ZoosnooZ – Lazing With The Lions October 2, 2010

Zoo Sleepovers are roaring back to the Assiniboine Park Zoo!

Friday, October 8^th

^{6 pm to 9 am (the following morning)}

You will enjoy: Big cat education; little cat stories and activities; a night-time tour and late-night snack, a morning exhibit tour; light breakfast with the beasts

Costs: $50 per child /$40 per adult

Maximum Capacity: 30 participants (all ages)

Get registered by calling 927-6070 or emailing parkprograms@assiniboinepark.ca  to arrange a stay.

Assiniboine Park – Naturally Educational September 29, 2010

Do you remember the first time you visited Assiniboine Park, the Zoo or the Conservatory? For a child, the thrill of a trip to the park, with its gardens, galleries, playgrounds, riparian forest, animals and open fields, is hard to forget. Assiniboine Park has dedicated itself to providing students of all ages with the highest quality environmental education programs in the province so those memories can continue.

The Assiniboine Park Zoo is Manitoba’s premiere location for animal based education. The Zoo’s Education Centre is designed to promote the concepts of endangered species and wildlife conservation through public education and hands-on, interactive learning. The Pavilion Gallery and Leo Mol Sculpture Garden are first-class locations for art education. The Assiniboine Park Conservatory is one of the most unique plant-based teaching facilities in Manitoba. The extensive living classrooms – the Herb Garden, the Abilities Garden, the English Gardens, the Tropical Palm House and Floral Display Atrium – provide a dynamic year-round setting for exciting lessons. And as always there are acres upon acres of natural beauty that Assiniboine Park freely offers to you to help green your mind, body and soul.

We specialize in walking and trolley tours along with one-of-a-kind programs and workshops on a huge range of themes. Bring your class or group to explore the wonders of the plant and animal worlds and explore the wonderfully expressive worlds of art and sculpture, food and cuisine, music and literacy while you’re here. We incorporate learning outcomes of Manitoba Education Citizenship and Youth curricula in science, social studies, language, recreation and the arts for pre-school to Senior 4 but you can also just come for the fun. A wide variety of teaching strategies are used to connect with many different learning styles from the naturalist to the interpersonal.

We are rededicating Assiniboine Park to providing programming that will create a lasting appreciation of the natural world and to inspire children to get out and be active all months of the year. Parents, teachers and group leaders can relax, knowing that the children are in a safe, playful environment with skilled instructors who truly enjoy working with young people.

Watch for our new Assiniboine Park Programming brochure, detailing all of our new and re-envisioned program options. We are excited about the many subtle and significant transformations that Assiniboine Park is undergoing and we welcome you to experience them with us.  Visit www.assiniboinepark.ca for a preview of our redevelopment.

Let your imagination run wild!

Scott Gray, Director of Park Programming

7 Guidelines to Wildlife Conservation January 25, 2010

I am a member of the International Zoo Educators Association and often use the association’s expertise and resources in developing or researching our zoo programs. I came across the following information on their website today. I thought it was really good and worth sharing.

If you have any other ideas on how you can make a difference, please contact me at sgray@zoosociety.com. I will add them to this list or leave a comment on this blog! Thanks for helping and thanks for reading our zoo blog. With a few simple actions, every one of us can make a difference for wildlife. All the best, Scott.

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The conservation actions below are sustainable practices based on Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s 7 Guidelines to Wildlife Conservation.

Seek out information about conservation issues.

• Read a book about your favorite animal and learn all you can about it
• Subscribe to wildlife conservation magazines like National Geographic or Owlkids
• Watch wildlife shows on television
• Contact local chapters of conservation groups to find out what they’re doing in your areas
• Obtain a list of endangered plant and animal species from CITES or from your national list (For Canada: http://www.cites.ec.gc.ca/eng/sct0/index_e.cfm )

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Spread the word to others about the value of wildlife.

• Encourage your family, friends, and neighbors to reduce, reuse, and recycle (And compost too!)
• Speak up for wildlife. Let your friends and family know how much you care about animals
• Teach children to respect nature and the environment (Children can help teach their parents too!)
• Take children camping, hiking, or on zoo and aquarium trips (Visit the Assiniboine Park and Zoo!)
• Ensure schools have a balanced environmental education program (Take a field trip to the zoo)

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Look for and purchase products that are friendly to the environment.

• “Adopt” an animal or habitat as a present for family or friends  (Get a Zoodoption from the Zoo Society of Manitoba HERE)
• Take a thermos for lunch instead of a juice box to save on packaging
• Shop for school supplies that are made from recycled materials
• Use organic fertilizers
• Don’t buy ivory, or other products, made from wild animals
• Purchase shade grown coffee that benefits wildlife by conserving forests

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Create habitats for wildlife in your backyard.

• Hang a bird feeder, put out a birdbath, or plant a small tree to show you care for wildlife
• Plant a wildlife garden with flowers that butterflies like
• Help your family build a bat box to eat all the mosquitoes in your backyard
• Create a small pond in your backyard for aquatic wildlife
• Contain domestic pets so they do not disturb wildlife
• Help children discover the many wonders of their backyard, like the tiny world of insects (Zoo Camp is a great way to do this)

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Reduce, reuses, recycle and replenish.

• Recycle everything you can; newspapers, glass, cans, foil, etc.
• Turn off the water when you brush your teeth. This saves precious water
• Ride the bus, the subway, bike or walk to school instead of taking you car — this saves energy and keeps you fit too!
• Use cold water in the washer whenever possible (both your dishwasher and your clothes washer)
• Take unwanted, reusable items to charitable organizations or thrift shops
• Lower your thermostat one degree per hour for every hour that you are away

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Choose your pets wisely

• Leave wild babies where you find them, their mothers can care for them best
• Be a responsible pet owner. Make sure they have food, water, and a safe, comfortable place to live
• Learn everything about the pet you want. Some pets have a very long life span – a tortoise or parrot may live over 100 years!
• Veterinary expenses for wild or exotic pets can be high
• Be sure the pet you choose was not taken from the wild (Learn about the illegal pet trade at one of our school and group programs)
• Some animals have special care needs; be sure you are aware of these and can provide the care and costs that are required

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Support conservation organizations through contributions and volunteerism.

• Join a beach or river clean-up
• Visit a nature park where the money will go to help wildlife
• Join a conservation organization
• Volunteer at your local zoo or nature center
• Contribute dollars to conservation programs (Contact the Zoological Society for donation information: http://zoosociety.com/fundraising_donations.asp )

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Thanks to Disney’s Animal Kingdom and IZE for the list