The Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo ended 2021 with the acquisition of a southern tamandua, also known as a lesser anteater. The public was invited to help name the animal and chose “Enzo.”
Zoo Supervisor and Curator Ashley Burdick said Enzo was one of three possible names suggested by zoo staff, who then invited members of the public to vote on the zoo’s Facebook page.
Enzo is a popular name in the area of South America where southern tamanduas are found. The other choices were Diego, another popular South American name, and Ande, after the Andes Mountains in the animals’ home range.
“Enzo is an education ambassador and will be out for programs and other events throughout the year,” Burdick said. However, all new animals at the zoo are held in quarantine and are unavailable for public viewing while they adjust to their new home.
New monthly events
Starting this month, the zoo plans to hold monthly events that feature in-depth keeper chats, tours, animal meet-and-greets and more, Burdick said. The first one will be a keeper chat at 2 p.m. this Saturday, Jan. 8, in the Raptor Center, featuring Thurston, the great horned owl.
Cougar yard
“Our biggest plan for the new year will be expanding the cougar yard,” Burdick said. This has been in the works for some time, since the two cougars, Tommie and Tanner, need more room to roam. In 2020, the exhibit was improved by installing a catwalk to make more use of the vertical space until there were funds to expand the yard.
More animals
“We will likely be bringing in some new smaller critters,” Burdick said of plans for the new year. However, the staff isn’t planning to add more large animals at this time. “All of our enclosures are currently full,” she said
“We are still working with the SSP (Species Survival Plan) to bring a companion lar gibbon for Rerun, but due to her limited mobility we’ve not been able to find a good fit.”
Rerun came to the zoo in the fall of 2017 from Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon, as a companion to Zito, a male lar gibbon. Zito died in November of 2020 and even though there are no intentions to breed Rerun, the zoo would like to find a companion for her. Rerun will be 31 years old on Jan. 27.
