JANUARY 2016

A publication of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums

Fighting Against Extinction The Challenges Surrounding Reintroduction Biology

CHALLENGING PERCEPTIONS ABOUT TEENS, TAMARINS AND TEAMWORK EMPOWERING PARTNERS ZOOS AT HOME AND ABROAD We Are Saving Cotton-Top Conservation Capacity Building Tamarins in Colombia January 2016 | www.aza.org 1 January 2016

Features 22 30 38 44 Fighting Against Challenging Perceptions Teens, Tamarins Empowering Partners Extinction About Zoos at Home and Teamwork Conservationists often work The process of reintroducing and Abroad The efforts of Proyecto Tití with individuals whose a species into the wild can In countries where have brought cotton-top expertise, training and be tricky at best. There conservation efforts take tamarins to the forefront of even basic understanding are hundreds of factors place, as well as at home, conservation in Colombia of conservation principles that go into the decision— staff at Association of and demonstrated how zoos may be lacking. And the environmental, political Zoos and Aquariums- can play a significant role professionals know that and sociological. When accredited facilities are working with conservation things go most smoothly it works, the results are often challenging people’s organizations to save when everyone involved is exhilarating for the public perceptions of zoos and a species. on the same team, with the and environmentalists. aquariums and educating BY DR. ANNE SAVAGE same agenda. BY KATIE MORELL them about the research and BY MARY ELLEN COLLINS conservation work that these facilities conduct. BY KATE SILVER

January 2016 | www.aza.org 1 January 2016 | www.aza.org 3 11 44 72

Member View Departments

7 Animal Welfare 12 Population 16 New Construction 54 Faces & Places Providing choice and Sustainability Tennessee Aquarium’s new control to enhance welfare The Cheetah Sustainability field station will be a leading 55 Advertiser Index Program provides a unique freshwater science center 58 Announcements 8 Education approach to population Shedd Aquarium’s “Science management 17 Research 59 Calendar Tech Treks” reimagines the This month’s selection of field trip experience 13 By the Numbers what has been published 60 Exhibits AZA and field conservation 9 Green Tales 18 Green 72 Births & Hatchings Green Award Top Honor 14 Fund Raising Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical winners Roger Williams Park Zoo Garden’s Base Camp Café About the cover completes fundraising rated greenest restaurant Karner Blue Butterfly 10 Conservation campaign to re-open harbor in America Spotlight seal exhibit The Blank Park Zoo is making 19 Rescue and conservation a priority 15 Fund Raising Rehabilitation Assiniboine Park Louisville Zoo participates 11 Conservation Conservancy announces $2 in rescues Oakland Zoo raises $100,000 million donation to Imagine for animals in the wild a Place Campaign © Mitchell Magdich

VISIT US ONLINE Editorial policy: Connect is published by the aza.org Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to the LIKE US ON FACEBOOK advancement of zoological parks and aquariums for facebook.com/Association conservation, education, scientific studies and recreation. Issued to members OfZoosAndAquariums as a free service; not available as a subscription. Mailed during the first week of the month. Articles submitted for Connect do not necessarily reflect the FOLLOW US ON TWITTER opinions and policies of AZA. twitter.com/zoos_aquariums Mission: Connect is a forum for promoting AZA’s mission by highlighting zoo E-MAIL THE EDITOR and aquarium trends, industry initiatives, conservation efforts and member [email protected] achievements. Copyright policy: All items appearing in Connect are copyright of AZA. Permission to reprint items must be obtained by contacting AZA’s Publications Department at [email protected]. Advertising policy: Advertising is available. AZA reserves the right to refuse advertising not consistent with its mission. Ad contracts are issued on an annual basis, and ads are accepted on a one, three, six, nine or 12-time basis. Deadline for insertion orders is the first of the month preceding publication. Deadline for artwork is the 10th of the month preceding publication. Rates and mechanical requirements are available upon request.

January 2016 | www.aza.org 3 The TRANSFORMER

EDITOR Tim Lewthwaite ™ ASSISTANT EDITOR Jennifer Fields ART DIRECTION Net System Quarters for Conservation LTD Creative GRAPHIC DESIGNER My friend Bob Chastain of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo says, “it is the easiest money you Lisa Cadigan, Cadigan Creative The last Net System you will ever r ai s e .” What Bob is talking about is the Quarters for Conservation program. Not ADVERTISING Gina Velosky only are the quarters easy to raise, but it turns out you can raise a lot of them. (301) 562-0777, ext. 254, [email protected] will ever need for Quarters for Conservation began in October 2006 at Zoo Boise. We are a small zoo EDITORIAL BOARD Thom Benson | Tennessee Aquarium with limited acreage and staff. We wanted to do something for wildlife conservation Julie Larsen-Maher | Wildlife Conservation Society but weren’t sure how. We took an inventory of ourselves and realized we had two things Tim Lewthwaite | Editor small–medium animals. Kristin L. Vehrs | Executive Director going for us: (1) We had a collection of Designed and manufactured in-house. animals that people wanted to see, and Sold by Midwest Animal Capture & Safety Equipment. (2) We had a lot of people who wanted The owner has worked with domestic and exotic to see them. If every one of our visitors 1 President and CEO animals for 40 years. Our sta uses this product and contributed a little bit—a quarter— Jim Maddy verifies its eectiveness. it would add up to quite a bit for Executive Director 2 3 4 conservation. Rather than be voluntary, Kristin L. Vehrs Chief Operating Officer • Lightweight 2.2 lb, approx. 42" extra deep net we created a conservation fee that was Jill Nicoll • Netting rated 100-lb, burst strength charged in addition to daily admission Senior Vice President of Conservation and Science and memberships. Debborah Luke, PhD • Sturdy handle is removable to allow animal In eight years, all those quarters at Senior Vice President of External Affairs to be carried in net with 3 sewn-on handles Rob Vernon • Made from aircraft grade materials Zoo Boise have surpassed $900,000. Senior Vice President of Finance The best part is that 22 other zoos have Phil Wagner • Made in the U.S.A. started a Quarters program and by the end of 2015, we will have collectively generated Vice President, Principal Gifts and Campaign Director for SAFE 5 6 Alison Davitt $9 million for the conservation of animals in the wild! It is now generating conservation Vice President of Animal Programs support at a rate of $1.8 million per year. Candice Dorsey, PhD 6-in-1 Net Configuration Vice President, Conferences and Membership Collectively, 183 million people visit aquariums and zoos accredited by the • Melissa Howerton INTRODUCTORY Adjustable flexible hoop Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) annually. Not only is that an incredibly big Vice President of Congressional Affairs PRICE $ 95 allows for six di erent number, but it is also an incredibly powerful number. We have the opportunity and Jennifer Keaton 149 shapes to accommodate responsibility to harness the strength of that number to become the greatest force for Vice President of Accreditation Programs every handler Denny Lewis • From 12"–18" wide wildlife conservation in the world. Quarters for Conservation is one simple way of how Vice President of Federal Relations we can work to help achieve that goal. Steve Olson If you would like to start your own Quarters for Conservation program, please For a full listing of AZA’s staff, visit www.aza.org/about-aza • Custom-made in our own shop contact me or anyone at the following participating zoos: AZA BOARD OF DIRECTORS We also have a complete line of • In-house equipment, machine shop, Sacramento Zoo Birmingham Zoo Jackson Zoo Chair sewing shop, engraving shop Blank Park Zoo Jacksonville Zoo Sedgwick County Zoo Steve Burns | Director, Zoo Boise Reptile Handling Equipment Brevard Zoo and Gardens Sequoia Park Zoo Chair Elect Cameron Park Zoo Knoxville Zoo Tracy Aviary Dennis W. Kelly | Director, Smithsonian National Zoological Park Vice Chair BREAKDOWN HOOK Cheyenne Mountain Zoo The Living Desert Woodland Park Zoo GREAT FOR Jim Breheny | Executive Vice President and General Director, Zoos Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Louisville Zoo Zoo Boise and Aquarium, Jonathan Little Cohen Director of the Bronx Zoo NEW! 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Director Christopher Kuhar, PhD | Executive Director, Cleveland Zoo Boise Metroparks Zoo John Lewis | Zoo Director, Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens Steve Marshall | Zoo Director, El Paso Zoo Amos Morris | Zoo Director, Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden 1-877-US-TONGS Peggy Sloan | Director, North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher Approx. 40" when assembled TONGS.com 4 www.aza.org | January 2016

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049-Connect Full Pg Ad.indd 1 11/9/15 2:13 PM 6 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 7 Animal Welfare Providing Choice and Control to Enhance Welfare By David Powell © WCS, Julie Larsen Maher © WCS,

As people, we want to have choices about opportunities for animals to express their keepers, which largely occur in non-public what we do and some degree of control preferences–for food items, social partners, areas. Preferences also vary by individual over what happens to us. This is important locations on or off exhibit and for interaction and species as well as over time, making for our welfare. It makes sense that most with keepers. What is sometimes difficult it risky to make broad or rigid changes in animals—not just the human kind—will in identifying preferences is understanding husbandry, housing and management based experience positive welfare when they what the choice options really offer the on preferences. have opportunities for choice and control. animal and thus why they express the On a more complex level, we are Choice blends into control. An animal that preferences that they do. For example, coming to understand that simply the ability chooses the types of food it eats (from a in testing preferences for being on or off to choose among options is important. nutritionally-complete provided diet) is exhibit, we must take into account that the Laboratory studies have sometimes revealed controlling its diet, to an extent. Though two options present different stimuli for the counterintuitive findings with regard to choice and control are interrelated, we animal(s). Exhibits often provide a variety choice. Some animals may prefer to work for might think of exercising choice as selecting of sights, smells, sounds and substrates that food rather than eat it free choice (termed among options and control as knowing that may differ from off-exhibit areas. These “contrafreeloading”), or they may prefer to behavior leads to predictable outcomes. areas are also associated with different prepare their food for consumption rather We can think about choice on two levels experiences for the animal. Animals might than have it presented ready to eat. Animals to better understand its benefits for animals. enjoy being outdoors on natural substrates, might forego the opportunity to obtain a At the simplest level, we should provide but they also might enjoy interactions with desired food reward so that they can choose

6 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 7 among a variety of food rewards, many of which are not preferred foods. Thus, the simple act of choosing can be important to the animal. With regard to control, scientists have suggested that welfare be viewed in a framework of “effectiveness.” To feel effective, animals need to succeed in obtaining desirable results, they need to manage what happens to them and they need to understand that their behavior has outcomes. A common theme in these needs is predictability for the animal but not predictability in the sense that the same things happen at the same time every day, regardless of what the animal does. The animal’s relationship with its environment, and specifically its ability to manage its environment, is what needs to be predictable. What is the right amount of choice and control? There isn’t a scientific formula to calculate this. More choice and control would seem to be better, but it may be that some level of challenge and unpredictability is important for welfare, too. While there

are always some constraints on choice © Shedd Aquarium and control for animals in our care, we Education encourage animal care managers to continually look for opportunities to provide choice and control for the animals as it has significant welfare benefits. Shedd Aquarium’s “Science Tech Treks” Reimagines the Field Trip Experience It’s a commonly-held perception among evidence-driven learning opportunities children that field trips are nothing more tie to school curricula by integrating than a day out of school—a carefree romp technology while connecting students with without much learning. In autumn 2015, the living world through the wonder of live Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Ill., turned this animals. Shedd developed the program myth on its head. based on extensive research, including With its new Science Tech Treks a comprehensive assessment of current program, Shedd reimagines the field trip school group programs, new approaches to experience for grades K-5, proving that this evaluation and the needs of teachers and out-of-the-classroom experience is indeed 21st century learners. a constructive learning opportunity that “With growing concerns about is both relevant and valuable to today’s environmental awareness, an emphasis on teachers and students. Funded by a two-year the Next Generation Science Standards

© WCS, Julie Larsen Maher © WCS, grant from the Institute of Museum and and tightening school budgets, it is more Library Services (IMLS) to do research and important than ever for community David Powell, PhD, is the Associate develop new field trips, Science Tech Treks resources like Shedd to complement formal Curator of Mammals at the Wildlife allows Shedd to lead innovation of on-site science curricula in a way that produces Conservation Society/Bronx Zoo. learning for cultural institutions. The unique results,” said Dr. Joy Kubarek, vice president

