Audubon Nature Institute | Conservation 2017

Looking for inspiration? I’m inspired every day by the people and projects in the 2017 Audubon Nature Institute Conservation Report. Our Audubon team members take their expertise, experience and professional networks, add in healthy doses of imagination and blue-sky thinking, and spin it all into solutions creating a positive impact on our eco-system and the world’s animals. Just when it seems our challenges are insurmountable, an Audubon program such as those you’ll learn about here will give me hope. With commitment and the help of supporters and peers around the region and around the world, Audubon makes conservation happen. It’s never been more important to keep moving forward for our children and our planet.

Sincerely,

Ron Forman President and CEO Audubon Nature Institute Participated in 148 2017 NEWS AZA managed programs

$1,162,000 Dedicated to conservation initiatives

2,500 Hours Coastal Wildlife Network Support

Participated 21 in more than YEARS Mississippi Supported 100 Sandhill Crane more than Species program has 30 field worked to Survival help these programs Plans and Partnership for Wildlife endangered around Studbooks We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to transform zoos and aquariums birds the globe with the Alliance for Sustainable Wildlife (ASW). Ensuring animals will engage and inspire future generations, this partnership between Audubon and San Diego Zoo Global launched in September 2017 at Freeport- McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center. The program provides a breeding haven for mammal and bird species declining in population. 35,000,000+ Viewers Before the year was out, ASW welcomed the birth of an endangered bongo From 443 editorial news stories about antelope. More births would quickly follow in 2018. the bongo birth announcement 1 Partnership Against Campaign FOUNDING SUPPORTER Ocean Plastics Results: of AZA’s SAFE Program The Aquarium garnered special recognition from the City of New Orleans in 2017 for efforts to address the growing 19 Aquariums Joined together for a plastics crisis in our oceans. Aquariums collective impact on the across the country are joining forces plastic pollution issue Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE) to shift away from single-use plastics, encouraging consumers to demand Audubon Nature Institute has continued its support of the alternatives. It’s all part of the “In Our 120,000,000 SAFE program through a substantial, multi-year pledge to Hands” consumer campaign of the Readers from 362 help ensure that it continues to mature. SAFE combines individual news stories Aquarium Conservation Partnership, the power of zoo and aquarium visitors with resources a coalition of 19 aquariums taking and expertise of Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) action together to advance ocean and 3,000,000 accredited zoos and aquariums to save vulnerable wildlife freshwater conservation. People reached from species from extinction. Audubon has supported sharks, rays, 60 dedicated emails and penguins through this program.

Crowdsourcing for Penguins “Invest in the Nest” launched in 2017, and exceeded our $150,000 goal for artificial nests for African penguins through crowdfunding on Kickstarter. Audubon CEO Ron Forman called it “…a great way for the public to join us in helping save African penguins in the wild.” The AZA partnership brought together scientists, engineers, accredited zoos and aquariums, and the public to construct nests for penguins, which have been declining in numbers, in South Africa.

2 Restoration Conservation Close to Home Near and Far

Audubon teamed up with From far-flung locales to familiar the New Orleans Pelicans areas close to home, Audubon and the Coalition to Nature Institute participates Restore Coastal Louisiana in field projects having a real- for a hands-on project world impact on wildlife. Our in Buras, La., in May. This work with Jamaican iguanas rewarding day doing good and Louisiana pines snakes conservation work included found our animal experts bagging oyster shells from in sometimes less-than- restaurants for transport to ideal conditions, bolstering oyster reef restoration sites. populations of species like This was the second year for these to give them a shot at Audubon’s participation in survival in the wild. the project, which began in 2014.

Partnering for Outreach

The Zoo Conservation Outreach Group (ZCOG) promotes capacity building and collaborative zoo and aquarium- based wildlife conservation efforts throughout the Americas. Audubon is especially proud to be a member of the ZCOG Leadership Circle, which provides critical operations and programming support allowing ZCOG to pursue its core mission.

