Talkin Pets

Oakland, CA, May 25, 2013…Oakland Zoo presents a day to celebrate and honor elephants. Oakland Zoo is home to four African elephants named Donna, Lisa, M’Dunda, and Osh. Celebrating Elephants is a day the Zoo strives to spread awareness about elephants in captivity and in the wild. This annual event will take place from 10:00am to 3:00pm and will feature hands on activities, a research camp, learning stations, and elephant barn tours. It is an opportunity for guests to learn fascinating facts about these enormous animals and find out what elephants in the wild are facing right now with poaching and the ivory trade.

Elephant barn tours, which are $5 per person, will take guests behind-the-scenes to see an elephant up-close and witness how these massive-sized animals are cared for by zookeepers. The tour will also include an inside look at Osh’s barn (male elephant); it was specially designed to accommodate his growing build. The posh pad is complete with heating, high ceilings, and bedding to support his 12,000+ pound body.

Family friendly activities include a mock research camp which will give guests the opportunity to use binoculars and participate in observing elephant behaviors. They can also learn how to tell Oakland Zoo’s four elephants apart. In the Wayne and Gladys Valley Children’s Zoo, visitors are invited to watch Circus Finelli, an animal free circus performance with comedy, acrobatics, juggling, dance, and live music. Families will also find engaging elephant stations, such as, touching gigantic pachyderm bones, holding an eleven-pound tooth, and stepping into an elephant-sized footprint.

“Celebrating Elephants Day is fun-filled day designed for guests to enjoy and learn about elephants, while helping to save elephants in the wild. For the last nineteen years, Oakland Zoo has been a proud supporter and advocator for protecting elephants in Africa,” said Colleen Kinzley, Director of Animal Care, Conservation, and Research at Oakland Zoo. “Our goal is for guests to be awed by these majestic animals and aware of what is happening to them in the ivory trade.”

For more information about Celebrating Elephants, please call 510-632-9525 or visit the zoo website at www.oaklandzoo.org. All proceeds from the elephant barn tours at Celebrating Elephants will be donated to the Amboseli Trust for Elephants, which helps ensure the long-term conservation and welfare of Africa’s elephants through scientific research, training, community outreach, public awareness and advocacy. World renowned Dr. Cynthia Moss started the now famous Amboseli Elephant Research Project in Kenya more than thirty years ago. For more details, please go to http://www.oaklandzoo.org/Amboseli_Trust.php.

ABOUT OAKLAND ZOO:

The Bay Area’s award-winning Oakland Zoo is home to more than 660 native and exotic animals. The Zoo offers many educational programs and kid’s activities perfect for science field trips, family day trips and exciting birthday parties. Nestled in the Oakland Hills, in 500-acre Knowland Park, the Zoo is located at 9777 Golf Links Road, off Highway 580. The East Bay Zoological Society (Oakland Zoo) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization supported in part by members, contributions, the City of Oakland and the East Bay Regional Parks. For more information please visit our website at www.oaklandzoo.org.###

Oakland, CA – Beginning in fall 2012, Oakland Zoo is linking up with the California Condor Recovery Program to help rehabilitate sick or injured condors. Within recent months, a holding facility was constructed on Zoo grounds and Veterinary staff members were trained in proper procedures for treating lead poisoned birds.

This new partnership is significant because ill birds found in Big Sur or Pinnacles National Park can now be transported to a wildlife hospital that is much closer in proximity. Prior to the new partnership, the nearest Veterinary hospital for condor care was the Los Angeles Zoo, which is also a participant of the Condor Recovery Program.

“Our vision is for condors to one day no longer need veterinary care but until then we know that the Oakland Zoo will be a great addition to the condor program,” said Kelly Sorenson, Executive Director of Ventana Wildlife Society.

The 900 square foot size building at Oakland Zoo was constructed to provide an isolated area for sick birds, where they can rest and recover, while being quarantined from the Zoo’s resident animal population. This facility along with the Zoo’s new Veterinary Hospital will help veterinarians, like Dr. Andrea Goodnight, take part in hands on conservation efforts to save California’s condor from extinction.

