ISSUE
GREEN
SPRING 2008
Photo by Bill Love courtesy of Peeling Productions at Reptiland
FEATURES
The Houston Zoo is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization
Houston Zoo, Inc. Board of Directors Victor C. Alvarez E. William Barnett Freda Wilkerson Bass Nandita Berry Jack S. Blanton, Sr. Winfield M Campbell, Sr. Cathy Campbell-Hevrdejs Anthony R. Chase Jonathan Day – Chair Linnet Deily Anne Duncan James A. Elkins, III Barbara Goldfield Robert Graham Robert W. Harvey Cynthe Hughes
Don R. Kendall, Jr. Glenn L. Lowenstein Cal McNair Stephen D. Newton Suzanne Paquin Nimocks Charles Onstead Courtney Lanier Sarofim Cathryn Selman Louis Sklar J. Michael Solar Herman L. Stude Bonnie Weekley George R. Willy E. W. Bill Wright III Austin Young
On the cover: Lemur Leaf Frog Photo by: Bill Konstant WildLife Production Team Editor: Debra Ford Creative Director: Debra Ford Design: Melanie Campbell-Tello, Diana Mumford Photography by: Stephanie Adams, Hollie Colahan, Phyllis Hand, Tim Junker, Bill Konstant, Dale Martin, Peter Riger and Kelly Russo
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Greening Your Landscape
Houston Zoo, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 713-533-6500 Education Department. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 713-533-6739 Marketing Department. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 713-533-6717 Membership. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 713-533-6726 Office of Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 713-533-6819 Public Relations/Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 713-533-6531
www.houstonzoo.org
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Elephant Expansion
Postmaster: Send address changes to: WildLife Magazine Houston Zoo, Inc. 1513 North MacGregor Houston, Texas 77030
How To Reach Us:
What It Means To Be "Green"
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Mr. Green Don Kendall
DEPARTMENTS
Zoo Hours: March 9 through November 2 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (last ticket sold at 6:00 p.m.) November 3 through March 8 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (last ticket sold at 5:00 p.m.) The Zoo is closed Christmas day. WildLife is published by Houston Zoo, Inc., 1513 North MacGregor, Houston, Texas 77030. ©Houston Zoo, Inc., 2008. All rights reserved. Subscription by membership only.
The Houston Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums The official airline of The Houston Zoo Printed on 10% post-consumer waste recycled paper with soy-based inks.
DIRECTOR'S DEN 2 MEMBERSHIP NEWS 3 DEVELOPMENT NEWS 4 EDUCATION NEWS 10 CONSERVATION NEWS 15 UPCOMING EVENTS 18 ZOO INSIDER 20
PRESIDENT'S PRIDE As I write this letter, I’m en route back to Houston from four days spent in the lush rainforests of Panama; which seems particularly fitting as this is our “green” issue and the first of our new and improved magazine layout. Bill Konstant, our Director of Conservation and Science, Rick Barongi and I accompanied seven members of our Board and Conservation Committee who, on their own time and expense, joined us to tour some of the projects we’ve been working on in Panama for the last several years. You have read in past issues about our work with the critically endangered amphibians in Panama that exist nowhere else in the world. Our El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center is now up and running with additional public viewing space being completed. We are successfully breeding species of frogs that have never before been bred in captivity. It is awe inspiring to see these immaculate rooms filled with rows of aquariums containing plants and frogs all hooked together with an impressive irrigation and filtration system. More impressive is the devotion and care demonstrated by our Panamanian staff who spend every day working to save these fragile species.
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It seems particularly fitting then, to dedicate this issue to each of us finding the many small things we can do to save our planet for both our children and for the animals who so desperately need our help.
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We also spent time at the Summit Zoo just outside Panama City which we have been assisting for years now. We toured a large and impressive tapir exhibit that was built by the Houston Zoo and met Houston, the tapir so aptly named. It was impressive to see her amble into a large pool and submerge herself in water, clearly enjoying the swim and the cooling off; doing what comes naturally to tapirs, something she had not previously been able to do in her small dry yard. From there we moved on to the new jaguar exhibit that we are helping construct. It was especially rewarding looking at the night house facilities where we are installing caging that had been torn down from an old exhibit at the Houston Zoo to make room for our African Forest expansion. There were two other experiences that particularly stand out. One was a short boat ride on the waterways of the Panama Canal. In a short span of time and distance, we visited several islands inhabited by mantled howler monkeys, white-faced capuchin monkeys, 2 and 3-toed sloths and innumerable birds. These incredible creatures sat just yards away from huge tankers and cargo containers carrying fuel and manufactured goods through the canal. Next, we literally flew through the forest canopy harnessed onto “zip lines” (stainless steel cabling). This enabled us to be in the tree tops with magnificent birds as well as in close proximity to waterfalls. It is impossible to be this close to nature and not feel compelled to help save it for future generations. All of this was particularly brought home as we rode in a bus to the airport. As we neared the airport we were followed by a beautiful wood stork. We all watched in amazement as it circled us, almost seeming to want to race us. As we watched our guide told us that the mangroves we were driving through—the natural home of the wood stork—are scheduled to be replaced by a golf course. These are the last remaining mangroves in the vicinity, so we all wondered where this glorious creature would find a home. It seems particularly fitting then, to dedicate this issue to each of us finding the many small things we can do to save our planet for both our children and for the animals which so desperately need our help.
