I took over management of the Zoo’s scouts and overnights programs nearly a year ago and have been busy keeping up with the revamped curriculum the Girl Scouts rolled out this year, as well as exploring options for reaching older scouts.

Photo by Monica Tousenard

The new Journey programs for girls are a great way for girl scouts to explore a variety of topics and activities that they might not have the opportunity to try otherwise. It’s been fun exploring all of the new materials and finding the elements of each program that are best completed by the Zoo.

We have many fun new programs for girl scouts of all ages, from Daisies to Ambassadors. One of the programs I’m particularly excited about is the Brownies Household Elf workshop. We will be holding this on Earth Day (April 22). Girls that attend this program will start their day by donating goods to ABVI Goodwill, seeing how a paper shredding truck works and learning about the Zoo’s e-waste recycling efforts. Of course, there will also be animals; they’ll even get to meet some ambassadors for the animals that can be directly affected by recycling efforts.

For the Boy Scouts, we have added many new merit badge workshops, expanding our programming beyond Webelos. There are two workshops that I’m really looking forward to.

Photo by Amanda Adams

The first is coming up soon, on February 12th. It’s our Reptiles and Amphibians Merit Badge workshop. This is my favorite class of animals and I love sharing my passion for these frequently misunderstood creatures in an effort to gain them more fans! In this workshop, scouts will learn identification of various animals, husbandry skills necessary to properly maintain herps (the term for all reptile and amphibians) and learn why they are important, what their conservation status is and what we can do to help.

Last week I attended a training workshop for Frogwatch USA, a citizen science project that even kids can participate in. Since doing an amphibian monitoring is part of more than one of the Reptiles and Amphibians merit badge, I thought it’d be really exciting for scouts to be able to participate at a national level. My goal is to be able to connect area scouts to this program during the 2013 monitoring season.

And last but not least, I encourage any scout interested in the Archaeology merit badge workshop on Sunday, May 20^th to register as soon as possible. I anticipate that since it is one of the first formal programs to be held in our new A Step Into Africa Exhibit, opening this spring; this workshop will be very popular and will sell out quickly. Scouts who attend will learn about excavation techniques, the tools of the trade and why the sciences of archaeology and paleontology are important. I myself have spent the last 12 summers working at a local dig site and am very excited to share the wonders of this science with the next generation.

If you are interested in registering for these or any others of our exciting scout programs, please click here for more information.

- Tina Crandall-Gommel, Conservation Education Coordinator

Sun conures. Photo by Kelli O'Brien

Many people end up buying a pet bird because they see a one doing something interesting on television, the Internet, at a friend’s house, or at a zoo and think, “Hey that bird was great, I should get one!” After a little while, they realize they cannot provide the bird with all the needs it has, and that caring for it has become overwhelming. The truth is birds are extremely difficult to care for. They are messy, loud, many live a long time and unless they are properly trained, can become aggressive and dangerous.

Some species of parrots can live for 50 to 75 years. This is a huge time investment! In addition, parrots have extremely strong, sharp beaks they use for cracking nuts and seeds and to help with climbing. A parrot that becomes a biter is not something you want in your home. Also, many parrots learn an annoying habit very quickly.  They learn, for instance, that if they scream, you will pay attention to them. Most people will yell at the parrot when they scream, and all that does is reinforce the behavior.

Minnow, the African grey parrot. Photo by Ryan Egan

We have an African Gray parrot named Minnow here at the Zoo. I think he is great; the absolute best bird in the world! Would I want him as a pet? Absolutely not! Being at the Zoo, he gets contact from all sorts of people during the day, and then he has the night by himself.  Parrots crave attention, and most people do not have the time to give a parrot all that attention at their homes.

There are other birds people get as pets as well. Many people get finches, or parakeets. These can be simpler to care for, but you still run into the noise and messiness issues. My best suggestion is to avoid getting a bird as a pet altogether until you know you are absolutely ready. Go to your local library or buy books on the subject. Contact a breeder and ask questions; we have a wonderful store in Rochester, Birds Unlimited, with tons of books for sale on birds as pets and a very knowledgeable staff who have kept all sorts of birds. Consult with a professional and start with a bird that seems the best fit for you. A cockatoo may not be a good bird to start with! Like in my last blog, I see keeping birds as a hobby of love, and something you need to work at for your entire life.

Every time I work with a parrot as part of a program at the Zoo, or any bird for that matter, I always talk about responsible pet ownership. We usually cannot take unwanted pets so if you buy a bird as a pet, please make sure you are prepared to provide care for it for its entire life. If you are unsure on whether a bird is a good pet for you, wait before you get one. Birds are beautiful creatures that can provide great friendship and entertainment, but only if you are responsible in your choice of a bird as a pet.

