Our Mission
We create compelling experiences that connect people with wildlife and inspire personal responsibility for conserving the natural world.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo opens new Circle of Wildlife Carousel The new carousel features 64 beautiful, hand-carved animals by Mansfield, Ohio-based Carousel Works. Guests have a hard time choosing a favorite figure as they walk the carousel perimeter and see colorful animals such as an elephant, tiger, gorilla, scarlet macaw, meerkat and more.
From the Executive Director..................1 Animal Care & Exhibition.........................2 Wildlife Conservation................................4 Sustainability................................................8 Conservation Education........................10 Guest Experience......................................12 Community Leadership.........................14 Management..............................................18 The Future....................................................20 Financial Summary...................................21 Executive Leadership..............................21
From the Executive Director It’s almost impossible to share what 2014 encompassed in a short message because each year keeps getting bigger and better. This is a great problem to have as our Zoo continues to evolve into an organization that not only focuses on our guests and their experiences, but continues to develop our capacity as a scientific organization that focuses on excellence in animal care, conservation and education. Our excellence in animal care continues to shine as we welcomed many new animals this year, including two Masai giraffe calves. Adia and Jabari are the 47th and 48th giraffes to be born here. We also welcomed Merah, the fourth baby orangutan to be born in The RainForest building, and the first we’ve welcomed in eight years. Our excellence in education was recognized by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) when we were awarded Top Honors with the AZA Education Award for our Online Resource Library. The Online Resource Library is a magnificent database that allows us to archive educational materials, including photos, videos, sounds, and lesson plans, and provide access to those materials for teachers. This resource is used by teachers in Northeast Ohio and around the nation. I’m extremely proud of the hard work that went into the Online Resource Library. This year also marked our growing emphasis on conservation. We celebrated World Elephant Day and our work with the conservation movement 96 Elephants to help stop the killing of elephants for their ivory. In August, State Rep. Mike Dovilla came out to the Zoo to receive over 1,000 illustrations from participants in our Summer Day Camp program, urging the state to take action in banning ivory. I’m very excited to have our Zoo in a position to raise awareness about such a serious conservation issue. “Connecting people with wildlife” is core to our mission and we’re going to be doing even more of it in the future. We continue to work very hard to provide a great experience for our guests and thank them for their tremendous support. We extended our streak of years with over one million visitors to 22 consecutive years.
This year, our attendance was highlighted by The Cleveland Foundation’s 100th Birthday Celebration at the Zoo on Earth Day. Free admission on a beautiful Saturday in April brought out a record attendance of 35,701. We’re always trying to add more experiences for our guests and in June we opened the Circle of Wildlife Carousel and Nature Discovery Ridge. The carousel features 64 beautiful, hand-carved animals. Not only were we able to represent animals from all over the world on the carousel but we were able to represent some of our history on the carousel building. Twelve carved bird tiles from the acclaimed Cleveland artist and designer Victor Schreckengost were preserved from their original location on the Birds of the World building and now adorn the exterior of the carousel building. This is a great connection between the past and our vision of the future. Our guests are thrilled both by the carousel and the fantastic nature-focused playground, Nature Discovery Ridge, next door. Finally, it was a great capstone on the year to have our excellence as a zoo recognized by AZA as we were reaccredited by AZA for the seventh time in our history. The reaccreditation in the fall followed a whopping application document in the spring and a strenuous three-day inspection in the summer and shows that we are meeting the highest industry standards. I couldn’t be prouder of the work the team put in to be reaccredited and the determination they have to lift our expectations even higher than the accreditation standards. So many other great things happened in 2014 and they couldn’t have happened without the hard work from the staff here at the Zoo and throughout Cleveland Metroparks. It also couldn’t have happened without the continued support of the residents of Cuyahoga County and beyond to all of Northeast Ohio. I can’t say “thank you” enough. Here’s to a great 2014 and even bigger things next year! Thanks everyone!
Christopher Kuhar, Ph.D.
Animal Care & Exhibition The Zoo will exceed industry standards and guidelines for species in its care, and adopt a program of continual improvement. The Zoo will strive to be recognized as a leader in creating high quality, innovative animal exhibits.
Zoo Says Goodbye to Oldest Hippo in North America
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo staff and guests said goodbye to one of its most longstanding residents in 2014. Blackie, the oldest Nile hippopotamus in North America, was euthanized early in January 2014 due to advanced age-related ailments. He was estimated to be 59 years old, and it is believed he set the record for the oldest male Nile hippo ever recorded. The tough decision was made by the team of veterinarians, animal curators, and keepers that had cared for him through his time at the Zoo. Blackie resided at the zoo for over 55 years, and was visited by millions of visitors. He sired three offspring, all males, during that time. As he entered his golden years he moved to an area in the Africa barn where he could enjoy a private heated pool. He is missed by staff and visitors alike.
New Moms in the African Savanna
In 2014, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo welcomed not one, but two of the tallest babies in the world; Masai giraffe. The first, a female, was born in June to first-time mother Jhasmin. The second, a male, was born in September to first-time mother Grace. As a testament to the Zoo’s marked achievement in contributing to the Masai Giraffe Species Survival Program, these births also represent second generation births as both Jhasmin and Grace were born in Cleveland as well. Notably, these births mark the 47th and 48th Masai giraffe births in the Zoo’s 60 year history with the species.
Surgery Preserves Hope of Ostrich Offspring
In spring 2014, animal keepers noticed that one of the ostriches, Lavern, was straining excessively. She was anesthetized and it was determined that she was egg bound. The underlying cause for this was a pelvic abnormality that prevented her from being able to pass an egg normally through her pelvic canal. Two options existed to correct the problem. The first would be spaying her to prevent additional egg production. The second would be trying to correct the pelvic abnormality with surgery. Both procedures would be very challenging in such a large animal. Sustainable zoo animal populations are a main goal of being able to maintain many animals in captivity. It was with this in mind that Zoo staff made the decision to attempt the second option and perform the pelvic surgery to try and allow the ostrich to successfully reproduce. After this decision was made, the ostrich was anesthetized again and a CT scan of her distal pelvis was obtained to further evaluate the abnormality. However, shortly after this procedure she was found to be straining again and was subsequently anesthetized again and found to be egg bound a second time. Prior to removing the egg this time, the staff took the opportunity to get a CT scan with the egg in place to get a better understanding of where the abnormality was preventing the egg from passing. With this new information it was determined that the veterinarians would need to fracture her pelvis in two locations as well as break off a large piece of pelvic bone that was projecting within the pelvic canal. The surgery was performed on June 2. Due to the complicated nature of the surgery it took more than six hours of anesthesia to correct the abnormality - the longest anesthesia/surgery ever performed at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. She recovered and began to lay eggs successfully in early August. She will be paired with the Zoo’s male ostrich this spring and with some continued good luck will go on to be reproductively successful.
Carnivore Training Successes in 2014 Cleveland Metroparks Zoo took major strides in 2014 to remain a leader in animal care. Behavior management is at the core of all successful animal care programs and the Zoo achieved some major accomplishments this past year. Getting routine weights, blood samples and ultrasounds are some of the most impactful ways to monitor an animal’s health. Often, these procedures require anesthesia, which can be stressful for animal care staff and animals alike. The Zoological Programs team worked together on establishing voluntary blood draws, ultrasounds and injections (for yearly vaccines) on many of the animals. The Amur tigers, cheetahs and the African lions have worked hard this year to assist in their own health care. Both of the tigers, cheetahs and all three of the lions were able to station for voluntary blood collection. Monitoring blood levels for large cats is very important, as maintaining strong kidney function can be a challenge as they age, so checking their blood values routinely helps us keep them healthy. In addition to this, should the female tiger ever become pregnant, she will lie down and allow Dr. Mandi Schook to perform an ultrasound. All of these behaviors are accomplished with positive reinforcement which means it is entirely the animal’s choice if they want to participate. If they decide to work with the keepers they get rewarded with their favorite treats . . . some raw meat!
Gorilla Heart Health
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Terrestrial Invertebrates Species Specimens Colonies
13 16 14 10 13 39 39 29 35 234 9 3 4 4 5
Aquatic Invertebrates Species Specimens Colonies
27 29 33 37 27 40 62 107 153 100 36 21 20 20 12
Aquatic Vertebrates Species 147 151 161 151 130 Specimens 1141 1328 1381 1107 1121 Colonies 4 3 3 3 11 Amphibians Species Specimens Colonies
21 19 18 18 17 83 66 56 51 43 7 8 8 9 9
Reptiles Species Specimens Colonies
52 56 55 55 49 154 171 129 133 117 0 0 0 0 3
Birds
Species Specimens Colonies
69 75 73 74 73 291 280 256 252 257 2 3 3 3 3
Mammals Species Specimens Colonies
111 110 112 105 102 389 384 366 350 348 1 1 1 1 1
Total Species Specimens Colonies
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 440 456 462 450 411 2137 2330 2324 2081 2220 47 39 40 42 44
Understanding the behavior and health of gorillas is important to providing the best care for them. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s gorillas, Bebac and Mokolo, have been involved in several studies that advance our understanding of gorillas in zoos. Since we have identified heart disease as a significant cause of death in zoo gorillas, much of this research has focused on cardiac health. The Zoo has initiated several studies focused on understanding and improving gorilla health, including efforts aimed at understanding the effect of diet on parameters that might influence heart health. The Zoo’s gorillas particularly seemed to favor the most recent high fiber and low dietary starch diet study that increased time spent foraging by providing pounds of leafy green produce and alfalfa hay for them to eat throughout the day. The need to understand heart disease came closer to home when the Zoo’s gorillas were diagnosed with heart disease in 2008. When their health exams in 2011 revealed progression of heart disease, the Animal Care staff knew that anesthesia for future health exams would have increased risk and an alternative means to monitor their heart health was needed. The staff decided to implement a training program that would allow ultrasounds of the heart while the gorillas were awake. The training process was a slow one though as each step required a large amount of time to allow the gorillas to become comfortable with the changes that occurred. It took more than a year to get the gorillas to the point where diagnostic images of the heart were attainable. Once the images were usable, the benefits of training this behavior became quickly evident. The voluntary heart ultrasounds have been used to detect abnormalities in both gorillas. Of particular note was when Bebac became ill this past December. An arrhythmia was detected through the use of the ultrasound imaging. The staff was able to evaluate him, adjust his medications, and monitor him with the use of the voluntary ultrasounds which ultimately resulted in him stabilizing without the need for a potentially dangerous exam under anesthesia. With the success and benefits realized from this trained behavior the Zoo has taken steps to start training for voluntary blood draws, ECGs and eventually voluntary blood pressure checks. Ultimately all of these behaviors will allow the Zoo to continue to improve its ability to monitor the health of these and other gorillas in the future.
1-Jan-14 1-Jan-14 Births Acquisitions Total Deaths Dispositions 31-Dec-14 31-Dec-14 Species Specimens 2014 2014 2014 2014 Specimens Species Terrestrial Invertebrates 10 Colony Count
37 0 38* 143 56 4
234 13 5
Aquatic Invertebrates 30 Colony Count
0 58* 27 19 12 15*
100 27 12
Aquatic Vertebrates 154* 1099* 148 452 577 0 Colony Count 3 Amphibians 18 50* Colony Count 9 Reptiles 54* Colony Count
0 0 3831
133 16 0
5 31
3 3819
10 11 30 3
1121 130 11 43 9
17
117 3
49
Birds 74 258* 21 42 50 11 Colony Count 3 0.0.10
257 73 3
38 34 Mammals 106* 359* 48 15 Colony Count 1 0.0.26 0.0.23
348 102 1
730 78 2220 411 2014 Total 446* 1995* 403 594 Colony Count 42* 44 * Indicates adjustment in count from previous calendar year inventory Egg cases may contain from 15-150 hatchlings
African Elephant Crossing Shade Structure Construction was completed on a new shade structure in the African Elephant Crossing’s Savanna yard in August 2014. In addition to providing relief from the sun, the structure (funded by the Cleveland Zoological Society) contains two heaters which allow the elephants to spend additional time outside; two remotely controlled hoist feeders to promote exercise and cooperative feeding; and wood wrapped bollards that provide the elephants with scratching opportunities.
