As studbook keeper for polar bears, Allison Jungheim preserves the health and genetics of North America’s most majestic species

When she shares observations about the polar bears in her care, Senior Keeper Allison Jungheim can sound like she’s talking about her closest friends, bubbling about Nan’s bossy behavior, bragging about Kulu’s impressive weight gain (“At 940 pounds, we should probably stop calling him little Kulu”), and beaming at Neil, the mild-mannered male who first came to Como Zoo with his brother Buzz back in 2001. “He is my bear,” she says. 

Jungheim brings the same enthusiasm to her role as studbook keeper for North America’s polar bears, responsible for tracking the genetic health and history of some 60 individuals living in partner zoos across Canada and the U.S. A project of the Bear Taxon Advisory Group through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the studbook is one of the ways that zoos work together to ensure that managed populations of polar bears are living their best lives. 

Similar to your family’s own electronic medical records that allow for more coordinated health care, “keeping all of that data in one place is super important for the longevity of animals,” Jungheim says. “The studbook also gives me the ability to look back at historic animals and current animals, to see who’s related to whom, and who should breed with whom.” 

While Como Zoo’s keepers have earned national recognition for their success at reducing polar bear repetitive behaviors and developing tools for improving polar bear blood draws, Jungheim’s longtime leadership in polar bear preservation is a volunteer effort. “I don’t get any extra money or funding for managing the polar bear studbook, but it’s worth it to be part of the bigger picture, helping polar bears around the country, and not just here at Como.”

Polar bears require just the right conditions for successful breeding, both in zoos and in the wild. While polar bears will typically mate in early spring, they’re one of more than 130 animal species with delayed implantation, meaning that fertilized eggs don’t implant in the uterus until months later. The delay allows females to build up the fat reserves they’ll need to support themselves and their cubs during a long denning period. “But if the female doesn’t gain enough weight, or have good enough body condition, she may not implant that embryo or embryos at all,” explains Jungheim. The long dormancy period means that if one breeding pair is unsuccessful, zoos don’t have much time to establish a new pairing. 

“That’s one reason why collaboration with other zoos is so important,” she says, noting that the polar bear community of keepers, managers, and veterinary staff have regular virtual meetings throughout the year, sharing breeding and denning news, and exploring new strategies. “One of the things we’re trying is to create more choice for mates by pairing more than just one male and one female,” she says. “Our thought is that by giving mate choice, it gives the male the chance to share the love with other females, and increases competition for breeding, and hopefully, increases success rates.” 

With that strategy in mind, Como Zoo is getting ready to welcome a new female bear from a partner zoo, who might make a good breeding partner for Kulu. “With an aging population of bears, we’re trying to shake things up,” Jungheim says. If the pairing works, she may even have a couple of new names to add to the polar bear studbook.

Funding from Como Friends enabled Allison Jungheim to travel to attend an in-person polar bear conference, strengthening the network of connections zoos rely on to help bears live their best lives.

Como’s redesigned Residency Program is bringing the power of plants and animals to third graders across the state

Residency Program students from Roseville’s Central Park Elementary School recently welcomed two new African crested porcupines to Como Zoo’s Large Cat Building by making artwork for their habitat. The porcupine pair were recently relocated to Como following the closure of SeaQuest in Roseville.

Melrose, Minnesota, is more than a 90-minute drive to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory—longer during rush hour—which makes a field trip to the Twin Cities out of the question for most classrooms. 

But thanks to Como’s new and improved Residency Program, 25 third graders in Ms. Brown’s class at Melrose Area Elementary School recently got the chance to spend quality time with Katie Raeker, an educational specialist who knows nearly everything there is to know about Como’s plants and animals. During the course of four days in April, Raeker visited the class for nearly five hours every day, bringing live plants, biofacts, fun animal profile videos and boxes and boxes of art supplies to teach a program called Exploring Ecosystems, that compares the biomes of Minnesota to those of the Brazilian rainforest.  

