Akron Zoo Chapter of AAZK

12/17/2025

Stop by and donate tonight!

Chloe the kinkajou is hoping you'll help make a difference this holiday season by bringing in donations for our food drive here at the Akron Zoo Welcome Center on Wednesday, Dec. 17 from 5 - 7 p.m.

We're teaming up with WAKR, 97.5 WONE and 94.9 WQMX to collect items for Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank. No parking or admission fees required to donate. For every donation, enter to win some fun Akron Zoo prizes, like Wild Lights tickets or an Akron Zoo membership!

For a list of items to donate, visit https://www.akronzoo.org/food-drive.

12/17/2025

A great article about bats hunting strategies! Their success rate is a whopping 47%!

Meet one of the most energy-efficient predators on Earth

12/15/2025

Bill Jordan, alongside his wife Laura, founded The Medina Raptor Center in the 90's, helping it grow into one of Ohio’s leading wildlife rehabilitation facilities. This past week, we lost the patriarch of our raptor center family.
Bill supported Laura’s dream wholeheartedly and became an integral part of it—building enclosures, planting hundreds of trees and native plants, maintaining the property, and responding at all hours to help injured birds. He played a hands-on role in countless rescues and releases, always ready when needed.
His kindness extended far beyond wildlife. Bill had a special love for animals—offering every stray a home and every rescue a life filled with love. Above all, Bill was devoted to his family, supporting Laura and his children, Missy and Bill with steady love and strength.
Known for his warmth, humor, and gentle spirit, Bill touched everyone who crossed his path. As the saying goes, a life that touches others lives on forever—and Bill’s legacy will continue to soar.
Fly with the eagles, Bill. You did well.

(Tribute inspired by Annette)

https://www.waitefuneralhome.com/obituary/william-jordan-jr

12/14/2025

Once declared extinct in the wild, a group of Przewalski’s horses is taking its first steps toward a new life on the grasslands of central Kazakhstan following decades of breeding, planning, and collaboration across continents. Nat Geo photographer Ami Vitale traveled with the animals to capture a pivotal moment for the world’s last truly wild horse. Learn more about the effort to reestablish a self-sustaining population of Przewalski’s horses in their historic range: https://on.natgeo.com/4pulTqX

12/06/2025

We ❤️ our volunteers!

12/06/2025

Ohio Trumpeter Swans Webinar opportunity!

Description:
Ohio restored trumpeter swans to the state between 1996-2003. In this webinar, you will discover the process required by a state for trumpeter swan restoration, including the role of the Flyway approval.

You’ll learn how the state’s historic wetland loss and growth of the non-native mute swan population influenced management actions as Ohio worked to ensure the best wetland habitat for trumpeter swans.

You’ll also explore the fascinating movements of Ohio trumpeter swans with GPS/GSM collars that were part of the larger Midwest trumpeter swan movement research.

When: Tuesday, Dec 9 - 12:00 PM EST
Registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FEr7CUIYTniT8TigUzEkZA

Presenter: Laura Kearns, PhD, Ohio Division of Wildlife

Ohio restored trumpeter swans to the state between 1996-2003. In this webinar, you will discover the process required by a state for trumpeter swan restoration, including the role of the Flyway approval. You’ll learn how the state’s historic wetland loss and growth of the non-native mute swan po...

11/29/2025

Make sure to visit Quinn in the nocturnal building! While you’re there, say hi to her new next door neighbors, the chinchillas!

11/23/2025

❌ Myth:

“If you see a bat in the winter, it must be sick or rabid.”

✅ Fact:
Ohio bats naturally enter torpor or hibernation during the cold months, but it’s not uncommon to see one awake if it’s been disturbed, warmed up by unseasonably mild weather, or accidentally ended up inside a building. A winter sighting doesn’t automatically mean the bat is sick however it can mean it needs help.

🦇 Why Bats Appear in Winter

As temperatures drop, most of Ohio’s bat species find a safe place to hibernate such as attics, barns, tree cavities, rock crevices, etc.
But they may show up unexpectedly when:

-Warm weather snaps cause them to wake briefly
-Construction or home repairs disturb their roost
-Heat leaking from buildings draws them inside
-Predators flush them out
-They are underweight going into winter and become weak
-They have something called 'white-nose syndrome'

🦇 When a Bat Needs Help

A winter bat does need intervention if you find it:

-On the ground
-Exhausted, cold, or barely moving
-Inside your living space (not just the attic)
-Caught by a cat or found near pets
-Out in freezing temperatures during the day

Cold-stressed bats dehydrate and deteriorate quickly and even a small delay can be dangerous.

🦇 What to Do

If you find a bat in any of the situations above:

-Do not touch it bare-handed.
-Gently contain it using a container and thin piece of cardboard.
-Keep it somewhere quiet and warm until you can reach a licensed rehabilitator.

Call us at (419) 684-9539 for instructions!

Bats are one of Ohio’s most important nighttime insect-eaters. Just one bat can consume thousands of insects including, but not limited to, mosquitoes every night during the warmer months. Helping them survive winter helps our entire ecosystem thrive.

11/14/2025

‼️ Don’t forget to get your Panda Express this upcoming Monday to support red pandas!
➡️ Order on Panda Express’ website or app for pickup or delivery at ANY location! Yes, you read that right, any location nationwide!
😁 Enter the code 9009402 in the fundraiser code box at checkout and 28% of your order total will go towards the Red Panda Network!
👍 A double win- get yummy food and support the adorable fluff butts!

11/11/2025

If you wanted another shopping experience after the one at Akron Zoo this Saturday, check out Greater Cleveland AAZK Chapter’s Holiday Shopping Spree on November 20th!

Get all of your Christmas shopping done with us on November 20th!

11/04/2025

Please remember to be mindful of wildlife, especially with the shift of rush hour traffic impacting when more animals are out and about!

11/01/2025

This week the Akron Zoo and Mac Love (co-founder of ART x LOVE) unveiled a one of a kind wind chime, painted by Mac. This wind chime was specifically made as a memorial for all the animals at the zoo so that keepers, staff, and the public can take a moment to mourn and reflect.

When talking about the art piece, Mac said he got inspiration from a trip to Bali. While he was walking in the bamboo forest, the sound of the bamboo shoots clanking against each other made him feel peaceful. This is what he wished to portray with this piece, which is why he decided to use bamboo.

On the wind chime, there are 5 biomes (tundra/mountain, grassland, aquatic, desert, forest/rainforest) portrayed with various animal silhouettes within each biome. The 6th chime is dedicated to love and affection.

This wind chime will be hung in the upcoming weeks in the Akron Zoo’s gardens by the existing memorial plaque (last picture). It will be taken down for winter and put back up once the weather gets warmer again to help preserve it. Thank you Mac for your dedication to this special piece, the keepers and the rest of the staff greatly appreciate it!