Pattycake at the Bronx Zoo, Okpara returned to Cleveland before moving on to another facility. Blackie On January 13, 2014, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's Nile hippopotamus "Blackie", was euthanized at approximately 60 years of age. He formerly lived at the Pachyderm Building from 1955 until 2008. For the remaining years of his life, he lived at the zoo's private Africa barn in a two-room enclosure. Blackie may have been the longest-lived male Nile hippopotamus ever recorded in human care in North America. As far as hippos go, he had a gentle demeanor and weighed approximately 3700 lbs. Aldabra Tortoises The Zoo cares for three tortoises, including a pair of animals both exceeding 100 years of age. Services and special events Education and outreach Cleveland Metroparks Zoo hosts day and overnight camps for children ages 5 to 14 during the summer months. The Summer Day Camp program teaches children about conservation and encourages understanding of the natural world. Overnight opportunities include stays in the Australian Adventure's Reinberger Homestead; stays in the Wolf Lodge, where guests can use the same tracking technology utilized by field scientists; and the African-themed "Rising Waters Safari Camp". Campers at Rising Waters stay in the zoo's African Savanna for an authentic safari experience complete with animal encounters. Each overnight program combines elements of Australian, Native American and African culture with an overarching theme of conservation. Other educational opportunities include the Zoo's "Keeper for a Day" program, which is open to middle school, high school, and college students who are interested in a career working with animals. Similar to a job shadowing program, program participants spend a day working with animal professionals in the Zoo's Conservation Education Division. Participants are tasked with preparing meals, cleaning enclosures, conducting training exercises, and providing animals with enrichment items to stimulate them both mentally and physically. The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is a part of Miami University’s graduate-level Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP). The program offers a Master of Arts in Biology or Master of Arts in Teaching through online coursework and face-to-face experiential learning experiences at the zoo. Conservation support The zoo also offers numerous grant opportunities which fund research and conservation projects around the world. In 2011, the zoo and Zoological Society awarded grants to more than 90 field conservation projects and programs in 39 countries. Some of these projects include elephant conservation in southern Africa, studying gorilla ecology and behavior in