Cameroon Primate Health Project
Wildlife Conservation The Zoo will capitalize on the unique role of zoos in saving critically endangered species through ex situ (in zoo) conservation efforts. The Zoo will build on in situ (in the wild) partnerships and forge strong links between our work in the Zoo and our programs around the world.
Wildlife Conservation:
A focus on elephant conservation in 2014 In 2012, an estimated 35,000 wild elephants were killed for their ivory - an average of 96 elephants per day. The largest population of elephants in east Africa, in the Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania, has decreased by 70 percent in the last seven years. Elephants are being killed by people linked to organized crime - not by villagers trying to make a living - and the ivory trade has been directly linked to terrorism and a wide range of illegal activities. The United States is one of the largest consumers of illegal ivory in the world. The U.S. ban on ivory in 2014 was an important step, but there is much more to be done to completely halt the trade and protect elephants. The 96 Elephants campaign is uniting people behind these amazing animals - to stop the sale of ivory and end the killing. Among the hundreds of supporters, more than 100 zoos and aquariums are participating in 96 Elephants. The Zoo participated in the effort by asking people to “join the herd” and show their support by taking and posting an #elphie (a selfie with an elephant) on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, contacting their state representative to ask for a ban on the sale of ivory in Ohio, or donating to the elephant project at the Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation kiosk. The Zoo and Zoo Society celebrated World Elephant Day (August 12th) at the Zoo by highlighting 96 Elephants and talking with visitors about elephant conservation and how they could help. The Zoo also joined in a nationwide effort to send at least 96,000 messages to public officials in the U.S. in support of a ban on the sale of ivory. More than 1,200 elephant illustrations and messages created by Zoo Summer Day Camp program participants and Zoo guests were presented to State Rep. Mike Dovilla (Ohio House District 7) at the event.
In early December, Dr. Pam Dennis and Dr. Kadie Anderson traveled to Limbe, Cameroon, to assist with pre-translocation health exams on several critically endangered Drills (Mandrillus leucophaeus). Drills are listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as one of the highest conservation priorities for African primates, with an estimated 3,000 to 8,000 remaining in the wild. Drills are found primarily in Cameroon. Work occurred at the Limbe Wildlife Center (LWC) which rescues, rehabilitates and reintroduces animals that have entered the wildlife trade either through the bush meat crisis or the illegal pet industry. As the drill is critically endangered, successful reintroduction of this species to the wild in Cameroon is a high priority for LWC. The release site will begin as a “soft-release” enclosure with the possibility of expanding to release into the national park. An important component to any wildlife reintroduction program is the health assessment of release candidates. While at LWC, Dennis and Anderson performed complete health examinations, including anesthesia, laboratory analysis, TB testing, morphometric measurements, and the placement of contraceptive implants, if indicated by management practices. Approximately 30 Drills were examined and the majority of animals were healthy. Research components of the work in Cameroon focused on determining whether Drills are predisposed to the development of diabetes mellitus. On a previous visit to LWC in 2013 for the Great Ape Heart Project, Dennis noted that one of the drills was receiving treatment for diabetes. LWC currently treats two drills for diabetes. Testing was performed on blood samples collected from drills during health examinations to identify whether diabetes is a health concern for the LWC population and what factors may be contributing to its development. This initiative is an important component of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s Conservation Medicine program. Understanding how diabetes is similar and different in primates benefits both wildlife and human populations.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo - Supporting Wildlife Conservation Worldwide
Zoo Field Conservation Efforts
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and the Cleveland Zoological Society directly support wildlife conservation on the ground through Competitive Grants Programs in Africa and Asia. These programs support conservation, field research and educational or cultural initiatives that protect and conserve wildlife and habitats, positively impact local people and create opportunities for professional development, training and program support. Projects supported in 2014 included: • Habitat restoration for 11 species of lemur in Vohibe Forest, Madagascar • Dynamics of conflict between humans and lions in the western Okavango Delta, Botswana • Building on success to influence people and protect Nigeria’s rainforests and wildlife • Conservation demography of Masai giraffe in Tanzania using photographic mark-recapture • Safeguarding gorillas and chimpanzees in Cameroon’s Dja Biosphere Reserve • Conservation of the African large carnivore guild: interspecific competition involving spotted hyenas in Botswana • Snare monitoring of Rothschild’s giraffe in Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park • Monitoring and conserving carnivore communities across northern Botswana • Balancing lion and zebra conservation, and human livelihoods in Laikipia County, Kenya • Status, ecology and conservation of oriental small clawed otter in Nepal • Research and conservation of crocodiles and freshwater turtles in the Corbett Tiger Reserve, India
The Scott Neotropical Fund provides financial support for the work of conservation scientists and students in Latin America. Projects supported in 2014 included: • Status surveys and conservation of the giant anteater in the Magdalena-Urabá Moist Forest Ecoregion, Colombia • Environmental, ecologic and anthropogenic factors related to Toxoplasma gondii in Costa Rican wildlife • Capacity development in participatory biodiversity assessment for conservation interventions in Oaxaca, Mexico • Harpy eagle habitat use and home range size at different landscapes in the Brazilian Amazon • Shielding from extinction the world’s pigmy sloth of Escudo de Veraguas Island, Panama • Evaluating the impact of tour boats on dolphin behavior and bioenergetics in Panama • A community-based approach to the conservation of the banded ground-cuckoo in the Mache Chindul Mountains, Ecuador • Assessment of chytrid fungus and ranavirus infections in frogs from Chamela-Cuixmala, Mexico • Enhancing coexistence with big cats in Costa Rica with community-based incentives
South America Andean bears live in the Andes of South America, the most biologically diverse region on earth, but populations throughout their range are vulnerable due to habitat loss and conflict with humans. Accurate information on bear distribution and numbers is needed to design effective conservation strategies for Andean bears. The Zoo has been working to support Andean bear conservation for more than 15 years in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society, and since 2009 as a founding member of the Andean Bear Conservation Alliance. The goal of the Alliance is to produce an accurate assessment of the distribution and status of the remaining Andean bear populations through targeted research, exploration and capacity-building efforts. Those long-term efforts are paying off, producing rare glimpses of the bear in the wild from video camera traps and bringing to light new and valuable information about bear ecology and behavior. The Alliance designed and tested field methodology for monitoring Andean bear populations are now being used in Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia and has been formally adopted by the National Park System in Colombia.
Asia Slow lorises are fascinating nocturnal prosimians (like lemurs) found throughout southern Asia. Their vice-like grip, snake-like movements, shy nature and venomous bite make them unique amongst the primates. All eight species of slow loris are threatened by exploitation for the pet and photo prop trades, traditional medicine and habitat loss. In partnership with the Little Fireface Project the Zoo protects slow lorises by studying their ecology to inform conservation measures and conducting education and awareness programs aimed at addressing the trade in slow lorises. In 2014, The BBC re-aired the award-winning “Jungle Gremlins of Java,” a documentary that follows the research of Oxford Brookes University’s Dr. Anna Nekaris, director of the Little Fireface Project, as she seeks to understand the behavior of the elusive slow loris and to conserve them in the wild.
Africa Human-carnivore conflict is the single most important threat now facing large carnivores in East Africa. This issue must be addressed in order for species like lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas and African wild dogs to persist. Tanzania’s Ruaha landscape is a high priority region for carnivore conservation but there is intense human-carnivore conflict in the area. The Zoo partners with the Ruaha Carnivore Project (RCP) in Tanzania which works with local communities to directly address human-carnivore conflicts and reduce the negative impacts of carnivore presence by providing important conservation-related
benefits to local communities. In 2014 RCP was highlighted in Africa Geographic magazine, and founder and Director Dr. Amy Dickman was a finalist for the prestigious Tusk Conservation Awards. The award is presented by the charity’s Royal Patron H.R.H. The Duke of Cambridge and recognizes individuals who have “undertaken outstanding, inspirational conservation work throughout Africa, with achievements specifically within the spheres of protection of endangered species or threatened habitat, promotion of environmental education and the development of community-driven conservation.”
2014 Conservation Support
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Cleveland Zoological Society continued to expand their commitment to wildlife conservation in 2014. With the support of Cleveland Metroparks, and in partnership with the Greater Cleveland Chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, $480,000 was contributed to more than 60 important wildlife conservation projects in 35 countries around the world. Primates • Gorilla conservation (Rwanda, Uganda, Cameroon) • Orangutan conservation (Malaysia) • Slow loris conservation (Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Vietnam) • Lemur conservation (Madagascar) Large Mammals • Rhino conservation (Botswana, Zimbabwe) • Elephant conservation (Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda) • Giraffe conservation (Uganda, Tanzania) Carnivores • African wild dog conservation (Tanzania, Botswana) • Lion conservation (Tanzania) • Snow leopard conservation (Mongolia) • Andean bear conservation (Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia) • Tiger conservation (Russia) • Cheetah conservation (Kenya)
“Apes Across Africa” Workshop in Uganda
Bonobos, chimpanzees and gorillas are apes that range across equatorial Africa. Although many people are working to address conservation threats such as poaching, habitat loss and disease there are not a lot of opportunities for experts and students to gather and share knowledge within Africa. The first annual “Apes across Africa” workshop was held in Fort Portal, Uganda, in May 2014 to provide a forum for early career African scientists and conservationists to exchange information and best practices in the protection, study and conservation of wild apes. It built upon the success of two “Gorillas across Africa” workshops held in 2011 and 2012 in Uganda and Rwanda, respectively. Fifty representatives from 14 ape range countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Republic of Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Uganda) reviewed the conservation status of chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas. Participants shared best practices and lessons learned on topics including conservation education, park management, research, monitoring, threats, disease and engaging communities. Workshops like these are helping to create a network of conservation biologists within gorilla, chimpanzee and bonobo range countries.
Beekeeping to Reduce Human-Elephant Conflict in Uganda
In November, Kristen Lukas, Director of Conservation & Science, traveled to Uganda to meet with George Owoyesigire, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s first Steve Taylor Conservation Award recipient (in 2013). Together Kristen and George visited several sites where the Zoo has been supporting community-based beekeeping to reduce human-elephant conflict around Kibale National Park. The beehives are placed at the edge of the park to help discourage elephants from entering agricultural fields. At the same time, the community benefits from the production and sale of high-quality honey created by bees serving as pollinators in an incredibly diverse forest. In 2014, the Zoo provided tools and supplies for the community to build 60 new hives, bringing the total number of hives to 132, and also provided training for 15 members of the various cooperatives to help them make beehives in an affordable and sustainable way. Although early evidence suggests the beehives are deterring the elephants from approaching the forest edge, we are continuing to monitor the impact to adequately measure the effect of this intervention on elephant-human conflict.
The meeting was made possible through the support of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, North Carolina Zoological Society, Zoo Atlanta & the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and ARCUS.
