Toledo Zoo Safari Magazine- Habitats

SAFARI HABITATS

The Official Magazine of the Toledo Zoo

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Volume 29 |

Issue 2

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Summer 2020

WELCOME LETTER

Cover photo: Rusty-tipped Page (Siproeta epaphus)

2020 has certainly brought a lot of unexpected and unprecedented to all aspects of society, including Your Zoo. We understand how challenging dealing with COVID-19 has been and will continue to be for everyone.

Please know, while our grounds may be closed to the public, our staff is still here caring for and enriching the lives of our animals, as well as working around the world to continue saving disappearing species and spaces.

It is with your support that we are able to sustain. Our members, donor and advocates have helped lift us through this difficult time and we appreciate all the calls, notes, donations and memberships renewed early more than we can express. Please continue to stay engaged with us, via our social media platforms, #Zooopenonline

and website, until we can be together on Zoo grounds again. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or the membership department.

Together, we will continue to be a Zoo for all, by all.

Thank you for your continued support.

WHAT IS A HABITAT?

Sincerely,

The term habitat is derived from Latin meaning to have or hold. As we have learned, the dictionary defines a habitat as anywhere a plant or animal calls home. As that is a very broad definition, we wanted to break it down into a few facts and vocabulary terms to aid in our understanding:

JEFF SAILER President & CEO, Toledo Zoo & Aquarium

Safari is an exclusive benefit to Toledo Zoo members. Membership also includes free, unlimited, year-round admission and parking during regular Zoo hours; a subscription to the Zoo’s e-newsletter; early access to Summer Concert Series tickets; discounts on Zoo merchandise, food and beverage, classes, programs and more; and discounted admission to 150+ zoos and aquariums nationwide. toledozoo.org/membership

A habitat is characterized by both physical and biological features. Physical features include soil, temperatures, light and moisture, while biological factors are the presence of food, predators and other living things.

It may be helpful to think of habitats as homes found within a biome, or portion of the planet classified according to the plants and animals that live in it. The six recognized major biomes are desert, forest, freshwater, grassland, marine and tundra.

CONTACT INFORMATION

2 Hippo Way • P.O. Box 140130 Toledo, Ohio 43614-0130 419-385-5721

Within those categories exist many sub-categories, including several on display in animal exhibits at the Zoo such as tropical rainforest, savanna, steppe, mountain and marsh.

Habitats do not have to be a specific geographic area though, they can be the interior of a plant stem, the rotten trunk of a specific tree species or even a parasite’s host plant or animal. In fact, micro-habitat is the term of the small scale requirements of a particular organism.

Habitats can change over time too. For example, a volcanic eruption, natural disaster, human interference, invasive species, the spread of disease and climate change can alter nature both temporarily and permanently.

Polar Bear

Research has indicated that loss of habitat is the single greatest threat to living species. Ultimately, all species within a habitat are inter-connected. Protection of all habitats truly is a matter of life or death, for plants, wildlife and humans.

A habitat can also defined as a person’s usual or preferred surroundings. If we think of it that way, the Zoo is the habitat of thousands of animal enthusiasts!

DESERT very limited rain, barren area covered by sand FOREST land covered with trees and underbrush

Contact the editor at 419-385-5721, ext. 2145 or kim.haddix@toledozoo.org

FRESHWATER waterways, such as lakes, rivers, streams GRASSLAND large, flat grass dominated areas An accredited member of World Association of Zoos and Aquariums | W A Z A United for Conservation

TOLEDOZOO.ORG/ZOOTODO

MARINE related to oceans or bodies of saltwater

®

EDITORS: JEFF SAILER & SHAYLA MORIARTY WRITER: KIM HADDIX DESIGNER: ANN KINSMAN PHOTOGRAPHER: COREY WYCKOFF PRINTER: MUIR PRINT & MARKETING Safari is published quarterly by the Toledo Zoo, P.O. Box 140130, Toledo, OH 43614-0130.

Second-class postage paid at Toledo, Ohio and at additional mailing offices.

Printed on recycled paper. ©2020 by Toledo Zoo.

