Comments On: The Stone Zoo, Stoneham MA

Stone Zoo Stoneham Massachusetts Part 1
At Stone Zoo monkey around with spider monkeys, and find out whether reindeer "really know how to fly..." Or visit the Aviary, a one-acre tropical setting that features hundreds of free-flying birds.. You'll flip for our flamingos, and have a "beary" good time with our bears... On the horizon: snow leopards and a mixed-species exhibit with Mexican grey wolves!
Conservation
Zoo New England is committed to developing the Franklin Park and Stone Zoos into world class mission stations for wildlife conservation and education. Each year, hundreds of animal species are lost to extinction. Over 200 species of animals are entirely dependent on zoos for survival, and for many, zoos are their last, best hope for survival in the wild.
Through participation in Species Survival Plans, Zoo New England works in concert with zoos worldwide to preserve endangered species. The Franklin Park Zoo is accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association.
Red-crowned cranes, who number less than 2,000 worldwide, are native to eastern Russia, China, and Japan. A pair at the Franklin Park Zoo breed each year, and their eggs are transferred to a remote wildlife reserve in Russia, where they are later hatched and released into the wild.
Education
The best way to protect wildlife is to educate people about wildlife, and our zoos are wonderful classrooms. Whether you are 2 or 102 years old, we invite you to learn with us. Our team of educators, naturalists and volunteers provides interpretation at various exhibits to enhance your understanding of wildlife conservation and endangered species.
ZOO NEW ENGLAND MEMBER
Become a member today... for tomorrow! You and your family can receive FREE admission to the Franklin Park and Stone Zoos for just $45 ($30 for individual) annually! It's a great way to support the Zoos and invest in the future of zoo exhibits and education programs. Plus, membership provides the following benefits:
FREE newsletter
Your subscription to Wild Words, our quarterly newsletter, will help you discover fascinating details about our animals and be the first to know about special events!
Members-only events
Get in on exclusive events, such as behind-the-scenes tours and previews of exhibit openings!
Discounts
Save every time you spend! Members receive a 10% discount in our gift shops and food concessions.
Reciprocity
Your membership card is good for FREE admission to more than 100 zoos nationwide.
Join! the Zoos today by calling (617) 989-2076
Brad and Trouble
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Stone Zoo Stoneham Massachusetts Part 2
Chimpanzee
A chimpanzee's hearing is similar to ours. They make about a dozen different signal sounds which they use to communicate with each other.
"I make noises when:
danger is near,
that food has been found,
or something is wrong.
while I eat, or travel,
or when I'm upset."
They are able to tell sounds apart in order to live within the group.
A chimpanzee's sense of smell and taste is very good. Chimpanzees can probably distinguish different tastes, the way humans can. They like to eat many different kinds of foods.
Chimpanzees have opposable thumbs and big toes. Opposable digits make it possible for them to carry and hold objects. Chimps often touch, groom, and hold each other as a sign of affection. Young chimps enjoy being tickled by their mothers.
Screech Owls
Owls' large eyes let it see in different directions. Its eyes are so big that there isn't any room in the head to move around so an owl has to move its whole head to see something beside it. Owls often find food by listening for it. Owls have very large ears and stiff feathers around the face, which funnel sound towards the ears.
Sense of smell and taste as with many birds are not well developed. Owls are one of the few predators which will catch and eat skunks. An owl's talons (toes) spread far apart to help catch its prey. Once in its feet the slightest movement is felt and the owl tightens its grip to prevent escape.
Brad and Trouble
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Stone Zoo Stoneham Massachusetts Part 3
American Black Bear Ursus americanus
Temporary Exhibit
By today's standards the area is far from practical for exhibiting live animals. The bear is being held at Stone Zoo on a temporary basis for the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife and the Animal Preserve League of Boston.
He was confiscated from a private individual in Western Massachusetts. It is illegal to have black bears as pets.
Range
US, Canada, Northern Mexico
Reindeer
Rangifer tarandus
Did you Know?
Reindeer are called Caribou in North America.
Reindeer live in large herds around the arctic tundras.
The antlers on male reindeer are much larger and ornate than the antlers on the females.
A full ground reindeer stands only about 4 feet tall, but can weigh between 200 and 400 pounds.
