ZOO to YOU
Catch up with the latest news at LRZ with articles, press releases, and other fun updates
written and created by Zoo Staff.
Welcome to LRZ, Thiago!
Photo of Thiago courtesy of Phoenix Zoo.
The Lee Richardson Zoo has welcomed a five-year-old male maned wolf named “Thiago” from the Phoenix Zoo. Thiago is currently being introduced to his new home in the South American Pampas portion of the Zoo, where he will share a habitat with “Lelah” a twelve-year-old female maned wolf who has been at the Zoo since 2019.
“It’s always exciting to receive a new animal and to get to build a relationship with them, so seeing Thiago get more comfortable day-by-day is really rewarding. He’s certainly a great addition to our Zoo, and I can’t wait to see him continue to thrive here.” commented Cameron Albus, Lead Keeper.
Unlike their name suggests, a maned wolf is not a wolf at all but is the only species in the genus Chrysocyon. They are the largest canid in South America and are often described as “fox on stilts” due to their red fur and long black legs. They are adapted for life in the Cerrado, a vast ecoregion in South America that includes wet and dry forests, grasslands, savannas, marshes, and wetlands.
Thiago’s arrival at the Lee Richardson Zoo is based on a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan (SSP) for Maned Wolves. SSPs are established to cooperatively manage animal populations in human care to ensure genetically diverse, demographically varied, and biologically sound populations.
Maned wolves are listed as Near Threatened by The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Populations are threatened mainly by habitat loss caused by the conversion of land for agricultural purposes, as well as human persecution due to livestock losses and cultural beliefs. To learn more about this species, visit Thiago and Lelah’s habitat during your next visit to the Zoo or visit our website at www.leerichardsonzoo.org.
New Arrivals to the Zoo
The Lee Richardson Zoo has welcomed several new animals recently. Some of the individuals are currently undergoing a quarantine process behind the scenes while others are visible to guests.
The Zoo’s “South American Pampas” is now home to two new female rhea, and three cavy, two male and one female from the Abilene Zoo. They will join fellow female rhea resident “Margarita” and the cavy will join females “Dulce” and “Fria”.
Neighboring this portion of the zoo is “Kansas Waters” and “Cat Canyon” where a habitat has been renovated to house burrowing owls. Guests familiar with the zoo may recall it previously housed swift fox and that there is a tunnel outside the habitat that leads to a viewing portal inside the habitat. A male and female pair of burrowing owls “Clive” and “Fergie” will soon call this habitat home.
Another newcomer is “Sahara” a one-year-old female addax who has
arrived from the Brookfield Zoo and is currently residing in the western habitats neighboring male addax “Dobby” his and son “Wu”.
Our new residents, and all the animals at the zoo, are here to help connect you with their counterparts in the wild. As Baba Dioum said, “"In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught."
To learn more about these animals visit the Zoo either in person or online at www.leerichardsonzoo.org. The Zoo is currently open from 8 am to 5 pm.
Image: female addax "Sahara"
October's Pic of the Month
The Staff Pic of the Month is selected by the Zoo Advisory Board.
October's winning submission was entered by Corey Stringer, Animal Keeper with a picture of one of the Goeldi's Monkeys.
Congratulations Corey!
Education is Key to Saving Species
- Houston Glover, Conservation Awareness Coordinator
Image: Education Specialist Alice N. teaches students about native species on a ZooMobile to a local grade school.
If you ask anyone who works at a zoo, “In one word, what makes zoos so important?”, one of the most common responses will be ‘education.’ In fact, education is so central to the modern zoo that the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) requires it to be a key component of every member institution’s mission. With zoos around the world celebrating International Day of Zoo & Aquarium Educators this week on November 14th, it’s worth exploring what exactly it means to be a zoo educator.
In the world of zoo staff, educators are some of the most visible. They interact with the public at educational events, facilitate programs like camps and story time, and deliver presentations to school groups both at schools and on field trips. However, as public as these jobs can be, there is a lot more work that goes on behind the scenes than most of the public would realize.
