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Dedicated to Professional Animal Care JANUARY 1979 ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606 JANUARY 1979 VOLUME SIX Edited by Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoological Park DUMBER ONE Associate Editor: Mike Coker, Topeka Zoological Park Administrative Secretary: Lois Bogia, Topeka Zoological Park Illustrations by Don and Elaine Shea Animal Keepers ' Forum is a monthly journal published by the American Association of Zoo Keepers, National Zoological Park, Washinton, D.C., 2008, for its members. $5.00 of the $10.00 affiliate and associate members' dues; $7.50 of the $15.00 foreign members' dues; and $25.00 of the $50.00 contributors' dues are used for this publication. Member- ship is on an annual basis from the anniversary date. Send all address changes, undeliverable copies and other membership inquiries to AAZK Headquarters , Washington D.C.. Second-class postage is paid at Topeka, Kansas. Items in this publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the editor. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 Etlzabe.th Glcu>-{>co, kdmiyvUtnjativii SzcAttcuiy Board of Directors Dennis Grimm, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513 Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66605 l/yCce-P^e^^d^nt Ed Roberts, Stone Mem. Zoo, 149 Pond St., Stoneham, MA 02180 Tom Goldsberry, Washington Pk. Zoo, 4001 S.W. Canyon Rd, Portland, OR 97221 Carole Udell, Los Angeles Zoo, 5333 Zoo Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90027 Coordinate rs and Committees Coordinator for Chapter Affairs Pat Scunma/LC-O, L-lncoZn Pank Zoo Awards Committee Chairman PoboAX^, BA-ook^teld Zoo Coordinator for International Affairs Tom GolcUtzHAy , Wa6hTngton PoAk Zoo AAZK/AAZPA Liaison Ed Robd/uU , WattdA V. Stom Mem. Zoo Nominations and Election Committee Tilt GAadd, BtticA BiAd Sayictu.an.y , C.att(^onyila, Chaimornm Kent Bdne.cUcX, Attanta Zoo PoJiAy, Ba^^^ato Zoo Be.nna/Ld fetdman, MittdA PoAk Zoo Von Rai>mii66dn, Minnesota State. Zoo Regional Coordinators Ed RobeJiti) {jJattdA V. Stone. Mem. Zoo ME, l/T, NH, MA, RI, CT Tdli Pe,fiALj Bu{^^alo Zoo hIV Ve.nt6d BaAtdnletde.A BattimoAe. PA, WJ, MV, VE Ke.vtn Conway Pont Royat, Va l/A, Wl/ Randy McJGllt VeXAott Zoo MI HoAold CAoofu Me^ke.A PaAk IN, OH, KT LoAAy SarmoAco Lcncotn PoaJz Zoo wi. IL MN, lA, MO Atan Stantdy Knoxvitte. Zoo TN, NC, SC LauAa StAlcktand MontgomeJiy Zoo n, AL, GA Mlckaet Vetvdnton Baton Rouge. Zoo AK, MS, LA TX,m,C0,0K ,KS,NE,SV,MV Hetdn MooAd Ponttand WA, OR, IV, MT, m Jilt GAade. Buick BiAd SanctaoAy CA, Wl/, AZ, UT, HA SCOOPS aidr'^SCUTTLEBUTT The, choAmlng covtA UluAtARtlon l& by HeAb RobeAt^ oi the. Little. Rock, A/Lkama6 zoo. Thanks, He.kb, a ve.n.y appKopniate, JanauAy covca! EditoAS Note.'. We a ne,e,d to doAliy the. time. sche.dule. o^ the, AKF. The, dcadUne, ioA o/UicleA and news is the 20 tk the month, then the typing and lay-out woAk is done, then to the pninteA ^oA ten oA moAe days, then mailing. Since the mailing is now second class, it may be delayed accoAcUng to the volume at the post oiiice. TheAe^oAe, the month's issue is pAesented in youA mailbox neoA the end o^ the month. In the last two months, the pAinteA moved, and we moved, which complicated pAoceduAes even moAe and delayed those issues. Apologies to ail. We oAe woAking hoAd on getting it all togetheA and tightening up the whole schedule. Thanks ^oA youA patience. PapeAS ^Aom the 4th National Con^eAmce oi the AAIK will be published thAoughout the yeoA, stanting with this issue. The theme oi the conieAence was "OuA Education ioA ThelA SuAvival" . The Little Rock, Ankansas, chapteA oi AAIK has just established a quoAteAly newsMteA, The Kept. It is a veAy ImpAessive publication. Con^atulations on both ym^gAowth and youA new ventuAei IT'S ZOOSKI TIME AT METRO TORONTO ZOO The Metro Toronto Zoo is again offering the ZooSki pass which allows the holder an unlimited number of visits to the Zoo through the cross- country skiing season. There is cross-country skiing at the Zoo every day, snow conditions permitting. All the pavilions are open so that skiers may stop off for a relxing walk through warm flora and fauna filled environments. The beginners trail passes through the Eurasian region of the Zoo, where skiers pass by Siberian tigers, Chinese leopards, camels, yak, Japanese macaques and other hardy cold weather loving animals. The intermediate and advanced intermediate trails pass through the African and Indo- Malayan regions as well as the Canadian Domain where there are fur seals, lions, cheetahs, moose and wood bison among