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TUNDRA cold, treeless regions at North and South Poles

Ohio: After the Ice

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HABITATS ON DISPLAY IN THE MUSEUM

NEW HABITAT AT THE ZOO

WITH JOSH MINOR, ASSOCIATE CURATOR OF EDUCATION Habitats are dynamic because of the living things within them and the geologic events that have changed the habitat over time. If we stepped back in time in the Toledo area, we would be in the Great Black Swamp. Before that, this area was a lake and even further back, it was covered by a glacier. This glacier, the Wisconsin Glacier, helped form this region’s current habitats in many ways approximately 20,000 years ago. As the glacier melted, it receded and re-shaped the landscape, deposited sediment and formed lakes.

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Tropics Greenhouse

in the ice. Explore how the rainforest biodiversity benefits humans and many other species, while also paying special attention to the biological links to our region too.

OHIO: AFTER THE ICE

The ProMedica Museum of Natural History is a great place to highlight the impact of the glacier on our region. Here are a few things to consider on your next visit:

After the glacial retreat, many animals were able to establish themselves in the new habitats in the region.

Large herbivores, such as mammoths and mastodons, roamed the area grazing on the plant life. In addition, explore the glacial wall, the grooves that it cut in the stone, as well as a look at the large predators present in the area 13,000 years ago. Don’t forget to touch the frozen side of the glacier to get a sense of the temperature and climate too!

TROPICS GREENHOUSE

WETLANDS

Glaciers did not cover the tropical rainforests found around the world near the equator. These habitats are full and diverse in part because they were never covered

The glacier helped to form the Great Lakes basin and the watershed around it. As the ice melted, water filled in the low lying areas. This led to the formation of both

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Wetlands and Lakes

Lake Erie and the Great Black Swamp. This region is a key flyway in bird migration each year because of the plentiful water and resources here. Explore how Your Zoo is working to protect Lake Erie and its watershed while viewing all the unique habitats found along the lakeshore.

PRAIRIE GREENHOUSE

This summer Your Zoo is debuting a new habitat — The Nancy L. and Martin Davidson Barnyard, a new petting zoo! This new area, themed like a farm or barn, is designed to be a year-round attraction and will be located just off Main Plaza encompassing The Lodge, previously used as an event space and before that the Elephant House. It will feature both indoor and outdoor exhibits, along with opportunities to touch and for a very small fee, feed fun farm animals. While still under construction at print time of this magazine, some of The Barnyard’s new residents will include:

A “younger” habitat than the Tropics, the prairie is still quite diverse. The melting of the glacier deposited sediments during its retreat that included the sand that formed dunes of the Oak Openings region, a habitat containing many prairie plants and animals that are exclusive to northwest Ohio. Explore how unique this habitat is and how plants survive in the sandy soil.

MANGALITSA

Learn more about habitats and take a virtual tour!

GOATS

TOLEDOZOO.ORG/MUSEUM

While this breed looks like a cross between a sheep and a pig, it is actually all pig. The breed was created in the 19th century as an experimental breeding of a wild boar and lard pig. Known for its curly hair that can be blonde, red or black, this pig grows slowly yet has 50% more fat content than traditional hogs.

Ohio: After the Ice

Goats are members of the Bovidae family, which also includes antelope, sheep and cattle. There are more than 200 breeds of goats ranging in size from 20 – 250 pounds! Goats are herbivores that consume a variety of grasses and vegetation. They grab food with their lips and because their upper jaw is wider than their lower, only chew on one side of their mouth. Worldwide, more people consume goat milk than milk from any other animals.

LLAMAS The South American relative of camels, llamas are herbivores that can stand five to six feet tall and weigh up to 250 pounds! These social animals are very curious, live in herds, hum to communicate and require very little water. Llamas have been used by humans as pack animals to move goods over the Andes Mountains for generations.

Additionally, llama hide is used for leather, feces dried and burned for fuel and wool made into ropes, rugs and fabric.

Check out these animals in the new habitat on your next visit!

One of the first animals to be domesticated and tamed, humans have been herding goats for over 9,000 years.

