ZOONOOZ July 2019

ZOONOOZ

®

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL

JULY 2019

Galápagos Tortoises Peccaries and Pigs Birds of Prey Protecting Trees

e t s r a e T umm S T T A

P E H

K R A

ANIMAL AMBASSADOR DINNER

SPIRITS DINNER FEATURING JACK’S FAMILY OF BRANDS

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Saturday, July 20, 2019 5:30 p.m.

Mombasa Pavilion his unique dinner will feature spirits from Jack’s Family of Brands. A fourcourse meal prepared

by Chef Josh Mireles will pair each course with a specially created cocktail, and a representative from Jack’s Brands will be on hand to speak about the different pairings.

Plus, enjoy an animal presentation before dinner.

For adults 21 and older only.

Cost is $84 per person, plus tax and parking.

Saturday, August 17, 2019 5 p.m.

Hunte Nairobi Pavilion

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oin us for this exciting dinner event where you can meet some of our fantastic Safari Park animal ambassadors. Hear their fascinating stories, learn more about them from their trainers, and find out how you can help save their species and other animals from extinction. Savor a delicious, four-course meal created by Chef Josh Mireles.

Cost is $70 per person, plus tax and parking.

Nonmembers add Safari Park admission.

TO M A K E R E S E R VAT I O N S , P L E A S E C A L L 6 1 9 -7 1 8 - 3 0 0 0 O R V I S I T S DZ S A FA R I PA R K . O R G / D I N I N G - E V E N T S .

July 2019 VOL. XCII–NO. 04

Graphically Speaking 8 Food for Thought

Everyone’s got to eat—and feeding a zoo is no easy feat. How is it done?

BY AMY BLANDFORD AND WENDY PERKINS

Cover Story 10

Winged Hunters

Watching a raptor swoop through the air is a thrill—unless you’re its prey. Discover the wonders of these magnificent birds.

BY ESTON ELLIS

Features 16

One Shell of a Reptile Life in the slow lane suits the Galápagos tortoise just fine.

BY KARYL CARMIGNANI

20 Who Are You Calling a Pig? When it looks like a pig but isn’t a pig, it’s probably a peccary.

BY DONNA PARHAM

24 Sharing Space

Blending animals and plants can be a challenge—especially when one wants to eat, tear up, or crush the other!

BY WENDY PERKINS

More

2 Nooz Notes 7 SDZG Kids Page 26 Support 28 In the Field ON THE COVER: Steller’s sea-eagle Haliaeetus pelagicus THIS PAGE: Chacoan peccary Catagonus wagneri PHOTOS BY: Ken Bohn, SDZG Photographer

N O OZ N OT E S

Ladies roll-up visor, $26.95.

Ladies lion flag tank, $24.95.

WHAT’S IN STORE?

Red,White & Zoo

Kids lion flag T-shirt, $18.95. Also available in adult sizes, $21.95.

Three cheers for our collection of patriotic gear with a decidedly wild flair! Check our shops at the Zoo and Safari Park, or online at shopzoo.com for items that proudly salute the stars and stripes, and celebrate your love for animals at the same time.

Lifeguard hat with flag print, $24.95.

Lion flag water bottle, $26.95.

Lion flag baseball cap, adult sizes, $21.95.

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Stay into the evening and help us celebrate the San Diego Zoo’s newest experience, Conrad Prebys Africa Rocks! Bring family and friends to “rock and roar” every night this summer, with live music, a variety of surprise encounters, and vibrant entertainment, including a procession of spectacular animal puppets at the end of the evening. Then starting on June 28, you can also experience our colorful, energetic, and multisensory evening show, “Call of the Night.”

To find out more, visit our website at sandiegozoo.org/nighttimezoo.

N O OZ N OT E S

AUGUST 31 Breakfast with Tigers Watch our tigers start their day, hear from ther keepers, and then enjoy a hearty buffet breakfast. For reservations, call 619-718-3000 or visit sdzsafaripark.org/ dining-events. (P)

Save the Date What’s happening at the Zoo and Park this month and next (Z) Zoo events (P) Park events WEEKENDS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 1 Summer Safari presented by Groupon Come soak up summer fun at the Safari Park among music and food specials. New this year is Sundown Summer Safari, on Mondays and Tuesdays through July 30, with extended hours until 8 p.m. Enjoy an evening Africa Tram Safari, a new 5 p.m. Wildlife Wonders animal show, and a 7 p.m. Cheetah Run, plus Flavors of the World, Members Monday Wine Special, and Taco Tuesdays. (P) THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2 Nighttime Zoo presented by One Medical Stay late at the Zoo with a wide array of entertainment, festive foods, family activities, and animal encounters.

Enjoy live music, fun with Dr. Zoolittle, and much more! (Z)

JULY 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 18, 20, 25, 26; AUGUST 1, 3, 8, 9, 17, 24, 31 All Ages Roar & Snore Safari Spend the night at the Safari Park with your family! Select a camping sleepover that has something for everyone.

Call 619-718-3000. (P) JULY 12, 19, 27; AUGUST 10, 23 Adults Only Roar & Snore Safari At this Safari Park sleepover for adults 21 and over, you’ll discover the secret lives of animals through the kind of information we can only share with no children around! Call 619-718-3000. (P) JULY 20 Spirits Dinner featuring Jack’s Family of Brands Following a visit with our animal ambassadors, enjoy a four-course gourmet dinner, each

Summer Experiences

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course served with a special cocktail.

For reservations, call 619-718-3000 or visit sdzsafaripark.org/ dining-events. (P)

enjoy a four-course gourmet meal. Make reservations at 619-7183000 or book online at sdzsafaripark.org/ dining-events. (P)

AUGUST 17 Animal Ambassador Dinner Guests can meet animal ambassadors and

SEPTEMBER 21 Food, Wine, and Brew Celebration This fund-raiser for the San Diego Zoo Global

PRESIDENT/CEO’S NOTE DOUGLAS G. MYERS

ummer is in full swing, and we are having a grand time celebrating the sunshine and beautiful evenings at the Zoo and the Safari Park. Whether you are taking the kids for fun experiences, entertaining out-of-town guests, or spending time with friends in a great environment, our late summertime hours allow even more time to take it all in. The activities of Nighttime Zoo presented by One Medical are the perfect conclusion to a day of exploring around the world, in Africa Rocks, Australian Outback, Elephant Odyssey, Lost Forest, and Northern Frontier. At the Safari Park, Summer Safari presented by Groupon offers extra fun on the weekends, and on Mondays and Tuesdays through July 30, you can experience Sundown Summer Safari, with a new 5 p.m. Wildlife Wonders animal show and a special 7 p.m. Cheetah Run. We have many new faces to see, as well. At the Zoo, look for a takin calf and a giraffe calf, two African penguin chicks, and baby baboons, and at the Safari Park, two elephant calves, young giraffes and rhinos, and kangaroo joeys are waiting to say hello. Come visit us, and enjoy your summer!

