SAFARI PROFILES IN CONSERVATION
The Official Magazine of the Toledo Zoo
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Volume 29 |
Issue 3
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Fall 2020
WELCOME LETTER Conservation is at the core of our mission. Despite the world-wide pandemic, we have staff working tirelessly around the world to help research and save disappearing species and spaces. Our work promotes co-existing with wildlife, inclusion and appreciation of all creatures, nature in its purest form, the value of wildlife and habitats and understanding of human impact on our planet. Without our help, many of the animals we adore will not be around for our grandchildren to love and appreciate. This issue focuses on our conservation workthe staff we have working on grounds and across the globe, passion projects and even how our employees
Cover photo: Blanding's Turtle
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CONTACT INFORMATION
2 Hippo Way • P.O. Box 140130 Toledo, Ohio 43614-0130 419-385-5721 Contact the editor at 419-385-5721, ext. 2145 or kim.haddix@toledozoo.org
SCHOOL OF HIPPOS France Stone Foundation Savage and Associates
World Association of Zoos and Aquariums | W A Z A United for Conservation
®
EDITORS: JEFF SAILER & SHAYLA MORIARTY WRITER: KIM HADDIX DESIGNER: ANN KINSMAN PHOTOGRAPHER: COREY WYCKOFF PRINTER: HOT GRAPHICS 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.
TELL US ABOUT THE ZOO'S HISTORY WITH ARUBA ISLAND RATTLESNAKE AND CONSERVATION EFFORTS:
Sincerely,
For just over 30 years now, Toledo Zoo has been a driving force in the forward progression of Aruba Island Rattlesnake conservation efforts in both the U.S. and Aruba. Beginning with the creation of the Aruba Island Rattlesnake Species Survival Plan, (SSP) Toledo Zoo quickly became a champion for this species by managing all of the captive animals within AZA zoos, as well as researching the wild population. This valuable research and support prompted a partnership with the Aruban government and gave rise to Arikok National Park which protects crucial habitat for the Aruba Island Rattlesnake and many other native fauna.
JEFF SAILER President & CEO, Toledo Zoo & Aquarium
COMPANIES FOR KIDS Fits of giggles, eyes wide with wonder and smiles filled with excitement are common expressions on the faces of children who visit Toledo Zoo each year. Through the gracious support of Companies for Kids member organizations, laughter and learning abound at the Zoo! Thank you to our 2019 Companies for Kids donors for their generous support. Last year, more than 4,000 Zoo HERD OF ELEPHANTS BP Refinery Owens-Illinois, Inc.
An accredited member of
are modeling conservation efforts at home. I hope you will be inspired to follow our lead and help conserve the natural world any and every way you can.
FAMILY OF GORILLAS AK Tube LLC Anderson Foundation John C. Bates Foundation (Heidtman Steel Products) Comfortline, Ltd. La-Z-Boy Foundation The Toledo Ticket Co.
PRIDE OF LIONS Art Iron Associated General Contractors of NOW, Inc. Electronic Concepts & Engineering Inc Hoover Wells, Inc. Jerl Machine, Inc. Kwest Group LLC Miller Bros. Construction, Inc. Proservice Machine, Ltd. Schultz & Williams Signature Bank, N.A. The Collaborative, Inc. The Shops at Fallen Timbers Thermeq. Co. TTI Maumee Equipment, Inc.
admission tickets were distributed to local community organizations and schools through this program. With the health and economic crises of the beginning of 2020, your continued participation is even more important. For more information about this program and how your company can help, please contact Nicole Overhulse at Nicole.overhulse@toledozoo.org or 419-385-5721 ext. 2069.
PACK OF WOLVES Bath Fitter CHS Group Complete Refrigeration LLC Directions Credit Union Habitec Security I.B.E.W. Local 8 Impact Products LLC Jones & Henry Engineers, Ltd. Mail It Corporation Marathon Petroleum Nephrology Associates of Toledo Palmer Energy Company, Inc. Real Quality Services, Inc. Rosenboon Custom Crafted Cylinders
PACK OF WOLVES Tri-State Expedited Services UAW Local 2021 William Vaughan Company FLOCK OF PENGUINS Anderson, Idczak & Konesky, Inc. Binkelman Corporation Brenda A. Ray Law Offices Builder's Steel Service Inc. Carpenters Local Union 351 Duffey Concrete Cutting, Inc. Eastman & Smith Ltd. Franklin Park Lincoln, Inc. Genoa Bank Heritage Planners JDRM Engineering, Inc.
FLOCK OF PENGUINS Kuhlman Corporation Marathon Classic OmniSource Corporation Rayner, Foos, Kruse & Irwin CPAs Sam Okun Produce Company Taylor Automotive Family The Florian Insurance Agency, Inc. Waterford Bank Wilkinson FundRaising Imprinted Sportswear Wurtec, Inc.Sportswear Wurtec, Inc.