8 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 9 Green Tales of learning at Shedd. “Science Tech Treks provides an authentic experience with live animals and technology that makes learning fun and relevant.” Green Award Top

Touch Screen Technology Connects Students with Live Animals Honor Winners at the Aquarium At the Annual Association of Zoos and efficiency projects, which results in utility There are four experiences in the Science Aquariums (AZA) Annual Conference costs savings of nearly $275,000 annually. Tech Treks program: Animal Explorers in Salt Lake City, Utah, two facilities were The year ahead is even more exciting as and Junior Aquarists for grades K-2, and awarded top honors for the Green Award. the Society is currently constructing the Science Investigators and Habitat Designers Congratulations to the Detroit Zoological first dry biodigester in Michigan and the for grades 3-5. Each challenges students Society in Royal Oak, Mich., and the first zoo-based system in the country. This to become field researchers for a day, Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science biodigester will compost more than 400 working in small groups and using a tablet Centre in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. The tons of animal waste and organic food application built in-house at Shedd and award honors programs that reduce the waste while capturing methane to be used designed for exclusive use at the Aquarium environmental impact of an organization. as a renewable energy source to help power to record their observation of live animals, The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science the Zoo’s animal hospital. The Detroit their behaviors and their habitats. The Centre was honored to be recognized with Zoological Society is also getting their feet students’ Science Tech Treks experience this year’s Green Award. As an organization, wet (or, in this case, keeping them dry) with continues in their classroom through field they have made the reports generated at Shedd, which provides commitment to driving the evidence of learning at teachers’ fingertips. continuous improvement of their environmental Inspiring the Next Generation of performance through Environmental Stewards the implementation Most importantly, this new program aligns of the ISO 14001 with Shedd’s mission of connecting people certified Environmental to the living world and inspiring action. Management System Science Tech Treks bridges technology and (EMS). When faced interaction with science to the awe-inspiring with the biggest facility connections created when children see live expansion in their history, animals up close at the Aquarium. this commitment led “Our world depends on the next to integrating green generation of environmental stewards. It building strategies to significantly reduce permeable pavement sidewalks and parking starts when one student walks through the environmental footprint of their new lots, which divert stormwater from the Shedd’s halls and carries the experience for a engagement space. A key component is Detroit sewer systems to prevent flooding lifetime,” said Ted Beattie, Shedd’s president the District Energy System loop, a facility- and sewer overflows into rivers and lakes. and chief executive officer. “Our aim for wide, heat exchange system that reduces the And perhaps most exciting, the Society will the 200,000 students we see in field trips resources required for heating and cooling by open their new Polk Penguin Conservation each year is to create an awareness of the redistributing energy throughout the building. Center in early 2016, which will represent links between animals and people and our Their new footprint has allowed the Aquarium the most sustainable construction work to common needs for survival.” to expand the delivery of their world-class date and will provide more than 80 penguins Science Tech Treks is the latest step educational experience while maintaining of four species with a state-of-the-art habitat in the evolving commitment to education its status as a model for innovation and while creating a critical public discussion in Shedd’s 40-year history of providing environmentally-conscious practices for around climate change. innovative programs to K-12 students. In visitors and the community. addition to this new field trip experience, The Green Award came on the heels Jacob Clemens is the Manager of Shedd offers a Learning Lab program of the Detroit Zoo completing a two-year Sustainability at the Vancouver Aquarium. for grades 6-12 that focuses on anatomy bottled water phase-out effort, which is Beth Wallace is the Manager of Sustainability and ecology, as well as a virtual field trip helping to keep more than 60,000 single- at the Detroit Zoological Society. program titled, Live From Behind the use plastic bottles out of landfills and the If you have a sustainable story to Scenes, for grades K-8 that focuses on environment annually. Over the last three share with Green Tales from your zoo animal health, penguins and sharks, among years, the Detroit Zoological Society has also or aquarium, please contact sophia. other topics. invested more than $3 million into energy [email protected].

8 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 9 Conservation Spotlight the Des Moines Children’s Zoo, Blank Park Zoo has evolved from a place primarily for family recreation and entertainment, with The Blank Park Zoo nursery-rhyme themes and a child-focused audience, to a trusted resource for the Making Conservation a Priority community and a positive force in wildlife preservation with education and conservation By Kevin Drees and Jessie Lowry at its core. The Zoo’s current operating budget is approximately $6 million, with an annual audience of more than 450,000 people. However, Blank Park Zoo is no longer satisfied being just a window to the wild. Zoo staff realized that in order to provide conservation-action opportunities for Zoo guests, the Zoo had to first “institutionalize” a conservation culture within its walls. Blank Park Zoo’s conservation story began in 1995 when a small group of dedicated zookeepers and volunteers banded together to form the Conservation Committee. Through fundraisers and events and penny by penny, the Committee raised more than $100,000 for field conservation over a 10-year period. It was a great accomplishment, but the Zoo needed to find a way to make conservation a part of everyone’s job, so these tasks could be achieved on Zoo time and with full Zoo support. In 2003, through a privatization process, Zoo ownership was transferred from the City of Des Moines to the Blank Park Zoo Foundation. The success of this process meant the Zoo had more control over its mission and initiatives. In 2009, the Zoo’s chief executive officer and director of animal care and conservation were inspired by Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation program and decided it was a good fit to make the Zoo’s fundraising more sustainable and institution-led. Through a regular admission price increase, 25 cents per each admission was allocated for field conservation (along with $1 per membership). “Coin-traptions” were built to highlight the Zoo’s three main projects by allowing visitors to vote for their favorite with conservation tokens or with additional

© Iowa Department of Resources © Iowa Department Natural coins. This has added sustainability to their program, enabling Blank Park Zoo This month the Conservation Spotlight Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, Iowa, has to make long-term commitments to their is featuring an institution that is making made conservation a priority and what its conservation projects. great strides to grow its support of field staff are doing to grow their impact can serve In 2011, staff and volunteers attended conservation in its journey to reach the 3 as an inspiration for all Association of Zoos the Woodland Park Zoo and Aquarium’s percent goal (field conservation support as a and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited facilities. Committing to Conservation (ZACC) percentage of total operational budget). The From its humble beginnings in 1966 as Conference. Many new connections were

10 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 11 formed, most notably with Beth Armstrong (conservation initiatives) and Anne Warner (conservation strategies). In 2012, Beth and Anne traveled to Blank Park Zoo to consult with staff about their conservation programs, and out of that meeting their Conservation Alliance was created, formalizing the Zoo’s conservation program, improving efficiency and increasing collaboration between Zoo departments. The Alliance is led by a board-chair and acts as an overall umbrella for the Zoo’s seven initiatives: Green Team, Partnerships Team, Event/Fundraising Team, Regional Conservation Team, Local Outreach Team, Education/Communication Team and American Association of Zoo Keepers charter. Teams are multi- departmental, including staff, volunteers and board members, and are ever-evolving. Members join teams of their choosing and are allotted Zoo time to complete tasks throughout the year. Blank Park Zoo has continued to Conservation advance their conservation commitment. In 2013, Blank Park Zoo hosted the ZACC conference in Des Moines, highlighting what a “small” zoo can do for conservation, and Oakland Zoo Raises in 2015, the Zoo took another important step by hiring the first full-time conservation manager. Kevin Drees, director of animal $100,000 for Animals care and conservation at the Blank Park Zoo shared, “A primary benefit of having a in the Wild conservation manager position is to locally The Oakland Zoo in Oakland, Calif., raised “The impact of Oakland Zoo’s support increase the Zoo’s visibility as a conservation more than $100,000 in one year through a is significant towards establishing a organization.” In 2015, the Zoo also hosted program called Quarters for Conservation. self-sustaining population of condors in its first annual fundraising event with more “We are so excited to hear that Oakland Zoo California,” said Kelly Sorenson, Executive than 130 attendees. will be able to fund our lemur project in the Director, Ventana Wildlife Society. As of now, Blank Park Zoo contributes rain forests of Madagascar, including the two Twenty-five percent of the funds raised about 1.5 percent of its annual budget species of bamboo lemurs at Ranomafana,” will be used towards Oakland Zoo’s onsite toward field conservation. Each year, stated Patricia Wright, founder of Centre conservation programs such as veterinary the Zoo intends to add new fundraising Val Bio. care for California condors, the western methods and events to increase dollars Fifty percent of the funds will go directly pond turtle head-start program, the Puerto raised. The Zoo is also working hard to make to three featured conservation programs in Rican crested toad breeding program, conservation part of its culture and help the field that help save elephants, lemurs, and the yellow-legged frog head-start staff, volunteers and board members find and California condors. The three recipients program. The remaining twenty-five percent their conservation passions and interests of the funds this year are Centre ValBio, of the monies helps support additional and get involved in the Blank Park Zoo Ventana Wildlife Society, and Big Life. conservation field partners, like: ARCAS, Conservation Alliance. “Big Life is very grateful to receive these Africa Matters, the Bay Area Puma Project, For more information visit www. funds from the Oakland Zoo’s Quarters Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center, blankparkzoo.com/ for Conservation program,” said Richard the California Wolf Center, the Kibale Bonham, co-founder and director of Fuel Wood Project, the Reticulated Giraffe Kevin Drees is the Director of Animal Care operations in Africa for Big Life. “We plan Project, the Marine Mammal Center, the and Conservation at the Blank Park Zoo. to put the funds to use immediately to help Mountain Lion Foundation, Project Golden Jessie Lowry is the Conservation cover operational costs for our remote but Frog, Project Tamarin, EWASO Lion, and Manager at the Blank Park Zoo. critically important Ossewan outpost. the Uganda Carnivore Program.

10 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 11 Dr. Holly Haefele and Jason Ahistus determine pregnancy via X-ray in their cheetah female, Gracie, at the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.

Population Sustainability Cheetah Sustainability Program: A Unique Approach to Population Management The Cheetah Sustainability Program is program animals. In 2015 (to date), 13 cubs A majority of participant contributions continuing to make a difference for cheetah were born and another ten females were bred, (51 percent) are being used to support high conservation in situ and ex situ. This program, of which three have been confirmed pregnant priority in situ conservation projects and ex led by the Conservation Centers for Species by X-ray or ultrasound. situ research. Project proposals are selected Survival (C2S2), is a partnership involving the In addition to the nine breeding centers, through a peer-review process by a panel Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the program also includes exhibit and comprised of current and former Felid Taxon the Cheetah Species Survival Plan® (SSP) and program animal facilities. Beginning in Advisory Group (TAG) steering committee facilities qualifying as ‘breeding centers’ for 2016, the Cheetah Sustainability Program members and one Cheetah Sustainability cheetahs. will implement a new tiered structure for Program Executive Committee member. The The program aims to ensure that the participant contributions for exhibit facilities remaining funds (49 percent) are utilized cheetahs recommended for breeding are sent based on the budgets of the participant to offset a portion of program and animal to the nine Cheetah Sustainability Program facilities (see table). Program animal facilities production costs. In 2014, the program breeding centers, which hold at least four will contribute $20,000 each year that new offered its first set of grants, and a total of breeding females and an appropriate number program animals are received and then $48,450 was used to support six projects: of genetically-matched males and have contribute as an exhibit facility in other years • Community Outreach, Education, and improved overall cheetah production since (see table). The program is committed to Research for Cheetah Conservation the program’s inception in December 2012. In providing cheetahs for display institutions, in Botswana - Cheetah Conservation 2013 and 2014, a total of 73 cubs in 20 litters as these facilities are an integral part of the Botswana were born, of which 66 are surviving, with 51 program, exhibiting cheetahs for public • The Kruger National Park 6th Wild Dog being mother-raised and 15 hand-raised for education and species awareness. and 4th Cheetah Photographic Census -

