order not to slow down their body func-
tion; this could cause food to essentially rot
in their belly and make them sick. Or even
die.” Although the GBL’s favourite
pastime may appear to be inactivity, they
have been found to have extensive home
ranges, averaging around 130ha.
He flips through the GBL’s husbandry
chart, which uniquely identifies this
specimen by his nick-name of ‘Esteban’
and his own personalized acquisition
number, in this case 140061. “That
indicates he was the 61 st animal purchased
in the year 2014.” The registers on all the
inmates at the Reptile House are quite
thorough, recording diet variety, feeding
attempts versus results, evidence of defae-
cation and/or shedding, soaking, medical treatments/
procedures, etc. “As a rule of thumb, if we see a chameleon
on its side, or if the GBL doesn’t eat and starts to lose
weight, it could be sick, and we’ll send for the vet.”
Being in charge of animal care is only one of the many hats
that Ben Roberts wears. “I run the day-to-day stuff here.
I’m in charge of education, natural resources, public
relations (including concessions, catering, and the gift
shop), and maintenance.” Basically, his duties entail
anything of concern to the entire Chehaw complex, which
consists of 13 miles (20.92km.) of bike trails, a 75-acre
(30.35-ha.) zoo with over 300 specimens, a disc golf course,
a splash water park for kids, the catfish pond and kayaking
trips that can be arranged on the bordering Chehaw Lake.
There are also camping facilities.
Originally, Albany native Jim Fowler, host of the Emmy
Award-winning TV series Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom
and staunch zoologist, had Chehaw Park deeded back to
the city during the 1970s, and it opened in 1977 under the
auspices of the local government. In 2007, it became a
privately-run entity and a non-profit organization that
exists by state mandate. The land cannot be sold; it must be
managed to the benefit of the people.
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