A New Year, A Better Zoo

Years ago, I posted my first list of "Zoo Year Resolutions," commitments that I was making to myself to be a better keeper.  Better keepers make for a better zoo, but after several years, I've come to the conclusion that real change often comes from the top and percolates down.  With that in mind, below are some resolutions that I wish that our facilities would make to help build a better community

• Better pay and benefits for staff, both to support quality of life for their employees and to retain talent and expertise, building capacity.  It's hard to build a great institution when you're constantly replacing burned out, underpaid staff.  This includes offering a pathway to career growth and professional development
• Find ways to involve all employees in your core mission.  That extends to (perhaps especially) front line staff in custodial or visitor services roles.  Their work is essential to the running of the zoo.  Give them the opportunity to get involved now and then, be it by shadowing a keeper or helping with a conservation project
• Work to further integrate your institution with your community, looking for ways to bring about new partnerships and collaborations.  The more connections your facility has with your community, the stronger and more sustainable its future.
• Animal welfare belongs at the forefront.  Constantly challenge yourself to do better by the animals in your care.  Look for ways to improve facilities and husbandry practices, and always be open to the possibility that, just because an approach has worked for years, it can still be improved.
• Act local - conservation doesn't just happen around the world, but in our own backyards as well.  Work to build partnerships with local government and non-government partners to get involved in at least one local project that benefits wildlife

Best wishes for 2023!

Satire: Parents at Zoo Shield Children's Eyes From Gorillas Having a Public Execution

Parents at Zoo Shield Children's Eyes From Gorillas Having a Public Execution

Great apes and other primates are so similar to us in behavior and appearance that it can lead to some... uncomfortable moments for parents explaining certain behaviors.  Included among these are some of the more creative sex acts.   Although, with respect to The Onion, I think we all know that if any of the apes in the zoo were to organize public executions, it would definitely be the chimps.

The Christmas Lizard

When I was in middle school, I got the best Christmas present that I could ever have asked for.  His name was Isaac.  He was a very young bearded dragon, and he was the absolute light of my preteen life.  Isaac wasn't my first pet lizard - as the row of shallow graves in my parent's yard could have attested - but I like to think that he was my first serious pet.  As in, the first pet where I had a clue what I was doing.

Isaac wasn't an impulse gift.  I'd spent months before hand researching pet lizard options, visiting pet stores (I was lucky at the time that my town had a specialized fish and reptile store full of very knowledgeable, friendly staff), and planning a care regime.  For months, I felt like I'd talked of little else except bearded dragons.  When the little guy was finally revealed to me at the end of a Christmas morning that first saw me unwrapping several new pieces of pet care equipment (including a book on bearded dragon care and management), I felt like I was ready.

A lot of pets change hands this time of year, and many of them come to a bad end.  Some new owners mean well but don't know what they're doing.  Others lose interest.  It's important to remember that your new pet is a new responsibility, and you owe that responsibility not to the giver, but to the animal itself.  Be it a dog, a bird, a fish, or a tarantula, it is a separate, sentient being with its own needs and preferences, not a toy, not a fashion accessory.   Before anything else, the needs of the animal come first.

In other words, no anime-themed terrariums.

From the News: Asian Giant Tortoises Rewilding

Asian Giant Tortoises rewilded to a protected forest in Nagaland, India

Being an American, I'll admit that sometimes this blog has a tendency to be a but (well, a lot) US-centric, sometimes with a little news from Europe, Australia, or Canada thrown in.  Often, when we think of zoos in the developing world, they are mentioned more as a cautionary tale of what goes wrong in terms of danger or animal welfare.  Combined with the fact that we tend to blame other countries (especially China) for everything that goes wrong in the 

The truth is, there are many excellent zoos around the world that, while maybe not having the funding or resources of the big facilities in America or Europe, are still doing excellent, important conservation work.

Consider this story out of India.  Supported by the Turtle Survival Alliance Dimapur's Nagaland Zoological Park is working to reintroduce Asia's largest tortoise back into the wild.  It's exciting news about an endangered species.  Just as importantly, it's a reminder that everywhere in the world, there are people working to make a difference by restoring wildlife to where it belongs.  Even in one of the most crowded, populous nations of earth, zoos are fighting to help rewild the planet.

That's a (Christmas) Wrap!

Parents of small kids know that on Christmas morning, the pleasure their kids get from unwrapping gifts is usually equal to the joy of the gift itself.  It's the same with zoo animals!  Recently, some critters from Syracuse's Rosamond Gifford Park Zoo got to tear into some Christmas gifts.  It looks like everyone was enjoying themselves.  Merry Christmas!

