JOURNAL
Building a Better Future for Wildlife Together JULY/AUGUST 2021
July/August 2021
Vol. 1 No. 3
Journey Through Our Conservation Work. This issue of San Diego Zoo
Wildlife Alliance Journal focuses on the savanna hub. To learn more about our collaborative conservation work around the world, visit sdzwa.org.
Amazonia Jaguar
Savanna Elephant & Rhino
Oceans
Southwest
Polar Bear & Penguin
Desert Tortoise & Burrowing Owl
Pacific Islands
African Forest
Australian Forest
Asian Rainforest
‘Alalā
Gorilla
Platypus & Koala
Tiger
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Contents 2 President/CEO’s Letter 3 By the Numbers 4 Findings 6 Meet Our Team 8 Hot Topics 26 Events 28 Kids Page 29 Last Look
Cover Story
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Standing Tall With the help of partners like Twiga Walinzi, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is working on a long future for giraffes.
Features 16
Shifting Perceptions
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The enigmatic leopard faces challenges for a variety of reasons. Fortunately, scientists are coming up with new solutions every day.
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A Bright Spot The new Malayan tapir calf at the Zoo represents a little extra hope for his species, which is currently endangered.
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Visualize It In an often unforgiving environment, African savannas—with their stretches of grass dotted with trees and shrubs—offer a vital link to resources for a surprising variety of wildlife. Find out more with this detailed infographic. On the Cover: Reticulated giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata. Photo by: Ken Bohn/SDZWA photographer.
LET TER FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
JOURNAL
MANAGING EDITOR Erin Smith SENIOR EDITOR Peggy Scott STAFF WRITERS Donna Parham Abigail Karkenny Elyan Shor, Ph.D. COPY EDITOR Eston Ellis DESIGNER Kerri Abrams PHOTOGRAPHERS Ken Bohn Tammy Spratt DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Kim Turner Lisa Bissi Jennifer MacEwen PREPRESS AND PRINTING Quad Graphics
Let's Stay Connected Follow @sandiegozoo & @sdzsafaripark. Share your #SanDiegoZoo & #SDZSafariPark memories on Twitter & Instagram. The Zoological Society of San Diego was founded in October 1916 by Harry M. Wegeforth, M.D., as a private, nonprofit corporation, which does business as San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. The printed San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Journal (ISSN 2767-7680) is published bimonthly, in January, March, May, July, September, and November. Publisher is San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, located at 2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego, CA 92101. Periodicals postage paid at San Diego, California, USA, and at additional mailing offices. Copyright© 2021 San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. All rights reserved. All column and program titles are trademarks of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
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When I first arrived in Kenya, I remember the copper-colored earth and vistas dotted with acacia trees that I could swear were paintings, until I was standing beneath their tranquil shade. It was just before the pandemic, and I was there to meet and connect with our partners in the field. While touring the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in Namunyak, the ground rumbled when the majestic creatures moved in herds—an awesome reminder of the power of nature. In this issue, we take you inside the African savanna for a glimpse of the plants, animals, and people that comprise its vast grasslands. It’s one of the eight conservation hubs where we focus our efforts to save wildlife around the world. You’ll meet Mathias Tobler, Ph.D., a remarkable conservationist who leads our population sustainability team. He reveals the changing nature of conservation work on page 6. It’s not simply “driving an old Land Rover through the bush,” he says, but rather “with the advances of technology we need to be engineers, computer programmers, lab technicians, and drone pilots.” You’ll also meet the giraffes of the Twiga Walinzi Initiative (page 10)—a wonderful example of our collaborative work with local communities that is moving the needle for this threatened species—and the African leopards of Kenya, which have lost two-thirds of their historic range. Biologist Nicholas Pilfold, Ph.D., beautifully draws us into the plight of these creatures (page 16), with a message of hope and how we can help. I hope this tour through the savanna inspires you to learn more and join us in our efforts to save these species and their habitats. The work we do in San Diego helps drive conservation outcomes around the world. And you don’t need to go to Africa to experience it. Our dedicated teams at the Safari Park are ready to host you, so you can see and learn all about our work to protect this remarkable wildlife. The 1,800-acre Safari Park provides us a unique opportunity to immerse you in a safari right here at home, with one-of-a-kind experiences that reflect how important our work is around the world, while also providing a meaningful encounter that supports our conservation work. Thank you for your continued support,
As part of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s commitment to conservation, this magazine is printed on recycled paper that is at least 10% post-consumer waste, chlorine free, and is Forest Stewardship Council ® (FSC®) certified. FSC ® is not responsible for any calculations on saving resources by choosing this paper. 2 / SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE JOURNAL / JULY/AUGUST 2021
Paul A. Baribault President and Chief Executive Officer
PHOTO BY: JENNIFER DOMBROWSKI & TIM DAVIS/LUXEADVENTURETRAVELER.COM
If your mailing address has changed: Please contact the Membership Department; by mail at P.O. Box 120271, San Diego, CA 92112, or by phone at 619-231-0251 or 1-877-3MEMBER.
Journey to the Savanna
BY THE NUMBERS
Meeting the Challenge The world’s wildlife is facing serious challenges, and there is greater urgency than ever to take action. That’s where conservation organizations like San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance come in. Through partnerships, innovation, and ingenuity, we are determined to find answers and create solutions.
