Polar Bites 2011, February 17

For years now, the annual Polar Bites event puts some much needed fun in February. Taking place at the newly renovated Buffalo Niagara Convention Center on February 17, 2011, this annual benefit for the Zoo showcases some of the best restaurants, breweries, wineries and other specialty services in the Western New York Region. 1500 friends of the Zoo come together to help the Zoo and sample some of the best the area has to offer. If you want to help both your appetite and the Buffalo Zoo, come enjoy our basket auction, a silent auction and a visit from some our animal ambassadors. The event runs from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $30 pre-sale and $40 at the door. A limited amount of VIP tickets are available by phone only at a cost of $50. To get your tickets, call (716) 995-6133 or visit us online here. You must be 21 years or older to attend.

Say hello to Amari

Name: Amari (Western Lowland Gorilla) Born: October 8th, 2010 Native Habitat/Range: Tropical forest of West Africa from southern Nigeria to the Congo River Place of Birth: Buffalo Zoo Exhibit Location: Gorilla Enclosure Favorite Food: Juice Favorite Activity: Sucking on her fingers Facts: Gorillas can live up to 50 years. They have 32 teeth, the same as humans

Valentine’s Day Adoptions

Give your special someone a truly unique and loving Valentine's Day gift of an animal adoption from the Buffalo Zoo.

With your kind donation of $10, your sweetheart will receive:

• an adoption certificate

• a pair of guest passes to the Zoo, (valid thru 12/31/11)

• plus a sweet bonus of a chocolate heart, from Buffalo's finest chocolatier.... Fowler's Chocolate.

Valentine Adoptions animals include:

Amorous Anteater; Cuddly Capuchin; Endearing Elephant; Gorgeous Gorilla; Loyal Lion; Zany Zebra; Terrific Tiger; Gentle Giraffe; Lovable Leopard; Tender Toucan; Trustworthy Turtle and a Sweet Sea Lion.


Most importantly you'll be showing your love to your valentine as well as to one of the earth's most precious inhabitants.

Click here to apply online!
Deadline 2/10/11

We cannot guarantee Valentine’s Day delivery after this date.

Orders must be received by February 10th. Gifts will be mailed on or before this date.
All proceeds benefit the Buffalo Zoo's ADOPT-AN ANIMAL Program. Also available at the Zootique Gift Shop (After Feb. 1st) which is open Wednesday through Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The Buffalo Zoo’s Hellbender Lab Is Officially Open!

The Buffalo Zoo offered members of the media the opportunity to photograph the Zoo’s hellbender rearing lab that is now officially open for public viewing on January 11th inside the Buffalo Zoo Reptile House.

The eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) is the largest aquatic salamander species found in the Americas. Wildlife studies have shown that hellbender populations have declined dramatically, including those that inhabit some watersheds in New York State. Reasons for the decline of these amphibians are unknown. However, scientists are working to study the role of predators, disease (such as amphibian chytrid fungus), angler-related mortality, water quality and suitable habitat conditions and food sources to determine their contributions to the decline of hellbender populations. Although the eastern hellbender is listed as a species of "special concern" in New York, federal and state officials are also working to change their listing to "threatened" or "endangered.”

The Buffalo Zoo is pleased to collaborate with the New York State Department

of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Fish and Wildlife Service, and Buffalo

State College to take part in helping to secure this species' future. The Zoo is also grateful for the State Wildlife Grant (management and restoration category) money awarded to our facility to enable us to partner in this headstart project.

In October 2009, Buffalo Zoo reptile and amphibian keepers worked with DEC

senior biologist, Ken Roblee, to collect approximately 700 hellbender eggs from the Allegheny watershed. The eggs were brought to the Buffalo Zoo, where more than 600 of them hatched.

The hellbenders will be reared at the Buffalo Zoo until the summer of 2013. The juvenile hellbenders will then be pit-tagged by qualified Buffalo Zoo staff and released by the DEC at selected sites within the Allegheny watershed. The DEC will monitor the release sites as further population management and restoration actions continue to be identified and developed.

Members of the public are invited to observe the lab and learn more about the hellbender headstart project through the lab’s interpretive graphics.

(photo courtesy the Buffalo News)

“Warm Up With The Cold-Blooded” at the Buffalo Zoo January 15, 2011

BUFFALO, NY— Come in out of the cold, and celebrate “Warm Up With the Cold-Blooded” with your favorite scaly friends in the Buffalo Zoo’s Reptile House on Saturday, January 15, 2011 from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

Visitors will enjoy hot drinks as they listen to keeper talks, play games and watch handling demonstrations and feedings. All activities are free with Zoo admission.

The schedule of events is as follows:

11:00 a.m. Hellbender Headstart Presentation

11:30 a.m. Weight contest: Guess the weights of our endangered turtles, Tomi & Sully, and learn more about their confiscation story (prizes awarded)

12:00 p.m. Enrichment Keeper Talk

12:30 p.m. Snake Feed & Keeper Talk on Venomous Species

1:30 p.m. “Do You Hear What I Hear” guessing game (prizes awarded)

2:00 p.m. Animal Ambassador Pictures (Bring your camera to have a picture taken with a Buffalo Zoo reptile)

2:30 p.m. Hellbender Feed & Trivia Game (prizes awarded)

For more information regarding this event, please contact the Buffalo Zoo at (716) 837-3900

Some closer looks at the baby giraffe

And he is already over 7 feet tall