Personalizing nature is one of the first steps in protecting it
Sparky, Neil, Chloe, and Schroeder are just a few of the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory animals known to millions of visitors by their first names. Though there was once a time when zoos shied away from showcasing the individual animals in their care, a growing body of research now tells us that encouraging the public to forge personal connections to nature is one of the best ways to protect it.
That thinking is the driving force behind a series of new education and engagement strategies now in effect at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, thanks to support from Advancing Conservation through Empathy (ACE) for Wildlife, a learning network of AZA-accredited zoos, aquariums, and other institutions exploring effective practices for fostering empathy for animals.
“The old theory was that simply sharing knowledge would be enough to inspire action, but what we’re coming to realize is that fostering meaningful emotional connections is just as important. Having empathy for an animal builds the desire to act on their behalf,” says Bekah Hanes, Como’s education and conservation curator. “Empathy is a skill you can develop and build on, and it’s becoming an important tool to help people cross the finish line from thinking about conservation to actually acting out those values, long after a zoo visit is over.”
The official shift toward empathy-focused engagement started in 2016, when Como Friends secured a major grant to help Como Park Zoo & Conservatory implement a new education and engagement strategy called the ROADMAP (Reaching Our Audiences by Developing Mission Aligned Programs). While the pandemic put a pause on public education programs for a time, Como continued to move ahead with its mission, securing grants from ACE for Wildlife to rewrite Como’s volunteer interpretive programs with an empathy focus, to use empathy as the lens for a new education strategic plan, and to create new permanent signage in the wolves and large cats habitat that uses empathy-inspiring language. While Como is one of the inaugural members of the ACE for Wildlife Learning Network, a special project of Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo, the empathy movement is gaining ground with many other AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums.
Public Engagement Coordinator Kelsey Raffel says “it’s a great shift that’s happened in a relatively short amount of time,” in part because it embodies an approach toward audience engagement that Como’s keepers, horticulturists, interpreters, and educators gravitate toward naturally. “Focusing on empathy in our education programs, volunteer training, and visitor engagement has gotten a great reception from the campus,” she says. “For instance, our interpretive staff have shared that they love talking about the individual animals we care for, their personalities and likes and dislikes, and this approach really encourages them to do that.”
Jackie Sticha, president of Como Friends, says community support is critical to providing the resources Como Park Zoo & Conservatory needs to stay current as a conservation educator and a national leader in animal care. “More than 20 years ago, Como Friends funding helped Como Zoo make a shift toward positive reinforcement training for animals, and we see this empathy work as part of that same evolution,” she says. “It’s just natural to want to know the names of the animals at Como Zoo, and now the research tells us it’s also a really powerful way of connecting visitors to the natural world.”
The holidays are a great time to get closer to Como Zoo’s animals
The summer months are always Como Zoo’s high season, but animal fans in the know often prefer late fall, early winter. “It’s one of the best times to be here, because the animals are so active and engaging,” says Como Zoo senior keeper Jill Erzar. “We heard from so many visitors how much they enjoyed being here on Thanksgiving Day and how wonderful the animals were.”
Some of that excitement is due to a flurry of furry new faces, all recently arrived at Como Zoo. Here’s a look at some of the new animals you’re likely to encounter on your next Como visit.
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Ivy
A social media star within hours of her arrival, this six foot tall, 132-pound baby giraffe has been captivating crowds and keepers alike. “She is incredibly feisty,” Erzar says, noting that it took four keepers to keep her still during her neonatal “well baby” exam just 72 hours after she was born. “We can’t walk by her without her attempting to kick us.” Her fighting spirit is a great sign of her overall health, and the doting care she’s getting from mother Zinnia, a seven-year-old female who moved to Como Zoo last summer. When it came time to name the new giraffe, more than 15,000 Como visitors voted from among three plant-themed names to pick their favorite. Judging by how fast she’s growing, Ivy is just the right choice.
