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Zoological Society of Milwaukee
Annual Report 2010-2011
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CEO Letter The mission of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee is to participate in conserving endangered species, to educate people about the importance of wildlife and the environment, and to support the Milwaukee County Zoo. 2010-2011 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jill Grootemat Pelisek Directors Thom Brown Paul Cadorin Michael G. Carter George Dalton Dr. Robert Davis Dave Eager Michael M. Grebe, Jr. Karen Hung Katherine Hust Michael T. Jones Karen Peck Katz Maria Gonzalez Knavel Joe Kresl Caroline Krider James Kuehn Thomas (T.J.) Marini Allen Martin Jack McKeithan Jay McKenna Kat Morrow * Chair of the Board
William M. Chester, Jr. Stephen M. Dearholt Tom Dempsey Richard A. Gallun Edward A. Grede John A. Hazelwood Robert A. Kahlor Quinn Martin Ann McNeer Sandi Moomey William G. Moomey Jeff Neuenschwander Bernard J. Peck Kurt W. Remus, Jr. Jay Robertson John W. Taylor Allen W. Williams, Jr. Paul Wong Bernard C. Ziegler III
Gina Alberts Peter Joan Prince, Ph.D. Scott Redlinger James C. Rowe Barry Sattell Kim Schaffer Rick Schmidt Billie Jean Smith Judy Holz Stathas David Strelitz Rich Tennessen* Brookellen Teuber** Gregory Wesley Jane Wierzba Ray Wilson Anne Zizzo
Honorary Directors William J. Abraham, Jr. John B. Burns ** Associate Board President
2010-2011 ASSOCIATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Meghan Shannon Directors Anthony Baish Deb Blommer Bill Bussler Matthew D’Attilio Cherie Eckmann Mary Ellen Enea Jennifer Fahey Darryll Fortune Joseph Frohna Gigi Gamboa Tami Scully Garrison George Justice Karen Loth Maureen Mack Pat McQuillan Kristin Occhetti Jim Olson Kent Oren Margie Paur
Peter Kordus Joe Kresl Quinn Martin Kat Morrow Katie Pionkoski Richard J. Podell Bunny Raasch-Hooten Arlene Remsik Barry Sattell Dan Schwabe Randy Scoville Judy Holz Stathas Jeff Steren David Strelitz James Szymanski Kathleen Toohey Jane Wierzba Ray Wilson
Michael Sheppard Tricia Shinners Brookellen Teuber* Peter Underwood Laura Vogt Eido Walny Ken Wein Mark Zimmerman
Honorary Directors Bob Anger David Batten Lori Bechthold Nora Dreske John Fleckenstein Mike Fox Linda Grunau Eli Guzniczak Lee Walther Kordus
Although zoos are for people of all ages, it’s undeniable they hold a special place in the hearts of children. Animals are some of the first living beings beyond their family that toddlers learn to identify; animal names are some of the first words they learn to say. We’re proud that in the 2010-2011 fiscal year the Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM), among other things, was able to invest in aspects of the Zoo that cater to children’s educational development and sense of fun and wonder. Our Kohl’s Wild Theater plays—made possible by a partnership with Kohl’s Cares—provide Dr. Robert Davis views upgrades conservation-themed theater performances using to the bonobo exhibit. drama, songs and puppetry to children and their families both at the Milwaukee County Zoo and within our community. Each play’s theme is developed by ZSM staff in conjunction with zookeepers and professional playwrights to create shows that instill conservation values in children – and adults. (See our education section.) The Munchkin Dairy Farm, located within the octagon Dairy Barn in the Northwestern Mutual Family Farm, underwent extensive renovation in 2011 to refresh its farm-friendly feel. It now features a child-sized barn, tractor, truck, and a life-size model cow (see page 4). The farm has exaggerated, inviting structures for children ages 2 to 6 to play on. What better way for children to learn about Wisconsin’s farming heritage than by playing “farmer” in a fantasy farmyard while real cows are being milked nearby! The Zoological Society also helped make significant upgrades to the bonobo exhibit area, thanks to a generous grant from an anonymous donor. The new bonobo outdoor exhibit opened in spring 2011. It has loops of mesh chutes, towers and “playrooms” ranging from 4 feet to 26 feet off the ground. Bonobos can engage with each other among the trees, in plain view of zoogoers. Our Creative Department completed new graphics and interactive displays in the public areas (see cover) at the indoor bonobo exhibit, which also was upgraded. Through videos, maps, a diorama of the ZSM Etate research station in the Democratic Republic of Congo and a model of a dugout canoe used in Congo research, visitors of all ages can learn about these endangered great apes. Ultimately a zoo is a place to learn. We’re proud that we continue to make improvements to the Zoo in ways that enhance our visitors’ educational experience.
Dr. Robert (Bert) Davis, Chief Executive Officer
CONTENTS
* President
2010-2011 FOUNDATION FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION, INC.** BOARD OF DIRECTORS 9-30-2011 Michael Guzniczak, Chair Judy Derse, Past Chair Gerald Gerndt, Vice Chair John Heindel, Secretary/Treasurer Gil Boese, Ph.D., President Robert M. Davis, DVM
Michael Grebe Scott Haag Leander R. Jennings Karen Peck Katz Maria Gonzalez-Knavel Charles A. Krause
**FWC has partnered with the Zoological Society to carry out and advance some of its major conservation, education, and research programs.
2010-2011 ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY MANAGEMENT STAFF President/CEO Dr. Robert M. Davis Communications, Marketing & Membership Robin Higgins, Vice President
2010-2011 Annual Report summary ...........3-10 Serengeti Circle ......................................................................11 Platypus Society ....................................................................12 Simba Society/Endowments ....................................13 Annual Appeal ..........................................................................14 Sponsor an Animal ...............................................................14 Financial Summary .............................................................15
Development Karen Von Rueden, Vice President Finance/Administration John Heindel, Vice President Creative Marcia T. Sinner, Director
2 Zoological Society of Milwaukee Annual Report 2010-2011
Education James Mills, Director Technology/Membership Services Dominic Schanen, Director
The 2010-2011 Zoological Society of Milwaukee’s (ZSM’s) annual report is published online as of May 22, 2012. It is available in a PDF file for download at www.zoosociety.org, Select Membership/ publications archive/annual reports. The ZSM has headquarters at 10005 W. Blue Mound Rd., Milwaukee, Wis. 53226. Call (414) 258-2333 for information.
Editor Paula Brookmire
Graphic Designer Marcia T. Sinner
Photographer Richard Brodzeller (unless otherwise noted)
On the cover Zoological Society of Milwaukee artists help put together a diorama of our Etate research station in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where we conduct a bonobo-conservation project. From left: Roberta Weldon (outfitting a guard), Julie Radcliffe, and Marcia Sinner.