Reptiles & Amphibians • Sea turtle conservation (Venezuela) • Asian freshwater turtle conservation (Vietnam, India, China) • Crocodile conservation (India, Sri Lanka) • Puerto Rican crested toad conservation (Puerto Rico) • Amphibian Ark Other Support • Community-based conservation (Uganda, Peru, Congo) • Onager conservation (Iran) • International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) • Education for Nature Vietnam • Ape TAG Conservation Initiative • Human Wildlife Conflict Collaboration • TRAFFIC • WildAid Regional Research, Monitoring and Conservation Efforts • Freshwater turtles, coyotes, plains garter snake, white-tailed deer, butterflies
Health and Wellness of Cheetahs Subject of New Study
Research at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo focuses on the health and welfare of zoo animals. The cheetah is an iconic species that serves multiple roles in zoos: on-exhibit, as ambassador animals that travel to various locations in education programs, and in off-exhibit breeding centers. In 2014, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s Graduate Research Associate and Ph.D. candidate Bonnie Baird began a comprehensive multi-institution study of the welfare and reproductive health of cheetahs that serve in each of these roles throughout the accredited affiliates of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. She will be looking at behavior, husbandry factors, temperament, stress hormones and reproductive hormones in 70 cheetahs to assess factors related to welfare and reproductive success. The findings of her study will be used to recommend best practices for husbandry and care of zoo-housed cheetahs to allow them to thrive in any role.
BACEP: Bwindi Apes Conservation Education Partnership
2014 Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Conservation Breeding and Management Programs Sorted by Class
IUCN
SSP
Sorted by Class
AMPHIBIA MAMMALIA continued Elephant, African Frog, Ornate horned Fossa Toad, Puerto Rican Crested CR X Fox, Fennec CHONDRICHTHYES Gazelle, Slender Horned Stingray, Bigtoothed River LC X Gibbon, Mueller’s Giraffe, Masai ACTINOPTERYGII Gorilla, Western Lowland Barb, Dennison’s EN Guenon, Wolf’s Cardinalfish, Banggai EN Kangaroo, Red Damba, Pinstripe CR Kangaroo, Western Gray Rainbowfish, Boesman’s EN Klipspringer REPTILIA Koala, Queensland Langur, Francois’ Gecko, Henkel’s Leaf-tailed VU X Lemur, Crowned Gharial CR X Lemur, Mongoose Iguana, Fiji Island Banded EN X Lemur, Red Ruffed Python, Woma EN Lemur, Ring-tailed Skink, Prehensile-tailed Not Listed X Leopard, Persian Terrapin, Malaysian Painted River CR Leopard, Snow Tortoise, Northern Spider CR X Lion Turtle, Blanding’s EN Loris, Pygmy Slow Turtle, Indochinese Box CR Mandrill Turtle, Malaysian Giant Pond EN Marmoset, White-fronted Turtle, McCord’s Snake-necked CR X Meerkat Monkey, Allen’s swamp Turtle, Spotted EN Monkey, Black Howler AVES Monkey, Common Squirrel Aracari, Green LC X Monkey, Goeldi’s Cockatoo, Palm LC X Monkey, Robust Black Spider Condor, Andean NT X Monkey, Pale-headed Saki Crane, African Crowned EN Ocelot Onager, Persian Crane, Japanese Red-crowned EN X Orangutan, Bornean Eagle, Steller’s Sea VU X Otter, Asian Small-clawed Flamingo, Chilean NT X Panda, Red Flamingo, Lesser NT X Porcupine, Crested Ibis, Scarlet LC X Porcupine, North American Kookaburra LC X Porcupine, Prehensile-tailed Mynah, Bali CR X Potto Spoonbill, Roseate LC X Rhinoceros, Eastern Black Stork, Marabou LC X Sea Lion, California Stork, White LC X Seal, Harbor Swan, Trumpeter LC X Shrew, Giant Elephant Turaco, Lady Ross’ LC X Sloth, Two-toed Vulture, Hooded EN X Squirrel, Prevost’s Tamarin, Pied Vulture, White-backed African EN X Tamarin, Golden Lion Weaver, White-headed Buffalo LC X Tiger, Amur Woodhoopoe, Green LC X Tree Kangaroo, Goodfellow’s MAMMALIA Tree Kangaroo, Matschie’s Agouti, Red-rumped LC X Tree Shrew, Northern Anteater, Giant VU X Wallaby, Bennett’s Armadillo, Hairy LC X Wallaby, Parma Armadillo, Southern Three-banded NT X Wallaroo Wolf, Mexican Gray Aye-aye NT X Zebra, Grant’s Bat, Rodrigues Flying Fox CR X Bat, Straw-colored Fruit NT X TOTALS Bear, Andean VU X Species Bear, Malayan Sun VU X Bear, Sloth VU X Bettong Bontebok Bush Baby Camel, Bactrian Capybara Cat, Black-footed Cat, Fishing Cheetah Colobus, Eastern Black and White Deer, Western Tufted Echidna, Short-beaked
CR X LC X LC X CR LC X VU X EN X VU X LC X NT X LC X
IUCN
SSP
VU X VU X LC X EN X EN LC X CR X Not Listed X LC X LC X LC X LC X EN X VU X VU X EN X NT X EN EN X VU X VU X VU X LC X LC X LC X LC X LC X VU X CR X LC X LC X EN X EN X VU X VU X LC X LC X LC X LC X CR X LC X LC X VU X LC X LC X EN X EN X EN X EN EN X LC X LC X NT X LC X CR X LC X EN 26
CR 15
S SP 1 00
IUCN - The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the status of many species using the following scale: - Least Concern (LC) - Near Threatened (NT) - Vulnerable (VU) - Endangered (EN) - Critically Endangered (CR) SSP - Species Survival Plan
This year marked the launch of a new partnership to conserve Uganda’s mountain gorillas: The Bwindi Apes Conservation Education Partnership (BACEP). The project is designed to bring awareness of mountain gorilla conservation issues to four schools surrounding Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to nearly half of the world’s 880 remaining mountain gorillas. The project emerged from prior collaborations between Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, North Carolina Zoo’s UNITE for the Environment and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, representing a joint commitment to the conservation of Uganda’s great apes. BACEP combines conservation education strategies currently being implemented in two of Uganda’s national parks. MPI-EVAN has been providing field trips, debate and music competitions and classroom lessons for schools located in and near Ruhija village for the past five years. UNITE has 12 years of experience providing teacher training and field trips for students and teachers in 11 schools surrounding Kibale National Park, home to East Africa’s largest chimpanzee population. The Zoo is the host institution for the Gorilla Species Survival Plan for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is dedicated to the conservation of gorillas. In November 2014, Kristen Lukas traveled to Uganda to meet with partners and identify next steps for the BACEP collaboration. First steps include hiring an education officer and piloting two teacher trainings in 2015.
Puerto Rican Crested Toads
For the third year in a row, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo was successful in breeding Puerto Rican crested toads. What sets this year apart is that all three pairs set up to breed were successful, increasing the genetic diversity that we send to Puerto Rico by 3,800 individual tadpoles. The Puerto Rican crested toad is critically endangered in the wild and since about 1983 has been bred in zoos with mixed success. Every year, the 29 zoos that hold the toads follow the process, collect results and refine the technique for next year’s breeding attempts. In late August 2014, the veterinarians performed exams on the toads and pronounced them healthy enough to breed. The keepers then cooled the toads in a modified mini refrigerator for about a month to simulate a natural environment. Following the “winter” season is “spring” so a male and female were placed in a rain chamber and “nature” took its course. Since tadpoles carry no known diseases if the parents are healthy, tadpoles are sent to Puerto Rico within 10 days of hatching. This also helps to ensure that adult frogs hopefully return to the same pools to breed in the future. The Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, Division of Wildlife, parks and private land owners in Puerto Rico are starting to see more captive bred toads returning to the pools in the wild. This makes continuing the effort to build new pools and return land back to its original landscape worth the effort. The effort does not end there, from each breeding attempt we keep 10 tadpoles to grow up into toads. This ensures a captive population of high genetic diversity. These toads are then sent to zoos around the world that are part of the program, either as a start to their program or to represent new genes for their current programs. The Zoo’s current breeding males were born here, but the females are from Fort Worth Zoo and Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo. Toads born here have ended up as far as The Oakland Zoo in California and the Zoo de Granby in Canada.
Carousel
Sustainability
The Circle of Wildlife Carousel and Nature Discovery Ridge are all about connecting people, wildlife and habitats locally and globally. In addition to the conservation and education themed features of the Carousel, there are several “green” components that relate to sustainability. • The 64 animals were crafted locally by Carousel Works in Mansfield, Ohio.
The Zoo will be a model in sustainability by developing and implementing Zoo-wide green practices and promoting sustainability throughout Northeast Ohio.
Maintenance & Construction • New automatic, ADA compliant, doors were installed at Primate, Cat & Aquatics building (PCA). • Renovation of the observation deck around the Kapok tree in The RainForest took place. • Sixteen toilets were replaced with low flow versions saving roughly two-and-a-half gallons per flush and three urinals were replaced with low flow versions saving one gallon per flush. • A shade structure was installed in the African Elephant Crossing Savanna Range, providing up to an additional 820 square feet of shade. • The structure includes heaters and two elevated feeders for elephant enrichment and great views for guests. • New themed fence was installed along the Africa path overlooking the African Savanna. • Renovation of the mangabey and red panda outdoor exhibits took place at PCA. • New permanent outdoor lighting and electrical outlets were added along Big Creek and in Northern Trek.
• The project also features several historic sculptures of endangered species by artist Viktor Schreckengost which were repurposed from a previous exhibit. • The picnic tables in the two rental pavilions are made from recycled plastic by PlasTeak, Inc. in Akron. • Solar panels will soon be added to the Circle of Wildlife site as an additional alternative energy. • The most notable feature is the rainwater capturing system and bioswale located behind the carousel. Rainwater from the Circle of Wildlife site and water from the stream in Nature Discover Ridge flows into a 10,000 gallon underground tank. This water is used to fill the horticulture water truck and feeds the automatic irrigation system that waters the plants in Nature Discovery Ridge. Overflow from this tank enters a bioswale that filters it naturally through plants on the back hillside. Only overflow from the bioswale enters the storm sewer, which is a rare occurrence.
BigBelly Solar
Thanks to a very generous $59,510 donation grant from the Alcoa Foundation, the Zoo obtained seven sets of BigBelly Solar trash and recycling containers. Each center trash container is a solar powered trash compactor that can compact the contents, allowing the container to hold up to five times more trash than regular containers. The bins are equipped with sensors that remotely notify park staff when the trash is ready to be picked up. The recycling containers are for collecting plastic and glass bottles on one side and the other container is for aluminum cans. The proceeds from recycling aluminum are used in the Zoo’s Cans for Conservation program, which supports animal and habitat restoration projects around the world. The stations are manufactured by Newton, Mass. company BigBelly Solar.
2014 Horticulture Planting Totals
Nancy Hughes Wins Award
Trees: 83 Shrubs: 539 Perennials: 1,281 Annuals: 7,830 Mums: 1,140 Bulbs: 6,876 Tropicals and Bromeliads: 761
Nancy Hughes, Sustainability Manager, was awarded the 2014 SWANA Ohio Buckeye Chapter Solid Waste Operator of the Year award. Hughes was nominated by Diane Bickett of the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste Management District. She accepted the award at the “Celebrating Recycling in Ohio” conference at Maumee Bay State Park in October. The press release, through the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste Management District, states “Nancy received the annual award for successfully developing and managing the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s recycling and composting operations and for developing her ‘poopular’ ZooPoo program.” The Ohio Buckeye Chapter is an affiliate of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), the oldest, largest, and most well-respected professional organization in the field of solid waste management that promotes sustainable and economical solid waste management systems that include waste reduction, recycling, collection, transfer, compost operations, processing, landfilling, and energy recovery.