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Wildlife Conservancy promises a wild evening of food and beverages from more than 160 vendors, live music, and exotic animal meet and greets. General admission tickets: $125; VIP experience tickets: $225.

For details, visit zoofoodandwine.com. (Z)

Let’s Talk Follow us! @sandiegozoo @sdzsafaripark @sdzglobal Share your #SanDiegoZoo & #SDZSafariPark experience on Twitter & Instagram.

TAKE A TOUR THAT’S UNLIKE ANY OTHER

Have it your way on an Ultimate Safari These popular at the Safari Park or an Exclusive VIP tours require advance Experience at the Zoo, as your customreservations. Requests must be made a minimum of made tour is designed especially for you!

72 hours in advance and are

subject to availability. Please Our experienced guides will take you on an call our reservation specialists extraordinary adventure that is tailored to visit the at 619-718-3000 to create wildlife you love most. You’ll be behind the scenes and confirm your own and in the know about your favorite animals special tour. and places at the Safari Park and the Zoo!

N O OZ N OT E S

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL OFFICERS

Steven G. Tappan, Chairman Javade Chaudhri, Vice Chairman Linda Lowenstine, DVM, Ph.D., Secretary Ryan Sullivan, Ph.D., Treasurer

4 The number of main groups of reptiles: turtles and tortoises; lizards and snakes; crocodiles and alligators; and the tuatara.

It’s only a number Reptiles are interesting on a grand scale. Some of these cold-blooded creatures first appeared in the fossil record about 315 million years ago, making them the longest-living terrestrial vertebrate species on the planet. Adorned with scales made of keratin or a bony external plate such as a shell, reptiles have hardiness and self-protection covered.

20

2,200

10,000+

Percentage of snake and lizard species that give birth to live young—most reptiles lay eggs.

Top weight, in pounds, of the largest reptile— the saltwater crocodile.

The estimated number of known reptile species on Earth.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Rolf Benirschke Kathleen Cain Richard B. Gulley Clifford W. Hague Robert B. Horsman Steven S. Simpson Judith A. Wheatley TRUSTEES EMERITI

Frank C. Alexander Berit N. Durler Thompson Fetter Bill L. Fox Frederick A. Frye, M.D. George L. Gildred Yvonne W. Larsen John M. Thornton A. Eugene Trepte Betty Jo F. Williams James Lauth, General Counsel to the Board Douglas G. Myers, President/CEO Charles L. Bieler, Executive Director Emeritus THE FOUNDATION OF SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL OFFICERS

ZOONOOZ

®

PUBLISHED SINCE 1926 JULY 2019 | VOL. XCII–NO. 04 MANAGING EDITOR

KAREN E. WORLEY

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

PEGGY SCOTT

STAFF WRITERS

WENDY PERKINS KARYL CARMIGNANI DONNA PARHAM COPY EDITOR

ESTON ELLIS DESIGNER

KERRI ABRAMS SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL PHOTOGRAPHERS

KEN BOHN TAMMY SPRATT

SR. IMAGING SPECIALIST

TAMMY SPRATT

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

KIM TURNER AMY BLANDFORD LISA BISSI JENNIFER MACEWEN

PREPRESS AND PRINTING

QUAD GRAPHICS

6 / ZOONOOZ / JULY 2019

The Zoological Society of San Diego was founded in Octo­ber 1916 by Harry M. Wegeforth, M.D., as a private, nonprofit corporation that now does business as San Diego Zoo Global.

SAN DIEGO ZOO HOURS July 1–August 31: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The printed ZOONOOZ® magazine (ISSN 0044-5282) is currently published bimonthly, in January, March, May, July, September, and November. Publisher is San Diego Zoo Global, at 2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego, CA 92103, 619-231-1515.

Periodicals postage paid at San Diego, California, USA, and at additional mailing offices.

ADDRESS CHANGES: Please send to Membership Department, P.O. Box 120271, San Diego, CA 92112.

SAFARI PARK HOURS Most days in July: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sundown Summer Safari Mondays and Tuesdays in July: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Most days in August: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Copyright© 2019 San Diego Zoo Global. All rights reserved.

“ZOONOOZ” Reg. U.S. Pat. Office. All column and program titles are trademarks of San Diego Zoo Global.

Hours vary; please check website sdzsafaripark.org for specific hours on each day.

Annual Memberships: Two adults in same household $174; $159 renewal. One adult $112; $102 renewal. Student (must live in and attend school in San Diego County) $95.20, Senior (age 65 and older): two adults in same household $147.90; $135.15 renewal. One senior adult $95.20; $86.70 renewal. Each membership includes unlimited entrance to the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Subscription to ZOONOOZ magazine: $25 per year, $65 for 3 years. Foreign, including Canada and Mexico, $30 per year, $81 for 3 years. Contact Membership Department, P.O. Box 120271, San Diego, CA 92112, for subscription information.

As part of San Diego Zoo Global’s commitment to conservation, ZOONOOZ is printed on recycled paper that is at least 10% post-consumer waste, chlorine free, and is Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified.

WEBSITE sandiegozoo.org PHONE 619-231-1515 ZOONOOZ® Online web publication zoonooz.sandiegozoo.org FSC® is not responsible for any calculations on saving resources by choosing this paper.

Judith C. Harris, Chair U. Bertram Ellis, Jr., Vice Chair Joye D. Blount, Secretary Susan N. McClellan, Treasurer Amy B. Parrott, Acting President Steven G. Tappan, Ex officio Douglas G. Myers, Ex officio BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Christine L. Andrews Valerie E. Armstrong, DVM Sophie W. Bryan Douglas Dawson Berit N. Durler Chris Eddy Nikita Kahn Ellison Arthur E. Engel JJ Fetter Susan Guinn Lynelle Lynch Susan B. Major Susan F. McCarthy Diane McKernan Barry Munitz Joshua A. Pack Maryanne C. Pfister Philip C. Seeger Elizabeth W. Shoemaker Rosa Sinnott Carter Skeath David M. Tehle Kathryn J. Vaughan

use your

words

To find out about these and other animals, plus videos, crafts, stories, games, and more, visit kids.sandiegozoo.org.

How many words can you make out of the letters in the words end extinction?

For more word fun, unscramble the letters underneath the pictures to learn facts about saving species.

end extinction extinct

One reason the Sumatran orangutan is experiencing habitat loss is the amount of land used for this type of oil plantation.

1

l s a s e c

l p m a

Besides being hunted for their fur and body parts, tigers are threatened by loss of their homes or

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t h i b a a t

All eight species of pangolins are under threat, either due to habitat loss or poaching for this body part.

3

.

Western lowland gorillas are one type of this large order that is Critically Endangered (according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature).

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i r p m e t a SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL / SANDIEGOZOO.ORG / 7

ANSWERS: 1. PALM; 2. HABITAT; 3. SCALES; 4. PRIMATES.

