We have invited Carolyn Jess back to help us out as guest blogger in 2013 with a focus on native wildlife. Jess is a 12 year old student who has agreed to be our special guest blogger about wildlife conservation. We first met Carolyn in October 2011 when she came out to the Zoo to meet our special guest Jack Hannah. If you would like to contact Carolyn or have comments, you may send them to conservation@houstonzoo.org.
Happy Birthday Novia! Novia, the ocelot, just celebrated her 5th birthday at the Houston Zoo. She had a really nice party with delicious presents and lots of people to help her celebrate. Novia’s birthday is definitely worth celebrating since she was not expected to live past two years old. Novia – which means girlfriend in Spanish- was brought to the zoo to breed with the ocelot that was already there. The keepers discovered that Novia had some health problems and she had to be spayed. Her boyfriend was brought to another zoo and was able to have babies there, but Novia was not expected to survive much longer. Her health issues were pretty bad. The zoo staff did not give up on her though. The carnivore keepers gave her lots of love and attention along with antibiotics and vitamins to make her stronger. Through the care of the keepers and their support, Novia pulled through. She is truly a survivor, so turning five years old was a big reason to celebrate!
I was able to help get Novia’s party prepared. I went in with her keeper to Novia’s enclosure. Novia was waiting quietly and watching as we walked through her home. I helped stuff some of her favorite things in the colorful boxes and bags that she would soon open. Some of the items were: fish, a bone, dead mice, squid, shrimp and a lobster. While the keepers and I stuffed the bags and boxes with treats, a crowd was starting to gather to help this girl celebrate her birthday. Novia was curious to see what was going on. As soon as she walked in, she went straight for her presents. I am glad to say she went to my present first and quickly devoured the dead mouse I set out for her. She dug further in to get the rest of the treats. After a while, she found her biggest present, the lobster, and disappeared in the bushes with it. We could not see her, but we could hear the crunch as she enjoyed her birthday gift. The celebration was enjoyed by everyone who came to see it – especially Novia.
There were other events going on Saturday as well. The Houston Zoo held an Enrichment Day which was a great way to see how animals have fun in their habitats. Throughout the enclosures were lots of decorations and enrichment toys that the animals love to play with, smell, or even eat. Animal enrichment happens daily here at the zoo. Enrichment helps strengthen the animals physically and mentally. It keeps their minds sharp and keeps their bodies healthy. The zoo staff was very busy teaching guests about the importance of enrichment. Enrichment Day was a great way to see up close what happens every day behind the scenes. To the animals that live here, it was just another fun day, but to the parents and kids who came out, it was a great way to see what really happens here at the zoo.
We have invited Carolyn Jess back to help us out as guest blogger in 2013 with a focus on native wildlife. Jess is a 12 year old student who has agreed to be our special guest blogger about wildlife conservation. We first met Carolyn in October 2011 when she came out to the Zoo to meet our special guest Jack Hannah. If you would like to contact Carolyn or have comments, you may send them to conservation@houstonzoo.org.
I just finished my Keeper Training Camp at the Houston Zoo. If you have not taken one of the Camp Zoofari sessions before, you should try one. My class went to a lot of the keeper talks and heard about animal diets, how they animals are trained, and what a day for an animal keeper is like. One of the most interesting things I got to watch was the kookaburras eat. If you aren’t familiar with how this species feeds, you should definitely try to find some videos online.
While I was at camp, I noticed a sign up about palm oil. I had not heard much about palm oil before and looked it up this weekend. Palm oil is in about 50% of items sold in grocery stores. It is used in chocolate candy, many snack foods, and ice cream. Basically, huge amounts of rainforests are being cut down and replaced with palm plantations. That doesn’t sound too bad, right? Wrong! The animals that are used to living in the rainforest can’t survive on palm plantations. These animals are losing their homes and starving when their rainforest home is taken away. This sounds similar to our ocelot and blind salamander. These animals are losing their homes because of humans.
The first thing you can do to help the rainforest animals is to be aware of this problem and tell your friends. Write to your favorite snack food company and ask them to not use palm oil from destructed forests. If they get enough letters, they may listen. You want to buy from companies who are in the RSPO – Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil.
This is a problem that has some very bad consequences. If we work together, animals and our environment will be better off. We can’t wait until it is too late.
