More Pictures to follow........as we move forward towards Opening Night!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
A Sad Time for our DNREC Zoo Keepers
A sad time for my co-workers at the Brandywine Zoo. Their 20-year-old Siberian Tiger, Ashley, had fallen ill and died last Saturday evening. She arrived in Delaware in 1995. She was 5 years old when she came from the Saint Louis Zoo in Missouri.
The zoo "definitely" will get another tiger, though when hasn't been decided. The zoo tiger population in the United States is managed through the nonprofit Association of Zoos and
Aquariums. Brandywine Zoo is accredited by the AZA.
Aquariums. Brandywine Zoo is accredited by the AZA.
There are only about 130 Siberian tigers, also called Amur tigers, in zoos around the country, Through the AZA program, tigers are free to zoos, though they must pay transportation costs.
The zoo will wait at least a few months before getting a new tiger. The zoo wants to make some improvements to the tiger enclosure. They also want to wait for cooler weather to avoid transporting a tiger in the summer heat.
Initially when Ashley arrived, she was housed with Kublai Khan, an older tiger. After Kublai Khan died, Ashley was paired with another Siberian tiger named Sergei. That relationship never worked out. Sergei had been raised by hand at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in
Colorado Springs, Colo., so he preferred humans over other tigers. Ashley and Sergei growled at each other and occasionally fought, so the zoo kept them in separate enclosures.
Colorado Springs, Colo., so he preferred humans over other tigers. Ashley and Sergei growled at each other and occasionally fought, so the zoo kept them in separate enclosures.
Tigers in the wild have a life span of 10 to 15 years. In captivity, longevity may reach as high as 20 years. According to the Zoo's Director, Nancy Falasco, Ashley's long life of 20 years is a tribute to the good care she received at both the Brandywine Zoo and the St. Louis Zoo, where she was born July 21, 1990.
The Brandywine Zoo is located in beautiful Brandywine Park in Wilmington, Delaware. The Zoo grounds cover 13 landscaped acres on high ground above the Brandywine River. The Zoo hosts 150 animals, from tigers to snakes, and is open all year round.
The Brandywine Zoo is managed by the Division of Parks and Recreation with the support of the Delaware Zoological Society.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)