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.
Siamang Heads to Join New Family Soon
Image: A graphic describing the origin and damage caused by invasive species both in Kansas and in the United States.
Animal Care Staff at the Lee Richardson Zoo have been providing foster care to “Raya”, a 21-month-old siamang since the sudden, unexpected loss of her mother “Violet” in January of this year. Siamang are an endangered species of arboreal gibbon. Typically, siamang offspring will stay with their family for five to seven years.
Raya has been living behind the scenes at the Zoo in the Animal Health Facility so that staff may more easily provide extra attention for her. We are also thankful to our wonderful Zoo Volunteers who have made time to come in to provide companionship and stimulation to Raya during this time, playing with puppets, reading, singing, and talking with the young ape.
Through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Siamang Species Survival Plan (SSP), a new family of siamang has been identified at another AZA-accredited facility where Raya will have the chance to grow up among other siamang. If weather conditions continue to cooperate, Raya will leave for her new home sometime next week. More details about her departure and arrival will be shared on the Zoo’s various media platforms once they are available. Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit us at www.leerichardsonzoo.org.
Siamang are native to the rainforests of Sumatra and Malaysia. Siamang are slightly larger than other gibbons, and their call, which can be heard 2 miles away, is the loudest call of all gibbons. Siamang are losing their native habitat to logging and agriculture. To help protect siamang populations, check the products you use for sustainable palm oil.
National Invasive Species Awareness Week
- Emily Sexson, Communication Specialist
Image: A graphic describing the origin and damage caused by invasive species both in Kansas and in the United States.
This past weekend, the majority of Kansas was blanketed in ice, leaving me to think about what life would be like if I lived somewhere where ice was not only constant but necessary for survival. “I don’t think I’d survive long in this weather,” I thought to myself as I chipped away at the ice on my windshield, “but maybe if I were a polar bear, it wouldn’t be so bad.”
Our natural world never ceases to amaze me; even in the coldest, most extreme areas, life finds a way.
Polar bears are the largest species of bear alive today. They can weigh up to 1,760 pounds and reach over 8 feet tall when standing on their hind legs. Polar bears are found only in the Arctic, the northernmost part of our planet, with the coldest recorded temperature reaching negative 90°F. It is fitting as the word comes from the Greek word ἄρκτος which means ‘bear’.
Polar bears have many adaptations that allow them to survive in this frigid landscape. Polar bears are excellent swimmers that spend at least 50% of their day hunting. They depend on sea ice for traveling, hunting, resting, and mating. These bears are packed with insulating blubber (fat) that can be up to 4.5 inches thick! They have two layers of fur, a protective outer layer, and a dense undercoat, and while the hair appears white, it is actually transparent. This allows the fur to absorb heat from the sun into their black skin.
If we travel to the opposite end of the planet, to the Antarctic, where temperatures can dip below minus 133.6°F, we find equally impressive animals such as the Emperor penguin.
This species is the largest species of Penguin found today, reaching heights of up to 39 inches and weighing up to 99 pounds. These flightless birds are better adapted to swimming, reaching depths of up to 1,755 feet while they hunt for fish, krill, and squid. Specialized protein in their blood allows these birds to function with extremely low oxygen levels, remaining submerged for 20 minutes!
Of course, we see our fair share of winter weather close to home and our native animals have their own adaptations for survival. For those who stick around over the winter instead of migrating, there are several options for getting through winter.
Reptiles such as our state symbol, the ornate box turtle, will burrow underground and undergo a hibernation-like cycle that is called brumation. During brumation, their metabolism slows down, and they live off stored fat in their body until early spring.
Other native species such as the swift fox, will grow a significantly denser winter coat. Between hunting expeditions, they will wrap their body with their long, fluffy tail to stay warm in their dens. Birds, such as the common house sparrow will huddle together and fluff out their feathers, trapping warm air underneath and tucking their heads into their bodies. They can also enter a hypothermic state known as torpor, where their body temperature can drop, allowing them to burn less energy.
We can help our native wildlife throughout the winter by continuing to provide habitat resources such as water (unfrozen), shelter, and food.
As for us humans, we have our own ways of surviving. Just ask the people of Yakutsk, Russia, which sees temps of negative 40°F regularly and is one of the country’s most rapidly growing cities. Or the people of Yakutsk’s sister city, Fairbanks, Alaska, with an average winter temperature of -4.1°F.