2014 Recycling Initiatives Batteries Cardboard Cell phones Computer equipment Food Waste Fluorescent/other bulbs Glass Inkjet/toner cartridges
2013 2014 717 pounds 757 pounds 38.51 tons 41.10 tons 269 223 2.12 tons 2.26 tons 30.26 tons 29.34 tons 2,613 2,403 8.32 tons 9.03 tons 1,537 1,126
Metals: Aluminum 2.76 tons 3.01 tons Copper, iron/steel, etc. 20.48 tons 23.17 tons Paper 43.92 tons 19.29 tons Tires 131 146 Vehicle fluids 550 gallons 580 gallons Uniforms 917 1,031 Recycling receipts
$11,080
$10,286
Zoo Moves to Buy Local Produce
In the past five years, several Cleveland Metroparks Zoo staff have been involved in improving gorilla health by increasing the amount of leafy greens in the gorilla’s diets. The gorillas were previously fed a concentrated commercial diet that was high in calories and dietary starch. In an effort to prolong feeding time and reduce simple carbohydrates, this commercial diet was removed from the daily diet and the amount of leafy greens the gorillas consume was drastically increased. To date, the two adult male gorillas consume 60 lbs of leafy green produce a day. This past year, the Zoo partnered with Case Western Reserve University’s Squire Valleevue Farm to provide some of this produce locally during the summer months. This partnership is beneficial for several reasons. Using local produce reduces the carbon footprint of the zoo as produce is traveling just a few miles. Because of this short transit time, the food remains fresh-picked and retains the highest amount of nutrients and minerals. Finally, by utilizing local produce, the Zoo’s money is invested back into Northeast Ohio.
CMSD Partnership
As part of ongoing partnerships with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), Cleveland Metroparks Zoo continues to provide STEM programming to all students and teachers at the district’s five elementary STEM schools and all fifth grade students and teachers districtwide. Program enhancements this year focused on technology – the ‘T’ in STEM. Based on CMSD’s Data and Technology Integration standards, age-appropriate technologies and technology skills were incorporated into all of the Zoo’s STEM programs. Key to this effort is the use of iPad tablets in teacher professional development and in many of the programs. Students use the technology to gather information, record observational data and share their findings with others.
Conservation Education The Zoo will be the foremost provider of lifelong learning experiences in Northeast Ohio, a trusted voice for wildlife conservation and an inspiration for conservation action.
Evaluation
Anyone looking for an enjoyable way to learn about how people connect with wildlife and how they can positively impact wildlife and wild places could find an activity at the Zoo in 2014. The Conservation Education Division provided 38 different types of programs ranging from preschool programming to graduate-level college courses, each focusing on different animals or conservation stories. What they had in common, however, was that they all encouraged and inspired those participating to make a difference for wildlife. As part of the Zoo’s long-term education plan, each program zeros in on one of seven types of behaviors: 1. Lifelong learning and recreation at the Zoo 2. Acting responsibly towards animals 3. Thinking critically and scientifically about conservation 4. Being responsible consumers when animals are involved 5. Supporting or creating local, natural environments 6. Volunteering or donating to conservation organizations 7. Leading others in helping wildlife and wild places Not only did the Zoo focus on these behaviors in its programs, but staff conducted a thorough evaluation of each program to see if they were really making a difference to help wild animals and their homes. As a result, they modified any activities that may not have been making the difference that they had hoped. Zoo educators made changes based on a scientific evaluation of their efforts. As a result, when they complete a similar study at the end of 2015, they will be able to compare the latest results to baseline data from 2014, and ensure that their time and efforts are really making a difference.
Kicking off the 2014-15 school year, STEM school principals attended a professional development day at the Zoo to orient themselves to the experiences their teachers and students would have through Zoo programming. At this time, they were introduced to part-time Education Specialist Jamila Smith. Thanks to the Cleveland Zoological Society, this position was created solely to coordinate the CMSD partnership efforts and to improve communication with individual schools, teachers and the Zoo. Overall, 29,943 Cleveland students and teachers took advantage of conservation education programming at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in 2014.
Inside Tracks
Top Honors in Education
A very special 169 Zoo guests got the Inside Track on a new experience at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in 2014. These lucky behind-the-scenes tourists joined Zoo staff for a 90-minute, unique program that included fun-filled facts about animal care, behavior and conservation. Inside Tracks provides the chance to explore five animal areas to see firsthand how the Zoo cares for its animals. Some featured experiences included a close look at the Zoo’s animal ambassadors in training sessions and a behind-thescenes look at animal holding areas.
Playtime, Inspired
With the opening of Nature Discovery Ridge in the spring came an amazing opportunity to introduce young people in Northeast Ohio to the natural world that their parents probably used as a playground years before. Stacey Panteck, education specialist at the Zoo, was brought on to develop and conduct Nature Play programming for the community. As a result, 57 preschoolers attended the Zoo’s first ever Nature Play Day Camp during the summer. The program was so successful that it will be expanded in 2015. Also in the summer, the Zoo developed and offered training for teachers in local schools to show them how to facilitate a learning experience in nature to encourage early interest in science. Finally, with support from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society and Esperanza, the Zoo established a family-oriented Zoo Nature Club at Walton School in Cleveland. More than 75 people participated in fall family nature experiences at the Zoo, in Brookside Reservation and at Walton School. Plans are underway for the club to construct a nature study area in the courtyard at the school where classes can plant wildlife friendly gardens and study life science firsthand.
The Zoo’s Online Resource Library was awarded Top Honors for Educational Programming at the 2014 Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) annual conference, beating out entries from the Denver and Cincinnati zoos for the top slot. This important achievement marks the culmination of more than three years of work by the Zoo’s Conservation Education staff to organize and present to the general public thousands of digital assets including photos, videos, educational documents, animal fact sheets, historical information, vetted external links and much more. With a strong focus on forging relationships with educators in the local community and beyond, the Online Resource Library makes dozens of lesson plans available, each with targeted academic outcomes based on state and national STEM standards. Furthermore, the Online Resource Library has made possible the creation of virtual classrooms that the Zoo has integrated into its Docent training program and the training of new Zoo employees. This win is the direct result of the hard work of Zoo volunteers, interns and staff. The Online Resource Library has expanded the reach of the Zoo’s educational programming dramatically and has become an integral part of the Zoo’s technological infrastructure. The last time Cleveland Metroparks received Top Honors in education was in 2011 for programming associated with African Elephant Crossing.
Forging Connections
Guest Experience The Zoo will exceed guest expectations for service and amenities.
The new Circle of Wildlife, in the heart of the Zoo, connects children of all ages with wildlife and nature in two distinctly different ways. This exhibit is a reflection of the Zoo’s mission creating experiences that connect people with wildlife and the natural world to inspire them to care and take action. The newly renovated area includes the Circle of Wildlife Carousel and Nature Discovery Ridge play area. The lively carousel showcases 64 animal figures and two ADA-accessible chariots handcrafted by artists from Carousel Works in Mansfield, Ohio. The carousel highlights wildlife and habitats from around the world. It introduces guests to grasslands, tropical and temperate forests, tundra, rivers and oceans. Figures were chosen based on animals at the Zoo and field conservation efforts the Zoo supports for species around the world. The hands-on experience of “getting close” to a gorilla, tiger or bear carousel figure creates a real connection to the wild species they represent and can help raise awareness and start a conversation with guests of all ages about conservation challenges and the need for action. The carousel is constructed of sustainable materials, from the wood to the LED lighting and water-based paints. When properly maintained, wooden carousels may last 100 years or more. Interpretive graphics throughout the Circle of Wildlife reinforce the importance of being active in nature and taking action to protect species and habitats. Rentable pavilions, a concession stand and public restrooms add extra guest amenities to the area.
Nature Discovery Ridge is a place where children get out and play w The exhibit offers children six habitats in which to interact with three play, children explore how animals create homes and secure resource in these areas allow children to connect with nature. Nature Discover preschool nature camp and early childhood teacher professional dev
with their local Ohio environment. e elements - water, shelter and food. Through es. Unstructured play, adventure and discovery ry Ridge is also home-base for the Zoo’s new velopment workshops.
2014 Zoo Attendance 2014 1,059,632 2013 1,123,660 2012 1,170,443 2011 1,318,458 2010 1,176,919 2009 1,195,280 2008 1,208,379 2007 1,229,273 2006 1,203,403 2005 1,119,478
The Party’s Right Here
The Zoo broke ground in summer 2014 for Stillwater Place, the Zoo’s first dedicated rentable event center, providing the ability to hold private events both during and after Zoo hours. The elegant 10,000 square feet reception event center is strategically situated across from the Circle of Wildlife Carousel with a spectacular view of Waterfowl Lake. The year-round center features an outdoor patio with a beautiful fireplace, dance floor, bridal dressing room, heated/air-conditioned transportation and reception capacity up to 300 guests for a sit-down dinner. It features professional event planning services, upscale catering by Aramark and a state-of-the-art audio/video system. Funding for construction of the new facility was provided by Aramark, Cleveland Zoological Society and Cleveland Metroparks.
New Train Engine
Thanks to a generous gift from Karen and Alan Wilber, and the ZooFutures Fund of the Cleveland Zoological Society, the Zoo was able to purchase a new train engine for Australian Adventure. It was purchased from, and built by, Chance Rides out of Wichita, Kansas and is a great site to see chugging along the Boomerang Line.
Zoo Entrance Signs
Two new signs were installed at the Wildlife Way entrances off of West 25th Street and Fulton Parkway. Two additional signs were installed at the bottom of Wildlife Way at the entrance to the Zoo. The Horticulture team did a fabulous job designing and installing new gardens to complement them. Of note is the LED sign installed as a part of the sign on West 25th Street. It displays the time and temperature as well as upcoming events and specials going on at the Zoo. They make a great first impression.
Maintenance & Construction • Facility Operations Maintenance and Construction Bullet Points: New automatic, ADA compliant, doors were installed at PCA. • Renovation of the observation deck around the Kapok tree in The RainForest took place. • Sixteen toilets were replaced with low flow versions saving roughly two and a half gallons per flush and three urinals were replaced with low flow versions saving one gallon per flush. • A shade structure was installed in the African Elephant Crossing Savanna Range, providing up to an additional 820 square feet of shade. The structure includes heaters and two elevated feeders for elephant enrichment and great views for guests. • New themed fence was installed along the Africa path overlooking the African Savanna. • Renovation of the mangabey and red panda outdoor exhibits took place at Primate, Cat & Aquatics. • New permanent outdoor lighting and electrical outlets were added along Big Creek and in Northern Trek.
We Care for the Mission Individual Annual Support
Community Leadership The Zoo will be a greater civic priority for Northeast Ohio and strengthen the Zoo’s leadership role as one of the top destinations in the area; as a regional economic development driver, and as the wildlife, conservation and sustainability expert.
