Archive for the ‘Family Fun’ Category
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Zoo-to-Community Is Spreading Its Wings

by | November 4th, 2010

There’s Big News happening with the Zoo-To-Community program (ZTC) here at the Oakland Zoo. The program just received its first big grant for schools outside of Oakland! Since its inception three years ago, the Zoo-To-Community (ZTC) program has offered vouchers for free Zoo admission and access to programs such as ZooSchool, ZooMobile, ZooSchool Discovery and Zoo field trips to local residents who might not otherwise be able to afford them.

ZTC Kids at the Zoo

And now, thanks to the generosity of the East Bay Community Foundation, funds are available to reach West Contra Costa County. That’s definitely good news for Richmond Title 1 elementary schools, (where 75% or more of the kids are on the free lunch program) child development centers, and Head Start schools. Head Start, as you may know, is a national program that promotes school readiness. The Title 1 program provides funding to school systems for students at risk of failure and living at the poverty level.

During these last three years, ZTC has been steadily expanding. Through the use of mailings to school principals, the word has been spreading, and more schools have been getting involved. Participation has quadrupled in the last year alone, enabling the program to reach an impressive 16,000 people, including 13,000 school-age children.

Grants from donor organizations are a big part of the Zoo-To-Community program. In a typical year, ZTC receives half a dozen such grants, ranging from $2,000 to $15,000 a piece, from supporters such as First 5, Bechtel, Clorox, Wells Fargo, The Junior League, and the Rogers Foundation. So the East Bay Community Foundation’s grant for $ 15,000 represents a substantial part of ZTC’s financial backing for the year.

Up Close with a Turtle

What all this financial business boils down to is this: last year we had the most funding ever for bus transportation. Up

Touching a Hedgehog

till now, the biggest headache for ZTC– the one thing that’s kept the program from achieving its full potential has been transportation. Oakland is one of the few major cities that doesn’t have its own school bus system. Even with free Zoo admission, many people simply had no way to get here. So the program’s resources weren’t being fully utilized. But now, thanks in large measure to the East Bay Community Foundation’s Grant, that’s all changing.

All of this is exciting news for Zoo-To-Community Coordinator Sarah Powers, who has derived great satisfaction from being able to offer the benefits of the Oakland Zoo to a whole new segment of the East Bay community. Ms. Powers, who’s been in charge of ZTC for the past year and a half, says she looks forward to continued expansion of the Zoo-To-Community program in both Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. So if you’re eligible for ZTC, get on the bus and check out the Oakland Zoo!

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Conservation, Education Programs, Family Fun, Uncategorized No Comments »

Oakland Zoo: A Pumpkin Paradise

by | October 20th, 2010

After crushing a huge pumpkin, M'Dunda gets a mouthful!

Once a year around this time, the Oakland Zoo Keepers seek to find as many pumpkins as possible.  On November 1st you might see three large OZ dump trucks on the freeway stacked with hundreds of pumpkins in tow. The next few days after Halloween are busy ones for us, as we make multiple runs to the local patches back and forth from the zoo. This is a huge task which requires lots of helping hands, strong biceps, and aching backs. When the trucks are loaded and on their way back to the zoo, a call is made to the rest of the keepers, staff, and volunteers, who all meet in one of our four pumpkin zone designated areas. An assembly line is created from the truck bed to the ground where pumpkins which can weigh well over sixty pounds are passed from person to person and then gently placed down to prevent them from cracking and rotting. Strenuous and timely, the keepers are exhausted, sore, and satisfied, knowing that they got a good work out and they are going to make their animals very happy with fun enrichment in many forms. From birds to bears and elk to elephants there are many animals here that enjoy the pumpkin in its many forms. The keepers get creative in all sorts of ways to entertain the animals. Since many of the smaller animals can’t eat the pumpkins, the keepers will carve shapes into the pumpkin, hide food treats inside, then close it up again so the animal has to find the food inside. For the birds it can be used as a new obstacle or piece of

Heath, river otter, finds food treats hidden inside and outside of a pumpkin.