G R A P H I C A LLY S P E A K I N G

Eating for Two

Recognizing the link between nutrition and reproduction pays off.

A BIG PUZZLE When female southern white rhinos born in zoo settings were not reproducing as well as other rhino species, SDZG scientists discovered they are sensitive to the phytoestrogens in their feed pellets.

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SUCCESS! Two years after the diet change, a zoo-born southern white rhino delivered a healthy calf at the Safari Park. And two more followed!

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2

FORMULATING ANSWERS Our nutritionists and researchers worked out new pellet formulas with lower levels of phytoestrogens.

Food for Thought San Diego Zoo Global was among the pioneers in having an animal nutritionist on staff.

As Andrea Fidgett, director of Nutritional Services points out: “Nutrition isn’t everything, but without it, everything is nothing.” With a team of more than 25 professionals, our Nutritional Services department works closely with keepers, the veterinary team, curators, horticulturists, and many others to fill the furred, feathered, scaled, and smooth-covered stomachs.

BY WENDY PERKINS | STAFF WRITER

ILLUSTRATIONS BY AMY BLANDFORD | STAFF ILLUSTRATOR

Milk matters

The best milk comes from mom, but sometimes that’s not possible. When human care is needed, the formulas are prescribed by the nutrition team. Knowing and ensuring each species gets the right macronutrients is key to helping babies thrive.

8 / ZOONOOZ / JULY 2019

MANY MOUTHS TO FEED

Between them, the Zoo and the Safari Park are home to about 7,000 animals and 750 species. Our database library contains more than 37,000 diets to cover them all. Here's how that shakes out on a regular basis.

Mammals

By the Numbers A healthy diet requires careful calculations by a Zoo nutritionist. Here's how it looks for some of our animals.

Cassowary

Reptiles

84% Fruit (blueberries, grapes, figs, bananas, papayas, apples, pears, honeydew melons) 14% Pellet 2% Greens (kale, romaine, red-leaf lettuce, dandelion and mustard greens)

Birds Amphibians Fish

Specialty Foods Delicacies such as crickets, spiders, and mealworms are on the menu for many animals.

More than 12,000 crickets are fed out each day at the Zoo alone, gobbled up by a variety of birds, reptiles, invertebrates, and mammals like meerkats.

A spider’s silk glands are a source of sulfurcontaining amino acids found in keratin (think feathers, nails, horns, and hair).

In the past, we’ve gathered cellar spiders for our splendid sunbirds raising chicks. But most of our birds find them on their own.

Mealworms, waxworms, black soldier fly larvae, termites, and night crawlers provide protein, minerals, and calcium to our birds, insects, and certain mammals.

Silverback gorilla

Green Doesn’t Always Mean Go: From eucalyptus to acacia and beyond, our nutrition team has analyzed more than 1,600 plants to determine whether they’re an appropriate food source for our animals. Some are included as a regular part of the diet, others “under certain circumstances” only, and a number are categorized as “nope, never!”

SDZG farms 100 different plant species, and harvests 250 to 300 tons of plant material for the animals each year.

70% Greens (kale, lettuce, cabbage, leafy browse) 17% Vegetables (yams, turnips, tomatoes, onions, celery) 8% Pellet 4% Fruit (apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, papayas) 1% Nuts (Brazil nuts, walnuts)

Tiger

58% Commercial carnivore diet 25% Animal product (beef heart, beef shank, femur bone) 17% Vertebrate prey (rabbit)

Caiman lizard

75% Invertebrate prey (crickets, apple snails, land snails, earthworms, crayfish) 15% Vertebrate prey (silverside fish) 5% Commercial carnivore diet 5% Other (chicken-flavor baby food, chopped hard-boiled eggs)

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL / SANDIEGOZOO.ORG / 9

Winged Hunters

Discover the Majesty and Remarkable Survival Strategies of Birds of Prey

W

BY ESTON ELLIS | STAFF WRITER

PHOTOS BY KEN BOHN | SDZG PHOTOGRAPHER

hen many people picture a bird of prey, they tend to think of an eagle with a huge wingspan, a steely-eyed gaze, a powerful dive to swoop down on unsuspecting prey, and sharp talons to grab it in the blink of an eye. Yet birds of prey come in many sizes, from the tiny African pygmy falcon, with a wingspan of 14 inches, to the gigantic California condor, with a wingspan of 9 to 10 feet. Birds of prey are as diverse as they are impressive, and they include eagles, hawks, and falcons, as well as ospreys, owls, and vultures.

WHAT MAKES A BIRD OF PREY There are other bird species that eat animals, but birds of prey—also called raptors—are different, because they catch or kill their prey with their feet, not just their beaks. They use their powerful feet and sharp talons to snag, hold, or subdue their prey, and they use their sharp, hooked beaks to tear their meal into bite-size pieces. They may also eat carrion, which doesn’t require hunting but does require sharp tools to consume.

A raptor’s talons vary in size and angle, depending on the bird and its target prey. For instance, ospreys eat fish, and each of their feet has four large, fishhook-shaped talons to deftly snag their slippery catch. An African pygmy falcon, which eats small

10 / ZOONOOZ / JULY 2019

prey like lizards and insects, has much smaller talons, but they are still quite sharp and effective for grabbing.

SEEING IS BELIEVING Birds of prey have keen eyesight, to locate their next meal from a distance as they fly high above an area—some can spot moving prey up to a mile away.

Species that are active during the day, including golden eagles and Harris’s hawks, can see color. They also have ultraviolet (UV) vision—a super skill that allows them to spot a urine trail leading to a prey species. Raptors that are nocturnal, like owls, in addition to a keen sense of hearing, have large eyes with many light-sensitive cells, allowing them to pursue prey in near darkness.

Most birds of prey have vision that is up to six times better than that of a human—and all have much larger eyes in proportion to their body size than humans. Their forward-facing eyes provide binocular vision for depth perception and determining distance and location. Many raptors can turn their head 180 degrees, and sometimes up to 270 degrees, to see what’s going on around them. They are unable to move their eyes in the sockets very much, but that head

Well-adapted Raptors: From the California condor (left) to the harpy eagle (below), birds of prey come in many shapes and sizes.

KEEPING AN EYE ON BURROWING OWLS Anyone with a smartphone or a computer can open a remarkable window into the lives of western burrowing owls—and assist San Diego Zoo Global researchers with important conservation work to help this California species of special concern. Visit wildwatch burrowingowl. org, and you can become a citizen scientist, viewing and classifying rarely seen photos—as few or as many as you choose— captured by motionactivated cameras in San Diego County burrowing owl habitats. You can also check out what’s going on inside an owl burrow on San Diego Zoo Global’s new livestreaming Burrowing Owl Cams at sdzsafaripark.org/ cams/burrowingowl-cams. On the Aviary Cam and the Burrow Cam, you can watch a pair of off-exhibit burrowing owls as they establish and manage their underground burrow, hatch their eggs, raise their chicks, and explore their above-ground habitat.

