spring/SUMMER 2022
B A T O N
R O U G E
Z O O
M E M B E R S H I P
N E W S L E T T E R
ANNUAL SPONSORS AND DONORS The following organizations and individuals have graciously contributed to BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo. Baton Rouge Zoo Foundation Board Members gratefully acknowledge their generous gifts, pledges and in-kind services. ELEPHANT LEVEL ($10,000+)
Lamar Advertising Ms. Nadine Russell Tilt Visit Baton Rouge WAFB-TV Channel 9 Hancock Whitney Bank Children’s Hospital New Orleans TIGER LEVEL ($5,000-$9,999)
Ollie’s Car Wash Baton Rouge Coca-Cola Raising Cane’s River Center Mr. and Mrs. Bill O’Quin Albemarle Foundation BASF Cox Communications The Catherine L. Edward A. Lozick Foundation Entergy Corporation Guaranty Broadcasting CSRS Ochsner LION LEVEL ($2,500-$4,999)
Baton Rouge Business Report Mr. Joseph Simmons and Mrs. Patricia Day Blue Cross Blue Shield Mr. and Mrs. Phil Frost EMR Rouses EAGLE LEVEL ($1,000-$2,499)
225 Magazine Baton Rouge Printing LUBA Workers’ Comp McDonald’s Valluzzo Companies Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Borgmeyer Zapp’s Potato Chips Alfortish Marble and Granite Baton Rouge Area Foundation Beverly and Dudley Coates Family Fund Lake After Hours EATEL Mary Virginia deGravelles Fund ISC Dr. and Mrs. Scott Fin Our Lady of the Lake Foundation Mr. and Mrs. John Poteet Raising Canes Chicken Fingers Mrs. Anne A. Russo and Ms. Anne Bratton Russo TopGolf Takeda
Flavin Realty ALLIGATOR LEVEL ($500-$999)
Barnes & Noble Booksellers Bistro Byronz Dr. Keith Gibson and Ms. Elise Allen EXCEL ExxonMobil Fidelity Bank Mr. and Mrs. Scott Hensgens Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Kirkpatrick Mr. and Mrs. Beau Layfield Louisiana Lottery Lyons Specialty Rouses Markets Mr. and Mrs. Jim McIlwain Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Olinde, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Bill Potter State Farm–The Garbarino Agency Stupp Brothers Bridge & Iron Varsity Sports
Private Events at the Zoo Whether it's a birthday party, wedding, family reunion, church crawfish boil or a day of corporate team building, the Baton Rouge Zoo offers a variety of options to make your day special.
BATON ROUGE ZOO FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS President
Mr. Ralph Ney Vice President
Mrs. Norisha Kirts Glover Treasurer
Mr. Brad Boudreaux Immediate Past President
Mr. Joseph Simmons Mr. Blaine Grimes Mr. Vince Jackson Mr. Donnie Miller Mrs. Mary Lou Potter Mr. Trey Roberts Mr. Gordy Rush Ms. Nadine C. Russell Mr. Michael Valluzzo
Vist BRZoo.org for more information or contact our Event Sales Department at scardwell@brzoo.org or (225)-775-3877 ext. 6253.
Dear Members, I’m honored to be serving as the Zoo’s 4th Director in BREC’s history! It’s been a true joy to serve as Deputy Director for the past 3 years & and while our longtime director, Phil Frost, has chosen to retire and enjoy being a Zoo visitor Vs Zoo director, I am confident that I’m up for the challenge and adventure that awaits. What a busy & amazing year we have had so far, and we’re just getting started! Recently, our Zoo was privileged to partner with the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport with the installation of a life size giraffe sculpture in the airport’s atrium. This 18-foot tall, eye-catching and conversation starting project was funded by the Baton Rouge Zoo Foundation and is truly one-of-a-kind. Take a look and snap a selfie the next time you’re in our airport for travels. If you haven’t been to the Zoo in a while, we are currently in full-swing transforming our 52-year old institution into a first-class Zoo for our community. You can even sneak a peek of our new giraffe barn from the zoo’s public sidewalk and there’s plenty of construction progress at nearly every turn. While this might be somewhat inconvenient, our priority is to continue elevating our Zoo as a great place for our animals, visitors and staff. This improvement may equate to construction and work zones inside the Zoo at times, but it will be well worth it in the end. Stay tuned for updates as new exhibits get closer to opening. Thank you again for all that you do for our Zoo and the support you always provide. I look forward to meeting many of our members in the future. See you at the Zoo,
Jim
Jim Fleshman ZOO DIRECTOR Baton Rouge Zoo MEMBERS OF THE BATON ROUGE ZOO
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In April, we were thrilled to celebrate being 52 years WILD at the BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo! We enjoyed entertainment from local performers, enrichments for the animals, ed-ZOO-cation stations and, most importantly, birthday cake courtesy of Rouses Supermarkets!
