Interpretive Guide 2020 - Cincinnati Zoo
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Interpretive Guide
2020
Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 2 Table of Contents Exhibit Summary …………………………………………………………………………………………..3 Theme & Sub-themes …………………………………………………………………………………………..3 Goal & Objectives …………………………………………………………………………………………..4 Species List …………………………………………………………………………………………..4 Exhibit Map …………………………………………………………………………………………..5 Visitor Journey: Interpretive Elements ………………………………………………………..6 Resources …………………………………………………………………………………………..20 Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020
Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 3
Exhibit Summary
At the Australian-themed Roo Valley, beneath a lush
canopy of trees, Zoo guests will experience and
encounter several native Australian species like never
before. In the 15,000-square-foot Kangaroo Walkabout,
guests will roam among the ‘roos as they hop about,
play, and graze. A two-level, ADA-accessible ropes
course with 50 activities will add even more adventure,
while visitors can relax and view Roo Valley from “Hops”,
a multi-tiered beer garden. Little blue penguins will have
an innovatively designed new home as well where guests
can view them both on land and in the water. Fee-based
behind-the-scenes opportunities will be offered with
the little penguins as well.
As guests roam through the valley, uncovering the
fascinating lives of kangaroos and little penguins,
signage and interactions with staff will afford guests
the opportunity to learn how climate change is
impacting Australia’s wildlife, what the Zoo is doing to
counteract climate change, and what they can do to
reduce their use of water and energy at home.
Big Picture Idea (Theme)
Come have an adventure Down Under and uncover
the fascinating lives of kangaroos and little penguins.
Supporting Ideas (Sub-themes)
1. Kangaroos and little penguins are fascinating animals from Australia.
2. Climate change is a major threat to Australia’s wildlife; join the Zoo in reducing this
threat by conserving water and energy.
3. We take excellent care of our animals.
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020
Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 4
Goal
To engage guests in a fun and exciting adventure Down Under while learning about kangaroos,
little penguins, and how they can help save Australia’s wildlife
Objectives
Learning:
After visiting Roo Valley, guests will be able to:
1. Recall one thing they learned about Australian wildlife.
2. Describe one thing they can do to conserve water and/or energy.
3. Give an example of something the Zoo does to provide excellent care for kangaroos or
little penguins.
Emotional:
After visiting Roo Valley, guests will:
1. Say that they had fun.
2. Recall a special moment they had while visiting the exhibit.
3. Express a greater connection to kangaroos and/or little penguins.
Behavioral:
At Roo Valley, guests will:
1. Interact with Zoo staff.
2. Have conversations within their social group related to the exhibit.
After visiting Roo Valley, guests will:
1. Expect to discuss their experience at the exhibit with others at some point in the future.
Species List (subject to change)
Red kangaroo
Western gray kangaroo
Little penguin
New Zealand scaup
Australian wood duck
Freckled duck
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020
Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 5
Exhibit Map
Main entry
entry / exit
Accessible
Green roof
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020
Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 6
Visitor Journey: Interpretive Elements
Entrance
Most visitors will enter Roo Valley off the main
Zoo path just left of the Hops beer garden. An
alternate, ADA-accessible entrance exists across
from the bald eagle habitat; this serves as the
exit for Roo Valley as well.
Kanga Klimb Ropes Course
The first opportunity visitors encounter within the first few feet of the long switchback path
down into the valley is the Kanga Klimb Ropes Course. This two-level, ADA-accessible adventure
ropes course will challenge guests to navigate a series of more than 50 activities such as
crossing rope bridges and stepping across wooden
planks high above the ground. There will be several
course options with differing levels of difficulty. Some
courses will be simple enough for a small child to walk
or allow people with a walker or wheelchair to get a
view from up high. All of the experiences will include
necessary safety equipment from helmets to
harnesses. There is an additional charge to participate
in the ropes course.
Along the entry path
A series of humorous, Australian-themed signs build anticipation as visitors walk down the
entry path into the valley.
Signage text:
G’day, mates! Welcome to the land down under.
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020
Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 7
Signage text:
Keep an eye on your ankle biters in the bush!
Australia is home to heaps of venomous snakes.
Signage text:
Didgeridoo You Know?
Australia’s first people—the Aboriginal Australians—have lived
on the continent for over 50,000 years. Many of the symbols
associated with Australia—from didgeridoos to dot painting to
boomerangs—originated from them.
Signage text:
What do you call a lazy baby kangaroo?
A pouch potato!
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020
Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 8
Signage text:
Boomers
Flyers
Joeys
Signage text:
Crikey!
Never step on a roo’s tail.
He’ll go off like a frog in a sock!