others. Cross-coxintry ski equipment is available for rent. Lessons are available at the zoo also. March 12-16, 1979 North American Moose Conference, Soldotna, Alaska For further information contact: Dr. A.W. Granzmann Alaska Department of Fish & Game Box 1809 Soldotna, AK 9669 1 KIWIS EN ROUTE TO SAN DIEGO ZOO Two female kiwis, the odd-looking national bird of New Zealand, were turned over to a U.S. Department of Agriculture quarantine station in Honolulu in the middle of December as a first step in their journey to a noteworthy exhibit at the San Diego Zoo. There are only five kiwis — all males — in the entire United States. The new females will eventually join two male kiwis already at the San Diego Zoo with the intent of establishing a breeding group to provide mates for the other U.S. kiwis. The kiwi is a noctural bird with thick, hair-like feathers, stubby wings and no tail. It has an extremely long beak, tipped with nostrils which it pokes into the ground to sniff out worms. The bird moves with a squat, Groucho Marx-like gait and can produce a startling whistle similar to its name. The female kiwis will come to the San Diego Zoo as part of an exchange program with the Auckland Zoo in New Zealand. The kiwi is not an endangered species, but is strictly protected in its homeland. Besides the San Diego Zoo, the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. and the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago are the only American zoos to exhibit the bird. WORLD'S OLDEST CAPTIVE GORILLA CELEBRATES 48th BIRTHDAY Massa, the world's oldest captive gorilla, celebrated his 48th birthday on Thursday, December 28th. The Philadelphia Zoo planned many festivi- ties in honor of the occasion. Massa's enclosure was festooned with colorful balloons, streamers and a special "Happy Birthday Massa" banner. An elaborate 5-tier birthday "cake" was prepared for Massa's party. It was made predominantly of Zoo Cake (the Zoo's vitamin-enriched grain and meat formula) and garnished with some of Massa's favorites — oranges bananas, kale, apples and carrots. It was topped with a small real cake made of people food (a once-a-year departure from Massa's usual healthy diet) . To round out the festivities 25 members of the Merion School Chamber Choir led by Director Barbara Moore sang their special rendition of "Happy Birthday to You." Massa, which means "big boss," is a lowland gorilla. He was bom in the remote jungles of western Africa. His mother was slain while raiding village crops and he was subsequently raised by sympathetic natives. He was then sold to a sea captain who in turn sold him to Mrss Gertrude Lintz, a devoted animal lover who specialized in rearing baby primates. Mrs. Lintz also owned Gargantua who became the famous circus gorilla. Massa and Gargantua were, in fact, playmates. 2 AAZK AWARDS ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM Best Narrative Article - "Haddock and Hospitality" Tdm Goldsberry Best Technical and Scientific Article - "Rehabilitation of a Dusky Leaf Langur" B. Wayne Buchanan Awards for Excellence in Zookeeping Herbert Malzacher, Zookeeper, Henry Vilas Zoo, Madison, Wisconsin Michael D. Crocker, Asst. Senior Keeper, Dickerson Park Zoo, Spring- field, Missouri Sue Ellis, Former Bird Keeper, San Diego Zoo, now at Duke University Saul Joseph, Reptile Keeper, Lincoln Park Certificate of Merit for Zoo Keeper Education Award Baltimore Zoo for a nine month Keeper course developed by Mr. Robert Johnson, Ms. Susan Walker, and Dr. Michael K. Stoskopf BEAN AWARDS AAZPA Mammals - Birds - Reptile - Invertebrates - Walter Tucker, Melanie Bond National Zoological Park Captive 2nd Generation Birth of Orangutan Staff of World of Birds New York Zoological Society Breeding of Malayan Wreath Billed Horn Bill Robert Smerge, William Amundson Metro Zoo of Toronto Renauldt’s Ground Cuckoo Thomas A. Huff Rep tileB reeding Foundation Propagation of Insular Forms of Eprevates Milan Busching Cincinnati Zoo Royal Goliath Beetle Amphibians and Fish - No a^rard 3 F/Lom the P/Le6tdent'6 de6k. . . AAZK members who are planning to present papers at any of the AAZPA Regional Workshops next spring should contact the conference hosts at the earliest possible date. Indicate that you are an AAZK member. Any AAZK Member who is planning or considering to attend an AAZPA Regional Workshop and would possibly like to act as an AAZK representa- tive, please contact Ed Roberts or myself as soon as possible. I encourage AAZK members to attend the AAZPA Regionals if possible, especially those people who feel they will not be able to attend in Portland, Oregon, next fall for the