furniture in their habitat, or as a house, and the seeds can be saved and fed out. The bigger hoof stock and elephants love to eat them. If you visit you might see the elephant keepers at the top of the exhibit bowling the pumpkins out into the habitat, as the elephants chase after them. Another elephant favorite is the pumpkin popsicle. These are popsicles that are filled with chunks of fruit and diluted kool-aide, which are then frozen and hung from a piece of chain. The fun part of this pumpkin form is that it makes it difficult for the elephants to eat them quickly. After about twenty minutes of tusking, stomping, and throwing, the pumpkin finally starts to give and the elephants are refreshed with the homemade goody. To some animals like the tigers, the pumpkins can be a fun cat toy to bat around and claw at, and even sometimes munch on! Halloween is a fun and creative time for us here at the zoo, but it also takes a lot of time, dedication, and team work! Thank you to all the patches that have donated pumpkins. Come join us in costume and collect treats on October 30th and 31st for our annual Boo at the Zoo family fun event!

Tags: , ,
Posted in Events, Family Fun, Volunteering, ZooKeepers No Comments »

It Takes A Village To Raise A Camp

by | July 2nd, 2010

You might not realize it, but it takes the entire Oakland Zoo to ensure the success of ZooCamp every summer– not just the folks in Conservation & Education. Every single department at the Zoo makes a valuable contribution to this popular kids’ program which has been a summertime tradition here for more than twenty years. After speaking with ZooCamp Director Sarah Cramer, I learned exactly what those contributions were.

1. Getting the word out is crucial to the success of any event. The Marketing department provides the advertising that lets our Zoo visitors know about the program, utilizing local parents’ magazines and websites, billboards, fliers and inserts in the Oakland Zoo visitors’ maps. They also arrange appearances on TV programs such as View from the Bay and KRON 4 Morning News.

2. The Oakland Zoo has a large active membership throughout the East Bay and beyond, providing a valuable resource of potential ZooCamp attendees. Our Membership department provides ZooCamp information in Uproar, the monthly electronic newsletter that reaches up to 24,000 people. The membership department also assists Zoo members who wish to register for camp.

Preparing the Picnic Areas

3. The Maintenance department purchases various materials needed for camp. They also maintain and repair any equipment the camp staff uses.

4. Our Human Resources department helps facilitate the hiring of the seasonal teachers and other help needed to run ZooCamp.

5. Group Services helps by directing inquiries to the ZooCamp registrar. They also help facilitate the use of the auditorium as well as picnic sites, allowing campers to enjoy their lunches outdoors.

6. With a quarter million dollars in revenue, ZooCamp depends on the Accounting department to ensure that the bills are paid and that the revenue is accurately reported.

7. The Operations staff ups the Fun Factor by letting the campers enjoy complimentary rides on the train and the sky ride.

Our Janitorial Staff

8. The Janitorial staff provides additional re-stocking of the restrooms as well as extra clean-up for those “special messes” that kids are so good at producing (such as mud from playing in the creek).

9. Our Development department raises money for the Vicki Kay Memorial Scholarship Fund, through individual and foundation grants.

10. The Grounds department increases the frequency of trash pick-ups, sets out yellow jacket traps, power-washes the Wildlife Theater, and rearranges their schedule for auditorium set-ups and break-downs to accommodate the camp groups that need the facility. They also adjust their lawn mowing schedule to allow the camp kids to use the lawns throughout the day.

11. Taking a break from their ongoing weeding and watering, the Horticulture staff gathers branches, palm fronds and other plant matter to give the kids “fort-building” materials for their survival classes.

12. The Animal Management & Veterinary Care departments help make the vital connection between campers and the Zoo animals, leading behind-the-scenes tours, providing service projects as well as helping to teach some of the classes.

13. Our Public Safety department provides first aid and CPR classes for ZooCamp staff, and manages auto traffic amid the hectic comings and goings each morning and afternoon.

14. And lastly, the Conservation and Education Department:

They teach the classes, lead the tours, organize the crafts and games, lead the songs and bandage the occasional skinned knee. Even the non-teaching staff members help by assisting with Animal Close-ups, dealing with the sick or injured campers, training the seasonal staff and providing administrative support.

Happy Campers

So the next time you see a bunch of smiling ZooCampers in their little matching T-shirts, just remember all the dedicated Zoo employees who help make those smiles possible. And don’t forget to tell your young ones about the cool outdoor fun awaiting them at Oakland ZooCamp every summer!

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Education Programs, Events, Family Fun, Uncategorized No Comments »

Happy Green Day To You

by | June 11th, 2010

Have you heard about the exciting new changes in the Zoo’s Education Birthday Party program? It’s been an ongoing effort to get there, but the Oakland Zoo is now happy to announce the “greening” of these popular events. In an effort to promote more responsible and sustainable use of the earth’s natural resources, the Conservation and Education department now offers these fun educational events that utilize recycled and reusable materials.

Re-usable Party Utensils

Over the years, several “green” improvements have been implemented. For a while,  we tried using compostable “SpudWare” utensils. However, it made more sense to avoid using disposable materials altogether, even if they were biodegradable. So now, when you book your special Education Birthday Party at the Zoo, you’ll be using re-usable table cloths, Corelle dishware, and reusable kid-friendly utensils.

Every Education Birthday Party here at the Zoo features a live animal presentation, in which children have the opportunity to learn about wildlife conservation issues while experiencing animals up close in an intimate and fun setting. Afterwards, the kids work on a fun “enrichment” craft project that they get to watch the Zoo animals enjoy at the end of the party. Even these craft activities use recycled and reusable materials, such as previously used cardboard boxes and even paper towel tubes.

Birthday Gift Bags

The party bags provided for the birthday child are now made out of post-consumer plastic, and feature a fun “Go Green” wildlife message. Gifts inside the bags include:

  • A small plant growing kit, with seeds and soil included to encourage kids to garden at home
  • A cool “Ellie-Pooh” elephant magnet, hand-crafted in Sri Lanka from elephant dung and post-consumer paper
  • Recycled pencils made of bamboo
  • Stickers with the Zoo’s “Go Green” logo
  • Educational Top Trumps trading cards.

One of the new cards will feature the Western Pond Turtle, to educate participants about the Oakland Zoo’s ongoing conservation programs. The birthday child’s party bag also includes a very special plush animal: an Animals Asia “Moon Bear,” along with a tag describing the Zoo’s conservation project in China that works toward the preservation of these endangered animals. Supporting worldwide conservation programs is a major part of the Zoo’s ongoing conservation mission: “The Oakland Zoo is committed to action for improved global health and the preservation of biodiversity.”

So, don’t forget to call the Zoo and schedule your child’s special Education Birthday celebration. And have a Happy Green Day!

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Conservation, Education Programs, Events, Family Fun, Uncategorized No Comments »

Here Comes the Train

by | May 11th, 2010

By now, many of you may have come to the Oakland Zoo to experience our newest Australia exhibit. It is almost complete, with more finishing touches on the way; the Grand Opening is July 3rd.   For those of you have not seen it yet, it is our brand new Emu and Wallaroo exhibit that is located on a lush 3.5 acres at the top of the zoo that is accessible by our train.  The train has undergone many facelifts over its history here at the zoo, but this is the first time that the train has immersed guests within an animal habitat, creating an experience unlike any other at the park.   It is not uncommon to see the Wallaroo lounging in the grass a few feet away and Emu roaming by as you  glide through on the Outback Express train.

Wallaroo by Tracks. Photo by Lorraine Peters

Roaming the Hills. Photo by Lorraine Peters

To help you experience Wild Australia a core group of dedicated and specially trained drivers have been recruited.

Shauna, Javier, Ken and RJ make up our train driver core and were hand selected to run the Outback Express due to their enthusiasm for the Wallaroo and Emu along with their work ethic and experience in the zoos Operations department.   Once selected, they teamed up with the animal keepers in charge of the Emu and Wallaroo to take place in a pilot train driving certification course. This pilot program was designed to prepare the drivers for the challenges of working in an active animal habitat and features three main components, evaluated by the animal management department.

The first stage of the program is centered on general preparation and includes research on  identifying individual animals, natural history of the emu and wallaroo, along with learning about how deal with animals in distress.

