There are two new additions in the Raptor Center at the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo, a pair of Eastern Collared Lizards.
This species is native to the Southern/Southwestern United States, said Zoo Supervisor and Curator Ashley Burdick.
“They are nearly one year old and are a breeding pair, so we may have baby lizards in the future,” she said. “We’ve also added some new fish to the saltwater tank, including Pajama Cardinalfish, Blue/Green Chromis, and Lyretail Anthias.”
The Lyretail Anthias, sometimes called a Sea Goldie, is described by LiveAquaria as “the social butterfly of marine aquariums.” Saltwater Aquarium Blog says they are “some of the most attractive and active saltwater fish an aquarist can covet.”
LiveAquaria also describes the Pajama Cardinalfish as “a rainbow of playful colors.” And if you’re considering your own saltwater aquarium, the Blue Green Reef Chromis is “extremely hardy” and is “perfect for a beginner and to start an aquarium.”
Zoo Camp starts July 17
Youths 5-12 years old can still sign up for summer Zoo Camp through the Great Bend Recreation Commission. Camp starts Monday, July 17, and runs through Thursday, June 20, from 9:30-11 a.m. daily. Sign up online at greatbendrec.com or at the GBRC office, 1214 Stone St.
Conservation and education
The Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo’s mission is “to educate the public and encourage wildlife conservation while providing an enriched zoo experience.” In addition, it has a raptor rehabilitation program for injured birds of prey.
“This month is Plastic-Free July, which is a global movement to educate people about the effects of single-use plastics and better alternatives to those products,” Burdick said. Some examples are using metal, bamboo or silicone straws, utensils and dishes instead of using plastic items. Burdick also suggests people switch to things like reusable silicone food storage or beeswax wraps instead of disposable plastic containers and plastic wrap. Because plastic never breaks down, replace traditional toothbrushes with ones made of bamboo.
More fun info can be found here online at https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/.
Rehabilitation
Burdick also provided an update on rehabilitation efforts. Readers may recall that two young bald eagles and two great horned owl chicks came to the zoo in the spring. The goal is for these birds to recover so they can be released back into the wild.
“The first bald eagle and the first great horned owl are ready for release,” she said. “We are just waiting for the weather to cooperate.”
On June 14, she reported the second bald eagle had its splint removed and it appears the fracture has healed. “Now we need to make sure it is able to properly use its foot and then we’ll determine our next steps.”
Burdick is hopeful all of the birds can be returned to the wild.
Turtle Rescue
Raptors aren’t the only animals assisted by our zoo. Recently, the zoo received a turtle after someone purposefully added red paint to its shell.
“We don’t know the full story on this poor turtle, but it was brought to us by a good Samaritan near Salina,” Burdick said in June. “This is not how we treat wildlife. This not only makes them a super visible target for predators, it also impedes their shell’s ability to absorb sunlight. It also appears this turtle may have been chewed on by a dog or other predatory animal.”
The turtle was treated and released into a pond at the zoo where keepers can monitor its recovery.
“This is not the first time we’ve had to assist a turtle that had been covered in paint,” she said. “Please never do this! Our goal is to get the wounds cleaned up but without knowing when it was attacked, infection may have already spread beyond what we can help.”
More Zoo News
With the arrival of summer, animals are enjoying the sun. Visitors my see the bears swimming in their pool or check out the new frogs that started life as tadpoles just a few weeks ago.