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ESSENTIALS OF A HABITAT

Look for the bare necessities The simple bare necessities Forget about your worries and your strife I mean the bare necessities Old Mother Nature's recipes Brown Bear

That brings the bare necessities of life

Lion Fish

Lyrics from The Bare Necessities The Jungle Book

While the idea may be simple, in reality the bare necessities may be harder than it sounds… As we have discussed, each species has its own habitat, but that habitat exists within the habitats of many other species of plants and animals. Finding the right balance is key. To be successful all habitats must have the following:

FOOD Within a given habitat there is a food web or chain, from top predator on down, evening including plants. For the web and habitat to be successful, there must be predators and prey for all species. If there is too little food, an animal may starve. If there is too much food, one animal could become too numerous. Either way, the entire natural dynamic can be completely thrown off.

SHELTER Shelter is defined as protection from predators and weather. It also includes a space to eat, sleep, hunt and raise offspring. It can be anything from rotten log or a fox’s den to a crayfish burrow or an underwater rock formation. A tree, for example, can provide shelter to a variety of plants and animals: a nesting spot for birds and squirrels, canopy cover for plants and insects, fallen leaves for a deer to bed down in and much more.

SPACE The amount of space each plant or animal needs varies widely by species. For example, a wood louse (roly-poly or pill bug) needs only a few square inches, while a cougar hunts a territory of up to 200 square miles! Plants are no exception either; think about a daisy versus a red wood tree. Habitat nor space should be confused with range though. For example, a giraffe’s habitat space is grassland, while its range (worldwide distribution) is central, eastern and southern Africa.

WATER As we learned in elementary school, clean water is essential for plants and animals to live and thrive. Some need a lot, like frogs and fish, while others, such as koalas and giraffes who get most of their water through the leaves they eat, need just a little. Without access to clean water though, animals and plants could not survive long term.

It is vitally important that we preserve all habitats- large and small, short and tall, crowded and barren, wet and dry- in order to maintain and appreciate the full scope of diverse ecosystems, animals and plants that make up planet earth.

Ring-tailed Lemur

Tasmanian Devil

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ECO-TOURISM: AN OVERVIEW Golden-headed Lion Tamarin

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT GABBY DENNIS

While you may not think there is much new to talk about when discussing habitats, there actually is. There is also a movement a foot (see what we did there) to preserve habitats through eco-tourism, or travel directed toward exotic, often imperiled or at risk natural environments in a way to support conservation and observe wildlife, as defined by the Oxford dictionary. As this idea has grown organically in just the past two decades, allow us to present a brief overview, intended simply to spark thoughtful conversation.

A quick Google search indicates eco-tourism is a new effort to increase responsible travel. Areas where plants, animals and culture are attractions are high on an ecotourist’s must-visit list, such as Costa Rica, Nepal, Kenya, Jordan, South Africa and India. The idea is to show off the natural beauty to small groups while also exhibiting a respect of nature by leaving a low environmental impact- or more simply, leave only footprints.

For example, according to the Red Panda Network website, eco-tourists can travel with the organization

into the Himalayas (one of the most biodiverse regions of the world) to see the cute red heads in the wild, stay with a local family, experience local culture and participate in community-based conservation work to educate on alternatives of forest exploitation.

In addition, the money spent by eco-tourists to visit these areas is reinvested in the local community to provide money for conservation efforts, promote sustainability, manage natural resources and empower natives to help themselves and the environment.

If done respectfully, the hope is that eco-tourism can increase societal love and admiration of nature and help retain its beauty for generations to come.

It has been said that we care for what we know… and not to be cliché, but now that we know better, we can do better.

REDPANDANETWORK.ORG/ECOTRIPS

Our Department Volunteer of the Year began volunteering in May of 2016. Although not recruited as a department volunteer, she had an opportunity in the summer of 2017 to help out in the Commissary. The project was a behindthe-scenes reward for being an excellent volunteer in the role for which she was recruited. What should have been a one-off project evolved into an on-going position that has provided great benefits to everyone involved.

For over two years, this volunteer has been spending quality time in the Commissary for two or three days a month, helping to clean, prep, stack, organize or do anything else the Commissary needs. As the central food distribution point for the Zoo’s animals, the Commissary is a busy place, and this volunteer jumps right in. As Robin, one of the Commissary staff notes, this volunteer has “a sincere desire to help out with anything! She possesses an outstanding work ethic, a positive attitude and is a wonderful person to be around!”

