© Suburban Journals
of
Chicago cartoon by Rob Bou-Saab
Cownose
stingrays (Rhinoptera bonasus) Swim by in Formation.
©
Suburban Journals of
Chicago Inc photo
An Exotic Group of Animals with
Millions of Years of History
Comes to Brookfield Zoo for
a Limited Visit.
review by Ed
Vincent
A
wonderful group of primitive creatures gliding by in smooth
moves. I remember as a child, and later as a diver, that
stingrays were not very dangerous or aggressive, you just did not want
to step on one. In the near past though one well known television
personality from Australia was killed with a barb entering his heart
and ending his life. Shortly after that
an older man in Florida had a live ray on his boat and was injured with
the barb. The poison is not injected like a snake bite, but more
like a toad. A stingray has a passive injection method and with
its barb trimmed down to a nub it is harmless. All of the rays
that are on display are harmless, friendly, and even communal.
This
is a nice display of some exotic wildlife, where the visitors
can touch and even feed these creatures from millions of years
ago. Dr. Brian Joseph, the Chief Operating Officer of Living
Exhibits Inc. was on hand to finalize all the installations and
answer questions about the rays, their lives, and the enjoyment
people have had seeing these displays around the country.
There
is a minimum price to see the exhibit and well worth
your time and visit. This close encounter with these unique
animals is a treat for all those with taste for adventure. The
rays bring in water from openings on the tops of their heads,
near the eyes and expel the water beneath through flaps facing
the sea floor. This is unusual but necessary since they do not
want their breathing disturbed with particulate matter from the
sand and mud. This system of breathing has worked well
since the age of dinosaurs, and does fine today too. Come and have
a look......
Stingray Bay Brings Touch Experience to Brookfield Zoo
Families Invited to the Zoo’s Largest-Ever Traveling Exhibit
for Interactive Fun and Learning
Brookfield, IL — Catch some Caribbean rays this summer at Stingray Bay, presented by Feldco, the largest traveling exhibit ever hosted by the Chicago Zoological Society’s (CZS) Brookfield Zoo. Opening May 26 and continuing through Labor Day 2007, the tropical-themed exhibit invites guests of all ages to touch nearly two dozen cownose and southern stingrays housed in a magnificent 16,000-gallon saltwater touch pool on
the zoo’s East Mall.
"The rays are safe to touch, and they make for a fun, hands-on, educational family experience," says Andre Copeland, public programs manager for the Society.
"Rays are incredible creatures to get to know. They are safe, swift, beautiful, and truly amazing in their abilities to use senses that people might not know they have, like smell and hearing," Copeland says. "Rays have impressed humans for long enough that they figure into folklore from a variety of cultures. We see them in stories passed through generations
by people who traditionally live near water and value environmental conservation, such as in South America, where we have the legendary Mother Stingray, and in Australia."
To ensure the safety of zoo guests, caretakers who carefully monitor the stingray exhibit also trim the animals’ barbs—the whip-like tail parts that can sting—in a painless process that is similar to trimming human fingernails. At Brookfield Zoo, interpreters are on hand to answer guests’ questions, explain how rays live, and demonstrate the best ways to touch them.
The stingrays' home is a landscaped pool complete with its own waterfall. The lagoon is less than two feet deep and measures about 25 feet by 55 feet, allowing guests to gain access and touch the stingrays while still providing a center area where the animals can rest.
"It is our mission to connect people with animals and nature. This exhibit
is an excellent way to allow people to do so in a safe setting," Copeland says, also noting that Stingray Bay includes a focus on sustainable seafood and provides information to help guests make choices that promote an abundance of healthy wildlife at markets or restaurants.
The Chicago Zoological Society is known for conservation, and it is very much a part of the Society’s mission to give people action steps that they can act upon to make a difference in improving the environment. "We are equipping people with the knowledge they need to contribute to realistic sustainability goals," Copeland says.
Adjacent to the animal exhibit is a gift shop filled with an array of stingray-, beach-, and pirate-themed merchandise, including apparel, gift items,
plush animals, toys, and jewelry. In addition, an outdoor café situated on
a 50-foot by 60-foot wooden deck features char-grilled sandwiches and made-to-order vegetarian stir-fry, alcoholic and non-alcoholic tropical drinks, and several varieties of beer. A railing encircles the deck with additional bar-stool seating. An indoor 1,600-foot snack area carries
sodas, bottled water, Dippin Dots®, pretzels, hot dogs, popcorn, and other munchies.
Admission to Stingray Bay is $2 ($1 for Brookfield Zoo members) in addition to the general zoo entrance fee; advance tickets are not required. Children 2 and under are admitted free.
For more information about Brookfield Zoo, including directions and admission prices, visit www.BrookfieldZoo.org.
Open every day of the year, the zoo is located off First Avenue between
the Stevenson (I-55) and Eisenhower (I-290) expressways and is also accessible via the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), Metra commuter line, CTA, and PACE bus service.
©
Suburban Journals of
Chicago Inc photo
Dr. Brian
Joseph verifies all is in order.
©
Suburban Journals of
Chicago Inc photo
The food was
all delicious and fit for the whole family.
© Suburban Journals
of
Chicago Inc photos
Open May 26 through September
3, 2007
Admission
Admission to Stingray Bay is $2
(zoo members pay $1). Children 2 and under are free.
