While most Christmas decorations and lights have been taken down and put away by now, there are still plenty of evergreen trees to be found around the Buttonwood Park Zoo!
For the past 8 years, after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season has died down. Conwell Enterprises of Provincetown has quietly donated a truck full of post-Christmas treats for Zoo residents.
Thanks to the donation by Conwell and the Potting Bench in New Bedford, who also made a large donation this year, Christmas trees are being reused and repurposed – while also serving up a healthy dose of fun!
Many of the animals at the BPZoo will have the chance to play, hide, destroy, toss, or even pounce on these trees, giving the trees a new purpose and keeping them out of landfills. Zoo staff will find different ways that each species would benefit most from this unique type of enrichment being added to their environments.
The BPZoo uses enrichment, a dynamic process that enhances an animal’s environment, to encourage and stimulate natural behaviors. Social, cognitive, physical, and sensory enrichment techniques are introduced on a varied schedule in a variety of ways to increase the animal’s behavioral choices, elicit species-specific behaviors, and enhance animal welfare.
While the Zoo isn’t currently in need of more Christmas tree donations, there is an animal enrichment “wish list” available at bpzoo.org/ get-involved/donate/wish-list/.
The Zoo is located at 425 Hawthorn Street in New Bedford and is open from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm daily throughout the winter. Daily keeper chats are held throughout to day – a great place to learn more about animal enrichment activities.
The Buttonwood Park Zoo is helping SouthCoast residents come to the aid of wildlife in Australia. The Zoo’s Coins for Conservation program – which has raised over $72,000 since its inception in 2015 – makes a direct impact on wildlife and as of today, is accepting donations for the Zoo and Aquarium Association, Australasia’s Wildlife Conservation Fund. Money raised for this fund will directly support the emerging rescue and rehabilitation needs of wildlife affected by these devastating bushfires.
“Although the Zoo has very few Australian species in its population, our dedication to the conservation of wildlife and wild places around the world has led us to take this action to help support our colleagues heroic work in that country,” said Zoo Director, Keith Lovett. “We encourage our guests to not only make donations to these efforts, but to consider what they can do in their everyday lives to help protect natural environments.”
The Buttonwood Park Zoo’s Coins for Conservation program has helped fund projects to conserve elephants in Vietnam, endangered primates in South America, jaguars in Belize, endangered waterbirds in remote sections of Asia, and the rehabilitation of injured or orphaned species in Massachusetts, among others.
Guests to the Zoo can donate to this wildlife rescue and rehabilitation efforts right at the admissions desk or through the Zoo’s recent FaceBook Post.
The Zoo is located at 425 Hawthorn Street in New Bedford and is open from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm daily throughout the winter.
UPDATE AS OF 3/1/20 – BPZoo and its supporters raised and donated just over $6,000.
The Buttonwood Park Zoological Society’s bowling fundraiser – Fish Bowl – is back for a third consecutive year and is bigger than ever!
Fish Bowl brings together teams of family, friends, businesses, and community partners to raise money for Buttonwood Park Zoological Society. The BPZS supports the Buttonwood Park Zoo’s efforts to protect species around the world, connect our community to nature, and to inspire environmental stewardship. Fish Bowl will take place on Sunday, January 26, 2020 from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm at Wonder Bowl, 66 Hathaway Rd in New Bedford. Diverse teams of four will fill all 40 lanes at the two-hour event –making this the first time the event has been completely sold out.
“We are so pleased that we have 166 bowlers and have filled all 40 lanes at Wonder Bowl,” said Patrice Colohan, who has been chairing the Fish Bowl event committee for the Buttonwood Park Zoological Society since 2017. “This event has grown into something the local community can look forward to and actively participate in, along with local businesses, Zoo staff and volunteers. Plus, it’s something fun to do during the cold winter months!”
“But it’s not just about the number of participants,” Coholan went on to say. “Fish Bowl is intended to increase visibility and create more awareness of the Zoo and its conservation mission, globally and locally.”
Bowlers of all ages and abilities are joining in the fun including teams from Our Sisters’ School, Nativity Prep, Seven Hills Community Services, as well as the Mayor’s Office, New Bedford City Council and a variety of local businesses.
“We are thrilled to participate in this year’s Fish Bowl event,” said Suzanne Means of Seven Hills Community Services. “It’s a great opportunity to support a fellow non-profit while giving our residents a chance to be part of a fabulous community fundraiser.”
Teams are encouraged to come to the event in costume and will be competing for the top prizes such as, Top Female Bowler, Top Male Bowler, Best Team Score, Top Fundraising Team and Best Team Costume. There will be an on-site raffle with great items donated by local businesses and supporters.
A special thanks to our “King Pin” Sponsor, Kam Appliances, our “Strike Sponsors”, Baldwin Brothers, The Law Offices of Beauregard, Burke and Franco, the Coholan Family and Dominos, our “Spare Sponsors”, Harbor One Bank, Sid Wainer and Robert B. Feingold and Associates and our “Friend Sponsors”, Jersey Mikes and Morgan Stanley. We are also thankful for our 17 lane sponsors.
The BPZS holds a variety of events, educational programs and fundraisers throughout the year. For more information on upcoming events, please visit bpzoo.org.
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