SAFARI The Official Magazine of the Toledo Zoo • Volume 26 • Issue 4• Winter 2017
LAND
Welcome LETTER SAFARI
29 percent of the Earth’s surface is land. That land is inhabited by an estimated 6.5 million species of animals. Only approximately 14 percent of those animals have been named and catalogued. As you can see, we have so much to learn about the land we live on.
The Official Magazine of the Toledo Zoo Volume 26 • Issue 4 • Winter 2017
OUR MISSION Inspiring others to join us in caring for animals and conserving the natural world. Cover photo: Maned Wolf
Safari is an exclusive benefit to Toledo Zoo members. Membership also includes free, unlimited, year-round admission and parking during regular Zoo hours; a subscription to the Zoo’s e-newsletter; early access to Summer Concert Series tickets; discounts on Zoo merchandise, classes, programs and more; and discounted admission to 150+ zoos and aquariums nationwide. toledozoo.org/membership
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CONTACT INFORMATION
All my best,
2 Hippo Way • P.O. Box 140130 Toledo, Ohio 43614-0130 419-385-5721 • fax 419-389-8670 ext. 6001 ext. 2074 ext. 2042 ext. 6001 ext. 2043 ext. 6002 ext. 2145 ext. 6003 ext. 2045 ext. 2068 ext. 3111
Jeff Sailer executive director
Editor
Kim Haddix
Designer
Teri Reed
Contributors
Kent Bekker Randi Meyerson Jen Brassil Koral Stoddard Chuck Cerbini Ryan Walsh Bill Davis Michael Frushour Jay Hemdal Keely Lapp Katherine Lonsbrough
Printer
At the Zoo our mission is to conserve the entire natural world and this issue is the first in a spread out series detailing the land, air and sea around us. Join us in helping to leave our land, and all land, better than how we found it for future generations! As always, thank you for the support of the Toledo Zoo and we look forward to seeing you all on our little piece of land soon!
Email membership@toledozoo.org or call 419-385-5721 ext. 6002.
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In this issue of Safari we invite you to look at land from a variety of different angles. We will learn about those that live off the land and analyze the amazing adaptations some have developed to help them survive on land.
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Contact the editor at 419-385-5721, ext. 2145 or kim.haddix@toledozoo.org
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Safari is published quarterly by the Toledo Zoo, P.O. Box 140130, Toledo, OH 43614-0130. Second-class postage paid at Toledo, Ohio and at additional mailing offices. Printed on recycled paper. © 2017 by Toledo Zoo.
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13abc Al Peake & Sons Food Service The Andersons The Blade Buckeye Broadband Cumulus Media Deep Eddy Vodka
Heidtman Steel Products Ice Creations International Tableware Inc. Kroger Lamar Marshall & Melhorn LLC NBS Commercial Interiors
NewFax Corporation Owens Corning RG Dezigns Toledo Tent & Party Rentals Valley Plastics Co. Yuengling
LAND Management
with Kent Bekker, director of conservation and research
It has been said that conservation is a state of harmony between men and land. To keep that harmonic balance in today’s world land management has become a necessity. Land management is defined by the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management as “the aim to integrate management of land, water, biodiversity and resources to meet human needs while ensuring long-term sustainability of ecosystems and livelihoods.” To support these and similar efforts at a state, regional and local levels, along with our own mission of conserving the natural world, the Toledo Zoo and Wild Toledo lend their expertise and man power as needed. Perhaps the most well-known land management the Zoo has undertaken is our Native (Urban) Prairie Initiative. The goal is to restore parcels of urban environment, including mowed lawn areas, back to species that were here before European settlement. “Basically, we have chosen preEuropean settlement as an arbitrary benchmark of what the land naturally was before we messed it up. Europeans brought with them a lot of invasive species, such as buckthorn, which decreased biodiversity by choking out native plants that native pollinators and animals need to survive. Once we remove the invasive species, the native plant and creatures will thrive. Basically, it comes down to knowing what we brought in and having the ability to take it out,” said Kent Bekker, Toledo Zoo’s director of conservation and research. Managing invasive species takes a lot of hard work. “Many park districts utilize prescribed burns to kill off unwanted species and woody materials in large plots of land. The land handles the fire just fine, in fact, it actually provides and promotes new nutrients for the soil. Land managers also often choose to remove invasive trees, like white pines and oaks, to open the land to additional sunshine and space. Wild Toledo is working on a smaller scale, so our staff utilizes mowing, weed killer and hand-removal of
