Utica Zoo Series *12* LbNA #34218
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Aug 18, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Utica |
| County: | Oneida |
| State: | New York |
| Boxes: | 12 |
| Planted by: | StrawberryShortkook  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | NicelySimple |
| Last found: | Aug 27, 2010 |
| Status: | FFF |
| Last edited: | Aug 18, 2007 |
The Utica Zoo is located in Roscoe Conkling Park in the city of Utica. Gates open every day at 10:00am, and the zoo closes at 5:00pm. We are open every day of the year, besides Easter, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission, as of 8-18-07, is as follows:
$6.50 for adults (13 yrs. +)
$5.00 for senior citizens
$4.50 for children ages 4-12 yrs. old
FREE for children 3 yrs. and younger and members
**While at the zoo, please consider supporting us and other zoos by purchasing a membership for yourself or your family. Memberships can be purchased at the gate/gift shop, and are accepted at MANY zoos nationwide for free admission!
There are twelve boxes in this series. I am a docent (volunteer) at the Utica Zoo, and I numbered these boxes in an order that I think would be best for anyone taking a tour of the Utica Zoo. Of course, you can find the boxes in a different order, but they were placed in a route that we most recommend for our zoo visitors.
If you find that any of these boxes need attention, please contact me immediately. Please be discreet, as there are many people wandering zoo grounds that are NOT letter boxers. If these boxes are not hidden well after each find, they may be easier for non-letter boxes to find and may become extinct!
#1: PREHENSILE TAIL: Find the primates at the zoo that have a prehensile tail. A prehensile tail is a strong tail that certain animals use as a fifth limb to help them climb, hang down, or hold onto things. Once you find the outdoor exhibit of these animals, put your back to the “please keep our animals healthy—do not feed” sign that is attached to the chain link fence. Look straight ahead of you to the yew shrub. Buried at the base of the shrub beneath some needles and mulch is the letter box.
#2: FELINE SISTERS: An endangered species we have here at the Utica Zoo is the largest of all feline species in the world. Our two carnivorous (meat-eating) sisters love to play in the snow during the winter months. In the 1930s, there were fewer than 50 of these beauties left in the wilds of Asia. Today, there are probably around 500 living in the wild, and although the population is growing, poaching (illegal killing of an animal) is still a problem. Once you find their expansive exhibit, walk the path past the carnivore-herbivore-omnivore sign. Have a perfect Kodak moment at the next sign with your face in the hole. After posing for your photo, turn 180 degrees and look for the oak tree right in front of you about 10 feet away. At the back of this tree near the base is a mossy rock. Look beneath this rock for your surprise.
#3: ALPHA FEMALE: We have an alpha female here at the Utica Zoo. She lives here with her four daughters, and all are very active and love to watch visitors. The species we have here is the smallest subspecies of their kind, and also the most endangered. There are only a couple hundred remaining in captivity, and even less in the wild areas of the Southwestern United States and into Mexico. Once you locate their exhibit, go halfway between the two observation decks. Put your back to the exhibit and look for a medium-sized old stump. Behind the stump beneath some twigs lies the box.
#4: QUILLED RODENTS: This quill-covered mostly nocturnal mammal usually lives in woods and forests. They are the second largest species of rodent in New York and are herbivores (eat only plants). It is a myth that these gentle creatures can throw their quills. In fact, you must brush up against them in order to get one stuck in your body. Their quills are extremely sharp and barbed at one end. One of their few predators in the wild is the fisher, which is a fast, agile member of the weasel family. Find our outdoor exhibit for this rodent, and find the three trees that form a triangle between this exhibit and the next one down the path. In the hollowed-out base of the middle tree about 2 feet from the ground is the box. Please cover well. **I AM AWARE THIS STAMP HAS CRACKED IN HALF. I HAVE MADE A NEW STAMP AND PLAN TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE BOX AS SOON AS IT'S NOT SO COLD OUT AND I CAN PRY IT OUT OF THE TREE! AS OF SAT., MAR. 23, IT WAS FROZEN IN THE TREE. . .**
#5: NATIONAL SYMBOL: One species we have here at the Utica Zoo has recently (June, 2007) been removed from the United States Endangered Species List. This proud national symbol builds a nest to raise their young. As a matter of fact, they return to this nest year after year and continue to add to it, making it bigger and bigger each year. One of the largest nests ever built was recorded at over 9 feet in diameter (across the middle) and weighing over 2 tons (4,000 lbs.)! Find this animal's exhibit at our zoo and face the two animal description signs. Directly behind you is a tipped barrel planter. Behind this planter lies this box.
