Frequent visitors to Dickerson Park Zoo probably know that
we have giraffe babies about every other year. Some lucky guests have probably
even witnessed a birth, but have you ever wondered what we have to do when the
babies are born in the winter? Two of our females are going to have babies this
winter, and our staff is getting ready!
Our giraffes stay in the barn when it is below 32 degrees
outside at night. We don’t want babies to be welcomed into the world on hard
concrete, so we haul in about one cubic yard of dirt into a stall (one
wheelbarrow load at a time!). The dirt is spread evenly throughout the stall.
The expectant mother stays in that stall each night until
the baby is born. Depending on what the weather is like during the day, the
mother and calf might have to stay inside for a few days. If it is warm enough,
we will let them go outside. It usually takes the calf a little while to figure
out how to get outside. Mom makes frequent trips back in the building to check
on her calf and to try to get it to follow her.
Winter babies are definitely more work for the zookeepers, but it is always exciting to walk in the building first thing in the morning and see a new face staring at you!
Written by Andrea Kendrick, Zookeeper
Of course, we’re used to this type of weather, living in southwest Missouri. However, some animals living at the Dickerson Park Zoo can’t tolerate these frigid temperatures like native Missouri animals. In these frosty conditions, the zoo’s animals spend their time inside to ride out the winter in warmth and comfort.
In these long winter months it is important that the keepers at Dickerson Park Zoo provide enrichment for each animal they take care off. Enrichment is basically an attempt to improve the quality of an animal’s life. This is accomplished by offering stimulants to the animal which draw out species-appropriate behaviors. Enrichment items are usually geared towards the five senses: hearing, taste, touch, sight and smell and vary from species to species.
In the South America portion of Dickerson Park Zoo, the capuchin monkeys are given enrichment items multiple times per day. These items provoke such behaviors as foraging for food, manipulating objects and moving throughout the environment.
On one particularly snowy day, the capuchins were given “snowmen” decorated with food items from their diet with additional food items hidden inside. They really enjoyed this enrichment because it provided them with many sense-altering stimulants. The cold, wet snow provided the capuchins with an interesting medium in which to forage. Three snowmen were built to discourage food aggression among the capuchins. The capuchins promptly smashed and destroyed the snowmen in the exciting hunt for food.
Many of the exotic parrots and macaws at the zoo also spend some of the winter indoors. In the wild, parrots and macaws spend much of their time preening their feathers and chewing objects to condition their beaks. To simulate these natural behaviors, the parrots and macaws at Dickerson Park Zoo are given bird toys that encourage such behaviors. The toys in the pictures were constructed out of rope, colored wooded blocks, recycled paper cups and pages torn from an old phone book. The birds took great interest in these toys, shredding the paper into little bits (simulating preening) and chewing the wood to condition their beaks.
Snowmen and bird toys are just a few examples of enrichment items given to zoo animals. Keep updated with FOZBlog to hear more about other enrichment provided to other animals at the zoo!
written by Jamie Schmitt, Zookeeper
Does someone on your list enjoy visiting Dickerson Park Zoo often? Take home a little bit of the zoo with our guidebook.
All of the photos in the book are the animals living at Dickerson Park Zoo, and the book tells you more about animals, the zoo's history and behind-the-scenes activities like the veterinary hospital.
And, a trip Dickerson Park Zoo isn't complete without a ZOOKEY. Unlock the wonders of the animal kingdom with a ZOOKEY. This key activates audio boxes at exhibits to play stories and songs about many of the animals. They make great stocking stuffers!
ZOOKEYS are available year-round at the admission gate, gift shop and cafe. They cost $3 and work for at least a year after purchase.
The Safari Trading Company is hosting the annual sale. Members of the general public receive a 10-percent discount on gift shop merchandise. Our FOZ members receive a 20-percent discount.The Safari Trading Company gift shop is open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., unless the zoo is closed for inclement weather (when the walks are covered with ice or snow).
Are you stumped for a gift? Why not ADOPT An Animal for that hard-to-buy-for person. ADOPT gifts can be personalized to the individual by selecting an animal that reflects his or her personality.
Is he cuddly like a bear? Is she smart, like a gibbon or elephant? Boisterous, like a macaw?
