Dedication to Excellence 1 Dedication to Animals 3 Dedication to Conservation 9 Dedication to Growth 13 Dedication to Education 19 Dedication to People 29 Dedication to Fun 39 Dedication to Fiscal Responsibility 45 Dedication to Adaptability 53 Dedication to Excellence Message From the Zoo Director Whether small changes like the development of a service animal protocol or large changes such as the addition of the long-awaited bobcat exhibit, 2012 was a year of substantial transformation for the zoo. It is through these continuous changes that the zoo is able to meet and exceed the expectations of our visitors and the needs of our animals. Public knowledge and therefore expectations are constantly evolving as is our knowledge of animal welfare. These variables make it necessary for us to constantly evaluate and alter our operations to continue to accomplish our mission. Zoo and park district staff, foundation and park board members, volunteers and supporters came together in 2012 to bring about wonderful achievements including: • Bobcat exhibit • Additional partners and sponsors • Aviary exterior renovation providing financial or product • Butterfly garden support • Blanding’s Turtle rearing area • World Turtle Day • Wild Side Gift Shop facelift • Updated format for the Grazing Fest • Balanced budget (Bobcat Bash) • Acquisition of the Hofner building • Hosting a wedding ceremony and • Updates to signs two wedding receptions • Summer teen volunteer program • Requesting donations during animal • Nature Play based program training demonstrations I invite you to share in the many changes and accomplishments of the past year that are outlined in the following pages. Embracing change is one of the ways in which Cosley Zoo clearly demonstrates its dedication to excellence on a daily basis. Susan L. Wahlgren Cosley Zoo Director 1 2 Dedication to Animals Animal Births and Acquisitions In 2012, Cosley Zoo welcomed a number of • Guernsey Dairy Cow (1) – to exhibit new animals, which included: a rare breed of dairy cow and • Bobcats (2) – to exhibit a new native maintain the population goal in this species which is an Illinois exhibit. conservation success story. • Tennessee Warbler (1) – to meet the • Miniature Donkeys (2) – to maintain goal of improving aviary exhibits. the population goal in this exhibit. • Great Horned Owl (1) – to maintain • Norwegian Fjord Draft Horse (1) – to the population goal in this exhibit exhibit a breed of draft horse. and provide the zoo with an • Montadale Sheep (3) – Two sheep additional raptor for use in were obtained to maintain the educational programming. population goal in this exhibit. One • Desert Walking Sticks (1 group) – to was born at Cosley Zoo and is the maintain a consistent supply of offspring of a current collection insects for use in educational animal. programming. • Nubian Goat (1) – to provide the • Chickens (8) – to maintain the goat exhibit with a breeding female. population goal in the chicken coop. Numbers and Types of Animals in Cosley Zoo’s Collection Animal Group Number of Number of Number of groups* species specimens Amphibians 2 5 0 Birds 25 88 0 Invertebrates 4 1 3 Mammals 15 29 0 Reptiles 9 27 0 Total 55 150 3 *A group defines a population of animals that is too numerous to count. Animal Training Accomplishments accomplishments in 2012 included the Conducting animal training sessions is a following: major component of each zookeeper’s day. • Zookeepers worked closely with Zoo staff works with our collection animals both of the zoo’s Great Horned Owls to teach them behaviors that encourage to prepare them for use in physical activity, are mentally stimulating, education programs. Zookeeper and reduce their stress during routine Melanie Kuse offered numerous medical procedures. Significant training amphitheater programs using one of the owls throughout the summer, 3 while Zookeeper Jenny Theuman • Zookeeper Diana Kotche trained one worked to acclimate the zoo’s new of the zoo’s llamas to stand still owl to being removed from his while she removed and replaced his enclosure. halter. • In preparation for surgery that was • Wheaton College chicken trainers performed on the zoo’s American and Animal Care intern Heather Guinea Hogs, zookeepers trained Johnson taught several of the zoo’s the pigs to separate from each chickens to voluntarily step onto a other, allow their temperatures to scale to be weighed. be taken, and to lie down to receive • Other Animal Care interns trained injections. This training made the several of the zoo’s animals that had entire surgery process much easier never before been exposed to for the animals, zookeepers, and training, including a Blanding’s veterinarians. Turtle, the hedgehog, and the goats. • Staff worked extensively with the This helped the interns to learn