Keepin’ it Wild!
July-September 2017
A digital publication of Zoo Miami Foundation and Zoo Miami.
OUR MISSION: To encourage an appreciation for the world’s wildlife and to help conserve it for future generations.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: - Bachelor Gorilla Brothers Arrive - Critter Connection Opening - Elephant Celebrations
Keepin’ it Wild
is a quarterly digital publication of Zoo Miami Foundation that provides information for the friends, supporters and Members of Zoo Miami. For more information, please contact: Zoo Miami Foundation 12400 SW 152 Street, Miami, FL 33177 (305) 255-5551 / www.zoomiami.org Zoo Miami Foundation’s Mission To encourage an appreciation for the world’s wildlife and to help conserve it for future generations. Zoo Miami Foundation Board of Directors: Chairperson: Jim Kushlan, PhD. Chair-Elect: Jose C. Romano Treasurer: George Leser Secretary: Patricia Siles, CPA Past Chairperson: Ana VeigaMilton, Esq. Alan Atkinson Dr. Jose Fransisco Barros Sandy Batchelor Jacey Birch Luis E. Boué, CPA Jose Felix Diaz Eric Eikenberg Larry Feldman, PhD Armando Fernandez Diana L. Fitzgerald, Esq. Robert Furniss-Roe Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez Michael Heithaus, PhD
Susan Kahn Kimberly Kalkus Frank Lopez Kathy McDonald Scott Maddox George Navarrete Marc A. Osheroff Eliot Pedrosa Aliette D. Rodz, Esq. Dr. Michael Rosenberg Ana VeigaMilton, Esq.
EMERITI DIRECTORS Rodney L. Barreto Vincent L. Berkeley Jennifer Boin Getz Roger Carlton Harlan S. Chiron, MD Ambassador Sue Cobb Linda Coll Ron Esserman William J. Gallwey, III, Esq. Robert W. Hudson, Esq. Sherrill W. Hudson
Bernard Klepach David Konfino Daniel J. Licciardi Jack Lowell Manny J. Rodriguez, P.E. Edward Soto Eric J. Stephens Merrett R. Stierheim Lawrence O. Turner, Jr. Diana Udel Andrew H. Weinstein, Esq.
President/CEO: William W. Moore Zoo Director: Carol Kruse Zoo Admission Hours: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily Last ticket sold at 4 p.m. Editor: Rashielle Teape Contributors: Cindy Castelblanco, Julia Klumb, Greg Koch, PhD., Rob Lara, Ron Magill, Bill Moore, Andrea Obregon, Carlos Simoes, Katy Wilhelm Layout & Design: Parrot Fish Studio
Photography: Ron Magill
Special thanks to Ana VeigaMilton and the Zoo Miami staff, for without these people, this publication would not be possible.
LETTER FROM THE CEO Summer is always an exciting time at Zoo
Miami. Every year, we celebrate the country’s independence and Zoo Miami’s anniversary by offering discounted admission to our community. This year’s $10 Days will be held from July 1 – 4, and we’ll be celebrating our 37th anniversary! The weekend is a great way to kick off the summer, as our guests will enjoy music, giveaways and all our wildlife for a huge admission discount. Speaking of summer, we’re excited to be offering a tasty new way to cool down at Zoo Miami, with the opening of Miami Ice! The new concession area will open alongside the renovated Critter Connection – previously known as the Children’s Zoo. Guests can beat the heat by mixing and matching their favorite ICEE flavors, and then check out our camel encounter, petting zoo area and animal wildlife show. As always, while we are always welcoming new changes to Zoo Miami for better connections, our dedication to animal care remains our top priority. We were thrilled to welcome two new gorillas from Sedgewick County Zoo. Brothers “Shango” and “Barney” arrived at Zoo Miami on May 20, 2017 as part of a Species Survival Plan recommendation, with a goal to welcome female gorillas in the future to help with a carefully planned breeding program. These bachelors have made themselves at home at Zoo Miami now, where guests are welcome and encouraged to visit them. Throughout the summer, our walkways will also be filled with eager Zoo Campers as they explore, learn and embark on adventures that will bring them closer to nature. Our education programs, like Zoo Camp, offer the perfect balance between interactive fun and learning, to further our mission of encouraging an appreciation for wildlife. From the young in age to the young at heart, Zoo Miami guests and fans are already making a difference by supporting us in our mission. You can help support the zoo as we continue to grow!
