Building a SAFE Future Protecting the Most Vulnerable Species
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MAY 2015 A publication of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Building a SAFE Future Protecting the Most Vulnerable Species STRENGTH IN NUMBERS AZA AFRICAN THE ZAAHP FUSION CENTER AZA-Accredited Facilities Speak in a PENGUIN CONSERVATION Single Voice on D.C. Advocacy Days By the Numbers May 2015 Features 16 22 28 Building a SAFE Future AZA All Hazards Strength in Numbers Association of Zoos and Preparedness and This month, Association Aquariums representatives Response of Zoos and Aquariums- traveled to South Africa The Association of Zoos accredited facilities, with as part of SAFE: Saving and Aquariums is developing the help of some feathered, Animals From Extinction. In the Zoo and Aquarium furred or scaled friends, will its fi rst year, SAFE will focus All Hazards Preparedness descend on Capitol Hill to on three species and a class Response and Recovery draw attention to critical of fi sh—including African Fusion Center (or ZAAHP issues affecting the zoo and penguins, cheetahs, western Fusion Center) with the aquarium community and pond turtles and sharks. support of the United States the animal world. BY KATE SILVER Department of Agriculture. BY TRACEY LYNN SHIFFLETT BY TOM PRICE May 2015 | www.aza.org 1 PREMIUM NUTRITION FOR YOUR CARNIVORES Your animals are your zoo. Protect and care for them with the most nutritous carnivore entree in the industry. The first all-pork complete diet formulated specifically for zoo carnivores, Carnivore Essentials is backed by years of extensive field research and testing, and proven to be a safe, nutritious diet for all carnivores. Your animals deserve only the very best. Feed them Carnivore Essentials. www.CarnivoreEssentials.com 800-890-7039 [email protected] 7 9 22 Member View Departments 7 Conservation Spotlight 10 Animal Welfare 38 Faces & Places The Gladys Porter Zoo in New research explores 43 Brownsville, Texas, is a visitor- ambassador animal welfare. Exhibits oriented zoological and 11 43 Advertiser Index botanical park, dedicated to Conservation 44 the preservation of nature. Grants Fund Announcements Dr. Peter Leimgruber and 45 8 Green Tales Dr. Melissa Songer of the Calendar About the Cover African penguins The National Aquarium Smithsonian Conservation 56 Births & Hatchings in Baltimore, Md., is Biology Institute have employing an innovative traveled into rural Myanmar denitrifi cation system. to help combat human- 9 Pizzazz in Print elephant confl ict. An ad featuring Joel Sartore 12 Research was created to promote This month’s selection of what the Columbus Zoo and has been published. Aquarium’s Conservation Lecture Series. 13 By the Numbers AZA and African penguin conservation. © AZA VISIT US ONLINE Editorial policy: Connect is published by the aza.org Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), a nonprofi t, tax-exempt organization dedicated to the advance- LIKE US ON FACEBOOK ment of zoological parks and aquariums for conser- facebook.com/Association vation, education, scientifi c studies and recreation. Issued to members as a OfZoosAndAquariums free service; not available as a subscription. Mailed during the fi rst week of the month. Articles submitted for Connect do not necessarily refl ect the opinions FOLLOW US ON TWITTER and policies of AZA. twitter.com/zoos_aquariums Mission: Connect is a forum for promoting AZA’s mission by highlighting zoo E-MAIL THE EDITOR and aquarium trends, industry initiatives, conservation efforts and member [email protected] achievements. Copyright policy: All items appearing in Connect are copyright of AZA. Permission to reprint items must be obtained by contacting AZA’s Publications Department at [email protected]. Advertising policy: Advertising is available. AZA reserves the right to refuse advertising not consistent with its mission. Ad contracts are issued on an annual basis, and ads are accepted on a one, three, six, nine or 12-time basis. Deadline for insertion orders is the fi rst of the month preceding publication. Deadline for artwork is the 10th of the month preceding publication. Rates and mechanical requirements are available upon request. May 2015 | www.aza.org 3 EDITOR Tim Lewthwaite ASSISTANT EDITOR Jennifer Fields REDESIGN AND ART DIRECTION Engaging an LTD Creative GRAPHIC DESIGNER Important Audience Lisa Cadigan, Cadigan Creative ADVERTISING Gina Velosky Th e Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) works diligently to assure that AZA-ac- (301) 562-0777, ext. 254, [email protected] EDITORIAL BOARD credited facilities, and policies that support them, are well-represented with federal, state Thom Benson | Tennessee Aquarium and local governments. AZA has the resources to help you communicate eff ectively with Julie Larsen-Maher | Wildlife Conservation Society this important audience, but it is our voices that carry the real weight. I encourage you to Tim Lewthwaite | Editor Kristin L. Vehrs | Executive Director reach out to Congress, federal agencies and your state and local offi cials. It is increasingly true that “all politics is local,” and it is worth bearing in mind that state legislatures