(Utica NY – Nov. 2015) As the Utica Zoo strives for accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), upgrades to the facilities of the 101 year old Zoo continue. Projects completed over the past few months include a brand new quarantine building, repaving major sections inside the zoo, adding a brand new natural gas powered generator, and converting all light bulbs and fixtures in the zoo into energy efficient LEDs.
Behind the Wildlife Building at the Utica Zoo is a brand new quarantine addition. When animals arrive to the Utica Zoo, they have to undergo a quarantine period of at least thirty days to ensure that they are not bringing in any foreign health risks to the current animal population. The new quarantine section is large enough to bring in big animals like tigers or bears, and also has sections for smaller species like tamarins and lizards. Utica Zoo also has the ability to heat the floors of the new building if needed.If an animal at the zoo becomes sick with something that can spread, quarantine is where they are placed until they are healthy enough to rejoin the population. Phase one of the quarantine project cost $260,000 and was funded in part by a $100,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida County.
Paving occurred in major sections inside the zoo, including the front of the Wildlife Building, and the Children’s Zoo. Paving inside the zoo totaled roughly $100,000 and was paid for in part by a $65,000 NYS grant secured by Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi and $25,000 grant from M&T Bank’s donor advised fund at the Community Foundation. Thepaving will increase the mobility for wheelchairs and strollers exploring the zoo. Two wheelchairs will be purchased in spring of 2016 with a portion of the M&T Bank grant for the zoo to rent out to visitors.
A brand new natural gas powered generator has been purchased and installed at the Utica Zoo. The generator is a backup for the large, walk-in freezer and refrigerator at the zoo. When the power has gone out in the past, the Utica Zoo had to obtain a refrigeration truck in order to keep all of the animal food intact. Thousands of dollars’ worth of fish, meat, fruits and vegetables for animal diets are stored in the refrigerator and freezer. To put it into perspective, the Utica Zoo currently spends $21,000 a year on fish to feed the three California Sea Lions. This new generator will make sure that the freezer and refrigerator are running at all times. The generator will also serve as backup power for Reptile Hall. The generator cost $10,000 and was paid for by an anonymous donation.
307 light fixtures were converted to LED, and 383 LED light bulbs were installed at the Utica Zoo.The new LED light bulbs last for 50,000 hours versus 10,000 hours with the old high wattage fluorescent ones, which means less frequent light bulb replacements and less of an impact on the energy grid. LED lights are also environmentally friendly and can be easily recycled after use. Converting the light bulbs and fixtures will reduced the zoo’s CO2 emissions by 74,387 pounds per year. The project expense is deducted from the gross savings in their energy bill, and once the LED project is paid for, the zoo will save approximately $7,000 per year on electricity costs. Potentia Management Group of Whitesboro converted the lights and fixtures.
“We are very thankful for the strong partnerships with government leaders and philanthropic individuals within the Mohawk Valley. Each project completed gets us one step closer to being accredited by the AZA. The Utica Zoo has been debt free since 2011, and we pride ourselves in securing the funding for projects before they begin.” – Andria Heath, Executive Director.
To find out how you or your organization can help the Utica Zoo, please call Andria Heath at (315) 738-0472 ext. 41.Stay up to date on all things Utica Zoo by visiting www.UticaZoo.org, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @UticaZoo.