New Event — Wise and Wild Wednesdays Elk Creature Feature March / April 2009 Panda News PUBLISHED FOR FRIENDS OF THE ME mp HIS ZOO EXZOO- BERANCE! JILL MAYBRY Exzooberance™ is a bimonthly Memphis Zoological Society publication providing information for friends of the Memphis Zoo. Send comments to MZS, 2000 Prentiss Place, 3 4 Memphis, TN 38112, call (901) 276-WILD or log onto www.memphiszoo.org. Vol. XVIII, No. 2 Memphis Zoological Society Board of Directors as of December 2008 Officers: Carol W. Prentiss, Chair Kelly Truitt, Vice Chair Gene Holcomb, Treasurer Joseph C. DeWane, M.D., Secretary MidSouth Chevy Directors: full page ad F. Norfleet Abston Karl A. Schledwitz Robert A. Cox Lucy Shaw Thomas C. Richard C. Shaw Farnsworth, III Diane Smith Diana Hull Brooke Sparks Henry A. Hutton John W. Stokes, Jr. Dorothy Kirsch Steven Underwood Robert C. Lanier Joe Warren Joyce A. Mollerup Robin P. Watson Jason Rothschild Russell T. Wigginton, Jr. Honorary Lifetime Directors: Donna K. Fisher Roger T. Knox, President Emeritus Scott P. Ledbetter Frank M. Norfleet Senator James R. Sasser Rebecca Webb Wilson Ex Officio: Dr. Chuck Brady, Zoo President & CEO Pete Aviotti, Jr., Special Assistant to Mayor In this issue: Departments: Bill Morrison, City Council Representative Nora Fernandez, Docent/Volunteer Representative 3 Creature Feature: Elk 4 Spot You at the Zoo Credits: Abbey Dane, Editor / Writer Brian Carter, Managing Editor As we get closer to the grand opening of Teton 7 Education Programs Geri Meltzer, Art Director Trek this fall, continue learning about the Jennifer Coleman, Copy Editor Toof Printing, Printer animals that will call this exhibit home. 8 Special Events Exzooberance paper generously donated by International Paper employees 4 Special Tribute 9 March/April Calendar Zoo Admission Hours: The Zoo family said goodbye to longtime employ- March - October 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. 11 Zoo News November - February 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. ee Wayne Carlisle in January. Join us in remem- • Grounds close one hour after last admission ber ing our friend, and learn what made this man • Zoo Closed: Thanksgiving Day, 12 Kids’ Activity Page Christmas Eve & Christmas Day such a pillar of the Memphis Zoo. Our Mission: Connecting people with wildlife. 5 Eye on Conservation The Memphis Zoo is accredited Memphis Zoo, Ya Ya and Le Le by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and a member of the are trademarks of the Memphis Zoo. We sent high school student Elizabeth Bailey to World Association of Zoos and Manitoba, Canada last fall to study the polar Aquariums. ©2009 Memphis Zoo bears. Read about her experiences as our Arctic Ambassador. 1 Memphis Zoo, we salute you. FedEx is proud to support a hometown treasure like the Memphis Zoo. This fall, experience the zoo’s newest adventure, Teton Trek. fedex.com © 2009 FedEx Creature Feature Elk (Cervus canadensis) by Emily Smith, Team Leader — Northwest Passage This fall the Zoo’s Teton Trek exhibit will take visitors on a journey through Yellowstone National Park right here in Memphis. Among the animals to be fea- tured in this four-acre exhibit are elk, one of the largest mammals in North America. Elk are abundant in the Yellowstone ecosystem and are also found in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. At one time, elk inhabited most of the North American con- tinent but as pioneers moved west, over- hunting and habitat destruction caused elk to disappear from most of the United States. The last historical record of elk in Tennessee was in 1865. Recently, elk have been reintro- duced in some of the eastern states where they once lived, including Tennessee. Elk live in herds in and around forested habitat and feed on plants, leaves, grasses and tree bark. Male elk, called bulls, stand five feet tall at the shoulder and are eight feet in length nose to tail. I currently work with the Pere David Deer in CHINA. In this deer species, a male at his largest could stand four feet at the shoulder and weigh 450 lbs. A bull elk could weigh twice as much! Only male elk have antlers, which are shed each winter Did You Know… It’s so exciting to have elk coming to the Zoo because of their impressive size. It’s • Male elk, called bulls, can weigh one thing to read about an animal, but be- up to 900 pounds. ing able to see an elk in person will really • Bugling is the distinct call of male leave a lasting impression. combined with the howling of the timber elk that can be heard for miles. Mating season occurs in the fall. Dur- wolves will make Teton Trek a