JOURNAL
Experiencing the Complexity of Amazonia’s Diverse Ecosystems JULY/AUGUST 2022
Travel with Us to the Amazon! Cruise the Amazon in style on our GREAT AMAZON RIVER EXPEDITION | NOVEMBER 2023 “Every time I visit this part of the world, I am awestruck by its wildlife and its people. I invite you to experience it with me.” —Ron Swaisgood, SDZWA Director of Recovery Ecology and Trip Host
DECEMBER 2022 Yellowstone Wolf Quest
AUGUST 2023 Botswana Explorer Safari
JANUARY 2023 Monarch Butterfly Migration
SEPTEMBER 2023 SOLD OUT Jaguars of Brazil’s Pantanal
OCTOBER 2022 SOLD OUT Classic Polar Bear Adventure
MARCH-APRIL 2023 Patagonia Wilderness Explorer
OCTOBER 2023 SOLD OUT Classic Galápagos Experience
NOVEMBER 2022 Space Limited Natural Jewels of Costa Rica
JUNE-JULY 2023 SOLD OUT Madagascar Wildlife Adventure
NOVEMBER 2023 Great Amazon River Expedition
For details on all SDZWA Adventures, visit adventures.sdzwa.org. Photos by: (top) Natural Habitat Adventures, (middle left) SDZWA
PHOTOS BY: (TOP, MIDDLE) SDZWA, (BOTTOM) KEN BOHN/SDZWA
July/August 2022
Vol. 2 No. 4
Journey Through Our Conservation Work This issue of the San Diego Zoo
Wildlife Alliance Journal focuses on the Amazonia hub. To learn more about our collaborative conservation programs around the world, including our wildlife care at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, visit sdzwa.org.
Savanna Elephant & Rhino
Amazonia Jaguar
Australian Forest Asian Rainforest Platypus & Koala
Tiger
Pacific Islands
African Forest
Oceans
Southwest
‘Alalā
Gorilla
Polar Bear & Penguin
Desert Tortoise & Burrowing Owl
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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 Wildlife Explorers Page 29 Last Look
Features 10
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Building a Better Future At Cocha Cashu, SDZWA’s field station in the Peruvian Amazon, a brighter tomorrow hinges on both scientificbased conservation strategy and the commitment and engagement of the local communities living nearby.
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The Perfect Mix
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When it comes to a healthy ecosystem, biodiversity is key. The collaborative In Situ Laboratory (ISL) initiative is paving the way for our scientists to gather and study the data needed to help keep these amazing environments in balance.
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Friends of the Forest One species’ “trash” is another species’ tasty meal! Leafcutter ants don’t eat leaves, but they still rely on them. In this way, these resourceful insects turn a plentiful-yet-undigestible resource (fresh leaves) into an edible fungus garden.
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Visualize It The Amazon River and its 1,000-plus tributaries provide habitats for an enormous diversity of aquatic wildlife. On the Cover: Jaguar Panthera onca. Photo by: Ken Bohn/SDZWA photographer
LET TER FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
JOURNAL
SENIOR EDITOR Peggy Scott STAFF WRITERS Donna Parham Elyan Shor, Ph.D. Ebone Monet COPY EDITOR Eston Ellis DESIGNER Christine Yetman 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) (Vol.2, No. 4) 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 92101-1646. Periodicals postage paid at San Diego, California, USA, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, P.O. Box 120271, San Diego, CA 92112-0271. Copyright© 2022 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.
Collaboration and Inspiration in Amazonia
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.
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Onward,
Paul A. Baribault President and Chief Executive Officer
PHOTO BY: KEN BOHN/SDZWA
Covering almost half of South America, the Amazon rainforest is home to one of the planet’s greatest sources of biodiversity and is a truly remarkable ecosystem. In this issue, we explore our Amazonia conservation hub, and the collaboration that is woven into the fabric of our conservation efforts. From joint research with our partners and local communities to find ways to coexist with wildlife, to our ability to bring scientific tools directly to the field, our work in Amazonia is creating new possibilities. Advancements that were once seen as improbable are now a reality, driven by your support. We are exploring ways to live with jaguar populations, empowering regional scientists to develop quicker results, and engaging in our work with an innovative spirit. To gain valuable insights into Amazonia, our teams work alongside other dedicated conservationists in incredible locations like the Stiefel Behner Research Facility at Cocha Cashu Biological Station, a signature field station located in the Peruvian Amazon. Immersed in the rainforest, we find inspiration in the local communities we collaborate with, and the aspirations we share for wildlife. Leaning into the connections we have with one another, and with the wildlife we all encounter every day, our conservation efforts in Amazonia are an important part of our work toward a world where all live thrives. As a global conservation organization with two “front doors”—the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park—our work in places like our Amazonia conservation hub is driven by the expertise we gain in our own backyard. For example, at the San Diego Zoo’s new Wildlife Explorers Basecamp, you can get up close to a colony of leafcutter ants and see firsthand how these amazing invertebrates from Amazonia depend on each other to survive. Working together with wildlife allies like you, we can secure a brighter future for people, wildlife, and the planet we all share. And with summer finally here, we hope you will enjoy some of the seasonal celebrations at the Zoo and Safari Park, including Nighttime Zoo, Kenya Days at the Park, and many other opportunities to connect with wildlife. Now, let’s take a journey to Amazonia—in this issue of the Journal.
BY THE NUMBERS
Astonishing Amazonia Often referred to as “the lungs of the Earth,” the Amazon rainforest produces nearly 20 percent of the world’s oxygen, and influences weather patterns across the globe. It is a biodiverse wonder—and home to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Amazonia conservation hub. Consider these numbers connected with this unique region:
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The forest canopy is so thick in places that only 1 percent of sunlight can make it through.
