WINTER 2018

Wintry Wonders Holiday magic, snow monkey science & more

A MAGAZINE FOR MEMBERS OF LINCOLN PARK ZOO

Magazine_Winter2018.indd 1 10/8/18 12:41 PM PERSPECTIVE

WINTER 2018 Return Engagement / 16 LINCOLN PARK ZOO MAGAZINE VOLUME 17, NUMBER 3 • As Lincoln Park Zoo hosts the Celebrating Our FOR MEMBERS OF LINCOLN PARK ZOO second International Wildlife CONTRIBUTING Reintroduction Conference we EXECUTIVE STAFF Community share an update on this fl ourishing FEATURES In 2018, Lincoln Park Zoo celebrated its 150th anniversary. Naturally, this prompted scientifi c fi eld and how the zoo PRESIDENT AND CEO reflection on the zoo’s history and the people who made 150 years possible. That’s six Whimsical Wonderland / 7 contributes to its growth and goals. Kevin J. Bell generations and millions of families and individuals visiting and donating time, money, Experience Lincoln Park Zoo at its ZOO DIRECTOR and energy to sustain this special place. Our members, donors, trustees, and guests have cheeriest this holiday season with DEPARTMENTS Megan Ross, Ph.D. made Lincoln Park Zoo the strong institution we are today, one that continues to forge special event nights, one-of-a- new paths in animal care, conservation, science, and learning. kind gift ideas, and the enchanting Perspective / 3 VICE PRESIDENT OF The zoo still receives a portion of its funding from the Chicago Park District (CPD)— illuminations of ZooLights MARKETING AND Wild File / 4 which operated the zoo for decades until our privatization in 1995—but today more than Presented by ComEd and Invesco COMMUNICATIONS 80 percent of our day-to-day costs are funded by contributions from people like you. QQQ. Take Action With Us / 19 Beth Krauss Your generosity helps keep the zoo free and enables significant initiatives. In 2018 The Right Touch / 12 Green Scene / 20 CREATIVE DIRECTOR alone we expanded the international reach of our Urban Wildlife Information Network Since they debuted at the zoo in Lena McDonagh and ZooMonitor app, a behavioral monitoring tool that’s part of the zoo’s new Animal Zoo Family Album / 22 2015, the Japanese macaques have Welfare Science Program. We welcomed polar bear Talini and penguin chick Oliver, DIRECTOR OF had a lot to learn—and to teach— Field Note / 23 constructed Searle Visitor Center, and partnered with CPD and Little Village’s OPEN PUBLIC RELATIONS using touchscreen computers. Center for the Arts on programs that connect Chicago residents to nature. A world Jillian Braun away, our scientists in Africa led community-based conservation programs to protect Cover: Japanese macaques, commonly called “snow endangered wildlife. This November we’re hosting a global conference where pioneer- monkeys”, are among the zoo’s holiday card options. MAGAZINE STAFF ing wildlife biologists will explore challenges and opportunities around restoring wild- See page 7. Illustration by Ashley Bedore. EDITOR life back to the wild. Its planning was led by Megan Ross, Ph.D., recently named Zoo Craig Keller Director. With her passion for conservation, animal welfare, and community engage- ment, Megan is uniquely equipped to further those central aims of the zoo’s mission. ART DIRECTOR That calls for celebration. Happily, we’re preparing one you’ll take a shine to: Joann Dzon ZooLights Presented by ComEd and Invesco QQQ, a free Chicago holiday tradition for CONTRIBUTORS you—the people who will inspire and support the zoo’s next 150 years of care, con - Emily Altimari servation, and community. Please visit lpzoo.org/support if your seasonal giving plans Sarina Benoit include a contribution to the zoo. ADOPT packages, zoo memberships, and Wish List Chris Bijalba purchases also make great gifts for family, friends, and your favorite animals at the zoo! Beth Botts Happy holidays and thank you for your support. œ Jillian Braun Michelle Falco Porcelain Ornament Julia Fuller Handmade by local artist Jan KEVIN J. BELL Hyson Gibbon Heyn-Cubacub. $36 PRESIDENT AND CEO Kate Silver See page 11 for purchasing details.

Our Impact Depends on You Who funds Lincoln Park Zoo? You do! Zoo members, donors and visitors help cover around 80% of our annual operating costs to keep this non-profi t, privately managed institution open and free every

day and support its mission of wildlife conservation, animal care and Go Online for More learning. Support the zoo at lpzoo.org/donate. Visit lpzoo.org/magazine for special web-only features— including photos, video and blog posts—inspired by the stories in this issue.

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Magazine_Winter2018.indd 2 10/5/18 7:41 PM Magazine_Winter2018.indd 3 10/5/18 7:41 PM WILDFILE: NEWS OF THE ZOO