SANDIEGOZOO.ORG / 11

Fancy Footwork: Raptors hunt with their feet, and the sharp talons of (clockwise from top left) the crowned eagle, Steller’s sea-eagle, and western burrowing owl help them snag prey and hold on tight.

brain coordinates the signals from each ear to accurately “map” a sound. The bird can navigate directly to the sound of potential prey before it even sees it.

For some birds of prey, like owls and harpy eagles, a concave arrangement of surrounding feathers called a “facial disk” helps direct sound waves to their ears. And the ears are not in the same place on each side of the head—one is lower than the other, which further helps to pinpoint sounds.

movement gives them a wide field of vision.

Because vision is so important, raptors’ eyes are well protected. They are surrounded on the sides by bone, and a bony, brow-like ridge acts like the protective brim of a baseball cap. They also have a secondary, semi-transparent eyelid, called a nictitating membrane, to keep their eyes clean and protected.

THEY HEAR YOU NOW Excellent hearing is another tool that raptors use to locate prey. Researchers studying the hearing acuity of birds of prey found that barn owls, for instance, not only hear higher-frequency sounds than most birds, but their

12 / ZOONOOZ / JULY 2019

PROTECTING PREDATORS As carnivores at the top of the food chain, birds of prey unfortunately face a variety of threats in their native habitats. Climate change, pollution, and habitat loss and fragmentation affect the abundance of prey and access to water and nesting sites. Disease, including West Nile virus and avian influenza, can devastate bird populations. Then there are conflicts with humans and human development: collisions with power lines, vehicles, and wind turbines; ranchers protecting livestock; and lead poisoning that occurs when raptors eat animal carcasses containing lead bullet fragments. Lead poisoning has had a dramatic effect on many species—it was a major factor in almost driving the California condor to extinction in the 1980s.

San Diego Zoo Global has participated in a variety of collaborative conservation projects to help birds of prey, including Andean condors, Steller’s sea-eagles, and harpy eagles. One of the best-known projects is the ongoing California Condor Recovery Program that began in the

1980s. Thanks to carefully designed breeding and rearing protocols, genetic analysis, nutrition, behavioral ecology, pathology research, and monitoring of released birds, there are now more than 480 condors, with more than 300 flying free in California, Arizona, Utah, and Mexico.

Another project is for western burrowing owls, which live in North and South America and make their homes in abandoned California ground squirrel burrows, prairie dog burrows, or rattlesnake dens. The state of California lists them as a species of special concern due to continued habitat loss, and San Diego Zoo Global has partnered with multiple agencies to develop a burrowing owl conservation strategy. Current work includes monitoring the existing population, searching for suitable habitats for new colonies throughout San Diego County, and reintroducing and supporting those colonies.

THE THRILL OF RAPTORS While encountering raptors Jurassic Park style may not be desirable, meeting our raptors at the Zoo and Safari Park is a thrill. At the Zoo, Eagle Trail features a large aviary where the birds can take wing and fly, with trees and lush vegetation for perching to eye their visitors. The bridge and path to the aviary is newly remodeled, and featured birds of prey here include the harpy eagle, Steller’s sea-eagle, ornate hawk-eagle, and Andean condor.

A rocky outcropping at the back of the aviary provides a nesting platform. The keepers place options for nesting material in the exhibit, but the size, shape,

and form of each nest is up to the birds to create. The nesting platform also has a hidden secret: a chamber that allows keepers to gain access to the nests when needed.

Visitors can get up-close to see the famous California condors at both the Zoo, in the Harry and Grace Steele Elephant Odyssey, and at the Safari Park, at Condor Ridge. The Zoo condors are part of the larger story of long-ago California, when the condor’s ancestors were a common sight in the sky. In the Park’s Condor Ridge, visitors can explore an observation deck with an interpretive center that focuses on recovery efforts for North America’s largest flying bird, and get a remarkable view of the condors in a six-story-high cliffside aviary.

Safari Park guests can see even more raptors in the daily Frequent Flyers bird show at Benbough Amphitheater, where some of the birds soar right over the audience’s heads. While the presentations vary, guests may get to watch a secretary bird show off its hunting skills, find out how silently an owl can fly, or see a Harris’s hawk take off and land on the outstretched arm of a trainer.

Although they face many threats in their native habitats, ongoing conservation efforts are underway to help keep magnificent birds of prey soaring, swooping, and diving—or burrowing—for many years to come.

Look Sharp: Sharp beaks help birds of prey like (clockwise from left) the pygmy falcon, Harris’s hawk, and bald eagle tear the meat they’ve hunted into bite-size pieces.

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL / SANDIEGOZOO.ORG / 13

COME PLAY AT THE SAFARI PARK THIS SUMMER!

From May 25 to September 1, the Safari Park will have special activities each weekend, including interactive musical acts, food specials, and awesome safari adventures.

New this year is Sundown Summer Safari, happening on Mondays and Tuesdays from June 10 through July 30, with extended hours until 8 p.m. During Sundown Summer Safari, take an evening African Tram Safari, see our exciting new animal show, Wildlife Wonders, in Benbough Amphitheater at 5 p.m., and check out Shiley’s Cheetah Run at 7 p.m. There also will be food specials, including Taco Tuesdays, as well as magicians, artists, and more. Join us for a great way to enjoy your summer!

sdzsafaripark.org/summersafari

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

forever

L E A DI NG T H E WAY, W I T H YOU R H E L P The support we have received from members like you, through estate gifts, has led to lifesaving breakthroughs in conservation science and fieldwork successes here and around the globe. We are grateful for so many donors who trust us to turn their legacy gifts into programs that will continue to save wildlife worldwide.

MAKING WORLD-CLASS MEDICINE POSSIBLE Thanks to a generous bequest gift in 2017 by Dean and Kathleen Alt, the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park veterinary hospitals each received a CT scanner.

“We will now have a metric for case follow-ups and repeat evaluations, which is almost unprecedented in zoo veterinary care,” said Dr. Matt Kinney, a veterinarian at the Safari Park. “This CT scanner helps us provide worldclass medicine: improved health care, more accurate diagnoses, and superior treatment plans that ultimately result in better animal welfare.”

CREATING A WIN-WIN FOR DONORS AND WILDLIFE One of our longtime members was recently ready to part with an income-producing apartment building he owned for more than 40 years. He knew he would have significant capital gains tax to pay if he sold the property outright, so he turned to the Zoo to see if we could help.

After discussing his goals with us and his financial advisor, he decided to use his property to create a Charitable Gift Annuity with San Diego Zoo Global. This gift provides him with more monthly income than what he was making with the rental property. Plus, he received a charitable tax deduction for making his gift. It was a win-win for both the member and the Zoo!

BEQU E ST: L E AV E A L EG AC Y FOR OT H ER S TO FOL LOW

is perhaps the easiest and most tangible way to have a lasting impact on the people and organizations that mean the most to you. A bequest may also be an effective way to make a gift to charity and lessen the burden of taxes on your family and estate.