2022 Board of Trustees OFFICERS Javade Chaudhri, Chair Steven S. Simpson, Vice Chair Richard B. Gulley, Treasurer Steven G. Tappan, Secretary TRUSTEES Rolf Benirschke Kathleen Cain Carrithers Clifford W. Hague Robert B. Horsman Gary E. Knell Linda J. Lowenstine, DVM, Ph.D. Judith A. Wheatley ‘Aulani Wilhelm
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The Amazonia rainforest is home to 10 percent of the identified species on the planet.
30 million+
The number of people living in Amazonia. They belong to more than 350 different ethnic groups.
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
President and Chief Executive Officer
Shawn Dixon
Chief Operating Officer
David Franco
Chief Financial Officer
Erika Kohler Executive Director, San Diego Zoo
Lisa Peterson
Executive Director, San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Nadine Lamberski, DVM, DACZM, DECZM (ZHM) Chief Conservation and Wildlife Health Officer
PHOTOS BY: KEN BOHN/SDZWA
Wendy Bulger
16,000 The number of tree species living in the Amazonia region.
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 (SDZWA) protects and restores nature in eight conservation hubs on six continents. Below are recent discoveries and progress from around the world. Fieldwork Resumes in Svalbard
Each year, our African Forest hub team in Cameroon surveys the entire Ebo forest on foot. The survey—which covers about 250 miles of trails over a period of 5 months—is led by our team’s research assistant and a team of dedicated assistants from local villages. This year, among many important observations, the team counted 287 nests of the Endangered NigeriaCameroon chimpanzee Pan troglodytes ellioti, and approximately 300 indirect signs of Critically Endangered African forest elephants Loxodonta cyclotis. First conducted in 2008, this annual survey provides unique data on the long-term health of the forest and its wildlife, while reconfirming the importance of the Ebo forest as a biodiversity stronghold.
Upcoming New Insights into Andean Bears
SDZWA’s Amazonia team in Peru obtained a permit from the Peruvian government to noninvasively collect hair and feces from Andean bears Tremarctos ornatus and other carnivores across elevations outside of Manu National Park. We’ll collaborate with our partners to analyze these samples, gaining otherwise impossible insights into Andean bear nutrition, food sources, and their environment. Genetic analyses of samples will be performed at our Wildlife Conservation Lab in the Peruvian Amazon. Those genotypes, with data from bears elsewhere, will allow us to see—for the first time— the genetic variation and differentiation within and among bear populations.
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Aging Protocol for Orphan Elephants
Determining the ages of rescued orphan elephant calves is challenging, as most of the available guidance on aging relies on observing a calf next to its mother. An additional challenge can be that orphans can be physically weak, causing them to appear younger than they actually are. Given the importance of accurate aging before reintroducing the calves to the open African savanna, as well as for reintroduction management, SDZWA postdoctoral fellow Jenna Parker, Ph.D., gathered knowledge from the literature, our elephant care team at the Zoo and Safari Park, and colleagues in Kenya to design a calf aging key. This guide primarily relies on behavioral markers and teeth, and will be trialed by our partners at Reteti Elephant Sanctuary.
PHOTOS BY: SDZWA
This spring, after months of preparation, our field team arrived on the highArctic archipelago of Svalbard, Norway, to deploy the most recent iteration of autonomous polar bear Ursus maritimus den surveillance cameras. These units— designed by SDZWA’s Conservation Technology Lab in collaboration with our partners at Polar Bears International—contain important updates and innovations that will make them easier to deploy in the harsh conditions and difficult terrain of Svalbard. The updates also make the units more reliable throughout the remainder of the denning season. Findings from this study will provide critical information to guide strategies that promote human-polar bear coexistence in this region of the Arctic.
2022 Survey of Ebo Forest
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MEET OUR TEAM
Q
Q
and conservation activities that served to turn things around and put the panda on the path to recovery. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to join our colleagues in China, and through their research and analysis, we noticed a very encouraging trend of the giant panda heading towards classification advancement, and were glad to see it come to actuality in 2021.
What is the coolest thing about your job?
Diversity. Every day is different. Some of that diversity is less fun (budgeting), but what is most cool is working on so many projects with amazing team members and fascinating species. One week, I may be headed up an Amazonian river to work on giant otters; another, I might be tracking giant pandas in the mist-shrouded mountains of China; and yet another, I might be witnessing the first ‘alalā (Hawaiian crow) to leave the protective environment of our breeding facility to begin a new life in its native habitat. Closer to home, I might spend one day in the office, the next at a burrowing owl reintroduction site, another tracking desert tortoises in the Mojave Desert, and yet another hiking along a cool mountain stream, searching for recently reintroduced mountain yellow-legged frogs.
Ron Swaisgood, Ph.D.
As the Brown Endowed Director of Recovery Ecology, Ron Swaisgood oversees several species conservation programs here in our own backyard in Southern California, and in Hawai‘i, and Peru.
Q
Constant change and challenge. We must keep reinventing ourselves in order to meet the everchanging demands of a complicated and dynamic conservation landscape.
Q
Q
What do you see as the future of wildlife conservation?
Bold, scientifically informed intervention. Gone are the days of establishing a reserve, putting up a fence, and letting nature take its course. Humanity’s global footprint has progressed so far that now we have to roll up our sleeves and tinker with nature, trying to figure out how to make things better for native wildlife.
What book or film influenced you or made a strong impression?
What was a turning point or defining moment in a project or program you’ve worked on?
The improvement of the classification of the giant panda from Endangered to Vulnerable. When I started at SDZWA as a postdoctoral fellow, charged with how to get pandas to “do what is supposed to come naturally” (mate), prospects for the panda were bleak. Over the years, I've worked with the team at SDZWA and with our colleagues in China on conservation breeding as well as identifying and mitigating threats to pandas in their native habitat, and witnessed an explosion of scientific
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Who or what inspires you?
My team in Recovery Ecology. They are the hardest-working, most passionate, and innovative group of people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. Their work helps move the needle for endangered wildlife.
PHOTO BY: SDZWA
During spring break in my sophomore year of college at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, I sat on the beach and read George Schaller’s The Year of the Gorilla. I loved every page, learning about his pioneering research and adventures with wild gorillas. That was the first time it hit me that I, too, could do something like that for a living. Despite many challenges along the way, I never deviated or turned back.