DEBORAH CANNON President & CEO 2 | HOUSTON ZOO | www.houstonzoo.org
MEMBERSHIP NEWS Members First Saturdays On the first Saturday of every month, Houston Zoo members are invited to enjoy the Zoo an hour earlier than normal opening time and see keepers, grounds crew, and other staff preparing to open the Zoo for the day, including releasing animals from their night holds into their habitats. Members can experience the Zoo before the crowds on these select mornings and start the day off right with a trip to the Zoo.
Member Mornings Don’t miss this special chance for members to hear from one of our Zoo’s experts and gain professional insight about a select animal resident. Saturday, March 1 and Monday, March 3 – Primates
Tours We are now offering a variety of new and exciting tours and experiences. Please visit our website at www.houstonzoo.org/events/hours for information on our Vet for a Day experience, Breakfast with the Animals events, Walk on the Wild Side tours, Behind the Scenes tours, Animal Painting experiences, and Cat Training Window experience.
Monday, April 7 and Saturday, April 12 – Cats of the Wild Monday, May 5 and Saturday, May 10 – Natural Encounters – Small Mammals Programs begin promptly at 9:15 a.m. Approximate program length is 45 minutes. Please register at www.houstonzoo.org/membership. You will be greeted inside the Zoo’s main entrance in Hermann Park and escorted to the exhibit area.
Zoobilee Save the date – Zoobilee is in June this year! Thursday, June 12 OR Friday, June 13 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. More details to come…be on the lookout!
Adopt an Animal Adopt a Bunny for your Hunny this Easter! This year, fill your Easter baskets with a Houston Zoo Animal Adoption! Trixie, our Flemish Giant Rabbit, and her buddies are ready to become honorary members of your family. Visit our web site at www/houstonzoo.org/adopt
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DEVELOPMENT NEWS Waste Management and The National Elephant Center: A Major Commitment to Elephant Conservation Waste Management, Inc. has been one of the Houston Zoo’s most supportive and generous corporate donors. They have been the sponsor for the Houston Zoo’s successful Earth Day activities for the past three years. This April 19-20, Waste Management will again sponsor Earth Day, providing volunteers, activities and fun for the whole community. Meanwhile, on February 7 they expanded their Zoo partnership to a national level at a press event held at the Houston Zoo’s new elephant habitat. Waste Management CEO David Steiner along with the Board Chair of AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) Satch Krantz and Zoo Director Rick Barongi, made the exciting announcement. The National Elephant Center is a new model for elephant care and conservation and the only facility of its kind, supported by all the AZA-accredited zoos with elephants. The Center’s vision is: To be a world leader in elephant population management, conservation, scientific research, training, and elephant care to help ensure a sustainable future for elephants.
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The National Elephant Center (TNEC) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit institution managed by a board of 10 AZA zoo directors. The Board establishes strategic direction, partnerships and governing policies for the Center. They also were charged with the task of selecting the best partner and location for TNEC. After extensive research and analysis, the board concluded that the site owned by Waste Management in Okeechobee, Florida offered the best environment for the elephants and strongest partnership potential for creating this new Center. Waste Management agreed to provide about 300 acres for the future site of The National Elephant Center. The property includes open land for the elephants to roam, wooded areas and a sandy waterhole. Adjacent to this property is a certified conservation area also maintained by Waste Management. Phase I of the project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2009, when the first elephants arrive.
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OUR DONORS
GROW OUR ZOO
This issue of Wildlife Magazine is focused on being “Green”, which provides an excellent opportunity to thank the Zoo’s Asante Society donors who have a green thumb when it comes to “growing” our Zoo. The Zoo depends upon the generosity of community members, like the Asante Society, to help educate and inspire future conservationists, for the preservation of our environment and the future good of all. The Asante Society also helps fund beautification projects that keep our Zoo in top shape and present a truly naturally wild environment for Houston and the Zoo's nearly 1.6 million annual visitors each year. The Asante Society empowers the Zoo to be a force for nature by providing the necessary resources for its wildlife protection programs. We are also growing our Corporate Partner program, a prestigious list of community-minded companies that are helping the growth of many of the Zoo’s educational and conservation programs. Like all green things, the Zoo is in need of continued support in many areas. To learn more about becoming a part of the Asante Society contact Lona Leigh at lleigh@houstonzoo.org For our Corporate Partners program, please contact Rick Ellis at rellis@houstonzoo.org The entire green team of horticulturists, facilities staff, keepers, curators, and educators thank everyone who annually supports the Houston Zoo and its mission!