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Bernadette
Still skittish about making her public debut at Como Zoo, visitors have definitely heard the new female tiger making noise behind the scenes. “She’s a nice, calm, and very vocal cat,” Erzar says about the nine-year-old female originally from the Oregon Zoo. While she’s getting used to her new surroundings, keepers are taking their time introducing her to Tsar, a male tiger that could become her breeding partner. “Tiger introductions are a big deal,” Erzar says. “They’re normally solitary cats with the potential to injure each other, so we want to take the time to ensure there aren’t any issues.”
Photo courtesy of Zookeeper Megan Hagedorn, Oregon Zoo
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Ruby
At nearly 700 pounds, this bison is definitely the biggest arrival Como Zoo has seen all year. But at only 16 months old, Ruby will also have plenty of room to grow in Como’s newly expanded bison habitat. Ruby is a member of the Minnesota Bison Conservation Herd, a collaboration between the Department of Natural Resources and the Minnesota Zoo, which is working to protect the genetic diversity and future health of the state’s growing bison herds at Blue Mounds State Park, Minneopa State Park, and the Spring Lake Park Reserve Bison Prairie. “She’s getting along very well and seems to really like our male bison, Bogo,” says Erzar. As winter weather descends, Ruby and Bogo will be in their element, with wooly coats that can help them withstand temps of -40F, and 50-mile-an-hour winds.
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Willow
Born in May, this snow leopard cub has become a visitor favorite for her adventurous spirit and natural curiosity. Though she was born blind, she’s been an intrepid explorer in the habitat she shares with mother Alya, occasionally climbing to heights that she can’t quite figure out how to come down from. “She is very playful and living her best life,” says Erzar, who says that the young cub is also showing growing interest in her keepers, especially now that “she’s realized that’s where food comes from.”
Permanently blind due to multiple ocular colobomas, the young snow leopard underwent an operation earlier this year to remove retinal tissue that could cause health troubles down the line. “She will be blind the rest of her life,” says veterinary ophthalmologist Dr. Melissa Lively, who confirmed the cat’s diagnosis this spring. “But because she’s never had vision, she’s never known anything different, and she’ll be able to do everything a normal snow leopard cub could do. We know that cats are fantastic at using their touch, their hearing, and their sense of smell to explore their habitat and run zoomies just like a visual cub would do. In the wild, this cub would not survive moving through vast environments without being able to see where prey is coming from, but in this zoo setting, blind cats can thrive. Especially with all of the great care they get at Como Zoo.”
Willow’s parents Moutig and Alya will be visible in the outside habitat this winter while keepers help Willow learn to safely explore her habitat through more training behind-the-scenes. Working to meet the special needs of individual animals is one of the many ways that Como’s care team helps animals of every species thrive.
Caring for polar bears every day can be exhausting. Just ask Como Zoo’s Julie Yarrington, one of a team of aquatics keepers who keep an eagle eye on Como’s three polar bears, Nan, Kulu, and Neil.
Earlier this year, Neil was diagnosed with gastric dilatation-volvulus, or bloat, an urgent medical condition that required emergency surgery. Surgery is a risk for any animal, but especially for one as old as Neil, now nearing 28 years of age, and one of the oldest male polar bears in North America.
“Because of his age, there was a high risk that he wouldn’t rebound,” says Yarrington, who spent more than a month “just hoping we could get him to eat, eat, eat. It was very mentally exhausting.”
Fortunately, after a few weeks, Neil pulled through and has been very particular about his diet, showing a strong preference for his favorite comfort food of canned salmon and canned tuna. As Neil has regained strength and been reintroduced to his companions, keepers have changed the polar bears’ feeding schedule to cut Neil’s risk of further complications. “Instead of getting a big breakfast in the morning, we now feed him three to four times a day,” Yarrington says.
To allow his incision to heal, Neil had to stay out of the water and away from his favorite companion, Nan, a feisty 28-year-old female. Brought to Como Zoo three years ago in order to be a non-breeding partner to Neil following the death of Buzz, his twin brother, the pairing between the two elder bears has worked out beautifully.
“Neil just wants to be wherever Nan is,” says Yarrington. “It was hard for him at first, but once it healed up he was able to get to the pool and was able to clean himself up. Guests may not really notice his incision site, which is already covered up by fur.”