For starters, zoo education is all about conservation. That is the goal. To encourage care and inspire action for wildlife. In the words of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), “Education for conservation is the foundation for the future of biodiversity and nature conservation.” Unfortunately, conservation is not always an easy topic to talk about. Many audiences find direct conservation messaging to be ‘preachy,’ while others become easily depressed in learning about the current threats to endangered species. With this in mind, conservation educators put a lot of thought into the language, tonality, and framing of their messaging to make sure they present conservation in an enjoyable and optimistic way. Often, this involves peppering the conservation messages in, among fun facts, engaging activities, and memorable animal encounters.
Another challenge is making zoo education accessible to a wide range of audiences. Educators work hard to make sure their messages are heard across a spectrum of ages, backgrounds, languages, and lifestyles, because in order to make positive changes for conservation, we need everyone on board. In some cases, you can tailor your message to your specific audience. The way you would present information for a preschool class is totally different from how you would for a fifth-grader’s birthday party or a group of retirees. In other cases, it is much less straightforward. For example, the educational signs posted throughout a zoo need to be designed to engage and inform as many people as possible and still fit within a certain allotted space. All of these challenges take teamwork, skill, and dedication from a zoo or aquarium’s education staff.
If you’re interested in learning more about zoo educators, we encourage you to check out our friends at the International Zoo Educators Association at www.izea.net. If you want to learn more about educational programs at Lee Richardson Zoo, visit www.leerichardsonzoo.org/education-services. If you’d like to get involved as an education volunteer, and join us in our conservation mission, contact zoo.education@gardencityks.us and we’ll reach out with information on upcoming trainings.
The Ways of Change
- Kristi Newland, Zoo Director
Image: Zoo History - Former Zoo Superintendent Claude Owens feeds a seal.
The seasons are changing. Whether you want to hang on to summer or want to jump to winter, it’s fall’s turn. Change is a fact of life. Sometimes, it follows a process – spring, summer, fall, winter. Other times, it’s more erratic and comes out of the blue. Lee Richardson Zoo began as a place for species common to the area and has changed over time to a home for animals from around the world. The species of animals from around the world that call the zoo home also change over time. In years past, the zoo housed skunks, raccoons, polar bears, elephants, seals, and others that are no longer with the facility. Some species currently at the zoo have been with the zoo for many years, such as bobcats and lions, which have resided at the zoo for over 50 years. Bighorn sheep are the newest residents at Lee Richardson Zoo.
Adding a new species at the zoo or improving habitats for those we already have takes a lot of thought and planning. As our knowledge of what it takes to provide a proper home (medical, social, containment, etc.) for the various species grows, we regularly review what resources we have available, what we can do well, and what’s best for the species involved. Decisions and changes are made accordingly.
Do we have the space and resources to build/maintain a proper facility for the species? Can we obtain the proper food to meet the animal’s nutritional needs? What species fits best into the space under review? Would our visitors like to see and learn about this species? Is this what’s best for the animals and the species involved? Is there an organized conservation program for the species in which we can participate to benefit the sustainability of the species?
For various reasons, it makes more sense for Lee Richardson Zoo to house species that thrive in environments similar to the wide-open spaces of southwest Kansas than it does for us to recreate a large South American rainforest or a large marine environment. Water quality requirements increase the complexity and cost of displaying many marine animals. Water availability is also a deciding factor. Although we’d all enjoy watching the antics of seals, hippos, dolphins, or other aquatic animals, such habitats don’t fit the resources of Lee Richardson Zoo. Instead, we devote our resources to species that we can work with responsibly. This focused effort has produced multiple lion cubs, red panda cubs, giraffe calves, addax calves, swan cygnets, and roadrunner chicks.
But it isn’t all about reproduction. Sometimes, we work hard to ensure we don’t have offspring. If we can’t house the offspring long-term and there aren’t proper homes where they can go, steps will be implemented to prevent reproduction, whether that’s birth control, separation, or single-sex groups. Focused effort also goes into making sure we have what an individual needs throughout their life, no matter what stage of life the animal may be in, from newborn to geriatric.
