DENVER — Just because the public is not allowed in, doesn't mean the staff at the Denver Zoo gets to clock out. Employees like Emily Insalaco, general curator at the Denver Zoo and the leader of the animal care team, have been working around the clock – same as always.
"We're still here seven days a week caring for all of the animals," Insalaco said Sunday, about four weeks after the zoo closed to visitors.
Insalaco and the animal care team have lots of animals to feed, clean, and keep healthy. In many ways, their jobs haven't changed. But Insalaco said, it's been different without the crowds.
"This is what it feels like in the mornings when we all show up for work, ya know?" Insalaco gestured to the empty grounds. "We’re used to it being this quiet in the mornings, but not on a day-to-day to basis like this. It’s such beautiful weather today – we’d normally have thousands of people walking around the zoo right now."
She's right. A spokesperson for the Denver Zoo said, on any given weekend day in April with such nice weather, the zoo would host more than 10,000 visitors.
Instead, on this Sunday in mid-April, it's empty. And some of the residents have noticed how quiet it is, too.
"I'm purposefully standing with Ralph, our Emu, who usually loves to see people," Insalaco said, leaning her phone down to show off Ralph. "He's usually right up at the front greeting our guests."
With no guests to greet, Ralph is taking advantage of any chance to interact. He stayed by Insalaco's side during the entire interview. He's not the only bird missing the people.
"If you've been to the zoo, you might know about our Lorikeet Adventure Exhibit," Insalaco said. "Those birds are used to guests coming in and feeding them nectar. So lots of free food right? Now when people walk by they get so excited!"
The lorikeets will be happy when guests are back to help them break their diet. Still others, like Yuri the tiger, have enjoyed the quiet.
"Yuri’s behavior was very tiger like," Insalaco explained. "But without the guests here, he’s being a little bit braver. We're actually kind of excited because he's been exploring our catwalk which is not something he's really done before," she said.
"You can see Ralph’s roommates, the kangaroos, don’t seem to notice the difference at all. They’re kind of doing what they always do," Insalaco said all of the different animals have responded to this change in different ways. Whether happy or sad, or something in between, she knows for sure, they're all smart enough to notice things have changed.
"That’s what it’s really about, they have noticed there is a difference. Some of them more than others," she said.
Denver Zoo introduces newborn rhino calf
The Denver Zoo is trying to get people as involved with the animals as they can. They're asking for the public's help in naming the zoo's baby rhino calf that was born back in February.
Coloradans can head to the zoo's website and cast a vote for whichever name they like best. The zoo is asking a donation be made to cast a vote. Donations received help fund care for rhinos at the zoo and in the wild, according to the zoo.
The daily virtual zoo is another way zoo staff are keeping the animals connected with everyone. But Insalaco said, she and the animals are eager to share the grounds with guests again soon.
"The animals I think are going to be looking forward to seeing guests because it has been really different for them. Whether they mind it or don’t mind it – it’s still different," she said. "We know some of them are really going to be looking forward to seeing guests."
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