BY EMILY ALTIMARI

International Animal new to the UWIN crew is Delaware’s Mountain Ghosts: Crossing Brandywine Zoo, the first Association of Protecting Snow Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited Sure, Lincoln Park Zoo's Urban Wildlife zoo member. Leopards in Information Network's (UWIN) trail “These new members represent Kyrgyzstan cameras have photographed squirrels, endless possibilities on behalf of wildlife,” The passion Lincoln Park Zoo’s keep- but moose? That's a first, thanks to our says Urban Wildlife Institute Director ers have for animals extends far beyond neighbors to the north in Edmonton, Seth Magle. “As we begin to analyze the zoo grounds. For Keeper Allycia Darst, Canada, the first international member of similarities and di‰erences across cities this meant traveling to the Tien Shan UWIN. The world’s largest urban wildlife and countries, we can truly begin to Mountains of Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia Keeper Allycia monitoring infrastructure has gone conticonti-- understand human-wildlife conflict and to assess habitat quality for the ever-elu- Darst, who cares for nental with the City of Edmonton and the implement solutions to better coexist sive snow leopard thanks to the generous carnivores at the University of Alberta. with species right in our backyards.” support of donors Bruce and Mary Feay Kovler Lion House, Chris Bijalba Chris The multi-city study seeks to help What’s next? Currently, UWIN is Bijalba Chris through the Feay Scholarship Fund. traveled to Kyrgyzstan people and animals thrive together by also piloting a program in South Africa There are between 4,000 and 7,500 to help assess habitat byPhoto gathering and analyzing data on urban and aims to be intercontinental by 2020. byPhoto snow leopards in the wild across 12 coun- quality for wild snow biodiversity and, ultimately, discoverdiscover-- Baboon pics await. Until then, it seems tries. In Kyrgyzstan, the species’ popula- leopards. Zoo donors ing and applying solutions to existing or all 12 UWIN cities have one thing in In Spine Form tion sits between an estimated 150 to 500 Mary and Bruce Feay potential human-wildlife conflicts. Also common: lots of deer. If visitor numbers spike at Regenstein individuals. Though the International generously supported Small Mammal-Reptile House it may Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) her participation in the be due to lesser Madagascar hedgehog changed the snow leopard’s status in the conservation project. tenrec babies. A prickly pair of these small wild from endangered to vulnerable last mammals was born on June 23 to their year, the wild population is still in decline first-time mom as a part of the Lesser due to poaching and retribution killings Madagascar Hedgehog Tenrec Species by shepherds for livestock loss. Survival Plan® (SSP). Turns out, snow leopards are hard to Their sex is yet to be determined, spot. Darst’s team, which included 13 sci- though zoo vets deemed them healthy entists, spent 12 days in the field hiking up after their initial examination. About a to elevations of 12,800 feet on the lookout month after birth, the babies were fully for leopards. They didn’t encounter any spined and half-adult-size. leopards, but Darst says this was expected “Hedgehog” is actually a misnomer and the expedition was still a success. in the species’ name. Tenrecs belong to The team encountered evidence of snow a di‰erent taxonomic family and sepa-sepa- leopard prey species—ibex goats, argali rately evolved a similar appearance and sheep, marmots, and snowcock pheas- defensive adaptation: rolling into spiny ants—in 23 of the 34 two-by-two-kilome- Darst Allycia by Photos UWIN membership (as of early October, 2018) spheres for protection from predators. ter areas they surveyed, indicating these This tenrec subspecies is native to the areas were viable habitat for the stealthy New Visitor Center Opens • Chicago, Illinois: Lincoln Park Zoo’s • Denver, Colorado: University of forests of Madagascar. Tenrecs, primarily predators. The trackers also encountered Urban Wildlife Institute Colorado Denver Lincoln Park Zoo is free and open 365 days a year, providing 3.6 million annual visitors nocturnal, communicate through touch, snow leopard tracks likely belonging to a • Indianapolis, Indiana: The Center • Austin, Texas: St. Edward’s University with access to the wonders of wildlife. We needed a visitor center to match. This fall, scent, and even echolocation clicks. female and a cub. for Urban Ecology at Butler • Long Beach, California: California the new Searle Visitor Center will become the welcoming gateway for guests entering Curator Dan Boehm reports that the Looking back on the trip, Darst says, University State University Long Beach the zoo on the east side. youngsters have been climbing on tree “As an animal keeper, I obviously feel a • Madison, Wisconsin: University of • Los Angeles, California: National The $9 million center, designed by Ross Barney Architects, will house restrooms and branches and exploring their exhibit. great connection to the animals in my Wisconsin-Madison Park Service a Member Lounge, and be a guest services hub with informational kiosks, stroller and Their dad remains behind-the-scenes, as care. But I am also very passionate about • Manhattan, Kansas: Kansas State • Iowa City, Iowa: University of Iowa wheelchair rentals, and more. Echoing the sculpted flora-and-fauna archway that pre- male tenrecs are not involved in rearing conservation and doing my part to help University • Wilmington, DelawareDelaware:: Brandywine ceeded it, the center will have nature-inspired awnings; in warmer months a retractable o‰spring. They’ll stay with their mom the wild counterparts of the animals I • Fort Collins, Colorado: Colorado Zoo wall will convert the building into an open-air space. throughout the winter, then will likely work with. This expedition was a great State University • Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: City of Searle Visitor Center was made possible by The Pride of Chicago capital campaign be transferred to another Association of opportunity to contribute to the protec- Edmonton and University of Alberta and a generous contribution from the Women’s Board of Lincoln Park Zoo. Zoos and Aquariums-accredited instituinstitu-- tion of a high-profile species at Lincoln tion in spring as a part of the SSP. Park Zoo.”

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Magazine_Winter2018.indd 4 10/3/1810/5/18 5:537:42 PM Magazine_Winter2018.indd 5 10/5/18 7:42 PM WILDFILE: NEWS OF THE ZOO Whimsical Wonderland

Lucarelli BY JILLIAN BRAUN

Kate Mary Over the holiday season Lincoln Park Zoo byPhoto transforms into a magical land of twinkling lights and

Top left (center): Mekaylah Grear; below: Dan merriment. Experience the Herrera; this photo: Omar Magaña and Joselyn zoo at its cheeriest with Carlos Aaron Magana Aaron Carlos Ortega with their collaborative artwork. special event nights, one-

byPhoto of-a-kind gift ideas, and enchanting illuminations. conservation, and science at Lincoln Weld Done This year, ZooLights Park Zoo alongside zoo educators. From The zoo’s WILD Marshall Square proj- Presented by ComEd and teaching guests about behind-the-scenes ect with Chicago’s Little Village neigh- Invesco QQQ—Chicago’s science at the zoo to reintroducing reha- borhood took an artistic Arctic turn with most radiant holiday bilitated snapping turtles to Nature three whimsical polar bear sculptures. Boardwalk, these teens rolled up their tradition—glows on select Situated near Walter Family Arctic sleeves in the name of nature. nights from November 23– Tundra, they were fabricated from recy- Mekaylah Grear, a ZIP last year, January 6, with an exclusive cled metal by artist J. Omar Magaña of returned this summer as a ZIP mentor. Little Village’s OPEN Center for the Arts. member preview on “Last year I did the ZIP program, and it The designs replicate illustrations of the November 16. See our full was one of the best experiences I’ve had zoo’s male polar bear, Siku, by students calendar on page 11 to plan in my entire life,” says Grear. “I became from Little Village’s Saucedo, Kanoon and a mentor this year so other people could your holiday adventures at Our Lady of Tepeyac elementary schools. have the same experience I did.” the zoo. During a zoo fi eld trip the kids observed Dan Herrera, a Conservation & Siku and learned about the species Science intern funded through the Summer Learnin’ through talks and activities with animal Dr. Scholl Foundation, worked with This past summer, the zoo welcomed care sta‹ , educators, and OPEN Center UWI during the past two summers. In dozens of interns—from high school to collaborators. A panel of judges selected 2017, he helped the sta‹ organize geo- college students—who picked up career- three fi nalists. Magaña matched the chil- graphic information systems (GIS) data path experience under the mentorship of dren’s drawings squiggle for squiggle. that assesses habitat for urban wildlife zoo educators, scientists, and other sta‹ . The sculptures will later be installed species. This summer he helped research- The Malott Family Research Appren- on Marshall Boulevard in Little Village, ers monitor the wild, endangered black- Notes from the North Pole thrive in all types of weather. ticeship Program (RAP) immersed high joining a trio of chimpanzee sculptures crowned night heron colony that nests Lincoln Park Zoo’s o cial Custom imprinting is available. school students in scientifi c inquiry previously created and displayed in the yearly at the zoo. Herrera commemorated holiday greeting cards Illustration by the zoo’s very alongside zoo researchers at the Urban same way. The polar bear project was his experience by illustrating some of the highlight Bactrian camels, own Ashley Bedore. Single card Wildlife Institute (UWI) and the partially funded by an IncentOvate Grant urban wildlife that call Nature Boardwalk Chilean fl amingos, polar $2.25. Assorted 12 for $24, 24 for Davee Center for Epidemiology and from the City of Chicago Department home. He hopes to work in urban ecology, bears, and Japanese $46, 48 for $90. See page 11 for Endocrinology. The Malott Family Zoo of Cultural A‹ airs & Special Events, using art and science to advocate for macaques. Snow is no foe purchasing details. Intern Program (ZIP) let high school- which supports arts initiatives for youth urban wildlife. to these hardy species, who ers teach zoo guests about the animals, throughout the city.