If you need shelter or heat in Finney County, be sure to seek out one of the Warming Shelters; a full list is available through the Finney County Emergency Management Department at 620-272-3746.
To see winter adaptations in person, visit Lee Richardson Zoo’s many of the animals in our care are well suited for colder temps! During inclement weather, be sure to use caution, and always check to see that the zoo is open, and it is safe before venturing out!
Call ahead at 620-276-1250, visit our website at www.leerichardsonzoo.org, or follow us on Facebook for our most recent weather updates!
January's Staff Pic of the Month
January's Staff Pic of the Month Winner was Megan M. with her submission of this photo of an Amazon milk frog.
The Pic of the Month winners are selected by the Zoo's Advisory Board during their monthly meetings.
Congratulations Megan!
2024 Employee of the Year
Photo: Alice Nelson, Education Specialist, holds a plaque for 2024 Employee of the Year.
Please join us in congratulation Alice Nelson, Education Specialist, for being awarded 2024's Lee Richardson Zoo Employee of the Year!
As an Education Specialist, Alice is part of the Zoo's Conservation Awareness Team, you may have met her during a Zoo event or Education Program both at the zoo or with a Zoo Mobile program. She also provides husbandry for the Zoo's animal ambassadors, and much, much more!
Alice's hard work and dedication to the Zoo, Zoo guests, the animals in our care, her coworkers, and our mission goes above and beyond!
Thank you Alice for all that you do! We appreciate you so much!
2024 Employee of the 4th Quarter
Photo: Cameron Albus holds up his certificate for Employee of the 4th Quarter.
Congratulations to Cameron Albus for being recognized as the Lee Richardson Zoo's Employee of the Quarter for the final quarter of 2024.
To acknowledge his efforts and outstanding performance, Cam was nominated for this award by fellow zoo employees.
Cam is a Lead Keeper at LRZ and is known for his hard work, humor, problem solving skills, and willingness to help out wherever he can.
Thank you Cameron for your dedication and hard work!
The Great Backyard Bird Count!
- Alyssa Mechler, Conservation Awareness Manager
Looking for a way to spend time with your loved ones over Valentine’s Day and Presidents’ Day weekend this year? What better way to spend it than out in nature counting birds! The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) runs February 14-17 this year. Whether you’re an avid bird watcher or just looking for something to do outside, this is a great way to enjoy nature and get involved in community science. Great Backyard Bird Count was first created in 2002 by The Cornell Lab, Audubon, and Birds of Canada, and from there, eBird was created and is used to collect information on wild birds.
There are many ways to share your love for animals, nature, and, of course birds during this event! Scientists are requesting your help for 15 minutes this weekend to help identify and count birds. These 15 minutes can help scientists gather a snapshot of bird populations around the world and how they are doing. Many bird species are dropping in population, and it can sometimes be difficult to study birds throughout the winter; that’s where GBBC comes in to assist.
You can use one of the many great smartphone applications to help you; eBird or Merlin are fantastic resources when you are out birding. If you’ve never used either of these applications, they have tutorials available to help you better understand the technology. If you’re new to birding, Merlin not only identifies the birds you see and hear, but it also gathers that information into a database. There is a great step-by-step ID process that asks you several questions and comes up with the best answer for your location and what you saw. They also have a photo ID and sound ID.
An excellent location to utilize these applications and participate in GBBC is the Lee Richardson Zoo in Finnup Park. There are many wild birds that call this area home, and not just the ones the Zoo staff care for! When visiting the zoo, you may see Northern cardinals, wood ducks, Northern flickers, dark-eyed juncos, hawks, and sometimes if you’re lucky, owls, and that’s just during the winter! The spring, summer, and fall can bring even more migrating birds through our zoo. I’ve been lucky enough to see orioles, which are gorgeous birds with rust or bright orange bellies. Others have seen black-crowned night herons, flycatchers, vireos, and so many more species. If you’re wondering how I gathered this information, eBird allows you to see what birds are seen in which areas.
I know I will be spending my weekend out birding and contributing to the Great Backyard Bird Count and I hope you will join too! To learn more about common bird species in our area make sure to follow the Lee Richardson Zoo on social media and to learn more about the Great Backyard Bird Count you can visit, https://www.birdcount.org.
