An arctic odyssey: Como Zoo’s Polar Bear Odyssey takes shape

-- Torleif Sorenson

Say the word ‘zoo’ and most Twin Citians think of the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley, but the City of St. Paul’s Como Park Zoo & Conservatory predates the ‘new zoo’ by several decades. If you haven’t visited the Como Park Zoo in years—or ever—you should be pleasantly surprised by the Zoo in several ways.

And if you can ‘bear’ to part with just a few extra ‘bucks,’ you will help create a chunk of Hudson Bay less than two miles from Metropolitan State’s Midway campus.

The Odyssey begins…
While Como Park Zoo’s polar bears are ’vacationing’ out of town, construction continues toward the spring 2010 opening of Polar Bear Odyssey. A major upgrade over their old space, Polar Bear Odyssey will give the bears a natural environment where they will be able to forage, fish, swim, live and even dig as they naturally would in the wild.

As part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, Polar Bear Odyssey will enable Como Zoo staff to separate a male bear from a female bear and her cubs as necessary, and allow for the possibility ofhousing a wild polar bear away from its native Arctic habitat.

As for us humans, this four-season facility will allow us to get as close as 20 feet to these beautiful creatures by way of a four-season, climate-controlled, 1,200-plus square foot “Outpost” facility, which will include floor-to-ceiling windows for viewing the polar bears.

A 650 square-foot “Lodge” will host some of the Zoo’s education events, private receptions and off-site business meetings. Also, visitors will have two places to watch zookeepers conduct ‘operant animal training,’ where the bears will learn certain behaviors that allow zookeepers to monitor their dental and physical health.

The rest of Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, including the other animal exhibits, group tours and educational classes, is still open year-round while construction continues on Polar Bear Odyssey.

The Zoo’s “Como Friends” non-profit arm is in the middle of a $7.2 million capital campaign to raise funds for constructing Polar Bear Odyssey, the Japanese Garden Experience, and the Zoo’s ongoing education program. Those educational efforts even include resources for parents who home-school their children, as well as pre-school classes and events for parents and children together.

It is free…
Como Park Zoo is very accessible, easy to walk with (or without!) children and a surprising bargain at any time of the year. Access to the Zoo and the Conservatory is free, but the Zoo especially appreciates suggested donations of $2 per adults and a dollar for children; let’s face it friends, that is still cheaper than the average ‘double-frappa-latte-mocha-chino-whatever’ coffee.

Zoo memberships are also available and offer several benefits including discounts at the gift shop and on educational programs, as well as reciprocity—reduced-cost or free admission to more than 120 other zoos and botanical gardens across the United States.

Avoid getting ‘malled’ this Christmas
In addition to education facilities and an enclosed restaurant, Como Park Zoo’s airy Visitor Center (opened in 2005) includes Garden Safari Gifts, which offers a surprising variety of books, DVDs, cards, toys, stuffed animals, plant seeds and other gifts for animal lovers and gardeners alike—kids included.

Garden Safari Gifts will be open later on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during December, making it easy to do some Christmas shopping without battling traffic and mall crowds, all while supporting a worthy non-profit organization.

Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is at 1225 Estabrook Dr., just off Horton Ave., west of Lexington Pkwy. in St. Paul, and is served by Metro Transit’s 3A bus route.

RELATED LINKS
Como Zoo & Conservatory: www.ComoZooConservatory.org Como Friends: www.ComoZooConservatory.org/supp/index.shtml
Metro Transit’s Route 3 schedule: www.metrotransit.org/serviceInfo/route003.asp
Association of Zoos and Aquariums: www.aza.org