logo
Utica Zoo mourns loss of Warty Pigs

Utica Zoo mourns loss of Warty Pigs

Yahoo28-05-2025

UTICA, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) — The Utica Zoo is in mourning on Wednesday after the death of a pair of animals in their care.
According to a release by the zoo on Wednesday, May 28, Axl and Ace — the zoo's two remaining Visayan Warty Pigs — were humanely euthanized just shy of 17 years old. The two pigs had been at the zoo since 2018 with Ozzy, another of their kind.
The zoo had said that at almost 17 years old, both pigs were at 'a remarkably advanced age for their species.' According to the Wild Pigs Specialty Group, this particular species of pig — native to the Philippines — normally live to be about 18 years old in captivity.
'These pigs were not only ambassadors for their critically endangered species but also vibrant personalities in our zoo family,' Nicole Blance, Veterinary Programs and Records Manager at the Utica Zoo, said in a statement. 'Their presence will be sorely missed, and their legacy will live on in the education and awareness they helped foster for their wild counterparts.'
The zoo said that the decision was made to humanely euthanize the pigs due to progressive decline in their health. The decision was arrived at after consultation with the zoo's veterinary and animal care team, which also took into consideration the pigs' complex social needs.
According to Allison Snyder — the director of communications at the zoo — for pigs like Axl and Ace, the loss of a companion can cause significant psychological stress and increase the risk of injury. Snyder said that after the loss of Ozzy, both pigs observed signs of grief and depression.
According to the zoo, both Axl and Ace spent their final days doing their daily routines, which included rooting in the dirt, rearranging rocks, engaging with enrichment activities and sunbathing together. Snyder said in a statement that the two were provided with additional enrichment, affection from keepers and a variety of their favorite treats.
The zoo says that they will continue to share the story of Axl and Ace to raise awareness about the pigs' challenges in the wild.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Williamson County Emergency Communications receives prestigious accreditations
Williamson County Emergency Communications receives prestigious accreditations

Yahoo

time15 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Williamson County Emergency Communications receives prestigious accreditations

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Williamson County Commissioners celebrated Williamson County Emergency Communications (WCEC) becoming an Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) for emergency dispatching in Tuesday's county commissioners court meeting. The accreditation is issued by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED), which provides training and certification for public safety organizations worldwide. WCEC received two accreditations—one for emergency police dispatch the other for emergency fire dispatch. 'What does it mean for the citizens of Williamson County? It means that every time they call 911 they are going to get a level of service that is best practices,' said WCEC Director Katherine Wolf. WCEC is now the 78th emergency fire and 34th emergency police dispatch ACE. In Texas, WCEC is the first to achieve emergency police dispatch ACE and the fifth for emergency fire ACE. WCEC is the first in Texas to hold both emergency police dispatch the other for emergency fire dispatch. Williamson County Judge Steven Snell said he's proud of WCEC for gaining the dual accreditation. 'It speaks to the commitment we have to excellence in Williamson County, the hard work and dedication of our staff,' Snell said. 'We want to be attractive to future workforce in the area, and it all goes down to providing a service to our citizens and an effective dispatch leads to effective and reduced response times, and then excellent community service.' In order to receive such an accreditation, an organization must follow a detailed process and meet specific standards outlined in the Twenty Points of Accreditation. You can read more about the requirements here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

"Hug Your Homies": The Story Behind a Little Sticker With a Big Goal
"Hug Your Homies": The Story Behind a Little Sticker With a Big Goal

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Yahoo

"Hug Your Homies": The Story Behind a Little Sticker With a Big Goal

'Hug your homies and tell them you love them.'It's a straightforward suggestion. You may have seen it in the form of green, rectangular stickers on ski helmets or elsewhere, particularly if your home mountain is Alta Ski Area, Utah. The phrase and sticker was popularized by Dan Parisi, 29, who moved to Salt Lake City about five years ago, fell in love with the skiing, and stayed put. He was inspired to honor a member of the Alta community who died by suicide in December 2023. The stickers served as what Parisi called 'a subtle reminder to check in on your friends' and 'hold your loved ones tight.'The stickers proved popular. Parisi handed them out that winter, and when he ran dry, people began asking where they could get more. Then, as the season wound down, one of his friends suggested during a chairlift ride that he take the stickers' concept further and start creating apparel. Parisi, who's faced his own challenges with mental health, took the idea seriously—and started shaping it into what would become Hug Your to keep up with the best stories and photos in skiing? Subscribe to the new Powder To The People newsletter for weekly updates. Hug Your Homies is now more than just a sticker—it's a fledgling brand with a varied lineup of apparel that donates a portion of its proceeds to two organizations Parisi views highly, one local and one national: Alta Community Enrichment (ACE) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).Hug Your Homies arrives at a time when skiers—and the mountain community at large—seem more open to conversations about mental health than ever. Skier and advocate John Padilla has now created three films under the Mountain in My Mind banner, each espousing a mix of gnarly shredding and frank conversations about suicide, depression, and anxiety. Professional skier Drew Petersen's short documentary, Ups and Downs, which followed his battle with PTSD, bipolar disorder, and a traumatic brain injury, released online to wide acclaim in 2022. Hug Your Homies, then, fits into a wider ski culture shift, but it has its own quirky flavor. One of the brand's shirts reads 'Kiss your homies with your eyes open' and, on Parisi's website, is accompanied by a brief description that includes the sentence, '​​You give each other a quick lil smooch because they're your dawg.' To an older audience, that line might seem bizarre. But for a younger generation raised at the intersection of irony and sincerity, it's both funny and heartfelt. Parisi, through his less over-the-top stickers, aimed to create something that felt natural, mining a vein that already existed in the ski community: mutual adoration of the people we spend time in the mountains with. He said he chose the catchphrase 'hug your homies' because it's 'something that you can hear a skier saying.''I feel like it's such a strong message that can be applied to so many things, which is what I love,' Parisi wants Hug Your Homies to do more than create conversations about mental health and make merch. One day, he hopes that the brand will have its own gathering space and community hub, but activities like group hikes and mini ramp sessions, which provide an alternative to the partying popular in mountain towns, are more tangible. He's already gotten started. In early June, Parisi hosted a small rail jam at the base of Alta Ski Area with the help of his friends, setting up a series of PVC tubes so people could hang out and work on their tricks. And, this summer, he has numerous pop-ups planned at Park Silly, an open-air market in Park City, Utah. Beyond that, Parisi is still figuring out the details of what might come next, and admits, with a laugh, that 'I'm not the best event planner.' In the meantime, though, his goals, like his stickers, aren't too complicated.'I try to just be a friendly face in the community,' he said. 'I try to brighten people's days as much as I can.' "Hug Your Homies": The Story Behind a Little Sticker With a Big Goal first appeared on Powder on Jun 10, 2025

