Archive for the ‘Contest’ Category

May
10

First Ever Crowd Curated Exhibit!

Posted by in Contest,Crowd Curated Exhibit,Mammals,Primates,Wortham World of Primates

Today we have two big announcements to make! 

First of all, I would like to congratulate Susan Draper on winning our contest posted in the last blog.  Susan will be at the zoo this Saturday to help prepare the exhibit for our new Goeldi’s monkeys, Peach and Andy.  Susan’s husband, Mickey, will be joining us as her chosen guest. We have plenty of work to keep them busy.  It’s important to change out the climbing structures in our exhibits in between previous residents moving out and new residents moving in.  We have lots of grape vine and branches that need to be put into the exhibit so Peach and Andy have plenty of arboreal pathways and can easily get in and out of their night house. Hope Susan and Mickey are ready to get dirty!

The second piece of news is that Peach and Andy were both given clean bills of health by our veterinarians and after a few days of visiting through a mesh barrier they were able to meet face to face. Everything went exactly as we had hoped and it does indeed seem to be love at first sight!  Now we just have to wait for them to clear their required quarantine period and then we can move them to their new home. Are they not the cutest couple?

 

There seems to be no question that they are going to be a great couple! Photo credit: Jennifer Stevenson

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May
04

The Results Are In, and Jeffery’s Right Here in Houston!

Posted by in Birds,Conservation,Contest,Spotlight on Species

We’ve reached the end of our blog contest! We’ve followed Jeffery to Italy, Zimbabwe, Thailand, Singapore and all over the US! I have to say, that’s one well-traveled puppet.
 
We believe this contest and Jeffery accomplished our goal of increasing awareness in the States of the declining population of the Philippine Eagle. 
Raising a thousand dollars for Philippine Eagle conservation is amazing, but the possibilities created by raising a thousand voices for this cause is staggering.What if you tell a friend about this puppet and what he stands for, and she tells her cousin? What if that cousin tells all his friends and somewhere down the line, through the power of social connections, people begin talking, minds start to change, legislation is passed, ecotourism enriches the country, habitats are saved along with the human lives that depend on them, and the 52,177 species in the Philippines, our favorite eagle included, flourish?It’s a very serious thing, the welfare of a biodiversity hotspot like the Philippines, but we’re using the internet and a puppet to get the word out.

You can’t save the eagle without saving its habitat, and Jeffery is here to make people want to save the Philippine Eagle, whether they ever get to see one in person or not.

Along the way, Jeffery has made a ton of friends with the same goals.  We’d like to thank the talented artists at Jeepney Projects Worldwide, Hazel Dawes, one of the eagle’s most avid, talented and generous supporters, local Houston band, The Presidents, and Karlene Co.  Thank you for all your support!

So, now you must be thinking, “I’m really going to miss Jeffery! What will I do without my weekly Jeffery updates?” 

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! You can always find Jeffery on Facebook, Twitter, and now, his very own blog! I’m sure Jeffery will also pop up on Houston Zoo’s blogs as well.  The puppet will continue to travel and cheer for the Philippine Eagle Foundation.
 

"I think White Sands is a fantastic place to visit, but no aerial tour for me thanks, there are waaaayyy to many missiles and rockets to dodge!!" Linda

 
 
 
 

"I’ve always wanted granite counter tops, but this may be a little too much over the top!" Linda

 

"I love to paint, but now it’s time to get off the road and back to the Houston Zoo for the “Bird of Prey” days this weekend. Please join me to celebrate my friends and raise money for conservation!" Tess

 
Tomorrow starts our Birds of Prey Days!  Please come by and learn about the biodiversity of the Philippines and Texas native birds of prey, check out our Philippine Eagle art, and meet some of our resident birds of prey!
 

Liberty, the Houston Zoo's Bald Eagle. Photo by Ali Striggow.

 
 

Catori, the Houston Zoo's Eastern Screech Owl. Photo by Ali Striggow.

 

Artwork by Hazel Dawes

 
 
Come by and visit!  Oh, and drumroll please…the grand prize winner of our contest is….
Tess with 134 points!  Linda came in second with 124 points and Melissa ended the contest with 112 points!  All three of you have a prize to claim! Thank you all so much for participating, and please contact me at mneal@houstonzoo.org to arrange a way to claim your prizes!
 

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Apr
30

Where in the World is Jeffery? The FINAL Week!

Posted by in Birds,Conservation,Contest,Endangered,Spotlight on Species

Melissa, Tess and Linda, it’s been a great pleasure!  Thanks for sticking with Jeffery this entire time, and I will be in touch with each of you on Friday, after the final total is announced.  I hope to see you on Saturday or Sunday for our Birds of Prey Days! We plan to have lots of games, keeper chats and opportunities to learn about raptors and the Philippines!

Right now, it’s time to reveal the final photo in our contest!!!

Jeffery visited this public art installation originally created by the art group Ant Farm that encourages visitors to add to the art by spray painting vehicles half-buried nose-first in the ground, at an angle corresponding to that of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.