are becoming increasingly active on issues that aff ect the AZA-accred- ited zoo and aquarium community. By President and CEO building important relationships with Jim Maddy your state policy makers, you can make Executive Director Kristin L. Vehrs sure you are well placed to off er trusted Chief Operating Offi cer counsel when important issues that can Jill Nicoll aff ect our community come up. Senior Vice President of Conservation R & D and Policy Paul Boyle, PhD Staff at AZA-accredited facilities are Senior Vice President of Conservation and Science experts on wildlife and animal care issues, Debborah Luke, PhD and it is important that we continuously Senior Vice President of External Affairs Rob Vernon educate federal, state and local represen- Senior Vice President of Finance tatives about the important role we play Phil Wagner and the value of AZA accreditation. Vice President, Principal Gifts and Campaign Director for SAFE One important example of collab- Alison Davitt Vice President of Animal Programs oration between AZA and the federal Candice Dorsey, PhD government is the Zoo and Aquarium All Vice President, Conferences and Membership Hazards Preparedness Response and Recovery Fusion Center (ZAAHP Fusion Center), Melissa Howerton Vice President of Congressional Affairs which is being developed with United States Department of Agriculture support. Th e Jennifer Keaton Center will help zoos and aquariums identify, prepare and protect against threats and to Vice President of Accreditation Programs recover in the event that disaster does strike. Denny Lewis Vice President of Federal Relations Contact the AZA Government Aff airs department for more information on the Steve Olson ZAAHP Fusion Center and for guidance on reaching out to policy makers at all levels of For a full listing of AZA’s staff, visit www.aza.org/about-aza government. You can also visit the AZA Legislative Education Center on AZA’s website AZA BOARD OF DIRECTORS (www.aza.org) to learn about and take action on some of the important issues that face Chair our community. Dennis E. Pate | Executive Director and CEO, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium It was great seeing many of you at the record Mid-Year Meeting hosted by the River- Chair Elect banks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, S.C. I hope you found the conference as informa- Steve Burns | Director, Zoo Boise tive as I did. I look forward to seeing you in Salt Lake City for the Annual Conference in Vice Chair Dennis W. Kelly | Director, Smithsonian National September and in Omaha next March for another successful Mid-Year Meeting. Zoological Park Past Chair Jackie Ogden, PhD | Vice President, Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Directors Jim Breheny | Executive Vice President and General Director, Zoos and Aquarium, Jonathan Little Cohen Director of the Bronx Zoo, Wildlife Conservation Society Dennis E. Pate Lynn B. Clements | Director, Virginia Aquarium and Marine Executive Director and CEO Science Center Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium Jim Hekkers | Managing Director, Monterey Bay Aquarium Gregg Hudson | Executive Director and Chief Executive Offi cer, Dallas Zoo Management, Inc. Steve Marshall | Zoo Director, El Paso Zoo Amos Morris | Zoo Director, Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden Douglas G. Myers | President and CEO, San Diego Zoo Global Craig Pugh | CEO, Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo Peggy Sloan | Director, North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher 4 www.aza.org | May 2015 Now in FREE 6 Languages Download the App A fun and educational free App packed full of useful information with links to social media for global impact. Test new Discover knowledge in 400 different biodiversity animal species games Discover how Be inspired with Zoos and a new action Aquariums everyday are conserving biodiversity facebook.com/BioDiversityIsUs facebook.com/BioDiversityIsUstwitter.com/BioDivUs twitter.com/BioDivUsinstagram.com/BioDiversityIsUs 6 www.aza.org | May 2015 Conservation Spotlight GladysGld PorterP t Zoo In 2013, 42 Association of Zoos and Aquar- iums (AZA)-accredited facilities reached the goal of dedicating three percent of their annual operating budgets to fi eld conserva- tion. Each month, this feature will highlight the work of one of the zoos or aquariums that have achieved this goal and how they have made fi eld conservation an integral part of the work they do. Gladys Porter Zoo’s Mission ted newts. “Successful conservation requires Gladys Porter Zoo Th e Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, a cornerstone of cooperation,” said Dr. Pat- Conservation Facts Texas, is a visitor-oriented zoological and rick Burchfi eld, the Zoo’s executive director. • Partnering with the San Antonio in San botanical park, dedicated to the preservation “We have the location, the passion and the Antonio, Texas, and the Cincinnati Zoo of nature through education, conservation tenacity. But our partners make it work.” and Botanical Garden, in Cincinnati, and research. Th e Zoo leverages broad partnerships Ohio, the Zoo oversees the Wild Cats to address global crocodile conservation.