February 2015, Volume 42, No. 2 ANIMAL Behavior institute CONTINUE Your Professional EDUCATION ONLINE! Our programs in Zoo & Aquarium Science and to grow and advance in your field. Small class sizes and professional faculty guarantee you a personal education with the individual attention you deserve. learning partner ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS Or aquariumsK Visit us at www.AnimalEdu.com Toll free (866) 755-0448 a more personal education ACCREDITED BUSINESS 37 ABOUT THE COVER 38 FROM THE PRESIDENT 40 COMING EVENTS NATIONAL ZOO KEEPER WEEK 56-57 Why it's Never Too Early (or Late) to Plan for National Zoo Keeper Week and How You Can Get Started Robin Sutker FEATURED ARTICLES 44-49 "The Tail of Pekwa” Stereotypic Behavior in a Brown-nosed Coati (Nasua nasua) Sara Travis 58 THANK YOU COMMERCIAL MEMBERS 58 AAZK DATES TO REMEMBER 50-51 The Social Benefits of Freezer Flaps in the Winter Management of 0.2 African Elephants Nate Elgart TRAINING TALES 52-55 Free Contact Training to Reduce Stress During a Sloth Bear Cub Exam Stacey Tabellario, Mindy Babitz, Tony Barthei and Katharine Hope FEB 1 1 201!) > Perfect Package. Quality, Value and Convenience! Order online! 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We guarantee it. i E-mail: info@rodentpro.com AMERICAN ASSOCIATION of ZOO KEEPERS MISSION STATEMENT American Association of Zoo Keepers, inc. The American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc. exists to advance exceiience in the animai keeping profession, foster effective communication beneficial to animal care, support deserving conservation projects, and promote the preservation of our natural resources and animal life. About the Cover This month'scovercomesto usfrom Dane Jorgensen ofthe Birmingham Zoo. His photograph features a sun bear {Helarctos malayanus) male named HoHo, who was born in 1989 and has been at the Omaha Zoo with female Cupcake for the majority of their lives. Keepers have done a fantastic Job with their sun bear training. This photo was taken during a public demonstration where keepers are able to feed the two bears at their respective stations on exhibit. Positive-reinforcement training allows keepers to facilitate medications if ever needed. HoHo is trained for a number of other behaviors, including open mouth, side, target, and several important body part inspections. Currently keepers are working with him to train for a voluntary blood draw. While sun bears are a highly charismatic and interesting exhibit animal in a number of AZA facilities, their future status in zoos and in the wild remains uncertain. Unsuccessful breeding and poor genetics have been detrimental to their Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is extremely unfortunate as they stand as one of the least understood bear species and a unique educational animal for the general public. Like many other inhabitants of Southeast Asia, major threats continue to jeopardize their population's future survival. For more information on these amazing bears, please go to sunbears.wildlifedirect.org and look up the impressive work of leading researcher Siew Te Wong. ANIMAL KEEPERS^ FORUM TO CONTACT THE AKF EDITOR: Shane Good, Media Production Editor P.O. Box 535, Valley City, OH 44280 330-483-1104 shane.good@aazk.org AAZK Administrative Office American Association of Zoo Keepers 8476 E. Speedway Blvd. Suite 204 Tucson, AZ 85710-1728 520-298-9688 (Phone/Fax) E-mail: Ed.Hansen@aazk.org Chief Executive/Financial Officer: Ed Hansen EDITOR Shane Good GRAPHIC DESIGNER Elizabeth Thibodeaux ENRICHMENT OPTIONS COLUMN COORDINATORS Julie Hartell-DeNardo, Saint Louis Zoo Casey Plummer, Caldwell Zoo Ric Kotarsky, Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum ATC COLUMN COORDINATORS Kim Kezer, Zoo New England Jay Pratte, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo Beth Stark-Posta, Toledo Zoo CONSERVATION STATION COORDINATORS Amanda Ista, Milwaukee County Zoo Mary Ann Cisneros, Disney's Animal Kingdom Animal Keepers’ Forum is published monthly by AAZK, Inc. Ten dollars of each membership fee goes toward the annual publication costs of Animal Keepers' Forum. Postage paid at Tucson, AZ. BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT: Bob Cisneros, San Diego Zoo, San Diego, CA 92112-0551 VICE PRESIDENT: Penny Jolly, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000 Kelly Wilson, Detroit Zoological Society Royal Oak, Ml 48067 Deana Walz, The Living Planet Aquarium Sandy, UT 84094-4409 Wendy Lenhart, Philadelphia Zoo Philadelphia, PA 19104 Articles sent to Animal Keepers’ Forum will be reviewed by the editorial staff for publication. Articles of a research or technical nature will be submitted to one or more of the zoo professionals who serve as referees for AKF. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to publish articles as soon as possible. Lengthy articles may be separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the Editor. The Editor reserves the right to edit material without consultation unless approval is requested in writing by the author. Materials submitted will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed, appropriately-sized envelope. Telephone, fax or e-mail contributions of late-breaking news or last-minute insertions are accepted as space allows. Phone (330) 483-1104; FAX (330) 483-1444; e-mail is shane.good@aazk.org. If you have questions about submission guidelines, please contact the Editor. Submission guidelines are also found at: aazk.org/akf-submission-guidelines/. Deadline for each regular issue is the 3rd of the preceding month. Dedicated issues may have separate deadline dates and will be noted by the Editor. Articles printed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the AKF staff or the American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc. Publication does not indicate endorsement by the Association. Items in this publication may be reprinted providing credit to this publication is given and a copy of the reprinted material is forwarded to the Editor. If an article is shown to be separately copyrighted by the author{s), then permission must be sought from the author(s). Reprints of material appearing in this journal may be ordered from the Editor. Regular back issues are available for $6.00 each. Special issues may cost more. FSC MIX Paper from responsible sources FSC' C1 12081 COMMITTEES/COORDINATORS/ PROJECT MANAGERS BY-LAWS Chair - Ric Kotarsky, Tulsa Zoo GRANTS COMMITTEE Chair - Jessica Munson, Milwaukee County Zoo BEHAVIORAL HUSBANDRY COMMITTEE Chair - Julie Harteil-Denardo, Saint Louis Zoo BOWLING FOR RHINOS, NATIONAL PROGRAM MANAGER Patty Pearthree, Cary, NC ETHICS Penny Jolly, Disney’s Animal Kingdom CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Christy Poelker, Saint Louis Zoo AWARDS Janet McCoy, The Oregon Zoo PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Melaina Wallace, Disney's Animal Kingdom Ellen Gallagher, John Ball Zoo CONFERENCE PROGRAM MANAGER Victor Aim, Oakland Zoo ICZ COORDINATORS Norah Farnham, Woodland Park Zoo Sara Wunder Steward, Busch Gardens Tampa COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE Bethany Bingham, Utah's Hogle Zoo NATIONAL ZOO KEEPER WEEK, PROGRAM MANAGER Robin Sutker, Baltimore Zoo MEMBERSHIP SERVICES Data Transfer Forms available for download at aazk.org AAZK Publications/Logo Products/Apparel available at AAZK Administrative Office or at aazk.org February 2015 | Vol. 42, No. 2 | 37 FROM THE PRESIDENT 'The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand." — Vince Lombardi As animal care professionals, we strive to provide the best care available for