AAZK National Convention. Many animal keepers will be at these Regionals which offers the opportunity for AAZK members to discuss mutual concerns informally. Many outstand"- ing presentations are also given during the course of these conferences. The spring will be here before you know it, so try to start making the necessary arrangements now I The schedule for the AAZPA Regional Workshops follows: March 4-6, Great Lakes, Detroit, MI April 1-3, Southern, Knoxville, TN April 10-12, Central, Wichita, KS April 22-24, Western, Sacramento, CA May 6-8, Northeastern, Erie, PA The 1978 AAZK National Convention hosted by the Santa Fe Community College AAZK Chapter at Gains ville, Florida, was one of the most suc- cessful conventions to date. Interesting field trips, numerous pre- sentations, and varied demonstrations and films highlighted the week’s activities. Extensive business meetings were also conducted. I feel that we have made progress in firming up our administrative aspects, rectifing some of our problems, and initiating some new projects which could be beneficial to all animal keepers. We had an excellent turn-out by animal keepers throughout the country and everyone had an enjoyable, informative experience. Next year’s Convention dates have been established and they are Septem- ber 24-27. (Administrative personnel, regional coordinators, and project chairpersons will start Board meetings at least one day prior to the actual Convention.) The Washington Park AAZK CHapter will be hosting the Convention in beautiful Portland, Oregon. Jonalyn Wilson , Convention Chairperson, and her staff have already begun setting up another out- standing conference. Start planning to attend now I I am accepting bids for the 1980 Convention site. Points to consider by the host for a successful convention are nearby zoos or animal related institutions, hotel accommodations, including banquet hall, availability of suitable facilities or auditorium for presentations. Board meeting rooms, and transportation resources. Costs for the necessary facilities and services should also be evaluated. All bids will be given serious consideration and the Board of Directors will make the final decision. National Wildlife Week will be celebrated March 18-24, 1979, on the theme: ’’Conserve Our Wildlife” In conjunction with Conventions, any AAZK member in good standing may submit topics for discussion, including proposed constitutional changes, for the Board meetings prior to the convention dates, preferable several months beforehand. Dennis Grimm President, American Association of Zoo Keepers AAZK ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE — TELL THE WORLD ABOUT AAZK The official AAZK decal is available again through the Overton Park AAZK Chapter. The decal is a black and white reproduction of the AAZK rhino logo, suitable for any smooth, hard surface, especially your car’s window.’ Cost is $1.00 complete, prepaid. Make checks payable to the "Memphis Chapter, AAZK" and send directly to Mike Maybry, Decal Project Coordinator, 1887 Crump Avenue, Memphis Tennessee 38107. The official AAZK T-shirts are now available through Carlton Bailie. They come in a variety of colors and all have the AAZK logo on them. For more information contact Carlton. His address is 11 Willway Ave., Richmond, VA 23226. The Lincoln Park AAZK Chapter will be producing the "Keepers CAre" buttons again in the near future. Interested individuals should contact Pat Sammarco, Chapter President, Lincoln Park Zoo, 100 W. Webster Ave., Chicago, IL 60614 for details and availibity. COLORFUL SQUIRRELS MAKE DEBUT AT PHILADELPHIA ZOO A pair of unusual Prevost’s squirrels are making their public debut at the Philadelphia Zoo. The generic name, C/CUAuA , which means "beautiful squirrels," is appropriate, since these squirrels are among the most brilliantly colored mannnals. Prevost’s squirrels are quite large, with a head and body length of almost a foot, and a tail length of 10". Adults can weight up to a pound and a half. They are colorfully marked in burnt orange, pale cream, black and gray. In the wild, in their native Asia, they feed on seeds, nuts, fruits and flowers. Their captive diet will consist of vitamin-enriched Zoo cake, carrots, kale, nuts and apples. At the present time, the Philadelphia Zoo is the only Zoo in the United States to exhibit these interesting animals. According to the Zoo’s Assistant Curator of Mammals Steve Viola, "These beautiful squirrels have been bred only a few times in captivity. We have high hopes of breeding our pair here in the Philadelphia Zoo." 5 METROPARKS ZOO TO EXHIBIT EXOTIC ANIMALS by R. Vo^acnk