For Zookeeper Week, we asked our keepers to share the most rewarding part of their jobs, as well as some memorable moments. Check it out! Ashleigh Winkelman, Area 60 (Hoofstock): “I really enjoy getting to teach kids about rhinos and why they are important. I’d say some of my favorite things to do are […]
Potter Park Zoo’s aging African lion Saida was transported to Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine for an MRI Wednesday after animal care staff noticed she was reluctant to move and appeared to be in pain. At 17 years of age, Saida is now a geriatric lion and on her last examination, veterinary staff […]
Potter Park Zoo had another reason to celebrate July 4 when two red panda cubs were born in the early morning hours, making Maliha a second time mother. The cubs have been resting in an off-exhibit nest box under their mother’s care. Veterinary staff will conduct regular weight and wellness checks in the coming weeks […]
The North American river otters have long attracted visitors at the Potter Park Zoo with their appealing looks and energetic activities in the pool. They seem to have such a good time! Earliest reports of their presence at the zoo date back to the 1940s, and they have resided at Potter Park in every decade […]
If you think of a camel, you are likely to consider the hump as its most notable characteristic. There are two kinds of camels – dromedaries and Bactrians. Dromedaries have one hump, and only exist today as domesticated animals in the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East, and as a large feral population […]
“Clownfish, Corals, and Conservation,” also known as the Coral Reef Exhibit, opened in the special exhibits space of the Discovery Center in 2005. This experience provided close-up glimpses of the amazing diversity of reef life through the brilliant colors, shapes, and movement of its inhabitants. An inviting undersea setting was created with a delightful mural […]
Potter Park Zoo is excited to share that seven-year-old endangered red panda Maliha is pregnant. The news follows her successful introduction to male Deagan-Reid, who was transferred from Zoo Knoxville earlier this year. The two were observed breeding, and an ultrasound completed by veterinary staff confirmed pregnancy in late May. Maliha also had a litter of cubs in […]
Working railroad tracks have always bordered Potter Park Zoo to the north, bringing the sights and sounds of passing trains throughout the day. The animals seem to adapt to their presence. For the wolves the whistles of the trains can be the trigger for a good howl. The zoo got a train of its own […]
There are few things more convenient than going to the grocery store and someone bagging your groceries for you. Though the shopping itself can be a chore, by the time you’ve paid, all of your items have been tucked safe into a plastic bag ready to be transported from the store to your vehicle to your […]
Since 2000, about 23,000 students from area schools have attended Potter Park Zoo’s award-winning BIG Zoo Lesson study trip for an amazing learning experience. That number of people would fill 1 1/2 Breslin Centers or almost one-third of Spartan Stadium. Hallmarks of the program include the zoo becoming the classroom every day for a […]