DESCRIBE THE SPECIES FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW:
SPECIES OF CONCERN:
ARUBA ISLAND RATTLESNAKE WITH NICK GORDON, HERPETOLOGY KEEPER
The Aruba Island Rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus unicolor) is a medium-sized venomous pit-viper with an off-white to light brown body and varying levels of pink or brown diamond like markings on its back. They can grow up to two feet in length and weigh a little less than a pound.
WHY CONSERVE THIS SPECIES IN PARTICULAR? Conserving this species is incredibly important as it is an endemic species to Aruba meaning it is only found in one place: Aruba. With Aruba being an island, any natural disaster or significant disturbance to the animal’s habitat can be far worse due to the fact the animals are not able to migrate to a different habitat. This makes all of the island’s animals extremely susceptible to going extinct much quicker than other species around the world.
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE WITH THE CONSERVATION PROJECT? Currently, I am the AZA’s Species Survival Plan Coordinator for the Aruba Island Rattlesnake. I am responsible for overseeing and managing the breeding, transfers and overall population sustainability of captive Aruba Island Rattlesnakes within AZA institutions.
HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THIS PROJECT? I got involved with this project thanks to one of my mentors, R. Andrew Odum, who was previously Toledo Zoo’s Curator of Herpetology and SSP coordinator for Aruba Island Rattlesnake. He had such a strong passion for this species and all things Aruba, it was contagious and I easily became fascinated by the species and Aruba all the same.
WHAT ARE THE HOPES FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS PROJECT AND SPECIES? The overall goal of Toledo Zoo and the SSP is to learn as much as we can about this species, while ultimately providing a sustainable captive assurance population. We want to not only function as a safe haven for the species, but also provide an opportunity for Zoo visitors to appreciate and learn more about the snake and what effects we have on all species worldwide. TOLEDOZOO.ORG/CONSERVATION AZA (ASSOCIATION OF ZOO & AQUARIUMS) SSP (SPECIES SURVIVAL PLAN)
Printed on recycled paper. ©2020 by Toledo Zoo.
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Profiles in Conservation
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CONSERVATION STAFF
Passion Projects RYAN WALSH, PH.D. CONSERVATION COORDINATOR SPECIES OF CONCERN: ORCHIDS I started studying orchids in college and have continued this passion project that requires a lot of patience here at
the Zoo. Orchids are incredibly diverse and make up the biggest plant family in the world, with over 20,000 different species. What drew me to them specifically is the fact that some orchids trick pollinators into pollinating them. The technical term is deceptive pollination, meaning the flower makes pollinators believe they have a food
reward or nectar, when in fact they do not. Slipper Orchids, which I did my dissertation on and continue to study, actually trap the pollinator inside the plant and force it to pollinate the plant to be released! At the Zoo, I focus my research on how to reproduce and start a captive population of orchids, as there 47 species of orchids. I actually began a new collection in the ProMedica Museum of Natural History and the Conservation Production Greenhouse from tissue cultures. The hope is to eventually produce enough flowers for reintroduction into the wild. That is sure to be several years in the future though, because some orchids spend three years underground after they germinate. Researchers have been able to shorten it to one year in captivity, but we still have to wait for the plants to be big enough to flower and then hand-pollinate to create several generations too. I have been gathering lots of data and certainly looking forward to what the future hold for our orchids. Overall, I think orchids are a fascinating part of what is possible in nature. TOLEDOZOO.ORG/MUSEUM
MATT CROSS, PH.D. CONSERVATION BIOLOGIST SPECIES OF CONCERN: BLANDING’S TURTLES In 2014, before working for the Zoo, Kent Bekker and I gave a joint turtle talk to a group at the Metroparks Toledo. After our talk, we were approached by Terry Berymaier, who claimed to see the rare Blanding’s Turtles we had
mentioned in our talk in his backyard. My first thought was this was a case of mistaken identity and he was likely seeing some other, more common species of turtle. I was very wrong, as Terry had taken pictures of the turtles he saw around his neighborhood and wanted to know what he could do to help study Blanding’s Turtles. We suggested he take pictures of the plastron (shell) patterns, as previous research had shown the patterns of other turtles are unique to the individual and could be used in place of standard marking techniques. We all parted ways and I figured that was the last I’d heard from Terry. Fast forward to 2017 when I had just started as a fulltime Zoo employee. Terry again got in touch. We met and were blown away when he presented us with a notebook containing pictures of turtles he had seen over the years and maps of their locations. What made Terry’s observations so unique, was he mostly photographed Blanding’s Turtles in June & July, which is nesting season, meaning these were most likely all females. Toledo Zoo has been surveying sites in the Oak Openings Region specifically for Blanding’s Turtles for ~15 years and females have been rare finds. What was even more impressive was Terry had spread the word through his community and had neighbors send him their pictures or call him when they found a turtle. I eventually had the opportunity to join Terry on his neighborhood surveys and was not disappointed. On my way to his house I even had to stop and gather data on a Blanding’s Turtle crossing the road! We hopped on his golf cart and ended up finding seven female Blanding’s Turtles.
