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August 18, 2011
Look what the owls dragged in Owl pellets contain fur, bones, and other indigestible material. The old phrase "What goes in must come out" applies to all animals that consume food, but owls and other birds of prey get rid of indigestible material in a unique way:  they regurgitate masses of bones, fur, feathers, and claws in slimy globs known as "pellets." "The first time I saw one of our owls cough up a pellet, I thought the bird was choking," says zoo keeper Helena Lacey, who cares for Eurasian eagle owls Seeker and Gypsy.  "But then I realized that they were producing a pellet." Owls regurgitate a pellet several hours after eating.  At first, the pellets are wet and slippery.  Once they dry out, you can gently tease the pellet apart to discover the bones, claws, teeth, and other remnants of the mouse eaten by the owl for dinner the night before.  Pellets are usually found near owl nests, burrows, and roosting spots. Owls are not the only type of birds to produce pellets.  Songbirds, hawks, eagles, gulls, crows, jays, and many other species remove waste from their digestive tract in this manner.   Like all owls, Seeker the Eurasian eagle owl produces a pellet several hours after eating.   Love animals?  Recycle old cell phones & MP3 players at the Zoo! Recycle your old cell phones and handheld electronics at the zoo. Bring your old cell phones and handheld electronics to the zoo for recycling - you'll keep harmful substances out of our landfills and help raise money for conservation projects. Most small electronics contain metals like antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, copper and lead which can linger in the environment and have adverse effects on human health.  With more than one billion cell phones currently in retirement, there is a huge potential to make a difference! Recycling cell phones can benefit endangered animals.  The element tantalum, an essential coating for cell phone components, is extracted from an ore mined in gorilla habitats in the Congo.  Reducing the demand for tantalum can help save these animals and their habitat. Simply drop off the items listed below at the Guest Service Building at the zoo entrance any day from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.: Cell phones Cell phone accessories Digital cameras IPods and MP3 players Handheld game systems GPS handheld units Laptops E-readers Portable hard drives Chargers for any of the above Please do not bring desktop computers, monitors, DVD players, VCRs, or TVs. Thanks to the Little Turtle Chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers for coordinating the cell phone recycling project to benefit conservation efforts! Ride for One Token on Mad Mondays August Every Monday in August you can ride the train, boat, Sky Safari, or Carousel for just one token!  Click here for details.	Coming Up Mondays in August Mad Mondays - Ride for 1 token! Aug. 15 - Sept. 15 Visit The Children's Museum in Indianapolis FREE - MEMBERS ONLY Sept. 1 Drive You Wild Golf Outing Tues. & Wed. in September Storytime Sept. 10 - Oct. 1 Fall Zoo School Sept. 21 Zoo Volunteer Training Oct. 9 Zoo Closes for the Season October 14-16, 20-23, 27-31 Wild Zoo Halloween Click for event details and mark your calendar! Hours The zoo is open every day, including holidays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. until October 9, 2011. Admission Prices $13.00 for adults $8.50 for children age 2-14 $10.50 for seniors age 60 and over Babies age one and under and Zoo Society Members are admitted free. Helpful Links Renew Your Zoo Membership Renew for 2 years and save $10! Adopt-an-Animal The perfect gift for Mom, Dad, or anyone! Make a Donation You too can make a difference at the Zoo by making a donation. Member Change of Address Have you moved?  Update your membership information to continue receiving our mailings.

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