WILDLIFE
DID YOU KNOW?
The average adult koala consumes nearly two pounds of fresh eucalyptus each day – that’s more than 700 pounds each year! These adorable creatures are very picky eaters, and eucalyptus makes up the vast majority of their diet. Since eucalyptus is not indigenous to Texas, the Houston Zoo for many years has flown fresh eucalyptus in from other parts of the country twice a week to keep our persnickety koalas happy and healthy. We appreciate the support of our airline partner Continental Airlines for providing free shipments. And now, thanks to our partnership with NASA, and as part of a larger project to save Texas’ coastal prairie and to reintroduce Attwater’s prairie chickens into the wild, the Zoo has been given the use of a small tract of land at Johnson Space Center for the specific purpose of growing our own eucalyptus. By the end of the year, the Zoo hopes to cut its need for imported eucalyptus by more than 50% by harvesting its own crops locally. Fewer shipments by air will save both money and fuel, and the new vegetation at the Space Center will help absorb greenhouse gases in the Webster/Clear Lake area. Taken together, these efforts will make an impact on the local environment by significantly reducing the Zoo’s carbon footprint. This is just one more way in which the Houston Zoo is working to make the world a greener place!
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What It Means To Be “Green”
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“It’s not that easy being green.” We all remember this first line to Kermit the Frog’s famous song. Everyone’s favorite amphibian lamented the fact that he is not red, yellow or gold or some other spectacular color. However, Kermit went on to sing: “But green is the color of Spring. And green can be cool and friendly-like. And green can be big like an ocean, or important like a mountain, or tall like a tree.” Being “green” means being a part of the natural world that surrounds us. For the Houston Zoo, this means keeping nature alive and well in one of our country’s largest and fastest-growing cities. The Zoo first opened its gates to the public in 1922 when a much smaller animal collection was moved from Sam Houston Park to the current location here in Hermann Park. The city’s population was just under 150,000 at the time – roughly 10% of the Zoo’s current annual attendance. Houston was then the 45th largest city in the United States, the first woman had just been elected to the Texas House of Representatives, horse-drawn fire engines had just been replaced by motorized equipment, and Houston residents tuned into the city’s first-ever radio broadcast that same year. It’s very likely that people didn’t regard the Zoo as being much greener than anyplace else in the city at that point in time. Today things are decidedly different. Hermann Park is part of Houston’s urban forest and an important piece of the limited green space that remains. In a recent study, Houston was found to be one of the least sustainable of the 25 largest urban areas in the country, this finding based on the extent of green space, air and water quality, transportation systems, and recycling programs. The Zoo has a role to play in remedying that situation.
When you walk through the front gates, you are greeted by stately live oak trees that provide a beautiful backdrop and offer refreshing shade to public areas and exhibits. The oak forest canopy is complemented by the waters of Duck Lake, to which a variety of native birds flock each day. This natural setting is one of the reasons that the Zoo is included among the more than 100 regional sites of the Houston Wilderness program. However, being “green” goes beyond our physical appearance and role in the natural community. Because many thousands of people congregate here each day, the Zoo is a place where natural resources are consumed in large amounts – resources that need to be used wisely. Since privatization took place a few years ago, greater attention has been focused on recycling efforts, utility use and energy consumption. Each time we renovate or replace an old exhibit or refurbish a public facility, we have the opportunity to redesign outdated, less efficient systems. Helping us in this process will be several of our corporate partners and sponsors, companies like Waste Management, Green Mountain Energy, and GreenLights USA. And as we move forward with these efforts, we will share what we accomplish and what we learn with members and visitors. Our magazine articles, website pages, educational programs, and special events will continue to be filled with “green” ideas and opportunities. This is exactly as Kermit would want it. You see, in addition to his song, he also wrote a book, One Frog Can Make a Difference. In it he says: “Earth Days come and go, and I’m still here, green as the day is long, living a life dedicated to saving the planet.”
That’s what it means to be “green.”
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World’s Only Talking Gecko To Entertain and Educate Zoo Guests From March 1 through April 30, the Houston Zoo’s already famous collection of geckos will host a delegation of their cousins from a California zoo – including a human-sized “specimen” that not only walks on its hind feet, but actually mingles with Zoo visitors!
large collection of our own star geckos – including day, flat, yellow, leaf-tail and modest geckos. And we were the first Zoo in North America to successfully breed flat-tails, as well as the yellows. Indeed, the Houston Zoo is just crawling with geckos!”
Of course we’re talking about the world-famous GEICO Gecko – the “spokes-reptile” for GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company), the country’s fourth-largest private passenger auto insurer in the U.S. and an ardent supporter of wildlife conservation.
Created and owned by Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland – an AZA accredited zoo specializing in reptiles and amphibians – the GEICO Gecko exhibit includes a naturalistic habitat for its colony of giant day geckos, complete with lush tropical plants and trickling water, interpretive kiosks and interactive components. And, of course, the walking, talking GEICO Gecko!
In January 2008, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and GEICO kicked off a nationwide tour featuring a live gecko exhibit and the popular GEICO Gecko costume character. This three-year partnership between GEICO and the AZA (the Houston Zoo is a long-time AZA member) will take the traveling exhibit to AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums across the United States. At each stop, GEICO will make a financial contribution to wildlife conservation as well as provide education and entertainment to thousands of Zoo visitors. For its Houston Zoo visit, the GEICO Gecko exhibit will be located in the Brown Education Center, not far from the hugely popular Reptile House – home to many of the Zoo’s 185 reptile and 40 amphibian species. “When it comes to visiting geckos, we’re the ideal host,” laughs Stan Mays, the Zoo’s long-time Curator of Herpetology. “After all, we have a
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Mays believes the GEICO Gecko exhibit and its creative conservation message are an excellent fit with the Houston Zoo, an institution known worldwide for its multi-species conservation projects, including amphibian and reptile initiatives conducted by Zoo personnel in Panama, Mexico and Grand Cayman Island. “We have some extraordinary reptile and amphibian projects going on right here in Texas, too,” adds Mays. “For example, the Houston Zoo’s quarantine facility now has a new amphibian conservation center where we’ve established a captive breeding program for Houston toads, the Texas Hill Country blind salamander, and Panamanian golden frogs. And over in the moat at the orangutan exhibit, you’ll find a flourishing colony of Temple turtles. It’s the only facility in North America where this creature has been successfully bred!”
Gecko Fun Facts
>> The world’s largest gecko is the Tokay – with a length of around 14 inches. >> At three quarters of an inch long, the world’s smallest known gecko – also the world’s smallest known reptile – is the dwarf gecko. >> Almost all pet geckos are leopard geckos. Also called Leos, these creatures are one of the few gecko species with eyelids. >> The flying gecko – found in Malaysia’s rainforests – can actually glide from tree to tree by using the wide skin flaps located along its abdomen and tail. >> With only four specimens ever seen in the wild, the world’s rarest gecko species is New Zealand’s Coromandel Striped gecko. >> The leaf gecko has more teeth than any other lizard in the world. >> Say “GEICO Gecko” three times fast without slipping up!
“Catch” the GEICO Gecko on Saturdays and Sundays! While the GEICO Gecko exhibit will be at the Houston Zoo every day from March 1 through April 30, the famous GEICO TV star will meet and greet Zoo visitors on each Saturday and Sunday while the exhibit is at the Zoo. Does this lizard really know how to talk (and do it in that irresistible English accent)? You’ll have to check out the GEICO Gecko exhibit to find out! And bring your cameras. Along with a healthy appetite for Houston cooking, this gecko really likes to have his picture taken! WILDLIFE| SPRING 2008
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EDUCATION NEWS Conservation Crew If you have or know a 9th-12th grade student interested in the environment and conservation, check out Conservation Crew – a program where we put conservation into action. Each month we have fun helping inhabitants of habitats in and around Houston, working as a group on projects such as marsh grass restoration, beach clean-ups, or even assisting at area animal rescue organizations. Whether you can join us for one day or commit to helping each month, we want you to be part of our crew! Programs begin at 8 a.m. March 1 – Galveston Bay Foundation April 5 – Sea Turtle Restoration Project and Help Endangered Animals – Sea Turtles (HEART) May 3 – Attwater's Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge Cost: $10 per program For additional information, visit www.houstonzoo.org/education.
Zoo Crew Are you a teen between 13 and 17 with an interest in working at the Zoo? Consider applying to our summer Zoo Crew program! Zoo Crew is a 10-week program that allows teens to volunteer in education, theatrical, or camp their first year, and animal sections in subsequent years. For more information and an application, visit www.houstonzoo.org/volunteer. All applications must be received by March 14.
Summertime Green: Camp! Being green is a focus for our Zoo camps and classes. All our camps are action-packed, hands-on, and fun! Kids ages 4-12 learn about the natural world, wildlife conservation and the animals that call the Houston Zoo home. Debuting summer 2008 is a new camp for students ages 10-12: Destination Conservation. Students will enjoy hands-on conservation activities, explore local places where they can get involved and meet Zoo staff members who participate in conservation projects around the globe. In addition to exciting new topics this year, we are bringing you online registration. Our camps fill quickly and registration has already started, with registration dates based on membership level (below). For camp information and to register, please visit: www.houstonzoo.org/summercamp Asante Feb 13 Conservator Feb 18 Sustaining Feb 22 Supporting Feb 26 Grandparent March 1
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Family Plus March 1 Family March 5 Individual March 9 Non-member March 13
Wild Wink Overnights
Individual and Family Wild Wink
6 p.m. – 10 a.m. the next day
Members: $70 per person Non-members: $80 per person
Explore the Zoo after-hours! Wild Wink overnights offer those 7 and older a unique opportunity to experience the Zoo with hands-on activities, tent camping, touchable animals, dinner, continental breakfast and admission to the Zoo after the program is over on the second day. Wild Winks are offered for families, schools (home schools, public or independent schools), adults-only, and community groups.