Dollars tied to global illegal wildlife trafficking, making it both devastating and hard to combat.
MOISSEYEV/ GETTY IMAGES PLUS
19 billion
75
Percent of Australia’s forest habitats made up of eucalyptus, a critical habitat and food source for koalas and other wildlife.
Board of Trustees OFFICERS Steven G. Tappan, Chairman Javade Chaudhri, Vice Chairman Linda Lowenstine, DVM, Ph.D., Secretary Richard B. Gulley, Treasurer TRUSTEES Rolf Benirschke Joye D. Blount Kathleen Cain Carrithers Clifford W. Hague Robert B. Horsman Steven S. Simpson Judith A. Wheatley TRUSTEES EMERITI Berit N. Durler Thompson Fetter George L. Gildred Yvonne W. Larsen John M. Thornton A. Eugene Trepte Betty Jo F. Williams
Executive Team Paul A. Baribault
<1,000
President and Chief Executive Officer
Number of polar bears in Canada’s Western Hudson Bay subpopulation.
Shawn Dixon
Chief Operating Officer
David Franco Chief Financial Officer
Dwight Scott Executive Director, San Diego Zoo
80+ Percent decline in the desert tortoise population over the past 30 years.
Lisa Peterson
50
Number of globally threatened plant and animal species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species found in Cameroon’s Ebo Forest.
Executive Director, San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Nadine Lamberski, DVM, DACZM, DECZM (ZHM) Chief Conservation and Wildlife Officer
Wendy Bulger
General Counsel
David Gillig
Chief Philanthropy Officer
Aida Rosa
Chief Human Resources Officer
David Miller Chief Marketing Officer SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE / SDZWA.ORG / 3
FINDINGS
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance pursues wildlife protection strategically by focusing on eight conservation hub regions on six continents. Below are recent discoveries and progress from around the world. BREEDING SEASON HAS BEGUN FOR TERNS, PLOVERS
Led by Peruvian field assistant Alejandro Alarcon Pardo, the giant otter conservation project team has completed the annual survey of Peru’s Manu National Park population and an additional protected area. The field work included visits to 11 oxbow lakes, in which the team counted 55 individual giant otters. These numbers suggest that the population in the area is stable. Project members remain positive regarding the possibility of performing field research later in 2021. TORREY PINE PROPAGATION
Working with Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve staff, SDZWA’s plant conservation team planted 120 Torrey pine seedlings that were propagated at our Botanical Conservation Center. The project seeks to gain insight on how to undertake restoration and management of the native species. Seeking to learn more about the factors influencing seedling establishment, the team will be collecting data on various environmental variables and seedling survivorship over a five-year period.
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The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) now recognizes two distinct species of elephant in Africa: the African savanna elephant Loxodonta africana and the African forest elephant Loxodonta cyclotis. Along with these designations, their status on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has also changed, reflecting the threats both species face from poaching, habitat loss, and climate change-related drought. Savanna elephants are now considered Endangered and forest elephants are Critically Endangered.
WORKING WITH WOYLIE: AN ECOSYSTEM ENGINEER
The SDZWA reproductive services team has—for the first time—banked a sample of ovarian tissue for the woylie, a rare Australian marsupial also known as the bush-tailed bettong. The tissue was cryopreserved as a source of primordial follicles and stem cells for future research in assisted reproduction. Woylie numbers have declined, due largely to the introduction of non-native species such as foxes and cats. According to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, “the woylie is considered an important ‘ecosystem engineer’ because its digging and foraging help turn over topsoil, cycling nutrients and improving aeration and water infiltration into the soil.”
PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): OSTILL/GETTY IMAGES PLUS; LOCATION: RETETI ELEPHANT SANCTUARY; CHEE GIN TAN/GETTY IMAGES PLUS; LOCATION: NAVAL BASE CORONADO.
GIANT OTTER POPULATION STABILIZING IN PERU
SDZWA’s terns and plovers team has begun monitoring western snowy plover and California least tern populations at Naval Base Coronado and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Least terns arrived in the area in late April 2021, at which time the plovers had already started courting and nesting. The team found the first plover nest at Coronado on March 22, 2021, and at Pendleton a week later. Plovers started hatching a month later, and the team had plans to band and track chicks, to assist the Navy and Marines with determining the nesting success and sustainability of their populations.
ELEPHANT SPECIES UPDATE
THROUGH SEPTEMBER 6
Stay after dark and help us celebrate summer during Nighttime Zoo at the San Diego Zoo. Come “rock and roar” every day this summer with music and other amazing entertainment experiences. There’s so much to do, see, and hear at Nighttime Zoo—it’s a good thing summer hours are longer!
sandiegozoo.org/nighttimezoo
MEET OUR TEAM
Q
Q
Q
What is the coolest thing about your job?
Solving today’s conservation problems requires new approaches that integrate methods from wildlife ecology, wildlife health, genomics, and social sciences with emerging technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence. Working with a multidisciplinary team of top scientists to find novel ways to save some of the most endangered animals and their habitats around the world is by far the coolest thing about my job.