Your Give to the Max Day contributions to Como Friends help to provide cutting-edge veterinary care to animals like Neil, ensuring both great veterinary care and the creature comforts that keep animals healthy and curious. “While he’s been recovering, he’s also been into his other favorite foods, Cool Whip and sherbet—in moderation,” Yarrington says. “When you live to be the oldest male polar bear in North America, you definitely deserve a couple of spoonfuls of sherbet.”
Make your Give to the Max Day gift here. Thank you!
Conservation Champion Jill Erzar traveled to Tanzania to help Wild Nature Institute track giraffe across the Serengeti
“Giraffes have been very underestimated, and under-researched for a long time,” says Como Zoo keeper Jill Erzar. “But over the last decade or so, that’s begun to change, and we’re beginning to understand that giraffes are, in fact, highly intelligent, with social hierarchies and relationships that are as complex as elephants and chimpanzees.”
Reaching heights of 18 feet and beyond, giraffes are the tallest mammal on earth.
But with brains that are relatively small compared to their body size, scientists haven’t always been sure if their elevators go all the way to the top.
“Giraffes have been very underestimated, and under-researched for a long time,” says Como Zoo keeper Jill Erzar. “But over the last decade or so, that’s begun to change, and we’re beginning to understand that giraffes are, in fact, highly intelligent, with social hierarchies and relationships that are as complex as elephants and chimpanzees.”
Thanks to a recent grant from Como Friends’ Conservation Champions program, Erzar herself has been contributing to that body of research as a volunteer for the Wild Nature Institute. The conservation group behind the largest demographic survey of giraffes in the world, Wild Nature Institute takes a non-invasive approach to giraffe research, relying entirely on photographic identification to track the births, deaths, movement and social bonds of about 4,100 individual giraffes across 25,000 square miles of the Tarangire and Serengeti ecosystems in Tanzania.
As a seasoned giraffe keeper who can spot the subtle difference in every giraffe’s unique markings, Erzar’s well-trained eye and expertise were a welcome skill set on the Serengeti this summer, as the conservation group worked to compare and analyze more than a decade’s worth of data about wild giraffe. “I was able to make more than 9,000 matches during the 10 days I spent in country,” says Erzar, who also got the chance to meet and learn from giraffe experts in the field. “For me the biggest take-away from this trip is that giraffes need protected areas because poaching is still their number one risk. Even with projected climate change impacts in that area, nothing threatens their survival as much as illegal hunting and poaching.”
Though it will take time for Wild Nature Institute’s findings to be published and shared more widely with other conservation researchers, new discoveries about giraffes are coming to light all the time. For instance, scientists who once considered giraffes to be aloof and anti-social have discovered that in fact, giraffes live in complex social systems and super communities, and even prefer to eat with favored companions. A 2023 study found that giraffes are capable of statistical reasoning, while a 2021 study found that giraffes prefer a fair fight, and will only spar with individuals of the same size. Another growing topic of interest within the giraffe field is the so-called “grandmother hypothesis,” a theory that suggests that menopausal female giraffes may have an important role to play in raising young.
“It’s really cool to see that giraffes are finally having their moment, and I absolutely love being on the forefront of a group that believes that non-invasive [data gathering] is the best way to study them,” Erzar says.
Como Friends’ Conservation Champions program, funded with donations from our generous supporters, has made it possible for Jill to travel to Africa three times in recent years, supporting conservation partners in the field, while bringing home new experiences and insights that can help enhance the care she gives to animals at Como Zoo every day. “Making the trip to work with Wild Nature Institute helps me to tell the story of our own giraffes better,” she says. “I can tell visitors that our giraffes really do look and behave just like the giraffes in Tanzania. And the more we learn about giraffes, the more we can do to improve their welfare in the wild and here at Como.”
The biodiversity of Como’s rainforest habitat requires complex care
“When we try to pick out anything by itself,” the famous naturalist John Muir once wrote, “we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.”