Blanding's Turtle
Terry and his community scientists had photographed 65 individual adult female Blanding’s Turtles! Prior to this, there were no documented populations of this size in the state of Ohio, let alone that many females. We decided we needed to get more info about the Blanding’s Turtles at this site and began conducting trapping surveys. In one week, we caught 68 Blanding’s turtles from both sexes and all age classes. We were able to use the community science data to generate some preliminary population estimates at this site, making it one-of-a-kind in the state. We wrote a manuscript, detailing our project, and submitted it to a peer-reviewed journal. It was accepted, with minor revisions, and we look forward to sharing this project with the rest of the scientific community. BLANDING'S TURTLE U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE
JACOB SCHOEN CONSERVATION TECHNICIAN SPECIES OF CONCERN: NATIVE PLANTS
Fast forward again to 2019 and our work with Terry continues. We used the 155 pictures Terry and his neighbors had collected, and pattern-recognition software to analyze the photos and determine the number of individual turtles.
I have always been keenly interested in local fauna. My fascination with native plants developed more recently, coinciding with my start as a seasonal Wild Toledo Biologist at The Toledo Zoo in 2016. My work in the urban prairies
and native production greenhouse demonstrated firsthand the reliance of our local fauna upon our native plant communities, and these observations quickly grew into a deep appreciation for the ecology of our native plants themselves. Since being hired on as a full-time member of the conservation department in 2018, I have helped to design and build the new and improved native plant production facility that became fully operational in late 2019. This new 1,500 square foot facility will produce over 7,200 potted plants of over 100 different species and the climate control system allows for the head-starting of plants in the winter months so that they are up to flowering size by Mother’s Day. This facility has also resulted in increased seed germination, including impressive germination of rare species that are not frequently available. I am excited about the prospect of appealing to a wider customer base and, ultimately, getting more native plants into the backyards of our community where they will contribute in a major way to the function of our local ecosystems! Exciting future additions to the Wild Toledo plant offerings will include native pond and bog plants, woodland flowers, orchids, and a wide diversity of trees and shrubs. Stay tuned for future updates, and check out our current plant offerings at wildtoledo.org! WILDTOLEDO.ORG
Orchid display at 2020 Orchid Show
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Profiles in Conservation
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SPECIES OF CONCERN:
SPECIES OF CONCERN:
CUBAN BOA
Victorian Cichlids
WITH PETER TOLSON, PH.D., DIRECTOR EMERITUS CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH I became enchanted with the Cuban boa as a result of my deployment to Naval Station Guantánamo Bay (NSGB), Cuba with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines in 1968. In my free time, I spent the next two years exploring much of the pristine subtropical dry forest that comprises the undeveloped area of the Station. During this period, I was fortunate to be introduced to Dr. Albert Schwartz, the Dean of West Indian Herpetology, and soon began to collect amphibians and reptiles for his scientific studies. Al provided me with numerous scientific reprints about Cuban reptiles and a plan of action to become a herpetologist. Prior to meeting him, I had no idea that one could actually make a living studying reptiles. After I was discharged from the Corps, I received a BS in zoology from Michigan State University and went on to obtain a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan – debtfree courtesy of the G.I Bill. While teaching at Michigan, I learned of a vacancy at the Toledo Zoo for the position of Curator of Amphibians and Reptiles. I applied and was given the job. My own readings in college revealed the incredible beauty and diversity of West Indian boas- several of which were endangered or severely threatened. Furthermore, very little was known about their life histories, and I resolved to make them the major part of my life’s work, starting with the endangered Virgin Islands boa. Only six specimens
WITH JAY HEMDAL, GENERAL CURATOR
A few issues back, we did an article on Victorian Cichlids and the work that General Curator, Jay Hemdal and his team of aquarists does with the species. For this issue, we wanted to provide an update on the conservation efforts currently taking place for these endangered African fish. were known to science, but a friend accidentaly discovered a relict population on a small offshore cay of Puerto Rico. I spent more than 10 years studying this species, collecting a wealth of information that led to three separate conservation awards for the Toledo Zoo. As several populations of Virgin Islands boas were discovered to be on military bases, I was soon retained as a consultant by the Navy to perform population assessments on several small isolated populations of endangered boas. I developed a reputation for knowing a bit about Caribbean boas, and when the Navy became concerned about the population of Cuban boas on NSGB, I was asked to help. That study, which began in 2000, has been ongoing ever since. Intensive study of a snake species is virtually impossible without radio-telemetry, where a small radio transmitter is implanted into the body cavity of a snake. The resultant signal, detectable for more than a mile in our Cuban boas, allowed us to find them at will (at least theoretically). This technology allowed us to see what the snakes were doing on a daily basis- usually at night when they are active. We began with the basic idea of seeing where they liked to live, and as it turned out,
