THE RETURN OF THE EYE

 By: Brittney Corrado, Alisha Bains, and Laila Schwin

May 14, 2021

The Akron Public Zoo will be introducing a new and expanded home for Sumatran tigers, red pandas, and primates (known as white-cheeked gibbons), and this exhibit will be titled Wild Asia. 

Wild Asia promises to expand the red panda natural habitat, but unfortunately, these pandas face endangerment and are severely threatened by pelt hunting. They are also being threatened by shrinking habitats from agricultural encroachment and climate change. The red panda is about the size of a raccoon. They live in forests, and they primarily eat bamboo leaves. Along with the Sumatran tigers (all tigers in particular) being endangered, they now call the Akron Zoo their home.

The zoo is also introducing white-cheeked gibbons during this tour. They are 10-20 pound primates that are very energetic. They are small apes who form from highly-social families. These gibbons are endangered largely due to deforestation from palm oil cultivation. The Akron Zoo’s survival plan for the gibbons will help save this species from extinction. Every newborn will be calling the Akron zoo their home, also.

The zoo’s director of capital projects and sustainability Chris Norman said that Wild Asia is in the process of being built on what was previously called Tiger Valley, which was built in 1998 on a hillside looking over Edgewood Avenue on the West Side of Akron. Wild Asia is meant to recreate Southeast Asian jungles and Himalayan forest conditions through its habitats to accommodate the conditions that the animals are used to in their native lands. 

The main focus of Wild Asia is to educate people on environmental topics such as climate change and deforestation and how these have affected the species now included in the exhibit. It is meant to teach them about how their actions can affect the environment and the importance of conservation for species that are progressively being drawn closer to extinction. All of the species in this exhibit are endangered and being driven out by hunting and deforestation. 

The Akron Zoo is also utilizing the addition of these endangered species as an attempt at species conservation, as the tigers and gibbons are both breeding pairs, and a male will likely be added with the red pandas to allow for a breeding pair as well. The continuation of these species through breeding pairs is a step toward conservation and for retaining a normal population, despite the issues affecting these animals. 

The habitats for all of these animals are meant to reflect the needs of their species in the wild, such as the tigers each having their own individual fields to reflect their solitary nature, the red pandas having a climate-controlled cave, and the white-cheeked gibbons having trees designed specifically for them to be able to swing from. 

While the pandemic has delayed the development of this Wild Asia exhibit and severely limited the number of people allowed to visit, the near-opening of this exhibit is a sign of the continued development of species conservation and perseverance. 

The Wild Asia exhibit at the Akron Zoo is expected to be completed and opened on May 29, 2021, and there are future plans for expansion of other sections of the zoo, such as the Pride of Africa exhibit. 

There is much to look forward to.  Whether it is the Cleveland Zoo or the Akron Zoo, these animals are being taken care of, so make sure to visit both of these great zoos.

{Information for this article was retrieved from Cleveland.com and Akronzoo.org.}

By: Brittney Corrado, Alisha Bains, and Laila Schwin

May 7, 2021

In 1905, a woman named Anna Jarvis started a campaign for an official holiday honoring mothers. She started this the year when her own mother died as a way to honor her. 

The first celebration that was held for Mother’s Day was in 1908 in Grafton, West Virginia. Mother’s Day became an official holiday in 1914. Since then, Mother’s Day has become a representation of respect, honor, and love towards truly-devoted moms. 

Different versions of Mother’s Day are celebrated all around the world. In Thailand, for example, Mother’s Day is celebrated in August on the birthday of the current queen, Sirikit. In Ethiopia, families gather each Fall to sing songs and to eat a large feast as part of Antrosht, a multi-day celebration honoring motherhood.  These are just a few of the many Mother’s Day traditions and celebrations known worldwide.

Mother’s Day has also been a date for bringing awareness to women’s rights. In 1968, Coretta Scott King, MLK’s wife, used Mother’s Day to lead a march to support underprivileged women and children. In 1970, certain women’s groups used the holiday as a time to highlight the need for equal rights and access to childcare.

Ann Reeves Jarvis, mother of Anna Jarvis, was a large contributor to the development of Mother’s Day, as she organized “Mother’s Day Work Clubs” before the Civil War to help teach mothers various childcare skills. These meetings became a unifying event during an area of division during the Civil War and developed into “Mother’s Friendship Day”. This friendship day started in 1868 and included mothers of both former Union and Confederate soldiers in an attempt to reconcile relations between both sides after the war. 

