September/October Exzooberance

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CREATURE FEATURE: CAPYBARAS

ELEPHANTS FOR AFRICA CONSERVATION

Capybaras are native to northern and central South America ...

Since 2011, the Memphis Zoo has been a dedicated contributor to African ...

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KEEPER FEATURE: SUSAN PETRUNIO

SNOW CONES FOR SNOW LEOPARDS

I worked at Zoo Knoxville with white rhinos (including the two that now ...

Our first annual Snow Cones for Snows event was extremely successful! ...

CONTENTS

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CAPYBARAS Come see the largest rodent on Earth the Capybara!

Capybaras are native to northern and central South America. These semi-aquatic creatures are adapted for life in seasonally flooded savannas and wetlands. They are extremely strong swimmers, using their partially webbed feet to paddle through the water. Capybaras are very alert creatures since they are prey for pumas, jaguars, caimans, and even snakes and some birds of prey. Just like most rodents, capybaras’ teeth grow continuously.

They wear them down by grazing on plants and chewing on branches and other hard substances.

he has been known to spend the most amount of time with keepers once he has made the decision to come investigate us. They are becoming more comfortable around their avian roommate Rick, a crested screamer. They are even approaching keepers with the hopes of a tasty treat. Some of their favorite treats include sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, green peppers, and bamboo.

Their favorite summer activity has been swimming in their moat on these hot summer days we’ve been having in Memphis.

Be sure to come visit the capybara brothers in Cat Country next time you’re at the Memphis Zoo!

The Memphis Zoo is home to three male capybaras - brothers Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. They are almost one year old and are very bonded to each other. Zeus is the bravest among them, often coming up to keepers first. Hades will follow Zeus’ actions and is usually not far behind looking for treats. Poseidon is the most independent, although

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ELEPHANTS FOR AFRICA CONSERVATION Since 2011, the Memphis Zoo has been a dedicated contributor to African elephant conservation through a partnership with Elephants for Africa. Elephants for Africa is in the Makgadikgadi Pans region of Botswana, which is one of the last major strongholds for elephants in Africa. Elephants for Africa’s primary focus is understanding the needs of elephants, as well as the needs of the local communities to promote human-elephant coexistence. Communities must be able to understand the need for elephants in the wild in order to best protect them.

Conservation Action Network (C.A.N) is our zoo-based conservation fund that has provided elephant keepers the opportunity to work alongside researchers in Africa and supply resources for projects in Botswana which support the wild population of elephants. The Memphis Zoo is a proud supporter of Elephants for Africa and hopes to continue to partner with this organization to promote elephant welfare for many years to come.

The Memphis Zoo hosts an annual conservation fundraiser called Art for Elephants where we auction off custom paintings by our talented elephant herd. All the proceeds from this event, including money raised from the silent auction, t-shirts, and general donations, directly to supporting , Elephants for Africa.

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ART FOR ELEPHANTS 2021 The tenth annual Art for Elephants at the Memphis Zoo was a huge success! We had a silent auction with many unique items, from animal paintings to Christmas ornaments to beautiful wall hangings. Our matriarch of the herd, Gina, did a live canvas painting with zookeeper Jenny and we auctioned that off to one lucky observer!

Visitors learned all about our elephant herd as well as the need for conservation action over in Africa from our counterparts at Elephants for Africa.

Between the silent auction, donations, and t-shirt sales, the Memphis Zoo team raised over $3,500 for Elephants for Africa!

All proceeds go directly towards helping elephant conservation in Africa. We are so proud to be a part of the big picture of saving wildlife and creating adventures! Don’t miss out on this event next year!

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OCTOBER MEMBER PROMOTION BUY 1 GET 1

CHINA

CAROUSEL RIDES

KIDS CORNER

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KEEPER FEATURE:

SUSAN PETRUNIO Where are you from originally?

Houston, Texas

Where did you work before the Memphis Zoo? I worked at Zoo Knoxville with white rhinos (including the two that now live here), black bears, river otters and Chacoan peccaries … among other species!

And before that I worked at a newspaper in Alabama.

What department do you work in? I am a keeper in the CHINA department

How long have you been a zookeeper? I’ve been a keeper since 2009, but I started working in zoos as a seasonal in education in 2008.

Have you always wanted to work with animals? When I was younger, I was going to be a veterinarian. But then once I hit college, I realized that you need to love science as much as you love animals to be a good one.

And there was one science I did not love that stood in my way … organic chemistry! So I searched for an animal career that didn’t require it.

Which is how I ended up with a degree in Wildlife Science. And then followed that up with a degree in journalism. My plan was to one day combine the two degrees into one amazing job. I’m still waiting for National Geographic to call me out of the blue and just offer me a job!

What is your favorite species to work with at the zoo? The Sulawesi crested black macaques are my favorite animal to work with by far. Anyone who knows me knows I’m the crazy macaque lady. They’re wicked smart and very funny. And it’s fascinating to watch their troop dynamics. I’ve learned so much about primate behavior because of them. We are also the only zoo in the country to have a full troop on exhibit.

They’re one of the rarest animals in US zoos.

What do you like to do in your free time? I watch a lot of Netflix and listen to true crime podcasts! My husband and I also love to eat so we explore the amazing Memphis food scene.

Do you have any pets? An itty pittie, two snakes and two leopard geckos.

What is your advice for anyone that wants to be a zookeeper? Lots of keepers start out doing multiple unpaid internships before they ever get their first paying job and full-time jobs are in high demand. Get as much experience as you can as soon as you can! Also know that this job is incredibly demanding and it’s hard … both physically and emotionally. But it’s also incredibly rewarding and we get to experience things that only a handful of other people do! It’s the best thing I’ve ever done with my life.

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October 15, 17, 22-24, 28-31 6:00 - 9:30PM

$13 MEMBERS / $15 NONMEMBERS Not included with daytime admission.

Ages 2 and up require a ticket to this event.

Purchase tickets online at

MEMPHISZOO.ORG

SNOW CONES FOR SNOW LEOPARDS

The Memphis AAZK Chapter’s first annual Snow Cones for Snows event was a roaring good time!

Thank you to everyone who joined us to raise money for the Snow Leopard Conservancy! Through ticket sales, t-shirt sales, and silent auction, we raised over $8,000 for snow leopard conservation. We are very grateful that Ashleigh Lutz-Nelson, Vice President of Snow Leopard Conservancy, was able to join us for the event and speak about the importance of snow leopard conservation. Thank you for doing your part in helping save this species. We look forward to seeing you all at next year’s event!

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Contributions The following friends are gratefully acknowledged for their thoughtful gifts made June 1, 2021 through July 31, 2021

Gifts

MEMORIALS

Anonymous

Gift Received in Memory of Dr. Schales Atkinson

($250 and above) Belz Foundation Neal and Bettye Berlin Barbara Bowman The Estate of James A. Carl Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Gibson Frank and Susan Inman Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation Drs. Gary and Terri Lindquester MyEyeDr. Pepsi Beverages Company Shelby County Commission Nancy W. Smith Edward Vining Dr. and Mrs. Gordon Yukon

Lorna Brown-Ray Gift Received in Memory of Jackson Charisse Peters Gift Received in Memory of Fran Kaufman Neal and Bettye Berlin Gift Received in Memory of June Crowder Riel Marsha Barrom Gift Received in Memory of Piper Winchester Jenna Shanks

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