Even cold weather can’t stop animals and guests from enjoying Rosamond Gifford Zoo
Surya Vaidy | Staff Photographer
Whether it's gourmet dinners or the zoo’s Animal Enrichment event, Rosamond Gifford Zoo hosts a variety of activities to attract visitors while it's cold outside.
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Ted Fox has seen his fair share of winters and challenges since beginning his work as a zookeeper at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in 1991. In his current role as a director, Fox oversees a variety of zoo operations, including ensuring guest and animal comfort in the winter. Living in Syracuse requires the zoo team to prepare for blizzards, ice and other harsh winter conditions, Fox said.
“Just like the humans that live in our community, the animals are pretty thrifty when it comes to dealing with cooler temperatures,” Fox said. “It’s actually enjoyable for a lot of the animals but we have a lot of things in place, from shelters and heated areas and extra feed in the winter.”
In January and February, also known as “Snow Leopard Days,” the zoo hosts a variety of events, including gourmet dinners and craft-based activities for children. During these months, admission to the zoo is reduced as a way to incentivize guests to visit. Despite the weather, the zoo aims to draw patrons out and provide fun activities in addition to seeing the animals.
“We get questioned a lot if we’re open during the winter, because most people don’t feel like going outside necessarily, so they don’t think our animals would be outside either,” said Tammy Singer, a collections manager at the zoo. “Winter is actually a really great time to come to the zoo and see the animals because they’re more active, they’re more visible and they’re not hunkering down in the heat of the day to take a nap.”
Singer, who oversees several different animal areas at the zoo including small mammals and primates, said that many of the animals at the zoo are native to areas of colder climates and therefore have an easier time adjusting to the Syracuse winters.
During a blizzard, the animals are given additional blankets to keep them from laying directly on the snow, and they are able to enter heated barns that protect them from the elements. Post-blizzard ice maintenance at the zoo also has a set protocol, which the zookeepers are very vigilant about.
During a blizzard, animals at the zoo are given additional blankets to keep them from laying directly on the snow, and they are able to enter heated barns.
Surya Vaidy | Staff Photographer
Keeping the waterfowl pond clear of ice is an important part of this protocol, Singer said, as ice forms easily during the Syracuse winter. The pond is equipped with bubblers to maintain motion in the water, but when that isn’t enough, Singer said that zookeepers manually cut and remove ice from the water.
Whether it’s to experience an indoor exhibit or engage in a group trip, the winter weather isn’t enough to drive guests away, and many guests end up visiting the zoo in the winter. Zoo-goer Thomas Meaney said he prefers to visit the zoo when the weather is colder.
“We’re at a time where all the animals are a lot more active, like the wolves, which I enjoy seeing,” Meany said. “Come in the summertime, a lot of times they’re napping.”
Events like the zoo’s Sweet Treats Animal Enrichment event, which celebrated Valentine’s Day by giving the animals heart-shaped treats and enrichments to engage with, also are a way to draw guests out to visit. Even with snow adorning zoo paths, groups of children and families show up on the weekends to catch a glimpse of their favorite animals.
Phillip Hill, another zoo-goer, doesn’t find the wintery conditions to be a deterrent from bringing his children to the zoo.
“It’s just another transition to allow the kids to get out and see some animals, expend some energy and run around a little bit,” Hill said. “I found it beneficial for them to be able to run around and be outdoors and see the animals, learn a little bit about it.”
Even in the cold, it’s possible to enjoy a day at the zoo. Being in Syracuse, the staff at the zoo understand weather conditions are not always in favor of a day outdoors, Singer said, but she encourages guests to come out and experience the other amenities the location has to offer.
“If you’re maybe not a winter person and you don’t want to be outdoors, you can book a program. You can come and you can be at the zoo and do something really fun and just to get out of the house and not be hibernating yourself,” Singer said.
Published on February 22, 2022 at 10:23 pm