While some things may change, the devotion of the zoo staff to their work is a constant. Whether it’s trying to figure out what the roadrunners need to nest successfully, maintaining the beautiful grounds of the zoo, or designing a new conservation awareness program for summer camp, our staff is always looking at how to do our best for you and the zoo residents with the resources we have.
Another constant in making our facility the best it can be is community support. We couldn’t do it without you. To stay up on what’s going on at Lee Richardson Zoo visit www.leerichardsonzoo.org, the Zoo’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube accounts. The Zoo is currently open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with drive-through access from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Let's Be Spooky Safe
- Alice Nelson, Education Specialist
Image: A variety of pumpkins in a barrel.
When we think about Halloween, most of us think about candy, spooky movies and fun, dressing up, and of course decorating. How can we participate in Halloween while being safe not only for ourselves, but for the animals that live around us?
When we are out getting candy, be it trick or treating, trunk or treating, or even Boo! At the Zoo, we should be careful of candy and wrappers dropping onto the ground. Chocolate candy is toxic to many animals, including neighborhood pets like cats and dogs. Some other types of candy have additives like xanthan gum, which in small quantities are not dangerous to dogs and other animals but, in large amounts, can cause digestive issues and even toxicity. Even empty wrappers pose an issue; many animals have a very good sense of smell, and to them, the wrapper still smells like the delicious food it covered. As such, wildlife and pets often eat food wrappers and get very ill as paper, plastic, and other wrapping types are not meant to be ingested.
What helpful steps can we take to protect animals while out having fun? We can use extra caution as much of our nocturnal wildlife is not used to so many people and cars out at night. Look around for slower-moving wildlife, including foraging opossums and raccoons. When hosting big parties in the dark, we can try replacing the outside lighting with red or orange lights that point to the ground. Many animals, like moths and even bats, use the moon to help them navigate so they are drawn to white or bright lights. Not only can the cloud of moths around your porch light be scary to some people, it also often means that the moths will exhaust themselves, using precious calories without reaching a food source. Frequently, these moths even get eaten by predators, such as frogs and toads, who hunt in that light.
While discussing the outside of our homes, let us look at some popular decorations and see how they can affect wildlife. Having fake spiderwebs outside is scarier than it seems. These web decorations are even more effective at trapping wildlife than real spiderwebs. These web decorations spread between trees or even placed on the ground are quite a hazard. Animals like bats, and small birds, including owls, fly into the webs, and the webbing attaches to their feathers or fur like Velcro. The more they struggle, the more feathers or fur the web can attach to. If laid on the ground, fake webs can attach to amphibians and reptiles as well and damage their skin even when the animal is taken out of the web by a human. Some animals, like squirrels, can use their sharp teeth to break through the webbing, but ingestion can become a problem instead. If not stored or disposed of properly, these webs sometimes get used by birds to make their nests. The sticky nature of the webs can catch the adults, and if hatched, the baby and fledgling birds cannot leave the nest because of the tangle. Fake webs are wonderful inside decorations, if kept away from pets, as they do not directly interact with wildlife but can be admired by your guests.
Pumpkins can be another issue for wildlife. To preserve the pumpkins for a longer time, many people dip the pumpkins in or paint the pumpkins with bleach or other harsh chemicals. This makes treated pumpkins very toxic for wildlife. Many places advise leaving pumpkins in the wild for wildlife to eat and enjoy; however, these treated pumpkins will poison all the wildlife that eat the pumpkins. Painted pumpkins can also be poisonous, depending on the paint used. The best way to enjoy pumpkins is to carve them closer to Halloween and allow them to rot naturally. Many squirrels and other inquisitive wildlife may start to eat outside pumpkins, so be aware of this possibility. Non-treated, non-painted pumpkins can be donated to animal rescues, rehabs, or zoos to enrich the animals’ daily lives. When donated to these establishments, the animals are under human care, so how much of the pumpkin they ingest can be monitored and adjusted if necessary. Many animals that do not eat pumpkins can still enjoy playing with them, but as wildlife can easily get stuck or hurt in carved pumpkins, this is best enjoyed by animals in human care. This is a great way to repurpose a carved pumpkin instead of throwing it away.
