FoxPaws | Summer 2023

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Wonderfully W ild

PALM DESERT • INDIAN WELLS

Chairman

Bill Appel*

Treasurer

Craig McCollam*

Secretary

Sandra Cooper Woodson*

President/CEO & Assistant Secretary

Allen Monroe*

Jon-Marc Blalock*

Deborah Chapman*

Marylynn Gladstein

Alexandra Glickman

Jim Gould

Candace Holzgrafe*

H. Earl Hoover II

Suz Hunt

Michael Kiner

Jaishri Mehta

Jneil Nelson

Peter Scheer

Michael Schreter

Dick Shalhoub

Sally Simonds

Bill Simpkins

BJ Skilling

Phillip K. Smith, Jr.*

Roger Snoble

Mary Lou Solomon

Larry Spicer

Sam Spinello

Nancy L. Stegehuis*

Judy Vossler

*Board of Directors

PRESIDENT EMERITA

Karen Sausman

board of trustees contents FEATURES

TRUSTEE EMERITUS

Curt Ealy

LEGAL COUNSEL

Brian S. Harnik

Roemer & Harnik, LLP

SUMMER 2023

ADVISORY COUNCIL

City of Indian Wells Mayor Donna Griffith

City of Palm Desert

Mayor Kathleen Kelly and Council Member Gina Nestande

City of Rancho Mirage Council Member Ted Weill

Coachella Valley Water District

Jim Barrett and Anthony Bianco

Greater Palm Springs CVB

Scott White and Davis Meyer

Carol Wright

3 From the President’s Desk

4 Conservation through Co-Existence

8 Desert Tortoises Take Next Steps

12 Rhino Research

15 Supporter Spotlight

16 Cat Conservation Collaboration

WHAT’S NEW

18 Animals in Focus

20 WildFile

22 Events Calendar

23 Wonderfully Wild Kids

foxpaws

ON THE COVER

Jaguar

Photo: Tara Howard

FOXPAWS EDITORIAL STAFF

Project Managers

Erin Scott and Lindsay Jarvis

Designer Jim Augusto

Contributors

RoxAnna Breitigan

Dr. James Danoff-Burg

Heather Down

Lindsay Jarvis

Jared Moeller

Allen Monroe

Emily Lou Thomas

FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK

ONE OF THE FEATURES that makes The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens unique from most other zoo and conservation organizations is that we focus our education mission on just one of the earth’s major biomes, the deserts. It might surprise you to learn that deserts make up about one-third of all the Earth’s landmass. And while the dictionary definition of a desert says they are unoccupied and devoid of life, I can assure you that is inaccurate.

In the United States, the desert southwest, including the Coachella Valley, has some of the highest species

diversity of any other part of the country. That means there are more unique types of plants and animals per area that need our help in telling their conservation stories.

Deserts are also defined by their relative lack of water, generally receiving fewer than 10 inches of precipitation a year. That is why Antarctica is technically considered a desert by biologists. So, deserts can be hot or cold, but they are always dry.

The Living Desert has recently begun conservation work in one of the colder deserts. Located in Mongolia is the Gobi Desert and the Ikh Nart Nature Reserve. This little slice of desert is home to a wide variety of amazing desert animals such as the argali sheep — which are even larger than our bighorn sheep — Siberian ibex, two species of gazelle, wolves, lynx, foxes, and many species of reptiles and birds.

Joining our Living Desert team will be Gana Wingard, a native of Mongolia, who spent her career working and conducting conservation research in Ikh Nart Nature Reserve. This partnership is a perfect fit with our community-based conservation approach to work with the indigenous pastoralist communities and protect not only their way of life but the plants and animals that call this area home.

Hot or cold, low or high, the deserts of the world are at risk if we do not step up and show we care. By being a member of The Living Desert and supporting our conservation missions, it shows you care.

Allen

President/CEO

Monroe,

Allen Monroe, President/CEO, with one of the fennec fox kit triplets during their well-baby exam. Learn more about our recent Zoo births on page 21.

Conservation through Co-Existence

A new partnership for conservation of biodiversity and nomadic herder livelihoods in the Gobi Desert steppe ecosystem of Mongolia.