Species Fact Profile: American Beaver (Castor canadensis)

                                                             American Beaver

                                                Castor canadensis (Kuhl, 1820)

Range: North America, including most of Canada, almost the entirety of the United States, and extreme northern Mexico  

Habitat:  Temperate Lakes, Ponds, Rivers, and Streams with ample vegetation

Diet:   Bark, Soft Tree Tissue (Willow, Poplar, Maple, Beech), Aquatic Plants

Social Grouping: Family groups of up to 8 individuals, a mated pair and their older offspring

Reproduction: Monogamous, but will repair in the event that one partner dies.  Both sexes sexually mature at about 3 years of age.  Mate between November and March (earlier in southern part of the range, later in the north).  Gestation period 105-107 days, usually born April-June. 1-4 kits are born fully-furred with eyes open.  Weaning may take anywhere from two weeks to three months.  Driven away from natal lodge at about 2 years

Lifespan: 10-12 Years

      Conservation Status: IUCN Least Concern 

• Largest rodent in North America (rivals the European beaver for largest rodent in the world after the capybaras).  Body length 90-117 centimeters long, weigh 13-32 kilograms (records of up to50 kilograms).  Specimens in the northern part of the range tend to be larger than ones in the south.  Hind legs are longer than front legs, making rear end appear high when walking.  Ears are short and rounded.  Tail is broad and flat, covered with large black scales
• Fur is a glossy red-brown or brown-black color.  Undercoat hairs are much finer than the protective outer guard hairs.  Glands are used for oiling and waterproofing the fur
• Teeth are disproportionately large, upper incisors often 0.5 centimeters wide and 2-2.5 centimeters long, grow throughout the animal’s lifetime.  Teeth are bright orange
• Adaptations of primarily aquatic lifestyle include webbed hind feet (front feet are unwebbed for greater dexterity and ability to dig), closable ears and nostrils, and transparent eye membranes.  Lips can close behind teeth to allow the beaver to gnaw while underwater.  Thick layer of subcutaneous fat for warmth 
• Families are territorial and will protect their range from other beavers, using both auditory (tail-slapping the surface of the water) and scent-marking (musk called castoreum from anal glands).  Limited vocalizations, including a whine, a hiss, and a growl
• Primarily nocturnal, usually becoming active around dusk.  Will wander considerable distances to find food; they may dig canals to help float food back to their lodge.  Food will be stored in snow or under the ice in the water during the winter, keeping it fresh and providing the beavers with food during the winter (do not store food in warmer climates)
• Microorganisms in the cecum allow the beaver to digest cellulose, a major component of their diet that many other mammals cannot digest
• Most famous for building dams to turn rivers and streams into slow-moving lakes and ponds, with the shape of the dam being dependent on the flow of the water (straight lines are preferred in slow water, curved dams in fast-flowing water).  Dams are built of branches and mud, packed into place.  Behavior seems to be triggered by the sound of running water.  In naturally—occurring lakes, beavers will forgo dam-building and dig burrows in the banks
• Beavers also construct lodges of wood, vegetation, and mud, with underwater access points for shelter.  Lodges are usually surrounded completely by water.  They may measure over 2.5 meters across and up to 1-meter-high, expanding over the years
• They are considered major landscape architect species which have an enormous impact on the habitat complexity, raising the water table and purifying water.  Trumpeter swans and other birds use the tops of lodges as protected nesting sites.  Waterfowl, fish, and turtles may rely on beavers to create habitat; many species are found at higher densities and with greater diversity in beaver ponds.  If beavers are killed or driven away, their dams eventually decay without maintenance and the pond become meadow.  Impacts of beaver reoccurrence in habitats in which they have been historically extirpated are being studied
• Mutualistic relationship with muskrats, which share beaver lodges and eat the food the beavers have collected while gathering fresh reeds for the lodge
• Natural predators include wolves, wolverines, bears, lynx, fisher, and possibly river otter, with young beavers and kits being more vulnerable than adults.  Alligators are a less-common predator; eagles may take kits.  Signal danger by slapping the water with their tail
• One of two species of the beaver, the other being the European beaver (Castor fiber), though another North American rodent, Aplodontia rufa, is sometimes called “mountain beaver.”  Efforts in Russian fur-farms to hybridize American and European beavers were unsuccessful (American beavers have 40 chromosomes versus 48 in Europeans), with only a single stillborn kit resulting from dozens to attempted pairings.
• Heavily hunted throughout history for their pelts (used in clothing, especially hats); access to fresh sources of beaver was a major drive for early exploration of the interior of North America, with wars fought over access to fresh beaver territories.  By 1900, the species was trapped out of large portions of its range
• Important food source for Native Americas, though meat has to be prepared in such a way to rid it of the musk flavor.  Like capybara, colonial Catholics considered beaver to be a “fish” so that it could be eaten during Lent
• Official mammal of Canada (featured on coins and stamps, including the first animal to be depicted on a stamp rather than a person), and state mammal of Oregon (often called the “Beaver State”) and New York in the United States
• Species has become invasive in Tierra del Fuego in southern Chile and Argentina, where it was released after failed fur-farming attempts.  Species has since spread, crossing saltwater channels to expand their range.  Beaver-modified habitats have also been shown to provide footholds for other invasive northern species, such as brook and rainbow trout.  Species was also introduced in Finland (at the time it was thought to the be same species as the European beaver and was brought in as a reintroduction attempt)
• In western culture most famous for its industriousness, with the expression “busy as a beaver”

Punches to the Gut

 I love this job, this profession, and this animal world that we belong to, but man... sometimes rotten news just piles up.  Earlier this week a group of chimpanzees were shot and killed after escaping a Swedish zoo.  Then, today, I learned that a keeper at the Jacksonville Zoo was injured after a bear escaped - the bear was shot and killed, the keeper hospitalized.  Just now, I learned that Kucheza, the baby chimp from the Sedgwick County Zoo whose joyful reunion with his mother following a C-section birth, has died.  This is following a few deaths at my own zoo, including an animal that I if not close to that at least pretty fond of.  Bad news piling on bad news, loss upon loss.