FOLLOW US
2
BILL MOORE ZMF CEO/ President
DONATE NOW
Inside This Issue
12 17
5 6 7
What’s in Bloom?
8
Gorilla Bachelor Brothers Arrive
10
Adventures in Learning
12 13
Critter Connection Opening
13 15 16
Baby Tamandua Makes Exhibit Debut
Healthy Eggs Benedict Recipe Summer Camp at Zoo Miami Meet Shango & Barney, our two new gorilla residents
Learn more about our education programs
Bear-ly Contained! Our Florida black bears test out a bear-resistant trash can
Notes for Members Elephant Celebrations World Elephant Day is coming up, and Dalip just turned 51!
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The Coolest Summer
3
$ S Y A D
4
WHAT’S IN Bloom ?
Common Name:
Golden Shower
Botanical Name:
Flamboyant Tree or Royal Poinciana
Common Name:
Cassia fistula
Botanical Name:
Delonix regia
Flame of the Forest
Common Name: Botanical Name:
Butea monosperma
Show YOUR Garden Love with the Most Exotic Compost in South Florida! Zoo Doo is now available to the public for purchase! This exotic compost is made from herbivore animal waste from our elephants, rhinos and bantengs, mixed with recycled yard debris found at Zoo Miami. Through this green initiative, Zoo Miami is reducing its landfill footprint while also saving on the purchase of soil. Zoo Doo Bucket (5 gal): $12.95 + tax Zoo Doo Scoop (1 cubic yard): $30 + tax
Click here for more info
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Eggs Benedict with Caramelized Peaches and Cottage Cheese Hollandaise
Makes 4 Servings This healthy alternative to the most famous brunch dish of all time will certainly be a show stopper when you share it with your family and friends. We’re talking about West Kendall Baptist Hospital’s Executive Chef, Rod Knight’s Eggs Benedict. Skip the Canadian bacon and the traditional hollandaise, it’s the caramelized peaches and the cottage cheese sauce that take center stage in this modified version of this classic dish.
What you will need: • Food processor or blender • 4 eggs, poached • 2 peaches • 1/2 cup cottage cheese • 3 table spoons olive oil • ¼ cup white Vinegar • 1 pinch of paprika • 1 pinch of cayenne • .5 teaspoon of turmeric • 2 English muffins • 2 stalks chives cut into batons (for garnish) • 2 cups arugula (for garnish) vegetarian, piscatorial, peanut Free, tree Nut Free, soy Free, fish Free, shellfish Free, pork Free, red Meat Free, crustacean Free, celery Free, mustard Free, sesame Free, lupine Free, mollusk Free, alcohol Free, kosher
Nutrition Facts: 270 Calories / Serving 14% Daily Value Servings 6
Process: With a vegetable peeler remove the skin of the peaches, slice in to medallions avoiding the center pit. Set aside. Bring a quart of water to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and add the white vinegar. Bring a sauté pan up to temperature over medium heat. Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan while swirling it around to evenly coat the entire bottom of the pan. Place the peaches flat side down into the pan. Cook until the sugar in the peaches are caramelized. Remove from pan set aside. Split and toast the English muffins. Add the cottage cheese, paprika, cayenne, and turmeric, and remaining olive oil to a food processor blend until smooth. Carefully drop eggs in to the water and gently agitate the liquid. This will help the eggs coagulate and prevent the whites from spreading. Cook until desired yolk doneness. Remove from pan. To assemble, start with the English muffin, apply a layer arugula, then two medallions of caramelized peaches. Top the peaches with a poached egg and spoon the sauce over the egg. Garnish with chives. Serve immediately.
