Meet Tumbleweed the hedgehog and Nattie the hognose snake at the Virginia Zoo - Norfolk Perspectives

>>> WELCOME TO NORFOLK PERSPECTIVES CITY SLICE.
I'M BOB BATCHER AND I'M HERE WITH A VERY SPECIAL GUEST AND
IT'S NOT THE HEDGE HOG, IT'S WINN DANIELSON.
HOW ARE YOU DOING? >> GOOD, HOW ARE YOU.
>> I'VE GOT YOU DOWN AS MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
MANAGER FOR THE ZOO, BUT I'M GOING TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON PRETAPE BECAUSE WE HAVE ANOTHER
SPECIAL GUEST AND HIS NAME IS? >> HIS NAME IS TUMBLE WEED, HE'S
AN AFRICAN HEDGE HOG. >> AND HE'S NOT THE BEST-BEHAVED
GUEST WE'VE HAD ON THE SHOW. >> NO, THAT'S TRUE.
>> YOU HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY SERVING OUR COUNTRY AS AN FIO
WITH THE -- >> PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER WITH
THE MASSACHUSETTS NATIONAL GUARD AND RIGHT NOW I'M ACTUALLY AN
OPERATIONS OFFICERS FOR THE REGIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTE OUT
THERE, BUT MY BACKGROUND IS PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
>> I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND YOU BRING A LOT OF WISDOM IN
THAT. DID YOU EVER THINK YOU WOULD BE
CLEANING UP BEHIND A HEDGE HOG TO GET READY FOR A TV SHOW.
>> NO, THE ZOO IS DIFFERENT THAN MILITARY PUBLIC AFFAIRS, THAT'S
TRUE, BUT IT'S FUN. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY, THE ZOO
HAS TO BE A FUN PLACE TO WORK. >> ABSOLUTELY.
>> BUT THERE'S A SERIOUS SIDE SO THE DUE TOO, RIGHT?
>> ABSOLUTELY. WE'RE DEALING WITH LIVE ANIMALS
AND PEOPLE NOT ONLY ARE ZOOKEEPERS BUT THE MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC WHO COME TO THE ZOO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE
ANIMALS OVER TIME SO IT CAN BE A VERY EMOTIONAL CONNECTION
BETWEEN PEOPLE AND THE ANIMALS, SO WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THE BEST
CARE POSSIBLE FOR THESE GUYS. >> AND IT'S -- BUT IS IT -- IT'S
NOT JUST, THOSE ANIMALS ARE NOT THERE JUST FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT
VALUE. I MEAN, THE ZOO REALLY HAS
PERFORMED SOME TREMENDOUS MISSIONS WHEN IT COMES TO THE
PROPAGATION OF ANIMALS, RIGHT? >> WE HAVE THREE CORE MISSIONS
AT THE ZOO. ONE IS RECREATION.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO THE ZOO AND HAVE A GOOD TIME, BUT
THE OTHER TWO ARE EDUCATION. WE WANT PEOPLE TO LEARN ABOUT
THESE ANIMALS AND THEIR HABITATS BECAUSE THAT FACILITATES OUR
THIRD MISSION WHICH IS CONSERVATION.
WE WANT TO FACILITATE PEOPLE CONSERVING THESE ANIMALS IN
THEIR HABITATS IN THE WILD SO WE CAN PRESERVE THEM FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS AS WELL. >> THIS GUY LOOKS REALLY WILD.
OKAY, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HE IS.
>> WELL, HE'S AN AFRICAN HEDGE HOG.
THEY ARE OMNI VORS FROM -- THEY RANGE FROM ZAMBIA TO SENEGAL TO
SUDAN IN AFRICA. THEY EAT A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
THINGS. THEY'RE ON RIVERS SO THEY --
THEY'RE OMNIVORES SO THEY EAT INSECTS, MUSHROOMS --
>> SO NOT TV HOSTS. >> NO, HE'S A LITTLE SMALL FOR
TV HOSTS. >> HE LOOKS LIKE THE HAMSTER MY
KIDS HAD GROWING UP. >> HE'S MORE STICKY THAN A
HAMSTER. HE HAS QUILLS.
>> SO DON'T DO THIS? >> NO, HE WOULD STICK UP HIS
BACK AND STICK YOU. THEY'RE NOT LIKE PORCUPINES.
HIS QUILLS STAY HOIM BUT THEY'RE STILL UNPLEASANT SO WHEN WE PICK
HIM UP, WE HAVE TO GO FROM UNDERNEATH.
