Fozblog

Tuesday Trivia Answer - Hungry Hippos

If you answered “E. A and C only” to this week’s Tuesday trivia question, you are correct! Hippopotamuses like Henry are herbivores and naturally feed on aquatic plants, grass and foliage. However, if you stop by Dickerson Park Zoo on Saturday Aug. 27, you may catch a glimpse of our lovable hippo enjoying a special treat.

This Saturday, Dickerson Park Zoo is celebrating Henry's 30th birthday during the annual Pancakes in the Park event. If you stop by Henry's exhibit at 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m., or noon you'll get to see him munching on his special birthday treat -- a whole watermelon. Large fruits, like watermelon, are sometimes given to hippopotamuses on special occassions as a nice addition to their plant-based diet.

Of course, birthdays are more fun if you get to share the celebration with others. So, the zoo is offering free slices of chilled watermelon to the public as well. Be sure to stop by the zoo this Saturday and join in the fun.

Congratulations to Shawn Scott from Lenox, Mo., whose name was drawn from those submitting the correct answer this week!

Play along again next week for your chance to win a pair of one-day admission passes!

Go WILD with Holiday Shopping!

The annual sale at the Safari Trading Company gift shop kicked off on "Black Friday" and continues through Dec. 24.

The Safari Trading Company features a unique selection of plush animals, wildlife toys, figurines and zoo apparel for the animal lover on your list. And, your purchases support valuable zoo projects and conservation education programs.

The general public receives a 10 percent discount on gift shop merchandise. Current Friends of the Zoo members receive a 20 percent discount.

The Safari Trading Company gift shop is open during normal admission gates hours, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. (Operations are weather permitting; the zoo is closed when the walks have ice or snow.)

And, remember, a Friends of Zoo membership or ADOPT An Animal package brings year-round enjoyment for recipient receives 12 months of joy.

Follow us on Facebook for 10 days of "zoo-nique" gift ideas - a sampling of what you'll find in the Safari Trading Company gift shop.

Zoo-nique Gift Guide - Idea #1 and #2

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

• free admission for one year to Dickerson Park Zoo,
• free admission to Halloween SPOOKTACULAR,
• reciprocal admission to more than 100 zoos and aquariums across the country,
• discounts on merchandise purchased at the Safari Trading Company gift shop,
• discounts on children's education programs,
• our quarterly WildTimes magazine and
• invitations to exclusive members-only events.

(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).

Henry the Hippo celebrates his birthday

Visit our YouTube channel for the "live action" footage of the watermelon smash!

Zookeepers added a little extra fun to Henry the hippo's day this morning. Today is Henry's 27th birthday, and one of the zookeepers gave him a couple of watermelons. It certainly was a something to see!

Henry's been at Dickerson Park Zoo since March 1982 when he was a young calf. He was born at the San Francisco Zoo.

A hippopotamus' eyes, ears and nostrils are situated on the top of its head, allowing it to see, hear and breathe while still mostly submerged in water. A hippo can stay submerged for up to five minutes before surfacing to take a breath.

At one time, there was a myth that hippopotamuses sweat blood. The truth to that is, they secrete a red or pink oily substance from their pores to protect their skin from the sun and moisture loss.

Hippos are herbivores. Henry eats a half bale of hay, two scoops of grain and a variety of produce each day. In sub-Saharan Africa where you find hippos in the wild, they stay in water or mud wallows for the day and come out on the surrounding plains to graze on grass at night. This adaptation protects their skin from excessive moisture loss.

Hippopotamus is a Greek word for "river horse."

Dreamnight is HUGE success!

Dickerson Park Zoo hosted its fourth annual Dreamnight at the Zoo tonight. This event is an opportunity for children with disabilities or chronic illnesses and their families to have a special night to themselves to enjoy the zoo.

Activities included watching the hippopotamus devour watermelons, feeding "browse" (leaves) to the giraffes -- like Marigold is doing in the picture to the left -- up-close encounters with animals from the education department, snacks and a photo of the VIP child to take home.

