It’s officially National Zookeepers Week and the City of Folsom is not letting the week long occasion go without shining a light on the many dedicated humans that work tirelessly to make the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary a very special place for its residents and visitors alike.
At a recent Folsom City Council meeting, members of the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary staff and volunteer team were recognized for National Zookeepers Week, complete with a proclamation signed by Folsom Mayor Mike Kozlowski. The presentation recognized the invaluable contributions of our local zookeepers, not only on National Zookeepers Week that we are now within, but year round.
The proclamation highlighted the critical role zookeepers play in achieving the city’s goals of boosting tourism, enhancing residents’ quality of life, building community, and contributing to the city’s “Distinctive by Nature” attributes. As noted in the proclamation, zookeepers are celebrated for their adherence to the high standards set by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the United States Department of Agriculture.
In Folsom, our zookeepers care for over 40 rescued animal species that cannot survive in the wild, demonstrating unique skills in creating behavioral enrichment items and using positive reinforcement training to involve animals in their own veterinary care. The proclamation and presentation went on to acknowledge the “tireless dedication of zookeepers, who work extended hours, including weekends and holidays, to ensure outstanding veterinary care and continuous animal welfare.”
Additionally, the zookeepers were praised for their efforts in educating and inspiring youth about conservation and native wildlife, guiding them into careers in animal welfare.
This week, the city of Folsom and the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary is continuing to recognize and thank their many zookeepers and staff with various shout outs, posts and public service messages across their social media pages and websites.
Folsom City Zoo boasts 60 years of caring and compassion
The Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary is currently in its 60th year of operation. When it comes to its early beginnings, the Folsom City Zoo didn’t begin as a fully planned our project or development. In fact, its humble beginnings arose due to one man’s love and care for animals, especially those that have been injured. Today, the facility carries on much the same as a sanctuary for a variety of animals that otherwise would not do well in the wild.
In all began in the early 1960’s when a man by the name of Gordon Brong was Folsom’s Park Superintendent. Brong had already been caring for a number of deer as well as some young coyotes that took residence around the park’s office. The animals soon became an attraction to locals who would often stop by and see them.
In 1963 the University of California at Davis Veterinary Department contacted Gordon. The organization had rescued a bear cub that was orphaned and injured in a forest fire and they were seeking a place in which they come rehome it, as they feared it would not survive if returned to the wild due to its young age and burns.
While the deer and coyotes that roamed the property were fairly small in size and quite dosial, Brong knew bringing a bear into the facility would require some improvements to safely contain and care for it. It was then that Brong went to city leaders and convinced them to provide an appropriate space in which the bear could be housed.
The city was convinced by Brong at the time. They collaborated with volunteers from local service clubs to design and build a structure where the bear, who was named “Smokey,” became the newest resident on the city of Folsom property that then became what is now known as the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary.
The housing of the bear didn’t come without controversy. It was surrounding the housing of the bear at the time, it was a bit of a fued regarding his name of “Smokey.” The United States Government stepped in and stated that only the “Smokey” known for forest fire prevention could use that name.
Much like they do today, the community of Folsom rallied behind something they truly loved and went to bat in an effort to help “Smokey” keep his name. According to archives, the Folsom resident known as Smokey drew worldwide attention during it all, which brought even more support for his name to remain the same. Eventually the government relented and Smokey retained his name.
For years, Smokey was always a popular attraction at the zoo as children and families would pay the bear that survived the forest fire a visit, whether it was a weekend family trip or that of a local school field trip. Smokey eventually passed away in 1984 but continued to be recognized as one of the zoo’s founding residents.
Today, the Folsom Zoo continues to be a safe haven for many rescued animals. The name change to Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary in 2002 in an effort to illustrate the goal of, “providing for animals that are not able to be released back into the wild.” Over the years the zoo has welcomed a variety of different animals, some of which have been “pets” that proved to be too wild or were confiscated after being captured illegally.
Continuing much like it began, many of the zoo’s residents have suffered injuries that would make life in the wild impossible and some were captured as “problem animals,” such as wild animals that continue to return to public spaces or residential areas despite being returned to the wild, becoming what is often referred to as “humanized.”
Despite the reason they came to Folsom, all of them treated as individuals and offered the best environments for their needs, which aligns with the zoo’s mission statement of, “Teaching responsible behavior toward all animals.” The mission proudly carried on by the City of Folsom as well as the Non-Profit organization known as the Friends of the Folsom Zoo Sanctuary. It’s a labor of love with a very small paid staff and a strong contingent of volunteers.
According to the Folsom City Zoo, none of the animals are bred, sold or traded to other facilities. Once here in Folsom, these creatures are given the best care a community can offer. While most of the animals stay at the zoo once they arrive, there are some that temporarily spend time at Folsom prior to finding a permanent home.
Each year everyone involved with the zoo from the city staff to the volunteers work to make the facility even better than before for both its residents and its human visitors. Currently, the zoo is working to bring all of its fencing up to code to meet new federal requirements and remain in compliance as well as safe to the communities on both sides of those barriers.
A visit to Folsom Zoo is always educational and entertaining for all ages, with a menagerie of factual information throughout the facility. Additionally, they often offer presentations, biofact displays, keeper chats and more. You can learn more about the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary at the Friends of Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary website HERE, where you can donate to the facility or become a member. You can also learn more on the city’s website HERE.