We have invited Carolyn Jess back to help us out as guest blogger in 2013 with a focus on native wildlife. Jess is a 12 year old student who has agreed to be our special guest blogger about wildlife conservation. We first met Carolyn in October 2011 when she came out to the Zoo to meet our special guest Jack Hannah. If you would like to contact Carolyn or have comments, you may send them to conservation@houstonzoo.org.
Happy Earth and Arbor Day! As you think of ideas to help our environment and conserve resources, here is another way to help that you may not have thought of: Action for Apes Challenge. Several Houston Area schools and organizations are taking part in this great service learning program by encouraging their friends and family to recycle used cell phones. It’s important to recycle your used cell phones because they contain a mineral called coltan. Coltan is destructively mined in the African Congo where the chimpanzees and gorilla habitats are. If we can recycle used cell phones, cameras, and laptop computers, less of the mineral is needed from this important wildlife area. More coltan recycled means less mining of coltan in the Congo.
You can also help by keeping your cell phone for as long as possible or even buying a refurbished phone. If you would like to recycle your old cell phones, the Houston Zoo or area schools competing in the challenge will take them. The school that has the most cell phones collected wins a great prize! It is a hand painted picture by the Houston Zoo’s chimps. Really though, everyone comes out a winner. When we can make people aware of the need to recycle, the real challenge has been met. You can make a difference to the chimps and gorillas in the Congo. Recycle your old phones today.
Texas, in my opinion, is a wonderful state, with many awesome things you cannot find anywhere else. We can claim Whataburger, sweet iced tea, and even some exotic animals. If you grew up in the city, like I did, it may seem weird to think there are wild animals that could be living in your backyard. The truth is there are! Texas is a huge state, and has different types of ecosystems that different animals can find habitable. We have plains, hills, deserts, swamps, and even mountains! Texas is home to many animals and plants, some famous, some not. Some famous ones are the state flower the bluebonnet, the state lizard which is the horned lizard, coyotes, rattlesnakes, cougars (which are also known as mountain lion or puma, depending on your area), and we are even known for our diverse bat population! However, there are some species of animals people never even knew lived in the United States, let alone Texas. Did you know that jaguars used to be found here? What about grey wolves, or ocelots? Those are just the mammals! Reptiles, fish, and invertebrates have a higher diversification of species. Since they are also smaller than mammals, they can be found in higher densities in one area.
Growing up, you may have noticed that the suburbs have created more houses, or the fields that you use to catch lizards in are gone because a new gated community is being built. This is happening everywhere, not just your town. With the population of humans increasing, and more people moving to the city, deforestation (the tearing down of natural land) is occurring at an alarming rate. With all of the development occurring, the animals are running out of land to live on that is undisturbed and safe. Even if only one species leaves the area, it can affect the entire ecosystem. For example, a certain species of mouse makes its home in an area of land. This land is developed to make housing, eliminating the mouse’s source of food and shelter. The mouse population could decide to leave to find other food. The cats, snakes, and even birds that eat the mice cannot hunt. Due to this, the predators can die from starvation, or leave the area to find other food. This affects the other animals that eat the snakes, birds, and cats. This continues on because everything is interconnected in an ecosystem. If there is no more land for an animal to go to, the species can eventually die out.
One prime example is the ocelot. This small cat used to be found all over Texas, but now only two small sub-populations can be found here. It is estimated that there are less than 100 ocelots in the Texas wild today. According to the USFWS (United States Fisheries & Wildlife Service), the ocelot is threatened with extinction in Texas. The global population is a different story. In South America, stable populations of ocelot can be found, however it is a different sub-species than the one found in Texas. There are two varieties: the general ocelot (in Texas) and the Brazilian ocelot (in South America). Due to the stable population of the ocelot, in general, the IUCN has listed this species as ofleast concern. As Texans, it is up to us to help preserve this species that has almost disappeared from our home.
One of the reasons the ocelot population declined was the demand for their pelt since it is so beautifully patterned. Ocelot fur was very popular, and everyone seemed to want one in the sixties and seventies. Ocelot are very small animals though, their weight ranges from 25-35 pounds, so it took nearly forty ocelots to create ONE coat! Another reason their population declined was the pet trade. Ocelots are small, gorgeous cats that people believed would make good pets. Not the best idea! Ocelots are completely different from your house cat. House cats have had thousands of years to be domesticated, and even then, all of our cats still have their natural instincts to hunt and stalk. Ocelots are not domesticated. They are wild animals. They may appear cute and cuddly, but they will defend themselves if threatened, and can cause severe damage.