rather than being confined to pristine forest they are quite happy in grassy disturbed areas near humans. The study then evolved into studies of home range, feeding ecology and reproduction. All of these data are shared with the Navy to develop a conservation geographic information system and a conservation strategy for NSGB. Extremely long-lived species such as the Cuban boawhich at best reproduce only every other year- are very difficult to study. Funding is rarely available to carry out the long-term research necessary to really understand their life history strategies. We have been truly fortunate to have that funding from Toledo Zoo and the Naval Facilities Engineering Command and to carry out research in a place that is a microcosm of small-town America. A Cuban boa management plan has been written and approved, and we have nearly achieved our long-term goal of documenting a statistically significant series of reproductive events! Photos provided by Peter Tolson TOLEDOZOO.ORG/CONSERVATION
According to Hemdal, Toledo Zoo has worked with Victorian Cichlids since 1994 and propagated many generations of the imperiled fish in our Aquariums, both old and renovated. In addition, Hemdal serves as the studbook keeper for all cichlid species, keeping track of the number of fish in AZA institutions, breeding records and more. “When we originally set up a Species Survival Plan for Victorian Cichlids, the ultimate goal was to eventually repopulate Lake Victoria with the fish. About 15 years ago, many of the initial supporters dropped out because of a series of problems that were identified to reintroducing the species, including the continued presence of Nile Perch- the species’ main predator and cause of initial decline - in the Lake, the possibility of passing on novel diseases from captivity to the wild and the domestication of the fish after years in captive care. However, Toledo Zoo persevered knowing we could still maintain an assurance population and see what may change in the future.”
testing the viability of reintroduction with practical application. They took surplus fish (those well represented in the captive species genetics) and placed them in man-made outdoor ponds. This could be equated to a fish half-way house. The ponds are located on the laboratory’s property, are bio-secure and do not connect to other waterways. There are no predators except for birds and the ponds are covered to maintain temperature in the winter. This way, researchers can test the species’ ability to simply survive outdoors and find out if the fish can adapt or not.” Last December and January, Toledo Zoo send two shipments of surplus Victorian cichlids to the Floridabased lab. They were quarantined indoors, where they
did well and were eventually released into the outdoor ponds. As of print time, Hemdal has received reports that the fish are active and healthy. They are currently receiving supplementary feedings, but the plan is to ween them off to solely rely on natural food. Two other facilities also sent fish- Moody Gardens Rainforest and Aquarium and New England Aquarium. Another facilityToronto Zoo- has a shipment on hold until the pandemic has subsided. “We are hopeful for more research opportunities down the road and re-evaluating the goal of reintroduction to Lake Victoria. Only time and more research will tell.” UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA TROPICAL AQUARIUM LAB
“About a year and a half ago, the future changed. The University of Florida's Tropical Aquaculture Lab started
Photo by Greg Whittaker
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Profiles in Conservation
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SPECIES OF CONCERN:
TASMANIAN DEVIL
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
WITH SAM FOX, PH.D. ADJUNCT BIOLOGIST WITH SAVE THE TASMANIAN DEVIL PROGRAM TELL A BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND I was born in England but my family moved to New Zealand when I was 5 years old, so I grew up in NZ. I travelled a lot when I left school because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next and ended up living in Namibia for 2 years where I met some American PhD students working on elephants. I thought “Ooh I could do that!” So when I returned to NZ to be my sister’s bridesmaid, I started a BSc at Auckland University then moved to James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland to complete my undergraduate degree. I spent 12 years in Townsville completing an honors year, working in the Wet Tropics rainforest and finally completing my Ph.D. on spectacled flying foxes.
HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH SAVE THE TASMANIAN DEVIL PROGRAM? It was very simple – I replied to a job advertisement. I was living in a very isolated part of northern New South Wales (Australia) with my partner at the time on his beautiful, but remote, property where we planned to build a house. There was no work locally. A friend sent me the job advert and said “You should apply for this – you could do it with your eyes closed.” It was my dream job, and I nearly didn’t apply for it because I thought there would be hundreds of applicants and I wouldn’t stand a chance. But I did apply, and I got an interview – which were happening on a day when I was travelling up to Queensland, so I ended up doing my interview over the phone while I was sitting outside Brisbane airport. I didn’t think I had done very
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spend a lot of time monitoring devils in the wild to determine what their status is and instigating in-situ conservation projects like Wild Devil Recovery, but the research on DFTD and its evolution is carried out by researchers at universities that we have collaborations with.
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT POSITION/ RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION?
broader decisions about whether we release devils into more populations around the state. We have also been working closely with researchers at a medical research institute to develop a vaccine, and possibly put it in a bait that is spread across the state. Exciting times!
