Changes in the zoo are always exciting and with a lot of new construction on the horizon, there is a lot to be excited about. This summer alone will see three major changes to the south campus of the zoo. This will include the construction of the new African Plains Building, a new concession stand and the relocation of the Discovery Barn from the north side of the river. New infrastructure will precede the projects along with making temporary accommodations for the giraffes. The early warming we are seeing this week should help all of this move along even earlier than we thought. If this was all we had to worry about this summer, life would be a cakewalk.

Though it’s been a mild winter, there are still projects that come up to be addressed either left over from last year or the unexpected problem that has popped up. The warmer weather will enable the zoo staff and the park maintenance staff to get to these sooner than later. Maintaining what you have is often more important than adding new facilities to ensure the longevity of the entire zoo.

With the early thaw, the zoo will get to work on changes to both tiger ponds that it had planned to do last year. In 2022, the zoo updated the filtration system for the ponds to help keep the ponds cleaner for the animals and easier to manage for the zookeepers. Prior to this change the ponds had to be cleaned out nearly every two weeks, making each an all-day project. Drains were not included in the design so staff had to pump out the water before they could even start the cleaning. The changes will replace the skimmers and some plumbing. If a pond needs to be drained or even if we need to bring the water level down due to heavy rains, additional pipe will be added to the deepest part of the pool to enable staff to utilize the filtration system to pull the water out eliminating the need for portable pumps. We will do one at a time so that both tigers can continue to enjoy their time on exhibit.

With the nice weather that will allow some animals to get outside for the first time in a while, we will be able to get into their barns to make needed repairs. One issue we’ll be addressing soon is to make repairs to the roof of the warthog and okapi barn. During an earlier thaw it became apparent that there was a problem as their keepers discovered water dripping from the ceilings. It wasn’t terrible, but if not addressed it soon could be.

These along with other projects are all on the front burner to get done while we can. I am by no way declaring that we are done with winter. Even during my brief time here, I’ve learned to expect the unexpected. But, when the opportunities present themselves, we’d be negligent if we didn’t take advantage of them. Change is inevitable and maintenance issues will continue to arise. The importance of this is that we are prepared to make hay while the sun shines.