancing trees,” lectures about energy conservation, photo opportunities with costumed characters, and performances by Flumpa® and Friends Live (Dec. 26-29) and Blue Sky Puppet Theater (all other nights).

Children Reacted With Astonishment at Their First Glimpse of the Ocean and the Aquarium

By Cindy Hanson

Newport, OR - A group of at risk youths from the Police Activities League of Portland (PAL) visited the Oregon Coast Aquarium for the first time last Friday, and for some, it was the first time they had ever seen the ocean. “Before arriving at the Aquarium, some of the smaller children were asking, ‘what is in an aquarium?’ They truly had no idea what was in store,” said Cara Sweeney, Recruitment Coordinator for the Portland Police Bureau, who also works closely with PAL.

Earlier This Week, the WDFW Released 12 Oregon Zoo Frogs into the Wild

By Bill LaMarche

Portland, OR - As the Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) disappears from the wild at an alarming rate, the Oregon Zoo, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and their conservation partners are working to repopulate the Pacific Northwest with this important amphibian. Earlier this week, the WDFW released around 80 frogs into the wild, including a dozen that had been reared at the zoo.

Spotted frogs are endangered in Washington and Canada, and threatened in Oregon. Over the past 50 years, the frogs have lost around 90 percent of their previous habitat.

"The key to reestablishing spotted frogs in the wild is nurturing the frogs in zoos until they are fully metamorphosed, yet not fully grown," said to Dr. David Shepherdson, Oregon Zoo conservation scientist. "They have a much better chance of survival if they're released as frogs rather than tadpoles."

New Zoo Will Open for Extended Hours During Holiday Festivities

By Maria Lasecki

Green Bay, WI - Even if you don’t “Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas”, consider visiting snow leopards, lions and giraffes at the NEW Zoo during Holiday Fest! Holiday Fest ’09 is scheduled for one fun-filled weekend so be certain to mark your calendars!

Friday, December 18th and Saturday, December 19th
5:00- 8:00pm

The zoo will open for extended hours on these dates and will feature festive lights and a candlelit, horse drawn wagon ride thru the Reforestation Camp trails (an additional $2 fee applies). Don’t miss Santa! The jolly ‘ole fellow will be on site each night-have you been naughty or nice?

Detroit Zoo Gift Cards Can be Loaded With Any Amount $5 and Up

By Patricia Janeway

Royal Oak, MI - When the shopping mall becomes a zoo this holiday season, shoppers can make the Zoo their “mall”.

A Detroit Zoo gift card can be loaded with any amount $5 and up and used for admission and parking as well as tickets for the new Wild Adventure 3-D/4-D Theater, Wild Adventure Ride, Tauber Family Railroad and Giraffe Encounter feeding station.

The re-loadable gift cards are also good at gift shops and food concessions, and can be used to purchase Detroit Zoo memberships, animal experiences, brick pavers, “Adopt”-an-Animal and other “wild” gifts.

Movements of Wild Water Birds Over-winter are Poorly Understood

By Kim Riley

Atherstone, UK - We know that the zoo birds at Twycross stay here, but the movements of wild birds over-winter are poorly understood. Most species spend the winter entirely at sea, and are capable of travelling thousands of miles from their colonies.

To address this question, The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has developed a miniaturised (1.5g) data logger that allows birds to be tracked all over the world for periods of up to 3 years. The data logger does this by recording light levels and time (GMT), from which latitude and longitude can be calculated based on day length and local time of midday, respectively.

Fitting these securely to penguins has proved difficult. Bands on the flippers can cause excessive drag and increase mortality, while metal or plastic rings fitted to the legs cause cuts or sores.

This Pass Offers Unlimited Entry to a Choice of Two of the Gold Coast’s Best Theme Parks

By Renee Soutar

Gold Coast, Australia - Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World & Wet’n’Wild Water World now offer more choice for Queensland holiday fun this summer with the launch of the all new Endless Summer Pass.

The pass offers unlimited entry to a choice of two of the Gold Coast’s best theme parks, Movie World, Sea World and Wet’n’Wild!

For one tiny price pass holders get unlimited entry until 30 June 2010!

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Name: James Hamilton 

Actual title: Property Manager

Name of your aquarium: Downtown Aquarium

Location: Houston, Texas

URL for your facility: www.DowntownAquarium.com

Number of species at your facility: 375

Your favorite critter at the facility: Napoleon Wrasse (large marine fish)

Total number of animals or fish at your facility: 3500

Number of visitors annually: 1 Million

Number of employees: 300

Number of volunteers: None

Annual budget: $1.7 million

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Actual title: Zoo Director

Name of your zoo: Potter Park Zoological Gardens

Location: Lansing, Michigan

URL for your facility: www.potterparkzoo.org

Number of species at your facility: 133

Your favorite critter at the facility: Amur tigers are extreme

Total number of animals at your facility: 585

Number of visitors annually: 200,000

Number of employees: Peak Season 80 - 90

Number of volunteers: 200

Annual budget: 4.1 million

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