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Magazine_Winter2018.indd 6 10/5/18 7:42 PM Magazine_Winter2018.indd 7 10/5/18 7:45 PM Memories for Members Bijalba Chris

Lincoln Park Zoo members and byPhoto their guests get exclusive access to ZooLights Presented by ComEd and Invesco QQQ for an entire evening before it opens to the public! Start your holidays o Sequined Sloth Ornament Monster is right, celebrate traditions, and Hand-stitched in small vil- a luminous make memories with Members- lages, this sparkling sloth favorite of ZooLights fans. Only Night at ZooLights on Friday, ornament invites leisurely Nestle up to Nessie. $15 November 16, from 4:30–9 p.m. appreciation. $16 branches Plus, free carousel, train rides, Hand-Knitted Hippo of your tree with colorful and Light Maze (page 9) and a 20 ZooLights 2018 Ornament pizzazz. $16.95 percent discount on pur- Ornament Handmade from alpaca chases at Wild Things! It’s no mystery why wool, this fair-trade hippo See page 11 for purchasing Learn more at lpzoo. this metallic Loch Ness will submerge itself in the details. org/zoolights. Members- Only Night: Fuller Julia by Photos Nov. 16 Treats for the Whole Troop ZooLights Match Quiz Blueprints for the Man The design process starts early with key is over 36,000 square feet ZooLights is fun for all family members with ice carvers, carol- learnings from the prior year included in and includes a scenic shop; art, fabri- ZooLights Presented by ComEd and Invesco QQQ is a huge ers, and the Light Maze Presented by Invesco QQQ (located in Red our overall design approach. We know cation, and fl oral departments; audio holiday production. We’ve scrambled these numbers and at Foreman Pavilion; tickets: 1 for $3, 10 for $27, 20 for $51)! from experience at the zoo that we need and lighting. All of them are engaged details from last year’s ZooLights below. Can you match the On Mondays, celebrate a little extra with ZooLights Family Months of planning go into producing to keep our actual design footprint pretty in ZooLights, including the fl oral number in the left column to its corresponding statistic in Nights, when carousel and train rides are complimentary and ZooLights’ magnifi cent light displays and tight in certain areas but still need to department, of course. They’re the best the right column? parking is free for all levels of membership. Kids also eat free at icy artworks. Likewise for a less conspicu- make a great statement for the event. bow-makers in the building! Park Place Café with a paid adult entree. ous but equally vital part of the spectacle: So color, texture, proportion, and scale Searching for the perfect gift? All are welcome to Holiday the themed interior tableaux and décor What do you fi nd most challenging Gallons of mulled become central considerations. Market on Giving Tuesday, November 27. Stroll through the mag- produced by local event-design fi rm Ivan about the work? 51,958 wine served nifi cent work of dozens of local artisans for a truly unique gift. Carlson & Associates for the past several What inspired this year’s designs? The zoo’s event team is very collabora- Planning to visit Santa at ZooLights? You’ll fi nd jolly, old St. years. We asked Tina Carlson, the com- They have a distinctly vintage feeling and tive, knows the spaces so well, and shares Pounds of ice Nick taking gift requests amid festive décor inside the Helen pany’s president, what went into Santa’s color story. Our creative director, Gary their vision about what will be suc- 2,200 Brach Primate House. Or ask him over wa› es: reserve a table dapper digs and other inspirations. Jackson, pulled images of ornamentation cessful or an issue. We have to consider carved during one of four seatings at Breakfast with Santa at land- from the 1940s and expanded on the construction projects, available power, What does it take to execute designs for mark Café Brauer on Sunday, December 16. traditional shapes and materials used in and of course, the requirements placed Lights across zoo ZooLights? Learn more about these special events at lpzoo.org/zoolights. that era to deliver especially innovative on design from the zoo keepers’ and 51,000+ Approximately 20 people work on the grounds designs for the Santa vignette in the animals’ perspectives. There are certain design, construction, and installation. Helen Brach Primate House as well as in limitations we need to work within every Di erent LED Regenstein Center for African Apes. year, and we all challenge ourselves to 2 million+ come up with a design that will be a light displays Where are the installation pieces surprise for the legacy guests. produced? Working hours to All of the custom pieces for ZooLights What is Ivan Carlson’s legacy? 100+ are fabricated in our studio. OurOur facility The company was started by my father, create ZooLights Ivan Carlson, in 1972. He was a stage- hand and built sets for industrial shows Cups of hot 7,200 on the side. He had a huge contract with chocolate served Volkswagen when the Rabbit was intro- Metal Lion Ornament duced to the U.S., and that is the project This stylish, handcrafted lion will be the

that bankrolled the start of the company.

pride of any home holiday décor. $10. See ZooLights. create to hours working 7,200 displays; light LED erent di 100+

page 11 for purchasing details. grounds; zoo across lights million+ 2 carved; ice of pounds 51,000+ served; Photo by Julia Fuller wine mulled of gallons 2,200 served; chocolate hot of cups 51,958 Answers: Photo by Brigid Gallagher Brigid by Photo

