Art Zoobile Scavenger Hunt!!!

Now that you've seen some of the incredible pieces of art that are the Art Zoobile Statues, it's time to put your skills to the test! The sheet that I've attached to this blog is the sheet that you can use on your trip to Henry Vilas Zoo.(Just hit print at the bottom of the black box) I took pictures of multiple Zoobile figures patterns and put them on the Scavenger Hunt sheet. Find them all: You can make a day out of it with your kids at the zoo, or even you to can find them all yourself! Have Fun!!!

Thanks!
~Brooke

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Henry vilas zoo scavenger hunt

Frequently Asked Questions from visiters at the Zoo

FAQ’s about the Zoo
Many people go to the Henry Vilas Zoo, and many of those people think up questions; questions that Beth the Zookeeper have gotten time and time again. Here are some frequently asked questions that many visitors of the zoo have:
Q:“Why can’t I see the animals?”
A: Wild animals don’t really care to have people right up next to them, and many people go right up to the glass and expect to see the animals right away. Usually, you have to spend a little time just looking through the exhibit in order to spot the animal.

Q:“Why don’t any of the animals have babies?”
A: If there is a certain species of animal that is thriving in the wild that’s living in the zoo, then it wouldn’t be responsible for the zookeepers to let those types of animals to have babies with no place to put them: They’re wouldn’t be enough room. ‘If we let the animals have babies all the time there would be zoos full of just prairie dogs or just camels. No one wants a zoo of just camels! There are a lot of issues that come into play when we decide if any of the zoo animals are going to have babies,’ Beth explains.

Q: (To a Zookeeper) Is that pepper spray you’re wearing?”
A: Yes, all of the Zookeepers are required to carry mace with them in case an animal attacks them or puts a life in jeopardy. It’s should distract them for long enough so that any human could escape.

Thanks!
~Brooke

The Laughing Kookaburra

With their loud, powerful voices, Kookaburra’s have become natural musicians, composing some of the most intriguing of pieces, landing them the spot as the featured animal of this week.
Here are some fun facts about these incredible birds:
~Their scientific name is Dacelo novaeguineae
~The Kookaburra, or the Laughing Kookaburra as it’s called for its unique voice, usually makes its kook-kook-kook-ka-ka-ka call early in the morning.
~Kookaburra’s are usually about 47 cm tall and weighs 500 grams.
~These animals originated in eastern Australia
~They can be found in woodlands, forests, orchards, parkland, farmland with trees, and sometimes, towns.
~Kookaburra’s diet consists of large insects, lizards, snakes, frogs/toads, small rodents, birds, and fish.
~It takes three weeks for hatchlings to open their eyes and finally see.
~Kookaburra ‘families’ stay together, the parents feeding the babies, until the next year when the mating season begins again.
Now that you know more about them, go check out the Kookaburra’s at the Henry Vilas Zoo, and see if you can catch them in the middle of one of their cheerful tunes.

Thanks!
~Brooke

Daily Life of the ZooKeepers

The animals at the Zoo all have daily schedules, so that means the zoo keepers usually do as well. Beth, the zookeeper I’m paired up with told me that every morning, everyone checks up on the animals and takes account for them, and making sure they are alive and well. No one’s patrolling them overnight, and the zoo just wants to make sure nothing is wrong. Then she says that the rest of her day is filled with a lot of “cleaning, feeding, and medicating.” All of those animals, all 1,200+, need to have a clean place to live, be healthy, and eat! That’s a lot of work that these zookeepers do. Beth said that many people think that she get to cuddle with the animals and play around, but she says that’s completely wrong. ‘They are still WILD animals. Your average squirrel in the backyard doesn't want anything to do with you and most of the zoo animals are just the same.’ They’re may be a very few cases where the zookeepers would get to make contact with the animals, but not many.

Thanks!
~Brooke

The Daily Life of a Chimpanzee at the Henry Vilas Zoo

All was quiet and calm as my eyes fluttered open from my much needed sleep. I felt a sharp pang of hunger gnawing at my stomach, crying out for food. I felt the time had come; we were going outside, to the food. I glanced over to see the male had awakened as well, yet his heavy eyelids revealed that he wished he hadn’t. Soon, we had both become anxious. My eyes wandered to the secret opening; the place where we could escape into our outdoor playground.
Without warning, the sun shone through the compartment and its door flung open. Right on time, too. I love the fact that I can rely on such an organized day. It seems to keep me in synch.
I started towards the opening, the male close behind. I caught the delectable aroma of food in the air, and my pace increased.
After eating my fill of bananas and some other chow, the humans began to flood into the zoo, their exotic words amazed me, my interest becoming hard to resist. Their voices comfort me, even the little ones with their higher pitched tones. There are days when I’ll just watch them, many of them quickly turning their heads, trying to take in everything as soon as they possibly can. Others are more calm and serene, with mellow voices and dispositions. I love them all, though, no matter their personalities!
For some odd reason, the humans seem to take an interest in my male companion or myself when we play around our playground. Swinging and hopping around high in the air always pleases the crowd, drawing out their ‘oooos’ and ‘awwwws’ in a heartbeat.
The cheery morning had turned into a fast paced afternoon, and I felt my tummy rumble once again. I checked the opening again, expecting it to open any minute, and to my satisfaction, it did. With one last hurrah of the day, I swung across the play ground and swiftly onto the ground and scuffled back indoors.
The scent of food drifted to my nostrils, and I knew my stomach timer hadn’t let me down. I quickly hustled over, only to be surprised by a large bang. I spin around and spot the male slamming his feet against the glass. A twinge of annoyance slips through me: everyday he must announce his arrival back into the indoors. Of course, everyone has to know. Soon, I turned my attention back to my food, contempt with such an easy day. And when I awake the next morning, the cycle will continue and I couldn’t be more excited!


Thanks for Reading!
~Brooke

Have you been to the zoo lately? The animals are waiting to see you! There are very fun things that are happening at the zoo right now Come on over and see what is going on here. The zoo is open 7 days a week, completely free, no charge for parking either! You are allowed to bring food into the zoo and there are grills on the zoo property so you can have a grill out! The animals are here for you and your families to see so come visit the animals! When you are at the zoo you are welcome to check out the visitor’s center if you have any questions or just want to see the upcoming events at the zoo! Come back and check out the blog for more zoo updates
~Sarah~

flamingos:)

Flamingos happen to be my favorite animals at henry vilas zoo!Flamingos are large pink, wading birds. They have some very rare things about them:) some interesting facts about flamingso...
~They get their color from algae and diatoms that the flamingos eat
~There is only 6 species of flamingos
~On average flamingos live 20-30 years
~Flamingos rest on one leg
~Adult flamingos grow to be 3.3-4.6 feet tall
Thats it about flamingos now on to some things that are happening at the zoo! As of right now, construction for the new childrens barn has begun! The new barn will be a home for pigs, goats, sheeps and many more animals! I cant wait to share more info about how it is going. Come visit the animals at the zoo! :)
~Sarah