Ever since I was a kid, I have loved nature documentaries, especially the ones showing wildlife scientists conducting field research in remote parts of the world. Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom gave me a first glimpse into the world of wildlife conservation and research, and inspired me to become a wildlife biologist myself. Natural historian David Attenborough’s incredible documentaries on the life on Earth are still among my favorites, and I love watching them with my kids.
Mathias Tobler, Ph.D. Leads the Population Sustainability team, a multidisciplinary group of researchers using science, technology, and boots-on-the-ground fieldwork to save wildlife around the globe.
Why did you become a scientist? What drew you to this field?
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MICHEL VIARD/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
When I was finishing high school, I had two main interests: being outdoors hiking, climbing, camping and watching wildlife; and programming my computer. Studying environmental sciences and wildlife ecology was the ideal way of combining the two. I was able to spend a lot of time in remote parts of Tanzania and the Peruvian Amazon studying large mammals, and then come back and write computer models to analyze the data—all while helping to protect wildlife and wilderness areas.
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I believe that, as an international conservation organization, one of our most important roles is to enhance local capacity and to train the next generation of conservation leaders that can carry on the work we start.
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”
What book or film influenced you or made a strong impression?
What has surprised you about working in wildlife science?
When most of us think about wildlife biology, we think about researchers driving an old Land Rover through the bush tracking an elephant, or spending months in a remote field station in the Amazon observing monkeys. While this is, of course, still a very important part of our work, with the advances of technology, we also need to be engineers, computer programmers, lab technicians, and drone pilots.
THROUGH AUGUST 15
Summer fun is heating up weekends at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Join us to learn about amazing African wildlife and experience the sights and sounds of incredible music and entertainment throughout the Park.
sdzsafaripark.org/summersafari
HOT TOPICS
Members of the community living alongside elephants in Kenya play a key role in the success of calf rehabiliation projects.
The Power of Community Elyan Shor, Ph.D., looks at community-based conservation, a sustainable approach that integrates the well-being of both wildlife and people.
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umans and wildlife have coexisted in the same landscapes for thousands of years, but our rapidly changing world has shifted the dynamics of human-wildlife interactions. At this modern interface between wildlife and people, there is an ever-growing need for sustainable conservation approaches that address both the protection of animals and respect for the heritage, values, and livelihoods of communities.
Within the last three decades, community-based conservation (CBC) has emerged as an effective approach to sustainable conservation. CBC embraces the notion that the well-being of humans and wildlife are interconnected, and that since people and wildlife share landscapes, conservation should be approached with coexistence in mind. Further, CBC recognizes that conservation is a human activity, and accordingly, should be inclusive of the people most impacted by conservation decisions: the local communities.
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“It’s important to acknowledge that the protection of wildlife often depends on the people who are living with them,” says Kirstie Ruppert, Ph.D., community engagement scientist at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDWZA). “CBC prioritizes participation and empowers local leadership to make decisions about conservation management.” Kirstie studies the human dimensions of conservation science, with a focus on CBC initiatives in Kenya. She explains that since up to 70 percent of
PHOTO BY: KEN BOHN/SDZWA; LOCATION: RETETI ELEPHANT SANCTUARY
wildlife in Kenya lives outside of governsignificantly in raising regional conserment-managed protected areas, there is vation awareness and in preserving the regular contact between pastoralist comgreater elephant population. munities, their livestock, and wildlife. As SDZWA partners with several CBC such, conservation strategies in the region initiatives around the world, including Reshould address wildlife protection while teti Elephant Sanctuary. SDZWA supports also reflecting the needs and relationships Reteti with technical and scientific capacof local communities. “The local focus ity enhancement opportunities, includof CBC ensures that community voices ing veterinary and wildlife care training, are elevated when broader conservation and in the development of hospital and plans are developed with NGOs, wildlife laboratory infrastructure. One of our and governmental agencies, and ongoing collaborations is a study other partners,” adds Kirstie. on elephant milk composition; “The This underscores the key results will be applied in CBC tenet to empower developing a more nutriprotection local people to lead and tious and affordable milk of wildlife often manage local conservaformula for orphaned depends on the tion activity, so that elephants. Another people who are not only are conservais a study of elephant living with tion decisions made by behavior, aimed at untrusted members of the derstanding the social and them.” community, but also so that behavioral development of conservation outputs reflect the orphaned calves and what they community goals. need to thrive after reintroduction to In northern Kenya, Reteti Elephant native habitat. There is a mutual support Sanctuary is a CBC success story. Reteti network established as SDZWA and Reteti is a grassroots conservation organization staff learn and exchange knowledge about that rehabilitates orphaned elephant calves elephant care and conservation together. and releases them back into their home “We highly value the investment in landscapes to be reunited with their family relationships with community members,” herds. Reteti was officially established in says Kirstie. “Reteti shows the success of 2016 by members of the local Samburu establishing a conservation initiative based community, who envisioned it as an opon community desire and community portunity to safeguard elephants while leadership, and shows how organizations also respecting traditional cultural values like ours can support their goals.” and creating opportunities for the community to thrive. Along with caring for To learn more about Reteti Elephant and protecting elephants, Reteti provides Sanctuary, visit sdzwa.org/savanna. benefits in the form of employment and training opportunities for their staff, and educational opportunities for community Show your members. Reteti also fosters a sense of support pride in their local community and for our in their local wildlife, both of which conservation are foundational elements in promotefforts in Northern ing human-wildlife coexistence. In 2020 Kenya by purchasing Reteti gear at alone, Reteti rescued 17 orphaned calves, shopzoo.com. released 10 rehabilitated calves, employed 61 community members, and contributed
3 reasons why elephants matter
Elephant conservation is a top priority because elephants are a keystone species, meaning they play a critical role in maintaining the health and stability of their entire ecosystem. In fact, elephants do so much for their habitat that they are nicknamed “engineers of the ecosystem.” 1. Elephants extract water Elephants use their tusks and massive feet to dig water holes, providing access to water that many other animals depend on during the dry season. 2. Elephants boost plant growth Their nutrient-rich dung fertilizes the soil—and as they digest, elephants disperse seeds up to 40 miles away, leading to new plant growth and sustaining plant genetic diversity across the landscape. 3. Elephants clear new paths Their sheer size means elephants can easily trample and bulldoze trees. This keeps the savannas clear for grasses to grow, opens gaps in the forest for sunlight to reach vegetation on the forest floor, and flattens pathways that other animals use as movement corridors.