School and Community Group Wild Wink $45 per person
Saturday, March 1 – Family Thursday, March 13 – School Wednesday, April 2 – School Wednesday, April 16 – School Wednesday, April 30 – School Wednesday, May 7 – School Thursday, May 8 – School Thursday, May 15 – School Saturday, May 17 – Family Saturday, June 14 – Family Friday, June 20 – Adults only (21+)
Night Prowls
Family Night Prowl
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. A nighttime safari for ages 7 and older!
Members: $25 per person Non-members: $30 per person
Thursday, March 6 – Community Group Sunday, March 9 – Community Group Sunday, April 13 – Community Group Sunday, May 18 – Community Group Thursday, May 29 – Family Sunday, June 15 – Community Group Thursday, June 19 – Community Group
Community Night Prowl $25 per person
Scout Programs Let the Zoo help you in earning badges or other achievements, or explore the Zoo in the evening or overnight with our Scouts-only Night Prowls or Wild Winks. Check out www.houstonzoo.org/scouts.
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Greening Your Landscape Your efforts to focus on being more “green” don’t have to extend further than your yard to have a big impact. The key to a beautiful yard is selecting the right plant for the right location. Pay particular attention to soil and moisture needs as well as what size the plant or tree will be when it is fully grown. Placing hydrophilic (water-loving) plants in lower areas of the yard where water already is more plentiful allows the plants to be more healthy without adding water, and plants that like to keep their feet (roots) dry will appreciate higher locations and will be healthier as a result. Going “100% organic” will solve most of your remaining landscape and pest issues. Use only organic fertilizers – chemical fertilizers are mostly salt and kill the natural enemies of garden and yard pests. Use orange oil to remove any additional pests such as fire ants. The final step to a beautiful yard is removing weeds, and using horticultural vinegar can help you get a jump start on this process. Remove the rest by hand–which will not only give you a beautiful yard, but allow you to enjoy the fruits of your labors and exercise at the same time! If a beautiful yard and healthy body are your goals for 2008 and beyond, going green is a great way to accomplish both!
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Here’s What to Do:
Toad Abodes
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Use environmentally-safe paint to decorate the outside of a four-inch clay pot.
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Locate a damp, shady location on your property.
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After the paint has dried, place the clay pot on the ground, upside down, and prop up one side with a small rock.
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You can also take a chipped or cracked pot, break it in half and place it on its side.
Backyard Homes for Our Amphibian Friends Zoos and aquariums around the world have declared 2008 the Year of the Frog, drawing attention to the global decline of amphibian populations. That’s the bad news. The good news is that you can do something to help save frogs, toads, newts and salamanders in your neck of the woods – maybe even in your own backyard.
A layer of leaf litter or sand on the ground inside helps keep the soil moist and inviting, and a saucer of water placed nearby is what your toad will sit in to soak and take a drink.
Toads differ from frogs in several ways. Their bodies are usually squatter, they tend to hop rather than jump, their skin is not so smooth but covered with warts, and they lay their eggs in strands rather than in big clumps. A simple step any family can take is to invite toads to become your neighbors by supplying them with cozy shelters – commonly referred to as “toad abodes.” A resident toad will gobble up many harmful bugs that come into your garden. Toads feast on these pesky pests mostly at night, but need a dark, cool place in which to hide during the day. With a small amount of planning and effort, you can turn your backyard into a haven for many different forms of wildlife, including amphibians. For more information, please visit our website at www.houstonzoo.org/yearofthefrog and read the “Six Simple Things You Can Do To Save Frogs.”
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Now wait for a toad to move in!
Leap Into Action! Log on to our new frog site, www.houstonzoofrogs.org launching February 29th!
