the member magazine for Riverbanks Zoo and Garden | January - February 2025
2025 Calendar Issue
Volume XLIV, Number 1
Riverbanks is published six times a year for members of Riverbanks Society by Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, Columbia, South Carolina.
Riverbanks Park Commission
Alana Williams, Chair
Mike Velasco, Vice Chair
Cliff Bourke, Treasurer
Jeffrey T. Reeves, Secretary
Robert G. Davidson
Chip Huggins
Deneen Shockley
Riverbanks Society Board
Patti Embry-Tautenhan, President
Wes Jackson, Vice President
Deonca Shuler, Treasurer
Thomas Manly, Secretary
Deans Fawcett, Immediate Past President
Sheila Abron
Emily Bedenbaugh
Will Elliott
Lauren Greene
Corinne Goldman, DVM, MS, DACVIM, SAIM
James Herlong
Denise Hudson
Mark Allen Jones, MD, MBA, FACS
Manny Licata
Donna Longo
Lindsey Miles
Matt Mungo
Allison Sanford
Richard Slater
Jan Stamps
Kaleb Unverfehrt
Riverbanks Executive Leadership Team
Thomas K. Stringfellow, President & CEO
Christie Vondrak, Chief Administrative Officer
Lochlan Wooten, Chief Operating Officer
Rachael Bashor, Vice President of Mission Engagement
Kevin Eubanks, Vice President of Operations
Ashley Harris, Vice President of Finance
Monique Jacobs, Vice President of Advancement
Riverbanks Senior Staff
Brian Blankenship, Director of Guest Services & Security
Shawna Brumfield-Washington, Director of Marketing & Communications
Andy Cabe, Director of Horticulture
John Guertin, Director of Maintenance
Tracy Hughes, Director of Human Resources
Greg Peccie, Director of Animal Care
John Thompkins, Director of Information Technology
Jordan Ward, Director of Construction & Planning
Martha Weber, DVM, Director of Animal Health
Kendra Bottini, Aquarium Curator
Antonio Fernandez, Curator of Birds
Sean Foley, Curator of Herpetology
Andrea Mueller, Curator of Behavioral Husbandry
Alyson Proveaux, Curator of Mammals
DIRECTOR’S VIEW
Looking ahead to Riverbanks Zoo and Garden’s next 50 years, we have much to be excited about. The Birdhouse is undergoing much needed maintenance upgrades and will reopen later this spring. Construction of the Saluda Sky Ride gondola is well underway and expected to open this fall. Progress continues with the Jane B. Friedman Conservation Learning Center in anticipation of a 2026 opening. And plans continue to move forward for Phase Two of Bridge to the Wild.
As we chart our path forward, we remain focused on maximizing our community’s investment while proactively considering how major trends within the zoo industry may need to reshape our strategy. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums recently released its Trends 2033 Report, outlining six megatrends that will likely transform the industry over the next 10 years. Specific areas that will have a significant impact on zoos include the environment, technology, habitat and facility design, changing audiences, the next generation, and the future of work. There is much to be done to address the challenges and opportunities within each of these areas to help ensure that Riverbanks, the animals and plants in our protection and the humans that care for them, and our industry continue to thrive. We are up to the task and look forward to working together with our community to build a sustainable future for your Zoo and Garden.
Wishing you a healthy, safe and happy New Year!
Thomas K. Stringfellow President & CEO
Riverbanks Hours of Operation
Winter Hours through January 12, 2025 - 9am-4pm Regular Hours beginning January 13, 2025 - 9am-5pm. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas days.
Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is located at 500 Wildlife Pkwy, Columbia SC 29210
Subscriptions to Riverbanks are $24 per year. Members of Riverbanks Society are entitled to one free subscription along with free admission and guest passes, discounts at Zoo & Garden gift shops, invitations to special events and much more. To subscribe to Riverbanks or to join the Society, visit riverbanks.org or call 803.779.8717 and press 1.
Riverbanks Magazine
Editor - Monique Jacobs
Design Direction and Layout - Majken Blackwell
Contributing Design- Trenton King
Contributing Photographers - Larry Cameron, Richard Rokes, and Tastic Photo
Cover Photograph - Camellia by Richard Rokes
Riverbanks partners with zoos nationwide in the Gorillas on the Line cell phone recycling initiative. Since 2019, more than 77,000 mobile devices have been collected, raising $50,000 for gorilla conservation. You can help protect gorillas by dropping off your used cell phones at the Zoo! SENSORY-FRIENDLY NIGHT AT WILD LIGHTS
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Burrowing owls in the wild are threatened by habitat loss and are considered endangered in some areas. See if you can spot Riverbanks’ burrowing owls in the Darnall W. and Susan F. Boyd Aquarium & Reptile Conservation Center.
Zoo Camp Registration Opens
The Komodo dragon is the largest lizard in the world. Visit Komodo Crossing at Riverbanks to see our female dragon, Orochi, along with several other remarkable reptiles!
The first-ever Wine Tasting at Riverbanks Botanical Garden kicked off in April 2004. Showcasing one of the nation’s most beautiful and inspiring gardens, the event attracts 1,000 guests annually in support of wildlife conservation.
Creating Connections. Inspiring Action.
Impacting Wildlife and Wild Places.
Riverbanks is home to nearly 150 species of fishes and over 100 species of invertebrates. Visit the Aquarium & Reptile Conservation Center to see how many of each you can count!
Meerkats are a target of the illegal pet trade. Many people think meerkats make great pets, but they do not as they require complex care and can bite. Visit the Zoo to see our mob instead!
Pollinators are vital food sources for humans and wildlife. Riverbanks’ Planting with a Purpose initiative inspires our community to add vital pollinator habitat into everyday landscapes. You can create spaces in your yard that attract and nurture the smallest of our wildlife friends. Visit the Garden to learn more!
Creating Connections. Inspiring Action. Impacting Wildlife and Wild Places.
Since arriving as a cub at Riverbanks in 2002, Butch has warmed hearts and delighted guests with his playful antics. Butch also serves as an ambassador to his counterparts in the wild who often do not share spaces with humans successfully. You can help by leaving wildlife wild. It is important to refrain from feeding wildlife or encouraging animals to pick up unwanted behavior.
Riverbanks Botanical Garden partners with universities, agencies, and organizations in South Carolina to coordinate conservation efforts for rare and endangered plants. Our horticulture team actively works to protect the federally endangered Helianthus schweinitzii and the uncommon Hymenocallis coronaria.
The terrestrial lab in the Aquarium & Reptile Conservation Center showcases Riverbanks’ award-winning work to support populations of geckos all over the globe. Stop by on your next visit to the Zoo to get up-close to these fascinating creatures!
Check riverbanks.org for dates and tickets BEGINS
You can help save wildlife simply by skipping a plastic straw. In the words of our dear friend and generous conservation partner, Susan F. Boyd, “It is the responsibility of everyone to make small changes in their lives that will ultimately make a huge impact.”
