SPRING 2010 my for members of Woodland Park Zoo SPRING 2 01 0 Annual Conservation Update Issue ELEPHANTS OF HUTAN ZOO TEENS HELP BUTTERFLIES TAKE FLIGHT TREE KANGAROOS ON TAPE Night Exhibit 1 Closure Information 7 Classes & Camps 17 Membership Program Changes 1 my WOODLAND PARK ZOO LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT 601 NORTH 59TH STREET SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 98103 Welcome to the first edition of myZoo. Deborah B. Jensen Ph.D. Now those of you who have been receiving the zoo’s quarterly President & CEO membership magazine for years may be saying to yourselves, Gary Lee Bruce Bohmke “What first edition? And why rename it myZoo?” Deputy Director The new name ties directly to our effort to make Woodland Park Zoo your zoo – whether your passion is gorillas, big cats, hornbills or frogs, animal care or saving habitat. MyZoo is also the brand 2010 BOARD OF of our recently redesigned website. As we move forward, the website will allow more personal DIRECTORS OFFICERS interaction and communication about the zoo, from events to conservation and animal updates. Cameron Ragen, Chair Stuart V. Williams, Vice Chair In this spring edition, and in spring editions in succeeding years, we will focus on the zoo’s R. Jay Tejera, Treasurer conservation efforts in the Northwest and around the world. Victoria Leslie, Secretary Keep these numbers in mind: 38 and 50. Jan Hendrickson, Immediate Past Chair Whether it’s a tiny tree snail from tropical Tahiti At Woodland Park Zoo, these BOARD MEMBERS or the preservation of African and Asian elephants, numbers represent the 38 field Linda Allen conservation projects in 50 Richard Alvord the largest living land mammals, countries supported by the zoo. David S. Anderson Anthony Bay conservation is the cornerstone of the zoo’s mission. What these figures don’t Bruce Bentley account for are the hundreds Lisa Caputo Kenneth W. Eakes of people, thousands of animals and hundreds of thousands of acres of habitat positively impacted DeLaine Emmert by the programs we fund. From the thousand-fold increase in western pond turtles that now exist David Goldberg in Pacific Northwest ponds to the 187,000 acres now under protection for tree kangaroos in Papua Michele Havens Steven Haynes New Guinea, 2009 was a banner year for positive results in our efforts. Debora Horvath John Hoyt Whether it’s a tiny tree snail from tropical Tahiti or the preservation of African and Asian elephants, Douglas P. Kight the largest living land mammals, conservation is the cornerstone of the zoo’s mission. When we Jeffrey W. Leppo Dr. Robert M. Liddell launched our Partners for Wildlife (PFW) program in 2003, our initial motivation was to conso- Steve Liffick lidate our efforts for more effective conservation success. Since then, we’ve further refined the Brooke K. McCurdy Dr. James C. McGraw PFW program to provide comprehensive support for direct field conservation. The results? Ann Moe Wildlife preservation, habitat protection, capacity building and education and health programs Jane R. Nelson in local communities. Mary Odermat Kelly Ogilvie The most impressive part of our PFW program is that every one of our Partners focuses on Valerie Parrish Nancy Pellegrino community-based conservation work as a team with local people to achieve success. Our Partners Larry Phillips incorporate research, education, community healthcare and habitat protection into their work in Mark M. Reis Patti Savoy order to protect, involve, and sustain both the animal and human populations. People, wildlife and Rob Short habitats; these connections are the key to creating long-term solutions. Elizabeth Sicktich Ron Siegle We invite you to enjoy the success stories of our Partners and we thank you for supporting your zoo. Dr. Bryan Slinker Gretchen Sorensen Laura Lee Stewart Edward D. Thomas Deborah B. Jensen, Ph.D. Timothy C. Thompson Peter C. Wang President and CEO Margaret Wetherald Kathryn A. Williams Benjamin Wolff myZoo Spring 2010 Volume 12, Issue 32. Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA Susie Wyckoff General information: 206.548.2500 Membership Department and Address Changes: 206.548.2500, [email protected] Curtis J. Young Managing Editor: Ric Brewer, [email protected]. Design and Art Direction: Creative Services, Woodland Park Zoo. For Advertising Information: [email protected] or 206.548.2625 Tim Gallagher, ex officio Comments or questions? Write 601 N. 59th St. Seattle, WA 98103-5858 or e-mail [email protected] Deborah Jensen, ex officio Woodland Park Zoo is a City of Seattle facility managed and operated by the non-profit Woodland Park Zoological Society. myZoo (ISSN 1526-1557) is published quarterly for $6.00 per year for Woodland Park Zoo (WPZ) members from membership dues by WPZ at 601 N. 59th St. Seattle, WA 98103-5858. Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, WA. POSTMASTER send address changes to: myZoo, WPZ 601 N. 59th St. Seattle, WA 98103-5858 All photos are property of Woodland Park Zoo unless otherwise noted. A special thank you to volunteer photographers Brittney Bollay, Kaye Cartwright-Lissa, Dennis Conner, Dennis Dow, Mat Hayward, Agnes Overbaugh, Milan Trykar, and Dale Unruh. Cover photo by Jamil Sinyor. 2 SPRING 2010 NIGHT EXHIBIT CLOSURE INFORMATION Dear Members, Woodland Park Zoo saves animals and their habitats through conservation leadership and engaging We are very sad to announce that the Night Exhibit (also known as Nocturnal House) will be closing March 1st. experiences, inspiring people to learn, care and act. The exhibit will remain open to zoo members and visitors through February 28 so that you will be able to enjoy seeing your favorite animals. In fact, we’re going to be able to keep several on view in other areas of the zoo. CONTENTS All of us at Woodland Park Zoo have been touched by the out- This annual Woodland Park Zoo Conservation Update provides the status pouring of sadness the community has expressed. We know of selected conservation projects from among our 38 projects in 50 coun- many feel a strong emotional connection to the zoo and to tries around the world. Several notable successes occurred in 2009 includ- this exhibit and its animals in particular. ing the declaration of more than 187,000 acres of pristine rain forest in Papua New Guinea, set aside for endangered tree kangaroo habitat; the for more information, visit As the economy expansion of gorilla and other African forest wildlife school education pro- continues to www.zoo.org/nightexhibitclosure grams through Club Ebobo: and the wild release of thousands of locally struggle, the threatened silverspot butterflies, among several other accomplishments zoo has been here at home and around the globe. struggling to close a million dollar gap in our budget. Like so many families, organizations and corporations across Learn more about these and the other projects supported by the zoo America, we have had to cut back in many ways both big at www.zoo.org/conservation and small. Closing this exhibit was a painful but necessary Northwest-based Projects decision that we were not able to include members in. 2 Grizzly Bear Outreach Project Many have expressed interest in fundraising to keep the exhibit 12 Oregon silverspot butterflies running. Unfortunately this would only provide a short-term 13 Lab to field: Zoo Corps teens get real-life experience solution which would not be enough to keep this energy- inefficient and costly exhibit open. However, we can accept Asia-Pacific Projects donations to modify existing areas to house the Night Exhibit’s 3 Hutan Elephant Conservation Unit animals that will remain here and help support their day-to-day 12 A unison call for conservation care. You can donate online at www.zoo.org/nocturnalanimalfund 14 Caught on tape: the secret life of tree kangaroos or mail donations to the zoo in care of Nocturnal Animal Fund Africa at 601 N. 59th Street, Seattle, WA 98103. 4 Update on the gorillas of Mbeli Bai While many of the animals will go to other zoos, we are 15 Waterhole Restoration Project happy to announce that several of them will remain here: South America a pair of two-toed sloths will move to the Tropical Rain Forest; 5 Tapir Collaring in Brazil the Rodrigues fruit bats, tamanduas and springhaas will move 5 Jaguar Conservation Update to the north end of the Adaptations Building; and a three- banded armadillo will be used as a presentation animal. Departments The pygmy lorises and a slow loris will live off view behind 7 Classes and camps the scenes. 17 Membership Matters Also note that the north end of the Adaptations Building FIND US ON is currently closed as we make modifications to the existing exhibits to house meerkats, which are returning to the zoo after a 10-year absence. Additionally, we will need to make ZOO HOURS MAIN ZOO LINE modifications to accommodate the Night Exhibit animals FALL/WINTER 206.548.2500 that will live there. The Adaptations Building will re-open on October 1 — April 30 GENERAL EMAIL May 1st to debut meerkats and reintroduce our Night Exhibit 9:30 a.m. — 4:00 p.m. animals to the public. [email protected] CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY MEMBERSHIP EMAIL No one is happy about closing the Night Exhibit. We thank [email protected] you for sticking with Woodland Park Zoo through good SPRING/SUMMER www.zoo.org times and bad. May 1 — September 30 9:30 a.m. — 6:00 p.m. Woodland Park Zoo is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization 1 my Ryan Hawk Ryan GRIZZLY BEAR OUTREACH PROJECT By Sharon Negri, Co-Director, Grizzly Bear Outreach Project WHEN BEARS come out of hibernation this spring, they throughout the Northern Cascades ecosystem. Our most exciting likely will smell change in the air.