12 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 13 Endangered Wildlife Trust 2015 Participants*: Brevard Zoo, By the Numbers • Resolving Human-Cheetah Conflict and Birmingham Zoo, Columbus Zoo & Determining Conservation Hotspots in Aquarium, Dallas Zoo, Disney’s Animal Tanzania’s Ruaha Landscape - Wildlife Kingdom, Fresno Chaffee Zoo, Houston Zoo, Conservation Research Unit, University Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens, Philadelphia of Oxford Zoo, Phoenix Zoo, Smithsonian’s National • Future Farmers of Africa - Cheetah Zoo, Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo, and Wildlife Conservation Fund Conservation Society. • Identifying Conserved Proteins Involved Breeding Centers: Cincinnati Zoo & in the Establishment and Maintenance of Botanical Garden, Fossil Rim Wildlife Pregnancy in the Cheetah - Smithsonian Center, Lee G. Simmons Conservation Park Conservation Biology Institute & Wildlife Safari, Saint Louis Zoo, San Diego • Conservation Monitoring of the Critically Zoo Global/San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Endangered Asiatic Cheetahs in Central Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Iran - Iranian Cheetah Society White Oak, the Wilds/Columbus Zoo & In 2015, the program again offered grants, Aquarium, and Wildlife Safari. CELEBRATING and applications were peer-reviewed last fall. *As of September 2015. For a complete list of Funds were distributed in November. More participating facilities, please visit: FIVE YEARS information on the grant can be found at http://conservationcenters.org/conservation- conservationcenters.org. research/cheetah-conservation/csp/ OF FIELD AZA-accredited facilities interested in CONSERVATION receiving more information about how to get Written by the CSP Executive Committee, involved, including a copy of the Terms of consisting of Adrienne Crosier, SCBI and Agreement for program participation, should SSP Coordinator; David Wildt, SCBI; Kelley contact both Adrienne Crosier (CrosierA@ Snodgrass, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center; si.edu) and Lewis Greene (Lewis.Greene@ Dan Beetem, the Wilds; Lewis Greene, columbuszoo.org). More information about Columbus Zoo & Aquarium; and Dusty the program can be found on the C2S2 Lombardi, Columbus Zoo & Aquarium and website (conservationcenters.org). SSP Vice-Coordinator; and contributions $130-160 by Kristen Culp, C2S2 Coordinator. million Cheetah Exhibit Annual Participant contributed each Facility Annual Contribution to year by Association Budget Program of Zoos and Less than $1,000 Aquariums (AZA)- $5 million accredited facilities

$5 million to $2,500 $15 million

More than $5,000 Over $15 million 1,100 species and subspecies benefitted, including334 listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Critically Endangered or Endangered and 5 listed as For a complete list of participating facilities, please visit: http://conservationcenters.org/conservation-research/cheetah- Extinct in the Wild conservation/csp/

12 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 13 By the Numbers

CELEBRATING FIVE YEARS OF FIELD CONSERVATION

More money was spent on research related to species and habitat conservation than on any other type of research.

Harbor seals, Bubba and Action Zoo Williams Park Roger © Fund Raising Roger Williams Park Zoo Announced Successful

The California condor, Completion of Fundraising Florida manatee, giant Campaign to Re-Open panda, and sea turtles each benefitted from Harbor Seal Exhibit more than Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, Brooke Fairman, the director of R.I., announced the conclusion of its development for the Zoo, led the outreach community fundraising effort that brought effort. “The response has been just amazing,” $1 million in more than $113,500 to help defray the she said. “Over 8,000 individuals made cost of major repairs to its harbor seal donations, and they were joined by several spent annually exhibit. foundations and companies that added on their One of the exhibit’s large viewing their support.” With an anonymous donor windows cracked in late May when the providing matching funds up to $50,000, the conservation pool was drained for routine maintenance. campaign raised more than $113,500. Further investigation revealed structural Fairman said the exhibit’s residents, issues that required demolition of the entire harbor seals Bubba and Action, have been wall, followed by reconstruction. Faced living at the Aquarium of Niagara in Upstate with these unanticipated and significant New York since late June. The two seals expenditures, the Zoo launched a returned to the Zoo and their new home in community fundraising campaign in June. November 2015.

14 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 15 Fund Raising Assiniboine Park Conservancy Announces $2 Million Donation to Imagine a Place Campaign

The Assiniboine Park Conservancy of the Zoo, with significant renovations, research and conservation in Manitoba. announced a gift of $2 million from Doug new exhibits (including the Journey to The next phase will see the development of and Louise Leatherdale toward the Imagine a Churchill), enhanced facilities for visitors a new horticultural attraction to be situated Place Campaign. The donation was made in and a more visible and active contribution in the southeast corner of the Park near the support of Zoo redevelopment and will be to environmental and wildlife education, Formal Gardens. recognized at the International Polar Bear Conservation Centre (IPBCC), with the renaming of the facility to the Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre. A key component of the Journey to Churchill exhibit, the Leatherdale IPBCC is a hub for environmental and wildlife education, research and conservation and will ensure Manitoba remains a center of Harbor seals, Bubba and Action © Roger Williams Park Zoo Williams Park © Roger global influence in polar bear conservation. “We are absolutely delighted to support the redevelopment of Assiniboine Park and Zoo and to have our name associated with the International Polar Bear Conservation Centre and the important research and conservation work being done there,” said Doug and Louise Leatherdale. With this donation, the Assiniboine Park Conservancy’s fundraising efforts through the Imagine a Place Campaign have now raised over $133 million toward the overall $200 million redevelopment goal. “We are very grateful for the generous leadership support from Doug and Louise Leatherdale,” said Margaret Redmond, president and chief executive officer of the Assiniboine Park Conservancy. “Assiniboine Park Zoo strives to be a leader in education, research and conservation and it’s donations such as this that make our work in those areas possible.”

Assiniboine Park Redevelopment

Phase I of the redevelopment plan consists Conservancy Assiniboine Park © of the now complete Heart of the Park From left to right: Margaret Redmond, president and chief executive officer, component, which includes the Nature Playground, the expansion of the Riley Assiniboine Park Conservancy; Hartley Richardson, chair, Assiniboine Park Family Duck Pond and the building Conservancy Board of Directors; Louise Leatherdale; the Honorable Thomas of the Qualico Family Centre. Phase II Nevakshonoff, minister of conservation & water stewardship for the Province of consists of a dramatic transformation Manitoba. Center: Doug Leatherdale.

14 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 15 “TNACI’s role in collaborative conservation planning allows our research to have a direct and lasting impact throughout the region,” said Dr. George. “We work with other conservation managers in the Southeast to ensure that as our region grows, we are able to preserve the freshwater animals and habitats that support our high quality of life.” Leading up to creating a centralized hub for this important work, TNACI has been hiring additional experts. Scientists with extensive backgrounds in conservation genetics, field biology, cave biology and geographic information systems are now on staff. The team’s scope of work is expanding to include new research projects with turtles and salamanders. Dr. George plans to have New Construction eight to 10 scientists and educators moving into the new building when the doors open sometime in the late summer or fall of 2016. The new location, on the south campus New Facility for of the Baylor School, connects TNACI to the Tennessee River and opens the door for Conservation Institute more educational opportunities for schools throughout the region. These programs will focus on high school, college and Biological Field Station graduate students who are really dedicated to careers in environmental science. will be a Leading “Baylor School is immensely proud to partner with the Tennessee Aquarium,” said Scott Wilson, Baylor School Headmaster. Freshwater Science Center “This opportunity represents a triumph The Southeast is home to an incredible array continues to grow, it becomes more for TNACI, Baylor and everyone in this of freshwater biodiversity. More than 660 challenging to understand, protect and region who is passionate about freshwater of the 905 native fish species found in the restore populations of imperiled aquatic conservation, science and education.” United States live within a 500-mile circle species. “The Aquarium has been educating Consolidating scientific efforts within that’s centered on Chattanooga. The rivers, our guests about freshwater and working a state-of-the-art facility will enable the lakes and streams are also home to half the on conservation projects with a variety of Aquarium to focus on the research and freshwater turtles found in North America partners in our region for nearly 25 years,” restoration of freshwater animals and their and nearly all of the salamanders, mussels said Charlie Arant, the Aquarium’s president habitats throughout the region in ways and crayfish found on the continent. and chief executive officer. “The time has never before envisioned. With continued “We are surrounded by an underwater come for us to expand those efforts in order community support, the Aquarium hopes rainforest,” said Dr. Anna George, director to have an even greater impact on this region to grow its commitment to freshwater of the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation for generations to come.” science to $8 million over the next five years. Institute (TNACI) in Chattanooga, Tenn. A new 14,000-square-foot riverfront “This is a tremendous opportunity and “These amazing freshwater communities facility will be constructed in Chattanooga to responsibility for us,” said Arant. “People are unparalleled for any location outside serve as the only freshwater science center in are really concerned about the health of our the tropics. This is why the Southeast is so the Southeast. This biological field station will waterways, and we will lead, convene and exciting to the scientific community.” house propagation systems for reintroduction collaborate with others for the benefit of our Unfortunately, freshwater ecosystems are programs, three fully-equipped labs for region. Twenty years from now, we’ll look the most threatened on Earth. Extinction researchers, a spacious teaching lab for rising back on what TNACI has achieved, both on rates of freshwater animals are two to five high school and college students as well as a a regional and national level, and we’ll be times higher than terrestrial or marine meeting space for collaborative projects with very proud we took this next step to protect animals. And, as human freshwater use other scientists. our water.”

16 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 17 Research behavior. However, compared to more Measuring Connections neurotic birds, birds with higher scores for to Nature Chilled Frogs are Hot extraversion had lower levels of stereotypic Successful zoo breeding programs should behaviors during enrichment removal and Many zoos and aquariums have fostering replicate those elements of a species’ replacement. Short-term deprivation of ‘connections to nature’ as an integral component natural environment that are linked to key enrichment had lasting effects on abnormal of their mission, and measurement of how ecological or behavioral characteristics. This behaviors, and the severity of these effects visits and programs foster these connections study examined the impact of cold induced varied with personality. is an important criterion for demonstrating hibernation on reproductive performance success. Zoos and aquariums also strive to in mountain yellow-legged frogs (Rana Cussen, VA, Mench, JA. 2015. The foster or reinforce environmentally responsible muscosa). Forty-eight frogs were collected relationship between personality behaviors, which are strongly correlated in Southern California and placed into two dimensions and resiliency to with measured connections to nature. This experimental groups, hibernated (4°C) environmental stress in orange-winged paper presents a compact review of these and non-hibernated (13°C), for 60 days. Amazon parrots (Amazona amazonica), concepts and their measurement and uses After hibernation, hibernated frogs had as indicated by the development as examples three previously published lower body condition scores, higher calling of abnormal behaviors. PLoS ONE experiments that address the relationship frequencies and rates of amplexus, oviposited 10(6):e0126170. Correspondence to Joy between measures of connectedness to and successfully fertilized eggs. These results Mench at [email protected]. nature and environmentally responsible strongly suggest that this species requires behavior, electricity use. Experiments 1 hibernation as a prelude to reproduction. and 2 found that among college students Other amphibian breeding programs might Self-Control in Lemurs living in apartment-style dormitories, stronger benefit from experimental assessments of Inhibitory control is the ability to choose connections to nature were associated with environmental factors on reproduction. an effective response over a tempting but lower electricity consumption. Experiment ineffective response. There is evidence that 3 offered dorm residents the opportunity Santana, FE, Swaisgood, RR, Lemm, JM, inhibitory control varies between social and to monitor their consumption of electricity. Fisher, RN, Clark, RW. 2015. Chilled frogs non-social contexts. This study examined Connection to nature was monitored are hot: hibernation and reproduction inhibitory control in 52 subjects from five at the beginning and end of the study. of the endangered mountain species of lemur that differ greatly in feeding Participants with stronger connections at yellow-legged frog Rana muscosa. ecology and/or degree of sociality: ring- the outset decreased their electricity over Endangered Species Research 27:43-51. tailed, ruffed, black and mongoose lemurs the study, but participants whose connections Correspondence to Ron Swaisgood at and Coquerel’s sifakas. The experiment had strengthened during the study showed [email protected]. three phases, each of which included the larger reductions in consumption. This paper presentation of two different-sized rewards offers a good starting point to explore the Parrot Personalities with 1) access to both awards, 2) access only research and methodologies associated with to the smaller reward, and 3) access only to connectedness to nature. and Enrichment the smaller reward because of inhibition of Personality is known to exist in a wide access to larger reward. All animals preferred Frantz, CM, Mayer, FS. 2014. The range of avian, carnivore, primate and the larger award in Phase 1 and shifted importance of connection to nature other species and is related to how gradually to the smaller award in Phase 2. In in assessing environmental education individual animals respond to a wide Phase 3, animals reverted to approaching the programs. Studies in Educational range of stimuli (i.e., how they cope with larger award at the outset but at a frequency Evaluation 41: 85-89. Correspondence to their environments). This study examined less than that of Phase 1, when the larger Cynthia Frantz at [email protected]. how personality, as measured by scales for reward was accessible. Despite differences neuroticism and extraversion, impacted in ecology and sociality, there were no In 2013, there were at least seven published the responses of orange-winged Amazon inhibitory control differences among the measurement scales for measuring an parrots to removal and subsequent five species. The results suggest that lemurs individual’s connection to nature. This study replacement of physical and social are only partially able to avoid maladaptive offers important insight into the differences enrichment. Feather condition declined behaviors when presented with simple among these measures. and stereotypic behaviors increased when choices of food rewards. enrichment was removed and remained Tam, K-P. 2013. Concepts and measures below/above baseline when enrichment was Reddy, RB, MacLean, EL, Sandel, AA, related to connection to nature: returned. The decline in feather condition Hare, B. 2015. Social inhibitory control in similarities and differences. Journal was significant for birds with higher five lemur species. Primates 56:241-252. of Experimental Psychology 34:64-78. scores for neuroticism, but the latter was Correspondence to Rachna B. Reddy at Correspondence to Kim-Pong Tam at not associated with levels of stereotypic [email protected]. [email protected] or [email protected].

