Franklin Park Zoo

Cripes, leave Little Joe alone already

adamg — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:03:32 +0000

Hasn't the poor guy suffered enough indignities in his life in Franklin Park? The Globe reports the gorilla was unable to pick between the Patriots and Giants so the zoo had to swap in some substitute gorilla for the dumb stunt.

Zebras make a break for it

adamg — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 18:07:34 +0000

A mother and baby zebra escaped their enclosure at the Franklin Park Zoo today, forcing the zoo to evacuate some visitors - and herd others into the buttefly exhibit - as workers sought to re-capture the pair.

Zoo New England reports no visitors or staff were harmed by the two Grevy's zebras. Today was the baby's first day on exhibit. "Zoo staff are working on getting the adult zebra back into exhibit space. She is currently safely contained in a non-public area."

Police were called to the scene to help corral mom zebra - a dispatcher informed officers the animal was black and white - but after kidlet got back into the enclosure, zookeepers managed to direct the older striper back in as well. Meanwhile, downtown, police were picking up "intelligence," specifically, a rapidly growing number of tweets about zebras in Franklin Park, that they felt showed the call might be an Occupy Boston prank, until they got real intelligence that, in fact, two zebras really were on the loose and that people protesting Wall Street had nothing to do with it.

Naturally, Franklin Park Zebra now has a Twitter account:

Headed to #occupyboston

People on the Orange Line are staring at me. It's not like I'm a lion or something. #racism

Wild chase ends by the bear cages at the Franklin Park Zoo

adamg — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:43:26 +0000

3/10/11 - 11:06 am

AlertNewEngland reports two men in an apparently stolen car tried to speed away from police and wound up hitting a pedestrian on Columbus Avenue and two cars, including one that finally stopped them on Seaver Street.

The two men fled on foot. One suspect was quickly captured; the other made it to the bear cages at the Franklin Park Zoo before being apprehended.

Franklin Park Zoo's newest gorilla is a she

adamg — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 01:35:19 +0000

Jef Taylor, a zookeeper at Franklin Park, reports gorilla Kiki's baby, born last month, had her first physical today, which is how the zoo now knows she's a she. Also, she's "quite healthy."

Let's hope they don't come to regret letting the hippos near the 'Gansetts

adamg — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:52:02 +0000

The Franklin Park Zoo is planning an unusual adults-only evening at the zoo on Oct. 2. Between 5 and 9 p.m., you'll be able to suck down beers as you stroll among the animals - who, based on the logo, won't be feeling much pain themselves.

Brew at the Zoo will feature offerings from Blue Hills Brewery, Cape Ann Brewing Co., Mayflower Brewing Company, Narragansett Beer Company, Peak Organic Brewing Company and Watch City Brewing Co. Some wine will also be available, along with food with which to soak up the beer.

Tickets cost $50, with proceeds going to the zoo. And, yes, they'll be checking IDs at the gate. More info.

Heart-shaped face

adamg — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 00:39:40 +0000

Doesn't get any heart-shapier than this young barn owl at the Franklin Park Zoo.

That was no kid: State Police ID guy old enough to know better in zoo plunge

adamg — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:35:08 +0000

State Police have identified the person who fell 30 feet into a Franklin Park Zoo gorilla pen refashioned as a movie set as Arnold Milfort, 27, of Dorchester.

No animals were harmed in the making of Milfort's plunge, State Police report, adding:

Awimaweh, Awimaweh

adamg — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:04:46 +0000

The Herald roars about the kid who plunged into the Franklin Park Zoo gorilla enclosure made up to look like a lion den because the makers of the latest Kevin James vehicle don't think the real lion den is realistic enough or something.

Gorilla marketing backlash: Boycott the zoos

adamg — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:44:50 +0000

Cleary Squared writes the anti-PETA publicists running the local zoos need to be taught a lesson after their killing-fields stunt over the weekend.

The Outraged Liberal doesn't go that far but writes legislators need to take a step back and carefully consider what to do about this latest plea from Zoo New England - which has been on the brink for a couple decades now - before simply giving them everything they want.

David Bernstein considers what might happen if other organizations adopted Zoo New England's tactic:

... Administrators of the Greater Boston Food Bank now say that, despite earlier predictions, they are now "reasonably confident" that state lawmakers will be spared the sight of the Charles River running thick with the corpses of Massachusetts's emaciated children this summer. In a statement released today, the Food Bank says that they can probably keep the state's most vulnerable children fed for two months on the meat from euthanized zoo animals.

Patrick: The choice is between adorably fuzzy critters or poor people

adamg — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:11:56 +0000

The Dorchester Reporter reports that Gov. Patrick says that if the legislature overrides his veto of some funding for the Franklin Park and Stoneham zoos, he might have to cut money from a program that subsidizes health insurance for legal immigrants.

How Zoo New England won the spin war - even with reporters

adamg — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:01:12 +0000

The Outraged Liberal analyzes the weekend dustup over corpses of fuzzy wild creatures, concludes:

Whoever does PR and legislative relations for Zoo New England deserves a raise. And it should come from the pocket of the folks who do crisis communications for the Patrick administration.

He notes that the zoo people have played the euthanasia card before, just not so effectively.

Patrick: I will not buy that magazine and you will not shoot that dog

adamg — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:53:38 +0000

Patrick to zoo officials: Quit the fearmongering and we'll talk about saving the zoos.

Earlier:
Franklin Park Zoo threatens to shut down, kill some animals.

Franklin Park Zoo threatens to shut down, kill some animals

adamg — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:19:06 +0000

Blames state budget cuts, Globe reports.

The un-a-wimoweh

adamg — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 03:07:25 +0000

Tom Ulrich visits the Franklin Park Zoo.

How did a gazelle wind up in a tree, dead, at the Franklin Park Zoo?

adamg — Fri, 30 May 2008 11:48:58 +0000

Photo, with no explanation, taken May 18.