Houston Toads
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Houston Zoo On Board with Amphibian Ark’s Rescue Efforts At first glance its logo may look like a frog peering out from inside a teacup, but the Amphibian Ark’s mission is a deadly serious one. According to the experts, frogs, toads and salamanders around the world are in serious trouble. They are threatened by habitat loss, air and water pollution, global climate change, over-collecting, competition from invasive species, and an epidemic fungus that shows no signs of being stopped. Amphibians are facing an extinction crisis. In response, the Amphibian Ark has asked its zoo and aquarium members around the world to focus conservation efforts on these threatened creatures. The Houston Zoo is proud to report that we are already doing so and with great enthusiasm. We’ve reported on our amphibian rescue mission in Panama – the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center – which was recently visited by staff from Clorox, the first official sponsor of the Amphibian Ark’s 2008 Year of the Frog campaign. Clorox bleach is routinely used to control the spread of disease organisms, including the deadly fungus that threatens amphibians, so the company was already a valuable partner in the battle to prevent extinctions even before it undertook this leadership role in the global campaign. The Houston Zoo looks forward to working with other zoos, aquariums and corporate sponsors under the umbrella of the Amphibian Ark. In the year ahead, we plan to continue our work in El Valle, establish a second amphibian rescue center in Panama, and to restore wild populations of our endangered Houston toad right here in Texas.
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HOUSTON ZOO
CONSERVATION NEWS Witness the Great Migration in Tanzania, East Africa
Journey to Borneo: Land of the Red Ape
Travel Dates: May 13-23, 2008 Cost: $6,295 per person
Travel Dates: August 16-27, 2008 Cost $5,799 per person from Houston
Hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, zebra and gazelles cross the vast Serengeti in one of the world’s most incredible wildlife spectacles.
Venture to the world’s third largest island and home of the orangutan. Visit the towns and cities of Sukau, Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu. Relax on the white sand beaches of the South China Sea.
Safari to the Serengeti National Park to encounter the migrating herds, as well as elephants, hippos, giraffes, buffalo, lions, hyenas, cheetah, and more. Stop at Olduvai Gorge, the fossil site made famous by anthropologists Louis and Mary Leakey, and visit a nearby Maasai village. Descend the steep walls of the Ngorongoro Crater, another wildlife experience of a lifetime, for a chance to see the rare black rhinoceros. End your journey at Lake Manyara National Park, known for its tree-sleeping lions, rambunctious baboons and ancient baobab trees, or continue on a four-day extension to the island of Zanzibar.
Join Us for an Evening of “Mysterious Mole-rats and More!” Thursday, March 20, 2008 6:30 p.m. Ray Mendez is an expert entomologist, a world-class photographer, and an authority on the biology and behavior of the naked mole-rat. This curious, burrowing African rodent has become one of the more popular exhibit animals in zoos and aquariums across the country. The theme of Ray’s presentation is simple: when it comes to intriguing, exciting and sometimes unbelievable stories from Nature, size doesn't matter. The living dramas that take place under a rock, beneath the tree bark, or hidden inside an unfolding flower, can be mind-boggling. Be prepared to be thoroughly entertained. Tickets can be purchased on the Houston Zoo website at http://www.houstonzoo.org/lecture
Travel inland with the Houston Zoo’s conservation manager Peter Riger and conservation partners, Red Ape Encounters and the Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project, on an Asian river journey. The Kinabatangan River is said to harbor the largest concentrations of wildlife in all of Malaysia, including eight species of hornbill, crocodiles, huge monitor lizards, wild pigs, eagles, owls, otters, and civets, as well as the local favorites – orangutans, proboscis monkeys and elephants.
UPDATE! SunNight Solar: When Pink and Orange are “Green” Last October, the Houston Zoo began an informal partnership with SunNight Solar (www.bogolight.com) to promote the use of that Houston-based company’s new BOGO Solar-powered Flashlight. Generating clean LED light from rechargeable solar-powered batteries, this flashlight is particularly useful where other fuel-dependant lights are not, such as in small remote villages. Use of these solar-powered units can help reduce the need to burn wood or kerosene to create light, the wasteful use of non-rechargeable batteries, and the pollution that results from both. In addition, we believe that use of this technology will increase health and safety by providing access to light at night, as well as contribute to higher levels of literacy and the empowerment of women. Due to the generosity of Zoo members and visitors, we are happy to report the sale of more than 300 flashlights since October. So, as part of BOGO – Buy One, Give One we are able to donate the same amount of lights to our conservation partners in Madagascar, Gabon and Borneo. The Zoo will carry this product in our gift shop and also make them available through our Conservation Department. For more information, contact conservation@houstonzoo.org.
WILDLIFE
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LARGER THAN LIFE COMMITMENT TO THE ZOO’S ASIAN ELEPHANTS
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Some commitments are larger than others. When one represents a massive initiative involving the long-term care, housing, feeding, breeding and habitat of Asian elephants, that commitment is a very big one indeed. It all began at a 2005 Houston Zoo Board of Directors meeting with the statement, “If we [the Houston Zoo] are going to continue to exhibit Asian elephants at the Houston Zoo, we must develop a long-term strategic plan for their care and conservation.” Action soon followed. A few weeks later, the Board formed an Elephant Task Force to evaluate the current Asian elephant program, and develop a list of recommendations for ensuring a healthy future for this controversial and charismatic species. After weighing many factors during an intensive two-day workshop, a unanimous decision was made by the Task Force to assume a national leadership role in all aspects of Zoo elephant husbandry and conservation. The Task Force’s recommendations include appropriating millions of dollars for facility upgrades, additional staff and greater involvement in field conservation programs which are endorsed by the entire Board.
