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Magazine of the NC Zoo Society www.nczoo.com

Masai Conservation in UNITEd in Education

Fall 2019 :: 1 In This ISSUE

Fall 2019 Issue No. 98 SOCIETY BOARD 3 Conservation Connection: Expanding Our Reach to UNITE More Communities in Wildlife Conservation MICHAEL J. FISHER Chair 7 Travel with the Zoo Society Greensboro 8 Zoo To Do 2019: Asian Wilds MARJORIE M. RANKIN Secretary 10 Thank Yous Asheboro 11 Growing More Wonder and More Wild! JOHN RUFFIN Treasurer 12 Seeing Spots in Tanzania Winston-Salem 14 Upcoming ZOO events RICHARD W. CARROLL Cary 14 Extraordinary Experiences for 2020 NICOLE CRAWFORD 15 Bloodthirsty Beasts Durham BILL CURRENS, JR. BC Don’t miss these new attractions! Charlotte Kaleidoscope Butterfly Garden SUMNER FINCH Expedition Africa: A Virtual Reality High Point Experience SCOTT JONES Treehouse Trek Clemmons SCOTT E. REED Oxpeckers Winston-Salem (see page 15) on Masai Giraffe DAVID K. ROBB Charlotte BARRY C. SAFRIT Greensboro MARGERY SPRINGER Raleigh KENT A. VARNER On the Cover.... Charlotte CHARLES M. WINSTON, JR. Two Young Raleigh Masai Gira!es CHERYL ARMSTRONG Executive Director in Tanzania Assistant Secretary and Oxpeckers above EDITORIAL BOARD Shutterstock Jayne Owen Parker, Ph.D., Managing Editor De Potter, Design & Layout Cheryl Armstrong Please go to nczoo.com to purchase any items listed in the Alive magazine John D. Groves to make a donation to the Zoo Society. If you have questions, or need help, Corinne Kendall, Ph.D. please give us a call at 336-879-7273. Mark MacAllister Tonya Miller Jb Minter, DVM The North Carolina Zoo is open every day, weather permitting, except on Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day. Winter admis- Pat Simmons FPO/FSC Dustin Smith sion hours begin November 1 and extend from 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. Summer admission hours begin April 1 and extend from 9 Roger Sweeney a.m. until 4 p.m. Diane Villa Alive is published quarterly by the North Carolina Zoo Society, the pri- Financial information about the NC Zoo Society and Angie Kahn, Proofreader a copy of its license are available from the Charitable Printed by Hickory Printing Solutions for the North Carolina Zoo. Issue No. 98, Fall 2019. Copyright © by the Solicitation Licensing Section at 888-830-4989. North Carolina Zoo Society. All rights reserved. The license is not an endorsement by the State. 2 :: NCZ!!."!# Conservation Connection

Expanding Our Reach to UNITE More Communities in Wildlife Conservation

Elizabeth Folta, Ph.D., Curator of Education

Lioness looking for her cubs in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” – Dr. Seuss, !e Lorax