MEMBER TIPS Membership Means More at Your Zoo! Don’t forget to take advantage of the following members-only offers…

2020 NEW MEMBER BENEFITS • 10% discount on food and beverage purchases (excludes alcohol & promotional items) • Unlimited Lights Before Christmas admission • Unlimited admission to Christmas in July • President’s Circle members only – free parking for one vehicle in Broadway lot

MEMBERSHIP MONTHLY PROMOTIONS MAY

• Buy one cookie, get one specialty cookie free at Timberline Bakery & Café at the Museum

JUNE

• Free 12 oz coffee with bagel purchase at Timberline Bakery & Café at the Museum • $2 off souvenir phone sling at Aerial Adventure Course • Member Mornings: Exclusive 9 a.m. admission each Saturday* JULY

• Free kids’ ice cream cone with any ice cream purchase at Northern Ice and Birdfeeder • Free admission to Christmas in July • Member Mornings: Exclusive 9 a.m. admission each Saturday* TOLEDOZOO.ORG/MEMBERSHIPMEANSMORE

Please join us in congratulating Gabby Dennis, our Department Volunteer of the Year.

Red Panda

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DESIGNING HABITATS WITH BRUCE BURKHART, EXHIBITS MANAGER AND EXHIBITS TEAM

While many think of habitats as natural places, they can be man-made too. In fact, creating habitats is a main job function of the Zoo’s exhibits team. The current team consists of the manager, Bruce Burkhart, two full time designers, Brad Schuster and Adam Sanzenbacher, along with some part-time help. As you can imagine, creating habitats for everything from armadillos to zebras is not an easy or quick process. To learn more about all that goes into creating a forever Zoo home, we sat down with the exhibits team to pick their brains…

North American River Otter

WHAT ALL GOES INTO CREATING A HABITAT FOR A ZOO ANIMAL? BRUCE There is a lot that goes into creating a 100% habitat here at the Zoo. I think we have a greater responsibility than most would realize because our animals spend most or all of their time in this habitat.

That being said, the animal’s needs are at the forefront of all we do, but second in our minds is display-ability.

Visitors want to be able to see the animal up close, showing off natural behaviors. We also have to keep in mind keeper use, materials, timeline and cost. We try to be in tune with and balance all of those factors.

BRAD The general idea/process is that first there is a work request submitted. Once we get that, we contact the curator, keepers and vets to take all of their desires into the design phase. We sketch, draw, prototype, whatever is necessary to get a good idea. After a design is worked out and approved, we gather materials and start the actual construction and installation. Sometimes we have to make adjustments as we go, but we try to stick to a plan and a timeline, even though it can be challenging.

ADAM Another part that goes into the design is the animal’s interest- their activities, enrichment and how they use space as a whole. We always want to keep our habitats as natural and enticing as possible.

BRUCE We also have to consider the individual animals, their ages, likes and dislikes. Are they geriatric? Do they have any special needs? We have a lot of projects and potential projects, as animals move in and out of exhibits, come and go from the Zoo and grow while they are here.

We try very hard to make sure our designs and what comes to fruition allow for options- for the keepers and the animals.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR LATEST PROJECTS. BRAD We are currently creating a slide for our otters.

We had rehabbed the stream in the otter exhibit once previously for a different species of otters, but this project is an effort to make the habitat more enticing for the current species, as they don’t have the same behaviors.

ADAM We spent a lot of time learning how the otters will use and react to this new slide. We studied their size, their movements, how they swim, where they like to wade.

In the early stages, we look at a lot of details.

BRUCE When the idea was brought to us, it was based off something keepers saw in another zoo’s otter exhibit.

Thankfully, the zoo community is well connected and most are open to sharing ideas, discussing thought processes and what has worked or not worked prior. The first thing we did was look at how the current exhibit was being used or not used. Then, we talked about how we could make a natural experience with different features, such as a stream, pool or grotto. We wanted to make it multidimensional. The space is small so adding other fixtures was a design challenge but we worked with the keepers and came up with a fun new slide. This spring, when the weather lets us, we will install it and hopefully everyone will be able to appreciate this new idea. We are also in the early stages of crafting a water feature for the Tasmanian devils- so stay tuned to see how that turns out too!

WHAT IS THE BEST PART ABOUT YOUR JOB? BRAD I have been doing this for 15 years and I enjoy watching the animals interact in a healthy way. The animal’s psychological health is so important. I remember watching the Rhinoceros Hornbill fly into the tree we created for them for the first time. A lot of work went into the design and install of that tree and seeing it in use was something I will never forget. I also enjoy exploring new materials, trying something and figuring out how to make it work.

ADAM I have been here for just over a year, but I love coming up with the design and bringing something new into existence. I enjoy the back and forth with keepers and knowing that what we are creating is useful and flexible for all- the keepers and the animals. Like Brad said, watching an animal engage with something you designed and created is really special too.

BRUCE This fall, I will have been with the Zoo for 33 years and I still love the creativity. Not many people get the opportunity to do things they really enjoy. I like the process of creating something new. Sometimes it is a calculated experiment, other times we are following the lead of other zoos, but it is fun to juggle the big creative projects with the smaller more mundane work. I also love the opportunities we get to interact so closely with the keepers and the animals. To me, it’s like a very cool behind-the-scenes experience that no matter how many times I get to do it, still remains special. We get to see what most people don’t and our challenge is to try our best to give that unique experience to our guests. Doing what we do, I feel like we are part of the solution. We are supporting the Zoo’s mission in a very real way!

Amur Tiger image by Anna Breier

Amur Tiger Orangutan

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STYLING YOUR OWN HABITAT WITH SONYA GARCIA, DIRECTOR OF RETAIL, AND THE MERCHANDISE TEAM

CONSERVING HABITATS WITH JACOB SCHOEN, CONSERVATION TECHNICIAN Some habitats are well known, while others much less so.

Fens fall into the latter category for many. A fen is an aquifer fed seep. They used to be common around the Great Lakes, however as humans drained wetlands to increase hospitability and agriculture, this unique habitat quickly disappeared. Research shows water in a fen can travel up to 200 miles and could have last been above ground over 50 years prior. Given this long cycle, we are just now seeing the effects of water pollution and climate change on the habitat from the 1960s and 70s! Fens are of particular interest to our conservation staff, as they are the sole habitat for the endangered Mitchell’s Satyr

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butterfly. To learn more about fens and their importance, we sat down with conservation technician, Jacob Schoen.

“Mitchell’s Satyrs, a butterfly about the size of a quarter with brown eye spots, are only found in fens in the northern United States, the habitat of their host sedge plant. The bubbling ground water remains about 50 degrees all year round, being cool in the summer and warm in the winter. As agriculture has increased in our region, fens and Mitchell’s Satyrs have disappeared.

In the past five years, the butterfly has seen a huge population decline. We need to help stabilize it, or the species risks extinction,” detailed Schoen.

“To help, we have new, custom designed Satyr enclosures in our butterfly conservation lab in the basement of the new ProMedica Museum of Natural History. In the wild, these little butterflies live about a week but in these enclosures we designed to match every variable we could control to the native habitat, they are living about a month. We have 20 Satyr enclosures and how it works is we grow sedges in pots, suspend them in 3 inches of

water that a chiller cools to 50 degrees and circulates through all the enclosures. This also cools the substrate and creates almost a 40 degree temperature difference from the bottom of the enclosure to the top. To sum it up, we are able to promote healthy lifecycles and successfully breed butterflies we collected from the wild to create a captive assurance population of 1,500 and eventually start reintroducing them in our region.”

In addition to the enclosures, guests can view simulated fen habitat in the Museum’s Prairie Greenhouse. “When you are looking at the prairie exhibit, it progresses from a sandy Oak Openings region on the left through a mesic or middle prairie and ends on the far right with a fen, complete with moss and pitcher plants.”

When it comes down to it, Schoen and the rest of the conservation staff’s goal is simply for Zoo guests to learn about, appreciate and help conserve this unique habitat and all the amazing creatures found within it.

Our home is our habitat. Sonya Garcia, director of retail operations and her team have been working diligently to upgrade our gift shops to include merchandise that helps make the world better…and prettier, one habitat at a time.