our animals. Our passion fuels our focus and our skills and expertise craft new and innovative ways to raise the bar in animal keeping. For some, that passion extends outside of their daily work, resulting in keeper-initiated contributions to conservation. We see examples of these innovations during our conference presentations and within the AKF and I am willing to bet that there are more outstanding examples of praiseworthy contributions that do not get highlighted here in the AKF or at our conferences. Sadly though, when the time comes to recognize our peers for outstanding achievements, the inflow of nominations does not reflect a membership of almost 3000. Even more disappointing is that a low nomination turnout has become standard practice. To help improve the nomination process, we started a practice of providing earlier notices about our awards program two years ago. This year, we sent out a save- the-date e-blast, giving you the opportunity to mark the deadlines on your calendars. We all know someone who made a praiseworthy contribution to this profession. Nominate them for one of the following awards: • Lifetime Achievement Award • Lee Houts Excellence in Enrichment Award • Certificate of Merit for Zoo Keeper Education • Certificate of Excellence in Zoo Keeper Exhibit Design Renovation (CEER) • Jean M. Hromadka AAZK Excellence In Animal Care Award • The Lutz Ruhe Meritorious Achievement - AAZK Professional of the Year Award • Certificate of Merit in Conservation • Mazuri® Animal Nutrition Award • The Barbara Manspeaker AAZK Chapter of the Year Award It is a well-established fact that positive reinforcement yields amazing results with our animals and promotes best practices in animal welfare. Reinforcing outstanding behavior among your peers yields the same results. Be a leader in the promotion of positive reinforcement in the work place by nominating someone today. Deadline for Awards Nominations is 1 MAY 2015. For more information, go to: https://www.aazk.org/committee/awards-committee/ As always, I welcome your thoughts and input. E-mail me at bob.cisneros@aazk.org ; I would love to hear from you. Drop me a line, I promise to write back. Ci>s>'UrP- I Ass0>:iclll0li Ol /on Ino. 38 I ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM >=^fRNlVO^ CARNIV25? INTRODUCING CARNIVORE ESSENTIALS Carnivore Essentials is the first all-pork complete diet formulated specifically for zoo carnivores. Years of extensive field research and testing proves Carnivore Essentials to be a safe and nutritious dietary alternative for all carnivores including felids, canids, ursids and birds of prey. www.CarnivoreEssentials.com 800-890-7039 sales@CarnivoreEssentials.com COMING EVENTS Post upcoming events here! e-mail shane.good@aazk.org March 21-27, 2015 AZA Mid-Year Meeting Columbia, SC Hosted by Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. For more info go to: aza.org/midyearmeeting Aprii 7-9, 2015 Bear Care Workshop for Zoo Professionais Tucson, AZ. Hosted by Reid Park Zoo. For more information and Call for Papers visit: reidparkzoo.org/events/public/ professional-workshop-zoo- keepers/ Aprii 13-18, 2015 Animal Behavior Management Alliance (ABMA) Conference Copenhagen, Denmark For more information visit: theabma.org. March 25, 2015 AAZK Regional Symposium Lessons Learned: How the past impacts and improves the future of zookeeping. Washington, D.C. Hosted by NCAAZK. For more information, please visit us at www.ncaazk.org June 1-5, 2015 Prosimian TAG Meeting and Workshop Myakka City, FL Hosted by The Lemur Conservation Foundation For more information contact Alison Grand at: agrand@lemurreserve.org. June 14-18, 2015 International Rhino Keepers' Workshop Chester, England Hosted by Chester Zoo For more information and Call for Papers, go to: rhinokeeperassociation.org/ rhino-keeper-workshop/ September 9-13, 2015 International Congress on Zookeeping Leipzig, Germany Hosted by Leipzig Zoo and the International Congress of Zookeepers (ICZ). For more information visit: iczoo.org. September 17-21, 2015 AZA National Conference Salt Lake City, UT Hosted by Utah's Hogle Zoo For more information visit: aza.org. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION of ZOO KEEPERS September 27 - Oct. 1, 2015 AAZK National Conference St. Louis, MO Hosted by Saint Louis Zoo and St. Louis Chapter of AAZK More details can be found at: www.stlzoo.org/animals/ soyouwanttobeazookeeper/ americanassociationofzooke/ November 4-8, 2015 New World Primate TAG Husbandry Workshop San Diego, CA Hosted by San Diego Zoo Save the Date! More details to come.... 40 1 ANIMAL KEEPERS’ FORUM American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc. Introducing Natural Hollow Logs Environmental Enrichment for Animals in Captivity Wide range of sizes available Increases the biological relevance of habitat Cost less than manufactured products for animals Genuine natural wood enhances physical complexity of habitat For many animals - insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals Versitile product that can be used for nesting, as a feeding device, climbing feature, etc. Animal behavior is closer to normal because they feel more comfortable in their habitat Encourages natural breeding behaviors and successful propagation A more enjoyable natural setting for nollow ^ Habitats animals their keepers. visitors EVERYONE! For information and to place orders, visit us at www.icwoodlic.com www.facebook.com/ICWOODLLC n ^ 2 Annual Regional Symposium Hosted by NCAAZK at the Smithsonian's National Zoo Lessons Learned: How the past impacts and improves the future of zookeeping Wednesday, March 25*^ 2015 www.ncaazk.org To download an application or to apply online, please visit AAZK.ORG. iiyiBERSHIP erican Association of Zoo Keepers IVI%i^fl!«rship with AAZK includes a subscription to Animal Keepers’ Forum and free or discounted admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION of ZOO KEEPERS AAZK is a nonprofit volunteer organization (U.S. 501c3) made up of professional zoo keepers and other Interested persons dedicated to professional animal care and consenration. Join us in “Saving Tigers One by One” As seen on Animai Planet® “Growing Up Tiger” Learn about Big Cat IVIanagement. Internship involves Animal Care Apprenticeship and Public Education. We offer experience that counts towards employment. TIGER MISSING LINK FOUNDATION • TIGER CREEK WILDLIFE REFUGE • Apply at: www.tigircreek.org 42 ANIMAL KEEPERS’ FORUM American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc. Wildlife Toy Box Photo Courtesy of the Lincoln Park Zoo This Dark Adobe Looky Lou provides added intrigue to those animals that are self-aware. Have us add holes to convert this into a Looky Lou Feeder. The bright blue 17” Ball in Ball is offered in Light Duty, Medium Duty and Heavy Duty. Call or email to be added to the mailing list of overstock items, which are dramatically reduced, as well as monthly specials on products! Wildlife Toy Box is a product line created by Desert Plastics to assist professional animal management personnel and professional facility management personnel in their efforts to provide engaging, creative, and cost-effective products. These will range from direct animal contact products, both on and off exhibit, to products intended for use in general public areas. M/(|;|(ifeToYBox«col^ We are committed to providing quality, high-value products manufactured from a range of materials. Photo Courtesy of Zoovilie USA AAZK.ORG February 2015 | Vol. 42, No. 2 | 43 S&m frmwlM, Animal Trainer III, Vice President of AAZK Chapter Palm Beach Zoo West Palm Beach, Florida Abstract A brown-nosed