Habitat 40 Spring 2015

2 | March/April/May 2015 Innocent bedtime stories have probably done more than anything else to shape the wolf’s negative reputation in our culture. Who’s afraid of the big, bad wolf? The Three Little Pigs thought they had nothing to fear inside their homes made of straw and twigs – until the evil wolf huffed and puffed and blew their houses in. Little Red Riding Hood was hoodwinked by a wolf but outsmarted him in order to save her grandmother. For centuries, wolves have been portrayed in art, music, literature and film as something to be feared. And it’s not just the protagonists from fairy tales who are afraid – most people fear wolves. What’s ironic is that wolves seldom (really, almost never) will attack a human; they are much more afraid of us and try to avoid us – often for good reason. Do these apex predators deserve their reputation as malevolent beasts? An important feature of our new Cotton Family Wolf Habitat, opening this spring, will be interpretives about the wolves. Panels will enlighten visitors about the real wolf “story” – not only facts but also conservation status and history – and even dispel the myths. As we look forward to welcoming wolves back to the Detroit Zoo for the first time in 25 years, we are also excited to bring back another apex predator – or at least it was 65 million years ago. Forty life-like animatronic dinosaurs that snarl and move – and some that spit – will take up residence here this summer for Dinosauria. It will be the largest dinosaur exhibit in the country (some of the creatures are so big, we’ll need a crane to place them onto the DinoTrail)! As with our animal habitats, Dinosauria provides an excellent opportunity to educate guests about these captivating prehistoric creatures and help them to experience the wonder and wow of the Detroit Zoo. We’ve found over the years that dinosaurs appeal to “kids” of all ages and that there are as many adults as children who are totally geeked to learn all about them. Whichever apex predator you come to see this summer – be it live wolves or animatronic dinosaurs – you are in for a wonderful experience, a fascinating education and two huge new doses of Vitamin Z. And there’s nothing to be afraid of – I swear by the hair of my chinny chin chin. From the Director Ron Kagan Executive Director, Detroit Zoological Society H ABITAT Celebrating and Saving Wildlife T h e M a g a z i n e o f t h e D e t r o i t Z o o l o g i c a l S o c i e t y Habitat is produced quarterly for Members of the Detroit Zoological Society. EDITED BY Graphinity, Inc. CONTRIBUTING WRITER Jennifer Thomas PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT ArborOakland Group GRAPHIC DESIGN Graphinity, Inc. Copyright © 2015 Detroit Zoological Society All rights reserved. PLEASE CONTACT: Detroit Zoological Society 8450 W. 10 Mile Road Royal Oak, MI 48067 Phone: (248) 541-5717 Fax: (248) 541-2489 www.detroitzoo.org For questions about membership, please contact: info@dzs.org . facebook.com/detroitzoo youtube.com/detroitzoo twitter.com/detroitzoo instagram.com/detroitzoo The Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo. Printed in the USA. The Detroit Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.