WINTER 2016 “HOME for the HOLIDAYS” Red River Zoological Society Board of Directors
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WILDTIMES VISIT OUR NEW WEBSITE WINTER 2016 WWW.REDRIVERZOO.ORG “HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS” Red River Zoological Society Board of Directors President Brad Dahl NOTE Ferguson Waterworks DIRECT OR’S Vice President It was the polar bear swimming hear toddlers giggle as our cow licks Timothy Dirks in the pool and using the window their hand, listen to families howl Fargo Public Library to complete a flip turn. I was both along with our wolves and see Junior Treasurer terrified and in complete awe. Keepers faces beam with pride as they Brenda Podetz Although I was just a toddler I give their first public presentation. Albaugh Enterprises remember every detail of that As a 100% non-profit organization Secretary moment; the scratchy texture of my we could not do it without amazing Chris Alberty dad’s tweed bell bottoms as I gripped community support. You, our Agassiz Seed & Supply them for comfort, the sound of my members, help make it all happen so Directors parents giggling at my response, -- thank you! Chris Alberty Agassiz Seed & Supply my four year old Krista Andrews sister smiling as she I look forward to Anderson, Bottrell, Sanden & Thompson continued to watch meeting you all and Carolyn Boutain Fargo Park District Dear friends, the bear swim. That working together to Brad Dahl moment sparked a create experiences Ferguson Waterworks I became the Red River Zoo’s fourth love and respect for that connect people Laura Carley Executive Director this summer. It is animals that lasted with nature. Please Industrial Builders Steven Dewald a pleasure and responsibility that I am a lifetime. It was the consider the Red River Lightowler Johnson Associates honored to accept. Each day your Red spark that lead me to Zoo in your charitable Timothy Dirks River Zoo provides excellent animal my future career working in the Zoo giving and for your holiday gift giving. Fargo Public Library Duane Durr care, unique educational opportunities and Aquarium field. Each day I see Together we can continue to grow. Don’s Car Washes and engaging guest experiences. I feel children and families having unique Thank you for supporting your Zoo! Jeff Fellman blessed to work in my hometown at a experiences and creating treasured Happy Holidays, Intelligent InSites world class Zoo that is truly a part of memories at the Red River Zoo. Chelsea Hanson Sally Jacobson, Executive Director Media Productions our community. I see young couples getting married, Karen Kelner Kelner Communications My lifelong passion for wildlife and Marshall McCullough wild places grew from an experience Ohnstad Twitchell Law Firm GIVING Betty Opheim I had at a Zoo when I was just two NDSU Computer Sciences years old. My first memory ever is Mason Persons gazing into an underwater exhibit at HEARTS Swanston Equipment the National Zoo. I can remember Brenda Podetz looking through the glass into blue Albaugh Enterprises, LLC water not really knowing why my Joanna Slminski DAY Mortenson Construction mom had prompted me to stand Save the Date! February 11, 2017 Consider supporting your Red River Zoo Barry Schuchard there. Suddenly, a giant white on Giving Hearts Day. The Zoo is completely non-profit and could not Kadrmas Lee & Jackson paw popped up, seemingly out of continue to thrive without your support. Go to www.impactgiveback.org on Leah Warner nowhere, and pushed on the glass. February 11th and select The Red River Zoo. Share your love. Vogel Law Firm Your generous donation is crucial to our growth and success. CREATURE FEATURE DID YOU KNOW? • Otters are highly intelligent and social animals. They engage in playful activities that give them the skills, What do I look like? strength, and speed to catch fish. I am a mammal from the weasel family. My body is covered in brown fur, and I have a large black • River otters prefer to eat non- nose with whiskers. My body is very slender and game fish species, so in a healthy ecosystem they don’t compete with streamlined, so I move a little like a snake in the human fishermen. water! My feet are webbed to help me steer and paddle while I swim. I have a long tail that helps me • The North American river otter swim too. I may look cute, but I have over 30 teeth has many natural predators but and non-retractable claws that I use to catch my prey. typically can avoid them by escaping quickly to a burrow or to water. Natural predators that are fast Photo by Josh Moore enough to prey upon otter include What do I eat? be found near lakes, ponds, wetlands, lynx, mountain