President/CEO’s Letter

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

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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. 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. For information about becoming a member of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, please visit our website at ZooMember.org for a complete list of membership levels, offers, and benefits. Subscriptions to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Journal are $25 per year, $65 for 3 years. Foreign, including Canada and Mexico, $30 per year, $81 for 3 years. Contact Membership Department for subscription information.

Journey to the Savanna

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.

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. Thank you for your continued support,

Paul A. Baribault President and Chief Executive Officer