- Kenny Nelson,  Education Animal Programs and Training Coordinator  

Photo by Kelli O'Brien

To kick of 2o12, we are offering a special discount for our preschool ZooClasses. Register for a class in January and you’ll receive $4 off any additional classes you register for in February and March! Just mention you read about it on our blog.

We offer classes for 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. For our 2-year-old friends, we keep things really simple; each month we learn about a new animal. January is “Remarkable Rabbits”, February is “Opulent Owls” and March is “Smiling Snakes.”

We kick things up a notch for our 3-year-old groups and start to explore topics like “Animal Movements” in January, “Animal Coverings” in February and “Animal ABC’s” in March! Finally, for our 4- and 5-year-olds we start to explore the natural world with themes like “Hug a Bug” in January, “Critters in the Cold” in February and “Animal Disguises” in March.

Each class includes animal visitors to the classroom, stories, crafts, songs and a snack. Register your child today and take advantage of this special offer.  See you at the Zoo!

- Emily Coon-Frisch, Manager of Program Development

Instead of looking at the past year, I like to think about the year that we just entered and what is coming up. The year 2012 is going to be an exciting year for the Education Department and the Seneca Park Zoo. Here are some of the top things we are looking forward to in 2012:

• Thanks to a New York State grant, in 2012 the Education department will be getting a new office and a new facility to house our Education Animal Collection! We would like to thank all the people that worked hard to make this exciting development come true: Michelle Picardo, Chuck Levengood and everyone else in the Development & Finance Department – Rachel August, Sharon Peterson, Larry Sorel, Kristin Miles-Pavia and David Hamilton.
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  Photo by Kelli O'Brien

  Due to the high demand for our Summer ZooCamp program, in 2012 we will be expanding to three sessions running at the same time instead of the two sessions that we have run previously. This will give more children the chance to learn about the animals and the environment in a fun and interactive setting of our growing Zoo.

• Talking about growing, the biggest news of all, our A Step Into Africa
  

  iStock

  Exhibit will be opening this year! The third and final phase of our project featuring a new dining facility, interactive educational opportunities and an 8,000-square-foot enclosure to showcase the return of lions back to your Zoo! A Step Into Africa will also include a Maasai village, archeological Dig Zone and a safari bus.

This is going to be an exciting year, so come down to the Zoo. You wouldn’t want to miss it! Happy 2012 everyone!

- Tim Fowler, Off-site Education Coordinator

• Each year we send out 2.65 billion Christmas cards. That’s enough to fill a football field 10 stories high! Consider purchasing cards that are made from 100% recycled content paper, compostable cards, or even plant-able ones! Click here for more tips.

• Now, let’s talk about gift wrap. Did you know that 50% of all paper used in the U.S. is used to wrap Christmas gifts? Growing up in my Polish family, we had the infamous “Grapotta” box. It was just an ordinary shirt box, but I think it has been kicking around since the early 70′s. Every year, it would be a mystery to see whose gift came in the revered box. A special message would be written to the recipient every year. Now, the original intention of this tradition was not to save the planet, but think about the impact that this simple action has had. We still have “Grapotta”, and it even has an offspring now, “Grapotta II,” but I now reuse every gift bag, piece of wrapping paper, box, length of ribbon or bow that I can until it can no longer fulfill its duty. If every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet!

• Last year at this time, I wrote about the debate between artificial trees and real ones and which one is kinder to the environment. Surprisingly, the more I learn about the many options there are for real trees after they’ve served their purpose, the more real trees come out on top as the greener option. This year you will have multiple opportunities to give your real tree a second life as mulch. Our neighbors at Helmer Nature Center will be providing this service on Jan. 9th. Click here for more information.

• I’ll leave you with one last holiday suggestion: While you’re home with the kids over the winter break, help out our little bird friends by making some recycled craft bird feeders. Click here for some great ideas!

Have a wonderful holiday season and wishes for a happy New Year!

- Tina Crandall-Gommel, Conservation Education Coordinator

Photo by Helen Dishaw

Well of course you can! Do they like it? Probably not, but they have learned to tolerate it. Reptiles and amphibians are very unique animals. There are four major groups of reptiles (lizards, snakes, turtles and tortoises, alligators and crocodiles) and three major groups of amphibians (newts and salamanders, a special group called caecilians, and the famous frogs and toads). These are beautiful animals. People have been keeping them as pets for many years now and perfected the art of keeping these animals. This however is not an easy task.

Being cold-blooded, or exothermic (i.e. your body temperature is regulated by your surrounding ambient temperature), means these animals have strict temperature and humidity requirements. Keeping humidity and temperature at the correct levels can be daunting. Also, be mindful of what a reptile or an amphibian eats. Snakes have to eat mice, so if you do not like that idea, DO NOT GET A SNAKE! Frogs and toads may need to eat mealworms or fruit flies. If this turns you off, DO NOT GET A FROG OR A TOAD!