lion, wolverine, I am a piscivore, which means I love to or swamps in all of Canada and most wolves, birds of prey, and alligators. eat fish most of the time. Sometimes of the United States. In the wild I I’ll eat crabs, snails, bugs, small live in the same habitat as the turtles, • River otters don’t need swimming rodents, frogs, bird eggs, and other American ducks, and American geese goggles to see underwater. They have a set clear eyelids to protect animals but mostly I eat fish. Whatever you will also find at the Zoo. their eyes. I eat can pass through my entire digestive system in about an hour, and How am I adapted for winter? North American River Otters that is why I have so much energy. I already have to stay warm in the cold disappeared from much of their water of the river during the summer, historic range in the United States due to the fur trade being unregulated Where do I live? so I do not have to do anything special Photo by Chris Harland until the late 20th century. They I get my name because I spend most to stay warm during the winter. My fur struggle to rebound because of water of my day in or near water, usually coat has two layers. The dense, oily The Red River Zoo is home to two otters, pollution and loss of habitat, but a river. When swimming I can stay one close to my body keeps me warm. Annabelle and Butler. Soon it will be time there have been several successful underwater for up to eight minutes, The longer, shiny one you see keeps for the Zoo to drain the otter pool, but reintroductions in the US. and I can dive down to 60 feet! It helps me dry. My skin also produces an oily that doesn’t bother the otters at all. They Do your own research to see if you that I can close my ears and my nose substance that prevents my fur from have loads of fun sliding down their slopes can figure out where! when I swim. Besides rivers I can also absorbing water. I do not hibernate and playing with the novel items hidden in and I enjoy playing in the snow! their exhibit by the zookeeper. Home is an important part of the holiday season. Home has different captive breeding is difficult. They meanings for everyone. It could mean only breed once a year and their a house, a community, a city or simply kittens are difficult to keep alive. just spending time with the people They have the lowest survival rate you love. The Red River Zoo is home of any small cat, largely due to their to some of the world most rare and underdeveloped immune systems. endangered cold climate species. In their natural high-altitude habitat Your Zoo team works to ensure our they are not normally exposed to we collaborate with zoo’s around animals have a healthy, happy and viruses causing infection. Your Red the world to maintain a healthy and safe home year round. As you visit River Zoo is known around the diverse genetic pool for animals that this Zoo this winter be sure to stop world for our successful breeding are at risk of extinction. by our Pallas Cat exhibit to see the of Pallas Cats. Through working newest resident of the Red River Zoo, with Species Survival Plans (SSP’s) Pallas Cats are not the only species Sural. Sural was born at the Saitama to have a home at the Red River Zoo. Children’s Zoo in Saitama Japan, just Other species include the Red Panda, north of Tokyo. We imported Sural White –naped Crane, Sichuan Takin, with the special intention of helping to and the Brown Eared Pheasant along keep his species alive and healthy. with many more species. Pallas Cats are native to the mountains Although all of these different species of central Asia, living in extremely have come from many different parts high altitudes (up to 16,570 feet) of the globe, they have found their Their largest threat in the wild is home in Fargo, North Dakota, like so poisoning. Efforts to control the pika, many of our members have. When a small mammal related to rabbits, you visit your Zoo this winter you populations through poisoning in are not only helping to support these Mongolia and China have had the species, but you are helping to build unintended effect of decimating the on the community that is the Red Pallas Cat population. Pallas Cats prey River Zoo. on pika and saving Pallas Cats through REASONS TO SMILE! Look around there are so many reasons to smile when you are at the zoo! When you visit the Red River Zoo, not only are you having a fun adventure, but you are supporting local, national and international conservation efforts. Sharing a smile in the Children’s Zoo Farm! Send in your reasons to smile to [email protected]! Adults enjoying our first ever Zoo Brew! Children rolling down the hill will soon be Pandas wrestling in the snow.