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Zoological Society of Milwaukee Annual Report for Fiscal Year Oct. 1, 2010, through Sept. 30, 2011
A Place to Play We tried something new last year, and wow did we get a great response. The Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM), in partnership with Kohl’s Cares, brought live, professional theater to the Milwaukee County Zoo. We didn’t create just any type of play. We produced seven original plays that were short, interactive, humorous and fun! And each one had a conservation message. Here’s a typical rave review from a parent: “Entertaining and appropriately educational! Perfect time length. Sets and actors were great. Clever writing. Rating: 10 out of 10.” How did a small, Midwestern non-profit organization manage to stage a variety of new professional plays five to seven times a day every day for more than three months? It was all thanks to our partnership with “A Climb Through Time Kohl’s Cares, which With Clues and Rhyme” gave us a major grant. was a popular Kohl’s Wild With that support, the Theater play at the Zoo in summer 2011. Kids in the ZSM created Kohl’s audience (right) sang Wild Theater and along with actors. developed an entirely new division to the ZSM’s Conservation Education Department, says James Mills, the department’s director, adding: “The use of theater is a new way for our department to communicate important messages about wildlife conservation issues, including elements of the important work done by the Zoo on behalf of endangered species.” Not only did the ZSM present plays at the Zoo. We also created an ongoing program that brings Kohl’s Wild Theater into schools, festivals and community events in the Milwaukee area throughout the year (performances for that program began in the fiscal year starting Oct. 1, 2011).
“The generous funding from Kohl’s Cares allows us to directly reach and interact with tens of thousands of visitors, and Kohl’s Wild Theater has become the largest zoo-based theater program in the United States,” says Mills. How large are we? Thousands of visitors attended mainstage Kohl’s Wild Theater shows in summer 2011 and many others saw pathway plays, a daily mini-performance on a Zoo walkway. And, as an additional part of Kohl’s Wild Theater, we had actors do skits and answer questions at the Humboldt penguin exhibit or elephant yard. Overall, more than 62,000 visitors participated in Kohl's Wild Theater through mainstage shows, pathway plays or a miniperformance during the summer 2011 season. For more information on Kohl’s Wild Theater, see our Conservation Education section or go to wildtheater.org. “Play” of another kind was made possible at the Zoo last year when the ZSM helped upgrade exhibits for the Zoo’s group of endangered bonobos, some of the most engaging and playful great apes. For the first time we were able to let the bonobos play in a tree-level exhibit outdoors, running through mesh chutes and climbing towers. The new exhibit was one of three upgrades to the bonobo areas, all thanks to a generous gift from an anonymous donor. A second upgrade, made to the indoor bonobo exhibit, added more tree trunks and climbing ropes to simulate the vines and trees of their Congo forests. This allows bonobos to play in more of the “vertical” space in their exhibit, keeping them “healthier and happier,” says Jan Rafert, the Zoo’s curator of primates and small mammals. The third upgrade involved dramatic new graphics and interactive displays in the public hallways around the indoor bonobo exhibit. Here you can follow Dr. Gay Reinartz, the Zoological Society’s conservation coordinator, through the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as she travels by river in a pirogue (a dugout canoe). Jutting out from a Congo landscape on the wall is a pirogue that kids can play inside of. Dr. Reinartz, who is also director of the Zoological Society’s Bonobo and Congo Biodiversity Initiative (BCBI), travels to the DRC twice a year (see Conservation section). There she supervises surveys of bonobo populations in Salonga National Park, where the ZSM founded Zoological Society of Milwaukee Annual Report 2010-2011 3
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Zoological Society artist Julie Radcliffe stands near a Salonga National Park map she created for a new graphics display near the indoor bonobo exhibit.
Besides these three significant additions to the Zoo, the Zoological Society has helped animals and the Zoo through many ongoing programs such as our Sponsor an Animal program and annual projects such as our Annual Appeal. In May 2011, the Zoological Society and the Zoo jointly created the Center for Bonobo Conservation and Research. This center at the Zoo ties together the bonobotraining efforts and bonobo research at the Zoo with the Bonobo Species Survival Plan (see Conservation section) and the ZSM’s bonobo research-conservation-education program in Africa. Each part of the ZSM’s three-pronged mission of conservation, education and support of the Zoo is covered in the following pages. The ZSM’s total Zoo support in 2010-2011 was about $6.4 million (including direct project costs). For a financial summary, see page 15. Funding for our mission comes from a variety of sources, including:
Bonobos Deidre (left) and Claudine play among the trees in their new outdoor exhibit.
and runs the Etate Research Station. A diorama near the Zoo’s indoor bonobo exhibit, finished as part of the graphics upgrade, gives you a window into Etate, complete with a model of a guard who’s using a global positioning system to map bonobo distribution. Yet another play area at the Zoo was enhanced in 2011 thanks to a grant to the Zoological Society from Northwestern Mutual Foundation. The Munchkin Dairy Farm in the Zoo’s octagon Dairy Barn was completely renovated. It now includes a hands-on playground with whimsical designs and a child-size barn and truck. “It’s doing a great job of teaching kids about dairy farms,” says Marcia Sinner, creative director of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. She collaborated on ideas with Studio Works of Milwaukee to create exaggerated, inviting structures for children ages 2 to 6 to climb over, under and in between. Kids can duck inside a golden silo stocked with ears of corn or pet a life-size model of a cow in its pen. Even the three fence posts shout “dairy.” One is shaped like a milk carton, one like a cheese wedge and one like an ice cream cone. “These represent the products of a dairy farm,” Sinner says. Kids can make the connection between a cow’s milk and the foods they like to eat. Child-friendly signs also help them learn about farm animals and what a farmer does. Nearby, kids can watch live cows being milked or buy and ice cream cone (right). The Zoo has the only working dairy farm in the city of Milwaukee. The new Munchkin Dairy Farm is an added attraction to the Zoo’s farm, most of which was remodeled in 2005, thanks to funding by Northwestern Mutual.
This colorful entrance to the Zoo’s new Munchkin Dairy Farm, presented by Northwestern Mutual Foundation, is meant to attract young children. Kids can visit the dairy and then buy ice cream nearby. 4 Zoological Society of Milwaukee Annual Report 2010-2011
• Membership: The ZSM brought in about $4.8 million in Zoo Pass memberships in fiscal year 2010-2011. • Platypus Society: Members of the ZSM’s annual-giving group donated more than $716,547 in cash or in-kind services to help the Zoo. • Sponsors & grantors: The ZSM acquires sponsors for most of the Zoo’s major events and attractions, and ZSM 2010-2011 direct cash sponsorship support to the Zoo was $343,500. Grants support education and conservation programs, and other projects. Grants brought in $593,333 last year. • Fundraisers run by the ZSM Associate Board: The 28th annual Zoo Ball, sponsored by American Airlines, raised more than $390,000. The 22nd Annual MillerCoors Birdies and Eagles Golf Tournament raised $103,452. All other fundraising events run by the Associate Board – ranging from a Zoo campout to a family bike ride – raised $170,069. • The ZSM’s animal sponsorship program raised $157,000 in the last fiscal year to support the Zoo’s animals. • Annual Appeal: The ZSM’s annual appeal raised $137,000 to add three movies to the Dairy Barn theater and to give Belle the Dairy Cow a facelift and technical makeover. Belle is the fiberglass Holstein cow in the Zoo’s Dairy Barn. This popular cow tells the story of how milk is made.
