Monday, August 2
2
Mon
Mon
Secret weapons or great escapes are what it takes to survive where the wild things are. Don’t miss out on discovering the art of animal armor and defenses.
COST: $195 members / $250
general public.
Social Updates
Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
14 hours ago
💜 ROCKIN' GARDENS 🎸
This summer, in the heart of the Walled Garden, guests will find annual beds that are sporting a rock-and-roll flair! Eight gardeners split up into teams of two to interpret famous album cover with plants and props.
Let's check out Gardening Team: Eloy and Benjamin! These gardeners picked Prince's album 1999 as their rock band bed theme. Prince often wore purple, and his albums frequently had a purple theme, so these beds are adorned win the purple of Tradescantia pallida. The team outlined the beds with Duranta erecta 'Aurea', imitating the gold/yellow outline of the numbers in the 1999 album title. The duo also used their creativity with props, using old bicycle rims to form the number 1999. An unmistakable cut-out of Prince completes the design.
Stay tuned for more ROCKIN' GARDENS!Photos from Riverbanks Zoo and Garden's post ... See moreSee less
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Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
18 hours ago
🍺 Are you joining us for Brew at the Zoo this year? ... See moreSee less
Lions and tigers and beers, oh my! Popular event returns to Riverbanks Zoo & Garden
Lions and tigers and beers, oh my! Popular event returns to Riverbanks Zoo & Garden
Riverbanks Zoo & Garden is hosting its 15th annual Brew at the Zoo on Aug. 6, when zoo-goers can drink as they please while watching their favorite critters.Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Google PlusShare on Linked InShare by Email
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Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
2 days ago
It’s #InternationalTigerDay! Private ownership of tigers and other big cats is a serious animal welfare and conservation problem. Encourage your legislators to support the "Big Cat Public Safety Act," which would strengthen existing law to prohibit the possession of tigers, lions, and other big cat species except by qualified entities. Send a message now: bit.ly/AZABigCatActIt’s #InternationalTigerDay! Private ownership of tigers and other big cats is a serious animal welfare and conservation problem. Encourage your legislators to support the "Big Cat Public Safety Act," which would strengthen existing law to prohibit the possession of tigers, lions, and other big cat species except by qualified entities. Send a message now: bit.ly/AZABigCatAct ... See moreSee less
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Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
3 days ago
Our Aquarists are busy preparing for upcoming construction. With the transformation of the Zoo’s Aquarium-Reptile Complex drawing near, new homes needed to be identified for some resident species. For example, the re-envisioned Conservation Center will transform the Tropical Habitat Gallery into an immersive desert biome. This meant all hands on deck to safely move our Amazonian freshwater fishes, like piranha, stingray, pacu, and arowana, to their new homes at other AZA-accredited facilities. Transporting dozens of fishes is no easy task - from forklifts to staff in the water it took quite the team to ensure everything went smoothly!
Our primary focus was on the health of the animals and also staff safety as they handled large, fast, and strong fish and of course some fish with very sharp teeth! On piranha-moving day, the fish were handled using special clear plastic nets (and gloves!) and received medical exams prior to being loaded into the transport vehicle. On our other big day of fish transfers, the husbandry staff moved quickly and efficiently to catch the fish out of their exhibits using soft rubber nets and moved them to a holding container that was prepared ahead of time with water and an air supply. Once the container was full of fish, we secured the lid, and another team member used the forklift to move the container through the park and to the waiting transport vehicle. For the largest animals that needed to be moved, we used a special net called a "ray tray" to catch and safely lift them out of the exhibit using the forklift! Stress on the fish was kept to a minimum using this technique.
With proper planning and great teamwork, we successfully transferred all the animals to their new homes.
Stay tuned for more updates on The Darnall W. and Susan F. Boyd Foundation Aquarium & Reptile Conservation Center expected to open in the spring/summer of 2022. The current Aquarium-Reptile Complex is scheduled to close to the public in August for the start of construction.Photos from Riverbanks Zoo and Garden's post ... See moreSee less
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Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
4 days ago
Remember that fun flamingo fact we shared - the one about crop milk!
Ring a bell? If not check out these action shots of our growing chick feeding on this special liquid. Flamingo parents feed their chicks crop milk that comes from their upper digestive tract. This liquid is a bright red color, and extremely rich in nutrients! Both males and females can feed chicks this way. Biologists even believe the begging calls from hungry chicks is what helps to stimulate the secretion of the crop milk.
📸: Christian, Bird KeeperPhotos from Riverbanks Zoo and Garden's post ... See moreSee less
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Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
5 days ago
BREW AT THE ZOO Tickets 🍺 Get them before they sell out!
🥨 Friday, August 6 | 7:00–9:30pm | Stroll through the Zoo and sample a variety of specialty imported, domestic, and micro-brews while enjoying live entertainment. Food available for purchase.
🦁 General Admission Tickets:
$50 Riverbanks members and $60 general public
No one under 21 will be admitted. All proceeds support the ongoing conservation and education efforts of Riverbanks!
TICKETS: etickets.riverbanks.org/Tickets/BrewattheZoo/tabid/153/Default.aspx
Additional Information: www.riverbanks.org/events/brew-at-the-zooBREW AT THE ZOO Tickets 🍺 Get them before they sell out!
🥨 Friday, August 6 | 7:00–9:30pm | Stroll through the Zoo and sample a variety of specialty imported, domestic, and micro-brews while enjoying live entertainment. Food available for purchase.
🦁 General Admission Tickets:
$50 Riverbanks members and $60 general public
No one under 21 will be admitted. All proceeds support the ongoing conservation and education efforts of Riverbanks!
TICKETS: etickets.riverbanks.org/Tickets/BrewattheZoo/tabid/153/Default.aspx
Additional Information: www.riverbanks.org/events/brew-at-the-zoo ... See moreSee less
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Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
6 days ago
As we wrap up National Zoo Keeper Week we wanted to celebrate the hard work, dedication, pride, fun and professionalism put into this field by each of our 50 full-time keepers at Riverbanks! Our Zoo Keepers care for hundreds of species; including 🐨 mammals, 🐦birds, 🐍reptiles, 🐸amphibians, 🐠fish, and 🦑invertebrates.
Check out the number of Keepers in each department!
4️⃣ Aquarists
4️⃣ Herpetology Keepers
8️⃣ Bird Keepers
2️⃣4️⃣ Mammal Keepers
1️⃣ Swing Keepers (rotates through all departments)
2️⃣ Hospital Keepers
7️⃣ Commissary TechniciansPhotos from Riverbanks Zoo and Garden's post ... See moreSee less
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Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
7 days ago
Christian cares for the birds at Riverbanks 🐦🦜
Let’s get to know Christian a little more:
What do I look forward to most when I come into work?
Getting to interact with the Lorikeets while also getting to see the joy they bring guests
One of the proudest moments as a zoo keeper!
When my keeper position became a full-time position, I had successfully finished several major projects for my aviary, and I realized afterwards that I was very proud of the state of the exhibit and the birds I care for.Christian cares for the birds at Riverbanks 🐦🦜
Let’s get to know Christian a little more:
What do I look forward to most when I come into work?
Getting to interact with the Lorikeets while also getting to see the joy they bring guests
One of the proudest moments as a zoo keeper!
When my keeper position became a full-time position, I had successfully finished several major projects for my aviary, and I realized afterwards that I was very proud of the state of the exhibit and the birds I care for. ... See moreSee less
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Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
7 days ago
Catherine supervises the Cat/Bear team- which care for the lions, koalas, Diana monkeys, tigers, siamangs, bears, and river otters!
🐻🐨🦁🐵🐯 Let’s get to know Catherine a little more:
What do you look forward to most when you come to work each day?
I love coming to work and seeing my team. I am very fortunate as a supervisor to have a team that gets along really well and works extremely hard every day. When you have a great team, it makes the days a lot better. I also always love seeing Zuri, our male lion! He is certainly one of my favorite individuals...
But don't tell all the other animals 🙂Catherine supervises the Cat/Bear team- which care for the lions, koalas, Diana monkeys, tigers, siamangs, bears, and river otters!
🐻🐨🦁🐵🐯 Let’s get to know Catherine a little more:
What do you look forward to most when you come to work each day?
I love coming to work and seeing my team. I am very fortunate as a supervisor to have a team that gets along really well and works extremely hard every day. When you have a great team, it makes the days a lot better. I also always love seeing Zuri, our male lion! He is certainly one of my favorite individuals...
