The Henry Vilas Zoo’s flamingos have always been known to zookeepers by color-coded leg bands. Now, all 20 flamingos — including one 54-year-old bird — will be given names.
Zoo staff hope naming the flamingos will help visitors connect more personally with the birds and encourage support for conservation and education. The zoo is one of the few admission-free zoos in the country.
“For a long time, the school of thought was to focus on scientific names. We are a science-based organization, but we are learning that people retain so much more information when you teach with empathy,” said Kristin Moala, the zoo’s marketing manager…