new bobcats in order to get the cats valuable training skills while also used to their living space. They also exposing these animals to operant taught the bobcats to voluntarily conditioning. step on a scale in order to monitor their weight, which was especially crucial to ensure that the bobcats were eating properly when they first arrived at Cosley Zoo. Zookeepers will continue to perform operant conditioning with the bobcats in order to enrich them and encourage them to participate in their own health care. • Keeper staff trained one of the zoo’s White-tailed Deer to stand still and allow a trainer to listen to her heart with a stethoscope. • Zookeeper Caryn Johnson trained Zookeeper Kristi Sampiller asks Norwegian Fjord Horse Gretchen to one of the zoo’s raccoons to step onto a scale. voluntarily allow her ears and face to be touched by staff, in order to Flu at the Zoo Workshop assist with routine medical care. Zoo Director Sue Wahlgren, Animal She also taught the raccoon to stand Collection Supervisor Angie Dosch, and in position so another keeper could veterinarian Dr. Elise Ciribassi travelled to apply preventative flea and tick Bloomington, Illinois to attend the Flu at the medication. Zoo workshop. Those in attendance at this workshop participated in tabletop exercises 4 dealing with agency responses in the event Improved Animal Record Keeping of an avian influenza outbreak. The 85 Thorough record keeping is essential for participants in the workshop included proper animal care. Each zookeeper representatives from AZA (Association of completes daily logs detailing the behaviors Zoos and Aquariums) accredited zoos in 10 and medical conditions for the animals they states, as well as individuals from FEMA are caring for that day. This information is (Federal Emergency Management Agency), part of each animal’s permanent record and USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture), helps to keep all staff informed about each USFWS (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), IDNR individual animal’s needs. (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), IDA (Illinois Department of Agriculture), and On July 2nd, record-keeping changed when AZA, among others. the globally based system ZIMS (Zoological Information Management System) was deployed to Cosley Zoo, replacing ARKS (Animal Record Keeping Software). Zoological institutions throughout the world are participating in this new record keeping system, which allows organizations to track information needed by animal care staff as well as easily exchange that data with other institutions. Zookeeper staff received training in order to become familiar with this new program. As a result of the exercises, the group learned that one of the biggest difficulties in the event of any animal disease outbreak would be gaps in communication amongst agencies. The state and federal agencies involved gained a new appreciation for how capable zoos are in dealing with such crises, Leadership in Animal Management and returned to their organizations The Association of Zoos and Aquariums determined to involve zoo officials in the (AZA) oversees Taxon Advisory Groups response to potential animal-related (TAGs) for 46 different groups of animals. emergencies such as avian influenza. The Each TAG investigates the conservation workshop was so valuable that USDA is needs of the pertinent animal group and funding a new conference, Flu at the Zoo II, develops recommendations for the to explore resolutions to some of the management of the animals they are questions that came up in 2012. Cosley Zoo representing. Cosley Zoo has an will be participating in this workshop in institutional representative on each TAG. June 2013. 5 Because of her years of experience working half were not, Kayla was able to compare with great apes, zookeeper Jennifer the two groups without changing the care Rudnick-Volz expressed a desire to serve as they had been receiving. Her study showed Cosley Zoo’s representative on the Great no noticeable effects between exposure to Ape TAG. After becoming Cosley Zoo’s UV light and the turtles’ appetite and institutional representative, Jen was elected growth rate. to the Great Ape TAG steering committee. In her new position, Jen will be able to help A second study was conducted by Brande guide the TAG as the group makes decisions Redfield, also from Miami University of involving the breeding and conservation of Ohio. This study was entitled “Wild Cat these animals. Conservation Needs: A Comparative Analysis of Public Perception”. The goal of Research Projects Brande’s research was to determine Zoo Director Susan Wahlgren serves on whether zoo visitors were better-educated Wheaton College’s Animal Care and Use regarding the conservation needs of large Committee, which