Fozblog

"America's Best Zoos" co-author visits DPZ

Jon Wassner, co-author of "America's Best Zoos: A Travel Guide for Fans and Families," visited Springfield's Dickerson Park Zoo last Friday. Today, he posted his impressions of our park to his America's Zoo Scoop blog with very favorable comments.

Very often, when travel writers and other journalists visit the zoo, we provide a guided tour with a few behind-the-scenes opportunities. We're grateful for these opportunities which usually come via the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau.

But, Jon's visit was different. He specifically asked to tour the park unaccompanied because he wanted to experience Dickerson Park Zoo as our guests would. We provided him a media kit with background information and photographs and welcomed him as we would any other member of the general public.

Thank you, Jon, for a very complimentary review.

Setting the record straight on exhibit closures

If you read the article in the Springfield News-Leader or a post from a local blogger this past week about looming budget cuts affecting the Springfield-Greene County Park Board – and more specifically, Dickerson Park Zoo – you might be wondering what you will (or won’t) see on your next zoo visit.

First, be assured, contrary to the information published in the News-Leader’s article, there are not six closed exhibits. Have we reduced numbers of animals among certain species? Yes. Probably the animals getting the most attention were a pair of striped hyenas that had never been on public exhibit and were simply animals living at the zoo in a behind-the-scenes area. To trim expenses and streamline the zookeepers’ workload, those hyenas were relocated to ZooBoise.

We moved out a group of brown lemurs to another zoo. These animals were rarely visible to the visiting public. Another group of ruffed lemurs now inhabit that island exhibit.

In reality, when you visit Dickerson Park Zoo, you will only see one entirely vacant exhibit, not six reported by News-Leader.

The antelope in the large African Plains yard adjacent to the cheetahs were also moved. This was precipitated by two factors, one of which was a cost savings. However, more importantly, these animals needed to move so that work can begin in the exhibit yard to establish rain gardens and other water run-off improvements.

Most of the reductions at the zoo happened behind-the-scenes. Money for travel/training and advertising has been eliminated, and other expense areas for supplies and professional services have been reduced. Some part-time positions at the zoo remain open, as may future vacancies. We anticipate these reductions will continue in the new budget year (2009-2010), although the budget has not been approved and finalized by the City Council.

In trimming our budget, our primary focus has always been two-fold: maintain the highest professional standards of animal care and have the least effect on our guests’ overall zoo experience. Dickerson Park Zoo is very proud to have an 86-year history in the Springfield area. We are YOUR community and regional zoo, with more than 75 percent of our guests coming from within a 120-mile radius.

So, visit Dickerson Park Zoo this summer. We promise you will admire hundreds of animals from around the world, be inspired by the informational and conservation messages, and enjoy an oasis of green in the city.

Good-bye, Nisha. We love you.

It is with heavy hearts this morning that we write. Our elephant calf Nisha died from the elephant herpesvirus in the early hours of Dec. 1. Her zookeepers and the adult female elephants were with her in the elephant barn throughout the night.

While there were a few positive signs yesterday, Nisha's condition deteriorated rapidly throughout Friday evening.

Our elephant keepers and everyone here at Dickerson Park Zoo are deeply saddened by the loss of Nisha. She was a darling of our community, and many throughout the Ozarks participated in naming her after her birth in 2006 and enjoyed watching her grow up these last 16 months. We know you - our visiting public - will miss her as much as we will.

If you would like to send a message of support to Nisha's keepers, click on the comments link below or send an e-mail.

Elephant Calf Nisha Shows Symptoms of Herpesvirus

Dickerson Park Zoo celebrated the birth of Nisha in July 2006. It is with heavy hearts we announce today that late yesterday afternoon, Nisha began showing symptoms of a typically fatal elephant herpesvirus.

This isn't a new experience for the elephant staff at the zoo. We've seen this virus before. Luckily for one calf - Chandra - the staff developed an experimental treatment that was successful in saving her.

However, other calves with this virus - here at DPZ and at other zoos around the world - haven't been so fortunate.

Dickerson Park Zoo's elephant staff of well-trained professionals is consulting with veterinarians and experts across the country. They are spending 24 hours a day with Nisha. Please keep the keepers and Nisha in your thoughts.

If you would like to send your well-wishes to Nisha and her zookeepers, please click on the comments link below or send an e-mail.

DPZ Reaccredited by AZA

At the annual conference of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums this week in Philadelphia, Dickerson Park Zoo received a renewal of its accredited standing. As an accredited institution, Dickerson Park Zoo is one of only 216 institutions to carry this designation.

Accreditation involves a thorough review of every facet of an institution: animal care, husbandry and veterinary practices and policies; education programming; staffing; financial stability and more. Once accredited, each facility must go through to the review process at least every five years.

An accreditation review includes an in-depth written application and an on-site visit by a team of industry professionals. When you visit a zoo or aquarium, look for the "Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums" logo as your assurance that a facility upholds the AZA standards which exceed other local, state and federal regulations.

Father's Day interview on KTTS

Zoo PR Director Melinda Arnold was in-studio recently with KTTS's Andy & Julie. Thanks for the opportunity to talk about what's happening for Father's Day and great laughs!