One ocelot calls the Houston Zoo home; Novia first came to the Houston Zoo when she was one year old as part of a breeding program to help diversify the genetics in the species. (Because of the low population in Texas, there is a high probability of inbreeding. This can cause genetic mutations, medical conditions to arise, and even death.) When a carnivore first arrives to the zoo, they must stay in quarantine for thirty days to ensure they are healthy and safe. When Novia was in quarantine, it was discovered she actually had a medical condition that was genetic. This means that if she had kittens, her offspring might also have this condition. It was decided that she should be spayed, meaning she can no longer reproduce. Even though she could not have kittens anymore, the Houston Zoo decided it would be best for Novia to stay here. This was because the zookeepers knew her medical history and could best provide for her care.
Isn’t she just gorgeous!?
Novia is currently 4.5 years old, and weighs about 15 pounds. She is a bit smaller than the average ocelot, but every animal is different and she is in good body condition. Novia seems to enjoy cat toys and prefers mice to her meat diet, but we give her the mice to sneak in her medicine. (Shhh!) She is also a celebrity! National Geographic recorded a video of Novia going under surgery, and you can view it here. Like all ocelots, Novia is typically nocturnal and prefers to lounge and sleep during the day. You may have noticed her sleeping on her platform when you visit the zoo. This is not because of boredom; this is because that behavior is what is most natural to her. (Also like most cats, they love napping!) Her eyes are very large to allow light in at night, so she can see better (which is true for all ocelots), and if you look at her picture, you can see her beautiful coat. If you ever see an ocelot in the Texas wild, you are one extremely lucky person!
We should all try to preserve our great state’s land not only for ourselves, but also for the other species that call it home. It may be hard to remember that other species live in our backyard because they may be small, only out at night, or up in trees, but they do live with us. We should all be true Texans and fight for their home, just as we would fight for ours.
Here we have Novia celebrating her birthday! (She just turned four.) The keepers decorated her exhibit with presents, enrichment toys, and a pool filled with a crab for her to enjoy!
Hello, my name is Jacquelyne Brauneis and I am currently an Intern in the department of Conservation, working on the Houston toad Project. I am a junior at the University of Houston studying pre-veterinary medicine, and I am very honored to have the opportunity to Intern at the Houston Zoo. It’s been a little over a month since I started my internship and already I know it has changed my life in so many ways.
First let me introduce you to the Houston toad (Anaxyrus [Bufo] houstonensis), which unfortunately most people are unaware of. Discovered in 1940s by John Wottring, they were named after the city of Houston, which they once called home. With their habitats being destroyed the number of Houston toads declined dramatically, and in 1970 they were federally listed as an endangered species (the first amphibian to be placed on the list, but unfortunately not the last). Currently, there are thought to be as few as 250 toads left remaining in the Bastrop, Austin, Burleson, Leon and Lavaca counties. Fortunately the Houston Zoo, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Texas Parks and Wildlife, along with Texas State University have partnered in an effort to save the Houston toads.
Interning here with the toads has been unbelievably rewarding, and has taught me a tremendous amount regarding amphibians. A “typical” day revolves around caring for the toads, which includes: general husbandry, medical treatments, preparing them for release (which will by far be the most rewarding experience!), and of course working on my research project.
One of the most surprising aspects of the toads is how cerebral they are. When I arrive in the morning, a few will hop to the end of their tank as if to say “Good Morning!” and will wait for me to come by and say hello. When they get really excited, the males will begin calling (which is used as a mating call in the wild). Once one male starts the other males feel the need to begin calling and soon the room is filled with “talking toads”. As a pre-veterinary student, I have worked with many different types of animals but seeing the toads do this type of behavior is by far the cutest thing I ever seen or heard!
The goal of the Houston toad Project is to release a certain amount of toads back into the wild in order to get their population back to an acceptable number while keeping a captive assurance colony at the Houston Zoo. What is a captive assurance colony you ask? It serves as a colony of toads, which are kept just in case something was to happen to the toads in their wild habitat, assuring that the species won’t simply disappear.
Working with an endangered species like the Houston toad is an incredible experience, and I feel extremely fortunate to be able to work with these animals. The keepers on the project are dedicated and passionate about the toad, which makes the experiences I have had invaluable. By far the most important aspect of conservation that I have learned since beginning of my internship is that no animal is more important than another. These toads deserve a place on this earth, and the Houston toad Project aims to keep that a reality.
We have invited Carolyn Jess back to help us out as guest blogger in 2013 with a focus on native wildlife. Jess is a 12 year old student who has agreed to be our special guest blogger about wildlife conservation. We first met Carolyn in October 2011 when she came out to the Zoo to meet our special guest Jack Hannah. If you would like to contact Carolyn or have comments, you may send them to conservation@houstonzoo.org.
Operation Ocelot was busy fundraising this month. March 3 was the day I celebrated my 12th birthday with a party at my house. When I invited my friends, I gave them a page of information, with pictures too, about the ocelot, where it lives, and why it is an endangered species. I also gave my friends information on what they can do to help the ocelot to survive. One EASY way for them to help was for them to give me a donation instead of a birthday gift. I explained that the money I collected would be sent in to Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Center. Dr. Michael Tewes, Coordinator of the Feline Research Program, uses the funds I send in to purchase the remote camera systems that are used in South Texas. The cameras monitor the ocelots that live in the scrub land there. I know that asking for money for the ocelots is an easy gift for people to give me. They don’t have to ask me what I want or what size clothes I’d like. Most parents just chose to write a check to the research center. I think it is much easier than going out to buy a gift.
Once my friends had left my party (I had 24 friends show up), I collected $420. I set a goal of $400 every year, and it always feels good to meet and beat that goal. I have sent that money in to Dr. Tewes and HOPE that he makes a big discovery of an ocelot population that he didn’t know existed, but in reality, I know that probably won’t happen. I am glad that there are people like Dr. Tewes who care about the ocelot as much as I do and want to help this animal to get off the endangered list. My best present I could get would be for the ocelot to get off that list, but until then, I’ll keep collecting money at my birthdays and teaching as many people as I can about the ocelot. If people know what changes need to be made to help our endangered animals, we can make a difference.
If you would like to help the ocelot, there are a few things you can do. You could have a bake sale, garage sale, or ask for donations instead of gifts at your next party. You could start a club at your school about endangered animals in Texas. There are a lot of things you can do to help our animals. You just have to try.
We have invited Carolyn Jess back to help us out as guest blogger in 2013 with a focus on native wildlife. Jess is a 12 year old student who has agreed to be our special guest blogger about wildlife conservation. We first met Carolyn in October 2011 when she came out to the Zoo to meet our special guest Jack Hannah. If you would like to contact Carolyn or have comments, you may send them to conservation@houstonzoo.org.
Happy New Year! I hope one of your New Year’s resolutions was to do something good for the environment!
I found out some awesome news last week from the Caesar Kleberg Journal. A group of 16 ocelots were found in the scrublands in south Texas. That makes me hopeful that we can help our ocelots to make a comeback, but we still have a lot of work to do to ensure its survival. Today, there may be less than 100 individual Ocelots remaining in Texas. We can all work together to help these animals have a chance to survive! If we don’t help them, who will?
I have a great idea for you to meet that resolution of doing something good for the environment. Why not donate your time or money to the Houston Zoo, World Wildlife Fund, or one of my favorite programs, the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M Kingsville? All three of these places work with our endangered animals and do what they can to help increase their population.
This is the last of my Spanish/English blog series that started in October and had been doing as an intern. You will find the English version below the Spanish version (Versión en Ingles ofrecida debajo de la versión en español). I hope you will enjoy it, and spread the word, post it on your Facebook page, and Tweet it! Please leave any comments for me after the blog post below. I’d love to hear from you.
Este es el ultimo en una serie de blogs en español e ingles que empecé en octubre. La versión en español se encuentra arriba de la versión en ingles. Espero que te guste y que me ayudes a compartir mi experiencia con otros a través de Facebook y Twitter. Favor de dejar tus mensajes o preguntas al final, me encantaría oír de ti.
Me & The Renaissance crew during their visit to The Zoo
Toda jornada tiene su fin. Desafortunadamente ha llegado el fin de mi jornada con el Zoológico de Houston. Primeramente quisiera darle las gracias a toda la gente que trabaja en el Zoológico por ser parte de mi experiencia y por ser siempre tan buena gente. Ha sido un placer conocer a todos y aprender mas sobre la organización y todos los animales.
