Compost Magazine

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Elephant taking a poo.

Zoo Animals’ Poop Turned into High-Quality Compost – Available for Sale Now!

17th April 2023

In an exciting new initiative, Tend, a sustainable product brand, has partnered with the Buffalo Zoo to produce compost made entirely from the manure and bedding of 14 different species of hooved herbivores, including rhinos, giraffes, and zebras.

The combination of high-nitrogen exotic animal poop and carbon-rich aged stall bedding, straw, and alfalfa from Buffalo Zoo creates a compost that’s rich in nutrients and perfect for gardening. 

The zoo use hot composting to make the compost, monitoring the carbon to nitrogen ratio, moisture, and temperature throughout the process, and maturing the finished compost for one year before putting it on sale.

The compost is also tested and verified by an independent laboratory to ensure it is the highest quality.

Beginning this month, the three-pound boxes will be available for purchase at $11.99 per bag at the Buffalo Zoo gift shop and local garden centers. Bulk options are also available for people with larger gardens.

Brian Murphy, director of emerging business at NOCO and general manager of Buffalo River Compost, explained the move is more than just about expressing support for the zoo – it’s also about diverting waste and benefitting the environment. 

 “Incorporating compost into your lawn and garden adds organic matter to your soil, helping to improve existing soil conditions and water retention which promotes healthier plant growth and contributes to a more sustainable ecosystem.”

Environmental benefits of composting

When manure is left to rot in large piles or added to landfills, it can contribute large amounts of methane to the environment – a gas that is, according to the United States EPA, more than 25 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. 

Composting massively reduces the amount of methane released, and also improves soil structure, eliminates pathogens, reduces harm from heavy metals and combats erosion. 

Learn: 23 Benefits of Compost Backed by Science

The initiative has already proved a success since 2017, with Buffalo River Compost having diverted more than 1,200 tons of organic waste from local landfills. However, this new venture marks the first time that Tend is offering a specific zoo blend.

Buffalo Zoo Poo compost in boxes.

Lisa Smith, interim president and CEO of the Buffalo Zoo, is thrilled with the collaboration. 

We are incredibly excited to partner with NOCO on this project to bring our community a more sustainable way to garden. 

We have hundreds of pounds of manure and other materials that our hoof stock animals produce weekly. 

As a conservation organization, being able to repurpose all of this waste into nutrient-rich, organic compost that betters our community is very exciting and a great step forward in building a more sustainable future.

Buffalo Zoo Poo is perfect for potted plants and as a garden top dressing. For more information on where to find it, visit growwithtend.com. Tend also offers insect protein-based animal feeds, composts, and mulches to encourage sustainability.

If you’re lucky enough to live in New York, why not, get your hands on the ultimate organic gardening product today and help build a greener future?

Also see

Manure In Compost: How To Turn S***t Into Black Gold

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