ow can we teach someone to care? How do these teachers. we teach people to respect native wildlife In January 2018—shortly a$er I joined the Zoo sta"—I and plants as well as the natural communi- made my #rst trip to Uganda. Traveling in a group with ties these organisms create? employees from the North Carolina and the Cleveland HAs an environmental educator, I struggle with these Metroparks zoos, we visited two national parks, Kibale questions all the time. !ey haunt me whether I’m working and Queen Elizabeth. Kibale and Queen Elizabeth are very with city kids who have never ventured into the woods or di"erent parks. with rural residents who fear some aspect of nature. Kibale protects a lush in northwestern Uganda Because I am a nature lover and outdoor enthusiast and is known for its large chimpanzee population. Queen myself, I forget that not everyone shares my attachment to Elizabeth sits to the west and encompasses 750-square wildlife. When that happens, I can get so trapped by my miles of grasslands, savannahs, wetlands, and lakes. Its thoughts that I don’t fully understand the issues a"ecting residents include , hippos, bu"alo, chimpanzees, my students. !is trap—what I like to call “!e Trap”—can crocodiles, more than 600 bird species and some of Africa’s be so alluring that it keeps me from #nding the best ways famous, and somewhat rare, tree-climbing lions. to help students relate to the natural world. Let me explain. Our Kibale visit acquainted me, #rst-hand, with UNITE’s programs in the area. !e Queen Elizabeth leg of First, Some History to Set the Stage the journey was an exploratory visit to let us test the idea For more than a decade, the North Carolina Zoo has main- of starting a new UNITE partnership with schools around tained an environmental education collaborative inside this park. We wanted to #nd out if UNITE’s programs the African country of Uganda. !is collaborative, entitled aligned with the local teachers’ needs and the needs of the “UNITE,” was established to strengthen the education national park. programs o"ered by several schools operating near Kibale National Park. UNITE supports these systems by supply- Explaining !e Trap ing tools and resources to their teachers and by employing An experience inside Queen Elizabeth National Park pro- full-time Ugandan educators to help train and consult with vides a perfect example of what I mean by “falling into !e Fall 2019 :: 3 Trap” when teaching lessons in environmental education. highly-prized place on this cruise, which o"ers a #rst-time My memory of these events remains as fresh and vivid as if boat ride for many of them. Cruise tickets go to the students they happened yesterday. who take top honors for the conservation projects that they !e lead up to my Ugandan entrapment began on a bright completed at their schools. sunny morning when our group set out to meet some teach- During our cruise, we stood on the top deck and saw so ers working at several schools near Queen Elizabeth Park. many that we had trouble deciding where to point !e #rst school operates close to the park, just o" a main our cameras. As we glided along, we saw a bull highway. !e second one is set in a deeply rural area right chase a along the bank, but that bull was far away. next to the park. Visiting this school required a long drive So were the elephants we saw walking behind some distant down a rocky, unpaved road. trees. Today’s elephant was di"erent. It was so close that we We traveled in a UNITE truck and set out early to enjoy could look directly into its eyes. what we expected to be a quiet, uneventful ride. But, just a When today’s elephant #nished eating and lumbered o", few miles into our journey, our driver and the local UNITE Mr. John eased the truck forward, taking care that our ele- director, Mr. Tinka John, stopped unexpectedly. Startled, we phant was safely on its way. But, we had hardly settled back looked up to see an elephant blocking most of the road. It in our seats before Mr. John stepped on the brakes again. jostled about, nonchalantly plucking leaves o" an Acacia tree. !is time, he stopped to avoid an elephant family. About We were enchanted. It munched its way down the 15 of them were strolling across the road. We noticed that branches, and we shu%ed back and forth to snap its picture one lacked tusks—a characteristic that seems to be on from every angle. We were so close that we could hear it the rise. We wondered if poachers might be inadvertently chewing. causing an increase in the number of tusk-less elephants. I was mesmerized as I watched its trunk work over the By selectively killing elephants with tusks, the poachers are Acacia branches. It wound around every twig, sni&ng and likely increasing the opportunities for tusk-less elephants to examining each leaf so intently that it seemed the trunk, reproduce. While we waited for the herd to pass, I noticed and not the elephant, decided what to eat and what to leave two male lions stretched out and sleeping about 10 feet o" behind. the road. !e experience was intimate—more personal than the I grinned through every moment of this delay, reveling at elephant sighting we made the day before during a Kazinga our good fortune. All around us, tourists were scouring the Channel cruise that we took with some outstanding UNITE park hoping to catch a glimpse of an elephant or . Just students. Every year, UNITE students compete to win a yesterday, even our group cheered at the sight of a distant

Hippos, buffalo, and elephants spend time each day along the banks of the Kazinga Channel.

4 :: NCZ!!."!# A guide from Tooro Botanical Gardens reveals Students hiking through the results of a transpiration experiment that Tooro Botanical Gardens lioness calling to her cubs. But, twice today, luck brought us within a few feet of two iconic species! !e randomness of our good fortune set me thinking about the region’s wealth of wildlife and the unpredictability of their movements. Setting !e Trap My excitement at seeing these animals was so enchanting that I forgot that I was an outsider. I failed to remember that I was processing these experiences through the -colored glasses of a -struck intruder. Bu"ered by my amazement, I never considered what it UNITE teachers learning how to would be like to live with these animals every day. Blind make a double dig garden during to the perspectives of local people, I could not imagine one of the teacher workshops what might motivate them to harm these majestic animals intentionally or even unintentionally. As I marveled in these animals, I wanted to protect them all by infusing everyone green croplands stretched out toward the horizon. with my love of nature and of wildlife. Finally, we saw the school. Like most of the schools in the Soon, however, several wise Ugandan teachers would area, it consisted of several buildings arranged in a rectangle remind me that caring is not reason enough to protect around an interior yard. Each building held two or three wildlife. !ey drove this lesson home when we visited our classrooms, and each classroom had an entry door. second school of the day—the primary school sitting just As we approach, teachers began streaming out of their outside Queen Elizabeth National Park. doorways to welcome us inside. !ey toured us through their beautiful little school, all the while chatting about their Baiting !e Trap programs and the green practices they had implemented in Once the elephant herd passed, it was an easy drive to our their classrooms. #rst school visit of the day. In no time, we were o" again, Next, we sat down to learn about the environmental heading to a second school, the one located in a remote sec- issues that most concerned these teachers. We wanted to tion of the community—in a place rarely seen by tourists. #nd out if UNITE’s programs would address their needs— !e ride to this school was challenging. We had to turn especially needs that related to con'icts between the local o" the highway and head down a long unpaved, rocky road. people and the wildlife. !e truck crawled along as Mr. John eased over the bumps As the conversation progressed, one teacher seemed to and around the ruts that blocked our way. veer o"-topic. He began talking about dealing with students As we crept forward, I slowly realized that every crook who kept falling asleep in class. His complaints jarred me and turn in this road mirrored a similar crook and turn in and sent me thinking about sleepy students I had known the border that de#ned Queen Elizabeth National Park. !e back in the States. I even remembered falling asleep in an road sat just a few feet back from the park’s outer edge. English class a$er staying out late for a rehearsal at a com- Lulled by the slow pace and the expansive scenery, I munity theater. barely took note when we passed a of lean-tos and A-frame shelters set up along the road. A of ashes was Caught in !e Trap! scattered near them—the remains of a long-extinguished Without warning, that teacher suddenly erased my home- camp#re. Behind the shelters, across from the park, acres of town images of sleepy students. He fretted about his pupils Fall 2019 :: 5 !e added e&ciency of these stoves helps the forest by reducing the number of trees needed to supply #rewood. !e stoves also helped the people by reducing the time required to #nd and fetch fuel for cooking. !e stoves also reduce cooking time and emit less smoke, making the air cleaner and healthier for everyone. Conservation club students have veri#ed these improvements by conducting scienti#c experiments that compare the cooking times and smoke emission levels of traditional stoves and new ones.

