Archive for the ‘Keepers’ Category

Apr
19

Earth Day In The Naturally Wild Swap Shop

Posted by in Animal Info,Children's Zoo,Conservation,Endangered,Just for Kids,Keepers,Recycling/Green,Swap Shop

The Houston Zoo will be celebrating Earth Day April 21-22!  The Naturally Wild Swap Shop will certainly be part of the celebration.  Any nature journal on an Earth Day topic will receive double points. 

Earth Day topics include some of the following:

  • endangered or extinct plants and animals
  • edible plants
  • the rock cycle
  • the water cycle
  • habitat loss and how it affects animals

Not sure how the Swap Shop works?  Click here for more information.

Enjoy the other activities throughout the zoo – Earth Day Scavenger Hunt, Mother Earth Maze, Re-usable Mural and more.  And, as always, the animal Keepers here at the zoo will be sharing their knowledge with you during Meet the Keeper Talks.   You will be able to learn more about how the way we treat the planet affects our animals. 

The best part?  All of these Earth Day activities are included with your paid Zoo admission!

Tags: , , , ,
Apr
12

Six Bat Species all in one day!

Posted by in Bats,Children's Zoo,Conservation,Education,Events,Just for Kids,Keepers,Mammals,Natural Encounters,Pollinators,Swap Shop

How can you see six different species of bats all in one day?  Bat Fest Houston at the Houston Zoo and the Waugh Bridge!  The United Nations has declared 2012 The Year of The Bat – come see  the celebration we have in store!

Straw Colored Fruit Bats

 Saturday, April 14 and Sunday, April 15 are the dates for Bat Fest Houston.   On both days there will be children’s activities, keeper chats and bat related information booths at the zoo from 10:00am – 3:00 pm.   If you come on Saturday you will also have the opportunity to attend a bat seminar in the zoo’s Brown Education Center  from 10:00-12:15 that will include some great speakers.  The talks will include information  about bats from around the world and the bats in our own back yard as well as a new threat to bats, White Nose Syndrome.   You will also be able to visit the zoo’s bat exhibits where you can see Jamaican Fruit Bats, Seba’s Short-tailed Fruit Bats, Pallas Long-tongued Nectar Bats, Straw Colored Fruit Bats and an Indian Flying Fox Bat! 

If visitors 18 and under bring a nature journal or report to the Naturally Wild Swap Shop on the topic of bats they will receive DOUBLE points on these two days!  Don’t know about the Swap Shop?  Click here to learn more.

The best part – all of this is included in your regular zoo admission. 

Bat emergence at Waugh Ave. Bridge

And the fun doesn’t stop there!  From 6:00pm to 9:00pm join us at the Waugh Avenue Bridge (Waugh Avenue at Allen Parkway) for more children’s activities, bat chats and an amazing emergence of 250,000 Mexican Free-tailed Bats from under the bridge.  The Waugh Bridge activities are completely free.  Click here for information on parking at the bridge.

 

Tags: , , , ,
Mar
08

Pongos Helping Pongos – Art by Animals for Conservation

Posted by in Carnivores,Conservation,Elephants,Endangered,Events,Keepers,Primates

 

Ever wondered what a painting by an elephant would look like? What about a clouded leopard? Now is your chance to find out. 

Started in 2004 as a grass roots effort by Houston Zoo Primate Keepers, Pongos Helping Pongos was an art show featuring paintings by our orangutans here at the zoo. The scientific genus name for orangutan is “Pongo“, and so the name for the event. Pongos Helping Pongos (or PHP for short) has become a biennial tradition carried on by the Primate Team. 

One of the messages we like to give our zoo guests is that every species is part of a web. If you affect one strand of the web, it affects the entire structure. Holding with this belief, PHP has expanded to include several other species that call the South East Asian rain forests home. You will not only find paintings by our talented orangutan artists but elephants, clouded leopard, siamangs and binturongs as well. 

And not to be left out, some very talented and generous Houston area artists have collaborated with our animals on several very unique, one-of-a-kind paintings that are well worth seeing.

This fun and worthwhile event will be held on March 10th at the G-Gallery in the Heights from 6PM – 8PM. It’s free and everyone is invited to view the art, bid on paintings and enter our raffle. We’ll have horse de’ ouvers and beverages generously donated by our sponsors so join us for an evening of animal art and conservation.

http://www.houstonzoo.org/php/

 

 

Tags: , , ,
Feb
02

Big Cats Don’t Make Good Pets, Part 4

Posted by in Carnivores,Conservation,Endangered,Keepers,Mammals,Zoo News

A student at Texas A & M University at Galveston where she studies marine biology, Kaitlin McGraw interned at the Houston Zoo last summer.   “When I came to the Zoo, I heard stories about the animals, and where they came from,” said Kaitlin. “I was surprised to learn how many of the animals in the Zoo’s Carnivore Department came from private owners who had kept them as pets,” Kaitlin added.   “I wanted to do something to help people understand that keeping big cats as pets is not a good idea,” Kaitlin added. The result was a series of video presentations profiling the ‘rescued cats’ at the Houston Zoo and recounting their individual stories. The videos were produced using a Canon PowerShot camera and edited on the iMovie platform.   “In the future, I hope to work with an organization like the Houston Zoo, promoting conservation education or traveling to new locales, working with marine and wildlife sanctuaries,” said Kaitlin.