CAMP
Summer break is a stampede of fun at
SUMMER CAMP AT ZOO MIAMI
JUNE 12 TO AUG 18
2017 First 5 Weeks Sold Out!
Ages 4 - 12 Summer Camp hours: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
For more information, please call
(305) 255-5551 or e-mail education@zoomiami.org TO REGISTER: zoomiami.org/camps
Healthy Zoo Healthy You Now in its fifth year, Healthy Zoo Healthy You is a partnership between Zoo Miami and West Kendall Baptist Hospital to encourage healthy habits while visiting the zoo and in your everyday life. In addition to the flagship program of a fitness trail around the park, new elements are being added to this partnership including a focus on healthy eating. The West Kendall Baptist Hospital chef recently held cooking demonstrations at Party for the Planet weekend, and now West Kendall Baptist Hospital is the 2017 Healthy Snack Sponsor for Zoo Camp! Our campers will enjoy two healthy snacks daily and information about good health and natural foods. 7
GORILLA
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Bachelor Brothers Our gorilla exhibit at Zoo Miami has been vacant for a few months, while staff made some renovations in preparation for the arrival of two new silverback gorillas. “Shango”, 28 years old, and “Barney”, 23, were both born at the San Francisco Zoo, and transferred to Sedgewick County Zoo together in May of 2004. The brothers arrived at Zoo Miami on May 20, 2017. Their transfer comes as part of a Species Survival Plan (SSP) recommendation, with the hope that female gorillas will eventually become available to help move forward with a carefully planned captive breeding program. Western lowland gorillas are critically endangered in the wild, and are found in the forests of the Congo Basin, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Angola and Gabon.
These vegetarians are often referred to as “gentle giants”, standing at over 5 feet tall and weighing over 400 pounds (or about 150-200 pounds for females).
Zoo guests can now visit
Shango and Barney at their new home in Zoo Miami!
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Adventures in Learning Zoo Miami’s Award-Winning Summer Camp is Back! Summertime is in full swing – schools are out and Zoo Camp is back and better than ever! We’ve won the top award from South Florida Parenting Magazine for the second year in a row, and were named as one of Miami’s Top 10 Summer Programs for Kids by Care.com. This summer, we have tons of zoo activities mixing fun with conservation education, such as exploring the Everglades, planting a butterfly garden, and learning about all of our amazing animals. Also new this year, we are now offering a meal plan with Zoo Miami’s Taste of the Wild catering service so that you don’t have to worry about remembering to pack a lunch. Support from Faye Aronson, Gulliver Academy, Main Street Dental, and the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs make our camp program and scholarships possible. For the first time, we’ll be able to offer scholarships beyond the summer and through the 2017-2018 school year. For more info, check out zoomiami.org/camps.
All About that Bass – Fishing to Save Native Species Zoo Miami’s Fishing Derby program has been working to remove invaders such as tilapia from our zoo lakes in order to create space for native fish such as largemouth bass. Citizen scientists – families just like you! – come out to Zoo Miami early in the morning and help us catch, measure, and catalog the fish in our Amazon lake. The captured fish are then used as fun enrichment treats for the zoo’s otters, crocs and wading birds! Check out zoomiami.org/fishing to learn more!
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Teen Volunteers Saving Florida Butterflies
Upcoming Programs: NOW – Aug 18: Zoo Miami Many of you are aware of our popular and success-
Summer Camp
ful Conservation Teen Scientist (CTS) high school volunteer program. A dedicated team of our Con-
Jul 8:
servation Teen Scientist (CTS) volunteers has been
Wild Night –
bringing life to a new butterfly conservation initiative at Zoo Miami. With assistance from wonderful
Gentle Giants
organizations such as HSBC Private Bank and the Wildflower Foundation, our CTS team has created
Aug 12:
a fully functioning butterfly habitat at the front of
Wild Night –
the ZMF lobby, adjacent to the zoo’s new front entrance.
Everglades Escapade
In addition, the Anthony Abraham Foundation has
Aug 27:
generously agreed to partially support the CTS
Fishing Derby
program over the next three years – THANK YOU! In addition to building on our conservation educa-
& Breakfast
tion successes, the CTS program will be expanding its recruitment efforts and high quality STEM training to at-risk youth in our community. Interested in volunteering at Zoo Miami as an adult, teenager, or as a group? Check out www.zoomiami.org/volunteer for application information and join our pride!
