Written By: Aimee Turcotte
Growing up, I always enjoyed taking a trip to my local zoo or exploring a new zoo when traveling. My dad’s favorite zoo animal is an otter, so we would make sure we did not miss saying “hello” to the otters when at a zoo. Otters are very entertaining, playing by chasing each other and then jumping into the water. Occasionally, my family would see an otter grab a toy, holding the toy with its hands while twirling around underwater. I was surprised that the otters could stay underwater for so long, up to six to eight minutes! We could watch the otters play for hours, but knowing our visit had to be short, we looked forward to seeing the otters again on our next trip. 

Written By: Andrew Connolly
Summer. Sun. Southeast Ohio. Surveys. Salamanders. In June of 2021, I found myself hiking the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains with a team of volunteers at my side searching for salamanders in Wayne National Forest. Wearing long pants, sleeves, hats, and backpacks, with hiking boots and maps to navigate, we set out early in the morning to survey salamanders. 

Written By: Andrew Connolly
Two eyes peered out at me from under a rock. Then it struck. In a flash a slate-gray head popped out and ripped the worm from my tongs before sinking back into the darkness. It was another successful hunt for this mysterious animal, an animal known as the Eastern Hellbender. This feeding routine is a part of my job here at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, my job caring for the Eastern Hellbender.
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Every morning I start my day in the Kathy Brady Education Center, where I turn on the lights in the habitats, say good morning to all the animals, and then turn my attention to the largest habitat in the building, the approximately 300-gallon tank that holds Eastern Hellbenders. These giant salamanders, which grow up to two-and-a-half feet in length, spend their life underwater in the cold, fast flowing streams of the Appalachia region. Cold water holds more oxygen than warm water, which benefits an animal that breathes through its skin. We keep our chiller set to a crisp 57 degrees Fahrenheit.