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WILD TIMES
CHANGING OF THE GUARD
Longtime Zoo Director, Phil Frost, retired in February 2022. His career spans 40+ years in the world of Zoos, with the past 24 years serving BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo. “I am most proud of the many international conservation projects the Zoo has supported over the years, and most recently, the work done after the decision was made to keep the Zoo at its current location,” said Frost. The team immediately sprang into action to develop an amazing master plan that would make the Baton Rouge Zoo a world class facility. And while I will not be on staff to see the 1st Phase completed, I am confident that with the support of the BREC and Zoo teams and the Baton Rouge Zoo Foundation, the completed project will be a shining star for our region and one I’ll be proud to say I played a role in developing.” BREC Superintendent Corey Wilson commented, “Director Frost has vastly contributed to the advancement and progress of our Zoo over the years. His contributions aided in the growth of key staff to support the needs of the Zoo to best serve the community and the development of the Safari Playground, L’aquarium de Louisiane, Parrot Paradise, Realm of the Tiger and Phase I of the Zoo’s Master Plan, which is currently well underway. And, perhaps the most impressive, is his work to bring our Zoo and the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine together in synergistic partnerships for educational advancement. We are thankful for Director Frost’s contributions and look
forward to discovering his remarkable replacement when the time arrives.”
while also immersing himself in the unique culture of south Louisiana.
Visit Baton Rouge Executive Director, Paul Arrigo said, “The Zoo has always been an amazing partner in tourism and that collaboration has only grown over the years. Director Frost has made a huge impact on the Baton Rouge area and will be greatly missed in his leadership role, but we are confident BREC will find an equally influential person to take the helm and continue his legacy at our Zoo.”
“This is a pivotal time in the Zoo’s history as its staff will continue to manage the twin challenges of caring for the animals and providing excellent service during construction and the global pandemic,” said BREC Superintendent Corey K. Wilson. “Jim has played an integral role in the Baton Rouge Zoo setting attendance records despite those challenges and I am confident that he will continue to work every day to take our Zoo to the next level and provide the Baton Rouge community with a worldclass facility.”
Just prior to his retirement, Frost was awarded the Will Mangham Tourism Lifetime Achievement Award by the Louisiana Travel Association (LTA). While Frost will be missed and his impact felt for many years to come, BREC was delighted to announce that after a five-month national search, Jim Fleshman was named the 4th Zoo Director in BREC’s history. Fleshman has worked alongside Phil Frost for the past three years, playing an integral role in the development of the Zoo’s master plan, strategic plan and business plan which is guiding the largest construction project in BREC’s history to reimagine the 52-year-old facility. Fleshman brings more than three decades of zoological experience to the Baton Rouge Zoo, including executive leadership, animal management/training and conservation stewardship. In his role as Deputy Director for the Baton Rouge Zoo since 2019, he played a key role in developing the plans to reimagine the Zoo, overseeing construction of new exhibits and acquiring new animals,
Fleshman has been a member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) since 1995, having served on its Ethics Board, Board of Directors, Accreditation Commission, Advising the Wildlife Management Committee, Conference Site-Selection Committee and Governmental Affairs Committee. He is also the past-Chair, Vice-Chair and Treasurer of the Board of Directors, Zoo Conversation Outreach Group and Executive Board Member of the Paraguay Conservation Action Plan in addition to numerous other civic and volunteer leadership positions. As evidenced by these two amazing leaders, the Zoo is in a great position for progress. The future is brighter than ever with the legacy left by Frost and the passion and drive that will lead to advancement under Fleshman’s leadership. We welcome you to come see the construction and feel a part of all that is transforming at YOUR Zoo! MEMBERS OF THE BATON ROUGE ZOO
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Grand Prize Winner JENNIFER GOMEZ
ABIGAIL SHERLIN, First Place Advanced Category Congratulations and a big thank you to all of the talented creators who submitted entries to our Art Gone Wild contest! Grand Prize went to Jennifer Gomez for the Brown Pelicans. Our first place winners were Katie Walden in the Adult category, Abigail Sherlin in the Advanced category, Leia Weng in the Intermediate category and Caleb Carney in the Beginner category.