Jamás se me olvidara la experiencia que tuve aquí. Desde el día que llegue siempre me han recibido bien y me han ayudado con cualquier cosa que se me ofrezca. Hasta tuve la oportunidad de ir a las citas donde planeaban todos los eventos y aprendí cuanto tiempo se tiene que tomar para hacer un evento y que tienen que hacer para asegurarse que no les falte nada a los invitados. También ayude a pensar en ideas para promocionar las diferentes cosas por Facebook,Twitter, y losblogs. Lo que mas me gustaba hacer durante mi hora de almuerzo era ver a los animales relajándose o jugando con los demás. Aunque se me haya acabado el tiempo como estudiante aquí jamás dejare de visitar el Zoológico.
Antes de irme quisiera invitarlos a un evento muy especial. Es para toda la gente que le guste tomar fotos con paisajes bonitos o de animales preciosos. Este evento se llama Photo Day y se tomara acabo el 17 de diciembre de 7 a 9 de la mañana. Al comprar un boleto el Zoológico les dará un desayuno y la oportunidad de explorar el Zoológico como nunca lo haz hecho. En las mañanas es cuando nuestros animales tienen mas energía y también es cuando les dan de comer entonces podrás ver todo eso y mas. Si quieres darte una idea de que tan especial es este evento VE Y MIRAlas fotos que tomaron los previos visitantes del evento.
Si aun no has leido mi serie de blogs puedes leerlos AQUÍ o si quisieras leer los otros blogs ofrecidos por el Zoologico los puedes ver AQUÍ
Now, in English!
During Zoo Boo I took a big bite of candy corn
There comes an end to every journey and unfortunately, I have come to the end of my journey with The Houston Zoo’s Marketing Department. SAD FACE! First of all, I’d like to thank the entire Houston Zoo staff for being a part of my experience and always being so kind and helpful. It’s been a pleasure getting to know everyone and learning more about wildlife.
My experience as a Web Intern has been one I’ll never forget. Since day one everyone was so helpful and I was even able to sit in on meetings and see what it takes to plan and execute all event details. I also helped come up with ideas to promote events and increase our visitors’ interactions on our social networks such asFacebook, Twitter, and our Blogs. One of my favorite things is that I got the chance to eat my lunch as I watched the animals relaxing and playing around. Although I will no longer be an intern, I will still be around visiting the Zoo whenever I get the chance.
Before I go, I’d like to invite everyone to Photo Day! If you enjoy capturing great pictures and would like to snap a few when our animals are most active then this is perfect for you. It will take place on December 17, 2011 from 7-9 am. With your purchase of a ticket you’ll get a continental breakfast and will get to take pictures of zoo grounds and several animals in their habitats. Just TAKE A LOOK at some of the pictures taken by past Photo Day visitors!
For those of you that are just now joining us, this is the third post of my blog series, written in both English and Spanish about my experience as a Marketing Intern, which I will be doing until mid-December. CLICK HERE for the link to the entire series.
First, the Spanish version, followed by English below…
Les estoy escribiendo por tercera vez en mi serie de blogs. ¡Gracias por regresar! Y a los que están leyendo por primera vez: podrán leer mi serie (en español e ingles) hasta mediados de diciembre mientras hago mis practicas en el Zoológico de Houston. ¡Disfruta! Dejame tus comentarios o preguntas y compártelo a través de Facebook y Twitter.
Primeramente quisiera darle un aplauso a toda la gente que ayudo con el éxito de Zoo Boo. A todos los empleados que planearon y trabajaron el evento y también a toda la gente que nos visito y participo en los juegos, ¡mil gracias! Si te gustaría ver las fotos del evento visita el álbumAQUI.
Aunque ya termino Zoo Boo no quiere decir que nos podemos relajar. En el departamento de mercadotecnia, aquí en el Zoológico de Houston, han estado preparando los detalles para el evento Feast with the Beasts. Este evento es uno de los mas populares y los boletos se venden rápido. Pero no te asustes con el nombre, no se tiene que compartir la cena con King Kong o Godzilla. Es mas lo que mas da miedo es la gente que llega con un gran apetito.