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020
Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 9
Kangaroo Walkabout
Visitors will pass under a trellis to enter
the 15,000-square-foot Kangaroo
Walkabout. Zoo staff will be on hand to
interpret and answer questions as
guests make their way along the path,
observing red and western gray
kangaroos as they hop about, play, and
graze all around them. Expectations for
guest behavior are displayed on a sign
just inside the habitat.
Signage text:
For your safety and the safety of the animals,
please:
● Have an adult with each child.
● Leave food and drink outside.
● Stay on the pathway.
● Have fun!
Signage inside the Walkabout includes an animal identification sign for the kangaroo species
and several interpretive signs on natural history, conservation, and how the Zoo cares for the
kangaroos.
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020
Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 10
Signage text:
Kangaroos live in social groups called mobs.
Males, called boomers, are twice the size of
females, called flyers. These big-footed
hoppers can cover more than 20 feet in a
single bound and reach speeds up to 30
miles per hour, though they prefer to lay
around during the heat of the day.
Red Kangaroo
Macropus rufus
Length: 4 to 6 ft
Weight: 60 to 200 lbs
Lifespan: 10 to 20 yrs
Habitat: Grassland, bushland, and desert
Diet: Grass and leaves
Range: Australia
Western Gray Kangaroo
Macropus fuliginosus
Length: 2 to 7 ft
Weight: 40 to 160 lbs
Lifespan: 10 to 20 yrs
Habitat: Forest, bushland, and grassland
Diet: Grass, bark and leaves
Range: Southern Australia
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 11
Signage text:
Pocket-sized Joey
Like other marsupials, kangaroos
raise their young in a pouch. The
size of a jellybean, a newborn
kangaroo climbs into its mother’s
pouch where it nurses and grows in
snuggly safety until it’s old enough
to start venturing out on its own. At
about a year old, the joey is out of
the pouch for good.
Heaps of Roos
With the removal of most of their
natural predators, kangaroo
populations have grown quite large.
In fact, there are twice as many
kangaroos as people in Australia—
over 45 million. It’s not uncommon
to see kangaroos grazing in
pastures, yards, and golf courses.
Signage text:
Keeping it Comfy and Cozy
Special features of the habitat that help us
to provide excellent care of our kangaroos
include a large open space to explore and
browse feeders that encourage natural
foraging behavior. To keep the kangaroos
comfortable on hot days, the habitat
provides shallow pools, sand piles, fans, and
plenty of shade while heat lamps provide
extra warmth on cooler days.
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 12 Signage text: Save Water, Save Wildlife Australia’s climate is extremely hot and dry. As it continues to heat up due to excessive burning of fossil fuels such as coal and gas, it’s getting even drier. This leads to severe drought and devastating wildfires that impact people and wildlife. To make energy needed to heat water and transport it to our homes, we burn fossil fuels such as coal and gas. This releases carbon dioxide that builds up in the atmosphere and acts like a heat-trapping blanket. This makes our global climate hotter and unstable. One way people are doing more to use less water and energy is by fixing leaky faucets. At the Zoo, we have reduced our water use by more than 75% since 2003, in part by upgrading plumbing infrastructure to eliminate water waste. By replacing worn washers and gaskets to stop a leaky faucet, you can save up to 3,000 gallons of water a year. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020
Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 13
Signage text:
Reusing Rainwater
Here at the Zoo, one way we save
water and energy is by reusing
rainwater collected in tanks
buried underground—you’re
standing on one now! These
retention tanks hold up to
410,000 gallons of water at a
time, which is then filtered and
used to top off the pools in our
animal habitats.
At home, you can do the same
thing by collecting rain that falls
on your roof in a rain barrel and
using that to water your plants.
You can purchase a rain barrel at
any home improvement store.
Just before leaving the Walkabout, visitors will encounter two signs placed 25 feet apart along
the path, representing the distance a kangaroo can jump at one time. Visitors are challenged to
see how many jumps it takes them to cover the same distance.
Signage text:
Kangaroos can cover 25 feet in a single hop! How
many hops does it take you to go that far? Hop on
down the path to find out.
Signage text:
Good on ya! How many hops did it take you to go the
25 feet a kangaroo can cover in one hop?
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 14
Little Penguin Habitat
Visitors enter the little penguin habitat
area, which is enclosed in mesh, from
inside the Kangaroo Walkabout at the
far end. Before they do, there is a sign
next to a small path that leads to where
behind-the-scenes experiences will take
place to advertise the opportunity.
Signage text:
Want to meet our little penguins?
Book your behind-the-scenes experience at
cincinnatizoo.org/behindthescenes or call 475-6198.