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Magazine_Winter2018.indd 8 10/5/18 7:42 PM Magazine_Winter2018.indd 9 10/3/18 5:54 PM Sloth Mom and Baby Carousel Glass Ball Brass Ornament You'll be merry when this Animal Adornments Wishes for Fishes Don’t be fooled by carousel collectible, Polar bears may not know what the holi- how they move around their habitat. ideas with one another. the sloth’s slow featuring a mandrill, goes Purchase this season’s days are, but that doesn’t stop them from We explore their social structures and However, most often our nature. These 'round your tree. $24 ornaments, holiday card enjoying presents! Allison Kao, the zoo’s other natural behaviors—such as rhinos keepers are the ones to come ornaments featur- and more at lpzoo.org/ behavioral husbandry and enrichment wallowing to stay cool and keep bugs up with new and exciting ideas! ing a fan favorite holidayshop, at Wild Things! manager, makes a list and checks it twice away—and use those to create our enrich- will go quick! $16 If you could have anything in the for every species at the zoo—all year long. ment goals. gift shop during your next world for enrichment, what would it This then turns into the zoo’s Wish List zoo visit, or by calling How do you determine which items to be? (lpzoo.org/wishlist), where guests can 312-742-2265. add to Wish List? This is a very hard question! We have so purchase items that help enrich the lives Items must go through an approval many species here at the zoo, and every of animals in the zoo’s care. We asked Photos by Julia Fuller Julia by Photos process to make sure animal has diƒ erent behav- Fuller Julia by Photos Allison to provide the bigger picture. they are safe and will ioral needs. PVC has been What is enrichment? be benefi cial for our extremely useful in dif- Enrichment is an addition or modifi ca- animals. Once they have ferent sizes, lengths, and tion to an animal’s habitat that enhances been approved by our thickness—we can make A.D.O.P.T.: Animals Holiday Festivities the environment, oƒ ers choices or veterinary and animal just about anything with Depend On People Too November challenges, and encourages natural care teams, keepers it for various species! Open and free to all behaviors. decide which items will Give family and friends a wildly unique SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT What is the best part of ZooLights be best for the species in gift by ADOPTing an animal! These What is the goal? your job? 1 2 3 Evenings their care. precious plushes help the zoo provide its First, we research the natural history of Building a relationship animals with the best care possible and Family each species. For example, we look at How do food items play with an animal and 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Nights promote animal welfare. how they fi nd food, how they eat it, and into training? gaining a deep under- This holiday season’s featured 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 We use a positive rein- Hernandez Veronika by Photo standing of ways we can ADOPTs include an aardvark, a gira­ e, forcement technique provide for them with lion, and sloth. (Tune into the zoo’s 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 when we teach animals the best possible care is Special ZooLights events: Facebook Live broadcast “Lettuce with new ways to participate in their own so rewarding! I love seeing our keepers’ Open to visitors with tickets Luigi” to see our “star” sloth really chew 25 26 27 28 29 30 care. Most simply, we oƒ er something passion and helping them reach the the scenery.) Each ADOPT comes with Members-Only Night they really like as a reward for the right training and behavior goals we have set (show member card an ADOPTion certifi cate, magnetic photo behavior. Most of our animals love food. in place for the species here at the zoo. for entry) frame, and a fun fact sheet. December We can use their daily diet, and some- Want a little something extra? Add on SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT Holiday Market times unique or novel items, to help rein- Shop our holiday Wish List at a zoo membership for the biggest fans force the right behavior, such as opening lpzoo.org/wishlist! of fauna or add on an ADOPT when you 1 Adults Night Out: their mouth for a wellness check. Holidaze! purchase your Holiday Market 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 How do you keep coming up with new tickets! ideas for enrichment? Shop at lpzoo.org/ADOPT, 9* 10 11 12 13 14 15 BrewLights Zoos across the country and world share 312-742-2322 (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.), or at the zoo at Member 16* 17 18 19 20 21 22 Services and Wild Things! gift shop. 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 *Special ticketed events taking place during Photo by Julia Fuller Julia by Photo 30 31* ZooLights: December 9: Chris White Trio All Glown Up Tribute to A Charlie Brown January Christmas Calling all adults! Looking for a way to spice up ZooLights? Cool cats ages 18 and older December 16: Breakfast with SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT can join in the winter fun at Adults Night Out: Holidaze on Thursday, November Santa 29. Come for the 2.5 million lights, stay for the Gnome Hunt, zoo-themed trivia, live 1 2 3 4 5 December 31: Zoo Year's Eve music, cash bars (ages 21+) and animal chats. (ZooLights closes at 8 p.m.) Warm your jolly bellies at BrewLights Presented by Lakeshore Beverage on 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Thursday, December 6. Hosted by the zoo’s Auxiliary Board, this festive ode to craft brews spreads across zoo grounds under the glowing haze of ZooLights. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 For more details, visit Keep the party going and ring in 2019 at Zoo Year’s Eve, from 9 p.m.–1 a.m. on lpzoo.org/zoolights Monday, December 31, surrounded by the glow of ZooLights. 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 These after-hours ticketed events help the zoo stay free and open 365 days a year! Learn more and buy tickets at lpzoo.org/zoolights. 27 28 29 30 31 Photo by Julia Fuller Julia by Photo

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Magazine_Winter2018.indd 10 10/3/18 5:54 PM Magazine_Winter2018.indd 11 10/3/18 5:54 PM when the Regenstein Center for African Apes opened in 2004, and regularly fields calls from facilities around the world asking for advice on cognitive research. Completely voluntary, these tests challenge primates to problem-solve in a dynamic way, much as they do with enrichment devices provided “We’re letting the by caregivers. Since the macaques animals tell us what arrived four years ago, they, too, have been fueling research and their preferences are,” knowledge about the species at the says Maureen Leahy. zoo and beyond. “Really, we’re letting the animals tell us what their prefer- ences are,” says Maureen Leahy, the zoo’s vice president of The Right Touch Bijalba Chris animal care and horticulture. BY KATE SILVER byPhoto Since they debuted at the zoo in 2015, the A scientific approach Scientifically informed exhibit design supporting natural Japanese macaques have had a lot to learn, In the final installment of our year-long magazine series behaviors for the monkeys, as well as behavioral-monitor- and to teach, using touchscreen computers on the care and conservation of primates, we catch up ing and cognitive research by zoo scientists, was at play with the snow monkeys at Regenstein Macaque Forest even before the macaques left Japan in a cargo plane for and see how science supports their welfare while also Lincoln Park Zoo in 2014. Back then, recalls Leahy, space expanding knowledge in primatology. was available for a new exhibit near the West Gate. They wanted to create something with a “wow” factor, she says, Beyond their red-tinged faces, their thick fur, and their and that would be dynamic and exciting for guests. Their intense gazes, the Japanese macaques at Lincoln Park Zoo focus turned to primates, but not just any primate. Japanese all have something else in common: they dislike celery. macaques are the northernmost-living non-human primate, While hatred of celery, in and of itself, is nothing partic- meaning they would be a good fit for Chicago’s weather, ularly unusual, the way that zoo staŽ learns this—and about which is similar to Japan’s. the monkeys’ shared love of peanuts and “jungle pellets,” a The zoo team set out to design a forest fit for these pre-formed monkey food—is actually quite remarkable: they curious and social monkeys. “We really wanted to create a ask them. habitat that could allow our macaques to express the full That’s what’s happening on a busy Monday in July. Sarah repertoire of all of their complex behaviors,” says Leahy. Jacobson, a former research assistant with the Lester E. That meant building a series of tall trees with canopies of Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, sits branches the monkeys could cross like they do in the wild. inside a small booth—a.k.a. the “cog booth”—next to the Rocky outcroppings would oŽer quiet, private areas and a Regenstein Macaque Forest, toggling between two com- variety of microclimates, like heated rocks, cooling fans, a puters and taking notes. On the other side of the booth, in hot spring, and temperate stream. And a series of 300-pound two small rooms accessed by a kind of swinging doggy door, stone Japanese lanterns weren’t just placed for decora- Japanese macaques who choose to participate are using a tion—they house automatic feeders, which dole out food at touchscreen. Options displayed over the course of about an diŽerent times, encouraging the monkeys to forage. hour use photos to ask questions, and include options like Then it was time to bring the Japanese macaques to their peanut or celery? Blue or yellow? new home. The troop came from an accredited facility called “Sometimes their response seems to be quicker than what Japan Monkey Centre Museum and Zoo for Nonhuman I think I would be able to do,” says Jacobson. Primates in Inuyama, Japan. There, they lived in a much The macaques’ answers to these cognitive tests are larger group. “We worked with the zoo there to identify

helping scientists and keepers at the zoo gain valuable animals that would be good to bring here, to our new exhibit, insights about their individual preferences. At the same to bolster the genetic diversity in the accredited zoo popu- time, for visitors looking on, the testing is a window into lation in North America,” says Leahy. As with all species at A Japanese macaque sequences colored dots in the mission of Lincoln Park Zoo, where science, research, the zoo, the goal would be to create a healthy, sustainable

previous tests that laid the groundwork for more Rosenberg Todd and animal care go hand-in-hand. The zoo was in the zoo population through a Species Survival Plan (SSP) and sophisticated challenges posed by researchers like vanguard of touchscreen testing with gorillas and apes educate visitors. After the Japanese macaques flew to

Sarah Huskisson (opposite page). byPhoto

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Magazine_Winter2018.indd 12 10/5/18 7:42 PM Magazine_Winter2018.indd 13 10/3/18 5:54 PM Chicago, the animals—five females and three males, all around 9 Mom.” When the kids were young, he would watch and play the touchscreens the three girls like to bounce o the walls and or 10 years old and named by Lincoln Park Zoo sta for cities in with them and never seemed too far away. hang from the ceiling of the cog booth until they’re told by an Japan—had a lot to adjust to: they would need to negotiate their The newest generation is also carrying on cultural traditions older macaque to leave. new social structure while exploring their new habitat. of the greater macaque population. Because macaques are a The troop is involved in a series of cognitive tests right now. From day one, the team at Lincoln Park Zoo began collecting matrilineal society, the babies inherit the social standings of One study, as mentioned earlier, uses photos to ask about food data using ZooMonitor, an app created onsite and used at facil- their mothers. In other words, Iwaki, as the daughter of the preferences, pitting two food choices against each other, so that ities around the world to record animal behavior and exhibit queen-bee Izumi, was basically born with a silver spoon. “Even monkeys can choose, say, carrot versus cereal and be rewarded space use. From that information, it was clear the monkeys when she was just starting to wean and forage for food on her with their choice (that’s where the detested celery comes in). were taking well to their new home. “We saw very quickly own, at about 4 months of age, she had the social standing to go Another tests their propensity for risk taking, posting a photo of where the dominance hierarchies were lining up,” says Leahy. sit right next to the males or other females and even displace one of the food choices next to a question mark. Will the animal Akita, the leader to this day, quickly assumed the role of alpha them over food,” says Leahy. be more likely to choose, say, a green bean, or gamble on the male, while Izumi, the dominant female to this day, reigned question mark? Hopper says that, for all of the tests, research-

supreme among females. The others fell in line below. ers have seen individual variation, from how quick participants Bijalba Chris by Photo Finding their voices through technology They also adapted well to the space, says Leahy. “Throughout are at learning new memory tasks to which foods they prefer to It’s the juveniles, now nearing their third birthdays, who have the year, the animals have the choice to go behind the scenes or how risk-averse they are. proven to be quick learners. “All three of the young girls in control is so important for their well-being,” says Hopper. “We be on exhibit, and when we take a look at the ZooMonitor data, The potential for future tests is vast. Hopper says that, down the Japanese macaque group have quickly adopted using the know that it alleviates stress—the more choices that animals 70 percent of the time they’re using the exhibit space, based on the line, they could ask the monkeys what type of enrichment touchscreen from a really, really young age,” says Lydia Hopper, are able to make.” their preferences. That tells us that we’ve created an environ- (i.e. activity) they prefer; which monkey they enjoy spending Ph.D., who designs and oversees the experiments and serves Even though they can’t speak in words, technology is giving ment that really meets their needs,” says Leahy. time with; if they like summer better than winter, and so much as assistant director with the Lester E. Fisher Center for the macaques at Lincoln Park Zoo a loud and clear voice. Just as important, they’ve taken well to sharing it with their more. By performing a test during the annual Chicago Air and Study and Conservation of Apes. While the older macaques new family members: since 2015, three of the females have had Water Show—a time that could potentially be more stressful at had to learn how to lift the dog-style doors to enter the booth Want to see the macaque cognitive testing in action? It takes place babies. Obu, a male, was born in the spring of 2015 to Ono, and the zoo, with the constant roaring airplane engines—the scien- and then figure out the devices themselves, the technology has at the Regenstein Macaque Forest every weekday from 11:45 a.m. now resides at Minnesota Zoo, based on a recommendation by tists have even been able to discern how stress impacts the way always been there for the younger ones. Much like the digital to 12:15 p.m. the Japanese macaque SSP. Otaru, Iwaki, and Nagoya, daugh- the macaques respond. All of this has the potential to change native generation of humans, they’ve seen their mothers using ters of Ono, Izumi, and Nara, respectively, were born in the how they’re cared for, not just at Lincoln Park Zoo, but at Above: Nutritious food items provide positive the touchscreens since their earliest days. The little ones have spring of 2016, bringing the troop numbers to 11. All three girls facilities worldwide. “We know that for zoo animals, choice and reinforcement during touchscreen cognition sessions. also brought a lot of laughs to visitors. When they’re not using have the same father: Miyagi, who the sta has nicknamed “Mr.