A UNITE staff member provides UNITE teachers Promoting Green Agriculture with a lesson about water use. For the past two years, UNITE workshops have promoted sustainable agricultural practices. In 2018, lessons focused staying out all night, trying to stay warm and safe in the on kitchen gardens. Participants learned practical skills, lean-tos and A-frames I had seen a few hours earlier. He such as proper composting techniques and planting described them huddling together to stand guard over their options. Last year, attendees helped their students build 67 families’ crops. He called the names of fourth-, #$h- and kitchen gardens in their schools and communities. !is sixth-grade children who shivered around that camp#re year’s workshops are addressing commercial agriculture. at night while they watched for elephants advancing in the Participants are learning how to plan and manage sustain- darkness. able business operations. His story revealed why his students could never look at UNITE also provides funding to help students and nature or wildlife the way that I do. He opened my eyes teachers experience some of nature’s beauty. Money is to the images these children remember when they think available to send fourth-, #$h- and sixth-grade students on about the national park. He exposed me to the crush of #eld trips to Kibale, Tooro Botanical Gardens, and Bigodi being 12 and having to defend my family’s food and liveli- Wetlands Sanctuary. !ese magni#cent wildlife areas hood. He convinced me that awe and wonder would never attract droves of tourists, but few residents have the time or move these children to conserve wildlife. the funds to visit. To enlist these youngsters in saving wildlife, we would have to address the hardships that nature imposes upon Growing UNITE’s Boundaries their lives. Seeing the need to deal with both sides of wild- UNITE’s successes around Kibale National Park convinced life conservation helped me and the Zoo decide to expand the Zoo to expand the program into other parts of Uganda UNITE into Queen Elizabeth National Park. beginning with Queen Elizabeth National Park. We chose this park because Zoo sta" already has experience work- More About UNITE ing with many of Queen Elizabeth’s resident species. !is !e North Carolina Zoo established its UNITE for the experience means that we are ready to address many of this Environment conservation education program in Uganda park’s most pressing environmental needs. more than 15 years ago. !e program created a partnership In January 2019, the Zoo hired a full-time employee with communities that operate around Kibale National to lead the expansion into Queen Elizabeth. He spent six Park. Known for its lush forest ecosystem, Kibale supports months learning the UNITE model before moving to the ’s largest population of Chimpanzees. We estab- Queen Elizabeth area to begin collecting baseline data on lished UNITE to help protect these forests and chimpan- its schools. He will use these data to evaluate the success of zees and to improve the lives of the people living nearby. UNITE’s programs. Two workshops are to be o"ered this Until January 2019, UNITE employed only three full- year. Both will focus on biodiversity. time sta" members to work with 120 teachers and nearly It is exciting to watch this program grow and see how it 5,000 students around Kibale. Among other things, these improves the lives of the people and the local wildlife. employees o"ered six teacher workshops annually. !ese As I write this article, I am looking forward to returning workshops engaged teachers in hands-on activities that to Uganda in just a few days. I know that the experiences allowed them to master the sustainable living practices that I will encounter there will continue to a"ect my life and they would teach in their schools and communities. my perspective of the world. I know, too, that the services For example, in 2016, UNITE o"ered workshops on that UNITE o"ers these communities have the potential to building fuel-e&cient stoves. By the end of that year, the enhance the lives and the well-being of the region’s people attendees had made 150 of these stoves. At the time of this and wildlife. writing, that number has risen to 330. 6 :: NCZ!!."!# TRAVEL SAFARI

2019 DESTINATION 2020 DESTINATIONS South Africa, Victoria Falls and Exploring Australia! Botswana Including the Barossa Valley Wine Region October 26 - November 8 $8,099 per person* April 24 - May 11 $8,349 per person, (Includes round-trip air from Charlotte) double occupancy, if booked before October 25, An extraordinary adventure into some of Africa’s 2019 (Includes international airfare & shuttle from most iconic wildlife destinations. Highlights of this Asheboro to Charlotte International) trip include seven wildlife safaris, a cable car ride What a way to see the Land Down Under! to the top of Table Mountain, a visit to the iconic Highlights of the trip include Melbourne, Uluru, Victoria Falls, a foray into the heart of South Africa's Alice Springs, the Great Barrier Reef and so much famous winelands, time in Entabeni Conservancy more. The Society has coordinated this tour with and Chobe National Park, and so much more! Collette Travel Service. Costs cover international Optional three-night pre-tour extension to Dubai and ground travel inside Australia, 23 meals, available for $649. (International airfare not experienced tour guides and more! Post- included) extension trip to Fiji is available!