CldvoZand M^tAopcuilu loo Cleveland, Ohio With the completion of the interior habitats of five exhibits in the Metroparks Zoo’s new Primate and Cat Building, new (to our zoo) animal species will be put on display each week over the next four week period. Already moved to the Creatures of the Night section of the Primate and Cat Building are 13 Egptian Fruit Bats. This species of fruit eating bats is found in caves, old graves, and temples in Egypt. They feed after dark on native fruit such as wild figs. In the Zoo display, the bats are provided with feed dishes containing bananas, grapes, oranges, apples, and a special jello-and-blended-meat mixture. The special light- ing program has red neon light illuminating the bat display between 9:30 a.m. and 10 p.m. At the 10 p.m. hour, bright white neon lights are activated so that the bats react instinctively and roost during the period when no zoo visitors are in the building. Fruit bats normally have but one young bom at a time after a gestation period of about 105 days. These are the first bats ever to be displayed at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. They were obtained from the Metro Toronto (Ontario, Canada) zoo on November 8, 1978. Logevity in captivity has been recorded at more than 20 years. On exhibit in the alcove between the large cats (jaguars and leopards) and the chimpanzees are two species of animals belonging to the raccoon family. The extremely rare Lesser Panda is an endangered species native to Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, northern Assam, northern Burma, and the prov- inces of Yunan and Szechuan in western China. This relative of the Giant Panda looks like a raccoon, but has a reddish color on the back down to the lower flanks; the underside and feet, as well as the back of the ears, are black. The tail is long and bushy, is reddish-brown, and has lighter colored rings. Soles of the feet are covered with hair; the purpose of this special adaptation is to reduce heat loss of the body on snow or ice-covered ground, and also reduces the danger of slipping on wet smooth tree branches which they frequent in their day-to-day activities . The diet of the Lesser Panda in its native habitat consists of bamboo shoots, juicy grasses, roots, berries, and fruits, supplemented with young birds, bird eggs, small rodents, and insects. The Lesser Panda is quiet shy and asocial in the wild. They may be seen in pairs, but more commonly this species lives alone. Vocal sounds range from shrill cries, repeated whistles, peeping, and bird- like chirping. Whey excited Lesser Pandas secrete an anal gland musky liquid. Mature females bear one to four young after a gestation period of about 130 days. Longevity of the Lesser Panda is about 13 years. Adjacent to the Lesser Panda display are six Kinkajous or Honey Bears, which are found from southern Mexico to central South America. This relative of the raccoon is distinguished from all other members of the 6 Exotic Animals in Cleveland Zoo, contcnae-d family by its prehensile tail. Soles of the feet are short and hair- covered. There is a membrane covering the digits of both frcfiJE: and hind feet. Upper side of the body is olive-brown, yellowish-brown, reddish- brown, or sandy colored, and usually has a bronze sheen. The middle of the back is darker and the underbelly varies in shade from yellow-brown to golden-yellow. Kiiakajous are nocturnal, sleeping in a tree hollow or network of leaves and vines by day and becoming active at dusk, foraging for its food which consists of fruit such as wild figs, guava, avocado, mango, bird eggs, an occasional young bird, nectar, insects, and the honey of wild bees. Kinkajou births may occur at any time of the year; one (rarely two) young is bom after a gestation period of from 112 to 118 days. Adult coloration is reached at about one year. Males mature at approximately 1 1/2 years; females in a little over 2 years. The group of kinkajous displayed in the Metroparks Zoo is on breeding loan from the New England Primate Research Center. Longevi^'has been recorded to more than 23 years in captivity. Some zoos have had successful breeding records with this species. Soon to be put on display is a pair of ocelots, a small cat species which ranges from Mexico, through Central America and about two-thirds of South America. Because of the demand for the beautifully patterned fur, ocelots have been alarmingly decimated in its native habitat. Usually hunting at night, the ocelot preys upon mice, rats, guinea pigs, pakas, agoutis, porcupines, hares, monkeys small deer, birds, lizards, and invertebrates. Occasionally domestic livestock and poultry are killed and eaten. Ocelots are excellent climbers but most hunting is done on the ground. Female ocelots bear two to four young after a gestation period of about 70 days. Longevity has been recorded at over 17 years. Also are display are a trio of Geoffroy's Cats. This small member of the feline group is about the size of a domestic house cat. Its native range is from southern Bolivia and Brazil's Mato Grosso to southern Argentina. It is a spotted cat with black spots regularly arranged on a fur which may range from silver-gray to brownish-yellow or brilliant ochre-yellow in color. Melanistic (black) specimens are common in zoos, and the Metroparks Zoo's male and one of the two females are black. The Western Reserve Cat Club, Youngstown, Ohio, has purchased the male and one female for the zoo; the cost of the pair is $600. The black female was obtained from the Gladys Porter Zoo of Brownsville, Texas; the black male and spotted female were acquired from the Sacramento, California Zoo. Geoffroy's Gats are good ditrioers and swimmers. Local natives in South America call the animal a fishing cat and state that it readily enters water (unlike many other felines which have a disdain for an aquatic environment . ) 7 THE SIXTH SENSE By Pam Chapman Ba^^alo lootog^caZ Ga/idm My first experiences with wild animals took place at the Santa Fe Teach- ing Zoo. Before then, I had no knowledge of their ways, so I was very influenced by whatever I was told about them. One point that was stressed constantly was the ability wild animals have to harm people. I was told many gory stories of what animals had done to zoo keepers in the past. I was told that our monkeys at SFTZ reacted badly to women. As a result, I never had much interest in primates. If I had, it may have helped me get a job as a primate keeper at a zoo where I wanted to work very much. Now that I am working at the Buffalo Zoological Garden, I have been in situations where animals have sensed the fears that have been built up in me over the past year at Santa Fe. This article is not to put down the program, because it may not effect others the way it did me. I just want to stress to other new keepers that fear of zoo animals is very detrimental . Knowing an animal's behavior will help to decrease fear of them. Once the fears are overcome, one can deal with the animals on a more sincere and conscious level; duties can be carried out to their fullest. What one can learn will then be more meaningful and more useful in bettering the zoo world. Knowing when to go in with an animal and when not to is very important. I am learning this valuable information and in the process I feel that by dealing with the animals on a day-to-day basis, I am developing a sixth sense about them. Some keepers at the Buffalo Zoo have this sixth sense when dealing with our animals and others don't. The poorest keepers seem to be those who don't have this special sense and also seem to have fears which hamper them in their duties. The few who are excellent keepers, in my opinion, have helped me the most in handling risky situations. For example, when I have to go into a Golden Eagle cage when they have an egg or when I have to clean a Bighorn Sheep moat when the male is very aggressive. I feel this knowledge will make me a better keeper and I hope this message will help others to realize that fear of animals in a zoo atmosphere can be overcome by developing this sixth sense. n.2.pnJjnt(id l^om tkd Santa Fe k6i>o(itatton loo Keeper Nm^lo-tteJi, Santa Fe Cormantty CottzQd, TeacAtng Zoo, Galno^vXJttd, Pla. Exotic Animals in Cleveland Zoo, conttnudd It is generally found in rocky terrain with scattered shrubs and trees. It avoids dense forests and open grasslands. Small prey animals include rats, mice, guinea pigs, birds, and agoutis. Geoffroy's Cats are usually wary of human settlements and only occasionally take poultry. The usual litter is two or three young with just one litter per year. Longevity in captivity has been over 11 years. 