FRESNO CHAFFEE ZOO 2017 ANNUAL REPORT 2017 ANNUAL Fresno Chaffee Zoo Mission To inspire wonder of our natural world, provide an engaging learning environment, and create a Contents passion for conservation. 2 Board of Directors & Senior Management 2017 3 From the Director’s Desk Board of Directors 4 Animal Collection John Valentino, Chair 8 Education Tom Richards, Vice Chair 10 Financial Report Craig Saladino, Treasurer Sharon Levy, Secretary 12 Conservation Efforts Colin Dougherty 16 Events Chelsea Cates Ed Gonzalez 20 Veterinary Report George Nokes 22 Community Outreach Ken Price Shari Rainwater 24 Major Donors 25 Staff by the Numbers 2017 26 Future Plans Senior Management Scott Barton, CEO/Zoo Director Amos Morris, COO/Deputy Director Brian Goldman, Chief Financial Officer Published by Fresno Chaffee Zoo 894 West Belmont Avenue Lyn Myers, General Curator Fresno, CA 93728 Dr. Shannon Nodolf, Chief Telephone: 559-498-5910 Veterinary Officer fresnochaffeezoo.org Alisha Anderson, Chief Marketing Graphic Design: Luis Cerrillos & Development Officer On the front cover: White Rhino, Rudo. Laura Martina, SPHR, Chief Photo by Heather Davis. Human Resource Officer On the back cover: Vietnamese box Sandy Pitts, C.I.T., Education Officer turtle. Photo by Ryan Gruber. Lisa Condoian, Zoo Operations Officer 2 | 2017 Annual Report From the Director’s Desk “The day I’m not improving will be the day I hang up the racket.” - Venus Williams ortunately, we The Zoo has a nine person Board don’t have to who each serve up to 3 year terms. worry about In 2017, four Board members hanging up our ended their service to the Zoo. racket. Each These volunteers did a remarkable year, Fresno Chaffee Zoo job overseeing Fresno Chaffee Zoo Fcontinues to grow and and shaping it to be the Zoo it is improve. In 2017, much of today. We thank Colin Dougherty, that growth had to do with animal George Nokes, Sheri Rainwater, successes; we saw our first ever and John Valentino for their years Southern white rhinoceros born at of dedicated service. the Zoo, and we saw our lion cub, born in 2016, make his debut to Finally, we thank our community the public! We began construction for believing that, with their on Wilderness Falls, our new support, Fresno could have a water play area opening in May world class zoo. We’ve turned the 2018, and continued design and corner and are achieving national planning for a number of future recognition, but we have so projects, including warthogs, Asia much more in our future. We look (tiger, sloth bear, orangutan and forward to continuing our growth more), and African River (hippos, and improvement to provide our crocodiles and more). community with a Zoo you’re proud to show your friends and We had 833,114 guests visit the families. Zoo, including visitors from all 50 states and 27 countries. We Scott Barton also welcomed 1,227 field trip CEO/Zoo Director groups, totaling 72,934 students who visited with their schools. We greatly look forward to continuing to provide a great resource for the Valley’s educators. 2017 Annual Report | 3 Animal Collection n 2017, Fresno Chaffee Zoo In addition to our lion cub making Fresno Chaffee Zoo also welcomed welcomed a few new faces his exhibit debut, we also saw the the addition of a male addax. to our beautiful African arrival of our very first Southern The Species Survival Program savannas. One of the first white rhinoceros calf. On January (SSP) placed this male with our was our male lion cub, 24, 2017, the Zoo’s ungulate team Zoo with the hope that he will Kijani, who was born in October, arrived early in the morning to a produce future generations with I2016. Kijani grew very quickly. Just new, awkwardly standing rhino our two females. This breeding after the first of the year, he was calf. This was a first for our Zoo! recommendation to Fresno large enough and brave enough Historically, Fresno Chaffee Zoo Chaffee Zoo could have wide to venture out into the savanna was simply a home for white ranging impact to future addax exhibit with his family. He quickly rhinos, but we did not have success populations. The addax is listed grew into a fearless cub as long as in producing offspring. Tim and as critically endangered. Their he had the rest of the pride Kayla, our current adult rhinos, wild populations have gone close by. changed that trend for our Zoo. through a 99 percent reduction Rumor has it that our beautiful, in geographical range in the last new exhibit, African Adventure century. Today’s populations are Animal Collection brought good luck! found only in Niger, numbering less 2017 Totals than 100 individuals. Invertebrates Species 5 Individuals 246 Births and Hatchings Animal Acquisitions Cartilaginous Fish (Chondricthyes) Species 