Ground Hornbill

Black-Footed Cat

Shearer Animal Hospital

In this brand-new care center, our veterinary team uses state-of-the-art technology to provide world-class care to our animals... and you’re invited to watch! The Shearer Animal Hospital offers four windows into the world of animal care: radiology, treatment, surgery and necropsy.

Radiology
Radiographs, or x-rays, allow our veterinary team to see inside their patients’ bodies in a non-invasive way. All of our terrestrial animals are radiographed every other year to monitor for possible changes, help diagnose a condition we can’t necessarily see and to provide a reference for the future.

Treatment
All of our animals receive exams once per year, be that visual or physical. Generally, every other year, animals get a full physical exam, which, for many of our species, requires anesthesia. The majority of these exams take place in this room.

Surgery
This room provides a sterile operating space in the event any of our animals require surgery. While not as frequently needed, our vet team does occasionally need to perform more invasive surgeries.

Necropsy
As much as life is a part of what we do, death is always inevitable. When an animal does pass away, we take that opportunity to learn by performing a necropsy – which is an autopsy on any species not human. This allows us to not only diagnose the cause of death, but to add to the small, but growing, volume of knowledge about some of these rare species - improving care for future animal ambassadors among AZA facilities.

Dr. Sigmund and Ellen Tannenbaum Conservation Center

In the new Conservation Center, our Conservation and Research team investigates the interactions between native species and humans, with the goal of determining what effects human populations have on native species and ecosystems. Two labs house some of the ongoing research projects the GSC is partnering on.

Conservation Lab 1
With roughly 300 freshwater mussel species in the United States, about 60 are found in North Carolina, and nearly all of them are imperiled. Super-efficient filter feeders, freshwater mussels help stabilize river and pond beds and are a food source for other animals. Poor water quality, degraded habitats, vehicles and more continue to threaten our mussel populations.

This lab space is dedicated to the study of our local mussel populations, as well as the propagation – or breeding – of those species, with the goal of reintroducing them to their native habitats.

Conservation Lab 2
The GSC continues to partner with multiple organizations, both locally and internationally, to research human/wildlife interactions. Locally, the GSC is partnering with UNCG to investigate what species use specific habitats around UNCG’s campus annually, in addition to measuring water quality and studying the species found in streams and ponds on the GSC property to determine ecosystem health.

Internationally, our research team partners with multiple organizations to help restore native wildlife and habitats in remote corners of the world.

Use the GSC's app to bring exhibits to life! With Keeper On Call, you can use your smart device to call up a zookeeper for your very own personal keeper talk!

• On your smart device, download the GSC's free app from the App Store or Google Play Store by searching "Greensboro Science Center."

• Open the app and go to the AR Viewer.

• Holding your smart device horizontally, point it at the Keeper on Call sign within the exhibit.