AR-News: (US IN) How the Michigan City zoo keeps animals' cabin fever at bay

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

By DANIEL PRZYBYLA — Staff Writer

MICHIGAN CITY – After raising his head momentarily, Leo laid his head and 
back on the concrete floor behind the metal bars. All 1,000 pounds of him were 
more focused on sleeping 18 hours this day than the slight commotion that 
aroused his muscular body.

It’s just another day of winter at the Washington Park Zoo for Leo, a 
14-year-old African lion. The outside is much quieter without the chattering of Fred 
the cockatoo, the whooping of Austin the baboon — and of course the thumping 
of human feet.

The zoo is closed from Oct. 31 to March 31, allowing the staff to work more 
with the animals without the distraction of people and to tackle projects they 
may not normally get to during the summer.

But the daily tasks – feeding, watering and cleaning – must be carried out 
year round.

Preparing for winter requires stocking up in November. Two barns are each 
stacked with 400 bales of hay. There are also 300 bales of wood shavings and 300 
bales of straw.






full story:
http://www.heraldargus.com/content/story.php?storyid=4074 

"The world is a dangerous place,
not because of those who do evil,
but because of those who look on and do nothing.",
Albert Einstein
      /\   /\         
>' .' <   
                              
There is no justice, just us!  










    
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