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Conservation The Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM) supports or directs important conservation programs and research internationally, in Wisconsin, and at the Zoo:
Wild Bonobos
The Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM) continued to manage the award-winning Bonobo and Congo Biodiversity Initiative (BCBI), created by the ZSM in 1997. The BCBI conserves the endangered bonobo – a great ape species – in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC’s) Salonga National Park. The Zoological Society maintains a research station in the Salonga called Etate that also serves as a patrol post for park guards. The BCBI works in collaboration with the ICCN (Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature) and other conservation partners to study and locate bonobo (and forest elephant) populations. In this conservation program, the Zoological Society also helps protect rain-forest habitat, support park anti-poaching programs, train and supply park guards, support primary schools, provide adult literacy classes, and support an agricultural cooperative to improve farming and nutrition for villagers near Etate. During the 2010-2011 fiscal year, the BCBI conducted two field missions in the Salonga led by Dr. Gay Reinartz, BCBI director and ZSM conservation coordinator, and Patrick Guislain, ZSM field-site coordinator. They worked from Ètate and were aided by a Congolese project team consisting of research assistants, logistics specialists, river pilots and a camp cook.
Photo by ZSM staff
For more information, go to www.zoosociety.org/conservation
Park guards view the skeletal remains of an elephant killed by poachers near the Yenge River.
Park Support and Guard Training We directed most of our energy and resources during the year toward beefing up anti-poaching efforts and law enforcement in Salonga National Park, a World Heritage Site and Africa’s largest forest park. Fueled by a high demand for ivory and meat, elephant hunters established a stronghold along the Yenge River, a prime access route into the Salonga and near Ètate. As a result, for much of the year we were forced to suspend our research and survey work near the Yenge. The Yenge was a Zone Rouge – a dangerous Red Zone – for the park guards, who dared not venture into that area in small numbers. Photo by ZSM staff
Among BCBI’s accomplishments in 2010-2011 were: Photo by Association of Zoos and Aquariums / Ron McKitrick
Zoological Society President Robert Davis accepted the International Conservation Award at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums convention in Atlanta in September 2011. Kris Vehrs, AZA executive director, presented the award in recognition of the Zoological Society’s bonobo-conservation programs in Africa.
International Award The ZSM was pleased to be the 2011 recipient of the International Conservation Award, given annually by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The award distinguishes BCBI as one of the top field-conservation programs based at a zoological institution in North America. The award was accepted by Dr. Bert Davis, President and CEO of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee, at AZA’s annual conference in September 2011.
In response to the poaching insecurity, BCBI and the World Wildlife Fund cosponsored special ICCN patrols to raid poaching camps on the Yenge River. Zoological Society supThe Zoological Society provided this emergency supply of port consisted fuel for anti-poaching operations in Salonga National Park. of a new, large pirogue (dugout canoe), patrol rations, maps and GPS (global positioning system) units donated to park headquarters at Watsi Kengo. We helped the local Conservateur organize these patrols, which consisted of 10 or more well-equipped park guards. These, along with other anti-poaching operations (planned for October through December of 2011), helped secure the Yenge region. The BCBI team worked with the ICCN to outline a plan and budget to create a new patrol post near the confluence of the Yenge and Salonga Rivers – a strategic location – to discourage poachers from entering the park. One of the BCBI goals for fiscal year 2011-2012 is to secure funding for the new post. Zoological Society of Milwaukee Annual Report 2010-2011 5
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The ZSM continued to train park guards in navigation and wildlife monitoring. Literate guards (those who have learned to read and write) participated in the analyses and interpretation of field data. Many of these trained guards either joined our research team in the field, where they practiced and used their training, or they joined special anti-poaching operations.
Photo by ZSM staff
Surveys and Ecological Research As mentioned earlier, we had to suspend most survey and research activities for the fiscal year due to the poaching insecurity in the SalongaYenge corridor. We continued, however, to employ two Congolese research assistants who helped train park guards and conducted surveys as security allowed. We also supported the research team at Ăˆtate with food, fuel, field equipment and supplies.
Dr. Gay Reinartz teaches anti-poaching patrol chief Ewaula how to download GPS data and plot data points on a map.
Community Assistance Our community-assistance programs offer hope to the Salonga region, which is often overlooked by civil services and humanitarian agencies. During 2011, we provided ongoing support to a farm cooperative made up of approximately 250 households. We continued our adult literacy schools, which are located in four villages and reach about 100 students. This is in addition to supporting three primary schools with an enrollment
Additionally, we restocked the Etate patrol post with field equipment, food and other supplies, and evaluated guard performance. Etate remained safe thanks to good management by Bokitsi Bunda, chief guard at Etate. As recognition of his accomplishments, in September 2011 Bunda received the prestigious Abraham Conservation Award from the Alexander Abraham Foundation, which honors men and women in Africa and Asia for their courageous service and commitment to conservation. We are very proud of Bunda’s achievement.
Photo by ZSM staff
Photos by ZSM staff
Bokitsi Bunda, chief guard of the ICCN Etate Patrol Post and Zoological Society research station, received the Abraham Conservation Award from the Alexander Abraham Foundation (N.Y.). Bunda served as a park guard during years of civil war when lawlessness prevailed and when military poachers attacked ICCN patrol posts. The Zoological Society supports three primary schools in Africa. Children in the village of Bofoku Mai asked the ZSM to help support two teachers for their new school that was under construction last year.
of about 350 children. These efforts help to build a positive relationship between villages and the park guards. Knowing that they are receiving educational help from a conservation group such as the Zoological Society helps engage villagers in conservation efforts. As they discover the importance of protecting wildlife and learn how to raise crops that give them an economic alternative to hunting, villagers may rely less on wildlife as a source of food and income. Presentation Dr. Gay Reinartz, BCBI director and ZSM conservation coordinator, spoke at the Wildlife Conservation Network Expo in Palo Alto, Calif., on Oct. 3, 2010. She presented a summary of the BCBI efforts in Africa, which the Wildlife Conservation Network helps support.