New Travel Additions Still In Planning for 2020— Wildlife Safari 2020 - Land of the Bali and the March 23 - April 8 $6,950 (Does not include international air) In cooperation with Ecoquest Travel, the Zoo Organized in partnership with the Zoo Society’s longtime travel Society is planning a rare and extraordi- partner, Ecoquest Travel, this 17-day wildlife safari to India nary adventure that will put our guests in explores some of the subcontinent’s most remarkable national the company of dragons. The Zoo’s Curator parks and cultural achievements. The parks on our itinerary hold of Reptiles, Amphibians, and Invertebrates, the promise of outstanding wildlife viewing and opportunities to Dustin Smith, is slated as the Zoo host for this see the most extensive collection of large found any- trip, which will begin in Bali and end with a where outside of Africa. , One-horned Rhinos, , visit inside Indonesia’s Komodo National Park. and Asian Elephants are among the better-known species tucked In Bali, visitors will see stunning birds, away inside these parks. exotic vegetation, Ebony Leaf Monkeys, and As our group travels in search of these natural wonders, it will other wildlife. In Komodo National Park visi- also venture into cities and towns to view remarkable architec- tors will visit Flores and Rinca, one of the best ture, bustling markets, and ancient temples. The Taj Mahal is, of islands for seeing wild Komodo Dragons. This course, center stage among these cultural icons, and this itinerary 15-day adventure will also provide opportuni- schedules a visit there at sunrise when ties for snorkeling above a pristine coral reef the mausoleum’s white marble glistens in these tropical waters. in shades of pink and gold. A true island adventure. Dates and prices The national parks that the tour will be posted soon. explores include Bandhavgarh, a park that boasts a wealth of biodiversity— 37 species of mammals, 250 species of birds, and 70 species of butterflies— and the highest density of Tigers found anywhere in the world. Other notable destinations include the World Heritage Site Agra Fort More details and full itineraries and two other are available for download at national parks, nczoo.COM under “Extraordinary Kanha and Kaziranga, where the wildlife viewing opportunities include One-horned Rhinoceros, Asian Elephants, Hoolock Gibbons, Experiences.” and, with good luck, and . INGIMAGES Fall 2019 :: 7 a Randolph Friends of the Zoo Gala Event September 21, 6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. • $125 per person • SSA Catering • •

Elephant Art A one-of-a-kind piece of artwork has been created by the Zoo’s Elephants. With the offering comes a behind-the-scenes tour of the Elephant barn. Limited to eight guests.

African Plains tour You and seven guests will enjoy an African Plains Tour complete with a visit, up close and personal, Breakfast with the Giraffes to meet the Zoo’s young girls “Nandi” & “Bonnie”. SSA Catering Enter the Zoo before it opens to the public, visit the Giraffes behind-the-scenes, enjoy a lovely continental breakfast among the treetops on the giraffe deck. Limited to eight guests.

Customized Zoo Tour and Dinner SSA Catering The Zoo will help you plan a dinner will enjoy a very special backstage visit hosted by Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians, Dustin Smith. 8 :: NCZ!!."!# Morning Prairie Feed Run and Lunch Dinner with the Polar What a way for you and seven guests to start the day. Hop on a A Night to Remember! You and 11 guests will visit the Rocky Coast exhibit after run of the and Elk. After your tour enjoy a light breakfast at hours. Wine and cheese will be served in Piper’s Den, to be followed by dinner the geyser, while viewing the Bison and Elk on exhibit. and desserts in the Ice Cave. During and after dinner, keepers will be available to answer questions and will end the evening by conducting an enrichment with the bears.

Other Live Auction Donors Biltmore Estate Ride-and-a-Guide Tour, Lunch, Private Behind-the-Scenes Tour and 1-year Family Membership Seagrove Stoneware SSA Catering SSA Catering Visit the NC Zoo in style with a two-hour Ride-and-a-Guide tour, a delicious lunch and your choice of a private behind-the-scenes tour at ONE of the following locations: Ocelot, Seals/Polar , photos courtesy of Valerie Abbott guests. Howl, KidZone and Dinner SSA Catering You and nine guests are ensured a “howling good time” under the night sky at YOUR NC Zoo. Exciting details are top secret at this time…. Stay tuned. This will be an experience to remember. Breakfast at Aviary Keepers. Your experience will then conclude with a bird feed and special encounter with Fall 2019 :: 9 ! THANK YOUS " !ank yous go out to the very generous donors who provided gi"s of $1,000 or more to the Society, March 31–June 6, 2019.