Caring - be about people, places, or animals - can be pretty emotionally draining.  It leaves you vulnerable and exposed, which may be why so many people don't opt for it.  Days like today, I just think about devastated keepers and lost animals.

There's the flip side, however.  When things go right - a baby born, an animal's quality of life improved, even a simple breakthrough in a relationship with an animal - everything feels magical and the world is beautiful.  Those highs make up for the lows in the long run, or so I believe.  On days like today, though, it can be a little hard to see it that way.

Elf on a Sloth Shelf

In a twist on the new (and, frankly, kind of creepy) Christmas tradition, Virginia Zoo has put their free-loading Elf on a Shelf, Rory, to work helping the keepers take care of the animals.

Zoo Review Updates, 2022 - Part II

While not new construction per-se, the National Aquarium in Baltimore completed a major project these year when it replaced the roof of its iconic glass pyramid, which houses the Rainforest exhibit.  The new roof is both more energy efficient and more bird friendly, with the 600-plus panels designed to reduce the likelihood of bird collisions.

The NEW Zoo in northeastern Wisconsin has broken ground on two new projects to expand and improve habitats (especially indoor holding space) for two of its most iconic exotic species - snow leopard and giraffe.  The new giraffe barn in particular will provide indoor viewing of the world's tallest mammals.

While the main construction project (the renovated Bird House) is still in progress, the Smithsonian National Zoo opened a series of small habitats for small carnivores - binturong, bobcat, and Pallas' cats - in a side trail near the Kid's Farm, named Claws and Paws

Phoenix Zoo will be constructing new habitats for the two big cats of Arizona, jaguar and puma, on its Arizona trail.

San Diego Zoo Safari Park has announced plans for a reimagining of its African elephant exhibit, already one of the best in the country.

Sunset Zoo in Manhattan, Kansas, opened Expedition Asia, with habitats for tiger, Amur leopard, and sloth bear, species which had been absent from the zoo for several years.

Topeka Zoo continues to work on a new habitat for giraffes and antelope.  The transfer of giraffes to a new habitat will accelerate the emptying-out of the large mammals from its Animals and Man building. 

Zoo Tampa completed its new habitats for American black bear and Florida panther.  Hamadryas baboons moved into the old chimp exhibit in the primate section.

In addition to these planned exhibits, several zoos have announced new masterplans, some of which call for almost complete reimagining of their facilities.  These include Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, Zoo Tampa, Brookfield Zoo, and others, including many zoos which I haven't visited yet (including Sacramento Zoo, which is releasing plans for an entirely new zoo to replace the current facility).  

There's a lot to look forward to in the zoo and aquarium community over the next several years!

Zoo Review Updates, 2022 - Part I

Zoo and aquarium construction projects can be time consuming and are just as prone to delays as any other major undertaking.  Not surprisingly, some of these projects are carryovers from last year, still works in progress,

ABQ BioPark Zoo has continued its work on the Asian and Australian expansions.  Asia, the first phase, will include new habitats for tigers, snow leopards, orangutans, siamangs, and Steller's sea eagles.

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas will welcome the Audubon Insectarium under its roof in a joint facility.

Audubon Zoo continues to work on a new Tropical Bird House.

Beardsley Zoo in Connecticut continues to work on its Andean bear habitat

Lions will be welcomed to a new facility being constructed at Brevard Zoo.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium, which has a long history of working with non-releasable dolphins, will be expanding its marine mammal program with a new facility to accommodate manatees

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has started construction on Bear Hollow, which replaces its old bear grottos with new habitats for Andean bear and sloth bear

Detroit Zoo has converted its old Hippo House into The Grotto - an indoor habitat for trumpeter swans, pelicans, and aardvarks.  Plans to construct a new nature center in the surrounding area have unfortunately been dropped at this time.

Florida Aquarium in Tampa has announced a major new expansion which will further break away from its Florida theme.  Among the iconic species to be added are sea lions, puffins, and a new habitat for the African penguins already at the facility.

Kansas City Zoo is still working on its new aquarium which will feature sea otters and sharks.

For a limited time, the Minnesota Zoo will once again be home to dolphins!  The animals are being temporarily housed in the zoo's Ocean building while their habitat the Chicago's Brookfield Zoo undergoes renovations

Shortly after my visit earlier this year, Monterey Bay Aquarium unveiled a spectacular exhibit of deep sea creatures, unparalleled in any American aquarium!  The temporary cephalopod exhibit Tentacles was closed, though some species, such as the iconic giant Pacific octopus, are permanent features elsewhere in the aquarium.

An additional note - it's not a zoo that I've reviewed on this blog (because it's been over 15 years since I've visited so I don't have recent impressions), but fairly noteworthy nonetheless - Memphis Zoo will be ending its panda program, with its giant pandas returning to China in the near future.

Mourning the Ghost of Hollywood

Normally, when we think of celebrity animals, we most often think of zoo animals.  They are the individuals that we can follow the most intimately and observe the closest; many of them are followed by an eager public from birth to death.  There are some individual wild animals, however, which through one means or another can truly leave a mark on the public consciousness.  Among those was P22.

