[Southsider2k12]

I took the kids earlier this week and forgot to mention a couple of things. First of all, the landscaping is just excellent. They have done a great job with working new plants and flowers into the many layers of the hills and such in the zoo. Especially the area around Monkey Island, it really has become a special look.

Second the new bird exhibit is very quality as well. It is done so that you walk a nice path as the songbirds fly around you. They also have a feeder stick for a dollar if you want to feed the birds, ala the goats.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=39651.13

Zoo accepts exotic animals

Deborah Sederberg
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Some reptiles and birds were deposited at Washington Park Zoo on Saturday because they apparently no longer fit into the lives of their previous owners.

Saturday was Amnesty Day at the zoo, when people could bring exotic pets they could no longer keep.

"We said we would take them, no questions asked," Zoo Assistant Director Jamie Huss said.

Ten animals came from 10 households.

"Some people told us the names of the animals they brought in," Huss said, "but we didn't want to ask too many questions. We didn't want to make them uncomfortable. That's the point of an Amnesty Day, and 'no questions asked'."

Huss gently removed a bearded dragon (really, a lizard) from an empty aquarium to have her picture taken, but the animal seemed a bit nervous.

"We're pretty sure she's a female," Huss said, but Dr. Larry Reed, owner of Westchester Animal Clinic in Chesterton, will be able to tell, she said. Reed, who also treats many dogs and cats in his practice, is a reptile expert, Huss said.

The "dragon" likely will stay in Washington Park Zoo, Huss said.

"We have another one in the (zoo) Castle," she added.

Zoo officials will try to find homes at other zoos or animal sanctuaries for the animals that don't fit into the local collection, Huss said.

She said every animal will spend 30 days in quarantine and be examined by a veterinarian before being added to the general population at any zoo.

"We would much rather have people bring animals to us rather than dumping them in Lake Michigan or abandoning them in any way," she said.

[Southsider2k12]

The Zoo closes October 31st! A reminder that Boo in the Zoo is the 24th!

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=26613

Boo at the Zoo once again a hit

Deborah Sederberg
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - It is the zoo, after all, and tigers would not be out of place.

But what about mice?

Mickey and Minnie Mouse greeted youngsters, hugged them and posed with them while their parents took pictures at the annual Boo at the Zoo on Saturday evening.

And, yes, some of those youngsters were dressed as tigers.

A tiny tiger, 2 1/2 year old Alex Smith, allowed his grandma, Dawn Francis, to hold him while he visited the big Bengal tiger at the zoo.

Also booing at the bears and birds and sundry other zoo residents were witches and skeletons, princesses and pirates, lizards and cowboys and Super Mario Brothers.

By about 6:15 p.m., officials from the local Walmart store had given away more than 700 treat bags. Boo only started at 5 p.m.

"It's great weather," said Toni Komp, electronics department manager from Walmart. When the treat bags ran out, Santa's helper (aka Julie Wozniak, marketing manager for the Washington Park Zoological Society) came along with a couple boxes of candy canes and youngsters seem thrilled to get the peppermint candies.

Wozniak said a couple thousand people had come through the zoo by about 6:30 p.m. "We had whole families dressed as pirates and animals," she said. "People really got into the spirit."

Various retailers distributed treats and Blue Chip Casino purchased tickets for all employees who brought their families.

"American Licorice of La Porte gave our firefighters candy to distribute," Wozniak noted.

[Southsider2k12]

They have a new sign out front...

[Tim]

I took the kids earlier this week and forgot to mention a couple of things. First of all, the landscaping is just excellent. They have done a great job with working new plants and flowers into the many layers of the hills and such in the zoo. Especially the area around Monkey Island, it really has become a special look.

Second the new bird exhibit is very quality as well. It is done so that you walk a nice path as the songbirds fly around you. They also have a feeder stick for a dollar if you want to feed the birds, ala the goats.

Okay - I read that as feed the birds TO the goats.

My bad.

[mcstumper]

Okay - I read that as feed the birds TO the goats.

My bad.

I bet they could charge a lot more than a buck for that!

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=28129

High Hopes
New plans for zoo embraced

Deborah Sederberg
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Elephants are renowned for their memories, but will ramping up the educational fun and function at Washington Park Zoo's former elephant home increase the learning - and memory - potential for human students?

That remains to be seen, but the zoo director and local zoological society president have high hopes.

What's more, park superintendent Jan Orlich says, a remodeled education center plus a new classroom could bring additional income to the zoo.

When Zoo Director Johnny Martinez and Rudy Kohn, Washington Park Zoological Society president, addressed the park board last Thursday, they easily won support for taking the first steps toward building the classroom, remodeling the education center, building a roof over the education center deck and building new restrooms at that corner of the zoo.

The board easily approved a proposal to seek architectural drawings and obtain cost estimates for the project.

Martinez told the board the project would require no funding from tax money. Rather, Kohn added, the Zoological Society will pay for the drawings and share the project cost with the zoo's annual $100,000 grant from the Michigan City Community Enrichment Corp. Kohn sees the education center becoming an Animal Resource Center, where visitors have access to a variety of materials and methods for learning more about the animals who live in the zoo and in the wild.

"When you think it's a good idea, I almost always approve," board member Bryant Dabney told Martinez.

Joseph Doyle, At-large City Council member and park board liaison, was enthusiastic as well.

"Great idea," he noted.

Orlich said, "I think (the project) will make more people interested in renting the space."

[The_Mikester]

Is the tower open?

[Southsider2k12]

Yes, they restored it a few years back. It looks to be in great shape.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/0...60618911563.txt

Zoo pitiful and unsafe

Published: Sunday, January 24, 2010 4:16 AM CST
This is in response to the park and zoo comments. I, too, am disgusted at the waste of spending in a time where so many of us are pinching pennies due to the unemployment rate. Has anyone watched the Park Board meetings on television and heard the outrageous spending going on for these shoddily done projects?

For Mike Dempsey’s reply, how can you say the zoo is in good hands? Have you seen the monkey house that has been left unfinished for more than two years? Have seen the new bird area where birds are sitting in hot sun all day without shade? Did you not notice that the monkey island looks to be unsafe for any animal? That one should be condemned because of the crumbling concrete and rust!

I went to the zoo last August and I was horrified by the number of pitiful and unsafe conditions that I saw, chipping paint, broken down fences, holes in the pathways, dirty pools, terrified tigers being teased by visitors who were yelling at them, and the poor bears pacing their cage unable to go inside the den area. You took away the bars and put up windows on some of the cages. You still stuck them in expensive, cold, concrete cages.

The mayor should have taken a closer look at the park and zoo before he gave his recent praising address to the city. Mayor, talk to the people and your workers (and not just the supervisors or board members) to find out the true concerns and complaints. I think if you did talk to us taxpayers you would get the truth about how we feel our money is being mis-invested into these shameful projects.

Jody Leslie

Michigan City

[lbl]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/0...60618911563.txt

Wow! She (I think) sounds angry! My kids and I love the Zoo. We're there about twice a month. Anyone who's been there enough times knows not to tease the tiger, she has ways of getting back at you. How did she express her terror? Interesting?

Also, the monkey house is TOTALLY different and better, than it was a year ago. The monkey on the island told me they were happy!

Anyway...

[Southsider2k12]

I don't get the outrage either. It might not be perfect, but it is MILES better than it was even 10 years ago. My kids also love the place.

[MCRogers1974]

I agree – the zoo is in far better shape than what it has been in years past. Maybe Jody should consider volunteering her time at the zoo. That way she would be doing something positive and constructive instead of simply whining about the negatives.

[taxthedeer]

This is in response to the park and zoo comments. I, too, am disgusted at the waste of spending in a time where so many of us are pinching pennies due to the unemployment rate. Has anyone watched the Park Board meetings on television and heard the outrageous spending going on for these shoddily done projects?

I'm happy that Jody has pinched enough pennies to pay her cable bill.

Also, the monkey house is TOTALLY different and better, than it was a year ago. The monkey on the island told me they were happy!

I took the kids the zoo last June, they really enjoyed climbing the tower, talk about a "monkey island..."

[dusk]

I don't get the outrage either. It might not be perfect, but it is MILES better than it was even 10 years ago. My kids also love the place.

All I know is that somebody who hasn't raised monkeys isn't as qualified as somebody who has to be the superintendent of their island....

[Dave]

Maybe lbl is available -- he/she may not have raised any monkeys, but apparently does speak their language.

[Ang]

All I know is that somebody who hasn't raised monkeys isn't as qualified as somebody who has to be the superintendent of their island....