What has surprised you about working with SDZWA?
Sip, Snack, Save Species Stay fueled up by enjoying a delicious treat at one of our specialty snack stands on your next visit. The San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park thank our partners for their continued support!
HOT TOPICS
Striking a Balance: Life with Jaguars in Peru
Jose Luis Mena, Ph.D., scientific coordinator of the Amazonia hub, and Mathias Tobler, Ph.D., director of population sustainability, take a look at how people coexist with jaguars in the Peruvian Amazon.
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ther than Brazil, no country has a larger population of jaguars than Peru. These cats are widespread throughout the Amazonian lowlands and up the eastern slope of the Andes to an elevation of about 6,000 feet, occurring both inside and outside protected areas. But jaguars have not always been this widespread. In the past century, jaguars and other spotted cats were heavily impacted by the international fur trade, driven by the fashion industry in Europe and North America. This trade resulted in the killing of over 17,000 jaguars in the Peruvian Amazon from the 1940s through the 1960s. As a result, jaguars disappeared from areas around human settlements and were considered rare throughout the Peruvian Amazon. It was not until 1975 that the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) included jaguars on the list of species prohibited for international trade. Commercial jaguar hunting stopped, and the species started to recover. Their recovery has been aided by
vast extents of intact lowland rainforest, prime habitat for jaguars. Deforestation in the Amazon is increasing, driven by illegal logging, agriculture, and illegal gold mining—but in Peru, about 90 percent of Today, an estimated the area still has 22,000 jaguars inhabit forest cover, and the forests of Peru. Their a large part of recovery, however, can that is considered bring them close to human primary forest. settlements, and coexisToday, an estimated tence with people brings 22,000 jaguars challenges. fishing and hunting for meat. Many of inhabit the forests of these communities have been living with Peru. Their recovery, jaguars for decades, and jaguar attacks on however, can bring them people are almost unheard-of. However, an close to human settlements, and coexistence increasing human population and changing with people brings challenges. demographics through migration of people Apart from a few large cities, most from the Andes to the Amazon, combined people in the Amazon live in small with the reduction of the jaguar’s habitat communities near the forest—and wildlife. through the expansion of agriculture and They often depend on the forest for their livestock production, means that interactions livelihoods, extracting resources such as between jaguars and people have become wood, Brazil nuts, and palm fruits; as well as more frequent. Jaguars may attack livestock
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3 things to
think about Like many species, jaguars increasingly face challenges to the stability of their future. Among them are: 1. Space limitations Habitat loss and habitat fragmentation continue to impact jaguars’ lives. Much of their range has been encroached upon by logging, mining, farming, and ranching activities.
2. Interaction with people The roads that are built to support logging, mining, farming, and ranching are bringing people into contact with previously remote jungle habitat. This increases the likelihood of interactions that can adversely affect both wildlife and people.
launched a study to conduct interviews across a large portion of the Peruvian Amazon. Field teams will travel by car, motorbike, and boat to remote villages to interview local people and collect firsthand data on their attitudes toward and experiences with jaguars. Results from these surveys will allow us to work with the Peruvian government and other partners to develop strategies and guidelines for communities to live with these big cats, and to promote coexistence between people and jaguars.
SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE / SDZWA.ORG / 9
PHOTO BY: KEN BOHN/SDZWA
or domestic animals, or frighten people during encounters in the forest. This often results in retaliatory persecution—and killing—of the big cat. A study carried out by SDZWA in southeastern Peru and neighboring Bolivia showed that livestock depredation and fear are two of the main reasons people shoot jaguars. To better understand how common negative interactions between jaguars and people are, to find major causes, and to identify ways to improve coexistence, we
3. Poaching While commercial hunting for jaguar pelts has declined, there is again a growing demand for jaguar teeth, paws, and other products for use in folk remedies.
A
t the Stiefel Behner Cocha Cashu Biological Station (often simply referred to as Cocha Cashu or Cashu), our signature field station in the Peruvian Amazon, we are working to build a better future for the conservation of the Amazonian tropics. By “build” I allude to both infrastructure (we need lab space, communications, and even creature comforts, among other things) and people’s capacity to pay it forward. We invest in infrastructure so that we can better invest in people, helping to set them on a path where they can better support conservation of Amazonian ecosystems. We hope to enlist, inspire, and train people to become stewards of our mission to rebuild a planet where all life thrives.
Not for the Faint of Heart
Before we explore together how we strive to change human lives for the benefit of nature, I need to set the stage. First, to reach Cocha Cashu is a journey. We must spend a day on a single-lane dirt road
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precariously etched into the side of the Andes, dropping thousands of feet through mist-shrouded cloud forests to the lucid green rainforests of the Amazon basin. Following that, we embark on a motorized dugout canoe, and we wind our way through the rainforest for two or three days, spotting caimans, jaguars, monkeys, and a surreal variety of birds. But the journey truly begins, in the spiritual and educational sense, when we arrive at the field station, modestly situated on the banks of a little oxbow lake named “Cocha Cashu.” Here, we set up our tents before heading out to explore the wonders of the most diverse forest on Earth, finding our way along a network of trails hard-won with machetes and years of use by intrepid researchers. We find ourselves a long way from anywhere but at the heart of everything, in the middle of the four-millionacre Manu National Park, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Center in the Peruvian Amazon.
Interdisciplinary Support System
I hope I have conjured an image of an extremely remote and magical place teeming with wildlife, for that is what Cashu is. I hope you also caught that we sleep in tents, underscoring that we do not
PHOTO BY: (ABOVE) SDZWA
Building a Better Future
DID YOU KNOW? Often called “the lungs of the Earth,” Amazonia produces nearly one-fifth of the world’s oxygen.
at Our Amazonian Field Station BY RON SWAISGOOD, PH.D.