CLICK HERE to Register
Don’t forget: Zoo Miami Members receive 20% off ALL Education programs! 11
Our Children’s Zoo has gotten a recent makeover, and re-opening this summer as the new Critter Connection! The entire area has been renovated to allow you to better
CONNECT with animals here at Zoo Miami in a more intimate setting. We’ve got lots of new encounters planned, so stay tuned for details on the re-opening! Make the CONNECTION
FUN for ALL! Not just a Children’s Zoo.
Critter Connection will also feature the opening of
Miami Ice – a brand new Icee shop where guests will have over 20 flavors to choose from! 12
Bear-ly Contained!
On May 19, 2017, our black bears were part of a demonstration in which Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) biological staff brought a commercially manufactured bear-resistant trash can to challenge its effectiveness. They sure had a hard time trying to crack it open! These trash cans are one of the many ways to prevent unwanted humanbear interaction!
Zoo Miami’s first baby tamandua, a male named “Maximo”, made his exhibit debut with his mom on May 19, 2017!
Maximo was born on March 10th, and spent his first couple of months bonding with his mother “Willow” before they were allowed to explore his new home.
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Join Us Saturday, November 11
@
BENEFITING
For kids ages 2-9 #ZooRun5k
#ZooKidsDash
TO REGISTER: ZooMiami.org/run I 305-255-5551 Zoo Miami Live! Saturday, July 15, 2017
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Join us for an evening concert benefiting conservation with The Long Run, an Eagles Tribute Band! Your ticket includes zoo admission on July 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., concert admission, PLUS an addition zoo admission ticket, valid for up to a year! Ticket prices: Adults (age 13+): $30 plus tax per non-member; $25 plus tax per member. Child (ages 3-12): $25 plus tax per non-member; $20 plus tax per member. 14
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
NOTES for Members Savings ALL Summer! Zoo Members are eligible for $15 off private swimming lessons at any of the Little Swimmers five locations. Valid through the end of August with a proof of a valid Zoo Miami Membership. For more information, visit www.littleswimmers.net
Planning a staycation? As a Zoo Member, you are eligible for exclusive rates at the Coconut Grove Sonesta Hotel. Valid with promo code ZOO when booking online until 12/31/17. For more information & rates, visit www.sonesta.com/coconutgrove
M E M BE R S E RV I C E S • ( 3 05) 255- 5551 • M BR@zo o miami.org 15 17
Dalip Turned 51! On June 10, 2017, we celebrated our Asian elephant bull Dalip’s birthday. Zoo fans and keepers sang him happy birthday, as he enjoyed splashing around and tearing into his special gifts and enrichment treats.
World Elephant Day Later this summer, we’re celebrating ALL elephants on August 12, 2017. Join us at both the African and Asian elephants at Zoo Miami for cool trivia games and prizes, arts and crafts and special keeper talks. 16
The Coolest Summer
Get the most out of your summer in Florida! Get the Summer Savings Pass and check out four of the top attractions in South Florida: Zoo Miami, Miami Seaquarium, the Museum of Science and Discovery and Lion Country Safari. On your visit to Zoo Miami, make sure to cool down at our water zones throughout the park, especially our Playworld Playground wet zone!
Lostman’s Rive Wet play area at
r Ride at Florid
Amazon & Beyo
nd
nd wet zone Playworld Playgrou
a: Misson Ever
glades
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MAS STRIPEZ September 3 – 5, 2017 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Did you know there are fewer than 3,200 tigers left in the wild and their numbers are rapidly declining as a result of poaching and habitat destruction? Join us for our MAS STRIPEZ – Save the Tigers event to learn more about tigers! There will be fun activities and face painting in front of our Sumatran Tiger exhibit and you can help by purchasing goodies at a bake sale/lemonade table. All money raised will support the Tiger Conservation Project.
Nourish305 Restaurant Coming this Fall!
As the first-ever air conditioned restaurant at Zoo Miami, Nourish 305 will provide healthy food options prepared with fresh, locally grown ingredients on custom made flatbreads, salads, and sandwiches. The design of the restaurant blends the existing heavy timber wood construction, an eclectic mix of sleek modern elements and rustic elements. Featuring custom interior artwork, Nourish 305 will be strategically located at the Zoo Miami entry and will provide views of the new Florida: Mission Everglades exhibit. 18