Where in the world is Jeffery?

 

You have until Friday at 10 AM to submit your final captions!

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Apr
16

Rhythm of Conservation

Posted by in Amphibians,Contest

 

In 1968, a small amphibian landed a spot on the list of “Rare and Endangered Fish and Wildlife of the United States.” Five years later, the Houston toad was included in the passing of the Endangered Species Act, one of the first amphibian species in the United States and maybe even the world to be recognized as declining.  Today the Houston toad is no longer found in its namesake city, and fewer than 300 individuals remain in the wild, largely due to habitat loss.  The Houston Zoo is working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas State University, and the Environmental Defense Fund to ensure the toad’s survival by caring for them in captivity in their early stages of life.  It is estimated that one out of every 1000 toad eggs will make it to be an adult toad. Because tadpoles are food for just about everything in the pond, The Houston Zoo collects the eggs from the wild, lets them hatch and grow from tadpole to toad, and then releases them back into the wild.  The Zoo also works with private landowners to restore habitat and monitor populations in Houston toad counties.

 
For more information about how you can help The Houston Toad, visit our own Houston Toad website.

 

Learning about endangered species is the first step in helping to protect them. According to iucnredlist.org, there are 5,689 known endangered species and 10,002 known vulnerable species on the planet. Can you imagine how different our Earth was before the populations for these species began dwindling?   The Houston Toad is just one of the many species you can learn about. Knowledge is power. The more you know, the more we can help protect the habitats of these precious creatures.

 

To learn about a new endangered species each day, visit the Rhythm of Conservation website. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has teamed up with K12 to bring you information on seventy-five different endangered species as well as fun activities for the kids! The best part is you can enter their sweepstakes daily, up to seventy-five days, for a chance to win a trip to Walt Disney World! As always, you can visit our Conservation Blog for information about endangered species and what we can do to help!

 

Mar
19

That Puppet is Traveling Again! Week 8

Posted by in Birds,Conservation,Contest,Spotlight on Species

For weeks now, I’ve been writing about the wonderful biodiversity of the Philippines.  Did you know you can see witness some of that biodiversity just by visiting the Houston Zoo?

In the bird department alone we have:

Palawan Peacock Pheasants

Emerald Doves

Nicobar Pigeons

Black-naped Fruit Doves

Pied Imperial Pigeons

Luzon Bleeding Heart Doves

Chestnut-breasted Malkohas

White-throated Kingfishers

Japanese White-eyes

Please visit the zoo on May 5th and 6th to help us celebrate the beautiful animals of the Philippines and the majesty of raptors!  We will als be featuring our own birds of prey with several species of owl, hawks, and Liberty, our Bald Eagle!

Time for another installment of Where in the World is Jeffery?  Please leave a caption for the first photo for a chance to win an extra 8 points! 

Recently, Jeffery visited the only Southeast Asian country that has never been taken over by a European power.

An elephant?!

 

Where am I?

 

There will be no wrap up blog this Friday the 23rd, as I will be traveling…with the puppet.  There WILL be another contest blog on Monday the 26th!

Follow Jeffery’s road trip antics on Facebook and  Twitter!

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Mar
12

Where in the World is Jeffery? Week 7!

Posted by in Birds,Conservation,Contest,Spotlight on Species

There will be no hint for this photo, as it should be quite self-evident!  Don’t forget to include a caption for a chance at an extra 8 points! 

Where HASN’T Jeffery been?

If you haven’t already, make sure to like Jeffery on Facebook!

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Mar
05

Flying High with Jeffery. Week 6 of Our Contest!

Posted by in Birds,Conservation,Contest,Spotlight on Species

 

I know you are impatient to see where Jeffery ended up this week, so take a look!  Keep reading though, because we have some exciting news!
 
At 541 feet, the world’s tallest Ferris Wheel is located where?  

Now where am I???

 
Lately, I have become very interested in art for conservation.  The Houston Zoo hosts a wildly successful event called Pongos Helping Pongos, which has raised thousands of dollars for orangutan and elephant conservation.  Besides that, it’s an amazing collaboration of human and animal artists!
 

Philippine Eagle by David Tomb

 
 

By David Tomb

 
 When Jeffery first made his existence known on social media outlets, he was immediately adopted by the founders of Jeepney Projects Worldwide. It seems our endangered eagle has some very talented friends! 
Artist David Tomb and Jeepney have been creating bird art for the birds, specifically the Philippine Eagle.  In the begining of February, they opened an exhibit entitled The Vanishing Birds of the Philippines in Berkely, California.  The exhibit has been garnering international attention for both Jeepney and the Philippine Eagle Foundation. 
 
Seeing all this beautiful bird art made me curious, and I began to scan the internet for Philippine Eagle themed pieces. I was very happy with the results, but have been floored by the overflow of positive responses and genuine excitement I have received from the artists I contacted. 
During our Birds of Prey Days, we will be raffling off prints of high quality digital copies of art focusing on the majestic Philippine Eagle. This is artwork produced and donated by artists in and from the Philippines, to help their national bird. 
For the next few weeks, I will be unveiling these pieces and introducing you to the gracious and generous artists behind them. 
The person who comes in first place in this contest will get 10 raffle tickets, second place 6 tickets, and third place 3 tickets.  So, fight on, contestants!  This art is amazing!
 

