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44 AL/ Metro 360 www.almetro360.com .................................................. Montgomery Zoo and Mann Wildlife Learning Museum Get a Facelift during the COVID-19 Pandemic B Y M ELANIE G OLSON , APR, M ARKETING & P UBLIC R ELATIONS M ANAGER he closing of the Montgomery Zoo and Mann Wildlife Learning Museum in mid- March due the Coronavirus crisis came at a very unfortunate time. The Zoo is usually filled with the sound of laughter and excite- ment of visitors from across the country during the spring. But not this year. For more than two months the Zoo has been filled with the sounds of chain saws, cement trucks, construction and landscaping equipment, paint brushes, pressure washers and more. Working together as a team, Zoo staff seized the opportunity to complete some major projects throughout the 42-acre facility. The Animal Care Department met the animals’ daily needs, as well as, extra training and enrichment activities to ensure they re- mained healthy, happy and engaged with their surroundings during the closure. Our veterinary care team did lots of check-ups and even attended to a few babies. It was definitely evident that the animals were curious where their friends were, especially the giraffes and stingrays since they were not getting all the extra treats nor- mally get every day. The Maintenance and Operations Department enlisted the help of staff in every department to help with landscaping and painting projects. From cutting trees and trimming shrubs to pulling weeds and spreading mulch the entire Zoo has been freshly landscaped. The train, Sky lift, viewing stations, restrooms, tables, chairs, benches and more were cleaned and sanitized. Several exhibits re- ceived makeovers and updates, including new shade umbrellas in the North America, Asia, and Africa realms. Some exhibit areas started major remodeling projects to house future animals that will be here soon. Zoo staff and other city departments did a great deal of work that may not be seen by the public but is very important to the wellbeing of our animals and efficiency of the Zoo’s daily opera- tions. Improvements in the Veterinary Clinic holding areas, creating new animal runs and a thorough cleaning and organizing of all of the services area of the Zoo were completed to ensure staff can en- sure the highest level of care to all the Zoo’s animals. The gift shops were not left off the list either. Both gift shops have been rearranged and organized to make room for some excit- ing, new eco-friendly products, as well as create a fresh shopping experience for guests. One of the biggest morale boosters for staff was the response to a simple social media post sharing our need for produce. The re- sponse was overwhelmingly met by area grocery stores, restaurants and farmers. The River Region community continued to show its support for the Zoo with monetary donations, calls, cards and comments on our social media posts. These provided a real morale booster for Zoo staff, who were dealing with reduced hours, staffing and supplies during the state’s Shelter in Place order. In an effort to keep Montgomery Zoo fans and supporters en- gaged and up-to-date while guests could not visit, the Zoo provided daily social media posts featuring keeper talks, animal updates, and learning at home lesson plans. Animal fact sheets, printable worksheets, activities, craft projects, and games were posted daily to give teachers and parents who suddenly found themselves home- schooling their children resources to compliment lesson plans. “Keeping children connected to their favorite animals during this closure is an important part of our mission,” said Danielle Crowe, the Zoo’s Education Curator. She went on to explain that education just doesn’t stop because the Zoo is closed and class fieldtrips had to be canceled. “Teachers still have science and geography units to teach. Providing tools related to the animals at the Montgomery Zoo provides a virtual experience for students and a greater un- derstanding of the world around them,” Danielle concluded. When asked her thoughts on how the Zoo has handled this crisis, Marcia Woodard, Zoo Director said “I could not be more proud of our staff. Each person stepped up and did what was needed, some mastering tasks they had never done before. The level of teamwork displayed during this closure was overwhelming T Cassie prepares for target training with Dash and Buddy, the Montgomery Zoo's two African lions. b OF ALAB eat AMA ETH