Akita, 12 Izumi, 12 Iwaki, 2 Miyagi, 12 Nara, 12 Nagoya, 2 Ono, 12 Otaru, 2 Mito, 12 Yuki, 12 Kuma, 12 Meet The boss man is As the dominant Izumi’s daughter Known as “Mr. Impatient and not Nara’s daughter is A middle-ranking Like her mother, Feisty and With her strik- The subordinate extra suave with female and queen is the troop’s Mom”, Miyagi exactly graceful, perhaps the most female, Ono is Ono, Otaru is a ambitious, Mito ing good looks male, Kuma can the touchscreen, bee, Izumi is quick “princess”, is father to all Nara’s style with food-motivated stubborn. When drama queen. tries to rise above (her identifying be a little aloof at the confidently using with the touch- because she three of the the touchscreen of all. Researchers she gets in the She’ll start her low rank, but marking looks times, and chal- one finger or screen—and even inherited her juvenile girls. He’s is known as know that she’s cog booth, she screaming for the others keep like eye shadow), lenging to keep Troop sometimes pinch- used it to choose mom’s rank. She’ll laid-back, enjoys “pancake hand” in the cog booth likes to stay there. seemingly no putting her in her Yuki tends to stay on task in the cog ing the screen her daughter’s boss around most playing with his for the way she because she’ll She’s not afraid reason and place. below the radar booth. Something with two. When name. of the gang, and daughters—and palms the device. often stick her of causing drama cause chaos, just and avoid conflict. of a dreamer, he he’s around, usually, they’ll lets them get If the test pauses, hand up the tube and chasing because she can. loves to chase others know it’s listen. On the away with things she’ll just keep where the drops around the other birds around time to get out— touchscreens their mothers pushing the screen food out. monkeys. Regenstein and stay out—of she’s the quickest might not. while staring at the Macaque Forest. the booth. of the bunch. human researcher. Macaque inset photos by Todd Rosenberg and Sarina Benoit

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Magazine_Winter2018.indd 14 10/5/18 7:42 PM Magazine_Winter2018.indd 15 10/3/18 5:54 PM BY CRAIG KELLER

n the 1890s a New Zealander named Richard Henry “This is an opportunity for them to come together as a tried to save the kakapo, now critically endangered, from community to talk about the science of reintroductions,” says Iinvasive stoats by transporting the flightless birds to a Lincoln Park Zoo Director Megan Ross, Ph.D., who has been nearby o shore island (alas, not far enough to elude its short- involved in reintroduction programs for Bali mynahs, Guam tailed weasel predators). Around the same time, Tabasco sauce rails, and trumpeter swans. “Lincoln Park Zoo is all about tycoon Edward McIlhenny located and moved surviving snowy advancing science to help save species from extinction, and this egrets to his coastal Louisiana refuge and breeding facility, Bird is one more layer we can contribute to a ect that change.” City, helping to save the species from extinction. In 1905, the The attendees include some of the field’s foremost author- American Bison Society formed at the Bronx Zoo, and two years ities, scientists from every continent except Antarctica, and later released 15 bison at a protected reserve in Oklahoma. students who represent the field’s next generation. By the 1970s and ‘80s, wildlife reintro- As was true at the first gathering, present- ductions, or “conservation translocations”— “Lincoln Park Zoo is all ing case studies is secondary to synthesis: involving the release of captive-born animals about advancing science drawing big-picture lessons from successes or moving animals between habitats in the and failures alike to determine best practices wild—still seemed as novel as those earlier to help save species from that apply to multiple species across a wide anomalies. extinction, and this is array of habitats and conditions threatening That landscape has dramatically one more layer we can their survival. changed. In recent years, the International “We’re looking to raise our game, prove Union for the Conservation of Nature’s contribute to aect that success rates, and make sure we’re learning (IUCN) Reintroduction Specialist Group— change,” says Megan Ross. globally whether something succeeds or Return Lincoln Park Zoo’s cohost for the second not,” says Phil Seddon, Ph.D., a New Zealand International Wildlife Reintroduction Conference, taking zoologist, academician, author, and advisor of reintroduction place November 13-16 at the zoo—has tracked an expansion of projects in Oceania and the Middle East. “We’ve seen an conservation translocations for more than 1,500 animal and explosion of people using this as a conservation tool in terms plant species, from the yellow-spotted mountain newt in Iran of the number of programs, species, and geographical spread. Engagement to the guanaco in Argentina. Reintroduction biology, driven Research outputs, including some major books, have been by a greater awareness of the Earth’s shrinking biodiversity published since the first conference. We’ve come up with a new As Lincoln Park Zoo hosts the second and habitat transformations wrought by climate change, has set of IUCN guidelines on how to reintroduce species. So we’re International Wildlife Reintroduction emerged as a critical, new scientific field. well overdue to meet again as a group.” Conference we share an update on this Its pace has accelerated since 2008, when the zoo hosted Seddon has been integral in distinguishing the many subtle the inaugural conference. Today, the field’s practitioners span a shades of wildlife conservation translocations, from “popula- flourishing scientific field and how the zoo diversity of disciplines, from ecologists to animal behaviorists, tion restorations” of species in their historic range to “ecolog- contributes to its growth and goals. hailing from academia, zoos, and wildlife reserves. ical replacements”. In both cases they may be done to correct

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Magazine_Winter2018.indd 16 10/5/18 7:42 PM Magazine_Winter2018.indd 17 10/3/18 5:54 PM Take Action With Us

Price had the support of the nation’s BY MEGAN ROSS, PH.D. sultan as well as Bedouin tribes, who ZOO DIRECTOR agreed not to herd their livestock in the moist areas to which the reintroduced Reintroducing wildlife to antelopes migrated following rains. They habitats impacted by urban- also had help from the Phoenix Zoo, ization is a complex chal- which provided oryx from a captive-bred lenge. But we can all pro- population begun in the early 1960s with tect and improve nearby just nine animals—an early example of green spaces that provide the cooperative population management resources and shelter for the strategies now integral to zoos in the urban wildlife with whom Association of Zoos and Aquariums. we share our own ecosystem. “We were in the middle of the desert Whether you embrace the winter chill without email, GPS, sat nav, or mobile or prefer to hibernate until spring, here are phones,” says Price. “We did our best and some steps you can take to support local produced an interesting prototype, but wildlife in the colder weather.