“Since the 1980's, the California condor has been extensively managed in order to return from the brink of certain extinction,” said Dr. Andrea Goodnight, Associate Veterinarian at Oakland Zoo. “As a child growing up on the East Coast in the 80's, I learned about the plight of the condor; the story remained with me and most certainly influenced my choice to become a zoo veterinarian. It is a dream come true that now I am able to contribute to the continued recovery of this magnificent species.”

Along with teaming up with the California Condor Recovery Program, Oakland Zoo has installed a Condor webcam in its new holding facility. With funding generously donated by FedEx and a camera supplied by Camzone, Oakland Zoo and the California Condor Recovery Program will be able to monitor and evaluate birds being rehabilitated, without disrupting them. An added bonus to the webcam is that the general public will also have access to watch the webcam via Oakland Zoo’s website, www.oaklandzoo.org. ;

“We at FedEx are proud to help protect these magnificent endangered birds and safely increase their visibility to the public,” said Robin Van Galder, managing director of the FedEx Express Oakland Hub. “We salute the Oakland Zoo and the California Condor Recovery Program for helping them spread their wings.”

“Camzone, a leader in high definition webcam streaming, was founded in 2002 and owes its success to the popularity of live streaming animal cams, said Steve Walker, Vice President of Business Development at Camzone.” “With 24/7 high definition webcam access to view California condors, everyone has the opportunity to see these majestic creatures. By engaging people with these endangered birds an opportunity exists to educate the public about the changes that are needed for the condors to thrive. What an honor to be part of such a noble project, leveraging live streaming technology to ensure these birds will be around for generations to come.”

In 1987, the last wild California condor was taken into captivity to join the 26 remaining condors, in an attempt to bolster the population through a captive breeding program. Through the effort of California zoos and the Ventana Wildlife Society, 50 condors have returned to the wild in Central California. Currently, there are only about 231 California condors in the wild, but that number is more promising. For more than twenty years, Ventana Wildlife Society has made it a mission to save the bird from extinction by regularly trapping and treating condors suffering from high blood levels of lead. Prompt treatment has saved the lives of several birds in the flock. They monitor nests to ensure the greatest protection possible from potential threats to productivity.

Creating a conservation partnership with Ventana Wildlife Society has become very important to the Oakland Zoo. In an effort to demonstrate the Oakland Zoo’s involvement with the California Condor Recovery Program and commitment to saving the Condor from extinction, Managing Director, Nancy Filippi, filmed and produced a video that explains the plight of this majestic bird and the efforts being put forth right now by organizations throughout California to research, recover, and expand the population of North America’s largest flight bird, which has a wingspan of 9.5 feet.

“The alliances have been formed, the conversation and collaboration has begun,” said Nancy Filippi, Managing Director at Oakland Zoo. Oakland Zoo, Ventana Wildlife Society, FedEx and Camzone will present the California Condor Recovery Program information updates via live streaming cameras and web based content. These alliances will shed light on the California condor recovery efforts, medical rehabilitation and therapy for these endangered birds.

To learn more about this partnership and watch a video, go to www.oaklandzoo.org and click on the webcam tab.

ABOUT OAKLAND ZOO:

The Bay Area’s award-winning Oakland Zoo is home to more than 660 native and exotic animals. The Zoo offers many educational programs and kid’s activities perfect for science field trips, family day trips and exciting birthday parties. Nestled in the Oakland Hills, in 500-acre Knowland Park, the Zoo is located at 9777 Golf Links Road, off Highway 580. The East Bay Zoological Society (Oakland Zoo) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization supported in part by members, contributions, the City of Oakland and the East Bay Regional Parks. For more information please visit our website at www.oaklandzoo.org.

ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA CONDOR RECOVERY TEAM:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service California Condor Recovery Program (Recovery Program) is a multi-entity effort to recover the endangered California condor. Cooperators include the U.S. Forest Service, San Diego Wild Animal Park, Los Angeles Zoo, Oregon Zoo, Oakland Zoo, California Department of Fish and Game, the Peregrine Fund, Ventana Wildlife Society, the Center for Scientific Investigation and Graduate Studies in Ensenada, La Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAP), National Park Service at Pinnacles National Monument, Santa Barbara Zoo, the Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City and many others. The Recovery Program is currently focusing its efforts on the captive-breeding and reintroduction of California condors to the wild in the hopes of establishing a self-sustaining population.

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Oakland, CA, August 17, 2012…Oakland Zoo’s horticulture staff collaborates with 10^th and 11^th graders at Sustainable Urban Design Academy (SUDA), Girl Scouts of Northern California, and the PUEBLO community group to plant more than 200 trees, 100 of which will be native oaks.

“Our partnership with Oakland Zoo and CAL FIRE is a great example of connecting schools, community partners and state resources to provide for authentic, tangible and meaningful projects that benefit all of the individual participants, the community and the planet as a whole,” said Tim Bremner, teacher at Oakland Unified School District. ”

Grant funding of $29,500 was awarded to Oakland Zoo by CAL FIRE, which developed the urban forestry program, Acorns to Oaks.

“The East Bay Zoological Society was selected for funding under our Urban & Community Forestry Program’s “Leafing Out” grant program in 2010,” said James Scheid, CAL FIRE Regional Urban Forester. “The intent of this specific grant type is to fund the creation and implementation of early stage urban forestry projects or programs. The Zoo is accomplishing this by transforming barren or neglected sites along the entryway to its facility and by creating educational programs for area students. Specifically, they are, encouraging the growth of native, fire-adapted, drought-tolerant species while removing dense thickets of unfavorable ones like acacia, eucalyptus and pine. While this project does not fund the removal of said species, it does promote the practice of removing vegetative fuels that can create a fire hazard. Additionally, the zoo can be commended for salvaging larger logs removed from the hillside and utilizing these pieces for various zoo and school garden projects. In tying these concepts in with core elements of youth tree planting and stewardship, the visibility given to urban forestry ecosystem services should provide for a lasting legacy not only with those directly involved with the project but with the many urban residents that visit the zoo for years to come.”

Acorns to Oaks was established to help Oakland Zoo plant a minimum of 200 trees, 100 of them oak trees, and repair and restore urban parkland, create accessible open space experiences that are viable and safe for urban children, peak student interest, and provide hands-on experiences that will impress on children the importance of their role in caring for the environment.

The ultimate goal of this partnership is to create pilot programs designed to educate the community about the importance of urban forests, urban greening, sustainable design, ecosystem land management, and create opportunities through classes and workshops to restore and reforest areas within the Zoo with oak trees. In addition, the project was created to address the gaps in science education faced by all children, but especially the most at risk children.

The trees selected for the Acorns to Oaks project are oak and other species native to the Bay Area. The trees also easily adapt to the open spaces found in Knowland Park. All plants are fire resistant. In addition to purchased plants, acorns were collected by the SUDA students, grown in special tall pot nursery containers, and replanted at the zoo as a part of their school project.

ABOUT OAKLAND ZOO:

The Bay Area's award-winning Oakland Zoo is home to more than 660 native and exotic animals. The Zoo offers many educational programs and kid's activities perfect for science field trips, family day trips and exciting birthday parties. Nestled in the Oakland Hills, in 500-acre Knowland Park, the Zoo is located at 9777 Golf Links Road, off Highway 580. The East Bay Zoological Society (Oakland Zoo) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization supported in part by members, contributions, the City of Oakland and the East Bay Regional Parks. For more information please visit our website at http://www.oaklandzoo.org.