#6: PREHISTORIC POKILOTHERMS: This long, prehistoric-looking carnivore is only on display during the summer months, since it is a pokilotherm, or cold-blooded animal. This means that its body temperature relies heavily on the environment around it. When the air temperature and conditions (such as sunshine) rise, this animal's temperature will rise as well. This is when it is most active-- when it is warm and sunny. However, when the temperature drops, this animal's body temperature drops, too. In the wild, they will eat anything they can catch, including fish, turtles, lizards, snakes, small mammals, water birds, crustaceans, and small misbehaved children who don't listen to their parents (JUST KIDDING!). Find their outdoor, fair-weathered exhibit, and find the signs describing this animal. Behind the stump in front of the signs is a rock which holds the box down. **I AM AWARE THIS BOX HAS VANISHED. I HAVE MADE A REPLACEMENT BOX TO PUT IN ITS PLACE, BUT AS OF SAT., MAR. 24, ALL THE ROCKS AROUND IT WERE FROZEN TO THE GROUND AND I COULDN'T HIDE IT WELL ENOUGH. I WILL REHIDE THE BOX AS SOON AS IT'S NOT SO COLD OUT!**
#7: ANATIDAE MIGRATORS: It is difficult to describe one particular species you may find at our zoo, since some of our residents are actually wild members of the Anatidae family. However, we do have some year-round residents as well. Here are some clues to help you: able to fly, prefer to spend much of their time in water, have a wide, flat beak adapted for skimming food from the water's surface, most species migrate (move) to other locations in the winter where they can find food more easily than in our ice-covered world here in Upstate New York. After you locate their home with us, take a rest on the bench (which may not be there in the winter) with your back to the pond. Look in the corner of the long planter directly across from you. Find the box buried beneath the cedar on the right.
#8: LONGESSST ANIMALSSS: Our longest animal at the zoo can reach a length of 17-18 feet by adulthood! These two don't eat very often-- only about once a month. Since they swallow their prey whole, it takes a while for their bodies to digest their meal. They, like other species of their kind, have a jaw that can unhinge. That means they can open their jaws almost to a full 180 degrees (straight up and down)! Find their indoor exhibit among their neighbors. Face the door with the lighted exit sign. To the right of this door is a rectangular blue sign with another fact on it. Reach over the top and back behind this sign for this box.
#9: AQUATIC MAMMALS: These aquatic mammals are known for their intelligence, playfulness, and noisy barks! They can be found along the Pacific coast of North America, mostly in the warmer from Mexico north to California. These pinnipeds eat fish, squid and occasionally crustaceans. Amazingly, males can weigh up to 800 lbs. and be over 7 feet in length! Hopefully you will get a chance to observe and enjoy our zoo keepers feeding our pinnipeds at either the noon or 3:00pm feeding. Face the exhibit, then look between the spruce and white pine in the garden behind you. There is a rock between the two. Hiding behind this rock beneath some pine litter (add more, if you can please!) lies this letter box.
#10: NOCTURNAL "BOP": This nocturnal (active at night) predator is one of the most widespread species of its scientific family. Like other raptors, the females are generally larger than the males. Although these birds of prey (BOP) can reach body lengths of 25 inches, they surprisingly weigh no more than 4 pounds! The feather tufts you see on top of their heads are not really ears-- they are just tufts of feathers that give them a distinctive "don't mess with me" devilish look. Once you locate her mew and those of her neighbors, find the garden to the right, which is dedicated to William “Bud” Floyd. At the base of the Alberta spruce beneath some rocks lies the letter box.
#11: CARAPACES & PLASTRONS: This is another exhibit that only houses its pokilothermic animals during the warmer months. These reptiles have a fantastic adaptation-- they can hide in their shells to avoid predators! These fascinating animals actually have two shells-- one on their back called the carapace, in which their vertebrate (backbone) is located, and another on their underside called the plastron, which protects the underbelly. (Stop by the nearby docent building, if it's open, to see a sample of their shell.) Many years ago, Native Americans in our state actually used their shell as a calendar to tell the months. Every full moon, which is once every 28 days, was represented by a different scute (scale) on their back. The Native American calendar has 13 moons-- ours has 12 months. Locate their seasonal outdoor exhibit, and walk past the exhibit and the exhibit of the “2nd place finishers” in the classic fairy tale race. Find the huge dead stump and fallen log. At the base of the stump hidden in a hollow is this box, hidden beneath some bark.
#12: HUMPED UNGULATES: These ungulates (mammals with hooves) have two humps on their backs and are native to the cold mountain desert climates of Central Asia. Their humps are filled with fat, not water. These fat stores are used by them for nourishing the body during times of little water or food. As the fat reserves are burned, the humps lose their rigidity and can actually fall over to the side. We currently have two of this species here at the Utica Zoo, and they are housed in different areas. Find the exhibit housing the newest arrival of the two. Once there, find where the chain link fence meets the tall wooden fence facing the parking lot. Where these two fences meet, there is a pile of rocks. Look behind this pile of rocks for this box.