Captive Bonobos Bags of food such as rice, sugar, salt, beans, corn flour, manioc flour, and milk powder provided a six-month supply for guards at the Zoological Society research station. 6 Zoological Society of Milwaukee Annual Report 2010-2011
Bonobo Species Survival Plan (SSP) As of September 2011, there were 84 bonobos at eight AZA-accredited zoological institutions in North America. The Bonobo SSP is headquartered at the ZSM and Dr. Gay Reinartz is the SSP coordinator. Dr. Reinartz and ZSM conservation staff work with zookeepers and other officials at
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North American zoos to manage and maintain a healthy and self-sustaining captive population of bonobos. The Milwaukee County Zoo has one of the largest captive groups in the world, 17 as of September 2011. The Bonobo SSP contributes to conservation of the species through research, healthcare initiatives, education of the public about bonobos, and training of bonobos to help in their own healthcare. Within the Bonobo SSP, there were four births, no deaths and two transfers between Oct. 1, 2010, and Sept. 30, 2011. During 2011, the Bonobo SSP helped plan and coordinate a joint meeting scheduled for January 2012 of the Bonobo SSP and the European Endangered Species Program (EEP). The meeting, to be held in San Diego, was to discuss management of the global captive population of bonobos. Topics at the three-day meeting were to include: animal transfers between the SSP in North America and EEP institutions in Europe, bonobo management, bonobo health and reproductive issues, bonobo facility capacities, and research at bonobo institutions.
Amphibians, birds, reptiles Since the 1998-’99 year, the ZSM has given $176,358 to Zoo-staffcoordinated research Photo by Julie Cheng or education on Humboldt penguins in Chile and at our Zoo, including about $2,776 in 2010-2011 for brochures to educate the public in Chile about penguins. (For more information about penguin A Humboldt penguin at the Zoo and other Zoo-staff conservation research, go to www.zoosociety.org/conservation.) Last year, also, the ZSM supported Zoo staff conducting research or conservation in the field, including about $11,172 for frog and coral-reef research on the island of Grenada; nearly $2,464 for iguana research and conservation in the Caribbean; and $572 for ongoing research on piping plovers in Michigan.
Conservation programs supported by the Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Inc. (FWC), a partner with the ZSM Belize: The 6,125-acre Runaway Creek Nature Preserve (RCNP, called Reserve in Belize) run by the FWC has been the site of several conservation programs, most managed by university researchers and done in collaboration with FWC and its four Birds Without Borders/Aves Sin Fronteras (BWB/ASF) staff. Nature dealt the preserve two blows last fiscal year. Hurricane Richard did damage on Oct. 28, 2010. Then, in JulyAugust 2011, a wildfire burned about 40 percent of the property, causing more damage than any natural disaster in 60 years. The good news, however, is that this land has seen fires before, and it recovers quickly in the hot, often wet climate. Fire can clear away heavy vegetation and help new plants grow. Wildlife already was showing signs of recovery. Here are summaries of the ongoing research and conservation studies on RCNP: 1) BWB/ASF staff continue to monitor two rare jabiru-stork nests and survival rates of fledglings; one nest was damaged in the fire but has been rebuilt, 2) A University of Calgary researcher studying spider and howler monkeys is now looking at the effects of natural disasters on these primates, 3) A long-term radio-tracking study of jaguars and pumas is now in the analysis stage, and radio-collars have been removed from all the cats, and 4) A multi-year study testing for mercury levels in birds and bats was continuing and planned to publish results in 2012. FWC joined with two other private wildlife preserves in the last fiscal year to offer field-biology courses and research sites for U.S. universities and is exploring offering the same to European universities. Africa: In northern Kenya, the FWC supported Lewa Wildlife Conservancy conservation, education and anti-poaching projects. In Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the FWC supported the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International’s efforts to protect the mountain gorilla.
Apes, Polar Bears, Snow Leopards In addition to major support for its Bonobo and Congo Biodiversity Initiative (BCBI), the Zoological Society provided $4,000 to great-ape conservation, research and health in fiscal year 2010-2011. This included $1,000 to Lola Ya Bonobo, the only bonobo orphanage/sanctuary in Africa, and $3,000 to great-ape heart-health research. The ZSM, which is the headquarters of the AZA’s Bonobo Species Survival Plan, also supports the salaries for staff involved with the SSP and BCBI (see above). In support of other animal-conservation groups, Zoo Pride, the ZSM’s volunteer auxiliary, donated $1,000 to the Snow Leopard Trust (based in Seattle, Wash.) and $1,500 to Polar Bears International (based in Bozeman, Mont.). The Milwaukee County Zoo exhibits both polar bears and snow leopards.
A snow leopard at the Zoo. Zoological Society of Milwaukee Annual Report 2010-2011 7
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Education For more information, go to www.zoosociety.org/education Of the three missions of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM) – conservation, education and support of the Milwaukee County Zoo – education often is the linchpin of the other two. By educating children and adults about protecting animals and the habitats they share, we teach conservation. By offering extensive education programs nearly yearround, the ZSM helps the Zoo maintain national accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Our offerings range from animalscience classes and summer camps to programs for disadvantaged youth, either taught in our eight-classroom facility on Zoo grounds or brought directly to schools. In 2011 the ZSM Conservation Education Department extended its impact on both conservation and the Zoo with a major new program: Kohl’s Wild Theater. Starting in late May 2011, the ZSM brought live, professional theater to the Zoo thanks to a partnership with Kohl’s Cares. All the plays had conservation themes. This increased the number of people the ZSM reached with conservation messages by more than 62,000 in fiscal year 2010-’11. Here are summaries of our programs’ success:
Kohl’s Wild Theater The titles practically shouted fun: “Lights, Camera, Arctic!” or “The Mysterious Case of the Disappearing Bees.” A team of professionals – from playwrights and actors to musicians and designers – aimed for quality. And the educators, Zoo staff and scientists put conservation at the forefront. Everyone got excited about bringing daily, live theater performances to the Zoo. It all came to fruition as the Zoological Society, in partnership with Kohl’s Cares, premiered four specially created plays at the Zoo on May 28, 2011, and kept going with five to seven performances daily through Labor Day. They were an immediate hit. “It was wonderful,” commented one parent. “I learned so much I never knew about bees. The actors are so extremely talented and upbeat. I love how they have the audience [as] a part of the show!” Said Dave McLellan, the ZSM’s coordinator of Kohl’s Wild Theater, “We consistently heard how impressed the public was with the professional quality of our 15-minute shows. Kohl's Wild Theater enhanced the Zoo visit by bringing to life contemporary challenges facing animals in the wild.” Added James Mills, the ZSM’s conservation education director, “It’s all done in a way that has family members enjoying time with each other as they consider the future of animals and our environment – and things that we can all do to improve the outlook for wild animals.” Seven plays were produced in the inaugural year. Four were performed in the 2011 summer season at the Zoo. Three others were prepared for a Kohl’s Wild Theater fall 2011 outreach program for schools, festivals and community events. The first shows focused on bees and butterflies, orangutans and polar bears – and what audience members could do to help such animals. Five daily performances occurred at the Kohl’s Wild Theater mainstage in the Zoo’s farm area. Kohl’s Wild Theater actors also performed a “Biodiversity Pep Rally” pathway play elsewhere in the Zoo to highlight the adaptations and ecological roles of animals and the diversity within the Zoo’s collection. In addition, at various times of the day zoogoers could interact with an actor or actors doing a skit or magic act at the elephant yard or at the Taylor Family Foundation Humboldt Penguin Exhibit. 8 Zoological Society of Milwaukee Annual Report 2010-2011
In addition to accolades such as “Great show!” and “I’d give it four stars out of five,” Kohl’s Wild Theater was a success based on scientific surveys conducted at the Zoo. Zoogoers were asked specific questions about what they remembered from the plays. Of the adults surveyed, 82 percent could list concepts they learned in a show, such as what a carbon footprint is. And 84 percent of kids aged 6-12 could name a challenge faced by the animals in the play (e.g., diminishing ice for polar bears in the Arctic). The outdoor plays were not without challenges, weather being the biggest. “We quickly learned how to move our program indoors in both rain and extreme heat,” said McLellan. “As for wind, we discovered we had to strengthen the sets to stand against strong Midwestern gusts.” The 2011 summer experience helped McLellan make revisions for 2012. “While audiences liked all of the Kohl’s Wild Theater shows, we found that the ones incorporating puppets and music brought about the most positive audience response. With that in mind, we made plans to have puppets in all four 2012 shows at the Zoo and to have three of those four shows be musicals.” For more information on Kohl’s Wild Theater, go to wildtheater.org.