A BEQUEST

SAMPLE BEQUEST LANGUAGE: I give to the Zoological Society of San Diego (tax ID # 95-1648219), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, located in San Diego, CA, the sum of $ or a percentage, for its general purposes.

INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT (IRA) Naming San Diego Zoo Global as a beneficiary of your Individual Retirement Account is a tax-effective way to make a charitable gift because it avoids multiple estate and income taxes.

,

LIFE INSURANCE Choosing to name San Diego Zoo Global as a beneficiary of your life insurance is a simple way of supporting us without giving up current assets.

L I F E I NCOM E GI F TS:

SU PPORT S A N DI EGO ZOO GLOBA L A N D R EC EI V E I NCOM E

CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUIT Y (CGA) A charitable gift annuity enables you (and another, if you so choose) to receive fixed payments, based on your age, for the rest of your life (or lives). When the annuity matures, the remainder passes to San Diego Zoo Global.

CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUST (CRT) With a charitable remainder trust, you can choose to receive a fixed annuity payment or receive variable payments based on the trust principal. When the trust matures, the remaining amount passes to San Diego Zoo Global.

LIFE ESTATE GIFT ANNUIT Y (LEGA) With a LEGA, you deed your home to the Zoo but reserve the right to continue using it for life. You benefit from a current charitable tax deduction as well as fixed lifetime payments for one or two persons.

GI F TS OF R E A L E STAT E: T H E K E Y TO T H E F U T U R E LIFE ESTATE RESERVED You deed your home to us but reserve the right to continue using it for life. You benefit from a current charitable tax deduction and we receive your home in the future.

VACATION HOME /INCOME-PRODUCING PROPERT Y When you make a gift of real property that you have held for more than a year, you qualify for an income tax charitable deduction equal to the property’s full fair market value while eliminating capital gains tax on its appreciation.

Should you choose to include San Diego Zoo Global in your estate plans, we hope you will let us know and join our Heritage Guild. The Heritage Guild is an honorary society established to honor and thank our friends who have included us in their estate plans. They have done so by naming San Diego Zoo Global as a beneficiary in their will, living trust, IR A, and other life-income gifts. We would be happy to welcome you as a part of this leadership group, one that will support wildlife conservation well into the future. Even if you prefer not to be recognized as a member, we request that you notify us of your future gift intentions, allowing us to note your exact wishes in our records.

If you would like to learn more about anything you read in this publication, please visit ZooLegacy.org, call us at 619-557-3947, or email us at donations@sandiegozoo.org

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Shell Reptile For the Galápagos tortoise, slow and steady wins the day (lots of them!)

G

BY KARYL CARMIGNANI | STAFF WRITER

PHOTOS BY KEN BOHN | SDZG PHOTOGRAPHER

alápagos giant tortoises are among the largest terrestrial reptiles on the planet. Inhabiting specks of lava-formed islands off the coast of Ecuador—the remote archipelago that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection—these reptiles are well adapted to their respective varied habitats. They avoid the fast lane, and their measured gait, healthy diet, and

16 / ZOONOOZ / JULY 2019

low metabolism help them to be one of the longest-lived animals in the world. Tortoises that hatched while Teddy Roosevelt was president are still lumbering along nicely today—and reproducing! Galápagos giant tortoises lead their gloriously slow lives methodically munching on greens, basking in the sun, and wallowing in puddles.

Among the 300 tortoise species, the Galápagos tortoise is a true giant. Their shells

can reach six feet in length and four feet across, and adult tortoises can weigh more than a Shetland pony. Galápagos tortoises have a roster of nearmagical skills, like the ability to go an entire year without food or water; a female’s capability of storing a male’s sperm for 2 years or longer, then laying her eggs when she’s good and ready; and a heart that beats a sluggish 6 to 10 times a minute. (Human hearts, in

contrast, beat 60 to 80 times per minute.) Early whalers, pirates, and merchant sailors took advantage of the tortoises’ extended fasting ability, collecting them en masse for food aboard lengthy voyages at sea.

SHELL-F DEFENSE A tortoise’s shell may appear indestructible, but it’s not. It is made of two layers of sturdy keratin, sandwiching honeycomb structures that hold tiny

air chambers, which makes the shell lighter to carry around and adds buoyancy to the animal at sea. The spine and ribs are fused to the top shell, called a carapace. The bottom shell is called a plastron. This encasing shield serves as a built-in panic room that the animal can retreat into at the first sign of danger…or when it doesn’t feel like socializing (it happens). Its front legs, which appear bowed when walking, enable it to effectively seal

the opening with its raised bent elbows once its head is inside.

Like other island dwellers, all 11 Chelonoidis species are well adapted to their specific island habitat. For example, Galápagos tortoises with dome-shaped shells are found in highlands with lush pastures, where food is at eye level. Other species have saddleback shells, with room to stretch their necks up to reach sparse vegetation on bushes and cactuses found higher off the

DID YOU KNOW? In the wild, these mighty tortoises trample plants while walking, forming trails.

Albatrosses use these open “runways” in the landscape for flight takeoffs and landings.

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THE TORTOISE AND THE EGG During breeding season, males spar for access to females; sexual maturity for both is 20 to 25 years of age.

The saddleback tortoises defend cactuses (a resource for a mother-to-be, since they provide calcium) and perform neck-stretching battles with the competition. For dome tortoises, this is a slow-mo battle of the titans, with glaring and shoving. The loser retreats into his shell with a hiss, and the winner takes all.

If the female is interested, the male, who is twice her size, mounts her with his forelegs propped up on the front of her shell. He may produce loud bellows, which carry for long distances. To lay their eggs, females dig nests in the sand over a foot deep, using their hind legs. It may take hours.

Clutch size varies with the species—saddlebacks lay 2 to 7 eggs, domed lay 20 to 25 eggs. They may lay up to four

Finch response. Stretching its neck and legs out of the shell allows native birds like finches and vermillion flycatchers to remove ticks and seeds from wrinkles in its skin. It also helps to dissipate excess heat.

ground. This type of tortoise also has longer legs and a smaller body, enabling them to travel more easily through their harsher landscape.

Both types exhibit a “finch response”: extending their crepey neck and sturdy limbs out of the shell to allow finches to rid them of parasites.

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clutches per breeding season.

Eggs are about the size of a tennis ball, and after hatching, the youngsters stay in the nest for a few weeks before digging out. Each hatchling weighs about as much as a deck of cards. Their beguiling appearance cannot protect them from predators, and though they grow rapidly, it takes about a decade for their shell to harden into armor.

Until then, they must outwit a gauntlet of non-native predators introduced by humans: pigs, dogs, rats, cats, and fire ants, as well as “normal” diseases, parasites, and volcanic island life risks. But if they survive their teenage years, they may live over 150 years!

Quite the Claim to Fame Since 1928, when the first tortoises arrived (below), SDZG has been working to save this species.