$20,000+ Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Leiden Karen and Alan Wilber $15,000+ Creighton B. Murch and Janice Smith Murch $10,000+ Mr. and Mrs. Mike Belkin Ms. Margaret Fulton-Mueller Mr. and Mrs. Walter M. Rosebrough Mr. and Mrs. Steve Spilman $5,000+ Dr. Rachel W. Abernethy Mr. and Mrs. William H. Bostelman, Jr. Mrs. Jack L. Brown Mr. and Mrs. Edward T. Campbell Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Connors Mr. Jeffrey L. Contini Ms. Laura A. Davis Mr. and Mrs. John R. Fraylick Carol and Graham Hall Mr. and Mrs. Allen J. Mistysyn Ms. Michelle M. Orenick Mr. and Mrs. Allyn J. Pytel Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Ratner Ms. Sarah M. Rayburn Dr. Joseph Sopko and Dr. Elizabeth MacIntyre Mrs. Nancy Stegens Mr. and Mrs. Michael D. Vaughn Mr. and Mrs. Seth White Richard and Mary Lynn Wills Mr. and Mrs. Donald F. Woodcock Frann R. Zverina $2,500+ Mr. and Mrs. Mark Angiocchi Mr. and Mrs. Gordon A. Anhold Anonymous Ms. Virginia D. Benjamin and Mr. Philip L. Woodcock Dr. and Mrs. Alok Bhaiji Mr. and Mrs. James C. Boland Mr. and Mrs. James P. Even, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Jon E. Fowler Jim and Linda Francis Mr. Robert M. Hahn and Ms. Joan O’Malley Mr. Albert A. Hanes and Mr. Robert E. Hanes Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy S. Hilton Mr. and Mrs. James W. Jaroszewski Mr. Frank Kennedy Ms. Kerry L. Kipfstuhl Dr. and Mrs. Dave C. Koncal Mr. Craig A. Lotts and Mrs. Agustina Lotts Mr. Chris McDaniel and Mrs. Rande McDaniel Mr. Bob Merckle Mr. Steele Nowlin and Ms. Chris Jayjack Mr. and Mrs. Brian M. O’Neill Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Osicka Mr. and Mrs. Anthony R. Petruzzi Ms. Mary Kay Schneider Mr. and Mrs. Mark A. Smrekar
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Suerth Mr. Charles W. Thomasson Mrs. Jeanne D. Tyler Mr. and Mrs. Thomas N. Tyrrell Mr. and Mrs. Thomas V. Vail Mr. James Violette Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ware Mr. and Mrs. Alfred E. Werman Ms. Kirsten West and Mr. Brian Barthelman Mrs. Martha Zlotnik and Mr. Oscar Berman Zoo Friends - Anonymous $1,000+ Mr. and Mrs. David J. Abood Mr. and Mrs. Frederic Ahlgren Ms. Sheri Andrasko Anonymous Mr. David R. Antes and Mr. Lawrence E. Smith Dr. Nancy J. Arndt and Mr. Andrew Houghton Dr. and Mrs. James E. Arnold Mr. James A. Attwood, Jr. and Ms. Leslie K. Williams Dr. Kimberly Bates and Dr. Craig Bates Ms. Vanessa Behrend and Mr. Robert Ellis Mr. Peter A. Bergsten Dr. John F. Burke, Jr. and The Honorable Nancy A. Fuerst Mr. Ross Bushman and Mrs. Meggan Sherlock Mr. and Mrs. Donald L. Butler Mr. and Mrs. David M. Campbell Mr. Gerald F. Cannon and Mr. Fred Bamberger Mrs. Susan J. Cannon and Mr. David Cannon Dane and Dottie Carney Ms. Amy Casner Mr. and Mrs. Gary Cence Ms. Nan Cohen and Mr. Daniel Abrams Mr. and Mrs. Dennis A. Conrad Mr. and Mrs. Douglas O. Cooper Mr. and Mrs. Scott A. Covell Mrs. Ellen June Cowher Mrs. Margaret D. Davies Mr. and Mrs. Umberto Fedeli Mr. and Mrs. William DeWood Dr. and Mrs. Walter H. Dimling Mr. Michael V. Dzurilla Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Ellis Mr. and Mrs. Charles R. Emrick, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Farmer Mr. and Mrs. Robert U. Fein Ms. Janice E. Focke and Mr. Clayton Rung Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Fowler Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Fox Ms. Joy M. Freda Mr. and Mrs. Gregory D. Friedman Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Friedt Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Gallagher Mr. and Mrs. Richard R. Gascoigne Mr. Bruce E. Gaynor and Ms. Patricia J. O’Donnell
Ms. Anne E. Geary and Ms. Nancy Dobras Mr. Larry A. Gogolick Ms. Kathleen A. Goodwin Mr. and Mrs. David Grubb Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Guido Mr. and Mrs. Eric S. Hall Mr. Montgomery Hall Ms. Nancy Hancock Griffith Mrs. Nancy J. Hansen Mr. and Mrs. Mark J. Harris Mrs. William E. Harris Mr. and Mrs. William R. Harvey Dr. Paul A. Hechko and Dr. Jennifer Hechko Eve Higgins Nicole and Stephen Hilbert Ms. Christine Hooper Mr. and Mrs. Joseph S. Hooven Mr. and Mrs. Justin R. Horton Mr. and Mrs. Stephan Hovancsek, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. James P. Howard Mr. and Mrs. Tom Hunt Ken and Patti Jacko Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Jones Mr. and Mrs. Mark J. Juriga Ms. J J Jursik Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Kachmarik Mr. Ray Kaliszewski and Mrs. Carol Leahey Ms. Janet A. Kappus Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Kess Mr. and Mrs. Jim Kilmer Ms. Colleen Kipfstuhl Mr. Bill Kirchner and Mr. Michael Kirchner Dan and Carol Klimas Ms. Josephine J. Kobus Mr. and Mrs. Scott E. Kreidler Mr. and Mrs. Ron Krisher Mr. and Mrs. Allan Krulak Ms. Marian Lanchman Mr. and Mrs. John Lane Mr. and Mrs. E. Gary Laughlin Ms. Andrea Lilly Mr. and Mrs. Matthew C. Litzler Mr. and Mrs. Matthew P. LoPiccolo Jacalyn and Chuck Lurie Mrs. Elizabeth MacGowen Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. Mahovlic Mrs. Carlos A. Maldonado Dr. and Mrs. Randall E. Marcus Mr. Robert J. Marok and Ms. Bridget Assing Marok The Maver Family Mr. and Mrs. Timothy McDonel Mr. and Mrs. Hugh E. McKay Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Messina Don and Sally Messinger Mr. David Miceli and Mrs. Kimberly Stec Mr. and Mrs. Dan T. Moore III Ms. Victoria R. Moorehead Mr. and Mrs. Stephen C. Morris Mr. and Mrs. Warren L. Morris Mr. and Mrs. Greg P. Mulach Ms. Sharon Mulligan Mr. and Mrs. Gregg G. Muresan Mr. and Mrs. Michael Niederst Dr. and Mrs. Michael Novak
Mr. Gary M. Novotny Mr. Brian O’Donnell Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Ollinger Mr. Richard D. Orr Mr. and Mrs. Carl J. Pecoraro Ms. Shelly M. Peet and Mr. Robert R. Martinko Jenny and Tony Pelcic Ms. Barbara D. Peterson Mr. and Mrs. Jason Peters Ms. Terri Peterson and Mr. Michael W. Dvoroznak David and Margo Petlowany Ms. Charlene Phelps and Ms. Nancy A. Gorenshek Mr. and Mrs. Gary L. Price Linda and Victor Prosak Pysht Fund Ms. Marie A. Quintana and Mr. Robert B. Sikora Mrs. Mary A. Redmon and Mrs. Molly Loy Mr. Karl B. Ress and Ms. Mary Klein Mr. and Mrs. Bill Riccio Dr. and Mrs. Brad J. Richmond Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Rogers Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Ruhlman The Honorable Anthony J. Russo and Mrs. Patricia Russo Dr. and Mrs. Leif Saager Mr. and Mrs. Garrett Saczawa Mr. William S. Sanders and Mrs. Sheila Sanders Mr. Larry J. Santon Mr. and Mrs. James A. Schoff Mr. and Mrs. Kim S. Schrock Mr. and Mrs. John D. Schubert Mrs. Carolyn P. Seelbach Mr. and Mrs. William R. Seelbach Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Seitz Ms. Rosemary Selepena Ms. Jodi Shankweiler Dr. Mona Shay Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Sieck Jackie and Chuck Simon Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Skernivitz Dr. and Mrs. Robert L. Smith Ms. Ann Snyder Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Soroka Mr. and Mrs. Ethan E. Spencer Ms. Pandora E. Sprachmann Ms. Kim Srsen and Mr. Wayne Zahler Ms. Billie Howland Steffee Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Sullivan, Sr. Mrs. Barb M. Sutton and Ms. Sarah Young Mr. and Mrs. John J. Tanis Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth E. Taylor Steve and Sarah Taylor Mr. Edward Thomas Dr. and Mrs. Richard W. Thompson August L. and Shirley Tischer Mr. and Mrs. Kevin D. Tolejko Mr. Herb Turner and Dr. Sharon Dorman Mr. and Mrs. Robert Vagi Ms. MaryLou VerMerris Ms. Trish Vermes
$1,000+ Mr. John A. Veverka and Ms. Lisa Lieben Mr. Paul Vidal and Mrs. Cindy Bodendorfer Ms. Kim Vogrig Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Waitkus Reverend Robert Walcott and Ms. Diane Walcott Ms. Anne Wallen Ms. Chantal G. Walsh Ms. Margaret Walsh Mr. and Mrs. Daniel R. Warren Mr. and Mrs. George F. Wasmer Mr. Thomas J. Webster Mr. Morton J. Weisberg Mrs. Robert York White Fran and Don Willis Mr. Steve Wilson and Ms. Michelle Baumgard Mr. and Mrs. James Winning Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Wohlfeiler Mr. Norman J. Young Dr. Dawn Zacharias and Mr. Paul Zacharias Mrs. Barbara E. Zelley Betty and Don Zgonc
We Care for the Mission Corporate and Foundation Annual Support $50,000+ Swagelok Co. $20,000+ The Boston Beer Company Medical Mutual of Ohio $15,000+ Fifth Third Bank, Northeastern Ohio Almera Biddulph Reitz Foundation Estate of Charlotte Ruth $10,000+ Aleris International, Inc. Hyland Software Inc. Nordson Corporation $5,000+ Anonymous Aramark The Ruth and Elmer Babin Foundation Baker & Hostetler LLP Beverage Distributors, Inc. Cleveland Airport Marriott Cleveland Airport System Cleveland Scene Cliffs Natural Resources, Inc. Cohen & Company, CPAs William E. and Mary F. Conway Fund Ernst & Young LLP Fairmount Santrol Findley Davies, Inc. FirstMerit Bank, N.A. The Jochum-Moll Foundation The Edward A. and Catherine L. Lozick Foundation The Lubrizol Corporation Parker Hannifin Corporation PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Prince & Izant Co. Sazerac Company The Sherwin-Williams Company Edward R. and Jean Geis Stell Foundation Tucker Ellis LLP $2,500+ American Greetings Corporation Carfagna-Magis Family Foundation CLR Design, Inc. The Harry K. and Emma R. Fox Charitable Foundation The Harrington Family Foundation JPMorgan Chase & Co. Julius Zorn, Inc. KeyCorp KPMG LLP Lincoln Electric Company Lorain National Bank George A. Misencik Living Trust Dan T. Moore Companies Franklin H. and Nancy S. Moore Foundation Omnia, a Telos Company PPG Industries Foundation Kenneth W. Scott Foundation The Sherwick Fund Stroud Family Exempt Trust II Vitamix
$1,000+ Anonymous Bacardi USA, Inc The Bonne Bell Family Foundation Ciuni & Panichi Cleveland Wire Cloth & Manufacturing Company Dominion Gould Inc. Foundation William E. Harris Family Fund George M. and Pamela S. Humphrey Fund Huntington National Bank Jones Family Foundation The Tom H. Lang Fund at the Cleveland Foundation Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Philanthropic Fund NACCO Industries, Inc. Pernod Ricard U.S.A. Lotte Schreiber Pinkus Memorial Philanthropic Fund Robert S. and Sylvia K. Reitman Family Foundation Runzheimer Foundation, Inc. The Helen and Louis Stolier Family Foundation TRUiST The S. K. Wellman Foundation
We Care for the Mission We Care for People, Animals and the Planet $100,000+ The Cleveland Foundation KeyBank Foundation The Milton and Tamar Maltz Family Foundation PNC Mrs. Margaret Scott Karen and Alan Wilber $50,000+ Eaton Corporation The Honor Project Trust Leiden Conservation Foundation $20,000+ Disney Worldwide Services The Nord Family Foundation $15,000+ The Eva L. and Joseph M. Bruening Foundation William E. Harris Family Fund $10,000+ St. Louis Zoological Park The David Steffee Chair of Veterinary Medicine Gift Fund Michael Talty and Helen Talty Charitable Trust The George Garretson Wade Charitable Trust $5,000+ AAA East Central Dominion Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association Malone University Medical Mutual of Ohio The Sherwin-Williams Company Zoological Society of San Diego $2,500+ Berlin Family Educational Foundation Nacey Maggioncalda Foundation The Phoenix Zoo Roger J. and Madeline L. Traynor Family Foundation $1,000+ Dickerson Park Zoo Fresno Zoological Society Dr. and Mrs. Fredric A. Litt Mr. and Mrs. Stephen C. Morris Norristown Zoological Society Ocean Park Conservation Foundation San Francisco Zoological Gardens Triple T Foundation Wildlife Conservation Society
Matching Gift Donors
American International Group Angelo’s Pizza ArcelorMittal Matching Gifts Program AT&T Matching Gift Automatic Data Processing, Inc. Bank of America Baxter International Foundation BP Corporation North America Inc. CA Technologies, Matching Gifts Program Charles Schwab Foundation CIGNA Matching Gifts Program Corning Incorporated Foundation Dominion Eaton Corporation Emerson Electric Co. Matching Gift Program FirstEnergy Foundation GE Foundation Matching Gifts W.W. Grainger, Inc. John Hancock Financial Services, Inc. Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. IBM Corporation JPMorgan Chase & Co. The JPMorgan Chase Foundation KeyCorp Matching Gifts The Lubrizol Corporation Macy’s Foundation Macy’s Inc. McMaster-Carr Matching Gifts Moen Incorporated MRI Software LLC, Matching Gifts NACCO Industries, Inc. - Matching Gifts Nordson Corporation Northern Trust Bank The Plymouth Rock Foundation PNC PPG Industries Foundation Progressive Co. The Prudential Foundation The Quaker Chemical Foundation Rockwell International Corporation The Sherwin-Williams Company USG Foundation, Inc.