The profound interdependence of plants, animals and people is one of the lessons Como Park Zoo & Conservatory strives to convey to more than a million visitors every year, and nowhere is that lesson more evident than in Tropical Encounters. Opened in 2006, the immersive rainforest habitat features an extensive array of tropical plants and trees, and an equally diverse range of animals, from high-flying tanagers, to a slithering anaconda, to Chloe, Como’s beloved free-ranging sloth.
With so many living things under one roof, Como Zoo keepers and Marjorie McNeely Conservatory horticulturists collaborate closely within Tropical Encounters to ensure that making a change in one corner of the habitat doesn’t have negative impacts for other residents of the rainforest. That’s why the Tropical Encounters team is taking its time on a major soil replacement project this season paid for by your contributions to Como Friends.
Visitors this summer may notice that horticulturists are taking a staged approach to the process, removing spent soil from one location at a time, to make sure that the root systems of rainforest trees and the animals that live in the vicinity are all thriving. The effort is a little bit like repotting a giant terrarium, says horticulturist Diane Rafats: “We do take special care in this habitat. Everything we do here can affect everything that lives here.”
Private support secured by Como Friends is critical to making behind-the-scenes improvements that keep every corner of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory healthy and thriving. This year, Como Friends’ funding will also support a new lighting system for the North Garden’s gorgeous collection of economic plants, a new sound system to improve the experience for visitors, and a new design plan to renovate and repair Como’s popular Victorian Water Garden pool. Thank you!
It’s been a busy season of new arrivals at Como Zoo
Stanley, Houdini, Mutambi, Stevie….there are a lot of new names to match to new faces at Como Zoo. Here’s a sneak peek of the new animals you should be sure to meet on your next visit.
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Zinnia
Species: Reticulated GiraffeSeven-year-old Zinnia arrived at Como Zoo this spring to be a companion to Clover, who lost her long-time friend, 23-year-old Daisy, earlier this year. Zinnia is easy to recognize, says senior keeper Jill Erzar, because of her “beautiful dark face and the cute freckles on her bum.” Though she’s got a laid-back vibe, keepers say she’s very food-oriented and is increasingly curious about the giraffe feeding station. So far, Zinnia and Skeeter, the habitat’s resident male giraffe, are giving each other lots of space. “Skeeter seems to be terrified of her,” Erzar says. “We have no idea what that’s about.”
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Stanley and Stevie
Species: NyalaThese spiral-horned antelopes native to southern Africa are known for their eye-catching coats and their gregarious nature. “The nyala are very calm, interactive and engaging,” says Erzar. “They don’t mind crowds either—they’re incredibly chill.” Brought to Como Zoo this spring as part of a species survival plan, the two young nyala may become a breeding pair if the chemistry is right. “We haven’t seen any behavior like that so far, but nyala males have a unique breeding display. The mane along their spine stands completely upright when they’re trying to attract a mate, so that’s something we’ll be looking out for in Stanley.”
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Ziggy and Sago
Species: Hoffmann’s Two-Toed SlothsThe milk crates you see strung up in the former lemur habitat have become a favorite hang-out spot for Ziggy, a 2-year-old male sloth who’s just moved in with his partner Sago, a 5-year-old female. The couple could become a breeding pair in the future, though, as zookeeper Mike Marazzi explains, the courtship process can be very slow. “Sloths are very private about things, so any breeding that takes place is usually going to happen overnight, and when they do have a baby, it could be a bit of a surprise to us since female sloths don’t always show their pregnancies with a visible weight gain,” he explains. Though they’re living in the primate building this summer, sloths are not related to their neighbors the orangutans and spider monkeys. Instead, they belong to the superorder Xenarthra, and share a family tree with anteaters and armadillos.
Photo taken by Zookeeper Michelle Hays.
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Houdini and Mutambi
Species: African Gray crowned craneHoudini, 13, and Mutambi, 5, are part of a species survival plan breeding recommendation for the gray crowned crane, the national bird of Uganda. But so far, Houdini is only doing his courtship dance for his keepers. “Houdini hasn’t quite figured out that his girlfriend is awesome,” Erzar says. You might notice the cranes stamping their feet—a behavior that helps flush insects and other prey out of the grass.
