1/16 February 2016 Pandamania | p 2ff Biodiversity is Us | p 26 Illegal Trade in Cheetahs | p 31 IIII WAZA 1/16 WAZA 1/16 1 Susan Contents Editorial Hunt President’s Page Conservation: Black and White? .........................................2 First Pandas Outside China: Brookfield Zoo....................... 8 …people can make Keeping Pandas: A Dream of Many Zoos ..........................10 Panda Preferences: Designing a Panda Exhibit ................14 a difference and Pandas: Conservation and Cooperation ............................16 WAZA Interview: Eric Dorfman ..........................................18 minimise the effects My Career: Lena Lindén .....................................................19 Book Reviews ....................................................................23 of human induced Announcements ................................................................25 Recent Updates: climate change… Biodiversity is Us ...............................................................26 40 Years of CITES: National Zoo Chile .............................. 28 © WAZA Burn Horns, Save Rhinos ...................................................29 Gerald Dick at Taipei Zoo. The Alagoas Curassow .......................................................30 Illegal Trade in Cheetahs .................................................... 31 Dear WAZA members and friends! Ecopark Nordens Ark: Local Biodiversity ..........................34 Mauritius Fruit Bat Culls ....................................................35 I hope that you have all had a wonderful start to the New Exhibit News: New Year and I’d like to begin by sharing with you our Wellington Zoo ..................................................................36 exciting plans for 2016. The decade on biodiversity © Perth Zoo Vancouver Aquarium .........................................................38 continues and we are proud to now have the WAZA Susan and quokka (Setonix brachyurus). WAZA Projects: “Biodiversity is Us” app available in seven languages and Scinax alcatraz ..................................................................39 the designs in more than six languages too. More than Darwin’s Frog .....................................................................40 120 members have already used the tools in many di‑ 2016 is now upon us. In Australia, Between 1970 and 2010 there has Second is the devastating effect of Maned Wolf ........................................................................41 verse and exciting ways and I am counting on everyone it is a busy summer period when we been a 15% reduction in rainfall in forest fires as a result of this drying European Mink ..................................................................42 to take part in our global effort to show the fantastic welcome many thousands of visitors. south‑west Australia. This is attrib- climate. At the request of govern- International Studbooks ...................................................43 work of our zoo and aquarium community, and to In Perth Australia, it is a hot time of utable to human activities glob- ment we recently commenced a last involve your visitors in actions they can do to conserve the year – today it’s over 36 °C! ally. Over this same period – just ditched effort to breed a critically our living world. Unfortunately, however, the funded 40 years – there has been a 0.8 °C endangered parrot species, the period of the WAZA project drew to a close with the Across the world and across the increase in average annual tempera- Western ground parrot (Pezeporus ending of last year, resulting in the loss of the project hundreds of WAZA member zoos tures. As an area with a fast grow- flaviventris). There was thought to manager, Tiago Pinto‑Pereira. I would like to take this and the millions of zoo visitors to our ing population, water is an ongoing be around 110 birds remaining in opportunity to thank him for all his amazing work and facilities, we really do experience serious issue and our Government the wild, until last month when a support during the last three years of the project. As the the diversity of the world’s climate. has recently responded with the con- wild fire burnt out over 90% of their project moves forward, the social media work on bio‑ Whether you are in the tropics, in struction of two desalination plants. known habitat. The seven birds here diversity will also continue and the input and coopera‑ temperate areas, the northern hemi- There has also been a strong move at the Zoo have suddenly become tion of all WAZA members is actively encouraged and sphere or the southern, climate is a to solar and wind power to minimise even more important! greatly appreciated as it allows us to strengthen our strong determinant to our business the burning of fossil fuels. However, Imprint community and to enforce positive messaging. and our livelihoods – and also a com- for rare and endangered wildlife the In summary, climate change, which mon and growing theme of concern effects of climate change cannot be has been a compelling and urgent Editor: Gerald Dick, The WAZA News of 2016 will showcase an informative for our world. addressed through engineering and theme globally for several years, is WAZA Executive Office series on charismatic species, their care and conserva‑ technology. affecting wildlife in a very tangible IUCN Conservation Centre tion. The giant panda is the first to be introduced in this The Australian continent is certainly way. Perhaps you are also seeing Rue Mauverney 28 edition.‘ Pandamania’ has many different aspects, but not immune, with the average sur- The two major themes which and experiencing similar examples CH-1196 Gland this flagship species serves multiple purposes which are face temperatures on land and sur- emerge from this have been a stark in your parts of the world in your Switzerland addressed in various articles. I would like to thank all rounding seas having risen by almost reality for us here at Perth Zoo. With conservation work. Phone: +41 22 999 07 90 contributors for their enlightening insights into panda 1 °C since the beginning of the 20th our frog‘ head start’ program, the Fax: +41 22 999 07 91 management which will help us to understand why this Century. Seven of the ten warmest swamp habitats of the endangered The recent Paris meeting where iconic species is kept in zoological facilities and what years on record have also occurred white bellied frog (Geocrinia alba) governments reached agreement is Layout and typesetting: [email protected] their contribution to conservation is. Unfortunately, it since 2002. are increasingly diminished. The ac- a light of hope. Through our zoo and Cover: © Joel Sartore, Photo Ark; with thanks for donating the photo was not possible to acquire a contribution from the tuality of the drying climate is never aquarium engagement programs, in Print: Agentura NP, Staré Město, Czech Republic studbook keeper in China. To whet your appetite, in the And for Perth in the south-west of so clear when there are decreasing our messaging, keeper talks, re- following editions of WAZA News, we are planning to Australia where I live, the changing wetlands left to which we can return search activities and our advocacy Edition: 800 copies | © WAZA 2015 continue this series with features on marine mammals, climate is very evident, with the sci- these little frogs. (see WAZA’s Committing to Conserva‑ elephants and great apes. entific projections clear and stark. tion, chapters 3–5) it is time for all of This edition of WAZA News is also available on: us to step up and support this and www.waza.org (members’ area) Best wishes, highlight the ways that people can Gerald Dick | Executive Director make a difference and minimise the Printed on FSC paper. effects of human induced climate change. ISSN: 1662-7733 2 WAZA 1/16 WAZA 1/16 3 Kathy Traylor‑Holzer1 and Jonathan D. Ballou2 Is Conservation Really Black and White? Giant pandas. Most people, daresay The Past – the 1970s (Nicholls 2011). The resulting everyone reading this article, have an the 1980s and before state gifts and eventual breeding loans immediate internal response to this of panda pairs have had widespread species. What is your initial reaction? The giant panda has long been international impacts beyond the sur- Is it positive? Or negative? Conserva- shrouded in mystery. Restricted to vival of this single species and helped tion success, or failure? How much remote mountainous areas of west- to open China to the world. do you really know about this unique ern China, amazingly this species was species and its journey toward pres- unknown to all except local residents For zoos receiving these high profile ervation? until 1869, even within China. This animals, however, breeding giant carnivore that eats bamboo and ap- pandas posed challenges. Difficulties Few species spark as much emotion pears to have an opposable‘ thumb’ in breeding a solitary species with a and debate, and frequent misper- confused taxonomists and challenged short breeding season (1–2 day estrus ception, as the giant panda. Among early attempts to maintain captive once a year) and delayed implantation, © Kathy Traylor-Holzer the general public it is a much loved specimens, adding to its mystic. Few combined with behavioral issues such Pan Pan (ISB# 308), a 30‑year‑old wild‑caught founder now retired at the Dujiang- yan giant panda base, was an infamously prolific male, siring 29 cubs in 17 litters icon subject to frequent anthropo- individuals made it out of China