july-september 2020
ZOO insider A Quarterly Newsletter for the Members of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
Inside this issue A Message from the President & CEO New Digital Membership Cards Meet the Pride
Nyala calf, born on Easter
members Dear Members, I am thrilled to welcome you and all our visitors back to the Zoo! This has certainly been a challenging time for all of us. The closure of the Zoo from March 16th through June 4th was difficult for us financially, operationally, and personally, but it was the right thing to do. The health and safety of our staff, visitors, and animals is always our top priority. During our closure, our dedicated animal care specialists provided topnotch care to our 7,000 animal residents. In fact, while the Zoo was closed to the public during this time, life in the animal kingdom still went on! Two baby nyala were born during the closure. Both mom and baby are doing well, and can be seen on exhibit now. Plus, penguin eggs were successfully laid and fertilized at the PPG Aquarium, and four baby chicks were born. While our animal care specialists and veterinary teams have been tending to our animal residents, our maintenance and grounds teams have been focused on continued deep cleaning the entire Zoo. I want to thank you - our Members - for your support, patience, and understanding during this time. I am so proud of our community and how we rallied together. As we welcome visitors back to the Zoo, I am so excited to introduce our first African lion pride. Our one male lion and two female lions will be on exhibit in the African Savanna soon. Bring your family to meet ours as we reconnect with friends, family, and wildlife once again at the Zoo! See you soon,
Dr. Barbara Baker, President & CEO
timed tickets
Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
Face masks are required for all visitors at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. Face masks are to be worn in both indoor and outdoor locations. The Zoo will continue to monitor and evaluate the County Health Department and CDC requirements.
1 | Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
We are thrilled to share the birth of a California sea lion pup, named Smiley! Both mom and pup are doing well and can be seen on exhibit together. Eat’n Park Restaurants partnered with us to name this newest addition to the Zoo family. Visitors can see Smiley the sea lion pup on exhibit at the Zoo now!
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Pittsburgh Zoo empty during pandemic, April 2020
your support The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
how to help
would like to extend its deepest gratitude to all who have donated during these challenging times.
• Buy tickets to visit the Zoo
Whether you purchased a Membership,
• Participate in an event or
participated in the Adopt-An-Animal Program,
program at the Zoo
became a Grow Wild Society Member, or purchased a Pawsitivity E-Card, your contribution directly supported the 7,000 animal residents that call the Zoo home. Now that we have reopened the gates, we
• Renew or gift a Membership • Adopt-An-Animal • Give however you can!
are still in need of your help. Unfortunately, the Zoo will never recover the financial losses from the COVID-19 pandemic. The loss of admission revenue during our busiest season took a severe toll on the organization.
3 | Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
Thank you for your continued support and see you at the Zoo!
Member update Introducing Digital Membership Cards The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is excited to introduce Digital Membership Cards for the 2020 season! We are thrilled to offer this new technology to our valued Members as we continue to step in the green direction. This new program is part of the Zoo’s mission to be conservation minded. A digital Membership card will save thousands of pounds of paper a year and reduce the emissions created by mailing printed cards to you. Thank you for helping us save valuable resources and helping the environment. HOW IT WORKS: • You will receive an email to download the digital card into your phone’s digital wallet (Apple, Android, or Google.) • The card can then be shared with the other adult(s) covered under your Membership plan. If you are unable to use a digital card, we will send you a printed version. You can also use your photo ID at the admission gates.
If you have any questions, contact membership@pittsburghzoo.org or visit the FAQ page on our website.
Celebrating 30 years This year we are honored to announce that President and CEO, Dr. Barbara Baker, is celebrating her 30th year leading the Zoo! When Dr. Baker arrived in Pittsburgh in 1990 to accept her position as President and CEO of the Zoo, she made history as one of only a few women who held leadership positions within zoos. Under Dr. Baker’s guidance, the Zoo became, and remains, one of the top cultural attractions in Western Pennsylvania. Now, she is working to expand the Zoo to encompass the last acreage of property. The expansion will feature new exhibits and will showcase the crucial conservation work the Zoo is doing around the globe. Next time you see Dr. Baker on grounds, take a minute to say hello and reconnect with her. Congratulations, Dr. Baker!