Desafortunadamente, si aun no has comprado tus boletos para este evento lamento decirte que es muy tarde. Y si te estas preguntando porque es tan popular este evento te diré que es porque con la compra de un boleto de entrada puedes probar los deliciosos antojitos de 65 restaurantes, tomar 2 bebidas, ver presentaciones de animales, y ver el concierto de los B-52s! Y como si eso no fuera suficiente, si compras un boleto te llenaras de gozo al saber que le ayudaste al Zoológico recaudar fondos para sus programas de conservación, educación, y cuidado de los animales.
Estoy contando los días que quedan para Feast with the Beasts y si fuiste una de las personas que alcanzo boleto entonces ¡te veo ahí!
Y si no haz leído mi serie desde el principio no te preocupes porque están todos AQUÍ.
For those of you that have been scrolling down to find the English version, you are in the right place!! You can read the entire series about my experience as a Marketing Intern until mid-December HERE. Feel free to leave me any comments or questions! I will gladly reply as soon as possible. Also, don’t forget to share this with your friends via Facebook and Twitter.
First of all I’d like to give a big round of applause to everyone that participated in Zoo Boo’s success! Whether you are someone on the staff that helped organize it or a Zoo visitor that came and enjoyed the festivities, you did a great job. If you’d like to take a look at our pictures from Zoo Boo Click HERE!
Just when we here at the Zoo thought, “Zoo Boo’s over, now we can kick back and relax (insert sigh of relief),” we get reminded that there’s yet another exciting event right around the corner!
The Marketing Department has been simultaneously organizing Zoo Boo and Feast with the Beasts and though it’s a lot of work, they’re doing a great job!
Feast with the Beasts is one of our most popular events here at The Houston Zoo. Though the name is slightly scary and gives me images of Godzilla stomping around the Medical Center as I eat a turkey sandwich, it’s really NOTHING to be afraid of. In fact, if you love food just as much as I do then the scariest thing about this event would be you and your appetite.
Unfortunately, if you haven’t already bought your ticket then you will have to wait for next year’s tickets to go on sale. I’ve been told that this event gets sold out quickly. Why? Well because with a purchase of a ticket you get to taste delicious snacks from 65 Houston restaurants, 2 drinks, animal presentations, AND a concert featuring the B-52s, that’s why! Plus, each purchase of a ticket will help The Houston Zoo’s conservation, education, and animal care programs!
HOLY CANNOLI! I’m currently counting down the days ‘til Feast with the Beasts and it’s almost here! For those of you that purchased your tickets in time, I will see you there!
Catch your attention? Read more about Feast with the Beasts on our websiteand join us next year!
Also, if you haven’t already checked out my previous blog posts go ahead and click here!
¡Gracias por regresar a leer mi segundo blog de esta serie! Recuerda que también está escrita en ingles ahí abajito de la versión en español. (In ENGLISH below) Disfruta, y compártelo con tus amigos especialmente por Facebook y Twitter. Y recuerda que si tienes alguna pregunta o comentario que no te de pena escribirlo al final de esta pagina.
Hace dos Viernes me desperté muy alegre porque por primera vez este año abrió el evento de Zoo Boo!
Desde que empecé mis practicas aquí en el Zoológico de Houston e visto todos los ingredientes que le ponen a la poción de Zoo Boo dentro de la caldera mágica. Lo que no me dijeron era que esta poción me iba a dar efectos de felicidad y quizá me haría brincar de emoción! Si hubiera sabido esto antes, tal vez me hubiera preparado mejor. Pero bueno, durante mi tiempo aqui he ido a las reuniones y en cada reunión hablan sobre cada cosa relacionada con el evento y las responsabilidades de cada departamento. Es aquí donde realmente aprendí que es necesario que todos los departamentos de una organización se apoyen y trabajen juntos.
Decidí asistir al evento como voluntaria para poder ver la transformación de un evento planeado en papel a una cosa visible y exitosa. El primer día que estuve ahí me pusieron en la sección llamada Festival of Fun al lado de los Elefantes en el McNair Asian Elephant Habitat que viene siendo uno de los lugares que mas me gusta visitar dentro del zoológico. En el Festival of Fun hay varios juegos para los pequeños y pueden ganar premios por solamente participar.
Al siguiente día me toco asistir en las estaciones que rodeaban la Piscina de Reflección, o mas bien llamada The Reflection Pool. A pesar de que se me cansaron los pies de tanto caminar, el día estuvo maravilloso. En cuanto abrieron las puertas de la entrada se lleno de niños y niñas disfrazados y ansiosos por coleccionar dulces. Las mesas de tatuajes temporales se ocuparon y el Monster Mural se cubrió de colores diferentes. Los pequeños no podían creer que alguien les estaba dando permiso de pintar una pared con marcadores!
