Zoos SA Annual Report 2018/2019

Annual Report 2018-19 Contents President’s report ................................................................. 2 Chief Executive’s report ........................................................ 4 Board members and governance .............................................. 6 Zoos SA purpose and aspiration ............................................10 Year in review - key numbers ..............................................12 Year in review - finance snapshot ........................................14 Saving species inside our gates ............................................16 Leading the way in animal care and research ........................20 Conservation projects beyond our gates ...............................22 Connecting visitors with nature ........................................24 Connecting children with nature ......................................26 Educating the conservationists of tomorrow .......................28 Visitor experience and events .........................................30 Connection to country and culture .................................32 Inspiring visitation and influencing change .....................34 Fundraising success ...................................................36 Growing our membership base .....................................38 An advancing organisation ........................................40 Photograph by Adrian Mann Innovation and information technology .......................42 Our volunteers .......................................................44 Working ethically and sustainably ............................45 Transforming our sites ..........................................46 Wild Africa ........................................................48 Financial statements ............................................50 Appendices ........................................................56 Royal Zoological Society South Australia Inc. Annual Report 2018-19 | 1 President’s report As President of the Royal Zoological Society of South Australia, I am pleased to present the 2018-19 Annual Report. It’s an honour to be part of an In 2018-19, Zoos SA continued to organisation that is having such an support 13 conservation projects in impact locally and abroad. Zoos SA Australia and we were proud to provide is a long-established and successful financial support to 12 field projects organisation that is an integral part internationally across Africa, China, of South Australia; since Adelaide South East Asia and the Solomon Zoo opened to the public in 1883, Islands. Every visitor who came through six generations of South Australians our gates helped us support these in- have passed through its gates. It is a field conservation projects. conservation-based charity dedicated Zoos SA is nothing without its people to biodiversity conservation with over and I would like to thank everyone for 40,000 members. making the work Zoos SA does possible. Zoos SA is nothing without Over the past I would like to extend my thanks its people and I would like to twelve months, to Elaine, the senior management thank everyone for making the Adelaide and team, and all staff and volunteers for Monarto Zoos delivering such positive results for the work Zoos SA does possible. have consolidated year and positioning our two zoos as their reputation as a conservation world-leaders. charity committed to saving species I thank our board members for their from extinction. volunteerism and dedication to Zoos Throughout these pages you will SA over the past year. Zoos SA can find many examples of how we are look ahead with great confidence. Our making a difference, including endless constitution limits a President to two conservation and breeding success terms and I will reach that point in stories. The many adorable new November 2019. I am proud of what arrivals you will read about aren’t has been achieved in my six years as just melting hearts; their births mark President and look forward to seeing vital contributions to many important the results of the exciting forward plans. breeding programs we’re involved in. David Sanders And the work doesn’t stop at our President zoo gates. We have been protecting habitats, and the species in them. 2 Royal Zoological Society South Australia Inc. Annual Report 2018-19 | 3 Photograph by Adrian Mann to weather conditions which impacted visitor numbers over summer as well as putting pressure on water and food costs. With a large number of 40-degree-plus Chief days and a temperature-based closure ’ policy in place, Monarto Zoo was closed for multiple days during a crucial Executive s visitation period in December 2018 and January 2019. As a result, we have reviewed the hot weather restrictions and have amended the closure policy report to apply to catastrophic fire days and / or extreme weather conditions, with In 2018-19, over half a million people, including more than an amendment to operational hours for 60,000 students, made the journey through our gates to learn the months of December to February. more about conservation and the plight of animals in the wild. This will aid Monarto Zoo in better achieving budget targets through That’s a powerful catalyst for positive of the South Australian community, the increased revenue opportunities and conservation change and promotes new children’s zoo will become the first decreasing missed opportunities due pro-conservation attitudes to hundreds stop on a visitor’s journey and a must- to weather. This has been supported of thousands of visitors. Research says visit for a fun-filled family day out. with investments to make the site more that 89% of people who visit zoos plan enjoyable in hot conditions – for staff, In April, we attracted $15.8 million to make a conscious effort to do things visitors and animals. in funding from the Australian to help conserve the environment after Government and South Australian they’ve visited. As a conservation charity While there’s always plenty more to Government to construct a new state- that exists to connect people with be done, as we reflect on another of-the-art Visitor Centre at Monarto nature and save species from extinction, successful twelve months, I couldn’t Zoo, while the South Australian we believe our be prouder of our efforts which prove Government has committed to extend I couldn’t be prouder of our role as educators good zoos are more relevant and vital in the lease to keep Giant Pandas Wang is more important today’s society than ever before. efforts which prove good zoos Wang and Fu Ni in Adelaide for another than ever – five years. While our discussions with It’s impossible to list all our are more relevant and vital in getting visitors China have been incredibly positive achievements here, but this Annual into the zoo is our today’s society than ever before. so far and we are looking to host our Report reflects key highlights of the most powerful tool to do this. These Chinese counterparts later this year to vast amount of work we’re undertaking high visitor numbers are testament continue discussions around the new inside our zoos and around the world. to our growing reach, popularity and agreement moving forward, at the time reputation as a conservation charity Zoos SA is tireless in its mission to of writing, we are still in discussions throughout South Australia, Australia connect people with nature and save and, as it stands, do not have a signed and the world. species from extinction, and I would like extension in place. to thank our members, volunteers, staff, And while we attracted more people While we’ve enjoyed many successes and our volunteer board – their endless through our gates, we also continued to and both sites are positioned for dedication makes that mission possible. focus on developing our sites to meet growth, there’s no denying the past the expectations of our visitors. At the Elaine Bensted twelve months have presented a close of the 2018-19 financial year, Chief Executive challenging financial environment and construction of the Variety Children’s as such we didn’t meet our operations Zoo was in full swing. Opening in budget target. Much of this was due October 2019 and built with the help 4 Royal Zoological Society South Australia Inc. Annual Report 2018-19 | 5 Zoos SA Board Members Board Photograph by Tom Hunt members JULIEANN RIEDSTRA ROD BUCHECKER GRAEME CROOK (RETIRED and DAVID SANDERS - PRESIDENT - VICE PRESIDENT 22 NOVEMBER 2018) Rod is Chair of TEC 30 for The Executive David is a partner in the Adelaide Julieann is the Chief Operating Officer Connection, the world’s largest CEO From 1983-86 Graeme was a keeper at assurance practice of Ernst & Young and of the Department for Education. network. He is a recognised executive Adelaide Zoo. Following, Graeme went is a qualified chartered accountant and Julieann is a Fellow of CPA Australia and mentor and business coach, specialising on to gain over ten years’ experience registered company auditor. David is a governance a Graduate of the Australian Institute of in leadership development and helping with Animal Services at CSIRO Division Life Member and his family have been Company Directors. Julieann has been a companies find the focus they need of Human Nutrition, before moving members of the zoo for many years. Life member since 2008. to succeed. into IT. As a zoologist, strategic thinker and R&D project manager, Graeme brings his professional and academic experience to the Zoos SA Board. PROF KRIS HELGEN TIM JARVIS AM (RETIRED DENNIS MUTTON DR SUSIE ROBINSON 28 AUGUST 2018) Kris is an

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