>> YOU THREW ME ANOTHER CURVE BECAUSE IN MY CRACK RESEARCH AND
WHAT THEY REALLY WANT US TO TALK ABOUT IS A PLANT CONSERVATION
DAY? WHAT'S THAT GOT TO DO WITH THE
ZOO AND ANIMALS? >> A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK, WHEN
THEY THINK OF THE ZOO, THEY THINK OF ANIMALS BUT THE FACT IS
WE HAVE QUITE AN EXTENSIVE ARRAY OF GARDENS AND HORTICULTURE
OPERATIONS AT THE ZOO. ONE IS THAT WE HAVE GARDENS SO
PEOPLE WALKING AROUND CAN JUST ENJOY THEMSELVES AT THE ZOO AND
THE GARDENS, BUT ALSO, WE USE A LOT OF THAT TO GET ENRICHMENT
ITEMS, PLANTS THAT OUR ANIMALS EAT AND WE BRING THOSE TO THE
ANIMAL AS WELL AND IN THE HABITATS, WE TRY TO DESIGN OUR
HABITATS SO THEY'RE AS CLOSE TO THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AS
POSSIBLE AND WE HAVE TO BRING PLANTS IN THAT ARE NONTOXIC FOR
THE ANIMALS AND APPROXIMATE THE ONES THEY HAVE IN THE WILD.
IF WE CAN HAVE THE ACTUAL PLANTS IN THERE, WE WILL, BUT THE
CLIMATE THE HERE, SO SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO USE LOCAL PLANTS THAT
ARE NONTOXIC BUT CLOSE TO WHAT THEY HAVE IN THE WILD AS WELL.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, I SEE BAMBOO AROUND THE ZOO, AND YET I
SEE IT BEING EATEN BY SOME OF THE ANIMALS.
>> YES, ABSOLUTELY, AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS
PROVIDE THE ANIMALS WITH -- WE HAVE A LOT OF ANIMALS THAT ARE
BROWSERS AND THEY TRY TO GROW PLANTS THEY CAN BROWSE ON JUST
LIKE THEY WOULD IN THE WILD. >> SPEAKING OF EATING, HOW ARE
THINGS LOOKING FOR THE NEW FACILITY THAT'S BEING BUILT?
>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ANIMAL WELLNESS CAMPUS?
>> YES. >> IT'S GOING WELL.
WE HAVE ABOUT $600,000 TO GO TO RAISE TO BUILD THE ANIMAL
WELLNESS CAMPUS. >> THAT WAS AN IMMEDIATE PLUG.
>> YES. >> CONTACT THE ZOO EITHER BY
WEBSITE OR PHONE IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.
>> ABSOLUTELY. VIRGINIA ZOO.ORG OR IF YOU HAVE
A PHONE, 441 -- I DON'T REMEMBER MY OWN NUMBER.
757-441-2374 IS THE NUMBER, SO EITHER WAY WE'LL HOOK YOU UP AND
YOU CAN HELP US BUILD A FACILITY THAT WILL HELP US CONTINUE TO
PROVIDE THE BEST CARE POSSIBLE FOR LITTLE GUYS LIKE THIS, AND
BIG GUYS AS WELL. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY, YOU
MENTIONED LITTLE GUYS. I GOT TO SHARE WITH THEM, HE'S
REALLY CUTE AND EVERYTHING, BUT IS THAT THE BEST YOU CAN DO?
>> WELL, I DID BRING ALONG ANOTHER GUEST.
>> OH, REALLY? >> I DID.
>> I THOUGHT THAT WAS OUR PICNIC FOR AFTER --
>> THIS ISN'T A BEER COOLER. WELL, IT IS, BUT --
>> IT'S MOVING. >> CERTAIN TYPES OF ANIMALS LIKE
REPTILES HAVE -- >> REPTILES?
>> YES, HAVE MUCH LOWER METABOLISM, SO THEY'RE QUITE
COMFORTABLE IN THE COOLER. >> LOOKS LIKE I MIGHT BE MORE
COMFORTABLE WITH HIM IN THE COOLER.
>> YOU MIGHT BE. >> THE HEDGE HOG TOO.
>> LOOKING FOR THE HEAD. HER NAME THE MATTIE.
>> YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A HEAD? THE HEDGE HOG IS TRYING TO
ESCAPE TOO -- WE COULD END UP WITH -- WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT IS
THAT. >> THIS IS MATTIE.
THIS IS A MADAGASCAR HOG-NOSED SNAKE.
>> WITH A TONGUE. >> SHE'S ALSO FROM AFRICA, FROM
MADAGASCAR, APPROPRIATELY ENOUGH.
SHE'S CALLED A HOG-NOSE BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE HER NOSE FLATTENED.
THIS IS TO HELP HER BURROW. SHE IS DIG HER OWN, BUT WHAT SHE
USES IT MOST FOR IS TO WIDEN OTHER BURROWS SO WHEN THEY PREYS
A SMALL MAMMALS AND AMPHIBIANS SO WHEN THEY GO INTO BURROWS TO
TRY TO ESCAPE, IF THE BURROW IS TOO INSTALL FOR HER, SHE CAN USE
HER NOSE TO WIDEN IT AND MAKE IT BIGGER TO SHE CAN GET IN AFTER
THEM. >> THE TONGUE ACTION HERE,
WHAT'S THAT ABOUT? >> THAT'S HOW THEY SMELL.
THE SCENT RECEPTORS ARE IN HER MOUTH, SO SHE'S SMELLING TO SEE
WHAT'S GOING ON. SHE MAY SMELL THE HEDGE HOG SO
YOU HAVE TO KEEP THEM SEPARATE. >> THAT'S NICE TO KNOW.
THE HEDGE HOG SEEMS TO BE KIND OF ACTING OUT A LITTLE BIT.
>> HE MAY SMELL THE SNAKE. THESE TWO DON'T SHARE HABITAT
TOGETHER, BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE SNAKES WHERE THE HEDGE HOG
IS FROM AND THEY WOULD BE A PREY ITEM FOR A SNAKE, SO HE WOULDN'T
BE HAPPY. >> LET'S TAKE THE EDUCATION
APPROACH. BOTH THESE ANIMALS YOU'VE USED
FOR EDUCATION. >> ABSOLUTELY.
>> EVEN THOUGH I'M A LITTLE UPTIGHT, HE'S NOT QUITE AS
UPTIGHT. >> NO, MATTIE, BOTH MATTIE AND
TUMBLEWEED ARE EDUCATION ANIMALS, SO WE USE THEM
SPECIFICALLY FOR EDUCATING SCHOOL GROUPS AND ALSO CUB
SCOUTS AND BIRTHDAY PARTIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> BUT AGAIN, PART OF THAT WHOLE MISSION THAT IT'S NOT JUST FOR
OUR OWN ENTERTAINMENT VALUE. >> RIGHT.
ITS TO TEACH PEOPLE ABOUT THESE ANIMALS AND WE CALL THEM ANIMAL
AMBASSADORS AND THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE.
THEY ARE ANIMALS THAT ARE HERE TO TEACH US ABOUT THEIR WORLD SO
HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND HELP CONSERVE
THEIR WORLD. >> OKAY.
AND THESE GUYS ARE FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD AND
THE ZOO IS KIND OF ORGANIZED THAT WAY WITH DIFFERENT --
>> WE DO. WE HAVE THE ZOO ORGANIZED KIND
OF LIKE ACCORDING TO CONTINENTS, SO WE HAVE AN ASIAN EXHIBIT
WHERE YOU FIND THE ANIMAL YOU WOULD TYPICALLY FIND IN ASIA.
WE HAVE AN AFRICA EXHIBIT, AUSTRALIAN EXHIBIT, NORTH
AMERICAN EXHIBIT, SO WE TRY TO KEEP THE ANIMALS TOGETHER IN THE
AREAS WHERE THEY'RE FROM SO YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE
THEY'RE FROM GEOGRAPHICALLY AS WELL.
>> NOW FOR THE SAKE OF THE PERSON WHO DOESN'T KNOW WHERE
THE ZOO IS. >> UNFORTUNATELY, MY HANDS ARE
BUSY. >> I'LL HANDLE THIS ONE.
>> TRY TO TAKE HIM FROM UNDERNEATH BECAUSE ON THE TOP,
HE WILL STICK YOU. >> FOR THE ONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW
WHERE THE ZOO IS, WHERE IS THE ZOO?
>> IT'S AT 3500 GRANBY STREET, WHICH IS IN NORFOLK, AND IT'S
OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. WE'RE ONLY CLOSED FOUR DAYS,
FROM 10:00 A.M. TO 5:00 P.M. AND THE ONLY DAYS WE'RE CLOSED ARE
CHRISTMAS DAY, NEW YEAR'S DAY, CHRISTMAS EVE AND THANKSGIVING
DAY. THE OTHER DAYS WE'RE OPEN 10:00
TO 5:00. >> HE QUIT SMELLING.