 

Tags: , , , , , ,
Jan
27

Big Cats Don’t Make Good Pets, Part 3

Posted by in Carnivores,Keepers,Mammals,Zoo News

A student at Texas A & M University at Galveston where she studies marine biology, Kaitlin McGraw interned at the Houston Zoo last summer.

“When I came to the Zoo, I heard stories about the animals, and where they came from,” said Kaitlin. “I was surprised to learn how many of the animals in the Zoo’s Carnivore Department came from private owners who had kept them as pets,” Kaitlin added.

“I wanted to do something to help people understand that keeping big cats as pets is not a good idea,” Kaitlin added. The result was a series of video presentations profiling the ‘rescued cats’ at the Houston Zoo and recounting their individual stories. The videos were produced using a Canon PowerShot camera and edited on the iMovie platform.

“In the future, I hope to work with an organization like the Houston Zoo, promoting conservation education or traveling to new locales, working with marine and wildlife sanctuaries,” said Kaitlin.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Jan
14

Big Cats Don’t Make Good Pets, Part 2

Posted by in Animal Info,Carnivores,Keepers,Mammals,Zoo News

A student at Texas A & M University at Galveston where she studies marine biology, Kaitlin McGraw interned at the Houston Zoo last summer.

“When I came to the Zoo, I heard stories about the animals, and where they came from,” said Kaitlin.  “I was surprised to learn how many of the animals in the Zoo’s Carnivore Department came from private owners who had kept them as pets,” Kaitlin added.
“I wanted to do something to help people understand that keeping big cats as pets is not a good idea,” Kaitlin added.  The result was a series of video presentations profiling the ‘rescued cats’ at the Houston Zoo and recounting their individual stories.  The videos were produced using a Canon PowerShot camera and edited on the iMovie platform.

“In the future, I hope to work with an organization like the Houston Zoo, promoting conservation education or traveling to new locales, working with marine and wildlife sanctuaries,” said Kaitlin.

 

Tags: , , , , ,
Jan
05

Big Cats Don’t Make Good Pets

Posted by in Carnivores,Keepers,Mammals,Zoo News

Houston Zoo Intern’s Videos Tell the Real Stories

A student at Texas A & M University at Galveston where she studies marine biology, Kaitlin McGraw interned at the Houston Zoo last summer.

Through the ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program, Kaitlin spent 8 weeks working with the Zoo’s carnivore staff.

Kaitlin has a special appreciation for predator species. “Ever since I was little I’ve loved animals and a special place in my heart has always been reserved for predators,” she said.

“When I came to the Zoo, I heard stories about the animals, and where they came from,” said Kaitlin. “I was surprised to learn how many of the animals in the Zoo’s Carnivore Department came from private owners who had kept them as pets,” Kaitlin added.

“I wanted to do something to help people understand that keeping big cats as pets is not a good idea,” Kaitlin added. The result was a series of video presentations profiling the ‘rescued cats’ at the Houston Zoo and recounting their individual stories. The videos were produced using a Canon PowerShot camera and edited on the iMovie platform.

“In the future, I hope to work with an organization like the Houston Zoo, promoting conservation education or traveling to new locales, working with marine and wildlife sanctuaries,” said Kaitlin.

Below is the first installment of Kaitlin’s videos featuring Houston Zoo big cats.  Stay tuned each week as we post a new video.

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Nov
29

Houston Zoo Featured in National Geographic Magazine

Posted by in Carnivores,Conservation,Endangered,Jaguars,Keepers,Mammals,Media,Zoo News

Houston Zoo Jaguar "Cocoy"

December Issue of National Geographic Magazine
Spotlights 8 “Cats in Crisis”

National Geographic, December 2011

Planet Earth is home to 37 species of cats. All are facing an uncertain future. Even though humans have coexisted with predators for thousands of years, the world’s cats are losing ground to habitat loss, illegal hunting and retaliatory killing when they prey on livestock. Yet conservationists see hope.

In the December issue of National Geographic Magazine, on newsstands November 29 and available now as a digital magazine, author and world-renowned field biologist George B. Schaller proposes bold action to ensure their survival.

Schaller’s essay, Politics Is Killing the Big Cats is accompanied by a 5-panel pullout poster featuring stunning photos of 8 of the world’s big cats, seven of which are cats from the Houston Zoo, captured in stunning detail by National Geographic photographer Vincent J. Musi.

“We are proud and honored that our Houston Zoo big cat ‘ambassadors’ were chosen to accompany George Schaller’s essay and grateful that National Geographic’s Big Cat Initiative is raising awareness about the conservation status of the world’s cat species,” said Houston Zoo Carnivore Curator Beth Schaefer.