Laura A. Davis Digital Photos by Dale, LLC District Everything Tented Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse Forest City Commercial Group James L. Francis Girls Got Swing Granite City Food & Brewery Great Lakes Brewing Company Great Lakes Theater Festival Robert Hartshorn Paul A. Hechko House of Blues John Kedzior, a Kenneth W. Scott Foundation trustee Ladies and Gentlemen Lake Erie Nature and Science Center Laurice Skin Care & Cosmetics Lockkeepers Inn Malley’s Chocolates Mitchell’s Ice Cream Carbery O’Brien Jason M. Orlando Robert W. Osicka Pernod Ricard U.S.A. David Petlowany Pier W Playhouse Square Foundation Rapid Mailing Services Renaissance Cleveland Hotel Rosander Event Kitchen Tim Ryan Sazerac Company Charles Scott Salons ShurTech Brands, LLC Society Lounge STERIS Corporation The Studio Cleveland Vitamix Morton J. Weisberg The Westin Hotel WEWS Television - TV5 Whole Foods Market Cedar Center WKRK 92.3 Radio WNCX 98.5 WQAL 104.1
Media and In-Kind Donors
Honor and Memorial Gifts
AMP 150 Restaurant & Bar Atma Center Beverage Distributors, Inc. Jeffrey M. Biggar Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resort Marilyn K. Brown Clear Channel Communications, Inc. Cleveland Botanical Garden University Circle Campus Cleveland Cupcake Company The Cleveland Indians Cleveland Magazine Cleveland Metroparks The Cleveland Cavaliers Cork & Cleaver Creekside Restaurant & Bar
In Honor of: GiGi Benjamin Catherine Bock Dane Carney Madison, Avery and Eric Goth Sebastian Perez Mayor Bruce Rinker Heidi and Jerry Spangler Susan Zanetti and Chris Zirafi In Memory of: Marjorie Barstow Beano Evelyn Bennett John and Eleanor Biej Jane Brooks Chester Chmura
Jim Cowher Larry DeCamp Gary L. Gundling Donald R. Johnson Carol Lade Charlie and June Masek Anne Marie, George and Noreen Misencik Frank Monachino James M. Olen Marlene Oriti Joanne Peet Joan Rog Rita Tloczynski Julie Wagner Glenn Walek Helen Wires
ZooFutures
Ms. Mollie E. Alstott Anonymous (5) Frederick C. Badt Testamentary Trust Mr. and Mrs. Laurence A. Bartell Mr. and Mrs. Noel Becker Ms. Ginny Bertram Dr. Beth B. Sersig Mr. Gary D. Brengartner* Estate of Helen E. Brown Ms. Gretchen L. Burmeister Mrs. Herschel Cohen* Estate of Phyllis and Paul Colarusso* Mr. and Mrs. Douglas O. Cooper Mrs. Ellen June Cowher Mrs. Frederick C. Crawford* Mrs. Margaret D. Davies Mr. and Mrs. Charles R. Emrick, Jr. Estate of Rita Anna Entrup* Mr. and Mrs. Ronald V. Estes Ms. Sally Everett Stanley and Florence (Klier) Fassett Memorial Fund Ms. Ruth Fish* Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Fowler Ms. Mary A. Fruth* Ms. Agnes R. Gaso Estate of Rudolph Gob Ms. Luella A. Goldenbogen Mr. and Mrs. Mark D. Grenig Ms. Carol Hall Ms. Patricia Heinke Mrs. Ralph Hollander* Hazel P. Hostetler Trust Ms. Elvira Hovan Mrs. Burton Jenne Mrs. La Veda Kovar* Ms. Julia Kunes* Mr. Edward J. Lautner* Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Leiden Bud Lezius* Mr. Robert Loftus, Jr. and Mrs. Kathy J. Loftus Mrs. Charles N. Mandt Dr. Randall E. Marcus Mr. Bob Merckle Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Miller
Mr. Steele Nowlin and Ms. Chris Jayjack Estate of Marion L. Parmelee Mr. Alfred M. Rankin* Almera Biddulph Reitz Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Bill Riccio Estate of Eleanor M. Rieck Mr. and Mrs. Carl A. Rispoli Estate of Sharon Rosenberg Mr. and Mrs. Daryl J. Rothenfeld Estate of Charlotte Ruth Mr. Larry J. Santon Ms. Emily A. Sapacianu Charles W. Saunders Charitable Trust Vivian H. Schulze Trust Ms. Brenda F. Schuster Mr. and Mrs. Gail Skinner Estate of Robert and Virginia Snead Miss Patricia A. Stealey, J.D.* Estate of Theodore R. Steck Ms. Billie Howland Steffee Steve and Sarah Taylor Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Thiel* Mr. Arthur L. Thomas Mr. Gerald A. Turoczy Mr. and Mrs. Thomas N. Tyrrell Robert and Darci Usher Mrs. Leonard VonBenken Mr.* and Mrs. Robert York White Mr. and Mrs. Donald F. Woodcock Mr. John D. Daly Mr. and Mrs. Donald Zgonc *Deceased This list represents individual and organizational annual cumulative giving of $1,000+ between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014. The contributions supported a variety of Cleveland Zoological Society fundraising programs and special events. To provide updated information or to make a gift, please call (216) 661-6500 or e-mail Info@ClevelandZooSociety.org
Circle of Wildlife
$2,500+ Advance Industries Group $500,000+ Anonymous ODNR Division of Wildlife Baird Brothers Sawmill Inc. Cohen & Company CPAs $250,000+ Countertops by Nate LLC - The Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Nate and Vanessa Giancola Foundation Gene and Marion Faubel Robert and Karen Fein and $100,000+ Family Member and Donors 2014 The Cleveland Foundation Kristen and Tom Fistek The Conway Family Larry Gogolick Joy M. Freda Foundation The Walter E. and Jean C. The Henning Family Ms. Laura A. Davis Kalberer Foundation Eve Higgins Kent and Elaine Downing Leiden Conservation The Grasselli Foundation Joseph V. Hocevar Foundation Richard and Michelle (Tom, Liz, and Mary Fowler) The Fred A. Lennon Charitable Shelly Habermann, in memory Jeschelnig Trust Daniel and Carol Klimas of Liz Habermann The Reinberger Foundation Eva and Rudolph Linnebach Carol and Graham Hall The Kent H. Smith Charitable Albert A. and Robert E. Hanes Dr. and Mrs. Randall E. Marcus, Trust M.D. Ron and Lydia Harrington Thomas N. and Diane M. In memory of Robin Jack and Mary Herrick Tyrrell Martindale Cecil and Renee Miller Mary L. McMillan The Mistysyn Family $50,000+ Mr. and Mrs. Greg Mulach Pat and Amy Mullin The DBJ Foundation In honor of Dr. Elmer J. Perse Margo Petlowany The Louise H. and David S. Mr. and Mrs. Allyn J. Pytel John E. Rupert, Karen Rupert Ingalls Foundation, Inc. Meg and Jon Ratner Keating, David Rupert and The Milton and Tamar Maltz The Rebholz Family Kristen Rupert Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Rob Rogers Billie Steffee Alan and Karen Wilber Mary Kay Schneider Jack and Nancy Tanis Lauren and Steve Spilman Pysht Fund $25,000+ Al and Caryn Werman The Thomas H. White Annie and Mike Belkin Foundation, a KeyBank Trust Westfield Insurance Muffy and Jim Boland Katie and Donald Woodcock Karen and Doug Cooper $1,000+ Frann R. Zverina Dominion Ms. Ginny Bertram Leigh and Eric Hall Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Burkhardt $10,000+ The Hershey Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Peter Calfee Loree and Kevin Connors The Higley Fund Mrs. Susan J. Cannon and Parker Hannifin Foundation Colleen Kipfstuhl and Kerry Anthony and Colleen Petruzzi Mr. David Cannon Kipfstuhl Cleveland Metroparks Zoo J.A. Smith and Creighton Cleveland Zoological Society $5,000+ Murch and Family George and Colleen Coakley GiGi Benjamin and Phil The Murch Foundation John and Kathy Fraylick Woodcock Jacob and Marjorie Forest City Enterprises Mr. and Mrs. Richard Rosenbaum Gascoigne Charitable Foundation Harold C. Schott Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy S. Hilton Nicole and Stephen Hilbert The Sherwick Fund Dominic C. Libertine and Family Kim and Tom Littman Leiden Cabinet Company $20,000+ Shelly Peet and Rob Martinko, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. Aleris International, Inc. Mahovlic Maya and Stephen The Jim and Linda Francis Steffany Matticola Larkins RPM International Inc. Family The Sears-Swetland Family MetLife Foundation Margaret Fulton-Mueller, Max Mr. Jeffrey Neuman Foundation and Laura Mueller Mr. and Mrs. Harlan R. Don and Sally Messinger Peterjohn Nordson Corporation Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Priemer The Robert S. and Sylvia K. Roll Giving Reitman Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Fred Rzepka Mr. Larry J. Santon Ann Snyder Robert and Joyce Soroka Ethan E. Spencer Mr. and Mrs. Thomas V. Vail Paul and Joyce Webster Thomas J. Webster $15,000+ Dr. Rachel Abernethy The Abington Foundation Dan Abrams and Nan Cohen The Anton Family Marilyn K. Brown The Cleveland Zoological Society
New Comprehensive Campaign $500,000+ Anonymous $100,000+ Jim and Linda Francis Leiden Conservation Foundation Robert S. and Sylvia K. Reitman Family Foundation $25,000+ The Jonathan and Meg Ratner Family Foundation $15,000+ Mr. and Mrs. Mike Belkin $10,000+ The Mary A. and Thomas F. Grasselli Endowment Foundation
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo receives 7th Consecutive Re-accreditation From AZA At the end of June 2014, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo was visited by an inspection team of four individuals representing the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). For three days the inspectors reviewed documents, toured public and behindthe-scenes areas, ate at our facilities and talked with Zoo staff, the Cleveland Zoological Society and Cleveland Metroparks leadership and trustees. The staff did a wonderful job in the months leading up to inspection to confirm we were organized and ready to meet all standards outlined in the accreditation process. Numerous physical enhancements were made, and policies were reviewed to ensure they met or exceeded industry standards. In September, the Zoo’s leadership team went to the annual AZA conference and sat down with the AZA Accreditation Commission to respond to any questions they had after reviewing the inspection reports. At the conclusion of this process the Zoo received high marks and received accreditation. It was truly a team effort by Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Cleveland Zoological Society and Cleveland Metroparks.