“As our region is a stop-over for many migrating birds and home to a large number of native species, the Zoo gift shops now carry bird feeders, baths and houses for a variety of species to supplement habitat for our feathered friends. From personal experience, I know it is easy to help the natural world. The simple placement of water and food provides great benefits for hummingbirds and many other species.”

To help bolster the pollinator population and educate our guests on their importance, we also offer bat and butterfly houses too. “Our products are decorative but we also want them to be beneficial. We are mindful of ensuring our products are made of natural materials, non-toxic coatings/coverings and include instructions for obtaining the best outcomes, including how and where to place.”

get started on their own conservation journey. “As a 4th generation bee keeper and proud owner of a certified butterfly garden, habitat preservation and planting natives are passions of mine and I am thrilled to be able to help our guests see how easy it is to an active participant in bettering our world.”

“Most of the products mentioned above can be found in The Curio Shop in the ProMedica Museum of Natural History and range in price from $20-50. Be on the lookout for more options at other gift shops though too, as we are always searching for more ways to make a difference for wildlife. Like right now, I have my eye on a new beautiful yet beneficial outdoor water feature.”

Visit our gift shops during your next Zoo trip to carry on our mission of caring for animals and conserving the natural world in your own habitat!

Gift shop photography by Anna Breier

We also have a whole series of “how-to” books on topics such as keeping bees and identifying birds to help guests

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SHARING SPACES Monarch butterfly

WITH KORAL STODDARD, MAMMAL AREA MANAGER In past Zoo communications, including Safari magazines and our e-newsletter The Feed, we have written extensively on human wildlife conflict. To refresh your memory before we go into ways we can best coexist with the creature world, here are a few excerpts: SAFARI MAGAZINE

LOSS OF HABITAT - FALL 2017 The story actually began with the westward movement of the 19th and 20th centuries. “This was the first point in recorded history that humans were fundamentally changing the natural world with expansion. We began taking natural lands and resources to build homes, establish farms, and accommodate our population growth and technology. Basically as the suburban sprawl took root, more and more natural habitat disappeared. Even more recently, if you look at photos from the 70s, we are 10 times more spread out now than we were then.”

Human wildlife conflict has three main arms: competition for resources, human expansion and exploitation for monetary gain. Competition for resources stems from the fact that humans and wildlife drink from the same water sources, eat many of the same foods and all need homes to survive. While most wouldn’t consider human expansion a bad thing, when it comes to wildlife, expansion of our territory means contraction of theirs. What land, trees, etc. we take for new homes, recreational trails or even agriculture, comes at the expense of wildlife. This often leads to tragic interactions as humans become common in traditionally wild areas and/or wildlife common in populated areas. Exploitation for monetary gain is as simple as poaching for skin, fur, tusks, horns, antlers, etc. to be sold. Another factor that plays into all of these arms, is the fear for one’s safety in the presence of large, dangerous wild animals. Often the mentality is it is us or them.

THE FEED

That human expansion lead to the loss of habitat, or the place or environment where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives and grows. For example, studies have shown that Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) have lost 90-95% of their original summer habitat, which were the prairies of the Midwest that became acre after acre of fertile farmland.

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HUMAN WILDLIFE CONFLICT - JUNE 2017 Human Wildlife Conflict. This hard to define term can refer to any competition of resources between wild animals and humans that ends with a negative result for one side or the other. While obviously neither tragic outcome is desirable, the best course of action is for us to learn how to co-exist with wild animals, as in reality we are moving into their established territories, not the other way around.

SAFARI MAGAZINE

HUMAN WILDLIFE CONFLICT - FALL 2017 The taking of animals’ natural habitat for human expansion is threatening the delicate balance of the needs of the animal kingdom and desires of humans to co-exist.

The real lesson here is that people, wildlife and the environment are not adversaries; they are integral partners. The health and welfare of people depends on a healthy environment and vice versa.

SAFARI MAGAZINE

HUMAN ENCROACHMENT - FALL 2017

Kihansi Spray Toad

How can we help? Mammal area manager, Koral Stoddard, breaks it down: “To me, understanding and educating about human wildlife conflict boils down to being kind and courteous to animals and having a healthy respect for their habitat and behaviors. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are navigating nature- whether it be in your own backyard or in a remote corner of the world.