Scholarship Outreach Audubon sponsors ZCOG’s Species Conservation and Management scholarship to help improve records-keeping standards in developing country zoos and aquariums. 3 Endangered BIG BIRTHS animal baby highlights

Audubon Zoo welcomed the births of two Barasingha deer. These “swamp deer” Penguin chicks hatched at the are part of the Association of Zoos Aquarium from 1990-2017. and Aquariums Species Survival Plan 54 population. The goal of the SSP is to create a genetically sustainable zoo population 10,584 Hours through cooperative breeding programs. Dedicated to raising these chicks

Births at Audubon Zoo of threatened mammals, birds, 44 reptiles, and amphibians

Endangered cranes hatched at the Freeport-McMoRan Audubon 12 Species Survival Center 85 Eggs Laid by the Whooping Cranes at the Survival Center from 2000-2017

Critically endangered eastern 1 bongo born at the Survival Center

4 30 Welcome Ruby A young endangered sea otter got a warm New Orleans welcome in March Arthropod species at the Aquarium. Ruby was bred at the just a day old when she was found abandoned Insect Rearing Lab off Monterey, California, and was determined to be unreleaseable. Audubon Aquarium was fortunate to bring her into our sea otter program. Ruby quickly fit right in and is a favorite with staff and guests, teaching visitors about the 70 fragile nature of the Pacific coast eco-system. Arthropod exhibits at Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium

The Butterfly Garden Colobus Blossom and Insectarium’s support lab in eastern Spring brought a different New Orleans is where kind of bloom to the Zoo in 2017 with an endangered staff maintain and baby colobus monkey. Ua, rear live arthropods which means “flower” in for display downtown. Swahili, was born March This offsets the need 17. The birth was part of the Association of Zoos to re-supply the and Aquariums (AZA) museum, saving Colobus Species Survival time and money Plan (SSP), a program to manage a genetically while giving staff healthy population of expertise in how to black and white colobus sustain managed monkeys in North American zoos. populations.

5 PROGRAMS 2017 Program Highlights

Since 1993, Freeport-McMoRan Audubon The Audubon Species Survival Center has been Audubon’s Aquatic Gulf United for Lasting Fisheries innovative off-site breeding and research Center at facility. The Survival Center is home campus the Survival $475,000 | 7,800 hours to a number of significant conservation Center serves programs, including Coastal Wildlife Network as an animal (CWN) and Gulf United for Lasting Fisheries rehab facility. (G.U.L.F.) Coastal Wildlife Network $125,226 | 2,500 hours

Whooping Crane Recovery Project $72,039 | 3,700 hours

Jamaican Iguana Recovery Program $5,300 | 200 hours

6 A Good Day for Raye Tasty Tradition

May 10 was a very good day for a rehabilitated Kemp’s ridley sea turtle It’s New Orleans, so it’s no surprise that our seafood sustainability initiative nicknamed Raye. The young turtle was found emaciated and dehydrated is incredibly delicious! The Sustainable Seafood Dinner Series presented by some ten months earlier in Lake Calcasieu and brought to Coastal Wildlife Gulf United for Lasting Fisheries (G.U.L.F.) continues to gain in popularity. Network (CWN) for recovery. On May 10, in partnership with Louisiana The second year of the series drew renowned chefs from across the Gulf Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the turtle, a federally-protected region celebrating the bounty of the Gulf of Mexico for enthusiastic diners. species, was released back into the wild. It was just the latest in a series of G.U.L.F. focuses on supporting our fisheries, creating sustainability projects successes for Audubon’s Coastal Wildlife Network, which has rehabilitated that will increase their profile to buyers, and educating consumers about more than 200 sea turtles since 2010. the importance of supporting local, domestic seafood. 7 Caring for the King 72 12 3 Enrichment and training programs for the creatures under our care enhance the quality of life for our Whooping cranes Whooping cranes Whooping cranes cherished animals. Case in living in the wild in released in 2017 into chicks raised at the point: endangered green sea turtle King Mydas at Louisiana where they the wildlife refuge. Survival Center the Aquarium was due were considered to in 2017. for a physical, so curators prepped him through be extinct. operant conditioning training in the weeks before the exam. The result? One very relaxed and compliant Decades of Crane 233-pound turtle who passed his 2017 physical Conservation with flying colors, even enjoying a snack or two in The distinctive call of the the process. endangered Mississippi sandhill crane has been ringing through Freeport- McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center for more than twenty years. As one of Audubon’s signature conservation initiatives, each year Reef Rescue cranes hatched and reared at Audubon are At the Aquarium, Reef released into the Mississippi Rangers were on the job, sandhill crane population taking a virtual dive into at the federal refuge in a coral reef environment Gautier, Mississippi. The to help restore the success of this program ecosystem. The cutting- led to Audubon assuming edge technology of a greater role in the “Reef Rescue” created a federal whooping crane unique, fun and rewarding reintroduction program. experience for guests, Audubon experts raised communicating the three of the twelve importance of coral reefs whooping crane chicks to our planet. Even the released in a conservation youngest divers and future partnership including conservationists could take Louisiana Department of the plunge. Wildlife and Fisheries and Chevron in 2017.