I first became familiar with the mountain lion P22 years ago when attending a talk by famed wildlife photographer Steve Winter.  Among the crown jewels of Winter's career was a photo taken of a mountain lion walking down a hillside under cover of darkness.  At a quick glance, it might have appeared to have been a photo that could have been taken anywhere across the vast range of the species, from Canada to Tierra del Fuego - until one noticed a decidedly unnatural feature crowning the hilltop behind the cat - the Hollywood sign.  

For a decade, P22 carved out a living on the edge of the second largest city in the United States, prowling the same Griffith Park that houses the Los Angeles Zoo.  He became a wildlife celebrity, a symbol of how, even the face of habitat changes and human population growth, wild animals could still persevere in the face of humanity and "civilization."  An apex predator in what one would normally think of as one of the tamest, most domesticated landscapes in the state.  He was the king of southern California.

That reign has just come to an end.  Plans were in works to trap the cat after a series of attacks on dogs.  Before the biologists could get to him, it seems a car did.  P22 was found severely injured, presumably from being struck by a vehicle.  The decision was made to humanely euthanize him.

P22's story has ended - but not necessarily the story of pumas in Los Angeles.  Where one mountain lion has carved out a living, so may others.  It may very well be that another will take him place in the shadow of the Hollywood sign and that the sight of lion tracks in the dust on the outskirts of LA won't be an aberration, but a fact of life from now on.

A Flood of Fish

At over 50 feet tall, the AquaDom aquarium in Berlin's Radisson Blu hotel was the world's largest free-standing cylindrical aquarium, with 264,000 gallons of water and 1,500 fish of dozens of species.  An elevator ride through the center of the tank was a must-see for guests and tourists alike.  From balconies throughout the central courtyard, it was possible for visitors to gaze upon a beautiful tableau of tropical marine life.

Note the repeated emphasis on the word "was."  

Photo Credit: Jochen Luebke, Getty Images

The popular attraction burst early this morning, sending glass, water, and fish crashing through the lobby.  Two people were injured in the collapse of the habitat.  The majority of the 1,500 fish were killed by the disaster (originally reported as all of them, though it seems some were saved).  It's one of the most massive zoo or aquarium disasters that I've heard of (even though it doesn't take place in a conventional zoo or aquarium), maybe not tugging the heartstrings quite as poignantly as the primate house fire at Krefeld, but certainly on a much larger scale.  I generally feel that only aquariums - with their huge collections entirely dependent on life support - can experience tragedies of this proportion.  

I'm glad that human damage was as limited as it was, though it is very tragic that so many creatures were lost in one tragic swoop, and I certainly feel for the caretakers of the beautiful animals.  The building is closed pending an investigation of structural damage.  No word yet on whether or not this unique habitat will be replicated, though frankly, I doubt it.

Berlin's giant AquaDom hotel aquarium containing 1,500 fish explodes

Guest Article: Willie B.'s Christmas List, by Aubrey Brooke

From ZR: When I first started the section of this blog dedicated to Zoo History, I knew that one of the first stories that I'd want to share was that of Willie B, the famous gorilla from what is now Zoo Atlanta. Willie B's life serve as a before and after in the ongoing transformation of modern zoos from cabinets of living curiosities to conservation centers dedicated to optimal animal welfare.

Aubrey Brooke reached out to me wanting to share some personal stories of her mother (Pat Dann) and her shared history with the famous gorilla.  I'd like to thank her for writing the below column to share with us.  Thank you, and enjoy!

Did you know that Willie B. never experienced rain or sunlight? Do you realize that he had never nested or interacted with another gorilla? This had to change.

Did you know that Willie B. had a front-page Christmas list in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution? Did you know he had several TVs donated and worldwide attention? Did you know that two weeks following her phone call, Mayor Maynard Jackson got in touch with Pat Dann, appointing her as director of public relations? It brought people together, voiced their opinion, and stepped up to the zoo’s plight. One single phone call changed everything in an instant!

When news broke that the zoo would be closing, people were stunned. Pat dialed the number provided for comments and suggestions. Two weeks later, she received a call asking if she would be interested in meeting with Mayor Jackson and explaining why she was opposed to it. He questioned her about why she didn't want the zoo to shut down once she sat in his office. She reminded him that he shouldn't leave Atlanta, as this is Willie B.'s home. The mayor said, "Are you passionate about this?" He then said, "What are your plans?" "When you invite others to offer their ideas and suggestions, it's a great method of receiving feedback," said Pat. "They represent the zoo's best chance of enduring." "Large corporations must be contacted and asked to help.” Mayor Jackson opened the double doors to his office and announced to the awaiting press that this is the new public relations director. 

Patricia quickly understood that well-wishes and good intentions would only pave the route to an impending closure through painful, daily sessions with an Atlanta legend and possibly her best animal friend, Willie B. She realized "someone had to do something" as she gazed into the soul that hid behind those giant gorilla's eyes. She was that somebody. And the something in question was genuinely remarkable. Patricia delved into the fussy world of public relations, an environment she knew little about outside of her three local grooming shops, and faced internal conflict, mountains of red tape, and a new role that was placed upon her and paid her an annual salary of zero dollars.

There were countless instances when she wanted to give up and walk away. Because of the keepers' passion and dedication, she chose to continue after being given a tour of the zoo by Ed, the elephant keeper.