invasive species. Because our scope is smaller, we have to be more judicial and technique specific to kill or remove unwanted species. Mowing cuts off the annual invasives and does not allow them to grow back. Treating with weed killer allows our approach to be more targeted and hand-picking, while obviously more tedious, allows us to be quite thorough,” explained Bekker. To assist in those specific techniques, Wild Toledo utilizes the Zoo’s amazing corps of Zoo volunteers. “ZOOTeens have worked in the community for years providing free labor, expertise and assistance to the Metroparks and many community clean-up projects. With the development of Wild Toledo in the past four years, they have been integral in making the prairie projects successful. For example, several times a year, ZOOTeens have helped to pull invasive species and provide general maintenance for the Broadway prairie, across from Zoo grounds and it is one of our most beautiful lots,” said Bekker. In modern times, natural landscapes have become fewer and farther-between making overmanagement of these disjointed habitats a possible cause for concern. “Historically, large tracks of land would be connected to allow for movement of animal species between locations. When land management techniques, like prescribed fire, are used care needs to be taken not to burn the entire pocket of fragmented habitat since then there may not be a connection for species to move back in. Another necessary aspect of land management is integration of habitat corridors between patches to allow for that movement of species,” explained Bekker. As you can see, land management can be complex but is completely do-able and helpful to maintaining our area’s biodiversity. To learn more about land management, please visit wildtoledo.org and the websites of our partner organizations, including Metroparks of the Toledo Area.
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HERBIVORE Fast Facts with Michael Frushour, associate curator of mammals
Read on to find out a few fun factoids about herbivores, creatures that live off the land! • Herbivores are animals that feed on plants, or organisms that need photosynthesis to survive. • Within herbivores, there are more specific designations: frugivores (oil birds) eat only fruit, folivores (koalas) eat only leaves, detritivores (earthworms) eat only dead plants and xylophages (termites) eat only wood. • The smallest herbivore is the featherwing beetle which measures .0127 inches and eats mold, fungi. • The largest herbivore is the elephant, which can consume up to 300 pounds of plants and fruits daily. • Other examples of herbivores are bees, squirrels, giraffes, caterpillars, gorillas and koalas. • Most herbivores, including elephants, have large flat teeth and dull, wide molars to grind up plant materials. • Some herbivores, like gorillas and hippos, actually have strong, sharp canine teeth that are used for fighting instead of feeding. • Most herbivores have long and specialized digestive tracts to help digest all kinds of plants and grasses. One group called ruminants (giraffes, cattle, deer and sheep) has four chambered stomachs and regurgitate their chewed up food, called cud, and eat it again. • Due to the low calorie count of plants, most herbivores spend a large portion of their lives eating. • Herbivores are a major part of the food web that helps to balance out the ecosystems as herbivores needs plants to feed on and survive and carnivores need herbivores to feed on and survive. • An overpopulation of either animal group depletes food sources and forces animals into cities and towns in search of food where they are viewed as a nuisance.
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ADAPTATIONS with Randi Meyerson, Polar Bear SSP coordinator
Think back… do you remember those elementary school science lessons about animal adaptations? Some of you may; some may not. However, here are a few you probably didn’t learn about useful adaptations to navigate land! Bats: Bats are the only mammal capable of true flight! Contrary to popular belief, bats are not blind but utilize echolocation to find each other and to avoid objects in their path at night. Echolocation is the use of sound waves and echoes to determine where objects are in space. The bats send sound waves out of their mouths via tongue clicks that bounce off objects and create an echo. Echolocation also allows bats to roost and seek shelter in dark places and avoid collisions with other animals and objects. Cheetahs: As the fastest land mammal, a cheetah’s entire body is adapted for speed. According to National Geographic, a cheetah’s flexible spine, lightweight skull, expanded nasal cavity and strong hind legs give the cheetah its explosive power. Another important adaptation and way cheetah differ from other big cats is that they have feet similar to dogs, with non-retractable claws. Additionally, their long tail is similar to a rudder, in that it provides balance to aid in their agility and ability to make quick turns. To help it see and hunt prey on the open and usually sunny African plains, cheetah also have tear-stripes that stretch from the corner of the eye to the side of the nose to deflect sun glare (similar to the black eye under-eye stripes athletes wear.) Elephants: With their large home range, elephants have adapted their communication style to be heard for long distances. Elephants produce a low frequency vocalization called an infrasound, a pulse created by the elephant tensing and relaxing their larynx, just like humans do to create sound. The rumble is so low it is actually below the range humans are capable of hearing but can be heard by other elephants for several kilometers! To give you some sense of perspective, it is as low as the lowest note on a pipe organ. Research has shown that an elephant’s large ears flap when the elephant is rumbling and are flared out when listening.
