JULY 2020 Edition
Membership ID:
IN THIS ISSUE
Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo now Open!
BZS Virtual Lecture Series
Aqua Camps have started!
ZOO wants to quiz?
Purposeful Giving
Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo now OPEN!
The island’s aquarium and zoo partly reopened to the public today.

The Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo, shut since the coronavirus crisis hit in March, will resume operation in two phases.

The aquarium hall, museum and gardens opened to visitors today and the zoo will follow a week later.

Walter Roban, the home affairs minister, said: “After an unprecedented 113 days of being closed, we are very happy to re-open the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo to the public.”

He added: “I would also like to recognise the dedication of BAMZ staff, who continued to care for all the animals in the facility while it was closed to the public.

“We know many residents have been looking forward to this reopening announcement for a while — and I’m sure the staff and animals will be happy to see you again.”

The Flatts Village attraction will open from 10am, with the last admission at 4pm.

BAMZ said walk-in visitors would be welcome, but warned there could be long queues and advised people to make an appointment, which would also help to manage the number of people in the building.

Visitors to BAMZ, except for children aged under two, are required to wear face masks while indoors, in covered areas and in animal exhibits.

Visitors should also disinfect their hands before entry and keep a safe distance from others.

A spokesman said that requirements may change, but that the rules would be posted outside the building.

Aqua Camps have started!
The corona virus was an unexpected bump in the road for BZS educators as they prepared for this year's Aqua Camps. However, with the overwhelming success of the virtual Spring Camp, and Bermuda's move to phase 4, the team were able to organize both physical and virtual Aqua Camps for 2020.
Last week, Dr. Alex Amat, the BZS Youth Programme Coordinator, launched the weeklong “Aqua Explorers” camp based on Trunk Island for students aged 12-13 years old. Throughout the camp, both campers and instructors maintained physical distance and wore masks.

Guided by the book “A World Without Fish” by Mark Kurlansky, the kids learned all about fish - from who they are, to where they live and the threats they are facing. Dr. Amat kept the children busy either in the water snorkelling and identifying fish or on the water kayaking as they observed the rocky coastline of Trunk Island. At the end of the week, the children presented their group projects to parents via a ZOOM meeting. 
Educators and camp instructors Camilla Stringer and Sarrah Hamza are currently teaching their second week of “Aqua Squids”, the BZS hybrid Aqua Camp. The camp is hosted on a private Facebook page and students are kept engaged through the day with ZOOM calls and group activities using the pre-prepared take home kits provided by the BZS. In addition to the virtual components of the camp, each day students come together with their fellow campers and camp instructors in different locations for a guided field trip that coordinates with the day’s topic. During the physical field trips, campers, parents and instructors are sure to practice physical distancing and wear masks.
To see more photos of our Aqua Campers, please visit our Facebook page.
Purposeful Giving
By Joanne Chisnall, Volunteer Coordinator
  • Youth Volunteer in Action for Projects at the Bermuda Zoological Society
  • Breakfast with Santa at the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo
  • Win–Win–Win for the Bermuda Zoological Society, the Bermuda High School and PartnerRe

In December 2019, the Bermuda Zoological Society (BZS) joined forces with PartnerRe Dollars for ours and the Bermuda High School for Girls (BHS) to host a “Breakfast with Santa” at BAMZ — a fundraiser/friendraiser.
PartnerRe Dollars for Hours makes a direct contribution to the participating schools, the local community and ultimately to the economy, and creates a win-win situation for everyone involved. The programme engages a group from each high school in Bermuda and partners them with selected projects proposed by charities. The charity benefits from the manpower given by the students, the students learn to give back to the community, and the school benefits from the donation from PartnerRe.
This year the BHS students took complete control of “Breakfast with Santa” to help raise funds for BZS. They brainstormed the event, set a budget, decided on the ticket price, created a marketing video, transformed our classrooms into Santa’s restaurant and added features such as a personal elf and prior parking for VIP ticket holders, games and special activities. They even organized a caterer, balanced their time to complete the task, and became Santa’s elves on the day of the event.

BZS members and friends were very complimentary of their efforts. Children enjoyed a hearty breakfast before their private visits with Santa, while parents were able to enjoy a stress free Santa experience.
FOLLOW US