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Oakland, CA - In recent months, Zookeepers have been on baby watch, welcoming hundreds of animals to the Oakland Zoo collection. Baby animals include big and small creatures: a squirrel monkey, 100+ milky frog tadpoles, 100+ mini millipedes, eighteen spiny lizards, nine spotted turtles, and three baby wallaroos (joeys). Each of the babies receives care specialized to its needs. Sometimes mothers know best, while other instances require a zookeeper’s intervention.

Information About New Baby Animals

It was a scary start for a baby squirrel monkey, born on June 14. Mother, Peepers, was showing signs of distress after giving birth and started bleeding from a life threatening infection. Veterinary staff monitored her and performed an emergency hysterectomy to save her life. During the surgery, zookeepers carefully tended to the baby.

“Baby squirrel monkeys have a psychological need to cling to fur and be constantly moving, so we placed the baby on a stuffed animal and rocked it constantly throughout the time the baby was separated from its mother,” said Margaret Rousser, Zoological Manager.

The surgery was a success; Peepers was reunited with her baby and began nursing immediately.

Nature also created miraculous moments behind-the-scenes of the Reptile and Amphibian Room. During the month of June, more than 100 milky frog babies hatched. This type of frog can lay up to 200 eggs at a time. The eggs are separated from the adult frogs as soon as possible. Keepers monitor the tadpoles as they grow legs and develop into tiny froglets (process takes approximately four weeks). The babies are kept off exhibit until they are large enough to fend for themselves, and not become dinner for adult frogs.

Multiples of millipedes hatched behind-the-scenes of the bug house. Right now, zoo keepers are keeping track of more than 100 tiny millipedes that require more work than one might realize. The eggs are laid in moist rotting soil or in rotting food. They are the size of a piece of bird seed and are white. After a few weeks, they hatch into very small white millipedes, gradually turn brown, and take nearly three years to develop into adults. Once adults, they can grow to about ten inches in length.

On the tiny spectrum of animals, eighteen spiny lizards were born this spring. Spiny lizards are live bearing and precocious, so they do not need a lot of specialized care. Zookeepers remove them from the exhibit to prevent the gila monsters from eating the tiny lizards for lunch and because they need require a different diet than the adults. It is critical the animals receive UVA/UVB lighting during their development; therefore, special lighting is used over their enclosures.

“Breeding reptiles is very hard and detailed work, but it is very rewarding to increase the numbers of these species in captivity,” said Adam Fink, ZooKeeper.

Baby turtles aren’t as easy to care for as lizards. Currently, zookeepers are raising nine spotted turtle babies. Turtle eggs are placed into an incubator, with close attention placed on watching temperature and humidity. The sex of a turtle is determined by the temperature at which the egg is incubated; therefore, zookeepers are careful with the male to female ratio when incubating eggs. Once hatched, the tiny turtles need very specific food during their development. Like the lizards, turtles require UVA/UVB lighting for bone and shell development.

Three joeys that started out very small, the size of kidney beans, are now being seen inside and outside of their mothers’ pouches. With birthdates estimated in November, February, and April, visitors are able to see the three babies while riding the Outback Express Adventure train through the Wild Australia section of the Zoo. Joeys are born blind and helpless, beginning in their mother’s Cloaca, then to the pouch, where they crawl in and latch onto a nipple. It takes nearly six months before the joeys start peeking outside the pouch. At this age of development they also resemble their parents and begin making appearances outside of the pouch.

“The nice thing about having such a large exhibit is that it allows the animals to behave as they naturally would,” said Lorraine Peters, ZooKeeper. The joeys in pouches don’t peek out too often; however, our train drivers will point them out whenever possible. Right now, we’ve got one starting to peek out and I’ll bet she’s out completely within a couple weeks.

Baby Maggie, a reticulated giraffe, born in January at eighty pounds and seventy-two inches is still very popular at the Zoo among visitors. She enjoys playing with her older brother on exhibit and is very active throughout the day. Behind-the-scenes, ZooKeepers, Amy and Sara, are working with Maggie to get her used to ZooKeepers. They are training her to wear a halter, so she is not afraid should she need a veterinary procedure. Keepers use a whistle, a target, and treats to train Maggie.