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Standing Tall Saving the Stately Giraffe
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iraffes are an iconic species on the savanna. Due to their towering stature, beautiful patterning, and general uniqueness, they have been the inspiration for countless mascots and paintings across the world. It’s hard to go to any store and not see something with a giraffe on it! Yet sadly, and unbeknownst to many, giraffes are in trouble. Across their range in sub-Saharan Africa, giraffe populations have declined by roughly 40 percent just within the last 30 years. In fact, there are an estimated four elephants for every one giraffe left in the wild. However, their decline has gone widely unnoticed. Similar to many other species, habitat loss and degradation, poaching, and climate change have all contributed to the decline in giraffe populations. This quiet, yet alarming loss has been termed by many as a “silent extinction.” But there is hope!
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PHOTO BY (OPPOSITE PAGE): KEN BOHN/SDZWA
BY JENNA STACY-DAWES, M.A., AND KIRSTIE RUPPERT, PH.D.
DID YOU KNOW? In many African countries, giraffe populations are steadily decreasing due to habitat loss.
DID YOU KNOW? Kenya is the only country home to three giraffe subspecies: reticulated (below), Masai, and Nubian.
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Twiga Walinzi
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n 2016, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, in collaboration with Northern Rangelands Trust, Giraffe Conservation Foundation, Loisaba Conservancy, Kenya Wildlife Service, and The Nature Conservancy, launched the Twiga Walinzi Initiative, aimed at reversing the decline in giraffe populations and bolstering local conservation efforts in the rangelands of northern Kenya. Giving the initiative its name is the Twiga Walinzi (which means “Giraffe Guards” in Swahili) research team. Since its inception just 5 years ago, the team has grown from 5 research associates at 2 conservancies to 16 Twiga Walinzi research associates and 10 conservancy rangers working with over 10 conservancies in northern Kenya. The team, all from their local conservancies, are leaders in wildlife conservation and working with their communities. The Twiga Walinzi conduct all the field studies on giraffes, monitor individual animals, engage with communities and local governments, and assist with giraffe orphan rescues, when possible and needed. Our work in Kenya is vital to the conservation of giraffes, as Kenya is the only country where you can find three distinct giraffe subspecies: Masai (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi), reticulated (G.c. reticulata), and Nubian (G.c. camelopardalis). Unfortunately, all of these giraffe populations are under threat. Masai and reticulated giraffes are listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, and Nubian giraffes are listed as Critically Endangered. Through the Twiga Walinzi’s work, we work closely with communities to better understand these giraffe populations, so we can develop and guide targeted conservation measures that will safeguard these populations for future generations. For the past five years, the project focused mainly on protecting and understanding reticulated giraffe populations in these rangelands. Last November, we were also excited to begin collaborating with conservancy rangers in western Kenya, where a group of Nubian giraffes was reintroduced back into an area where they hadn’t lived for about 70 years. Reintroductions of species are complex, and require time and commitment to ensure the animals adjust well once they are in their new home. Working closely with these conservancy rangers, the Twiga Walinzi are helping implement long-term monitoring plans, as well as community awareness and outreach activities to ensure these giraffes thrive in their new home.
Worth 1,000 Words One of the most exciting and innovative ways the Twiga Walinzi are monitoring giraffe populations is by taking pictures of every giraffe they come across. Just like our fingerprints, giraffes can be identified by their unique coat patterns—making this a simple and noninvasive way to study and track individuals over time. So, every SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE / SDZWA.ORG / 13
Keeping Track: Twiga Walinzi monitor giraffe populations by photographing every giraffe encountered.
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Jenna Stacy-Dawes, M.A., is a population sustainability researcher for SDZWA; Kirstie Ruppert, Ph.D., is a community engagement scientist for SDZWA.