$6.50 for adults (13 yrs. +)
$5.00 for senior citizens
$4.50 for children ages 4-12 yrs. old
FREE for children 3 yrs. and younger and members
**While at the zoo, please consider supporting us and other zoos by purchasing a membership for yourself or your family. Memberships can be purchased at the gate/gift shop, and are accepted at MANY zoos nationwide for free admission!
There are twelve boxes in this series. I am a docent (volunteer) at the Utica Zoo, and I numbered these boxes in an order that I think would be best for anyone taking a tour of the Utica Zoo. Of course, you can find the boxes in a different order, but they were placed in a route that we most recommend for our zoo visitors.
If you find that any of these boxes need attention, please contact me immediately. Please be discreet, as there are many people wandering zoo grounds that are NOT letter boxers. If these boxes are not hidden well after each find, they may be easier for non-letter boxes to find and may become extinct!
#1: PREHENSILE TAIL: Find the primates at the zoo that have a prehensile tail. A prehensile tail is a strong tail that certain animals use as a fifth limb to help them climb, hang down, or hold onto things. Once you find the outdoor exhibit of these animals, put your back to the “please keep our animals healthy—do not feed” sign that is attached to the chain link fence. Look straight ahead of you to the yew shrub. Buried at the base of the shrub beneath some needles and mulch is the letter box.
#2: FELINE SISTERS: An endangered species we have here at the Utica Zoo is the largest of all feline species in the world. Our two carnivorous (meat-eating) sisters love to play in the snow during the winter months. In the 1930s, there were fewer than 50 of these beauties left in the wilds of Asia. Today, there are probably around 500 living in the wild, and although the population is growing, poaching (illegal killing of an animal) is still a problem. Once you find their expansive exhibit, walk the path past the carnivore-herbivore-omnivore sign. Have a perfect Kodak moment at the next sign with your face in the hole. After posing for your photo, turn 180 degrees and look for the oak tree right in front of you about 10 feet away. At the back of this tree near the base is a mossy rock. Look beneath this rock for your surprise.
#3: ALPHA FEMALE: We have an alpha female here at the Utica Zoo. She lives here with her four daughters, and all are very active and love to watch visitors. The species we have here is the smallest subspecies of their kind, and also the most endangered. There are only a couple hundred remaining in captivity, and even less in the wild areas of the Southwestern United States and into Mexico. Once you locate their exhibit, go halfway between the two observation decks. Put your back to the exhibit and look for a medium-sized old stump. Behind the stump beneath some twigs lies the box.
#4: QUILLED RODENTS: This quill-covered mostly nocturnal mammal usually lives in woods and forests. They are the second largest species of rodent in New York and are herbivores (eat only plants). It is a myth that these gentle creatures can throw their quills. In fact, you must brush up against them in order to get one stuck in your body. Their quills are extremely sharp and barbed at one end. One of their few predators in the wild is the fisher, which is a fast, agile member of the weasel family. Find our outdoor exhibit for this rodent, and find the three trees that form a triangle between this exhibit and the next one down the path. In the hollowed-out base of the middle tree about 2 feet from the ground is the box. Please cover well. **I AM AWARE THIS STAMP HAS CRACKED IN HALF. I HAVE MADE A NEW STAMP AND PLAN TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE BOX AS SOON AS IT'S NOT SO COLD OUT AND I CAN PRY IT OUT OF THE TREE! AS OF SAT., MAR. 23, IT WAS FROZEN IN THE TREE. . .**
#5: NATIONAL SYMBOL: One species we have here at the Utica Zoo has recently (June, 2007) been removed from the United States Endangered Species List. This proud national symbol builds a nest to raise their young. As a matter of fact, they return to this nest year after year and continue to add to it, making it bigger and bigger each year. One of the largest nests ever built was recorded at over 9 feet in diameter (across the middle) and weighing over 2 tons (4,000 lbs.)! Find this animal's exhibit at our zoo and face the two animal description signs. Directly behind you is a tipped barrel planter. Behind this planter lies this box.