But don't tell all the other animals 🙂 ... See moreSee less
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Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
1 week ago
Sarah cares for Aquarium residents at Riverbanks 🦑🐟🦐
Let’s get to know Sarah a little more:
What do you look forward to most when you come to work each day?
Seeing the progression of not only the animals, but myself. Right now, I have seahorse fry and watching them grow is one of my favorite parts about coming to work each day. As for myself, I look forward to always improving and learning new things. This field is ever evolving and there hasn’t been a day where I didn’t learn something new!Sarah cares for Aquarium residents at Riverbanks 🦑🐟🦐
Let’s get to know Sarah a little more:
What do you look forward to most when you come to work each day?
Seeing the progression of not only the animals, but myself. Right now, I have seahorse fry and watching them grow is one of my favorite parts about coming to work each day. As for myself, I look forward to always improving and learning new things. This field is ever evolving and there hasn’t been a day where I didn’t learn something new! ... See moreSee less
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Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
1 week ago
Connor cares for the reptiles and amphibians at Riverbanks 🐢🦎🐸🐍
Let’s get to know Connor a little more:
What's one thing you wish our guests knew about your role?
I wish our guests knew that every animal has a place in the ecosystem and a purpose. Nothing is more frustrating than hearing guests talk about how some of our reptiles and amphibians are gross and shouldn’t be around. Every animal plays a role in the world and even if you don’t like them, they should be respected.
Share one of your proudest moments as a Riverbanks zoo keeper.
One of my proudest moments is helping to raise our juvenile timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) which is the first offspring we’ve had since 1989.
What do you look forward to most when you come to work each day?
I look forward to coming into work and caring for the animals in our collection and possibly make someone’s day when they see their favorite animal or someone seeing our reptile and amphibian collection up close and gaining a new appreciation for them.Connor cares for the reptiles and amphibians at Riverbanks 🐢🦎🐸🐍
Let’s get to know Connor a little more:
What's one thing you wish our guests knew about your role?
I wish our guests knew that every animal has a place in the ecosystem and a purpose. Nothing is more frustrating than hearing guests talk about how some of our reptiles and amphibians are gross and shouldn’t be around. Every animal plays a role in the world and even if you don’t like them, they should be respected.
Share one of your proudest moments as a Riverbanks zoo keeper.
One of my proudest moments is helping to raise our juvenile timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) which is the first offspring we’ve had since 1989.
What do you look forward to most when you come to work each day?
I look forward to coming into work and caring for the animals in our collection and possibly make someone’s day when they see their favorite animal or someone seeing our reptile and amphibian collection up close and gaining a new appreciation for them. ... See moreSee less
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Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
1 week ago
Michelle cares for Aquarium residents at Riverbanks 🦑🐟🦐
Let’s get to know Michelle a little more:
One thing that I wish guests knew about my role here as an aquarist at Riverbanks, is that we do a lot more than husbandry to care for the animals. We also do plumbing, general tank maintenance, water quality testing, diving, and of course, lots and lots of cleaning to keep the animals healthy and happy. These aspects of the job are just as important as the daily husbandry care that we provide to the animals.
One of my proudest moments as a keeper at Riverbanks was when the aquarium team worked with the local DNR to raise trout from eggs to small fry, and then released them into the Congaree River right by the zoo where they will continue to live and populate our local ecosystem. To see the trout that we had spent months raising be released into their natural habitat was very meaningful.Michelle cares for Aquarium residents at Riverbanks 🦑🐟🦐
Let’s get to know Michelle a little more:
One thing that I wish guests knew about my role here as an aquarist at Riverbanks, is that we do a lot more than husbandry to care for the animals. We also do plumbing, general tank maintenance, water quality testing, diving, and of course, lots and lots of cleaning to keep the animals healthy and happy. These aspects of the job are just as important as the daily husbandry care that we provide to the animals.
One of my proudest moments as a keeper at Riverbanks was when the aquarium team worked with the local DNR to raise trout from eggs to small fry, and then released them into the Congaree River right by the zoo where they will continue to live and populate our local ecosystem. To see the trout that we had spent months raising be released into their natural habitat was very meaningful. ... See moreSee less
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