Minnesota Zoo
Outbreak of Cryptosporidiosis Associated with aWater Sprinkler Fountain -- Minnesota, 1997
On July 10, 1997, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) wasnotified by a parent about four cases of gastroenteritis among a group of10 children whose only common exposure was a birthday party at theMinnesota Zoo on June 29. The zoo provided MDH with a list of registeredgroups that had visited the zoo during June 28-30; group members werecontacted and interviewed about illness and zoo exposures. Initially, caseswere defined as vomiting or diarrhea (defined as three or more loose stoolsduring a 24-hour period) in persons who visited the zoo. Of 120 zoovisitors identified through the registered groups, 11 (9%) had illnessesthat met the case definition. All had played in a water sprinkler fountainat the zoo, compared with seven (6%) of 109 controls (relativerisk=undefined; p less than 0.001). Cryptosporidium oocysts were identifiedin nine of 10 stool specimens of case-patients tested at MDH. Two of thelaboratory-confirmed case-patients had submitted stool samples previouslyfor ova and p ... [Read More]
State Energy Program: Minnesota Zoo to Install Renewable Energy and Energy-Efficient Technologies
Minnesota State Energy Office's Rebuild Minnesota program is making a splash by partnering with the City of Duluth and Minnesota Power to showcase a number of renewable and energy-saving technologies at the Lake Superior Zoo. The $308,000 project, funded through Minnesota Power's energy Conservation Improvement Program, will add solar hot water heating to the animal barn, build a photovoltaic fueling station for the zoo's electric vehicle, and install a geothermal heat exchanger to cool the polar bear and seal pools. Zoo officials expect the energy technologies to be installed this summer. ... [Read More]
Environmental Enrichment for Zoo and Aquarium Animals
An American Zoo and Aquarium (AZA) publication by David Shepherdson of the Oregon Zoo that discusses the use of environmental enrichment techniques in a zoo setting. ... Defines and discusses environmental enrichment in a zoo context. Provides links to enrichment pages for pandas, invertebrates, octopus, and primates at the National Zoo. ... Two articles by Gary Priest, Curator of Applied Behavior for the Zoological Society of San Diego and for the Zoo Conservation Outreach Group listed in the ZCOG Training Library under the Publications heading. ... [Read More]
Museums of the Midwest
Michigan museums, zoos, nature centers, parks—do you have after school, weekend or summer cultural programs for kids? Help others find out about them! Add your information to MICASE, the Michigan Creative After School Experiences catalog, at www.micase.org/ . ... Tour the museums, historic sites, zoos and nature centers of the Midwestern United States on-line, then plan to visit in person! ... [Read More]
DOE SEP Conservation Update: Stories from Minnesota
Minnesota State Energy Office's Rebuild Minnesota program is making a splash by partnering with the City of Duluth and Minnesota Power to showcase a number of renewable and energy-saving technologies at the Lake Superior Zoo. The $308,000 project, funded through Minnesota Power's energy Conservation Improvement Program, will add solar hot water heating to the animal barn, build a photovoltaic fueling station for the zoo's electric vehicle, and install a geothermal heat exchanger to cool the polar bear and seal pools. Zoo officials expect the energy technologies to be installed this summer. ... [Read More]
Just for Kids! From Rep. Collin Peterson -- Minnesota's SeventhCongressional District
Visit the National Zoo and become a member of the Super Zoodle Kids' Club. ... The National Zoo and Friends of the National Zoo ... Visit the National Zoo in Washington, DC ... [Read More]
Public Health Dispatch: Multiple Human Exposures to a Rabid Bear Cub at a Petting Zoo and Barnwarming -- Iowa, August 1999
On August 27, 1999, a black bear cub, approximately 5-6 months old, died after several hours of acute central nervous system symptoms; preliminary test results available on August 28 indicated the bear had rabies. The bear was part of the Swenson's Wild Midwest Exotic Petting Zoo in Clermont, Iowa (northeastern Iowa). At the petting zoo, visitors fed, wrestled, and may have been nipped by the bear. The bear also was taken to an August 14 barnwarming at the Tharp barn in Holy Cross, Iowa (eastern Iowa), where it reportedly nipped people. An estimated 400 people from 10 states (Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, and Wisconsin) and Australia had contact with the bear cub at either the petting zoo or the barnwarming during the 28 days before its death, during which the bear may have transmitted rabies virus. ... [Read More]
Earth Day Celebration at Lowry Park Zoo
The Earth Day celebration at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, FL, was much smaller this year than in the past 2 years. Nevertheless, all the usual displays were present. Nancy DeWitt, Stacy Merriweather, Katie Merriweather (age 14), John Gilbert (USGS volunteer), Dale Griffin , and Morgan Griffin (age 9) represented the USGS' St. Petersburg Center for Coastal and Regional Marine Studies (CCRMS). Our table was a big success. Special thanks to Stacy who put together great kids' packets that included puzzles (which she made), games, and information about dolphins, Earth science, volcanoes, sea turtles, manatees, and alligators. Demonstrations of the kids' SOFIA Web site went well, and teachers were especially interested in the educational materials offered on the Web site. Katie Merriweather did a fantastic job supervising the kids' table and making hydrologic-cycle bracelets! Her patience with younger kids is well beyond that of the average 14-year-old. Morgan Griffin entertained ... [Read More]
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