“What’s really fun about teaching kids in greater Minnesota is that they often have first-hand experience with the animals I often bring up in class,” says Raeker. “If I show them a pair of antlers, they know the difference between a deer and a moose. And if I ask ‘How many of you have seen a wolf?’ lots and lots of hands go up. Compared to the kids we teach in the Twin Cities, it leads to very different conversations.” 

Taking Como’s education curriculum on the road is the latest iteration of Como’s Residency Program, an immersive conservation program offered free of charge to area schools and made possible by Minnesota’s Legacy Amendment. Several years ago, this popular program got its start by inviting classrooms around the Twin Cities to relocate to Como, using both Como Zoo and the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory as the backdrop for days of cross-disciplinary learning. Put on pause during the pandemic, the Residency Program resumed in January 2025, simultaneously offering on-site experiences for third grade classrooms around the Twin Cities, and off-site programs for third graders across the state. 

In fact, the same day Raeker was teaching in Melrose, Residency Program Specialist Grace Coughlin was leading a group of third graders from Roseville’s Central Park Elementary into a new habitat in the Large Cat Building that is now home to two new porcupines. Large cat keepers Hans Jorgensen and Caitlin Allessi greeted the group, and invited them to decorate the glass enclosure with big rolls of craft paper and magic markers.

“So many of the teachers have been telling us how grateful they are for the opportunity to have an art component to the program,” says Residency Coordinator Madeline McCullough. “The other thing we’re hearing is that they really appreciate our multi-modal approach with our curriculum. There’s movement throughout the day, videos and slideshows and pictures, class discussions, and very tactile experiences with biofacts and plants. The curriculum makes them feel supported, and it works to reach many different types of learners.” Another strength of the program: McCullough, Coughlin, and Raeker are all former classroom teachers, skilled at shaping lesson plans to fit the needs of participating classrooms. 

With a waiting list of schools eager to sign up, Como has prioritized Title I classrooms where a significant portion of students are from disadvantaged backgrounds, or are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. In addition to the free classroom experience, Como reimburses local schools for the full cost of bus transportation to campus, ensuring that cost is no barrier to participation. While nearly half of the programs happen right on Como’s campus, for many participating students, it’s their very first trip to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. “Even though Como is in the backyard for a lot of our participating schools, a lot of kiddos have never been to a zoo before,” says Coughlin. “It’s really fun to show them around and to see their faces the first time they see a giraffe, or watch a sea lion swimming in the water.” 

The focus on third graders helps area schools meet state science standards, while connecting with kids in the sweet spot for conservation education. “It’s the perfect age for this program, because they’ve been in school enough years that they have the basic skills down, and they’re a little bit more independent so they can be critical thinkers and sponges for information,” says Raeker.

“Also third graders have no filter, and they have so many interesting questions,” says Coughlin. “Kids are always excited to find out that Como is free and open every day. And a lot of them really want to know when they can come back with their parents.”

This winter, get to know a few of Como Zoo’s newest arrivals  

Como long-time volunteers and supporters suggested the names for the two cubs—Maks (pronounced Max) and Marisa, both associated with strength and tenacity. The name Marisa is also a nod to Marisa Paulat, a retired Como cat keeper who was instrumental in the care of large cats during her 43 years at the zoo.

Marisa and Maks

Willow

Walter

Yoshi

Reggiano and Ilsamar

Snow Cone

Moutig

Send an un-fur-gettable Valentine’s Day delivery to the animal lovers in your life with this adorable trio of specially priced mini plush animals. For just $25, this sweetheart deal includes your choice of mini plush tiger, flamingo, or polar bear plus a Valentine’s card and candy hearts. Or sweeten the deal with two for just $45, or three for $65.

February 9 is the last day to order online for delivery. Stop by Garden Safari Gifts at Como to pick up your Valentine’s package through February 14!

For orders of two or more minis, please list additional animals in the comment field.

Como Brings Conservation to Life

From the first breaths taken by Como Zoo’s new tiger cubs, to the tender care that’s giving extra years to elder animal ambassadors like Nan the polar bear, Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is on a mission to bring the value of conservation to life in every season.

