Zoo Year’s Eve Event

Roosevelt Park Zoo is welcoming the New Year with a special Zoo Years Eve event on January 4th and 5th from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. See the Zoo in a whole new light as the Tiger Trail path through the African Savanna is transformed with lights and luminaries, creating a magical evening experience. Warm up in the tropical Aviary, where hot chocolate and cookies will be available.

“Winter can feel long, so we’re thrilled to offer a fresh and exciting event for our community,” said Elly DesLauriers, Executive Director of Minot Park District. “The Tiger Trail is already a captivating space with its cat bridges, and seeing it illuminated at night will be a truly magical experience. Plus, the tigers thrive in colder weather, making this the perfect time to visit. We’re excited to open the zoo for this unique evening walk.”

The cats will have access to the outdoor habitat and the day room, weather permitting, but their visibility isn’t guaranteed as they can freely choose where to spend their time.

Event Details:

• Dates: January 4 & 5
• Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• Fee: $5 per family (includes up to 2 adults aged 18+ and children under 18, including those with zoo memberships)

The Minot Park District is proud to announce Dr. Logan Wood as the new Roosevelt Park Zoo Director.  Wood has served as the Roosevelt Park Zoo Veterinarian since 2019.

Wood is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and holds a degree in Animal Science.  Wood was nominated as one of five finalists for a national veterinarian award, American Hero Veterinarian, by American Humane in 2022 and is a member of the Mountain Tapir Conservation Field Team.

“I am excited to lead the team at the Roosevelt Park Zoo.  The next few years will be challenging with the MI-7 Flood Protection Project and construction with the “New Zoo,” but I see it as an opportunity,” said Logan Wood, Roosevelt Park Zoo Director. “I have always enjoyed the challenges of envisioning new ways to bring people to the zoo. Building a new zoo and a new future, requires a stable foundation. This foundation, to me, will be built upon four key pillars: our animals, our staff, our community and conservation.  At the end of the day, I want to do right by our animals, our staff, and our community.”

Wood also holds an impressive number of certifications including but not limited too Peaceful Euthanasia Veterinarian, OSHA HAZWOPER, Wildlife Rehabilitator by IWRC since 2021, Stop the Bleed Instructor since 2020 and a National Member of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians.  Wood is a published co-author of numerous research papers on Tapir medicine and is currently the lead author of a Giraffe CT paper focusing on dental health in wild and captive giraffe.

“My overall vision is for the zoo to be a place where people want to come visit often and that my staff wants to come to work and enjoy working.  If we can create those two, we create a very welcoming environment, which then creates a unique experience every time people are here.  I think this helps keep people coming back.  Those unique experiences are done by our staff, by our animal collection, by our engagement through educational programs and the wide array of offerings that we have at RPZ.  We are grateful for all the support the community has given us and we want to continue offering more and more of ourselves to the community.” Said Wood.

“We are excited to announce Dr. Logan Wood as the new Roosevelt Park Zoo Director,” said Elly DesLauriers, Executive Director of Minot Park District. “We believe Dr. Wood brings a new perspective, an array of knowledge and a strong vision to honor the past, seize the present and strive for future endeavors.”

It is with great sorrow that the Roosevelt Park Zoo must report that on Wednesday, October 30, Kiota the zoo’s male African Lion was humanely euthanized in the company of his keepers and animal care staff.

Kiota was diagnosed with chronic renal failure in 2022 and has been on two renal supplements since that time.  The most recent urinalysis revealed that Kiota’s kidneys had continued to decline.   Roosevelt Park Zoo Animal care staff had also observed a significant decrease in Kiota’s activity and appetite.   After a long sincere animal management discussion, the team decided the best decision for Kiota was to bring his pain and suffering to an end.

While the Roosevelt Park Zoo team would have liked to give the community an opportunity to say goodbye it was decided in the best interest of Kiota to allow him to pass in the most peaceful way possible surrounded by his most trusted and loyal team of caregivers.

Kiota was born on August 25, 2005 at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.  He was 19 years old and one of the oldest African Lions in the Species Survival Program. Kiota was a long-standing ambassador to Roosevelt Park Zoo with many patrons knowing him by name.  In fact, it was not uncommon to see generations of families gathering around the lion exhibit talking about their first interaction with the majestic handsome lion that has been at the heart of the Roosevelt Park Zoo for so many years.

Kiota had a front row seat to many large events at the Roosevelt Park Zoo including the flood of 2011 and most recently the completion of the Severson-Ahart African Lion Savannah Exhibit.  Thank you in large part to the generous donors of the Minot Community,  Kiota spent the last five years of his life in the beautiful and spacious exhibit. Kiota and Jasira were moved to the new lion habitat in September of 2019. With this move staff noticed several improvements with their welfare and wellbeing, which allowed them to be a true pride.

Kiota was the king of Roosevelt Park Zoo. Defending his pride, which consisted of Jasira and himself, until his last breath. Jasira was the love of his life, and they never left each other’s side. When Jasira did pass in 2022, Kiota found comfort in his care staff.

Kiota remained the star of the show in our Behavioral Training Program. He was one of the first animals that staff  were able to get voluntary blood on, which helped monitor his kidney valves. Kiota was trained to voluntarily participate in all his medical needs.

End of life care are some of the most difficult conversations and decisions made by Roosevelt Park animal care team. The Roosevelt Park Zoo would like to thank the community for their continued support.

Please contact Jarrod Olson at 857.4166 to schedule an interview.

Minot, ND—The Minot Park District is excited to announce Cammi Campbell’s appointment as the new Souris Valley Golf Course Superintendent. With over 14 years of dedicated service to the Minot Park District, Campbell brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her new role.

Since joining the Park District in 2010, Campbell has served in various capacities, including Greens Keeper, Assistant Superintendent at Souris Valley Golf Course, and most recently, as a Horticultural Technician. Her diverse background and deep knowledge of the system make her the perfect fit to lead the continued growth and success of Souris Valley Golf Course.

Campbell holds several degrees in Horticulture Turf Management, Horticulture-Landscape Design, and Urban Forestry Technology, along with a certificate in Golf Course Grounds Technology. In addition to her academic qualifications, Campbell has been an active member of the North Central Turf Grass Association Board of Directors since 2016, serving as President for four years. Her leadership in the turf management community is widely respected, and the Minot Park District is thrilled to have her step into this critical role.

Cammi will succeed Mike Chrest, who is retiring this fall after a 39-year career with the Park District. Chrest started with the district part-time at 19 years old, mowing fairways, and has since become a driving force behind the care and development of Souris Valley Golf Course, turning it into the beloved course it is today. The Park District is grateful to Mike for his decades of dedication and commitment.

“We are incredibly grateful for the legacy Mike has built over the past 39 years and look forward to seeing Cammi continue that tradition while bringing her vision and expertise to Souris Valley,” said Elly DesLauriers,  Executive Director of Minot Park District. “Her passion, knowledge, and leadership will be instrumental in maintaining and enhancing our beautiful course.”

Minot Parks Accepting Pumpkin Pledges for Pumpkin Walk at Woodland Trail

Minot, ND — The Minot Park District is excited to announce that they are accepting pumpkin pledges for the upcoming Pumpkin Walk. The goal is to light up the trail with over 1,000 pumpkins, creating a magical experience for the community.

We are looking for businesses and individuals to donate carved pumpkins! The carved pumpkins will be displayed along the path for the Minot Community to enjoy. Logos and names will be displayed by each display if 10 or more pumpkins are donated.

Participants are encouraged to drop off their carved or decorated pumpkins on Friday, October 11, between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM. The Minot Park District will handle all lighting and setup to ensure the trail is beautifully illuminated.

If you wish to make a pumpkin pledge, please contact Ashley Gathman at ashley@minotparks.com or call the Minot Parks office at 857-4136. For businesses donating ten or more pumpkins, signage featuring your business name will be displayed alongside your pumpkin display, courtesy of Minot Parks.

Don’t miss the Pumpkin Walk event, scheduled for October 11 and 12 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Woodland Trail.

For more information, please call the Minot Park District office at 857-4136.

Minot Park District

Madeline Knutson, Marketing Manager

(701)857-4136

madeline.knutson@minotparks.com

Siberian elms have invasive traits that enable them to spread aggressively. Several traits make Siberian elms (Ulmus pumila) one of the most disliked invasive trees around. They harbor Dutch Elm Disease, dead and dying trees are breeding ground for elm bark beetles that are vectors for the disease which carry it to other trees including our native American Elm. Our native American Elm succumb to the disease usually within two years. The Minot Forestry Department has issued over fifty abatement letters to city residents mandating the removal of infected Elm trees this year alone. Removal of diseased trees slows the spread of the disease throughout our community. Trees on private property must be removed at the owner’s expense often costing thousands of dollars. The Siberian elm also clogs up our alley ways and fence lines often growing intertwined in chain link fences.

The tree spreads by the often overabundance of seeds it produces which grow wherever they touch bare soil. Control is often more effective when trees are saplings. Saplings can be pulled or dug up, but larger trees will require cutting down and treating the stump with glyphosate or triclopyr, this procedure is often called the cut and stump method of control. Treating with herbicide of the cambium layer (outside ring of sump) after cutting will kill the stump and prevent suckering. Minot Forestry encourages to “Pull  ‘em when you see ‘em.  You will be sorry if you don’t.” approach.

Siberian elms with flagging of DED should have flagging branches removed. Dead or dying elms are breeding grounds for elm bark beetles and should be removed ASAP.

For more information you can contact the Minot Forestry Department at 857-4178.

For more information on the Emerald ash borer dectection, please refer to North Dakota Department of Agriculture

As many pet owners can attest, it’s not uncommon for dogs and cats to lick themselves. Perhaps it’s during the normal bathing process or they are soothing an area of a minor irritation, like a bug bite. Maybe they are trying to get every last bit of leftover flavoring off their food after chomping on a tasty treat they were “holding” with their paws. Whatever the reason, licking does happen sometimes. However, when excessive licking occurs, especially when it is concentrated on a particular area, problems can occur. Most pet owners know this as a “hot spot” or “lick granuloma.” The most common breeds to present with this issue include Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Doberman Pinschers and German Shepherds.

 

In the early phases of a lick granuloma, most pet owners (or in this case zookeepers), may notice a well-defined wet spot with some redness and hair loss. As part of ensuring the wellbeing of the animals at RPZ, zookeepers perform daily visual, nutritional, and behavioral assessments of each animal in their area.  If a keeper finds something out of the ordinary, they alert management staff, including Dr. Logan to evaluate a treatment plan if needed. As many pet owners would contact their primary veterinarian, when Jakiya the youngest of the zoo’s lion pride presented with this issue, Dr. Logan was called in to take a closer look and come up with a treatment plan. But how do you examine a wild lion cub?

 

Though empirical treatment was an option, to be safe, Jakiya was given a full and thorough workup. This included a sedated exam, x-rays, bloodwork, wound cleaning, skin cytology impression smears, along with being sent home with antibiotics and topical medications. Dr. Logan stated that “a recent study published in the journal Veterinary Dermatology indicated that 97% of lick granulomas will have a secondary bacterial infection.” Like with our domestic pets, unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all treatment plan for a lick granuloma. The key is to prevent the animal or animal(s) from licking the area so that it can heal, but you can’t necessarily put the cone of shame on a lion, now can you. With the help of the entire animal care staff and Dr. Logan’s special topical concoction, placed in a spray bottle, the zoo was able to keep JaKiya and the whole pride from licking the area. “The spot is almost healed, but we still have a way to go before the hair grows back,” Dr. Logan stated. “We hope that we can keep the entire pride from loving her too much, so this spot can grow the hair back, rather than becoming a small scar like the one seen on her shoulder.”

 

The underlying initial cause is unknown, but it did look like she may have scraped against a tree or scratched it while climbing. But like they say “you should see the other guy!” JaKiya certainly has left her mark on many of the trees while playing, scratching and climbing in the outside yard and living her best life in the Severson-Ahart African Savannah.

If you’ve been to the zoo recently, you may have seen things are in full swing and that also includes the animal’s undergoing annual checkups. Since animal’s can’t talk, zoo veterinarians struggle to identify sources of illness in their charge before things get bad, and many basic screens require risky and difficult anesthetization. With the help of teamwork and some dedication, the Roosevelt Park Zoo has found a way to get its animals to comply with basic screenings- by training them to participate in their annual checkups and many routine tests.