PHOTO BY (BOTTOM): KEN BOHN/SDZWA
time the Twiga Walinzi team encounters a giraffe, or a tower of giraffes (as groups are often called), they will take a picture of the right side of each giraffe as well as recording important information, including the age, sex, and location of the individual. We can then use advanced pattern recognition software, developed in partnership with WildMe and Giraffe Conservation Foundation, to identify individuals and keep track of them as they move throughout the landscape. In addition to the Twiga Walinzi’s vital research and monitoring, community involvement and education are foundational to our approach. Where we work, giraffes, livestock, and people all occupy the same spaces. Recently, our team contributed to a study outlining that over 95 percent of reticulated giraffes occur outside of formally protected areas like national parks. So, protecting giraffes into the future largely depends on our ability to design conserva-
tion for and with communities that live alongside giraffes. As leaders in their communities, the Twiga Walinzi are influencing how their families and neighbors join them as part of wildlife conservation efforts. “This project has been great to create awareness about giraffes, and has really changed the community’s perception of giraffes,” explains Twiga Walinzi research associate Joseph Lemisrkishan. Another aspect of our work focuses on understanding how people view and interact with giraffes, showing that since the Twiga Walinzi have been active, attitudes toward giraffes are more positive, support for their protection has increased, and levels of giraffe meat consumption have significantly declined. Engaging with the communities where we work increases protections for giraffes, while ensuring that our conservation work reflects community goals. You can be a conservation ally by helping the Twiga Walinzi Initiative! As part of the initiative, we place motion-activated trail cameras throughout the conservancies to monitor and track giraffes and other wildlife. These cameras are amazing at capturing images of all types of animals, but they are great at capturing images of vegetation as well—leaving us with millions of images to sort through each year. That’s where you come in! Thanks to the citizen science platform Zooniverse, anyone from anywhere in the world can log on to WildwatchKenya. org and help our research team sort through these images. Every photo classification helps contribute directly to the conservation of giraffes in Kenya! Together with the Twiga Walinzi team, and you, we are hopeful for the future of giraffes in the northern rangelands.
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Shifting Perspectives Leopard conservation requires a strategy as multifaceted as the species itself. BY NICHOLAS PILFOLD, PH.D., AND KIRSTIE RUPPERT, PH.D.
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ajestic and highly adaptable, African leopards Panthera pardus pardus represent different things to different people. Some savanna communities may regard these charismatic big cats as nuisance predators, raiding livestock corrals for an easy meal. To others, they are a fashion muse, their stunning coat a continual source of inspiration for the runway. And the world of wildlife conservation considers the species an icon—the embodiment of the threats faced by all large carnivores in an environment of ever-increasing human encroachment. What a leopard is depends on one’s perspective, and in reality, each one of these multifaceted views plays a role in determining whether we save leopards from extinction.
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DID YOU KNOW? The rosette patterns of a leopard coat are as individual as our fingerprints, and allow scientists to track populations.
LOCATION: LOISABA CONSERVANCY
Losing Ground, Gaining Support Over the past three years, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Uhifadhi Wa Chui (Swahili for “conservation of leopards”) program has been working with our partners in Kenya at the forefront of a new wave of scientific inquiry to understand the enigmatic
and, at times, maligned big cat. The conservation need for leopards is clear: in Africa, leopards have lost two-thirds of their historic range and are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Yet, little is known about their population numbers, as leopards have not received the same conservation attention garnered by the
other large carnivores they live with. In Kenya, lions, hyenas, wild dogs, and cheetahs all have government-backed conservation action plans, while leopards do not. The lack of conservation effort for leopards is not limited to Kenya; it spans across Africa, as leopards are thought to be highly adaptable, and thus not
in need of conservation. Leopards can be found in a variety of environments, from deserts to thick tropical forests, from city streets to the most remote and rugged areas of the African continent. This ability to adapt is also supported by genetics, with a recent scientific paper suggesting African leopards have the most diverse genome
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LOCATION: NAMUNYAK CONSERVANCY
Flexible, not invincible: Although the leopard is an adaptable cat, able to live in various habitats, some leopard subspecies are at critical risk.
of any of the big cats, as a result of not suffering historically from inbreeding or genetic bottlenecks as other big cats have. Historically, it seems leopards have always found a way to survive.
Integrating Disciplines While African leopards’ adaptation to change is impressive, their capacity to endure in modern times is ultimately limited by the threshold to which people are willing to live with them. Sharing the landscape with leopards is intertwined with both costs, including the losses of time, energy, and income enmeshed
with livestock depredation; as well as benefits, derived from the role of leopards as part of functioning ecosystems and as a draw for wildlife-based tourism. Recognizing this spectrum of values and finding ways to practice conservation that reflects the needs of both people and wildlife will help us ensure that leopards persist into the future, and it is in this confluence that the Uhifadhi Wa Chui program pursues its conservation goals. Those goals are twofold. First, to provide the information on the status of the leopard population in northern Kenya, while simultaneously advancing the science of pop-
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ulation tracking. Second, to increase the human tolerance to coexisting with leopards by addressing livestock loss with local communities. To realize these goals, Uhifadhi Wa Chui is integrating ecological and social science with communities as our partners in conservation. Tracking and counting leopards comes with challenges. The first is simply finding leopards, and this proved not an easy task, as leopards have survived in large part due to their ability to hide in plain sight. However, over the past three years, we have become very good at photographing leopards on remote cameras.
As these cameras only view a tiny fraction of the study area, we have learned to see the landscape from the perspective of the leopard, focusing in on trees that leopards like to use to mark their territory, eat a meal or catch a catnap. Honing this ability has not only allowed us to track the population, which will soon result in the first-ever multi-year population assessment of leopards in Kenya; it has also revealed some incredibly rare black leopards living in our population. These melanistic individuals have become a source of inspiration, and garnered the attention of news media and documentary filmmakers alike.
