UPROAR, 2019 Summer

UPROAR SUMMER 2019 • PUBLISHED BY THE POTAWATOMI ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Chacoan Peccaries pg. 8

Animal Therapy pg. 10

Wildlife Legacy Society pg. 12

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UPROAR A POTAWATOMI ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER FOR MEMBERS

Editor and Designer: Kristina Barroso Burrell Photo Credits: Zoo Staff 2019 General Info: Open March 29 – December 1 Open daily from 10 am – 5 pm Last admission at 4:30 pm www.potawatomizoo.org (574) 235-9800

Our Mission: To inspire excellence in education, conservation, and improved animal quality of life.

Contact Us: Community Outreach: (574) 235-7654 Development: (574) 235-7654 Education: (574) 235-7621 Gift Shop: (574) 235-5615 Guest Services: (574) 235-7620 Marketing: (574) 235-7576 Membership: (574) 235-7651 Special Events: (574) 245-6163 Volunteers: (574) 235-9801 Zoo Camps: (574) 235-9070 Copyright 2019: All rights reserved.

Potawatomi Zoological Society, Inc.

Red panda Maiya always draws a crowd!

Visitors can learn about Maiya and red pandas at zoo keeper talks and events like the Roars & Pours Family Nights (pictured). The zoo keeper talks are posted on the Animal Experiences board at the front of the Zoo daily.

Postmaster: Send address changes to P.O. Box 1764 South Bend, IN 46634 (574) 235-9800 The Potawatomi Zoological Society is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization.

Cover Photo: The Zoo’s trio of ring-tailed lemurs have enjoyed their move to the island near the alligator deck.

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FROM OUR INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Zoo Friends, As a child, I was blessed to have parents who fostered and encouraged my love of animals and my desire to work in zoos. For over 25 years, I have pursued the career I dreamed of in top-tier facilities like the Los Angeles Zoo, Central Park and Bronx Zoo in New York, and now the Potwatomi Zoo. Last year, I joined the Potawatomi Zoo as Director of Animal Programs and Education, and I am currently the Interim Executive Director. It is my privilege to work alongside the dedicated Zoo staff as we develop a modern zoological facility in South Bend.

We are currently navigating a very important year of reaccreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). This reaccreditation process happens every five years. It examines the Zoo’s standards and practices in conservation, education, and most importantly, animal welfare. AZA accreditation is one of the benchmarks that assures the public they are visiting a modern, progressive, and high-quality zoo.

If you regularly visit the Potawatomi Zoo, you have witnessed all the changes that are happening at the Zoo. New visitor viewing fences at exhibits, upgrades to pathways, and the near completion of our front entrance and plaza are just a few of the changes already being made.

Although these improvements are important to the future of our Zoo and our visitors, nothing is more important than making sure we are providing the highest standard of care to all our animals. While our future Master Plan addresses modern upgrades to our animal enclosures over time, there are many things we are doing now to provide for the welfare of our animals.

For instance, new platforms and walkways allow the leopards to navigate the canopy of their enclosure as they would in the wild. Additional shade and climbing structures throughout the Zoo are providing our animals choice and options. The Zoo’s behavioral enrichment program provides our animals stimulation daily, while our training process creates strong bonds between animals and zoo keepers and allows our veterinarian staff to provide exemplary care.

I am proud of what the Zoo has become and the direction it continues to go. The Potawatomi Zoo is a regional asset as well as a staple destination for the South Bend community.

Our commitment to excellence and current momentum makes it an exciting time to be a part of this Zoo family. I look forward to sharing our progress as we bring new animals and naturalistic environments to the Zoo. Thanks to the support of the community and our great city, the possibilities are endless.

Josh Sisk Interim Executive Director

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New Edzoocation for Adults This year EdZOOcation will be adding a new section of camps and classes. These “Curious Conservationists” programs will be designed specifically for adults 18 and older.

“Being a lifelong learner helps keep people’s minds active and engaged,” explains Amanda Brunson-Cruz, Education and Volunteer Manager. “It is also a great opportunity to engage with the community and meet people who share similar interests.”

The first adult program is a one-day camp on August 24.

Through fun activities, Curious Conservationists campers will learn how zoos contribute to species preservation and hopefully deepen their appreciation for the natural world. Some of the activities will include games, crafts, animal encounters, a Zoo tour, behind-thescenes experiences, and lunch.

Amanda Brunson-Cruz introduces a visitor to ambassador Curious Conservationists classes will start in October. animal Cachicamo, a three-banded armadillo.

