“Jungle Jenn” aka Jennifer Kleen, executive director of the Minot Zoo Crew, is presenting on the zoo’s Facebook a series of stories in videos with various other zoo staff about the zoo and its inhabitants.

The Jungle Jenn Series, launched this past week, has a new video each afternoon.

“We did behind-the-scenes of the giraffe yesterday (Thursday) and the day before we were in the kitchen with the keepers,” said Kleen. “Today (Friday) we will announce our armadillo.”

“We’ve added a Southern three-banded armadillo,” said Kleen, about the newest member of the zoo. “He’s from Florida and he’s full grown – about six months old. He finished his 60-day quarantine recently.”

Submitted Photo Spock, a Southern three-banded armadillo, is a new inhabitant of Minot’s Roosevelt Park Zoo.

In the video posted on the zoo’s Facebook page, Dr. Logan Wood, zoo veterinarian, talks about the zoo’s new armadillo, that he was quarantined at the zoo for 60 days after he arrived here and had his own special little room where everyone took good care of him.

There’s much talk about quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Wood explains in the video that quarantine doesn’t have to be scary at all. He also explained that after playing with an animal to always wash your hands for as long as it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice.

The armadillo – his name is Spock – will be one of the zoo’s ambassador animals and go to such places as schools and nursing homes, Kleen said. She said he will be featured in scheduled Wild Happenings encounters this summer.

On Saturday the zoo’s red pandas were featured in the “Jungle Jenn Series” posted on Facebook.

Kleen said they hope to run the series through the end of the month and it could become weekly after that.

She said Becky Dewitz, zoo director, has urged her to take on the role of “Jungle Jenn” since joining the zoo staff a few years ago. Since the zoo is closed now due to the concerns over the virus, Elly DesLauriers, director of marketing and development for the Minot Park District, thought the Jungle Jenn Series would be a good way, especially for kids, to have something to look forward to seeing.

The zoo closed to the public on Monday, March 16.

“The animals are doing just fine,” Kleen said of the closure.

She said currently the keepers are working in two groups to take care of the zoo inhabitants. Other staff members are also working and communicating.

“Everyone is working – just different hours,” Kleen said.

Due to the closure of the zoo, its “Wild Spirits” event scheduled for Saturday, March 28, has been canceled. Those with questions can call the zoo’s Visitor Center.