Accelerando, Inc. Ann & Peter Decker Mr. Drew A. Leander Roma S. Cheek DDS PA Ace/Avant Concrete Avary & Gerry Doubleday Jennifer & Gary Ledbetter Mr. James Rozzoni Mrs. Margaret L. Acuff Tammy & Anthony Downs Lowe’s Flatbed D.C.-0989 Ms. Gemma Saluta & Mr. Joshua Alamance Farmers’ Mutual Dr. Cynthia Eaton & Mr. Per Eddie & Ginger Lynch Price Insurance Company Hougaard Makasiar Trust Seqirus, Inc. Paul & Susan Alexander Eco Quest Travel, Inc. Tyreese & Stellina McAllister Shepherd’s Way Day School American Association of Zoo Eisai, Inc. Kim & Gray McCaskill Jonathan & Melinda Sherron Veterinarians Mr. & Mrs. Thomas O. Eller Jennifer & Shannon McDonald Adah & Clay Shields Archdale Oil Company Ennis-Flint John M. McKee Shugart Homes Asheboro Restoration Services, Darlene & Christopher Farina McNeely Pest Control Don & Beverly Skinner LLC First Bank Sandra & James Meadows SMX/Staff Management Tricia Atkins & Caroline Atkins Mike & Meredith Fisher Bob & Bonnie Meeker Something Different Restaurant Anna & Colton Ballard Rick & Tonya Flickinger Miami Metrozoo Service Systems Associates SSA Bob & Pat Barker Food Lion Carla & Ashraf Mikhail State Employees Combined BB&T Mrs. Harriette M. Frank Mr. William Mitchell & Mrs. Amber Campaign Mr. Rory Benningfield & Ms. Parks & Jane Freeze Foster Mr. Fred Stein Jennifer Carman The Fresh Market Modern Woodmen of America Ann Cutler Stringfield & Robert Matthew & Mary Bittinger Mrs. Eugenie M. Frick Mr. Danny Mounce & Ms. Amy Darby Philip & Amy Blumenthal Henry & Amanda Furr Pulliam Mrs. Carolyn Summers Andrew & Amanda Bolomey Graphik Dimensions Ltd. Wendy & Danny Mull Survey Carolina, PLLC Mr. James Booker & Ms. Taya Richard Graves & Ashley Snyder Esmeralda & Ricardo Munoz Talbert Building Supply Radabaugh Dr. James Harper & Dr. Patricia NC 529 College Savings Plan Technimark LLC Mr. Gary Bream & Ms. Grace O’Leary Robert & Dwella Nelson The Elephant Sanctuary in Pagano Melanie & David Harris NeoNova Network Services, Inc. Tennessee Dr. Doris R. Brown Dana & Gil Hartis Nivison Family Foundation The Law Office of Ben C. Morgan Carlton & Jennifer Burgart Heart of North Carolina Visitors O’Mahoney LLC The Thin Green Line Foundation Robert Burton Bureau OmniSource, LLC Ltd Ron & Cathy Butler Ms. Teresa Hensley Thomas & Christine Osteen Justin & Amy Thomas Fred E. & Jeanette D. Byerly HH Architecture David C. Owens & Cory Drew Mrs. Jessica Tisdale & Mr. William C.T. Wilson Construction Co., Inc. Jimmy & Pam Hill Pace Knouse Caraway Conference Center & Gene & Pat Holder Mrs. Anne J. Palmer Triad Corrugated Metal, Inc. Camp The Estate of Nina A. Holler Pepsi Bottling Ventures, LLC Trotters Sewing Company Teresa & Neil Carter Honda Power Equipment Pinnacle Financial Partners Truliant Federal Credit Union The Cato Corporation Manufacturing, Inc. James & Jennifer Plaisted John & Jennifer Tyler Ms. Samantha R. Caulder & Mrs. Chris & Brittany Honeycutt Platinum Corral, LLC VanDerveer/Amerigas Tonya H. Overturf Ideacom Ken & Anne Pojman Ben & Brittany Wagner Charter Spectrum Joseph Iskandar Post Consumer Brands Ms. Laurel A. Walsh Cherry Bekaert Joseph & Pamela Isley PPG Kacie & Cecil Walters Chick-fil-A of the Triad Joshua & Laura Jenkins Pugh Funeral Home Mrs. Susan A. Watson Randal & Judy Chou John Deere Turf Care Ralph Lauren Corporation Wells Fargo Advisors Mr. Henry Chung & Ms. Susan Jordan Heating & Air Conditioning Andy & Jo Ralston-Asumendi Edward & Susan Wenda Burke Zachary P. Kablack & Brenna R. Mr. Rick Ralston-Asumendi & Ms. Christopher & Destinee Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Zapata Hannah Kaushe Wetherington CLH design, p.a. Estate of Billy Kanoy Randolph Communications Meg & Michael Williams CLR Design Mr. Thomas S. Kenan III Randolph Electric Membership Joshua & Angela Wilson Ms. Sarah Compton & Mr. Matt Jimmy & Yasmin Killian Corporation John & Melinda Wooten Cox Wendy & Jim Kinlaw Republic Services Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Karen & David Cook Klaussner Home Furnishings Rheem Heating & Cooling Asheboro Malulani & Kieran Cook George & Rosemary Kolasa John & Abbie Roberts Mr. William C. Young Osa Lenore & John Crago Ms. Jean Lange Roberts and Associates Terri Ziermann & Brenna Ziermann David and Eleanor Cromartie Mrs. Amy L. Leander Rodgers Builders Zoo Atlanta Douglas & Esther Cromwell

10 :: NCZ!!."!# Dear Zoo Friend,

Now is the time to imagine the fun and the excitement you’ll feel when a future Zoo visit draws you through an exotic gateway and into a lush wilderness inhabited by Tigers, Komodo Dragons, Red Pandas, and other Asian species.

Don’t be surprised—or be surprised and thrilled!—to walk down a path and look up to see a Tiger bounding across a branch dangling just above your head or to hear a Komodo roaring before it dashes out of sight.

These and other wild experiences will be waiting once we add another world of wonder—Asia—to the Zoo. And, you can join us in making it all happen by making a gift now to grow more wonder and more wild at the Zoo.

Your donation will help us add an amazing variety of new species to the Zoo and will ensure their health and well-keeping into the future. to protect and conserve wildlife all over the world.

Come grow with us! It will keep you learning.

Sincerely,

Cheryl Armstrong Executive Director North Carolina Zoo Society

Please donate by going to nczoo.com and clicking on the Grow More Wonder and More Wild button on our home page. Thank you

BIGSTOCK Fall 2019 :: 11 With that, I am wide awake and dart back into the banda. I grab my camera and hop forward as I stuff my feet back into my sneakers. I bound outside to follow Felix. Seeing Spots in Tanzania Finally, I would have the chance to see Homeboy—a mas- sive bull giraffe who routinely wanders in and around this Jessica Manzak, DVM, Tanzania Giraffe Research site. He comes in to feed on the Acacia trees that shade the Program Coordinator bandas. It's early evening. I'm tired and dirty, plastered with dust after Felix motions for me to follow, and I step in behind him. spending a good ten hours crisscrossing Tanzania's Ruaha Together, we ease forward, moving slowly to keep from star- National Park. I’ve just spent the day monitoring my research tling Homeboy. transects—looking for any signs of giraffes passing through There he is, casually standing in front of us. His brown eyes my study area. barely blink as he stares at us and continues tugging leaves I swing my Land Rover® into the parking space beside the off an Acacia. He is so close that it's hard to take all of him in. metal hut, or "banda," where I have been staying for the dura- Standing a good 18 feet tall, he is larger than I had imagined tion of my work. Ready to rest, I grab my gear and head inside. and calmer than any giraffe I have ever seen. I knock the dust off my clothes and sink into a chair. He stands there, chewing and watching us as we edge My particular banda sits inside a cluster of similar huts— closer. By the time we stop, we are so close that his image each small and circular; built from metal and topped with a thatched roof. Barebones and stark, my room offers little a standard 50 mm lens to snap a portrait of his entire right more than a table and chair and a pair of single beds. But, the side—from the top of his ossicones down to his toes. This is view outside my window more than makes up for the sparse furnishings. My single window faces east, opening onto a panoramic Homeboy Has a Problem view of the Ruaha River as it winds through the park. Every morning, I look out onto a spectacular view of the sun rising a problem. And, it is a problem that he shares with many other over the water. Every night, I am treated to a parade of animals giraffes in the region. gathering along the riverbank. Elephants, hippos, baboons, all Giraffe populations have been falling throughout East Africa sorts of animals come and go to drink and cool off. for quite some time. The population has dropped about 50 Tonight, though, I am too tired to watch. I pull off my shoes percent over the last 40 years. Habitat loss and fragmentation, and lean back to rest. But, just as I close my eyes, someone illegal hunting, and emerging diseases are among the issues shouts outside my door. driving these declines. “Hodi!” he calls. It’s Felix, one of the young men who help The problem I see in Homeboy is one that he shares with manage the park’s government-owned and operated bandas. nearly 90 percent of the adult Masai Giraffes living in Ruaha I jump up and pop my head outside the door to see what he - wants. He's waving at me. tion known as “Giraffe Skin Disease.” “Come quick. Homeboy is here! Come and see!” In Ruaha, the disease produces wrinkled, crusted, and hair-

Masai Giraffe in Ruaha Portrait of Homeboy Lesion caused by Giraffe National Park Skin Disease