La actividad que mas me asombro fue el TXU Energy Monster Mashquerade. El DJ Captain Armando, vestido de Pirata, formo a los niños que querían participar y los llevo a hacer un desfile de disfraces. Y luego, al terminar el desfile entraron los miembros del Aldine Dance Company vestidos como animales salvajes y les enseñaron a los niños y padres como hacer el baile de la canción “Thriller”.
El primer fin de semana Zoo Boo atrajo 30,092 personas y hemos recibido muchas felicitaciones por el éxito. Todavía queda este fin de semana (Viernes 28 de Octubre – Lunes 31 de Octubre) para que puedes venir a disfrutar y compartir tu experiencia con nosotros. ¡No te lo pierdas!
Thank you for returning to read my second blog post in my series! For those of you that are just now joining us, my blog series, written in both English and Spanish, will continue through mid-December. You will find the English version located below the Spanish one. I hope you enjoy reading about my adventures as a Houston Zoo intern and please, don’t be afraid to leave your questions or comments. Share this with your friends via Facebook and Twitter!
Two Fridays ago I woke up very excited and sleepy, but mostly excited because it was the grand opening of this year’s Zoo Boo. Also, it was my very first time being here for this event and I can’t believe it took me this long.
For the past few weeks I have been watching the staff stir up a rather exciting Zoo Boo potion into their Special Events cauldron. I wish they would’ve warned me about the side effects because then I would’ve understood why I kept having this urge to jump up and smile every 5 minutes. Weird? No! At Zoo Boo it is perfectly normal to be thrilled, maybe because of all the candy they give you, but regardless, I fit in just fine. Although The Houston Zoo is made up of MANY different departments, they all come together and discuss what every one’s role is for the event. They go over everything you could possibly think of which has taught me that it truly is important for everyone in an organization to support each other and work together in order for everything to be successful. The Zoo’s ability to do so is really visible during the event because it’s so organized and each staff member knows how to help. I couldn’t wait to be a part of it and watch it unfold from plans on paper into an actual event. That is why I gladly volunteered to assist them in any way.
On the first day I was asked to help out at the Festival of Fun where the group Best Entertainers set up carnival games and gave the kids a prize for their participation. My favorite part was seeing all the different costumes that came through and watching the kids play enthusiastically. Oh, and lucky for me the Festival of Fun is located right next to the recently opened McNair Asian Elephant Habitat! I really enjoyed being able to look back and see babies Tupelo and Baylor play around in their new home.
During the next two days as I volunteered, I walked around the Reflection Pool area and made sure that each station’s volunteers had everything they needed. I got to see how successful the Monster Mural is and just how much kids love the Zoo Boo tattoos. I also got to see the TXU Energy Monster Mashquerade up close as the children, lead by DJ Captain Armando, showed off their costumes during the parade and then gathered to learn the “Thriller” dance with the Aldine Dance Group.
Overall, the first two weekends of Zoo Boo were successful and everyone seemed to enjoy the activities. The first weekend alone attracted 30,092 visitors! Now that the weather has cooled down and Halloween is quickly approaching, we expect to see many more princesses and heroes come through our entrance! I hope you and your little one(s) won’t miss out on the last weekend of the festivities: Friday, October 29- Monday, October 31!
If you haven’t already read the Intro to this series, you can find it HERE! Also, if you’d like more information about Zoo Boo visit our page https://www.houstonzoo.org/zooboo/.
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Happy Birthday Novia! Novia, the ocelot, just celebrated her 5th birthday at the Houston Zoo. She had a really nice party with delicious presents and lots of people to help her celebrate. Novia’s birthday is definitely worth celebrating since she was not expected to live past two years old. Novia – which means girlfriend in Spanish- was brought to the zoo to breed with the ocelot that was already there. The keepers discovered that Novia had some health problems and she had to be spayed. Her boyfriend was brought to another zoo and was able to have babies there, but Novia was not expected to survive much longer. Her health issues were pretty bad. The zoo staff did not give up on her though. The carnivore keepers gave her lots of love and attention along with antibiotics and vitamins to make her stronger. Through the care of the keepers and their support, Novia pulled through. She is truly a survivor, so turning five years old was a big reason to celebrate!
