As the temperature rises, so does the level of GREEN in and around the animal exhibits. We often receive or overhear comments from guests regarding the “unmanicured” look of the park, or “overgrown” foliage. They don’t make the connection that wild environments and the front lawns of neighborhoods are not really supposed to look the same.

Part of the job of the modern zookeeper is to allow the exotic animal to live a lifestyle that is as natural as possible. In the wilds of the Savannah, there is no weekly mowing schedule. In the deepest jungles of South America, there are no gardeners with pole saws keeping vines away from trees. Each piece of life in the environment has an important purpose.

While we absolutely want our visitors to be able to witness the gorgeous animals we love, it is not always in the best interest of the creature itself to have a freshly cut yard. So we like to let things get a little wild, but then reign it in just enough to keep the humans visually satisfied.

So keep in mind the next time that you visit our zoo – or any living animal park – is that there is a reason it’s not called “tamed-life.”