Alaska Zoo

The Alaska Zoo held a debut Wednesday for its new eagle aviary and moved two bald eagles into the facility, including a 39-year-old eagle named “Tiska.” Zoo officials say the 3,500 square foot enclosure is more than 5 times the size of the previous one. The netting that encloses the aviary is reused from a golf driving range and a private company's large donation to start the project. “It's our national symbol and she's the matriarch of our zoo, so very fitting that they have a nice exhibit,” Patrick Lampi, Executive Director at the Alaska Zoo, said.

by Channel 2 News staff Sunday, May 16, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Alaska Zoo celebrated International Migratory Bird Day on Sunday. The day is all about bird education and conservation. It was observed at the zoo with educational birds and handlers, Audubon Society birding stations and other interactive activities -- but the release of a rehabilitated merlin was the main attraction. "We're raising awareness about the issues they face, the journeys that they make, and all things bird," said outreach biologist Tamara Zeller.

An Amur tiger, seven-year-old Kunali, at the Alaska Zoo got a root canal Thursday morning. Kunali cracked his lower canine tooth a few years ago and needed it repaired before an infection set in. Dr. Doug Luiten, a local dentist from Anchorage, preformed the surgery along with veterinarian Dr. Riley Wilson and anesthesiologist Dr. David Brunson. Dr. Luiten said it's a similar operation that he performs daily on people, just on a larger scale. “Working on a beautiful animal like that was just a great experience,” said Dr. Luiten.

The Alaska Zoo held a birthday party Saturday for a pair of its polar bears. The zoo treated resident polar bears Ahpun and Louie to a big present during the celebration -- a bear-sized birthday cake, which zoo visitors could watch them enjoy. Ahpun came to the zoo in 1998 as an orphaned infant from Point Lay, while Russian-born Louie came to the zoo from Australia in 2006 as a  mate for Ahpun.

by Channel 2 News staff Monday, June 28, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- At the Alaska Zoo, keepers are busy training harbor seals -- but you won't be seeing them in a show any time soon. The zoo says the seals are being trained for practical rather than entertainment reasons. Keepers are teaching the seals things to come when called, remain still, and turn over. Zoo director Patrick Lampi says the training makes caring for all the seals' needs a little easier. "Like if you were going to eventually do a blood draw there, some training you can do -- if you do enough training, you can do a blood draw without sedating the animal, which is great," Lampi said.

by Ashton Goodell Friday, July 30, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Alaska Zoo is a halfway house for many injured and orphaned animals that will move to new dens and habitats across the country. But before they get there they have to get better, which is why the zoo is opening a new animal clinic next month. Drawing out a wild animal is no easy task, but it seems some simple things learned in childhood work better than expected. An orphaned deer strangely mimics visitors Karla Nash and Marlene Myers' deer call.

A polar bear cub was delivered to the Alaska Zoo for preliminary care and management. The male cub is currently being held for observation and appears to be responding well, according to the zoo. On Tuesday, March 12, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service received a report that a female polar bear had been taken near the Alaskan community of Point Lay. The female bear was accompanied by a cub, which was first recovered and transferred to Point Lay,...

Three brown bear cubs from the Alaska Zoo have left the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on a FedEx cargo flight bound for their new home: Detroit. The three cubs -- Boo, Mike and Thor, all brothers -- are headed to a zoo there. Patrick Lampi, the director of the Alaska Zoo, said the three cubs were tranquilized shortly before noon for the trip. The flight from the airport took off slightly early, departing shortly before 3 p.m. Alaska time. Contact Jason Lamb at jlamb@ktuu.com

The Alaska Zoo has some new additions, three little brown bear cub orphans. The orphan brown bear cubs are at the zoo temporarily until they are placed in a permanent home, most likely a zoo in the Lower 48. The 11 month-old bears were roaming the Anchorage hillside until they were brought in by the Department of Fish and Game. The first one arrived on Halloween and keepers named him Boo. His brothers, named Mike and Thor, were brought in the following weekend. The Alaska Zoo says the bears are healthy and are fed two pounds of a dog food and salmon mixture every day. On Wednesday, the three male siblings were allowed to explore the area outside their den for the first time and seemed very curious.

It's finally departure time for Kali, the orphaned polar bear cub, who will leave Tuesday, May 14 from the Alaska Zoo to the Buffalo Zoo in New York. Kali (pronounced “Kuh-lee”) will head to his new home, after living in Anchorage for nearly two months. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was involved in finding a new place for the young cub. “Now, as Kali leaves Alaska for his next short-term home, we are confident that the Buffalo Zoo will provide the best of care for Kali as the Service makes a final determination on a permanent home for the cub,” Dan Ashe, FWS Director, said.

Kali, an orphaned polar bear, came to the Alaska Zoo in March. In less than two months, Kali has flourished in his new environment. He has transitioned from being bottle-fed to eating solid foods and he is gaining almost a pound a day.  The cub continues to be active, playful, and a real crowd-pleaser at the zoo; however, Alaska won't be home to Kali much longer. Patrick Lampi, the Executive Director for the Alaska Zoo, says they are now working on the permit process for Kali's departure.

