Creepy Crawlies On KARE

In for the season

The seals and sea lion that reside on Pinniped Island for the summer have returned to their winter home.

After a summer spent basking in the sun, California Sea Lion "Subee" and her pool mates, Harbor Seals "Ginger" and "Fletcher" all went voluntarily into their crates to be hoisted off the island by the City of Saint Paul's Forestry department. From there, it's just a short ride into the Aquatic Animal Building to their indoor exhibit area. All three did great with the move and are swimming and eating as if nothing ever happened.

This will be the first winter for Fletcher, an eight month old Harbor Seal that was found washed ashore and abandoned only a few days old in Santa Barbara, CA. Due to permanent damage in his right eye, Fletcher was deemed non-releasable and placed at Como Zoo in late April. He has been incorporated into the operant conditioning training program and is learning new behaviors quickly.

Gorilla construction underway

Walking into the zoo you might notice some changes around the primate building. The entrance on the Great Ape side has been closed off and a construction fence has gone up around the outdoor gorilla exhibit.

Construction has begun on Gorilla Forest, a new gorilla exhibit that will open in 2013. While still providing the up-close experience that Como Zoo is known for, this new exhibit will expand the outdoor area the gorillas have here at Como as well as providing them a brand new holding area with an off-exhibit day room and give an opportunity to house more than one troop of gorillas.

The dust of construction has just now begun to fly with the demolition phase as the site around the outdoor exhibit is prepared. The pathways have been pulled up and huge piles of soil are being piled up by the construction fence. So far the apes and monkeys appear to be taking it all in stride. Some show a bit of nervousness when the jack-hammering gets too loud, but others are trying to watch what's going on. Hopefully the weather will stay as beautiful as it is right now so the construction crew can make good progress with the new additions to the building before winter.

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And then there were three...

Yesterday we introduced the Grant's Zebras in hopes they will breed. The male Ulysses has watched the two females Thelma and Minnie for a year or two from his exhibit across the visitor path at the hoof stock area as they ran together in a display with the lesser kudu, crowned cranes, and yellow-billed stork. After making some minor changes to the yard to ensure a safe introduction, the three of them were united in the exhibit before the zoo opened for the day. Initially Ulysses was a bit confused as to where he was, then chased Thelma and Minnie around the display to say hello, followed by checking out the display on his own. Now, they are comfortably munching hay as if they'd always been together. Our hope is they will breed within a month or so at which time Ulysses will move back over to his display with the ostrich and the other inhabitants of the female zebras exhibit will get to go out for the season. Keep your fingers crossed for a black and white baby next year!