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Notify HGTV - The Rhinos At Potter Park Zoo Are Redoing Their Home
Lansing, MI - It is with great excitement and enthusiasm that Potter Park Zoo reveals preliminary plans for the new Eastern Black Rhino Exhibit. Ingham County began requesting qualifications from engineering firms interested in the Rhino Yard Expansion project on Wednesday, January 7, 2009. The new exhibit will feature two enlarged outdoor yards and renovations and expansion to the rhino building providing the rhinos with a variety of indoor and outdoor habitats. The exhibit will also feature a canopied viewing area and places for visitors to watch zookeepers work directly with the rhinos, providing a naturalistic habitat for rhinos and many dynamic learning opportunities for guests. The renovated facility will have a large indoor habitat, twice the size of the current rhino barn, with additional stalls and areas for zookeepers to work directly with the animals. The facility will be equipped with rubberized floors that are better for the rhinos’ feet and new scale systems to better facilitate medical treatments. The new expanded building will also feature special viewing windows for additional opportunities for visitors to observe the rhinos. Along with the indoor renovations, the zoo will also be expanding and enhancing the current rhino yard. The new yard will be twice the size of the current yard and contain shade structures, mud wallows, and watering holes intended to stimulate natural rhino behaviors. The inclusion of these features will aid in the overall care of the animals by providing ways for the rhino to cool down and prevent sunburn while allowing visitors to witness these natural behaviors. Zoo officials worked closely with Black Rhino Species Survival Program (SSP) coordinators to develop an exhibit design that would meet the high standards set by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) for zoos participating in the Black Rhino SSP program. “Black Rhinos can be stressed by being close to the public,” said Dr. Tara Harrison, the zoo’s veterinarian and animal curator. “This new exhibit design provides ways to immerse them in a pseudo-naturalistic environment while reducing the overall stress of the animal, and still giving the visitors a chance to observe this critically endangered species.” Currently there are less than 5,000 Eastern Black Rhinos in the wild. Potter Park Zoo is deeply committed to the conservation of endangered species including Black Rhinos. The zoo is currently a member of the AZA and the Species Survival Program (SSP). As a part of the SSP, zoos across the U.S. cooperate to care for and breed endangered animals to enable their survival. Nutrition, husbandry, and medical care are continuously improved through such programs. The renovations to the current rhino facilities will aid the zoo’s conservation efforts by better facilitating medical treatments and scientific investigation of black rhinoceros, building on the volume of husbandry knowledge, and enhancing each visitor’s educational experience. Potter Park Zoo lost its two black rhinos early last year. Spike, the zoo’s 17-year-old male black rhinoceros, passed away February 8, 2008 due to kidney disease. Ebony, the zoo’s female rhino, had been ill over the past year with multiple problems and passed away on April 6, 2008. Investigations later showed that Ebony simultaneously developed several syndromes that commonly affect black rhinoceros, including decreased circulation to the limbs and anemia, which affected Ebony’s feet. “We were all saddened by the loss of Ebony and Spike,” said Dr. Harrison. “However, much of the research and treatments used with both Ebony and Spike will go on to be used in the future with other rhinos facing similar problems.” “Potter Park Zoo is a key player in the on-going efforts to help rhinos and must continue to be involved. The expansion of the current rhino exhibit is only the first step,” explains Zoo Director Gerry Brady. Renovating the current rhino exhibit and the introduction of new black rhinos will provide more opportunities to study these animals to ensure their successful preservation. The zoo will also continue its partnerships with other AZA institutions and the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine to provide the best medical care for these animals. Potter Park Zoo is located at 1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave. within Potter Park along the Red Cedar River in Lansing, Michigan. The zoo is open daily year-round, winter hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call (517) 483-4222 or visit www.potterparkzoo.org. |
By Billie Harris
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Irresponsible Board of Management
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
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
Very nice ant exhibit! I wrote a small ant farm post with a reference to your article.
Train Business Directory Available for Visitors
A "Train Business Directory" shows over 850 locations near all of the Portland MAX light rail at PortlandLightRail.net.
Happy Birthday, Boomer!
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?
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
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
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
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
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
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:
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