8 Reaching Around the World Audubon Nature Institute participates 1 7 in more than 100 Species Survival Plans and Studbooks across amphibians, 2 6 reptiles, birds, and mammals along with many other managed programs. 3 10 5 Highlights from our participation in 8 AZA Cooperative Programs include: 9 4

1. UNITED STATES 4. CENTRAL/SOUTH AMERICA • American Black Bear • Black Howler Monkey 11 • Desert Pupfish • Bushmaster • Eastern Bog Turtle • Capybara • Lined Seahorse • Chacoan Peccary • Louisiana Pine Snake • Crested Screamer 5. AFRICA • Mississippi Gopher Frog • Giant Anteater 6. INDIA 9. INDONESIA • Aardvark • Sand Tiger Shark • Hoffman’s Two-toed Sloth • Nicobar Pigeon • Bali Mynah • African Painted Dog • Southern Sea Otter • Hyacinth Macaw • Zebra Shark • Komodo Dragon • African Penguin • Spotted Turtle • Jaguar • North Sulawesi Babirusa • Black-crowned Crane • Texas Blind Salamander • King Vulture 7. ASIA • Rhinoceros Hornbill • Bongo Antelope • Whooping Crane • Maned Wolf • Asian Elephant • Sumatran Orangutan • East African Eland • Plush-crested Jay • Asian Small-clawed Otter • Eastern Black and White 2. CUBA • Scarlet Ibis Colobus • Barasingha 10. MARIANA ISLANDS • Cuban Amazon Parrot • St. Vincent Agouti • Mandrill • Mariana Fruit Dove

• Stingrays: • Pink-backed Pelican 8. MALAYSIA 3. PANAMA Bigtooth River Ray • Red River Hog • Malayan Great Argus 11. AUSTRALIA • Panamanian Golden Ocellated River Ray • Serval • Malayan Sun Bear • Abdominalis Seahorse (Ahogado) Frog Tiger River Ray • Southern White Rhino • Malayan Tiger • Prehensile-tailed Skink • Panamanian Golden (Sora) Frog White-Blotched River Ray • Western Lowland Gorilla • False Gharial • Straw-necked ibis

9 Educating INSPIRATION about the natural world in 2017

1,207 Outreach and school programs

211,980 Student field trip and group visitors

30,000 4 Engaged Outreach Scouts Member Vehicles can earn households reached badges supporting They hail from the far corners of the world, at the Audubon’s but they come together at the Zoo to create 45,000+ Zoo and connections and engage visitors in saving our Aquarium mission natural world. Audubon’s Animal Ambassador students program brings animals like Mr. Miyagi, an orange-eyed Eurasian eagle-owl, up close to visitors for a personal and memorable experience. Other Ambassador Animals delighting guests in 2017 included Maui, the military macaw, serval Chobe, and Aragora, 300,283 Fans and Followers the rose-haired tarantula. on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for all

10 Audubon social accounts Audubon Catering The first Louisiana caterer to be GREEN TEAM certified by the National Green Restaurant Association Audubon’s Green Team is on the job, taking steps every day to help our environment. For starters, all Audubon facilities Most Common Recycled Materials recycle common materials as well as special waste like batteries, ink cartridges, paint, aerosol cans, light bulbs, at Audubon Nature Institute and electronics. In 2017 the Green Team recycled Audubon’s old uniforms when we updated styles.

66,700 Cigarette butts collected in Woldenberg Riverfront Park for the cigarette butt recycling program

No plastic shopping 720 bags, cups, Cubic straws, or lids 50-gallon Yards rain barrels collect of debris rainwater to 210,500 composted water plastic items and Audubon saved from recycled plants landfills 11 JOIN VOLUNTEER

The Audubon Nature As an Audubon volunteer, Institute family is growing we put you to work helping every day. Join this wildlife! For example, in 2016, forward-thinking group of Audubon volunteers planted environmental citizens who 1,696 native trees, shrubs, are ensuring our children grasses and flowers at have a future surrounded Audubon Louisiana Nature by the wonders of nature. Center over the course Become an Audubon of three weekends. That’s Nature Institute member. making a difference!

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