16 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 17 Did you see? Green

Meet a marine scientist working to tag devil rays thanks to one of our Marine Conservation Action Fund Base Camp Café Rated grants—who also suers from sea sickness. http://explorers.neaq. org/2015/12/devil-ray-island-tagging- Greenest Restaurant elusive-rays.html - New England Aquarium in America Facebook Page

The force is strong at the Zoo. #TheForceAwakens #LovePenguins

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden • Recycled 1930s building to divert in Cincinnati, Ohio, announced that Base construction waste from landfills Camp Café has earned the “Greenest • 95 percent of all post-consumer waste - Lowry Park Zoo Facebook Page Restaurant in America” title for 2015, from the Café is diverted from landfills. according to the Green Restaurant • Uses certified grass-fed beef burgers from Polar bears are arctic specialists. Association (GRA). White Clover Farms Unfortunately, these bears face The GRA awards points for • Most of the equipment in the restaurant is a growing threat in the form of environmental categories, including energy, Energy Star rated disappearing sea ice. Our senior water, food, waste, disposables, furnishings • Old grease is turned into biofuels scientist, Dr. Don Moore, trav- and building materials. A 4-star rating • Furniture is made of plantation-grown teak eled to Canada for Polar Bear requires 300 points, and the Base Camp The Cincinnati Zoo models effective Week to monitor how climate Café received 462, “a truly phenomenal ways to “Go Green” because it is good for change is aecting the bears in accomplishment,” according to Michael the community and good for the world. their shrinking habitat. Oshman of GRA. “Huge problems like habitat loss and climate Read the blog: Base Camp Café, located in the Zoo’s change will only be solved by hundreds of http://s.si.edu/1lJoXP0. Africa exhibit and operated by Service millions of better, more informed decisions #WeSaveSpecies Systems Associates (SSA), sources 70 being made every day across America,” says percent of its produce from vendors who Zoo Director Thane Maynard. are within 100-250 miles of the Zoo. Much Over the past nine years, the Cincinnati of it is grown at the Zoo-owned EcOhio Zoo has become nationally known as “The farmland in Mason in partnership with Greenest Zoo in America,” and it has the Green BEAN Delivery, which supplies the numbers to back it up. The Zoo uses 1/3 the Zoo and Zoo campers with organically- water that it used in 2006, when it began a grown produce. A greenhouse just outside big sustainability push. Though the Zoo has the restaurant provides year-round fresh added 25 percent more buildings, animal vegetables through an aquaponics system. exhibits and facilities since then, it uses less - Smithsonian’s National Zoo Additional Base Camp Café electricity and natural gas. The Zoo has and Conservation Biology sustainability features include: saved one billion gallons of water since 2006, Institute Facebook Page • LED lighting and natural lighting enough to provide water (indoor and outdoor throughout building use) for 10,000 households for a year.

18 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 19 Rescue and Rehabilitation Louisville Zoo Participates in Rescues

In June 2015, the Louisville Zoo in months of care by the Louisville Zoo Seven-year-old California sea lion, Kahula, Louisville, Ky., participated in the rescue of team. A necropsy (animal autopsy) has was stranded and rescued in 2010. A family a stranded and non-releasable California been conducted to ascertain the cause of three grizzly bears and Qannik, the polar sea lion and a harbor seal. Both animals of death but was inconclusive; further bear found stranded in Alaska, were also were found stranded, dehydrated and pathology testing is pending. Spike had rescued and now reside in Glacier Run. malnourished off the coast of California experienced two strandings and attempts When the NMFS contacted the as the result of an “Unusual Mortality at rehabilitation. He was deemed non- Louisville Zoo to request placing several Event,” defined under the Marine Mammal releasable due to issues with a chronic pinnipeds, Mammal Curator and Protection Act as “a stranding that is intermittent ear infection. Marine mammal Supervisor of Animal Training Jane Anne unexpected; involves a significant die- experts were concerned that his issues Franklin consulted with Chief Veterinarian off of any marine mammal population; would not allow him to dive to fish and Dr. Zoli Gyimesi to determine if the and demands immediate response.” Both forage for food. It was decided that he Louisville Zoo could be a good match for animals had suffered injuries and were needed ongoing care in a managed-care Riva and Spike. Once this was determined referred to the National Marine Fisheries facility. NMSF cites over a 50 percent and approved by NMFS, Zoo curators flew Service (NMFS) for placement in a survival rate for the stranded pups that are to Los Angeles to retrieve the pinnipeds, managed-care facility, with Louisville Zoo’s well-situated for release, which Riva and just two of the hundreds of pinnipeds that Glacier Run as a recommended facility. Spike were not. have been rescued so far due to stranding. While Riva, the 1-year-old California The Louisville Zoo had placed the Researchers are still unsure at this time sea lion, appears to be thriving and award-winning Glacier Run exhibit on what is causing this escalation in stranded adapting well to her new habitat in Glacier the list of potential care facilities offering animals. Between January and May 2015, Run, the Zoo was saddened to announce available capacity and staff expertise. The California sea lion strandings were 10 times that the 2-year-old harbor seal, Spike, addition of Riva brings the total number of higher than the average of the same period passed away on 7 September after two rescued animals at Glacier Run to six of 12. from 2004 – 2012.

18 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 19 20 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 21 20 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 21 The Challenges Surrounding Reintroduction Biology

BY KATIE MORELL

22 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 23 22 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 23 Listed as extinct in the wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the bird has yet to be reintroduced to its native land, so a satellite home for the species has been created on the neighboring Pacific island of Rota— the place where Newland felt his faith in reintroduction falter, if just for a minute. “On my first trip to Rota, I remember stepping off the plane and seeing a rail dead on the ground at the airport,” he said. “Someone had run over it with their car.” The process of reintroducing a species into the wild can be tricky at best. There are hundreds of factors that go into the decision—environmental, political and © Sedgwick County Zoo, Yang Zhao Yang Zoo, © Sedgwick County sociological. When it works, the results are exhilarating for the public and environmentalists. That is what happened in the 1980s when biologists were alerted to the plight of the California condor, pushed to near extinction by a pesticide called DDT. By 1982, there were only 23 condors left; five years later, a robust breeding and reintroduction program was initiated to save the species. The program worked, condors were released, DDT was outlawed and, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), as of 2008 there were t was a few years ago when Scott more condors flying in the wild than in Newland felt his heart drop to managed care. his feet. As curator of birds at This story popularized the concept the Sedgwick County Zoo in of reintroduction, but it did not publicize Wichita, Kan., he oversees the the myriad of challenges faced by AZA- care of 950 birds at the Zoo and accredited facilities and other involved serves as program leader for the parties facilitating such programs. Guam Rail Species Survival Plan® (SSP). In addition to focusing on Reviving the Guam Rail maintaining a genetically healthy One effort fraught with challenges is the and sustainable population of Guam rails reintroduction of the Guam rail, a species in Association of Zoos and Aquariums that was pushed to the brink of extinction (AZA)-accredited facilities, this program after World War II when the U.S. developed also includes reintroduction efforts for this a military base on the island and, as part endangered 7-ounce, flightless, once- of its supply efforts, sourced goods from indigenous bird. neighboring Australia and New Guinea. In

24 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 25 © Tennessee Aquarium © Tennessee Releasing lake sturgeon to the water

24 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 25 © Tennessee Aquarium © Tennessee © Mitchell Magdich © Lincoln Park Zoo © Lincoln Park

those shipments came several brown tree breeding program was initiated, quickly snakes, an animal foreign to Guam. proving successful. By the late 1980s, zoos The once lush and sparsely populated were running out of room to hold rails. island had never before seen a snake; Guam This is when the idea to open a site on harbored more than a dozen indigenous Rota came about with the goal of creating bird species without predators. The rail laid a self-sustaining population and eventually bright white eggs in the dirt without fear and initiating reintroduction to Guam. didn’t need to fly to sustain life, making the Fast forward nearly 30 years and brown tree snake all the more lethal. the AZA, along with UFSWS and the “These birds were basically producing a Guam Department of Agriculture, are buffet for the snake,” said Newland. still working to come up with a way to By the late 1970s, biologists noticed reintroduce the rail back in its home range. a rapid decline in the rail population. In The challenges are seemingly endless, the 1980s, the remaining Guam rails were starting with the still-omnipresent brown rounded up—just 21 of them—and a tree snake.

26 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 27 © Mitchell Magdich Photos © Tennessee Aquarium Photos © Tennessee

“The Department of Agriculture on the U.S. government, which has built out Guam has spent millions trying to eradicate much of the island. Today, the military is it and they have traps all over the place, but cooperative with efforts to eradicate snakes they’ve estimated that there are 1,000 brown and put rails back on Guam, but as Newland tree snakes per square mile, probably around knows, that agreement could change at any 300,000 on the island,” said Newland. time. “We get what land they grant us, but In addition, dogs, cats and rats (all new any day they could come in and say we are to the island since the U.S. military presence) done and need to give up a piece of land have proven to be a problem. Even less meant for the rail,” Newland said. obvious challenges include the necessity When asked if he sees the rail back on from a preserve in Michigan and brought to for increasing education on the ground in Guam in the near future, Newland hesitates. the Zoo to be bred and reintroduced. Rota and Guam. Newland visits both islands “I turn 40 this year, and I don’t know “We selected the Allegan State Game regularly to meet with student groups and if I will see them released on Guam in my Area in Michigan as our source because talk about the importance of the rail. lifetime,” he said. “That doesn’t mean that the Karner blues were there,” he said, “Rails are great education animals our kids won’t figure it out.” adding that Ohio’s Kitty Todd Nature because they can go into the classroom with Preserve was chosen as the place to you,” he said. “We bring them and they climb Bringing Butterflies Back to Ohio reintroduce the species. on the desks and mess with the kids; it helps More than 7,500 miles east of Guam in In 1998, Magdich and his team brought them make a connection to the animal.” Toledo, Ohio, Mitchell Magdich has been 26 female Karner blues from Michigan down Transportation can also be difficult. working for more than 20 years to help to a greenhouse in Toledo. Within the first Regulations enforced after 11 September reintroduce the Karner blue butterfly year, more than 500 butterflies that were 2001 have made it challenging to transport back into the wild in Northwest Ohio. The released flourished in their reintroduction live animals overseas and across borders. animals once common in the upper United site. Today, the species is living and breeding As of now, the SSP transports rails to Rota States started disappearing in certain states in two locations in Northwest Ohio. The through Hawaii via a single air carrier. “We in the late 1980s, and by the early 1990s, problem? In 2012, the federal government live and die by United Airlines,” he said. Magdich, curator of education at the Toledo pulled the plug on collecting the butterfly Also impactful to the future viability Zoo, began a program through which a in Michigan because the population had of rails on Guam is the cooperation with number of Karner blues would be taken started to crash.

