One great thing about the San Diego Zoo is that we realize that we have the ability to help save and preserve many species that are threatened in their native habitat. A small slice of this can be found at our Hawaiian Native Plant Garden, next to the Lory Loop near koalas, and another patch near the top of Bear Canyon. Some of the more notable species you will find there are the koa tree Acacia koa Loulu palms Prichardia ssp. and the cabbage-on-a-stick plant Brighamia insignis.

The koa tree has been logged extensively for the fine grain wood it produces. Bowls, tables, ukuleles, and many other expensive products are made from it. Hawaii’s only native palm genus, the Pritchardia, is represented here with several species, and the cabbage-on-a-stick plant, extremely rare in the wild, is flourishing at the San Diego Zoo.

These are just a few plants we grow in the Zoo’s Hawaiian Native Plant Garden. There are some that we are unable to grow here in San Diego due to climate differences, but we are always adding new ones and growing species in our greenhouse. For us, it is a thrill to try to create an area in the Zoo that mimics the Hawaiian Islands, right down to the lava rocks!

Seth Menser is a gardener at the San Diego Zoo.

Visit our Plants & Gardens section.

Read the rest of this entry »
« Show Less

The overhead and surrounding flora are, quite honestly, stunning! Exiting to the left at the bottom of Fern Canyon is an orchid display that often brings me goose bumps. As many times as I have been up and down this canyon, my pace still slows to a crawl as I enter this wonderful place and the altered state of conscience I experience there.

Gary Voyles is a visitor assistance officer at the San Diego Zoo.

Self-guided plant maps of Fern Canyon and other botantical areas of the Zoo are available to visitors. You can pick them up just past the entrance turnstiles.

Read the rest of this entry »
« Show Less

The largest of the newcomers hails from Africa and weighs in at a hefty 14,000 pounds (6,350 kilograms), so big that it requires a special crane to place it in the enclosure that will soon be home to a variety of African lizards. What reptile could possibly weigh that much? Well, it is not a reptile at all; it’s a decades-old aloe tree. And while it’s not the star attraction of the enclosure, it is sure to turn heads.

Aloe trees Aloe bainesii are succulents native to South Africa that can grow to 70 feet (21 meters) there. In Southern California, they can reach 30 feet (9 meters) after many years. While most people have heard of aloe vera and have used it for its medicinal purposes, many are surprised to learn that there are over 300 species of aloes.

Planting such a large tree requires a lot of planning, coordinating, and, of course, a very large hole! The Herpetology Department and the Horticulture Department worked together to make it all happen smoothly. To compliment the centerpiece tree, we also planted many smaller aloes in the exhibit. Several dump trucks of soil were required to ensure a healthy growing medium, and the irrigation needed to be plumbed in. Many steps were taken to create an environment that was appealing to both the reptiles and our visitors.

The work was hard, but at the end of the week, tired and exhausted, I didn’t hear one person complain. After the dust settled, all I heard was people talking about how satisfying it was to be a part of a collaborative project that was so rewarding.

Seth Menser is a gardener at the San Diego Zoo.

Read the rest of this entry »
« Show Less

The Club conceived the idea of a native plant garden in 1987 and the Wild Animal Park made space available on an undeveloped hillside covered with rocks, brush, and weeds. After four years of dedicated effort, the Garden opened to the public on Earth Day in 1991 and it is now a recognized botanical garden.

Fund-raisers by the Club consist of a plant sale in November and a spring Garden tour event in April. The monies earned have financed two bridges costing over $16,000, development of a trail system throughout the garden (no small item considering the rocks and boulders!) a watering system needed to get the plants started, and the planting of over 1,800 plants, shrubs, and trees. The garden is the responsibility of the Club and is funded by it. Garden specialists who are volunteers from the Club work the year around to keep this area in prime condition and additional volunteers are always welcome.

Guided tours are offered the second Saturday of April and May at 10 a.m. and are free with Park admission. Our next free walking tour of the Nativescapes Garden is on May 13! The garden is available to the Park’s visitors for hiking, enjoyment, education, and reflection when the Park is open. Come see what native plants can do for your yard and help in the effort of water conservation by using them in your landscaping. The San Diego area has a Mediterranean climate; imported water is a limited resource and will become more critical as the population grows. Using native plants in your garden will help to conserve this valuable commodity as the population continues to grow.

Valerie Whitney is a member of the Lake Hodges Native Plant Club.

Here’s more information about the upcoming free Garden tour.

Read the rest of this entry »
« Show Less

So much has been accomplished these past few months for the new Railway route. The Heart of Africa’s animals have been shifted around into new areas. A large new boma (see photo above) has been built for holding the animals when needed. New sod, sprinkler systems, a vast amount of hydro-seeding, and many large trees have been transplanted to enhance the exhibits. I am delighted to be a part of this group and being able to watch what they do has been a wonderful experience. Though few in number, their accomplishments are amazing.

There is still more tree placement scheduled for next week and I’m hoping to be able to lend a
hand. The equipment they use is really cool. It looks like a giant, four-sided spade that opens around the tree, sinks down around the roots, then lifts it up and out.

On another note entirely, I got to see the baby Indian rhino out for his morning romp (see video of the little guy here). Kicking and spinning, he raced around the nursery yard in the Park’s Nairobi Village with his companion ankole cattle calf. Too cute! I also got to see the two-day-old red river hog piglets. Now there’s some cuteness! One would fit into my cupped hands, if only I could be so lucky! So, that’s all for now. Come
check us out!

Deb Erickson-Morris works in the Plant Trader gift shop at the Wild Animal Park but is currently on loan in the Park’s Horticulture Department. Here’s a previous blog about her loan experience.