Attendees will learn more about the inner workings of the Zoo and the natural world. The classes will cover adult topics, like learning about phobias and reproduction. Curious Conservationists classes will be two hours long and include a short lecture, activity or game, walk around the Zoo, and animal encounter or behind-the-scenes visit.

Registration for both camps and classes is available online at www.potawatomizoo.org/edzoocation.

Travel to Botswana For anyone who has ever wanted to travel to Africa to see the rich variety of wildlife from impalas to cheetahs to rhinos to birds and more, the Potawatomi Zoo has partnered with Classic Escapes to offer a wildlife safari to Botswana.

The Zoo is sponsoring a trip to Botswana from March 13-23, 2020. The trip will include visits to the Kalahari Desert, Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, and Okavango wetland.

It is one of the most marvelous places on Earth to view wildlife, both on the ground and in the sky, with bird species numbering in the hundreds.

Photos by Joshua Sisk

Travelers will stay in safe and luxurious accommodations. The trip will be led by renowned guide Graham Johansson and will include a host from the Potawatomi Zoo. Johansson is a professional guide and accomplished wildlife photographer. His experience traveling in Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe make him a perfect guide for this trip.

Classic Escapes has established the Classic Escapes Conservation Fund to ensure that a percentage of all profits from trips like this go to support conservation and wildlife researchers performing their critical work in the field. Project support has included wild dog, elephant, rhino and cheetah conservation in Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania and Namibia, penguins in Punta San Juan Peru, tiger preservation in India, and sponsoring school children in Kenya, among many others.

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Annual Photo Contest Each year the Potawatomi Zoo hosts a photography contest for the Conservation Calendar that is sent to Zoo Members in December. This year, the contest structure has changed slightly and will include four phases: submissions, public voting, cover selection, and winners’ announcement.

The submission period is open from July 22 to August 21. During this time, anyone can submit pictures by mail or email (PZSphoto@gmail.com). The photos must have been taken at the Potawatomi Zoo during the last year and should be part of one of the published categories. There are 12 categories: Primates; Cats; Zoo Scenery; Zoo Farm; Birds; Reptiles, Amphibians, and Invertebrates; Small Mammals; Large Mammals; Ambassador Animals; Macro (very close-up pictures); Artistic Interpretation (significantly using photo manipulation tools to create an art piece); and Black and White.

Lance Mead

Fredy Villalon

“We wanted to challenge people with new categories as well as including some familiar ones,” said Kristina Barroso Burrell, Marketing and Communications Manager.

“Some of our favorite zoo pictures have been submitted through this contest, and we can’t wait to see what people send us this year.”

Voting for the Conservation Calendar is done by the public through social media. It begins August 23 and goes through September 12 at 4 pm. At least four pictures from every category will be posted on the Zoo’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Anyone can vote with “Likes” on Facebook and Twitter and commenting the number of their favorite picture on Instagram.

The photo that receives the most votes in each category will win the category.

The five photos with the most votes across all 12 categories will go to a panel of judges to select the grand prize winner, which will be the cover image. All winners will be announced on September 16. The grand prize winner will receive a one-year membership to the Zoo, and their photo will be featured on the website.

Jason Hughes

Brittany Gaugler

Desert Sunset, Delta Dawn Escape to a place where the wilderness is still king.

Book with Classic Escapes to join the Potawatomi Zoo on a 10-day trip-of-a-lifetime to Botswana to see the most spectacular wildlife in the world in person.

March 13-23, 2020 Learn more at potawatomizoo.org/botswana2020

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Rhino Update The Potawatomi Zoo announced this year that a male white rhinoceros would be joining the Zoo in 2019, hopefully in the early summer. Because white rhinos are solitary in the wild, it is typical for a zoo to house a single male. This move will allow for future breeding of a threatened species in other accredited zoos participating in the White Rhino Species Survival Plan (SSP) program by providing additional space for future births. Although the schedule has changed somewhat, the plan to bring a white rhino to the Zoo this year is still progressing.

Bringing an animal as large as a rhino to the Zoo is a complicated process. First, the Potawatomi Zoo had to be approved by the White Rhino SSP. Once that happened, the Zoo began to create an area appropriate for housing a white rhino. This includes installing new steel-reinforced fencing and barn space, as well building a steel chute between the public and private areas so Zoo staff can monitor the rhino’s health and weight. It also includes upgrades to the habitat like a mud wallow for the rhino and a viewing area for the public. Construction has had some delays due to the rainy and hot weather this year.

