capronparkzoo

Ahhhhhh…autumn. The leaves are turning colors and dropping, the temperatures are also dropping (at least most of the time!) and the zoo is very quiet. No splashpad, no summer programs, no special events…just staff, animals and a few dedicated visitors.

This is the time of year we look forward to…a time to regroup and recharge before we hit the business of spring once more. A chance to finally get to those project we had to put off during the seasonal craziness. The time to really get to spend time with our critters again. A chance to look around us and take pride in getting through another busy seasonwith grace and style.

Autumn and winter are slow at the zoo…as you may imagine. We are open of course, but not so many visitors brave the chancy weather-which is too bad. This time of year the animals are also more active-the cooler weather brings out their playful side-as they two enjoy a short break from the crowds. For example, as I look out my office window right now, I can see the half-grown Emu chicks chasing a very stupid squirrel around the exhibit and kangaroos stretching in the morning air. The lions are roaring with with eagerness to get into their exhibit and the cranes are trumpeting as flocks of migrating birds fly overhead. Even the lemurs out on their islands are enjoying a last couple of weeks good weather-basking in the weakening fall sunshine and calling to one another.

Staff are moving right along with projects now…the new Ring-tailed Lemur exhibit is open (in the former Ocelot exhibit) and work has begun re-vamping the indoor space for a new species. A lot of behind the scenes work is being done as well—sort of a fall cleaning. Getting ourselves reorganzied as it were. Here in the Education Department we are finishing up small projects and planning programs for the spring and summer. And our operations staff, while always incredibly busy, are able to take a deep breath after the frenetic pace of the busy season and focus on new exhibits, leaf clean-up and winterizing the zoo. It’s a time for us to get things done.

But still, we are always happy to see visitiors, and this time of year we even get to talk to them! Definately plan an hour or two to come and see us-and enjoy!

I’ve posted before about the loss of an animal in the zoo–how it really does impact the entire staff. It’s the part of the job I hate-the knowledge that there is…eventually…a 100% mortality rate in a zoo. Seeing it in action is what is rough.

I have been lucky enough to work at Capron Park Zoo for 11.5 years now, and I have seen a lot of animals pass. It’s still difficult each time…and this one was/is no different.

Yesterday one of the ‘originals’ -animal that was here when I started-died…our Binturong. He was extremely elderly and had a number of age related health problems, but all the same, he was here when I started. He and 4 other species predate my employment-the rest have all passed. And the Binturong was one of my favorites.

But…we deal as staff deal with this as we always do…by saying goodbye and then looking to the future. Animals still have to be fed and cared for, program and events planned, exhibit designed and updated, etc. And over all, the world goes on without the presence of that animal in it.

But I think, perhaps, that our world, that of Capron Park Zoo, is a little sadder without him…