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.chestertontribune.com/Duneland%...ton_park_zo.htm

The Washington Park Zoo is proud to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Tiger by announcing the arrival of a new white tiger cub. On the weekend of January 23, Zoo Director Johnny Martinez, General Curator Elizabeth Emerick and Zoo Keeper Julia Bauer drove to Monocqua, Wisconsin to acquire a 10 day old female white tiger cub for the Washington Park Zoo.

The white cub, named Zusha, was made available through the friendship and generosity of Judy and Duane Domaszek, owners of Wildwood Wildlife Park, where Zusha was born January 14, 2010 in captivity.

Zusha is placed at the Washington Park Zoo on a display/breeding loan arrangement. This is a 5 year loan arrangement that can be renewed every five years if agreed on by both parties. The white tiger cub remains the property of Wildwood Wildlife Park during her stay in Michigan City.

Zusha is being raised and bottle fed by General Curator, Elizabeth Emerick. Zusha is fed every three hours, up to seven feedings each day. Zusha accompanies Elizabeth back and forth to work, resting in the Animal Clinic while Elizabeth performs her zoo duties. As Zusha grows older she will reside in the Lion House which is to be renovated in 2010. Zusha may have the opportunity to eventually be paired with a white gene carrying male.

Zusha was the only cub born in the litter. Her father, Shertan, is a white tiger, and her mother, Sheba, is an orange tiger. Bengal tigers are the only tiger species that are white gene carriers (heterozygotes). White tigers are not albinos; they have bright blue eyes and are referred to as sports.

White tigers are rare in the wild, but quite common in larger zoos. In the state of Indiana out of five major zoos, only South Bend and now Michigan City have a white tiger.

The first white tiger in captivity was Mohan who was born in India in 1951. A group of food gatherers noticed a white cub among orange litter mates and reported this to the Maharaja who sent them out to collect this tiger.

The first captive birth of white tigers was on October 30, 1958 in India when Mohan was bred to his orange daughter producing 1 male and 3 female all white cubs. One of these white females was named Mohini, and on December 5, 1960 German-American billionaire John Kluge purchased Mohini and donated her to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C. as a gift to the children of America.

The Washington Park Zoo will open April 1 and hours will be from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, with entrance gates closing at 4:00 p.m.

For more information, call the Washington Park Zoo at 219-873-1510 or visit

www.washingtonparkzoo.com

　

Posted 3/18/2010

[Southsider2k12]

From the LP County CVB facebook page...

The Washington Park Zoo is proud to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Tiger by announcing the new arrival of a white tiger cub. On the weekend of January 23rd, Zoo Director Johnny Martinez, General Curator Elizabeth Emerick, and Zoo Keeper Julia Bauer drove to Monocqua, Wisconsin to acquire a 10 day old female white tiger cub for the Washington Park Zoo.

The white cub, named Zusha, was made available through the friendship and generosity of Judy & Duane Domaszek, owners of Wildwood Wildlife Park, where Zusha was born January 14th, 2010 in captivity. Zusha is placed at the Washington Park Zoo on a display/breeding loan arrangement. This is a 5 year loan arrangement that can be renewed every five years if agreed on by both parties. The white tiger cub remains the property of Wildwood Wildlife Park during her stay in Michigan City.

Zusha is being raised and bottle fed by General Curator, Elizabeth Emerick. Zusha is fed every three hours and up to seven feedings each day. Zusha accompanies Elizabeth back and forth to work resting in the Animal Clinic while Elizabeth performs her zoo duties. As Zusha grows older she will reside in the Lion House which is scheduled to be renovated in 2010. Zusha may have the opportunity to be paired with a white gene carrying male eventually.

Zusha was the only cub born in the litter. Her father, Shertan, is a white tiger, and her mother, Sheba, is an orange tiger. Bengal tigers are the only tiger species that are white gene carriers (heterozygotes). White tigers are not albinos and they have bright blue eyes and are referred to as sports. White tigers are rare in the wild, but quite common in larger zoos. In the state of Indiana out of five major zoos, only South Bend and now Michigan City have a white tiger.

The Washington Park Zoo will open April 1st, 2010 and hours will be from 10:00am to 5:00pm with the entrance gates closing at 4:00pm daily. For more information, call the Washington Park Zoo at 219-873-1510 or visit www.washingtonparkzoo.com