WHAT IS THE LATEST IN COMBATING DEVIL FACIAL TUMOUR DISEASE (DFTD)?
I am Team Leader for Wild Devil Management and Conservation but I am also still a Wildlife biologist. This means that while I manage staff and our big in-situ (in country) conservation programs, I also get to go out in the field, which is important to me. While I oversee our budget, liaise with our stakeholders and spend a lot of time writing strategy documents, a big part of my responsibility is to ensure that all the field work is completed, the data is entered into our database and tissue samples make it to relevant collaborator for their research. We are a management agency and as such
Past management actions have shown us that we can’t get rid of DFTD without removing all devils. So our current conservation strategy is to look at supporting struggling populations with supplementation translocations where we release some healthy devils into wild populations to provide some genetic and demographic support. After years of trialing ‘how’ to release devils successfully, we are now looking at a couple of populations that we have been releasing devils into, to try to understand what the long-term consequences of our releases are on the wild incumbent population. Once we know this, we can make
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT THE DISEASE- THINGS THAT SURPRISE, UPSET, ENCOURAGE YOU?
well so I went in the field and forgot about the job, and came back to Townsville to find 5 missed calls from Tasmania – I thought “Wow, I think they are going to offer me the job”!
If you can remove yourself from the horrific damage that this disease does to individual devils, it is a remarkable organism. It ‘hides’ from the devils’ immune system but is contagious: it is constantly evolving and continues to evolve in a petri dish! But devils are amazing creatures and female devils with young that are still dependent will hold on and hold on with the worst cases of disease to ensure their babies are big enough to survive without them.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE? So far we haven’t yet seen any cases of local extinction and I hope that continues. I hope the results from our current trial in releasing healthy devils are positive (and they are looking pretty good at the moment) so we can continue to support struggling wild populations, and I hope sometime soon we will have a vaccine that works that knocks this disease on its head. SAVE THE TASMANIAN DEVIL PROGRAM
Our Zoo Ed Volunteer of the Year became a volunteer in July 2014. As a retired elementary school teacher, on-grounds education seemed like a perfect fit for her. Indeed, she has taken to her volunteer duties like a duck to water, serving as a one of the lead presenters for our Critter Encounter program and consistently supporting our homeschool programs. She can be seen throughout the Zoo, from the Mazza Gallery in the new Museum to Tembo Trail and Great Apes. However, her educational efforts are only one part of her story. Rather, this volunteer is multi-faceted and supports a wide range of events and activities, including concerts (for which she also snagged her husband to serve as an usher), levy campaigns, animal watches, Noon Year’s Eve, Teddy Bear Care Fair, Dart Frog Dash, Senior Safari,
Little Boo, Pumpkin Path and more. If there’s a way for her to get involved and be helpful, she’s on it. When she’s not helping the Zoo as a whole, she’s busy supporting her peers by serving as a mentor helping to train new volunteers. She has served as the Zoo Ed Registrar since 2017, recording all of the Zoo Ed’s hours into our database. She also introduced the idea of a Zoo Ed Social Committee, designed to promote esprit de corps among the volunteers and she currently serves as the committee’s chair. She is such a positive force that she simply cannot be contained. But then, why would we really want to? Please join me in celebrating our Zoo Educator 2019 Volunteer of the Year: Terri Schultz.
MEMBER TIPS Membership Means More at Your Zoo! Don’t forget to take advantage of the following members-only offers…
2020 MEMBER BENEFITS
• 10% discount on food and beverage purchases (excludes alcohol & promotional items) • Unlimited Lights Before Christmas admission • Membership Means More monthly promotions
As business operations and offerings have changed due to pandemic guidelines, please visit the webpage below for the most up-to-date offers and discounts. TOLEDOZOO.ORG/MEMBERSHIPMEANSMORE
Profiles in Conservation
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SPECIES OF CONCERN:
10,000 Toledo Zoo resident animals WITH GENEVIEVE DUMONCEAUX, DVM, DECZM(ZHM), DACZM, DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL HEALTH AND NUTRITION
"
. . . IT IS C L EA R TO ME FR O M MY WO R K THAT EVERYO N E H AS
As Dr. Genevieve Dumonceaux, Toledo Zoo’s head veterinarian, puts it: “Zoos are not just about displaying animals for the public to view. They are an education institution also. They teach about diversity of species, the entire animal kingdom, conservation and, of course, the animals in their care.” “As a veterinarian, there are a lot of ways my team and I participate in conservation every day. It is our job to see to the general health and wellbeing of the animals in our care and around us, along with any medical and surgical needs that may arise. I have been a vet for over 32 years and a lot has changed during the course of my career. Now, I am in a more supervisory role, overseeing and training up and coming vets. My job now is less hands on but still about learning, compiling and disseminating information, education and teaching anyone who wants to listen how we take care of our animals and the impact we as a human race have had on animals and the natural world. Our work is all encompassing, as it impacts not only our resident animals, but animals here on loan from other institutions, animals and institutions participating in AZA Species Survival Plans (SSP) and conservation research happening around the world.”
