FOR MEMBERS OF WOODLAND PARK ZOO • SPRING 2021
FROM YOUR ZOO, WITH LOVE HOOF IT INTO SPRING!
N, ! O I U DIT R YO E L O TA ST F I G JU DI O| Spring MYZOO Member Magazine 2021 | zoo.org 1 O Z MY
MYZOO MEMBER MAGAZINE WOODLAND PARK ZOO 5500 Phinney Avenue North Seattle, Washington 98103 MAIN ZOO LINE: 206.548.2500 GENERAL EMAIL: zooinfo@zoo.org MEMBERSHIP EMAIL: membership@zoo.org www.zoo.org ZOO HOURS: Visit zoo.org/visit for hours and pricing.
FROM THESE SAVE THE DATE | JULY 9, 2021
2/ 3 vertical ad space 5.27” x 10.5”
Alejandro Grajal, PhD, President and CEO Sheri Horiszny, Chief Operations Officer Michele Smith, Chief Financial Officer 2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS Sandy Stelling, Chair Anders Brown, Vice Chair Laurie Stewart, Treasurer Pallavi Wahi, Secretary Matt Rosauer, Immediate Past Chair DIRECTORS Linda Allen Katie Bellows Warren Brown Stacey Campbell Irwin Goverman Angela Griffin Rosemarie Havranek Marlon Herrera Bill Hilf Matt Hill Holly Hirai Jeff Leppo Katie Matison Shelley McKinley Brian Mulvaney Larry Phillips Robert Plotnick
Molly Presley Fred Rivera Kyle Rolfe Kevin Schofield Diane Shrewsbury Bryan Slinker Ethan Stowell Stephanie True Jill Walker Courtney Wallace Joseph Woods Evan Wyman Ex officio Jesús Aguirre Alejandro Grajal Jeanne Kohl-Welles
MyZoo Spring 2021. Volume 23. Issue 1. Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA General Information: 206.548.2500 Membership Department and Address Changes: 206.548.2400, membership@zoo.org Editor-in-Chief: Kirsten Pisto, kirsten.pisto@zoo.org Design Direction: Kelly Hampson, kelly.hampson@zoo.org Photo Direction: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, jeremy.dwyer-lindgren@zoo.org Contributing Writer: Elizabeth Bacher, elizabeth.bacher@zoo.org Designers: Meghan Payne, meghan.payne@zoo.org, Misty Fried, misty.fried@zoo.org, Kelly Hampson, kelly.hampson@zoo.org For Advertising Information: zoo.ads@zoo.org or 206.548.2625 Comments or questions? Write 5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103-5865 or email zooinfo@zoo.org Woodland Park Zoo is a City of Seattle facility managed and operated by the nonprofit Woodland Park Zoological Society. MyZoo (ISSN 2153-45659) is published quarterly for $6.00 per year for Woodland Park Zoo (WPZ) members from membership dues by WPZ at 5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103-5865. Non-profit postage paid at Seattle WA. POSTMASTER send address change to: MyZoo, Woodland Park Zoo, 5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103-5865 All photos are property of Woodland Park Zoo unless otherwise noted. Woodland Park Zoo is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
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CONTENTS CONTENTS SPRING
FEATURES 8
Welcome Azul! Our newest tiger makes her home in Banyan Wilds.
12
Pollination Motivation Look to locals for pollinator inspiration in flora and fauna!
20
Meet the Farm! From sheep to steers, these family favorites are ready for spring!
ON THE COVER: Hera poses as the floofiest mountain goat. Photo by Dennis Dow, WPZ.
24
Animal Spotlight: Ostrich Teke and Mbuni rule the savanna
28
MyZoo Kids So much love! Go gaga for number problems and Valentines from your favorites.
6
Focus on Conservation: HUTAN
11
Membership Matters
15
Mountain Goats
18
5 Otterly Awesome Things
19
Pecos Bill, a Sweet Snake
26
Share the Love
27
Spring Reads
MYZOO Member Magazine | Spring 2021 | zoo.org   3
T H E PE R F E C T page horizontal ad space S E T TI N G F O R½ A 8” x 5.16”
REHEARSALS | WEDDINGS | RECEPTIONS | PARTIES 206.548.2590, brambleandwoodevents@zoo.org
www.zoo.org
ZOOPARENT RED PANDA ADOPTION SPECIAL Take home your very own fluff by symbolically adopting Tián and Zan, our twin red panda cubs. Adopt now and help fund the daily care and feeding of our twin cubs and all of the zoo’s inhabitants. Special available through April 30, 2021.
69
$
Actual plus
h may vary .
ADOPTION PACKAGE INCLUDES: • • • • • •
One red panda plush ½ page Personalized adoption certificate Species fact sheet, plus fun facts about Tián and Zan Animal photos ZooParent window decal Online recognition for one year
horizontal ad space 8” x 5.16”
Or, upgrade your adoption to the $100 level and receive two one-timeuse admission passes and your name on the ZooParent recognition sign on grounds for a full year, starting March 2022! ZooParent adoptions fund the daily care of the zoo’s animals and support programs that protect animals in the Pacific Northwest and around the world.
www.zoo.org/zooparent
Available through April 30, 2021
Find TiánMember and Zan on exhibit located the Temperate 4 MYZOO Magazine | Spring 2021 | in zoo.org
Forest, and visit zoo.org/zooparentspecial to adopt them!
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
Dear Friends, Thanks to our guests and members, our zoo remains an oasis of healing and a place to connect with nature in the urban jungle. The pride we share for our majestic natural landscape, the Pacific Northwest, imbues the care we take to ensure our zoo welcomes and restores everyone who visits. After one of the most difficult years in this zoo’s history, we are humbled and strengthened by the outpouring of support from you, our community.
WOODLAND PARK ZOO SAVES WILDLIFE AND INSPIRES EVERYONE TO MAKE CONSERVATION A PRIORITY IN THEIR LIVES.
Despite the many hardships Woodland Park Zoo has faced in the past year, we have also gained a renewed appreciation for who we are. We are the people who care for animals. No matter where they exist in the world. Our dedicated team of animal care professionals ensures all the creatures at our zoo receive the best care possible. Our Wildlife Conservation division and our global network of partners train and learn from communities on the ground to innovate and implement solutions for threats facing endangered species. Our Learning & Innovation division has adapted to provide educators and parents with ways to engage young students and spark their joy for animals and the natural world. While we continue to adapt to the changing guidelines and policies that help ensure the safety of every guest and animal in our care, we are also implementing changes in our zoo. This year, we are continuing work on the refreshed Living Northwest Trail. This transformation of the former Northern Trail will provide an inspiring showcase for the iconic species who define our home environment. As we prepare to open in phases over the next year, we'll bring you uplifting stories of Northwest conservation successes—from the zoo's own 30-year western pond turtle recovery project to solutions our community members are finding in their own neighborhoods. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do to support Woodland Park Zoo. This spring promises hope, and 2021 is a year of rebuilding and refinement. None of it would be possible without the immense support we continue to receive from our community. If you would like to ensure our zoo’s future, please consider making a gift at www.zoo.org/relief. Warmest regards,
Alejandro Grajal, PhD President and CEO
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E
stablished in 1998, HUTAN – Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Programme is a French nonprofit organization protecting wildlife in the Kinabatangan District of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo. HUTAN is securing a future for wildlife outside of protected areas by designing and implementing ways for people and wildlife to coexist peacefully. Work is done primarily in non-protected, degraded and fragmented habitats dominated by human activities (oil palm plantations, human villages and settlements) to support large-ranging species across entire landscapes. HUTAN comprises more than 80 dedicated men and women from the local Kinabatangan community.
From protecting caves where vulnerable swiftlets make their nests to building artificial bridges across waterways to guide orangutans safely to the other side, HUTAN protects the forests from canopy to floor.
THE WHO The HUTAN Environmental Awareness Program (HEAP) reaches over 10,000 students and teachers in rural villages and oil palm plantations every year. The program focuses on raising awareness of wildlife, the need to protect the environment, and how to manage and protect wild orangutan populations and their habitat.
FOCUS ON CONSERVATION In the Kinabatangan floodplain, HUTAN participates in efforts to re-create a forest corridor along the river by developing a systematic conservation planning framework that involves private stakeholders such as oil palm plantations, local communities and government agencies.
Are those plastic drums in the trees? Along the Kinabatangan River, in the trees, are a number of artificial nest boxes created to provide breeding opportunities for hornbills. Because of timber extraction, hornbills are having trouble finding suitable tree cavities for breeding, resulting in declining populations.
The Orangutan Research Unit (OURs) is following wild habituated orangutans at HUTAN’s intensive study site to determine how to sustain viable orangutan populations within degraded and fragmented landscapes. 6 MYZOO Member Magazine | Spring 2021 | zoo.org
THE HOW To facilitate movement through the ecosystem, the HUTAN teams set up artificial bridges with ropes and webbings to allow orangutans and non-swimmer animals to cross bodies of water. Due to the loss of large trees, the natural bridges used by these animals have disappeared. In addition to orangutans, macaques and proboscis monkeys use the bridges extensively, providing endless photo opportunities for tourists.
Forest fragmentation is a major threat to the survival of wildlife species. The HUTAN Reforestation Team is a group of 12 women dedicated to planting and maintaining forest linkages that reconnect key forest fragments. To date more than 200,000 trees are surviving, a 75% seedling survival rate in just the last three years.
In 2002, the Sabah Wildlife Department trained and appointed several Kinabatangan community members as Honorary Wildlife Wardens. Today, 24 HUTAN staff are empowered to conserve and manage natural resources, and protect the animals and forest by boat, car, helicopter, drone and simply being boots on the ground.
The Elephant Conservation Unit was created in 2003 to find ways to mitigate conflicts between people and elephants, and to help establish a peaceful coexistence.
HUTAN THE WHY HUTAN, with their Sabah partners, have increased the protected forest size across the State of Sabah. Today 28% of the land mass is fully protected, with the forests containing 80% of the entire orangutan population found in Sabah.
While orangutans cannot live in mature oil palm plantations, HUTAN’s observations show that they can survive in agricultural landscapes. Oil palm plantations can become part of the overall orangutan habitat as long as they retain patches of natural forest. A mixed mosaic habitat would enable resident females to establish their territory, and provide the right habitat for dispersing males to cross these landscapes to link isolated populations.
Close to 100 different orangutans have been observed for over 30,000 hours in an effort to understand how they live in fragmented and degraded landscapes. Currently, most orangutan populations in Borneo are found in non-protected areas, or areas that have been exploited by people in the past. MYZOO Member Magazine | Spring 2021 | zoo.org   7
MEET AZUL THE NEW
Azul shortly after arriving at Banyan Wilds. 8 MYZOO Member Magazine | Spring 2021 | zoo.org
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QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE! H
ave you heard? We have a new tiger in town! 5-year-old Azul arrived in Seattle in late 2020 from Bronx Zoo in New York City. Azul spent 30 days in quarantine under the watchful eye of our veterinary care team before being introduced to Banyan Wilds.
Azul explores her new home in Banyan Wilds.
The gorgeous Azul has an especially calm nature, partly because of her upbringing. The young tiger was hand-raised because her mother was not providing suitable maternal care. However mellow Azul may be, she is still a fantastically fierce big cat and we are in awe of her very presence.
Azul has taken very well to her new animal keepers and has settled into the routine in her new home. The plan is that Azul will soon meet our 10-year-old Malayan tiger Bumi as the pair has a recommendation to breed from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ (AZA) Malayan Tiger Species Survival Plan. What is a Species Survival Plan? It is a cooperative, conservation breeding program across accredited zoos to help ensure a healthy, self-sustaining population of tigers. Led by experts in husbandry, nutrition, veterinary care, behavior, reproduction, and genetics, Species Survival Plans also involve a variety of other collaborative conservation activities such as research, public education, reintroduction and field projects. Bumi’s genetics are considered highly valuable, which is why he will be paired with Azul. Our long-term plan is to eventually have Malayan tiger cubs at the zoo, and we are excited to be part of the survival of this species. This would be the zoo’s first litter of Malayan tigers and our first tiger cubs since 2006. A truly endangered species: Malayan tigers are a bit smaller than Bengal tigers, and are found in the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests of the southern tip of Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia. There are only about 200 Malayan tigers left in the wild, which is why cubs are especially important to the survival of this species.
HOW YOU CAN HELP SAVE TIGERS AND THEIR HABITAT In an effort to save these iconic big cats from extinction, Woodland Park Zoo created a partnership in 2013 with Panthera and Rimba, an in-country field partner of the zoo, to launch the Malayan Tiger Conservation Project. This project is a 10-year initiative with the Terengganu State Government to protect tigers in and around Taman Negara National Park in Peninsular Malaysia. Visit www.zoo.org/tigers to learn more and join us in saving these incredible cats. Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, WPZ
Click here to watch footage of Bumi in action as he leaps to the top of his wobble tree for a beefy treat! Animal keepers encourage the cats’ natural behavior by providing special enrichment items to get them moving. MYZOO Member Magazine | Spring 2021 | zoo.org 9
WHERE DINOSAURS COME TO LIFE! This summer, experience the wonder of more than 20 life-sized dinosaurs in a completely immersive exhibit! Walk alongside the mighty T. rex, stretch like the tall brachiosaurus and learn more about all of your favorite prehistoric creatures at Dinosaur Discovery! #JURASSICWOODLANDPARK Special exhibition tickets on sale soon for summer 2021
Excavate more info soon at zoo.org 10  MYZOO Member Magazine | Spring 2021 | zoo.org
MEMBER
TIPS SPRING 2021
n ctio A e Tak
MEMBER DISCOUNTS: Membership gives you unlimited admission all year long, and these wild discounts when you visit, too: • 10% discount on all regular priced merchandise at ZooStores on site • 10% discount for food and beverages on site (does not apply to special events) • 10% discount on photo memories and caricatures on grounds And don’t forget to share your love of the zoo with friends and family! Annual Pass, Explorer Pass and Family Passport members get up to two half-priced guests per named adult per visit. Conservation Partner members get up to four half-priced guests per named adult per visit—plus four one-time-use guest passes—to share the zoo throughout the year at no additional cost!
HELPFUL TIPS: • Remember your membership cards and reservation confirmation: Speed up your entry process by bringing both your membership card(s) and confirmation email, and have them ready to be scanned when you approach the gate. • Hashtag #wpzmember and #thisishowwezoo: We love to see the memories you’re creating on your visit. Don’t forget to tag us and use the member hashtag to share your adventures on social media.
BE A CARNIVORE SPOTTER! We have officially closed the books on a successful first year of our Carnivore Spotter program. However, we still need your help tracking what wildlife you see in your own backyard. With spring around the corner, you might spot more activity from animals such as coyotes, raccoons and more. Check out our website, zoo.org/seattlecarnivores, on how you can get involved and to report your sightings.
• Check out Zoo to You zoo.org/zootoyou for fun activities for kids! We love the virtual backpacks filled with a different theme to create engagement during your next zoo trip!
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Photo by Satriver via Flickr
POLLINATION B
ees do it, birds do it, bats and bears too! Pollination is the act of moving pollen from the anther of a flower to the stigma. The birds and the bees and all that! Some plants can pollinate with a gentle breeze or a trickle of water, but others rely on animals and insects to move their pollen from stamen to pistil. The word “pollinator” has become a buzz word, pun intended, in the last few years as campaigns to save the bees are on the rise just as bee populations seem to be shrinking. We all know we rely on honey bees for, well delicious honey of course, but did you know bees pollinate everything from apples and cherries to pears and almonds—even the seemingly magical blackberry vines need pollinators to make that PNW deliciousness. We can all agree that tomatoes and raspberries are reason enough to help out pollinators, but our very own bee expert Erin Sullivan, entomologist
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Photo of a bumblebee on a thistle by Joe via Flickr
Hey honey bee! Photo by Stanze via Flickr
MOTIVATION and animal care manager, explains that protecting local bees is also just the right thing to do. “There are over 20,000 species of bees in the world. Many species of bees in the United States have been lowering in numbers, and while it does not mean they are listed as endangered yet, it's not a good trend. On January 10, 2017, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service placed B. affinis on the list of endangered species, making the rusty patched bumblebee the first bee to be added to the list in the continental United States (seven species of There are quite a yellow-faced bees native few threats to bees to the Hawaiian islands were added in 2016). including climate There are quite a few change, pesticide use threats to bees including change, pesticide and habitat loss being climate use and habitat loss being the most prominent. the most prominent. The
good news is that all of these threats can be addressed— which means we can work together to reverse their effects on bees and other pollinators,” says Sullivan. The Molbak’s Butterfly Garden will remain closed in 2021 due to COVID restrictions in early spring, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pollinate with us. In fact, it’s the perfect excuse to attract pollinators to your own neighborhood and yard. Getting to know the native bees, butterflies, and moths that will inevitably visit is a treat itself and something to be proud of. As you start to make plans for your backyard or window planters, here are a few resources that will have your garden buzzing with pollinators all summer!
Turn the page for tips you can take to help pollinators! MYZOO Member Magazine | Spring 2021 | zoo.org 13
The Pollinator Toolkit includes a guide for Care and Maintenance of Your Backyard Pollinators, tips on Finding the Right Plant for the Right Place, a DIY on How to Make a Simple Seed Ball (which we have to say is entirely satisfying) and the scoop on The Real Dirt About Soil. What’s that bee doing? We asked entomologist, Erin Sullivan, all the bee questions and her answers will make you fall in love with bumblebees (if you haven’t already) and provide amazing insight into pollinator-friendly tips for your balconies or gardens. Check out the Q and A with Erin here. Need some plant-spiration? Our horticulture team has a plant guide with your name on it. The easy to digest guide lists all the flowers and shrubs planted in our Molbak’s Butterfly Garden and Microsoft Pollinator Patio, along with images to get your inner landscape architect juices flowing. This is a great list to consider for your own yard and it’s already pollinator-approved!
A gorgeous pollinator-friendly garden in mid-August. Photo by Sara Morris via Flickr
Build a bee house! Gentle native bees love tunnel-nesting and bumblebees love teapots? We told you bumblebees are hard not to love. This native bee house toolkit has the 411 on making the perfect hideaway for your backyard favorites. Think fairy houses, but for fuzzy little buzzers. Favorite plants for pollinators, please? We asked our friends at Molbak’s to suggest their favorite picks for getting started with planting for pollinators and here are their expert suggestions. Save the bees. Besides offering a pollinator-friendly habitat, reducing pesticide use in your home and yard has a huge impact for tiny creatures. Insecticides harm pollinators by killing them directly and herbicides can affect them by killing wildflowers, an important food source. Here’s how not to do that. Kirsten Pisto, Editor Does it get any cuter than a fuzzy, gentle mason bee?
pollinator paradise
Invite these beneficial insects into your yard with plants they just can’t resist!
Achillea millefolium ‘Strawberry Seduction’
14 MYZOO Member Magazine | Spring 2021 | zoo.org (425) 483-5000 • 13625 NE 175th Street - in the heart of Woodinville Wine Country
POSTER PERFECT
MOUNTAIN GOATS A
tlin stands majestically silhouetted against a winter dusk on the Living Northwest Trail in the photo feature on the next page. The photo by zoo photographer Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren captured our imaginations and the rugged beauty of the PNW. Here, Atlin and Luna pose again as perfectly cloud-like atop the rocks. Luna, Atlin, Zeus, and Hera live together here at the zoo and are often found perched on the tip-top of the rocky outcrop.
Download this photo for your desktop or mobile screensaver at zoo.org/digital Watch footage of our goats on the Living Northwest Trail!
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1 Water, water everywhere! 1.2 million gallons of stormwater runoff is a lot! Thanks to our newly upgraded stormwater infrastructure project, nearly 100% of the rain that falls over the Otter parking lot will be slowly soaked back into the earth via a 100-foot long pipe underground. That means no runoff into the precious Puget Sound. #CleanWater
2 Whoa. A snow leopard’s tail can be as long as 40 inches. The thick, warm tail acts as extra insulation when wrapped around the cat, but also helps out when it comes to balancing on icy rocks.
3 Tree kangaroo update!
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Through innovative research including GPSand altimeter-equipped tree kangaroo collars and thermal aerial imagery, the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP) is collaborating with its research partners to analyze new data. Preliminary findings suggest that home ranges and behavior of radio-collared animals are showing healthy populations in the protected area, with a notable increase in tree kangaroo sightings around TKCP's Wasaunon research site. Learn more here.
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4 Lion sisters Kamaria and Ilanga’s names come from the Zulu language, with Kamaria meaning “moon” and Ilanga meaning “sun.” The sisters were named in honor of the total solar eclipse that happened shortly after their birth in July 2017.
5 Zoo to You! Did you know we have a bunch of fun activity sheets, coloring pages, crafts and nature-inspired prompts for young families at zoo.org/zootoyou? Check it out!
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PECOS BILL
THE SUPER SSSSSSSWEET SNAKE P
ecos Bill is a Trans-Pecos rat snake—a medium-sized non-venomous species native to the desert west of Texas’s Pecos River. He was named after the fictional cowboy, Pecos Bill, from old west folklore. Pecos Bill is 23 years old and has lived at Woodland Park Zoo almost his whole life! For most of that time, he lived quietly on exhibit in what used to be Woodland Park Zoo’s Day Exhibit—but he was safely evacuated over to the Ambassador Animals building when a 2016 fire destroyed the Day Exhibit. It was supposed to be a temporary move, but it became permanent after the Ambassador Animal keepers fell in love with him—they were completely charmed by his personality and he officially joined the Ambassador Animals team in the summer of 2017. You’d never guess that Pecos Bill hadn’t had much interaction with people, because he seems to relish the attention. His keepers tell us he is totally comfortable hanging out with people, seems very interested in watching everything that happens around him and always explores anytime they “move the furniture” in his house or add enrichment. Pecos Bill is almost 4 feet long, weighs in at about 2 pounds, and—like most of his species—is basically harmless unless you happen to be a mouse or other small critter. Snakes like him are great at helping to keep the rodent population in check. Our keepers say that every inch of this boy is super sweet, always relaxed and just the bestest snake ever!
Click here to watch Pecos Bill in action!
Elizabeth Bacher, Staff Writer Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren and Elizabeth Bacher
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FARM ANIMALS Our fuzzy, furry, flocked, fleeced and feathered friends!
W
oodland Park Zoo’s Family Farm is home to a diverse crew of domestics that are commonly found in a barnyard setting. Let’s meet some of our fuzzy, furry, flocked, fleeced and feathered farm friends! First things first—What is a domestic animal vs. a wild animal? A domestic animal is one that has been bred, over many generations—sometimes hundreds or even thousands of years—to live alongside humans for the purpose of providing meat, dairy products, eggs or to help work the land. Domestic animals are often quite different in both looks and temperament from the wild animals that are part of their genetic heritage—the same way that your house cat differs from an African wildcat or your poodle from a wolf.
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GOATS
SHEEP
It is believed that most domestic goats descend from an Asian species of ibex—and today there are hundreds of different breeds that provide people all over the world with resources like milk, cheese, meat, fur and skins.
Sophia and Lauren are sheep—a domestic breed called Dorpers. Sophia is black and white and sister Lauren is all white. Dorpers are a hardy kind of sheep that were originally bred in South Africa. They’re known for being easy to care for and they don't need to be clipped—or shorn—as often as other breeds of sheep. So basically, these 5-year-old sisters are low-maintenance girls.
We have around a dozen goats living at the Family Farm in two herds—a younger and an older group. They are a mixed bunch of several different breeds, including several Kinder goats—a northwest breed that originated on a farm in Snohomish, a Pygmy goat and a couple of Nubian goats. All of them are neutered males and each one has its own distinct personality. Adam is the “herd boss” of his group. He usually hangs with his friend Sparky and together they police the herd to make sure everyone is following proper goat social norms. Alistair is one of the most social goats and Samson is known for being gentle. Jax, the smallest of our goats, has one of the biggest personalities and is great at sparring, and Zephyr is good at knocking other goats off of the food pile so that he can get his fill—a bit of a troublemaker! Speaking of food, goats are browsers. They will eat leaves, twigs, vines, shrubs, bramble and more. Along with cows and sheep, goats are “ruminants,” which means they have fourchambered stomachs that produce a kind of bacteria which allows them to process a wide variety of leafy plant material. Our goats love to munch on a healthy “salad” of Timothy hay, carrots, parsnips and even roses—and we think all of them are the G.O.A.T.!
Sheep are grazers and herbivores. On working farms, grazers often feed out on meadows where they eat grasses, clovers and other short plants close to the ground. At the zoo, Sophia and Lauren love to munch on Timothy hay, rose petals (from our own Rose Garden), carrots, parsnips and special grain pellets for hoofstock. A good diet should always be balanced with a good exercise program, and our girls are no exception. They both wear “Fit Barks” on their collars (similar to the Fit Bits people use to track their steps) so that we can make sure they stay healthy and in good body condition. Their fitness program involves running from “point A” to “point B” sometimes with hurdles placed between them. Lauren is a pro at the hurdles—an athlete! Sophia, on the other hand, is not quite as much of a “fitness buff.” When she doesn’t feel like jumping the hurdles, her animal keepers tell us she will just kick them down and walk over them. We can relate, Sophia … we can relate!
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STEER When is a cow not a cow? When it’s a steer, of course! Male cows that are neutered at a young age are known as steer— and we have two miniature Jersey steers in the Family Farm. Rufous and Remy live in the yards next to the large barn. During the day they technically share that area with two of our miniature donkeys named Sam and Rico—but Rufous and Remy pretty much rule the roost, so as far as they’re concerned, the yard is theirs. Remy is the black steer and he is 4 years old. Rufous is rustcolored and will be 5 this April. Both of them are friendly and curious. Both of these boys are at their happiest when they’re being brushed! A bit of “spa treatment” from their dedicated animal keepers obviously feels pretty good and it is a great reward for training! These grooming sessions also give our animal care staff a chance to check them over for good health. From ears and teeth to hooves and tails... Rufous, in particular, also loves to lick things—and will lick almost anything that he can reach! It’s a behavior that comes naturally! Many ungulates—or animals with hoofs—are drawn to areas where the natural landscape has exposed areas of mineralized water, soil or rock faces. These areas are known as mineral licks or salt licks, and animals—both wild and domestic such as deer, horses, cattle and sheep— seek them out to get the minerals they need like calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and sodium. We have provided Rufous and Remy with their own mineral block—which they love—and they also love to dine on Timothy hay and a specialized nutrient-rich pelleted diet.
KUNEKUNE PIG What would a farm be without pig! Barkley is a kunekune pig—a domestic breed originally from New Zealand. Kunekunes are typically very hairy pigs and ours has a mix of black and brownish-orange splotches and spots. Barkley lived together with his brother Baxter until early January 2021 when Baxter passed away (we miss you Baxter). You could tell them apart because Barkley was larger and he has ears fringed in black hair. Pigs are very smart animals and they are very curious. Most pigs have a strong biological drive to use their snout to dig. It’s a behavior called rooting and pigs use those sensitive sniffers to dig out all kinds of yummy foods in the soil, from worms and bugs to, you guessed it, roots! Kunekune pigs are different than most in that they have shorter upturned noses that aren’t made for digging. They—like many of our other farm friends—are actually grazers and they love grass! Barkley likes to nibble and nosh on Timothy hay, which he can forage through all day, and a mix of lettuce, carrots, sweet potato and those specially formulated farm pellets. As a treat, he occasionally gets blueberries, which he seems to savor!
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CHICKENS Moving on to our feathered friends, have you met our chickens? Most domesticated chickens descend from junglefowl—a mostly ground-dwelling kind of bird native to south Asia. Woodland Park Zoo is home to three gorgeous chickens—each a different breed—named after some equally glamorous gals. Betty White is a Delaware chicken, Audrey Hepburn is an Ameraucana and Gina Lollobrigida is a Polish game hen. All of our clucky ladies are spring chickens—in that they will all turn 3 years old this spring. Betty, Audrey, and Gina sleep in the chicken barn during the night and have access to an outdoor area during the day where they can scratch, forage and do other chicken things. Chickens are mostly ground-dwelling birds—but Gina may not have gotten that message. The animal keepers tell us she tends to roost high up in the rafters at night, compared to the other two hens—and she will occasionally use their shoulders in the morning, as a touch point on her way to the ground. It can come as a bit of a surprise.
VIRTUAL FARM VISITS For the health and safety of our guests and as a way to minimize gatherings, the Family Farm is closed to the public right now … BUT there are still ways you can see all of our Farm friends and many of our other animals. They are all available to join your next virtual ZOOM meeting, gathering or happy hour! Get the details on our Call of the Wild program here.
All our girls eat a special pelleted diet formulated just for chickens and our keepers also give them corn scratch and clumps of fresh grass that our horticulture staff grows for them. They also get some ground-up oyster shells, which provide calcium they need to lay eggs. Occasionally there is a special treat of mealworms. YUM! We hear Betty loves them and is always first in line when mealworms are on the menu!
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ANIMAL SPOTLIGHT
OSTRICH (Struthio camelus)
Common Ostrich Range
O
ur next animal spotlight focuses on a species that can lay claim to so many superlatives—one of the largest, tallest, and fastest of its kind. Meet the bird that keeps watch over the African savanna—the ostrich. Ostriches are native to the plains, woodlands, grasslands and deserts of Africa. There are two species and several different subspecies that live in habitats throughout more than 10 countries, from South Africa up to the Sahel, which is the belt of land across the upper portion of the continent that marks the transition between its tropical southern regions and its deserts in the north.
AWESOME OSTRICH FUN FACTS • Females lay the largest eggs of any living land animal in the world—only dinosaurs produced larger ones. One ostrich egg is the equivalent of up to 25 chicken eggs! • Their eyes are big too—the largest of any land animal. They’re about 2 inches across! For comparison, a human eye is about 1 inch across. • An ostrich has powerful and muscular legs that allow it to cover between 10 to 16 feet in a single stride—and its kick is powerful enough to kill a lion! • At the end of those legs, this giant has two clawed toes. All other birds have three or four toes.
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Standing up to 9 feet tall, with long necks and gangly but muscular legs, ostriches are among the most recognizable of all birds. While their heads and necks are mostly bare except for some hair-like feathers, the body of a male ostrich is covered with distinctive, bold black and white plumes and females are mostly brown. With the biggest among them weighing in at well over 300 pounds, this giant cannot fly—but what it lacks in airborne ability, it more than makes up for in power on the ground. Ostriches can run at speed bursts of up to 40 miles an hour and more, making them the fastest land birds on Earth. One of the biggest myths about ostriches is the idea that they bury their heads in the sand when stressed or frightened. While this is not true, it is likely rooted in observations of a behavior that could easily be misinterpreted. Other than running, one of the ostrich’s go-to defense mechanisms when threatened is to lay flat and press their long necks to the ground in an attempt to become less visible. In nature, ostriches must constantly be on the lookout for predators, including lions, leopards, hyenas and African painted dogs—although a healthy adult ostrich can often outrun all of them except a cheetah. Females that are nesting can be especially vulnerable, though. And the nests themselves are often targets for predators like jackals, vultures, and mongooses which will go after the eggs or unguarded ostrich chicks.
Woodland Park Zoo is home to a wonderful pair of common ostriches. Technically, that’s the name of the species, but our two birds have unique personalities that make them anything but common. Teke, our female, is 10 years old and Mbuni, the male, is 11. In the wild, an ostrich can live to be 30 or 40 years old, but in human care they can live even longer. So even though Teke and Mbuni are full grown (they each weigh more than 300 lbs) they still have lots of living left to do. Weather permitting, you can find Teke and Mbuni foraging and exploring on our savanna. While they need not worry about predators, our couple do spend their days sharing the habitat with other animals like our zebras, Grant's gazelle, guinea fowl and giraffe—just like their wild cousins do. They don't necessarily interact much with the other savanna residents, but they are very curious and will usually go check out any action going on. Our ostriches do, however, like to interact with their awesome and dedicated animal keepers. While Mbuni can be somewhat aloof and assertive—normal behavior for a male ostrich—our animal care staff say that Teke is very sweet and will often greet them in the morning with soft Our animal care staff say clucking. The pair that Teke is very sweet and of them have a will often greet them in the morning routine that includes stretching morning with soft clucking. those powerful legs, and dancing around with spinning and wing flapping. Male ostriches will do elaborate dances when courting a female. Even though there are no nesting or parenting plans for our birds, Mbuni will still dance for Teke now and again—and he occasionally dances for our animal keepers too! Ostriches are omnivores and in the wild they mostly eat plants, especially roots, leaves and seeds—but they will also munch on insects, snakes, lizards or rodents that come within reach. When Mbuni and Teke are in their barn, they feast on a special kind of grain that meets all their nutritional needs. They also get a few heads of romaine lettuce, which they quite like—and we’re told they love an occasional treat of grapes. While on the savanna these two spend much of their time foraging for bugs, seeds and grass. So next time you visit, if you see Mbuni and Teke exploring around the savanna, you’ll know just what they’re looking for. Elizabeth Bacher, Staff Writer Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, WPZ and Lauren Sutherland-Cook, WPZ
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Share your favorite Woodland Park Zoo pics with us using #WoodlandParkZoo and we might feature your photo! Use #WPZMember to connect to other members! Follow us and stay connected to conservation stories, animal news and more! @woodlandparkzoo
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ZOO FAVORITES
SPRING 2021 BOOK LIST ZOO FAVORITES A book list for animal lovers, tree huggers, green geeks and wildlife warriors of all ages. Here are some of our recommended reads—old and new! A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future, by David Attenborough, 2020. Now at 94 years old, Mr. Attenborough offers a scientifically informed account of the changes occurring in the world that he has witnessed over the last century. In this, his latest book, the award-winning broadcaster and natural historian shares a lifetime of wisdom and a hopeful vision for the future. The Forest Unseen: A Year's Watch in Nature, by David George Haskell, 2012. This wonderful read was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the Pen/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award. In it, biologist David Haskell uses one single square meter of old-growth forest in Tennessee as a window into the entire natural world. Visiting it almost daily for one year to trace nature's path through the seasons, he brings the forest and its inhabitants to vivid life. Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls, by Paul Bannick, 2016. This award-winning book, featuring the Seattle-area author’s own stunning photography, uses beautiful images to show what it takes for each of the 19 species of owls in the U.S. and Canada to breed and survive through a year in their diverse habitats. Owl enthusiasts of specific species may also be happy to delve into two of Bannick’s newer offerings: "Snowy Owl: A Visual Natural History" and "Great Gray Owl: A Visual Natural History". Learn more at www.paulbannick.com
YOUNG ADULTS Ice Walker: A Polar Bear's Journey through the Fragile Arctic, by James Raffan, 2020. An original story about a polar bear’s precarious existence in the changing Arctic. Ice Walker follows Nanurjuk and her cubs over two years of life in the rapidly changing Arctic. This tale is a blend of natural and cultural history of the polar bear, woven into a story from the bear's point of view.
