Courtney Freyhauf, a 16-year-old is Being Sent to the Artic by Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

By Tom O'Konowitz

Cleveland, OH - Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Picks Teen as 'Arctic Ambassador'

Courtney Freyhauf, a 16-year-old junior at Nordonia High School, is heading to the arctic to study endangered polar bears.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and the Greater Cleveland Chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) recently selected Courtney, of Macedonia, Ohio, to be their "Arctic Ambassador" at this year's Polar Bears International Leadership Camp in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada.

For the past three years, Courtney has been a Zoo Crew teen volunteer at the Zoo, handling small animals and teaching guests about endangered animals.
She leaves for her weeklong trip to the tundra on Saturday, September 26.

While there, Courtney will witness the famous polar bear migration, learn about polar bears and global warming from field scientists and explore the arctic habitat of polar bears in a tundra "buggy."

Courtney will blog about her daily experiences in the arctic at polarbearsinternational.org and clemetzoo.com. When she returns home, she'll share what she learned about endangered polar bears and the need to protect them with others in Northeast Ohio.

"This is a real dream come true, not just for the opportunity to see such a magnificent animal, but also because I'll have the opportunity to learn
about more ways I can make a difference on this earth," Courtney said.

Courtney and other Zoo Crew volunteers submitted video applications and went through an interview process in hopes of attending the camp. Courtney was selected by a panel of the Zoo's animal keepers and education staff.

Polar bears are listed as a vulnerable species because climate changes are melting the arctic habitats where polar bears live and hunt. The Zoo and AAZK partner with Polar Bears International in hopes of raising awareness of the plight of polar bears and the need to save them.

To learn more, visit clemetzoo.com or call (216) 661-6500.

To view Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to:  http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-28-Cleveland_Metroparks_Zoo