PHOTO BY: (RIGHT) KEN BOHN/SDZWA
have all of the modern creature comforts at our fingertips. This is where the infrastructure part comes in. While many field biologists relish the rough life, we know that we need to create a safe and secure place, with nutritious food, reliable communications, forest access, showers, and a place to process and analyze biological samples. And, of course, baños (toilets). We do all this using the greenest technologies possible, and have a program to offset our carbon footprint. This historic field station hosts interdisciplinary research and education dedicated to understanding biodiversity and the ecological processes that support it, which in turn supports management and policy for the park. Despite the field station’s location in the Amazonian floodplain between an oxbow lake and the Manu River, aquatic ecosystem research has been neglected historically, contrasting with its strong research record in terrestrial ecosystems. Cashu is a part of a largely unaltered watershed connected by a series of rivers and streams that support the diverse animal and plant life, as well as local human Center of the Action: Nestled in the primeval forest on the banks of the oxbow lake named Cocha Cashu, the Cocha Cashu Biological Station brings access to a treasure trove of ecological knowledge. This historic field station hosts interdisciplinary research and education dedicated to understanding Amazonia’s biodiversity and the ecological processes that support it. SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE / SDZWA.ORG / 11
A Natural Connection
But all of this infrastructure is only the platform for what we really do. Although known as a “research station,” Cashu’s greatest potential contribution to conservation lies in its ability to transform people’s lives. There is a natural magic about this place, and a cultural vibe that is both educational and inspirational. As a training ground, Peruvian and international investigators and conservation practitioners witness Amazonian ecological processes firsthand and participate in vibrant research programs. These experiences will, as they have in the past, serve as a jumping off point, launching careers along a trajectory more knowledgeable about, and sympathetic to, the conservation of nature. With endorsement by the Peruvian Ministry of Environment, our potential to inform and train current and prospective conservation practitioners and policy makers in Peru is tremendous. People seem to learn more about nature—and themselves—at Cashu than anyplace else.
Nicole’s Story
Let me share a story of just one person with you—one person whose life we have touched, and whose career trajectory shows so much promise. Her name is Nicole Abanto Valladares (pictured above), and she first came to us in 2016 as a participant in our intensive field course offered to Peruvian college students. Taught by our own 12 / SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE JOURNAL / JULY/AUGUST 2022
staff and leading tropical ecologists from around the globe, 10 lucky students each year immerse themselves deep in nature and science that only a place like Cashu can provide. According to Nicole, this experience was transformative. First, her experience with the field course sparked a passion for primates, and we were able to support Nicole to return to conduct research on spider and woolly monkeys for her undergraduate thesis. Like many others who came to us through the field course, Nicole kept coming back. Soon, she was back working with postdoctoral fellow Adi Barocas, Ph.D., on giant otters, the charismatic “river wolf” that’s the apex predator in these oxbow lakes. In this project, we are examining how human activities, such as fishing and gold mining, impact the ecology of the lakes. How does disturbance and toxic mercury, which is used in processing the gold, move through the environment? And how does it affect water resources, fish, birds, and, of course, otters? Nicole played a vital role in this project. The next stop for Nicole was the University of Oxford, where she joined the world-renowned “WildCRU,” or Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, led by Dr. David Macdonald. There, working with us and WildCRU, she received mentorship in conservation science, and tackled our drone-acquired data on giant otter habitat use. For each of the 21 oxbow lakes where we worked, we flew Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) above the lake to acquire high-resolution imagery used to map the details of the lake and shore habitat. Using remote sensing techniques, Nicole combined these images with satellite imagery to develop powerful habitat models that predict the habitat features otters use in deciding which lake to occupy. The work produced a manuscript to be published in a conservation journal, and has helped inform our recommendations for improved management to protect otters and their habitat, and guide restoration of disturbed habitat. For her effort, Nicole was awarded a diploma in International Wildlife Conservation Practices from Oxford! Nicole’s journey continues. She returned to her family in Peru, where she has been waiting out the pandemic, and recently secured a position teaching general and environmental science to high school students in Lima. She describes being inspired by her experiences in Cashu, often sharing stories from Cashu relevant to her teachings. I am eager to see where her life journey will go next. She is currently exploring opportunities for graduate school in conservation ecology or environmental policy. She tells me Cashu was her most important milestone, and she divides her life into pre- and post-Cashu periods. In addition to the practical knowledge about tropical ecology and conservation she acquired, Nicole states that the most transformative learning she experienced was about herself. Through Cashu, she was tested, and she discovered who she really is and gained a clear-eyed view of where she wants to go. Nicole’s story is just one among many. There are dozens more— young promising students and scientists who discovered that Cashu was a crucible, testing their strength and inspiring them to be a better version of themselves. In a nutshell, this ability to transform lives is Cashu’s legacy and its future. Ron Swaisgood, Ph.D., serves San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance as the Brown Endowed Director of Recovery Ecology.
PHOTOS BY: RON SWAISGOOD/SDZWA
populations. A few years ago, we decided we needed to address this gap, and connect land and water as had never been done before. With the support of a grant from the National Science Foundation, we have been building up the infrastructure needed to support aquatic programs. We secured research vessels, aquatic drones, and high-tech sensors to monitor water quality and map underwater topography. We enhanced our infrastructure, building cabins to make long stays more comfortable during the rainy season. A new laboratory arose in the forest, providing shelter for equipment and a place to store and process samples collected for research. Now, we are poised to welcome back researchers once the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, and hope to start learning more about the role of aquatic environments and how they help sustain life on land and water.
A Golden Anniversary for a Gold Standard WITH A 50-YEAR LEGACY, Cashu provides unrivaled opportunities to study the processes of nature largely undisturbed by modern human impacts. With a full complement of wildlife—from jaguars and primates to 528 species of birds, and a multitude of fish, herpetofauna, and invertebrates— Cocha Cashu serves as a gold-standard reference landscape for understanding biodiversity and the ecological processes that support it. Seminal research at Cashu identified “keystone resources” that sustain wildlife species through lean times and demonstrated how the full complement of apex predators structure entire ecological communities. Without keystones, ecosystem engineers, apex predators, and other species that have disproportionate influence on ecosystems, the system quickly unravels, and many species are lost. This phenomenon became known as “trophic cascades,” a concept that scientifically modernizes the “web of life” ideas of past generations. Without places like Cashu, we cannot fully understand what it is we are supposed to be protecting. Cashu provides a road map for recovery and restoration.