AT THE ZOO The San Diego Zoo is home to 13 Galápagos tortoises: 6 females and 7 males. Of those, two are of the saddleback variety. The oldest is Grandma, who is over 130 years old. The youngest is Jaws, a 580-pound fellow, a mere 52 years old. They all have different personalities, explained Jonny Carlson, senior keeper.

“Chips loves to play and splash in the water,” he said.

“Abbott is pretty lazy—I’ve seen him sit in a pool for two days. Augustus is the problem solver, often checking to see if we’ve left a gate open so he can access the females.”

There have been 94 hatchlings at the Zoo since the first breeding group arrived in 1928. But we’ve not had any fertile eggs since 2001.

“We have increased the time the sexes are apart from 12

Speed, a massive male Galápagos tortoise, arrived at the San Diego Zoo in 1933 as an adult. He passed away in 2015 at the ripe old age of about 150 years old.

In 1977, Diego (above), a Galápagos tortoise that had lived at the Zoo since the 1930s, was returned to the breeding program on Santa Cruz Island and has sired hundreds of adorable offspring.

months to 18 months, hoping that will increase the females’ receptivity,” he added. Keepers observe the tortoises for behavioral changes that might indicate they are gravid. For instance, Penelope is usually feisty and hangs with the others, but lately has been wandering off on her own. “If we suspect they have eggs, we let them stay in the tortoise barn, where there’s a soft sand pit four feet deep they can dig their nest in,” said Jonny.

In the mornings, the giant animals huddle around a tasty stack of hay, lettuce, kale, bok choy, and nutritious herbivore pellets. Some chew with their mouth agape, others concentrate on the duty at hand. Their exhales are audible, sounding like exotic woodwind instruments. “Everything about them is slow,” said Rick Watson, a longtime Galápagos tortoise volunteer.

“The digestion of a meal will take about 12 days to complete, while humans digest a meal in 6 to 8 hours.” By and large, they are pretty healthy, rarely needing medical care.

Walking, they drag their front feet a bit, which keeps their nails filed down. “We trim their beaks with a Dremel as needed,” said Jonny, since they don’t chew on tree bark here to keep that in check.

They respond well to brightly colored foods like carrots and sweet potatoes, which are used for training rewards. Of the current Galápagos tortoise group at the Zoo, nine have lived here since 1928. That’s a mighty long time, no matter how fast your heart beats.

DID YOU KNOW? It was long thought that the secret to longevity in the Galápagos tortoise was its habitual slowness. But genetic studies on Lonesome George, the last Pinta Island tortoise that passed away in 2012, revealed something else: giant tortoises have “gene variants that tweak how their DNA is repaired and their bodies respond to inflammation and the development of cancer,” according to a collaborative Yale University study published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.

But eating your greens and taking your own sweet time surely helps, too.

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Who Are You

A growing family of endangered Chacoan peccaries at the Zoo. 20 / ZOONOOZ / JULY 2019

Calling a Pig? It looks like a pig, acts like a pig, and eats like a pig, but is it a pig? Maybe not.

BY DONNA PARHAM | STAFF WRITER

S

PHOTOS BY KEN BOHN | SDZG PHOTOGRAPHER

wine (pigs) aren’t the only small-hoofed mammals with nostrils at the flat end of a long, mobile snout. Meet the peccaries!

It’s easy to see how someone might mistake a peccary for a pig. Both are ungulates (hoofed mammals), with an even number of toes (four) on each dainty foot. That makes them members of the Order Artiodactyla, along with camels, giraffes, hippos, deer, cattle, and antelope. But it doesn’t take a taxonomist to see that they have a body shape—and lifestyle—that sets them apart.

Barrel-bodied and slender-legged, pigs and peccaries have a large head on a short, thick neck, and— more obvious than anything else—a characteristic snout that ends in a flat, cartilaginous disk.

Those are some of the traits that put them in their own suborder, called the Suina.

Unlike many of their artiodactyl relatives, the Suina bear neither antlers nor horns. And while their relatives are herbivores, pigs and peccaries are omnivores. Their eyes are rather small, and their vision isn’t great, but their excellent sense of smell and muscular snout are adaptations for rooting for food buried in soil. Both pigs and peccaries can swim, and they are famously fond of wallowing in mud.

But the Suina is divided into two very different families: the Suidae (pigs, or swine) and the Tayassuidae (peccaries). They share a common ancestor, which likely originated in Asia, and early pigs and peccaries spread throughout Asia, Europe, and Africa. While swine remained established in the Old World, some of the early peccaries made their way to North America, and eventually, South America. In fact, peccary fossils show up on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.

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The “un-piglets.”

San Diego Zoo Global works with zoos across North America and Europe to increase the population of Chacoan peccaries.

WANTED: ONE OF THE WORST Most familiar domesticated pigs are derived from the Eurasian wild pig Sus scrofa, and people have taken their pigs with them as they settled places around the world. In all these places, pigs managed to escape and reproduce— including in the Americas. But don’t mistake this invasive species for a peccary!

Unlike America’s native peccaries, feral pigs, also called wild boars, wreak havoc on native plants, animals, and natural habitats, leading to their placement on the IUCN publication, 100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species.

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Though peccaries ultimately died out in the Old World, they flourished in the New World.

Today, the Americas are home to three species of peccaries that evolved from these early immigrants. The collared peccary Pecari tajacu is perhaps better known as the javelina, a name that comes from the Spanish word jabali, for “wild pig”—early settlers didn’t have the grasp of taxonomy that we do today. The only peccary native to the US, its range extends from Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas to the Amazon Basin and northern Argentina.

The white-lipped peccary Tayassu pecari, listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), inhabits much of central South America, where its range overlaps with that of the collared peccary.

Habitat loss and hunting have taken a toll though, and whitelipped peccaries are extinct in large parts of their former range.

In South America’s dry Chaco region, which includes parts of Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina, collared and whitelipped peccaries overlap with a

Vertically oriented canine teeth add stability and strength to a peccary’s bite, helping them crack seeds as hard as palm nuts.

Peccaries have four toes, but they support their weight only on the two center digits. The outer digits are small and vestigial dewclaws, higher on the leg.

third species, the rare and Endangered Chacoan peccary Catagonus wagneri, known locally as the taguá. Illegal and uncontrolled hunting for their meat, along with the spread of agriculture and pasture for livestock, threaten the survival of this species.

Peccaries differ from pigs in more than just geography.

Perhaps the most reliable way to tell a peccary from a pig is to take a look at its mouth—the number and arrangement of teeth is different. Most noticeably, a pig’s canine teeth grow out and backward into large, curved tusks, obvious even when its mouth is closed. In contrast, a peccary’s proportionately smaller, straighter tusks aren’t so obvious. They grow in a more vertical orientation: upper canines grow downward, and lower canines grow upward. A peccary’s upper and lower tusks interlock, which stabilizes their jaws and strengthens their biting force. It also constrains their chewing motion to an up-anddown movement of the lower

jaw, unlike the circular chewing motion of other artiodactyls.

