Happy Hollow Park & Zoo Heroes

April 27, 2020

Unsung Heroes

Shared from City of San José blog.

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo (HHPZ) is a place that many of us have visited with friends and family for decades.  However, HHPZ is one of the many City facilities that has temporarily closed its doors to the public as the City complies with the Bay Area’s Stay-at-Home public health order to slow the spread of COVID-19.  In the days leading up to the Stay-at-Home order being issued, HHPZ staff began adopting new safety precautions into their operations, including physical distancing, to comply with this new reality. 

Although HHPZ has not been open to the public since mid-March, Kevin Hertell, Zoo Manager at HHPZ, recently told us that there are approximately 150 individual animals of 60 different species that have been cared for during HHPZ’s closure.  It takes a team effort to care for these animals, ensuring their health and entertainment, and that team consists of the Zoo Manager, Zoo Curator, Veterinary Technician, Senior Zoo Keepers, Zoo Keepers, and other staff who provide additional support. 

Without visitors passing through the zoo each day, Kevin stated, “Zoo Keepers are providing extra enrichment for the animals to make up for the lack of sounds, smells, sights and interactions that they get from our guests.”  Kevin went on to say that the lack of visitors at HHPZ is “odd and interesting.  We are all used to having visitors around,” adding that “it is interesting to see how the different animals react to the lack of visitors.  Some remain very relaxed and others take extra interest whenever a staff member walks by.”

Kevin expressed immense pride in the team at HHPZ as they have handled these challenges and adapted to this new normal, stating, “The whole team has been very supportive of each other and have come up with solutions to make it easier to deal with this evolving situation.  Our staff is very mindful, and very grateful, that the City recognizes the importance of our animal ambassadors and offers us the ability to care for them in the essential ways that they need and deserve!” 

Thank you to Kevin Hertell, Heather Vrzal, Nathan Andrews, Melissa Young, Kylie Ahlo, Hannah Alger, Mariah Burns, Amanda Maulding, Alma Morales, Brandy Oliver, Kaitlyn Phillips, Theresa Plass, Emma Trollman, A.J. Walsh, Elena Bauske-Khalar, John Beaver, Taylor Boardman, Jeffrey Campbell, Alyssa Castillou, Ruth Laird, Brooke Robinson, Elena Seto, Sandra Wallis, Michelle Walsh, Rachel Atkins, and all of the other staff involved in these efforts!