Image: A dark eyed Junco visits one of the habitats at the Zoo.
Superb Owl Sunday
- Houston Glover, Conservation Awareness Coordinator
Image: Burrowing owl "Fergie" stands tall outside of one of the dens in the burrowing owl habitat at the Zoo.
For many fans of professional football, the second Sunday in February is the most important day of the year. It’s the day of the climactic NFL championship game, the Super Bowl. It so happens that this Sunday is also important to fans of nocturnal predatory birds, as it is also Superb Owl Sunday. This tongue-in-cheek observance got its start in 2008 when a Twitter user excitedly posted about his “Superb owl party tonight!” In the years since, what started as a simple typo has taken flight in the wildlife community as a day to celebrate everything that makes owls truly ‘superb.’
Owls are popular for many reasons, one of which is their almost humanlike appearance. The wide, forward-facing eyes and round face of an owl certainly set them apart from other birds. These features make owls easy for humans to relate to and are considered the main reason many cultures view owls as intelligent. After all, the sight of a Great Horned Owl can bring to mind the classic image of a tenured academic, complete with a furrowed brow and a dignified mustache. Looks can be deceiving however, and while owls may look the part of an avian Einstein, they really aren’t any more intelligent than their fellow birds of prey.
All of these unique facial features serve a purpose, though, and that is to give owls some of the best senses of any predator. That round, disc-like face? It captures sound like a sonar dish, funneling it into the owls’ ears, hidden deep under the feathers. The huge eyes? They take in enough light to give owls the kind of crystal-clear night vision that cats and raccoons can only dream of. Even the subtler features are there to enhance the senses. The heavy brow of some owls is there to shade their sensitive eyes from the sun, allowing them to be active well before sunset; and the whisker-like feathers around their beak help them feel their way around when something is too close to their face, like when they’re eating from a carcass or feeding their chicks.
So, owls aren’t as wise as they look. But what they lack in intelligence, they make up for in statistics. All of their keen senses pair with their natural stealthiness to make owls incredibly successful hunters. One study found that the Short-Eared Owl had a hunting success rate of about 60%, meaning that for every ten times they tried to catch a prey animal, they successfully caught and ate six of those animals. For comparison, a pack of wolves has a hunting success rate of around 20%, and a lion pride is successful only about 30% of the time. These owls are also more effective hunters than tigers, cheetahs, great white sharks, and even peregrine falcons. All that stealth and patience really pays off!
There are about 250 species of owls in the world. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica. They range in size from the soda-can-sized Elf Owl up to the Blakiston’s Fish Owl, which is taller than a fire hydrant. Whichever owl you choose as your favorite, we here at Lee Richardson Zoo wish you a fantastic Superb Owl Sunday. We encourage you to celebrate this Sunday by coming out to visit our resident Burrowing Owls, “Fergie” and “Clive,” or by visiting the Lee Richardson Zoo on social media to see resident Barn Owl “Bowie” make his prediction for the big game.
A Safe Valentine's Day for All
- Kristi Newland, Zoo Director
Image: A list of candies available from members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil created by our friends at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. It’s a holiday that’s all about acknowledging the love you feel for others. Often, we give flowers, chocolates, candy, or another gift to that special someone. When you’re selecting that special item, there are a few things to keep in mind.
If your special someone is passionate about conservation, be sure the candy you give is produced by a company that’s a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). These companies use sustainable palm oil and are committed to making a difference for the many species, some of which, like the orangutan, are endangered, that are impacted by the production of palm oil. Some RSPO members are Ghirardelli Chocolate, M&M’s, Lindt, Fannie May, Ferrero Rocher, Brach’s, Dove Chocolate, SweetTarts candy, LaffyTaffy, Nerds candy, Russell Stover, and more. To download the PalmOil Scan app, visit cmzoo.org/palmoil or search “palm oil” in your app store.
If your Valentine has dogs or cats, be careful with the chocolate. Since chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, it’s toxic to dogs and other animals. Darker chocolates contain more cocoa, which is where the theobromine is, so they are more hazardous. Contact your veterinarian immediately or call the Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) if your pet eats chocolate. Some sweet treats also contain xylitol, which is a sweetener that can also be harmful to dogs and cats. Wrappers and the sticks some candies come on can also pose choking hazards.