“I have seen species go extinct in my short human life. It is terrifying to see but for many in this profession it is a big part of why we do what we do. To be a Zoo vet you have to have a real passion for the job. Admittedly it takes a lot of hours, work and heartbreak to try to preserve the natural world. But I see anything- any animal, any project, any research- my team gets the chance to work on as a chance to learn new things, especially about endangered animals and how we can help more positively shape their future.” “A prime example is our work with The Great Ape Heart Project. This is a worldwide effort to help apes in human care live longer, healthier lives. Great Apes, including gorillas and orangutans, are known for suffering from a variety of cardiovascular (heart) issues thanks in part to genetics, diet and inactivity. Through this massive undertaking, zoos across the world are performing full cardiac workups and exams on their great apes and recording the results in a database for cardiologists (human and animal specialists) and researchers to be able to compare notes and study. These workups include ultrasounds to view the heart, electrocardiograms (EKG) to review pulsations and a full blood panel to study the
chemical make up for any abnormalities. All of the data we collect helps to develop husbandry and management protocols, assist with diagnoses and prognoses and hopefully prevent future issues.”
TO D O S O M E T H ING
If I could help the public understand just one thing about my job as a zoo veterinarian, it would be that it is clear to me from my work that everyone has to do something to help the natural world and we have to do it now. Our world, and every living thing in it, depends on us. We are the only ones who can conserve natural resources and protect wildlife. We have taken some steps but they aren’t enough. Please keep doing your part and encourage others, including politicians with powers to pass protective laws, to act now. Unfortunately, many of our efforts move so slowly that by the time they are enacted or happening, it will be too late for some species. Please, get educatedcome to the Zoo, talk to our staff, follow us on social and explore our website. Information is out there and it is easy to find. We can all do something to contribute to making our world a better place for all living things!”
N ATU R AL WORLD
TO HEL P THE AN D WE HAV E TO D O IT N OW." Dr. Genevieve Dumonceaux
GREAT APE HEART PROJECT
Western Lowland Gorilla
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Profiles in Conservation
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SPECIES OF CONCERN:
KARNER BLUE BUTTERFLY WITH MITCH MAGDICH, CURATOR OF EDUCATION I first got involved with Karner Blue Butterfly (KBB) conservation way back in the early 1980s. At the time, I was employed by Toledo Metroparks and had an interest in rare butterflies. Then, in 1987 I went to work for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) as an Ecological Analyst. At this point, through my own interest and professional research, I knew that the Karner Blue Butterfly population was in trouble. The native population in Ohio was still present but failing quickly. In 1988, a team and
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I surveyed Lucas County (the whole county, piece by piece) for KBBs. At that time, we relied heavily on aerial photography to indicate where Lupine, the butterfly’s food source, may be present and then we gridded out the land to conduct fieldwork. I remember it vividly, as that summer was one of extreme drought and heat. It was miserably hot and we only found three male butterflies the entire summer! That was the last year KBBs were found in Ohio.
Once employed at the Zoo, I kept in contact with the ODNR and we discussed what we could possibly do for this tiny yet beautiful and disappearing butterfly. We discussed the idea of re-introducing KBBs from Michigan, as the population there was still secure. These discussions led to working with Dr. Peter Tolson and the formation of the Ohio KBB Recovery Team that also included ODNR, Toledo Metroparks, The Nature Conservancy and others. In 1992, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the KBB as federally endangered and with the help of grants from ODNR, we started a greenhouse on Zoo grounds to breed the butterflies. Because of the scarcity of the KBB population, we began our studies with the Melissa Blue Butterfly- a different subspecies- to hone our methods and work out protocols. We even went to Colorado to collect butterflies, brought them back and raised them in our greenhouse constructed with funds from ODNR. With the help of other partners and over the course of two summers, The KBB Recovery Team undertook an extensive habitat restoration project, surveying sites in Michigan looking at Lupine density, canopy cover and all aspects of the habitat that helped butterflies thrive. After doing comparison studies to restored sites in Ohio, we chose sites for our first release of captive bred Karner Blues. In 1998, we captured our first founder population, 28 females, and were able to successfully raise about 250 KBBs for release at the Kitty Todd Nature Preserve. At first, we released butterflies in the chrysalis stage of life, however, we quickly realized that did not work and moved to releasing adult butterflies capable of escaping predation. We continued studying, breeding about 40 females each year and releasing KBBs annually, until 2006 when a late freeze wiped out the population. Unfortunately, the Oak Openings population of KBBs never recovered and we had to move on to different
