WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:03.120
This is West Michigan's Morning News. Steve Kelly, Brett, Pikita,
2
00:00:03.240 --> 00:00:06.320
Lawrence Smith, a new habitat at john Ball Zoo and
3
00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:11.599
a weekend celebration. All about it in studio with us
4
00:00:11.640 --> 00:00:14.560
on West Michigan's Morning News. Is the chief operating Officer
5
00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:19.320
at john Ball Zoo, Andy McIntyre. Welcome back to Wood Radio.
6
00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:20.440
Oh, thanks for having me.
7
00:00:21.399 --> 00:00:26.039
Otters. What is it about them? There's a whole new habitat.
8
00:00:26.120 --> 00:00:28.120
Tell us about it and then we'll talk about the events.
9
00:00:28.280 --> 00:00:30.640
Sir, Yeah, I mean it's amazing. So they are just
10
00:00:31.239 --> 00:00:34.399
captivating creatures number one to their local A lot of
11
00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:36.640
people don't realize it. They are in the Grand River,
12
00:00:37.399 --> 00:00:40.119
but they don't see them all that often, and they
13
00:00:40.200 --> 00:00:42.240
really thrive on clean water. So it gives us a
14
00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:45.079
great opportunity to create an awesome habitat for them, a
15
00:00:45.119 --> 00:00:49.000
great experience for guests, highlight education and conservation around are
16
00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:51.880
waterways and really it's the first and last thing you're
17
00:00:51.880 --> 00:00:53.320
going to see as you coming out of the zoo.
18
00:00:53.320 --> 00:00:56.119
So I know people have seen construction fencing around it,
19
00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:58.200
and now that fencing comes down and we get to
20
00:00:58.439 --> 00:01:00.399
see the otters in their new habitat, which were very
21
00:01:00.439 --> 00:01:01.000
excited about.
22
00:01:01.799 --> 00:01:04.239
I've got to say, you have so many events planned
23
00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:08.560
looking at this, from unheard odd facts to keeper chats.
24
00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:10.840
I mean, if you take your kids to the zoo,
25
00:01:11.079 --> 00:01:12.920
but even as an adult, you're going to be blown
26
00:01:12.959 --> 00:01:13.760
away by this.
27
00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:16.079
Yeah, definitely. I mean we've put a lot of things
28
00:01:16.120 --> 00:01:18.760
into the habitat to allow for great experiences. So we
29
00:01:18.760 --> 00:01:20.640
can do a training with the animals at different times
30
00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:22.799
of day at a spot where guests can see that.
31
00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:26.120
We have these really creative ways of delivering food to
32
00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:30.079
the otters. We affectionately call them fish cannons. Not quite
33
00:01:30.120 --> 00:01:33.640
like a T shirt cannon at a show, but you know,
34
00:01:33.719 --> 00:01:35.959
ways that we can put fish into the habitat at
35
00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:38.000
different times, like the Hotta cannon.
36
00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:41.719
Yeah maybe maybe it's so powerful.
37
00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:44.920
Yeah, so frozen visionally can go in to the habitats
38
00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:47.760
at different times because you know, nature doesn't operate on
39
00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:49.680
a schedule of here's your food at eight and your
40
00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:52.319
dinner at six and everything else, so we need to
41
00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:54.280
keep it at random for them in their natural history.
42
00:01:54.599 --> 00:01:58.480
Andy, we were talking about off the air a little bit. Congratulations.
43
00:01:58.480 --> 00:02:00.760
I mean, with one hundred and thirty five five years
44
00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:04.000
the logo, look everything, I mean, the website, the kids
45
00:02:04.040 --> 00:02:05.959
stuff you're doing. My wife's a teacher, so I know
46
00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:08.360
you guys are very active in that community as well.
47
00:02:08.360 --> 00:02:10.240
But it just seems like the zoo in the last
48
00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:13.120
five years, the outreach has been incredible and you're seeing
49
00:02:13.159 --> 00:02:14.719
the response back right definitely.
50
00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:18.479
I mean, whether it's community events or conservation engagement or
51
00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:21.840
education programming with schools, We're continuing to engage in different
52
00:02:21.879 --> 00:02:24.280
ways in the community to let people know and connect
53
00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:27.000
with the education conservation mission of the zoo and what
54
00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:28.360
happens inside the zoo itself.
55
00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:33.280
Wow, live music, jugglers, all sorts of stuff going on
56
00:02:33.400 --> 00:02:36.560
three days Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So give us a
57
00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:40.400
little outline of the whole celebration known as Otter Palooza.
58
00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:42.719
Yeah, so Outter poll, there's really a chance for us
59
00:02:42.759 --> 00:02:44.360
to just celebrate. I mean, one of our core values
60
00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:47.879
is celebrations. So we have music there every day, so
61
00:02:47.879 --> 00:02:49.680
there'll be different artists throughout the day up in our
62
00:02:49.719 --> 00:02:52.240
central stage in the middle of the zoo, and then
63
00:02:52.280 --> 00:02:55.120
there's also going to be different programs around the habitat itself,
64
00:02:55.159 --> 00:02:58.240
and then we have different partners and educational activities happening
65
00:02:58.240 --> 00:02:59.759
in the area as well. So if you come this
66
00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:03.240
week weekend and you're gonna really engage with the habitat
67
00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:04.960
and all the things that are going on on site.
68
00:03:05.080 --> 00:03:08.360
I have to point out this is free for members.
69
00:03:08.520 --> 00:03:11.120
So maybe a great opportunity to grab a membership at
70
00:03:11.159 --> 00:03:12.520
the john Ball Zoo for this summer.
71
00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:14.439
It's an excellent opportunity. You know. One of the things
72
00:03:14.439 --> 00:03:16.840
that's really great about a membership is that you can
73
00:03:16.840 --> 00:03:19.439
come as often as you like. You're supporting the zoo
74
00:03:19.439 --> 00:03:21.039
and the efforts that we do in the community with
75
00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:24.879
wildlife and conservation, and there are also discounts on site
76
00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:28.240
for things, and there's discounts of other AZYA accredited institutions
77
00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:29.840
throughout the United States. So if you wanted to go
78
00:03:29.919 --> 00:03:32.639
visit another zoo while you're traveling or things like that,
79
00:03:33.120 --> 00:03:34.639
we encourage you to do that so you can connect
80
00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:36.400
with wildlife not only here but elsewhere.
81
00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:41.080
Wow, man, there's something new every time you go. Andy McIntyre,
82
00:03:41.240 --> 00:03:44.520
Chief Operating Officer at john Ball Zoo, what a great job.
83
00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:46.039
Thank you for coming in today.
84
00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:47.960
Yeah, thank you all and hopefully we'll see you at
85
00:03:47.960 --> 00:03:48.599
Auto Baluzza.
86
00:03:48.840 --> 00:03:52.800
Oh you will would Radio N six forty one, and
87
00:03:52.919 --> 00:03:56.240
keep your kids off the John Ball Statue a sign
88
00:03:56.360 --> 00:03:56.759
right there.
89
00:03:56.840 --> 00:03:57.159
It is
1
00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:03.120
This is West Michigan's Morning News. Steve Kelly, Brett, Pikita,
2
00:00:03.240 --> 00:00:06.320
Lawrence Smith, a new habitat at john Ball Zoo and
3
00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:11.599
a weekend celebration. All about it in studio with us
4
00:00:11.640 --> 00:00:14.560
on West Michigan's Morning News. Is the chief operating Officer
5
00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:19.320
at john Ball Zoo, Andy McIntyre. Welcome back to Wood Radio.
6
00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:20.440
Oh, thanks for having me.
7
00:00:21.399 --> 00:00:26.039
Otters. What is it about them? There's a whole new habitat.
8
00:00:26.120 --> 00:00:28.120
Tell us about it and then we'll talk about the events.
9
00:00:28.280 --> 00:00:30.640
Sir, Yeah, I mean it's amazing. So they are just
10
00:00:31.239 --> 00:00:34.399
captivating creatures number one to their local A lot of
11
00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:36.640
people don't realize it. They are in the Grand River,
12
00:00:37.399 --> 00:00:40.119
but they don't see them all that often, and they
13
00:00:40.200 --> 00:00:42.240
really thrive on clean water. So it gives us a
14
00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:45.079
great opportunity to create an awesome habitat for them, a
15
00:00:45.119 --> 00:00:49.000
great experience for guests, highlight education and conservation around are
16
00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:51.880
waterways and really it's the first and last thing you're
17
00:00:51.880 --> 00:00:53.320
going to see as you coming out of the zoo.
18
00:00:53.320 --> 00:00:56.119
So I know people have seen construction fencing around it,
19
00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:58.200
and now that fencing comes down and we get to
20
00:00:58.439 --> 00:01:00.399
see the otters in their new habitat, which were very
21
00:01:00.439 --> 00:01:01.000
excited about.
22
00:01:01.799 --> 00:01:04.239
I've got to say, you have so many events planned
23
00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:08.560
looking at this, from unheard odd facts to keeper chats.
24
00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:10.840
I mean, if you take your kids to the zoo,
25
00:01:11.079 --> 00:01:12.920
but even as an adult, you're going to be blown
26
00:01:12.959 --> 00:01:13.760
away by this.
27
00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:16.079
Yeah, definitely. I mean we've put a lot of things
28
00:01:16.120 --> 00:01:18.760
into the habitat to allow for great experiences. So we
29
00:01:18.760 --> 00:01:20.640
can do a training with the animals at different times
30
00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:22.799
of day at a spot where guests can see that.