Assisted by Houston Zoo carnivore keepers, Vincent J. Musi photographed the Zoo’s male African lion Jonathan and 6 other cats (clouded leopard, jaguar, cougar, leopard, cheetah, and Malayan tiger) during a week-long photo session in February. Each cat was photographed in its off exhibit ‘bedroom’ against a black backdrop. Each photo in the pullout poster is accompanied by a brief profile that includes the cat’s estimated wild population and its conservation status. The National Geographic Society is working to save big cats through its Big Cats Initiative; find out more at www.causeanuproar.org.

Houston Zoo African Lion "Jonathan"

“We are deeply appreciative of the Houston Zoo’s hospitality. It is unusual for one facility to have such a diversity of big cats, and their generousity in facilitating Vince’s photo shoot helped us to illustrate the animals’ beauty and power for our 40 million readers worldwide,” said Kathy Moran, senior photo editor in charge of the National Geographic magazine’s natural history coverage.

The December issue of National Geographic magazine is available on newsstands November 29 and as a digital magazine at the National Geographic App Store, http://nationalgeographic.com/apps. Prints of Musi’s photographs are available at http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/bigcats-purchase.

 

Houston Zoo Clouded Leopard "Rama"

 

Houston Zoo Cougar "Rocky"

 

 

Houston Zoo Leopard "Kadu"

 

 

Tags: , , , ,
Sep
04

Meerkat Mob’s Keepers

Posted by in Behind the Scenes,Keepers,Mammals,Meerkats,Natural Encounters,Zoo Births

The meerkats kits are continuing to display exceptional cuteness and are ranging farther and farther around their exhibit.  The whole group is together now which has all of the staff breathing a huge sigh of relief.  Alpha female, Chafu, was introduced to them early this morning and she accepted them without any apparent hesitation. 

That moment at first light when we opened the door and let the entire mob onto the exhibit was both nerve racking and exhilirating.  Fortunately, it went exactly as we had hoped it would!  All of the work leading up to that moment, however, took place behind the scenes from a dedicated group of keepers.  They kept pages of notes, took many pictures and rotated individuals in with mom and kits multiple times each day.  The following video lets Paul, Priscilla and Jose  tell you the story of all the work in their own words.  And it delivers plenty of the cuteness you expect from our meerkat kits!

If you stop by the meerkat yard in the next few weeks you are likely to see Paul, Priscilla and Jose keeping a watch on the social structure of the group just to make sure things proceed as we expect.  They love showing off the kits and talking with guests about the animals in their care.  Say hi and let them know what a great job they’re doing!

And thanks to Jeremy Stewart, our videographer extrodinaire, for putting together this video for us to share with you.

Tags: , , , ,
Aug
14

Meet the Staff: Brooke Vincent

Posted by in Featured,Keepers,Meet the Staff,Vet Clinic

Brooke and Sifaka Infant "Sebastian"

Hometown:  College Station, TX

Department/Title:  Clinic Keeper

How long have you worked at the Houston Zoo?:  5 years

How long have you been in the your field?:  7 years

Favorite animal:  Okapi. When I was an intern at White Oak Conservation Center, we had a couple of young okapi that were being weaned. Tulia was the youngest of the three and very sweet and small. It was always my favorite part of the day to go see the calves. After I had been at Houston a few years, we received Tulia into Quarantine. I was amazed at how large she had gotten! She has grown into quite the young lady. Now I get to see a whole new side to her and it will be exciting when she has her own babies!

Quote:  “Winning hearts and minds for animals” – Jack Brown SFCC Director

Special interests/hobbies:  Reading, Knitting badly, hiking and camping, kayaking, and I am also AAZK Vice President of the Greater Houston Chapter

What made you want to work at a zoo?:  I was trying to find my niche so I had a lot of different jobs, several of which involved working with animals. During one of my quests to find my niche, I was working as a Disney College Program student at Disney’s Animal Kingdom as a custodian when I happened to see a keeper feeding produce to the gorillas. I had never considered zoo keeping as a career because I’d always assumed that your family had to teach you the skills, like a trapeze artist. It just so happened that this particular keeper’s parents were zookeepers! Awhile later, I asked a different keeper how she got into the field, and they told me about the Teaching Zoo.

Education/training:  Associates of Science in Zoo Animal Technology from Santa Fe Teaching Zoo – Gainesville, FL

Previous related jobs:  Pet sitting, vet clinics, animal shelters

Advice to anyone wanting to enter the your field:  Work or volunteer anywhere with animals. Be prepared to get down and dirty! If you need to be clean or can’t handle dirt, you won’t be happy in this field no matter how much you love animals.

What is unique about being a clinic keeper:  The clinic is a little known area by zoo guests because we are behind the scenes. We are the ones who take care of the sick, new arrivals, geriatric, and injured. We are able to give special attention to specific animals that really need it at critical times in their life. We have the ability to rearrange an entire enclosure for just one animal’s needs, whereas that is difficult to do for a whole enclosure full of different animals that may need it another way!

Why you like this department:  I like working in the clinic because it is trying to find the order in chaos. Every day is different. We work with so many different animals that I get to use all the knowledge I learned from school every day. I love the challenge and thinking outside the box!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Older Posts »