locations. In the past 4-5 years, the Zoo’s conservation department has again started researching and rearing KBBs for release in our region. In 2019, the species was again seen in Kitty Todd and Sweet Fern Savannah. While the numbers are low, it is still encouraging. Over the years, I have seen the highs and the lows of this project. I have seen population centers shift quite a bit. Despite our best efforts, the butterflies went to where they thought was suitable habitat, not necessarily where we thought it was suitable. The population numbers have been all over the place too. When I first started, I never thought Karner Blues would again be self-sustaining in nature but we were always somewhat optimistic. Back in the 80s and 90s climate change wasn’t a big part of the discussion, but now climate change indicates the population in Ohio probably won’t survive because of extreme temperature shifts and drought. I don’t want to give up on these butterflies, but we are not seeing the results we had hoped and worked for. Obviously, we don’t know the future and we will continue to invest in this effort and hope that we may be able to string a few years together without catastrophic events like drought, early spring, extreme heat, etc. and the population could stabilize. This project has had a lot of challenges. Some years looked great and some years I honestly wondered why I am doing this. But, that’s the nature of endangered species work. Regardless the outcome, this project has brought me a lot of satisfaction over the years, knowing I've made substantial contributions to the conservation of a species in my own backyard. KARNER BLUE BUTTERFLY U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
SPECIES OF CONCERN:
NATIVE PRAIRIES WITH JOHN (ELEPHANT KEEPER) & MICHELLE GRIGORE
Prairie - a tract of land covered mainly in native grasses interspersed with wildflowers. This is a story about our 30-year-old prairie, which has brought us great joy and restored habitat that was here at the time of European settlement. The native plants were the perfect solution for our 5-acre homestead— one we didn’t want to fertilize, mow and water. Our backyard serves as a home to local plants that once covered vast areas of western Lucas County, but were overcome by urban sprawl and pavement. We collected prairie seeds from roadsides and sowed them into the freshly cultivated sand that makes up our yard. For a quicker conversion, we also planted prairie plugs, little plants that have roots that can flower the first year they are planted. Little did we know we were turning the old horse pasture into a mini wildlife preserve in the Oak Openings corridor. Even after 30 years, the prairie is still changing, with plants coming and going and even growing where they weren’t seeded. The parade of color begins in May with beardtongue, lupine and columbine and progresses to brilliant yellows and purples of asters, goldenrods and fringed gentians as late as October. All the while, the native tall grasses turn from green to gold, weaving a background tapestry to the flower show. We
Grigore prairie Photo by the Grigores
highly recommend using native plants in your backyard for an easy to maintain landscape that also provides great wildlife habitat. Some of the more unusual creatures that use our prairie: Wolfinger Prairie Wildlife Woodcock Song sparrows Eastern Bluebirds Hummingbirds Red fox Grey fox Whitetail deer Turkey Red-shouldered hawk Barred owl Cooper’s hawk
Tree and barn swallows Chimney swifts Bullfrog Green frog Eastern chorus frog Eastern tree frog American toad Garter snake Eastern hog nose snake Eastern box turtle Snapping turtle
TOLEDOZOO.ORG/WILDTOLEDO
Profiles in Conservation
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SPECIES OF CONCERN:
Santa Cruz Ground Doves WITH JOE WOOD ADJUNCT BIOLOGIST WORKING IN SOLOMON ISLANDS
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND YOUR ROLE WITH TOLEDO ZOO? I am a conservation biologist attached to Toledo Zoo’s project in the Solomon Islands. I grew up in the Welsh countryside and spent over 10 years working as a zookeeper before studying for a master’s degree in Conservation Leadership at the University of Cambridge.
HOW DID YOU BECOME INVOLVED IN SPECIES CONSERVATION IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS?
HOW WAS THE TOLEDO ZOO ABLE TO HELP?
I have been working in the Solomon Islands since November 2017 when I led an emergency mission to rescue some of the last known individuals of a species called the Santa Cruz Ground Dove – a beautiful quailsized bird with iridescent wings.
Working with the Solomon Islands Ministry of Environment and a number of international partners*, we were able to recover 110 doves and rehabilitate them at a temporary holding facility. We were able to draw on expertise gained through our work with other Pacific Island dove species, such as the Many-colored Fruit Dove from American Samoa.
WHY WAS THIS SPECIES SO URGENTLY IN NEED OF CONSERVATION ACTION?
Sixty Santa Cruz Ground Doves were transferred to Jurong Bird Park in Singapore in August 2018 as the nucleus of a ‘safety net’ population. Under the terms of a loan agreement, these birds and their decedents remain the property of the people of the Solomon Islands. Toledo Zoo has continued to lead conservation efforts in the country, caring for the remaining doves (including a new generation of captive-bred chicks!), training local staff and liaising with the government regarding a long-term strategy.