KIDLIT A Whale of the Wild, by Rosanne Parry, 2020. This novel, for young readers aged 8-12, takes place in our own backyard—the Salish Sea. It tells the story of an orca brother and sister who are separated from their pod and need to find their way back. Along the way, this story explores topics ranging from family bonds and helping others to climate change and survival. The Lost Words, by Robert Macfarlane with illustrations by Jackie Morris, 2017. Part poetry, part dictionary and all beautiful! This book came about when the author noticed many common words about nature had been dropped from the children’s dictionary— being replaced by words like blog, voicemail and smartphone. These “lost words” including acorn, dandelion, fern, kingfisher and willow are all brought back to life in the pages of this gorgeously illustrated book.
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IS OUR LOVE ADDING UP? Let us count the ways!
Gomez the penguin picked out 20 anchovies for his mate Mini. When Mini looked she only found 13. How many anchovies are missing?
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ADORABLE OTTER PILE
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What do otters love? Each other! Help them stay close by adding up their love. Level: Intermediate! Starting with the digits 1-6 on the bottom row, each number is the sum of the two box squares below it.
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COLOR
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COLOR BY NUMBERS and you’ll be feline fine, Valentine!
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CAN’T BUY ME LOVE It costs about $150 to feed the Humboldt penguin colony per day. How much does it cost to feed the colony for one year?
Cli the ck here an f this swers or pag to e!
Bonus: If there are 39 penguins in the colony, and Carlito is one of them, how much does it cost to feed Carlito each week?
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3 DIGITS: 342 437 448
rob air r it A th een a p u’ll hea are y o betw uins. Y en the ir h g e pen ften w ting th o a b incu nests.
4 DIGITS: 4337 5794 5947 6156 8143 5 DIGITS: 43562 47644 62127
Counting is important when it comes to keeping track of your colony and your eggs!
6 DIGITS: 213114 369764 469124
Level: Intermediate! Fill in the numbers to the right in the correct spaces based on the amount of digits.
7 DIGITS: 8722299 9431732
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2 DIGITS: 21 23 42 54 56 59
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CAN YOU COUNT TO 530? Follow these numbers to reveal our mane Valentine. MYZOO Member Magazine | Spring 2021 | zoo.org 29
MIMI'S START
A-MAZING PENGUINS! Help Humboldt penguins Mini and Gomez find their burrow. Along the way, the more anchovies they collect to help feed their chicks the better! Watch out for seagulls who might try to get to their nest.
MIMI AND GOMEZ'S NEST
GOMEZ'S START
Zebra and Red Panda up to 5 ft.
Mountain Goat up to 11 ft. Wallaroo up to 13 ft.
Jumping Stick 1.5 ft. Poison Dart Frog 0.5 ft.
START 0.0 ft.
1 ft.
Penguin 2 ft.
3 ft.
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Rat 4 ft.
8 ft.
.tf 9
A DO R Y L R E T I OT
E YOU
!
RHI YOU NO ’R ONE E THE FOR ME !
VALENTINE’S PALS
HON EY BE E - , WE LON G TOG ETHE R.
Match the Valentine to the animal you think it belongs to. Hint: Look for hidden clues.
E YS B A ALW IEND. L OW UR FR YO
I LIKE YOUR CATTITUDE .
H OW FA R C A N YO U LE AP?
Ostrich 14 ft.
Do you have a tape measure? Have a parent help measure the length of your leap, and compare it to the animals below.
Jaguar up to 18 ft.
.tf 31
15 ft.
16 ft.
.tf 71
.tf 81
Canada Lynx up to 23 ft.
21 ft.
22 ft.
24 ft.
25 ft.
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WOODLAND PARK ZOO 5500 Phinney Avenue North, Seattle, Washington 98103
back cover space 8” wide x 7.15” tall
Add a zoo animal to your next virtual meeting or party. 32 MYZOO Member Magazine | Spring 2021 | zoo.org