A special delivery of some of the world's rarest reptiles has arrived in the Southeast. Eight critically endangered ploughshare tortoises are now residents of Knoxville Zoo and Zoo Atlanta, and may represent the last hope for a species marked for extinction.

Widely considered the world's most endangered tortoise species, ploughshare tortoises are native only to the island of Madagascar. Despite a concentrated recovery program begun in 1986 by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the population continues to founder due to the combined effects of illegal commerce and habitat destruction. Ongoing demand on a global black market, where ploughshare tortoises are often sold to collectors at higher than the price of gold, may have reduced their numbers to as few as 400 individuals.

In 2008, the Recovery Plan Workshop for the Ploughshare Tortoise suggested the establishment of a captive population outside Madagascar. The founders of that population, a group of 10 tortoises confiscated from illegal traders in Hong Kong and Taipei, were imported to the U.S. by the Turtle Conservancy/Behler Chelonian Center.

Now, a second group of eight ploughshare tortoises have recently been imported to the U.S. by the Turtle Survival Alliance, a nonprofit organization committed to zero turtle extinctions. The tortoises arrived thanks to the cooperation of the TSA's strategic partner Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden as well as the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department that initially confiscated the ploughshares entering Hong Kong illegally. The tortoises will be housed at Zoo Atlanta and Knoxville Zoo, with oversight from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), which manages the breeding and placement of the species in zoos accredited by the AZA. Zoo Atlanta and Knoxville Zoo each received four ploughshare tortoises, which will be on public view later this spring in Knoxville.

"We are proud and honored that Zoo Atlanta and Knoxville Zoo have been specifically chosen to house and reproduce a new U.S.-based population of ploughshare tortoises, given the outstanding reputations both of our organizations have for success in breeding critically endangered turtles," said Dwight Lawson, PhD, Deputy Director, Zoo Atlanta, and Vice President of the Turtle Survival Alliance. "This species is probably more numerous on the black market than it is in the wild. This represents a far broader and more alarming problem, not just for ploughshare tortoises, but for so many other turtle species now being decimated by overharvesting for food and the pet trade."

Should ploughshare tortoises reproduce at Knoxville Zoo and Zoo Atlanta, the event would mark the latest in a series of successes in reproducing other rare species threatened by the Asian turtle crisis. Knoxville Zoo was the first zoo to successfully breed Madagascar flattailed tortoises in 2002 and Northern spider tortoises in 2008. In 2007, Zoo Atlanta became the first zoological facility to breed Arakan forest turtles, and in 2010, became just the second AZA institution to successfully reproduce impressed tortoises.

Knoxville Zoo has begun construction on what will be the largest splash pad in the Knoxville area. Plans are to debut the new 5,000 square foot Safari Splash water play area in late spring.

Located next to the zoo's Grasslands Africa! region, this safari-themed splash pad includes play areas designed for all ages, from toddlers to teens, and also features a play area where the whole family can get in on the fun. Vertical components are also a key part of the design, with life-sized giraffes that spout water when kids work together to direct the flow, water hoops and loops, team sprays that use cooperative play to send water several stories in the air and colorful giant flowers. Safari Splash will also have changing areas with storage and restrooms available for visitors' convenience.

"This is an experience that we've been anticipating bringing to our guests, and we're very excited it will be a reality this spring," says Jim Vlna, executive director of Knoxville Zoo. "We hope Safari Splash will make a visit to Knoxville Zoo even more enjoyable and provide guests with another way to cool off during the summer months."

Knoxville Zoo is Knoxville's largest year-round attraction. Located off exit 392A from Interstate 40, the zoo is open every day except Christmas Day. Knoxville Zoo is nationally accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is committed to the highest standards in animal care and well-being, ethics, conservation, and education. Currently, the zoo is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Admission and ticket sales stop onehour before the zoo closes. Next-day admission is free after 3 p.m. For more information, please call 865-637-5331 or visit www.knoxvillezoo.org.

The first-ever Komodo dragon to call Knoxville Zoo home will be making her public debut on Monday, March 19, and zoo staff expects she will cause quite a "komodotion".

