pronounced mah-GEE-zoh, meaning the message in Swahili pronounced mah-GEE-zoh, meaning the message in Swahili VOLUME 56, NUMBER 1 SPRING 2017 SPRING 2017 Volume 56, no. 1 by Kyle Burks Spring is such an exciting time in nature. THE SACRAMENTO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY IS A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. The world feels fresh and vibrant and new life emerges all around us. I feel the same way about SACRAMENTO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BOARD OF TRUSTEES our great Zoo. My team and I are working hard to Jeff Raimundo – President Elizabeth Stallard – Vice President make the Zoo feel fresh and new and vibrant for Starr Walton Hurley – 2nd Vice President Adham Sbeih – Secretary the animals in our care and for you. Did you know Jason Russell, CPA – Treasurer James Naify – Past President that your beloved Sacramento Zoo turns 90 this Kyle Burks, PhD - Executive Director/CEO Fran Boland year? Our age shows in some areas – but I’m thrilled with the Michael Broughton Nancy E. Cole plans that will lead us to our 100th birthday in 10 years. Peter Colussy Jeffrey K. Dorso Marc C. Irish You are going to see some exciting things from us this year. Irwin Karp Lynn Matsuda We will be making significant improvements to our lion Jennifer A. Neal John W. Otto habitat to make sure our pride has a stimulating, complex Amisha Patel Susan Schoenig and comfortable home. We will be improving the indoor Mike Testa Dr. Janice Doucet Thompson homes for our great apes, too. You will see a much-needed Jody Ulich Alan Yee, MD shade structure for our Aardvarks and Fennec Foxes. You ZOO ADMISSION HOURS will see two new aviaries for some incredible bird species. February - October: 9 am - 4 pm* November - January: 10 am - 4 pm* The list goes on and on. As we improve the homes for the *Grounds close at 5 pm Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day animals, we also have improvements coming for you, too. We will have new events and new experiences to make HOW TO REACH US 916-808-5888 every visit an exciting adventure. saczoo.org [email protected] Hotline: 916-808-5885 Looking forward to our 100th birthday, we will be unveiling Development: 916-808-8815 Education: 916-808-5889 the final plans for our new Biodiversity Center and sharing our Meetings and Events: 916-808-8561 Membership/Zoo Parents: 916-808-5888 finalized Master Plan that will drive how we improve the Zoo in Volunteers: 916-808-7444 Maagizo is published by the Sacramento the next 10 years and beyond. Zoological Society. All rights reserved. EDITOR: Tonja Candelaria I hope you are as excited as me to be truly reimagining the COPY EDITOR: Amanda Cable PHOTOS: Marianne Hale, Mountain Lion Foundation, Sacramento Zoo. Union Island Conservation Program, Wild Nature Institute, Zoo Staff The Sacramento Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. www.aza.org calling all members The Sacramento Zoological Society will hold a meeting for members on Wednesday, April 19, at 5:30pm in the Kampala Conference Room. The Board of Trustees and Zoo staff will host a special informative evening for members to discuss the Zoo’s role in the community, past and future. Your feedback is welcome. RSVP to 916-808-5888 by April 14. Seating is limited. Printed on 55% recycled content CELEBRATING MILESTONE BIRTHDAYS IN 2017 This year as the Sacramento Zoo celebrates its 90th birthday, some of the Zoo’s residents are also celebrating noteworthy birthdays. In 2017…… • Aurora the White-faced Saki will be 19 • Cheli the Sumatran Orangutan turns 45 JOEY, CHIMPANZEE • Ewell the White-handed Gibbon will be about 45 • Herkimer the Desert Tortoise will be about 90 • Joey the Chimpanzee will be about 54 • Obi the Red Kangaroo turns 15 CARRIBEAN FLAMINGO • Tolomaa the Bobcat will be 17 • Val-lynn-tine the Reticulated Giraffe turns 22 • Many of the Caribbean Flamingos are in their 40’s! Age is relative to each species. Due to proactive veterinary care, TALOMAA, BOBCAT these residents and most others at the Sacramento Zoo have lived to ages that most of their counterparts in the wild would never reach. AURORA, WHITE-FACED SAKI YOUR TREE TRIMMINGS CAN HELP FEED THE ZOO ANIMALS! Donate Browse Browse /brouz/ noun nontoxic vegetation, such as leafy branches, eaten by animals. SATURDAY, MAY 13 5 PM TO 8 PM 21 and over TASTE LOCAL WINES & CRAFT BEERS Food available for purchase from local food trucks & Kampala Café For our Edible Plant List and Event proceeds and 10% of all food sales benefit the Sacramento Zoological Society. donation information visit: tickets & info saczoo.org/browse 916-808-5888 Top: African Hedgehog Wolf’s Guenon, Kaci animal chatter PRIMATES A lot of activity is happening in the Wolf’s Guenon exhibit! The family group grew to four in June 2016 and over the last eight months the young female, Kaci, is proving to be an active adolescent – irritating her father, playing with her older sister and gaining confidence