LOCATION: LEWA WILDLIFE CONSERVANCY LOCATION: LOISABA CONSERVANCY
Cooperation on Track In an effort to improve the tracking of leopards, we are embarking on a new study of leopard genetics. We are examining ways in which we can gather DNA samples from leopards in a passive manner, and use these samples to identify and count individuals. Our investigation so far focuses on collecting hairs left behind when leopards scent-mark trees. If the approach works, we can expand our population counts from local to regional areas, improving our understanding of leopard population dynamics. Combined with efforts to find and track leopards, our
pursuit for coexistence involves understanding the lived experiences of communities on the landscape. As herding families keep and move their sheep and goats, we needed to know when and where their livestock are most vulnerable to depredation, so we could start to work together to find solutions. Equally important is understanding what comprises tolerance for leopards, based on how local communities are interacting with them. Our early results suggest that the process of working together with communities on this problem increases tolerance for and participation in the conservation of leopards locally. We
regularly receive feedback from community elders about the value of building this program with a commitment to listening in our search for sustainable solutions. The work in the communities has been a source of inspiration, even leading to the formation of one group, led by women who carry the leopard name as ambassadors for their conservation: the Chui Mamas.
Planning for the Future Understanding what is needed to conserve leopards has been a journey of perspectives. It has led us into the homes of community members and into the steep and rugged land-
scapes leopards inhabit. The important work of combining the information to formulate a conservation action plan for leopards lies ahead. We have confidence that by including all perspectives gained through our cultivated relationships with Kenyan colleagues and community members, our science-based recommendations will be enacted and used to protect leopards into the future. Nicholas Pilfold, Ph.D., is a population sustainability scientist for SDZWA; Kirstie Ruppert, Ph.D., is a community engagement scientist for SDZWA.
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DID YOU KNOW? Tapirs help with ecosystem diversity. A study of lowland tapirs in Peru revealed 122 different seeds in their dung.
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A Bright Spot
New Calf Boosts Malayan Tapir Population BY PEGGY SCOTT PHOTOS BY KEN BOHN
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eighing just over 17 pounds at birth and sporting the characteristic tapir neonate coat pattern, the Malayan tapir calf born at the San Diego Zoo on March 16, 2021 resembled a spotted-and-striped watermelon on four legs. But the truth is, the prehensile-snouted little male represents hope for his kind, which face declining population numbers. As is the case with all endangered species, the importance of every individual addition is multiplied. And San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is dedicated to helping the numbers work in the tapirs’ favor. For the first time in more than a decade, the birth of a Malayan tapir calf at the Zoo gives our wildlife care specialists the opportunity to observe the maternal behavior and development process of a species that has existed for millions of years.
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Gift of Grab: A tapir’s prehensile snout can move in any direction—and even serve as a snorkel in water. Like an elephant’s trunk, it is actually a combination nose and an upper lip.
patch that runs from the shoulder to hind legs. The pattern is believed to act as camouflage, with the disrupted coloration breaking up the tapir’s outline and making it more difficult to recognize in a dark forest; predators may mistake it for a large rock, rather than a potential meal. In contrast, tapir calves—regardless of species—are born with a similar mottled watermelon pattern on their hide, which may mimic the dappled sunlight of a forest. They blend right in. Malayan tapirs measure 6 to 8 feet long at adulthood and weigh from 550 to 700 pounds, with females larger than males. They stand 3.5 feet tall at the shoulder of their large, barrel-shaped bodies.
A Living Fossil Also called the Asian or Indian tapir, the Malayan tapir Tapirus indicus is the largest of the four species of tapir (the other three are the Baird’s tapir, lowland tapir, and mountain tapir), and the only one native to Asia. Tapirs are regarded by some as living fossils, having been around since the Eocene Epoch (56 to 33.9 million years ago). Their prehensile nose has led many people to mistake them for anteaters, pigs, or elephants, but they are odd-toed ungulates—a group that includes horses and rhinoceroses. Adult Malayan tapirs are easily identified by their markings—unlike their brownish relatives, this subspecies is black top and bottom, with a light-colored, saddle-type
With a range that includes Myanmar and Thailand south to Malaysia and Sumatra, Malayan tapirs inhabit tropical lowland swamps and montane and hill forests, preferring dense, primary forests. There are fewer than 2,500 adult Malayan tapirs left in their native range, and it’s hard to overstate the ancillary effects of their shrinking numbers on their ecosystems. Tapirs are referred to as “gardeners of the forest” because of how much they influence their native landscape. Their major role is that of seed disperser. Tapirs eat a variety of seasonal fruits; when fig or mango trees come into season, tapirs can often be found underneath these trees, eating fruit that falls or is dropped by monkeys. The seeds of the fruits they eat are dispersed when they move to a new location to deposit scat, and some of those seeds will later sprout and grow new trees, helping the forest to regenerate.
ILLUSTRATIONS ©2003 STEPHEN D. NASH. USED WITH PERMISSION.
Gardeners of the Forest
Types of Tapirs There are four species of tapir. With an odd number of toes (four on each front foot, three on each back foot), they are most closely related to horses and rhinos.