Khaleesi, a 19-month-old Komodo dragon, recently relocated from Zoo Atlanta to Knoxville. Komodo dragons are the largest lizards in the world, and while she currently weighs in at around eight pounds and measures approximately four feet in length, she can easily grow to 80 pounds and 8 feet in length when she matures. Komodo dragons are well-known for their ability to take down large prey such as deer and pigs due to the virulent strains of bacteria in their saliva, which infects their prey when bitten. These strains of bacteria are more than likely the result of feeding regularly on carrion in their native habitats, and Komodo dragons who reside in zoos do not have this characteristic. Herpetologists have also recently begun to suspect that they possess a very primitive venom delivery system.

Komodo dragons are vulnerable in their native range, with only an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 individuals remaining on the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasmi in the Indonesian archipelago in Southeast Asia.

"Komodo dragons are one of those animals that every professional zoo herpetologist has on their wish list to work with some day," says Phil Colclough, curator of herpetology. "She is highly intelligent, and responds to each staff members as an individual. We really look forward to watching her grow and develop along with our visitors as the years go by. She is just a youngster now, but you can tell by the way that she carries herself that she knows what kind of "reptile royalty' she really is."

Knoxville Zoo is Knoxville's largest year-round attraction. Located off exit 392A from Interstate 40, the zoo is open every day except Christmas Day. Knoxville Zoo is nationally accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is committed to the highest standards in animal care and well-being, ethics, conservation, and education. Currently, the zoo is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Admission and ticket sales stop onehour before the zoo closes. Next-day admission is free after 3 p.m. For more information, please call 865-637-5331 or visit www.knoxvillezoo.org.

Knoxville Zoo is hiring friendly people to fill seasonal positions at their annual Job Fair, which will be held on Saturday, February 18, from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at the Lee Congleton Conference Center, located on zoo grounds.

Seasonal positions are available in the zoo's Guest Services department, including retail sales, food service, ticket sales and camel and carousel ride operations. The zoo is also hiring for seasonal exhibit construction and general laborer positions.

First-round interviews will be conducted at the Job Fair. Some positions will begin work immediately and others will start on a staggered schedule throughout the late winter and early spring. Those interested in attending the Job Fair should come to the Ranger Station, to the right of the zoo's main entrance, for directions to the Lee Congleton Conference Center. Most positions require applicants who are 16-years or older, although some positions are available for applicants who are 15-years-old. Seniors and retirees are encouraged to apply as well. Weekend and holiday hours are required.

Knoxville Zoo is an equal-opportunity employer and a Tennessee Drug-Free Workplace. Drug testing is mandatory for employment at the zoo. For more information, please visit the zoo's website at www.knoxville-zoo.org.

Knoxville Zoo is Knoxville's largest year-round attraction. Located off exit 392A from Interstate 40, the zoo is open every day except Christmas Day. Knoxville Zoo is nationally accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is committed to the highest standards in animal care and well-being, ethics, conservation, and education. Currently, the zoo is open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Admission and ticket sales stop one-hour before the zoo closes. Nextday admission is free after 3 p.m.

For more information, please call 865-637-5331 ext. 300 or visit www.knoxvillezoo.org.

Knoxville Zoo is hoping to find a few beaux for Bo chimpanzee this Valentine's Day. To celebrate this most romantic of days, the zoo is asking admirers of Bo chimpanzee to be her Valentine with a special adoption package that celebrates one of the zoo's most loveable sweethearts.

Now through Valentine's Day, Knoxville Zoo is offering a special "Bo's Beau" adoption package that includes a plush chimpanzee, a special Valentine's Day card from Bo, a general admission ticket to Knoxville Zoo good through February 29th, a heart-shaped box of chocolates and a certificate of adoption naming the lucky recipient as one of "Bo's Beaux", all packaged in a special gift box. Each "Bo's Beau" adoption is $40 and all proceeds support Knoxville Zoo's chimpanzee program. Adoption packages can be purchased online at www.knoxvillezoo.org, by phone at 865-637-5331 or in person at Knoxville Zoo's membership window, located at the zoo's front gate.

A rubenesque brunette, Bo loves to spend her free time painting, looking at books and sunbathing. She also enjoys looking at herself in the mirror, grooming her best friend Binti and playing with George, the three-and-a-half year old baby of the troupe. Bo is not a picky eater who particularly enjoys beets and popsicles. Although not a fan of rowdy behavior, she does enjoy the occasional "swordfight" with Lu, one of the male chimpanzees of the group, and making noise by banging her toys on the floor.

Bo's admirers are invited to watch Bo and the rest of the chimpanzee troupe indulge in a Valentine‟s Day celebration on Saturday, February 11th at 1:00 p.m. The Chimp Ridge courtyard will be decorated for the occasion and Bo and her friends will receive special Valentine treats from their keepers.

"Bo is such a loveable girl, we thought she would be a perfect choice for a Valentine," says Carrie Blair, animal adoptions manager. "Giving someone the honor of being one of "Bo's Beaux" would be a completely unique Valentine's Day gift and it's a fun way to support Knoxville Zoo as well."

Knoxville Zoo is Knoxville's largest year-round attraction. Located off exit 392A from Interstate 40, the zoo is open every day except Christmas Day. Knoxville Zoo is nationally accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is committed to the highest standards in animal care and well-being, ethics, conservation, and education. Currently, the zoo is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and from 9:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission and ticket sales stop one-hour before the zoo closes. Nextday admission is free after 3 p.m. For more information, please call 865-637-5331 ext. 300 or visit www.knoxvillezoo.org.

Knoxville Zoo becomes the coolest place in Knoxville to visit during Penguin Discount Days! Continuing through Feb. 29, 2012, admission to Knoxville Zoo is half-off.

Don't worry, black tie isn't required; just put on a warm jacket, a pair of mittens, and come see why winter is a great time to visit the zoo. Many of the zoo's animals enjoy the crisp weather and are more active on cooler days. The zoo's favorite indoor exhibit, Wee Play Zoo, is a cozy place to stop and play if you do happen to get a little chilly. And on days when the temperature drops below 40 degrees, some animals will be moved to their indoor enclosures, but even on the coldest days of the year visitors can still see elephants, gorillas, penguins, reptiles, and bears in their indoor viewing areas.

Half-price admission tickets can be purchased at the zoo ticket office during regular zoo hours. Tickets can also be purchased at all Knoxville area Kroger stores and online at www.knoxvillezoo.org. Discounted admission tickets must be used by Feb. 29, 2012, and cannot be combined with any other promotion, discount, or coupon.

Knoxville Zoo is Knoxville's largest year-round attraction. Located off exit 392A from Interstate 40, the zoo is open every day except Christmas Day. Knoxville Zoo is nationally accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is committed to the highest standards in animal care and well-being, ethics, conservation, and education. Currently, the zoo is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and from 9:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission and ticket sales stop one-hour before the zoo closes. Nextday admission is free after 3 p.m. For more information, please call 865-637-5331 ext. 300 or visit www.knoxvillezoo.org.

Knoxville Zoo is excited to welcome a new addition to the Grasslands Africa! giraffe herd. Jumbe, (pronounced JUME-bay), an 8-year-old male giraffe who stands over 17 feet tall, made his public debut over the weekend. Jumbe is settling in to his new home and making the acquaintance of Patches and Lucille, the zoo's two female giraffes.

Jumbe comes to Knoxville on a breeding loan from Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, Missouri, on the recommendation of the Giraffe Species Survival Plan (SSP), which manages the breeding of giraffes in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). If things go as planned between Jumbe, Patches and Lucille, the zoo hopes to welcome new calves to the herd in the near future.

Giraffes are native to sub-Sahara Africa. Due to hunting and habitat loss, giraffes are now most commonly found in eastern Africa, primarily within the boundaries of national parks and private reserves.

Knoxville Zoo is Knoxville's largest year-round attraction. Located off exit 392A from Interstate 40, the zoo is open every day except Christmas Day. Knoxville Zoo is nationally accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is committed to the highest standards in animal care and well-being, ethics, conservation, and education. Currently, the zoo is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and from 9:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission and ticket sales stop one-hour before the zoo closes. Nextday admission is free after 3 p.m. For more information, please call 865-637-5331 ext. 300 or visit www.knoxvillezoo.org.

Fall is in the air and it's almost time to celebrate with your little monster at Knoxville's largest Halloween event!

BOO! at the Zoo presented by U.S. Cellular kicks off 11 nights of safe and not-too-scary Halloween fun beginning Thursday, Friday and Saturday, October 13, 14 and 15 and continuing Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 20-23 and 27-30, from 5:30-8:00 p.m. each evening.

BOO! at the Zoo, a Halloween tradition for 25 years, is a family event featuring devilishly good music and games at the Monster Mash tent in The Clayton Family Kids Cove, your favorite costumed characters throughout the zoo, and the only "haunted" carousel in East Tennessee, the Scary-Go-Round. (How can you tell it's haunted? It goes backwards, of course.)

It wouldn't be Halloween without the trick-or-treating! One of the highlights of BOO! at the Zoo is the BOO! Trail, where little trick-or-treaters can fill their bag with goodies as they make their way through the zoo. And you never know who you'll encounter at BOO! at the Zoo; each night will feature a variety of entertainment, from belly dancers and jugglers to out-of-this-world STAR WARS characters. For updated information about each evening's activities, visit the zoo's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/knoxvillezoo.

Boo! at the Zoo tickets are $6 per person. Children under two are admitted free. Parking is $5. Tickets are available at in advance by phone at 865.637.5331, online at www.knoxville-zoo.org, or at the zoo's ticket office during regular zoo hours. Knoxville Zoo members receive a $1 discount on admission and free parking. Special thanks to event sponsors U.S. Cellular®, All Occasions Party Rentals, AT&T Real Yellow Pages, Krispy Kreme, Kroger, ORNL Federal Credit Union, Subway, Supercuts, Target and TVA Employees Credit Union. Thanks also to media sponsors WBIR Channel 10, B-97.5 FM, Knoxville News Sentinel and Lamar Outdoor.

Knoxville Zoo is Knoxville's largest year-round attraction. Located off exit 392 from Interstate 40, the zoo is open every day except Christmas Day. Knoxville Zoo is nationally accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is committed to the highest standards in animal care and well-being, ethics, conservation, and education. Currently, the zoo is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and weekends from 9:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Beginning October 10, the zoo will be open from 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily. Admission and ticket sales stop one-hour before the zoo closes. Next-day admission is free after 3 p.m. For more information, please call 865-637-5331 ext. 300 or visit www.knoxville-zoo.org

Knoxville Zoo's three red panda cubs are all set to make their adorable debut just in time for Labor Day weekend. Knoxville Zoo ranks as one of the top two zoos in the world for the breeding of endangered red pandas, and the new arrivals bring the total number of red panda cubs born in Knoxville to 102.

Two female cubs were born on June 6, 2011, to mother Kumari and father Madan. On June 20, 2011, male and female cubs were born to mother Akkali and father Chewbacca, although the female cub did not survive. The cubs are being handreared in the zoo clinic by keepers after concerns arose when staff noticed Kumari was not attentive to one of the cubs, and Akkali was observed handling her cubs too vigorously. At 12 and 10 weeks of age, the cubs are healthy, and zoo staff hopes they will be able to go on view to the public in time for the weekend in The Boyd Family Red Panda Village.

Zoo staff christened the male cub Winston and the female cubs Bernadette, in honor of Bern Tryon, the zoo's long-time director of herpetology who passed away in May, and Dolly, in honor of Sevier County native and country music legend Dolly Parton. When told that she had a red panda namesake, Ms. Parton responded with gracious enthusiasm. "I am so excited to have my own 'Little Dolly' at the Knoxville Zoo," said Ms. Parton. "It is a great honor to be immortalized by having the 100th panda born at the zoo named after me. It's a lot cuter than the sheep named "Dolly."

Red pandas are endangered primarily due to destruction of their native habitat, which extends from western Nepal to northern Myanmar. The zoo's newest red panda additions are very important genetically to the red panda population.

Knoxville Zoo is Knoxville's largest year-round attraction. Located off exit 392A from Interstate 40, the zoo is open every day except Christmas Day. Knoxville Zoo is nationally accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is committed to the highest standards in animal care and well-being, ethics, conservation, and education. Currently, the zoo is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and from 9:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission and ticket sales stop one-hour before the zoo closes. Nextday admission is free after 3 p.m. For more information, please call 865-637-5331 ext. 300 or visit www.knoxvillezoo.org.