All over Anchorage, there are plenty of places celebrating Kids Day on Saturday, April 20. The main fun center is at the Dena'ina Center where over 75 youth-serving agencies and organizations have booths set-up with activities geared at young people. The event ends at 4 p.m. Saturday and the convention center is at 600 W. Seventh Avenue. The Alliance for Youth has coordinated " Kids Day ," since 2004 in order to promote its "five promises," for young people; safe places, healthy start and future, caring adult, effective education, and give back to their community in a valuable way. Admission is being waived for youth at several attractions: Alaska Zoo - All Youth 17 and under are free - Open 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., 4731 O'Malley Rd. Alaska Aviation Museum - All Youth Free - Open 9 a.m. -5 p.m., 4721 Aircraft Drive Alaska Museum of Science and Nature, formerly AK Museum of Natural History  - All Youth Free - Open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., 201 N. Bragaw Anchorage Museum - Youth 12 and under are free - Open 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., 625 C Street People Mover - All Youth 18 and under can ride free on Sat, April 20th Also this Saturday, the Anchorage Police Department and Anchorage Fire Department will hold a public safety and job fair at the Dimond Center from noon to 5 p.m. at 800 E. Dimond Blvd.

A polar bear cub was delivered to the Alaska Zoo for preliminary care and management. The male cub is currently being held for observation and appears to be responding well, according to the zoo. On Tuesday, March 12, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service received a report that a female polar bear had been taken near the Alaskan community of Point Lay. The female bear was accompanied by a cub, which was first recovered and transferred to Point Lay,...

It's being called a new kind of old fashioned neighborhood and its design plan has now been unveiled. The model for the Raven Roost cohousing project was shared with the public Thursday night at the Alaska Zoo.    It's based on an old Danish concept where neighbors share common areas such as a community center, library and recreation areas. The 35 home  development is planned for a  6.3 acre area  near Abbott Road and Lake Otis Parkway.  Organizers say while each family will have their individual homes they can also share meals,  a fitness facility and child playroom in the common area .    "It's a group of people who are engineering their own neighborhood",  says Raven Roost planner Elizabeth Deschweinitz who goes on to say "they can know all their neighbors and have a friendly,  safe place to live".

The Alaska Zoo held a debut Wednesday for its new eagle aviary and moved two bald eagles into the facility, including a 39-year-old eagle named “Tiska.” Zoo officials say the 3,500 square foot enclosure is more than 5 times the size of the previous one. The netting that encloses the aviary is reused from a golf driving range and a private company's large donation to start the project. “It's our national symbol and she's the matriarch of our zoo, so very fitting that they have a nice exhibit,” Patrick Lampi, Executive Director at the Alaska Zoo, said.

With the arrival of spring, the risk of humans running into bears is on the rise.    Already, this weekend, there have been 2 high-profile encounters between people and bears. In one of those encounters a man was seriously injured.    It happened in Eagle River -- at around 6 Saturday night. That's when 57-year-old Howard Meyer was hiking about 15 minutes from his house. Meyer spotted a Brown Bear -- only 50 feet away -- and tried to run. When he tripped, the animal caught up with Meyer and swatted him several times with his paw. Meyer survived the encounter, used his cell phone to call Anchorage police and was rushed to the hospital.

10-year-old Louie the polar bear at the Alaska Zoo was stretched out on his belly in front of a giant snow-shaped birthday cake. Inside it were frozen oranges, bananas, pears and plastic toys. The outside of the cake was colored in bright blues and oranges. There was frozen juice in the shape of candles.  Saturday was the 10 th annual Polar Bear Birthday Party. Pat Lampi, the caretaker of Louie and his 14-year-old mate Aphun, said most polar bears are born either in December or January, so this weekend was chosen to celebrate the birth of both bears.

Three brown bear cubs from the Alaska Zoo have left the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on a FedEx cargo flight bound for their new home: Detroit. The three cubs -- Boo, Mike and Thor, all brothers -- are headed to a zoo there. Patrick Lampi, the director of the Alaska Zoo, said the three cubs were tranquilized shortly before noon for the trip. The flight from the airport took off slightly early, departing shortly before 3 p.m. Alaska time. Contact Jason Lamb at jlamb@ktuu.com

The Alaska Zoo has some new additions, three little brown bear cub orphans. The orphan brown bear cubs are at the zoo temporarily until they are placed in a permanent home, most likely a zoo in the Lower 48. The 11 month-old bears were roaming the Anchorage hillside until they were brought in by the Department of Fish and Game. The first one arrived on Halloween and keepers named him Boo. His brothers, named Mike and Thor, were brought in the following weekend. The Alaska Zoo says the bears are healthy and are fed two pounds of a dog food and salmon mixture every day. On Wednesday, the three male siblings were allowed to explore the area outside their den for the first time and seemed very curious.