Finally, ground transport of the white rhino must be arranged between its current location and the Potawatomi Zoo. This large animal has a specific temperature range requirement for transport. The animal care managers and veterinarians from both zoos will determine when it is safe to transport the rhino. As such, no official public announcement of arrival will be made until the rhino is at the Potawatomi Zoo and has been checked by the veterinary staff. Once the rhino’s health is cleared, the Zoo will start making plans to celebrate its new resident.

Zoo Classes 08/03, 08/06, 09/07, 09/10, 09/28W, 10/5, 10/8, 10/26 Tiny Explorers (3-4 years old) 09/14, 10/12, 11/9 Junior Naturalists (5-6 years old) 09/21, 10/19, 11/16 Future Zoologists (7-9 years old) 09/28 Wild Rangers (10-12 years old) 09/14, 09/22 Evening Safari (Tundra)

Zoo Camps 08/24 Curious Conservationists Day Camp To register for EdZOOcation camp or classes, visit www.potawatomizoo.org/edzoocation

Animal Celebration Days* 09/15 International Red Panda Day 09/22 World Rhino Day 10/2 World Farm Animals Day 10/20 International Sloth Day

Special Events 08/21 Photo Contest Submissions End 08/23 Roars & Pours Family Night 08/23 - 09/12 Photo Contest Voting 09/16 Photo Contest Winners Announced 09/21 Roars & Pours Brew (Zoo closed) 10/03 Roars & Pours Family Night 10/5-10/27 Pumpkin Patch Open Open to School Groups: Monday - Friday Open to the Public: Sunday - Saturday 10/18-10/20 Zoo Boo (Zoo & Pumpkin Patch closed)

Visitors check out the progress on the new rhino habitat.

* Animal Celebration Days may involve activities at the Zoo. Check Facebook for up-to-date information.

Signs of Aging

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Care Corner

By Kristina Barroso Burrell Marketing and Communications Manager

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t’s hard to think about our animals aging, but senior care is a significant part of zoo life. The goal of every animal care staff is to do their jobs well so that each animal can live a full, long, high-quality life. We have some wonderfully long-lived animals at the Potawatomi Zoo, including Amur leopard, Pearl, who is 17; Virginia opossum Pippa, whose exact age we’re unsure of, but she’s at least four, which is old for an opossum; and male red panda, Ty, who is one of the oldest living red pandas on record in the United States. We have also had beloved animals die of old age, like our white tiger, Ivory (2015), Grant’s zebra, Aparte (2016), and Amur leopard, Sergei (2017). Any time an animal lives to a senior age, it is a testament to the zoo’s highest quality of care. Animals in the wild rarely develop “senior issues” or live to “old age” because they so often succumb to injuries and illnesses that a great veterinary staff is able to treat.

In order to keep our older animals healthy, our veterinary staff and zoo keepers carefully observe the physical and mental health of the animals in their care. This includes monitoring any signs of illness or behavior changes, treating acute issues so they don’t become chronic issues, and treating chronic issues when possible.

For instance, some of our animals have undergone treatment for dental or vision issues. Our older male bison, Geronimo is on joint supplements, and our aging male and female takin, Krunk and Mulan, are both on medication for arthritis.

Recently, we’ve seen signs that our lion brothers, Tango and Onyo, are slowing down. At 17, they are considered senior citizens. Like any older animal, they may move more slowly, and they may lose weight.

We’ve approached some of these issues by giving them a variety of senior supplements and taking care of any acute issues. The lions have regular, voluntary blood draws to monitor their health. Both lions have had dental procedures. And a few years ago, Tango had surgery to remove a mass that turned out to be benign.

Our veterinary staff and keepers check the lions (and all our animals) daily to evaluate their quality of life.

Some of the questions they consider are: Is the animal in pain? Are they eating normally and eliminating waste normally? Are they interacting with other animals or keepers normally? Have they lost (or gained) significant amounts of weight? When the animal care staff unanimously feels there is a quality of life concern and all available options for treatment have been exhausted, they will make the difficult decision to humanely euthanize the animal.

It’s always heartbreaking to lose an animal that we’ve known and cared for throughout the years, sometimes from the time they were a baby. But we are all committed to the best care we can give, and in all cases, that means putting the animal’s welfare ahead of our feelings.

Above: Pippa, a Virginia opossum, takes a walk with a zoo keeper.

Right: Onyo (left) and Tango (right) are 17-year-old African lions.