Future of Lakemont Park could be off the tracks as rides sit dormant
Future of Lakemont Park could be off the tracks as rides sit dormant

Yahoo

time6 days ago

  • Yahoo

Future of Lakemont Park could be off the tracks as rides sit dormant

LAKEMONT, Pa. (WTAJ) — Leap the Dips is the world's oldest roller coaster and joined the list of National Historic Landmarks in 1996. But with Lakemont Park not operating its beloved rides for the second summer in a row, it's beginning to show up on a different type of list — one of abandoned places in Pennsylvania. The old trolley park sits dormant and deteriorating, sparking online discussions that the amusement park may be abandoned. But those claims are unsubstantiated as the recreational side of the park remains open including the mini golf course, basketball courts and batting cages. 'An abandoned amusement park would be they block the gates and keep everybody out,' said Dave Hahner, a historian with American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE). 'That is possibly one of the shining moments that we can possibly look at, the fact that the park is not closed yet.' ACE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the enjoyment, knowledge and preservation of roller coasters. Hahner said the community worries it will lose Leap the Dips, a crucial piece of amusement park history. 'It's the oldest opera— it was the oldest operating roller coaster and it was one of the last side friction roller coasters operating in North America,' Hahner said. Cicadas emerge in Centre County for first time in 17 years Skyliner, Lakemont Park's other wooden coaster, is one of the last coasters designed by John Allen, a premiere coaster designer in the mid– to late–1900s. It proudly towers over the outfield of PNG Field. ACE preservation director Josh Brown said it creates a unique experience for both the amusement park and baseball fans. 'We hear a lot of people like it's it was the most fun riding Skyliner when they could heckle somebody from the other team in the outfield, you know while riding it,' Brown said. While people on social media have suggested the park sell off the old coasters if they won't operate them, Hahner said that's not an option for Leap the Dips due to the coaster's age. As safety standards have changed over the 123 years since Leap the Dips was built, the coaster has been grandfathered in, but if moved, would have to be modernized and would lose what makes it special, according to Hahner. It would be required to have automatic breaks and an electronic monitoring system. Hahner said even without these features, the ride is still very safe, meets state standards for safety, and since it only uses one car at a time, there's no chance for collisions. Lakemont Park claims the old wooden coasters are too costly to repair and maintain, but it doesn't explain why the entire amusement park is shut down. 'They do have other rides that are currently dormant,' Hahner said. 'They have the C.P. Huntingdon train ride, the antique car ride and Go–Karts, all of which I'm just kind of puzzled as to why, especially the Go–Karts, as to why they're not operational like any good, family entertainment center.' The park is ultimately owned by Blair County and it's not the first time they've faced such hardships. According to the Blair County Historical Society, the county commissioners accepted ownership of the park from the Altoona & Logan Valley Electric Railway in 1936 after a flood left most of the park damaged and finances were depleted. At the time, there was concern the park would be abandoned, but it reopened the following year after being restored. Today, Lakemont Park is leased to a group known as the Lakemont Partnership who is responsible for operations of the entire property. Blair County Commissioner Dave Kessling said in an email he's worried the Lakemont Partnership is simply leaving the park to fall apart. 'They have chosen not to open the park rides for the past two years and in my opinion, they will continue to allow the park to deteriorate as they state it is too costly to maintain. We cannot force them to open the park with the rides.' Dave Kessling, Blair County Commissioner Brown said there are funds available to help, through a preservation grant. Lakemont Park has received donations from ACE on 15 separate occasions, totaling around $70,000. But no one from the county or Lakemont Park has applied for funding since 2023. According to sources, the last time any work was done to repair or upkeep the wooden roller coasters was four years ago and no future work has been scheduled. Hahner said that because Leap the Dips is a national historic landmark, Lakemont Park is obligated to maintain the ride to where it's not going to fall over. While it does not have to be in operating order, there is concern that the lack of continued maintenance will cause the coaster to fall into complete disrepair. 'For every year that you wait, more damage is done by weathering,' Hahner said. WTAJ has reached out to the park to ask what they plan to do to reopen the rides. They have not responded to emails and sent calls straight to voicemail. ACE said they'd like to see Lakemont Park be taken over by an operator who will revitalize and get the coasters back on track but no plans are in the works so far. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store