So, if you’re thinking, “I’ll go the safe route and get flowers or a plant,” you need to pause for a safety moment there, too. Not all flowers and plants are pet friendly. Lilies are common in mixed bouquets and pose the threat of kidney failure to cats if they eat the flower, leaves, stems, or pollen, as all those parts contain toxins. Other flowers such as tulips, gardenias, amaryllis, ranunculus, chrysanthemums, and carnations are also toxic to pets. There are pet-friendly options, though. Some safe options are Gerbera daisies, African violets, and petunias. You can always check the ASPCA Plant Guide to be sure a Valentine’s gift won’t result in unwanted pet-related drama.
Alcohol, some essential oils (peppermint oil, tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil), and bath bombs, which can also be popular gifts, are also not good for our four-legged friends. Even a small amount of alcohol can make a pet sick. Wine can also cause grape poisoning. Essential oils can lead to skin irritation, respiratory distress, and neurological symptoms. Eating the bath bomb or even the residue left in the tub can lead to stomach upset or worse. If it’s a homecooked meal you’re thinking of surprising your Valentine with, watch out for the onion and garlic. Both can lead to hemolytic anemia for your four-legged friend.
Candles and stuffed animals are popular options for Valentine’s Day gifts. The open flame of a candle can lead to paws, whiskers, or tails being burned or even starting a fire, so it’s best to keep the pets out of the room when such candles are in use. If the pet involved is a chewer, stuffed animals with plastic eyes or plastic nose, sequins, or little accessories pose choking hazards. While ribbons and decorative string can put the perfect touch on a gift, they can also cause issues for household pets. While the ribbon or string may seem like a new plaything, ingesting it can cause intestinal blockage or other digestive issues. That’s not to say you can’t use them to decorate the gift; just be sure to properly dispose of the items quickly after the gift is opened.
The staff of Lee Richardson Zoo wish everyone a happy and safe Valentine’s Day! For Zoo updates, visit our website (www.leerichardsonzoo.org) or our Facebook page. You can also enjoy Zoo videos on our YouTube channel.
Kansas Day Fun
- Alice Nelson, Education Specialist
Image: The Kansas State amphibian, the barred tiger salamander.
Excitement is building in the Conservation Awareness Team at Lee Richardson Zoo as we are approaching Kansas Day. As many Kansans know, Kansas Day is celebrated this year on Wednesday, January 29th. This fun Kansas State holiday is celebrated to mark the anniversary of the state officially joining the Union of the United States of America in 1861. In 1877, a mere 16 years after Kansas became a state, a teacher and schoolchildren of Paola celebrated the first-ever Kansas Day celebration. The tradition quickly spread to schools in Topeka, Lawrence, Emporia, Wichita, and Fort Scott, which taught fun lessons about the Sunflower State. With the tradition gaining traction across Kansas, it soon became an official state holiday.
This holiday has become more than a simple marking of an anniversary. Indeed, Kansas Day is celebrated in a variety of ways around the state. Field trips, special projects, pioneer programs and meals, visits to the statehouse in Topeka, and of course, resounding performances of the state song “Home on the Range” occupy children from all over Kansas! Even the Governor of Kansas and members of the Kansas Legislature take this opportunity to announce special proclamations.
But what does this all have to do with the Conservation Awareness Team at the Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City? The Conservation Awareness Team wants to help you and your students celebrate Kansas Day! Lee Richardson Zoo is offering a free program covering various Kansas state symbols and native wildlife on January 29th at 9:30 am and again at 1:30 pm. This exciting program is geared toward 3rd and 4th-grade audiences, but anyone is welcome to attend. This year we will be pre-recording this program as well as offering the two live sessions, so if the times don’t work for you, or if you are not sure the program would suit your students feel free to request a copy of the pre-recorded program. This is not limited to any specific county in Kansas or any school system. Private or public schools, homeschool, private or public, as well as daycares, libraries etc., all are welcome to attend!
These programs will be presented through Zoom, and we will email out links and recordings closer to the 29th. Be sure to register to get the link or recording from zoo.education@gardencityks.us or call us at 620-276-1250. The Conservation Awareness Team and our wonderful ambassador animals look forward to celebrating this amazing state and all who live within it.