During their seasonal migration, reindeer are known to travel as far as 3,100 miles, the furthest of any land mammal.
Reindeer can run up to 50mph, and once a year it is believed they can even fly.
Brad and Trouble

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Stone Zoo Stoneham Massachusetts Part 4
Markhor
The largest and most powerfully built wild goat, the markhor's most impressive feature is the magnifacent set of horns. Both sexes have horns, but the male's are much larger, reaching over 40 inches in length. Although the markhor is the only wild goat with spirally twisted horns, there is a great deal of variety in their length, form and "tightness" of the spiral.
Mexican Gray Wolf
The Mexican gray wolf, or "lobo" is the smalest and southernmost of the many North American gray wolf species. They live in mountain forest and srub pine at the edge of deserts in the Southwest United States and Mexico.This wolf was hunted to extinction and now is being reintroduced into parts of its former range.
Llama (Lama glama)
Size Generally 200 - 300 lbs. Adults will sometimes exceed 400 lbs.
It has a thick two layer coat consisting of an outer long coarse hair and a soft fine fur underneath.
Prized for its wool. Has an aboundance of small red blood cell to carry more oxygen in the thin airof the mountains. Lives in groups with one dominate male and a harem of females. Gestration is 11 months.
Did You Know?
The world's largest mountain range is the Andes range in South America, which stretches 4,500 miles!
Deserts are areas that have extremely little annual rainfall (less than 10 inches!) Per year. Massachusetts receives an average rainfall/precipitation of 42.5 inches.
Tutendo Colombia is the world's wettest place, it has an annual rainfall of 463.4 inches; thats more than 38 feet of rain each year.
Brad and Trouble

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Stone Zoo Stoneham Massachusetts Part 5
Did You Know?
Dinosaur remains have been found on every continent, and new dinosaur remains are found every year.
The famous British anatomist, Sir Richard Owen, coined the word :dinosaur," from the Greek words, deinos ("monstrous") and sauros ("lizard").
Many scientists believe that birds are the closet living relatives of the dinosaurs.
Greater Sandhill Crane
Size 5 feet tall wing span 4.5 to 5 feet Male 12 lbs female 10 lbs.
They have long legs and necks, powerful beaks for foraging and digging.
They breed in shallow fresh water, streams and open areas.
Large wings enable sandhill cranes to fly 100 to 200 miles in 1 day.
They are pair bonded when they are about three years old.
Males become sexual mature at 4 to 6 years and females at 3 to 5 years of age.
Both birds incubate eggs.
Young cranes are fed the eggshells from which they have hatched. Although both eggs hatch rarely are both reared successfully.
Cranes are the tallest flying bird.
Diet Corn, grain, aquatic plants, watercress, frogs salamanders, etc. mice.
Geographic Range U.S. and Canada.
Migratory range Florida, along Reo Grande in New Mexico, California.
Caribbean Flamingo
Size 4 to 5 feet tall, average weight 6 lbs. Wing span 5 feet.
Mud mound nests are built colorfully on the ground. One egg is laid on top,
The flamingo bill, down which is held upside drinking.
There are six types of flamingos with the Caribbean Flamingo being the second largest.
The flamingo bird gets its color from the food it eats in the wild the source is a chemical found in shrimp.
Brad and Trouble
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Stone Zoo Stoneham Massachusetts Part 7
Tropical Forest
Found along the equator, tropical forest have high temperatures, lots of rain, and long days. There are several types of tropical forests: cloud forest; seasonal forests and rain forests. Plant and animal life is more abundant and varied than in any other biome.
The forest has several layers. Each layer has its own plant and animal life. Ground level is dark and humid with few plants The understory receives more light allowing bushes and small trees to grow,
The tall trees of the canopy receive most of the light, and here there a few emergent trees tower above the rest of the forest.
Monkeys, bats, jaguars, parrots, toucans and hornbills are some of the mammals and birds of the tropical forest, Snakes lizards, frogs and thousands of insects species also call the tropical forest home.
More than fifty percent of the world's plant and animal species live in tropical forest, and each one has adapted to its own spot in the forest. Good eyesight is helpful in the darkness, and almost all animals have good hearing, Some animals are brightly colored, while others have very dull coloration.