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Training For Life

By Ashley Giroux, Zoo Keeper

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ou may have noticed some new greyish bristly faces in the Americas area of the Zoo exploring their yard or having a cuddle puddle in a fresh pile of dirt. These three large, leathery-snouted animals, a male and two females, are Chacoan peccaries, an endangered species native to the Gran Chaco, a region of South America.

The male peccary is named Tapo. He is noticeably smaller than the females and he also has a white patch of hair that looks like a freckle on the right side of his snout. The females are currently unnamed and a little harder to tell apart. One is larger than the other, and they have different colored ear tags.

This group was recommended to the Potawatomi Zoo as part of a Species Survival Plan (SSP). The SSP is a cooperative program of Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) institutions who are responsibly breeding this species for the greatest genetic diversity. Not only do AZA zoos contribute to the surival of Chacoan peccaries in human care, they are also working with conservation organizations in Paraguay to create a population that can be released back into the wild, a program we are a part of.

Peccaries are often mistaken for pigs, but they are part of a different family of animals called Tayassuidae with unique characteristics. They have a different tooth and skeletal structure than pigs and scent glands along their backside that give off a milky, musky odor which they use to mark their territories and identify individuals.

Because they are native to a semi-arid area with little vegetation, Chacoan peccaries have adapted to eat different kinds of cacti. They remove the spines by rolling the plants on the ground with their tough snouts or pull them off with their teeth. They also forage on succulent plants for water, seek out salt licks for vital minerals, and occasionally eat roots, seed pods, and flowers. They have specialized kidneys that can break down the acid from the cacti and two-chambered stomachs suited to digest tough foods. At the Zoo, Chacoan peccary diet includes a variety of vegetables to fulfill their nutritional needs such as zucchinis, carrots, and sweet potatoes. Our little herd of peccaries seem to enjoy eating quite a bit!

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It is fascinating to learn about these rare animals, and as zoo keepers, it’s important for us to understand the physical characteristics and behavior of every animal in our charge. We also spend time getting to know each animal’s behavioral quirks. This helps us develop a training routine that will allow the peccaries to live comfortably and confidently in their new environment.

At the Potawatomi Zoo, as well as many other zoos and aquariums, a large part of a zoo keeper’s day is spent working on animal training. Training, also known as conditioning, is simply teaching an animal to do a behavior.

But done consistently and correctly, it enhances the quality of life for every animal in human care.

We use a form of training called operant conditioning and focus on positive reinforcement. When the animal does a behavior we like, we positively reinforce the behavior with a reward they like, such as food. They can also be rewarded with other things they seem to enjoy, such as toys or tactile touches. If the animal presents a behavior we aren’t looking for or dislike, we simply ignore the behavior and move on.

A vital aspect of training is allowing the animals the choice Zoo keeper Joe works on target training the peccaries each day by of whether to participate in the training session. If they rewarding them for becoming accustomed to the target stick. choose not to participate, we stop and try again later. Zoo keepers try to make every training session different and as much fun as possible.

Another function of training is to allow animals to voluntarily participate in their own care. We train husbandry and medical/veterinary behaviors. Husbandry behaviors help us manage an animal’s day-to-day health and well-being and provide for their overall welfare. These behaviors including shifting animals to different areas, building relationships with keepers and other counterparts, mental and physical stimulation, and preventive care. Training medical or veterinary behaviors allows for the voluntary collection of a wide variety of biological samples. When analyzed, these samples establish a database of what is normal for an animal. Each animal is an individual and differences in each animal’s lab results may be significant. This information allows the diagnosing and treatment of specific ailments, which can ultimately increase longevity.

Currently, the peccaries are still getting adapted to their new habitat and each another. We have started to slowly work on husbandry training with the peccaries to build their trust and relationships with the zoo keepers.

Some of the behaviors we’re developing are shifting the peccaries calmly into a different area when the gate is opened and having them eat calmly with the zoo keeper standing nearby. The longer-term goals of training these behaviors is to be able to hand feed the peccaries and having them shift upon request from the keeper. These two actions give us more control over the animals’ and keepers’ safety.

Once the peccaries are consistently performing these basic behaviors well, we will work on more advanced target training and medical behavior training. Advanced training could include standing up to give us access to the animal’s belly or leaning on the fence for the veterinarian to give hip or shoulder injections. These are all behaviors we’ve successfully worked on with animals like the North American porcupine, Sichuan takin, chimpanzees, and Amur leopards. In general, peccaries are very intelligent, so as we get to know them better, we’re looking forward to seeing what this little herd can do!

