A Wild Valentine's Day Gift

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 $12.50, your sweetheart will receive:

• an adoption certificate

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

• 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 2/10/12


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.

Come out of your Shell

The latest Zoo Animal Misconception

Take the Chill Off at Polar Bites 2012!

Get your tickets now for Polar Bites, a wildly popular fundraiser that benefits the Buffalo Zoo. This wintertime favorite will take place on Thursday, February 16, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. upstairs at the newly-renovated Buffalo Niagara Convention Center. The Zoo’s Pro Zoo Board is planning a wonderful evening for this year’s event, sponsored by Phillips Lytle, LLC, Creditors Interchange, M&T Bank, 2FindYourHome, 97 Rock, Classic Hits 104.1, Fox 29, My TV and Buffalo Spree. Highlights include a basket auction, silent auction, visits with some of the Zoo’s animal ambassadors and the opportunity to sample culinary specialties, beer, wine, coffee and specialty services from the area’s finest establishments.

Tickets are $35 pre-sale and $45 at the door. A limited number of $60 VIP tickets, which includes early admission and a VIP goodie bag, are also available. Please note that anyone attending this event must be 21 years or older. To purchase tickets, please call (716) 995-6131 or (716) 995-6133. You may also order tickets online at www.buffalozoo.org.

Participating vendors include:

Boston Beer Co.

Bravo! Cucina Italiana

Brodo

Buffalo Niagara Convention Center

Buffalo Spree

CJ's Sundae Bar

Coca-Cola Bottling Company

Cookie Cutters Bake Shop

Cozumel Grill

Creekview Restaurant

D'Avolio Olive Oils &Vinegars

Dundee Brewing Company

Flying Bison Brewing Company

Fulkerson Winery

Glenora Wine Cellars & Knapp Vineyard

Global Group Wine & Spirits "

Great Lakes Brewing Co.

Greek Goddess Products, Inc.

Jack Astor's Bar & Grill

Johnson Estate Winery

Lebro's Restaurant

Magic Hat Brewing Company

McKenzie's Hard Cider

Merchant du Vin

Merritt Estate Winery

Niagara Landing Wine Cellars

Northtown Automotive

Passport Wine & Liquor

Pearl Street Grill & Brewery

Photo Booth For Fun

Pizza Plant Italian Pub

Premier Liquor

Rich's Dessert Builders

Rich's Red Brick Catering

Risa's Restaurant & Catering

Saranac Brewery

Seagram's Escapes

Shatzel Family of Restaurants

Southern Wine & Spirits

Spot Coffee

"Sweet Jenny's/Oh Pour

L'Amour Du Chocolat"

Templeton Landing

The Fox Valley Country Club

The Gourmet Store

The Melting Pot

The Roaming Buffalo, LLC

The Tonawanda Castle

Vetter Vineyards

vitaminwater zero

Willow Creek Winery

Yancey's Fancy

Zootique

Polar Bites 2012

Grants Boost Erie Canal Education, Preservation, and Tourism

In front, from left:

Beth Sciumeca, Erie Canalway Executive Director, Robert McDonnell, Erie Canalway Heritage Fund Board Member, Donna Fernandes, Buffalo Zoo President/CEO, Melissa Brown, Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society
In rear, from left: Tom Blanchard, Erie Canalway Heritage Fund Board Chair, Congressman Brian Higgins, Clint Brown, Erie Canalway Commissioner

The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission, in partnership with the Erie Canalway Heritage Fund, awarded $43,700 in grants to assist organizations with canal-related education, preservation, and tourism projects.

Seven organizations from Albany to Buffalo received funding, including one in Western New York: The Buffalo Zoo (Buffalo), Albany Institute of History and Art (Albany), Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum (Chittenango), Erie Canal Museum (Syracuse), New York Folklore Society (Schenectady), Schenectady Museum & Suits–Bueche Planetarium (Schenectady), and The Public Broadcasting Council of Central New York/WCNY (Syracuse).

“Distributing grants is critical to helping organizations develop new programs or advance their missions, especially in tight economic times,” said Judy Schmidt Dean, Commission Chair. “We are thrilled to be able to fund these worthy projects in 2012.”

“We are extremely proud to be named one of the recipients of these grants,” said Dr. Donna M. Fernandes, Buffalo Zoo President/CEO. “Our goal with the Delta Sonic Heritage Farm is to depict life on a small family farm located along the Erie Canal in the 1850s. Support from the Erie Canalway Heritage Fund, and our partnership with the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society, will allow us to develop programming that combines environmental education with Canal history to engage thousands of school children each year.”

The Buffalo Zoo, in partnership with the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society, received $5,500 to develop a new education program to focus on the interconnectedness of people, the local environment, and the Erie Canal, both past and present. The program will challenge students to consider how the Erie Canal affected (and continues to affect) not only people and society, but also domestic animals, wildlife, and natural habitats in New York State.

“With the help of these federal funds Western New York’s rich Erie Canal history comes to life in a fun, interpretive way for families,” said Congressman Brian Higgins. “I commend the Historical Society, the Zoo and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission for creating this partnership that will educate future generations of the Erie Canal’s critical role in the great rise of our region.”

“What a unique learning experience students will have through this program,” said Tom Blanchard, Chair of the Erie Canalway Heritage Fund. “Providing this type of hands-on learning for youth will help bring to life the rich Erie Canal history that is all around us in Buffalo.”

SEE BELOW FOR FULL 2012 GRANT PROGRAM AWARD DESCRIPTIONS; PHOTO AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST


The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor spans 524 miles across the full expanse of upstate New York, encompassing the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain canals and their historic alignments, as well as more than 230 canal communities. Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission, in partnership with the National Park Service, collaborates with government agencies, communities and organizations to protect and promote the canal corridor for all to use and enjoy. The Erie Canalway Heritage Fund is dedicated to charitable, educational, and civic purposes within the confines of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.

www.eriecanalway.org

####

2012 Grant Program Awards

The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor awarded $43,700 in grants in 2012 to assist organizations with canal-related planning, preservation and education projects.

Albany Institute of History and Art
Project Name: Erie Canal Lesson Plan
Description: The Institute will develop a lesson plan that uses art and artifacts from the Institute’s collection to help students explore the history and use of the Erie Canal. The program will be offered via video conferencing and hosted on the Institute’s website.
Amount: $5,500
Type: Education
Location: City of Albany
County: Albany
Canal: Erie Canal

The Buffalo Zoo
Project Name: Erie Canalway Connections
Description: The Buffalo Zoo, in partnership with the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society, will develop a new education program to focus on the interconnectedness of people, the local environment, and the Erie Canal, both past and present. The program will challenge students to consider how the Erie Canal affected (and continues to affect) not only people and society, but also domestic animals, wildlife, and natural habitats in New York State.
Amount: $5,500
Type: Education
Location: City of Buffalo
County: Erie
Canal: Erie Canal

Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum
Project Name: Cultural Landscape Report
Description: The report will provide recommendations and strategies for enhancing Chittenango’s dry-docks and historic character within the context of the museum’s long-term plans. In particular, the report will document critically needed repairs and improvement projects, including the rehabilitation of the existing dry dock, its gates, and visitor walkway.
Amount: $7,000
Type: Preservation of Historic and Cultural Resources
Location: Village of Chittenango
County: Madison
Canal: Erie Canal

Erie Canal Museum
Project Name: The Locks of the Erie Canal (Exhibit)
Description: This project will fund the preparation and exhibition of 57 original pen and ink drawings of Erie Canal locks and other canal structures by Syracuse artist Ray Sax. Work will include matting, framing, proper storage, and temporary exhibition for the exhibit.
Amount: $6,156
Type: Interpretation and Orientation
Location: City of Syracuse
County: Onondaga
Canal: Erie Canal

New York Folklore Society
Project Name: Music of the Erie Canal Symposium
Description: The New York Folklore Society, in partnership with the Erie Canal Museum, will present a two-day symposium exploring the connections between the Erie Canal and traditional music in New York State. The symposium will involve panel discussions, musical performances, and the development of a post-symposium interactive website.
Amount: $7,000
Type: Interpretation and Orientation
Location: City of Schenectady
County: Schenectady County
Canal: Erie Canal

Schenectady Museum & Suits–Bueche Planetarium
Project Name: Erie Canalway Audio Tour
Description: The museum will develop a mobile audio tour exploring the history and impact of the Erie Canal in downtown Schenectady. The tour will highlight the technological development that enabled the canal’s construction, the canal’s impact on the lives of the people who lived near it, and how the canal brought growth and new businesses to Upstate New York.
Amount: $6,030
Type: Interpretation and Orientation
Location: City of Schenectady
County: Schenectady Counties
Canal: Erie Canal

The Public Broadcasting Council of Central New York (WCNY)
Project Name: The Erie Canal: 21^st Century Minutes
Description: WCNY will produce six interstitials focused on people who tell the story of the canal as it is today. WCNY plans to air the interstitials on television and radio, upload them to its website, and make them available to affiliates from across New York State.
Amount: $6,531
Type: Interpretation and Orientation
Location: Various Locations
County: Onondaga (Council Location)
Canal: Erie Canal

ELECTRONICS RECYCLING DAY!