Inside the penguin area, visitors will be able to North America’s largest colony of little penguins
as they swim or relax on the beach. Several additional bird species will also call this area home.
Signage and Zoo staff will be on hand to interpret and answer questions. Signage includes
animal identification signs and interpretive signs on conservation and how the Zoo cares for its
penguins.
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 15 Signage text: Little Penguin Eudyptula minor Little penguins are the smallest of all penguins. Also called blue penguins, they have blue instead of black feathers on their backs. Living in a warm climate, little penguins keep cool by spending the day in the water and only coming ashore at night. During nesting season, they hole up in burrows to avoid the heat. Height: Up to 1.1 ft Weight: 2 to 3 lbs Average Lifespan: 6 to 7 yrs Habitat: Ocean and coastal shores Diet: Small fish, such as anchovies and sardines, and krill Range: Southern Australia and New Zealand Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020
Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 16
Several other water birds will also make
their home in the little penguin habitat.
The sign frame was designed to allow
for up to five species’ identification
signs. These can switch out as needed
when species are added or removed.
Signage text:
New Zealand scaup
Aythya novaeseelandiae
Range: New Zealand
Diet: Snails and other aquatic
invertebrates
Australian wood duck
Chenonetta jubata
Range: Australia
Diet: Grass, herbs and insects
Freckled duck
Stictonetta naevosa
Range: Australia
Diet: Algae, seeds, aquatic plants, and
insects
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 17
Signage text:
Save Water, Save Penguins
Though little penguins are not currently endangered, scientists are concerned about decreasing
populations in some areas. As ocean temperatures rise along Australia’s coast, fish move into
cooler waters. Penguins travel further and use more energy to find enough fish to eat, which
makes it harder to survive and successfully raise young. On land, heatwaves can cause penguins
to abandon nests, and severe storms often destroy nesting habitat.
These changes in climate are the result of carbon dioxide build-up in the atmosphere that traps
heat like a blanket around the
Earth. We produce carbon
dioxide when we burn fossil
fuels like coal and gas to make
energy.
It takes energy to treat water so
using less water is one way to
slow down climate change.
At the Zoo, instead of
automatically draining and
refilling the pools in our animal
habitats every day, we save
water and energy by testing the
water quality first and then only
replacing it when necessary.
What’s the biggest source of
water use in an American home?
The toilet! On average, a typical
household flushes down over 30
gallons of water a day. More and
more people are choosing a
WaterSense-certified model
when buying a new toilet, which
uses up to 60% less water than
other models. Look for the
WaterSense label when
shopping.
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 18 Signage text: Just Keep Swimming Swimming is important to penguin health. To encourage swimming, we designed a dynamic pool with variable depths, things to swim under and around, and a wave machine. We monitor how the penguins use the habitat, including how often they swim, through the use of RFID tags on their wing bands. This helps us know when a penguin is showing unusual behavior and may need attention. When our penguins choose to remain on land, a natural beach with sand and pebbles promotes foot health, and multiple heating and cooling features such as fans, misters, heat lamps, and heated rocks keep them comfortable. Green Roof Garden Upon exiting the Kangaroo Walkabout, visitors then walk along a long path towards the exit. On the way, they can view the condor and sea eagle eyries on their right. Then they find themselves walking across a bridge and through a garden that happens to be a green roof on top of the little penguin holding building. A sign interprets the conservation value of natural landscaping. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020
Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 19 Signage text: Save Water with Natural Landscapes When rain falls on a traditional roof, pavement or lawn, it runs off into streams and sewers, picking up dirt and pollutants along the way. A more naturally planted landscape slows down the flow of water, allowing it to seep in the ground and be taken up by plants. Those plants then clean the water and remove carbon dioxide from the air. Here at the Zoo, we grow plants nearly everywhere—even on top of some of our buildings. You’re standing on the roof of a building right now! A green roof also insulates the building, reducing the energy needed for heating and cooling. While it’s not practical for most people to install a green roof at home, anyone with a yard can save water and energy by adding more natural landscaping. Find the Zoo’s list of recommended plants for our region at cincinnatizoo.org/plants. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020
Roo Valley Interpretive Guide 20 Crossing another bridge, visitors are now on the last section of the exit path that leads them back out onto the main Zoo path across from the bald eagle habitat. A simple interpretive sign encourages them to return again soon. Signage text: See ya later, mate! Come back and see us again soon. Resources Australian Museum, https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/ Birdlife Australia, http://www.birdlife.org.au/ Bush Heritage Australia, https://www.bushheritage.org.au/ New Zealand Birds Online, http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/ The Penguin Foundation, https://penguinfoundation.org.au/ Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2020
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