To learn more about the new faces at Como Zoo, check out the Fall edition of the Como Friends Insider. Delivered free to Como Friends’ members, this quarterly newsletter features behind-the-scenes stories about the people, plants and animals that make Como Park Zoo & Conservatory Minnesota’s most visited cultural destination. Become a member today!
Blind at birth, Como Zoo’s newest snow leopard is using her other four senses to explore her new world
One of the most anticipated new arrivals at Como Zoo, the seven-pound female snow leopard born on May 6 is taking her time getting acquainted with her new world. Like all snow leopard cubs, spending quality time with her mother is crucial to getting a good start in life.
“With snow leopards, the father is involved in the breeding process, and then he is actively pushed out of the environment in the wild,’’ explains Como Zoo keeper Hans Jorgensen. That’s why Como visitors may notice that father Moutig is almost always outside in the snow leopards’ public habitat, while mother Alya has been behind the scenes, nursing and bonding with her newest cub. “Alya’s an excellent mother, and with this cub, she’s 100 percent invested.”
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Alya’s fierce pride and strong maternal instinct are also providing keepers a hopeful sign of the long-term health prospects for the new cub, who was born with a set of eyelid abnormalities that keepers noted at her birth. Veterinary ophthalmologist Dr. Melissa Lively recently confirmed the diagnosis as Multiple Ocular Colobomas—a lack of retinal and other eye tissue—a permanent condition that can’t be reversed or repaired. “She will be blind the rest of her life,” Lively explains. “But because she’s never had vision, she’s never known anything different, and she’ll be able to do everything a normal snow leopard cub could do. We know that cats are fantastic at using their touch, their hearing, and their sense of smell to explore their habitat and run zoomies just like a visual cub would do. In the wild, this cub would not survive moving through vast environments without being able to see where prey is coming from, but in this zoo setting blind cats can thrive. Especially with all of the great care they get at Como Zoo.”
While the young cub may need surgery in the near future to prevent infection and other complications, lack of vision is unlikely to impair the longevity or welfare of the young snow leopard, now about eight weeks old and about as many pounds.
Moutig
Alya
“Baby and mom are doing great, and I don’t even know if Alya can tell that her cub has no vision,” says Jorgensen. “Six weeks is the point where snow leopard cubs start to get super active, and though she’s blind, she’s very mobile and seems to love exploring.”
An eager eater, the young cub is also busting her way through the baby growth charts. “She’s a milk-drinking machine,” Jorgensen says proudly.
While she’s hitting all of her developmental milestones, her keepers are also being mindful about ways to make her as comfortable and curious as possible as she grows into her new home. “Milestones for her agility might be pushed back a little later as she figures out the geography of her habitat,” he says. “There might be some accommodations we’ll make for her, things we’ll need to be aware of in terms of keeping her environment very consistent.’’
As part of Como Friends’ Sunset Affair fundraising gala this month, the winning bidder in the event’s silent auction will have the chance to select a name for the new cub that captures her native curiosity and fighting spirit.
“She’s getting fluffier by the day and her claws and paws are gigantic at this point,” says Jorgensen, who’s gotten accustomed to being scratched, clawed and peed on every time he scoops the new cub up for vet care and occasional weigh-ins. “It’s all in a day’s work, but it’s also a big deal to have a new snow leopard cub. Once we could see mother and baby were doing well together, there was a big sigh of relief, and now we’re just enjoying how unbelievably cute they are together.”
How to spend a summer day at Como… without spending a dime
With a full roster of daily public programs and the long-awaited return of Como’s fantastic interpretive volunteers, there are more ways than ever to connect to conservation at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. As the crowds make a comeback, here’s how to make the most of your summer days at Como, Minnesota’s most visited cultural institution. And with free admission for all, making great memories won’t cost a thing…
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Mission Safari
Jump like a kangaroo, swing through the trees like an orangutan, and hang like a sloth in Como’s new immersive maze attraction, now open through Labor Day. Designed for kids, and fun for families, your journey through Mission Safari will make you even smarter about the earth’s amazing biodiversity.
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The SPIRE Sparky Show
A Minnesota tradition since 1956, the new Spire Sparky Show has been reimagined for a new generation, with an even greater focus on conservation, and lead roles shared by all six boisterous and high-energy residents of the state-of-the-art habitat. Check it out daily at shows at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
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Keeper and Gardener Talks
Meet and learn from the people who know Como’s plants and animals best during these engaging, small group experiences. With a daily keeper talk at 11 a.m. and a gardener talk at 1 p.m., listen to the Como public service announcements to find out where the day’s talks will take place.
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Nature Walk
Those talented teenage interpreters you may meet around campus this summer are part of Como’s popular Nature Walk program. Selected through a competitive process, these young volunteers receive special training to teach Como visitors even more about our animals and plants. They also make conservation look cool—especially for our younger visitors. Every year, Nature Walk volunteers help to bring more than 200,000 visitors a little closer to Como’s natural collections.
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Senior Strolls
Get fit and make new friends at one of these early access mornings, specifically for the 55+ and up crowd. Visit Como’s website to register in advance for June 21 and more upcoming dates.
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Lil’ Explorers
Free every Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon, Como’s Donor Plaza (or in the Visitor Center during inclement weather) becomes a fun conservation station for preschoolers, with storytime, hands-on activities, and nature themes including Night Time Animals on June 22, Animal Families on June 29, Junior Gardener on July 6 and Bird Buddies on July 13.
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Sensory-Friendly Early Entry
Developed in partnership with the Autism Society of Minnesota, these early morning entry opportunities allow visitors to explore Como without the crowds, along with a social narrative to prepare guests for what they’ll see, hear and smell during a morning at Como. Visit Como’s website to reserve a spot for upcoming dates, including July 9, August 13 and September 10.
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Groovin’ in the Garden
Pack a picnic and prepare to shake your groove thing at the Twin Cities’ favorite family-friendly concert series. With fun activities for kids, and a fantastic lineup of local favorites, you’ll want to put this Wednesday concert series into regular rotation. Upcoming concerts include Ty Pow & The Holy North on June 21; Red Eye Ruby on June 28; and FLOWTUS on July 5. Held outdoors in front of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory, hot dogs, ice cream treats, beer and wine are also available to purchase.
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Cafesjian’s Carousel
A Minnesota tradition that just keeps turning, Como’s historic carousel is now open through Labor Day, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., offering free rides on June 27, July 25, August 29 and September 26.
By removing economic barriers to career-building experiences, Como’s new apprentice program is working to build a more diverse future workforce
For the last year, college junior Joshua Lee has been trying his hand at a variety of zookeeping jobs at Como, from caring for the zebras in the hoofstock building, to climbing in with the penguins to take a crack at cleaning the rock work.
“That’s not easy,” Lee admits. “When the penguins are nesting, they’re very protective of their space.”
As Lee returns to college for his senior year, he says his experience at Como has given him many new options to consider. “I still don’t know what I will want to do after I graduate, but what I liked about zookeeping was that every day was a different day, and I had a chance to work with so many different animals,” he says.
A zoology major at Minnesota State University, Mankato, Lee is curious about the career paths available to him in animal care. Getting the chance to see the inner workings at a zoo has historically required signing on as a volunteer or an unpaid intern—a traditional career path that can be a major barrier to young people who can’t afford to take time away from paid employment. But over the last year, Lee has been earning money and learning about his future options as part of Como Park Zoo & Conservatory’s new paid apprentice program through the City of St. Paul’s Right Track program.
Mayor Melvin Carter’s youth employment initiative, Right Track engages nearly 1,000 young people from cost-burdened homes throughout Saint Paul in a variety of internships. Launched in 2014 through a partnership between the City of Saint Paul, the Saint Paul Public Schools and the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, the program’s goal is to establish a pipeline of career development opportunities for Saint Paul youth.
Como’s campus managers helped launch the program at Como in 2022, but the program has been in the works for several years, creating a new, fully paid pipeline for young people who are interested in zookeeping and animal management careers. “The program is also designed to ensure that youth don’t have to work multiple jobs to take advantage of an internship opportunity,” says Lianna Sanders, the Como project manager who oversees the Right Track apprentices. “During the school year, they work 20 hours a week, and during the summer months it’s a full-time job for these apprentices, who also take part in professional development training that’s part of the program.”
Right Track operates out of the City of Saint Paul Department of Parks and Recreation, building on the department’s long history of providing youth development and employment opportunities for Saint Paul youth. While Right Track apprentices at Como are paid minimum wage, a partnership with Como Friends also helps to pay for the gear that apprentices need to be successful on the job, like uniforms and sturdy boots.
“Como’s audience is incredibly diverse, and it’s important to be recruiting a workforce that reflects the surrounding community,” says Como Friends president Jackie Sticha. This summer, Como will say goodbye to Joshua who completed the program this year and Gil and Gabby will stay on and continue with their work here as Como welcomes additional Right Track apprentices for roles in both animal and plant care at Como Zoo and the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory.
As Lee returns to college for his senior year, he says his experience at Como has given him many new options to consider. “I still don’t know what I will want to do after I graduate, but what I liked about zookeeping was that every day was a different day, and I had a chance to work with so many different animals,” he says.
To learn more about the Right Track program, visit here.
From animal transport to medical treatments, spring is a busy season at Como Zoo
Humans aren’t the only species that seem to get a spring in their step when the weather turns warm. Jill Erzar, a senior zookeeper at Como Zoo, believes animals anticipate spring just as we do.
“It seems like animals are always a little more excited this time of year,” she says. “The ice has thawed, there are new smells in their habitats, and of course, many more visitors.”
On your next visit to Como, you may notice some changes, as zookeepers take advantage of the spring weather to welcome new animals, say goodbye to old friends, and provide best practice veterinary care to animals. Here’s a look:
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A New Way to Navigate:
Though he’s blind, 4-year-old Jasper the cougar has no problem navigating his habitat at Como Zoo. But when complications from progressive retinal atrophy were causing additional health problems and discomfort for the young animal, zookeepers made the difficult decision, in partnership with veterinarians, to remove his nonfunctioning eyes during a successful surgery you may have heard about here at MPRNews and here at FOX9. Now back in his habitat, Erzar says, “Jasper may be more cautious at this point moving around, but his activity will likely appear normal since he was unseeing prior to the surgery and was accustomed to his habitat.”
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Living Out Her Golden Years:
There’s another new face in the large cat building—Lily, a 19-year-old serval. A long-time resident of Bismarck’s Dakota Zoo, Lily moved to Como in March where she will live out her golden years. “We had the space and the capabilities to give her a quiet retirement home while sharing her story with our visitors,” says Erzar. “At 19, she’s at the top of the age range for her species,” but keepers report she’s thriving in her new habitat.
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Ostrich in the Old Barn:
Como’s Old Barn has historically been the home of cold-weather animals like bison and Arctic fox. But this summer, two new ostriches will take over the space previously occupied by Forest the reindeer, who has joined a herd of male reindeers at the Minnesota Zoo. The young ostriches, both hatched last August, will eventually join Pickles the ostrich, who shares a habitat with Como’s giraffe herd at the African Hoofstock building.
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Warmer Climes for Kudu:
While Como Zoo has had years of success breeding lesser kudu, Minnesota’s long, cold winters have never been the ideal climate for these African antelopes. “Lesser kudu are wonderful animals, but they’re freeze babies, and they don’t like to be outdoors when temps drop below about 55 degrees,” says Erzar. “They’re also very nervous animals, and though we’re a small zoo, we have a very large visitor base that’s not ideal for them.” To promote their welfare, Como’s lesser kudu have moved to warmer climes, while a breeding pair of nyala are moving in. Another breed of African antelope, but with long flowing hair, Erzar says, “they’re known for being more cold tolerant and less stressed by human interaction.” Look for male Stanley to make his Como debut within the next week, while female Stevie will join him later this summer.