THERE HE GOES. >> NO, HE IS STILL SMELLING.
>> FOR THE PERSON WHO SAYS I'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE AND IT WAS TEN
YEARS AGO, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO THEM?
>> IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE ZOO IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF,
YOU REALLY HAVEN'T BEEN. WE OPENED LAST APRIL ABOUT A
YEAR AGO, AN $18 MILLION EXHIBIT, ASIA TRAIL OF TIGER,
FANTASTIC EXOTIC ANIMALS FROM ACROSS ASIA.
IT'S A 5 1/2-ACRE EXHIBIT AND IT'S GOING TO SEE IF YOU HAVEN'T
SEEN IT AND WE'RE STILL GROWING. AS WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, WE'RE
WORKING ON BUILDING AN ANIMAL WELLNESS CAMPUS WHICH INCREASES
OUR VETERINARY FACILITIES AND THERE'S AN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT
TO IT AS WELL. PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO COME AND
WATCH PROCEDURES BEING DONE AND WE'LL HAVE THINGS THERE THAT
WILL TEACH THEM ABOUT ANIMAL DIETS AND MEDICINE AS WELL.
>> I GOT TO ASK YOU, HOW ARE THE ORANGUTANS DOING?
>> THEY'RE DOING GOOD. WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THEM TO GO
OUTSIDE. >> THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INSIDE
ANIMALS? >> YES, BUT THEY'RE NOTORIOUSLY
SHY AND IF THERE'S LOGGING IN THE AREA, THEY DON'T LEAVE, SO
IT TAKES US A LONG TIME TO GET THEM TO DO SOMETHING NEW AND
GETTING THEM TO GO OUTSIDE IS PROVING TO BE ONE OF THOSE
CHALLENGES. >> DID YOU OPEN THE DOOR FOR
THEM EVERY NOW AND THEN? >> WE DO, WE OPEN IT UP AND SHOW
THEM OUTSIDE AND GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITIES TO GO OUT.
THEY HAVEN'T TAKEN US UP ON IT YET.
IT TOOK US SEVERAL WEEKS TO GET THEM FROM THEIR INDOOR HABITAT,
THEY'RE BEHIND-THE-SCENES HABITAT TO THEIR INDOOR PLAY
ROOM. WE TRIED TO LURE THEM OUT WITH
FOOD, BUT THE FEMALE WOULD TAKE THE FOOD BACK TO THE MALE SO HE
WOULDN'T HAVE TO COME OUT. NOW THEY LOVE THE PLAY ROOM AND
THEY'RE IN THERE ALL THE TIME, WE HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING THEM
OUT OF THE PLAY ROOM, BUT WE STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN THEM TO GO
OUTSIDE. IT'S A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR THEM.
>> ANYWAY 19th, COME OVER TO THE --
>> YES, PLANT CONSERVATION DAY AND SKY ART.
YOU WILL COME AND LEARN ABOUT CONSERVING PLANTS, WHICH OF
COURSE, PROVIDES FOOD AND HABITAT FOR ANIMALS, BUT ALSO
WE'LL BE DOING SKY ART, WHICH IS WE'LL DRESS PEOPLE UP AND
ARRANGE THEM INTO A PATTERN AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A BIG CRANE AND
WE'LL GO UP AND TAKE THEIR PICTURE AND WE'LL INCORPORATE
THAT INTO A PIECE OF ART THAT WE WILL ENTER INTO A COMPETITION
AND IF WE WIN, WE GET TO DONATE SOME EXTRA MONEY TO SOME OF THE
PLANT CONSERVATION GROUPS THAT WE WORK WITH LIKE THE LIZ BIRTH
RIVER PROJECT. >> COOL.
I GOT TO TELL YOU, WINN, I'M GETTING COMFORTABLE ENOUGH WITH
THE SNAKE THAT I MIGHT ASK YOU TO LET ME HOLD IT, SO I GUESS I
BETTER GET GOING. >> YOU CAN HOLD HIM.
LET ME HOLD HER HEAD. >> AND WE'LL CLOSE -- OOH -- ON
THAT. THANKS A LOT FOR JOINING US.
HEAD TO THE ZOO AND SEE IF I SURVIVE THIS SNAKE.
THANKS A LOT. CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY
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