Chris Pfefferkorn, the zoo’s president and CEO and Big Mama, a greater sulfur crested cockatoo, are ready to welcome spring break visitors and new animals to the zoo.By Anne Ruisi
Big Mama, a greater sulphur-crested cockatoo who’s an animal ambassador of sorts, may rule the roost at the Birmingham Zoo, but she’s ready to welcome the animals in two new exhibits making their debut just in time for spring break.
De Brazza’s monkeys will be featured in the Barbara Ingalls Shook Foundation Primate Trek and Eastern black rhinoceroses in the new Daniel Foundation Alabama Rhino Habitat, both open to the public for the first time on March 25, said Chris Pfefferkorn, the zoo’s president and CEO.
“We want people to know they are welcome to come out and enjoy their zoo,” Pfefferkorn said. “We’d love for them to come out and see everything.”
While it’s hard to say how many people will be at the zoo during spring break, 4,000-plus visitors a day is a good turnout, Pfefferkorn said. How busy it is depends on a couple of factors, such as the weather and whether visitors choose to go to other venues.
“We hope they’ll choose us and come out and enjoy the sunshine,” he added.
That the zoo is excited about the opening of the two new exhibits is an understatement.
The Daniel Foundation Alabama Rhino Habitat is now home to two Eastern black rhinoceroses, Moyo, a male who is almost 6, and Kesi, a 6-year-old female.
“Moyo means ‘heart’ in Swahili, and he has certainly stolen ours,” said Annie Kaspar, zoo manager of Trails of Africa. “He really enjoys his training sessions and interacting with his keepers. He also loves wallowing in the mud in his habitat and eating all kinds of vegetation, especially browsing on larger branches full of leaves.”
Kesi, Kaspar added, “loves splashing in the water, eating willow branches and spending time being brushed by her keepers.”
The pair, who are almost old enough for breeding, are part of a species reaching the critical endangered state, Pfefferkorn said. There are only 5,500 Eastern black rhinos in the wild, and their presence at the Birmingham Zoo is part of the Black Rhino Species Survival Plan. This involves other participating zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
It is hoped that Moyo and Kesi eventually will become parents, but right now, the two are not only new to the zoo but new to each other and their environment. Moyo came from the St. Louis Zoo and Kesi from the Pittsburgh Zoo. It’s likely visitors will see the rhinos living separately most of the time, but the zoo hopes to introduce them for breeding in the near future.
“We are excited for everyone to visit both Moyo and Kesi here in their new zoo home,” said Hollie Colahan, the zoo’s deputy director.
Monkey Around
Spring break visitors to the zoo can be among the first to visit the Barbara Ingalls Shook Foundation Primate Trek.
This new addition to the South America/Primates Building provides the zoo’s resident De Brazza’s monkeys access to a new outdoor habitat that stands free of the main building. In addition to more space for the animals, this new habitat has increased access for animal care professionals to interact with them, providing feeding and training opportunities that guests will be able to see for the first time.
“The open-air habitat allows the De Brazza’s monkeys to have a whole new view of the zoo and its visitors as they move around the viewing path. They will also get a visual perspective of the other animals adjacent to them that they have never had, which will be very visually enriching every day,” said Danielle Williams, zoological manager of South America/Primates.
The habitat has been designed for flexibility and with future expansion in mind, with overhead tunnels that can connect to the other indoor habitats. This would allow for other species to use this space or even add additional outdoor habitats in the future.
“We could not be more thankful for the generous donation by the Shook Foundation and their continued support of your zoo,” Colahan said. “Work on this project began before the pandemic, so we are thrilled to have a new habitat to share with our guests and see our primates enjoying this new outdoor space.”
The Shook Foundation has been a long-time supporter the zoo, including providing funding for the Barbara Ingalls Shook Foundation North American Black Bear habitat.
The zoo, normally open Wednesday-Sunday, will be open every day from March 22-April 2, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. with plenty of animal experiences. That schedule will be announced soon.
Visitors can enjoy the 550 animals representing 180 species on exhibit, such as African elephants, lions, flamingos, sea lions, zebras, red pandas, a variety of snakes, birds and tortoises, American alligators and the North American black bear.
The Protective Carousel will be open and the Red Diamond Express Train will be ready for boarding. The zoo’s restaurants, Wild Burger and Nourish 205, also will be open.
English (US)