It is quite a dramatic story! Santa Cruz Ground Doves were once found throughout the Eastern Solomon Islands and much of Vanuatu, but have been heavily impacted by invasive predators such as black rats. The last known wild population is confined to Tinakula – a small, remote and uninhabited island which also happens to be an active volcano. Tinakula erupted in October 2017, burning much of the forest on its slopes and leading to fears that
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the Santa Cruz Ground Dove would follow several closely related species into extinction. However, by sheer fluke, it emerged that a large number of doves had been illegally captured in the weeks before the eruption for export to wealthy collectors in The Middle East. There were unconfirmed reports that at least some of these birds were still being held by dealers in Honiara, the capital city of the Solomon Islands.
Safari Magazine • Fall 2020
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON? The Santa Cruz Ground Dove is very much the tip of the iceberg in terms of endangered wildlife in the Pacific region. Invasive animals and plants, hunting and habitat destruction have already resulted in the loss of scores of wonderful species and pushed still more to the brink of extinction.
Santa Cruz Ground Dove
In the Solomon Islands, these problems are particularly acute because of the number of unique species found nowhere else in the world, the prevalence of invasive predators, the impact of logging and other extractive industries and the current lack of capacity to tackle these threats effectively. Recognizing that for the most vulnerable species there is a dire need to ‘buy time’ by keeping reserve populations safe in captivity, Toledo Zoo has established a dedicated Species Recovery Centre, working in collaboration with the Solomon Islands Government and the Guadalcanal Plains Palm Oil Company (an accredited member of the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil). We are also forging links with local communities in the Santa Cruz Islands, acknowledging their role as the customary guardians of the natural environment. Our success with the Santa Cruz Ground Dove project has led to requests for us to advise on conservation efforts for other endangered dove species too. Last year, I travelled to the Philippines
Purchasing breakfast for the Santa Cruz Ground Doves at a local market.
for discussions on a future strategy for the Negros Bleeding-heart Dove and to Brazil in search of the newly rediscovered Blue-eyed Ground Dove. At times the task ahead seems impossibly vast. I take heart from the Toledo Zoo’s unwavering support, and from the dedication and enthusiasm shown by the Solomon Islanders who now work alongside me. I look forward to the day when we can leave the project in their hands, safe in the knowledge that they are
equipped with everything they need to continue fighting for the Santa Cruz Ground Dove and the natural environment in this very special part of the world. *Including the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation, Birdlife International, The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, Wildlife Reserves Singapore and Auckland Zoo. Photos provided by Joe Wood. TALARAK FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
Profiles in Conservation
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Toledo, OH Permit No. 707
P.O. Box 140130 • Toledo, OH 43614-0130 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
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January through April Memorial Day to Labor Day Monday-Friday • May & September Weekends • May & September October 1 - November 19
Lights Before Christmas Hours: November 20 - December 31 10 a.m. - 2:59 p.m. | Zoo Daytime hours Sun -Thu 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. | Lights Before Christmas activities Fri & Sat 3 p.m. - 9 p.m. | Lights Before Christmas activities 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.
LITTLE BOO presented by Meijer
O CTO BE R 1 5 & 1 6 , 2020 TOLEDOZOO.ORG/BOO
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Events subject to change.
AUGUST 8/11 President's Circle Dinner by invitation only 8/14 Zoo Friends' Night by invitation only 8/18 Garden Tour toledozoo.org/gardens 8/18 YPAC Wild Games toledozoo.org/ypac
8/21 Feast with the Beast presented by PNC toledozoo.org/feast 8/22 Dart Frog Dash toledozoo.org/dartfrog 8/29 BUGfest toledozoo.org/bugfest
SEPTEMBER
PUMPKIN PATH presented by UTMC
O CTO BE R 1 7 & 1 8 , 2020 TOLEDOZOO.ORG/PUMPKIN Event subject to change.
Sun Tue 9/9 9/12 9/13
Music Under the Stars toledozoo.org/music Senior Discovery Days toledozoo.org/seniors Conservation Series: Snakes toledozoo.org/conservation Day of Honor toledozoo.org/dayofhonor Grandparents' Day
9/18 9/19 9/20 9/22 9/26
PNC ZOOtoDO presented by Lexus toledozoo.org/zootodo Party for the Planet toledozoo.org/planet Zoomba toledozoo.org/zoomba Garden Tour toledozoo.org/gardens Enrichment Day: Scratch & Sniff toledozoo.org/enrichmentday
OCTOBER Tue Senior Discovery Days toledozoo.org/seniors 10/1 Silverback Society Dinner by invitation only 10/4 Music Under the Stars toledozoo.org/music 10/10 25 Year Membership Appreciation Day by invitation only 10/11 Music Under the Stars toledozoo.org/music
10/15- 10/16 Little Boo presented by Meijer toledozoo.org/boo 10/17 - 10/18 Pumpkin Path presented by UTMC toledozoo.org/pumpkin 10/24 Pumpkin Stomp & Chomp toledozoo.org/stompandchomp 10/24 Zoo Brew toledozoo.org/zoobrew
For more information about these and other events, visit toledozoo.org/events