Three Years Later, Major Progress – With More to Follow We’re happy to report in this issue of Wildlife that the first major step of our elephant commitment has been accomplished; in late March 2008 we completed the initial phase of the new McNair Family Asian Elephant Habitat. Designed to provide additional quality space for the animals as well as a more naturalistic and intimate experience for guests, this phase includes a new outdoor elephant yard and state-of-the-art, climate-controlled five-stall elephant barn – with one stall designed slightly larger to accommodate future births and maternity needs. (In addition, four of the five stalls will have 18 inches of sand to alleviate the pressure that concrete creates on elephant feet.) Complete with keeper quarters and food and equipment storage, the new 5,750 square-foot facility will also feature multiple windows for natural lighting, video cameras to monitor animals at night, and viewing windows for guests to observe the evening and maternity facilities. Plus, new interpretive graphics will soon be added to provide interesting and compelling messages about the care and conservation of these highly endangered animals. This $5 million expansion will be followed by the addition of a second exhibition yard, which will bring the total area devoted to our elephants to three acres. That’s a little over 5% of the entire zoo grounds!
There’s great breeding program news as well. Cared for by a keeper/ supervisor staff of eight (or two people per elephant!) the Zoo currently has three adult elephants – Thai, Methai and Shanti – plus our 17-month old calf Mac, living in an area that comprises around one-half acre. With major donations from the Robert and Janice McNair Foundation and Vic and Barbara Samuels, we will be able to maintain our elephant family and develop a long term elephant breeding program.
“The leadership of the Houston Zoo believes that its mission of fostering appreciation, knowledge and care for the natural world, as well as its vision of providing the people of Houston with a premier family entertainment and education facility, demand that it make the commitment necessary to continue to support a breeding and conservation elephant program.”
– Elephant Task Force Report
Keeping Zoos a Gateway to the Wild Elephants are the Zoo’s largest animals and require a correspondingly large investment to keep them healthy from both a physiological and psychological perspective. If these magnificent creatures were to disappear from zoos altogether (as some animal extremists advocate), millions of people would be denied the opportunity to ever experience these animals first hand. And without that real life encounter, it would be a much greater challenge to get people to care about the Asian elephants’ precarious existence in the wild, and subsequently support conservation measures to ensure their continued survival. This spring, don’t miss seeing the new digs we have for our elephants. And we invite you to follow and support our progress as we develop one of the best zoo elephant facilities in the country.
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UPCOMING EVENTS Earth Day Saturday, April 19 and Sunday, April 20 Presented by Waste Management Do you recycle your soda cans? Turn off your water when you brush your teeth? This April, visit the Houston Zoo to celebrate Earth Day and learn more about these and other things you and your neighbors can do to help Planet Earth. On this weekend, you’ll find kids’ activities focusing on educating them about recycling and conservation, as well as animal enrichment featuring recycled items. You can also talk with representatives from many Houston-area organizations and learn more about what they’re doing to protect our resources, conserve our wildlife, and get the word out about what you can do in your own backyard. And let’s not forget Cycler, our recycling robot! He’ll be here to teach kids in a fun and unique way about the importance of recycling. This is one party you won’t want to miss! Visit www.houstonzoo.org for more details.
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It’s a new Zoo every day, and we’re always adding fun and exciting events to our calendar. Check out www.houstonzoo.org for a complete listing and more information on all of our events!
Breakfast with the Easter Bunny Saturday, March 22 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Reservations Required You can see many animals here at the Zoo, but this is the only time you can see a bunny quite like this! Join us for this year’s Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, where kids can meet the Bunny himself! You’ll also enjoy a hot breakfast buffet, and get up close and personal with some other furry (but much smaller!) animals, courtesy of our Zoo Keepers.
Pongos Helping Pongos: Paintings by Orangutans, for Orangutans March 29, 2008 To be held at the G Gallery, Houston In 2004, the animal care staff and the orangutans at the Houston Zoo began working together on a project that helps to support the study and protection of wild orangutans in Borneo. The model is fairly simple: Zoo orangutans paint as part of an ongoing behavioral enrichment program, people purchase these works of art to hang in their homes, and the profits from auctions and sales are sent to the Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project (KOCP) in Malaysian Borneo. The program is called Pongos Helping Pongos. Pongo is the scientific name for orangutans, so this translates as Orangutans Helping Orangutans. Visit www.houstonzoo.org/php for more information.
Feast with the Beasts Friday, October 10 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. We’re serving up this mouthwatering event again in 2008! Enjoy an evening of exotic culinary fare from Houston’s best restaurants, wine from the hottest labels, and live music on multiple stages, all set against our naturally wild backdrop. This is an evening you won’t want to miss!