LEIA WENG, First Place Intermediate Category 6
WILD TIMES
KATIE WALDEN, First Place Adult Category
CALEB CARNEY, First Place Beginner Category
What We've Been Up To Volunteers
Many groups of volunteers visited to help out around the Zoo this season! LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center students stopped by on February 12 to clean up scrap metal for our AAZK chapter’s Cans for Conservation program. These volunteers gathered over 3,200 pounds of metal which equaled out to $250 in donations for conservation organizations around the world. LSU’s Office of Multicultural Affairs volunteered for their annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service in January. Through their efforts, these volunteers completed over 150 hours of service! Oschner Give Back Day
We are so thankful for the team from Ochsner Baton Rouge! They brought an army of volunteers to help the Zoo with some projects that needed a little extra TLC last week. We cannot thank them enough for their efforts and heart to keep Baton Rouge and our Zoo beautiful. Year of the Tiger/Izzy
It’s the Year of the Tiger! The Zoo celebrated Chinese New Year with all five of our tigers, including Izzy, our newest and only female addition to the family. This 5-year-old Malayan tiger came to us in January from the Cincinnati Zoo, and we haven’t stopped celebrating her since! Catfish Surgery
Our veterinary team performed surgery on one of our catfish, Flo, after aquarium keeper staff noticed she was suffering from a distended coelom. After discovering she was not passing a large number of eggs through her reproductive tract as she should, veterinarians decided to remove Flo’s ovaries and the egg mass. The surgery was a success, and Flo has since recovered and returned to her home in the aquarium! Animal Enrichments
Our zookeepers keep our animals entertained through innovative enrichments! Zookeeper Julliana helped Izzy, our Malayan female tiger, root on the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI back in February with a banner and her own model of the Lombardi Trophy. Our Siamang Gibbons loved their mirrors and homemade rattles made from PVC and rocks! Cupid Turned 10
The Zoo’s beloved goat, Cupid, celebrated his 10th birthday on Valentine’s Day! His special day was full of all the things he loves: apples, lettuce and back scratches!
Come unWINEd at the Zoo’s 2nd annual Wild Wine Walk on May 20th! Guests who are 21+ are welcome for a night of wine tastings, food samplings, and live music entertainment by Michael Brandt. Prepurchase your tickets at wildwinewalk.org to be guaranteed entrance.
VIP ticketholders can enter at 4 p.m. with general admission following at 5 p.m. Our wild time will end at 7:30 p.m. T-shirts for our event are available for purchase! They are $25 when ordered in advance and $30 at the door.
7,000 pounds of food to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank
Thank you to all of our generous guests who donated non-perishable food items during Zoo Lights in 2021. Your generosity led to over 12,000 attendees and 7,000 pounds of food being donated to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank! Enough gratitude cannot be given to those of you who support the Zoo and the Food Bank.
What’s (and who’s)
at the ZOO
NEW
Malayan Tiger
We are excited to announce the arrival of Izzy, our first female Malayan tiger! The Malayan tiger was identified as a unique sub-species in 2004. Of the approximately 500 left in the wild 90% are thought to live outside of preserves.
Photo Contest WINNERS Thank you to all who participated and congratulations to the winners of our Photo Contest! Our winners were displayed at this year’s Zippity Zoo Fest. Grand Prize was awarded to Janet Gelpi for her jaguar photo. First place in the advanced adult category went to Joseph Moore. Novice adult first place also went to Janet Gelpi. Layden Lewis was the first place winner of the junior category. First place in the child category went to Dawn New, and Katherine Hoffman won first place for the fun foto category! Janet Gelpi | GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Joseph Moore | ADV. ADULT–1ST PLACE
Janet Gelpi | NOVICE ADULT–1ST PLACE
Layden Lewis | JUNIOR–1ST PLACE
Dawn New | CHILD–1ST PLACE
Katherine Hoffman | FUN FOTO–1ST PLACE MEMBERS OF THE BATON ROUGE ZOO
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Kid Quest
CREATE YOUR OWN COLORFUL TIGER PORTRAIT
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WILD TIMES
SAFARI CLUB MEMBERS Mr. and Mrs. Ken Albin and Ms. Rachel Ancalade Ms. Bethany Ancalade
TWILIGHT TOURS— BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo invites you to visit this summer for Twilight Tours every Tuesday and Thursday evening this June and July. Take a twilight tram ride through the Zoo in the cool of the evening. Enjoy a narrated ride through the Zoo, an animal encounter at the Wildlife Safari Theatre and an evening snack. 6 P.M. to 7:30 P.M., $16 for adults and teens $13 for children 2-12. There is limited space available, and pre-registration is required.
