The Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo has again started taking birds of prey into its raptor rehabilitation program. At the moment, there are several young Mississippi Kites.

Zoo Curator and Supervisor Ashley Burdick reminds the public not to be too quick to “rescue” a grounded bird. It is often best to leave it alone.

“We want to remind the community that many of these birds are fledging and working on learning to fly. They may be on the ground or out of the nest, but unless you’ve seen the parent deceased, they are likely still caring for their young. These birds should be left where they are so they have their best chance at survival,” she said.

“If there is a very young raptor on the ground, the best thing to do is either place it back in the nest if possible, or to make a makeshift nest out of a laundry basket or box tied to the tree as high up as you can get it. Parent birds teach their young in ways that we cannot replicate and it’s crucial for their survival to be raised by their parents when possible. 

“If you are bringing a bird into care, do not try to syringe water into its mouth. Birds are very easy to aspirate because their trachea is at the back of their tongue. We’ve had many birds die of aspiration (food or water in lungs/air sacs) because well-meaning people provided inappropriate care. It is also best to not offer them food; these animals have specialized diets and the wrong items can cause further issues.”

Zoo improvements

New sidewalks are in at the Great Bend Brit Zoo, where the lion yard has been expanded into two areas – one for the male and one for the two females. Burdick said the crews still need to finish putting up the fence that will go around the African lion exhibit and back down around Poppy the bearcat and Enzo the tamandua.

“Due to the high temperatures and other activities we had going on, we’ve not had the time yet to get that up,” she said. “Hopefully in the next month or so we can get that finished.”

When the females Sauda and Amana were introduced to the zoo in 2017, it was hoped that they would be companions to the male, Luke. But attempts to introduce them into the same yard have resulted in aggressive behavior so the females and the male have had to take turns using the yard. That’s why a second yard was added that allows all three lions to be outdoors at the same time.

Clouded leopard update

Last September, the zoo acquired two clouded leopards but they have yet to be on exhibit regularly. Burdick said it is getting easier to at least catch a glimpse of these beautiful cats.

“For probably the last three weeks, we have moved the barricades closer to the clouded leopards. They are still a bit away from the actual enclosure, but on nice, cooler days, visitors can often see the leopards lounging on their benches. We know people want to see them, but we need to make sure they are comfortable first and foremost,” Burdick said. 

Many of the animals may be inside during the day while Great Bend temperatures are in the high 90s and triple digits. 

Celebrating zookeepers

Last week, July 21-27, was National Zookeeper Week. The Great Bend Zoo celebrated with posts on Facebook, noting, “The zoo could not run without our animal care staff! They take care of the animals in the heat, cold, rain, snow, tornadoes, derechos, holidays, weekends, evenings, sometimes overnights. They prepare the diets, enrichment, clean the enclosures, help build and repair the enclosures, lawn maintenance, snow removal, veterinary procedures, education programs, rehabilitate injured raptors, help at the front desk, the list goes on!

“We are so grateful for our dedicated staff that provide top-notch care for the animals and maintain the zoo for our visitors. Be sure to thank our staff for all they do on your next visit to the zoo!!"

Max the bear

Check out July posts at facebook.com/greatbendzoo to watch a video of Max the grizzly bear enjoying his pool while playing with his rubber ducky. Max came to the zoo in 1991 after being a nuisance bear around Yellowstone National Park. This is his 33rd year at the Great Bend Zoo. He is estimated to be 40 years old.