The Zoo thanks its many corporate and nonprofit community partners for their generous support in 2014: Alcoa Foundation AMCLO b.a. Sweetie Candy Company Ben & Jerry’s Cleveland Clinic Children’s Cleveland Hopkins International Airport Cleveland Public Library Cleveland Public Power Coca-Cola Discount Drug Mart Dollar Bank Giant Eagle Greyhound Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt of Northeast Ohio Metro PCS Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District Omnia, a Telos Company Outback Steakhouse ShurTech Brands UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital Universal Windows Direct
2014 Zoo Staff
Management The Zoo will be a robust, fiscally sustainable organization modeling the best business practices with a culture of collaboration, partnership and continual professional development.
Zoo Administration Executive Director Christopher W. Kuhar, Ph.D. Executive Secretary Catherine Thoryk Conservation Education Director of Conservation Education Victoria Searles, M.A. Zoo Education Manager Chriss Kmiecik, M.S. Christine Korhnak, M.A. Jim Nemet Animal Keeper/Show Assistant Adriana De Los Santos Education Specialist I - Zoo Kathryn Corr, M.A. Amanda Dailey Chad Fifer Therese Joyce Cathy Smith D’Edra Thompson Stacey Panteck Jennifer Wilson, M.A.T. Charlotte Petrie (PT) Stephen Schultz (PT) Jamila Smith [PT] Education Assistant (PT) Ann Carl Christopher Lemmo Mary Liptak Nicole McClellan Michael Milanich Mary Pelton Kristine Rinas Kristin Simmons Jennifer Smith Leila Snodgrass Melissa Tilocco Marjorie Ulyan Tonya Welch-Farran Valerie Yarmesch
Mgr. of Zoo Grounds & Educational Media Assistant Gary Mollé Services David Nagel Luke Weiss Patricia Cayton Michael O’Brien Zoo Interpreter (PT) Bill Ochmanski Lead Service Maintenance Elizabeth Cinadr Jason Radesic -Days Zoo Bus Driver (PT) Gregory Sheldon Lawrence Greene Denice Johnson Robert Puntel Interactives/Electronics Thomas Mayne Technician Service Maintenance II Susan Naso Paul Valley William Beckrest Registration & Data Jackie Freeman Life Support Systems Coordinator Mary Ann Horton Technician Starr Kelley Audrey Lewis Ryan Leasure Registration & Data Facility Operations Manager Kathy Monreal Assistant Russell Verlinden Jeff Chenoweth Linda Quast Virginia Viscomi Lead HVAC Engineer Registration & Data Rocco Yascone Gordon Cerney Specialist [PT] HVAC Engineer Lead Service Maintenance Tracy Bailey -Nights Robert Andrassy Mark Ritchie George Pringle John Coulter Zoo Librarian/Media Nate St. Clair Robert Kras Specialist Service Maintenance I Thomas Spiewacki Jason Schafer Oscar Allen Mike Daugherty Facility Operations Lead Mechanic Michael Fronckowiak Darryl Director of Zoo Facility Graham Operations Steven Krauth Derrick Jones Mechanic Christopher Lowe Elizabeth Soltesz Administrative Assistant III Timothy Szarafinski Theresa Tompkins Dave Kish Linda Baszak Demetrius Winters Manager of Zoo Administrative Assistant I Service Maintenance [PT] Horticulture & Facilities (PT) Lane McLaughlin Patricia Brom Matt Krems Mgr. of Zoo Buildings & Manager of Zoo Lead Horticulturist Facilities Sustainability Dana Lamphier Michael Burcewicz Nancy Hughes Horticulturist Truck Driver Lead General Jeffery Brown Maintenance Michael Yznaga Pebbles Bush Paul Dzurik Deborah Gamble General Maintenance Eric Himmelman Greg Bambic Kevin Mackin Anthony Beursten Teresa O’Kelly Dominic Burton Timothy Peters David Kowall Jean Lang
Guest Services Director of Revenue Development Timothy Savona Manager of Guest Services Edith Ricchiuto Guest Services Secretary (PT) Janice Scigliano Admissions Manager Theresa Moore Lead Cashier [PT] Ellen Mathe Beth Hadbavny Admissions Assistant [PT] Irma Alvarez Sulma Espendez Janice Franczek Bonni Metelsky Zoo Receptionist [PT] Angeline Brlas Carol Camiola Guest Services Operations Manager Weldon Maples Asst. Operations Specialist [PT] Albert Martin Guest Services Lead [PT] Arnae Black Christine Angiocchi Guest Services Associate [PT] Joyce Ohlrich Rides/Transportation Driver [PT] William Ingram John Orzel Zoological Programs Director of Animal & Veterinary Programs Andi Kornak Curators of Animals Tad Schoffner Travis Vineyard, M.A. Associate Curators of Animals Elena Hoellein Less, Ph.D. Lynn Koscielny Michael Murray Christopher Peterson Lead Animal Keeper Pamela Bowman George Buehner Joe Carroscia Julie Good Tiffany Mayo Scott Parish Alisa Sandor Dave Winkler Animal Keeper Kristy Becka, M.A. Kelli Brown Kimberly Callis Elliott Burton James Casteel Mark Chase Cheryl Cintella Maria Clapp Deb Copeland Kathryn Dagostino Leroy Daugherty Brianna Duff Chris Gertiser Curtis Gindlesperger Calvin Harpe Becky Johnson Steve Kinczel
Aimee Kindry Meghan McNamara Maureen Meslovich Kelly Morgan Rick Moxley Michael Negron Michelle Peck Allyson Price Brian Price Mark Rehling Terri Rhyner Joe Ropelewski, M.A. Nate Schierman Kevin Scotti Katie Seagal Meghan Sharp Rose Sharp Dawn Stone Heather Strawn Stefanie Titterington Jeanette Trusnik Shannon White Claire Winkler Patty Young Nicholas Zarlinga Michael Zinter Chief Veterinarian Albert Lewandowski, D.V.M. Staff Veterinarian Michael Selig, D.V.M. Zoo Hospital/Med. Records Admin. Sharon Yahnert, R.V.T. Zoo Animal Health Technician Angel Mitchell, R.V.T. Daniel Wallon, R.V.T. Zoo Animal Health Technician (PT) Kevin Roxbury, R.V.T. Angela Summers, R.V.T. Animal Registrar Pamela Krentz Associate Registrar Gloria Rivera Zoo Programs Business Specialist/Analyst Patrick Chambers Administrative Assistant 1 Lori Vance Director of Conservation & Science Kristen Lukas, Ph.D. Associate Research Curator Mandi Wilder Schook, Ph.D. Associate Conservation Curator Kimberly Gopp, M.S. Conservation Medicine Resident Kadie Anderson, D.V.M. Endocrinology Lab Manager Laura Amendolagine Epidemiologist (PT) Patricia Dennis, D.V.M., Ph.D. Graduate Research Associate (PT) Bonnie Baird Charles Austin Leeds, M.S. Jason Wagman Jason Wark
Zoo Volunteers Manager of Volunteer Services Lynn Charles Volunteer Services Assistant (PT) Karie Hajek Cleveland Zoological Society Executive Director Elizabeth T. Fowler Executive Assistant & Board Liaison Mary Ann Nofel Director of Finance & Operations Mary McMillan Special Events Manager Rachael Fuller Manager of Member & Donor Services Jason Orlando Asst. Manager of Member & Donor Services Cory Wolf Member and Donor Services Specialist Joanna Laurenzana Amanda Perry Miller Melissa Perry Member & Donor Services Representative Patricia Finegan Linda Green Nicole Moscollic Jeremy Schwerdt Operations & Database Coordinator Nichole Collins Web & Graphic Design Specialist Elizabeth Thibodeaux Marketing & New Media Assistant Gina Stem Director of Development Kim Epley Donor Relations Officer Karen Tigue Corporate Relations Officer Leta Obertacz Capital Campaign Relations Manager Trisha Vaughn Senior Development\ Associate Kim Conrad Tammy Johnson Grants Coordinator Carbery O’Brien
Scientific Publications - 2014
Zoo Abstracts & Presentations - 2014
Additional Speaking Engagements:
Zoo Grants - 2014
Capiro JM, Stoops MA, Freeman EW, Clawson D, Schook MW. (2014). Effects of management strategies on glucocorticoids and behavior in Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis): Translocation and Operant Conditioning. Zoo Biology 33(2):131-143.
Baird BA, Schook MW, Dennis PM, Amendolagine LA, Peterson CD, Kornak AM, Lukas KE (2014). Using behavior and health to monitor welfare and evaluate the impact of exhibit design on African elephants at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Association of Zoos & Aquariums annual conference, Orlando, FL, September.
Baird BA. (May 2014). Elephant Night Behavior. Presentation to Zoo Keeper’s Circle donor event.
Awarded: $50,000 from the Leiden Conservation Fund for “Strategic conservation partnership proposal for Cleveland Metroparks Zoo/Cleveland Zoological Society Conservation Programs, Year 2” K.E. Lukas, K. Gopp, C. Kuhar, & L. Fowler.
Dennis PM, Less EA, Lukas KE, Raghanti MA (2014). Diet, obesity, metabolic syndrome and gorilla health: What we know and what’s still a mystery. International Gorilla Workshop, Atlanta, GA, June.
Kuhar CW, Lukas KE, Schook MM (Sep 2014). Zoo Evolution: Embracing Our Future as a Conservation Agency: A panel discussion moderated by Dan Malthroup, CEO at The City Club of Cleveland. Tenth anniversary David W. Steffee Address in Zoological Medicine, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.