26 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 27 River,” said George, noting that there have been challenges, mostly related to finding consistent funding and increasing monitoring efforts. However, the sturgeon are doing well largely because of the healthy habitat in which they can now live and regulations in place making it illegal to keep sturgeon in in most of the southeastern United States.

Facing Challenges with Optimism The struggle to mitigate threats to a species’ habitat is perhaps the most outwardly challenging aspect of reintroduction, as evident with the Guam rail. But as Magdich attests, most AZA reintroduction programs © Mitchell Magdich face three common trials. First, funding. Reintroduction projects “We went from tens of thousands of thanks in part to a healthy habitat. The once are incredibly costly in time and resources. Karner blues to hundreds, even tens, so they prevalent fish had gone nearly extinct in During down years, a project may lose its didn’t want us collecting any more,” he said, Tennessee and Alabama by the 1960s. funding. “It is important that you try to have adding that the decline can be attributed “Overfishing, poor water quality and large a variety of funding sources and not rely on to the effects of climate change. “The good scale habitat modification by way of dam a single one,” Magdich suggested. news is that they continue to persist in Ohio building pushed lake sturgeon to the brink of Second, personnel. These programs without any releases since 2012. I would call extinction,” said Dr. Anna George, director require a high level of expertise. “Let’s say it successful today, but it would take just one of the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation one person doesn’t bother to check the [natural] event to wipe out everything.” Institute in Chattanooga, Tenn. temperature in a greenhouse. It gets too high As a result of legislation such as the and you find out that you wiped out all of The Importance of Habitat Clean Water Act (1972) and changes to the your animals for the year. That can happen,” Creating a habitat primed for a specific way some Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) he noted. species is an integral piece of the dams were operated—such as increasing Third, changing political climates. New reintroduction puzzle. The Guam rail cannot minimum water flows to oxygenate the administrations—state or federal—can bring go home because of the presence of the water—the rivers looked primed for with them changing priorities regarding brown tree snake. The California condor, on sturgeon habitation again. In the late natural resources. “Topics surrounding the other hand, has been able to reenter the 1990s, sturgeon eggs from Wisconsin were endangered species are highly political,” he wild because of regulations prohibiting the brought to Tennessee and raised in captivity. said. “With reintroduction programs, you use of DDT, though the species still struggles Two years later, they were released and are always living on a knife’s edge.” with lead, which remains prevalent in the monitored. environment. The lake sturgeon is another “Now, 15 years on, more than 185,000 Katie Morell is a writer based in example of a successful reintroduction, have been released into the Tennessee San Francisco, Calif.

28 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 29 © Tennessee Aquarium © Tennessee Releasing lake sturgeon to the water

28 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 29 © Tennessee Aquarium © Tennessee January 2016 | www.aza.org 31 © Nic Bishop © Tim Laman CHALLENGING

ABOUT ZOOS AT HOME AND ABROAD

When Dr. Lisa Dabek arrived in the village of Teptep in Papua New Guinea in 1994 from her home in Seattle, Wash., she explained to the residents that she was there to research the tree kangaroo. The greeting was tepid, to say the least. “First of all they were like, ‘What? Why are these Westerners coming here to look at tree kangaroos?’” Dabek recalled.

January 2016 | www.aza.org 31 “They were worried that she was going to take the animals from Papua New Guinea ...Today, they lovingly refer to her as ‘Mama bilong tree kangaroo,’ or ‘Mother of tree kangaroos’ ...”

was to help the tree kangaroo through conservation. She told them

© Tim Laman Tim © she wanted the animal to be around for their children and their children’s children, and she explained that she would be studying the tree kangaroo in Papua New Guinea and had no plans to bring the animals back to America. In 1996, she launched the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program, of which she is director. he’d been studying the Every year for the last 20 years, Dabek, who is now a senior endangered animal, which conservation scientist at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Wash., evolved from wallabies and and research and conservation advisor for the Matschie’s Tree lives in the cloud forest, for her Kangaroo Species Survival Plan® (SSP), has returned to Papua New dissertation at the University Guinea to continue her work, gaining trust along the way. “It took of Washington. Papua New many years for people to trust that we were there to work with them Guinea was the only place in the to help protect this animal. It was not about taking something from world where one particular species—the them,” said Dabek. Matschie’s tree kangaroo—lives. Today, her friends and colleagues in Papua New Guinea lovingly The locals wanted to know why she refer to her as “Mama bilong tree kangaroo,” or “Mother of tree didn’t just study the tree kangaroos in kangaroos,” and the work of the Tree Kangaroo Conservation America. “Aren’t there tree kangaroos in Project has expanded to include local health and education projects every forest?” they asked. and employs 25 locals. It’s also earned international attention for the While she had a lot to teach the tree kangaroo, leading, in part, to the formation of a global species locals about the biology, mating habits management plan. and conservation practices surrounding Dabek isn’t alone in encountering skepticism abroad. In the tree kangaroo, she also had a lot to countries where conservation efforts take place, as well as at home, learn. Tree kangaroos, she discovered, staff at Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited were an important part of the local facilities are often challenging people’s perceptions of zoos and culture. It’s the largest mammal in the aquariums and educating them about the research and conservation country, and the locals hunt the species work that these facilities conduct. for food. They use the fur and tail as a headdress, and they share stories, dances A SAFE Solution and songs about tree kangaroos. AZA recently launched a community-wide conservation effort: They were worried that she was going AZA SAFE: Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE). Its goal is to to take the animals from Papua New harness the collective power of member organizations and work Guinea. She assured them that her goal with scientists and the greater conservation community to save

32 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 33 Lisa Dabek in Papua New Guinea 32 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 33 © Nic Bishop Collaboration with outside agencies has been key to hellbender conservation efforts. 34 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 35 © Mark Wanner © Mark serious conservation actions where we have a huge amount of expertise,” said Luke. “[Our goal] is not to take over those areas, but to fill the gap and to elevate the reach that we can give to those stakeholders and partners to help them— “It’s the accreditation and us—be more successful together.”

process that really sets Setting a High Bar It’s the accreditation process that really sets AZA-accredited AZA-accredited zoos zoos and aquariums apart, said Denny Lewis, AZA vice president of accreditation programs. It ensures that accredited facilities are and aquariums apart .... meaningfully involved in conservation, research and education. Fewer It ensures that accredited than 10 percent of United States Department of Agriculture-licensed animal exhibitors are accredited by the AZA. facilities are meaningfully Lewis said accreditation requirements are evaluated on a daily basis to reflect the best of modern zoological practices and that those policies involved in conservation, have improved the quality of member facilities over the years. The accreditation process began in 1985 as a way of raising the standards research and education.” of AZA membership. “They made the decision to be about quality not quantity, and that was a really bold thing,” said Lewis. threatened animal populations. Along With those requirements, membership plummeted by nearly 75 the way, AZA staff have worked hard to percent, falling from 300 members to fewer than 80. Today, AZA’s educate stakeholders about their work. membership has grown to 230 member facilities. “Little by little, those In August 2014, AZA SAFE facilities have come back—the ones that were serious about meeting the sponsored a four-day workshop on standards,” said Lewis. “[The accreditation standards are] something I cheetah conservation in Johannesburg, wish more people knew about, because it really speaks volumes about South Africa, bringing together 20 AZA, where they are at and what we’re trying to achieve here. It isn’t conservation NGOs and seven national just the good old boy’s club; you‘ve got to earn it.” It is this merit and governments. Many of the groups have distinction that AZA conservation professionals need to convey when been involved in cheetah conservation introducing themselves to new communities both nationally and abroad. for decades, and they were quizzical about AZA’s new involvement, said It Takes a Village Dr. Debborah Luke, AZA’s senior vice Jeff Ettling, curator of herpetology at the Saint Louis Zoo in Saint president of conservation and science. Louis, Mo., said collaboration with outside agencies has been key to his “Their first question is, ‘What are zoos efforts with conservation of the hellbender, a giant salamander found and aquariums going to do? We’ve been in the United States. Missouri is the only place where two subspecies involved in this for a long time, so how are you going to help us?’” Luke points out that AZA brings a number of strengths to the table: the ability to convene the groups and act as facilitator; decades of scientific expertise and research; and the means to share information about conservation with an audience of 180 million visitors to AZA- accredited zoos and aquariums. But she says the real key to collaborating is entering meetings with a willingness to listen, learn and be humble. “We’re not going to tackle everything about saving the cheetah. However, the stakeholder community represented in Health assessment on Ozark Hellbenders these meetings have prioritized a lot of

34 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 35 © Mark Wanner © Mark Jeff Ettling, PhD, and Levon Aghasyan, PhD, bag an Armenian viper. 36 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 37 © Mark Wanner © Mark Making a difference for animals and for people and their communities at home and around world is what AZA accreditation is all about.

of hellbenders exist in nature—the eastern hellbender and the Ozark hellbender. Ettling said that in 1999, a researcher realized that only a few juvenile hellbenders had been seen in recent years. In fact, the population had fallen dramatically and there were only 600 Ozark hellbenders left in the state. to those relationships, the team A number of players came together was able to formulate a hellbender © Aram Aghasyan from the Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri plan and quickly initiate it. Department of Conservation, U.S. Fish More recently, Ettling has been forging those relationships and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, internationally as well. Ettling is Director of the Center for National Park Service, area universities Conservation in Western Asia, and he is in the process of raising and non-profits to form the Ozark funds for a conservation breeding facility in Armenia that will Hellbender Working Group, which focus on 11 species of endangered amphibians and reptiles that are collaborated to get the Ozark hellbender endemic to the Armenian highlands. There, zoos are just beginning listed as an endangered species and to focus on conservation, so he’s had to educate residents about the establish a recovery plan. In time, the AZA’s mission and capabilities. Saint Louis Zoo, which is home to the Having travelled to Armenia since 2004, Ettling said that building Ron Goellner Center for Hellbender trust has been one of the biggest challenges to working abroad. He said Conservation and has three full-time and there is a perception that American scientists are solely interested in one part-time staff members dedicated to taking what they want from a foreign country and never returning. the hellbender, was the first in the world The Center for Conservation in Western Asia is the result of 11 years to breed the hellbenders. “We successfully of trust building within the community. “Since we have such a deep bred them for the first time in 2011, and friendship now, they totally believe in what we’re doing and the fact we’ve bred them every year since then,” that zoos can play a major role in conservation. And we’re putting the said Ettling. His team then works to place resources where they are needed to make the most impact,” said Ettling. hellbenders into the wild. Although she’s working on a different continent, Dabek, through Ettling said that the Zoo has worked her work in Papua New Guinea, has found the same lessons to be for decades to build strong relationships true. “If you focus on an endangered species and you really invest in a with governmental and non-profit place, you can make a difference on a national level,” she said. agencies. He keeps those ties strong Making a difference for animals and for people and by inviting new employees to the Zoo their communities at home and around world is what AZA so he can show them, first-hand, the accreditation is all about. conservation efforts and research projects that are in the works. He said that thanks Kate Silver is a writer based in Chicago, Ill.

