Where's Water? At the Henry Vilas Zoo!

Stroll along the shoreline of Lake Wingra, through Vilas Park, and seamlessly into the grounds of the Henry Vilas Zoo, and you’ll realize just how lucky we are in Madison to live in a part of the country with so many fantastic free admission zoos.

Water is everywhere at the Vilas Zoo. From the lake views to the relaxing sound of the recirculating waterfalls in the Tropical Rainforest Aviary.

The first obvious use of water at the Zoo is in the large aquariums and tanks in the animal habitats. Polar bears, for example, are considered marine mammals. For them, their 50,000-gallon tank is not just a swimming pool, it’s a deep-wired part of life essential to their daily function.

The same with the anacondas housed in the Discovery Center and Herpetarium. The heavy body of this snake makes it hard for them to move around on dry land. Water supports an anaconda’s body, allowing them to move with less energy, and take care of all the things snakes need to do in a day. No water, no anacondas. Which explains why you won’t find one in a desert.

Nearby in the Arctic Passage the tank designed for the Zoo’s resident seals holds around 60,000 gallons of water. It uses filters and ozone to remove things like poo, debris, bacteria and excessive algae. Seals, in both the wild and in zoos, are prone to eye infections. High quality water is essential to their health and well-being. 

In the old days, the Zoo would fill and dump these large tanks much like you might do at home with your own small aquariums to keep them clean. Today, these larger tanks all feature filtration and backwash systems to maintain cleanliness and the proper levels of algae (a little algae can be good) without having to fully dump the water as often. 

This move is a step for conservation. And an important one as the Zoo uses nearly 14 million gallons of water a year. By comparison, a family of four uses on average 18,000 to 22,000 gallons of water a year.

Conservation in all forms is always top of mind at Vilas. All the Zoo’s restrooms use low-flow fixtures. And the Zoo’s new giraffe house in the works will feature two large reservoirs under the building to capture rainwater. This water will be used for landscaping and cleaning.

The Zoo also recently hired their first dedicated horticulturalist. This team member has brought a focus on planting native plants which help prevent erosion, are hardy, and use less water to maintain as they are adapted specifically to the ebbs and flows of the Wisconsin climate. Volunteers and staff at the Zoo have also planted several rain gardens. Rain gardens help filter stormwater runoff and slow water down, so it has a chance to soak back into the aquifer.

Water love brings to life the Zoo’s indoor plants. The humid Tropical Rainforest Aviary’s is filled from top to bottom with lush foliage. A staff member waters these plants for 30 to 45 minutes every day. No water, no habitat plants so necessary for the living creatures within them.

Water will always be a means for life AND education. As you leave the aviary, there’s a small enclosure of fruit bats. Bats require the use of water misters to keep a proper level of humidity for their bodies. No water, no bats. And they are just so stinking cute eating their oranges!! This is key as bats often get a bad rap, yet they are oh-so-essential in our world. The more people who can learn about bats up close at the Zoo, the more who can hopefully see them as the power partners to us they truly are.

And speaking of power partners, the Zoo itself is a great partner to water conservation. Everywhere throughout Vilas, you’ll find signage related to education around conserving and protecting our water sources.

Mark your calendars! Saturday, May 3, visitors are invited to join the Zoo in a Party for the Planet. They will have a rainfall simulator, native plants give-away, exhibits on pollinators from the Department of Natural Resources and more. 

As you walk the grounds, put on your imaginary water goggles to uncover WHERE’S WATER?! @ the Henry Vilas Zoo!! Extra bonus points if you can spot the water trough in the American Bison habitat!

Written by Jody Berndt, Madison Water Utility