A Message from the Saint Louis Zoo 2007 – Looking Back, Looking Ahead

We ended 2007 not by looking back, but by looking ahead. At the end of the year, the governing bodies of the Saint Louis Zoo adopted an ambitious, forward- thinking, five-year strategic plan that holds the promise of making our great Zoo even better. The most comprehensive plan the Zoo has ever undertaken, it outlines our plans to improve dramatically our exhibits and programs, better meet our guests’ needs, rebuild our aging infrastructure, and strengthen our growing endowment. As part of this plan, we made two critical decisions: first, we have decided to pay off the remainder of the Zoo’s outstanding bond obligation by the end of 2008; second, we decided to work toward merging the Zoo’s two extraordinary support organizations, the Friends The Legacy Continues Strategic Plan 2007 and the Trustees, into a single entity, also by the end of 2008. This merger will allow us to take maximum advantage of the unbelievable talent and energy of both boards and their leaders. We ended 2007 somewhat fearful of the impact of the highway closure, but resolved to make the Zoo so exciting in 2008 that no one could resist coming this year, even if there is a bit of traffic and aggravation. That’s why we’re bringing 16 animatronic dinosaurs to the Zoo for “Dinoroarus,” an incredible show that will dramatically illustrate the perils of animal extinction. And, while the Chinese claim 2008 as the Year of the Rat, here at the Zoo (and in zoos and aquariums around the world) it will be the Year of the Frog. In our Zoo we’re planning a wonderful new exhibit called “Awesome Amphibians”, which will open on Leap Day, February 29, 2008 (Get it? Frogs? Leap Day?). And, we can promise some more exciting surprises for 2009…

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We’re also looking ahead to 2010. It may be the Year an incredible number of significant births, including of the Tiger in the Chinese calendar, but it is also numerous pit vipers, frogs, a fire-bellied newt and our Centennial Year, the 100th anniversary of the seven rare Panamanian golden frogs. founding of the Saint Louis Zoological Society. While Our bird department continued the Zoo opened to the public in 1913, there were its success with penguins and animals on display in St. Louis even before the Flight also hatched out 12 American Cage was opened in 1904. Celebrating the year that flamingos. Of even greater founders made their historic commitment to build significance, we hatched white- this great institution seems to be the most appropriate throated ground doves for the date; I think they would be proud of all that our Zoo first time in our history and has accomplished for our community and for the displayed Saipan golden white- preservation of endangered species world-wide. eyes, also a first. We had an While we certainly have a great deal to look forward enormous amount to celebrate to, we also had a banner year to celebrate in 2007! in our primate unit. You’ll recall that when we first For one thing, 2,956,741 people enjoyed the Zoo opened the Lipton Fragile Forest, our chimps were in 2007, almost 36,000 more than we projected. not exactly enthusiastic This is great news, considering we did not open about the idea of going any new exhibits this year, clearly a driving factor in outdoors. Well, 2007 other good attendance years. We also enjoyed great saw a dramatic change revenue performances in 2007 in operating revenue, in both the social investment performance and increases in giving to our structure and behavior Endowment Trust. of our troop and, thanks to a lot of hard Of course, the Zoo is all about the animals. In the work by our staff, this antelope area alone we had 19 births representing exhibit is now one of eight different species of highly endangered animals the most exciting in the Zoo. including bongo, oryx, takin and babirusa. But the big news (forgive the bad pun) was the birth of Jade, Over 600,000 visitors attended the Monsanto our gorgeous new baby elephant, on February 25, Insectarium, which continues to be a much more 2007. Jade’s “big sister,” popular attraction since we removed the admission Mahlia, also celebrated charge. While we still charge an admission for the her first birthday and dad, Emerson Children’s Zoo, we added a number of Raja, turned 15! River’s attractions in 2007 including a new ruffed lemur Edge also saw some other exhibit, summer shows and a new biome exhibit on life important new arrivals in the trees. including two new black All of these critters have to eat, and 2007 saw one of rhino, which we hope the most important additions to the Zoo since our to breed in the coming inception—the new Orthwein Animal Nutrition years. The Charles H. Center. Our first “green” building, this facility Hoessle Herpetarium had allows us to feed some 22,000 animals and also has a