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A ZOO FOR

Seniors TOO

By Skye Hoffman, Education Curator

A visitor to an Animal Therapy program at Niles Senior Center is fascinated by Lyhl, a leopard gecko.

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very week, Potawatomi Zoo’s Conservation Educators travel to an average of 13 locations outside the zoo for Zoo-to-You programs. Educators typically bring ambassador animals to each Zoo-ToYou program, which allows them to connect intangible concepts like “conservation” with tangible animal representatives. Zoo-to-You programs gives program participants the chance to experience a profound moment with ambassador animals that will hopefully further their passion for conservation.

Many people are familiar with the Zoo visiting schools, libraries, summer camps, or community events that have lots of children with eager, young minds, and it is usually easy to inspire these program participants to action. However, the Education Department also visits many adult nursing, rehabilitation, and memory care facilities for Animal Therapy programs. Most of the participating facilities are visited by the Zoo on a monthly or bi-monthly basis.

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s I was walking into a nursing facility, a woman stopped me to tell me that she was 67 and had never touched a snake until she touched the milk snake during our last visit. She said she was so proud of herself for trying something new.

Animal Therapy visits are near and dear to Potawatomi Zoo educators’ hearts. They are proud to be able to provide programming to residents that often are unable to visit the Zoo. Our educators have found that program participants are ~Amanda, Education and Volunteer Manager inspired in different ways by their encounters. Whether the Zoo’s ambassador animals help residents spark a childhood memory or find wonder in learning something new, Animal Therapy programs provide a unique and enriching experience for nursing home residents.

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hile I was taking Prince, the African bullfrog, around to the residents, one gentleman told me about how he and his little brother would go to the pond near his house in the spring and collect tadpoles. They would raise them and release them once they became frogs. He added that since his brother passed away, he had not thought of that memory for a long time.

~Amanda, Education and Volunteer Manager Amanda prepares an Animal program kit.

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woman in a wheelchair with dementia sat through the whole Animal Therapy program seemingly unaware of where she was and what was going on around her.

Her eyes were open, and she was looking around, but she appeared lost and concerned. As I was finishing up my program by allowing the residents to touch Daniel, the rabbit, I knelt beside the woman in the wheelchair to offer his back for her to touch. Still seemingly unaware of her surroundings, I gently picked up her hand and set it on Daniel’s back. At that moment, she looked at me straight in the eyes as her eyes filled with tears. A smile swept across her face, and she told me “I love him! He’s so soft!” While I know she will most likely not remember this encounter, it brings me joy in knowing that for that moment in time, Daniel’s soft fur and endearing heart brought this woman back to the present. I will never forget this experience.

A visitor to the Niles Senior Center snaps a picture of Luke, the sugar glider Melissa is holding.

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~Melissa, Youth Programs Coordinator

here are several residents that we can always count on to be at our programs. One woman in particular always looks out for the "zoo van" so she can greet educators at the door. She frequently has questions for us and even reads up on the animals we bring after our visits to share what she learns with her friends. She said she told her friends some interesting facts about an animal we brought once, and they didn't believe her, so after that she started bringing a notepad to programs to take notes as proof of what she learns. ~Shana, Conservation Educator

Residents of Primrose Retirment Community admire Ocap, an endangered spider tortoise being held by Shana.

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No Gift Too Small

By Margie Anella, Director of Development

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donation to the Zoo can do a lot of different things. It can feed an otter for a day or give a tiger a bone on Sunday. A small gift

can pay for an educational sign about flamingos, provide a zookeeper with enrichment for the goats, or help name a baby animal. A large gift can bring new animals to the Zoo or radically update an animal’s

A young visitor connects with a goat in the Zoo Farm.

enclosure. The Zoo is a place where no animal is too small to matter, and every gift makes a difference.

It is important to us that our donors feel like their gift has a real impact on the Zoo. One of the unique ways people can give back to the natural world or the animals they care about is through animal adoptions. Different levels of adoption have different benefits, but all ceremonial animal adoptions come

You are invited to join the Wildlife Legacy Society for

Dinner With The Director Thursday, October 10, 2019, at 5:30 pm

If you have remembered the Zoo in your estate plan, please join us for dinner and cocktails to learn more about the future of the Zoo, enjoy a unique animal encounter, or even ride the train and carousel.

We look forward to getting to know you and answering your questions!

Please RSVP to Danielle McCausland at (574) 235-7654 by October 1 for this special evening you won’t soon forget.

