A RICH TREASURE, FISCAL YEAR 2012 ANNUAL REPORT A CRITICAL MISSION (JULY 1, 2011 – JUNE 30, 2012) WHO WE ARE Zoo New England is the non-profit organization responsible for the operation of Franklin Park Zoo in Boston and Stone Zoo in Stoneham, Mass. Both Zoos are accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). Zoo New England's mission is to inspire people to protect and sustain the natural world for future generations by creating fun and engaging experiences that integrate wildlife and conserva - tion programs, research, and education. To learn more about our Zoos, education programs and conservation efforts, please visit us at www.zoonewengland.org OFFICERS FY12: July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012 Gordon Carr - Board Chair Ed Toomey - Board Vice Chair Peter Wilson - Board Treasurer DIRECTORS FY12: July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012 Robert Beal Walter Little Rory Browne, D. Phil Lynda MacDonald Gordon Clagett Harry Nudelman Jeff Corwin Daniel O’Connell James Dunbar David Passafaro Bruce Enders Jeanne Pinado David Friedman, Esq. David C. Porter Brenda Furlong Claudia Richter, MD Janice Houghton Jay Kemp Smith Councillor Tito Jackson Beth Williams Byron Kalogerou, Esq. ADVISORY COUNCIL FY12: July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012 Officers: Rory Browne, D. Phil – Advisory Council Chair Kathy Vieweg – Advisory Council Vice Chair Members: Alexis Belash Jackie Henke Andrew Mauck Lloyd Hamm Beatrice Flammia John MacNeil Bill Byrne Mitsou MacNeil Curt Dietrich Mark Gudaitis David Hirschberg Mark Vaughan Esq. Diana McDonald Samantha Overton Donna Denio Bussell Elizabeth Cook Susanne Macdonald Hathaway Jade Terry Schneider Jessica Gifford Nigrelli Alan K. Stern Cover: Red panda twins were born at Franklin Park Zoo in July 2011. Photo by Fran Mandeville Zoo Supporters, Fiscal year 2012 was a very exciting year for Zoo New England marked with many achievements and new opportunities. From exciting births including a kangaroo joey, white-cheeked gibbon, and a Grevy’s zebra, to engaging interactive experiences such Aussie Aviary, Butterfly Landing and the always memorable Masters of Flight: Birds of Prey show, there was so much to share. Franklin Park Zoo celebrated a century of fun and adventure and people of all ages enjoyed the many celebrations in honor of the Zoo’s 100th birthday. As part of the centennial celebration, we presented the thrilling seasonal exhibit Zoorassic Park where visitors were immersed in a prehistoric journey through time filled with moving, roaring, life-like animatronic dinosaurs, including the imposing Tyrannosaurus rex. As vibrant, essential contributors to our region’s cultural landscape, Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo provide affordable, fun activities for families while simultaneously educating and inspiring wildlife conservationists and supporters. In FY12, more than 660,000 children, teens, adults, tourists, teachers and students visited the Zoos making FY12 a record-setting year. In fact, attendance increased 25 percent over FY11, strengthening our reputation as being a must-see destination. Within our gates, classroom learning is brought to life and family memories are created. In FY12, we welcomed more than 47,000 students who visited our Zoos through school field trips. Their laughter and squeals of excitement were contagious as they streamed through our gates for a day of fun and learning. As the fiscal year drew to a close, we were anxiously preparing for the opening of our new, magnificent playground at Franklin Park Zoo which was made possible by the Play 2 Dream Foundation. Delivering on our mission and inspiring tomorrow’s conservation leaders requires great vision as well as passion, creativity and commitment. We are fortunate to have a skilled and dedicated group of professional staff and a strong core of devoted Board members and volunteers working together to enhance our Zoos. The members of our greatly expanded Board of Directors provide strategic direction, insights, technical expertise, financial resources and untold hours of hard work in a commitment to raising our Zoos to the pinnacle of quality. We look ahead with a sense of excitement and anticipation. Our Zoos are on the move and the years to come will be marked by transformation and growth that will help us truly realize the vision for these beloved institutions. We are privileged to have the loyal and generous Zoo members, donors and volunteers recognized in this Annual Report who are fueling this initiative. With your continued support, and that of a growing number of partners, we are making it happen! Sincerely, John Linehan President & CEO A kangaroo joey began to poke its head out of its mother’s pouch in February 2012 at Franklin Park Zoo. The arrival marked the first kangaroo birth at the Zoo since 2005. Zoos That Inspire Our Zoos play a unique role in connecting people to the Significant Animal Achievements natural world while providing