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phenomenal education space. In addition to feeding little American burying beetles (which we are hoping the animals, we also have to provide for their medical to reintroduce to Missouri soon). But perhaps the health. As in years past, our Veterinary staff sees about most compelling story of 2007 was the release of oryx five patients a day, every single day of the year, and and addax (one of them born here at the Zoo) back to writes 1,600 prescriptions – all this, and they still had their native range in Tunisia. time to train our first intern from Madagascar. Underlying all of this is some pretty impressive research. In the area of nutrition, we’re working to take an invasive species— those nasty Asian carp that jump into people’s boats—and turn them into healthy food for fish-eating birds. We’re also doing research on the nutritional value of crayfish—an important part of the diet of our hellbenders. In the area of reproductive science we also saw an In addition to upgrading our animal care program, important first. In collaboration with Dr. Sherman we also improved our visitor experience by upgrading Silber and his colleagues in Japan, we super-froze the National City Sea Lion Arena and we improved oocytes (or eggs) from endangered wolves, the first visitor safety by installing a campus-wide public time that female genes have ever been preserved in this address system. But it was our Education program manner. We’re continuing our work with Washington that recorded some of the most impressive results. University scientists on the reproductive behavior of They played a key role in hosting the national meeting the Somali wild ass and the Grevy’s zebra, and are of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Docents, now doing research on the role of mate choice in increased attendance at our popular Camp Kangazoo reproductive success. by 42 percent, and expanded our educational programs Our conservation work for 2007 featured a number in early childhood education, outreach, overnights, of fascinating programs for home school students, and programs and highlights. We completed our conservation program in the Bosawas Reserve in Nicaragua (you may have seen the recent article on this in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) and continued our program of health assessment on the Humboldt penguins of Peru and of the rare birds of the Galapagos Islands. We continued our research on the nutritional requirements of horned guans and are still the only zoo in the United States to display these magnificent birds. We’re continuing our work with Grevy’s zebra in Kenya, carnivores in Tanzania, vipers in Armenia, tree kangaroos in New Guinea and, closer to home, our native hellbenders and those charming

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tours for school groups. By year’s end, we had offered and we added a number of excellent interns and more than 2,000 programs to about 300,000 people field staff. We couldn’t, however, do what we do of all ages. Last, but not least, the Mary Ann Lee without our wonderful volunteers, who contributed Conservation Carousel saw its one millionth an amazing 94,016 hours of service to the Zoo. rider in 2007! With all this going on, there were plenty of Zoo stories None of this would have been possible without our in the media. In fact, we had 1,777 print stories that great Zoo donors. reached over 213 million readers and 839 broadcast • In 2007 we had donations of $7.8 million, an stories reaching a local and national audience of over increase of 188 percent over last year 85 million. Add to that 90 new “At the Zoo” TV show segments and 18 new episodes and • We exceeded our $4.3 million goal for the you have to agree that the Zoo received Orthwein Animal Nutrition Center by $1 million tremendous media exposure in 2007. • Met the $500,000 George Veirheller Fund for Everything we do, we do for one simple reason— Zoological Medicine challenge because we care about animals and their future! We • $3 million in new endowment gifts, thanks can look back at some of our accomplishments, for particularly to a $1.725 million gift from the Saigh example having two of our conservation programs Foundation to endow our first curatorship in the listed on the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ history of the Zoo (AZA) Top Ten Conservation Projects of 2007, our • The Marlin Perkins Society set a new record with many historic firsts in research, but they don’t mean $1.3 million in annual support anything if they don’t result in a more secure future for wild things. Our tag line, “Animals Always”, is more • Our memberships increased in number, reaching than just a slogan. It drives and informs everything we an all-time high of 42,309 in July do at the Zoo. • We had some record-breaking success in our I hope you’ve enjoyed this short look back at 2007 annual events. ZOOFARI hit an all-time high but, more importantly, I hope you’ll join us in looking with 2,700 guests and raised a record-setting ahead. Our five-year plan charts a new course for an $880,000 in gross revenue exciting and fulfilling future. I deeply appreciate your • Our Group Sales department also set a new record role in our continued success, and I know you’ll remain with $2.3 million in revenue by hosting over 525 a valued member of our Zoo family as we look ahead events at the Zoo to the years to come. In addition to our friends and supporters we have Thank you for doing your part—believing in us! a great staff. Some of them have been with us for a long time ( Jerry McNeal, a keeper in the Herpetarium, celebrated his 40th anniversary with the Zoo), and with sadness some of them retired in 2007 (Dr. Bill Boever stands out). All of our 300-plus full time staff and 600 part time and seasonal staff are immensely talented and dedicated. As an example, the Zoo reached an all- time high of 18 certified staff scuba divers in 2007

February 2008