8 BLOATING IN AN EASTERN COLLARED LIZARD Cn.ota.pkyta6 coltonJ^ dolZonJj^ by Ulke CokeA Sen^oA. Animal XezpdK, Topeka Zoo At 1600 hours on 11 December 1978, our young male collared lizard was discovered to be severely bloated. He had eaten two crickets earlier in the day. The lizard was found lying in a shallow pool of water. The lizard exhibited the following clinical signs: tail twitching, dorsal rotation of the eyes, eyelids nearly closed, gaping, dyspnea with the respirations being slow and deep. Further examination revealed that a clear fluid was bubbling from the esophagus and that the abdomen was greatly distended with gas. The cloaca was partially everted and a small amount of white watery material was exuding from the cloaca. Palpitation of the colon revealed that it was apparently impacted with fecal material. It was felt that the lizard may have been dehydrated. The gaseous distention of the abdomen was relieved by manually restrain- ing the lizard and intubating the esophagus with a short piece of .047 inch diameter teflon tubing. A relatively large amount of semi-dry fecal material was expressed from the colon. The lizard was then returned to its exhibit. The heat lamps in the exhibit were turned off for the night to help decrease the severity of bloat in case the bloat recurred. The initial behavior of the lizard when returned to its exhibit was to open its mouth, stretch its limbs and twitch its tail. At 1700 hours, the lizard appeared to be alert, its mouth was open slightly and it had moved approximately six inches. The lizard was observed several times throughout the evening. The lizard remained in a prone position on a rock throughout the night. The temperature stayed between 7CP and 78° F in the exhibit. By 1000 hours on 12 December 1978, the lizard was moving around. The heat lamps were turned on and the lizard crawled immediately to a hot spot in the exhibit. It was observed moving about in the exhibit the rest of the day. Its appetite later returned and no problem defecating has been noticed. PHILADELPHIA ZOO HAS NEW DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION The Philadelphia Zoo is pleased to annotince the appointment of Harold A. Bair as Director of Education. Mr. Bair’s responsibilities will include the administration of the Zoo's rapidly developing educational programs, many of which will be funded by a recent $100,000 grant from the J. N. Pew, Jr. Charitable Trust. Mr. Bair comes to the Zoo with a most interesting variety of teaching assignments to his credit. He has taught public school children in Philadelphia. He has also taught former headhunters in the Borneo jungle as a member of the Peace Corps. 9 DRAMATIC PEST CONTROL ACHIEVED BY TAMPA THEME PARK: THE DARK CONTINENT by Alan Canaba In January, a three-day school in the fundamentals of pest control technology in zoological gardens and amusement attractions was held in Tampa, Florida under the direction of Dr. Austin M. Frishman , professor of biology at the State University of New York in Farmingdale . The location of the school was directly related to a dramatic story of pest control achieved at Busch Gardens vast theme park. The Dark Continent. Indeed, the school featured two half-day trips to The Dark Continent. Shortly before the school, sponsored by Southern Mill Creek Products Company of Tampa, conducted its sessions, I was in Tampa and interviewed Dennis Sullivan, Busch Gardens’ Pest Control Coordinator. I took an extensive behind- the-s cene tour of the 300-acre park and the result was astonishing. The most noticeable fact is that there is virtually no evidence of the most common insect pests one expects to find in a theme park featuring more than 800 head of big game and some 2,500 exotic birds. In the entire tour, only a single cockroach was spotted. The more than 2,00 baits and traps to deal with the rat and mouse population gave clear evidence of their success, however, as inspections, conducted every other day, indicated several kills. Some dozen rodenticides featuring meat or fish flavors in addition to "Trap Stick", a glue-like compound keeps the rodent population at bay. It was hard to believe that little more than three years earlier. The Dark Continent and, in particular, its bird area, was "literally overrun" with roaches according to Sullivan and his associate Lloyd De France who, with three technicians, are responsible not only for the park, but the management offices and the 100-acre adjacent Anheuser-Busch brewery. Fortunately for Sullivan who was recruited in 1975 to tackle the problem of pest control after a branch of a national pest control firm was unable to cope, a new pesticide, Ficam-W, was just being introduced to the United States following extensive testing and approval by the Environ- mental Protection Agency. Produced by Fisons , Inc., headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts, the pesticide comes from the chemical group called carbamates. It was a technological breakthrough in several ways. First, it is a wettable powder that mixes with water and sprayed on various surfaces. Older pesticides are oil-based and volatilize rapidly when exposed to the air. Around animals, such pesticides not only pose a physical