By Dr. James Danoff-Burg, Director of Conservation

Photo courtesy O. Rentsen

Argali sheep at Ikh Nart Nature Reserve

Responding to an urgent call to action for conservation in the Asian high desert, The Living Desert has established a new partnership with Mongolian Conservation Initiative (MCI) to implement holistic conservation in the Gobi Desert steppe ecosystem of southeastern Mongolia to ensure both nature and humans thrive. This is a unique opportunity for The Living Desert to partner with a long-established, globally recognized conservation success story, and to help expand it by more pointedly addressing the threats to biodiversity and human well-being. The partnership’s combined holistic approach to conservation will amplify and extend the work of MCI, headed by long-time leader Gana Wingard, to implement science-based, community-led conservation work in Ikh Nart Nature Reserve, Mongolia.

OUR PARTNER IN HOLISTIC CONSERVATION

The Mongolian Conservation Initiative is a non-profit organization led by an interdisciplinary and ambitious Mongolian team that has been working to foster

relationships, conduct applied research, and support community-led conservation in Ikh Nart for over 20 years. Within that time, the MCI team — with support from local and international partners — has conducted extensive biological and ecological studies, resulting in over 150 research and management publications.

The MCI team has also implemented successful conservation strategies that support reserve management and herder communities to improve wildlife populations and promote community support in conservation. However, the increasing threats from climate change and overgrazing within their desert steppe grassland ecosystem has left MCI with a critical need for a mutually beneficial partnership with The Living Desert to advise and collaborate, ensuring the sustainability of the conservation work in Ikh Nart.

Desert steppe grassland ecosystems protect globally important biodiversity, play a critical role in mitigation and adaptation to climate change, and directly

The desert landscape of Ikh Nart

support the livelihoods of many human communities. However, they are one of the most threatened ecosystems on Earth due to the ease of conversion for human agricultural use. This is especially true in Mongolia, where nearly 70% of grasslands are degraded because of increased drought, expansion of mining, and overgrazing. This is threatening the ecosystem’s unique biodiversity and its role in the cultural heritage, livelihoods, and well-being of nomadic herding communities.

COLLABORATION ACROSS TWO DESERT ECOSYSTEMS

Within this mutually beneficial partnership, The Living Desert team brings global conservation expertise in ecosystem restoration, biodiversity research, curriculum creation, public outreach, and community-

led conservation. Especially exciting is the opportunity to support several of The Living Desert’s species in their native range. The cinereous vulture (Eurasian black vulture), golden eagle, eagle owl, and argali sheep — close relatives of our native bighorn sheep — all live within Ikh Nart Nature Reserve. Both teams are eager to help save these species in Mongolia and involve The Living Desert’s staff in joint projects.

Moving seasonally across the landscape in search of pasture for their livestock herds, nomadic herder communities within Ikh Nart have served as stewards of these important ecosystems and wildlife for centuries and continue to play an integral role today. This summer, The Living Desert's Conservation Department will begin to work directly with Ikh Nart herder communities, researchers, reserve managers,

Clockwise from right: Ikh Nart local herder with his domestic sheep and goats. A breeding pair of cinereous vultures at their nest. An eagle owl at Ikh Nart Nature Reserve. Local horsemen are an integral part of the community-based wildlife capture, tag, and release efforts.

Photos courtesy: O. Rentsen (vultures, owl); Jack Kerivan (horseman); Alix Morris (herder)

and school leadership in their priority communities to take action to conserve wildlife locally. The Living Desert team will also assist with ecological restoration components and with assessment and prevention of livestock-wildlife disease transmission in Ikh Nart. To build a capacity of Ikh Nart reserve managers, the teams will work with experts in California protected areas to provide specialized training for Mongolians coming to Palm Desert through the partnership.

A LEADER IN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

The Living Desert is thrilled to welcome Gana Wingard to our conservation team! With over twenty years of field conservation experience and two master’s degrees, her impressive and effective leadership will be an essential part of the partnership. In 2020, the President of Mongolia issued Gana the Polar Star Award in recognition of her significant contribution to wildlife conservation, leadership, bilateral cooperation, and building capacity of wildlife conservationists for Mongolia. “Ikh Nart has been recognized as the best holistic conservation site in Mongolia because of its truly dedicated and inspired team members, including local herders, rangers, researchers, teachers and managers,” said Gana. The Living Desert is fortunate to work with Gana in the leadership role at MCI.