Collins CW, Monfort SL, Vick MM, Wolfe BA, Weiss RB, Keefer C, Songsasen, N. (2014). Oral and injectable synthetic progestagens effectively manipulate the estrous cycle in the Przewalski’s horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) Animal Reproduction Science 148(1-2):42-52. Fuller GA. (2014). The night shift: lighting and nocturnal strepsirrhine care in zoos. Ph.D. dissertation, Case Western Reserve University. Fuller GA, Lukas KE, Kuhar CW, and Dennis PM. (2014). A retrospective review of mortality in lorises and pottos in North American zoos. Endangered Species Research 23:205-217. Less EH, Bergl R, Ball R, Dennis PM, Kuhar CW, Lavin SR, Raghanti MA, Wensvoort J, Willis MA, & Lukas KE. (2014). Implementing a low-starch biscuit-free diet in zoo gorillas: The impact on behavior. Zoo Biology, 33(1):63-73. DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21116 Less EH, Bergl R, Ball R, Dennis PM, Kuhar CW, Lavin SR, Raghanti MA, Wensvoort J, Willis MA, & Lukas KE. (2014). Implementing a low-starch biscuit-free diet in zoo gorillas: The impact on health. Zoo Biology, 33(1): 74-80. Lukas KE & Ross SR. (2014). Naturalistic exhibits may be more effective than traditional exhibits at improving zoo visitor attitudes toward African apes. Anthrozoos, 27(3):435-455. Wark JD, Kuhar CW, & Lukas KE. (2014). Behavioral thermoregulation in a group of zoo-housed colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza). Zoo Biology, 33(4): 257-266. Weiss RB, Schook MW, Wolfe BA. (2014). Long acting neuroleptic use for reproductive management in non-domestic ungulates using the domestic goat (Capra hircus) as a model. Zoo Biology 33(3):204-211.
Fuller GA, Nekaris KAI, Raghanti MA, Dennis PM, Kuhar CW, Willis M, Schook MW, and Lukas KE (2014). The impact of lighting on the welfare of nocturnal primates (invited presentation). Advancing Zoo Animal Welfare Science and Policy, Detroit Zoological Society, Royal Oak, MI, November. Leeds A, Boyer D, Lukas K, and Ross S (2014). A comparison of wounding rates in mixed-sex vs. bachelor gorilla groups in North American zoos. International Gorilla Workshop, Atlanta, GA, June. Leeds A, Shimm A, and Lukas K, (2014). An introduction to the gorilla care manual. International Gorilla Workshop, Atlanta, GA, June.
Baird BA. (Sep 2014). Monitoring Elephant Behavior and Health (POSTER) Cleveland Zoological Society’s Steffee Lecture.
Leeds A. (Jul 2014). Primate Cognition. Lecture to the Advanced Inquiry Program. Cleveland. Leeds A. (May 2014). Primate touchscreen cognition. Presentation to Zoo Keeper’s Circle donor event. Cleveland. Leeds A. (Sep 2014). Scientific enrichment for mandrills. (POSTER) Cleveland Zoological Society’s Steffee Lecture. Cleveland. Lukas KE (Sep 2014). Rwanda’s Gorillas: Why Conserve? Kirtlandia Society, Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
Lukas KE and Gopp KA (2014). Partnering to tackle the unpleasant parts of conservation. Annual Conference of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Orlando, FL, September.
Lukas KE (2014). The science behind managing healthy populations of gorillas within and beyond the borders of North American zoos. Department of Biology, Geology, Environmental Sciences at Cleveland State University.
Slavin ME, Lukas KE, and Bergl RA (2014). Conservation education in Uganda: Protecting Kibale National Park’s primates with the help of schoolteachers. 25th Congress of the International Primatological Society, Hanoi, Vietnam, August.
Lukas KE (April 2014). We care for gorillas. Cleveland Zoological Society Conservation Lecture Series, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.
Schook MW. “Outcomes of the infertility workshop ungulate working group report.” Association of Zoos & Aquariums Annual Conference, Orlando, FL, September. Schook MW. Updates on semen transport and AI initiatives for global population management in equids. Association of Zoos & Aquariums Mid-year Meeting, Memphis, TN, March.
Lukas KE (April 2014). The science behind managing healthy populations of gorillas within and beyond the borders of North American zoos. Franklin Park Zoo’s Science & Conservation Symposium Keynote speaker, Franklin Park Zoo, Boston. Wark JD. (Jul 2014). Primate Behavior Research Methods. Lecture to the Advanced Inquiry Program. Leeds A. & Wark JD. (Jul 2014). Primate Taxonomy. Lecture to the Advanced Inquiry Program. Wark JD. (Jul 2014). Sound and Welfare Considerations in Primates. Lecture to the Advance Inquiry Program. Wark JD. (May 2014). Monitoring Activity in a Male Fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox). Presentation to Zoo Keeper’s Circle donor event.
Awarded: $3,000 from the Nacey Maggioncalda Foundation in partnership with the Little Fireface Project/Oxford Brookes University for Francis Cabana’s project, “Using Nutritional Ecology (Native Ingredients and Chemical Composition) of the Javan Slow Loris to Improve Captive Feeding Husbandry.” Awarded: $24,000 from the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund in partnership with the Little Fireface Project/Oxford Brookes University for Anna Nekaris “Javan Slow Loris Community Conservation Project.” Awarded: $10,000 from the George Garretson Wade Charitable Trust #2 for Asian turtle conservation efforts.
Students Trained in 2014 8 University of Rwanda students Zoo Biology, Malone University - 14 students Animal Behavior, Case Western Reserve University - 15 students 10 new Conservation & Science Volunteers in 2014. GA. Ballash, J. P. Dubey, O. C. H. Kwok, A B. Shoben, T L. Robison, T J. Kraft, and P M. Dennis (2014) Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and Free-Roaming Cats (Felis catus) Across a Suburban to Urban Gradient in Northeastern Ohio. EcoHealth Pubished online 1 October 2014. Dubey J.P, Dennis, P.M., Verma, S.K., Choudhary, S., Ferreira, L.R., Oliveira, S., Kwok, O.C.H., Butler, E., Carstensen, M., Su, C., Epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginiansu): occurrence, congenital transmission, correlates of infection, isolation, and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii. Veterinary Parasitology (2014).
The Future The future of the Zoo is bigger than our physical facilities. In 2015 we will renew our commitment to the programs that define our mission. We will continue to grow our conservation programs throughout the world and deliver quality education programs to children of all ages. But most importantly, the thread through it all is our commitment to excellence in animal care. With our internationally recognized science program informing our world-class animal care staff we will continue to set increasingly higher standards for animal care.
It’s an exciting time to be in Cleveland. The city is experiencing a period of rebirth and growth like we haven’t seen in decades. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is no exception.
Throughout it all we continue a commitment of excellence to Cleveland and northeast Ohio. There’s a lot going on in Cleveland and there’s a lot going on at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Come out and play at the Zoo. You don’t want to miss a world of experiences in one destination.
When you walk through the Zoo you’ll see plenty of projects. In 2015 you’ll see the results of these projects including Stillwater Place - a spectacular new event center and an all-new giraffe feeding experience. We will also finalize plans on a new tiger exhibit that will open in 2016 and begin the planning process for our next animal projects.
MYLASTNAME ROSEBROUGH
In 2015, we will bring penguins back for the first time in over 10 years as Penguin Shores, a temporary penguin exhibit for the summer will be the perfect backdrop for the Year of Clean Water in Cleveland.
Financial Summary
Executive Leadership
2014 Cleveland Metroparks Zoo 2013 2014 Revenues & Support Gate Fees $4,247,487 $3,846,556 Membership Transfers 1,840,144 1,704,940 Train 176,120 170,468 Carousel 253,249 Food/Gift Concessions 1,305,256 1,162,966 Rentals 228,219 216,336 Miscellaneous 1,566,524 675,208 Subtotal - Earned Revenue 8,936,262 8,029,723 Subtotal - Metroparks Operating Subsidy 9,147,189 9,537,712 Total Revenues & Support $18,083,451 $17,567,435 Expenditures Salaries & Benefits Utilities Animal Feed & Supplies Fleet Maintenance Property Repair & Maintenance Education Supplies Miscellaneous Supplies/Services Total Operating Expenditures
$12,940,382 2,069,303 752,823 244,099 411,657 207,639 1,457,549 $18,083,451
$13,021,037 2,378,938 695,130 205,833 439,341 94,424 732,732 $17,567,435
Metroparks Capital Fund Zoo Capital Expenditures Total Zoo Subsidy
$740,241 $9,883,855
$2,029,709 $11,563,131
Editorial: Susan Allen and Joe Yachanin Graphic Design: Donna Cipriani Photography: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Cleveland Metroparks, Cleveland Zoological Society and Photo Safari participants.
Exeutive Zoo Director Christopher Kuhar, Zoo Society President Virginia D. Benjamin and Executive Director Elizabeth Fowler
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is owned and operated by Cleveland Metroparks, a separate political subdivision of the State of Ohio. The Park District is governed by Cleveland Metroparks Commissioners, composed of three citizens who serve three-year terms without compensation. Board members are appointed by the senior judge of the Probate Court of Cuyahoga County.
$633,890 $690,570
$960,538 $2,957,327
Total Restricted Expenditures
$1,324,460
$3,917,327
2013 Cleveland Zoological Society Revenues & Support Membership Contribution & Support Contributions to Capital Campaign* Investments/Trusts Total Revenues & Support
$2,770,744 3,301,611 1,494,924 1,689,081 $9,256,360
$2,625,077 3,463,230 1,553,225 747,125 $8,388,657
Expenses Distribution to Metroparks
$3,494,296 $3,016,865
$3,495,230 $4,573,651
*2013 Miscellaneous Revenue includes Dinosaurs *As of 2014 Zoo Marketing/Advertising expenses are part of Cleveland Metroparks Marketing
Executive Leadership First row: Bruce G. Rinker, Debra K. Berry, Dan T. Moore Second row: Brian M. Zimmerman, The Honorable Judge Anthony J. Russo, David J. Kuntz
Board of Park Commissioners The Honorable Judge Anthony J. Russo, Appointing Authority Board of Park Commissioners
Restricted Funds Total Revenue (Primarily Zoological Society) Operating Expenditures Capital Expenditures
Cleveland Zoological Society Executive Committee 2014
Bruce G. Rinker, President Debra K. Berry, Vice President Dan T. Moore, Vice President
The Cleveland Zoological Society is a nonprofit corporation established to support the Zoo and its programs. It is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). Institutions that earn AZA accreditation achieve rigorous standards for animal care, education, wildlife conservation and science. The AZA is building North America’s largest wildlife conservation movement by engaging and inspiring 143 million annual visitors and their communities to care about and take action to help protect wildlife.
Cleveland Metroparks Staff Brian M. Zimmerman, Chief Executive Officer David J. Kuntz, Chief Finance Officer Christopher Kuhar, Executive Zoo Director Joseph Roszak, Chief Operating Officer Sanaa Julien, Chief Marketing Officer Rosalina M. Fini, Chief Legal & Ethics Officer Harold G. Harrison, Chief Human Resources Officer Sean McDermott, Chief Director of Planning, Design & Natural Resources Donna Studniarz, Chief of Strategic Initiatives Dan Veloski, Chief Ranger Sean McHugh, Executive Director of Golf Operations
Robert S. Reitman, Chairman Emeritus Robert J. Rogers, Chairman Virginia D. Benjamin, President Eric S. Hall, Treasurer Justin Horton, Secretary Elizabeth T. Fowler (ex-officio) Christopher Kuhar, Ph.D. (ex-officio) Loree W. Connors Theodore Evans James L. Francis Lydia L. Harrington Thomas Leiden Thomas N. Littman Shelly M. Peet Margaret Ratner Lauren B. Spillman Michael D. Vaughn