BPZOO mourns the loss of 22-year-old bison

by Lindsey Audunson | Jan 14, 2022 | Animals

The Buttonwood Park Zoo is mourning the loss of Sarah, a 22-year-old American bison who came here in 2000, just in time to be present for the Zoo’s grand reopening. She called BPZOO home for the last 21 years.

Being one of the Zoo’s most geriatric residents, Sarah’s caretakers paid special attention to her age-related needs. In September 2021, they noted that Sarah seemed to have some trouble navigating her habitat. BPZOO veterinary staff evaluated Sarah, and after consulting with a veterinary ophthalmologist, determined that her protruding eyes were likely an early indication of glaucoma. While Sarah’s prognosis was eventual blindness, animal care staff felt confident that her quality of life was still high and that they could continue to ensure she was comfortable and well cared for. Sarah was closely monitored until November 2021, where she began to exhibit concerning neurological symptoms that were consistent with those of a midbrain tumor. BPZOO veterinary and animal care staff consulted with a veterinarian who specializes in large animals. Based on that recommendation and an internal quality-of-life assessment, the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize her.

The life expectancy of American bison is 15 to 20 years. BPZOO feels fortunate to have had such long-lived bison. Geriatric animal care is an area that BPZOO dedicates many resources to and has had much success in.

Sarah had shared this beautiful habitat with longtime companion Grace and before that a male named George. Sarah, Grace and George all came to the Zoo together in 2000. George sired six calves here at BPZOO. Sarah had three female calves named Nutmeg, Sage, and Cinnamon. Once mature, these calves moved onto other AZA facilities as part of an organized breeding program. Since Grace’s passing in 2018, Sarah had been cohabitating with a variety of waterfowl, a pair of sandhill cranes, and Autumn and Olive, two white-tailed deer fawns that were orphaned earlier this summer.

Our staff, and our visitors, will certainly miss the presence of these iconic, majestic animals. Whether they were seen slowly, methodically grazing or so perfectly laying in the open pasture tails swinging. Their silly and wild romps through the deep snow will forever stick in our memories as will the tossing, smashing, and interacting with enrichment items- especially Christmas trees. Those who were lucky enough to care for these animals will fondly remember the quiet and thoughtful training sessions and the attentiveness when the barn shift door opened. The loss of Sarah is difficult, but our team takes comfort in knowing she, and so many of our resident animals, are living long, full lives.

The Zoo is currently pursuing adding new bison to this habitat and we hope to be able to share updates over the next few months.

Name Our Sloth!

by Lindsey Audunson | Oct 25, 2021 | Animals, Conservation

Baby Sloth Needs a Name

Here’s an opportunity of a lifetime. We are inviting YOU to help us name our four-month-old baby Hoffman’s two-toed sloth. Born on June 22, 2021, to first time parents Sandy and Bernardo, this cutie is the very first sloth to be born here in our 127-year history.

Our friends and followers have suggested some names (over 500 to be exact) and together with our naming committee which included local radio personality Michael Rock from FUN 107, five names were selected to be put to a community vote!

For just $1.00 you can vote AND support sloth conservation. For every dollar donation, your name is entered in for the chance to win. The winner will be selected at random and receive a private meet and greet with the baby sloth inside the Rainforests, Rivers & Reefs building.

The name who receives the highest donation wins!

Name options for the baby sloth:

Arlo
Moby
Lento
Herman
Ziggy

VOTE NOW!

Or text SLOTHNAME to 41444

For a good cause!

The proceeds will go directly towards sloth care here at the Zoo and conservation in the wild.

BPZOO will be supporting The Sloth Institute, an in-situ conservation organization in Costa Rica that works to enhance the welfare and conservation of sloths through the rescue, rehabilitation and release of hand-raised and injured sloths while also conducting vital research, conservation and education programs to ensure their survival.

DID YOU KNOW: There are six species of sloths that live in the tropical forests of Central and South America, ranging from critically endangered to least concern.

Although listed as least concern according to the IUCN, in parts of their range Hoffman’s two-toed sloths (Choloepus hoffmanni) are declining due to severe habitat degradation and fragmentation. Electrocution from electrical wires and death as a result of increasing roads also pose a threat to these slow-moving mammals. Wild-caught individuals, especially offspring, are sold as pets as part of the tourist industry. This illegal trade is increasing and represents a cause of concern due to its impact on the wild population.

PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE:

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING GLOBAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS!

An Update on Asian Elephant Ruth

by Lindsey Audunson | Sep 22, 2021 | Animals

An Update on Asian Elephant Ruth

At the Buttonwood Park Zoo high quality animal care is always our top priority. Dedicated animal care, veterinary, and curatorial staff work diligently to meet the husbandry, behavioral, welfare, and veterinary needs at all stages of an animal’s life – geriatric animal care is an area that BPZOO dedicates many resources to, with much success.

Recent guests to BPZOO may have noticed that Ruth, a 63-year-old female Asian elephant who has called the Zoo home since 1986, has not been as visible in the outdoor elephant habitat. Ruth has been spending much of her time convalescing inside her sand-floor barn, as she undergoes treatment for an age-related foot issue.

This past May, Ruth was diagnosed with proliferative pododermatitis – which causes too much tissue to grow around the nails, toes, or pads of her feet. The likely cause of this condition is her abnormal conformation – which refers to the skeletal structure of Ruth’s legs and feet, affecting how she stands and walks. As is common in geriatric elephants, 63-year-old Ruth’s age-related arthritis of her joints has progressively worsened, despite years of anti-inflammatory treatments and regular corrective trimming of her nails and pads. This arthritis has resulted in Ruth putting excessive, unevenly distributed pressure on parts of her feet while walking and standing, causing the pododermatitis.

Ruth is currently under veterinary care led by the Zoo’s in-house veterinary and animal care teams, along with leading veterinary and elephant foot experts from around the country. These experts have been assisting with her treatments, both in person and virtually. In addition to continued corrective foot pad and nail trimming, Ruth is also now being treated with medicated foot soaks, cryotherapy, antibiotics, several cutting-edge treatments, regular bandaging to assist in treatment and pain management medications as needed. As means to not exacerbate her foot issues, Ruth is mostly on stall rest, which allows her to relax comfortably in her barn and take the pressure off her afflicted foot and other arthritic joints. Just recently, she has begun to make short trips into the outdoor portion of the Asian elephant habitat.

Over the last few weeks, Zoo leadership has seen some stabilization of Ruth’s foot condition. Although optimistic for a recovery, the Zoo recognizes that treatment of such a significant foot issue, particularly on a geriatric animal, will be a long process. Staff are performing regular quality of life and welfare assessments of Ruth to ensure her well-being and that she is as comfortable as possible during her treatments.

Staff have been working diligently to treat Ruth’s foot condition, while also ensuring that she is comfortable and stimulated while on stall rest. We all know how Ruth is beloved by our community, so everyone can take comfort in knowing that she is receiving the best possible care for her age-related condition.

As one of the oldest elephants in the North American population, Ruth is no stranger to age-related issues, such as arthritis, and for years has required a modified diet. Animal care staff carefully chop her preferred type of hay and cook all her produce, so it is gentler on her teeth. Asian elephants have six sets of molars over the course of their lifetime, and Ruth is on her final set.

As Ruth continues to rest and receive treatment inside, she will be making short trips out into the Asian elephant habitat as her condition allows. Emily, BPZOO’s 57-year-old Asian elephant, will continue her typical routine of remaining outside during the Zoo’s operating hours. The Zoo will continue to provide updates on Ruth’s care through our website and social media pages.

BPZOO Rescues Two Fawns

by Lindsey Audunson | Sep 8, 2021 | Animals, Conservation

Introducing Autumn and Olive

The Buttonwood Park Zoo has a long history of providing forever homes to orphaned and injured native wildlife, thanks to a strong partnership with the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, or MassWildlife – and 2021 has proven to be no exception.

In early summer months, MassWildlife placed a young white-tailed deer fawn at BPZOO, who was believed to have been orphaned at less than ten days old in South Dartmouth. Weeks later, she was joined by a second fawn found alone in Western Massachusetts. They are the first white-tailed deer to inhabit BPZOO since 2017.

white-tailed deer fawn in clinic July 2021

The two fawns, now affectionately referred to as Autumn and Olive, were only weeks old when they arrived at BPZOO and required hand-rearing by animal care staff. After approximately two months of bottle feeding, weight checks and completing the required quarantine, the fawns are ready to venture into a temporary habitat near their future home in the Zoo’s bison habitat.