Description
Stingray Bay is an interactive
saltwater exhibit featuring marine life in a visual and educational
display. It provides zoo guests the opportunity to
not only view marine life but to touch, and at various times,
participate in the feeding of the marine life collection. The exhibit
maximizes guest access to the animals while being sensitive to animal
husbandry needs.
Animals
§ Cownose stingrays (Rhinoptera bonasus)
§ Southern stingrays (Dasyatis americana)
Both the cownose and southern stingrays are hardy species that interact
well with people. In addition, both species lend themselves well to
feeding from guests in a safe and fun manner. All exhibit animals are
fed supplemental food in addition to feedings by guests, and the
animals have pool zones where they are able to swim away from guests if
they choose.
§ Animal Diet—The stingrays are fed a mixture of river smelt and shrimp.
§ Animal Off-Season Housing—When not on exhibit at a zoo, aquarium, or museum, the animals reside at a Living Exhibits animal care facility.
Animal
Care
Animal care for the collection
on site is supervised by a full-time exhibit supervisor and an
assistant exhibit supervisor both of who work for Living Exhibits.
Animal care standards are designed by Living Exhibits staff. Living
Exhibits animal care and veterinary policies and practices are in
accordance with community standards. In addition, animal care on site
is designed to be consistent with the Chicago Zoological Society’s
veterinary and animal care standards.
Physical Exhibit
The approximate specifications
of the exhibit are:
§ Pool depth: 18 inches
§ Pool dimensions: 25 feet x 55 feet
§ Pool perimeter: 160 feet
§ The bottom of the pool is covered with a two-inch layer of crushed Aruba Puka shells.
§ The pool is constructed of steel reinforced, poured concrete with a plaster finish on the inside and shotcrete (or Gunite) on the outside. The outside perimeter of the pool is embossed with subtle fossil impressions featuring sea stars, fish, etc.
§ The pool is under a 40-foot by 90-foot open-sided tent.
Life
Support System (LSS)
The Life Support System is
designed to provide both biological filtration and mechanical
filtration. In addition to the minor bioload introduced into the water
by the animal’s waste products and uneaten food, the maximum
nitrogenous waste contribution to bioload comes from perspiration and
other chemicals present on guests’ hands and forearms when they reach
into the water. Washing of hands in fresh water prior to putting hands
in the water helps mitigate the introduction of these components into
the animals’ environment. (Compliance to hand and forearm rinsing is
mandatory.)
The exhibit life support system
is comprised of sand, carbon and biological filtration, ozone augmented
protein fractionation, heating and chilling of water, backwash and
makeup water capabilities and ultra-violet water sterilization.
Salinity is maintained at 31–33 ppt (parts per thousand) and the
temperature of the water is maintained at between 70 and 80 degrees
Fahrenheit.
Sun & Surf Shop
The 1,600-square-foot gift shop
is located under the 40-foot by 80-foot tent. The Caribbean-themed shop
features:
§ Stingray and tropical island-themed merchandise include: plush animals, jewelry (necklaces, earrings, and bracelets), straw hats,
pink flamingo and parrot statues and figurines, wind chimes, candle holders, lighted moving pictures and other wall décor, picture frames, and puppets.
§ Pirate-themed merchandise include: T-shirts, pirate eye patches, PVC swords, pirate hats, jewelry, socks, and puppets, games, tub toy sets, flags, temporary tattoos, puzzles, and spy glasses.
Sun Deck
The beach-themed outdoor
café is on a 50-foot by 60-foot wooden deck decorated with
tropical plants and umbrella tables. A railing encircles the deck with
additional bar-stool seating. Caribbean music also adds to the
ambience. The café features three stations:
§ Fresh Island Smoothies—Daiquiris, margaritas, mai tais, pina coladas (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) available in assorted flavors and served in either 16- or 24-ounce souvenir cups.
§ Corona® Beach Hut—Corona® Corona® Light, Modelo® especial, and Miller® Light beers.
Trade Winds
The 1,600-square-foot snack shop
features sodas, bottled water, Dippin Dots® and other pretzels, hot
dogs, popcorn, munchies.
Staff
480
full-time employees, 20 permanent
part-time employees, and 700 seasonal employees
Volunteers/Docents
More than 500
Zoo
Memberships
More than 80,000
households
Brookfield
Zoo “Share the
Care” Participants
Approximately 6,130
Annual
Operating Budget
Income
The Forest Preserve
District of Cook
County, which owns the zoo, contributes approximately 28 percent of the
gross
operating budget. The Chicago Zoological Society, which manages the
zoo,
obtains the remaining 72 percent from admission and parking charges,
in-park
sales, membership fees, grants, and donations.
Admission
and Parking
Adults
$10
Seniors (65 and over) $6
Children (3-11)
$6
Children 2 and under Free
October through March
(Tuesdays and
Thursdays only)
Cars
$8
Buses
$10.75
(A Cook County parking tax is
included.)
Hours
Brookfield Zoo is open
daily 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m., with special summer hours of 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (The zoo
has
extended summer hours until 7:30 p.m. on Sundays from Memorial Day
through
Labor Day.)
Web site
www.BrookfieldZoo.org
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.
published by Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.