Polar Bears: Polar bears are uniquely designed to thrive in the frigid climate of the Arctic. In fact, they are actually classified as a marine mammal because almost their entire life is spent on frozen water/ice. According to Polar Bear SSP coordinator Dr. Randi Meyerson, some of the northern-most polar bears stay on ice year-round, never touching land, even to give birth. Polar bears have black skin to absorb heat from sun light and two layers of translucent fur (that appears white thanks to light refraction), even covering the undersides of their feet, to help insulate against the cold and provide camouflage in the bright white of the tundra. Under their skin is a fat layer that serves as more insulation and aids buoyancy while swimming. Additionally, polar bears have small ears and a very short tail to prevent heat loss. Their feet are wide, almost like snow shoes, to help with traction on ice and function like a paddle to swim. Their claws are also smaller than other bear species and hook-like to puncture through the ice and “fish” for seals. Finally, polar bears also have the ability to close their nostrils when swimming underwater to keep the cold water from being inhaled. Reindeer: Reindeer (caribou, the wild classification) are another animal specially adapted to thrive in the harsh habitat of the Arctic tundra. They have two layers of hair: an undercoat of fine, soft wool near the skin and a guard coat that is long and hollow to trap air serving as insulation and assist in buoyancy in water. Their nose actually warms air as they breathe and condenses the water in the air to keep their mucus membranes moist as they travel into the wind picking up scents to locate food. Additionally, in the summer, footpads soften for traction on wet ground, while in the winter they harden to reveal the rims of the hooves to aid in walking on and digging in snow and ice. Finally, reindeer are the only mammals that can see ultra-violet light, which aides in viewing plants in the glowing white tundra. These are just a few examples of animals that have adapted to not just survive but thrive in their particular habitats. There are many more, but that’s another story.
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White cheeked gibbons are sexually dimorphic meaning males and females do not look alike: Males will stay all black for life and females will turn black until they reach sexual maturity (between 7- 10 years old) when they will return to the beige color. This species of gibbons stands between 18 and 25 inches tall and weighs 15-20 pounds.
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White cheeked GIBBONS Bi-pedal Walking with Koral Stoddard, area keeper Primate Forest
White cheeked gibbons (Nomacus leucogenys) are arboreal primates native to the tropical and monsoon forests of Laos, Vietnam and southern China. Males have black, leathery faces with big eyes and all black coats with their name-sake white puffs of fur on their cheeks. Babies are born beige in color, which biologists believe helps to camouflage them in the canopy. At age one or two, the babies will turn all black. This critically endangered species has long arms (twice the length of their legs) and gripping feet to help them brachiate, or swing from limb to limb. They typically have a home range of 75-100 acres and will travel about one mile per day in search of ripe fruit, leaves and small invertebrates. White cheeked gibbons live in flexible social groups, usually consisting of an adult pair with their offspring. They are known for their unique group vocalizations. “Their vocalization is called a song and it serves as a territorial call capable of being heard over a mile away and a group bonding mechanism. Each species of gibbon has a different call and each family within a species develops its own song. Our family song sounds like sirens. However, ours are odd in that, except for Quon, they will only sing indoors. When I open the door to the building in the morning, it sounds like sirens greeting me. As soon as we give them access outside, they stop though,” laughed Stoddard. In addition to vocalizations, white cheeked gibbons are known for their tremendous acrobatics. “Gibbons either play like crazy or just sit around grooming each other. When they are playing, ours do lots of somersaults and roll around on the ground. They are capable of hanging upside down (with or without food in hand or mouth), flipping in the air and ours also enjoy sitting and spinning in a circle like a top!”
