City Island News BX: Kids Love New Zoo Exhibit

City Island News BX: Kids Love New Zoo Exhibit: Kids Love New Zoo Exhibit BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 1- The Children’s Zoo at WCS’s (Wildlife Conservation Society) Bronx Zoo ...

Kids Love New Zoo Exhibit

Kids Love New Zoo Exhibit

BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 1- The Children’s Zoo at WCS’s (Wildlife Conservation Society) Bronx Zoo has undergone a renovation and officially reopened with a weekend-long celebration.

“Originally opened at the Bronx Zoo in 1941, the Children’s Zoo is a historic part of any visit to the Bronx Zoo,” said Jim Breheny, WCS Executive Vice President and Bronx Zoo Director. “The Children’s Zoo is an experience people remember from their childhoods and represents many people’s first up-close encounter with wild animals. The new Children’s Zoo maintains the nostalgia from the past while creating new experiences and introducing a variety of different species to the exhibit.”

Species new to the Children’s Zoo include giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), Linne’s Two- toed Sloth (Choloepus didactylus), South American coatimundi (Nasua nasua) and the world’s smallest deer: the pudu (Pudu puda). Other wildlife favorites returning to the children’s zoo include American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis), black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus), and South American squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) which now live on an island habitat surrounded by wading Caribbean flamingoes (Phoenicopterus ruber) and other dabbing waterfowl.

The exhibit improvements are substantial, but maintain the walk-through trail experience and key features such as the aviary, prairie dog tunnels, bird nests, turtle shells, and tree house slide that have become iconic and a source of nostalgia for many.

WCS worked with author/ artist Brendan Wenzel on the new whimsically illustrated interpretive graphics that identify species, provide key facts about the animals, and educate about the species’ conservation needs in the wild. He will be on-site all weekend to sign his new book, Some Bugs.

The Children’s Zoo officially re-opened on May 30 with a weekend-long celebration. As part of the festivities, Peppa Pig, the world-famous star of the hit animated TV series airing daily on Nick Jr., joined families for a weekend full of fun at the zoo.

Kipps Bay Boys and Girls Club, BombaYo Afro-Puerto Rican Youth Project, and Casita Maria Chorus from The Bronx each performed music and dance numbers all weekend and to celebrate the grand re-opening.

WCS’s Education Department hosted “Children’s Zoo Quests” and the “Adventure Club” for kids and families, presented by Canon U.S.A. These daytime guided tours run every half hour, and will continue through November 1 on weekends, Wednesdays, and holidays.

Canon has generously sponsored the transformation of the Children’s Zoo, including the enhanced animal exhibits, colorful updated graphics, and innovative play experiences.

For more information about the Bronx Zoo’s new Children’s Zoo or the grand re-opening events, visit www.BronxZoo.com.

#BronxZoo #WCS #ChildrensZoo #Bronxnews

City Island News BX: Hit-and-Run Driver Sought in Concourse Crash

City Island News BX: Hit-and-Run Driver Sought in Concourse Crash: Hit-and-Run Driver Sought in Concourse Crash By David Greene BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 29- Police were looking for the driv...

Hit-and-Run Driver Sought in Concourse Crash

Hit-and-Run Driver Sought in Concourse Crash

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 29- Police were looking for the driver who plowed into a man as he stepped off a traffic island of the Grand Concourse-- the victim was reportedly fighting for his life.

Police from the 46th Precinct and paramedics were called to the Grand Concourse at East 182 Street where the 40-year-old victim was found lying in the roadway, at 8:45 p.m. on Thursday, May 28.

According to investigators the unidentified victim suffered "multiple injuries" when the vehicle plowed into the man as he walked westbound across the main roadway of the busy boulevard.

The man was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital in critical condition however, his condition was unavailable at this hour.

A small pool of blood and a camouflage baseball cap littered the roadway, along with medical debris left behind by paramedics.

The entire accident was apparently caught on police surveillance video. Police were initially looking for a gray automobile-- believed to be either a Hyundai Sonata or Toyota Camry.

One police source stated the vehicle was driven by a male Hispanic with tattoos on his arm. After striking the victim, the vehicle fled north on the Grand Concourse and apparently turned on East 183 Street.

The posted speed limit in the area is the new Vision Zero speed of 25 miles-per-hour, but based on the injuries sustained by the victim, the vehicle was likely to be traveling at least double the limit.   

#NYPD #Hitnrun #Bronxnews

City Island News BX: Caught on Tape!

City Island News BX: Caught on Tape!: Caught on Tape! DVD Seller Punches 6-yr-old in Face Robs Mom’s iPhone By Dan Gesslein Not even Hollywood could ...

Caught on Tape!

Caught on Tape!
DVD Seller Punches 6-yr-old in Face

Robs Mom’s iPhone

By Dan Gesslein

Not even Hollywood could make this one up. Police are looking for a sleazy DVD salesman who punched a six-year-old in the face after trying to rob the child’s mother.

At around 4:45 a.m. on May 24, a man selling DVDs entered a laundromat at 1720 Boone Avenue. The man 

approached a 22-year-old woman and her six-year-old son and try to sell them bootlegged DVDs. When the mom said she was not interested, the seller grabbed her iPhone which was charing in a chair beside her. 

The thief tried to flee but mom grabbed and held him. The suspect broke free and headed for the exit. The child stepped in his path to try to help his mother. The thief then punched the child in the face knocking him to the ground.

In the parking lot the mom grabbed the thief again and managed to pull the iPhone from his grasp. The attacker broke free and fled.

The child suffered swelling to the face and cuts on the back of his head. He was treated at a local hospital.

The suspect is described as a light skinned Hispanic male, approximately 50-55 years old with a thin build. 

Anyone with information is urged to call CRIMESTOPPERS (800) 577-TIPS. All calls are confidential.

#NYPD #iPhone #DVD #Bootleg #Bronxnews

City Island News BX: Puerto Rican Day Parade Set for Sunday

City Island News BX: Puerto Rican Day Parade Set for Sunday: 29 th  Annual Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade Set for Sunday 100 PERCENT By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 29- This ...