ELECTRONICS RECYCLING DAY…AND THE BUFFALO ZOO’S VERY FIRST ZOOPER SATURDAY EVENT!

January 7, 2012

Buffalo, NY– If you received new electronics for the holidays and you need somewhere to take the old or broken ones, bring them to the Buffalo Zoo as part of the Electronics Recycling Day on Saturday, January 7, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.!

The event is being hosted by the Buffalo Zoo, Foit-Albert Associates and Sunnking Electronics Recycling. By recycling your old items, you’ll not only help the environment, but you’ll also be supporting the Buffalo Zoo as the Zoo will earn revenue for each pound of electronics collected!

Accepted items include laptops, televisions, monitors, printers, copiers and more. Please note that gas powered equipment, household hazardous waste and items containing Freon (air conditioners, de-humidifiers, refrigerators, etc.) will not be accepted. All hard drives and private information will be securely wiped and destroyed in accordance with all HIPAA, FACTA, GLB and Sarbanes Oxley regulations, as well as Sunnking’s EPA R2 Certification.

Members of the community are invited to drop off their old electronics in the Buffalo Zoo’s parking lot (located at Parkside Ave. and Jewett) this day ONLY from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Each individual who recycles an item will receive a $1 off admission to the Buffalo Zoo (valid for this day only).

A list of acceptable materials for recycling can be found at www.sunnking.com/acceptable-materials. Question regarding what can or cannot be accepted can also be directed to info@sunnking.com. Additional information about Sunnking’s data security practices can be found at www.sunnking.com/data-destruction. For more information about the actual event, please contact the Buffalo Zoo at (716) 837-3900 or visit www.buffalozoo.org.

About Sunnking, Inc.
Founded in 2000, Sunnking Inc. is New York State’s first EPA R2 Certified Electronics Recycling, Data Destruction, & Asset Management company dealing in end of life electronic equipment. Their facilities located in Buffalo, Rochester, and Brockport, NY, specialize in collecting, refurbishing, reselling, and recycling electronic products from residential and commercial suppliers throughout New York State and surrounding areas. For more information, visit www.sunnking.com.

About Foit-Albert

Foit-Albert Associates, Architecture, Engineering & Surveying, PC has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with the Buffalo Zoo and has participated in the development of every exhibit at this institution over the past decade, completing all of the first phase Master Plan improvements and initiating work of its later phases. This includes the Sea Lion Cove, Otter Creek, Vanishing Animals and EcoStation exhibits, the expansion of the elephant holding and veterinary hospital facilities, the construction of the Children’s Zoo with a local Erie Canal farm theme, and the acclaimed M&T Bank Rainforest Falls.

AND!!!!!!!!!

ZOOPER SATURDAY, Saturday, January 7, 2012

While you’re doing your part in helping the environment by recycling your electronics on January 7, be sure to use your newly-acquired $1 off admission coupon to visit the Buffalo Zoo and take part in our very first Zooper Saturday event!

New for 2012, the Buffalo Zoo will be showcasing a variety of our animal groups throughout the year as part of Zooper Saturdays!

On the first Saturday of every month, different areas of the Zoo will be highlighted for visitors to enjoy. Join us for activities, including animal enrichments, health fairs, raffles and more each month! These events will combine some of your old favorites and even spice them up with new offerings, too, so be sure you don’t miss out!

For our very first Zooper Saturday event on January 7, come in out of the cold, and warm up with your favorite friends in the Reptile House and M&T Bank Rainforest Falls exhibit! Learn all there is to know about these exotic species from our keeper talks, feedings, enrichment activities and much more! This event is free with Zoo admission and will run from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. For more information, please call (716) 995-6133 or visit www.buffalozoo.org.

The schedule is as follows:

11:00 a.m. Giant anteater enrichment/keeper talk (M&T Bank Rainforest Falls)

11:30 a.m. Tamandua keeper talk/encounter (M&T Bank Rainforest Falls balcony)

12:00 p.m. Red-footed tortoise keeper talk/encounter (M&T Bank Rainforest Falls Visitor Center)

12:30 p.m. Macaw keeper talk (M&T Bank Rainforest Falls)

1:00 p.m. Animal enrichment (Reptile House)

1:30 p.m. Venomous species keeper talk/demonstration (Reptile House)

2:00 p.m. Amphibian keeper talk/feeding (Reptile House)

2:30 p.m. 2^nd Birthday celebration with the hellbenders (Reptile House)

3:00 p.m. Hellbender feeding (Reptile House)

For more information about January’s Zooper Saturday, please call (716) 995-6133 or visit www.buffalozoo.org.