coati {Nasua nasua) developed a stereotypic behavior that involved self-mutilation of her tail. Through training, enrichment, veterinary medicine, and social interaction with a keeper, her behavior has been curbed. The extinguishing of this behavior proved to be one of the most challenging and resource- exhausting efforts for keeper and vet staff to conquer. Introduction Stereotypic behavior has been defined as a repetitive, invariant behavior pattern with no obvious goal or function (Mason, 1991). Stereotypic behaviors appear to be associated with animals housed in captivity, since there is no known observation of these behaviors being observed in animals that live in the wild. One explanation could be the animal’s desire or need to perform natural behaviors and their inability to do so in an enclosure (Mason, 2007). Stereotypic behaviors include pacing, over-grooming and self-mutilation. There are many factors that can cause stereotypic behaviors. One factor could be environmental triggers induced from being in captivity such as pacing right before feeding or shifting. Another factor could be a result of early improper rearing. The animal may have been separated from its parents before developing mentally and/or physically. Also, improper social structuring can have a negative effect on the animal’s wellbeing. Another factor could be an improper balance in the mental state of the animal. While the last is a rare case, it must still be considered when treating a stereotypic behavior. Coatis are in the family procyonidae (raccoon family). There are approximately four species of coati inhabiting the range from southern Texas to northern Argentina. Female coatis are social while males tend to be solitary. Tight groups are guarded by aggressive females that only allow a single male into the group during breeding season. Young males, also known as coatimundis, will form bachelor groups. Coatis are omnivores that use their long nose to dig for insects and use their tail for balance while climbing trees in search of fruit. Coatis live primarily in forested areas, however much like the North American raccoon, they can adapt to an urban lifestyle. Coatis are listed as "least concern" by the lUCN Red List, however, deforestation and the pet trade do contribute to a decline in their population. Coatis live in several protected areas in South America and one subspecies {N. n. solitaria) is a protected animal in Uruguay making the trade of this species illegal. Palm Beach Zoo accessioned their first coati in March of 2011. Tweak was purchased by a teenage boy to have as a pet when she was extremely young, probably around the age of two to three months. She was presumed to be a South American coati based on her markings but since she came from the pet trade it is very possible she is a hybrid. Tweak had free range of the two story house where she would practice her climbing on the staircase and use the boy’s bed as her personal latrine. The young man was able to harness her and take her on walks but she would prefer to ride on his shoulders and jump from person to person. The coati became aggressive at times (biting the boy and his family members). After three months of owning this rambunctious creature he decided he could not handle the responsibility of being an exotic pet owner and donated her to Palm Beach Zoo. Since this animal was well socialized, she was accepted into the collection with the plan of dedicating her as an animal ambassador. Staff changed her name to Pekwa, the Mayan god of thunder. Pekwa’s quarantine housing was at the Animal Care Complex (animal hospital) in a large concrete room (approximately 12 feet by 12 feet, 12 feet high) with various perching and one hide box. During her quarantine, she bonded with two keepers (the author and the author’s previous manager) and was very tractable, accepting a harness and going on walks. When the manager left the zoo, all responsibility for the care of this animal fell upon the author. During her time in quarantine, the author trained Pekwa to not jump on shoulders but to walk calmly into the arms if the coati desired to be held. This behavior of jumping or riding on shoulders might encourage zoo guests to adopt coatis as pets, seeing it as “cute” to see her riding on a staff member's shoulders. When the coati’s 30-day quarantine was complete in April of 2011, she moved behind-the-scenes to an enclosure (approximately 8 feet by 12 feet, 8 feet high) with perching and a hide box. A chute was added to connect to an adjacent enclosure of the same size. She was enriched daily. She was always entertaining to watch as she tackled various cognitive and physical challenges such as foraging toys, hanging browse and ice blocks. During the year of 2011, Pekwa was taken on walks around the zoo to acclimate her to the surroundings and to guests. There was little harness training as she was able AAZK.ORG February 2015 | Vol. 42, No. 2 | 45 to be held in the arms and the harness was slipped on. In February of 2012, keepers noticed the tip of Pekwa’s tail was becoming red and raw/irritated so the vet staff prescribed the application of BariCare™ cream for two months. In April of 2012, keepers also noticed the skin on her stomach and underarms was red and possibly irritated. This redness showed up within days of adding mulch to her enclosure, so keepers hypothesized that Pekwa might be having a reaction to the new substrate. The mulch was promptly removed and replaced with sod. After two months, the skin irritation/redness had disappeared from her underside and the tail rawness had completely healed. In July of 2012 she began appearing in the Wild Things Show at the Zoo as an animal ambassador. Pekwa had her fii’st estrous cycle in August of 2012. She became extremely tractable and she was used in shows regularly through the end of the year. September through December of 2012 Pekwa was harness and leash trained by using positive reinforcement. The same tactic was used for crate training. In the show she stationed in various locations on stage and was rewarded for sitting, walking on her hind feet, and climbing upside down. She was able to be extremely close to the audience, climbing up the center banister of the stands. The Wild Things Show presented her story as a way to raise awareness about the challenges and difficulties associated with owning an exotic pet. Pekwa was even featured on the local news. In January 2013, Pekwa became less tractable and even aggressive to her keepers, including the author. Restraint had to be used to secure a harness as she began to bite the author during training sessions whenever hands approached her. She was only featured in shows when she was in estrous (one week in February 2013) and was able to be handled. When she reached approximately two and half years of age in February 2013, keepers noticed the tip of her tail was red and irritated again, and this time, it also had hair loss. The raw spot was again treated topically as before, but at the end of February 2013 she was observed attacking her tail multiple times causing worsening damage. No one trigger could be identified. The behavior (biting, scratching at tail furiously while squeaking) was triggered at different times of the day, with and without a food stimulus, with and without traffic outside her enclosure, with and without Figure 1. Tail bone exposed. Figure 2; Pekwa with feeder puzzle ball for enrichment. Food items are inside. Figure 3: Tail wrap with metal sutures in bandage. Figure 4: Tail badly mutilated. 