Annual Report ’13 LINCOLN PARK ZOO New Faces, New Heights What’s new at Lincoln Park Zoo? Looking back at the amazing year behind us, I can say we had a different answer nearly every week, each one reflecting our commitment to defining excellence for zoos in the 21st century. Most prominently, there were new faces among the species in our care. A new African lion, Sahar, now looks down from the famous perch at the Kovler Lion House. We welcomed a Grevy’s zebra colt and two takin babies, arrivals who—in the spirit of our times—received their names from fans of the zoo through an online poll. We embraced a novel twist on our groundbreaking work with gorillas, featuring the first all-male bachelor troop in the zoo’s his - tory. We welcomed two babies for this critically endangered species— females Patty and Nayembi. And we established a new standard for world-class care after Nayembi suffered an injury that required deli - cate surgery and months of around-the-clock nurturing. Familiar faces filled exciting new roles in conservation and science, with Lisa Faust, Ph.D., stepping up as the department’s new vice president and Steve Ross, Ph.D., becoming director of the Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes. Increased re - sponsibilities haven’t stopped them from pushing boundaries with their own research, examining the sustainability of zoo populations and the intricacies of how chimpanzees learn and think. Perhaps the biggest leap forward, though, was the February creation of the Hurvis Center for Learning Innovation and Collaboration. Led by Senior Director Leah Melber, Ph.D., and funded by a generous $3 million gift from the Hurvis Charitable Foundation, the Hurvis Center will explore new approaches for science education. By giving expert educators—and researchers—the freedom to ex - plore, the Hurvis Center will find new ways to connect learners with the natural world. It will pair a local focus with a global reach, shar - ing discoveries with partners around the globe. It’s an exciting change in a year filled with them, all reflecting Lin - coln Park Zoo’s commitment to conservation, education and care. Thank you for your abiding support, a great constant that enables us to explore these uncharted frontiers…including new ones to come. Kevin J. Bell John Alexander President and CEO Chairman (Cover) The zoo’s world-class care was seen in the quick response and around-the-clock nurturing that fueled the recovery of infant gorilla Nayembi. (This page) The year’s new arrivals include African lion Sahar and baby gorillas Nayembi and Patty. (Opposite) The zoo-led Serengeti Health Initiative vaccinated its 1 millionth dog, a milestone in protecting the African region’s people, pets and predators. Research Coordinator Anna Czupryna (vaccinating dog) hosted zoo experts and Chicago Tribune reporters in the field. Closer to home, ornate box turtles received a conservation head start at the zoo. Conservation & Science An accomplished year highlights familiar faces and world-class research. Zoo conservation and science welcomed a new leader this year as Lisa Faust, Ph.D., was named the department’s new vice president, a position overseeing nearly 50 scientists conducting work at the zoo and around the globe. Faust started her career as a zoo intern and was most recently director of the Alexander Center for Applied Population Biology. Her appointment followed a nationwide search, one that concluded the best candidate was already at the zoo. Beyond supervising zoo research, Faust continued her own groundbreaking work. This year she unveiled the PMCTrack software tool, which lets Association of Zoos and Aquariums institutions track and evaluate the outcomes of recom - mendations to move or breed individual zoo animals. Faust and her team also cre - ated models to assess the long-term sustainability of zoo populations ranging from bears to big cats. Finally, she developed a framework for evaluating animal median life expectancies, enabling zoos across the country to speak authoritatively about the animals in our care. Another familiar face assumed a new role as Steve Ross, Ph.D., was named di - rector of the Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes in June. Previously the center’s assistant director, he’s known for research into ape behavior and cognition as well as tireless efforts to improve chimpanzee well-being through projects like Lincoln Park Zoo’s Project ChimpCARE. A world away, zoo scientists celebrated a conservation milestone as the zoo-led Serengeti Health Initiative vaccinated its 1 millionth dog against rabies and dis - temper in April 2012. The long-running effort has checked the spread of disease to the Serengeti’s people—and keystone predators like lions and African wild dogs. As a result, African wild dogs are once again living in the Serengeti ecosystem…and rabies