This adaptation makes peccaries some of the few animals that can crack open seeds as hard as palm nuts.

Both pigs and peccaries are omnivores that eat vegetation including roots, bulbs, tubers, fruits, and seeds—as well as fungi, worms, grubs, small vertebrates, eggs, and carrion.

But, peccaries generally eat more plant material than pigs do. A peccary’s complex, threechambered stomach is home to symbiotic microflora that digest the cellulose in plant walls. (A Chacoan peccary can subsist on cactus.) Pigs, in contrast, have a somewhat less efficient system, in their hindgut, for digesting plant matter.

You can find other differ-

ences between pigs and peccaries at both ends of the animals.

A peccary’s ears are reminiscent of a fuzzy teddy bear, while most pigs have large, upright, rather pointed ears. At the other end, a peccary’s tail is small and inconspicuous, while a wild pig’s longer tail is adorned with a tassel at the tip. (Only domestic pigs have curly tails.)

Both peccaries and pigs are remarkably smart. Experts compare their intelligence to a dog’s or a dolphin’s. They are also social, tactile, and gregarious, and one way they communicate is by scent marking. There’s a difference here, too. Only peccaries have a dorsal scent gland on their back, near their rump.

A typical peccary behavior is for two individuals to stand head to tail and rub against their

Who’s Who—and Where?

Peccaries (Tayassuidae) are found in the New World, and swine (Suidae) are found in the Old World. Here are the general areas where they live.

White-lipped peccary Collared peccary (javelina)

Babirusas Warty pigs Bearded pig

Chacoan peccary (taguá)

Pygmy hog

Warthogs Giant forest hog Bushpig Red river hog Eurasian wild pig

companion’s dorsal scent gland, which—even for peccaries (and pigs)—is particularly pungent.

San Diego Zoo Global (SDZG) has a long history of Chacoan peccary conservation, first stepping in to help in 1985 by providing stewardship for Proyecto Taguá, a program that established a managed-care population of Chacoan peccaries in Paraguay to learn more about them and to establish an assurance population. In 2010, the Proyecto grew into El Centro Chaqueño para la Conservación e Investigación (Center for Conservation and Research), continuing and expanding its conservation mission.

SDZG also participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Chacoan Peccary Species Survival Plan (SSP) program. The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) manages a similar program. “San Diego Zoo has worked actively with zoos in Palm Desert, Los Angeles, Fresno, Phoenix, Eureka, Wichita, Norristown, St. Louis, Knoxville, Manhattan, and Berlin to support and improve the sustainability of this species,” says Carmi Penny, director of Collections Husbandry Science at the Zoo. “In total, 20 zoos in North America and 7 zoos in Europe are working to provide an insurance population of Chacoan peccaries in managed care.” In fact, many of the Chacoan peccaries in residence at the Zoo were born right here. Stop by Northern Frontier, across from the polar bear habitat, to see them.

When you do, just don’t call them pigs.

MEET OUR PECCARIES AND PIGS

Chacoan peccary ZOO

North Sulawesi babirusa ZOO AND PARK

Domestic pig animal ambassador ZOO

Southern warthog PARK

Red river hog ZOO AND PARK

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL / SANDIEGOZOO.ORG / 23

Sharing Space Blending flora and fauna takes a little horticultural ingenuity

V

BY WENDY PERKINS | STAFF WRITER

PHOTOS BY KEN BOHN | SDZG PHOTOGRAPHER

isitors to the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park are often as delighted by the plants as the animals—for good reason! The horticulture staff at both facilities works diligently to maintain and enhance our varied and vast plant collections for aesthetic and conservation purposes. They also channel their expertise to benefit the animals. One goal is to create natural-looking habitats; yet, not just any plant will do. Of course, anything planted must be safe for the animals, and the staff wants the plants not just to survive, but thrive. That is made more daunting by the attraction many animals have to the plants— as anyone trying to garden with a pet dog around knows. How do our horticulturists do it?

LIVE AND LEARN

It’s an ongoing challenge. “There’s no one good answer,” explains Mike Letzring, senior plant propagator at the Zoo. “It depends on the animals

24 / ZOONOOZ / JULY 2019

and plants in question; even down to individual species.” As an example, Mike shares that primates, with their high intelligence, curiosity, and nimble digits, can be tough on

plants. When the horticulture team planted Mediterranean fan palms in the bonobo exhibit, though, they found that the apes left the tough, sharp-tipped leaves alone. So, when it came time to add plants to the hamadryas baboon and gelada habitats in Conrad Prebys Africa Rocks, they used Mediterranean fan palms. On the first day, however, they discovered that the baboons and geladas simply plucked off the prickly bits and used their hands and teeth to shred the fronds, leaving a naked stump. So much for that idea!

DRESSED FOR SUCCESS At the Safari Park, caring for trees in the field habitats has its own hurdles. The trees are important

for shade, but they also create a bounty for browsers. Or they could, if the Park’s horticulture team didn’t take careful steps to protect the trees, starting with physical considerations. “We look for trees that will have their lowest branches at 22 feet above the ground,” says Gail Thurston, lead horticulturist at the Park. Next, tree trunks are wrapped with a special-order wire mesh to protect the bark from rubbing rhino and antelope horns and giraffes licking and nibbling. “We originally used two-inch chain-link,” explains Gail. “But the giraffes still rasped off bark, leaving the palm trunks with a polka dot pattern!”

For the palm trees, the constant attention from the mouths of animals is mostly an aesthetic problem. For hardwood trees, however, damage to the outer bark is more serious. “Palm trees draw water up through their whole trunk,” says Gail. “Hardwood trees rely on the xylem layer, protected by bark, to transport moisture. If that’s damaged, the tree is in trouble.”

ROUTING THE ROOTERS Trunks and branches aren’t the only vulnerable part of the trees and shrubs; the root ball needs protection in some cases, as well. One of the habitats in Africa Rocks is designed to alternate between fossas and honey badgers. The former is an arboreal carnivore that makes the most of the many branches in the space.

But the horticulture team considered the honey badger’s tenacity and penchant for burrowing when planting a tree in the exhibit. Before the tree went into the ground, its root ball was wrapped in chain-link. That way, a honey badger can dig to its heart’s content, while the tree’s “heart” is safe from powerful claws.

Roots need—and get—protection from another earth-moving animal: pigs, from red river hogs to babirusas and beyond. The trees in these animals’ homes have their root balls wrapped in wire, with boulders set around the trunks as a barrier. The super rooters still express their digging desires, but not at the cost of the plants.

BONUS CHALLENGE Carnivores often have their own uses for plants—cushy comfort.

“Tigers seem to like to sit on everything,” says Mike—a situation many domestic cat owners are familiar with. “It’s always a challenge to find a plant that can survive being pounced on or lounged in by the cats.” So far, palm grass seems to be a good match for the tigers; it’s tough and flexible, so it generally bounces back after the cat moves to a different spot.