The concept of the holiday changed from there and was more focused on mothers promoting world peace. Eventually, though, after years of her organizing for it, Jarvis got her holiday signed into the calendar by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914.

The joy of this event did not last long, and Jarvis spent years afterwards regretting her decision as Mother’s Day became commercialized and about gifts instead of the value of one’s mother and connecting with family. She even attempted to get the holiday removed from the calendar as she was so disgusted by the consumerism. 

However, Mother’s Day has prevailed and became a different event because of this. It has become a mix of both avenues, not only gifts but also a day to appreciate our mothers. 

This year, Mother’s Day will be celebrated on Sunday, May 9.  This day is devoted to all moms, but they should be celebrated 365 days of the year because they are the best.

Happy Mother’s Day to all moms!

{Information for this article was retrieved from History.com.}

By: Brittney Corrado, Laila Schwin, and Alisha Bains

April 30, 2021

After a long hard year without being able to travel, the tourism industry in Ohio and almost everywhere else hopes that vacation summers are back and better than ever. This pandemic has ruined a lot, but positive changes are coming. 

If you want a fun, new way to camp, think about floating tents! It is a great way to travel and spend some time outdoors while being safe and still having a blast.

The tents can be found in the Treasure Island Park in Troy, Ohio, floating along the Great Miami River. The tents are called Shoal tents, the first of their kind, and are composed of inflatable rafts with tent toppers. These Shoal tents are all manufactured right in Troy, Ohio, too. 

Float Troy is offering 10 floating (anchored) tents. These tents are manufactured in Troy by Smithfly and up to four people can sleep in each tent. A watercraft/kayak is included with tent rental as well as oars and life vests. The tents are priced at $85 per night with an extra $20 charge for extra watercraft rentals. 

There are also four floating fire pits with the tents, which are available on a first come-first serve basis. Additionally, there are various facilities and grills on land that are also part of this unique, camping experience. 

Scheduling these tents for various dates between June 22 and September 6 are limited.  Some of these dates are already sold out. 

So, if you are looking for an opportunity to spend some time on these floating tents, you might want to book your trip soon to reserve a spot. 

There are plenty of fun activities and places to visit during this campout. These floating tents are well worth it, but be prepared to get “a little” wet. 

{Information for this article was retrieved from Cleveland.com, Troy, and MSN.}

By: Laila Schwin, Brittney Corrado, and Alisha Bains

April 23, 2021

After waiting over 20 years, visitors are finally able to visit tiger cubs at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. The three cubs were all born this past December. As the cubs adjust to their new habitat, visitors will be able to see them every day between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

The three cubs are being raised in a social group of two endangered subspecies of tigers. Two of the cubs were born here in Cleveland, and the third joined the pair from the Tulsa Zoo. The two born here are Amur tigers named Luka and Anya, and the one from the Tulsa Zoo is a Malayan tiger named Indrah, who joined the other cubs to allow for social and behavioral development along with interaction.  

The cubs made their debut shortly after hitting some major milestones like transitioning to a meat diet, hitting a weight of 30 pounds, and developing strength and agility skills within their interactions with one other. Luka and Anya have been very interactive and up-close with the guests during their free roam times.  Indrah, however, has preferred indoor areas with less attention. Soon enough, the cubs will be able to be outside full-time in the Rosebrough Tiger Passage. 

Amur tigers are an endangered species, and Malayan tigers are considered to be critically-endangered by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). Amur tigers have an estimated 450 animals left in their natural habitat, and Malayan tigers have even less at an estimated number between 250 and 340 worldwide. The presence of baby tigers, even in captivity, is a good sign.  Even if it is just a slight change, conservation efforts allow for them to be born, and this is a gift in itself. 

The Rosebrough Tiger Passage includes four interconnected habitats for the family of tigers to explore. Visitors can learn about the threats to tiger species and what they face including habitat loss and poaching. This exhibit provides a safe place for a species whose lives are threatened and habitats destroyed. 

The gift of life is a miracle, and each animal deserves to be happy, healthy, and safe. 

Go visit the three new tiger cubs at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.  Remember, Mondays are free admission.

On a side note, Mr. Holko wants to adopt all three of these tiger cubs as his pets.  What could possibly go wrong?

{Information for this article was retrieved from Clevelandmetroparks.com and Cleveland.com.}