On Give to the Max Day, your generosity helps bring conservation to the forefront every day at Minnesota’s most visited cultural destination. From crucial breeding programs to preserve our planet’s most endangered animals, to sustainable habitats that tell deeper stories about the Earth’s diversity, your support helps Como Park Zoo and Conservatory welcome the next generation to discover the wonders of nature through unforgettable face-to-face encounters, fantastic education programs, and always-free admission.

And thanks to a matching gift from the Como Friends Board of Directors and a generous donor, your gift will be doubled, dollar for dollar, up to $53,200.

Thanks to your support for Como Friends, a new generation is discovering career options in animal care and horticulture

For Como Zoo apprentice Sophia Dady, the trick is building trust with Ruby, the newest bison to live in Como’s historic barn. Over the course of the last year, Dady’s calm demeanor (and hundreds of carrots) have helped her to build a bond with the young bison, teaching her to follow a training target. This new husbandry skill now allows keepers to get a closer look at different parts of Ruby’s body, depending on where the target is positioned. 

While few zoo interns ever get the chance to take on an important long-term project, animal training is all in a day’s work for Dady. A member of St. Paul’s Right Track apprentice program, Dady is one of 9 zookeeping and 4 horticultural apprentices at Como this year, earning 20- to 40-hours-a-week pay while they take on entry-level responsibilities throughout Como Zoo and the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. 

Though unpaid internships and volunteer conservation roles have often been the career path to jobs in animal care, the Right Track program helps to remove the economic barriers to participation for youth from cost-burdened households. “Right Track is designed to ensure that you don’t have to work without pay, or have multiple side jobs, to take advantage of a career-building opportunity,” says Lianna Sanders, the Como project manager who oversees the Right Track apprentices.

This year, Como has expanded the Right Track program to include horticultural apprentices like Willow Stephens, who recently had the opportunity to collaborate with horticulturist Rylee Werden on the design and installation of the Fall Flower Show. Hands-on experiences like that, and having the time it takes to dive into a potential career is another important part of the program, which also allows young people to attend college during their apprentice tenure. 

Being fully immersed in animal care at Como has allowed Dady to take part in everything from primate training to observing behind-the-scenes veterinary care, while also attending Right Track professional development sessions in resume writing, financial literacy, and more. “Because the zookeepers see you more often, they trust you and allow you to take on your own projects, which is so important,” Dady says. “You’re given a bit more independence to find out what you like to do and what you’re good at, which is important as you’re developing your career.”

The following story appeared in the Summer 2024 Edition of the Como Friends Insider, the quarterly newsletter for Como Friends supporters. Give today to stay up to date on all things Como, with behind-the-scenes conversations with zookeepers, horticulturists and educators who carry out Como’s conservation mission.

Experts from the Tiger Species Survival Plan think Como Zoo’s male tiger, Tsar, and Bernadette, a female who recently came to Como from the Oregon Zoo, would make a great match. But after a few months of behind-the-scenes meet and greets, the two tigers are still taking things slow. 

In fact, that’s the strategy that large cat keepers Hans Jorgensen and Caitlin Allessi have been sticking to since Bernadette made the move to Como Zoo a few months ago. Since tigers can be ferocious with each other—even their mates—keepers have been keeping their encounters as short and positive as possible. Solitary by nature, tigers are the rare breed of animal that depends on induced ovulation, which means that females don’t release their eggs until after successful breeding behavior has taken place. 

While Bernadette showed signs of being in estrus earlier this spring, and the pair have successfully copulated on multiple days, keepers continue to keep a close eye on their interactions. “Even a few months after being introduced, there’s still risk involved, so we monitor their behaviors closely both when they’re together and when they’re separated,” says Allessi. While there’s no predicting if the pair will have success, tiger gestation typically takes just 100 days. “Will there be cubs? We can’t say at this point,” says Jorgensen. “But they both appear to be receptive to the possibility.” 

(Photos of tiger cubs and Bernadette in their den taken by Senior Keeper Jill Erzar, and Zookeepers Hans and Caitlin.)

The tallest mammal on earth, giraffes also have the longest legs in the animal world, with an average “inseam” of 72 inches. As young giraffes grow, healthy limb development is a critical step in supporting their full adult weight of more than 2,000 pounds.

That’s why Como Zoo keepers and veterinary staff have been keeping a close eye on Ivy, a reticulated giraffe calf born in November to mother Zinnia. Like all young giraffes, Ivy was up and walking within minutes of her birth, but as she’s grown, keepers have noticed an unusual bend in the bones of her ankles.

“Over time, we started noticing that her legs were growing inward a little bit, and they were bumping into each other when she walked, which is why we started getting concerned,” says Wes Sims, director of animal care and health at Como Zoo. Equine surgeons from the University of Minnesota’s veterinary school diagnosed Angular Limb Deformation or ALD, a limb condition that’s common in horse foals as well. 

Recently, hoofstock and veterinary staff took the extra step of anesthetizing the young giraffe to take x-rays to help inform her treatment plan. “After studying those x-rays, it was determined that she was not a good candidate for some of the typical surgeries that equine surgeons would want to perform in these cases,” says Sims. “Instead, she’ll be on stall rest for an extended period of time. Joint inflammation is something we want her to avoid for a while, so we don’t want her to risk going up inclines and declines or running around too much.”

While the young giraffe remains in the Hoofstock Building’s behind-the-scenes habitat, Ivy has been getting plenty of attention from zookeepers, who provide daily enrichment to keep her engaged and curious. She also enjoys the companionship of her mother Zinnia, age 8, and her “aunt” Clover, age 23, who often choose to stay indoors with the young giraffe. 

Though many Como Zoo visitors have shared how eager they are to see the young giraffe in her outdoor habitat, Sims says keeper talks that include updates about Ivy’s health conditions have helped convey how important stall rest is during this critical time in her development. “We’re doing everything we can to keep things calm and low key for her while we wait to see some progress,” says Sims.

Your support for Como Friends helped Mutambi the gray crowned crane recover quickly after a wing injury, and rejoin breeding partner, Houdini

Earlier this spring, Mutambi the gray crowned crane had an unexpected run-in with one of the Grant’s zebras as they raced through the African Hoofstock habitat in what may have been a mating pursuit. While zookeepers didn’t see the collision, they were on the spot with Como’s veterinary team within minutes, using a new portable x-ray machine—funded by Como Friends supporters—to get a better understanding of her injury. 

“It was basically a dislocated elbow that vets were able to pop back into place and bandage up for a couple of weeks,” says Como Zoo hoofstock keeper Aaron Nelson. “She just wasn’t able to get out of the way in time, and may have even spread her wings to make herself look bigger, which was probably not the right move for her to make in that situation.”

Fortunately, Mutambi has made a full recovery, as Como visitors will see this summer. Together with her breeding partner Houdini, the pair have begun demonstrating a few of the moves in the elaborate mating dance this ancient and endangered crane species is known for. 

“They’re a visually striking animal to look at, but they’re also very charismatic, especially this time of year,” says Nelson. “Not only do they do these really intricate courtship dances with each other, they’re also accompanied by these kind of booming and rhythmic-sounding vocalizations that are very unique.”

Como Zoo’s gray crowned cranes were selected as a breeding pair for the Species Survival Plan, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums program designed to ensure the survival of selected species in zoos that are endangered or threatened in the wild. While the young pair have yet to show signs of breeding behavior, keepers are encouraged by their mutual interest in each other. 

“Like most crane species, gray crowned cranes are monogamous and they will bond with one mate for pretty much their entire life,” says Nelson. “The courtship dancing is a really good sign, because it means they’re pair bonded at the very least. The fact that they are vocalizing at each other and doing these dances is a really good sign that they’re at least interested in each other.” 

Feeling the pinch on your family budget this summer? Then come to Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, where you can spend the perfect summer day, all without spending a penny. With free public programs every day, and accessible events throughout the season, Como is the family destination where fun is always free. Check out some of our insider tips for making the most of your next visit.