Zoo News

It's All Happening at the Zoo!

“Happy” Days are Here at the
Milwaukee County Zoo!

Happy Update: February 3

Happy the Hippo

The Zoo's newest resident, Happy, a Nile hippopotamus, continues to do well in his new surroundings. Happy arrived at our Zoo at the end of September 2009 from the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. as a companion animal to our resident female hippos, Patti and Puddles. It is the Zoo's hope that in the future, Happy may breed with one of the two females.

Due to colder temperatures, Patti and Puddles are not on outdoor exhibit on a regular basis, so Happy rotates with Patti and Puddles in the Zoo's two indoor exhibit pools. Happy has visual contact with the females 24 hours each day, (through metal bars), unless Patti and Puddles are on outdoor exhibit.

Happy the hippoHappy’s keepers report that he seems to be listening to their commands a little better, and he continues to have interest in Patti and Puddles. Keepers believe that because of his interest in the female hippos, this may be a reason why he didn’t listen to commands earlier in the animal/keeper working relationship. He is showing signs of being “content” in the company of the female hippos.

Keepers are not certain if his birth control is working at this point, so he will remain separated from Patti and Puddles for the time being. Keepers continue to test for birth control effectiveness through fecal samples.

Normally, Happy seemed to shy away from Patti, the larger of the two females, but he now backs down less when Patti is nearby.

Happy allows one of his primary keepers to touch him briefly (always through metal bars), but she reports it is always on his terms and at his pace. He enters the chute area within his indoor exhibit with his keeper standing nearby. In the past, he would not enter when there was a keeper near the chute. He also opens his mouth on command in the chute, so keepers are able to examine it for any possible abnormalities. He is fed in the chute so he can become more relaxed and comfortable in this area, which is mainly used for medical checks.

Check back with us for further updates on Happy in the coming months.

Trees for You and Me

Polar Bear

The Brookfield Zoo’s Arctic Ambassador, Christy Mazrimas-Ott, in conjunction with the National Chapter of the American Association of Zookeepers (AAZK), Polar Bears International (PBI) and the Arbor Day Foundation, is spearheading an AAZK chapter challenge to raise funds to help combat global warming. 

To help make the “Trees for You and Me” program a success, visit the Arbor Day Foundation’s Web site at www.arborday.org/Shopping/Memberships/aazk/ to make a donation to replant trees in our National forests! For each $1 contributed, one tree will be planted in one of our nation's forests. Through the natural process of photosynthesis, trees absorb CO2 and other pollutant particles, then store the carbon and emit pure oxygen. According to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, one tree can absorb more than a ton of carbon over its lifetime. 

Help AAZK pass the word about this important program – the more the word gets out about global warming and planting trees, the better chance we have of reversing some of the damage that has already taken place, and the better chance we have at saving the homes of our wild polar bears and many, many other species. 

The donation deadline is March 1, 2010.  Thank you for your support!

News Archive

 

Zoo Hours 2010


January & February 2010 / November & December 2010
Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

March 1 through May 28, 2010
Daily 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

May 29 through September 6, 2010
Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

September 7 through October 31, 2010
Daily 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Zoo accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover.
Unfortunately, we do not accept personal checks.

General Admission Rates 2010
View our Education Rates or Group Rates

January 1 through March 31, 2010
and November 1 to December 31, 2010
Adult: $11.75
Junior (age 3 to 12): $8.75
Child (2 and under): FREE
Senior Citizen (age 60 and over): $10.25

April 1 through October 31, 2010
Adult: $13.25
Junior (age 3 to 12): $10.25
Child (2 and under): FREE
Senior Citizen (age 60 and over): $12.25

Parking fees: $11 for cars, $15 for buses

Milwaukee County residents with I.D. receive $1.75 off regular Zoo admission everyday except Wednesday. On Wednesdays, Milwaukee County residents with I.D. are admitted at a reduced rate of $8 for adults and $5.50 for children (age 3 to 12).

For more information, call the Zoo at (414) 256-5466.