they progress she moves further away and up or down. As Hue is teaching, dad, Batu, is close by, sometimes even surrounding the tiny baby on the mesh to keep it safe and secure. Batu can also walk, but he has a bad hip so he doesn’t walk as often. It will be interesting to see if this adaptation continues through future generations. Hue had one male offspring that she taught to walk and he has since gone to another Zoo but has not reproduced yet. She now has two female offspring, so it will be interesting to see if his offspring will walk or if it is carried on by the females.” explained Stoddard. It is unknown if gibbons walk as frequently in the wild. However, as Stoddard explained with the current habitat conditions, walking could be both a blessing and a curse. “Unfortunately, the wild population of white cheeked gibbons has declined by 80% in the last 45 years due to habitat loss and poaching. With humans fragmenting the forest, white cheeked gibbons are being forced to come down to the ground to get from one clump of trees to another. In doing so, they are coming in contact with new parasites and worms they have never encountered before and their immune system is incapable of fighting off,” detailed Stoddard. Stoddard invites all visitors to stop by Primate Forest and see our white-cheeked gibbon family group anytime. “They do plenty of brachiating but they walk a lot too, everyday! It’s so crazy all they can do and walk too!” Come see it with your own eyes.
While guests enjoy watching our gibbons swing and play, they also get to see a unique adaptation with their own eyes. Our gibbons, specifically mother, Hue and her offspring, can bi-pedal walk (with feet alternating,) like a human. “Hue (pronounced way) is a professional. She is 26 years old and has been bi-pedal walking her whole life and has taught all her offspring to do it too. In fact, almost daily she will walk on logs the entire length of the exhibit,” said Koral Stoddard, primate keeper. According to Stoddard, monkey see, monkey do is a real thing. “The babies watch mom swing and walk so much, they catch on quite quickly. In the same way she teaches them to brachiate, she teaches them to walk. When the offspring are really tiny, Hue will put them on the exhibit mesh or on the ground and move away from them. At first, the babies frog leap to her and as Safari Magazine • Winter 2017
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VOLUNTEER
Spotlight
Our ZOOTeen Volunteer of the Year, Tony Myers, joined the program in May of 2014, and although it took him a little while to find his interests, he has long since mastered the schedule, logging over 1,600 hours in the past two years. He enthusiastically enhances education programs and community service with his positive energy and absolutely infectious smile. Myers is a pillar for both our Summer Camp and Zoo Snoozin’ programs. The kids love hanging out with him and the Teachers and Guides appreciate everything that he brings to their programs. He works hard, completes every task and knows the program schedules and what needs to be done, even when multiple programs are occurring simultaneously. His evaluations are always exceptional, and we can always tell trainees for these programs: “If you’re doing what he’s doing, then you’re doing it right.” Myers is also a stalwart for some of our community service programs. He enjoys spending time at Food For Thought,
making sandwiches for those in need and Sunshine, a facility for individuals with developmental disabilities. His ability to connect with people who have overcome unique life challenges is a credit to who he is and the heart that powers him. Although he has a quiet voice, his actions speak loudly enough for everyone to hear. We are proud to celebrate his dedication and recognize Tony Myers as our ZOOTeen Volunteer of the Year!
WHO’S NEW at the Zoo
Pesquet’s Parrot
Psittrichas fulgidus Date of Arrival: July 2017 Endangered Status: Vulnerable due to hunting pressure and habitat loss. On Exhibit: Asian bird exhibit in the Aviary. The bare part of this bird’s head around the beak is likely an adaptation to prevent getting feathers sticky and matted while eating fruit.
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Superb Starling
Discus
Lamprotornis superbus
Symphysodon aequifasciatus
Date of Arrival: Chicks hatched on exhibit on May 9, 2017.
Date of Arrival: April 13, 2017
Endangered Status: Least Concern
On Exhibit: Jewels of the Amazon exhibit in the Aquarium.
On Exhibit: African bird walkthrough exhibit in the Aviary. Most breeding pairs of this species have helpers, which contribute nesting material and help feed young once hatched. These helper birds are typically male offspring from previous broods.
Endangered Status: Not evaluated
Adult discus produce a secretion through their skin, which their babies feed on for their first month after hatching.
LANDFILLS with Bill Davis, volunteer manager
Dump. Garbage heap. Landfill. It may have many names, but the idea is the same: a place to dispose of waste materials by burying and covering them with soil. As volunteer manager, Bill Davis, explained: landfills are a necessary evil. “Every day, just by existing, you are going to have an environmental impact. Despite our best efforts, the entire world will never be zero waste. Perfection is not attainable. It is simply unrealistic. Our goal is to reduce the amount of waste, especially recyclable waste, entering our landfills.”
and shipping a product is an environmental hazard. Many companies are getting better, look at pizza boxes taking in the corners to reduce the amount of cardboard used, but there is still a long way to go.” Through the Zoo’s events, education and outreach programs, we aim to educate the public on all that is recyclable, as well as be a drop off site. This year, with support from a grant from First Solar, we opened our TerraCycle program to the public. The goal of TerraCycle is to recycle the seemingly unrecyclable, such as cigarette filters, ballpoint pens, water filters and eyeliner pencils. The complete list can be found at toledozoo.org/go green and items can be dropped off at both entrance gates of the Zoo during normal business hours.
During site visits to a local landfill, our ZOOTeens witnessed the “incredibly important role a landfill plays in handling the seemingly never-ending conga-line of truckloads of trash generated each day,” said Davis. While landfills provide a valuable function, they also present a Understandably, recycling is not the unique set of challenges. “When easiest of processes. “Not all parts of building a landfill, a clay liner an item are recyclable, making a is placed below ground to do-good practice a hassle. A good prevent liquid leakage into the example is the candy dishes that groundwater supply. However, many of us have sitting on our desks. over time liquids build up and We are throwing out a The glass bowl is easily recyclable, stew, if not properly managed.” lot of items that can be however, the plastic lid doesn’t say Another concern is litter. “As a what type of plastic it is, so how landfill grows taller, items blowing recycled, such as glass does one know what to do with it? off can become an issue. Landfills bo les/jars, cardboard, There is a movement afoot to make have a set of large moveable newspapers, car tires plastics, steel, aluminum more easily screens they can maneuver into and plastic bags. recognizable and better labeled, but place when the winds pick up, but that is still a ways away,” sighed Davis. by the time those are positioned some items have already blown off There are some strides being made the summit. In our area blowing though. A recent addition to the off the mountain means easy market is compostable flatware. These access to the neighboring Ottawa spoons, forks and knives will simply River and other local waterways, decompose and actually provide so it is important to have those nutrients to the ground, instead of taking up landfill space. safeguards built into a landfill operation.” An additional concern Another innovation is the plant bottle, pioneered by Coca-Cola. is the build-up of methane gas. “While ports to release the gas According to their website, the plant bottle is a fully recyclable are built in, methane gas is a greenhouse gas that contributes to plastic bottle made from sugarcane plants, instead of petroleum, global warming and landfills can release a steady stream of it if giving it a lighter carbon footprint and utilizing less resources. not properly controlled.” While we can’t (and don’t want to) eliminate landfills, we can drastically reduce the amount of waste going into them, thus decreasing their environmental impact. A well reported statistic is that the United States is the number one trash producing country in the world. The University of Southern Indiana reports that about one-third of the average landfill is made up of packing materials. “In reality, every step of producing, packing
The Zoo invites you to join us in our efforts to reduce landfill waste through conscientious recycling. “By reducing our waste, we’re not going to put landfills out of a job, we are actually helping to extend the life of their current locations,” acknowledged Davis. The ZooTeen program is generously supported by the Joseph, Judith and Susan Conda family.
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PESTICIDE USE with Ryan Walsh, conservation coordinator
Pesticide. This is a familiar word, but do we all really know exactly what it means or how it works? To learn all of the ins and outs of this term, we sat down with conservation coordinator, Dr. Ryan Walsh. The word pesticide comes from the Latin word “cide” meaning to kill. Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines pesticide as a substance used to kill, repel or destroy insects or other organisms harmful to cultivated plants or crops. Walsh stated there are many types of pesticides formulated to be effective against specific pests and they are used all around us. “We are even exposed to low levels of pesticides in our diets and water supplies, as today’s agricultural systems would not work without them,” said Walsh. As Walsh detailed, it only takes one pest infected plant for the problem to spread quickly. Therefore, many have been working to figure out and increase the effectiveness of pesticides and fertilizers as part of the post-WWII Green Revolution. However, Walsh says the story of pesticides is more of a cautionary tale than a success. “We can’t go back to never using pesticides. It is simply not feasible. However, we do have a long way to go in using pesticides in a controlled and educated manner.” “Many people don’t appreciate that pesticides are dangerous chemicals and they don’t read or follow the label instructions. Just because you can buy it over the counter doesn’t make it safe. If used improperly or applied incorrectly, it can do a lot of damage. Many people use pesticides on the wrong species of plants and use too much. You should use just the smallest recommended amount, as the goal is not necessarily to kill all the insects, just control the population of the one pest species to what we deem acceptable levels. Additionally, it is actually against the law to use on anything not listed on the label.”
As Walsh put it, pesticide use falls into the tragedy of the commons: one person doing it is not a big deal, but it quickly snowballs. “This snowball effect then grows into a cyclical problem where we have a pest infestation so we spray pesticides, which kills the beneficial insects and causes the pest population to explode and the whole issue to start over again.” However, pesticides can be applied safely, but there is a lot to take into account. First, is the plant flowering? Next, is the pest just a small population and does it really need to be controlled? “Don’t over-react and go nuclear. Start simple. Sometimes a blast of water is enough to wipe out a small pest population. The next step could be an insecticidal soap (contact pesticide) which quickly breaks down in the environment and causes less by-kill of beneficial spiders, grasshoppers, crickets, etc. Honestly, 90% of home insect programs can be solved with the controlled kill of a contact pesticide.” All of that being said, we would be remiss if we didn’t address the cause and effect reaction of pesticides: resistance. “Because we will never kill all of the pests (and wouldn’t actually want to, ecologically-speaking) the pests that survive will have offspring that will be more likely to survive the next pesticide treatment. Since many agricultural pests can have up to ten generations of offspring per season, this can and has quickly resulted in pest populations that are resistant to current pesticides. Using pesticides sparingly, rotating the pesticides used and following the label directions and recommended protocols will all help combat the growing resistance. If you are unsure about proper usage, please consult a professional. For example, all zoo managers that apply pesticides, including myself, are continually tested and liscensed through the state in the knowledge and best practices of our specific areas, ” explained Walsh.
Reckless pesticide usage can have unintended, yet incredible, consequences. “For example, neonicotinoids are a newer type of systemic pesticide that actually gets into the tissues of plants. People need to be very careful not to apply these available-at-local-box-stores pesticides to flowering plants before or during flowering, as the nectar and pollen can get infected and will kill valuable pollinators. An interesting example would be if we had used this pesticide at the Zoo, we could have killed the rusty-patch bumblebee, now an endangered species that was found in Nature’s Neighborhood.” The rusty-patch bumblebee.
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Walsh insists we simply need to learn how to live and work within our environment. “I suggest using an integrated pest management strategy. Pay a ention to your plants and pests. Control the issues step by step and use pesticides properly and safely.
We don’t always need plants to be perfect. If we just let them be and manage effectively when necessary, it will all work out,” stated Walsh.
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Basic LANDSCAPING with Keely Lapp, horticulturist
Zoo horticulturists get asked all the time about our beautiful grounds and what it takes to maintain them. According to horticulturist, Keely Lapp, with a little dedication home gardeners are more than capable of growing what we have.
however, you still need to try and maintain proper lighting, moisture and soil conditions. In today’s world, there are so many new cultivars that stay small, easy to handle and require less maintenance that the possibilities are nearly endless.”
Landscaping by definition is to modify or ornament (a natural landscape) by altering the plant cover. This can include flowers, trees, shrubs, mulch, water features, vines and edibles. According to Lapp, landscaping can be as elaborate or as simple as you want it to be. “Landscaping is a kind of art that can be designed as you see fit. There are so many options: native, manicured, annual, perennial, etc. It really is an open book that you can do so much with!”
However, Lapp does offer one main suggestion to keep in mind when landscaping at home. Think about height, width and shape. Plants do best when organized like an elementary school choir: shortest in the front, tallest in the back and spaced out and staggered so each has its own area. “Also keep in mind all season interest. For the best results, chose plants with bright blooms, color changing leaves, interesting bark or berries.”