As Halloween approaches, people stay safe while outside by looking both ways for traffic and having a light or reflective material on their clothing. I hope you consider how to keep wildlife safe this Halloween and in the future as well. Feel free to contact the education team at Lee Richardson Zoo if you are unsure if your decorations, actions, or foods are dangerous to animals, big and small. The zoo’s phone number is 620-276-1250. Have a happy and safe Halloween!
Bighorn Sheep Arrive
- Joe Knobbe, Deputy Director
Image: Animal Care staff member Jarrett Ho meets the new bighorn sheep at their habitat.
This past week the Lee Richardson Zoo was excited to welcome a group of desert bighorn sheep to a recently renovated area in the Zoo’s North American Plains region. Five young males, ranging in age from 5 to 7 months, arrived from the Los Angeles Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. They are new neighbors to the Zoo’s bison and elk. This project was made possible through the generous donation of the Diane Baker family. They’d previously funded construction of the Zoo’s new bald eagle habitat in honor of the family patriarch, Bryce Baker.
Many people are familiar with the iconic image of a bighorn ram framed amongst snowy mountains with its broad body and massive curled horns. These are Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, native to the country’s Rocky Mountain region. The desert bighorn sheep subspecies, however, is found more to the southwest, primarily in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, and in areas including the Grand Canyon and, in the Sonoran, and Mojave deserts. The desert variety is slightly smaller and lighter in color than the mountain variety and is well-suited to extremes of weather. Desert bighorn are a perfect choice for the Lee Richardson Zoo as they do equally well in cold, brisk winters as they do in hot, dry summers. They eat primarily grasses, but also subsist on sedges and even cacti. They’ve been known to go for weeks without visiting permanent water sources, instead surviving on moisture from their diet or from captured rainwater in rocky pools.
Bighorn sheep rams live in separate groups, or bands, from ewes and their lambs for most of the year. Bands of rams prefer higher elevations at these times where they vie for dominance prior to joining ewes during the July through October breeding season. Bouts of fierce head-butting, or ramming competitions determine which males will breed. While an ewe’s horns are relatively short, a ram’s horns will grow and curl for most of its life, reaching spiraled lengths of up to 3 feet and with weight of over 3 pounds.
In the same way that wild rams will band together naturally, the 3 males from Los Angeles and the 2 from San Diego integrated almost immediately upon being introduced. Over the coming years and as the young rams grow and mature, occasional play bouts of head-butting and displays of dominance will help determine a hierarchy among the band. Eventually, the established hierarchy will help maintain stability and peace within the adult group.
The sheep’s new habitat was created by the Zoo’s Maintenance staff using nearly 2 dozen truckloads of soil and a flatbed of small boulders to form berms, or small hills for the rams to climb and spar on. Hardy trees and bushy evergreens were planted to create complexity in the space, and a new barn was constructed to assist with animal care and management. While the Zoo plans to maintain an all-male group of desert bighorn sheep, it’s possible that one or more of the rams may be part of the Species Survival Plan’s (SSP) breeding population at other zoos in the future. It’s important that not all zoos participate in breeding a species. Instead, some facilities like the Lee Richardson Zoo, may fill a vital role by offering homes for some animals, so that others of genetic importance can contribute to breeding and the sustainability of the species.
To learn more about desert bighorn sheep and what’s happening at the Zoo, visit www.leerichardsonzoo.org, or the Zoo’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube accounts. The Zoo is currently open daily 8:00 am – 5:00 pm with drive through access until 4:00 pm.
