Santa Barbara Zoo Visitors Can Now Tour With A Zoo Ranger

Thu, 9/4/2008 - 8:53 AM

Visitors to what is known as “one of the world’s most beautiful zoos” will have something new to enjoy amongst the 500 animals and lush botanic gardens that the Santa Barbara Zoo boasts. The zoo has just introduced Zoo Ranger™, a self-guided multimedia tour device that gives visitors a behind-the-scenes tour of the zoo that’s the closest thing to a personal tour with a zookeeper.

Zoo Ranger is a patent-pending handheld video tour guide system that delivers informative and entertaining full-color videos, audio, photography and animation based on location using the power of GPS (Global Positioning System) technology. The tour includes about 18 points of interest throughout the zoo and offers a closer look at many of the zoo’s most interesting species. Some highlights of the tour are:

* Giant Anteaters and footage of some of the 25 different baby anteaters that have been born right at the Santa Barbara Zoo!
* Chinese Alligators, the reptile equivalent of icebergs, with 90% of their bodies submerged under water most of the day, and an interesting story about how the protective mothers keep their young safe - in their mouths!
* Lemurs, the Madagascar natives who have a tendency to mark their territories and may even have a “stink fight” with other lemurs.
* The Amur Leopard, the rarest of all the big cats and now found only in a single mountain range in Southern Russia.
* Asian Elephants and how their keepers keep the naturally curious animals engaged with new scents and toys added to their yard daily.
* Humbolt Penguins, unlike their stereotypical cold-weather counterparts, are well suited to the warmer California climate as they come from a similar environment on the coast of Chile and Peru.
* The future California Trails exhibit and information about the California Condor Recovery Program in which the Santa Barbara Zoo participates with other organizations to help ensure the survival of this species.

The Zoo Ranger experience is completed with the addition of animal I.D.s, fun facts and interactive trivia where visitors can earn points by answering questions about the animals, exhibits and video segments. A dynamic zoo map shows where visitors are in relation to other points of interest and facilities.

“It’s amazing,” says Zoo CEO, Rich Block, “at predetermined GPS points in the park, Zoo Ranger automatically triggers. As you’re walking past the snow leopard exhibit – ding – the device starts up and guests can learn even more about these amazing creatures and how we care for them.”

Developed and designed by BarZ Adventures, the leading provider of hand-held GPS visitor guiding systems, Zoo Ranger utilizes innovative GPS technology to enhance the visitor experience and take it to the next level of interactivity.

“The Zoo Ranger is a fun and entertaining medium for telling fascinating stories, such as those found with the animal collections at the Santa Barbara Zoo, in a format that engages visitors from the technology generation. We feel as though all visitors will benefit with from the in-depth information that the tour presents, really connecting them with the animals and conservation programs that are unique to this zoo,” said Wm. Lee Little, Founder and CEO of BarZ Adventures Inc.

The sleek device features a four-inch LCD touch screen and can be enjoyed by several visitors at once with its dual-speaker stereo system. Zoo Ranger can be rented from the zoo’s admission window for only $9.95. Between now and October 31st, the zoo is offering a special discount to all Santa Barbara Zoo Members to try out Zoo Ranger for only $6.99.

ABOUT THE SANTA BARBARA ZOO
The Santa Barbara Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). It is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; general admission is $11 for adults, $8 for children 2-12 and seniors 60+, and children under 2 are free. Parking is $4.

AZA zoos are dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great visitor experience,
and a better future for all living things.  With its more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a
leader in global wildlife conservation, and is the public’s link to helping animals in their native habitats. For more information, log onto www.sbzoo.org or call (805) 962-1673.

ABOUT BARZ ADVENTURES INC
BarZ Adventures Inc, founded in 2005, is an Austin, TX based company combining experts in the fields of computer delivery systems and content development. BarZ Adventures has designed the patent-pending Zoo Ranger™ and GPS Ranger™ systems with large venues and their visitors in mind – its sole mission is to enhance the visitor experience at high visitation locations using modern technology. Zoo Ranger tours are available at the San Francisco Zoo, Dallas Zoo, Oklahoma City Zoo and Santa Barbara Zoo. GPS Ranger tours are currently available at Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Vicksburg National Military Park, Death Valley National Park, Shenandoah National Park, Independence National Historical Park, Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park. Historic city walking tours are available in Key West and St. Augustine, Florida, Bermuda and Austin, Texas, which is also the first tour to be made available in American Sign Language (ASL). The first GPS Ranger College Campus tour is now available at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. For more information, log on to www.zooranger.com or call (512) 732-0135.
 



       
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Irresponsible Board of Management Thu, 11/5/2009 - 9:20 PM — latino boy

Maybe , just maybe The Toronto Zoo Board Is In The Middle Of A Financial Crisis And There Is No Place To Go But To City Council like a wayward son go to Mom and Dad for more money...

