A newsletter for the valued supporters of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium | June 2016
A Spot in our Hearts
Donor Spotlight: PPG Colorful Communities™
2016 Annual Giving
United Way Contributor’s Choice
pittsburghzoo.org
Development Department Janet Rose Senior Director of Development & Conservation Initiatives 412-365-2540 jrose@pittsburghzoo.org Lori Elder Membership Manager 412-365-2534 lelder@pittsburghzoo.org Amy O’Neill Foundation and Grants Coordinator 412-365-2543 aoneill@pittsburghzoo.org Rachel Kisic Development Coordinator 412-365-2541 rkisic@pittsburghzoo.org Emily Beyer Development Associate 412-365-2503 ebeyer@pittsburghzoo.org Richard Kalson Chair, Board of Directors Dr. Barbara Baker President & CEO Photography by: ©Paul A. Selvaggio unless otherwise noted In compiling this report, the development office has made every attempt to ensure that the information is complete and all contributions are listed accurately. If there are omissions, misspellings, or other errors, please report them to the development office at 412-365-2541 and please accept our apologies.
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A Spot in our Hearts
By: Kathy Suthard, Lead Cat Keeper, Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium With fewer than 70 Amur leopards left in the wild, every Amur leopard is a symbol of hope for the future of this beautiful species of wild cat, regardless of wherever each animal may be. At the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, we have been lucky enough to provide a home for two, including Candy (pronounced Kän-dē), who came to our Zoo from the El Paso Zoo in Texas in 2013. This 9-year-old female was sent to us as a future mate for our male, Dima. After going through a quarantine period, which is standard for all new animals coming into the Pittsburgh Zoo, she received an excellent bill of health. Candy then took up residence in her new, permanent home which consists of a bank of three rooms that can be accessed via a front hallway. This setup enables the cats to see each other and access a runway that leads to their outdoor exhibit. Initially, Candy was shy, cautious, and hesitant about moving around Dima when she noticed him.
Keepers noted that it took Candy several months to acclimate to her new home. The ultimate goal for Candy’s move to the Zoo was breeding, so staff started to monitor her estrus cycles carefully and document them every time they occurred. When she came into estrus in February of 2013, staff facilitated the first physical, face-to-face introduction to our male. The two cats were given access to the entire holding area and kept under close observation for the entire time that they were together. There seemed to be a few approaches and then retreats (typical getting-to-know-you cat behavior), and a few scuffles but no mating was observed. This daily routine was followed throughout her cycle and repeated it every time she came into estrus, but every time Dima attempted to mount Candy, she fought him off. In September 2013, it was time to try a different approach. Again the leopards were together with frequent monitoring. This time, however, they could access the exhibit as well and when Candy's estrus cycle ended without breeding, the leopards were not separated. A few tiffs were observed at the start, but within three to four days they were chasing each other, playing, and generally getting comfortable with each other. By October, things were going so well between them, that they began living together all the time. In early November 2013 keepers arrived at the exhibit in the morning to see the two leopards mating! The leopards mated throughout the female’s cycle with no aggression other than the typical post-coital attack. Candy missed her next expected cycle and over the next three months she gained weight as expected for a pregnancy. Her due date was Valentine’s Day 2014. As February began, keepers constructed a nest box complete with an internal infrared camera and packed straw in the boxes throughout her room. Zoo veterinarians and keepers put together a birthing plan in preparation for all possible eventualities for the first time mom. Two weeks prior to her due date, Candy was separated her from Dima completely. She enjoyed lying in her nest and soon began exhibiting behaviors that indicated that she was nearing delivery.
Give the Gift that Keeps on Giving: A Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium Membership A Zoo Membership is a passport to family fun and adventure. Treat somebody you love to a Gift Membership. It includes 12 months of unlimited free admission to the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, discounted admission to 150 other zoos, education and program discounts, exclusive access to events, and much more. Visit pittsburghzoo.org information.
The days ticked by and nothing happened, but as the gestation period is between 90 and 105 days, it was difficult to predict an accurate due date. Finally on day 100 of her gestation, a tiny tail emerged. After a few hours with no progression, our Zoo Veterinarians immobilized Candy with the hopes of an assisted delivery. Unfortunately, her cub was stillborn.
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Candy recovered quickly and seemed happy to be reunited with Dima. They continued to get along well and enjoyed the chasing games they had always occasionally played. Candy continued to cycle and she and Dima continued to mate. After each mating, a future date was calculated. Every time she got about 50-60 days into her gestation however, she would come into estrus. This happened several times. Zoo veterinary staff ran hormone analyses for several months until November 2015 when, with the help of reproductive specialists, veterinarians collected and analyzed Dima’s semen, which indicated normal sperm production. A portion of his semen was also frozen to be used for artificial insemination of an Amur leopard at the Baltimore Zoo. In December 2015, veterinarians immobilized Candy after she missed her first estrus cycle and did an ultrasound, which showed a tiny cub with a normal heartbeat. Based on Candy’s previous hormone analysis and consultation with the Cincinnati Zoo’s Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife, veterinarians started her on an oral progesterone supplement in order to help her sustain the pregnancy. Because the medication may delay the birth, staff planned to give her until day 99 to deliver naturally. If no progression was observed, then veterinarians would immobilize her for a cesarean section. Throughout her pregnancy, weekly weigh-ins showed she was slowly gaining weight. As day 99 approached, Candy was still not interested in the nest box, but was eating well and acting normal. No cub appeared, so the immobilization was scheduled for February 4, 2016 at 9 a.m.
Today, the female cub is growing rapidly and becoming more mobile. 4
On day 99, the Animal Health staff prepared for surgery. All of the necessary supplies were loaded into the hospital van and they were ready to immobilize Candy. Keeper staff were prepping the area and attempting to move Candy into the hallway for an anesthetic injection. Other staff members watching her behavior from nearby computers noticed her in her nest box. Suddenly there were phone calls and radio alerts to staff members to stop and check out the video feeds on their computer screens. At 8:43 a.m., Candy delivered a single cub with no assistance from any of us and became the oldest first-time mother in the entire captive Amur leopard population! She immediately began grooming and tending to the cub. She remained in the nest box with her cub throughout the day and night. The cub appeared to be nursing.
The next day, however, Candy was not letting the cub nurse and she frequently left the nest box. When she would return and the cub would approach to feed, Candy would leap up. This continued for several hours. Staff was concerned that Candy’s milk had not let down sufficiently yet. Veterinarians administered a medication that would facilitate lactation and the cub was briefly examined and given medication to assist maintaining energy. The cub was returned to the nest box after being rubbed down with straw taken from the stall to mask the smell of human intervention. Within a few hours, Candy settled in and the cub began to nurse throughout the evening and into the night without protest from mom. Success! Today, the female cub is growing rapidly and becoming more mobile. With each passing day there is more activity and Candy is proving to be a wonderfully attentive mom. The odds were certainly not on her side because of her age, previous pregnancy losses, and lack of experience, but she overcame all of this. Mom and cub are doing well, dad is also doing fine, visitors are thrilled, and there is renewed hope for the future of the highly endangered Amur leopard. A name for the cub is currently under consideration. Two sisters, Lillian and Bernyce Neugebauer, longtime Pittsburgh residents and animal lovers, through their trust, are sponsoring the care and will be helping in the naming of the new cub. Lillian feels passionately about the animals at the Zoo, she adores cats, and feels that helping to support the Amur leopard program means helping to support the future of wild cats for generations to come, creating a lasting legacy for cats of all kinds.
A Note to Zoo Members The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is a proud member of the Association of Nature Center Administrators (ANCA), a nonprofit organization that promotes and supports leadership and best practices for nature and environmental centers. Zoo Members now have the opportunity to use a Zoo Membership to visit over 120 nature centers around the country. To plan a visit to a participating nature center, visit pittsburghzoo.org/membership/ reciprocal.
Association of Nature Center Administrators
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Photo © Lawrence O'Reilly
Donate to the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium By supporting the Zoo, you help save wildlife and wild places. Your gift helps us to fulfill our mission to be a leader in zoological conservation, education, and research while providing the region with exceptional exhibitry and unique family-centered recreation. To make your gift in support of the Zoo, please contact the Development Department by calling 412-365-2540.
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Photo © Lawrence O'Reilly
Donor Spotlight: PPG Colorful Communities™ Program of PPG Try to describe a tiger's fur, a flamingo's feathers, or a zebra's stripes. What are the first words that come to mind? Chances are, you thought of colors. From deep orange and bright pink to classic black and white, wildlife is full of vibrant hues. You cannot talk about the Zoo without talking about color. This May, the Zoo was thrilled to be a part of PPG's COLORFUL COMMUNITIES™ program - a global community engagement initiative that protects and beautifies the neighborhoods where PPG operates around the world. Together with community partners and PPG employee volunteers, the program transforms spaces and buildings using donated PPG products. The Zoo's carousel fence and tram are among the latest assets to be revitalized through the Colorful Communities program.
On a sunny spring morning, PPG employees arrived at the Zoo armed with paint rollers, safety goggles, and of course, paint made by PPG. Sue Sloan, Executive Director of Corporate Global Social Responsibility at PPG, put it best: "PPG and the Photo Š Lawrence O'Reilly Zoo are always looking for ways to grow our strong partnership. Adding fresh life and color to the carousel fence and the tram provided an opportunity for PPG employees to be engaged with the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium and to enhance the relationship." If you walk through the Zoo or take a ride on the tram, you can admire their handiwork. We hope that you will join us in thanking PPG and the many employee volunteers who have helped make our Zoo a beautiful showcase for the stunning colors of nature.
Footnote: Colorful Communities is a trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
Give a bear for a birthday, a tiger to your team, or a howler monkey for the holidays. Adopting an animal is a great gift for any occasion. When you adopt, your gift helps to provide for the care, feeding, and enrichment of Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium animals. All resident animals are available for adoption with packages ranging from $30 to $500 per year. Visit our website at pittsburghzoo.org for adoption packages. Please call 412-365-2503 to learn more about this rewarding gift idea or email adopt@pittsburghzoo.org.
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2016 Annual Giving (Annual gifts received from January 1 – April 30, 2016) $50,000 and above
John Leo Miclot* & Cathy Rinchetti & Family PPG
PPG Foundation
Richard King Mellon Foundation
Upcoming Events
Service Systems Associates The Grable Foundation
$10,000 to 24,999
Members Only Nights
BNY Mellon
July 12, 6:30 – 9pm
The Pittsburgh Foundation
June 30, 6:30 – 9pm
Children's Zoo Fund of
August 3, 6:30 – 9pm
Fisher Family Charitable Trust
Summer Safari presented by BNY Mellon July 29*, 6:30 – 11pm (VIP begins at 5:30pm) *This is a 21 and over event
Janine & Bob Fragasso
Somerset Trust Company Mike Terzich
The Pittsburgh Foundation
$5,000 to 9,999
A.J. & Sigismunda Palumbo Charitable Trust Terri & David Cepicka ComDoc Inc.
Eat'n Park Restaurants
First Commonwealth Bank Hefren-Tillotson, Inc.
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Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Jane Fox Bradley Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation Snyder Brothers, Inc.
$2,500 to 4,999 Bank of America
Filipowski Foundation Carolyn Kooken PNC Bank
$1,000 to 2,499
Allegheny Valley Bank
Linda Bailey & Mark Fairhead Bognar & Company
Susan & David Brownlee Carolyn Davis
Judith & Gary Diven
Docent Council - Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium Duquesne Light
Lin & Donald Ewing Berrilyn Ferguson
John & Nancy Traina Philanthropic Fund
Karen & Thomas* Kublack Paula Lockhart
Alice & Patrick* Loughney
Peggy* & Steve McKnight Pauline Parker
Nancy & Bernard Picchi
$500 to 999
EQT Corporation
George Sebek, IV
Grant M. Shipley Gift Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation
Julianne Smith
June & Hans Jonas
The Florence Boyer Foundation
Debra & Kurt Limbach
William Singer
Jen & Gino Iorfida
Southwest Aluminum & Glass Co., Inc.
Kerchner Family Fund No. 2 of The Pittsburgh Foundation
Jennifer Tis Mihok & Zachary Mihok
Kim Macey
UPMC
V. Wayne & Cordelia Whitten Barker Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation WBMC, LLC
Sue Weigold & Robert Butella Lisa & Stuart* Wise
Sherri & Chuck Macierowski Nan & David* Newell
Norfolk Southern Corporation Ryan Memorial Foundation Sara* & David Scaife
Christine Wackowski Mari Wako
$100 to 499 Annual giving is vital to the successful operation of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium.