Dia de los Muertos is About Celebrating Connections
- Emily Sexson, Communication Specialist
Image: Male giant anteater "Sniffy"
Image: Female addax "Penelope"
In just a few weeks, “Dia de los Muertos”, a holiday celebrated on November 1st and 2nd will take place. The holiday is widely observed in Mexico and its traditions have spread across the globe. Translated to English, Day of the Dead is a time where people come together as a community to celebrate and remember the lives of loved ones who have passed on. At the Lee Richardson Zoo, when an animal meets the end of their life, the loss is felt throughout the zoo and community and is acknowledged differently depending on the individual. Just as with the lives lost of our family and friends, there is no “right” way to mourn.
I’ve worked at the Zoo for nearly 10 years and for me, the loss of a beloved zoo resident is by far the hardest part of my job. Physical care is not part of my role as the Communication Specialist at the Zoo, but I am lucky enough to have a front row seat to the type of work that goes into caring for animals at a facility accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). I can easily say that I work with some of the most passionate and hard-working individuals there are. When an animal reaches the end of their life, not only do I mourn the animal for my own loss, but my heart hurts for the people who have worked with these animals day in and day out, providing the world’s best care, no matter the species, no matter the weather, and no matter what challenges may arise.
As a testament to the quality of care they receive, several animal residents at our Zoo have far outlived the typical life expectancy for their species. We have cared for individuals who have set records for their age, such as reticulated giraffe “Shingo” who passed in 2015 at the age of 29. According to records, he was the oldest reticulated giraffe ever known in North America. Shingo was one of the first animal deaths I experienced as a Zoo Staff member. Shingo arrived at the Zoo in 1986, I was born in 1989. This means as a lifelong Garden City resident, I first visited Shingo when I was in my mom’s “belly” and had spent my entire life visiting him. When I heard the news of his passing, I wept. I felt as if I’d lost a childhood friend and somehow, a coworker who I’d become good friends with. Knowing he had lived such a long and full life made the transition easier, but I still miss Shingo today.
Whether human or animal, death is a part of life, and it faces all living things no matter what type. Sometimes it comes with age and the knowledge of the cause. Other times, it is sudden, unexpected, and unfair. Sometimes we are given signals that the end is approaching, such as changes in behavior, loss of mobility, or lack of interest in food or normal activities, something just feels “wrong”. Other times, everything is “fine” one second, and the next they’re gone.
Recent losses experienced by the zoo came suddenly within the past few weeks and we have had said goodbye to “Penelope” a female addax and “Sniffy” a giant anteater. On October 8th, Staff witnessed Penelope unresponsive and having difficulty breathing in her habitat. Veterinary Staff swiftly came to examine Penelope and began performing CPR and providing the necessary emergency medicines to try and revive Penelope. Unfortunately, despite the immediate attention given, Penelope passed. On the morning of October 19th, staff once again were alerted to an animal in need of help. Anteater Sniffy was ill and not behaving himself. Emergency medicines were administered, and hopes were high for a recovery, especially after Sniffy began to respond to staff. Unfortunately despite best efforts, it was Sniffy’s time. I know these animals had been given the best of care their entire lives, and I know that everything possible was done in an attempt save them. My deepest sympathies go to my coworkers who have cared for Penelope and Sniffy and who were with them in their last moments.
Penelope was born at the Rolling Hills Zoo in Salina on the exact day, January 5th, 2015, that I began employment with the Lee Richardson Zoo. I met Penelope in April of 2017 after she arrived at our Zoo with a breeding recommendation from the AZA’s Species Survival Plan for the critically endangered Addax. I watched her grow and mature, and I remember the excitement in 2019 when she gave birth to her first calf, and again we all admired this mother with the successful births of her calves in 2023 (during a severe storm) and in 2024 (right in front of zoo guests). I have visited Penelope every time I’ve come to the Zoo “off the clock” as well as countless opportunities as a staff member over the past seven years. Recently I stopped by the addax habitat with camera in hand to snag a few photos of her grazing peacefully. I could not have known it would be my last visit with Penelope, but I will cherish those photos forever.