46 1 ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM enrichment. The author even noticed Pekwa’s tail move towards her food bowl (perhaps involuntarily) and she promptly attacked it, beating it away. Methods In an effort to prevent these attacks, four main tactics were attempted. They were training and enrichment, medications, surgery, and allergen elimination. Training and Enrichment At the end of March 2013, she moved to a larger enclosure (approximately 15 feet by 12 feet, 20 feet high) with more sun light and more interaction time with guests. She also had high perching, two hammocks, a hide box, look-out platform, rope ladder, stream and PVC pipe tunnel as furniture. Her previous enclosure was behind-the-scenes while the new enclosure was in public view. She was also put on an enrichment schedule 2x/ day (see figures 2, 6, and 7) with random training sessions set up throughout the day as well. Enrichments were varied and creative. Cognitive challenges such as feeder balls or hiding food in her enclosure were used as were physical challenges such as food hidden in boxes hanging from perching. She was also put on a training schedule of 2x/day with sporadic training sessions if time allowed. Pekwa was trained to shift into a night house, station on a platform, sit, climb upside down on perching as well as hang upside down by her back feet from a perch. Medications There are various anti-depressant medications that are now available for use in exotic animals. Different methods were attempted to administer medications in a variety of food sources from fish to peanut butter, honey, and finally successfully in a hardboiled egg. Naltrexone is commonly used for humans to treat narcotic addiction. In animals naltrexone hydrochloride is the drug of choice for the antagonism of any opiate sedation in any species (Naltrexone, n.d.). As naltrexone failed to prevent her from attacking her tail, other drugs were tried over the months of April and May; amitriptyline and haloperidol. Both of these drugs are antidepressants with amitriptyline specializing as a mood enhancer and haloperidol specializing in controlling motor tics (Medline Plus, 2013). An injection of depo-provera, a birth control to help control her hormones, was administered. Prozac is used to treat depression and obsessive-compulsion disorder. Prozac is now given to zoo animals and pets suffering from problems Airicr':'.i:i As&i":Nu' : ■ . oKeei.' . including obsessive-compulsive disorders, aggression, and separation anxiety. Some patients are weaned off the drug in a few months, while others stay on it for the rest of their lives (Mott, 2005). Surgery In March of 2013 she attacked her tail to the point where her bone was exposed. Surgery was decided and she was moved to the hospital. After surgery, various bandage techniques were attempted to prevent stitches from being prematurely pulled out. Initially, metal sutures were present around the surgery site but Pekwa was able to open the wound and exposed the tail bone again despite being Miraculously, after about two weeks of the food restrictions and treatment of Prozac the redness on her belly went away and the attacks stopped. on a sedative (see figure 4). In June of 2013 another surgery was performed to remove the mutilated area. During this procedure it was decided to spay her as well, as coatis are not a Population Management Program (PMP) or Species Survival Plan (SSP) species and possibly that would calm her hormones that might be adding to the urge to mutilate. Another bandaging technique was used that involved tape around the end of the tail with metal sutures sticking out of that (see figure 3). This did prevent the coati from opening the wound, however, the tail did not heal due to no oxygen flow through the sealed bandage. Allergens While Pekwa was in the hospital she was still attacking her tail despite staff keeping the same enrichment and drug dosage schedule. Her skin was noticeably red on her belly. The only constant was her food. Her diet included small carnivore meat, adult dog food, fish, egg, produce, and insects. It was decided to take out the dog food as this causes a common allergy. She was prohibited from having soy, corn, and peanut products as well. Results During her recovery in the hospital many brainstorming meetings occurred as to how to help this animal. Zoological managers sent out numerous e-mails to other coati keepers asking for help. Wonderfully, many keepers came forward with various suggestions including enrichment ideas. It was surprising to find out how many coatis in zoological institutions had similar upbringings as Pekwa. Of the eleven institutions that responded, six of them had coatis that were previously- owned pets. Of those six institutions, four displayed some form of a stereotypical behavior, being it pacing, chewing, or non-provoked aggression. Of those four, three were singly-housed females. During our correspondences, many institutions had coatis that responded aggressively towards the jingling of keys; Pekwa does the same. Many coatis in zoos were previously-owned, bonded with one keeper when acquired by a zoo, and are used as educational ambassadors. While some institutions had experience with self-mutilation, the issue was resolved with a neutering or by socializing with other coatis. No attacks occurred during training sessions, however, attacks did occur during some enrichment. Keepers were placed in front of her exhibit to try and identify a stimulus which triggered the attacks (see table 2). No stimulus was determined. The attacks escalated to as many as six times/day. Surgery was an unavoidable result of the mutilations. To save the tail, about two inches were amputated. While various medications were attempted, only Prozac proved to have any effect. After about a month of being on food restrictions, the redness on her belly and armpits disappeared and no attacks occurred. Miraculously, after about two weeks of the food restrictions and treatment of Prozac, the redness on her belly went away and the attacks stopped (see table 1). It took roughly about a year to gain control over Pekwa’s stereotypic behavior but changes are still being made. We have discussed introducing her with another coati so she can have the social interaction female coatis need. The author still interacts with her daily but it does not duplicate what another coati interaction would be. Pekwa, to date, has had no attacks and staff is slowly weaning her off Prozac. She is still enriched and trained daily as well as has social stimuli from keepers and guests. Staff at the Palm Beach Zoo are proud to have Pekwa back on exhibit. Keepers train her daily in front of the public and her message about the exotic pet trade is so important to relay to guests. While Pekwa’s stereotypic behavior is finally under management Figure 5: Tail finally healing. Figure 6: Pekwa with complex feeder puzzle. Food items are hidden in compartments that have small doors that can be opened by animal. Figure 7: Enrichment: food hidden in magazine. Figure 8: Pekwa's sleeping spot, a hammock. AA7K.ORG February 2015 | Vol. 42, No. 2 | 47 there is still discussion of slowly taking her off Prozac to ensure a healthy life for her. Currently she is on a reduced dose and is showing no signs of regression. Discussion As care takers of these challenging animals, keepers must increase their creativity of their enrichment, sessions of training, and, sometimes when necessary, medication dosages. There are many theories about when Pekwa’s stereotypic behavior started and she fits into Mason’s three reasons for stereotypical behavior. Pekwa’s behavior could be a combination of removal from her mother prematurely (a past, early rearing environment has affected CNS development, again resulting in abnormal behavioral sequencing, with effects evident long past infancy), being a single- housed female (internal states induced by the captive environment, and/or cues external to the animal, persistently trigger or motivate a specific behavioral response), and a food allergy (the environment creates a state of sustained stress which affects how [specific brain regions] elicit and sequence behavior, resulting in abnormal presentation). The initial attacks were probably provoked by her skin being irritated from food allergies but due to her past as a pet and being singly-housed at the zoo it progressed into a stereotypic behavior. Stereotypic behaviors are one of the challenges animals and keepers face while living and operating in a managed care or captive environment. From these experiences and based on other institutions' findings, female coatis do not do well when housed alone. They are poor house pets as well. Living alone and in a house can cause many issues that could lead to stereotypic behaviors. While some countries ban the trade and sale of coatis, it is still a wide practice that should be eliminated among other exotic animal trading. Coatis thrive in the wild and have displayed little to no stereotypic behaviors. When coatis (and any animals) are present in zoological institutions, keepers have a responsibility to give that animal the best life possible but we can only mimic so much of the native habitat and lifestyle needs of the species. Through training, enrichment, social interactions, and sometimes drug therapy, keepers can gain an upper-hand on stereotypic behaviors and thus give their animals the quality of life they deserve. Table 1. A timeline showing the chronological order of Pekwa’s stereotypical behaviors and treatment JANUARY 2013 ► Began to become aggressive during training sessions. FEBRUARY 2013 ► Only in shows while she is in estrous because she is tractable. ► More attacks on tail noticed. MARCH 2013 ► Bone becomes exposed in tip of tail. Surgery occurs. Received metoclopramide. ► Received Depo-provera to even out hormones as well as naltrexone to calm her. ► Moved to new exhibit in zoo for more social interaction with guests. APRIL 2013 ► Scheduled enrichments, training sessions, and night house access. ► Keepers take shifts watching her. Recorded 2-4 attacks per day. MAY 2013 ► Bone exposed again. ► Treatment with haloperidol started. JUNE 2013 ► Surgery on tail as well as spaying. ► While in hospital, rips off bandages and stitches. ► Metal sutures applied around wrap and tranquilizers used. ► Prozac treatment started. ► Allergies assessed and diet adjusted. ► Bone exposed again. Surgery. JULY 2013 ► No attacks noted. ► Tail is healed with scar tissue (see figure 5). ► Allergens in blood are reducing. ► Moved back out to exhibit. AUGUST ► Tail completely healed. ► Training on exhibit resumes. Table 2. Pekwa's daily schedule 9 - 10 AM Exhibit is opened (this includes husbandry, medications, and enrichment). She is locked out of her night house and on display. 10 - 11 AM 12 - 1 PM Monitored by staff. 1- 2 PM More enrichment and access to her night house given. 2 - 3 PM Monitored by staff. 3 -4PM Training session.* 4 - 5 PM Exhibit closed (this includes husbandry if needed, medications, and enrichment). *Training occurred at variable times as well as the set time of 3 pm. from the Author]| We have successfully weaned Pekwa off Prozac by decreasing the amount, then dosing every other day, then discontinuing altogether. I am happy to say she has had no regression and has been Prozac- free since January 14, 2014 - Sara Travis 48 I ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM American Asso-i. 'ior Zoo iteepers, Inc. References ARKive. (n.d.). Retrieved from South American coati: http://www.arkive. org/south-american-coati/nasua- nasua/video-OO.html Brooks, W.C. (2013). The Pet Pharmacy. Retrieved from veternarypartner.com: http://www. veterinarypartner.com/Content. plx?A=523 Decker, G. (1998). Mammalian Species. Nasua nasua, 1“9. Retrieved from 1. http://www. science.smith.edu/msi/pdf/i0076- 3519-580-01-0001.pdf Mason, G.J. (1991). Stereotypies: A Critical Review. Animal Behaviour 41(6):1015-1037 Mason, G., Clubb, R., Latham, N. and S. Vickery (2007). Why and how we should use environmental enrichment to tackle stereotypical behavior? Applied Animal Behavior Science 102:163 - 188 Medline Pius. (2013). Retrieved from Haloperidol: http://www.nlm.nih. gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/ a682180.html Mott, M. (2005) Puppy Prozac: Can animals benefit from behavioral medication? Retrieved from National Geographic: http:// news.nationalgeographic.com/ news/2005/09/0929_050929_pet_ prozac.html Naltrexone, (n.d.). Retrieved from ZooPharm: Wildlife ... and more: http://wildpharm.com/naltrexone- hydrochloride-50mgml.html Nasua nasua. (2008). Retrieved from The lUCN Red List of Threatened Species: http://www.iucnredlist.org/ details/full/41684/0 Philbin, N. (n.d.). Towards an understanding of stereotypical behaviors in laboratory macaques, from Institute of Animal Technology. Poulsen, E.M.B., Honeyman, V., Valentine, P.A., and G.C. Teskey. (1996). Use of fluoxetine for the treatment of stereotypical pacing behavior in a captive polar bear. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 209:1470- 1474 Acknowledgements Abilene Zoo, Birmingham Zoo, Chattanooga Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo, Dakota Zoo, Edmonton Zoo, Fossil Rim Zoo, Fresno Zoo, Racine Zoo, Zoo Boise, and Zoo Miami for offering information and possible solutions for stereotypic behaviors seen in coatis (Nasua nasua). Keepers, trainers (Callie Coxson, Maura Powers, Melissa Dolinsky) and interns at the Palm Beach Zoo who provided enrichment and patience for Pekwa. Elizabeth Andersen, Assistant Curator, for offering insight on training Pekwa, reaching out to other zoos and editing paper. All photos courtesy of Sara Travis unless otherwise noted. Dedicated Issue of AKF — Prosimians "CaLL (^apefth We are planning a special edition of the Animal Keepers' Forum dedicated to Prosimians. We are accepting manuscripts for consideration to be included in this special issue. Possible topics might include, but are not limited to: Prosimian Husbandry Veterinary Care of Prosimians, Nutrition, Diabetes, Geriatric Care Behavioral Husbandry and Management Aggression, Family-group Cohesion, Troop Dynamics Mixed-Species Exhibits, Challenges, What Works, What Doesn't Conservation (in situ and ex situ) Field Research, ex situ research Legislative topics Special Topics like Sifaka Management, Nocturnal Species Ex situ Population Sustainability Papers should be submitted electronically in MS Word to shane.good@aazk.org and be no more than eight pages in length. Any charts or graphs should be submitted in their native program (i.e. Excel, Word, etc.). Photos should be high-resolution (300 dpi) jpg files, at least 1200 x 1800 pixels in size. Possible cover photos need to be at least 2625 x 3375 pixels in size. Be sure to include a photo credit and photo caption for each photo. Please reference the complete set of AKF submission guidelines at aazk.org/akf-submission-guidelines/ Anyone interested in placing an ad, or sponsoring this special dedicated issue on Prosimians, please contact AKF Editor Shane Good at shane.good@aazk.org. Deadline for submitting articles for this special dedicated issue on Prosimians is July 1, 2015. AAZK.ORG February 2015 | Vol. 42, No. 2 | 49 The Social- , Benefits of ; Freezer Fiaps in: the Winter of 0.2 ^ate Elgart Elephant Manager/Lead Keeper Zoo Atlanta - # > f Atlanta, Georgia A Management; 0.1 African Elephant Kelly The installation of industrial freezer flaps has been one of the most critical management decisions made regarding Zoo Atlanta’s two African elephants {Loxodonta africana). Once a balanced hierarchy of three cows, Atlanta’s small herd was reduced to two after the death of Dottie in 2008. The remaining elephants, Kelly and Tara, both around 25-years-old at the time, were left to redefine dominance, submission and tolerance. Kelly quickly asserted herself as “the boss,” and her methods of control over Tara transitioned to aggression. Managingthe group of two cows proved to be increasingly difficult, especially in regards to shifting, feeding, and housing overnight. Early attempts to shift Tara into the barn would often result in her being chased and tusked by a disapproving Kelly. Similarly, Kelly began to monopolize food duringtheir daily feedings. It was the continued combination of these two problems and evidence of aggression occurring overnight that left the Zoo staff with an even bigger problem. How do you manage two elephants who can barely manage themselves? One critical component that was implemented early in the process was the fact that the elephant care staff were determined to keep both elephants together. It became clear that separating Kelly and Tara after an incident, or overnight for that matter, was detrimental to both in the “fixing of a situation gone awry” and the long-term goal of having both elephants live together successfully while maximizing the welfare of both individuals. Due to the facility’s design, overnight separation proved to be difficult, and isolatingthe elephants from one another for a long period of time was an untenable option. Zoo staff had to think of a way to provide both elephants with access outdoors, which would alleviate, if not eliminate, overnight aggression while maintaining the warmth needed in the barn during those colder months. The initial installation of the freezer flap track system proved to be a failure. The factory brackets were not strong enough, and the elephants pulled the flaps and brackets down several times. We decided to wrap the freezer fiaps around a 4’6” steel plate and anchor that intotheframe of the barn door leading out to the exhibit. The 11 %” freezer flaps, six total, were overlapped and hung across half of the opening of the door. In this way, elephant care staff were able to close the hydraulic shift door halfway with the open space being filled with the hanging fiaps, leaving just enough space for elephants to pass through. When given access outdoors, Kelly did not monopolize the barn, and Tara was allowed indoors all night. The freezer flaps solved the problem. The answer was freezer fiaps. 50 1 ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc. When given access outdoors, Kelly did not monopolize the barn, and Tara was allowed indoors all night. The freezer flaps solved the problem. Overnight Temperature Guidelines Overnight Temperature Door 2 Door 4 Heat Setting Fans * Below 20" *shut *shut 65" on 20"- 30" halved shut 70°-80" on 30"- 40" halved shut 65°-75" on 40"- 50" halved shut or cracked 60°-70° on 50"- 60" halved or open cracked 60°-65° on Above 60" open gate 4 shut off on *Elephants will be separated and locked Inside when temperatures are below 20“ *Low lock In temperature due to social and facility restrictions *Barn can maintain ideal temperatures when freezer flaps are hung *Contact Elephant Manager about leaving the elephants together with access at closing time when overnight temperatures are below 20 degrees. Keepers will need to return later in the evening to separate them. Since 2012, the elephant care team at Zoo Atlanta has been able to regularly leave both elephants together overnight with access to the exhibit year-round. Continued monitoring of overnight temperatures outdoors, as well as in the barn, led the team to revisit the temperature guidelines governing the elephants’ outdoor access, as well as the heat settings in the barn. Thermometer and heat gun readings taken in the winters of 2012 and 2013 show that with the freezer flaps, both elephants were able to have access year-round while the barn maintained a constant temperature of 60 to 70 degrees. Currently, the only time that the elephants are locked in the barn overnight and separated is when outdoor temperatures are below 20 degrees. This low cut-off temperature was determined through the monitoring of overnight temperatures discussed above, as well as overnight observation of both elephants, and is flexible based on changes in health and age of the elephants. Since the installation of the freezer flaps, elephant care staff have seen an increase in positive behavior between both elephants. Coupled with the addition of sand piles in the barn, both elephants lay down nightly within a few feet of the other. The keepers are able to consistently shift both elephants without incident, feed Kelly and Tara together without one animal monopolizing the food, and house them together overnight with little to no aggression. For further information regarding the management of Zoo Atlanta’s elephants and freezer flap installation, contact: Nate Elgart Elephant Manager Lead Keeper of Elephants nelgart@zooatlanta.org AAZK.ORG February 2015 | Vol. 42, No. 2 | 51 TRAINING TALES ! — m EDITORS: Jay Pratte, Henry Doorly Zoo • Kim Kezer, Zoo New England • Beth Stark-Posta, Toledo Zoo Free Contact Training to Rcdnce Stress Dnring a Sloth Bear Cnb Fxam Stacey Tabellario, Animal Keeper; Mindy Bahitz, Animal Keeper; Tony Barthel, Curator; Katharine Hope, Veterinarian, Smithsonian s National Zoological Park, Washington, D. C. Exams are regularly done in zoos to ensure the health of newborn animals, but these exams can cause stress for both mother and offspring. It is especially difficult to separate a sloth bear {Melursus ursinus) from her cubs since a female will carry cubs on her back for six-nine months after leaving the den (Joshi et al., 1999). Using a systematic training protocol, the animal care team at the National Zoo trained a voluntary separation of dam (“Hana”) and cub (“Hank”) that involved Hank walking away from Hana after separation and approaching staff on his own accord for tactile desensitization. We anticipated reduced stress for Hana if Hank walked away voluntarily as opposed to being handled by staff in front of her. We also anticipated reduced stress for Hank if he was used to tactile manipulation by staff in a free contact setting. After two and a half weeks of training, the animal care team conducted a stress-free exam. Female and cub were easily separated and Hank voluntarily participated in his exam, out of view of Hana who was also calmly engaged in a training session. There were no adverse behaviors resulting from the exam and both bears eagerly approached staff for interaction afterwards. Sloth bears are not a species that animal care staff typically works with in free contact but when done safely with young animals, this type of training can be hugely beneficial for reducing stress for both mother and offspring during an exam. Figure 2 Figure 3 52 I ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM Step I: Separate (Figure 1) 1. Recall both animals into chute. 2. Close mesh door to cub height. 3. Recall Hank to other side of mesh. (Figure 2) 4. Close mesh door all the way. (Figure 3) (For safety, ask Hank to climb mesh so he is not near hydraulic door) Goal: Both Hank and Hana will calmly accept being separated by a mesh door for varying durations. Step II; Hank Voluntarily Walks Away From Hana (Figure 4) 1. One keeper enters den with high-value reinforcer. 