Once again, she was about to give up when she prayed to God for guidance on what to do next. Around ten o'clock at night, she had the idea for Willie B.'s Christmas list. When she called the newspaper to ask if they could fit something in at the last minute, they said it would appear on the third or fifth page. She couldn't wait for it to run in the paper. The following day, it was featured on the front page of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, much to her shock. News of the Christmas list had traveled all across the world—in today’s terms, it had gone viral. Both the Atlanta Zoo and Willie B. became well-known thanks to it.  

She had the strength and will to discover new meaning and purpose in her life thanks to Willie B. and the zoo. She will always be grateful to Mayor Jackson for giving her the opportunity. 

To the surprise and dismay of some, this selfless woman helped scores of suffering animals. She begged for money from any individual or group that would listen, making countless phone calls. She developed strong relationships with the zoo keepers to receive much-needed assistance. 

Dr. Mort Silberman was her mentor and a pillar of strength. He should also be remembered for his unwavering commitment to the Atlanta Zoo. Dr. Silberman was a great man who cared about all the animals at the zoo, succeeded daily in making a difference, and was a part of a movement for change. 

Patricia wants Atlantans to gather again and honor Willie B. and his legacy. Bring back the enthusiasm that formerly drove children to send money and the Smithsonian's best wishes, motivate others to make Valentines, and get engaged in a cause that is integral to the history of the Atlanta Zoo and the great city of Atlanta. Atlanta's future should include Willie B. Day and the Christmas list. 

Pat wants to connect with those who want to build a life for themselves and pursue their ambitions; you may contact her at soulendangered@gmail.com. Programs must be implemented to attract corporate support. Remember that everything is possible.

Winter Laundry Woes

A short note about an ongoing headache - the hassle of doing zoo laundry in the winter. 

Yes, our laundry always stinks.  The job is super dirty in the summer, with the sweat and added wet cleaning of pools, and I've come home pretty filthy before.  But when I do, at least 9/10ths of the crud ends up on my bare skin (or, in some tragic cases, my hair).  Exhausting research has lead me to conclude that it is a lot easier to wash mud, blood, and fecal matter off of your bare forearms and shins than it is off of the sleeves of your winter coat, or long pants.

Plus, being bulkier, winter clothes fill up a hamper and washing machine much more quickly than shorts and t-shirts, no matter how begrimed they are.  So you end up doing more and grosser laundry, but with more mediocre results.

On the plus side, washing and drying and folding your still-unclean work clothes gives you an excuse to spend more time inside where its warm.

A Bill Becomes Law

Last week, the Big Cat Public Safety Act cleared the US Senate, and is now headed to President Joe Biden's desk for signature, after which it will officially become law.  The bill will prohibit the keeping of big cats - defined as lions, tigers, leopards, snow leopards, jaguars, pumas, and hybrids thereof - as private pets.  It will also ban the use of these animals in public contact settings, such as photo ops and play sessions  The Netflix true crime series Tiger King was closely associated with this bill, and provides a good case study of exactly what sorts of behaviors are meant to be prevented by its passage.

What this bill does not do, to be clear, is impact the keeping of big cat in licensed zoological facilities, be they accredited by AZA or not.  Nor are cheetahs and clouded leopards - two cats that are "big" in the literal sense, if not the taxonomic - included, meaning zoos can continue to use them as animal ambassadors.  The bill has support of a wide array of organizations interested in big cat conservation and welfare, including the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and Panthera.

I've heard some opposition to this bill from zoo professionals who object to any steps that inhibit the ability to work with wild animals in a manner that they may chose, even if they personally are opposed to the actions which the bill would ban.  There are others who view any compromise or collaboration with animal rights organizations as a betrayal, a slippery slope that will end with all of our facilities being shut down.  It's true that this isn't the last legislative word on animals under human care; there are proposals for a bill which would ban the keeping of many cetaceans in aquariums, which AZA has vocally come out as being opposed to.  

We shouldn't let our fear of what our opponents may do stop us from doing what is right for animals in a given situation.  The Big Cat Public Safety Act will hopefully reduce or prevent the exploitation of animals in substandard facilities - and that is a win which should be celebrated.

Caribou Countdown at Toronto Zoo

It's hard to believe, but Christmas Eve is only two weeks from tonight!  Are your kids sure that Santa is ready - and that includes his mode of transportation?  The Toronto Zoo and Zoolife (a live-streaming service that showcases animals in zoos) is offering a livestream of the Zoo's caribou (AKA reindeer) exhibit in the buildup to the big night.  Ownership keeps me from directly posting the video on the page, but here is the live link!

Species Fact Profile: Cotton-Top Tamarin (Saguinus oedipus)

                                                      Cotton-Top Tamarin

                                                Saguinus oedipus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Range: Northwestern Colombia  

Habitat:  Tropical Rainforest and Deciduous Forest, Secondary Growth Forest (usually lowlands, but sometimes up to 1500 meters elevation)

Diet: Insects, Small Vertebrates, Fruits, Tree Exudates  (Sap, Resin)  

Social Grouping: Groups of 3-20, based around a monogamous breeding pair and their offspring; older offspring may stay with their parents to help raise younger siblings. Dominant female uses pheromones to suppress reproduction in other females.