Mountain or woolly tapir Tapirus pinchaque Living in the Andes Mountains of northern South America, it has a longer, thick coat and undercoat to keep warm in its cool mountain home. It is one of the most endangered mammals in the world.
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Lowland or Brazilian tapir Tapirus terrestris Native to South America from Colombia to Paraguay and Brazil, its coat is dark on the back and lighter on the underside. It prefers living where it’s warm, rainy, and humid. Crocodilians as well as jaguars are its natural predators.
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Stay Cool: Tapirs are primarily crepuscular, meaning they are active at dawn and dusk, when it’s cooler; but afterdark foraging isn’t out of the question.
Along with spreading seeds, tapirs affect the biodiversity of tropical ecosystems. These large herbivores require a sizeable range in order to thrive, and they are known as an “umbrella species,” because their wide-ranging habitat also includes monkeys, deer, wild cats, and numerous species of reptiles and birds. All the wildlife in the tapirs’ range benefits when we protect tapirs. As is the case around the globe, habitat destruction and fragmentation tops the list of challenges faced by Malayan tapirs. People, as well as tigers, hunt them for meat. The loss of tapirs in a local area can lead to disruptions of some key ecological processes (such as seed dispersal and nutrient recycling), and eventually compromise the long-term biodiversity of the ecosystem. This illustrates the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance concept of “when wildlife thrives, all life thrives.”
Malayan Tapirs at the San Diego Zoo
Baird’s or Central American tapir Tapirus bairdii Native to Mexico and Central America, its coat is dark red-brown to black as an adult, with a white chest and chin, and white ear fringes. The species is named for 19th-century American naturalist Spencer Fullerton Baird.
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The Zoo’s new, as-yet-unnamed male calf is the picture of young ungulate health. As Aimee Goldcamp, senior wildlife care specialist, reports, he is meeting—even surpassing—developmental milestones. “He was standing within an hour of birth, and nursing within two,” Aimee says. “And in his first two weeks of life, he more than doubled his size.” This is tapir dam Amirah’s first calf, and she has cared well for him from the beginning. He learned from her example, mouthing solid food items within four days of birth and eating mashed banana at one week. By June 15, 2021, he was tipping the scale at 139 pounds. Aimee adds that the calf fully participates in his weekly weigh-ins, noting that the decision to stand on the scale is his choice. The Malayan tapir is on Tiger Trail at the Zoo, just up the path from the tiger habitat. The energetic youngster’s newest discovery is the habitat’s Malayan tapir shallow pool, and he’s Tapirus indicus making quite the splash. The largest of the tapir species, Malayan
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tapirs can be found throughout the tropical lowland rainforests of Southeast Asia, including Sumatra in Indonesia, Peninsular Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand.
Peggy Scott is a senior editor for SDZWA; Ken Bohn is an SDZWA photographer.
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VISUALIZE IT WINGING IT
More than 500 bird species are estimated to live in Africa’s savannas.
Endangered baobab trees store water in their thick trunk. Elephants sometimes eat the spongy, fireresistant bark when water is scarce.
Savannas in Focus
African savannas are large stretches of grass dotted with trees and shrubs. Life is tied to their alternating wet LARGER and dry seasons.
THAN LIFE
Baobab trees can grow over 95 feet tall—about five times bigger than a giraffe!
By Abigail Karkenny
PHOTOS BY: NICOLAMARGARET/GETTY IMAGES; JACOBEUKMAN/GETTY IMAGES PLUS; KOBUSPECHE/ GETTY IMAGES PLUS; RYAN GREEN/GETTY IMAGES; HANA RICHTEROVA/GETTY IMAGES PLUS.
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Grasses dominate the savanna, with more than 75 different species. Many have long roots to soak up hard-to-reach water and thick bulbs and stems to store moisture.
How the Seasons Measure Up WET
DRY
Duration
6 to 8 months
4 to 6 months
Rainfall over season
~20 inches (50.8 cm)
~4 inches (10.16 cm)
Average temperature
78° to 86° F (25° to 30° C)
68° to 78° F (20° to 25° C)
FEEL THE BURN Fires caused by lightning in the dry season are essential to a healthy savanna. When old plants burn, they make way for new growth and drive out insects for birds to feast on.
AROUND THE WORLD
Savannas aren’t just in Africa. Other major savannas are found in South America, India, and northern Australia.
45% of Africa is made up of savannas.
Way to Grow In the wet
season, trees and shrubs blossom. Their flowers splash color onto the savanna landscape. Impala lily Adenium multiflorum grows flashy, star-shaped pink flowers.
On the Move
Ants feed on whistling thorn tree Vachellia drepanolobium nectar and use their hollow thorns as nests. In return, the ants defend the tree from grazing wildlife by stinging animals who try to take a bite.
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Plants thrive in the wet season. Herbivores come to graze, and predators follow close behind to keep their populations in check. In the dry season, plants shrivel and burn. Herbivores migrate to greener areas, and the cycle repeats.
~2 million
animals migrate through the Serengeti, one of Africa’s most famous savannas, in a clockwise direction.
Umbrella thorn acacia Vachellia tortilis sprouts white puffball-like clusters. Wild dagga Leonotis leonurus produces spiky orange blooms.