In discussing the new arrivals, Zoo Director, Keith Lovett stated that “as part of our mission related to environmental education and the conservation of wildlife, the Zoo is proud to provide homes to many native species that are injured or orphaned in the wild. The Zoo, who has a long history in managing deer, will work to educate our guests on the impact humans can have on local wildlife and actions that can be taken to minimize our imprint on the environment.”

Eventually, Autumn and Olive will move into the bison habitat, a roughly ½ acre space that the fawns will share with Sarah the bison and approximately 16 species of waterfowl. For now, the two fawns can be viewed in the side yard to the right of the entrance plaza.

About White-tailed Deer

White-tailed deer can survive in a variety of terrestrial habitats, from the big woods of northern Maine to the deep saw grass and hammock swamps of Florida. Ideal white-tailed deer habitat would contain dense thickets (in which to hide and move about) and edges (which furnish food). White-tailed deer fawns nurse for 8 to 10 weeks before they are weaned. Young males leave their mother after one year, but young females often stay with their mother for two years. Nervous and shy animals, white-tailed deer wave their tails characteristically from side to side when they are startled and fleeing. They are extremely agile and may bound at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. White-tailed deer are also good swimmers and often enter large streams and lakes to escape predators, insects or to visit islands.

Boo at the Zoo is Back!

by Lindsey Audunson | Sep 6, 2021 | Animals, Family

SLIGHTLY SPOOKY FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

Boo at the Zoo is CANCELED on Saturday (10/30) due to the predicted weather. Everyone who has tickets for Saturday will automatically get moved to Sunday (10/31) for the same time slot. There is no need for new tickets. Those with Saturday tickets from 3:00pm to 4:30pm, will need to email info@bpzoo.org to reschedule tickets. The Sunday event will run from 10:00am to 4:00pm. We ask for your patience – we are doing our very best to get the Zoo set back up for these events as well as be in correspondence with our ticket holders.

Now in its 20th year – Boo at the Zoo will satisfy all your fall, Halloween and cool weather cravings. With campus wide daytime trick-or-treating, there are seven chances to enjoy Boo at the Zoo this year. Want to show off your little ghosts and goblins? Baby Boo is for you! Baby Boo is geared towards children 5 and under, but any age is welcome!

Boo at the Zoo

Saturdays & Sundays
October 16, 17, 23, 24, and 30
10:00am – 6:00pm

October 31
10:00am – 4:00pm

Baby Boo

Friday, October 29
9:00am – 2:00pm

Dress the kids in their favorite costume and come explore all that BPZOO has to offer! We’ll provide families with a socially-distanced walk through experience with some twists and turns along the way. Our slightly spooky theme will include mazes, plenty of trick-or-treat stations, free carousel rides, endless photo opportunities including a photo costume contest, Halloween themed animal enrichment, and up-close meet and greets with the Zoo’s Animal Ambassadors. Don’t forget to stop into the Cafe to enjoy festive, fall favorites – who can resist kettle corn and apple cider!

Families are encouraged to bring their own “trick or treat” bags. All proceeds from Boo at the Zoo support the Zoo’s education and family programs.

Did you take a photo in front of the Costume Contest backdrop!? Submit your photo by 8:00pm on the day you attended to be entered to win prizes!

We are excited to bring Boo at the Zoo back for the 2021 season! In order to do so, we have implemented measures to encourage social distancing among guests and staff and to protect our animals. By purchasing your event ticket, you agree to:

Abide by social distancing rules and do your best to give space between families
Wear a face mask whenever indoors – this means masks are required upon entry into the Zoo, to use the restrooms, indoor cafe and the Rainforest building

Are you or your family looking for a unique way to give back to the community?

Boo at the Zoo at Buttonwood Park Zoo is a fun way to volunteer while helping to create slightly spooky memories for thousands of families.

Click here for more information!

Buy Tickets for Boo at the Zoo

Boo at the Zoo Prices

BPZOO Member: $12 Adult, $8 Child

Non-member: $17 Adult, $13 Child

Under 2 is free

We strongly encourage purchasing your tickets online in advance. Entry is limited each hour and we cannot guarantee that tickets will be available at the door.

Buy Tickets for Baby Boo

Thank you to our Sensationally Spooky Sponsor: