Earth Day is fast approaching and Joel encouraged everyone to visit the zoo for its Earth Day celebration the weekend of April 21. Speaking of Earth Day, Joel was not raised in the Quad Cities and one of the first things he noticed was the amount of litter he sees in the area (we may need more Rotary clean-up days.) Many people are quick to discard items that ultimately end up in our Oceans. It is expected there will be more plastic in the Oceans than there are fish by 2025.

 

Niabi Zoo officially opens to the public on April 15. Hours that day are 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. If you are a zoo member, there will be a member preview and egg hunt from 8:00 a.m. – noon on March 31.

 

The Zoo plays three major roles:

 

Conservation - Each month the zoo hosts scientists discussing real issues in zoology. The speakers have specialized and deep knowledge of species and issues that are related to the natural world. Did you know that bats are very important to us? One bat can eat 3,000 mosquitos in one night. If you see a lot more mosquitos this summer, it’s because we lost 6 million bats in our region in the last year.  Oh, and fewer than 1% of bats have rabies.

 

Education – The zoo has a number of education outreach programs. They have interactive programs that allow participants to interact with live animals while learning about their habitats, diet and adaptations and behaviors. They have a variety of programs to fit various needs, including programs for young children (age 3 – 5), through adult. There are also programs for families and those with special needs.

 

Recreation –  A major fundraising campaign will be rolled out in the near future so the zoo can continue to provide animals a safe place, while allowing visitors to see them in their habitat. A renowned zoo designer has been hired to overhaul and redesign the zoo.

 

In 2012, Niabi Zoo lost its AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) accreditation. You have to wait five years to reapply for accreditation and the staff at the zoo has been busy preparing. They requested a few people knowledgeable with requirements to provide pre-inspections and those have been positive. Inspection will occur sometime this summer. The results will be evaluated and they expect to receive the AZA accreditation by the end of the year.

 

You can help by becoming a zoo member. To learn more, visit www.niabizoo.com. 

 

 

 

 

 

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