36 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 37 38 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 39 Teens, TEAMWORK We Are Saving Cotton-top Tamarins in Colombia

BY DR. ANNE SAVAGE

© Chase Pickering

38 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 39 © Chase Pickering Proyecto Tití has a strategic plan that allows us to focus our efforts on the primary threats facing cotton-top tamarins while engaging communities in actions that improve their lives and the future survival of cotton-tops in Colombia. Proyecto Tití is considered the authority on scientific research of cotton-tamarins in the wild and has led the development of the Colombian National Conservation Program for Cotton-top Tamarins. We have been collecting behavioral, ecological and hormonal data for more than 30 years in a landscape that is under threat by large-scale forest destruction. These efforts not only help us to understand how cotton-tops adapt to their changing environment, but have also informed us

© Peter Hawman about husbandry practices for cotton- tops tamarins living in zoos. But most importantly are the Asociación Latinoamericana de Parques efforts we have made to engage local Zoológicos y Acuarios (ALPZA), have communities in caring about cotton- contributed not only financially, but tops. We engage communities using a hen I made my first also through their expertise ranging variety of platforms aimed at creating trip to Colombia in from field endocrinology and education a bond between people and cotton- 1985, most of the people program evaluation to designing tops. Leveraging national pride, we that I met had no idea that crowdfunding campaigns and plush have created the Day of the Cotton- cotton-tops tamarins were cotton-top tamarin toys. top, a celebration that highlights how found only in Colombia and What makes Proyecto Tití so children and their families are helping were an endangered species. Today, successful? It has everything to do with cotton-tops. From creating amazing through the efforts of Proyecto Tití, we people, planning and perseverance. costumes from recycled materials, to have brought cotton-top tamarins to Developing in-country nationals that songs written and performed by local the forefront of conservation efforts in can lead programs and have strong artists, to dances celebrating cotton- Colombia and demonstrated how zoos relationship skills is essential. Under tops’ antics in the forests, communities can play a significant role working with the leadership of Rosamira Guillen, demonstrate their pride and personal conservation organizations to save a executive director of Fundación commitment to saving this animal species. For nearly 20 years, Disney’s Proyecto Tití, we have an outstanding people have grown to love. Animal Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, team of young professionals that have Children now learn about cotton- Fla., and the Disney Conservation been trained in field biology, education top tamarins in school with a series of Fund, along with nearly 50 zoos from and how to work effectively with local programs aimed at making changes the Association of Zoos and Aquariums communities. These individuals are in their own lives to help the species. (AZA), the European Association of now considered leaders in the field of Through a series of entertaining puppet Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) and the conservation biology in Colombia. theatrical productions, elementary

40 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 41 school students learn why cotton- how they can be involved in conservation Our motto, “Depende de ti, Salvar tops should not be kept as pets. efforts. Children receive Cartitilla, a al Tití,” is brought to life in our program Understanding the impact of their workbook that builds an affinity between during which students learn to reduce choice of pets is critical, and middle cotton-top tamarin characters and real life the consumption of forest resources by school students are changing their situations that the children and tamarins learning to make bindes, small cook views on the value of domestic dogs face every day. Through storytelling, stoves that burn fuel more efficiently; once they learn how to become dog children learn about the challenges facing Tití Leña, briquettes made from organic Children now learn about cotton-top tamarins in school with a series of programs aimed at making changes in their own lives to help the species. Through a series of entertaining puppet theatrical productions, elementary school students learn why cotton-tops should not be kept as pets.

trainers. Now dogs are considered the cotton-tops and what they and their material that can be used as fuel; preferred pet and part of their family, family can do to help. Everything they or fence posts made from recycling and fewer people want to have cotton- have learned in the classroom is brought plastic instead of from young sapling tops in their homes. to life while on a visit to the forest. It trees. Students go on to develop their Throughout middle and high school, is a life-changing experience when the own projects that range from creating students are engaged in meaningful children get to meet Tamara, the 14-year- community gardens, to tree planting programs that build their knowledge of old cotton-top and her family. Her story is programs to create corridors for wildlife, what is needed to save cotton-tops, as one that they can relate to and bring back to lobbying their local mayors to support well as provide activities that demonstrate to their families. environmental projects as these students

40 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 41 Children receive a workbook that builds an affinity between cotton-top tamarin characters and real life situations that the children and tamarins face every day. 42 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 43 © Carolina Holguon n n © Carolina Holgu © Carolina © Carolina Holgu © Carolina

ASOARTESANAS is a woman’s artisans group that creates eco-mochilas, beautiful tote bags crocheted from recycled plastic bags.

gain the necessary leadership skills totaling nearly 5,000 acres. Our efforts that allow them to become the next continue to focus on protecting and generation of environmental stewards. restoring habitat for cotton-tops and We are very proud that some of our working with more communities. most promising students have received While 30 years ago, few Colombians scholarships from our Blue Sky Fund to knew about cotton-tops, today I’m pursue careers in environmental studies. proud to say that has changed. Proyecto Creating a better future for Tití was awarded the Caracol Prize for people and cotton-tops has led us the Protection the Environment, and to develop eco-friendly businesses. Caracol, the largest television network ASOARTESANAS is a woman’s artisans in Colombia, produced a commercial group that creates handmade plush on Proyecto Tití which was watched by cotton-top tamarin toys and eco- 226 million viewers. Magia Salvaje, the mochilas, beautiful tote bags crocheted highest grossing nature documentary from recycled plastic bags. More in Colombia, featured cotton-tops on than 5 million plastic bags have been all their promotional material. This recycled and not only has this program combined with the number of positive provided a stable income for women, but articles in the popular press have ASOARTENSANAS also received The created an awareness like never before United Nations Development Program in Colombia. Equator Prize. While Proyecto Tití continues After all these years, is there hope to champion cotton-top tamarin for cotton-tops? The answer is yes. In conservation efforts in Colombia, we 2006, we conducted the first cotton- know our success is dependent upon top tamarin census and found there the very generous support shown by were approximately 7,500 cotton-top zoos and aquariums around the world. tamarins remaining in Colombia. We look forward to growing these Thanks to the hard work of so many partnerships, sharing our successes and people, we are very pleased to report ensuring that cotton-tops continue to that nearly 10 years later the cotton-top have a future in the wild. population remains stable. We have also stopped the proposed development of Anne Savage, PhD, is the an airport that would have destroyed Conservation Director for Disney’s more than 1,500 acres of forest, and Animals, Science and Environment, we helped to establish protected areas Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

42 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 43 © Saint Louis Zoo © Saint Louis

44 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 45 EMPOWERING PARTNERS

Conservation Capacity Building BY MARY ELLEN COLLINS Achieving conservation success does not happen overnight or in a vacuum. It almost always “takes a village”—sometimes literally. Conservationists often work with individuals whose expertise, training and even basic understanding of conservation principles may be lacking. And the professionals know that things go most smoothly when everyone involved is on the same team, with the same agenda.

44 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 45 Zoo Saint Louis ©

You can’t force Educational Investment The WildCare Institute’s Center for a conservation Conservation in Madagascar has teamed up with the Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group, which area on the local has spent almost three decades You have to include them and trying to preserve the biodiversity people. show how the park is beneficial of one of the poorest countries to everyone,” said Dr. Eric Miller, in the world. The conservation director of the Saint Louis Zoo efforts include a focus on critically Wildcare Institute and senior vice endangered lemurs in the president and director of zoological Betampona Natural Reserve. operations at the Saint Louis Zoo “When we asked the people in St. Louis, Mo. The WildCare what they wanted in exchange for Institute’s thirteen Centers have protecting the park, one of the things a three-pronged focus in their they said was education,” said Miller. efforts around the world: wildlife “That area was a former French management recovery, conservation colony, and Malagasy students follow science and the support of the the French model, where French human populations that coexist with 12- and 13-year-olds had to pass a the wildlife. national academic exam in order In order to develop trust, to advance to secondary school. conservationists incorporate a With only a 15 percent pass rate, variety of capacity-building efforts the parents said, ‘We want our kids into their initiatives. In many cases, to pass the test.’ So we provided it is as simple as asking a local financial resources for the Malagasy population what they need and teachers to add another day of then demonstrating a willingness to teaching and create ‘Saturday school,’ support those needs. with classes in French, math and Several Association of Zoos the environment. This helped them and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited increase the test pass rate to more facilities highlight their efforts to than 80 percent.” combine conservation goals with The Center also funded the improving the lives of people today construction of the Ivoloina so that their children may become Conservation Training Center, partners tomorrow. something that Malagasy leaders

46 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 47 By investing in the people living with the wildlife you want to protect, you invest in the long-term survival of both the community and the animals.

Photo: Yus Village in Papua New Guinea © Woodland Park Zoo

© Ryan Hawk

46 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 47 had identified as a priority for educating Training Day natural resource managers and biologists. Matt Eschenbrenner, supervisor And Miller is also proud of the Whitney of herpetology at the Albuquerque R. Harris World Ecology Center Fellows Biological Park in Albuquerque, N.M., e Abidjan Zoo in the Program, an endowment funded jointly first visited the Abidjan Zoo in the Ivory by the Institute and the University of Coast in January 2014. The Zoo is home Ivory Coast is home Missouri-St. Louis. to the largest captive population of the “We provide fellowships and critically endangered West African to the largest captive scholarships to international graduate slender-snouted crocodile. students in one of our conservation “It’s the only zoo in the country, population of the centers whose studies relate to and keepers are hired with no conservation. We try to identify people experience or education. They knew critically endangered [who] we know are passionate about they had a rare species and the largest conservation, who will go back and work captive population, and there was West African slender- in their home country. We currently have some pride in that. But the crocs a Malagasy veterinarian who’s working weren’t getting the proper diet, and snouted crocodile. on a PhD.” the keepers didn’t know proper egg This Center’s comprehensive collection and incubation protocols.” support of educational initiatives is a Local conservation experts advised model of how to build an infrastructure Eschenbrenner to take care when he that engages others in sharing their talked to the keepers about their crocs commitment and their work. and their program.

48 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 49 “ e keepers don’t have a lot of say about their jobs, so we asked them what would make their job easier,” said Matt Eschenbrenner, supervisor of herpetology at the Albuquerque Biological Park. “ We brought food for the crocs and the rest of the animals in the Zoo, along with new capture equipment and the rst incubator they’d ever had.”

“The keepers don’t have a lot of say about their jobs, so we asked them what would make their job easier,” he said. “We brought food for the crocs and the rest of the animals in the Zoo, along with new capture equipment and the first incubator t h e y ’d ever h a d .” As Eschenbrenner began this training, the five croc keepers quickly absorbed the information and changed tactics, including how they encouraged the crocs to move. “I told them the dots on their head are sensory organs, and that if you hit them in the face, you hurt them. Nudge them from behind instead. … They also asked why the eggs weren’t hatching. They would take them out of the nest and put them in a cooler, which they would take into the administration building or give to a volunteer to take home. I told them to take the eggs out, mark them on the top so if and when the egg is moved, the top should always remain up so the embryo won’t drown. When I told them the eggs were moved around too much, you could see them making the connections.” © Ryan Hawk In the last two breeding seasons, 50 neonates have hatched, and the proud Papua New Guinea’s Huon Peninsula, Dabek started a scholarship fund keepers have told Eschenbrenner their she found that 90 percent of the land for a local student to get a teaching goal is to be “the best croc keepers.” was owned by the indigenous people. credential and come back and teach “We learned that in order to do in the village since many teachers did Power to the People any conservation work, it was up to the not want to work in remote areas. When Dr. Lisa Dabek, program local people. We looked for advice from Educators from AZA-accredited zoos director and senior conservation political and cultural leaders about how have presented teacher workshops, and a scientist at the Woodland Park Zoo to engage the community and let them Woodland Park Zoo educator is starting in Seattle, Wash., started the Tree know we cared about them, and we a junior ranger program for children. Kangaroo Conservation Program on started with education.” While building education-based

48 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 49 Dr. Rich Bergl of the North Carolina Zoo has been working to reduce threats on endangered Cross River gorillas.

was very little data on what was actually happening and what the impact was.” Receptivity to the monitoring system varied. “The managers and the director general were hugely interested because they had no way to monitor the patrols, and this would enable them to do that. The people in the field were not thrilled that people would be ‘looking over their shoulders.’” That negative attitude dissipated when relationships, Dabek broached the setting up an ecological monitoring the rangers realized they were getting the subject of the tree kangaroos, which the program to document their success. training necessary to do their jobs more people hunt for meat and fur. When “We’re the only conservation area effectively and were professionalizing they told her there were fewer kangaroos in the country, and we’ve become the wildlife law enforcement. than there had been, she asked if they model. The government is learning “We also provided them with boots, wanted their children and their children’s from us, so they can create more tents and uniforms. They felt like they children to be able to hunt, and of course conservation areas for other species.” were being invested in, and it was a way they did. to recognize their efforts and affirm the “We suggested setting aside a safe Ranger-Friendly Technology difficult and challenging jobs they were place where the kangaroos couldn’t be Dr. Rich Bergl, curator of conservation doing.” hunted, and this became the concept of and research at the North Carolina The system was based on a software a ‘wildlife bank.’ Kangaroos that left the Zoo in Asheboro, N.C., has spent package called CyberTracker, and it was bank could be hunted. We explained that, the last six years working to reduce customized to collect relevant data about ‘This will help you have tree kangaroos poaching and other threats to the the location of gorilla tracks, nests and in the future.’ Our focus became creating critically endangered Cross River sightings, as well as threats like snares or a conservation area by getting the gorillas on the Nigeria-Cameroon evidence of shotgun hunting. The rangers permission of the clans who owned the border. In partnership with the Wildlife record data directly into professional land, and after 10 years it was classified as Conservation Society, he set out to grade, handheld GPS-enabled devices. a conservation area.” put a wildlife and law enforcement Bergl then taught the managers how The resulting increase in the monitoring system in place. to connect the device into a computer kangaroo population has prompted the Although rangers patrolled the area, and map the gorilla areas, places where people to set aside even more of their Bergl said, “One of the challenges with poaching is taking place and other land for the bank, said Dabek, who is ranger-based anti-poaching is that there critical locations. In the data that have

50 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 51 © North Carolina Zoo

been collected in tandem with this project, they have found an increase in patrols, a decline in threats and that wildlife populations appear to be stable. “Now they can run the monitoring program with no day-to-day input from the outside,” said Bergl. “It’s site-based, and they’re self-sufficient.” It requires an investment of time as well as patience, diplomacy and persistence to introduce a new set of behaviors—and even values—to any group of individuals, but ultimately, conservation requires the local community to believe in the goal and participate in the journey. By investing in the people living with the wildlife you want to protect, you invest in the long- term survival of both the community and the animals.