2. Keeper sits outside the den-chute door and calls Hank. 3. Hank receives reward for any movement towards keeper. (Figure 5) 4. Build up duration of time away from Hana. 5. Increase number of keepers in den. 6. Introduce vet exam tools (e.g., animal handling and latex gloves). (Figure 6) Goals: ► Hank voluntarily walks away from Hana and towards keeper(s) in a free contact setting. ► Hank and Hana will calmly accept being separated and out of view from each other for varying durations. ► Hank will be exposed to tools typical of vet exams. Figure 5 Figure 6 AA/;\.onG February 2015 | Vol. 42, No. 2 | 53 Figure 7 Step III; Allow Tactile 8- Light Restraint 1. Keepers touch Hank. (Figure 7) ► Reach towards Hank ► Hand just over Hank (almost touching) ► Light touch ► Touch ► Firm touch Goal: Hank will calmly accept touch all over his body. 2. Keepers scruff Hank. (Figure 8) ► Firm touch on scruff ► “Pinch” of scruff ► Light scruff with whole hand ► Full scruff Goal: Hank will be familiar with light restraint in case keepers have to restrain him during the exam. 3. Keepers pick up Hank. (Figure 9) ► Scruff and gently pull up - Hank’s feet still on the ground ► Scruff and gently puli up - Hank’s front feet lift off the ground ► Scruff and pull up - Hank lifted completely off the ground ► Keeper(s) experiment with different ways to hold and restrain Hank to see what makes him most comfortable Goal: Keepers find comfortable position to hold Hank for the exam. Figure 9 Reference: Joshi, A.R., Smith, J.L., and D.L. Garshelis. (1999). Sociobiology of the myrmecophagous sloth bear in Nepal. Canadian Journal of Zoology 77(11): 1690-1704. Tips - ► Reinforcers: We used dilute peanut butter and honey water as reinforcers for both Hank and Hana. They did not receive these reinforcers any other time. Hana also received bone marrow - an extra rare and special treat - on the day of the exam. ► Trainers: We did not use primary trainers for the free contact sessions. We believe this helped prepare the bears for seeing multiple people on the day of the exam more quickly than introducing other trainers once the behaviors were learned. It also prepared Hank for seeing new faces regularly so on the day of the exam he was not frightened by the vets (who were unable to attend training sessions). ► Ending: Once our goal of a successful cub exam was achieved, free contact training sessions were discontinued. Acknowledgements & Photo Credits: Thanks to Tallie Wiles, Courtney Janney, Jenny Spotten, Juan Rodriguez, Marty Dearie, Nicole MacCorkle, Erika Bauer, and Brandie Smith for participating in brainstorming meetings and training sessions and for providing photographs. 54 I ANIMAL KEEPERS’ FORUM ■> Associatini'i of /no Keepers, Inc. “Initially our goal was to come up with a method of reducing the stress of the mother-cub separation thinking this would reduce risk of injury for the bears and start the procedure off on a calmer note. Our goal was to create a situation in which the cub and dam could choose to separate from each other and the cub could then be reinforced for approaching and being calm near keeper staff. This simple approach proved surprisingly successful both during training and when tested on the day of the actual neonatal exam. The results, in fact, were so successful that this process will be the new standard for sloth bear and other species management at the National Zoo.” Tony Barthel, Curator ‘The veterinary examination was more thorough and less stressful than exams performed on other bear cubs that had not had similar desensitization training. The cub was comfortable with minimal manual restraint, enabling close examination of eyes, ears, nose and mouth; quiet auscultation of heart and lungs without cr3hng; and abdominal palpation and genital evaluation. The only aspect of the exam for which the cub displayed a brief amount of distress was when he was vaccinated. Additionally, the dam was separated for approximately 10 minutes from the cub and did not vocahze at all but remained calm, allowing the exam to proceed to completion rather than being stopped prematurely due to her stress.” Katharine Hope, Veterinarian “Often on exam day keepers, as well as their animals, feel stressed and anxious. However, having desensitized our cub — turning his fear response into interest, curiosity, and even play — we felt just as confident as he did when the vets arrived. Since Hank was given a choice to participate in each training session and in the exam, it was an enjoyable, easy experience for all involved. In addition to successfully completing the cub exam, keepers developed a trusting foundation for a relationship with the animal.” Stacey Tabellario, Animal Keeper BHC Comments by Jay Pratte: j The intent to reduce the stress animals may experience while interacting with humans is an admirable and easily attainable goal with any species we work with. It is very easy for us to unintentionally create situations where we are introducing unnecessary stress, so planning ahead with this in mind meets both the animal AND keeper’s needs! As we know, it may only take one or two aversive situations to “teach” an animal that it is going to be stressful. My dog has been trained to allow veterinary examinations and will sit for voluntary blood draws, but the experience always causes him stress. But even though he’s “good at it”, it is my responsibility to find the means of mitigating and reducing (or eliminating!) the stress altogether. This article is a great demonstration of how the team reduced the stress of a procedure that we ALL experience at our institutions. The authors clearly thought through how to make it a reinforcing experience for both the mother and the cub. By using this approach, it allowed staff greater flexibility when they needed to gain access to the young animal. Instead of saying “we’ll call you when we catch her away from her cub” you can now plan ahead, reducing stress for everyone, as well as making this an opportunity for the mother to be engaged in a reinforcing exercise while the cub is also engaged in receiving preferred treats during his experience. Without using the described desensitization process, this situation would have involved restraint and stress for both the animals and staff. Because of his positive reinforcement history during these experiences this cub will understand the learning process, and have a huge head start on the protected contact training he will receive as he matures into adulthood. He will already trust his caregivers, and likely be less averse to novel or medically invasive stimuli. Great job to you all for thinking of the ANIMALS’ needs and perspectives, while creating a thoughtful and, goal-oriented plan. Thank you for sharing your Training Tale! February 2015 | Vol. 42, No. 2 | 55 Why it’s NEVER .