Like many elderly house cats, Kiota, an 18-year-old African Lion, has been being treated for chronic kidney disease. In addition to supplements to help his kidneys function efficiently, he requires routine blood work every 4-6 months. For most zoos performing blood tests on their big cats is such an operation, they don’t, unless absolutely necessary. Giving a lion a general anesthetic is a risk to its health and requires a large team of keepers and vets, but few people are game to draw blood from an awake lion.

However, with the help of the zoo’s training program and senior/ carnivore-panda keeper Chelsea, the zoo has found it quite easy to train all three species (lions, leopards and tigers) to slip their tails through a gap in their enclosure for a reward, so that Dr. Logan can access a vein in the tail. This allows the vet to draw blood in complete safety. “Kiota and I have built a trusting and respectful relationship. This relationship allows us to be able to train these important medical behaviors to increase his welfare and wellbeing.” Says, Chelsea Mihalick Senior Carnivore/Panda Keeper.

“None of them show any signs they even feel the needle going in,” says Dr. Logan. “We assume there is some pain associated, but the reward apparently outweighs it.”

Lions, once again like house cats, typically live into their late teens or early twenties with a little bit of luck, proper medical care, and diet. Kiota, continues to do well and actively participates in training sessions to assist in his own continued medical care. “Not only do animals always have the choice not to participate, but the interactions with the keepers provide stimulation, exercise, and improves mental health,” said Dr. Logan.

You can find Kiota out on exhibit or enjoying the day room at the Severson-Ahart African Savanna.

Seemingly outfitted in sleek tuxedos- from their webbed toes to the tip of their flippers- penguins are always dressed for the occasion. For Rocko, a 23-year-old, African penguin, he is taking his dapper look to the next level, making him the coolest kid in the yard thanks to a new pair of shoes and individualized care thanks to the team at the Roosevelt Park Zoo. Rocko was recently diagnosed with a foot condition known as bumble foot. This is a common condition for penguins both in the wild and in human care, similar to a corn on the foot, but could lead to infection if not addressed.

Rocko’s care team at RPZoo decided on a multi-faceted treatment plan including a combination of medication, hands-on foot treatments, and the use of custom-made footwear.

Similar to custom foot orthotics, a tracing of Rocko’s feet was made and sent to an individual who makes custom footwear for chickens and ducks, suffering from the same disease. This provides a more custom fit to his shoes, allowing him to walk in sand and even swim while still wearing his shoes.

After fitting Rocko with his new shoes, it was clear the shoes were a step in the right direction. His gait and posture improved, allowing him to navigate his habitat and even swim with ease. Animal care staff were pleasantly surprised at the immediate changes which brings renewed hope that Rocko will be able to continue living a full and healthy life.

In the wild, the life expectancy of an African penguin is 10 to 15 years, but many at Roosevelt Park Zoo have exceeded that.

Rocko can be identified by a black and yellow bracelet on his left wing.

Minot was named a 2023 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation to honor its commitment to effective urban forest management. Minot achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: maintaining a tree board or department, having a tree care ordinance, dedicating an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and hosting an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.

“We are excited to once again be named a Tree City USA.  This marks Minot’s 32^nd year to receive this honor.” says Elly DesLauriers, Executive Director of the Minot Park District.  “We are grateful for our partnership with the City of Minot and their continued support of the Forestry Department as well as our passionate community partners.  We also thank our dedicated staff for their knowledge and continued education that allows for the preservation of our urban forest for generations to come.”

The Minot Park District is celebrating Arbor Day on May 18 at Oak Park from 9:00am to 12:00pm. Minot Parks invites attendees to participate in a tree-planting initiative alongside our Forestry department.  There will be seedling trees to plant at home while supplies last.  Minot Parks Horticulture staff will be participating as well as the talk about the advantages of butterfly and perennial gardens starting at 9:30am.  North Dakota Department of Agriculture will also be on site to share their insights regarding the management of invasive insect species.   

“As the City Forester I would like to thank the citizens of Minot for their participation in our boulevard tree planting efforts and urban forest.” says Troy Regstad, City Forester.  “We have extremely passionate organizations and individuals that believe in the benefits that trees give our community and strive greatly to continue to improve our urban forest.”

 

   

Minot Park District

Madeline Knutson, Marketing Manager

701-857-4136