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PHOTOS BY: (TOP, MIDDLE) SDZWA, (BOTTOM) RYAN PETERS PHOTOGRAPHY
Top: A blackwater lake in the lowland Amazonian forest at Estación Biólogica Río Los Amigos (or EBLA) in Peru. Middle: The somewhat battered stairs to reach camp from the Madre de Dios river. Bottom: Members of a long-term monitoring group for bats prepare for the night’s work at EBLA in 2018.
Perfect Mix: THE
Biodiversity and Its Importance to a Healthy Ecosystem BY CAROLINE E. MOORE, DVM, PH.D.
Biodiversity is a broad, inclusive term that represents everything from the variety of microbes making your garden soil nutrient-rich to the flocks of birds waking you up every morning—and every plant, animal, and microbial life form in between. In its simplest form, it reflects a richness in numbers of distinct species in a region. It is common to hear that we need to protect biodiversity to protect our ecosystems—and therefore, our ability to stay healthy as a human population sharing habitats with wildlife. But have you thought about why? Why does it matter if you have 10 species of birds waking you up or just 1? And how do we measure how many species are out there and the impact they are making—especially in regions of the world where wildlife is elusive, and just opening your window curtain and counting the different sizes, colors, and shapes of birds is not an option?
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regardless of habitat and existing facilities. This shift in paradigm— from the classic approach where samples are exported to a laboratory in a different country or a faraway city, to where the samples remain in the hands of in-country and regional scientists for processing and data analysis—improves our conservation science in several ways. First, the samples can be tested rapidly, with minimal handling and risk for contamination or degradation, significantly improving the quality of results and facilitating certain previously impossible analyses. Second, as these projects are developed, run, and completed in-country, research remains focused on the conservation challenges of that region, where local scientists can address and pivot the science as needed. This is critical. Countries in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central and South America have the highest biodiversity and the largest burden of emerging infectious disease risk. Yet most of the world’s best targeted pathogen laboratories (called reference laboratories) are in Europe and North America. And third, this work enhances in-country capacity: scientists get specialized training, can train others, and can build new programs, so that one initiative has a ripple effect across the globe.
The More, the Healthier
First, why support biodiversity? Diverse wildlife that fills different ecological niches, occupies links in a food chain, and fulfills seed-dispersal tasks are critical for healthy ecosystems. In turn, these ecosystems provide services to us efficiently, and at a cost our most advanced engineering and science can rarely compete with. These ecosystem services include fundamental needs, such as fresh water, clean air, plant pollination, and food; but also soil stability and such complex and valuable products as medicines and cosmetics. When we lose wildlife biodiversity, not only are these ecosystem services lost, but humans and wildlife are more heavily impacted by severe weather. We are also more at risk for economic instability, as resources like clean water disappear or become costly, and the indigenous cultures and identities that are bonded with these parts of nature can become damaged. In these scenarios, people and wildlife often come into close contact with each other, increasing the risks of sharing new diseases that each are unprepared to fight. So, while you might be okay if there are 5 species of birds in your neighborhood compared to the 10 there used to be, the drop in biodiversity is a signal the ecosystem is not as healthy as it once was; certain ecological services those missing birds might have once filled, like spreading the seeds of your favorite tree and providing clean air, are now gone.
The ISL Initiative
To better understand the current state of global biodiversity and ecosystem health in biodiversity hotspots around the world, we established the In Situ Laboratory (ISL) initiative. The ISL’s mission is to build up the ability for biodiversity monitoring, disease surveillance, wildlife health, and environmental contaminant testing—right at the source, where research takes place—by creating functional workspaces and laboratories. Ultimately, we are developing blueprints that scientists can use to apply to their research needs,
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PHOTOS BY: (TOP) JORGE LUIS MENDOZA-SILVA, (BOTTOM) ISHAAN RAGHUNANDAN/TRAK TFRC
A Different Perspective
Now is the perfect time to dive into rethinking our approach to molecular, genomic, and toxicological methods for doing science. Compared to 10 years ago, we now have the ability to do science using hand-held devices for a fraction of the cost. Innovation is making complex and cutting-edge technology portable, affordable, and accessible the world over—and that drastically improves our chances to perform successful conservation science in the field. Our first ISL hub, the Wildlife Conservation Laboratory, is nestled in the southeastern Peruvian Amazon. Here, at the foothills of the Andes mountains is the 22-year-old Estación Biólogica Río Los Amigos (or EBLA), one of many Peruvian stations operated by Conservación Amazónica. Mrinalini Erkenswick Watsa, Ph.D., a conservation scientist with SDZWA, has been studying emperor tamarins Saguinus imperator and saddleback tamarins Leontocebus weddelli at this site
A closer look: (Opposite page, top) In Situ Laboratory initiative scientist Jhakelin Gloria Reyes Vasquez works in a biological safely cabinet to extract DNA from biological samples from animals at the Los Amigos Wildlife Conservation Laboratory. (Opposite page, bottom) Mrinalini Erkenswick Watsa, Ph.D., interacts with an emperor tamarin. (This page) Biosamples taken from bat wings through a biopsy punch are a safe and painless way to collect tissue for genomic analyses, since wings are quick at healing, as evidenced by the many scars on this wing.