Reproduction: Reproduction possible year-round.  Estrous cycle of 15 days, gestation lasts 140 days.  Sexually mature at 18 months for females or 24 months for males.  Can give birth to two sets of twins (sometimes triplets) annually; each set of twins may represent 15-20% of the mother’s body weight.  After twins are born, they are given to the father, who carries them at all times except for when the young are feeding.  Weaned at 10 weeks old

Lifespan: 20 Years

      Conservation Status: IUCN Critically Endangered, CITES Appendix I

• Sexes look alike.  Named for the crest of long, white hair flowing from the forehead to the nape, over the shoulders (often described as resembling Albert Einstein).  Faces are black, covered with a fine layer of black fur (may appear to be naked).  The back is brown.  Underparts are white or yellow.  Rump and sides of the thighs are reddish-orange.  Tail is red-orange, darkening to black on the tip
• Head-to-body length for both sexes is 20-25 centimeters, total body length 33-41 centimeters.  Weight ranges from 410-450 grams, captives typically being larger and heavier
• Rationale behind Latin name (chosen by Linnaeus, originally as Simia oediupus) is unknown.  “Oedipus” means “Swollen Foot” in Greek, but the feet of the tamarins are not particularly swollen.  Possibly a reference to the mythical king
• ·Geoffroy’s tamarin (Saguinus geoffroyi) was historically listed as a subspecies before being elevated to full-species status
• Do not have the same specialized dental adaptations for gouging trees and feeding on sap and resin as marmosets do.  May serve as an important seed disperser for some plant species.  Believed to deliberately swallow seeds in order to dislodge internal parasites
• Primary method of locomotion is quadrupedal running on horizontal branches, with some climbing or leaping.  Tail is not prehensile.  Utilize multiple layers of the forest, most commonly seen in understory, but have been observed on the ground, foraging in leaf litter.
• Home range size 7-10 hectares, marked with scent.  If confronted with other groups, will display rear and genitals in territorial showing rather than resort to fighting
• Active by day, waking up after dawn and traveling 1.5-2 kilometers per day.  Spend nights in trees with lots of foliage cover, such as vines and lianas – do not necessarily use the same tree on consecutive nights
• Communicate through bird-like whistles and chirps, with different calls associated with finding food, avoiding predators, or staying in communication with other members of the group
• Predators include raptors, arboreal mustelids, small felids, and snakes
• Primary threat is the loss of habitat to deforestation and dam construction.  Currently occur in three protected areas, representing 5% of former species range – Paramillo National Natural Park, Los Colorados Fauna and Flora Sanctuary, and Reserva Forestal Cerro de Coraza-Monte de Marja; have been introduced to a fourth, Tayrona National Natural Park
• Secondary threat is the collection of animals for trade.  In early 1970s, 20-30,000 individuals were exported to the United States for biomedical research.  Sustainable captive population is still used for biomedical research, especially into a form of colon cancer to which the species is highly susceptible
• Proyecto Titi is an active conservation program for the species, working to study tamarins in the wild, train local conservationists, and develop new techniques to reduce pressure on the forests by local communities

The Wild Watusi

Few large animals are as abundant in North America as cows.  There are millions of head of cattle, both beef and dairy, across the continent, and while many of them are concentrated in field lots or in grazing lands out west, it's still not an uncommon occurrence to see cattle in fields on the side of the road.  So common, in fact, that many folks find them kind of boring, parts of the scenery.  Several zoos keep cattle, usually with the other domestics in farmyard areas.

The exception is the Watusi.

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Also known as the Ankole (or Ankole-Watusi), the Watusi is a breed of cattle of African origin.  They are large cattle, usually red or predominately red in color, not that most people ever notice the color.  What they notice instead are the horns... which are frighteningly massive.  Not only are they very long, comparable to the aptly named Texas longhorn cattle, but they are far thicker - I've worked with bulls that I couldn't reach around the base of the horns with both hands.  The horns are the largest of any cattle breed and, to put it mildly, can be quite a sight.  I often remember the first time I saw a wild animal of one species or another.  The Watusi is the only domestic animal in which I very clearly remember seeing one for the first time.

Lately, I feel like I see a lot of Watusi, though.  More than I'd like to.  And in contexts that I don't like.

Watusi have been popular as zoo exhibits for years; I've worked with a few myself.  Most of my memories concern my often-failed efforts to dodge their horns as they turn their heads from side to side, with the occasional concussion resulting.  I feel like I'm increasingly seeing them not as farm animals in domestic areas of the zoo, but in exhibits with zebras, giraffe, and other wild animals.  That I don't like.  The reason isn't aesthetics or educational messaging (though I don't like the implication that they are a wild species - it's an inaccurate message).  I dislike that they take potential space away from actual wild African ungulates, some of which may be conservation dependent.  And to be fair, every wild African ungulate is more conservation dependent than a cow, no matter the span of its horns.

With its impressive spread, a Watusi may be a more impressive exhibit animal than, say, a Speke's gazelle, an impala, or perhaps even an African buffalo.  If I brought non-zoo folks to visit, I know which animal would interest them more.  But I don't think we should be just focusing on what pleases people or has the biggest shock value.  Watusi have their place in a zoo - with other domestics.  And that place shouldn't come at the expense of other animals in greater need.

Don't Shop, Adopt!