Summer Camps The Zoological Society’s summer camps program is among the three largest zoo- or aquarium-based camp programs in the nation. The camps have the same lively format as our classes during the academic year, including songs, games, crafts, hands-on activities and Zoo tours (for most classes and camps). Camps are offered for ages 2 through 14, and some offer adult participation (with children aged 2-5). Our 2011 summer camps drew nearly 11,000 participants: 8,440 children and 2,560 parents in 529 camp sessions. Our summer college-student intern program provided 20 students (including three college-student teaching interns) hands-on job training, thanks, in part, to generous support from the Alice Kadish Foundation, the Antonia Foundation, the Jerome and Dorothy Holz Family Foundation, and the Brady Corporation.
September-May Programs From September through December and February through May, we offer classes for individuals ages 2-14 as well as programs for school groups. A child aged 2 or 3 must have one adult participating in the individual classes; adult participation is offered but optional for ages 4 and 5. Our animal-science classes for school groups help students with science requirements set by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. We also offer curricula and self-guided tours for all school classes visiting the Zoo. In fiscal year 2010-2011, the ZSM served nearly 12,000 people in individual child or parent-child classes, which are offered six to seven days a week. In the same time period, 24,967 schoolchildren also learned about animals and science through ZSM-run programs at the Zoo or presented at schools. An additional 91,020 schoolchildren used the Zoo as a science laboratory on field trips and had ZSM curriculum available to them during self-directed tours. Programs for schoolchildren were funded in part by gifts from the Ladish Company Foundation; U.S. Bank; Judith Grimes Family Foundation; A.O. Smith Foundation, Inc.; Orth Charitable Lead Trust; and the Posner Foundation. Boy Scouts & Girl Scouts: The ZSM’s Conservation Education Department also expanded its program offerings designed specifically for scout groups to help children earn badges or patches. In fiscal year 2010-2011, the ZSM served 343 Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts.
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Programming for Disadvantaged Youth Animal Ambassador program: This program teaches children about wildlife conservation over a semester, and they graduate to become ambassadors for animals, able to teach family and friends what they learned. Thanks to corporate, foundation or civic-group sponsors for each school, our Animal Ambassador and Continuum programs, which serve schools in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, reached 712 second-grade students and 542 third-grade students at 12 schools, and 1,325 fourthgrade students at 19 schools. An additional 462 students in five schools with smaller classes experienced a modified program. Summer Camps special programs: Children who normally couldn’t afford to attend summer camps could attend our 2011 camps, thanks to renewed support from U.S. Cellular®, the Evinrude Foundation, the Peters Foundation and the Milwaukee Urban League’s Safe Alternatives for Youth fund. We served 325 children from eight Milwaukee-area neighborhood and community centers.
Big Brothers Big Sisters: The Zoological Society began a collaboration with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee through its Project Reach program, thanks to funding from U.S. Bank. Twenty children and their paired adults were offered behind-the-scenes tours of Zoo operations, and some also attended a ZSM summer camp on rain forests. In total, our conservation-education programs served 225,931 people in fiscal year 2010-’11. We reached thousands more with educational messages about conservation through: • E-mail news to members • The ZSM Web site, which averaged about 19,782 visits per month (an increase of more than 7,000 visits compared to last fiscal year). • ZSM publications (each issue of Alive magazine and Wild Things newsletter reached more than 52,000 households, an estimated 150,000 - 200,000 people) • ZSM-designed signage, displays and videos at the Zoo • Zoological Society education programs in Africa (see Conservation) • Stories in the media about ZSM projects, and • Social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
An or angu tan p the p uppe lay “A t give Climb s a na ïve re Throu searc gh Tim her a e Wit hint d h Clu uring es an d Rhy me.”
er ey play was a k e e b w n o e ter sh The que ild Thea W s l’ h o e of th in the K us Case ysterio “The M ees.” earing B Disapp
Right: Playwright Melanie Wehrmacher poses with props used in conservationthemed plays for Kohl’s Wild Theater. All the plays were specially written for the Zoological Society. Above Middle: Puppet designer Brandon Kirkham designed and built several puppets (not shown) for Kohl’s Wild Theater. Two actors perform in a Zoo pathway play, a Kohl’s Wild Theater mini-performance that always draws a crowd.
Above Right: Dave McLellan, the Zoological Society’s Kohl’s Wild Theater coordinator, shows the tricycle used to get actors across the Zoo for performances. Zoological Society of Milwaukee Annual Report 2010-2011 9
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Zoo Support There are so many ways that the Zoological Society supports the Milwaukee County Zoo that it’s hard to list them all. For 101 years the Zoological Society has had a remarkable public-private partnership with Milwaukeearea governmental bodies that have run the Zoo. In the early days the Society directly purchased animals, raised money for buildings and helped work out plans to expand the Zoo. Today Milwaukee County, which runs the Zoo, purchases and cares for the animals, pays Zoo staff and keeps up the beautiful park grounds. The Society and Zoo work together to raise money for new exhibits and buildings, to coordinate many events, to provide tours, and to plan for the future.
Zoological Society Board Chair Rich Tennessen and his wife, Jean, attended Zoo Ball 2011, sponsored by American Airlines.
The ZSM’s Conservation Education Department runs almost all the education programs at the Zoo. The ZSM’s Creative Department – in addition to its ZSM projects – produces Zoo signs and banners, creates numerous educational videos and displays, keeps a photo database, and takes on special projects that enhance the Zoo (see the bonobo graphics section on page 4). Zoo Pride, the ZSM’s volunteer auxiliary for 36 years, makes possible numerous events that the Zoo holds, provides Zoo tours and animal talks, promotes the Zoo to the public through a speaker’s bureau, aids ZSM education programs, staffs fundraisers held by the ZSM and raises funds for conservation and Zoo exhibits. The ZSM’s total direct cash (including direct project costs) and in-kind support of the Zoo in fiscal year 2010-2011 totaled about $6.4 million. Here are reports on various ways the ZSM supported the Zoo. • Conservation and research: The Zoological Society’s total expenses in this area were $659,375 for the last fiscal year. A portion of that went to support the ZSM’s international bonobo-conservation project in Africa (see Conservation section of this report). That project helps the Zoo in several ways. As part of the Zoo’s mission and also for accreditation with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Milwaukee County Zoo supports conservation efforts in the field to help endangered species. The ZSM’s bonobo project helps the Zoo meet its commitment to conservation. Helping save bonobos in their natural habitats has led to discoveries that aid zookeepers in caring for bonobos at the Zoo. The ZSM supports the Bonobo Species Survival 10 Zoological Society of Milwaukee Annual Report 2010-2011
Plan, headed by the ZSM’s conservation coordinator, Dr. Gay Reinartz; that program helps manage the health and breeding success of bonobos in zoos. The Zoological Society also provides funding to conservation projects proposed by the Zoo, many involving Zoo staff (see Conservation section). That funding in 2010-2011 totaled $27,584. • Exhibits and buildings: The ZSM gave $859,359 in direct cash support to Zoo exhibits, including $50,000 for the 2011 special summer exhibit: Butterflies!, sponsored by Sendik’s Food Markets, and $28,800 for the Munchkin Dairy Farm, presented by the Northwestern Mutual Foundation. Through a generous grant from an anonymous donor to the ZSM, we funded a completely new outdoor bonobo exhibit and major new graphics to the bonobo exhibit ($552,702, see page 4). Through the ZSM’s annual appeal (which raised $136,838), we funded renovations to the Belle the Cow exhibit and parts of the Dairy Barn. Also included were ZSM payments for maintenance contracts on various Zoo buildings and some equipment ($136,482). • Publications: The Zoological Society’s Communications, Marketing and Membership Department produced publications and other materials that promoted Zoo events and conservation programs and described new exhibits and animals. These included Alive magazine, Wild Things newsletter, and Platy Press. • Signs, videos, interactive displays, Zoo printed materials, and special projects: The ZSM’s Creative Department of five artists and a researcher provides graphics and design support to the Zoo as well as to the ZSM. Since 1997, when Marcia Sinner, the creative director, was hired, the department has added more advanced equipment to increase efficiency and allow artists to do more projects “in house,” such as the 20-foot-wide banners for many events. The hundreds of projects the department produces annually include ads, flyers, invitations, brochures, cards, animations and video, animal-information signs, even T-shirt designs. This department also tackles special projects, such as the bonobo-graphics project (see cover and page 4). • Sponsors & grantors: Sponsorships of events, exhibits and projects help make many offerings possible. The ZSM has sponsors for most of its own fundraising events or member events as well as grantors for its education programs and conservation projects. The ZSM also acquires sponsors for most of the Zoo’s major events and attractions. In 2010-2011 the ZSM’s direct cash sponsorship support to the Zoo was $343,500. Grants brought in $593,333. • Veterinary help: The ZSM paid $39,579 (including living expenses) for two veterinary residents from the University of WisconsinMadison, Christoph Mans and Sarah Churgin. The ZSM also paid $53,055 for a pathology fellow, Kathleen Deering. All of them provided aid to the Zoo’s veterinary full-time staff. • Volunteer help: Zoo Pride volunteers helped with events and programs, provided Zoo guides, aided education programs, Zoo Pride volunteers donated 43,590 hours in 2010-2011. Here volunteer supported conservation and did much more to help Darlene Winter paints bunny whiskers Continued on the bottom of page 11
onto Gabby Hoffman, 5, of Hartland, at an Easter-themed event.
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Serengeti Circle Every year, numerous civic leaders choose to associate their companies or foundations with Wisconsin’s No. 1 single-venue attraction: the Milwaukee County Zoo. This partnership with the Zoo and the non-profit Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM) is accomplished through grants and sponsorships of our special events, traveling exhibits, attractions, conservation initiatives and education programs. This support of the ZSM and the Zoo puts our partners in touch with the Zoo’s almost 1.3 million annual visitors, demonstrates commitment to our community and identifies our partners with the fun, family lifestyle/culture the Zoo represents. The Serengeti Circle is an exclusive group of corporations and foundations that support
the Zoo and ZSM at the $3,500 level and above. All business partnerships include opportunities for inclusion in measured and non-measured media (advertising, signage, Web site promotion, etc.), promotional presence on Zoo grounds, VIP customer hosting, Zoo admission and parking tickets, and negotiated consumer offers. For more information on sponsorship opportunities at the Zoo, please call Patty Harrigan Mills, (414) 302-9485. For information on grant opportunities, please call the Development Department, (414) 258-2333. Here are photos of an exhibit, an event and animals supported by Serengeti Circle members:
With smiles all around, the Balistreri family, from Sendik’s Food Markets, greets a friendly butterfly. The group was at the Zoological Society premiere of the Zoo’s special summer exhibit Butterflies! In Living Color, sponsored by Sendik’s Food Markets. The exhibit ran May 28-Sept. 25 and drew more than 149,500 visitors. From left are Erin Balistreri, of Mequon (in back); her son Drew, 7; her daughter Lexi, 5; her husband, Nick; her sister-in-law Margaret Harris, also of Mequon; and her brother-in-law Ted Balistreri, of Milwaukee.
BMO Harris Bank sponsored a naming contest for the Milwaukee County Zoo’s lion cubs born in July (see back cover).
Garden walk: Gwenda Szczygiecski (left), of New Berlin, and Joanne Johnson-Clausen, of Elm Grove, searched for butterflies in one of the Milwaukee County Zoo’s outdoor butterfly gardens. The women were attending Senior Celebration Sept. 2, 2011, sponsored by Wheaton Franciscan Senior Health. Seniors age 55 and older received free Zoo admission and could visit health and wellness booths, dance to live music, and sample free ice cream. Despite a hot and humid day, the festival brought more than 3,250 people to the Zoo.
