The Akron Zoo is celebrating its 60th anniversary. Zoo spokesman David Barnhardt says the zoo has come a long way in the past 60 years. This weekend, guests can take a trip down memory lane.

"A new sign just went up yesterday on the front plaza and it's a walk down memory lane. It takes you through the early years," said Barnhardt.

The zoo first opened its doors on May 17, 1953. Visitors born in 1953 or before can get in the zoo for only 60 cents through the weekend.

David Barnhardt Talks To WAKR's Ray Horner

Adding to the zoo's history, the Mike and Mary Stark Grizzly Ridge is set to open on July 20th featuring an aviary exhibit, otters and bears.

"It will be one of our largest openings in the history of the zoo."

The zoo is also asking visitors to share their fondest memories of the zoo by capturing their stories on video.

On the web: www.akronzoo.org

Dave Barnhart from the Akron Zoo talks with Ray about the Zoo celebrating its 60th anniversary. Ray and Dave also talk about new exhibits coming to the zoo!

Hiram College President, Tom Chema announced that we would be retiring. Tom and Ray talked about the reasons for retiring, his accomplishments at Hiram and what he'd like to get done in the next year.

This Sunday, the late Claire Hawkins will be remembered by the Akron Symphony at St. Paul's. Ray talked with the Conductor of the Akron Symphony, Maria Sensi Sellar and from St. Paul's Dan Fortune about the life of Claire Hawkins and the concert. 

She's the new female African lion at the Akron Zoo, and Mandisa is ready to meet the public.

The Zoo says Mandisa, who came from the Naples Zoo in Florida, is now on exhibit with the zoo's male lion, Tamarr.

Mandisa takes the place of the previous female lion at the Akron Zoo, Shani, who was sent to Mandisa's old home zoo in Florida as a part of the Lion Species Survival Plan.

There's no recommendation - at least yet - for breeding between Mandisa and Tamarr, but the zoo says they get along "great" and will be on exhibit every day together.

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(Akron Zoo - news release) The Akron Zoo’s new female African lion, Mandisa, is now on exhibit. Mandisa, acquired from the Naples Zoo in January, will be on exhibit with the zoo’s male lion Tamarr. The Akron Zoo’s female lion, Shani, was moved to the Naples Zoo when Mandisa arrived. The moves were a recommendation from the Lion Species Survival Plan (SSP).

Mandisa was born July 19, 2008 at the NEW Zoo in Greenbay, WI. Once Mandisa arrived she went through a 30-day quarantine period in the zoo’s Roger J. Sherman Center for Animal Care facility before being moved to the lion exhibit and introduced to Tamarr. Mandisa currently weighs 289 pounds and eats up to seven pounds of meat per day. According to the zoo’s Animal Care staff, Mandisa and Tamarr have gotten along great and both lions will be on exhibit daily together. At this time the Akron Zoo does not have a breeding recommendation for Mandisa and Tamarr.

African lions are indigenous to the grasslands and semi-arid plains of sub-Saharan Africa. African lion populations are classified as vulnerable, with numbers declining due to habitat loss throughout Africa. Lions are Africa’s largest carnivore.

The Akron Zoo is open 361 days a year. Winter hours are 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. and winter admission is $6 per person. Children under two are free and parking is $2.00. For more information visit www.akronzoo.org or call (330) 375-2550.

Founded in 1953, the Akron Zoo is a non-profit, world conservation zoo with over 700 animals from around the world. Located just west of Downtown Akron, the zoo strives to provide a dynamic, financially responsible, guest centered animal experience that is energized by innovation and fun. The Akron Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). With its more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats.

The Akron Zoo has announced an opening date for their newest exhibit.

David Barnhardt, Director of Marketing & Guest Services for the Akron Zoo tells AkronNewsNow.com this is an exciting venture for the zoo and its patrons.

"The exhibit will open on July 20 of 2013 and, so people will expect to see a lot of exciting things when it opens," Barnhardt said.

The Mike & Mary Stark Grizzly Ridge will be one of the largest openings in the zoo's history including not only grizzly bears, but red wolves, coyotes, and bald eagles.

Barnhardt says the zoo had grizzlies before, just not for a number of years.

He says the new exhibit will be located on the hillside of the zoo over by the Conservation Carousel and extends to the Farmland Exhibit

The exhibit will bear the names of two of the biggest supporters of the zoo, Mike and Mary Stark.

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The Akron Zoo now has an opening date for their newest addition. Mike & Mary Stark Grizzly Ridge exhibit will open to the public on July 20, 2013. Grizzly Ridge will be one of the largest openings in the zoo’s 60 year history and will include over six different animal species, highlighted by grizzly bears.
In addition to grizzly bears, Grizzly Ridge will include some animals never seen before at the Akron Zoo including red wolves and coyotes. River otters and bald eagles, which were previously at the zoo, will make their return with brand new exhibits. The space will also include a walk-in aviary with native Ohio birds.

The zoo will incorporate some state-of-the art experiences in the new exhibit space. The grizzly bear exhibit will include a training wall which will enable people to get a behind-the-scenes sneak peak at how the keepers facilitate training a grizzly bear. A fully enclosed slide will be built that runs through the otter pool and kids will have the chance to slide through with otters swimming around them.

The exhibit will bear the names Mike and Mary Stark, after two of the zoo’s most ardent supporters and friends. Mike has been a zoo board member since 1994 and is the past Chairman of the Board.

The new exhibit will be nestled on the hillside of the zoo near the Conservation Carousel and extends up to the Farmland Exhibit. The area previously was home to Monkey Island, otters, waterfowl, tortoises, and bald eagles and the old bear exhibit that was not operable anymore and was built in 1918.

It's time to say goodbye to Raj and Sabu. The snow leopard cubs, born at the Akron Zoo last year, are moving to a new home.

Raj is headed to Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, Michigan and Sabu is headed to Roger Williams Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island. The move is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Snow Leopard Species Survival Plan (SSP).

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((Akron Zoo Press Release))

The first ever pair of snow leopard cubs that were born at the Akron Zoo last year are now leaving the zoo as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Snow Leopard Species Survival Plan (SSP). Sabu will be heading to the Roger Williams Zoo in Providence, RI and Raj will be going to the Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, MI in March.

Raj and Sabu were born on May, 14, 2012 and made their public debut on exhibit on August 13, 2012. The zoo held a public naming contest for the cubs which garnered 3,852 votes. Raj means king or ruler in India and Sabu is the Tibetan word for snow leopard.

When they were born the male cubs weighed about 2 lbs. and presently they weigh about 55lbs. Raj is headed to the zoo where his mother, Shanti, was born and where his grandmother, Lotus, currently resides. The Akron Zoo does have another breeding recommendation for Shanti and the cubs’ father, Roscoe. Until the cubs leave in early March they will be on exhibit daily. Updates on their departure will be posted on www.akronzoo.org, www.facebook.com/akronzoo and at www.twitter.com/akronzoo.

“It will be difficult to see Raj and Sabu move on but they are going to two wonderful AZA accredited zoos. It has been thrilling to have Raj and Sabu here in Akron and our animal care and veterinarian staffs have done an amazing job through this whole process. It makes us very proud to think about the awareness Raj and Sabu have created about this endangered species and how much enjoyment our community had in seeing them grow up over the last 9 months,” commented Akron Zoo President & CEO L. Patricia Simmons.

Snow leopards are an endangered species primarily due to loss of habitat, illegal poaching for their pelts and body parts and killings by local herders when a snow leopard has preyed on their livestock. There are only 155 snow leopards in the SSP in the U.S. and there are believed to be as few as 4,000 left in the wild. Snow leopards

cannot roar. Instead of roaring, the snow leopard makes noises like hissing, mewing, chuffing, growling and wailing. Snow leopards can leap farther than any other cat, reaching distances of well over forty feet in a single bound.

The Akron Zoo is open 361 days a year. The Akron Zoo hours are 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. and admission is $6 per person. Children under two are free and parking is $2. For more information visit www.akronzoo.org or call (330) 375-2550.

The snow leopard cubs that were born on May 14, 2012 at the Akron Zoo now have names.

 David Barnhardt Director of Marketing & Guest Services at Akron Zoo says that many people voted for the chance to name the cubs.

"We've had over 3800 people vote and the two winning names were Sabu and Raj."

The zoo narrowed the names down to five choices for people to vote on from August 10-20, 2012.

Barnhardt said the cubs' names had special meaning attached to them.

"When we do our naming contests, we try to have some educational value within the name, and so Sabu, which was our highest submitted name means snow leopard and Raj means king or ruler in India."

Both Sabu and Raj are on exhibit daily from 10:15-11:45 a.m.

Snow leopards are an endangered species and there are fewer then 4,000 in the wild.

Press Release:

The snow leopard cubs that were born on May 14, 2012 at the Akron Zoo now have names. A public naming contest, with over 3,852 votes, concluded Monday, August 20, 2012 and the two names with the most votes are Sabu (Sah boo) and Raj (rah j).

The zoo narrowed the names down to five choices for people to vote on from August 10-20, 2012. All the names had ties to either snow leopards or their habitat. Sabu, which received 974 votes, is the Tibetan word for snow leopard and Raj, which got 920 votes, means king or ruler in India. The non-winning names were Tai (tie), which means mountain in Mongolic language and is where the snow leopards inhabit; Layan (LAY-an) which is short for Himalayan Mountains, where snow leopards are indigenous to, and also means gentle and soft; and Kovo (cove-O) meaning strong in India.

Sabu and Raj are currently on exhibit daily from 10:15 – 11:45 a.m. They will continue to be on exhibit everyday during those hours for the time being until they are bigger and can be out longer.

Everyone that had the winning combination of names was entered into a drawing and one person was selected to win a sponsorship of the cubs for one year which includes a certificate, a photo and a stuffed snow leopard toy. The snow leopard cub naming contest had even more votes than the popular octopus naming contest the zoo held earlier this summer, which garnered 2,220 votes.
 

Snow leopards are an endangered species and only nine cubs have been born this year that are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) in the United States. Snow leopards are endangered primarily due to loss of habitat, illegal poaching for their pelts and body parts and killings by local herders when a snow leopard has preyed on their livestock. There are only 155 snow leopards in the SSP in the U.S. and there are believed to be as few as 4,000 left in the wild

A snow leopard cub exhibit is coming to the Akron Zoo.

The Zoo says the cubs will make their public debut on Monday morning.

"They're about 12 weeks now and weigh about 12 pounds," Akron Zoo spokesman David Barnhardt says, "and they're growing, they're thriving."

Barnhard says that the two cubs have been inside since being born in May...but now, it's time to make their public debut.

"They currently have been kept inside with their mother Shanti until they're growing and getting big enough to come outside," Barnhardt tells AkronNewsNow, "and our vet and the keepers that take care of them felt that they were ready to make that transition."

Barnhardt says that exhibit hours will be limited at first - 10:15 to 10:45 AM daily - until the cubs start growing.

There's also a naming contest that starts now and runs through August 20th.

"Our keeping staff has narrowed it down to five choices, so people can go online and vote for two of the five names for the cubs," Barnhardt says, "and of course, the two with the top vote getting will be the cubs names."

Those choosing the top two winning names will be entered into a drawing, and the winner will get a package of snow leopard goodies.

The names offered for voting are: Tai, Layan, Raj, Kovo and Sabu.

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On the Web: Akron Zoo, www.akronzoo.org

There's two new furry residents at the Akron Zoo. or the first time its history, two snow leopard cubs were born in May at the Akron Zoo. The cubs are staying indoors for now, spending most of their time with their mother, Shanti. Zoo officials say the cubs will most likely make their way to the exhibit at the end of July or early August. A naming contest will be announced in mid-July and will conclude before the cubs go onto exhibit. Snow leopards are an endangered species and only nine cubs have been born this year that are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) in the United States.

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(Press Release - Akron Zoo)

For the first time in its history snow leopard cubs have been born at the Akron Zoo. Two male cubs were born on May 14, 2012. Both cubs are healthy and thriving and are currently off exhibit, indoors in a cubbing area with their mother. They will remain indoors until they go onto exhibit, most likely at the end of July or early August. Animal Care Staff at the zoo suspected the female snow leopard, Shanti, was pregnant in March and began monitoring her closely. In the evening of May 13 they started noticing changes in her behavior and began monitoring her via cameras that were set up indoors at her exhibit for the impending birth. The first cub was born at 4 a.m. on May 14 and the second cub was born at 5:51 a.m. Shanti, who is a first time mother, has been very attentive to the cubs and has been caring for them on her own. The cubs currently weigh about 6 lbs.; at birth they weighed around 2 lbs. each. At six weeks old now the cubs’ eyes are open and they are able to walk and are starting to climb.

The father of the cubs, Roscoe, who is also a first time father, will be on exhibit everyday at the zoo until Shanti and the cubs start to go out onto exhibit. As in the wild the father does not participate in the rearing process. He will never have direct contact with the cubs. Roscoe is 9 years old and came to the Akron Zoo in 2004 from the San Antonio Zoo and Aquarium. Shanti is four years old and came to the Akron Zoo from the Binder Park Zoo in 2009.

A naming contest will be announced in mid-July and will conclude before the cubs go onto exhibit.

Snow leopards are an endangered species primarily due to loss of habitat, illegal poaching for their pelts and body parts and killings by local herders when a snow leopard has preyed on their livestock. There are only 155 snow leopards in the SSP in the U.S. and there are believed to be as few as 4,000 left in the wild. Snow leopards

 

The Akron Zoo's Giant Pacific Octopus finally has a name.

Cora.

The 8-legged creature selected the name when a plastic jar with three balls inside was lowered into the tank this morning.  The octopus unscrewed the lid to find the three balls, each with shrimp on the inside and a different name written on the outside.

The zoo held a contest to name the animal and received more than 2,200 responses.

"I've never seen this much attention to one aspect of an octopus display," said Director of Animal Operations Pete Mohan.

Cora is described as particularly active and rarely retreating to her underwater cave. 

The Akron Zoo has one more resident -- but it took nearly two months to make the announcement official.

"Antia" is the name for an endangered Humboldt penguin born in April at the Zoo, and she's a home-grown product because the egg was fostered at the Akron Zoo after it was sent here from penguin parents at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in March. It's a first for the Akron Zoo's history.

"Antia" is still spending all of her time with her parents, Carlos and Penya, but will soon strut her stuff at the Zoo's Penguin Point exhibit.

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(Akron Zoo) An endangered Humboldt penguin was born at the Akron Zoo on April 8, 2012. Not only is the birth significant because Humboldt penguins are an endangered species, but the egg was fostered at the Akron Zoo. The egg was brought to the Akron Zoo from penguins at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in late March. It is the first time in the Akron Zoo’s history that an animal has fostered young from another zoo or aquarium.

The chick, named Antia, which means “invaluable” is still in the burrow with her parents, Carlos and Penya, but is expected to emerge any day and will be on exhibit at the zoo’s Penguin Point. Carlos and Penya were selected to foster the egg because they have had successful births at the Akron Zoo in the past.

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium had several penguin eggs that were laid this spring and called upon the Akron Zoo to help foster some to increase the chances of successful birth of this critically endangered bird. On March 26, 2012, two fertile eggs were transported to the Akron Zoo and placed in the burrows, but only one successfully hatched, which is not uncommon.

Antia currently weighs about 5.5 pounds. Chicks are not able to eat on their own so her parents are still feeding her. The parents are fed four times a day, twice as much as the other penguins at the Akron Zoo. They are fed two varieties of fish, which include capelin and smelt. The parents feed the penguin chicks by eating first and then regurgitating the food into the chick’s mouth. Antia should start eating on her own in a couple of weeks.

The Humboldt penguin is currently an endangered species primarily due to commercial harvesting of guano for agricultural fertilizer. Without nesting locations, Humboldt penguins are in serious danger of extinction. Some estimates indicate the possibility of extinction in the wild in the next 10 years. The Akron Zoo is proud to have these penguins as part of the Humboldt Penguin Species Survival Plan (SSP). The mission of the SSP is to help ensure the survival of selected wildlife species. Through scientifically-controlled managed breeding programs, SSP’s are a proactive approach to preventing extinction. SSP's were formed back in 1981 to help ensure the survival of endangered species. SSP's are managed by the AZA, of which the Akron Zoo is an accredited member. Humboldt penguins are warm climate penguins, unlike their Antarctic relatives. They are commonly found in more temperate climates like Peru and Chile.