All species of bears are at risk due to human/bear conflict in the wild. This conflict has been on the rise in the US as people infringe upon natural bear habitat in creation of recreational hiking trails, building houses or developing natural areas for commercial use. Unfortunately, most conflicts arise from mother bears protecting their cubs or individual bears seeking new food sources.

In addition to trespassing in native bear range for recreational activities such as hiking, fishing and hunting, humans are also removing trees to build houses and highways. In doing so we are taking food and shelter sources, as bears eat berries and nuts and can climb trees.

Indian Rhino

Be prepared and aware of your surroundings. Before you go, educate yourself on the area, including what animals and plants are native, who to call and where to get help if needed and familiarize yourself with a map.

Also, take precautions to avoid dangerous situations by wearing long sleeves and pants, carrying appropriate supplies including water, snacks, animal repellant, a whistle or other noisemaker and first aid supplies.

Know and obey the rules. Stay on marked trails. Do not lure, feed or taunt wild animals. Do not remove any plant or animal. Pick up after yourself and put all trash in proper receptacles. Leave nature as you found- only footprints should show you were ever there.

Observe from a distance. While the latest trend might be to get the perfect selfie, do not invade their space. Keep yourself and the animals at a safe distance. The result of unfortunate interactions is usually the animal being demonized or even put down for exhibiting natural selfpreservation behaviors.

Leave them be. If you see an injured or out of place animal, do not touch them. Instead, call the appropriate authorities. Human intervention is usually more hazardous than harmful.

Do not feed wildlife. Wild animals should have an innate caution toward humans. Most animals that approach humans have been fed before and see humans as a source of food. This draw toward people increases the risk of tragic interactions and road kill, as they enter neighborhoods and other human inhabited areas.

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Lights Before Christmas Hours: November 20 - December 31 10 a.m. - 2:59 p.m. | Zoo Daytime hours

Sun -Thu 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. | Lights Before Christmas activities Fri & Sat 3 p.m. - 9 p.m. | Lights Before Christmas activities All Lucas County residents receive free Zoo admission every non-holiday Monday 10 a.m. - noon. (Must show valid proof of residency.)

The Zoo remains open for one additional hour after gates close to allow visitors to complete their visit. However, many animals may be off exhibit during the last hour.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Events subject to change.

MAY 5/3 Cinco De Mayo Celebration toledozoo.org/cinco 5/10 Mother's Day Celebration & Brunch toledozoo.org/mothersday 5/16 Dart Frog Dash toledozoo.org/dartfrog 5/23-5/24 Summer Season Kick-off toledozoo.org/summer

5/29 Wine Tasting: Africa! Overlook toledozoo.org/wine

5/30 Lucas' 9th Birthday Celebration toledozoo.org/lucas 5/30 Horticulture Make & Take Workshop toledozoo.org/gardens

JUNE Saturdays Member Mornings ― 9 a.m. admission 6/1 6/3 6/7 6/9

toledozoo.org/membership

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Nature's Neighborhood Play Event toledozoo.org/familyofferings Kidsapalooza toledozoo.org/kids PNC ZOOtoDO presented by Lexus toledozoo.org/zootodo Father's Day Celebration & BBQ toledozoo.org/fathersday

JULY Saturdays Member Mornings ― 9 a.m. admission

7/19 Sundae Funday toledozoo.org/sundae 7/21 Garden Tour toledozoo.org/gardens Sundays Music Under the Stars toledozoo.org/music 7/24 Zoo Brew toledozoo.org/zoobrew 7/16 Summer Concert Series: Buddy Guy & Jonny Lang 7/24-7/26 Christmas in July toledozoo.org/christmasinjuly 7/27 ADA Day abilitycenter.org toledozoo.org/concerts 7/18 Nature's Neighborhood Play Event toledozoo.org/familyofferings 7/29 Summer Concert Series: Doobie Brothers toledozoo.org/concerts toledozoo.org/membership

For more information about these and other events, visit toledozoo.org/events