The second stage of the program is centered on driving the train through Wild Australia and centers around how to handle certain scenarios while driving the train.   Common occurrences the drivers must face are emu or wallaroo on the tracks or in close proximity to the train as well as moving at appropriate speeds within the exhibit to make the keepers and animals feel secure.

The third stage actually takes place off of the train and instructs the drivers in an interactive format on common daily and seasonal behaviors they can encounter with the emu and wallaroo.  This is also the time where drivers are shown how to interact with the animals appropriately if it becomes necessary to get off the train and move an animal off the tracks or away from an entrance gate.

So far the certification program has been going well and our drivers along with the emus and wallaroos have been doing great traversing their new stomping grounds.   Next time you are on the train make sure to let the train drivers know what a great job they are doing.

The OZ Train Drivers. From Right to Left (Ken, Shauna, Javier, and RJ)

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Animal Welfare, Family Fun, Uncategorized, ZooKeepers No Comments »

Seeing With New Eyes: Zoo Photo Tips

by | April 22nd, 2010

Have you ever wanted to capture better images of our fascinating zoo creatures?  But do the fences and glass keep getting in the way?  Well, fret no longer– there’s hope in that viewfinder.  As the former photographer for the Oakland Zoo, I discovered a few tricks over the years. Try using the following techniques  and you might find yourself capturing terrific tigers and awesome alligators yourself.

Caging Detracts From Photo

A. CAGE BARS (Bobcat, tiger, chimps, bats, aviaries, etc.)  One thing I’ve learned to do is to “un-cage the animals.” No, it doesn’t mean letting them run loose in the meadow, but rather using simple techniques to make the cage bars or fencing disappear from view.  Try to employ as many of these tips as you can to maximize the effect.  IMPORTANT: Auto-Focus needs to be shut off. Use manual focus or focus-lock to avoid focusing on the caging.

1.  Position the camera as close to the exhibit as safety and zoo rules permit.

2.  Wait until the animal is away from the caging.

Caging Has Vanished!

3.  Use a telephoto lens (or the telephoto setting on the camera.)

4.  Wait for a time when the bars are in shadow, and the animal is in the light.

5.  If your camera allows it, select the widest possible lens opening to limit the depth of field (or depth of focus.)

Reflections Ruin This Shot

B. GLASS (Alligators, anaconda, reptiles, bugs, etc.) With more zoo exhibits utilizing glass instead of bars these days, another important skill to learn is how to photograph through it without getting reflections in your pictures. It’s just a matter of paying more attention.

1. Make yourself aware of the reflections. It’s easy to miss them when you’re busy concentrating on your subject. Once you’ve done this:

2.  Reposition yourself relative to the light BEHIND you, until you’re no longer shooting through a reflection.

3.  If possible, place the lens directly against the glass. Use your hand to shield the side of the lens if you need to shoot at an angle to the glass.

Reflections Are Gone!

4.  Turn OFF the flash, unless you can shoot at an angle to the glass.

5.  If none of these suggestions are possible, wait until later in the day, when the light has changed.

C. MOVING ANIMALS Although many animals (such as lions) like to lie around and take it easy, it’s always frustrating when you’re trying to get a picture of an animal that just won’t sit still (like our gibbons frequently do.) Try these suggestions.

1.  Use a tripod to steady the camera.

2.  Use a wider lens (or zoom out) to make it easier to follow your subject.

3.  If your camera allows it, use a fast shutter speed to avoid blurring the image.

4. Animals moving left or right are more easily photographed than those moving toward or away from the camera, where drastic changes of focus are necessary.

5.  Gibbons and Vervet Monkeys can be especially difficult to follow. Try to notice if the animal has a pattern in its movement, such as a favorite rock or tree branch that it likes to pause at occasionally. By aiming your camera there in advance and waiting for it, you can often get better results than from trying to follow the animal from place to place.

The most important thing to keep in mind is: HAVE PATIENCE.  Some days, the photo opportunities make it easy, such as during an event like our popular Feast For The Beasts, coming up on July 17. But other days, things might be more challenging. Animals are often elusive and unpredictable. But any photo worth taking is worth waiting for. So good luck and see you at Gibbon Island!

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Events, Family Fun No Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »