The Alaska Zoo is a halfway house for many injured and orphaned animals that will move to new dens and habitats across the country. But before they get there they have to get better, which is why the zoo is opening a new animal clinic next month.
Drawing out a wild animal is no easy task, but it seems some simple things learned in childhood work better than expected.
An orphaned deer strangely mimics visitors Karla Nash and Marlene Myers' deer call. Down the path, there's another curious exhibit where visitors look and call, wondering if they missed something: an infirmary for sick and orphaned animals.
"The zoo has needed a facility like this for a very long time," said its director, Pat Lampi.
As soon as the infirmary is ready, zookeepers expect it to draw crowds.
"If we have a baby animal, a orphan, and it's not quite ready for being outdoors and exposed to the public, we may be able to do limited viewing through the glass, so it would kind of be like looking in through a nursery," Lampi said.
For years the zoo's old elephant barn served as a makeshift clinic, with old equipment lining office shelves and storage rooms.
"It's nice just having a building," said zoo curator Shannon Jensen. "This morning, when I was bringing all the supplies in from a couple different corners of the zoo, it's nice to have it all in one simple location, and places to put everything you have."
Minor procedures, examinations and cleanings can be done on-site -- and unlike most zoos or animal hospitals, the infirmary allows tour groups to look in. Many smaller procedures are done in the animals' dens but sometimes they have to be taken to the vet, which is more dangerous and stressful.
"We have one bear cub right now in, and he's over at the vet's office right now, actually -- so that examination might have taken place right here today if this was up and running, which it will be here in a couple weeks," Lampi said.
There's still room to grow, however. The zoo needs more equipment to make the infirmary more like an animal hospital, but it will take a long time to get its dream list of items like blood analysis equipment and an X-ray machine.
"We need the right equipment, not just handed-down old equipment that's really hard to work on or get fixed," Jensen said. "We need to make a list and see what we need to flesh this building out."
Soon it will be part of the attraction, but for now it's more of a passing question.
"To be honest, I think most people are more interested in seeing animals than they are in seeing buildings, but I'm looking forward to seeing the inside of it," said zoo volunteer Chris Stiehm.
It took nearly six years and $700,000 to build the infirmary, with most of the money coming from donations and grants. It's expected to open in mid-August.