We’re certain that this partnership will not only result in the successful conservation of wildlife, ecosystems, and herder livelihoods in Mongolia, but will serve as a model for how international partnerships can amplify community-led and holistic conservation initiatives world-wide. Look forward to many more exciting updates as we go forward!

Located on the northern edge of the Mongolian Gobi Desert, Ikh Nart Nature Reserve compasses 160,000 acres of critical grassland steppe and desert ecosystems. Within this space, the Reserve protects an essential pasture for 150 nomadic herding families as well as many native animals, including:

• 40 mammal species

• 200 bird species

• 7 reptile species

A Cold Desert?

While most think of deserts as hot and dry, desert biomes also include semi-arid, coastal, and cold climates. This area of the Gobi Desert has a habitat similar to the Mojave Desert, however its elevation and location contribute to weather extremes of long, cold winters and hot summers.

The continental, arid climate supports a landscape of rocky outcrops and desert steppe — dry, grassy plains. With its unique terrain and location, Ikh Nart protects one of the best hotspots of biodiversity in central Asia.

Ikh Nart Nature Reserve

Photos courtesy: O. Rentsen (Wingard, ibex)

Mongolian Conservation Initiative leader Gana Wingard

CHINA

MONGOLIA

foxpaws | SUMMER 2023 7

Desert

Tortoises Next Steps TAKE

At the end of March, 69 desert tortoise hatchlings, who were housed at The Living Desert for the previous seven months, made the big transition from their indoor rearing home at the Tennity Wildlife Hospital to their outdoor rearing facility at Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB). As we like to say, they graduated! The tortoises’ transition to EAFB is the intermediate step on their journey back out into their native range. In collaboration with San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA), EAFB, and the U.S. Geological Survey, this multi-step headstart program gives the young desert tortoises a better chance for survival by facilitating accelerated growth and hardening their protective shells, leaving the tortoises less vulnerable to predation.

GROWTH IS KEY

At The Living Desert, the hatchlings were housed inside within temperature-controlled habitats, provided with burrows in which to retreat, and fed a nutrient-rich diet. During that time, they grew about four times as fast as they would have on their own in the wild. Desert tortoises are ectotherms — animals whose body temperatures depend on external sources like sunlight or windchill — and their growth rates

Emily Lou

are highly variable due to climate, environment, and genetic factors. However, this growth rate is a key component to the conservation of desert tortoises as research shows a positive correlation between increased body size and post-release survival.

To optimize growth and maturity rates, The Living Desert and The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance embarked on a new approach to headstarting, a hybrid of indoor and outdoor rearing. Past studies have shown that tortoise hatchlings have the best chance of survival if they are released with a carapace (the top part of the shell) being 100mm or larger. Tortoises, being long-lived animals who reach ages of over 80 years, take a long time to mature. Accelerating the growth process is paramount to raising multiple clutches of hatchlings in consecutive years, which is necessary to restore dwindling wild populations of desert tortoises.

PREP FOR TRANSPORT

The Living Desert was uniquely equipped to provide the optimal indoor environment for expedited growth during a strategic seven-month period, directly after the tortoises hatched. In preparation for their return

Desert tortoise hatchlings transition from The Living Desert to an outdoor rearing facility as part of a collaborative program to increase the population of this critically endangered species.

By

Thomas, Lead Conservation Biologist

Emily Lou Thomas, Lead Conservation Biologist at The Living Desert, moves the desert tortoises to their new outdoor rearing facility at Edwards Air Force Base for the next phase of the headstart program.

The desert tortoises were each fitted with a black temperature logger to study temperature preferences, as well as a white marker for easy identification while the team views mounted video footage for further research.

to the protected outdoor rearing facility at EAFB, each tortoise was examined by The Living Desert veterinary staff for appropriate growth, weight, signs of injury or ailments, and basic body condition. Incredibly, all 69 hatchlings survived and were cleared for transport to the outdoor facility! Even in optimal settings with extremely knowledgeable and experienced staff, it is rare that all hatchlings would survive their first seven months, let alone mature to the point where all would be cleared to return to an outdoor setting.

In addition to the veterinary checks, the teams needed to complete several other tasks to get the hatchlings ready for transport. These outdoor habitats are equipped with mounted cameras that capture video footage of the

hatchlings. To identify individuals, each tortoise was fitted with a white mark in a specific location on their carapace. Each hatchling was also paired with a small temperature logger so that researchers could begin collecting temperatures of the animals immediately upon entering the outdoor habitat, giving the science community insights into habitat use and preferences in a setting more akin to one of a wild tortoise.

STRATEGIC STUDIES

While at The Living Desert, the hatchlings’ temperature preferences were studied, coupled with thermal imaging, in a controlled environment. The data collected, though yet to be published, seems to support that most hatchlings had similar temperature preferences and that external temperature might be a reliable alternative to

more invasive methods. An exciting implication is that scientists can use less invasive tactics to still obtain accurate thermography data, giving them insights into tortoise habitat use, health, and behavior.

A behavioral study in which hatchlings were exposed to novel objects will give insights into individual behavior traits such as boldness. The video footage captured by researchers of the hatchlings interacting, or not interacting, with varying objects will be used to analyze individual tortoises' behaviors. Recordings can be compared to those of the hatchlings’ mothers, who completed the same trials, to better understand the heritability of behavior traits. Footage analyses can also provide correlations to the hatchlings’ responses to predators, once they begin predator avoidance

Teams from The Living Desert and the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance in the protected outdoor rearing facility. Netting will help to keep the growing desert tortoises safe from raven predation.

trials at EAFB, and survival success after they are released back into the wild.

Having matured in an indoor setting, these hatchlings are naive to the predators that plague wild tortoises. As the hatchlings acclimate to life outdoors, the SDZWA staff will take the tortoises through a series of trials, teaching them a healthy fear of predators, especially ravens and coyotes. These two predator populations have increased drastically in response to extra resources provided — often unknowingly — by humans. Shockingly, only about 2-3% of wild desert tortoises live to adulthood, with higher mortality rates at young ages. As hatchlings, they have soft shells that make them easy prey to ravens and coyotes, who have learned to break through tortoises' shells. By pairing

the scent and model of a coyote or the sound and replica of a raven to an unpleasant experience, researchers can teach headstarted tortoises to fear their top predators without having the actual lifethreatening experience. In this way, the hatchlings will gain the experience of a wild tortoise while being kept in a safe environment where they can continue to mature and form harder, thicker shells for better protection. Once training is complete at the outdoor rearing facility, the hatchlings will be released back into the desert at Edwards Air Force Base and fitted with radio trackers to allow further monitoring and research.

A CRITICAL DESERT SPECIES

Desert tortoises roamed the Earth long before humans and have evolved to thrive in a harsh desert environment. They are a unique

desert species in that they provide homes for myriad other desert species such as rabbits, snakes, foxes, and even burrowing owls. Well adapted at digging deep, well-constructed burrows, tortoises often create safe havens for other animals in the desert that require refuge from the summer heat and safety from predators. Desert tortoises play a critical role within their ecosystems, however in recent years, scientists have stopped seeing young and juvenile tortoises on the landscape. Likely in part due to increasing predator populations, few hatchlings survive to adulthood.

To help save this species — and in turn support the ecosystems in which they live — The Living Desert and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance took this unique rearing opportunity to learn more about the youngest age class of desert tortoises. The knowledge gleaned from these studies will help better inform conservation practices in the future and give tortoise hatchlings a higher chance of survival. As the headstart hatchlings demonstrated, safe and climate-controlled habitats, ample food, and expert care create the perfect combination for dramatic growth. The 69 hatchlings are now acclimatizing to life back in the desert and learning to keep themselves safe. Having grown drastically in the last seven months, we wish them a happy graduation as they embark on the next chapter of their story.

With the success of these desert tortoise hatchlings, The Living Desert is eager to participate in this collaborative conservation program once again. A new cohort of headstart hatchlings are expected to arrive at The Living Desert this fall!

During the indoor phase of the headstart program at The Living Desert, the tortoises quadrupled in size and developed a thicker, more protective carapace (shell) thanks to a nutrient-rich diet and temperature-controlled environment.

RHINO RESEARCH

The Living Desert is participating in an ongoing, nationwide study to holistically examine rhinoceros well-being and care.

By Jared Moeller, Animal Care Curator

Nia and Jaali, The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens’ two critically endangered black rhinos — along with their caregivers — are participating in an exciting effort to increase our collective understanding of rhinoceros. The American Institute of Rhinoceros Science (AIRS) is a coalition of rhino experts across North America, many of whom are affiliated with Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) institutions. This collaborative team of researchers is seeking to understand how different environments might play a role in rhino health and well-being under human care. The project primarily focuses on black rhinos like Nia and Jaali, as well as white rhinoceros, the other African rhino species. This three-year collaboration includes a total of 63 institutions and over 190 black and white rhinos.

The AIRS project is split into four pillars of research: physical fitness, reproduction, well-being, and iron storage. Because much of the information will overlap and many tests apply to all four pillars, the goal is to examine rhino care on a holistic level. The research team is in the process of collecting two behavioral and husbandry related surveys aimed at providing a detailed look at how we care for our rhinos at The Living Desert. The AIRS study will also examine blood samples to determine rhino baseline values such as mineral and vitamin levels. Perhaps one of the most exciting tests in which Nia and Jaali are participating is activity monitoring. They have been trained to

wear a bracelet that acts similarly to a Fitbit fitness tracker. This data will tell us how active the rhinos are throughout a 24-hour period. The device is even able to determine if a rhino is running or walking and what areas of their habitats they use most.

PHYSICAL FITNESS

The most elaborate assessment will come from the physical fitness pillar. This aspect of the study examines how to evaluate the physical fitness of a rhino and how their fitness levels and overall health may vary across a variety of management systems. One means of determining fitness is to accurately measure body fat. But how do we do that with a rhino? AIRS is using several different techniques to examine how useful each method — such as physical body measurement, electrodes signals, and body condition — scores.

WELL-BEING

With the goal of continuing to improve the well-being of rhinos and other animals in human care, the well-being pillar is aimed to answer critical questions addressing behavioral and environmental factors. What is the activity level of the animals throughout a 24-hour period and how does this equate to their well-being? What do rhinos do with novel objects and how do they react or not react with those objects? To help answer questions like these, AIRS is performing behavioral observations of rhinos. This ranges from simply observing rhinos

Left and far left: A fitted anklet device monitors the rhinos' activity levels over a 24-hour period. Above: Precise amounts of deuterated water is given to the rhinos at designated times as a way to measure body fat through blood samples.

like Nia and Jaali as they go about their normal day, to setting up cameras for nighttime observations.

With the goal of providing continued well-being for the rhino in human care, the study is aimed to answer critical questions addressing behavioral and environmental factors. While AIRS focuses only on rhinoceros, the techniques being verified and examined in the study have the potential to be used for well-being improvement on other species, ranging from small animals to elephants, depending on the test.

REPRODUCTION

Understanding rhino reproductive cycles is a vital aspect of managing the sustainability of rhino populations in human care. The first step is investigating the hormone cycling status of the female rhino population, allowing comparison across different management strategies. To do this, AIRS examines blood and fecal samples to establish hormone profiles over time, these are valuable for tracking reproductive health and estrus in preparation for breeding introductions.

IRON STORAGE

The last pillar of the study is looking at ways to diagnose excessive storage of iron in rhino body tissues.

Though it is not a fully understood phenomena, black rhinos over-accumulate iron in their tissues, which can lead to health problems such as Iron Overload Disorder (IOD). This cumulative disorder affects the liver and can potentially cause issues such as immune disorders and stress intolerance, among other things. IOD is difficult to diagnose while a rhino is alive, so AIRS is examining non-invasive methods of diagnosis.

As part of this assessment study, Nia and Jaali’s animal care team has been diligently training the rhinos to voluntarily participate in this study. One of the highest priorities of the AIRS team is voluntary participation which lets the rhinos take part in their care, such as allowing blood draws to be taken, much like people at the doctor. Nia and Jaali have both already participated in the first of two on-site visits from AIRS scientific biologists. Both rhinos fully participated in the onsite testing and the process went very smoothly. This innovative study is very exciting and a great opportunity for The Living Desert to collaborate with colleagues around the country to better understand rhinoceros biology and care.

The AIRS study was made possible by a grant from

Physical examinations and measurements are part of overall rhino care and also serve as training for voluntary participation.

Supporter Spotlight

By Lindsay Jarvis, Staff Writer

With a true passion for animals, education, and conservation, volunteer and donor Lynne Rudnick has been greatly involved with The Living Desert since 2009. Donating not only monetarily, but also her time and special gift for engagement, Lynne continues to be an integral supporter of the Zoo.

In 2008, Lynne moved to the desert from the San Fernando Valley after retiring from a 37year career with Los Angeles Unified School District, where she worked as a teacher and within various administrative roles. After coming to The Living Desert for the first time, Lynne quickly became a member and then a regular volunteer. “It wasn’t until after I really started volunteering that I realized how much of an

extension it was from what I had been doing my whole career,” says Lynne. Though her classroom no longer has four walls, Lynne continues to educate her students — which now comprise Zoo guests of all ages.

Throughout the last 14 years, Lynne has been an essential part of The Living Desert volunteer program, working in numerous positions including Conservation Ambassador and animal handler. In her role as Conservation Ambassador, Lynne shares The Living Desert’s story of creating the Rhino Savanna for Jaali and Nia, our two black rhinos; as well as the Zoo’s ongoing conservation efforts in Africa. She can also be seen throughout the park with various animals, greeting guests and sharing information about

unique species. Lynne notes that engaging with the public is her favorite part about being a volunteer — from watching people’s expressions when they see different animals to sharing the many conservation projects of The Living Desert.

Lynne’s support also includes her continued attendance at the Gala events since at least 2010, annual and monthly giving, Heritage Society Membership, and donating to the Mission Animal Care Campaign — which was The Living Desert’s fundraising and engagement campaign during the pandemic. Through generous donations like these, The Living Desert is able to provide the highest level of care for our animals and share the unique stories of desert ecosystems with guests every day.

Volunteer and donor

Lynne Rudnick with Earlina, the western chuckwalla

Cat Conservation Collaboration

Through concerted efforts of multiple institutions, reproductive biology is used to further species populations of vulnerable cats.

By Lindsay Jarvis, Staff Writer

During a visit in March 2023, team members from the Cincinnati Zoo's Lindner Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) partnered with The Living Desert veterinary and animal care staff to collect sperm from male sand cats.

As leaders in small cat conservation, The Living Desert is thrilled to be part of collaborative efforts in reproductive biology to help strengthen species populations in human care. Both the sand cat and black-footed cat are threatened by issues such as habitat loss, climate change, and the illegal pet trade. These small predators, along with a much larger one — the jaguar — were recently part of a semen banking project where specimens were collected and frozen as part of a collaborative program with Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services grant #MG-245393-OMS-20.

Over two visits, Dr. Lindsey Vansandt and other team members from Cincinnati Zoo’s Lindner Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) came to The Living Desert’s Tennity Wildlife Hospital & Conservation Center and worked with our veterinary team for specimen collection of a black-footed cat, six sand cats, and our jaguar, Memo. These specimens were frozen and can be used for future artificial insemination (AI), allowing for gene preservation, and increased genetic diversity within a population. Once frozen, the samples may be used at a much later date if needed, acting as a “back-up” should a species be no longer able to naturally reproduce.

Desert Carnivore Conservation Center

The Living Desert’s Desert Carnivore Conservation Center (DC3) is a behind-the-scenes care facility that focuses on research, breeding, and conservation for small desert carnivores such as the black-footed cat, sand cat, and fennec fox. The DC3 has seen several significant births so far, all part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) cooperatively managed Species Survival Plan® (SSP) programs. While the DC3 is not open to the public, guests at The Living Desert can now see many of its residents in a habitat located on the African Safari pathway, across from the African painted dogs. This gives the animals an opportunity to experience new spaces and stimuli and allows the guests to learn about these incredible species. Depending on the day, you may see either a black-footed cat, sand cat, or a fennec fox in the habitat. To learn more about the newly born fennec fox triplets at DC3 as well as other recent Zoo births, see page 21.

To further help with human care management — and ultimately wild population management — in one of the least-known small cats, The Living Desert is proud to be a financial supporter of a collaborative research project specifically focused on artificial insemination (AI) for the vulnerable black-footed cat. Successful AI in this species has not yet been achieved, mainly limited by the lack of females available for study. In partnership with Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, this proposal aims to perform three to five black-footed cat AI procedures during the next three years using both fresh and cryopreserved spermatozoa. While blackfooted cat conservation efforts will continue to focus on breeding, these advances in assisted reproductive technologies will aid in sustaining their small human care population.

The Living Desert looks forward to future reproductive biology collaborations and to seeing the outcomes of possible artificial insemination births yet to come.

Black-footed cat

Jaguar

Spotlight on Spots ANIMALS IN FOCUS

Monarch Butterfly

The bold markings on monarch butterflies act as a warning to potential predators. To distinguish between male and female monarch butterflies, look for two distinctive black spots on the hind wings — these are scent glands and only present in males.

Leopard Tortoise

Unique to each individual, the markings on the aptly named leopard tortoise include black spots, blotches, and dashes covering their domed carapace.

Comparing Spotted Cats

JAGUAR

Jaguars have larger, rose-shaped markings on their backs called rosettes. On a jaguar, these rosettes have smaller, solid spots in the center. Their head, lower limbs, and belly are covered in smaller, solid spots.

Mountain Lion

Some species are born with spots that disappear as they age. As cubs, mountain lions are covered with dark spots to help them blend into their surroundings for protection. Their spots usually fade around the age of 6 to 9 months, when cubs start learning to hunt.

Giraffe

Spots on a giraffe differ between subspecies and no two giraffe will have the same coat markings. Their spots (or patches) also likely help to camouflage the giraffe, allowing them to blend in against the savanna.

Helmeted Guineafowl

Though the spots or speckles covering the helmeted guineafowl’s body are clearly visible up close, they appear mottled from far away and likely serve as a form of camouflage amid their savanna or shrub surroundings.

Gila Monster

The venomous Gila monster delivers an extremely painful bite. Vibrant spots or blotches of orange, yellow, or pink stand out against their black bodies, likely warning other animals to stay away.

AMUR LEOPARD

Leopards also have rosettes on their backs. However, leopards’ rosettes lack the small, solid spots in the center.

CHEETAH

While jaguars and leopards have rosettes, cheetahs have smaller, solid spots covering their entire body — eventually merging into stripes or rings around the tail.

WILDFILE

Welcome to the Pack

Meet Soleil Ellen, a three-year-old female Mexican grey wolf. After giving Soleil Ellen some time alone on habitat, she was introduced slowly to our two males, Paul Newman and Drew Hudson, in mid-March. Since then, the three wolves have been getting to know each other and enjoying their new pack. Currently, there is not a breeding recommendation for our wolves, so the three will live together as companions.

Rhino Procedure Success

On May 5, an expert team of veterinary and animal care professionals successfully completed a diagnostic exam on Nia, the nearly 5-year-old black rhino. The goal was to learn more about a chronic, intermittent wound in the tissue under her jaw that has been present since before her arrival at The Living Desert in October 2021. This detailed diagnostic exam was required to determine the cause and develop an effective treatment plan. The team is waiting for results from several diagnostic tests and are continuing to flush the wound site daily. Nia will continue a round of long-term antibiotics and the area has been swabbed for another bacterial culture. Nia is doing well and continues to train with her animal care keepers.

Soleil Ellen, the Mexican Wolf

Nia

Spring's New Arrivals

Fennec Fox

At the Desert Carnivore Conservation Center (DC3), a behind-the-scenes care facility that focuses on research, breeding, and conservation for small desert carnivores, three fennec fox kits were born in late March. Their birth is the result of a recommendation from the fennec fox Species Survival Plan® (SSP). They recently received their well-baby exam and first round of vaccinations. Living with their parents behind the scenes, everyone is in excellent health. This set of triplets, consisting of three females, is the third litter born at The Living Desert within the last year.

