Volume XLII, Number 1
Riverbanks Park Commission
Jan Stamps, Chair
Alana Williams, Vice Chair
Mike Velasco, Treasurer
Cliff Bourke, Secretary
Robert G. Davidson
Jeffrey T. Reeves
Deneen Shockley
Riverbanks Society Board
Tristan K. Weinkle, DVM, DACVIM, President
Cecilia Fournil, Vice President
Deans Fawcett, Treasurer
Patti Embry-Tautenhan, Secretary
Stephanie R. Jones, Immediate Past President
Emily Bedenbaugh
A. Mattison Bogan
Lauren Greene
James Herlong
Denise Gunter Hudson
Wes Jackson
Shelby Kay Leonardi
Sarah Bovaird Locke
Donna Longo
Lindsey Miles
Matt Mungo
Andrew Reed
Allison Sanford
Deonca Shuler
Richard Slater Dawn Staley
Sheila M. Willis
Riverbanks Executive Leadership Team
Thomas K. Stringfellow, President & CEO
Christie Vondrak, Chief Administrative Officer
Lochlan Wooten, Chief Operating Officer
Rachael Bashor, Vice President of Mission Engagement
Ashley Harris, Vice President of Finance
Monique Jacobs, Vice President of Advancement
Riverbanks Senior Staff
Brian Blankenship, Director of Safety & Security
Andy Cabe, Director of Horticulture
John Davis, Director of Animal Care & Welfare
Kevin Eubanks, Director of Guest Services
Eric Helms, Director of Construction & Planning
Tracy Hughes, Director of Human Resources
John Thompkins, Director of Information Technology
Martha Weber, DVM, Director of Animal Health
Sean Foley, Curator of Herpetology
Colleen Lynch, Curator of Birds
Greg Peccie, Curator of Mammals
Jennifer Rawlings, Aquarium Curator
DIRECTOR’S VIEW
Oh, baby! 2023 is here, and there is much to look forward to! Riverbanks is eager to show off our new koala joey. Born to first-time mom, Charlotte, the miniature marsupial is a bit of a miracle as joeys born to first-time koala mothers have a lower chance of survival. We hope you will plan to come out to welcome the little joey to our Riverbanks family.
While supply chain issues caused a delay in our original anticipated opening of the Darnall W. and Susan F. Boyd Aquarium & Reptile Conservation Center, we anticipate opening the interior very soon. The radiated tortoises and Burmese black mountain tortoises have enjoyed their outdoor habitats since November, and I hope you have had a chance to see them. Many other animals have moved in and are getting acclimated to their new digs including new desert-dwelling birds like Gambrel’s quail, thick-billed parrots and burrowing owls as well as Gila monsters, spiny-tailed agamids, and black-headed pythons. We can’t wait to introduce you to these magnificent animals!
The team at Riverbanks continues to work hard to realize the next phase of Bridge to the Wild, our vision of the future. We look forward to sharing more on our efforts and progress in the months ahead. See you at the Zoo –
Thomas K. Stringfellow President & CEO
Riverbanks Hours of Operation
Open daily 9am-5pm
Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas days.
Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is located at 500 Wildlife Pkwy, Columbia SC 29210
Subscriptions to Riverbanks are $24 per year. Members of Riverbanks Society are entitled to one free subscription along with free admission and guest passes, discounts at Zoo & Garden gift shops, invitations to special events and much more. To subscribe to Riverbanks or to join the Society, visit riverbanks.org or call 803.779.8717 and press 1.
Riverbanks Magazine
Editor - Monique Jacobs Design Direction and Layout - Majken Blackwell
Contributors: Catherine Connell, Sean Foley, Ryan Jones, Greg Peccie, Jennifer Rawlings, Brett Williams, Mariah Wyngowski
Contributing Photographers - Larry Cameron, Lynn Hunter Hackett, Michael Jones, Stephanie Olayvar, Jennifer Rawlings
Cover Photograph - Woodland Walk, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden by Majken Blackwell
Riverbanks is published six times a year for members of Riverbanks Society by Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, Columbia, South Carolina.
Creating Connections. Inspiring Action. Impacting Conservation.
Charlotte was the last koala joey born at Riverbanks—and now the first-time mom has gifted us with a joey of her own! There are certain risks associated with firsttime mothers, so we are cautiously optimistic that this miniature marsupial will continue to bring joy to Zoo guests throughout the New Year.
Southern white rhinos Bill and Winnifred (along with Kande, not pictured here) represented Riverbanks in a study to help enhance our understanding of rhinos. Information gathered at our Zoo will be combined with data from other institutions to advance rhino care and conservation worldwide.
Creating Connections. Inspiring Action. Impacting Conservation.
The largest tortoises in the world, Galapagos tortoises can live well over 100 years. Three adult “Galaps” currently live at Riverbanks. The smallest, Alberta, is the mother of 19 juvenile giant tortoises living at the Zoo. Next time you visit, see if you can spot Alberta!
Creating
Connections.
Inspiring Action. Impacting Conservation. Breakfast with Bunny
One blue and gold highfin snapper has lived in the Aquarium at Riverbanks since 1992. Skipper is the largest fish in the giant Indo-Pacific tank. Over the years, he has become a crowd favorite with his big personality. Skipper’s endless curiosity about his surroundings often leads him to fun interactions with the divers.
Creating Connections. Inspiring Action. Impacting Conservation.
Wilma the babirusa enjoys spending time with her keepers and her daughter, Penelope. Wilma also likes to spend her days making a nest out of hay and sticks that she finds laying around her habitat. Look for Wilma between the Galapagos tortoise and rhino habitats on your next Zoo visit.
Hakuna matata! Meerkats may be cute, but unlike the famous animated character Timon, they are vicious hunters who eat anything they can catch. As omnivores, meerkats eat meat and plant material. Anything from a nice juicy bug to the root of a potato is on the menu.
Whether it’s a spectacular bloom, a mass of color, or an unusual plant structure, there’s always something growing on at Riverbanks Botanical Garden! Hailed by Horticulture magazine as one of 10 gardens that inspire and by HGTV® as one of 20 great public gardens across America, the Garden boasts 70 acres of unparalleled beauty, plus a 3-acre children’s garden where kids of all ages can explore, imagine and play.
Creating Connections. Inspiring Action. Impacting Conservation.
African lionesses Thabisa and Lindelani (not pictured) are sisters at Riverbanks. In prides, all females are related. When male lions reach maturity, they leave the pride and form coalitions, groups of males, or find new prides.
Creating Connections. Inspiring Action. Impacting Conservation.
Every zebra has a unique stripe pattern, and Riverbanks’ 7-year-old Plains zebras are no exception. Forrest can be distinguished by his thinner stripes and gray ankles; Gus has black ankles and a very distinct “tear drop” under his right eye. Next time you visit the Zoo, see if you can tell who’s who!
Creating Connections. Inspiring Action. Impacting Conservation.
The bearded dragon gets its name from the spiny scales on its throat. When threatened or mating, the male will puff out its throat, which also will darken and look similar to a beard. Stop by Riverbanks’ Aquarium & Reptile Conservation Center to get a glimpse of this lizard in action!
Unlike many of the Indo-Pacific coral species held at Riverbanks, these Florida corals love to eat! Keepers feed them plankton several times a week, and they always respond eagerly by extending their tentacles to capture tasty morsels.