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with a packet of information about the animal that’s been adopted. Adoptions help us care for the Zoo animals all year long, as well as support education and conservation programs. Animal adoptions make fantastic birthday or holiday gifts, and like any gift to the Zoo, they’re completely tax-deductible.

We’ve recently started the Wildlife Legacy Society for donors who have remembered the Potawatomi Zoo in their estate plan. No matter how they’ve chosen to remember us, these donors are special because they support the Zoo now and have expressed their desire for it to continue to thrive. They are creating a future where the Potawatomi Zoo continues to be a natural space to educate, collaborate, and play. The Wildlife Legacy Society is a way for us to recognize the people who help us be a long-term part of the worldwide effort to preserve animal species and the wild places they live.

We can’t imagine a world without animals, and it is our vision to protect and preserve the diversity of species on Earth. With donors who share our vision, who love nature, their community, and this Zoo, we are able to follow our vision and continue our journey of progress and education.

IRA Gifts Benefit You And the Zoo If you are 70 1/2 or older, you can support the Potawatomi Zoo through an IRA Charitable Rollover.

By making the Potawatomi Zoo the charity of choice for your IRA’s required minimum distribution, you can support the Zoo while receiving a tax break and meeting tax requirements for IRAs. You may also consider making a charitable bequest of part or all of your IRA to the Potawatomi Zoo. By making the Potawatomi Zoo the beneficiary of your IRA, you eliminate the potential for double taxation (federal estate and income taxes) that your heirs may face if they were named beneficiary of this asset. You would also automatically become a member of our Wildlife Legacy Society.

The Amur tigers capture the hearts and attention of visitors of all ages.

For more information, contact Danielle McCausland, (574) 235-7654.

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AAZK UPDATE AZK Chapter!

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Sincerely, ZK President Erin Brunk, AA resident n, AAZK Vice P Maria Sheeha

DID YOU KNOW? AAZK stands for the American Association of Zoo Keepers and is a nonprofit volunteer

organization made up of professional zoo keepers and other interested persons dedicated to professional animal care and conservation. The national AAZK fosters a professional attitude in animal keepers through publications, conferences, and chapter activities at local zoos. As well, the national AAZK and local AAZK chapters hold many fundraising events to support wild animal conservation and promote public awareness and education.

The keepers at the Potawatomi Zoo worked with the National AAZK to create our current chapter in 2014. We are pleased to be part of the national AAZK organization and we look forward to contributing to animal conservation in the coming months and years.

Follow us at www.facebook.com/potawatomizooaazk to learn more about animal conservation!

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Tips Especially For

Members Visit Other Zoos!

One of the great reasons to have a Potawatomi Zoo membership is getting a discount when you visit another zoo. All zoos are unique, and visiting other zoos is a great way to learn about different animals and have new experiences.

Because the Potawatomi Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), members of the Potawatomi Zoo receive discounts on admission to more than 150 other AZA zoos in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The discount is usually 50% off regular admission. This includes discounts to nearby zoos like Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo and world-class zoological institutions like the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, voted the number one zoo in North America this year by USA Today readers.

Before you visit a different zoo, check our website at www.potawatomizoo.org/join to see if it is one of the zoos that has a reciprocal agreement with the Potawatomi Zoo. To ensure you receive your discount, take your ID and membership card with you (or, if you haven’t received your card yet, take your receipt and ID).

Top: The Potawatomi Zoo EdZOOcation staff visits the Ft. Wayne Zoo. Bottom: A Potawatomi Zoo member meets a giraffe at ZooTampa at Lowry Park .

Let’s Get Spooky!

Zoo Boo, one of our favorite holiday traditions at the Potawatomi Zoo, is coming up soon! This year, Zoo Boo is October 18, 19, and 20. The Zoo is closed for normal hours and open only for Zoo Boo. We hope people have fun dressing up and getting candy in a safe, family-friendly environment, so we ask that adult visitors not wear full-face masks.

Zoo Boo is free for members, but we do require that you show your membership card AND identification at admission.

NONPROFIT US POSTAGE PAID SOUTH BEND, IN PERMIT NO. 19

Potawatomi Zoological Society 500 S. Greenlawn Ave. South Bend, Indiana 46615 Call 574-235-9800 for more information www.potawatomizoo.org

Enjoy the natural world in all its glory.

A Zoo membership gives you access to the Potawatomi Zoo during each season, and discounts to over 150 other AZA-accredited zoos around North America for one full year.

Explore the other benefits of membership at www.potawatomizoo.org/join