Photo by Lincoln Park Zoo Park Lincoln by Photo it’s been taken much further by others.” Zoo Park Lincoln by Photo Birds and insects eat seeds and hide among The scientific management Price, plant stems and withered leaves. Leave Seddon, and their colleagues advocate some ornamental grasses and perennial an ecological imbalance. Giant tortoises example. The species survived through insists on behavioral hypotheses formed Lincoln Park Zoo’s biologists at its Alexander Center for plant stems in the garden for wildlife habi- brought to the Seychelles Islands to graze dedicated captive breeding on Guam and from thorough consideration of current Applied Population Biology and AZA Population Management tat. Clean-up can wait until spring. For once, on weedy vegetation, for instance, or in U.S. zoos. Thanks to a coalition that and future conditions, as well as a long- Center help fill that need in AZA’s cooperative Species Survival procrastination pays! An added bonus is the gray wolves restored to Yellowstone includes Lincoln Park Zoo, it now has term commitment to monitoring released Plan breeding programs—some of which have reintroduction the interest that woody stems add to a more National Park in the mid ’90s to prey a fighting chance with a small, translo- animals that helps managers adapt to components—as well as for in situ programs with other conser- barren landscape. on a booming population of elk whose cated population on Rota, an island in the unexpected challenges. vation partners, such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The overgrazing was altering vegetation Mariana archipelago more than 40 miles “Why do they move? Where do they team analyzes demographic and genetic data to help maintain While your garden beds may look dead and—some scientists theorize—causing northeast of Guam. “It’s an experimental move to? Why are some dying or some core “assurance populations” while making recommendations in the winter, there may be tender plants erosion that redirected the flow of reintroduction,” says Ross. “Rota didn’t breeding better than others?” asks Price. for the right number of births and hatches and wild releases to underfoot. A misplaced step can hurt sensi- rivers. The related Yellowstone to Yukon have brown tree snakes. The hope is to “If we don’t have those records, we can’t grow a reintro program’s wild population sustainably over time. tive plants that are waiting for spring. Give Conservation Initiative helped spawn the establish a healthy population on Rota manage better for success.” Lisa Faust, Ph. D., the zoo’s vice president of conservation them some space and stay on the path. so-called “rewilding” movement, based while still investigating the possibility of and science, who is sharing a talk about these tools at the con- In the winter, animals roam a long way on bringing back apex predator species, restoration on Guam.” ference, says adaptive management is key in this area as well. in search of food. Now more than ever, it is protecting large areas, and establishing The scientific and technological tools That’s true whether the challenge comes from North Carolina, critical that the animals don’t gain access to connectivity between them. of the trade have greatly improved and where a reintroduced population of critically endangered human garbage, which is unhealthy for them “Assisted colonization” is yet another, help today’s practitioners better manage red wolves is threatened by hunters who often mistake them and can lead to dependency. Secure your gar- somewhat controversial, variation: risk and adapt to unexpected challenges for coyotes, or from Puerto Rico, where a natural disaster— bage cans against wildlife. intervening to move a species population in complex situations, says Mark Stanley Hurricane Maria—devastated a released flock of rare Puerto out of its historic range, where threats Price, Ph.D., another conference partici- Rican parrots captive-bred at two aviaries on the island. Keep your cats inside. This is always a pos- (habitat loss, invasive predators, poach- pant and one of the field’s pioneers. “Releasing animals into the wild is the flashy moment, but itive step to support wildlife but becomes ing, or, more recently, climate change) In the 1980s, the British conserva- it’s just the beginning,” says Faust. “The real work of conser- especially important in the winter. Birds that doom its existence, and into a new, suit- tion scientist managed the successful vation means being there for the long haul, monitoring and overwinter in Chicago may be more sluggish able habitat where it’s never been before. reintroduction of the Arabian oryx to adapting when new challenges or threats arise for that species. and have trouble evading your pet. Meet Mark Stanley Price The Guam rail, a flightless bird deci- a protected area in Oman, part of the That work is never done.” On Friday, November 16, Mark Stanley Get outside! Take a walk and pick up litter mated in its endemic Pacific island by the historic range where it had been extinct Visit lpzoo.org/conservation-science to learn more about Price is the featured speaker at a special and trash in your neighborhood. More natu- invasive brown tree snake, is one such since 1972. Collaboration was essential. Lincoln Park Zoo’s current and past contributions to wildlife Wine & Wildlife presentation open to ral spaces are better habitat for wildlife. Or reintroduction programs. Plus: Read web-exclusive Q&As with the public at the zoo: “Reintroducing join the fitness trend that is “sweeping” the Price and Faust at lpzoo.org/magazine. Animals to the Wild: Can Conservation nation. “Ploggers” (from the Swedish phrase Keep Up with Extinction Risks?” Page 16: Arabian oryx provided a reintro blueprint in plocka upp, which means “to pick up”) wear Oman . Left, top: Guam rails hatched at Lincoln Park gloves and bring trash bags to pick up trash Buy tickets at lpzoo.org/wine-wildlife. Zoo were brought to Rota. Above: Zoo-bred red wolf while jogging! pups were “cross-fostered” at wild release sites.

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Magazine_Winter2018.indd 18 10/5/18 7:42 PM Magazine_Winter2018.indd 19 10/3/18 5:54 PM GREEN SCENE

Housewarming Presence

BY BETH BOTTS PHOTOS BY SARINA BENOIT The zoo’s green, indoor habitats are a cure for the winter blues—and more familiar than you think