Read the rest of this entry »
« Show Less

The Roar & Snore campgrounds are also new this year, offering upgraded accomodations. Also fast approaching is the Butterflies & Orchids event. Preparations are in full swing both inside the Park’s Hidden Jungle and under the covered walkway. The carnivourous garden area has been jack hammered away to create a beautiful display of plants and flowers needed for the hatching butterflies. P.J. Rhodes, a lead gardener, is in charge of ordering all the nectar [color] and host plants needed to keep our fluttering friends happy. From the planning and purchasing to the planting, she and her crew (with the help of the Bird Department) have transformed this exhibit into a wonderland of color.

Keith Thomas, our other lead gardener, is responsible for the planning, purchasing, and designing of the orchid display. There will even be a water element added this year. With the help of gardeners Debbie, Kelly, Danny, and Pilar, the covered walkway in the Park’s Nairobi Village will become a tropical treasure.

This is truly a magical time and well worth a visit. If you have the opportunity, stop by from April 8th thru 23 and enjoy the Butterfly & Orchid show. You’ll be glad you did!

Deb Erickson-Morris works in the Plant Trader gift shop at the Wild Animal Park but is currently on loan in the Park’s Horticulture Department. Read about the first days of her loan here.

Read the rest of this entry »
« Show Less

My first few days were spent getting to know my assigned area. Each gardener has his or her own area that they are responsible for. This includes the planting, pruning, weeding, irrigation, watering, and, in some cases, the design and layout of the plants as well. My area is in Nairobi Village from the Petting Kraal thru Lorikeet Landing, Hidden Jungle, and up to the Fishing Village bridge. Compared to others, mine is one of the smaller locations to tend.

In the second week, I assisted the arborists and other gardeners in removing acacia tree branches overhanging the pathways. These are beastly trees! Although beautiful to look at, the trees grow very large, sharp thorns approximately 3 inches (8 centimeters) or more in length. They also have a toxin, so when you get jabbed by them it’s painful and makes you swell like a puffed marshmallow. I know, because I have been so lucky! But, it’s all part of the job and you just learn to be very, very careful with them. I was also able to attend a Plant Show in Del Mar and visit various local nurseries to see what plant stock is available. Because I purchase plants for the Plant Trader shop at the Park, it was a valuable excursion for me.

Today was a pretty normal day of trimming and weeding and I find that today, as most days, I was smiling as I looked around at where I work, who I work with, and what I am able to do.

Deb Erickson-Morris works in the Plant Trader gift shop at the Wild Animal Park when she’s not “on loan!”

Read another blogger’s loan experience with the San Diego Zoo’s Horticulture Deparment.

Read the rest of this entry »
« Show Less

Bob headed straight for a group of trees with a lot of new growth at the tips. Because of the toxins that protect the tree, koalas prefer the new growth, which is easier to digest. In order to have a supply of fresh tips all year round, harvesting is selective and sites are visited on a rotational schedule that Bob keeps in his head. Having done this for so many years, I guess it becomes second nature.

We worked together, Bob snipping off branches about the thickness of a finger and between 4 and 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 meters) long, me wrapping them in bundles of 80 or so and securing them with twine saved from the hay bales at the Zoo. (We recycle all sorts of stuff!) There’s a technique to wrapping a bundle so it stays together. I stack the branches across the twine so that the cut ends, or butts, are all lined up evenly with the twine about 18 inches (46 centimeters) up along the stem. After creating a pile, one end of the twine goes through a loop at the other end and is pulled tight, compressing the branches. Once it’s cinched together, I tie it off and lift it onto the truck. When done properly, the butts stay together and fit easily into the water barrels in the big walk-in cooler back at the koala barn. Each day, we deliver 10 to 15 bundles of branches.

I understand now why the Browse Team starts so early in the morning. Harvesting while it’s cool keeps the leaves fresh and provides the keepers with high quality food to offer their charges.

Patti Turkle is a bus driver/guide at the San Diego Zoo.

Here’s more information about our plants and gardens.

Read the rest of this entry »
« Show Less

The Browse Team is responsible for growing and harvesting various plants to use as dietary supplements for certain animal residents. Many of the plants are found right on San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park grounds, but certain species are grown at our off-site browse farm or harvested from multiple locations around San Diego County. My job would be to help harvest eucalyptus for the koalas and plant new saplings to replace trees that had died. Browse gardeners typically start their day at 5:30 am. For me, that meant getting up at 4 a.m. every morning and dressing in layers to stay warm. It was quite an adjustment from my regular tour bus schedule.

That first day, I helped box up ficus branches for shipment to the Cincinnati Zoo. The fresh supply and variety of ficus species helps keep their Sumatran rhinos in prime condition and has contributed to their breeding success in Cincinnati.

Packing the boxes is dusty, sticky work. I wore a mask and coveralls to keep the latex sap from staining my uniform. Using hand snips and loppers, three of us trimmed the branches to fit in the cardboard florist boxes. Each box weighed about 40 pounds (18 kilograms) when filled and was taped shut securely. When wet from rain, the branches are placed in plastic bags before going in the boxes to keep the cardboard intact. We’re currently shipping 54 boxes a week. That’s an increase of 30% from a few months ago. The young female in Cincinnati is getting bigger and her appetite is increasing with her size. It’s very satisfying to realize that our hard work is benefiting these unique and endangered animals.

Patti Turkle is a bus driver/guide at the San Diego Zoo.

Here’s more information about our plants and gardens.

Read the rest of this entry »
« Show Less

Fall is such a wonderful time of year. But in this place and under this tree it becomes an altered state of consciousness. It just does not get better than this.

Gary Voyles is a visitor assistance officer at the San Diego Zoo.

Read the rest of this entry »
« Show Less