#6: PREHISTORIC POKILOTHERMS: This long, prehistoric-looking carnivore is only on display during the summer months, since it is a pokilotherm, or cold-blooded animal. This means that its body temperature relies heavily on the environment around it. When the air temperature and conditions (such as sunshine) rise, this animal's temperature will rise as well. This is when it is most active-- when it is warm and sunny. However, when the temperature drops, this animal's body temperature drops, too. In the wild, they will eat anything they can catch, including fish, turtles, lizards, snakes, small mammals, water birds, crustaceans, and small misbehaved children who don't listen to their parents (JUST KIDDING!). Find their outdoor, fair-weathered exhibit, and find the signs describing this animal. Behind the stump in front of the signs is a rock which holds the box down. **I AM AWARE THIS BOX HAS VANISHED. I HAVE MADE A REPLACEMENT BOX TO PUT IN ITS PLACE, BUT AS OF SAT., MAR. 24, ALL THE ROCKS AROUND IT WERE FROZEN TO THE GROUND AND I COULDN'T HIDE IT WELL ENOUGH. I WILL REHIDE THE BOX AS SOON AS IT'S NOT SO COLD OUT!**
#7: ANATIDAE MIGRATORS: It is difficult to describe one particular species you may find at our zoo, since some of our residents are actually wild members of the Anatidae family. However, we do have some year-round residents as well. Here are some clues to help you: able to fly, prefer to spend much of their time in water, have a wide, flat beak adapted for skimming food from the water's surface, most species migrate (move) to other locations in the winter where they can find food more easily than in our ice-covered world here in Upstate New York. After you locate their home with us, take a rest on the bench (which may not be there in the winter) with your back to the pond. Look in the corner of the long planter directly across from you. Find the box buried beneath the cedar on the right.
#8: LONGESSST ANIMALSSS: Our longest animal at the zoo can reach a length of 17-18 feet by adulthood! These two don't eat very often-- only about once a month. Since they swallow their prey whole, it takes a while for their bodies to digest their meal. They, like other species of their kind, have a jaw that can unhinge. That means they can open their jaws almost to a full 180 degrees (straight up and down)! Find their indoor exhibit among their neighbors. Face the door with the lighted exit sign. To the right of this door is a rectangular blue sign with another fact on it. Reach over the top and back behind this sign for this box.
#9: AQUATIC MAMMALS: These aquatic mammals are known for their intelligence, playfulness, and noisy barks! They can be found along the Pacific coast of North America, mostly in the warmer from Mexico north to California. These pinnipeds eat fish, squid and occasionally crustaceans. Amazingly, males can weigh up to 800 lbs. and be over 7 feet in length! Hopefully you will get a chance to observe and enjoy our zoo keepers feeding our pinnipeds at either the noon or 3:00pm feeding. Face the exhibit, then look between the spruce and white pine in the garden behind you. There is a rock between the two. Hiding behind this rock beneath some pine litter (add more, if you can please!) lies this letter box.
#10: NOCTURNAL "BOP": This nocturnal (active at night) predator is one of the most widespread species of its scientific family. Like other raptors, the females are generally larger than the males. Although these birds of prey (BOP) can reach body lengths of 25 inches, they surprisingly weigh no more than 4 pounds! The feather tufts you see on top of their heads are not really ears-- they are just tufts of feathers that give them a distinctive "don't mess with me" devilish look. Once you locate her mew and those of her neighbors, find the garden to the right, which is dedicated to William “Bud” Floyd. At the base of the Alberta spruce beneath some rocks lies the letter box.
#11: CARAPACES & PLASTRONS: This is another exhibit that only houses its pokilothermic animals during the warmer months. These reptiles have a fantastic adaptation-- they can hide in their shells to avoid predators! These fascinating animals actually have two shells-- one on their back called the carapace, in which their vertebrate (backbone) is located, and another on their underside called the plastron, which protects the underbelly. (Stop by the nearby docent building, if it's open, to see a sample of their shell.) Many years ago, Native Americans in our state actually used their shell as a calendar to tell the months. Every full moon, which is once every 28 days, was represented by a different scute (scale) on their back. The Native American calendar has 13 moons-- ours has 12 months. Locate their seasonal outdoor exhibit, and walk past the exhibit and the exhibit of the “2nd place finishers” in the classic fairy tale race. Find the huge dead stump and fallen log. At the base of the stump hidden in a hollow is this box, hidden beneath some bark.
#12: HUMPED UNGULATES: These ungulates (mammals with hooves) have two humps on their backs and are native to the cold mountain desert climates of Central Asia. Their humps are filled with fat, not water. These fat stores are used by them for nourishing the body during times of little water or food. As the fat reserves are burned, the humps lose their rigidity and can actually fall over to the side. We currently have two of this species here at the Utica Zoo, and they are housed in different areas. Find the exhibit housing the newest arrival of the two. Once there, find where the chain link fence meets the tall wooden fence facing the parking lot. Where these two fences meet, there is a pile of rocks. Look behind this pile of rocks for this box.