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Sunset Zoo celebrates National Pollinator Week with community activities 

June 24, 2022 – Manhattan, KS

Sunset Zoo will celebrate National Pollinator Week with a Pollinator Community Education Day on Sunday, June 26 with family-friendly activities located at the Butterfly Garden at Sunset Zoo. The K-State Master Gardners along with Sunset Zoo staff will be on hand with children's activities from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

National Pollinator Week is celebrated by Sunset Zoo as a part of the conservation initiatives of Sunset Zoo and to also share in the mission of Sunset Zoo which is to inspire conservation of the natural world. 

Throughout the week, Sunset Zoo along with Parks and Recreation has highlighted the importance of pollinator species and protecting pollinators and maintaining their habitats to ensure healthy ecosystems and food security.  
 

What exactly is pollination?
Almost everything on our planet has the ability to create life, including plants. One of the ways plants creates offspring is through the creation of seeds. Think of all the fruits and vegetables we eat that you can see the seeds inside the actual fruit or vegetable. Maybe you are a gardener and you have planted seeds to create a plant in your own yard.  But plants often need help to create those seeds, and this is where our pollinators come to help with the entire cycle. In order to create a seed, pollen grains of one plant need to travel to the flower of another plant. Many animals such as bees, butterflies, birds, and bats act as pollinators by visiting lots of different flowers and carrying pollen around with them! In this way, many species of plants rely on pollinators to reproduce. In fact, about 70% of all plant species on earth depend on pollinators for reproduction. This means that without pollinators, those plants would likely not exist.

How does pollination affect our surroundings?
Humans rely on plants for many, many uses. Not only do plants make up a significant part of our diet, but we also use them for clothing, furniture, paper products, and more! It is estimated that 1/3 of the food humans eat relies on pollinators. According to the Pollinator Partnership Organization, worldwide pollinators add 217 billion dollars to the global economy and honey bees alone are responsible for between 1.2 and 5.4 billion dollars in agricultural productivity in the United States  Without pollinators, our world would be less colorful and our plates less delicious. Here are some of the foods we eat that need pollination: Apples, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, almonds, avocados, coffee and tea, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, chocolate, squash- even milk and cheese as many of the plants cows eat depend on pollinators!

How are pollinators doing?
Worldwide, pollinator numbers are declining due to factors that include habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, and disease. One in four wild bee species in the US is currently at risk of extinction. The iconic monarch butterfly has declined by over 90% in just the past 20 years. One of the reasons for this decline is the lack of milkweed, the only plant host monarch caterpillars survive on.

Local Efforts
At Sunset Zoo, there are dedicated pollinator gardens established providing plants such as milkweed for monarch caterpillars to survive.

Additionally, Sunset Zoo dedicates efforts to care for bees on the grounds of the Zoo and has over 5 hives located throughout the grounds. The honey from the hives is harvested and sold to fund conservation efforts locally. 

Manhattan Parks and Recreation has identified several areas in and around the Manhattan Parks system that have pollinator gardens. Some notable areas include Warner Park, Northeast Park, the Flint Hills Discovery Center, and more. To see a full detailed list of Manhattan Parks and Recreation Pollinator Pockets please visit the Pollinator Pocket website. 

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums earlier in 2022 awarded a grant to Sunset Zoo to promote pollinator education throughout the community. As part of this grant award, Sunset Zoo has partnered with local USD 383 elementary schools to begin building pollinator gardens at Bergman Elementary, Marlatt Elementary, and Oliver Brown Elementary. These gardens will be a continued partnership with Sunset Zoo, KSU Extension Master Gardeners, and USD 383. 

How You Can Help Make a Difference
To learn more about pollinators and how you might be able to start your own garden participate in or visit activities or local areas around the Manhattan community. If you are interested in starting your own pollinator garden area please visit the Sunset Zoo Pollinator Garden page to learn how you can make an impact on our environment. 

About Sunset Zoo 

Home to over 150 amazing animals, Manhattan's Sunset Zoo offers a close-up view of some of nature's most fascinating wonders, including hyenas, cheetahs, flamingos, and a jumping and hooting array of primates found throughout the 26-acre park. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in 1989, Sunset Zoo is committed to upholding the highest standards of animal care and providing a fun, safe, and educational family experience. More about the AZA can be found here. 

Sunset Zoo is open 360 days a year. Summer hours are now in operation  April 1 -October 31 seven days a week from 9:30 am - 5 pm. During Winter Hours the Zoo is open November 1 - March 31 from 12 p.m.to 5 p.m. every day.  The Zoo is located at 2333 Oak Street. The Zoo is tucked inside the residential area near Manhattan High School's West Campus. 

 

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Pollinator Education Activities will take place Sunday, June 27 at Sunset Zoo's Butterfly Garden. 
Pictured are the KSU Master Gardeners at Sunset Zoo during the 2021 Pollinator Day. 

Honeycomb was collected from the Sunset Zoo Observation Hive located in the Sunset Zoo Gift Shop. 


The beekeeping team at Sunset Zoo actively caring for the observation hive at Sunset Zoo. 



Sunset Zoo has an array of native pollinator flowers throughout the Zoo.