4 Reptiles and Amphibians Reptiles and Amphibians Individuals 39 (“Herps”) (“Herps”) 0.0.17 tentacled snakes 0.0.12 Anthony’s poison dart frogs (new species) Bony Fish (Osteicthyes) 0.0.1 Indochinese box turtle 0.1 California tiger salamander Species 23 0.0.1 Golfodulcean poison dart frog 3.0 Malagasy leaf-tailed gecko (new species) Individuals 240 1.1 Baja Blue rock lizard (new species) Amphibians Cartilaginous Fish Birds Species 25 1.0 Southern red stingray Individuals 108 1.0 black-necked stilt Birds 0.1 eastern brown pelican Reptiles 3.0 blue-crowned motmot 1.1 chestnut-mandibled toucan Species 63 1.4 yellow-rumped cacique 0.1 sunbittern Individuals 180 1.1 laughing kookaburra 2.2 burrowing owl 0.1 Nicobar pigeon 1.1 troupial Birds 0.1 pied imperial pigeon 1.0 Guam Rail Species 71 2.2 Inca tern Individuals 247 Mammals Mammals 0.1 greater kudu Mammals 1.0 giant anteater Species 56 0.2 cheetah Individuals 168 1.0 southern white rhinoceros 0.3 Kenyan impala 1.1 north Sulawesi babirusa (new species) Totals Species 247 0.1 Tammar wallaby 1.0 Male 0.1 Female 0.0.1 Unknown sex Individuals 1,228 1.0 addax 4 | 2017 Annual Report Male African lion, Kijani. Along with our African additions, we also enjoyed the birth of a South American greater anteater. Although this was her first birth, our female quickly adapted to her role as a new mother. Pico, our young anteater has grown very quickly. In 2018, Pico will be moving on to another zoo, which will be about the same time he would naturally venture off on his own. Two long term residents also left our Zoo in 2017. Shaunzi, our Asian elephant found a new home at the Los Angeles Zoo. With the passing of Asian elephant, Kara, who was Shaunzi’s long life companion, we knew it was imperative to find a new home for Shaunzi where she would have opportunities to build new relationships with other Asian elephants. Another departure was Kelsa, our 25 They were transferred from as well as their new surroundings. year old Malayan tapir. Kelsa was by Florida and San Diego to Fresno Babirusa are another SSP species no means an old tapir but she was where they have settled nicely with a recommendation for reaching an age that decreased her into their new home. They both breeding.0.2 Capybara We are excited to have chances of reproduction. Although are very comfortable with their this new species at Fresno Chaffee Kelsa had been unsuccessful with new keepers and have quickly Zoo and look forward to what the previous males, the SSP decided become the stars of our Behind- future will bring for them. they wanted to give her one more the-Scenes program, eagerly breeding opportunity with a new greeting guests every day. Looking back, it is exciting to male at the San Diego Zoo. Two babirusa, a curious yet recap all of the changes and unusual looking pig species, positive strides that our staff and With the Asian elephant and Malayan moved into the Malayan tapir animals achieved in 2017. It is tapir exhibits empty, we were able exhibit. They are a wild pig clear that Fresno Chaffee Zoo is to do a few renovations. After a few found on the island of Sulawesi. growing more and more each coats of paint, pool work and the Babirusa are distinguished by year, all thanks to the community’s addition of trees, we welcomed two their seemingly hairless bodies support. The growth is not only new species to Fresno Chaffee Zoo. and large curving tusks that can measured by the Zoo’s expansions, Two young male, greater one-horned grow through the skin on their but also in our commitment rhinos moved into our previous Asian snouts and curve backward and impact in animal care and elephant exhibit. toward their foreheads. These conservation. We are looking two individuals, Brook and Shire, forward to many more years of are getting to know each other exciting changes! 2017 Annual Report | 5 Male giant anteater, Pico with mother, Chive. Male addax , Zinder, adapting to his new home. Female Malayan tapir, Kelsa. Southern white rhinoceros calf, Rudo, enjoying the savannah in African Adventure. 6 | 2017 Annual Report Shaunzi, cooling off in the exhibit pool. Greater one-horned rhinos, Chutti and Maza, in the renovated Asian elephant exhibit. Northern Sulawesi babirusa, Brook, in the previous Malayan tapir exhibit. 2017 Annual Report | 7 Education 2017 was the biggest year ever for Zoo Camp (Summer, Winter, and Spring) at Fresno Chaffee Zoo, with 1,665 campers. This program offers unforgettable experiences for children from pre-K to 12th grade through a myriad of activities, including active play, scientific investigation, art, and of course, animal encounters! Docent Spotlight: Volunteer Overview Dorothy Fortune Fresno Chaffee Zoo volunteers are a vital part of the Zoo team.