truly wild ing this time, males use antler wrestling, experience! • The calves weigh around 30 posturing and bugling to attract females As you make your way through Teton pounds and have a spotted coat that and establish dominance over other males. Trek later this year, look for this majes- serves as camouflage. Bugling is the distinct call of male elk tic member of the deer family just past • Elk live an average of 11 years in that can be heard for miles. It consists of Firehole Falls. The overlook viewing will the wild but advantages in captivity high pitches, shrill screams, and grunts give you an up-close look at the impres- can increase their life span to 20 and cannot be confused with any other sive and beautiful elk in their new forest years or more. call of the wild. The bugling call of an elk habitat. Hope to see you there! 3 SPOT YOU AT THE ZOO Special SPOT YOU AT THE ZOO Feature Engaged at the Zoo by Abbey Dane “We had Spanish class together our they began dating. Earlier that week, Charlie sophomore, junior and senior years,” had gone to Mallory’s parents to ask for her Charlie said. “We didn’t know each other hand in marriage. “She knew it was going to very well until I randomly asked her to happen soon, but she was not expecting it senior prom.” that night.” Three years after their first date, Charlie The two are currently in a long-distance decided to seal the deal by taking Mallory relationship while they finish college. to their “place” — the Memphis Zoo. Charlie is studying mechanical engineering “The Zoo, Mallory’s favorite place in all at Michigan State University, while Mallory of Memphis, has become our place since is hoping to attend pharmacy school after S ZOO I Charlie Baird and Mallory Taylor at Zoo Lights we bought a dual membership together she completes her biology degree at the MEMPH after a month of dating,” Charlie said. University of Arkansas. “We visit the Zoo at least once every time Both are expected to graduate in May In May 2010, Charlie Baird will marry his we are in Memphis together.” of 2010 and plan to marry after graduation. high school sweetheart. He has been dating Charlie decided to pop the question While they have not yet decided on a Mallory Taylor since he first, somewhat unex- at Zoo Lights, where they have made a location, they are considering returning to pectedly, asked her to senior prom at Cordova tradition of going every Christmas since “their place” for a wedding at the Zoo. High School. Interested in saying “I Do” at the Zoo? Call (901)333-6572 or visit memphiszoo.org to find out how you can reserve the perfect setting for your wedding or reception. “Caring is A Tribute to Wayne Carlisle what I remember (1942 - 2009) as the essence of Wayne Carlisle.” Wayne Carlisle, more affectionately called a hard worker who loved his job, but also “Slick” by those who knew him best, knew — HOUS T ON WINBIGLER , as a warm, compassionate friend who always the Memphis Zoo better than anyone else. His ASSIS ta N T CUR at OR reminded you of the important things. OF Mamma LS 50-year career at the Zoo ended earlier this year “Wayne Carlisle was bear-like in defending with his passing. He was 66. what he loved,” Winbigler said. “He was bear- Houston Winbigler, Assistant Curator of Mam- like in providing for us all and teaching us how mals and Zoo employee of 37 years, shares one of his to do what needed to be done.” many memories of Wayne: “He was a strong man,” Winbigler recalls. “We used iam to receive semi loads of alfalfa hay and the animal staff r would gather to throw hay bales into the loft of the Round Barn. Anyone who stood on the receiving end of Wayne’s throw was in for a rigorous workout. He usually had emo other things he needed to do, and he wanted to get the job done. I should add that while most of us were covered in itchy green alfalfa, he was spotless after unloading a hay truck.” In M Gail Karr, Assistant Curator of Mammals, worked with Wayne for 23 years. “We’ll miss Wayne in so many ways,” Karr said. “I think all the keepers will miss seeing that white truck come down the service road. Wayne would always stop and offer you a ride if he saw you walking. You could guarantee it would be a long ride because of all the stops he would make along the way.” S ZOO Wayne’s friends and family remember him as a man I who added so much to the Memphis Zoo — not only as Wayne Carlisle MEMPH 4 EYE Polar Bears in Peril On COnservation by Elizabeth Bailey, 2008 Arctic Ambassador Last year, Memphis sent a representative to Manitoba, Canada to take part in the Arctic Ambassador program to study the plight of the polar bear.