Three baby river otters (two males and one female) born in February are now nearly the size of their parents. The babies are extremely active and rambunctious and enjoy playing with their parents and their siblings. Older sister Tallulah has taken a special interest in helping her mother care for the juveniles which will be great practice for her when she is ready to start her own family.

“Raising baby otters is fun and challenging,” said Andrea Dougall, ZooKeeper. “It has taught me a lot and been a great learning experience.”

ABOUT OAKLAND ZOO:

The Bay Area's award-winning Oakland Zoo is home to more than 660 native and exotic animals. The Zoo offers many educational programs and kid's activities perfect for science field trips, family day trips and exciting birthday parties. Nestled in the Oakland Hills, in 500-acre Knowland Park, the Zoo is located at 9777 Golf Links Road, off Highway 580. The East Bay Zoological Society (Oakland Zoo) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization supported in part by members, contributions, the City of Oakland and the East Bay Regional Parks. For more information please visit our website at www.oaklandzoo.org.

The East Bay Zoological Society has managed and operated both the Zoo and surrounding Knowland Park for the City of Oakland since 1982. Under its management, the Oakland Zoo presents an award-winning experience for visitors, fosters knowledge and understanding of animals and the environment through educational programs, and has earned national awards and international acclaim for its animal management and endangered species programs. Over the years, exhibit by exhibit, the Oakland Zoo has been reinvigorated and revitalized, making it a place where animals thrive and visitors enjoy. For more information, please visit our website at www.oaklandzoo.org. ###

Oakland, CA – Charity Navigator, America's largest and most-utilized independent evaluator of charities, has awarded the Oakland Zoo the prestigious 4-star rating for good governance, sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency. The Oakland Zoo is currently the only zoo in California with such a high rating and is one of only eleven in the country to have four-stars.

"We are honored to receive Charity Navigator’s highest rating”, said Steve Kane, Chair of the East Bay Zoological Society Board of Trustees. “This distinction reflects our accountability to all our constituencies and commitment to remain true to our mission of education and conservation."

Charity Navigator works to help charitable givers make intelligent giving decisions by providing information on more than five thousand charities nationwide and by evaluating their financial health. It calculates each charity’s score based upon several broad criteria, including how much is spent per dollar raised, what percentage of funds goes to programs vs. administrative and fund-raising expenses, and the organization’s long-term financial health. It then assigns a rating from one to four, with four being the best rating.

Dr. Joel Parrott, Executive Director of the Oakland Zoo remarked “This high rating coupled with the Oakland Zoo’s growing reputation highlights our focus on good stewardship of charitable contributions and maintaining the public trust.”

ABOUT OAKLAND ZOO:

The Bay Area’s award-winning Oakland Zoo is home to more than 660 native and exotic animals. The Zoo offers many educational programs and kid’s activities perfect for science field trips, family day trips and exciting birthday parties. Nestled in the Oakland Hills, in 500-acre Knowland Park, the Zoo is located at 9777 Golf Links Road, off Highway 580. The East Bay Zoological Society (Oakland Zoo) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization supported in part by members, contributions, the City of Oakland and the East Bay Regional Parks. For more information please visit our website at www.oaklandzoo.org.

The East Bay Zoological Society has managed and operated both the Zoo and surrounding Knowland Park for the City of Oakland since 1982. Under its management, the Oakland Zoo presents an award-winning experience for visitors, fosters knowledge and understanding of animals and the environment through educational programs, and has earned national awards and international acclaim for its animal management and endangered species programs. Over the years, exhibit by exhibit, the Oakland Zoo has been reinvigorated and revitalized, making it a place where animals thrive and visitors enjoy. For more information, please visit our website at www.oaklandzoo.org.