Mary Ellen Collins is a writer based in St. Petersburg, Fla. Zoo Carolina © North

50 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 51 52 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 53 START DISCUSSIONS. INVITE COLLEAGUES. SHARE RESOURCES. GET CONNECTED.

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52 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 53 Faces & Places

Member News Smith Conservation Fellowship marketing and community Dr. Matt O’Connor Memphis Zoo program that trains emerging relations, having spent more Joins Shedd Animal Adds New Director leaders in applied conservation than four years at Integrated Health Division of Research and science. Her findings through the Wealth Management. She Shedd Aquarium, Conservation Smith Fellowship were publicized worked as the business in Chicago, Ill., a The Memphis in national media outlets such as development coordinator before global leader in Zoo in Memphis, PBS and National Geographic. being promoted to director of aquatic animal Tenn., announced “We are thrilled to welcome business development. In her health and medicine, announced the addition of Dr. Dr. Terrell to our staff,” said role, she was responsible for the addition of Matt O’Connor, Kimberly Terrell as director of Chuck Brady, president and managing the firm’s marketing, DVM, MPVM, to its team of research and conservation. chief executive officer of the public relations and social animal care professionals at the In her new role, Terrell will Memphis Zoo. “With more than media, event coordination, as A. Watson Armour III Center lead programming related to a decade of experience with well as community relations. for Animal Health and Welfare. the Zoo’s mission of advancing the Association of Zoos and During her tenure at O’Connor is fresh off research, conservation and Aquariums’ community, she Integrated Wealth Management, a three-year residency as a education for threatened understands the challenges and she was honored as the veterinarian at the Columbus wildlife and wild places. She opportunities associated with inaugural recipient of the Zoo and Aquarium in Powell, will provide oversight for the zoo-based programs like ours. Emerging Leader of the Year by Ohio, where he was responsible department’s six centers of We are confident she will help the Palm Desert Area Chamber for providing veterinary care excellence, including research take our conservation efforts to of Commerce and recognized to more than 10,000 animals and discovery, applied field new heights—especially through as one of the 40 Under Forty by representing more than 700 conservation, training and her work with amphibians and Palm Springs Life. species. He also brings four capacity building of future our efforts in that arena.” “We are thrilled to welcome years of private veterinary conservation leaders, local and Terrell received a Bachelor Erin to our team,” said Allen care of aquatic species to his regional partnerships, forest of Arts in political science and a Monroe, president and chief new role, along with a robust health biodiversity and health Bachelor of Science in cell and executive officer. “She is an resume of international research and welfare science. molecular biology from Tulane extremely active member of contributions, fellowships and Terrell brings research University. She earned a PhD in the community and is very well honors throughout his career. experience in wildlife physiology conservation biology from the respected in her field. With her As staff veterinarian, he will and has led several zoo-based University of New Orleans. experience and enthusiasm, she be responsible for providing conservation programs. Over the is going to quickly make her a complete suite of veterinary past two years, she has served The Living Desert mark at The Living Desert.” care to the 32,000 individual as a research associate for the Names Erin Scott Scott is the chairwoman of animals at Shedd. Additionally, Smithsonian National Zoological Marketing & Public Leadership Coachella Valley, he will provide oversight to the Park in Washington, D.C., and as Relations Manager board member of the Palm Aquarium’s teaching partnership an adjunct faculty member with The Living Desert Springs Chamber of Commerce with the Illinois Zoological Tulane University’s Department in Palm Desert/ and chair of 100 Women at and Aquatic Animal Residency of Ecology and Evolutionary Indian Wells, Calif., Desert AIDS Project. program between the Chicago Biology in New Orleans, La. announced that Erin “The Living Desert is Zoological Society-Brookfield Most recently, she led projects Scott has been named the new such an amazing place, and Zoo in Brookfield, Ill., University related to the inventory of marketing and public relations I’m excited to help not only of Illinois College of Veterinary Louisiana’s amphibian and reptile manager. promote the animals, activities Medicine and Shedd Aquarium. communities and a five-state Scott will be spearheading and events, but also increase “Dr. O’Connor brings a project to map the presence of the the Zoo’s marketing efforts, the public awareness about the diverse mix of hands-on exotic hellbender salamander through including strategic development remarkable work being done by animal care coupled with a environmental DNA surveys. and budget management aimed this dedicated staff in regard to strong academic background Additionally, Terrell led at increasing membership conservation efforts,” said Scott. in preventative medicine, the salamander conservation and attendance at the popular The Victorville, Calif., native which will make him a crucial and research program at the Coachella Valley destination. earned her Bachelor of Arts asset in Shedd Aquarium’s first Smithsonian’s National Zoo Scott brings with her from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo priority—the very best care for under the prestigious David H. an extensive background in and holds a master’s degree in our animals,” said Dr. Bill Van business administration from Bonn, vice president for animal For member news, visit Pepperdine University, The care at the A. Watson Armour www.aza.org/pressroom Graziadio School of Business III Center for Animal Health and Management. and Welfare.

54 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 55 A Chicago-area native, During his career, O’Connor O’Connor is no stranger to has also contributed to a wide Advertiser Index Shedd Aquarium. Before spectrum of research—a key A Thru Z Consulting and Distributing, Inc...... 62 attending the University of pillar of the responsibilities Aqua Logic, Inc...... 52 Illinois at Urbana-Champaign of Shedd’s role in innovating Carnivore Essentials ...... 57 for his pre-veterinary degree and and furthering animal care Cemrock Landscapes, Inc. Naturalistic Environments ..71 veterinary medicine doctorate, knowledge and processes at the he was a 1998 participant in Aquarium. He has contributed Central Nebraska Packing, Inc...... Back Cover Shedd Aquarium’s High School to health assessments of the CLR Design ...... 71 Marine Biology program— amphibian population in St. Corners Limited ...... 21 an experience he credits for Catherines Island, Ga., studied Dan Inject Dart Guns ...... 66 inspiring his further pursuit mortality rates of red-eyed K&K Insurance Group, Inc...... 65 of animal care. O’Connor tree frogs in Costa Rica and LGL Animal Care Products, Inc...... 64 continued his education and performed behavioral research Main Street Designs...... 69 received a one year Master of on naked mole rats at Brookfield McRoberts Sales Co., Inc...... 69 Preventive Veterinary Medicine Zoo. Most recently, between Midwest Tongs, Inc...... 5 degree from the University of his residency and arrival at Milliken Meats ...... 20 California, Davis. Shedd, O’Connor was tapped Nets Unlimited, Inc...... 68 “It’s a privilege to join a for his knowledge on a critically Oasis Productions ...... 63 world-renowned aquarium like endangered turtle species in the Shedd, where I can apply and Philippines. When thousands Peerless AV ...... 70 further my years of experience of the turtles—once thought The Portico Group ...... 2 in the care of animals with an to be extinct—were found RodentPro.com, LLC ...... Inside Back Cover AZA-accredited aquarium,” kept in deplorable conditions Skulls Unlimited International, Inc...... Inside Front Cover O’Connor said. “One of my by smugglers, O’Connor Timberline Live Foods ...... 65 first introductions to marine aided members of the Turtle Tom Tischler Bronze ...... 53 biology was through Shedd’s Survival Alliance and the Katala Torre Design Consortium, Ltd...... 67 High School Marine Biology Foundation of the Philippines Triple A Brand Meat Company ...... 53 program, and the passion has in recovering the animals and Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc...... 6 never faded.” releasing them back into the wild.

54 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 55 Faces & Places

Member Updates Brenton Bernard Maille, Andrea Worley, Registrar, Zoological Supervisor, San Diego Zoo Safari Park Welcome New Members Herps/Aquatics, Tulsa Zoo Katie Marini, Education Manager, New Professional The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is pleased Disney’s Animal Kingdom Fellow Members to warmly welcome new Professional Affiliate, Professional Hugh Miller, Chief Financial Sara Elizabeth Carlson, Fellow, Conservation Partners, Accredited Institutions, Officer, Greater Los Angeles Manager of Behavioral Certified Related Facilities and Commercial Members. Zoo Association Husbandry and Animal Jennifer Miller, SeaWorld Encounter Programs, New Professional Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo San Diego Tennessee Aquarium Affiliate Members Monica Ericson, Major Gifts Benjamin Nevitt, Associate John Mikolajczyk, Director Mary Jane Bennett, Vice and Grants Manager, Veterinarian, San Diego Zoo of Operations, Fort Wayne President of Human Tulsa Zoo Katie Rhoades, Education Children’s Zoo Resources and Safety Jessica Louise Fontana, Area Manager, Disney’s Raffelina Natale, CFO, & Security, Indianapolis Communications Manager, Animal Kingdom Elmwood Park Zoo Zoological Society, Inc. Georgia Aquarium William Robles, Aviculturist, Kimberly Ann Terrell, John Bergmann, Turtle Back Zoo Katie Fowler, Lincoln Park Zoo SeaWorld San Diego Director of Research and Liane Berlepsch, Supervisor Patrick Michael Gjorven, Leslie Sadowski-Fugitt, Conservation, Memphis Zoo of Birds, SeaWorld Orlando Zookeeper, Albuquerque Manager of Student and Abraham Cadmus, Biological Park Teacher Programs, Lincoln New/Reinstated Conservation Technician, Carly Bryn Greenspan, Park Zoo Commercial Members Phoenix Zoo Animal Training Aide, Erin Scott, Marketing and In Motion Entertainment Chelsea Ciszewski, National Aquarium Public Relations Manager, 225 E Broadway, Ste 112 Education Programs Jessica Hairston, Education The Living Desert Glendale, CA 91205-1008 Coordinator, Children’s Zoo Programming Coordinator, Caitlin Sharp, Turtle Back Zoo Email: [email protected] at Celebration Square Ripley’s Aquarium in Katelyn Smithbauer, Phone: (818)760-0866 Diane Darrow, Senior Myrtle Beach Education Collection www.inmotionent.com/ Partnership Marketing Kate Hartwyk, Turtle Back Zoo Keeper, Turtle Back Zoo Primary Contact: Manager, San Diego Zoo Christa Klein, Animal Christopher R Torge, Annabella Monaco Lauren Deluca, Manager of Keeper, Sacramento Zoo Zoological Manager, Design and entertainment Boat Operations, Christine Listerud, Programs Disney’s Animal Kingdom production / show and The Florida Aquarium Manager, Honolulu Leanne Veverka, Operations exhibit concept and content / Jennifer Diehl, Registrar, Zoological Society Supervisor, San Diego Zoo branding / distribution

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56 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 57 Announcements

The Inspector of the Year Award

This award, first presented in 2003, originated as a means of recognizing Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Accreditation Inspectors who, throughout their years of service, have donated their time to a large number of inspections, and/or whose work has consistently been of exceptional quality. The award is presented annually to three individuals whose selection is based on those criteria. Serving as an accreditation inspector is a difficult task and is critically important to the integrity of the accreditation process. The enormous amount of time and effort required in preparing for and performing these inspections is astronomical. The Accreditation Commission and AZA are sincerely thankful for the contribution of time and expertise that all of our inspectors make to the success of our accreditation process. Here are AZA’s Inspectors of the Year.