PHOTO BY: RYAN PETERS PHOTOGRAPHY
for over 12 years. In that time, she and her team have expanded their very successful mark-recapture program to include other nonhuman primate species, birds, bats, reptiles, amphibians, and small and medium-sized mammals. All of these individuals get health screenings, and minimally invasive samples are collected from them annually. Dr. Watsa cultivated a vision to increase the capacity of this biological station as a new type of field molecular laboratory, a vision that originated with Conservación Amazonica, and together, a plan to fund the ISL hub was hatched. The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation stepped in to respond to this request, and in July 2021, during the height of the pandemic, our partners renovated the new Wildlife Conservation Laboratory into a solar-powered, air-conditioned, and sterile molecular laboratory staffed by three skilled Peruvian scientists. This space now has everything from -80, -20, and -4 degree Celsius freezers (critical for sample preservation) to a robot that loads solutions and samples into 96 well plates for high-throughput genomic testing. We’re able to store tissue samples across thousands of individuals and hundreds of species, and look at their DNA to determine exactly which wildlife—and which individual—a sample came from. This is exciting, as it means that we can now connect traces of DNA in the environment, such as from a footprint or hair sample, to DNA profiles of wildlife assessed in the long-term monitoring project. We can track both where and when samples were collected, providing us with a way to
monitor wildlife without having to see them directly; critical for cryptic species such as the small-eared fox Atelocynus microtis or the tayra Eira barbara. We can also look for certain pathogens, from bacteria to viruses to protozoa (such as malaria), that wildlife might carry, to start to understand what is normal for these neotropical species, and which pathogens might suggest they are sick. Taking this a step further, we can sequence whole individual or pathogen genomes to understand how individual pathogens are related between various host species in the same environment.
Mercury Rising
As we monitor biodiversity and pathogen ecology across species, we need to keep in mind local environmental threats to wildlife health. Artisanal or small-scale gold mining is pervasive in the region protected by Conservación Amazonica. This practice often uses mercury to bind the flecks of gold in Amazon River silt into an amalgam that, when burned, leaves pure gold. It also releases mercury that moves through the air, traveling vast distances before it deposits into the forests, sometimes up to two years later. In thick biodiverse jungles, mercury accumulates in wildlife. As one predator eats another, the amount of mercury in-
creases as you go up the food chain, and soon there is a high risk of wildlife becoming poisoned or having critically impaired reproduction. Testing mercury levels in wildlife side-by-side with pathogen surveillance is critical to get a holistic view of their ability to thrive in their environment, so that as we evaluate the health of Amazonian wildlife, we can take into consideration whether their mercury burden is making them susceptible to infectious disease. This layered approach—biodiversity monitoring, disease surveillance, wildlife health, and toxicology—adds new dimensions to more traditional and rapidly advancing conservation wildlife monitoring programs. Thus, we can supplement data from field cameras, GPS collars, and acoustic monitoring. We are beginning to weave together a story of how a diversity of wildlife moves through the environment and contributes to the ecosystem services we need to survive. And most importantly, we can use this as a blueprint to respond when biodiversity conservation faces challenges—such as deforestation, gold mining, or illegal wildlife trade—and communities need to decide the best approach to ensure a sustainable future where all life thrives. Caroline E. Moore, DVM, Ph.D., is a disease investigations scientist for SDZWA.
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FRIENDS FOREST of the
Micro-cutting through the Rainforest Canopy BY DONNA PARHAM
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|
PHOTOS BY KEN BOHN
DID YOU KNOW? A leafcutter ant colony harvests about as much plant material as a single cow.
Leafcutter ants do exactly what their name says: they cut pieces out of leaves from living plants. An ant’s jaw-like mandibles are powered by strong muscles and sharp inner edges. Like a chainsaw, a leafcutter ant vibrates its body to quickly and neatly saw off pieces of plants. Each ant carries their precious piece of leaf back to the group’s underground nest, but they don’t eat these juicy morsels. They compost them. Fungus Farmers
When an ant brings a plant piece to the nest, it hands the greenery off to another member of the colony, who takes it underground, to the colony’s subterranean fungus gardens. There, smaller ants are busy biting leaves into even smaller pieces. They lick, scrape, and tuck the tiny, chewed pieces into holes. Leafcutter ants don’t eat leaves—in fact, they can’t digest vegetation, although worker ants get nutrition from plant sap. They eat fungus, and they grow their own. Leaves are merely food for these fungus farms. Ants pinch off a tiny piece of fungus from their well-tended, nearby fungus garden and “plant” it on new leaf compost. The fungus—which flourishes for this species of ant and
nowhere else—grows into food for the ants. In fact, these underground fungus gardens are a rich food source for the growing colony. In this way, leafcutter ants turn a plentiful yet undigestible resource (fresh leaves) into an edible fungus garden. Paige Howorth, SDZWA curator of invertebrates, explains the complexities of this tiny ecosystem. “Above ground, the ants cut leaves to feed the symbiotic fungus—but there is a battle at hand below, with microscopic foes like parasitic mold and black yeast. A successful colony manages these threats with the help of cultivated antibiotics and nitrogen-fixing bacteria to thrive.”
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Left: Ants tend to their fungus garden. Right: Guests explore the growing fungus gardens of leafcutter ants in the McKinney Family Spineless Wonders building. Far right: It takes all sizes of ants to accomplish their monumental tasks. Bottom right: A minim ant catches a ride.
An Incredible Superorganism
WHAT’S A
FUNGUS?
Fungi aren’t plants, which use sunlight and carbon dioxide (CO2) to create their own food in chloroplasts. Nor are they animals, which ingest food. But like animals, fungi need food to survive. They take in nutrients, not by eating them, but by absorbing them with thin-walled, threadlike structures called hyphae, which also absorb water and oxygen.
How are ants able to coordinate such well-organized activity? Through instinct and complex communication that involves smell, touch, and taste, these socially advanced insects achieve some monumental tasks. That requires a whole cast of characters, including Her Royal Majesty the Queen. A leafcutter ant colony’s queen has an important job, but it isn’t to rule her subjects. Leafcutter ant colonies work as one unit— no single ant is in charge. In fact, the queen doesn’t leave her chamber. The mother of all the worker ants in the colony, her only job is to lay fertile eggs— sometimes up to 10 million per year. All the worker ants in the colony are sisters—daughters of the queen. Different sizes of ants do different jobs. Middle-size media workers are the harvesters that do most of the leaf finding, cutting, and carrying. When they locate leaves, they lay down a scent trail as they head back to the nest. Chemical sensors on their fellow ants’ antennae follow the scent trail to the harvesting spot and back again. Back at the nest, major ants are soldiers that guard and defend the colony from predators. Majors—the largest ants in the colony—patrol the nest and help harvest leaves. The smallest ants in the colony, minim workers tend to the fungus farm and the ant nursery. Older minim ants sometimes ride along with the harvesters to fight off parasitic flies and wasps. Older ants of all sizes are trash collectors that protect their fellow ants and the fungus farm by removing harmful pathogens from the nest.