threat, but their odors render them virtually useless in situations where everything from rare birds to elephants demonstrate their sensitivity to such odors. Ficam-W is odorless . "If you were to take Dursban (an Organic phosphate pesticide) and spray it in our elephant bam, you’d have a stampede," says Sullivan. He similarly ruled out Diazinon and Baygon for the same reason. Moreover, the use of chlorinated hydrocarbons has been virtually banned by the EPA. The best known example of this chemical group is DDT. So sensitive to the animal’s health are the keepers and Sullivan’s staff, they 10 discontinued the use of Chlordane, a chlorinated hydrocarbon, which was being used to control fire ants in the cheetah pen area where it is hoped these animals will mate. "At this time," said Sullivan, "we use Ficam-W almost exclusively for routine spraying" and the product has proved equally popular with the office staff because, like the animals, they don't care for smelly pesticides either. The animal's safety, of course, takes first priority and, naturally, the pest control staff are the first suspects if an animals should die. In the three years of its extensive use throughout the park, no animal has been lost as the result, nor has any died from any aspect of the staff's work. This is in part due to the fact that testing has demonstrated that animals easily metabolize Ficam-W when they come in contact with it without any injurious side affects. There's plenty of opportunity to come in contact because Ficam-W is sprayed around the cages, inside the cages, on the walls and on the ceilings of the facilities throughout the huge park which also includes several food service areas. Unlike repellant pesticides which drive unwanted insect pests further and further into areas difficult get out, the invisible powder of Ficara-W adheres to the surface, the cockroach or fleas crawl over it, and die within ten to fifteen minutes. In undisturbed areas, Ficam-W will go on killing with a residual power that will last as long as twenty days and more. The dedication of Sullivan's staff and the cooperation they receive from the animal keepers and other employees of The Dark Continent permits them to keep one step ahead of the constant threat of infestation. They are literally on call 24-hours a day and it is not unusual for them to do a late night inspection with a flashlight to determine where any concen- trations of roaches might be occurring. They next day, they come back and spray. The Dark Continent is a constant challenge because the animals on the veldt-like area are fed twice a day and food is often available overnight when insects are most active. The constant sanitation of the zoo creates damp areas for breeding and Tampa, itself, is "the tropics" with warm, sunny weather. Still, Sullivan and his staff have been able to achieve "manageable levels" of control under these circumstances and The Dark Continent has become a model for other zoological parks as the result. "Pest control has a direct affect on how many guests return through the gates," noted Sullivan. In 1978, more than 2.7 million visitors had enjoed the park by Thanksgiving and the popularity of The Dark Continent is growing annually. "If we have roaches running up the walls or rats dashing across the sidewalks, we're not going to make a big hit with the folks. We get in early in the morning and make things nice for them." The result is a delightful day at the multi-faced theme park and one which is pest- free. Ed. Note: AEan Cojmba a pK.o{^QJii>i.OYLal. and photo- jouAnati^t who koA wn^ittm dxtmnAtvdly on tk OAnatuS is a medium-sized Soith American raptor which is uncommon, though not threatened both in the wild and in captivity. So far as we have been able to determine, the species has not reproduced captively. We are presently working with three pairs, two of which have laid fertile eggs. We have initiated nest building 18 The Unknown Zoo, aontIme.d in both these parls by offering freshly-cut green, leafy branch tips to the birds by hmging them from existing perches in the cages. The 12th of July, 1978, our three year quest for a sucessful hatching was realized, though the artificially-hatched youngster lived only six days. Courtship aid nest-building activity continues to occur and a successful hatching/ rearing appears to be somewhere in the not too distant future. Several other species have shown varying degrees of reproductive poten- tial within the breeding area. These include a pair of spectacled owls which have laid and hatched eggs. The hatdiing occurred during the teeth of the 1977 winter and the youngsters unfortunately