I have been working at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in different education roles since 2017. Thanks to Como Friends support of my Conservation Champions project, I am starting a new adventure with the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center! In my time at Como, I’m very familiar doing things like… …teaching a program while holding…
Come Visit Our Newest Residents!
Two recently orphaned puma (also known as mountain lion and cougar) cubs from different locations in Northern California are now playing, bonding, and calling Como Zoo home. Visitors can now visit the active pair in their exhibit inside the newly renovated Cat Building, The pumas arrived from California to Como on October 30th after being…
Como Harbor on the Horizon
Como Harbor, a $20.38 million reinvention of Como Zoo’s seals and sea lions habitat, is coming into view. Since the official groundbreaking last spring, the heart of Como’s campus has been dug up and dismantled to make room for a transformative, year-round aquatic habitat that promises to dramatically improve the care Como Zoo can provide…
Kid Conservation Champs
By saving energy at home you can protect and preserve the animals and plants you love in their natural habitats. Xcel Energy has a bold vision for the future. They’re increasing renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions with a goal to deliver energy you can count on to be cleaner, safer and less expensive. [Directed…
Meet Penelope!
Thank you to the thousands who came to Como over MEA weekend and voted! Penelope received 43% of the vote! Penelope born Tuesday morning, October 2, is the 8th calf born to Daisy and the 22nd giraffe birth at Como Zoo in the last 24 years. Como’s current herd consists of Daisy, Clover, Skeeter (father)…
Monitoring Polar Bear Movement
September of 2010 was my first trip to Churchill, the polar bear capital of the world. I was invited as part of Polar Bear International’s keeper leadership camp, now called the Climate Alliance. Polar Bears International (PBI) is a non-profit polar bear conservation organization. Their focus is on research, education, and advocacy programs that address…
Zookeeper Melanie’s Work with Project Puffin
Project Puffin, June 7-23 2018, Matinicus Rock, ME This summer, I was fortunate to participate in Project Puffin through the National Audubon Society. Project Puffin began in 1973, working for seabird restoration off the coast of Maine, with a focus on restoring native puffin populations. Puffins and other seabirds were hunted heavily in the 19th…
Rescuing Marine Mammals in California
April 26 This April and May, Zookeepers Becky and Julie will be heading to Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute (CIMWI), in Santa Barbara, California, to help rescue and rehabilitate sick, injured, malnourished, orphaned, entangled and oiled marine mammals. CIMWI is an all-volunteer run organization, so Becky and Julie will actively participate in all aspects of…
Rehabbing Penguins in South Africa
As a Conservation Champion, I spent two weeks in Cape Town, South Africa with the South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB). African penguins are endangered and have breeding colonies at approximately 28 sites between Namibia and South Africa. In fact, the number of African Penguin breeding pairs has declined from 80,162…
Releasing Orangutans in Borneo
Earlier this month, I took part in the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation’s “Year of Freedom” campaign as a 2017 Como Conservation Champion grant awardee. BOS Foundation currently cares for more than 600 orangutans between two rehabilitation centers on the Indonesian side of Borneo: Samboja Lestari in E. Kalimantan and Nyaru Menteng in C. Kalimantan….
Helping Turtles in Texas
As a conservation champion, I spent a few days in September with the The North American Freshwater Turtle Research Group (NAFTRG), which is an affiliate of the Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) a long-term monitoring project surveying protected freshwater habitats in Pennsylvania, Florida and Texas. NAFTRG staff and volunteers from all over the country, survey all the…
Zookeeper Jill in South Africa with the Balule Conservation Project
As a Conservation Champion, I spent two weeks volunteering with the Balule Conservation Project in South Africa. The Balule Conservation Project is a conservation management project based in the wilderness of the Balule Nature reserve in Greater Kruger National Park. The experience was awe inspiring!! I was able to see the wild counterparts of the animals…
Zookeeper Adam in Namibia with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation
I arrived in Windhoek, Namibia late on September 15. Windhoek is the capital of Namibia. Today, I met Emma Hart from the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and the rest of our team. After packing our equipment we set off for our 10 day trip into the field. From Windhoek it is a 2 day drive northward…
Western Lowland Gorilla Born At Como Zoo
(Saint Paul, MN) Como Zoo is thrilled to announce the addition of a baby western lowland gorilla to its troop. The baby female gorilla was born behind the scenes in the early hours of Wednesday, October 18, 2017, inside the Gorilla Forest exhibit dayroom to mother Alice. At approximately four pounds at birth, the…
Keep Como Thriving!
Many things will change in the years to come, but one thing will remain the same with supporters like you, Como Zoo and the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory will thrive and remain a world class destination. Make a gift today so future generations can enjoy for years to come!