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WILD WINE WALK—Our second annual Wild Wine Walk will be a WILDLY good time! Guests (21+) are invited to the Zoo for an evening of food sampling, wine tasting, live music & much more. Pre-purchased tickets are required for entry. We’re offering limited quantities of VIP tickets this year, these include: early access to the event, express check in, driving tour of the zoo on one of our new, custom wrapped carts. 4 P.M. to 7:30 P.M., $25 in advance $30 at the door.
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MAY
Mr. Douglas Mathews and Ms. Brandy Forest Mr. Adam Frost Mr. and Mrs. Phil Frost Mrs. Anne Graham Mr. and Mrs. Ralf Grunitz Mrs. Marcella Hackney and Ms. JillAnn Robinson Mr. Brian Hales and Ms. Catherine Coates Mr. and Mrs. Joe H. Harman Mr. Vent Jackson Dr. and Mrs. Scott Fin Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kaufman Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kearns Mr. and Mrs. Chris Kennedy Ms. Katherine King Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy LaCombe Mr. and Mrs. David Landacre Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Richard B. Launey Dr. Martha Littlefield and Dr. Joel Goldman Mr. and Mrs. Keith Lorio Mr. Ismael Martinez and Mrs Susanna Martinez Mr. and Mrs. Jim R. McIlwain Mr. and Mrs. John Miremont Dr. Mark A. Mitchell and Dr. Lorrie K. Hale-Mitchell Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Ney Mr. and Mrs. Bill O’Quin Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Olinde, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Michael Olinde Dr. Robert D. Rabalais and Dr. Erika B. Rabalais Ms. Katherine “Sue” Rainer Dr. and Mrs. Terry Rehn Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Robinson Mr. Jerry Shabel Mr. and Mrs. Todd Schexnayder Mr. and Mrs. William Schultz Mr. and Mrs. Jon Seger Mr. and Mrs. Paul A. Sicard Mr. Joseph G. Simmons and Ms. Patricia A. Day Mr. John Standiford Mr. and Mrs. Rhein Standish Mr. and Mrs. Rick Stanger Mr. and Mrs. Chris Thompson Mr. and Mrs. Randall J. Thompson Mr. John G. Turner and Mr. Jerry Fischer Mr. and Mrs. Austin Verdin Mr. Phillip Weber and Ms. Taylor Clause Mrs. Deborah Welshons and Ms. Penelope Welshons Mr. and Mrs. Corey Wilson
EVERY TUES. & THURS. IN JUNE & JULY
SUMMER ZOO CAMP BEGINS
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DREAMNIGHT AT THE ZOO—Special private evening for pediatric cancer patients and their families, sponsored by BASF from 6 P.M. to 8 P.M.