Handling these animals also takes time and patience. Unlike your traditional dog or cat, these animals are not domesticated. They have a very wild instinct. I cannot be sure, because I cannot talk to animals, but I am assuming the first thing these guys think when they see a human is, PREDATOR! We are big “animals” compared to most of them, always remember this. They need to take time to get used to you.

Can you “cuddle” them? I have seen people do this, but generally they are not going to be the type of animal you cuddle with; most of the time they are content to be left alone. I have seen tortoises and lizards beg for food or attention, but these are often unique cases where there has been a large amount of socialization with humans.

Photo by Kelli O'Brien

I see keeping reptiles and amphibians as more of a hobby. It is something that requires lots of research and practice to get it right. It can be expensive when you consider substrates, heating sources, filtration systems and many of the other things needed to take proper care of your reptile or amphibian.

Furthermore, make sure you know of a veterinarian nearby that can help if needed, or form a network with others who also keep these animals. A few months after I bought my snake, she developed a mite problem. I had no idea what to do about this! I called a local vet who told me to soak her in vegetable oil, and it worked! Since then I now know four people I could call with a question about my snake and they would be able to answer it.

Make sure you know where you are getting your reptile or amphibian from. I could have avoided the mites if I had gotten my snake from a breeder rather than a large chain pet-store.

Photo by Kelli O'Brien

Lastly I finish this blog with a very strong statement: It’s ILLEGAL to have an alligator or crocodile as a pet in New York State! I do not know about other states, but here it is a big NO! It seems like a good idea for a couple years until they become 6 feet long and aggressive.

So should you get a reptile or an amphibian as a pet? It is your decision but please, for the sake of the animal, make the right one!

- Kenny Nelson, Education Animal Programs and Training Coordinator

Photo by Bart Roselli

Last weekend, the Education Department took a little road trip!

We set out early, headed east and ended up at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse. We met with our fellow Educators from the Syracuse and Buffalo zoos to share ideas and information. We learned what type of educational programming is done at Syracuse and Buffalo and were also able to share some information about our exciting new A Step Into Africa project. We all came away with lots of new ideas and new friends. Hopefully, we will be doing this again soon to continue to learn more about our neighboring zoos and lean find new ways to work together.

Photo by Tina Crandall-Gommel

Of course, the best part of the day was being able to tour the zoo and get a behind-the-scenes peek at their elephants! The Rosamond Gifford Zoo houses Asian elephants and we have African elephants. It was fun to see their elephants up close and see how different the two types are. I also really enjoyed seeing their young Amur tigers who were born in May of this year and already weigh about 100 pounds! It reminded me of when our tigers, Katya and Anastasia, were born here at our Zoo six years ago. Their birthday will always be special to me since they were born the week I started working here – wow, how times flies!

So after a great day of learning, sharing and animals, we hit the gift shop and headed back to Rochester. A big thanks to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo for hosting us and the Buffalo Zoo for making the trip! Can’t wait to do it again!

- Emily Coon-Frisch, On-site Education Coordinator

Photo by Pam Cowan

If you’ve ever wanted to be an educator at a zoo, now is your chance to apply. The Education Department is currently hiring five part-time educators; the position is called Educator One. Educators in this position will present many of our programs to the public, including birthday parties, overnight programs, workshops and more.

Anybody interested in this position (college students and teachers are highly encouraged to apply) should know that it is not all fun and games… well actually… it kind of is. In many of our programs we use games, crafts, activities and tours to educate. Applicants must be energetic, outgoing and able to work with people of all ages and ability levels.

Photo by Ryan Egan

I know the question that is on everyone’s mind: Will I get to touch any animals? Even though you will not be able to handle any animals in this position, you may be offered the chance to move up to an Educator Two position, which would include education animal handling training.

If you are interested, click here to learn more about this position and other open Zoo positions.

- Tim Fowler, Off-site Education Coordinator

Here are some tips on how to do this in these modern times:

1. Buy local. From your turkey, to the produce, the bread, and even your wine, your dinner can reduce your carbon footprint by all being produced locally. Being so close to the Finger Lakes, an abundance of locally produced wines and beers can be served.
2. When shopping, utilize your reusable shopping bags!
3. Buy organic. Check with your grocery store for organic, grass-fed, or free range options for your turkey. Organic vegetables are not only better for the Earth, they are better for you as they are grown without the use of pesticides. You can even look for organic options for your wine and beer. Check for those using FSC certified corks and labels to have an even great impact.
4. Decorate with inspirations from nature. Spread leaves, pine cones, acorns, gourds, and Indian corn for a fall themed table.
5. Use the fancy china, not paper plates. Utilizing your regular dishes instead of using disposable items significantly cuts back on the waste. If you must use disposable, purchase compostable plates, bowls, cups, napkins and throw them in your compost bin with the rest of your scraps. Also, save water: pre-rinsing your plates before putting them in the dishwasher is no longer necessary.
6. If you don’t already compost, start a compost bin with your Thanksgiving Day scraps.
7. Minimize travel. Staying close to home greatly reduces your impact. If you must travel to visit family and friends, consider purchasing carbon credits to offset the emissions of your flight.
8. Plant a tree. Trees minimize the carbon dioxide in the air. Planting a tree as a family is a great way to share with children the importance of giving back to the Earth, and it is something that they can watch grow as they grow.
9. Have a shopping plan. Make sure your list is complete and you combine your trips out to reduce the amount of gasoline you use.
10. What about Friday? Carpool with friends for your Black Friday shopping excursions. It’s a lot more fun, and helps the environment!

- Tina Crandall-Gommel, Conservation Education Coordinator

Photo by Ryan Egan

The short answer, no. Pet ownership is something that requires the utmost responsibility. Pets can bring so much joy to your life and you to theirs, as long as you are being a responsible pet owner. After the tragedy that happened just a short while ago in Ohio, I cannot stress enough the importance of responsible pet ownership. Granted most people are not acquiring bears, wolves and a tiger as pets, but a pet is a pet, and you are their caretaker.

I am contacted at least once a week by people looking to donate their pets to the Zoo. Most often they are what refer to as “exotics,” meaning they are something other than a cat or dog. The most common exotic pets are snakes, lizards, parrots, fish and in some cases, small mammals. While we do have animals at the Zoo that many people might keep as pets, it is our policy that we must say “no” to donations. The Zoo selects the animals it acquires through careful planning, via a committee. If we accepted every donated pet, we might only be displaying exotic pets here at the Zoo. In addition, it makes the Zoo an “easy out” for those that want to get rid of their exotic pets.

Photo by Jeff Gerew

So what exactly makes a good pet?  There are a number of things to look at, but I tend to have people ask themselves a question: “What do I want from my pet?” Most people will answer that they want some sort of companionship and to be able to play and interact with their pet. Pets like snakes or lizards, while they may seem like they “like” you, may not actually enjoy the contact you provide. We tend to anthropomorphize with animals (i.e. put our emotions onto animals), and this can lead us to think they are enjoying themselves. Now I do not want to say that all snakes and lizards don’t tolerate being pets. The truth is I simply do not know for sure, because I cannot talk to them. What I do know is that my dog does enjoy my company. I see it in his behavior when I come home and he will not leave me alone for a solid ten minutes. I know my dog makes a good pet.

Do your research! I always stress that people do their research before getting a pet. Below are a few things to consider:

1. How long will this species live? Some species of parrot may live 50 to 75 years. Some snakes and lizards may live 20 to 50 years.  If you do not think you could take care of an animal for that long, my advice would be to not buy it.
2. What are the living requirements of the species? What does it eat, how often, and how much? How much water does it need, does it need certain humidity? What temperature must it be in? How much space does it need, and will it get bigger? Is there anything that might be harmful to this species? How often do I need to clean its enclosure? These are all must-asks and answers before getting a pet.
3. How much attention does it need? Many exotics like parrots may need constant attention and if you do not give it to them, they will let you know through their loud vocalizations. In addition, many parrots tend to become one-person birds. A common misconception is that a parrot can be socialized with everyone. Parrots generally form strong bonds with one person; this stems from their behavior in the wild where they form strong bonds with their mates. Other “exotics” such as snakes or lizards may need only minimal attention, but can become defensive if not handled or socialized enough.

Photo by Helen Dishaw

My child wants a pet! Pets are great for teaching kids responsibility, but make sure you are getting the right pet for this. Snakes, lizards and parrots are a big “no” from me. I would suggest fish or rats. Rats you say! Well, rats are easily trained, can form bonds, require minimal attention and they only live about 3 years. So if it does not work out, you do not have to keep the pet for a long time.

Again, I do not want to say that you should not get an exotic pet. I myself have a snake, but please make sure it is the right decision for you, and that you are up to the task. Again, I cannot stress the importance of research. I would like to leave you with a quote that has stuck with me ever since I read it. It is from conservationist Meryle Nelson who worked at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago: “Our quality of work is their quality of life.” This is very true. A pet’s quality of life is entirely reliant on you.

If anyone has any questions about pet ownership or exotic pets, I would be glad to talk to you more. Please feel free to contact me. I will be writing more in-depth on selected types of exotic pets over the winter months, so make sure to keep checking our blog and to visit the Zoo!

- Kenny Nelson, Animal Programs and Training Coordinator