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By: Chris Dole |
Written By: Antonio ManteroEducation Intern Every year, on June 22nd, people from around the world come together to celebrate World Rainforest Day. This special day serves as a reminder of the invaluable role rainforests play in our lives and the urgent need to protect these magnificent ecosystems. Rainforests are often referred to as the “lungs” of our planet because they produce a significant amount of oxygen we breathe and act as crucial carbon sinks. Tropical rainforests are the most biologically diverse terrestrial ecosystems in the world and they only cover ~6% of land on Earth. |
Written By: Zoe GloverZoo Educator World Otter Day, which takes place annually on the last Wednesday of May, is a day which brings about awareness to different otter species and the threats they face. There are a total of thirteen different otter species, twelve of which are in decline. Their species status is as follows: |
Written By: Andrew ConnollyZoo Educator What is better than one celebration? How about two! Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo celebrates National Zoo Lovers Day annually on April 8th, and National Farm Animal Day on April 10th! These days are near and dear to our hearts as we celebrate our farmyard and its amazing animals, as well as the zoo and its amazing mission. I hope to see you all at the zoo this spring as it buds and blossoms with life. |
It is every child’s dream to work at a zoo, and who could fault them? There is so much to love. There are strange and exciting animals, only seen before in books or on tv. There are towering statues and signs with cool facts to explore. There are docents, and educators, and volunteers, and animal care specialists, all sharing exciting stories.
When you walk through the gates of Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo you are greeted by a magnificent globe, whose scale and size astounds. You might enter the greenhouse whose foliage immerses you in another world. Children might laugh and smile when they enter the W.O.L.F. cabin, and families take photos in the Prairie Dog tunnels.
Every day when I come to work I remind myself how lucky I am to be at a place like this. I for one am, and always have been a zoo lover, and every day can be National Zoo Lovers Day when you remind yourself how wondrous this world we call home is.
Written By: Andrew ConnollyZoo Educator |
Written By: Zoe Glover
Zoo Educator
World Wildlife Day is a yearly celebration that documents the signing of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of wild fauna and flora, a document maintaining the survival of species that are internationally traded [1].
Why celebrate World Wildlife Day?
The main message of World Wildlife Day is to encourage the conservation of plant and animal species and recognize the large contribution they make to the planet [2].
Written By: Zoe Glover Zoo Educator Here at the zoo, we have domestic rabbits located in the farmyard area and a domestic rabbit in the education department. She, along with the other ambassador animals in the education department are handled by staff for programs and outreach, which helps to support our zoo mission in education and conservation. What is Lunar New Year? Lunar New Year is a multi-day celebration that is important in East and Southeast Asian Cultures and starts on the first day of the new moon until the arrival of the full moon. The purpose of the celebration is to honor “household and heavenly deities and ancestors.” [1] This year, Lunar New Year will start on January 23rd, 2023, and lasts until February 9th, 2024. |
Written By: Jim KnoxIf you were to ask most kids and adults the difference between tigers and lions, they would invariably respond that tigers are orange with black stripes and lions are tan or golden brown in color. They would then inform you that tigers live in Asia and lions live in Africa. Aside from some anomalies in coat color, they would be correct. It is also true that all the world’s tigers live in Asia. Lions, however, might surprise you. Although most of the world’s lions live in the eastern and southern regions of Africa, these great cats are more widespread than you might suspect, and they hide their secrets well. |
Written by: Zoe Glover
Zoo Educator
The Zoo recently celebrated National Bird Day, started in 2002 by the Avian Welfare Coalition, as a day to bring awareness to species that are at risk of becoming endangered or extinct due to habitat loss and climate change. You can help support birds by doing any of the following: learn about bird species local to your area, plant flowers and plants that attract birds, build birdhouses, or donate to or visit a zoo or aviary. Here is a closer look at some of the many fascinating bird species you can find at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo!
AFRICAN GREY PARROT African grey parrots are an endangered species mainly found in the lowland moist forests of central and West Africa, as well as the island of Principe. In their natural habitat, African greys are omnivorous, and mainly feed on nuts, fruits, leafy matter, insects, bark, and flowers. Social and chatty birds, they communicate within their flock using squawks, whistles, shrieks, and screams. The adult African greys have pale grey plumage, or feathers, with whitish edges on the head and neck and a prominent bright red tail. Juveniles, however, have a grey-tinged undertail with a bright red tip. Here at the zoo, we have Zari, our chatty Ambassador Animal, so be sure to look for her on programs! |
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