Como Park Zoo and Conservatory does a lot for conservation efforts including a program called Conservation Champions. Staff submit projects and if selected, are funded by Como Friends. I work at Como and love hearing about the amazing experiences staff have had doing conservation work around the world. Conservation Champions was open for me to…
Como Zoo Welcomes *gulp* 6′ 4″ Baby Giraffe!
Como Zoo is excited to welcome a new baby giraffe to its herd. Coming into the world at over six feet, the baby is standing tall with mother Clover shadowing over him. The new baby male, born Tuesday, September 10th at 7:30pm, is the 8th calf born to Clover and the 23rd giraffe birth at…
From Golf Course to Watershed: Waterlily Installation in Andover and Coon Rapids
Today, I got to experience a once in a lifetime opportunity that most 17-year-olds don’t usually get to experience on a regular basis. Originally, I thought that I was going on a ride along to a site visit at a watershed in suburban Andover to do some photography, but guess what? I got to do…
AIS Outreach at the Minnesota State Fair!
I’m so close to finishing my minimum number of volunteer hours as an AIS Detector through MAIRSC (Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center) for my Conservation Champions project funded by Como Friends. I need to complete a minimum of 25 hours this year and as of this month I’ve finished 24 hours! August has been…
A First For Como!
Como Zoo welcomes a baby puffin, the first ever tufted puffin chick to hatch in Como’s history of exhibiting puffins that dates back to 1987. The yet unnamed puffin chick was born to first time parents Bug and Rocky, hatching from an egg on July 31. The sex of the puffin is still unknown. At…
Snow Leopard Cub Now Has A Name!
Significant, Successful Breeding Plan Achieved Como Zoo’s snow leopard cub now has a name: Asha! Asha, which means hope in Sanskrit and other Himalayan region languages, was selected by the family of winning bidder, Mr. Scott Dongoske, at Sunset Affair, Como Friends large fundraising gala. The naming generated a lot of interest and helped the…
With a heavy heart, we say goodbye to Denali
We have some sad news to pass along. This morning, August 5th, Denali, the male eastern timber wolf, was euthanized due to failing health and age related issues. Denali came to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in May 2005. Before coming to Como he was at the Wild Life Science Center in Minnesota. Denali was…
Fish, Fish and More Fish!
Hey readers! This month I’ve been continuing my volunteer efforts as an AIS Detector through MAIRSC (Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center) for my Conservation Champions project funded by Como Friends. I need to complete a minimum of 25 hours this year and as of this month I’ve done 10.5 hours! This month I’ve been…
Como Zoo Welcomes (ANOTHER) Baby Zebra!
Second Baby Zebra Born In Less Than Two Months Como Zoo is happy to announce the birth of its second Grant’s zebra (Equus quagga boehmi) foal in less than two months, this one born to “Thelma.” Mom and the male baby are both doing well. The baby zebra was born sometime during the early morning…
Awwww….New Pictures of Baby Snow Leopard!
Significant, Successful Breeding Plan Achieved Taken July 9 Como Zoo has a new resident – a snow leopard cub. This was the first pregnancy for the cub’s four-year-old mother, Alya, and six-year-old father, Moutig, and the first snow leopard birth at Como Zoo since 2007. Alya gave birth to the cub on April 30th. While…
Zookeeper Julie Returns to California to Save Sea Lions
In May of 2018 I volunteered at Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute (CIMWI) for 11 days. CIMWI is a part of the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program under the direction of NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. They are dedicated to positively impacting conservation through marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation, research and education to…
Surveying AIS on Minnesota’s Lakes!
I have completed my training and am officially an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Detector for the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC)! So now what? Well, now I must complete a minimum of 25 volunteer hours this year. Volunteer Options There’s lot of options for how to complete your volunteer time. They highlighted citizen…
Como Zoo Releases One of North America’s Most Critically Endangered Amphibians Back into the Wild
A Toad’ally Awesome Thing Is Happening At Como Zoo! On Monday June 17th, as part of Como Zoo’s behind-the-scenes species preservation and conservation efforts, 3,288 Wyoming Toad tadpoles were placed in oxygenated water and shipped overnight for release near the Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge outside Laramie, Wyoming. Another 288 will be allowed to…
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory Delivers Missing Information Critical to Sustaining Biodiversity
Despite volumes of data currently available on mankind, it is surprising how little we know about other species. A paper published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) – using data recorded by Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in collaboration with other zoos and aquariums worldwide – confirms that…
AIS: From Novice to Knowledgeable!
For the last month, I have been working to transform from a nervous person who doesn’t know anything about identifying fish and plants to a competent volunteer for the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC). This process had two main parts: online training and an in-person workshop. Both parts focused on 11 aquatic invasive…
