A revitalized wolf exhibit is bringing new life to an area of the Bramble Park Zoo in Watertown.
The recently unveiled habitat represents a major investment in both animal care and the visitor experience.
With roughly $600,000 in renovations, it replaced an exhibit that was more than 35 years old and doubled the wolves’ indoor space, added modern features such as heat, running water, and improved drainage, and provided a new glass viewing area where visitors can get remarkably close to the animals. It’s also an important part of the zoo’s work toward regaining AZA accreditation.
The idea of a new wolf habitat was in the making since zookeeper Olivia Wulff started at the Zoo in 2014.
“We always knew our exhibit was outdated and ‘bare bones’ from my beginning here and was mostly adequate for the current animals, but definitely had lots of room for improvement and updates,” recalled Wulff.
Former zoo director Dan Miller ignited plans for the project before he retired, and it was shaped further after current zoo superintendent, Stacy Plocher, continued to formulate plans and fundraise for the much-needed upgrades.
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Bramble Park Zoo’s most recent pack of wolves, Titan, Ty, Trigger and Tee, sadly passed away from age-related complications, as well as a sibling pair of coyotes, Wiley and Delilah.
“That was the time we chose to start the demolition process of the old habitat since we decided as an entire team that it wouldn’t have been a good transition for the aged canines to move homes for the construction process,” said Wulff. “It would have been extremely stressful for them due to their geriatric age and potential health risks.”
With over 500 animals at the zoo, including around 100 species, the team is focused on providing their animal collection with quality habitats and giving guests the most wholesome experience they can without crowding.
“That’s why our improvement projects are so important to us and to the animals,” said Wulff.
Construction took around a year, beginning last spring and wrapping up at the beginning of this summer. One of Wulff ’s favorite parts about the new habitat is the close and personal viewing windows.
“My favorite part about being a zookeeper is working so closely with the animals and forming bonds with them.”
OLIVIA WULFF
“There’s a big viewing area into their inside holding that allows guests to see their ‘bedrooms’—or night stalls—so they can almost always be viewable,” she said. “Really the only time they’re not able to be seen right now is if they’re hiding in one of the tunnels—or culverts—on exhibit or under their stock tanks.”
Having the ability to hide is important to wolves, the zookeeper says, but the team also wants them to engage with guests because the cubs are so interactive at the young, impressionable age.
“The pups love having such a large and expansive holding area because they seem comfortable shifting inside or moving about the stalls, whereas the old building was small and dark and the old pack did not choose to be indoors much at all unless it was to eat quickly and/or cool off in the shade,” said Wulff.
The new building has a massive air exchanger pushing cool breeze throughout the stalls as well as in-floor heat. Come wintertime, Wulff says it will be more comfortable to work in that area and continue to wash and disinfect it year round, which the team was unable to do in the last building without heat or water.
Also, the warmed floor will provide the wolves with added comfort when they grow old and need that support for their joints and potential arthritis, which is a common ailment in all canines.
That feature won’t be needed for some time, as the reimagined habitat welcomed a new pack of wolf pups named Aurora, Ash, Summit, and Everest.
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“The new pack seems to really enjoy their space and playing on the exhibit,” said Wulff. “We have been running sprinklers outside for them to keep the grass watered as well as to keep them cool and provide them with enrichment. They spend a lot of time chomping at the water or chasing each other.”
The foursome are most active when the zoo opens at 10 a.m. and at dusk when it’s cooler outside. In the hot mid afternoon hours, guests can typically find them napping in the shade.
“Obviously the wolf pups have taken over my work and some of my personal life,” said Wulff. “They find their way into every conversation, and I am thankful the zoo and the public are so excited about them since they are such a fun addition for us and the community.”
Wulff is also excited to see where the new Lake Area Zoological Society event coordinator, Laren Blauer, will take the attraction in the next year. Blauer filled an important position on the LAZS board by organizing events and fundraisers for the non-profit aspect of the zoo.
“She already has done an amazing job with our adults only Sippin’ Safari event that was at the end of June, and our LAZS members’ picnic for families, as well as other upcoming events,” said Wulff.
Bramble Park Zoo is an important piece of Watertown’s visitor economy with more than 55,000 guests visiting the attraction annually.
“And those visitors don’t necessarily spend money only at the zoo,” said Visit Watertown’s director of marketing and business development Lindsay Stangl. “They also eat at local restaurants, shop, buy fuel, stay in hotels, and visit other attractions.”
That’s one of many reasons why it’s crucial to continue to improve its facilities, says Wulff.
“It’s important for zoos to provide their animals with the best possible environment within our means and control in their habitats,” she continued. “We do this by implementing not only physical exhibit updates, but giving them enrichment to stimulate their bodies and minds, a lot of times multiple times a day, as well as training programs to both enhance their cognitive abilities and increase the quality of their husbandry and vet care.”
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Bramble Park Zoo has a lot of projects in the works to update habitats, with the next being their outdated bear exhibit. They will not only be increasing the footprint of the space, but will be making the area more complex for the bears, adding some various substrates like dirt and grass so they can dig and demonstrate natural behaviors if they choose.
These carefully-curated exhibits help ensure the future of one of the state’s longest standing attractions.
“The zoo has been part of Watertown since 1912, so it’s both a visitor attraction and a piece of the community’s identity,” said Stangl.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT VISITWATERTOWNSD.COM OR BRAMBLEPARKZOO.COM+