Zoo Boo Saturday, October 18, Sunday, October 19 & Saturday, October 25, and Sunday, October 26 The 2007 All New Zoo Boo was a huge success, and we know 2008 will be even bigger and better! Join us in October for the largest kid-friendly Halloween celebration in Houston! You can enjoy safe trick-or-treating, Halloween-themed entertainment, and other ghoulish surprises! This year’s Zoo Boo will be truly spooktacular!
WILDLIFE
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ZOO INSIDER: People In The News Green Board Member Don Kendall As we strive to become more “green” in all aspects of our operations we are fortunate to have green leadership from our 32-member Board of Trustees, who Jane Goodall with Don Kendall believe in and support our environmental and conservation initiatives. One exceptional example is Don Kendall, a long-time board member and Chair of our highly regarded Conservation Committee. Don is the founding Managing Director and CEO of Kenmont, a private equity investment firm. He combines his financial expertise with a true passion for nature. An avid outdoorsman he has scaled Kilimanjaro and spent time at base camp on Mt. Everest. He has traveled extensively to many wilderness areas and is an active stakeholder and Board member of a private game reserve in Botswana. He truly walks the talk. Don drives a fuel efficient Prius, is an avid cyclist and an aspiring wildlife photographer.
In addition to his volunteer work at the Zoo, he is also a board member of the Jane Goodall Institute and the Earthwatch Institute. The whole family is commited to conservation and education. Don's wife Diane is a children’s education specialist and a member of the Zoo’s education committee. His daughter Corinne volunteered and worked at the Zoo before persuing her Master’s in Conservation Biology at Columbia University. Don approaches conservation and environmental challenges from an innovative business perspective. He promotes and supports sustainable long-term models that include endowments and matching donor campaigns that have helped to grow our conservation revenues from $100,000 to almost $600,000 in the past five years. Don’s insight and leadership are key reasons we have one of the most respected and effective conservation programs in the entire zoo world. In Don’s words “for Zoos to become successful change agents in conservation and environmental arenas, they must develop long-term sustainable financial models to address one of the major concerns for the 21st. Century – loss of biodiversity and the deterioration of quality of life for all species.”
U.S. Representative John Culberson An innovative Houston Zoo program to deliver state-of-the-art technology and distance learning on a pilot program basis to several Texas Medical Center institutions is Representative John Culberson, with his wife Belinda one step closer to reality, and their daughter, at a recent visit to the Zoo. thanks to support from Texas members of Congress who recently secured $391,000 in FY08 federal funds for the program.
U.S. Rep. John Culberson, whose congressional district includes the Houston Zoo and much of the Texas Medical Center, led the request for funding in the U.S. House. He secured $291,000 in funding through the House Appropriations Committee, assisted by a support request submitted by Rep. Michael McCaul of Round Rock, whose congressional district reaches into western Harris County. U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas successfully secured matching funds of $94,000 through the Senate Appropriations Committee.
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These federal funds, combined with a $1 million grant from The Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation, will be dedicated to the educational broadcast programming component of the Houston Zoo’s African Forest Master Plan, aimed at providing distance learning to hospital-bound patients. The Zoo has developed this program to link exhibits using a high-density, full-color closed-circuit camera system to ultimately broadcast interactive educational programming to inpatients at the Texas Medical Center. Through such programming, the Houston Zoo can virtually transport patients from their hospital beds directly into animal exhibits where they can interact with, learn from, and ask questions of zookeepers and interpretive naturalists. The Zoo’s Master Plan also calls for the expansion of this program to eventually include area schools.
IT’S A POSTER! Pull out the
middle of the magazine and enjoy this Wildlife feature. Get to know the Geckos! See the GEICO Gecko exhibit live at the Houston Zoo, opening March 1-April 30 in the BEC. The exhibit features live giant day geckos, a unique group of lizards native to Madagascar and the Indian Ocean islands. Log on to www.houstonzoo.org for more information.
The Natural Choice For Your Next Green Event!
SURROUND YOUR GUESTS WITH NATURAL WONDERS AND PRICELESS BEAUTY Treat your guests to an inspirational, wild and extraordinary environment by hosting your next event at the Houston Zoo. Whether it’s a small dinner for 10, a corporate picnic for 250 or a gala for 2,500, we have the capabilities and turn-key resources to create a truly unique corporate or social event. From the drama of our award-winning Natural Encounters building to the serenity of the Reflection Pool and its gorgeous live oaks, we have a variety of venues that are sure to create an unforgettable experience for your guests. Ask us about our new Karamu Outpost. Animal experiences can be added to any event so your guests can get up close and personal with our most famous inhabitants. Log on to www.houstonzoo.org/events to see all of our venue options.
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