For all the hurdles, the horticulture teams know that their energy, sweat, and problem-solving skills add to the quality of life for the animals at the Zoo and the Safari Park. Some animals even incorporate the landscaping into their nest-building and breeding cycles, a useful and necessary “loss” of plants. Extra cover and more security for the animals is another plus the plants provide, which can also result in more natural behaviors. And that creates a richer environment and experience for both animals and visitors.

Opposite page from left: A planned barrier gives a hardwood tree’s trunk room to thicken; giving grasses time to become deeply rooted helps them survive baboons’ attempts to pluck them whole; tigers may be carnivores, but they are just as tough on plants as herbivores!

Center: Boulders at the base keep rhinos and other animals from the sensitive roots and bark of trees in the field.

Above: Wire mesh keeps giraffes from peeling tree bark but still provides them with a scratching post; with more than 100 palms in the Park’s East Africa habitat alone, the arborists are kept busy protecting them from wear and tear; a large magnet is used to find and remove any metal pieces that hit the ground after installing mesh.

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL / SANDIEGOZOO.ORG / 25

Rescued by S U P P O RT

BY SHANNON FOGG

COPYWRITER, DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

PHOTO BY KEN BOHN SDZG PHOTOGRAPHER

Early one summer morning, a sports car without license plates crept toward the US–Mexico border from Tijuana. Under the passenger’s legs, a small orange-and-black cat cowered. When questioned about the animal, the passenger claimed that it was “just a cat.” But nothing could have been further from the truth.

Jou rney to Sa fety

Tiny and defenseless, the Bengal tiger cub was taken from his mother before he was even six weeks old. A victim of wildlife trafficking, he was confiscated from smugglers at the border, then taken to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park for care.

When he was rescued, he weighed six pounds—less than the average house cat.

Once he arrived at Tull Family Tiger Trail at the Safari Park, the cub was named Moka, which means “chance” in Bengali. While there, Moka received world-class care and a lifesaving surgery. He also enjoyed the company of Rakan, a Sumatran tiger cub whose mother was unable to care for him. Together, the cubs thrived, developing essential tiger skills like stalking, pouncing, wrestling, and climbing.

The Lu c ky Ones

With their iconic stripes, tigers are one of the most recognizable species on Earth. Unfortunately, their beauty also makes them appealing to poachers, who sell tiger pelts and body parts on the black market. Today, there are fewer than 2,500 Bengal tigers and 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild.

Fortunately, Moka and Rakan will never hear the echo of a rifle shot, smell burning gunpowder, or run for their lives. But not every tiger is so lucky.

26 / ZOONOOZ / JULY 2019

Chance

You and your pet can make a real difference! With a monthly gift of $19 or more, or a one-time gift of $250, your pet will be recognized as a cool cat on our website. All pets are welcome!

Tale of a Tiger Cub

Moka (left) and Rakan (right) thrived together at the Safari Park, where they found companionship in one another while learning how to be tigers.

You can help

Wild cats around the world are in danger of disappearing forever. Wildlife trafficking, habitat loss, and deadly conflicts with people have devastated wild cat populations, bringing many species to the brink of extinction—but you COOL CATS can help save them.

You and your pet can make a

To protect wild cats real difference!

Make a gift and ensure their in your pet’s survival, we’ve honor and we’ll launched the Global feature them Cat Conservancy™. on our website.

All pets are With your support, we welcome! Visit can protect wild cats endextinction. worldwide and halt org/coolcats for more information their decline. Your taxand to see the deductible donation cool cats. to the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy will help save wild cats around the world.

Your gift of $100 helps stop poaching and puts an end to wildlife trafficking.

Your gift of $250 protects humans and wild cats from deadly clashes with each other.

Your gift of $1,200 educates scientists, helping them find cures for life-threatening diseases that are devastating wild cat populations.

For gifts of $1,200 or more, your name (or that of a loved one) will be listed on the San Diego Zoo Global Annual Conservation Recognition Plaque, displayed at the San Diego Zoo from spring 2020 to spring 2021.

To join us, visit endextinction.org/cats.

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL / SANDIEGOZOO.ORG / 27

IN THE FIELD

San Diego Zoo Global’s mission to end extinction takes place not just at the Zoo, Park, and Institute for Conservation Research, but also through fieldwork in projects around the globe. Each issue, we share an update on these projects.

Super bloom with a boom. A team from American Conservation Experience took aim at the invasive stinknet plants. Winter rains bolstered an array of colorful flowers (lower right), but also the bright yellow, invasive stinknet (center).

PRETTY STINKY

BY KARYL CARMIGNANI | STAFF WRITER

The Safari Park Biodiversity Reserve is 900 acres of undeveloped coastal sage scrub, one of the most threatened ecosystems in the US, consisting of low-growing, aromatic shrubs dotted with prickly pear cactus. It is home to many endangered, threatened, and endemic species, like the orangethroated whiptail lizard, coastal cactus wren, and coast patchnosed snake. After months of drought, this winter’s rains provided a much-needed boost; hillsides became verdant, punctuated with vibrant color, and cactuses plumped up on the liquid bounty. But nonnative species also benefitted from the rains, including the invasive, aptly named stinknet Oncosiphon piluliferum. It is a herbaceous plant with a noxious odor and small, round, yellow flower heads chock-full of tiny, sticky seeds. This plant can spread like wildfire and elbow out native wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, and animals.

28 / ZOONOOZ / JULY 2019

Stinknet makes it difficult for coastal cactus wrens to find insect and arachnid prey, explained Charlie de la Rosa, Ph.D., natural lands manager, SDZG. “Cactus wrens have little habitat left. We need to address any threats, or they could be gone forever.” In 2018, the Plant Conservation team at San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research began a large-scale plan to remove stinknet from the Safari Park. They worked with the American Conservation Experience, selectively applying herbicide to stinknet plants before they bloomed. It’s a small window of time, as seeds launch new populations with each rain. The goal is to use the least amount of chemicals to maintain stinknet-free zones. “Stinknet is important to manage because of what we stand to lose,” said Charlie. Many other native species impacted by stinknet will benefit from this land management program, as well.

ZOONOOZ

®

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL

Box 120551, San Diego, CA 92112

JOIN US FOR SUMMER FUN AT NIGHTTIME ZOO

SAN DIEGO’S Wild est TASTING EVENT

Saturday, September 21, 2019 | 6:30 − 10:30 p.m. at the World-famous San Diego Zoo

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San Diego’s premier tasting event showcases the best beer, wine, and food Southern California has to offer. Sample from more than 160 vendors while exploring adventure around every corner. Soar above it all on Skyfari®, jam along with live bands, shake a tail feather on the dance floor—or just kick back and relax!

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VIP and General Admission tickets are available at zoofoodandwine.com. This tasty night for wildlife benefits the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy.

BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY AT ZOOFOODANDWINE.COM OR 619-718-3000