Jackson spent members of the zoological guided the planning and twelve rewarding and aquarium profession. construction of a 1,500- years there before AZA is very fortunate to acre prairie restoration and accepting a have him as a dedicated wildlife education facility in position at the member of the aquarium Peoria, Illinois. Gary joined Tennessee Aquarium, and zoo community. Metro Parks Tacoma 34 where he remains today. years ago and currently As Director of Operations serves as the zoological & and Husbandry, Jackson environmental education especially enjoys playing director of both Point a role in the development Defiance Zoo & Aquarium of modern, enriched and Northwest Trek Wildlife exhibits for the Aquarium’s Park. He also oversees the living collection and Tacoma Nature Center and discovering new ways for is an active member of the guests to have educational, Morse Wildlife Preserve impactful and entertaining Task Force. Gary has served experiences. Since 1995, as an AZA accreditation Animal Management/ Jackson has participated in Operations inspector for over 30 Husbandry over 20 AZA accreditation Gary Geddes, Director years, chairing all but two Jackson Andrews, inspections, serving as Point Defiance Zoo & teams on which he has Director of Operations Team Chair 15 times. Aquarium and Northwest participated. Additionally, and Husbandry He recently concluded Trek Wildlife Park Gary was a member of the Tennessee Aquarium a six-year term on the Gary is a lifelong leader in Accreditation Commission With over three decades of Accreditation Commission the zoological field whose from 2008 to 2014 and experience in the aquarium and has also served as passion for conservation served as Chair of the profession, Jackson Chair of the Program and enjoyment of nature is Commission from 2012- Andrews has been involved Committee and member evident in every aspect of 2013. He is recognized in a myriad of facets of of both AZA’s Ethics Board his life. Before beginning by colleagues throughout operation and animal and Board of Directors. his zoological career, AZA as a leader who care that are necessary Jackson strongly believes Gary earned a Bachelor’s possesses a wealth of to sustaining an AZA- that the peer review degree in zoology from knowledge about zoos and accredited facility. He began process, accountability and Southern Illinois University, how they operate. Gary is his career at the National recognition of professional followed by a Master’s a tireless advocate for the Aquarium, Baltimore, where standards afforded by AZA’s degree in executive non- conservation of species he was involved in the accreditation program profit leadership from and the preservation of the start-up of the aquarium. are valuable tools for all Seattle University. He later natural world.

58 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 59 Pittsburgh Zoo in 1982. His who has participated in passion for animal welfare field research with black inspired him to study biology rhinos in Kenya and studied at Harvard University before the biomechanics of air MARCH 2016 receiving his VMD from the breathing in lungfish. 1-4: Animal Transport for University of Pennsylvania Additionally, he helped Animal Care Professionals in 1991. Over the last 24 found the Angiogenesis Zoo Miami years, Chris has practiced Foundation in 1994 and Miami, Fla. veterinary medicine at the has served on its Board of www.aza.org/ATACP.aspx Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, Directors since its inception; the Cleveland Metroparks presently, he serves as its 4-6: Shark Reef Aquatic Veterinary Zoo, and the Dallas World Chairman of the Board. Medicine Seminar Christopher Bonar, VMD, Aquarium. In 2013, he Chris has participated in Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay accepted a position at the more than a dozen AZA Las Vegas, Nev. Dipl. A.C.Z.M., Senior [email protected] Director of Animal Health Dallas Zoo, where he is the accreditation inspections, Dallas Zoo current senior director of and his thoughtful and 19-24: AZA Mid-Year Meeting Dr. Christopher Bonar animal health. Chris is a thorough methodology has Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo discovered his love of wildlife board-certified specialist been a valuable asset to the Omaha, Neb. as a student intern at the in zoological medicine, accreditation process. www.aza.org/midyearmeeting

APRIL 2016 1-8: Crocodilian Biology and AZA’s Conservation Grants Fund Captive Management Since 1991, the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s Conservation Grants Fund (CGF) St. Augustine Alligator Farm has provided more than $6.8 million to support the important conservation, animal St. Augustine, Fla. management and education projects of AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums and www.aza.org/CBCM.aspx their partners. Application materials for the 2016 grants cycle will be available in mid- January with proposals due 15 March. Support the CGF either by applying for funds or 10-15: Animal Welfare: by donating at: www.aza.org/cgf. Evidence-Based Management Brookfield Zoo Brookfield, Ill. www.aza.org/AWEBM.aspx

11-14: CBSG Facilitation and Communications Skills Course Toronto Zoo Toronto, Canada [email protected]

MAY 2016 2-6: Aquarium Design, Husbandry and Leadership Shedd Aquarium Chicago, Ill. www.aza.org/ADHL.aspx

12-17: Best Practices in Animal Keeping Buffalo Zoo Buffalo, N.Y. www.aza.org/BPAK.aspx

15-17: Advanced Felid Husbandry Course Denver Zoo Denver, Colo. Email: [email protected]

58 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 59 Exhibits

Outback Australia Exhibit Opens at Virginia Zoo

The Virginia Zoo in Norfolk, Va., announced the opening of the Australia Walkabout exhibit. This newly renovated exhibit features a visitor path through the habitat, giving Zoo visitors an immersion experience and an up close encounter with Australian animals. Visitors come face-to-face with animals of the Outback, including wallabies, emus and eastern and western kangaroos. “We are excited to bring this addition to the Z o o,” said Greg Bockheim, executive director of the Virginia Zoo. “Guests visiting the walkabout can get very close to these Australian animals and experience these animals from the land Down Under in a new w ay.” This renovation was funded by the Norfolk Southern Express zoo train that more than 145,000 visitors ride annually. Proceeds from the Zoo train fund cutting-edge exhibits and bring additional animals to the Zoo. For more than 100 years, the Virginia Zoo The Buffalo Zoo Opens Brand-New has shown a commitment to animals while educating Nature Playground Area visitors of the breadth and The Buffalo Zoo in Buffalo, super popular. Kids and parents diversity of plants and animals. N.Y., opened a new nature play asked us about the area every Australia Walkabout adds a playground, located within day while it was being built and dynamic and interactive exhibit the Zoo’s Delta Sonic Heritage couldn’t wait to come back to try to the Virginia Zoo. Farm exhibit. The playground is it out .” intended to encourage “nature The new nature playground play” among child visitors. features a hollow log for Nature play is unstructured crawling, a sand dig pit, log childhood play in wild areas. balance beams, a log stepping Studies show that there are garden and log tables and chairs many positive impacts of such for resting and quiet play. Most play time on a child’s social, of the materials were sourced emotional, intellectual and locally from fallen trees at the physical well-being. Zoo, or locations nearby. The “It is meant as a space for giant hollow log was donated by kids to figure out how they want Tree Care of New York. to use the natural elements for The play space was made unstructured play t i m e ,” said the possible through a grant from Zoo’s Education Curator, Tiffany Nature Play Begins at Your Zoo Vanderwerf. “A s a conservation & Aquarium, a collaboration organization, the Buffalo Zoo between the Association of wants to encourage nature play Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) because studies also indicate and The Walt Disney Company that play in nature is the most to provide financial, logistical common influence on the and creative support to zoos development of conservation and aquariums seeking to values and behaviors. We love increase or enhance family- that! It is right in line with our centered nature experiences in mission. We’re sure it will be their communities.

60 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 61 Alligator Alley Gets Guests Up Close and Personal at the Palm Beach Zoo The Palm Beach Zoo & Platform, 360-degree viewing alligators not only have more example of a species that has Conservation Society in West of the alligator habitat and an room to roam but also a peaceful recovered thanks to careful Palm Beach, Fla., opened off-exhibit alligator holding holding yard when work is being management and conservation Alligator Alley in August 2015. area. This project has been made done on their exhibit, and our efforts. By the middle of the The first in a series of redesigned possible by longtime donors, guests have improved views in 20th century, American alligator and reimagined habitats for the Michele and Howard Kessler. and around the exhibit,” said populations were severely current Florida Region exhibit, Their generous support has Jan Steele, general curator for depleted, and in 1967, they were the new and up-close viewing helped continue to provide the Zoo. “This has enabled us listed under the Endangered platform provides a panoramic quality care for Fred, the Zoo’s to increase our alligator keeper Species Preservation Act. The view of the lush habitat the 12.5-foot-long male and his talks to a daily schedule so our Palm Beach Zoo is proud to alligators call home. mate, 8-foot-long Wilma, both guests can get up close and be a part of this effort and to The Zoo’s recently completed born in 1988. personal with Fred and Wilma.” continue to educate and inform renovations include the all-new “Thanks to the Kessler Native to Florida, the visitors about these magnificent Keeper Talk & Presentation family’s generous support, the American alligator is an creatures.

Australia Walkabout Re-opens at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo In June 2015, Cheyenne enjoy hand-feeding the budgies, Mountain Zoo in Colorado or Australian parakeets, in the Springs, Colo., celebrated the new outdoor aviary and attached grand re-opening of Australia building, which boasts floor- Walkabout. Just nine months to-ceiling windows. Visitors to after demolition of the previous the Zoo are also able to walk Australia exhibit, the new space alongside the Zoo’s eight free- opened with beautiful new roaming red-necked wallabies. habitats for budgies, alligators, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo wallabies and an emu. Plus, continues to improve exhibits to the Zoo added a 3-year-old provide better guest experiences Matschie’s tree kangaroo, and expand animal habitats. The Bexley, to their “Down Under” opening of Australia Walkabout renovations. The exhibit is marks the completion of well designed to give people a over $25 million in capital close-up experience with the improvements at the Zoo in the featured species. Guests can last 10 years.

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Need To Re-dress Your Nest? 70 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 71 70 www.aza.org | January 2016 January 2016 | www.aza.org 71 SAINT LOUIS ZOO Saint Louis, Missouri The Zoo announced that two critically endangered horned guan chicks hatched 7 August. The hatchings are a first for the Zoo and CINCINNATI ZOO & only the second recorded breeding of the species BOTANICAL GARDEN in the United States. One of the rarest bird species in the world, the horned guan population in the Cincinnati, Ohio wild is down to only 1,000 to 2,000 individuals in Fourteen-year-old western southeastern Mexico and Guatemala. lowland gorilla, Anju, gave birth in late August 2015 behind the scenes in Gorilla World. This is Anju’s first baby and the 50th MEMPHIS ZOO gorilla born at the Cincinnati Memphis, Tennessee Zoo & Botanical Garden since 1970. The Zoo participates in Memphis Zoo announced the Gorilla Species Survival the birth of a slender loris Plan® (SSP). on 8 August 2015. Vyvy, a 6-year-old female born at the San Diego Zoo and acquired in 2011, gave birth to the baby of undetermined sex TOLEDO ZOO without difficulty and is exhibiting a strong maternal Toledo, Ohio bond with her offspring. The Zoo announced the birth of a female Francois’ langur. The new baby can be seen with her parents and family group on exhibit in the Zoo’s Primate Forest. Both parents arrived at the Zoo in May 2000 on recommendation from the Francois’ LOS ANGELES ZOO AND Langur S SP. BOTANICAL GARDENS Los Angeles, California The Zoo announced that two litters of Armenian vipers were added to the collection at the Living Amphibians, Reptiles, and Invertebrates (LAIR) exhibit. Unlike most snakes whose young hatch from eggs, two female Armenian TENNESSEE AQUARIUM vipers gave birth to live young. Chattanooga, Tennessee Five Beal’s-eyed turtles hatched at the Tennessee Aquarium, a significant conservation milestone for this species. This species has been listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature For more Births & Hatchings, (IUCN) since 2000. visit our website: www.azaanimals.org

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