The holiday shopping season is upon as, as I begrudgingly am forced to admit.  One thing that I find particularly daunting about shopping is that for many folks I know, there's a desire to not accumulate as much physical stuff.  We're in the Marie Kondo era, when a lot of people are looking to declutter.  Instead of more possessions (though to be fair, a lot of people DO like stuff), other options for gift-giving include purchasing memory-making experiences for folks, or charitable giving.

One of the classic hallmarks of zoo gift-giving for animals lovers is an animal adoption.  To be fair, many zoos no longer call them this, because it can lead to the impression that people actually get to take physical possession of the animal, like if they were adopting a dog or cat (I've heard of folks going to the zoo with crates, thinking they were going to pick up a meerkat or lemur).  In truth, the adoption money ostensibly goes to supporting the care of individuals of that species at the zoo.  I say "symbolically" because if 500 people "adopt" the tiger and no one adopts the black-footed cat, it's not like all of the money is solely going to go the tiger and the poor little black-foot starves to death.

An animal adoption is a great way to support the zoo in someone's honor, possibly while linking them to their favorite animal.  If there is a creature that you know that they are super fond of, the adoption shows that person that you were thinking of them and supporting something that they value.  You can take them to the zoo then and they'll see that animal and know that you were thinking of them.  Depending on the species, it may even be possible to couple the adoption with a private tour or encounter with the animal to make an even more memorable gift experience.

Adoptions are often accompanied with photos and certificates, which can make a nice keepsake.  In some cases, especially as part of promotions, there may also be a stuffed animal included.  Which is great for when you're giving an adoption to a small child.  They haven't necessarily reached the "don't want physical things" stage in life yet.

Snow Falling on Cinders

Parents (of human children) often comment on the joy of seeing things - be it a favorite movie or a family vacation spot - for the first time through the eyes of children.  Working with animals, one of my favorite treats has always been to watch their reaction to new things in their environments.  Maybe, for example, it's a critter who was born and raised in an indoor enclosure going outside for the first time and seeing grass, feeling wind, and hearing birdsong.  Or an animal from a southern zoo moving north and encountering its first snowfall.

Baby animals are great because for them, everything is new.  Enjoy this video of youngster red panda Cinder at the Milwaukee County Zoo, enjoying a first cautious foray into winter.

Stamp of Approval

In addition to shopping, the Holidays are also a time of practicing that rapidly-fading artform of "non-digital correspondence."  Whether its greeting cards or thank you letters, the holidays are a time when checking the mail is an actual pleasurable experience on occasion.  And what better way to enhance the mail experience than by making a difference for wildlife conservation?

The "Save Vanishing Species" stamps, available online, are first class stamps with proceeds that go towards supporting conservation efforts for some of the most iconic of endangered animals - elephants (African and Asian), tigers, rhinos, great apes, and sea turtles.  Since the products were first rolled out, over $6 million US has been raised to support programs to save these species in the wild.  Putting one on your Christmas card envelopes this year is a great way to raise money - and awareness - and do an extra bit of good this season. 

Giving Tuesday, and Beyond

Yesterday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, has lately become known as "Giving Tuesday."  Following the economic excesses of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday (Sunday presumably being for rest... fat chance), this is the day in which nonprofits solicit donations from holiday well-wishers to help further their mission.  It's a day that a lot of institutions, zoos and aquariums among them, rely heavily on for meeting their fundraising goals for the year.

I'm pretty sure that two-thirds of the emails in my inbox this weekend were from organizations trying to remind me what Tuesday was, usually with the potential for my gift being matched.  Panthera.  International Crane Foundation.  Turtle Survival Alliance.  Every zoo or aquarium whose website I've so much as looked at.   All worthwhile organizations in need of financial support. I knew I couldn't help all, or even many of them.

But I could help one.

Organizations relying on Giving Tuesday to get back is like trying to live for a year off the candy you get trick-or-treating on Halloween.  It's a bonanza, but it's not enough and it's not sustainable (what would you do if it rained on October 31, to follow that analogy?)  So instead, I've decided that for next year, I'm going to try to give a little every month.  I may give to the same facility more than once, or to a different one every month.  I haven't decided.  What I have decided is that it's important to do one's part to support causes we believe in, and lip service and raising awareness only gets you so far.  Most of us are "aware" of the problems the world faces.  The question is, what will we do about it?

Species Fact Profile: California Sea Cucumber (Apostichopus californicus)

                                            California (Giant) Sea Cucumber                          

                                                Apostichopus californicus (Stimpson, 1857)

Range: Coastal North America, from Gulf of Alaska to Baja California

Habitat:  Intertidal Zone.  Depths of up to 250 meters

Diet: Organic Debris

Social Grouping: Solitary

Reproduction: Spawning takes place in August (thought to be associated with phytoplankton blooms), which each female producing thousands of eggs which are fertilized externally.  Resultant larva metamorphoses into adult form.  Reproductively mature at 4-8 years old