31
00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:26.120
We have these really creative ways of delivering food to
32
00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:30.079
the otters. We affectionately call them fish cannons. Not quite
33
00:01:30.120 --> 00:01:33.640
like a T shirt cannon at a show, but you know,
34
00:01:33.719 --> 00:01:35.959
ways that we can put fish into the habitat at
35
00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:38.000
different times, like the Hotta cannon.
36
00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:41.719
Yeah maybe maybe it's so powerful.
37
00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:44.920
Yeah, so frozen visionally can go in to the habitats
38
00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:47.760
at different times because you know, nature doesn't operate on
39
00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:49.680
a schedule of here's your food at eight and your
40
00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:52.319
dinner at six and everything else, so we need to
41
00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:54.280
keep it at random for them in their natural history.
42
00:01:54.599 --> 00:01:58.480
Andy, we were talking about off the air a little bit. Congratulations.
43
00:01:58.480 --> 00:02:00.760
I mean, with one hundred and thirty five five years
44
00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:04.000
the logo, look everything, I mean, the website, the kids
45
00:02:04.040 --> 00:02:05.959
stuff you're doing. My wife's a teacher, so I know
46
00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:08.360
you guys are very active in that community as well.
47
00:02:08.360 --> 00:02:10.240
But it just seems like the zoo in the last
48
00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:13.120
five years, the outreach has been incredible and you're seeing
49
00:02:13.159 --> 00:02:14.719
the response back right definitely.
50
00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:18.479
I mean, whether it's community events or conservation engagement or
51
00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:21.840
education programming with schools, We're continuing to engage in different
52
00:02:21.879 --> 00:02:24.280
ways in the community to let people know and connect
53
00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:27.000
with the education conservation mission of the zoo and what
54
00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:28.360
happens inside the zoo itself.
55
00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:33.280
Wow, live music, jugglers, all sorts of stuff going on
56
00:02:33.400 --> 00:02:36.560
three days Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So give us a
57
00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:40.400
little outline of the whole celebration known as Otter Palooza.
58
00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:42.719
Yeah, so Outter poll, there's really a chance for us
59
00:02:42.759 --> 00:02:44.360
to just celebrate. I mean, one of our core values
60
00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:47.879
is celebrations. So we have music there every day, so
61
00:02:47.879 --> 00:02:49.680
there'll be different artists throughout the day up in our
62
00:02:49.719 --> 00:02:52.240
central stage in the middle of the zoo, and then
63
00:02:52.280 --> 00:02:55.120
there's also going to be different programs around the habitat itself,
64
00:02:55.159 --> 00:02:58.240
and then we have different partners and educational activities happening
65
00:02:58.240 --> 00:02:59.759
in the area as well. So if you come this
66
00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:03.240
week weekend and you're gonna really engage with the habitat
67
00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:04.960
and all the things that are going on on site.
68
00:03:05.080 --> 00:03:08.360
I have to point out this is free for members.
69
00:03:08.520 --> 00:03:11.120
So maybe a great opportunity to grab a membership at
70
00:03:11.159 --> 00:03:12.520
the john Ball Zoo for this summer.
71
00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:14.439
It's an excellent opportunity. You know. One of the things
72
00:03:14.439 --> 00:03:16.840
that's really great about a membership is that you can
73
00:03:16.840 --> 00:03:19.439
come as often as you like. You're supporting the zoo
74
00:03:19.439 --> 00:03:21.039
and the efforts that we do in the community with
75
00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:24.879
wildlife and conservation, and there are also discounts on site
76
00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:28.240
for things, and there's discounts of other AZYA accredited institutions
77
00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:29.840
throughout the United States. So if you wanted to go
78
00:03:29.919 --> 00:03:32.639
visit another zoo while you're traveling or things like that,
79
00:03:33.120 --> 00:03:34.639
we encourage you to do that so you can connect
80
00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:36.400
with wildlife not only here but elsewhere.
81
00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:41.080
Wow, man, there's something new every time you go. Andy McIntyre,
82
00:03:41.240 --> 00:03:44.520
Chief Operating Officer at john Ball Zoo, what a great job.
83
00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:46.039
Thank you for coming in today.
84
00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:47.960
Yeah, thank you all and hopefully we'll see you at
85
00:03:47.960 --> 00:03:48.599
Auto Baluzza.
86
00:03:48.840 --> 00:03:52.800
Oh you will would Radio N six forty one, and
87
00:03:52.919 --> 00:03:56.240
keep your kids off the John Ball Statue a sign
88
00:03:56.360 --> 00:03:56.759
right there.
89
00:03:56.840 --> 00:03:57.159
It is
