Bobcat Habitat Renovation

For 2008, our largest priority is to refurbish the existing, outdated bobcat facility. The zoo's most popular denizens are our beloved bobcats, Rufus and Tule. Rufus is 14 and has been in the zoo since 1994; Tule joined him in 2002.

All concrete and no nature: no running water, no large rocks for jumping and napping, and no nooks for privacy. The concrete abrades their paws and is hard on their bones and muscles. Low ceiling also limit Rufus and Tule, who are capable of jumping up to 8 feet straight up with ease.

You can't see them: The glass-front cage reflects glare and prevents visitors from fully observing the bobcats, which causes frustration and disappointment. The inability to view the animals truly undermines the inherent purpose of the bobcat exhibit at the Zoo.

No holding pen or transition space: To separate the animals for observation, medications, check-ups, or to prepare them for offsite trips to the vet or educational outreach.

The Friends' goal is to create a more natural, stimulating environment that would suit the behavior and instincts of bobcats; a safer, more streamlined system for providing care; and vastly improved visibility so that children can observe the animals throughout the day.

Museum Exhibits

With member donations, the Friends help support the annual museum exhibit. The current exhibit, "Go Figure", opened in March 2007, and encourages young visitors to engage in their own methods of problem solving and creativity through a series of interactive games. If you haven't seen "Go Figure", please stop by the Museum soon.

In Summer 2008, the Museum will unveil its latest exhibit on Energy!

East Palo Alto Science Outreach Program

Each year, the Friends are very proud to sponsor the East Palo Alto Science Outreach Program. This valuable science program provides hands-on classes for hundreds of East Palo Alto children in kindergarten through 3rd grade from Willow Oaks Elementary School. These deserving students are from an ethnically and racially diverse and predominantly low-income community, with limited access to interactive science education classes. Since 1999, over 3,000 students have attended this program, and we hope to expand this program to other EPA schools in the upcoming year. If you would like to help sponsor this important community project, please contact us at info@friendsjmz.org.

In 2006-07, this project was generously co-sponsored by the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund allowing us to offer 96 classes to 300 children.

In past years, Members have helped fund:

"Let's Go!" Exhibit 2006 The very successful "Let's Go!" exhibit explored the dynamics of motion and allowed kids to spin, bounce, and roll as they experienced different ways to move and learn about the science behind motion.

Starlab Planetarium. Members helped purchase the starlab in honor of former JMZ director, Mearle Carson, who retired in 1991.

Coastal Stream Exhibit. The exhibit was a re-creation of part of San Francisquito Creek in Palo Alto and designed by local environmental artist Mark Brest van Kempten. Mark spent months on the exhibit, collecting native flora and fauna from the creek. The result was a near exact duplicate of a section of the creek.

Bat House. Originally build as a nocturnal house in 1969, the enclosure was reconfigured for bats in 1998 and then again in 2004. Members helped raise over $125,000.00 for this project. We installed viewing windows, heaters, lights and signage. The JMZ is proud to be the first zoo in the Bay Area to have fruit bats on exhibit for the public.

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