Zoo officials pointed out that the antelope, native to the American West, is the second fastest land animal in the world, behind the cheetah. Silver estimates they can run 55 miles an hour in the wild.
The adults co-exist with the zoo’s herd of bison in the outdoor exhibit area. Most of the animals at Flushing Meadows have indoor enclosures where they go at night.
The fawns are being hand fed by a trainer to get them used to human contact. “That makes them tamer so in the future if we have to handle them for a medical reason, it makes it easier,” Silver said.
That is done with most of the animals at this zoo, devoted to wildlife from North and South America. The exceptions are the bespectacled bears, for obvious reasons, and the bison, which Silver described as perpetually grouchy.
Although hardly pampered pets, the zoo animals nevertheless come in for some TLC when the weather gets hot. Many of the outdoor exhibit areas have misting devices to cool off the animals. And the bears sometimes are given frozen treats filled with fruits and vegetables to munch on. This helps cool them off.
The Queens Zoo also prides itself on its animal enrichment and training program for their physical and psychological well being. Enrichment methods include hiding food so the animals can forage, spraying different scents into their enclosures and offering structures for climbing, scratching and resting.
If you want to see the fawns, they are on view twice daily, at 10:15 a.m. and 2:40 p.m., until they become better acclimated.
With people feeling the monetary pinch of the poor economy, they are finding the Queens Zoo a good bargain and attendance records are showing it. According to Barbara Russo, zoo spokeswoman, attendance is up 24 percent for July from the previous year.
Silver is not surprised. “We are doing very well,” he said. Where else could you go for $20 for a family of four. It’s hard to match that for entertainment.”
If you haven’t visited the zoo for awhile, look for a migration challenge playground near the bald eagle exhibit. It opened last year and offers youngsters a chance to let off steam while learning about migratory patterns of birds.
The 11-acre zoo is open every day of the year and includes 40 species of animals with a separate section for barnyard denizens. It is located on the 111th Street side of the park. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekends. Admission is $7 for adults; $4 for seniors, $3 for children ages 3-12 and free for those under three.
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