ADOPT packages include a personalized ADOPT certificate, color photograph and fact sheet. In addition, the ADOPT parent's name will be on our ADOPT PARENTS board for one year. The ADOPT parent will receive an invitation for a free breakfast at Pancakes in the Park, the zoo's quarterly WildTimes magazine and one-day passes to the zoo.
Purchase your ADOPT gift package today online or by calling the zoo office, 417-833-1570.
Kids are fascinated by snow globes, and Dickerson Park Zoo has it's own special globe. Inside is a pair of tigers. Around the base is a herd of elephants and the zoo's logo.
The Safari Trading Company is hosting the annual sale. Members of the general public receive a 10-percent discount on gift shop merchandise. Our FOZ members receive a 20-percent discount.
The Safari Trading Company gift shop is open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., unless the zoo is closed for inclement weather (when the walks are covered with ice or snow).
Kids love plush animal toys! And, the Safari Trading Company gift shop at Dickerson Park Zoo has a huge selection of plush. We have choices beginning with items appropriate for babies and toddlers and for kids of all ages.
Our "Wishpets" line includes an adorable giraffe wearing a safari vest with the zoo's logo embroidered (retail, $11.99).
We carry several Webkinz(r) for the collector in your family.
Hanging monkeys have been some of our most popular items for several years. Our selection of plush animals reflects those animals living here at the zoo. So, you'll find mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians in all sizes and price ranges.
The Safari Trading Company is hosting the annual sale. Members of the general public receive a 10-percent discount on gift shop merchandise. Our FOZ members receive a 20-percent discount.
The Safari Trading Company gift shop is open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., unless the zoo is closed for inclement weather (when the walks are covered with ice or snow).
More great items from the Safari Trading Company gift shop:
Dynasty Glass: These fused glass animals are elegant and different. We have a flamingo, turtle, peacock and frog.
Fun apparel: From toddler through adult sizes, show just how
wild you are with t-shirts boasting your pride in Dickerson Park Zoo.
We have several t-shirt designs to choose from for kids and adults.
Our FOZ members receive a 20-percent discount. The Safari Trading Company gift shop is open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., unless the zoo is closed for inclement weather (when the walks are covered with ice or snow).
Looking for something out of the ordinary for this year's gift? How about a gift that gives all year long, like a Friends of the Zoo membership?
For one price ($65 for a family), the gift recipient will receive
(We define a "family" as one or two adults living at the same address and their dependent children age 18 and younger. We also have memberships for grandparents and their grandchildren OR a single adult plus a guest.)
Purchasing a gift membership is easy. Click here to go to the zoo's official Web site and purchase your gift membership online. Or, call our office, 417-833-1570, and purchase by phone. (You can also visit us in person! The administration office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.)
Or, maybe you're looking for something a little more traditional. Each day this week, we'll also showcase items in the Zoo-nique Gift Guide from the Safari Trading Company gift shop.
Check out these silk ties! Look closely - the red one is a snake pattern. We also have zebras on navy and tigers.
The Safari Trading Company is hosting the annual sale. Members of the general public receive a 10-percent discount on gift shop merchandise. Our FOZ members receive a 20-percent discount.
The Safari Trading Company gift shop is open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., unless the zoo is closed for inclement weather (when the walks are covered with ice or snow).
ECLECTUS PARROT
Scientific Name: Eclectus roratus
Range & Habitat: Found in semi-tropical and tropical rainforests of Southern Moluccas, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and parts of Australia
Size: 14 inches
Life Span: 30-35 years
Incubation: 30 days; 2 eggs
Wild Diet: Fruit, nuts, seeds, berries, leaf buds, blossoms and nectar
Zoo Diet: Mazuri parrot grain, assorted fruits and vegetables
Habits: These birds are strong flyers. The males typically fly in front of the females. On long flights they go rather slowly with full, deliberate wing beats, interspersed with brief periods of gliding.
Nests are attended by groups of seven or eight birds of both sexes. The nest is high up in a hole in the trunk of a tall tree which is located near the edge of the forest. The nesting female is fed frequently by the male.
The females are brightly colored red and deep purple; males are bright emerald green.
They have an excellent ability to mimic human speech and are highly vocal.
