Many visitors to Warner Park—home of the Chattanooga Zoo—often mistake the vegetation in the parking lot for neglected overgrowth, with some even using the area as a space to litter. The green space, however, serves a purpose. It is a bioretention garden that uses native plants to manage stormwater, improve water quality and support plant diversity.
Ambassador for conservation: UTC alum shares her Chattanooga Zoo internship story
Birds, deer and porcupines are all animals Madison Roberts has come to call friends at her Chattanooga Zoo internship.Roberts graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in December 2023 with a double major in biology and environmental science.
Recognizing women in STEM: Bliss Murphy’s road to reptiles
UTC student Bliss Murphy was recently recognized by Gig City Girls for her accomplishments in STEM. Murphy, a sophomore environmental science major from Chattanooga, was featured on Gig City Girls posters found in Hamilton County Schools classrooms during Women’s History Month.
Cleaning, painting, helping: UTC students take part in United Way’s Day of Caring
UTC students volunteered to participate in the United Way of Greater Chattanooga’s Day of Caring on Sept. 22, going to Brown Middle School, Hixson Middle School and the Chattanooga Zoo and—among other jobs—painted, cleaned up brush and dirt, chunked building scrap into dumpsters, sprayed weeds in school vegetable gardens and brushed spiderwebs off ceilings.
Opening inner doors: Bliss Murphy came out of her shell during a busy freshman year
Bliss Murphy’s freshman year, along with the usual load of classes, was filled to the brim. During the academic year, she was a member or involved with 18 different on-campus groups or organizations, including the Center for Women and Gender Equity, the Wildlife and Zoology Club, the Ecological Decisions for a Global Environment (EDGE), Healing Through Harmony music therapy group and Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor (URaCE).
Animal house: UTC students conduct research for Chattanooga Zoo
UTC Sport, Outdoor Recreation and Tourism majors Luke Beaty, Tyler Fly, Annaka Hall, Austin Hamblin and Shelby Rector are working on a zoo funded-project entitled “Chattanooga Zoo Impact Analysis.”
Big Buddies: UTC students work, play and learn at summer camps for kids with disabilities
UTC psychology majors are Big Buddies at summer camps for children with disabilities.
Students present “Fall for the Animals” at Chattanooga Zoo
Anthropology and psychology students at UTC enrolled in a Primate Behavior class launched a new event at the Chattanooga Zoo called “Fall for the Animals.” Students impersonated people and events related to primate and animal exhibits, to the delight of zoo patrons.
University partners with community for science programs
A degu, a small mammal found only in Chile, is bringing together the Chattanooga community. In partnership with the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA), the Chattanooga Zoo, and local TV station WTCI, the University is creating a collaborative educational outreach program to inform students and the community about this little known animal.