Plants are arranged to suit the space of the exhibit and the Most of the plants are in pots or in depressions formed in animals’ needs. Large, branching species, such as fig trees, are the concrete of the exhibits. The zoo uses a custom potting good for birds to perch on. Mammals may like to hide under big mix with no fertilizer or mineral pellets that might be harmful leaves. Reptile habitats in the Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile to an animal. The animals’ caregivers water the plants, guided House, which often are on the dry side, may need drought-toler- by “some pointers from Horticulture,” Rothleutner says. ant plants, such as snake plant. You won’t see cacti, though: No Overwatering is as great a danger to plants in an exhibit as on a Tropical plants provide camouflage and a familiar prickly spines are allowed near these animals. sun porch. perch for African-native species like a Meller’s The plants don’t necessarily match the animals’ native The plants grow more slowly indoors than they would in chameleon and golden-breasted starling (opposite). places. “We can only grow a limited range of plants indoors,” nature—probably a good thing, since many can grow quite large Rothleutner says, “so we use what we have to create a generally back in the rain forest. green, tropical feeling.” The African spoonbills seem perfectly “It’s not that diŒerent from growing these plants in the house,” On a cold Chicago day, you escape into the warm, lush, exotic says. “Any plant we grow indoors needs to be able to get along on happy with Swiss cheese plant, which (despite the nickname) Rothleutner says. And having greenery in their homes improves world of the Regenstein African Journey. Vines twine overhead. an extremely low level of light.” The big leaves of many house- comes from Mexico. the animals’ lives in the dark of winter, just as it does ours. Huge leaves create a sense of the tropics. The spoonbills and plants evolved as solar collectors with plenty of surface area in meerkats are unlike any animals you know from the Midwest. places where sunlight is scarce. Yet if you lift your eyes from the pygmy hippo or the dwarf If you look closely at the zoo exhibits, you might be able to crocodile to the plants, you might find some of them strangely pick out some leaf shapes that you know from living rooms— Tips for Growing Houseplants familiar. broad fiddleleaf fig, fanlike lady palm, holey Swiss cheese plant, That’s because many of the plants that enrich indoor exhib- grassy spider plant, heart-shaped philodendron, swordlike snake its at Lincoln Park Zoo are the same species we grow as house - plant. Here are some tips from Joe Empty the saucer. After you water, label. The zoo uses fish emulsion, plants in our living rooms. Indoors is indoors, whether it’s your The greenery is not just there for decoration. “Having plants Rothleutner, the zoo’s director wait a few minutes. Then dump out which is a mild, organic fertilizer, apartment or a newt’s enclosure, and only certain kinds of plants in the exhibits helps the animals engage in natural behaviors,” of horticulture, for growing any water that has collected in a although its aroma may take can survive there, according to Joe Rothleutner, director of says Rothleutner. “They’ll scamper up the plants, or hide under- houseplants at home. saucer or in a container around some getting used to if you’re horticulture. neath them. It enriches their experience.” the pot. not a pygmy hippo. These plants all tend to come from similar habitats: the Weaving plants into a green tapestry to surround animals Don’t water too often. Soak a understory of tropical forests. Because they’re from the tropics, (and visitors) takes expertise in science and horticulture. Some Fertilize with care. “Fertilizer Protect plants from cold. When plant well, and then let the soil they can live through the winter in our centrally heated rooms plants are toxic to some animals, so indoor plants, like those out- can help a plant stay healthier,” you buy a houseplant, wrap it dry out before you water again. and exhibits. And because they evolved to grow beneath a dense, doors at the zoo, must be screened by Kathryn Gamble, D.V.M., Rothleutner says. “But you don’t up well when you carry it to the Soil that is constantly wet can year-round canopy of tall trees, they are adapted to shade—like the zoo’s Dr. Lester E. Fisher Director of Veterinary Medicine. want to overdo it. It can damage car. “These are tropical species cause the plant’s roots to rot the shade we have inside buildings. A philodendron makes a charming backdrop for a rattlesnake, the roots.” He recommends using that can’t tolerate any cold at all,” or invite insects called fungus “It may feel to you like you’re in a bright room, but that’s which is a carnivore and not likely to take a nibble, but the horti- water-soluble fertilizer at half the Rothleutner says. gnats. nothing compared to the brightness of the sun,” Rothleutner culturists wouldn’t use it in the habitat of any plant-eater. strength recommended on the

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Magazine_Winter2018.indd 20 10/3/18 5:54 PM Magazine_Winter2018.indd 21 10/5/18 7:42 PM ZOO FAMILY ALBUM: MEET OUR STAFF AND SUPPORTERS FIELD NOTE

BY CRAIG KELLER

Kristine Schad Director, AZA Population Management Center (PMC) at Lincoln Park Zoo Green Tree Frog

What does the PMC do? Hyla cinerea Our team provides scientific analyses and advice for healthy, Pine trees, wreaths, and garlands aren’t the only greenery plants. An organ on its head that may help it with compass ori- sustainable populations to the Association of Zoos and brightening moods during Chicago’s holiday season. The green entation and thermoregulation. A rain call that forecasts stormy Aquariums’ (AZA) nearly 600 animal programs. I manage a tree frogs at Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo are emerald cures weather. And, of course, uncanny camouflage. sta„ of six here and also work with 10 other adjunct popula- for the snowy winter blues. External temperatures, stress, and sexual arousal can tion biologists across the country. Common in wetland habitats throughout the southeastern shift those vivid hues, which tend toward duller gray-

Photo by Ellen Neely Ellen by Photo United States, and ranging as far north as southern Illinois and ish-green during dormancy in cooler weather. As the Which resources do you depend on? Delaware, this small amphibian also packs a colorful array of species’ Muppet likeness, Kermit, once lamented, it’s not Studbook keepers at AZA institutions maintain electronic adaptations. Acute hearing that picks up vibrations through the easy being green. He must have been an environmentalist. ˆ database records about each animal in an AZA species popu- ground. Long legs and big, sticky, toe pads that cling to aquatic —Craig Keller lation. SSP [Species Survival Plan] coordinators talk to insti- tutions to learn their wants and needs: do they want to breed Bijalba Chris by Photo or only have education animals, for instance? They also ask about individual animals: who’s healthy, who’s getting along, John, Susan, and Margot Ettelson so we can make the best decisions, with the help of specialized Past Chairman, Board of Trustees; software, for their well-being and welfare. Conservators’ Council donor; Auxiliary Board member Animals in these managed populations are not taken from the wild, but do you consider a species’ natural history Three generations of Ettelsons have supported Lincoln when recommending moves and matches Park Zoo. That’s quite a tradition. We want animals to act as naturally as they can. If they live in John: The zoo was a family-bonding experience for us. It groups in the wild, we want them to live in groups in zoos and formed an important part of all our childhoods. There aren’t aquariums. Previous research done in the field helps us and many places a family can inexpensively spend a day being vice versa. entertained and educated in a beautiful place. That didn’t occur to me much as a kid. Today, seeing the benefits it pro - Such as advice you give to conservation partners for wild- vides strikes me as spectacular. life reintroduction programs? In those cases it’s important to keep traits as diverse as possi- What was your earliest experience at the zoo, Susan? ble, so reintroduced animals can interact with wild counter- Susan: My parents would drive us in from Glencoe when I parts. Our focus on small population biology lends itself well was very young. It’s wonderful to see how the zoo continues to to smaller populations we’re unfortunately seeing in the wild. connect young people to animals and their importance to our planet, particularly for visitors who may never go to Africa or see an animal in the wild.

What was it like growing up near the zoo? Margot: Our school was so nearby we could hear the lions roaring from there. It felt like the zoo was my backyard. We would wander in and out. I think Chicagoans sometimes take the free admission for granted. Having visited other zoos that are very expensive, I want to give back so other kids have the same opportunity to enjoy the zoo like I did.

How has the zoo transformed over the years in your eyes? John: For the local neighborhood zoo to have such a global impact in conservation is remarkable. It continues to reinvigo- rate itself in a way other institutions don’t—getting better with each generation. › Photo by Veronika Hernandez Veronika by Photo Photo by Chris Bijalba Chris by Photo Bijalba Chris by Photo

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