Where Do Babies Come From?
So, where are all these 10 million fertile eggs coming from, if an ant colony includes only a queen and her daughters—all female? Remarkably, a queen lays fertile eggs for many years using the same supply of sperm from a single wild night out (literally)—her nuptial flight. For most of the year, these eggs hatch into worker-daughters that continue the life of the colony, but seasonally, an established colony reproduces— not just single ants, but whole new colonies. To reproduce, a colony rears offspring that are a little different than the ongoing worker-daughter output. They rear ants—both males and
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females—with wings. Winged ants are the only members of the colony that will ever have a chance to mate; as they are capable of producing sperm and eggs. They fly up from the nest to swarm and mate with ants from neighboring colonies, an event called the nuptial flight. Winged males are doomed to die after mating, but females that successfully mate have a destiny to fulfill. After mating, a winged female becomes a new queen. She drops her wings, digs a chamber in the ground, and begins laying eggs. Just as importantly, she starts her own fungus farm, using a tiny wad of fungus she carried with her from her birth nest. From a single mating swarm, the queen continues to lay eggs for about 15 to 20 years. She and her fellow leafcutter ants are critical to the ecology of the rainforest. If she lives to be 20 years old, she’ll lay as many as 200 million eggs. Her colony will harvest well over 400,000 pounds of fresh plant material, and it will create several new colonies. See leafcutter ants in action in the McKinney Family Spineless Marvels Building, in Wildlife Explorers Basecamp at the Zoo. On the top floor, you can watch them harvest and transport leaves. On the bottom floor, you can get a close look at their fungus gardens.
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On the spot: In 1983, Chuck met Arusha the cheetah, one of the Zoo’s wildlife ambassadors. Cats—of various species and sizes—played a role throughout Chuck’s illustrious career. PHOTO BY: SDZWA
the
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PHOTO CREDIT
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“This splendid story is a rollicking history of power and change and fortunate happenstance in our ever-so-lucky city.” –Judith Morgan, journalist, and author, Dr. Seuss & Mr. Geisel: A Biography.
I
Wonders from Down Under: Chuck was instrumental in bringing more koalas to the Zoo in 1976. Here, he shares a moment with Omeo the koala earlier this year.
Chuck Bieler is the first person to say he didn’t do it alone. With his beloved wife, Judy, by his side, Chuck built connections with the local community and his Zoo family, cemented relationships with important donors, championed science and research, and established international partnerships that ultimately brought wildlife like koalas and giant pandas to San Diego. It would take a book to tell all of Chuck’s stories. Fortunately, Heart of the Zoo: How Zoo Director Chuck Bieler Earned His Stripes has been published by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Press in association with Beckon Books, written by Kathi Diamant. At times harrowing and heartwarming, the book is filled with inside anecdotes and humorous details, capturing Chuck’s tireless efforts to help build an international conservation organization that works to create a world where all life thrives. In one sense, Heart of the Zoo is a love story between the people of San Diego and their zoological garden. Chuck often credits the Zoo’s extraordinary success not only to the people who work there, but those who have supported it over the years with their memberships, admission fees, and generous donations. Heart of the Zoo is available in hardcover and paperback, and can be purchased at ShopZoo.com and in gift shops at the Zoo and Safari Park.
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PHOTO BY: TAMMY SPRATT/SDZWA
n 1969, Charles L. “Chuck” Bieler had just started as group sales manager in the marketing department at the San Diego Zoo when a young Joan Embery, who worked in the Children’s Zoo, offered to introduce him to one of the big cats. After some trepidation, he agreed. Walking away from that encounter, he confided to a colleague that he had never petted a lion before. When she realized he wasn’t joking, she whispered back, “I know you are new to the Zoo, Chuck, but the cats with stripes are tigers.” From that inauspicious beginning, a five-decade-long career bloomed, and today Chuck is still an employee of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, the longest-serving in the history of the institution. He helped guide San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance through some of its most challenging times, rising to become one of the leaders in the national and international zoo world, and achieving its highest honors. After 53 years, he works as director emeritus, advising staff, and serving as an ambassador. It’s a remarkable tenure that has earned him the respect, admiration, and love of all who have worked with him, not only within San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and the city of San Diego, but throughout the zoological world. In 2016, he received the R. Marlin Perkins Award, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ highest honor. It wasn’t just his dedication, hard work, vision, and ability to keep focused on the mission that led to his success; it was who he is as a human being and how he works with others that has made the difference.
A VISUALIZE IT
Aquatic Wildlife of the Mighty Amazon
B
By Donna Parham | Illustration by Amy Blandford
C F
J
E
D K
G
At the heart of the largest tropical
H
rainforest in the world lies the massive watershed of the Amazon River. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Brazil, but its journey starts 4,000 miles away, high in the Andes. The Amazon and its 1,000-plus tributaries create habitats that include rushing rivers, streams, swamps, marshes, and floodplains—homes for an enormous
I
diversity of aquatic wildlife.
A. Dragonfly
C. Giant otter
E. Milk frog
G. Tadpoles
B. Kingfisher
D. Dragonfly laying eggs
F. Milk frog eggs
H. Jaguar
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The Amazon rainforest and its rivers are inextricably connected. Annual flooding expands aquatic habitat while enriching the soil. Trees balance the water table, and their entangled root systems literally bind the earth together. So, while the river faces threats of its own—dam construction alters fish migration, and overfishing reduces biodiversity—what we do on land affects the river, too. Mining, logging, agriculture, and cattle ranching not only contribute to deforestation; they also pollute the water system, alter water temperatures, and cause erosion that dumps soil and silt into waterways. Conserving the rainforest will benefit the mighty Amazon River, too.