Sniffy recently celebrated his 18th birthday, definitely something to celebrate considering the median life expectancy for male anteaters is 14.8 years. He was born at the Dallas Zoo in 2006 and joined us in 2008. Sniffy was beloved by many for his unique characteristics and behaviors. He was truly my mother’s most favorite zoo animal. Zoo Staff generously gave my mother and grandmother a behind the scenes meet and greet with Sniffy where they were able to feed Sniffy one of his favorite foods. The memory of my family members smiling and giggling as his long tongue rapidly licked up the food is one that I will never forget. “I just love him so much” was something my mom would say every zoo visit or anytime I’d talk about him or share a photo. She had a true connection with a zoo animal, just like I know many of our guests do.
The connections we build with these amazing animals are my “why”. Why I come to work every day, why I love my job, why I keep going even after tremendous heart break. The connections made between zoo guests and animals is part of our Mission at the Lee Richardson Zoo. We strive to inspire appreciation of the natural world and share why these animals are so important and worthy of conservation. For Dia de los Muertos this year, Zoo Staff will celebrate these connections in a video tribute to the animals we’ve said goodbye to. Look for this video to be posted on November 1st on our Facebook page and YouTube channel (@LeeRichardsonZoo) and please share your own connections with any zoo resident or beloved animal in the comment section when available. We appreciate your ongoing support and understanding as we share in the losses and gifts we experience at the Zoo.
Fall Bird Migration
- Alyssa Mechler, Conservation Awareness Manager
During school, we learn that some animals hibernate, and some might stay put over the winter, but a lot of them migrate. Migration is when an animal travels from one location to the next, typically following food and warmer weather. These animal migrations usually occur in the spring and fall, and right now is the perfect time to find lots of migrating animals. Many times, all you must do is look at the sky!
This year, billions, yes, billions of birds will fly south for the winter. There are many migration paths throughout the world. Here in southwest Kansas, we are in a major flyway. That means many of these migrating birds will fly over Garden City and the surrounding areas; they may even roost or settle for a rest right in town! Some common migrants, the turkey vultures, enjoy a nighttime roost in high places like dead trees or maybe even a water tower. Other migrants like the millions of songbirds making their way south will fly through the night and rest later.
Migration takes a lot of energy; these birds will bulk up and store fat prior to their journey. Some birds can double their body weight, like the blackpoll warbler! Throughout their journey, birds will face many challenges: planes, windows, TV or radio towers, and potentially others. The top two human-led challenges are windows and artificial lighting. Nearly 80% of bird species in North America migrate at night, so artificial lighting can really throw off a bird’s senses, causing them to lose their sense of direction and become disoriented. They may come exhausted, depleting their fat storage, altering the birds behaviors, and causing more encounters with predators. The second cause is windows; while we as humans know what a window is, a bird does not. They see a reflection of land or other things and think they can pass through, like a tunnel. This results in many birds colliding with windows not only at night but during the day too. We as humans have become reliant on lighting and windows, so how can we help the birds?
There are many wonderful tips from scientists and experts in the field of study of birds (ornithology). Here are a few suggestions to help migrating birds. Turn off the lights at night, or if you can’t do that, dim them or set a timer to have them be off periodically. Shut your blinds or curtains to decrease the amount of inside light that floods outside; using warmer tones of lighting (think orange in color) also helps birds if we can’t turn the lights off. During the day, using a bird-friendly window cling or purchasing bird-friendly windows is an excellent way to help birds, and some of the patterns are pretty cool!
Why is it so important that we help these migrating birds? Well, in the summertime, they act as pest control and pollinators, and birdwatching can make a great hobby. If you’d like to learn more about why birds are increasingly becoming threatened, there are several places to look, including birdfriendly.com, audubon.org, or visiting the zoo! Lee Richardson Zoo is home to 26 species of birds who are great ambassadors for their species. This fall, make sure to make bird-friendly choices to help our migrating friends make their journey south.
