NYC AAZK General Meeting Minutes:
- Tuesday August 2, 2016
Bronx Zoo – Dancing Crane Outdoor Seating
Present: E. Mowatt, A. Shuter, M. Blatz, J. Elkins, A. Armstrong, M. Medina, L. Simoncek,
K. Jones, H. Tassler, N. Turner, and J. Nappi (phone).
National Zoo Keeper Week
- Overall, the week was very successful and keepers were pleased with signage and help from
the Education Department.
-Staff was curious about why Takeover posts were altered to use just three posts per keeper
-Idea was proposed for next year: that several WCS keepers be introduced daily throughout
nzkw, rather than following one keeper per day.
- A meeting will be set up with Randi & Melissa to discuss the successes and areas of
improvement for next year
Silent Auction:
- Approximately $1,600 made at the auction!
- Next auction will take place during the Holiday Season
Bowling for Rhinos:
- Buy your tickets! Visit the NYC AAZK website http://nycaazk.blogspot.com/ for purchase
- Monday August 15th
- Erin recruited a few people to volunteer setting up for the event.
Bronx River Alliance Clean-up:
- Joe met with Joseph Sanchez, outreach coordinator & Michelle Luebke, ecology director
- Monday August 8th Bronx River Clean-up
- There was interest in the field trip though not many solid commitments yet.
- The Alliance is very excited to meet with our chapter, and is planning future projects with us.
- Looking into a fall invasive plant removal project & future river clean-up events
Paint Bar Night:
- September: Location is still TBD.
Croctoberfest:
- Beer drinking for croc fundraising at Gun Hill Brewery – Chinese Alligators
Family Keeper Presentation & Enrichment Night:
- Still looking for a time… likely in November
- Elizabeth Mills is spear heading this event.
December:
- Holiday Silent Auction
Travel Grant Report:
-Michelle Medina – Felid Tag overview (recipient of $1000 AAZK Travel Grant)
-Conference dealt mainly with safety. Relied heavily on the book “Emotional Intelligence 2.0.”
-Michelle stressed that keepers should be alert when unlocking locks (“Your keys are a loaded
weapon”), and shouldn’t be afraid to ask colleagues for help or support. Just Cause was also
discussed, i.e. the difference between intentional and unintentional mistakes.
Safety Drills:
-Keepers expressed significant concern about a lack of knowledge of what to do during
emergencies (animal escapes, active shooter situations, etc.), and requested a conversation with Admin about increasing occurrence of drills.