T L
O
Q
M R
U
P
N S I. Piranha
L. Jabiru stork
O. Armored catfish
R. Tetra
T. Black caiman
J. Giant fishing spider
M. Pacu
P. River dolphin
S. Stingray
U. Manatee
K. Yellow-spotted river turtle
N. Arapaima
Q. Anaconda SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE / SDZWA.ORG / 25
July & EVENTS
July and August Hours San Diego Zoo 9 a.m.–9 p.m.*
O F F E R E D DA I LY
San Diego Zoo Safari Park July 1–31
9 a.m.–7 p.m.* August 1–31
9 a.m.–5 p.m.*
sdzwa.org
SAN DIEGO ZOO THROUGH SEPTEMBER 5
Nighttime Zoo
619-231-1515
*Programs and dates are subject to change—please check our website for the latest information and requirements for visiting.
Things get even wilder at the Zoo after dark! Join us, beat the heat, and celebrate summer during Nighttime Zoo at the San Diego Zoo. Come “rock and roar” this season with live music and other amazing entertainment experiences. Extend your adventure—stay with us for all of the fun and excitement that awaits. (Z) J U LY 1 5 ; A U G U S T 1 9
Plant Day and Orchid Odyssey On these special days, guests can take a rare look inside the Zoo’s Orchid House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., learn about the Zoo’s botanical collection from horticulture staff on the Botanical Bus Tour at 11 a.m., and check out the Carnivorous Plant Greenhouse from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Z)
(Z) = San Diego Zoo (P) = Safari Park
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Wildlife Wonders At the Zoo’s Wegeforth Bowl amphitheater, wildlife care specialists will introduce you to wildlife ambassadors representing San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s conservation work around the world. Wildlife Wonders is presented daily at 2 p.m. Learn about amazing wildlife— from the Amazon to right here in our own backyard in San Diego—and find out what everyone can do to help conserve wildlife and the world we all share. Presentation runs 15 to 20 minutes. (Z) 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)
August J U LY 2 9
Global Tiger Day Celebrate Global Tiger Day with these iconic cats while you learn more about them—and the challenges they currently face in their native habitats. (P) AUGUST 1 2
World Elephant Day Discover why elephants are called “the architects of the Earth,” and how San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and our partners in Africa are helping save these remarkable pachyderms. (P) J U LY A N D A U G U S T, S E L E C T E D DAT E S
SAFARI PARK
Supreme Roar & Snore Safari The new Supreme Roar & Snore Safari—available on All Ages and Adults Only sleepovers—offers a whole new level of adventure at the Safari Park! You’ll soar into camp on the Flightline Safari zip line, take a Night Vision Safari to view wildlife through night vision binoculars, and later settle in for the evening in your own private tent. The next morning, enjoy reserved VIP viewing of a cheetah running at top speed, then take a Wildlife Safari through savanna habitats for an up-close view of wildlife. Call 619-718-3000. (P)
A U G U S T 1 2 –1 4
O F F E R E D DA I LY
Kenya Days
Join us as we celebrate the wildlife and culture of this amazing African country. A special dinner on August 12 commemorates World Elephant Day. For information and reservations for the dinner, call 619-718-3000. (P)
Cart Safaris Sit back in the comfort of your own Safari cart, as you enjoy a 60-minute guided tour of the Safari Park’s spacious African or Asian savanna habitats, led by one of our knowledgeable guides. Book online or call 619-718-3000. (P)
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Visit the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Explorers website to find out about these and other animals, plus videos, crafts, stories, games, and more! wildlifeexplorers.org
The Capybara’s Snack There are many species in the Amazon rainforest, and here is a story about what happens when some of them get hungry. Using the symbols shown below, can you fill in the words to complete the tale? aquatic plants
meat
tamandua
insects
jaguar
macaw nuts
One day, in the Amazon rainforest, a hungry capybara went for a walk to look for a snack. The thought of fresh, cool
danced in his mind. Strolling along, under the canopy of trees,
the capybara came across some “No, this for my friend, the
crawling on a log. “Hmm, is this for me?” he wondered. . She eats
.”
The capybara walked farther into the rainforest, and found some for me?” he wondered. “No, this is for my friend, the under a tree, the capybara found some for my friend, the and found some
. He eats
. He eats
.” Finally, the capybara came to the water’s edge
The capybara ate his fill and then turned around to go home,
the
where to find the
where to find the
where to find the
.” Near a clearing,
. “Hmm, is this for me?” he wondered. “No, this
. “Hooray, finally! This is for me,” he thought. “I eat
promising to tell the
. “Hmm, is this
, and the
, so that everyone would
be full and happy. 28 / SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE JOURNAL / JULY/AUGUST 2022
;
.”
At first glance, a fossa (locals pronounce the name “foos” or “foosh”) looks like a combination of species. It has paws with claws like a cat, a long tail like a monkey, and round little ears like a weasel, so it’s easy to be confused. Although it shares some adaptive similarities with cats, the fossa is closely related to the mongoose and civet, and is top predator on its native island of Madagascar. Photographed by Tammy Spratt, SDZWA photographer.
LAST LOOK
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JOURNAL
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance P.O. Box 120551, San Diego, CA 92112
Leaving a Legacy for Wildlife Our Heritage Guild members are securing the future for wildlife through bequests and other legacy gifts. These gifts are critical in fulfilling our mission to save, protect, and care for wildlife, in San Diego and around the world. Are we included in your estate plans? If so, we’d like to thank and recognize you. Please take a moment to inform us of your gift so that we may honor your generosity and complete your enrollment into Heritage Guild. Together, we can create a world where all life thrives.
ZooLegacy.org 619-557-3947 donations@sdzwa.org