Wolf Behavior
A Pack of Wolves
Wolves live in families called packs. The leaders of the pack are the father and mother, or "alpha" male and female, who mate for life. The other members are the sons and daughters of the alpha pair. Wolves "talk" to each other using body language, sounds, and facial expressions.
Family Matters
Only the alpha male and female have pups, but the whole pack helps raise them.
The pack must band together to defend their territory from intruders.
Why All The Noise?
Wolves howl to say its good to be together and to tell other packs to stay away. Growling and barking are other sounds they make to "talk" to each other.
Body Language
Wolves say a lot with their bodies. A submissive (low-ranking) wolf greets a high-ranking wolf by approaching him from below and licking or nibbling his chin. Or he might lie down and show his belly.
Brad and Trouble
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Stone Zoo Stoneham Massachusetts Part 8
Wolf Exhibit
Brian Rutledge, President/CEO of Zoo New England (The Stone Zoo and Franklin Park Zoo) local State Senators and Representatives officially opened the Mexican Gray Wolf Exhibit with a ribbon Cutting ceremony.This exhibit Phase one is the first new permanent exhibit built at the zoo in more than a decade, Rutledge went on "We are rebuilding all of the exhibits and have recieved a six million dollar grant for the zoo to rebuild", "We are very honored and excited to be one of the few zoos across the country to participate in the Mexican gray wolf Species Survival Plan(SSP), the two female wolfs "Willow" and "Lime" ages five and six years old, came from the Wild Canid Survival and Research Center in Eureka, Missouri.If all goes as planned in the coming year the female wolves will be joined by a male. The goal is to be come a breeding facility for the wolves and in turn breed wolves for other facilities and the U.S. Fish and wildlife Service's Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Program, and as part of a plan to re-introduce captive breed wolves into the wild, this spring including the Apache National Forest in eastern Arizona and the adjacent Gila National Forest in New Mexico.
The Mexican Gray Wolf are the rarest and most endangered subspecies of gray wolf. They once ranged the arid mountainous regions of Texas,New Mexico, Arizona, and Mexico, but by the early 1970's the species was driven to the brink of extinction because of an aggressive preditor control program.A recovery plan and captive breeding program initiated in 1982 by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and Mexico's Direccion General de la Fauna has helped ensure thier survival in captivity.The captive population now numbers approximately 150 animals in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries. The pair of Gray Wolves adapted to thier one acre home and seem relaxed and are already demonstrating play behavior.
Brad and Trouble

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Stone Zoo Stoneham Massachusetts Part 9
The Zoo is operated by the Commonwealth Zoological Corporation and aided by the Friends of Stone Zoo. Current exhibits include: aviary, which has just aquired a hyacinth macaw; buffalo; flamingos; llamas, black bear, cavy, capybara, fishers, rheas, sand hill cranes, river otters, coati mundi, colubus monkeys muflon sheep, peacocks, tortoises, various program animals in our Education Resource Center, and of course, "Major" our polar bear who just celebrated his 30th birthday. The Frinds of Stone Zoo phone number is: 617-438-7459 Stone Zoo: 617-438-5100 CZC: 617-442-2002 We will soon be announcing great changes in the Zoo. The new director, Brian Rutledge has some wonderful plans and we are working with him to make them happen. Please come by and visit! Bruce Strong, Friends of Stone Zoo.
I do remember visiting the zoo as a child and enjoying the many animals who called it home. However, their enclosures, in many cases were very sad, unfortunately very unlike a natural habitat. I just visited the zoo on 9/21/98 and was very encouraged and excited about the work and improvements taking place. I particularly enjoyed the wolves, as they are on the top of my favorites list. Currenlty they have two females and are bringng in several more over the next few months. In the spring a male will be introduced with the hopes of breeding. Their enclosure was impressive, very natural in appearance and gave them room to run and behave in, close to natural manner. Another exciting addition arriving soon is a snow leopard. I can't wait to see her and to go back and see the new wolves when they arrive. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Debra Laurino.
I was recently at the zoo, and happy to see the work that is being done there. There's a lot of work yet to do, but the progress is encouraging. The otter was particularly charming, and the zoo staff and volunteers were all friendly and helpful. I really enjoyed Santa's Village, as did my four year old nephew. It is a true piece of Americana, a work of folk art, and loads of fun. The zoo found itself a real treasure! Regina Harrison
Brad and Trouble
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