JUNE
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Fleshman
Ms. Diana Barnes Mr. Santiago Barroso and Ms. Stefanie Demming Mr. and Mrs. Ralph B. Bender Ms. Dennise Bigham Ms. Malaura Blanchard and Ms. Victoria Blanchard Mr. and Mrs. Colin Blood Mr. and Mrs. Michael Bolton Mr. and Mrs. Robert Boyce Mr. Koren Brockman Mr. and Mrs. Edward Brooks Mr. and Mrs. Brandon Cook Mr. and Mrs. David Couvillon Ms. Sara Daas and Wafa Daas Ms. Kelly Day and Ms. Allie Wintz Mr. and Mrs. Craig DeMarche Mr. and Mrs. Tim Derouen Ms. Kristina Dodson Mr. Thomas J. Doherty and Dr. Karin Hawkins Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Driskill Mr. Brian Sermons and Ms. Jessica Gaboury Mr. Austin George and Ms. Kellie George Mr. Travis Gill and Ms. Tawny Daily Mr. and Mrs. Randy Haddad Mr. and Mrs. Bart Hannaman Mr. and Mrs. Brent Harms Mr. Landon Hopkins and Ms. Chrysa Harris Mr. and Mrs. Emmet Thomas Healy Ms. Sarah Henry Mr. and Mrs. Richard H. Hirsch Mr. Daniel Johnson and Mrs Colleen Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Justin Jones Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Keehfuss Mr. and Mrs. Mackey McNabb Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Miller Mr. and Mrs. Donald Miller Mr. and Mrs. Barry Millien, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Terry Lee Moore Mr. and Mrs. James Mungall Mr. and Mrs. Jose Murillo Sr. Mr. and Mrs. Francis Nezianya Ms. Jami Orgeron Mr. Eric L. Parnell and Dr. Laura R. Parnell Ms. Brandy Pendergrass Mr. and Mrs. Steve Perry Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Perry Mrs. Monica Peters and Ms. Jennifer Peters Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell Rotolo Mr. and Mrs. Greg Salomon Mr. and Ms. Eric Schang Mr. and Mrs. Random Skevington Mr. Dylan Villenurve and Ms. Taylor Smith Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Stafford Mrs. Kelli Stevens and Ms. Celia Stevens Mr. and Mrs. Jon Torres Mr. and Mrs. Sean Sullivan Mr. Joseph Watson and Mrs. Stephanie Raimondeau Mr. and Mrs. James Werchan Mrs. Christa Wilborn and Ms. Mary Wilborn Mr. and Mrs. Eric Wilkey Mr. Tony Williams
ZOO
4&5
GUEST APPRECIATION WEEKEND— Invite your friends to us for Guest Appreciation Weekend June 4th and 5th at BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo! As a thank you to the community for your continued support, Zoo visitors of all ages can enjoy "buy one admission, get one free" pricing. Our guests play a crucial role in making our Zoo the #1 year-round family attraction in Baton Rouge and we are excited to celebrate with you!
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RED, WHITE AND ZOO DAY—Visit the Zoo and celebrate our red, white and blue animal friends. This special day will include Safari Amphitheatre programs, games and crafts featuring some of our red, white and blue Zoo animals.
JULY
DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE MEMBERS Mr. and Mrs. Edward P. Alfortish Mr. and Mrs. J. Scott Black Mr. and Mrs. Brad Boudreaux Mr. and Mrs. Riley F. Boudreaux, Jr. Ms. Premila Burns Mr. and Mrs. James Cashiola Mr. and Mrs. Danny Clause Mr. and Mrs. Greg Cotter
AT THE
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FROZEN SAFARI—Visit the Zoo as we keep it cool this summer. This special day will focus on animal enrichment and teach visitors what the Zoo does to promote animal wellness on a daily basis. Frozen treats will be available for visitors, as well as the animals! The first 100 people to enter the Zoo will receive a coupon for a free frozen treat at the Zoo’s Cool Critter Café.
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SUMMER ZOO CAMP ENDS
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ZOO & ME MORNING—Held the second Tuesday of every month, this program is designed for 3- to 5-year-old children accompanied by a parent or guardian. Programs are 9:30 A.M.–11:30 A.M. and will incorporate many exciting activities including animal encounters, art projects, "Zooper" snacks and many other hands-on projects that you and your child can enjoy together.
AUGUST
FRIENDS OF THE ZOO
$18 per session for one child with one parent/guardian. $12 for each additional person (adult or child). Pre-registration required. 225.775.3877, option 2. MEMBERS OF THE BATON ROUGE ZOO
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NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID BATON ROUGE, LA PERMIT NO. 903
3601 Thomas Road Baton Rouge, LA 70807 Return Service Requested (225) 775-3877 • www.brzoo.org WildTimes is printed quarterly as a benefit to members of the Baton Rouge Zoo.
Don’t forget to stop by our Safari Post Gift Shop on your next visit! Members always receive 15% off of their purchase!
times D L I W r u o y Share f the Zoo o n fa a e m o c e at the Zoo! b witter, and Instagram . on Facebook, T on Rouge Zoo t a B s ’ C E BR geZoo @BatonRou oo @batonrougez