"Admiral" by Dezzoi C. Scott

 
Dezzoi uses the image of a Philippine Eagle for his character, ‘Admiral’, in a illustrated story with an all raptor cast. 
In his email, Dezzoi stated, “Also, thank you so much for your help with the Philippine Eagle. I love this species so much and I wish there were more that I could do to help. How I wish I could attend the event in Texas!”
 
Many of the artists that donated pieces remarked that they wish there was more they could do to help the Philippine Eagle.  If you’re feeling the same way, it’s very simple, spread the word about the Philippine Eagle, visit the Philippine Eagle Foundation website, or post something about this amazing bird on your Facebook account.  There’s always twitter, and of course, one brave traveling puppet!  
 
If you think there’s nothing you can do to help, you’re very mistaken.  Look what we’ve done with a sock and some felt!
 

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Mar
05

Have you ever named a banteng? Ever even heard of one?

Posted by in Conservation,Contest,Houston Zoo Partners

People in North America are not very familiar with the cattle outside of our general livestock but there are a number of species of wild cattle in Southeast Asia which are all in decline. Many have probably heard of the yak, but who knows what a gaur, kouprey or banteng are? How about anoa or tamaraw? When working with our partners in Borneo on orangutan and elephant conservation efforts, an opportunity arose to support a project which focused on a little known species of wild cattle – the banteng – and we quickly jumped at the chance to study the population dynamics of this great animal.

The Houston Zoo funds lead field researcher, Penny Gardner, who is working on her PhD through Danau Girang Field Centre with an affiliation to Cardiff University on determining the population status and habitat needs of the banteng.

During her time in the field, Penny and her team have identified a group of bantengs, including a female who has yet to be named. Penny was kind enough to allow the Houston Zoo to have the opportunity to name the female banteng. Because this is such a rare opportunity, we are extremely excited to announce that we are going to let you decide what the name will be!

How the naming contest works:

In the comments section below, submit BOTH:

1)      The name you would like for the banteng

2)      A short paragraph (3-5 sentences) describing why the name you chose would be meaningful for this animal.

 

Name the young female in the middle of the picture!

 

Our conservation department will review the names submitted this week and choose their top ten favorites. We will then open the polls on this blog with those ten names and you will get to vote for the winner! Check back soon for more!

 

 

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Mar
03

Week 5 Standings with our Traveling Puppet!

Posted by in Birds,Conservation,Contest,Spotlight on Species

So Jeffery has also made it to Zimbabwe!  Are you impressed with this puppet yet?  Jeffery’s mission is to spread the word about the Philippine Eagle, so to help Jeffery help the eagle, why don’t you visit the Philippine Eagle Foundation website, or post something about this amazing bird on your Facebook account?  There’s always twitter, too.  Jeffery is a very modern puppet! 

Darn...I forgot to pack my Kindle again!

 
There’s a new player in our ranks!  Karmyn swept the caption competition this week!  Our standings are:
 
1. Tess came in second for the quickest answer, giving her a total of 47 points.
2. Melissa is still right behind Tess with 37 points!
3. Paul praised Google for earning him 5 points, for a total of 23 points.
4. Linda is picking up her pace, coming in first this week with the quickest answer, for 21 points.
5. Carmen has a total of 17 points.
6. Congrats to Karmyn for getting on the board this week with 8 points. 
 
Is anyone else interested to see a battle of the Carmen/Karmyn’s???
 
There will be a post up Monday morning at 10 AM, and it should be an exciting one, as we reveal more prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place of the competition! 
 
 

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Feb
27

Where in the World is Jeffery? Week 5!

Posted by in Birds,Conservation,Contest,Spotlight on Species

One of the most important things the Philippine Eagle Foundation does is support local communities near eagle nests.  They not only educate the people about the eagle, but teach modern, sustainable farming techniques to help increase farmer productivity while decreasing further deforestation.  They visit schools to teach the kids about their national bird, and host a Philippine Eagle Festival every year.  Conservation efforts never work without the support of the people living with and around the wild animals, and that’s why approximately $8,000 raised by the Houston Zoo’s fundraising efforts for the Philippine Eagle have gone to PEF’s outreach education programs!  We’re so proud of the help we’ve been able to provide any help we can, and all funds raised during our Birds of Prey Days this May 5th and 6th will go straight to PEF!  So please, mark your calendars and visit us that weekend, meet Jeffery, enter some of our raffles, meet Liberty, our Bald Eagle, and learn about the numerous birds of prey you can find in Texas!

Now, on to the contest!

 

One of the national symbols of this country, a stone carving of a bird, most likely represents a Bateleur Eagle.  What country is Jeffery in?

Where am I?

 

Don’t forget to add a caption for a chance at an extra 8 points!

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