As humans and wildlife come into increasingly close contact, threats like illegal killing are on the rise. Through our savanna conservation hub, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance collaborates with Northern Rangelands Trust and community-led Reteti Elephant Sanctuary to protect the savanna’s iconic wildlife.
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July & EVENTS
Please note:
All programs and dates are subject to change.
O F F E R E D DA I LY
Discovery Cart Tours
Sit back in the comfort of an expedition cart, and enjoy a 60-minute guided tour of the Zoo, led by one of our knowledgeable guides. Book online or call 619-718-3000. (Z)
July and August Hours San Diego Zoo
O F F E R E D DA I LY
9 a.m.–9 p.m.*
Inside Look Tours
San Diego Zoo Safari Park 9 a.m.–7 p.m.*
sdzwa.org
619-231-1515
SAN DIEGO ZOO THROUGH SEPTEMBER 6
*Exceptions apply. Please check our website daily for the latest updates on opening and closing times and requirements for visiting.
Nighttime Zoo
Stay after dark and help us celebrate summer during Nighttime Zoo. Come “rock and roar” every day this summer with live music and other amazing entertainment experiences. There’s so much to do, see, and hear at Nighttime Zoo— it’s a good thing summer hours are longer!
(Z) = San Diego Zoo (P) = Safari Park
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Travel by cart and on foot with your personal guide and see the Zoo the way everyone wishes they could! The Inside Look tour is an entertaining and educational adventure, offering guided views and interesting information about how we take care of our wildlife. It is filled with experiences and stories you can’t get anywhere else. Book online or call 619-718-3000. (Z) OFFERED S E L E C T DAYS
Animals in Action
See exotic cats climb and jump, and much more! Bring your camera to this fun and interactive experience, as we bring the animals out to you for an up-close view. Book online or call 619-718-3000. (Z)
August OFFE RE D SE LECT W E E K E N D DAT E S I N J U LY A N D AUGUST
J U LY 1 0
Spirits Dinner featuring Cutwater Spirits
Roar & Snore Safaris
Join us for this Polynesian-inspired dinner and cocktail menu. Must be 21 years or older to attend. For reservations, call 619-718-3000 or book online. (P)
Campers are invited to experience a relaxing evening after hours, enjoying the Roar & Snore campground. Guests will have a chance to enjoy all of the camp activities, as well as visit nearby wildlife areas with our expert guides. Select from events including All Ages nights as well as Adults Only options. Call 619-718-3000 to book your tent! (P)
AUGUST 1
Breakfast with Tigers
Wake up and watch our tigers start their day, and then enjoy a hearty buffet breakfast. For reservations, call 619-718-3000 or book online. (P)
OFFE RE D SE LECT W E E K E N D DAT E S I N J U LY A N D AUGUST
A U G U S T 1 3 –1 5
Kenya Days
Join us as we celebrate the wildlife, sights, sounds, and tastes of this amazing East African country. (P)
Supreme Roar & Snore
Upgrade your Roar & Snore to an all-new level of adventure! This package includes price of tent (Classic, Vista, or Premium), Flightline Safari, Night Vision Safari, Sun Up Cheetah Safari and a Wildlife Safari (Ages 8+). Come experience the Safari Park to its fullest on this overnight adventure! Call (619) 718-3000 to book your experience. (P)
SAFARI PARK
AUGUST 1 4
TH ROUGH AUGUST 1 5
Summer Safari
The summertime fun is heating up weekends at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Join us to learn about amazing African animals and to experience international music and entertainment from around the world.
Kenya Days Dinner Experience
Celebrate Kenyan culture and learn about our conservation efforts in this part of the world. Enjoy a Kenyan-inspired menu. Book online or call 619-718-3000.
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Visit the San Diego Zoo Kids website to find out about wildlife and habitats, plus videos, crafts, stories, games, and more! kids.sdzwa.org
Look Sharp!
PJMALSBURY/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Native to the African savanna, the baobab tree provides shelter, water, and food for wildlife and humans. And the photos below contain a puzzle, too—there are 10 differences to be found! How many can you find? Visit kids.sdzwa.org/looksharp for the solution.
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The baobab tree is known as “the tree of life,” because it can absorb and store water in its huge trunk during the rainy season, and then produce a nutrient-dense fruit in the dry season.
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Come eye to eye with fellow primates at the Zoo’s Conrad Prebys Africa Rocks. It’s one of only two places in all of North America where you can see geladas like this one. These unusual monkeys eat grass and make their homes along cliffs of the Ethiopian Highlands. Photographed by Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance photographer.
LAST LOOK
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JOURNAL
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance P.O. Box 120551, San Diego, CA 92112
Wildlife Heroes Change the World. As a Wildlife Hero, your monthly gift will rescue and protect vulnerable wildlife, care for countless animals and plants in San Diego and around the globe, and offer hope to the world’s most extraordinary wildlife relying on us to thrive—and survive—each and every day. Your ongoing and continued support fuels critical conservation efforts worldwide, allowing us to leverage your monthly gift and maximize your impact to meet the most urgent needs of wildlife while creating sustainable conservation solutions for the future. Your monthly gift will make a world of difference for wildlife.
Become a Wildlife Hero today at sdzwa.org/hero.