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 Oakland, CA, March 7, 2012.... On Thursday, March 8, 2012 at 11:00am, Dr. Joel Parrott, President & CEO of Oakland Zoo, will be surrounded by supporters, friends of the Zoo, volunteers, and staff as a new giraffe barn is unveiled. The Zoo’s new 1500 square-foot barn will accommodate a herd of nine giraffe. “Benefiting the animals should always be our clear goal,” stated Oakland Zoo Zoological Manager Michelle Jeffries. “With the help of Oakland Zoo supporters, new facilities like this barn become a reality.” Thanks to contributors, led by Robin Reynolds and George Zimmer, funding was made available to raise the roof for the Zoo’s nine reticulated giraffe.

The new barn is designed to better accommodate the animals and their specific needs – twenty-five foot ceilings, a birthing area, space for medical procedures, two large doors specially designed to create a round-about where animals can shift easily in and out of the barn, and a floor made out of materials best suited for hoof stock. The new barn replaces old structures that were outdated and need of repair. The Zoo is still seeking additional funding for medical equipment needed for the giraffes' medical care. For information on making a donation, please contact Emma Lee Twitchell, Oakland Zoo's Development Director at (510) 632-9525, ext 153.

ABOUT OAKLAND ZOO:

The Bay Area’s award-winning Oakland Zoo is home to more than 660 native and exotic animals. The Zoo offers many educational programs and kid’s activities perfect for science field trips, family day trips and exciting birthday parties. Nestled in the Oakland Hills, in 500-acre Knowland Park, the Zoo is located at 9777 Golf Links Road, off Highway 580. The East Bay Zoological Society (Oakland Zoo) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization supported in part by members, contributions, the City of Oakland and the East Bay Regional Parks. For more information please visit our website at www.oaklandzoo.org.

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Oakland, CA, November 17, 2010…Halloween is over but there’s a surplus amount of pumpkins at the Oakland Zoo to keep the celebration going. Hundreds of the orange edibles are becoming lunch for animals. Truckloads of orange vegetables were donated by Bay Area businesses, and for the next few weeks, the public can watch elephants eat plump pumpkins, tigers chew apart jack-o-lanterns, sun bears get their claws full of seeds, and baboons unwrap goodies stuck inside gourds. “Pumpkins are a great seasonal enrichment for all of the animals at the Oakland Zoo, said Colleen Kinzley, Director of Animal Care, Conservation, and Research.” “Many of the animals such as elephants, chimpanzees, baboons, goats, parrots and camels enjoy eating and playing with the pumpkins. In the case of others like the tigers, bears, otters and meerkats, we use the pumpkins as feeding devices by caving holes into the pumpkins and hiding treats inside; bears may tear them open while meerkats might burrow inside.”  

Thanks to the generous donation of hundreds of pumpkins from Johnnie Moore’s Pumpkins, Holly Prinz of Pick of the Patch Pumpkins, and Tommy Speer of Speer Family Farm, the Oakland Zoo has pumpkin treats for several months!   

ABOUT OAKLAND ZOO:

The Bay Area’s award-winning Oakland Zoo is home to more than 660 native and exotic animals. The Zoo offers many educational programs and kid’s activities perfect for science field trips, family day trips and exciting birthday parties. Nestled in the Oakland Hills, in 500-acre Knowland Park, the Zoo is located at 9777 Golf Links Road, off Highway 580. The East Bay Zoological Society (Oakland Zoo) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization supported in part by members, contributions, the City of Oakland and the East Bay Regional Parks. For more information please visit our website at www.oaklandzoo.org.

The East Bay Zoological Society EBZS is celebrating 75 years. The society has managed and operated both the Zoo and surrounding Knowland Park for the City of Oakland since 1982. Under its management, the Oakland Zoo presents an award-winning experience for visitors, fosters knowledge and understanding of animals and the environment through educational programs, and has earned national awards and international acclaim for its animal management and endangered species programs.  Over the years, exhibit by exhibit, the Oakland Zoo has been reinvigorated and revitalized, making it a place where animals thrive and visitors enjoy. For more information, please visit our website at www.oaklandzoo.org.