Zoo Support continued from page 10
the Zoo. Of 587 Zoo Pride volunteers, 423 active members donated 43,590 hours in the last fiscal year. • Web sites and social media: The ZSM’s Web site, which averaged 19,782 visits per month in 2010-2011, provides much information about the Zoo, its animals and its staff. That includes self-guided tours, event details, feature stories, and an archive of publications dating to 1951. You also can find details about volunteering for Zoo Pride,
descriptions of conservation projects, and children’s activities. The ZSM’s Facebook page and its YouTube channel help promote the Zoo, as do ZSM “tweets” on the social-networking site Twitter. The ZSM also assists with the maintenance of the Zoo’s Web site. • Additional cash support: The ZSM provided $119,681 to Zoo projects and $575,153 additional cash support to the Zoo. Zoological Society of Milwaukee Annual Report 2010-2011 11
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Platypus Society The Platypus Society is composed of individuals, corporations and foundations who share in our passion for supporting the Milwaukee County Zoo, conserving endangered animal species, and teaching the importance of preserving wildlife and its natural environment. Thanks to generous annual donations, we’re able to offer programs ranging from summer camps for disadvantaged youth to bonobo-preservation missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The support of Platypus members also helps maintain Zoo exhibits and sustain our ongoing animal-conservation efforts. Platypus members receive exclusive benefits that include access to behind-the-scenes
Sherrod Swafford Jr. (left), 13, and Milan Williams, 12, both of Milwaukee, admire the intricate detailing of a monarch butterfly’s open wings. The two were at the Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM) premiere of the exhibit Butterflies! In Living Color, sponsored by Sendik’s Food Markets. The May 26 event invited members of the Platypus Society and other guests to the Milwaukee County Zoo for an evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, kids’ crafts and an exclusive tour of the Zoo’s special summer 2011 exhibit.
James Gorst and Kim Schaffer, of Salem, Wis., explore inside the chutes of the new outdoor exhibit for the Milwaukee County Zoo’s large bonobo group. They were at the Zoological Society premiere of the new exhibit on May 5, 2011. Platypus members and other guests were invited to explore the bonobo chutes and towers at the event. The outdoor exhibit was one of three major upgrades in 2011 to the Zoo’s bonobo area, thanks to a generous gift to the ZSM from an anonymous donor.
12 Zoological Society of Milwaukee Annual Report 2010-2011
tours and invitations to exhibit premieres and VIP events. For more information on becoming a Platypus member, please call the Development Department, (414) 258-2333, or check online at zoosociety.org/platy.
Dressed for the occasion in their black and white “tuxes,” two of the Milwaukee County Zoo’s Humboldt penguins made a surprise appearance at a Platypus Society holiday party on Dec. 9, 2010. The holiday party to recruit new members was hosted in the U.S. Bank Gathering Place at the Milwaukee County Zoo. Before the penguins made their entrance, families enjoyed treats, barbershop quartet songs and evergreen trees decorated for the season by Milwaukee-area youth groups.
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Simba Society The Simba Society honors donors who have included the Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM) in their estate plans through a will, charitable trust, or beneficiary designation of their retirement plan or insurance policy. When you make this type of gift, you create a legacy of support that lasts through your lifetime and beyond. When we receive your gift, it becomes a permanent asset of the Zoological Society's Endowment Trust (see endowments list below). Each year, the earnings from your gift, along with other contributions to the fund, ensure that the ZSM is able to continue its mission to support the Milwaukee County Zoo, educate the public, and conserve wildlife for future generations.
Members of the Simba Society enjoy the following benefits: • A Simba lapel pin celebrating your commitment to the ZSM • Invitations to VIP premieres of new exhibits, lectures and special events • Invitation to the Annual Simba Recognition Dinner • Recognition on Zoo grounds as well as in ZSM publications and Web site If you have already included the ZSM in your estate plans and are not listed here, or if you would like additional information on planned giving options, please contact the Development Department at 414-258-2333 or e-mail simba@zoosociety.org.
SIMBA SOCIETY MEMBERS 2010-2011 Linda & William Abraham, Jr. Charles & Dorothy Aring, Jr. F. Michael and Laura Arnow Dick & Yuko Baldwin John T. Bannen Dr. Gil & Lillian Boese Ronald & Jean Braund Jerry Brown William & Nancy “Ginger” Browne Diane L. Brunner Judy Cafmeyer Mary Jo Crawford* Gary & Cindy Datka Carl Diedrich Mary Dohmen Dr. Kay M. Elsen Jessie Franz David Glenn Lavonne M. Grenlie David & Kerry Grosse Linda L. Grunau Gary Hackbarth Jerry & Sandy Hafemann
Arlene Hansen Elaine V. Heckman John & Jeannie Heindel Roxy Heyse* Linda J. Hill Nancy Lee Horwath Kimberly Houk* Carole F. Houston Maddy Howard Rose Marie Jashaway* Susan & Lee Jennings Rachel J. Jones Bonnie & Leon Joseph Joan Kalinoski Mary Kazmierczak* Robert Koch Caroline V. Krider & Paul A. Smith* Frank J. Ladky Rachel A. Lauber Ginny Levenhagen Richard D. Lutz Dr. John & Kristie Malone Quinn & Jane Martin
John & Judy McGourthy Jack & Patti McKeithan Joseph & Christine McMahon* Don & Shelley Mechenich Bary & Amber Morgan Family Donald and Nadine Mundt Fund In memory of Christopher Nast Judy O’Callaghan Laura A. Owens* Lygere Panagopoulos Margie Paur Michael Pazdan in memory of Abby Terrie Peschman Gina Alberts Peter Mark S. Poker Jim & Kathleen Polaski Betty Purdy Gordana & Milan Racic Jim Redding Jane E. Reilly and Jeffrey C. Glock Tomm Renk Jay Robertson Elizabeth Roesler
*designates new members in fiscal year 2010-2011
Gayle Rosemann & Paul McElwee The Al Rudnitzki Family John and Linda Sapp Judy and Barry S. Sattell Laura Skoff John & Carole Steiner Mr. & Mrs. Richard A. Steinman Dan & Patti Stotmeister Christine A. Strauss Chip & Joy Stringer William and Lois Tetzlaff Mary Krause Thiry Roselie A. VanDeuren Judy Van Till Anne Wandler Lowell Warshawsky Kurt & Lisa Weisman Family* Joan C. Wiegand Family Fund Raymond & Kelly Wilson* Darlene Winter* Deborah J. Woelfel Dennis & Robin Zdroik Jill Meri Zimmerman Robert & Sandra Zodrow
Endowments The following donors are individuals whose legacies demonstrate their commitment to the Zoological Society in its support of the Milwaukee County Zoo. The Bertagnolli Endowment • Zoo Support
Halbert & Alice Kadish Foundation Inc. • Student Intern Program Endowment
McGourthy Family Endowment
The Lynde & Harry Bradley Foundation, Inc. • Wildlife Conservation Grants for Graduate Student Research
Mary Ellen Bush & Donna Larsen Estate • Ornithological Intern
The Dorothy J. Nelson Living Trust Endowment • Student Intern Program Endowment
Bill Borchert Larson • Otto Borchert Family Special Exhibits Building • Florence Mila Borchert Big Cat Country
Philip Orth Family Fund • Zoological SOciety Annual Appeal
Roland & Florence Schroeder Cron Charitable Unitrust • Bonobo Species Survival Plan (SSP) Endowment
• Idabel Wilmot Borchert Flamingo Exhibit and Overlook
Gretchen & Andrew Dawes Endowment Fund • Veterinary Intern Program
Liz Little Endowment • Student Intern Program Endowment
Dohmen Family Foundation • Hippo Home Exhibit
Herbert & Nada Mahler Family Aviary Endowment Fund • The Aviary
Robert T. Foote Charitable Trust
• Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Inc.
