boy views butterfly up close
“NEW YORK STATE ZOO”
in NATURE PLACE JOURNAL, July 2015
by Carolyn M Johnson
A marvelous discovery awaits visitors in the center of a small city in northern New York State, as I recently found out. I discovered two gems of interest near the eastern shore of Lake Ontario, on the edge of Watertown, New York: the Thompson Park Conservancy and Zoo and the Heather A. Freeman Butterfly House.
The zoo has existed since the 1920s, when it started as a sanctuary for two White-tailed Deer. It grew, until it was finally renovated in the 1990s to give the animal residents a home in more natural settings. The residents now flourish in this full-fledged haven and refuge of more than thirty acres. It is the second most-visited zoo in the Thousand Islands region.
The butterfly house was set up in 1997 and dedicated in 2008 in memory of Mrs. Freeman, known for her volunteer community service with the Watertown Sunrise Rotary Club.
I’m sure that visitors to this area will find it as exciting as I did, to see and become intimately acquainted with the zoo’s inhabitants, their behavior and habitats. While it is the only zoo in New York State to feature animals native to the state, it also features threatened and endangered species, as well as more common and abundant, animals. Some residents were zoo-born. Others were born in the wild, where they were injured and mercifully rescued from dangerous circumstances. Unable to return to their original lives in the wilderness, they’ve been provided a quality life in a nurturing environment.
Fisher (Martes pennanti) Wilma is our female fisher. She is eight years old. Fisher populations declined in the early 1900s due to habitat loss and over-harvesting. They have since recovered and fishers can be found in much of rural New York State in densely forested areas. You might find one waiting in a tree for a suitable meal to come along.
More than one hundred animals represent more than sixty different species, here. They include a Bald Eagle, a Snowy Owl, a Canada Lynx, an American Elk, a North American River Otter, an American Black Bear, a mountain lion, and much more. Zoo staff has given them fun names that punctuate the intimacy between keepers and animals. You should come visit Shadow, Ninja, Kaja, Kenai, Oreo, Duncan, Otis, Tess, Wilma, and their friends.
Various pairs of species enjoy the zoo as their natural home, many with offspring. Some of the young ones aren’t really that young, like the eight-year old American Elk that lives with his twenty-one year old mother.
Young visitors find the farm area especially exciting with its alpacas, miniature donkeys, and dwarf goats waiting to be stroked and hand-fed.
Miniature donkey (Equus asinus.) There are two donkeys in the farm exhibit. Hank, a male, is 21 years old and Alex, a female, is 25. They have both lived at the zoo for nine years. In the summer, you can find Hank and Alex Donkeys have been used as pack animals for at least 5,000 years. This breed of donkey was originally from the Mediterranean region and brought to the US in 1929. They are known for their affectionate and steady personality.
It’s fun to watch animal ambassadors and education animals greet young visitors during a Junior Animal Keeper class. Frogs and snakes and hedgehogs! Oh my!
A variety of interesting activities may be experienced here, as well. Individuals and families have the option to follow a zookeeper for a day, or adopt an animal and help with its upkeep, then receive frequent reports on its life and progress. Students can take part in Tug Hill Bird Quests and Earth Day Everyday activities. A “Leader of the Pack” program recognizes local area young people who have demonstrated care for the natural environment. Themed “safaries” allow students and families—on either half days or full days during a week—to witness animal behavior in their natural habitats, and learn about the amazing animal kingdom, feasts for the beasts, backyard biology, and other fascinating programs.
American black bear (Ursus americanus) Tess is two years old. She was placed at the zoo by the DEC in July 2013. The two new female bears are one year old. Most black bears in New York State live in the Adirondacks or Catskills. To avoid bears in the wild, make lots of noise and use bear-proof containers for storing food while hiking or camping.
The Zoo is excited to announce a new member of the zoo family. Pandora, our little bobcat, is now on exhibit! She will be alternating days with our longtime leading lady bobcat, Shadow.
Bobcats, also known by their scientific name of Lynx rufus, are an interesting native species. These animals are usually a little larger than a normal house cat and have long hair on their faces. They are easily distinguished (with practice!) from the Canada lynx, who have much larger paws, a black tuft of hair on their ears and a black stripe on their tails.
At the Butterfly House, you’ll find stirring inspiration watching the Monarch butterflies, as well as swallowtails and fritillaries, flitter about, sometimes close enough to feel the breeze from their fluttering wings. It’s thrilling that the house’s design allows visitors to observe these beautiful creatures as they freely fly about, peaceful and unafraid.
A visit to the New York State Zoo treats visitors to the intriguing habits and antics of animals living in northern New York’s environment. From expansive panoramic views to fascinating “nose-to-nose” encounters, the zoo offers experiences not to be missed.
Photo credits: New York State Zoo at Thompson Park, Google, Facebook and Twitter.
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(c) July 2015 (reproduced by permission of NATURE PLACE JOURNAL)
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