cases have dropped to zero. This world-class conservation effort was the focus of a special three-part series in the Chicago Tribune, underscoring the zoo’s impact in one of Africa’s signature ecosystems. Another African research site—the Republic of Congo’s Goualougo Triangle— had exciting developments as well. In September, this untouched ecosystem re - ceived a conservation boost as the United Nations World Heritage Committee named 10,000 square miles of nearby forest a World Heritage Site. In addition to the accomplishments abroad, conservation work in the zoo’s back - yard remains a focus. Scientists with the Urban Wildlife Institute expanded their Urban Wildlife Biodiversity Monitoring Project to include audio monitoring for the region’s bats. Biologists continued to work with the Lake County Forest Pre - serve District to release smooth green snakes into the wild. Finally, the hatch of 18 ornate box turtles at the zoo marked a successful start to a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restore the threatened species to southern Illinois. Lincoln Park Zoo researchers continued work to help the larger zoo commu - nity. Yvonne Nadler, D.V.M., and her partners at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the U.S. Department of Agriculture developed a work - ing group to prepare zoos for a potential outbreak of avian influenza. The Popu - lation Management Center collaborated with species managers across the country to produce breeding and transfer recommendations for 83 species, covering animals from snow leopards to lined seahorses. Beyond these highlights, the entire department perpetuated its conservation and science leadership locally, regionally and globally. Their efforts included the pub - lication of 31 scientific papers, 56 presentations at scientific conferences and the mentoring of 12 Ph.D./master’s students and 40 undergraduate interns. Lincoln Park Zoo graciously thanks the individuals, families and foundations who support these projects.” Animal Care Change was a constant in a busy year of new arrivals, with the zoo’s famous gorillas at the heart of the transition . Long known for groundbreaking tune” and “superior handsome - work with gorillas, Lincoln Park Zoo ness” in Mandarin. embarked on a new milestone in wel - The human side of Animal coming its first gorilla bachelor group. Care saw some new faces as well. The all-male troop is composed of juve - In March, Sunny Nelson was niles Amare, Azizi, Mosi and Umande. named Hope B. McCormick Amare and Azizi grew up at Regenstein Curator of Birds. She came to Center for African Apes while Mosi and the zoo in 2010, first as lead Umande came from Little Rock Zoo keeper and then zoological and Columbus Zoo. The lively group manager of the area. Her ex - displays plenty of adolescent play. pertise and enthusiasm make In welcoming the bachelors, the zoo her a perfect fit to care for the said goodbye to silverback JoJo and flock and expand local conser - females Tabibu and Makari, who de - vation efforts. parted for Brookfield Zoo, Columbus Plenty of chicks peeked their Zoo and Kansas City Zoo. A farewell heads out of zoo nests last year. party was held, complete with messages The McCormick Bird House from friends of the zoo and a massive welcomed two clutches of Bali ice cake. mynahs, significant arrivals for The traditional gorilla family group a species that’s critically endan - led by silverback Kwan saw an influx of gered in the wild. Other hatches youthful energy as females Bana and included European white storks, Rollie gave birth in October and fairy bluebirds, a sunbittern, a November 2012. The group welcomed Blyth’s hornbill, a green-naped two girls—Patty and Nayembi—al - pheasant pigeon, a Guam though Nayembi moved behind the Micronesian kingfisher (extinct scenes in February to recover from an in the wild), crested wood injury sustained on exhibit. Thanks to partridges, swan geese, golden- a quick response and expert care, she’s breasted starlings, Bourke’s healing well. Animal care staff hope to parrots and blue-gray tanagers reintroduce her to her family in the (both zoo firsts). year ahead. On the mammal side, a tiny The zoo welcomed new arrivals away Moholi bushbaby emerged from from Regenstein Center for African its tree den at Regenstein Small Apes as well. A new male lion, Sahar, Mammal–Reptile House in February. the key seal of approval from the Asso - took the iconic spot at the head of the The Bolivian gray titi monkey breeding ciation of Zoos and Aquariums Accred - pride at the Kovler Lion House. A 3- pair also welcomed their ninth offspring itation Committee. After a rigorous year-old from the Bronx Zoo, Sahar at the Helen Brach Primate House in inspection and review process, the AZA continues to grow in the exhibit he August. renewed our accreditation in September, shares with female Myra.