12 :: NCZ!!."!# demographics. Because neither the age nor the sex of an individual can be detected from the air, aerial surveys are not useful in monitoring population health. Planning for the Future Last June, the Tanzanian government invited staff from the North Carolina Zoo to attend a workshop being planned for its wildlife research, management, and protection agencies. The goal of the workshop was to develop a National Giraffe Conservation Action Plan. At the workshop, participants prioritized what needed to be done to establish an effective conservation plan for Tanzania’s remaining giraffe populations. The group also laid out plans for addressing these needs. Among other things, the attendees cited the need to gather reliable survey and demographic data on the remaining giraffe populations. The team also called for more research on the mul- tiple threats facing Tanzania’s national , the Masai Giraffe. Staff from the Zoo will be involved in addressing both of these concerns. We are working in Ruaha National Park to assess the effects Giraffe Skin Disease may be having on the population there. We will also monitor 's giraffe population. This information should alert us to popula- tion losses linked to the dam or other construction projects. less gray or black patches of skin on the inside and backs of Giraffe Spotter an infected giraffe's front legs. Giraffes in other countries and We are using Giraffe Spotter, a new software system, to help even in some zoos outside of Africa develop what appear to us identify and track individual giraffes living in our study be alternate versions of this same disease. But, the symptoms areas. Similar to facial recognition software, this program present differently in different places. In one location, the wrin- recognizes and records the unique spot patterns of individual kled patches might appear on the animals' necks. In another giraffes. By collecting and cataloging photos of the region’s place, the symptoms may occur on their chests. individual giraffes, we will be able to build a database that Currently, we know very little about this or, perhaps, these includes all the giraffes living in each protected area. By illnesses. We don’t know what causes these symptoms or if the comparing successive photographs of the same individuals, different variations share a similar cause. We don’t understand we will be able to track progressive changes to its skin lesions how the disease spreads from one giraffe to another. We don’t over time. These data will help us understand the course of the know how fast it progresses, or even if it hampers a giraffe’s disease process. ability to walk, reproduce, or escape from predators. We will also be able to compare the reproductive success of affected and non-affected animals by noting when they are Other Areas of Concern lactating or breeding. Documenting these changes will help Giraffe Skin Disease isn’t the only poorly understood issue that us determine how many and which calves survive from year has the potential to harm Tanzania’s Masai Giraffe populations. to year. In Selous, we will use the historical data gathered on Tanzania is in the process of building a new hydroelectric dam individual animals to help us gauge the effects that the dam near Southern Tanzania's Selous Game Reserve, one of the construction is having on the population. largest protected areas in the world. That space is also being Zoo staff hopes to keep the demographic portion of these altered by new roads and power lines that service the dam and surveys going long-term. We want to accumulate enough data to let us spot population changes early. This information will of forest. help Tanzanian authorities recognize and respond quickly to It is impossible to know how these changes will affect wildlife any threats. As for now, we will continue to survey the population and because so little is known about giraffe populations in southern build up our database. As we progress, we will be doing Tanzania. The only giraffe census information available comes more than just seeing spots in Tanzania. We will be looking from aerial surveys, and giraffes can be tough to see from the air in the heavily wooded areas south of Selous. Besides, Homeboy's medical problems and help Tanzania conserve its aerial census data provides little information on population remaining giraffes. Fall 2019 :: 13 Zoo EVENTS { 8 U

EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCES SEPTEMBER 21 Zoo to Do :: The Zoo Society’s fabulous The Zoo Society’s VIP Tour Season is ending fundraising gala! The evening includes catered dining and refreshments, dancing, lively auc- soon, and only a few behind the scenes programs are tions featuring Zoo experiences, local pottery still available. Visit nczoo.com and select VIP Tours under and much more. “Extraordinary Experiences” for detailed information on 28 Saving Species across Africa :: The North pricing, tour limitations, dates, and other details. Proceeds Carolina Zoo is a world leader in wildlife con- support wildlife conservation. servation in Africa. Learn what the Zoo does to We will post our 2020 VIP Tour schedule on October 31 protect endangered animals in Africa and learn and will begin booking reservations on that date. how the Zoo works to protect wildlife around the world. 2020 - ZOO VETERINARY CAMPS The Zoo has set its 2020 Veterinary Camp Schedule and will OCTOBER begin accepting camp applications on October 31. 19 Celebrating Senses :: What we taste, touch, These highly successful programs take campers into the hear, and see defines what we know about our Zoo’s veterinary hospital to sample what it is like to practice world. Visit to see how animals rely on their veterinary medicine inside a major zoo. senses to survive. The day includes opportunities for guests to sample some Campers interact with live (domestic) animals and take interesting sensory part in realistic simulations to practice administering CPR, experiences. drawing blood, shooting a dart gun, using an endoscope, and more. Camp counselors are all enrolled in the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine. Camps include behind-the-scenes visits at several hab- itats and more. Visit nczoo.com and select Camps under “Extraordinary Experiences” for detailed information on pricing and other details. The Society’s one-day Junior Veterinary Camp accepts 26 & 27 Boo at the Zoo :: Celebrate the excite- ment of the season with a weekend of safe day- male and female rising 7th through 9th-grade students. time Halloween fun! Enjoy trick or treat games, The Society’s three-day Senior Veterinary Camps live music and entertainment, face painting, animal encounters and a children’s costume students. The June camp accepts girls only, the July contest. camp accepts male and female campers. DECEMBER SHADOW A VETERINARIAN 2020 14,15, 20 & 21 BELIEVE Noon - 4 p.m. :: Come Offered once a month from March through October. celebrate the magic of the season at the North Carolina Zoo’s holiday Believe event. $10 per Reservation options for 2020 will be available on October person in advance or $15 per person day of the 31. This program puts two people in the company of a Zoo event. Event tickets do not include Zoo admis- veterinarian to make morning rounds behind-the-scenes at sion. Mr. and Mrs. Clause will be here and par- the Zoo. ticipants can enjoy unlimited rides on the Zoo’s Suitable for adults. (Children 15-19 years old may attend festive carousel. Visit nczoo.org/events/believe with an adult.) The program includes an after-tour pizza to learn more about the day’s lunch with a Zoo veterinarian and the option of taking a activities. private golf cart tour of the Zoo after lunch. Visit nczoo.com and select Shadow a Vet under “Extraordinary Experiences.”