• Giraffe Exhibit
Fred Ott Endowment
• Wildlife Preserve, Fond du Lac County Gordana & Milan Racic Endowment • Education Interns Elizabeth LaBahn Roesler Endowment
• Zoo Support Roswell N. & Leona B. Stearns Foundation, Inc. • Apes of Africa Zoological Society of Milwaukee Annual Report 2010-2011 13
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Annual Appeal A Facelift for Belle the Cow & New Movies for the Dairy Complex Theater Belle the Cow has taught a generation of people about how dairy cows make milk. Belle, a fiberglass Holstein cow, resides in the Milwaukee County Zoo’s octagon Dairy Barn within the Northwestern Mutual Family Farm. Just across from her, zoogoers can watch live cows milked twice a day. In fact, the Zoo has the only working dairy farm in Milwaukee. And when the cows aren’t being milked, Zoo guests can view movies about dairy farming. Belle needed some upgrading, however, and the Zoo wanted to add some new movies. So the Zoological Society offered to help through our 2011 Annual Appeal, which raised $137,000 thanks to numerous donors. If Belle could say “moo,” we’re sure it would mean thank you.
Visitors can see several breeds of live cows at the Zoo. Here Lisa Guglielmi, area supervisor of the Northwestern Mutual Family Farm, feeds corn to Elaine, a Guernsey cow.
Yes, that milk in your glass comes from a cow. Here Tyler Schanen, 10, poses in front of a Zoo cow for a Zoological Society Kids Alive story on milk and milk products.
Belle is the fiberglass Holstein cow in the Milwaukee County Zoo’s dairy barn. This popular cow, shown before her upgrade, has a belly of a story to tell about how milk is made.
Sponsor an Animal Whether you prefer tiny fruit bats like Apollo or huge hippos like Happy, you can sponsor an array of animals at the Milwaukee County Zoo through the Zoological Society’s Sponsor an Animal program. Among animals featured for special sponsorships in fiscal year 2010-2011 were Stella the jaguar (at right), fennec foxes Daisy and Duke, and monarch butterflies. Animal sponsorships range from $20 for membership in the Zoological Society’s Kids Conservation Club to $2,500 for individuals who sponsor just one animal. In the 2010-2011 fiscal year, the Sponsor an Animal program raised a total of $157,475. For information, go to www.zoosociety.org/sponsoranimal.
14 Zoological Society of Milwaukee Annual Report 2010-2011
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Financial Summary Zoological Society of Milwaukee County (ZSM) – Year ending September 30, 2011
SUPPORT & REVENUE
COST OF SUPPORT AND REVENUE (Support Services)
MEMBERSHIP DUES from all Zoological Society and Platypus Society members ........................................................................ $5,445,380
MEMBERSHIP DUES Expense of providing benefits to all Zoological Society and Platypus Society members .................... $1,637,899
CONTRIBUTIONS toward capital projects and specific programs .............................. $1,157,369
SPECIAL EVENTS/PROGRAMS
SPECIAL EVENTS PROGRAMS/SPONSORSHIPS
Expense of providing and promoting ZSM special events/programs .............................................................................. $400,895
including animal sponsorship, Zoo Ball, education, ZSM and Zoo special events, and sponsorships ........................... $2,229,182
TOTAL COST OF SUPPORT & REVENUE (Support Services) ........................................................................................................ $2,038,794
INTEREST INCOME from contributions toward capital projects and specific programs ......................................................................................................... $54,549
EXPENSES
GRANTS ..................................................................................................................................... $593,333 DIRECT PROJECT COSTS TOTAL SUPPORT & REVENUE ........................................................ $ 9,479,813
Expenses relative to capital projects and specific programs ...................................................................................................... $605,277
ZOO SUPPORT
RECEIPTS MEMBERSHIP DUES: 57% SPECIAL EVENTS/PROGRAMS: 24% CONTRIBUTIONS: 13% GRANTS: 6%
24%
57%
RESEARCH/CONSERVATION
13%
Expenses relating to state, national and international programs supporting species preservation .............................................................................................................................. $659,375
6%
EXPENSES ZOO SUPPORT, CAPITAL & DIRECT PROJECT COSTS: 67% SUPPORT SERVICES: 22% RESEARCH/CONSERVATION: 7% GENERAL & ADMINISTRATIVE: 4%
Expense of providing, promoting and supporting education, graphics, and conservation programs, special exhibit projects, and ZSM and Zoo special events; payments to the Zoo for all ZSM events; parking for Zoo Pass Plus; and coupons .............. $5,791,486
GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE 22%
7%
67%
Expenses relating to daily ZSM operations .............................................. $369,827
TOTAL EXPENSES .................................................................................................. $7,425,965
4%
TOTAL COST OF SUPPORT AND EXPENSES.......................................................................................................$9,464,759
2010-2011 ZSM Cash-Flow Summary Cash at start of the year: ............ $1,162,465 Cash at end of the year: ............ $1,213,419 Net increase in cash: .................. $50,954
Zoological Society of Milwaukee Annual Report 2010-2011 15
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Lion Mania Three African lion cubs were born at the Milwaukee County Zoo on July 24 and 25, 2011. They were to become one of the most popular attractions at the zoological park, especially because the strong glass of the feline exhibit lets you get practically nose to nose with the curious cubs. Sanura their mom turned out to be a great first-time mother. Dad Themba was a bit confused by the cubs but eventually warmed up to them. In the picture (bottom) with the orange towel, the cubs are getting their first medical exam in August. Holding the cubs (from left) are Neil
Dretzka, area supervisor for felines; Tim Wild, curator of large mammals; and zookeeper Craig Pavlik. The triplets soon learned to play on logs and chase each other. Meanwhile, BMO Harris Bank sponsored a naming contest in fall 2011 for the little lions. The female cub was named Njeri (pronounced N – jeer – ee), which means “warrior’s daughter” in Swahili. One male was named Kiume (pronounced Kee – u – mee), which means “strong” in Swahili, and the other male was named Hubert after BMO Harris Bank’s lion mascot. Good luck figuring out who’s who.
10005 W. Blue Mound Rd., Milwaukee, Wis. 53226 (414) 258-2333 www.zoosociety.org Zoological Society of Milwaukee Annual Report 2010-2011 A Zoological Society and Milwaukee County Zoo Partnership