Waldrapp Ibis

In late April, three waldrapp ibis chicks joined our flock! Also known as northern bald ibis, these unique birds are endangered with only 200 to 249 estimated mature adults left in the wild, making each birth significant. These births are the result of a recommendation from the northern bald ibis Species Survival Plan® (SSP), helping the sustainability of their species. We look forward to seeing this fuzzy trio mature!

Chacoan Peccary

The Living Desert welcomed its third litter of Chacoan peccaries on May 9. A recent well-baby exam confirmed one male and two female offspring. These births are the result of a Species Survival Plan® (SSP) recommendation. With less than 3,000 individuals left in their native range and a decreasing population, this species is endangered. Since 1980, the SSP and Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) funded conservation management at Proyecto Tagua in Paraguay are the only efforts protecting the Chacoan peccary in nature and in human care. We are proud to be part of this important program and play a role in preventing species extinction.

Fennec fox kits during a well-baby exam

Waldrapp ibis chicks

Chacoan peccary offspring during a well-baby exam

JUNE-AUGUST

EVENTS CALENDAR SUMMER/FALL 2023

Summer Hours

June 1

From June 1 through September 30, The Living Desert will be open from 7:00am1:30pm daily, with last admission at 12:30pm. During summer hours, the carousel and hiking trails will be closed through September 30.

ZooCamp

Select Weeks in July and August

Wild adventure awaits campers K-9! Summer ZooCamp will run on select weeks in July and August from 8:00am-12:00pm for 3-day sessions, Tuesday through Thursday.

Registration is now open; advance registration is required at LivingDesert.org/ZooCamp.

Members: $225 | Non-members: $250

New Volunteer Orientation

July 8

Join The Living Desert’s wonderfully wild team of volunteers! A variety of positions and shifts are available.

Advance registration is required: LivingDesert.org/Support/Volunteer

Teacher Appreciation Day

August 12

Calling all teachers: We are wild about you! To celebrate the teachers who make up our communities, we're inviting you to join us for Teacher Appreciation Day at the Zoo.

Advance registration is required: LivingDesert.org/TeacherDay

SEPTEMBER–DECEMBER

Job Fair

September 23

Join the team making a difference for wildlife and wild places! Learn more about current job openings in various full time, part time, and seasonal positions at The Living Desert. Employment opportunities span across many teams, including administration, animal care, horticulture, food and beverage, maintenance, and retail.

To learn more, visit LivingDesert.org/ Careers.

Season Hours Return

October 1

The Living Desert returns to regular seasonal hours of 8:00am-5:00pm daily, with last admission at 4:00pm. At this time, the hiking trails and carousel will also return to regular hours.

Howl-O-Ween

October 28-29

This daytime, seasonal event returns for a wonderfully wicked Halloween celebration with family-friendly activities.

WildLights

November 21 — Member Preview Night Select Nights, November 22-December 30

The Living Desert’s cherished holiday tradition returns for its 31st season with a dazzling display of sparkling lights, new features, and an exclusive 21+ evening. Tickets will go on sale mid-September; stay tuned for more details and information.

Keep cool

How do these critters stay cool in the desert heat? Match each animal to its warm weather behavior or adaptation, then find the animal names in the word search. Kids may need help from a parent, this is a challenging puzzle!

1 Small African mammal with thin fur that lies belly-down on a cool rock

2 Spotted African canine with large ears to dispel heat

3 North American reptile that spends months underground, living off fat stores in its tail

4 African megafauna that wallows in the mud

5 Horned African antelope with light colored coat to reflect the sun

6 Bird that uses a form of panting that involves “fluttering” the throat muscles and rapid breathing

7 Venomous North American reptile that slithers to a shady spot

8 Tiny bird that can slow metabolic functions and lower body temperature at night in a process called “torpor”

JOIN OUR HERD

We want to thank all of our new and renewing members who have supported us this past season. Year after year, your membership provides The Living Desert with a reliable and renewable source of support. You help give our animals and gardens the best possible care and help support our mission of desert conservation through preservation, education, and appreciation.

Observing some of the world’s endangered desert plants and animals in a natural setting is truly a unique experience. In the coming season, we hope you can enjoy the many valuable member benefits that come with being a member of The Living Desert. Not a member yet? Join today!

47900 Portola Ave.

Palm Desert, CA 92260

Cuvier's Gazelle