engaging, memorable experiences. Each animal is an ambassador for its species and has an At Franklin Park Zoo, visitors watched in pure enchantment important story to tell in regard to the importance of wildlife along the Outback Trail as Skippy the kangaroo hopped by with protection and habitat preservation. Some species rely on zoos in her baby in her pouch. At Stone Zoo, guests were thoroughly part for their comeback from the brink of extinction. Management delighted to watch Paddy, a white-cheeked gibbon, learn to of animals within and cooperatively between institutions swing and play alongside his parents. accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is Whether it’s a family outing, a corporate picnic or a school vital for ensuring healthy, genetically diverse populations. field trip, our Zoos provide a welcoming environment where all Zoo New England has been an active participant in and guests can enjoy themselves and learn about the incredible ani - contributor to a number of important Species Survival Plans mals that we share our planet with. In FY12, we had record- (SSPs) for many years. SSPs, cooperative, inter-zoo programs co - breaking attendance with more than 660,000 visitors who ordinated nationally through AZA, are designed to maintain ge - enjoyed everything that our Zoos have to offer. We are working netically diverse and demographically stable captive populations hard to realize our vision for the future of these Zoos and are of species. committed to building world-class institutions for you and your family to enjoy for generations to come. In FY12, the Zoos experienced quite a baby boom and visitors delighted in seeing all of the new faces. In early July, red panda twins were born at Franklin Park Zoo, marking the first birth of this endangered species at the Zoo. Born helpless and with closed eyes, the twins, a male and a female, stayed in the nest box with their mother for three months after birth. They caused quite a sensation when they made their exhibit debut in October. In addition to the red panda twins, other births and hatchings included an endangered Grevy’s zebra, a red kanga - roo, and rare Siberian crane chicks. The kangaroo joey first began to poke its head out of its mother’s pouch in February. Kangaroo babies are born after a very short 30 to 35 day gestation and are about the size of a jelly bean. Joeys begin to emerge from the pouch for short periods at around 190 days. The arrival marked the first kan - garoo birth at the Zoo since 2005. A few months later, a rare Siberian crane chick hatched. Franklin Park Zoo is one of three North American institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to house these critically endangered birds. It is estimated that roughly 3,000 of these cranes, noted for their pure white plumage and black flight feathers, remain in the wild. The Zoo, the first in North America to successfully breed these birds, has produced seven chicks since 1999. This success is the result of a lot of hard work and tech - nical expertise. The newest chick, hatched May 15, 2012, at Franklin Park Zoo is a result of artificial insemination. Because these birds hail from the high Arctic regions, each year on February 14 the Zoo staff increases the amount of light in the birds’ exhibit by one hour a week to simulate the light cycle in their native environment. The light is increased until the birds receive 21 to 22 hours of light a day. Once the light cycle reaches this point, the birds typically begin breeding. At Stone Zoo visitors also saw a number of new faces. New births and hatches included a white-cheeked gibbon, a prehensile-tailed porcupine and Caribbean flamingos. Since the birth of the white-cheeked gibbon on Sept. 2, 2011, visitors have taken great pleasure in watching Paddy grow from being a small, helpless baby clinging to his mother to the thriving, energetic young gibbon who now swings throughout the exhibit alongside his parents. Zoo New England participates in the White-cheeked Gibbon SSP, and this birth – a first for ZNE – is the result of Photos from top to bottom: Caribbean flamingos, a prehensile-tailed a recommended breeding between Iggy and Kien. porcupine, and Paddy, a white-cheeked gibbon, with his father Kien. Immersive Experiences At Franklin Park Zoo, the ever-engaging Aussie Aviary and Butterfly Landing were once again places where people could truly connect with the wonders of wildlife. Whether feeding the colorful budgies in Aussie Aviary or immersing themselves in the calm, tranquil environment of Butterfly Landing, people of all ages flocked to these interactive and educational spaces. Visitors were immersed in a prehistoric jour - ney through time at the thrilling Zoorassic Park, Visitors to the Zoos can enjoy memorable interactive experience including the engaging free-flight Masters of Flight: Birds of Prey show at Stone Zoo and the where a vast array of fascinating dinosaurs awaited opportunity to meet the giraffes at Franklin Park Zoo’s GiraffeTerrace.