Nearly 1,600 people came to Dickerson Park Zoo tonight for this special evening. The zoo partners with area service providers and organizations who qualify the families and distribute the tickets. It rained much of the day and a few dark clouds still loomed in the sky, but not a drop of rain fell during Dreamnight.

Although this is an evening entirely focused on the VIP children and their families, for zoo staff and volunteers, it is an extremely heart-warming experience to interact with everyone. THANK YOU to everyone who attended Dreamnight and made this such a special night. And, a huge THANK YOU to our partner organizations who helped connect the zoo with the VIP families. We couldn't have done this without you.

Dreamnight started in the mid-1990s in The Netherlands. It quickly grew in popularity. Now more than 100 zoos, aquariums and other facilities in 30-plus countries around the world host Dreamnight (typically on the first Friday evening of June).

Teddy Bear Rally sets new attendance record!

WOW! What a day at the zoo on Saturday! The annual Teddy Bear Rally sponsored by St. John's Children's Hospital set a new attendance record with more than 10,000 people taking advantage of free admission that day.

Kids were encouraged to bring a teddy bear to participate in contest and activities, including the Bear Care Clinic, a great way to introduce children to health examinations by focusing on the bear.

Entertainment included Mad Science, M Gym Dance Studio, Martial Artist Foundation and the Nixa DARE puppet show. Thanks to everyone for making it a great day!

Zoo names 2008 Earth Heroes

It's the zoo's Earth Day celebration today - Party for the Planet. And, we announced our 2008 Earth Hero Award recipients this morning.

Dr. Alice (Jill) Black is an assistant professor in the Department of Geology, Geography and Planning at Missouri State University. She is instrumental in educating preservice teachers and preparing them to inspire their students about science.

Sue Schuble is a retired teacher/coach who volunteers with numerous environmental organizations - Greater Ozarks Audubon Society (who nominated her for the award), the Springfield Conservation Nature Center and here at Dickerson Park Zoo.

Watch in the coming weeks for "This Week at Dickerson Park Zoo" podcasts including interviews with each of these Earth Heroes about their projects and involvement in Earth-friendly activities.

This Week at Dickerson Park Zoo

Show Notes:
:09 Introduction
:26 Party for the Planet
1:28 Teddy Bear Rally
2:12 Summer hours

Right click here to Download TWDPZ_41408.mp3 (3313.6K)

Odd Zoo Trivia - April Fools' Day

Each year, we prepare for April Fools' Day and an onslaught of incoming phone calls. Unsuspecting coworkers often receive bogus phone messages to return calls to "Mr. Lion," "Ellie Fant" or "Mr. Bear" with the zoo's phone number listed. This year, we tracked eight hang-ups, five "wrong numbers" and about 30 actual April Fools' calls from folks asking for someone (or some animal) that doesn't work here.

Holiday shopping help from the zoo

"Black Friday" is just two days away now, and Dickerson Park Zoo offers a great alternative to the hustle and bustle of traditional holiday shopping. The annual sale at the Safari Trading Company gift shop kicks off on Friday, Nov. 23, and continues through Dec. 24. The general public will receive a 10 percent discount off gift shop merchandise, and our Friends of the Zoo members receive an additional 10 percent off (total of 20 percent).

The Safari Trading Company gift shop offers a wide variety of wildlife items -- apparel for tots, children and adults; home decor; toys and plush animals; books and puzzles. ZOOKEYS for the audio boxes throughout the zoo make great stocking stuffers.

And, don't miss out on the 2008 Zoo Calendar, a beautiful full-color calendar featuring photographs from throughout the park!

For gifts that give all year -- consider a Friends of the Zoo membership for a family, grandparents and their grandchildren or an adult plus a guest; or ADOPT an animal for the wildlife lover on your list. Call 417-833-1570 to order by phone or visit us in person!

Andy and Julie -- the fine morning folks at KTTS -- chatted with Melinda Arnold, the zoo's public relations director this week. Take a listen to the interview: