ZOO to YOU
Catch up with the latest news at LRZ with articles, press releases, and other fun updates
written and created by Zoo Staff.
Songbirds in Peril
- Kristi Newland, Zoo Director
Image: A horned lark song bird perches above text that reads SAFE Saving Animals From Extinction North American Songbirds
Many of our conversations are about critically endangered animals such as red ruffed lemurs from Madagascar, black rhinos from Africa, Amur leopards from Asia, and endangered animals such as East African crowned cranes from Africa and red pandas from Asia. The situations all seem far away. But there are issues right in our own backyard, too. North American songbirds, the perching birds outside your window, are facing a crisis of their own.
A study showed that North American bird populations have declined by over three billion (yes, billion with a B) since 1970. That’s 30% of the birds of North America! Many of the species with the greatest declines are North American songbirds. These populations are declining due to habitat loss, climate change, building collisions, and predation from outdoor domestic cats.
There are over 300 species in the order Passeriformes (commonly known as perching birds or songbirds) that spend part of the year in North America. These birds play vital roles in healthy ecosystems. They help disperse seeds and pollen, both essential elements of plant reproduction and diversity. Many of them help control pest populations by eating large numbers of insects. Songbirds are early warning systems for the environment, i.e., the canary in the coal mine. They also offer joy to many through their songs and beauty. Birdwatching is a very popular hobby. In 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimated there were 96 million birders in the United States. That hobby also contributes to the economy, with an estimated $107 billion spent by birders on their activities in 2022.
There are ways you can help address the North American songbird crisis. One is to reduce evening and overnight lighting during peak migratory seasons in the spring and fall. Migrating birds can become disoriented and drawn into the light. This can result in them wasting energy needed for their long trip, or collisions with structures. Close your curtains to reduce light spilling outside from your windows. Limit outdoor lighting to necessary structures/areas and necessary times only, using timers or motion sensors. Avoid upward light scatter and keep lighting as low to the ground as possible. Keep outdoor lights as dim as possible and use “warmer” lights (<3000 Kelvin) such as amber, orange, and red. The warmer colors have longer wavelengths and are less likely to trigger a behavioral response from the birds.
Planting native plants also benefits songbirds. Such plants provide vital sources of food, such as fruits and seeds. They also support insects (especially caterpillars), which are food for the birds. The plants also provide shelter and nesting sites. Providing bird feeders is also helpful. Due to changes in the climate, plants aren’t always blooming at the same time the birds are used to, which means there may not be food along the way during their migrations. Your feed stations may provide the energy they need to get to their breeding grounds or to raise their young.
If you have a window where you experience bird strikes, use bird-friendly window treatments. These can be added to existing windows or installed during construction or remodeling. There are a variety of options, all with the goal of cueing the bird to fly around or stop before the window rather than trying to fly through it. Each breaks up the transparent or reflective area of glass enough that the bird perceives that it can’t pass through.
Some of the other ways to help include purchasing sustainable paper products to help preserve the nesting grounds of boreal forest songbirds and keeping domestic cats indoors to prevent predation of songbirds.
While Lee Richardson Zoo doesn’t have an area with such birds under our care, we are developing one, the North American Songbird Garden, to help support songbirds and share information about this crisis. You can keep up to date with the development of the Songbird Garden and other Zoo happenings via the Zoo website (leerichardsonzoo.org) and our Facebook page. There’s always something going on at the Zoo!
Zoo Animal Birthdays
- Alyssa Mechler, Conservation Awareness Manager
When you follow the Lee Richardson Zoo on social media, you may notice that we often share animal birthdays. You may ask yourself, how do they know the animal’s birthday, or where do the animals come from? Well, many of the animals at LRZ are born here or at other zoos and moved to our zoo, so we have an exact birthday. If they’re part of a Species Survival Plan, we have a formal recommendation for the animal to come to our facility. All of this is based on recommendations for the good of the species. Sometimes, we have animals with other circumstances that come to our facility for different reasons. This week, on Sunday, we celebrated Yazi, the bobcat’s birthday, and on Tuesday, we celebrated Frederick the milksnake’s hatch day and Sienna the bison’s birthday.
Each of these animals has a unique backstory. For instance, Sienna, the female bison, who just celebrated her 19th birthday, came to the Zoo in 2013 from the Sandsage Bison Range, just south of the Zoo. American Bison are native to this region of Kansas; the Zoo works with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to bring this native species to the zoo and to your attention.
With some animals who hatch from eggs, like Frederick the milksnake, it can be harder to determine the exact date they were born. In those cases, zoos use an educated guess to determine their hatch date. Imagine a toad laying hundreds to thousands of eggs in a zoo setting. Do you think we could track each tadpole once they hatch? It would be very difficult, which is why we rely on the educated guess of their hatch date. Snakes are the same way; when the female lays eggs, she lays 3-17 eggs in a clutch (group of eggs) over several days. While we celebrate Frederick’s birthday on the 15th, we know he may have hatched a few days before or after that date.
Many animals found in the North America section of the Zoo are native to the region, like bobcats. Sometimes, species across the globe face many human-animal conflicts, including roadways. Unfortunately, Yazi’s mother was found hit by a car when she was just a kitten. A kind citizen reported the accident, and an animal rehabilitation facility (the Hutchinson Zoo) reported to the scene to capture and care for the kitten. Often, when this happens, animals like bobcats can’t be released back into the wild because they wouldn’t know how to survive properly. So, when the kitten is healthy, rehabilitation facilities will look for placement at a zoo or other reputable facility for the animal to live and educate others about their species and the conflicts they face. We were lucky enough to receive Yazi, and she has been with the Lee Richardson Zoo since 2013; she is a great ambassador for her species and has taught many Zoo guest about bobcats.
As you can see, a lot goes into how animals come to the Zoo and how we know their birthdays! To see more birthdays and learn more about the animals at the Lee Richardson Zoo. Follow us on social media by searching Lee Richardson Zoo and visiting our website at www.leerichardsonzoo.org
Image: "Yazi" a female bobcat recently celebrated their birthday.
Zoo Mourns Passing of Bactrian Camel
Image: "Mona" a female Bactrian camel standing up and looking directly at the camera.
Lee Richardson Zoo staff is mourning the loss of long-time resident “Mona,” a twenty-nine-year-old domesticated Bactrian camel. Staff made the compassionate yet difficult decision to euthanize Mona on the evening of Monday, April 14th, due to debilitating issues related to her old age. Mona had been receiving veterinary treatments for many years and was no longer responding well. The median life expectancy for Bactrian camels is 17.8 years.
Mona arrived at the Zoo in December 1996, in time for the grand opening of the Wild Asia habitats in 1997. During her time at the Zoo, she raised ten calves, including the most recent male and current Zoo resident, 9-year-old KJ. She was a 19-time grandparent, 8-time great-grandparent, and 2-time great-great-grandparent.
“Mona was a determined and intelligent old lady. That’s what Zoo staff and I loved about her; she knew what she wanted and how to get it,” commented Lead Keeper Victoria Ortiz. “Some of her favorite things to do were laying in the shade of the barn peacefully, sticking her head out to watch her surroundings, and eating alfalfa. She will be missed by many.”
Domesticated Bactrian camels like Mona and KJ are ambassadors for their wild critically endangered counterparts that are native to Mongolia’s Gobi Desert. It is believed that Bactrian camels were domesticated over 2,000 years ago for their wool, milk, meat, and for transportation.
For more information, please contact us at 620-276-1250 or visit our website at www.leerichardsonzoo.org.
Zoo Etiquette
- Emily Sexson, Communication Specialist
Image: A Chilean flamingo stands still while another splashes in the water behind them.
I’ve seen some wild things while at Lee Richardson Zoo! African lions roaring and playing chase, Chilean flamingoes “dancing” in their water, sloth bears climbing trees, laughing kookaburras singing to and feeding one another, the list goes on and on. I love watching the animals show off their natural behaviors and awesome adaptations.
Believe it or not, some of the wildest behavior I’ve seen at the zoo has been from my fellow humans, and unfortunately, it’s not always a good thing.
The vast majority of our guests are wonderful! We have placed numerous signs around the zoo to help all guests be aware of the type of behavior that is either encouraged or discouraged during their visit. For example, when you walk through the main entry, you’ll see a welcome sign that gives guidelines on common zoo etiquette, such as “Please leave your pets at home” and “Help us preserve our grounds by staying on designated pathways”.
We ask our guests to please respect the animals and their habitats by enjoying them peacefully and not harassing the animals in any way, this includes not climbing or reaching over fences or barriers, not throwing things (food or other items) into habitats, and not yelling at the animals or banging on habitat windows.
We want our visitors to have fun and enjoy their zoo visit, but this can only be done if everyone is safe. Safety comes first in every area of the zoo, and that is why we ask guests to follow the above guidelines. Climbing or standing on fences or barriers, perhaps for a better vantage point, or lifting your child up and over, may seem harmless but can quickly lead to injury, even tragedy.
The animals may be in human care, but they are still wild. No matter how cute or friendly they look, the barriers are there for your safety as well as theirs. If you drop something into a habitat or over the public barrier accidentally, look for a staff member for help, and never attempt to retrieve the item yourself.
Do not feed the animals; that’s the keeper’s job! Animals can get sick from eating human food and bacteria that you carry on your hands. Each animal in our care has a diet designed to meet their exact needs. While your intentions may be good, feeding an animal the wrong thing can lead to severe illness or death. Not only can you potentially hurt the animal, but the animal can hurt you. You could be bitten, attacked, or suffer any number of injuries.
Please only feed animals during our Animal Encounter opportunities where the food selections are chosen and approved by Animal Care Staff.
Let us provide the enrichment! Really, we’ve got it covered! Every animal in our care is provided with enrichment (an opportunity to exercise their minds and bodies in a natural way) throughout their day. Recently, staff found parts of an item that wasn’t appropriate for the animal in one of our habitats.
Thankfully through staff vigilance and security cameras, we were able to see how the item entered the habitat. An adult guest threw in a makeshift “toy”. We are monitoring the animal to make sure there are no ill-effects from the incident.
Zoos across the world face this same issue and many animal lives have been lost due to the animal mistaking items thrown by guests as food and the item actually being toxic or dangerous. Please keep yourself, your food, and other items on the guest side of barriers.
Our staff go above and beyond every day to provide the animals in our care with world-class care. We also strive to make every visit to the zoo both positive and safe. We know you may not always come across a staff member during your visit, but we are here and are ready to help.
If you see another guest going against zoo guidelines, need assistance yourself, or have any questions, please let us know (of course, in the event of an emergency call 911). You can find staff or contact information posted at the entry and exit gates, at the drive-through gatehouse, the Finnup Center for Conservation Education (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.); the Safari Shoppe (Seasonal Hours); or by calling us at 620-276-1250; emailing us at zoo.education@gardencityks.us, or messaging us on our Facebook or Instagram pages.
For more information about the zoo, our hours, and the animals in our care, visit www.leerichardsonzoo.org.
March's Staff Pic of the Month
March's Staff Pic of the Month Winner was Alyssa M. with her submission of this photo of one of the river otters.
The Pic of the Month winners are selected by the Zoo's Advisory Board during their monthly meetings.
Congratulations Alyssa!
Spring Break Camp
- Alice Nelson, Education Specialist
Image: Zoo campers meet the bearded dragon animal ambassador.
As the days get warmer and the weather becomes less grey, we all hope spring is near. Although the official start of spring is not until the spring equinox, on the 20th of March, animals, plants, and people are starting to prepare for the warm breath of spring. Many students and teachers alike look forward to a chance to spend time outside without classes, and it just so happens that right around spring’s official start is the week of spring break. Spring break, March 17th through March 21st this year for USD 457, is a great time to prepare for and revel in the milder weather. But students and teachers are not the only ones with plans for the week out of school; join us at Lee Richardson Zoo for our annual Spring Break Edventure Camp!
This year’s Edventure series is all about pollinators! March 17th and 18th are for 1st and 2nd graders to explore our pollinator pals and learn how they can make a difference in pollinator lives. March 20th and 21st are for the 3rd through 6th graders to enjoy. Both camps will be full of games, crafts, activities, and even opportunities to meet some special animals who call the Zoo home. These half-day camps, 8 am to Noon daily, are packed with unique opportunities and wildlife and conservation education. Walks in the zoo and nature play activities are also included, so be sure to prepare children with proper walking shoes and reusable water bottles. Snacks will be provided, so please be sure to list food allergies during the registration process.
Who pollinates the flowers at the zoo? Which animals that call the Lee Richardson Zoo home would be natural pollinators? Queries such as these will be answered along with other questions your camper may have. With pollination demonstrative games and games like “Pollinators meet your plants,” campers will take away some science knowledge presented as simply fun! With all the fun and learning, your camper will be buzzing with ideas about how to help our pollinator pals.
Registration forms can be filled out in person at the Finnup Center for Conservation Education building (the zoo office) or printed from the website https://www.leerichardsonzoo.org/edventurecamp, and emailed to zoo.education@gardencityks.us or faxed to 620-276-1259. You can also register students online directly at https://gardencityks.myrec.com/info/activities/ under the Lee Richardson Zoo heading. The price per camp is $50 per camper and $40 per camper for the Friends of Lee Richardson Zoo Members.
2024 Employee of the Year
Photo: Alice Nelson, Education Specialist, holds a plaque for 2024 Employee of the Year.
Please join us in congratulation Alice Nelson, Education Specialist, for being awarded 2024's Lee Richardson Zoo Employee of the Year!
As an Education Specialist, Alice is part of the Zoo's Conservation Awareness Team, you may have met her during a Zoo event or Education Program both at the zoo or with a Zoo Mobile program. She also provides husbandry for the Zoo's animal ambassadors, and much, much more!
Alice's hard work and dedication to the Zoo, Zoo guests, the animals in our care, her coworkers, and our mission goes above and beyond!
Thank you Alice for all that you do! We appreciate you so much!
2024 Employee of the 4th Quarter
Photo: Cameron Albus holds up his certificate for Employee of the 4th Quarter.
Congratulations to Cameron Albus for being recognized as the Lee Richardson Zoo's Employee of the Quarter for the final quarter of 2024.
To acknowledge his efforts and outstanding performance, Cam was nominated for this award by fellow zoo employees.
Cam is a Lead Keeper at LRZ and is known for his hard work, humor, problem solving skills, and willingness to help out wherever he can.
Thank you Cameron for your dedication and hard work!
Superb Owl Sunday
- Houston Glover, Conservation Awareness Coordinator
Image: Burrowing owl "Fergie" stands tall outside of one of the dens in the burrowing owl habitat at the Zoo.
For many fans of professional football, the second Sunday in February is the most important day of the year. It’s the day of the climactic NFL championship game, the Super Bowl. It so happens that this Sunday is also important to fans of nocturnal predatory birds, as it is also Superb Owl Sunday. This tongue-in-cheek observance got its start in 2008 when a Twitter user excitedly posted about his “Superb owl party tonight!” In the years since, what started as a simple typo has taken flight in the wildlife community as a day to celebrate everything that makes owls truly ‘superb.’
Owls are popular for many reasons, one of which is their almost humanlike appearance. The wide, forward-facing eyes and round face of an owl certainly set them apart from other birds. These features make owls easy for humans to relate to and are considered the main reason many cultures view owls as intelligent. After all, the sight of a Great Horned Owl can bring to mind the classic image of a tenured academic, complete with a furrowed brow and a dignified mustache. Looks can be deceiving however, and while owls may look the part of an avian Einstein, they really aren’t any more intelligent than their fellow birds of prey.
All of these unique facial features serve a purpose, though, and that is to give owls some of the best senses of any predator. That round, disc-like face? It captures sound like a sonar dish, funneling it into the owls’ ears, hidden deep under the feathers. The huge eyes? They take in enough light to give owls the kind of crystal-clear night vision that cats and raccoons can only dream of. Even the subtler features are there to enhance the senses. The heavy brow of some owls is there to shade their sensitive eyes from the sun, allowing them to be active well before sunset; and the whisker-like feathers around their beak help them feel their way around when something is too close to their face, like when they’re eating from a carcass or feeding their chicks.
So, owls aren’t as wise as they look. But what they lack in intelligence, they make up for in statistics. All of their keen senses pair with their natural stealthiness to make owls incredibly successful hunters. One study found that the Short-Eared Owl had a hunting success rate of about 60%, meaning that for every ten times they tried to catch a prey animal, they successfully caught and ate six of those animals. For comparison, a pack of wolves has a hunting success rate of around 20%, and a lion pride is successful only about 30% of the time. These owls are also more effective hunters than tigers, cheetahs, great white sharks, and even peregrine falcons. All that stealth and patience really pays off!
There are about 250 species of owls in the world. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica. They range in size from the soda-can-sized Elf Owl up to the Blakiston’s Fish Owl, which is taller than a fire hydrant. Whichever owl you choose as your favorite, we here at Lee Richardson Zoo wish you a fantastic Superb Owl Sunday. We encourage you to celebrate this Sunday by coming out to visit our resident Burrowing Owls, “Fergie” and “Clive,” or by visiting the Lee Richardson Zoo on social media to see resident Barn Owl “Bowie” make his prediction for the big game.