In addition to making your property beautiful, landscaping also brings value to your home, provides aesthetic appeal throughout the different seasons, provides shade (which can lower heating and cooling costs) and also provides food and habitat for animals and pollinators.
After all of that, landscaping simply requires patience. “It usually takes three years for landscaping to really get established with plants rooted in. After that it requires much less maintenance and you can really see how the plants are going to grow.” But if it doesn’t turn out just right, don’t worry. “The true beauty of landscaping is that it is changeable. If something doesn’t work, the next season you can move it to another location or try something else.”
According to Lapp: “At the Zoo, our landscaping makes our animals feel more at home, as we research extensively each animal’s native range and try to replicate it as much as we can. The Pheasantry is a great example. We researched each individual bird and every habitat was custom designed especially for the specific species.” “Landscaping is what you Despite what many visitors think, Lapp assures us that Zoo landscapes can be duplicated at home. “Plants are quite versatile and adaptive to some degree,
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make it. It can cost as much or as li le as you want and take as much time and energy as you are willing to put into it.”
Our best advice: get creative, get your hands dirty and give landscaping a try!
LANDMARKS
with Katherine Lonsbrough, major donor relations manager Whether we come right out and say it or not, we all want to leave some sort of mark on the world we live in. Truthfully, there are many ways, big and small, complicated or simple and concrete or abstract to leave a legacy. One of the most recognizable is a landmark- a place where others can go to remember, reflect and/or appreciate a person, group, idea or memory. Read on for how you can leave a lasting legacy in the form of a landmark at the number one zoo in the nation! Zoo Bricks: Leave your lasting mark near the Anthony Wayne Trail entrance by purchasing a commemorative 4” x 8” brick surrounding the panda statues. Elephant Plaque: If an animal-centric landmark is more your style- go big with an elephant plaque. These 6” x 6” plaques form an elephant parade around the seating area near the Bull Yard in Tembo Trail.
We also have a variety of exhibit landmarks available for sponsorship: Aquarium: Penguin Flock made from recycled materials hanging just inside the Aquarium nearest to Penguin Beach, Hand-blown, one-of-a-kind glass jellies hanging from the Aquarium ceiling, Glass tile mural entitled “Oceans of the World” near the entrance Art: Two sets of bronze tortoises outside the Reptile House, bronze sculpture of a little girl with a bird in the entrance of the Aviary, bronze pride of lions at the entrance of the Africa! exhibit Garden: Many areas, plants and other features in our beautiful gardens, including the vegetable and herb gardens that supply tasty and nutritious treats for our animals, are available for sponsorship.
Starfish Plaque: Let your landmark shine by sponsoring a colorful starfish plaque on the stone wall by the Aquarium Adventure Trail! Tree Legacy Program: Give the gift that keeps on...growing: Sponsor a tree on Zoo grounds. A variety of species are available throughout the park and come with a personalized Carruth Studio plaque.
Nature’s Neighborhood: Kite flying above the entrance, Treehouse made of recycled and repurposed materials, various other indoor and outdoor exhibit components Pheasantry: Each of the individual enclosures featuring birds from around the world are available for sponsorship.
As always, we appreciate your support of the Toledo Zoo and our mission of inspiring others to join us in caring for animals and conserving the natural world. If you are interested in learning more or purchasing a landmark at your Zoo, please contact the development department at 419-385-5721 ext. 2091 or check out toledozoo.org/commemorative-items.