Lifespan: 12 Years

      Conservation Status: IUCN Least Concern

• Soft, roughly sausage-shaped body, up to 50 centimeters long, 5 centimeters wide, with a mouth at one end (surrounded by twenty retractable tentacles) and an anus at the other, five rows of tube -like feet
• Leathery skin is red-brown to yellow in color, covered with several irregularly shaped tubercles, usually tipped in red
• Feed by positioning themselves in a current which carries bits of organic matter within reach of their tentacles
• When threatened, the animal will expel its organs through its anus and secret sticky filaments, which can confuse and entangle the predator while the sea cucumber makes its escape.  The internal organs can be regrown.  Predators include sea stars, fish, crabs, and sea otters
• Fished on a small-scale for human consumption (especially sought after for Asian markets).  Believed to be sustainable.  Use of non-selective fishing methods, such as trawlers, has the potential to deplete populations and damage the habitat.  Some efforts to raise via aquaculture

The Perils of Online Shopping

Tomorrow is Cyber Monday, one of the peak days of the Christmas shopping season.  Of course, buying things online can be a bit risky - you may never be 100% sure that how an object is presented online is what it really is.  Or, that cursory glance you took before adding to your cart might be misleading.  Consider the foul-language filled but absolutely hilarious "100 Grumpy Animals."

I first came across this book when I saw that someone online had ordered it for a young niece or nephew, sat down to read it to them, and suddenly went beet red.  At first glance, it looks like it might be a cutesy children's book with fun illustrations, perfect for a small child.  The illustrations definitely are.  The text... maybe a little less so.  It's a really funny book, but definitely recommended for adults.  Or, as the initial reviewer later confirmed, for kids too young to read

Liar, Liar, Feathers on Fire

Parrots are the bird world's most famous voice mimics, but it turns out a lot of other species have the knack.  From passerines to a very unique individual duck in Australia, many birds can copy both human voices and other sounds, such as cell phones.  Among these masters of mimicry are Australia's lyrebirds... or, as Taronga zookeepers might be tempted to call them, "dirty rotten liar birds".  Ever since a recent incident in which some lions got loose in the Zoo, the birds have taken to sounding the evacuation alarm, which I'm sure that their keepers are just having a great sense of humor about. 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!  If you haven't finalized your menu yet, Tom the turkey from the Salisbury Zoo would like to make a quick suggestion:

Mahale and Kucheza

One of the most viral videos on social media right now is coming out of the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.  When chimpanzee Mahale was due to deliver her son last week, zoo staff determined that the baby would need to be born via C-section, after which it required supplemental care.  The goal, of course, was to get the baby (named Kucheza) back to his mother as soon as possible, and  later that week, the staff were able to realize that goal.  Of course no one could explain to Mahale what had happened to her son, and it would have been very understandable to think that she'd lost him forever.  The sheer surprise and delight t when she finds that her baby is back is something to see.  

I'm not normally a chimp fan - too human for my tastes - and frankly find them scary as hell most days.  In this case, though, I'll admit that this is pretty sweet.  And yes, I might even be persuaded to admit that this baby is actually kinda cute.

From the News: Bison spread as Native American tribes reclaim stewardship

Bison spread as Native American tribes reclaim stewardship

Somewhat to my irritation, the role of zoos in this article - both in helping to protect and breed the last remaining bison and in helping to supply bison to Native American tribes for reintroduction - is glossed over in this article.  Still, it is a welcome piece of news that celebrates one of the great conservation success stories of our time - one with tremendous implications not only for the conservation of the New World's largest native land animal, but of enhanced sovereignty and dignity for our country's first inhabitants.  Restoring the bison does more than increase the numbers of one species.  It also helps restore habitats and lay a foundation for the return of countless other prairie species.  It also helps Native Americans strengthen ties to their culture, their history, and their land.  Taken together, that's a lot to be thankful for.

Ask Me Anything (.. but not that)

Seriously, there are days that I wonder how much more money we'd have for our facilities if we all just wrote off the education departments as lost causes.

Species Fact Profile: Giant Sea Bass (Stereolepis gigas)

                                                               Giant Sea Bass                          

                                                Stereolepis gigas (Ayres, 1859)

Range: Northern Pacific Ocean (California and Mexico in the eastern Pacific, Japan in the west)

Habitat:  Kelp Forest, Drop-Offs, Mud Flats.  Found at about 20 meters depth

Diet: Crustaceans, Fish (Croaker, Mackerel, Sheephead)

Social Grouping: Solitary.  May not be territorial, but appear to be sedentary

Reproduction: Spawn in small groups from July through September, with individuals spawning with multiple mates.  Females may produce up to 60 million eggs.  Fertilized eggs float with currents, hatching into larvae, continue to drift until developing into juveniles.  Reach sexual maturity at 10-12 years old (20-30 kilograms in size).

Lifespan: 75-100 Years

      Conservation Status: IUCN Critically Endangered.  USFWS Endangered

• Can reach a length of up 2.5 meters and a weight of 250 kilograms, but reports exist of specimens weighing over 350 kilograms.  Row of dorsal spines in grooves down the back.  Large mouth 
• Juveniles are brightly colored red or orange with large black spots.  Adults take on darker, muddled gray or brown coloration, with a white underside
• Primarily sit-and-wait hunters.  Capture prey by suddenly opening their mouths to create a vacuum, sucking in nearby prey
• Large sharks are only significant predators of adults.  Juveniles may be taken by a variety of marine mammals and larger fish
• Have a symbiotic relationship with cleaner fish which remove external parasites from gills, skin, and the inside of the mouth
• Scientific name translates to "Giant Dense-Scaled Fish"
• Once fairly common, began declining in 1900s due to popularity with sports fishing.  LEgally protected in California waters since 1982