Although it was made clear by Shelley Carroll (the City's Budget Chief) that the Toronto Zoo has to behave more financially responsible, perhaps the problem is that there is no place else to go. The $250 Million fund-raising plans are a pipe dream (especially after firing the Zoo Foundation), it is not possible to raise admission prices any longer (or face a significant drop in attendance) and the "junkets" (especially to China for the Giant Pandas) by members of the Zoo Board can not be cut significantly for any reason. In other words, there is no place to go but City Council. What a crock! The Toronto Zoo Board needs a reality check, as it has become clear that they do not understand the problems they are facing. Perhaps the thousands of free Zoo passes given to Councillors on the Zoo Board could be cut to zero, perhaps the Zoo Foundation could be re-instated, and perhaps a citizen's advisory committee could be formed to provide much-needed guidance to the existing members of the Board.

This is Proof positive

that citizens should have more direct say in the budget process. Line item veto by a citizen's budget committee might get the desired cuts we must attain. The citizens of Toronto should stand with one voice that we just won't allow a property tax increase this year.


By  Latinoboy in TORONTO


Ethyl Mercaptan Mon, 11/2/2009 - 2:27 PM — Mercaptan

I would be quite interested in any reference you might have to the presence of ethyl mercaptan in carrion.  Most literature indicates that dimethyl sulfide and methyl mercaptan are the sulfur containing entities involved.  I had also thought that vultures, like many carrion eating and inhabiting species (flies, etc) were attracted to the rather bad smell of the nitrogenous materials (cadaverine, putresceine, etc) produced during decomposition. 


Ant farms Mon, 9/28/2009 - 6:04 PM — factzoo

Very nice ant exhibit! I wrote a small ant farm post with a reference to your article.


Train Business Directory Available for Visitors Sun, 9/13/2009 - 12:15 PM — RanLoot

A "Train Business Directory" shows over 850 locations near all of the Portland MAX light rail at PortlandLightRail.net.


Happy Birthday, Boomer! Sat, 9/12/2009 - 7:26 PM — redapes

You are a great ambassador for your cousins in the wild, Boomer!

Orangutans are critically endangered because of rapid deforestation and the expansion of palm oil plantations.

If nothing is done to protect orangutans, they could be extinct in just a few years!

Your fans can visit the Orangutan Outreach website to make a difference!

Orangutan Outreach
http://redapes.org
Reach out and save the orangutans!
Facebook Cause: http://causes.com/redapes
 


Venemous snakes? Fri, 9/11/2009 - 9:18 AM — Kyle Bradley

What is it with people that want to exterminate venemous snakes? If they weren't an integral part of the food chain and ecosystem, they wouldn't be here! Evolution and natural selection has chosen them as survivors! The fact that they are "harmful" to humans is only a result of humans encroaching on their territories and habitats. Be mindful of your surroundings and situation and you can safely live with the so called "harmful" species that we share this planet with!


Local wildlife day Sat, 8/22/2009 - 5:41 PM — Devon eco lodges at Wheatland Farm

Good luck with the event. We have some fabulous wildlife in Devon that's really worth celebrating. We recently had a botanical survey of our small  Devon nature reserve, which recorded more than 180 species in about 3.5 acres. And even more amazing was the depth of local knowledge the visiting naturalists had to share - on everything from obscure moths to lichens.


Local wildlife day Fri, 8/21/2009 - 6:16 PM — Devon eco lodges at Wheatland Farm

Good luck with the event. We have some fabulous wildlife in Devon that's really worth celebrating. We recently had a botanical survey of our small  Devon nature reserve, which recorded more than 180 species in about 3.5 acres. And even more amazing was the depth of local knowledge the visiting naturalists had to share - on everything from obscure moths to lichens.


Sadly, a lack of common sense is the trend Sun, 8/9/2009 - 7:57 PM — eliewriter

What is sad to me is the lack of common sense regarding venomous snakes that seems to becoming more commonplace.

It has become trendy for government agencies to defend venomous snakes, saying they kill rodents, etc., but non-venomous snakes also kill rodents. I have not heard one logical argument as to what a venomous snake contributes to an ecosystem that a non-venomous snake doesn't.

Any non-biased biologist can affirm species extinction has always happened naturally. It's common sense to kill a venomous snake, rather than let it continue breeding and increase the potential for harm.

The unfortunate consequence of naturalists defending venomous snakes is they make them appear so necessary and harmless that both people and agencies--hospitals, for example--do not expect or prepare for snake encounters.

It's doubtful that many hospitals near the snakes stock the expensive antivenin. Governments should help fund snakebite treatment rather than fund snake protection.


Skype Usage Fri, 8/7/2009 - 5:02 PM — Shawn

Very cool and novel way to use Skype. Glad to see that people are thinking outside the box with its collaborative application. If it's not too late, you may want to submit this to Skype as a good use of their software for the Skype in business contest they're running.

Shawn
OnState Communications


Word Oceans Day - June 8 Thu, 6/4/2009 - 11:58 AM — The Ocean Project

And don't forget to "Wear Blue and Tell Two"
  

Another great way to celebrate World Oceans Day is to wear blue in honor of the ocean and tell people two things they likely don't know about the ocean and two ways they can take action. For more Information check out this website: 

WorldOceansDay

 



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