Visit nczoo.com under “Extraordinary Experiences” for detailed information on pricing, tour limitations, dates, and other details.

14 :: NCZ!!."!# Bloodthirsty Beasts ith Halloween just a few Why So Rare? weeks away, what better time Hematophages are rare because blood Wto shine a light on vampires? makes a poor diet. It offers little nutri- Not the imaginary ones from books and tion, containing no carbs and only a little fat. And, it’s packed with more than and blood vampires, animals that gob- enough protein and water to tax even VALERIE ABBOTT ble up blood for a living. Animals that a healthy animal’s liver and kidneys. stick to this vein of work do exist and Hematophages also have to be stealthy Common Vampire are, technically, called “hematophages” enough to snatch blood from living prey. (Desmodus rotundus) or “sanguinivores.” Consequently, real vampires are all Within the Animal Kingdom, only a tiny, and most are nocturnal. Most can the open wound. These keep the prey’s few species have both acquired a taste bite without causing any pain. And, all for blood and developed the guts they have evolved specialized saliva. It drips continues to lap it up—usually for about with chemicals that keep blood from 20 minutes. clotting while the animal continues to Once satiated, the bat will have nearly feed. doubled its weight—a consequence of the heavy water load that arrives The Most Famous Vampires of with the blood. lose this weight All — Three Bat Species in record time, though, by diverting Only three of Earth’s 1,200 plus bat the excess water down an anatomical species eat blood. All live exclusively in shortcut that sends it gushing into the the tropics and rely entirely on blood for kidneys. It all happens so fast that vam- food. Two species, the White-winged pire bats start peeing the weight away and the Hairy-legged vampire bats prey on birds. The Common Vampire Bat, Have fun this Halloween! And, think the most well-known of the three and about coming to the Zoo the last week the species you can see in the Mangum in October for Boo at the Zoo. You can see some real vampires in the desert SHUTTERSTOCK Desert, gets its blood from mammals. exhibit, and any youngsters in your group will surely enjoy the pumpkins, Hairy-legged Vampire Bat How Do They Do It? (Diphylla ecaudata) All three species locate their prey with costume contest, and other activities their ears and use their noses to aim that will take place that weekend. need to digest it. Today, only some their bites. Their hearing leads them to 14,000 species—about one percent slumbering prey because their ears are Want to know more? of Earth’s 1.5 million animal species— hyper-tuned to breath sounds. The bats draw exclusively, or partially, on blood Further Reading: for food. Of these, all but about 100 of slow breathing pattern that occurs when Milius, Susan. Real Vampires of Planet these species lack backbones—think animals fall sleep. Earth: It’s not easy sucking blood. ticks, bedbugs, leeches, mosquitoes, Bats use heat-sensitive pit organs Science News, Volume 192, October and their ilk. 28, 2017, p. 22. Among vertebrate species, only lying just under their prey’s skin. A bat Milius, Susan. Scary as they are, few crawls around on its prey relying on vampires have a backbone. Science these pit organs to detect the rise in News, Vol. 192. October 18, 2017, p.22 their meals from blood. A very few bird temperature that occurs where blood Bill Schutt. Dark Banquet: Blood and the species, including the Vampire Finch, curious lives of blood-feeding crea- Hood Mockingbird, and Oxpecker (see hot spot vein is detected, the bat slices tures. Harmony Books, 2008. contents page), occasionally add a few into it using razor-sharp teeth that don’t drops of blood to their insect-packed cause any pain. Three anticoagulants Jayne Owen Parker, Ph.D., Director diets. But, no birds live on blood alone. accompany the saliva that drips into of Communication & Education Fall 2019 :: 15 NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID HICKORY, NC PERMIT #104

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New at the Zoo! NOW OPEN!

!e Kaleidoscope* Butter"y Garden is NOW OPEN! Treehouse Trek—a new, Step inside this special down-sized version of the Zoo’s popular Air Hike Ropes Course. habitat—brimming with Treehouse Trek is open to kids blossoms—and immerse of all ages and abilities. It is lower yourself in the splendor of and safer than the original ropes living colors. course and has a portion that is $3/person or Fun Ticket ADA Accessible. $3/person or Fun Ticket * called a “kaleidoscope,” although sometimes, the group may be called a