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Meet the
pride 5 | Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
We are roaring with excitement to introduce the Zoo’s first-ever African lion pride! Our young pride consists of a two-year-old male and a pair of two-year-old females. The young lions are currently spending time behind-the-scenes in the Animal Care Center as they adjust to their new environment and become acquainted with the animal care specialists.
Visit pittsburghzoo.org for the latest lion updates! African lions in the wild are considered to be vulnerable. Hunting, loss of habitat, disease, and lack of prey are all contributing to their declining numbers. Lions now live on only 8% of the land that they once occupied. Our new lions act as ambassadors for their cousins in the wild. We are excited for our visitors to not only see our new pride but to learn about lions and what role everyone can play in protecting them in the wild. n
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Zoofari Drive -Thru
zoofari drive-thru returns Visit the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium from the safety of your car with this limited-time evening Zoofari Drive-Thru fundraiser, guided by a themed audio tour on select days and times! Dates:
July 17-19
(Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
timed tickets
August 28-30
(Friday, Saturday, Sunday) Time:
6-8:30pm
Cost: (Member): $50; (Non-member): $60
A fundraiser benefiting the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
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Breaking Ground on Bear Hill As you travel between Safari Plaza and the PPG Aquarium, you may notice some construction cones, caution tape, and other materials. This area, previously referred to as Bear Hill, is currently undergoing a massive renovation as we work to build and install a new pathway that includes innovative and eco-friendly landscaping features like a Vegetated Wall System. Made out of a 100% recycled and recyclable components, this wall system only gets stronger and greener as time goes on. Plus, we’ve been able to use existing rock material to backfill the wall, eliminating the need to import raw material and the need for trucking. And that’s not all. This new pathway design will connect the current pathway in Jungle Odyssey to the entrance area of the PPG Aquarium, making your journey through the Zoo a complete circle loop. Stay tuned for more environmentally-friendly improvements coming to the Zoo soon!
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education For the latest updates on Zoo Camp, classes, and educational programs, please continue to visit the Learn page of our website. ZOO CAMP Registration is open! We are offering Zoo Camp during July and August for children ages 8-13 years old. Our staff has prepared a truly wild week full of animals, tours, activities, crafts, and new friends. We hope that you will spend a week of your summer with us!
VIRTUAL ZOOVENTURE Enjoy a socially distanced Zoo learning experience from the comfort of your home! Join us while we ZOOM age-appropriate and fun, interactive programs that focus on Zoo animals and their environments. Classes vary in length by age group and last between 30 and 60 minutes. Class sizes are limited to ensure that each class offers a more personalized experience. Classes start soon! We hope you will come join us for a WILD Virtual Zoo experience this summer!
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kids’ corner word search
Find the adult and baby names of animals.
Nyala | Calf | Penguin | Chick | Cheetah | Cubs | Clouded Leopard | Sea Lion | Pup
P U N R P O E C S E A L I Q N A I C C H O E F N N E H A O P A O M A S A S H I O R Y I M O E C E V O A L M L I T L R I U U A T Q E N Y A L A J F R M A C I S G S T E F T I S N A Q L M J E R U N N Y I S S U A H B E I R H I S N T B E G C O M O R H U U E U P I M D R A P O E L D E D U O L C E O U R J O T R P U S S M I I L G T F C C P R A R K T C U V S T C H I C K
baby match Help each baby find its parent.
BABY ANIMALS:
Did You know? • Nyala calves are hidden by their mothers the first weeks of their life for
Sea lion
protection. • Cheetah cubs have long hair that runs from their neck down to the base of their tail. This allows them to blend into tall grass,
Macaroni penguin
keeping them safe from predators. • Gentoo chicks fledge the nest at around 14 weeks of age.
Nyala
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welcome back! Summer Hours
Fall Hours
Zoo Opens – 9:30 am Gates Close – 4:30 pm Park Closes – 6 pm
Zoo Opens – 9am Gates Close – 4pm Park Closes – 5pm
May 23 through Sept. 7, 2020
Sept. 8 through Dec. 31, 2020
Zoo Insider is published by the Zoological Society of Pittsburgh. Supported in part through funding from the Allegheny Regional Asset District, the Pennsylvania Tourism Office, and PPG. © 2020 Zoo Insider | Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium | All photography © Paul A. Selvaggio unless otherwise noted. One Wild Place · Pittsburgh, PA 15206 | 412-665-3640 | All rights reserved