§• NATIONAL ZOO KEEPER WEEK19-25 JULY 2015 SUPPORTED BY AMERICAN ASSOCIATION of ZOO KEEPERS Fostering professionalism in animal care among Zoo Keepers For zoo keepers National Zoo Keeper Week (NZKW) can be the most exciting seven days of the year. For AAZK Chapters and officers, however, it can also be the most time consumingand stressful. There are many reasons, including necessary managerial input and the perceived scale of events, that cause some Chapters to hold small NZKW activities or none at all. This doesn’t have to be the case. NZKW should be just as fun and broad-reaching as the rest of the events a Chapter plans. It’s a week not only celebrating one of the best professions in the world - but a chance to showcase it as well. The most important step in planning for NZKW is to get facility “buy in,” or a mutual understanding of importance and worth for the week. Chapters can approach their managers with the proposal that since NZKW is potentially the most public program AAZK hosts, as each Chapter's program can hold a variety of public and zoo employee-only events, it is a unique way to reach out and interact with guests. It can be an opportunity to explain the history of the career, the diversity of keeper backgrounds, different field projects keepers are involved in, and the day to day operations of the zoo. Ultimately, NZKW is an opportunity to create a more open relationship between a facility and their patrons. Additionally, due to the multi-faceted nature of the week, planning has to include not only the Chapter itself but each Chapter’s facility, which sometimes includes managers and executive staff as high as the institution Director or President and even local governments. It is crucial that management is approached in an appropriate way (i.e. don’t go straight to the Director if they are a Chapter point person), and establish a strong line of communication for the development of activities. With that said, there can be facilities that don’t allow their Chapters to recognize NZKW, either on or off grounds, because the week is perceived as gratitude for keepers only. Of course, there are many other dedicated professionals who contribute to the overall welfare of the animals and running of the facility. There is no reason a Chapter couldn’t include these other employees and create a zoo appreciation week, or encourage management to celebrate other professional days and weeks as well (National 56 I ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM Ab: One of the goals of the National Zoo Keeper Week campaign is for zoos and aquariums to broaden their participation beyond zoo keeper appreciation activities. National Zoo Keeper Week offers an excellent opportunity to educate zoo visitors about the many diverse ways that zoo keepers are advancing the profession in animal care, animal welfare, research and conservation. Examples include the keeper staff at North Carolina Zoo participating in cardiac ultrasound training for the Great Ape Heart Project (pictured left), and Keeper Susan Eberth of the Toronto Zoo performing in situ conservation and community outreach for Ape Action Africa (opposite page). What keeper activities can your zoo be sharing with iocai media and zoo visitors to promote your zoo? Vet Tech Week, Administrative Professionals Day, Boss’s Day, National Custodial Worker’s Day, etc.). Once “buy in” is achieved and a Chapter has a starting point, NZKW planning should start small regardless of the agreed upon level of publicity. Planning often falls on one or two people initially, so make sure the tasks aren’t too much for those people to handle. This can be anything from having a sign printed announcing the week, planning a potluck luncheon, or keeper profiles on Chapter- run (or facility-run) social media pages. Once a few small activates are started and established, adding new ones becomes much easier. Once a Chapter establishes small-scale events, it is much easierto develop large-scale ongoing projects - especially because keepers and once potentially cautious managers will be interested and excited based on past successes. While planning a NZKW program, it is important to remember that the week serves to not only recognize those in the animal care profession, but to thank the people who are a part of it. NZKW should be about both highlighting and celebrating the hard work that zoo keepers do 365 days a year, in every type of weather and on all holidays. It is equally important to display the professional development and fundraisers that keepers participate in as well. Including these components in keeper chats, on social media, and in any publications regarding the week will only strengthen the NZKW mission. Chapters can also highlight specific conservation projects (i.e. Trees for You and Me or Chopsticks for Salamanders) that they contribute to. It is the passion for animals both in situ and ex situ that makes animal keeping more than Just a Job. Chapters can also hold art auctions or have art/photo displays of keeper work, zoo keeper Olympics, and/or distribute tokens of appreciation (cards, baked goods, small multi-tools, tote bags, water bottles, etc.). Gaining the support of each host facility, starting small, and celebrating the people who work hard to maintain the overall health and wellbeing of zoological institutions will create both happier keepers and a more compassionate public. By following these steps and building on each success. National Zoo Keeper Week can start as a modest thank you and grow into a large- scale event. So, get out there and make NZKW enjoyable and educational, while promoting this fascinating career to the community at large. Remember - when have you ever told someone you were a zoo keeper, and their response was - “Oh, that must be so boring.” The National Zoo Keeper Week Program is now compiling a database of events and activities previously done by Chapters around the country. This list will be continuously updated and made available for all AAZK members to utilize in planning their own NZKW. If interested in contributing or obtaining the current information, please e-mail robin.sutker@aazk.org. AAZK.ORG February 2015 | Vol. 42, No. 2 | 57 AAZK Inc. would like to thank our ComniErcial MembErs for their continued support in 2015! Please keep them in mind as you conduct your business throughout the year. Animal BehaviDr Institute, Inc. Animal Equipment by Stuney, LLC Animal Source Texas, Inc. Australian Outback Tours Blue Rhino CLR Design Desert Plastics, LLC EBSCD Information Services Granite Industries Grubco, Inc. Hagen Avicultural Research Institute Heyday, LLC 1C Wood, LLC i Lyon Technologies Nebraska Brand J PetAg I Premier Tours I RodentPro, LLC | SR Scales I Sustainable Swine Resources | The Safari and Conservation Company, LTD f Zoo Med, Inc. February ► 28‘^ Nominations due for the AAZK Board of Directors. Guidelines for submitting nominations can be found in your December and January issues of the Animal Keepers’ Forum. March ► Chapter re-charter applications due. Applications can be found on aazk.org. ► Grants applications due. For more info go to: aazk.or^committee/grants-committee/ April ► Early registration begins for 2015 AAZK National Conference in St. Louis, MO. ► 15^'^ Voting opens to elect new Board of Directors and continues through June Go to aazk.org to vote! May ► Awards applications due. Contactjanet.mccoy@aazk.org for more info. ► Paper submissions due for 2015 AAZK National Conference. June ► 1®* Last day to vote for AAZK Board of Directors. 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ICU standard Features • Powder Coated All Metal Construction • Secure "Denning" Environment for Patient • Digital Display • Relative Humidity Display, Monitoring and Alarm • Temperature Display, Monitoring, Control and Alarm • Removable Control Module for easy service and cleaning • Removable doors for easy cleaning • Removable, Cleanable Electrostatic Air Filter • Removable Water Tray for Humidity Control • Drain for easy cleaning • Stainless Steel Venting and IV Tube Access • Sizes are Neonatal, Small and Large Learn More at WWW.LyonVGt.COm or call us at 888-596-6872 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION of ZOO KEEPERS “Dedicated to Professional Animal Care 8476 E. Speedway Blvd. Suite 204 Tucson, AZ 857101728 U.S.A. ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED NC»4-f>R«TrC»?G, U-S. 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