Alan & Marsha Groover Family Fund Mary & Ned Aland
Amshel Charitable Foundation John Applegate
Kathy & Stuart Arnheim
Sandy & James Artzberger Barbara & Thomas Benic Danyele & Craig Bernick Susan & John Block Dorothy L. Boyer* Jeanne Burek
Center Elementary
Cinderella Women's Committee Kathleen & Elry Cramer
How close do you want to get? Join the Grow Wild Society and get close to the animals. Your membership in this special group supports the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium and its mission to save wildlife. Grow Wild Society membership gives you a unique and intimate perspective through behind-the-scenes tours and special exclusive events for both families and individuals. Become a Grow Wild Society member today and enjoy a closer partnership with the Zoo, satisfaction in supporting critically important initiatives, and unforgettable, up-close experiences. Visit pittsburghzoo.org for more information.
Andrea Curtis & Douglas Kredel
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Rocklynn & Edward Demarco
Rosa Riehle
EQT Corporation Lori Fertall
Cynthia Segat & Brian Wieczorek
Paula & Francis Gesselberty
Janel Skelley*
The Gurleyik Family
Andrea Spade
David Henry
Sharon & Scott Stemler
Donna & James Hudson
Style Truck
Kristen & Jason Dipner
The Value of Annual Giving Annual giving is vital to the successful operation of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. Membership and ticket sales alone do not cover the cost of all that we offer in sustaining our mission. Annual giving helps to fill this gap. Contributing to the Zoo plays an important role in providing care for our animals, supporting our educational programs, and aiding in our on site and international conservation efforts. Thank you to the individuals on the following pages for being a part of our donor family.
Kathleen & Dennis Gasper
Becky Shetter
Tish & Eric Grimm
John Skowron
Lisa & Donald Haddad
Claudia & Raymond Steeb
Phyllis & Mark Hoge
Eileen & Robert Stovash
Jack & Jean Ann Jones Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation
Emily & Anne Tabor
James T. & Hetty E. Knox Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation Natalie & Andrew Jefferis
Jon Roehrig Memorial Fund Lori & Gary Koehler Anna Konrad
Jonathan Kopinski
Mary & A. Frederick Kroen Lancaster County Timber Frames, Inc. Joyce & Steven Lish
Jennifer & Thomas McCrady Patricia & Charles Miller Joan & Robert Milsom Jeffrey Mitchell Peter Moulder
Carol & Theron Myers
Linda Nimick & Alex Jameson Mark Perrott
Dedra & Scott Rantovich Paula Reed
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Bryan Schroeffel
Sandra & Mark Taylor Susan Thomas
Trendy Trousseau LLC
Weaver Master Builders, Inc. Michele & Paul Weisensee Amanda Westerlund
Tishie & Davitt Woodwell Steven Zawada
*Indicates board member We make every attempt to accurately recognize the generous support of our donors. If you notice an error, please contact the Development Department by calling 412-365-2541 or by email at donate@pittsburghzoo.org. Thank you for your understanding.
Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium and International Conservation Center
Credit Card Don’t just make a purchase; make a difference for endangered species with the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium and International Conservation Center credit card. A percentage of each transaction you make on your card will be donated to the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, with a special focus on support for the work of the Zoo’s International Conservation Center (ICC) in Somerset, PA. To apply for the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium and International Conservation Center Credit Card, visit pittsburghzoocard.com. The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium and International Conservation Center Credit Card is provided through the Somerset Trust Company.
United Way Contributor’s Choice #223611 Please consider the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium #223611 for your United Way contribution. Your gift supports Zoo education programs that provide low-income, at-risk children with unique hands-on science education. The children enjoy Zoo visits and animal encounters that teach them life sciences, raise conservation awareness, and enhance school readiness. Thank you in advance for choosing Contributor’s Choice #223611. Your gift makes all the difference.
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One Wild Place Pittsburgh, PA 15206
pittsburghzoo.org