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FLIGHTLESS Birds with Chuck Cerbini, curator of birds
When we think of our feathered friends, our mind’s eye goes straight to the sky; however, according to Chuck Cerbini, curator of birds, the trait necessary to be considered a bird is to have feathers, not the ability to fly. Here at the Zoo we have four species of flightless birds- ostrich, cassowary, kiwi and penguins. Read on to learn more about these feathered creatures that call the land home! Each flightless species has unique feathers, but along the course of history became ground bound. “Ostriches have really long feathers they really only use in courtship displays and thermoregulation to defend their nest. However, recent studies are showing that Ostrich wing feathers aid in stabilization and maneuverability while running, like some of the fastest running feathered dinosaurs. Cassowaries have hard, tough feathers that don’t bend and look like black spikes. Kiwi feathers actually feel more like human hair than feathers, while penguins have really small, very densely packed feathers which help to insulate and waterproof the birds,” explained Cerbini. “It is now believed that all flightless birds had a flighted ancestor, as flightlessness has happened over and over in the history of birds and not all instances are related. Most flightless birds lost the ability to fly due to lack of predators. Many were are also island birds probably because their range is limited and ‘safe’.” Losing the ability to fly obviously changed the anatomy of flightless birds. “In becoming flightless, these birds typically became heavier and larger than their flighted ancestors. Those increases also made them more vulnerable to predation.” While these birds may lack animal kingdom predators, the threats posed by humans could be even more devastating to the species. “Many flightless birds are threatened or endangered because with man comes hunting for sport/ food along with dogs, rats and cats that can cause harm to eggs and chicks,” detailed Cerbini.
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Safari Magazine • Winter 2017
While they may have lost the ability to fly, many flightless birds gained other amazing adaptations. Penguins are a great example. “While they cannot fly, penguins are expert swimmers and divers. In fact, no flighted bird can dive as deep as a penguin. It’s actually a cool evolutionary trade-off,” said Cerbini. Ratites, a biologic group of flightless birds including ostrich and cassowary, are known for having very strong legs. “Ostriches are the fasting running bird, topping out 43 miles per hour. Cassowaries, have short bursts of speed up to 31 miles per hour and from a standing position can jump 5 feet in the air,” stated Cerbini. Kiwi have their own amazing adaptations and story. Kiwi are native to New Zealand and are the only nocturnal ratite. They also have an extremely keen sense of smell, thanks to nostrils on the end of their long one-of-a-kind beak to help them find food underground at night! According to Cerbini, these unique birds are revered by their home country. “There is a Maori folktale of how the kiwi lost its ability to fly. Their tree goddess needed to make a sacrifice, a bird’s ability to fly, to save the rainforest from an ant takeover. All of the other birds had a reason they could not give up that ability and the kiwi agreed to be sacrificed. In doing so, the other birds were punished and the kiwi was rewarded with reverence. Unfortunately, the stout (weasel), dogs and other current mammal predators did not get the historic memo and the iconic kiwi are now listed as endangered. While they may no longer have the ability to fly, the intriguing stories of flightless birds are certainly still sky high!
Interestingly, some of the most iconic extinct birds were flightless, including the Dodo, which was actually a 2-3 foot tall pigeon; the Elephant bird, the largest bird and biggest egg to ever exist; and the Moa, which was twice as tall as a human.
Safari Magazine • Winter 2017
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Toledo, OH Permit No. 707
P.O. Box 140130 Toledo, OH 43614-0130 The Toledo Zoo is open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. January through April: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Memorial Day to Labor Day: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. May & September: Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Weekends, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. October 1 – November 16: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. November 17 – December 31: Daytime hours, 10 a.m. - 2:59 p.m. Lights Before Christmas hours, Sunday - Thursday: 3 - 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday: 3 - 9 p.m. All Lucas County residents receive free Zoo admission every non-holiday Monday 10 a.m. - noon. (Must show valid proof of residency.) The Zoo remains open for one additional hour after gates close to allow visitors to complete their visit. However, many animals may be off exhibit during the last hour.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
JANUARY 2018
7 | Camp for a Day
Thursdays- (7, 14, 21, 28) Ice Carving Demonstrations at 6 p.m. in Main Plaza
1 | Zoo CLOSED
17 | Lights Before Christmas presented by KeyBank begins with Tree Lighting Ceremony toledozoo.org/lights 23 | Zoo and Lights CLOSED
6 | YPAC Holiday Howler 5:30- 7:30 p.m. in The Lodge toledozoo.org/ypac 24 | Zoo OPEN 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. with free admission for Lucas County residents. Lights CLOSED 25 | Zoo and Lights CLOSED 31 | Noon Year’s Eve- 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. sponsored by Meijer toledozoo.org/noonyears Last night of Lights!
For more information on these and all events at the Toledo Zoo, please visit toledozoo.org/events
13 – 15 | Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend- free admission for Lucas County residents 15 | Camp for a Day toledozoo.org/zoo-camps 19 | Wine Tasting: Aquarium toledozoo.org/wine