in her environment. The new Coquerel’s Sifaka pair are getting used to their husbandry routines, keepers and their exhibit. The pair arrived in October from two different AZA zoos per the AZA Coquerel’s Sifaka Species Survival Plan ® (SSP) recommendation. Phantasmal Dart Frogs CARNIVORES Make sure to visit the North American River Otter exhibit. Our new one- year-old female otter, Kai, is gorgeous and energetic. The AZA North American River Otter (NARO) SSP moved Kai to Sacramento as part of the planning process for the AZA NARO population. This spring our young male lion, Demarcus, will be moving to New Jersey’s Turtle Back Zoo as part of the AZA African Lion SSP planned transfers. As part of the SSP, he will be gaining his own pride of females. His parents and sisters did a wonderful job of socializing him for this big “adult” move! Based on Sumatran Tiger Species Survival Plan® recommendations, we have welcomed Jillian and have said farewell to Mohan. Jillian, a four-year-old Sumatran Tiger from San Francisco Zoo will be introduced to her new exhibit in late March. Plans are in the works North American River Otter, Kai to move Mohan to another zoo. For now, the Sacramento Zoo will house only Jillian. The Sacramento Zoo and the AZA Sumatran Tiger SSP Program will continue to work together for future tiger planning. REPTILES Phantasmal Dart Frogs are a new species in the amphibian exhibits at the Reptile House. These young frogs weigh less than two grams and eat tiny fruit flies as a staple of their diet (at least until they become larger!). Although they may look alike, each frog has unique spots and patterns on its underside to help zookeepers identify them. INTERPRETIVE CENTER The Interpretive Center now has four young African Hedgehogs under their care. These IC Animal Ambassadors are instrumental in teaching school children and visiting guests about animals, adaptations, science curriculum, and conservation messages. Hopefully, during your next visit you will be able to see these amazing poky mammals in an animal encounter or stage presentation. Sumatran Tiger, Jillian pardon our dust As a facility that opened in 1927, celebrating 90 years means there is Lake Fence: We have replaced the dated 25-year-old lake fence with always something under construction or being updated at the Zoo. a new one that will provide more visibility and better experiences for Often, renovations happen without being noticed. Recently the Zoo’s animals and guests. Facilities crew have been busy putting all their specialized skills to work on a variety of projects. Red Panda Exhibit: Updates included re-grading the terrain, better irrigation and drainage, reseeding/plant work, and adding more Aardvark Den: The substrate in the Aardvark holding area den was climbing levels and places for the pandas to explore. changed in order to give the Aardvark different textures in order to help wear her nails and pads more effectively. A sand pit was also added for Lemur Housing: The Facilities team is working on behind-the-scenes her digging enjoyment when she is behind-the-scenes. space expansion for the Coquerel’s Sifaka and Black and White Ruffed Lemurs. Additionally, tunnels will be added in outdoor and indoor African Lion Housing: An expanded off-exhibit space for the holding so that space usage is more flexible between the species and African Lions to give them even more options of where to lounge is near animals can more easily move from one location to another. This gives completion. The space includes a small pool and adds more options for zookeepers more flexibility for animal shifting and voluntary husbandry zookeepers to move animals from space to space depending upon the training with these prosimians. animal’s needs and social dynamics at any given time. Hornbill Haven: A new shed was added between the hornbill exhibits. This shed houses the nest boxes for the birds and allows keepers to better monitor, in person or via camera, any egg-laying activity. ZOO MEMBERS MEMBER-ONLY PERK: Admission morning or afternoon; tickets not required. Wait times may be significant to enter Zoo. MEMBERS ONLY! JOIN US FOR A SPECIAL BREAKFAST WITH THE EMPIRE $20 for kids (2-11), $25 for adults, Under 2 Free Two seatings available: 8:30 – 9:15 am or 9:45 –10:30 am Reserve your seat at saczoo.org/starwarsday starting March 6 NON-MEMBER TICKETS AVAILABLE Two entry times available: 9 am – 1 pm or 1 – 4 pm Special ticketed event; tickets required; extremely limited availability; wait times to enter Zoo may be significant; limited tickets may be available day of event Pre-purchase highly recommended; tickets available starting March 6 General admission tickets/passes not valid The Sacramento Zoo proudly supports more than In addition to the money allocated by the Zoo’s three dozen animal conservation programs locally Conservation Committee, the Sacramento Zoo also distributes conservation dollars with the help of visitors and throughout the world.