were lost. A group of 1/2 Vulturine Guineafowl have lain approximately 20 eggs this year, mainly in the early spring. All have thus far proved infer- tile. Our pairs of Thick -billed Parrots, Vulture-headed Parrots and Red-fronted Macaws have shown varying degrees of courtship behavior and interest in the nest. We recently obtained a male Batalwur Eagle and our pair (both of which are over 9 years old) now reside in one of the breeding cages. These eighteen facilities are only the beginning. Within the existing perimeter fence, construction will soon begin on an indoor /out door breeding enclosure for our 4/2 Short-nosed Echidnas. Large open enclosure are also planned for 1/2 maned wolves, 1/3 cheetahs and a pair of Double -wattled Cassowaries. The concept of the off-exhibit breeding of rare animals is important to the zoo in another sense - breeding or rare, endangered or uncommon species will not only increase captive populations of these animals for work in breeding multiple captive generations. It will also provide an additional source of revenue for the zoo at a time when self-sufficiency may be the only way in which the zoo will be able to survive as a public institution. In this sense, the zoo does not have to have the facilities or revenue of a San Diego Wild Animal Park or a Front Royal, Virginia, or even the somewhat modest facilies we are working with in Oklahoma City. By working with one, two or a handful of species, institutions of any size can contribute significantly to the survival of species which do not deserve the fate of extinction. The fate of the animals and fate of the zoo is in our hands. This paper was presented at the 4th National Conference of the American Association of Zoo Keepers. CHANGEV yOUR AWRESS LATELY? Slnae. AKf has bmn granted Sec.ond Class postage., the, Fon.im is not ^oHwaAde.d» Vltase. Itt us know be,{^on.e, you. move,, ti possible, as the p/LOcess o£ changing youA addxess does take some time. Send changes oddAess to Elizabeth Glassco Administrative Secretary American Association of Zoo Keepers National Zoological Park Washington, D.C. 20008 Thanks 19 We, ojiken. Vank IM, OH, KT LanJiy Sammanco Lincoln Van.k Zoo m. IL Von Ra6mLi6-6cn Minnesota State Zoo MN, JA, MO Alan Stanle.y Knoxville Zoo TN, NC, SC Launa Stnlcizland MontgomeAy Zoo FL, AL, GA Tim O'Bnten Audubon VoAk Zoo AK, MS, LA GoJiy TtbbittJ) Rio GAande Zoo TX,MM,C0,0K,KS,NE,SV,NV Helen Mo one Vontland Zoo HI A, OR, IV, MT, (Jjy Jilt Gnade Bu6ch BlAd SanetuoAy CA, Mi/, AZ, UT, HA Tfie Feb/LuoA^ coue/i Mu^tmtion u> by Mike Cwake/i oi the Vtcke^on PoAk loo In Sp/Ung^teld, Mo. Nottee the AAZK 6houldeA patch, hllee touch! Mike and an excellent cUiaiMtng o^ Iwo keeper meoiuAlng a SuAmese python. Thanks ! FIRE AT THE OMAHA ZOO The Omaha zoo staff reported that the Animal Nursery, a double-wide trailer, was completely destroyed by fire. No monetary damage has been estimated. Because of a problem with frozen pipes, a propane heater was in use and was tipped due to high winds. The staff helped get all the animals out, but many were lost — a zoo- bom Margay, one month old; a young female gorilla; several raptors and a macaw. A young orang was injured with smoke inhalation, but is recovering. A new building has been planned for the same area. Plans are to break ground in March for the larger nursery. FIRE AT THE KANSAS CITY ZOO Betsy Burke, Curator of Reptiles and Birds, reported that the Admin- istration/Concessions building was lost to fire. Damage was set at $250,000. Animal records and financial records were saved, but were damaged. Two glass lizards were lost in the fire. Two keepers reported the fire. There were no injuries to zoo personnel, but one fireman was injured in a gas explosion. Heavy snow made it hazardous to fight the fire. The cause was faulty electrical wiring. A new building is being planned, but construction will not begin for at least a year. FIRE AT KINGS ISLAND Bob Reece, the Director of the Lion Country Safari at Kings Mills, Ohio, reported that the Hoofs tock Bam was lost to fire. The damage is esti- mated at $80,000. Thirteen animals had been housed in the bam. Five zebras were saved, three scimiter were saved and one was lost. 1.1 Hart was lost and 1.1 Addax was killed. Total animal loss is set at $12,00 - $15,000. The fire was electrical in origin. A Security Guard smelled smoke and investigated. The Regional Coordinator position for the state of New York is vacant. Anyone interested should contact Tom Goldsberry Washington Park Zoo Portland, OR 97221 21 BIRTHS HATCHINGS SILVER-BACKED SAKI BORN A female Silver-backed Saki V-ltho^CyLa monacJiLH was bom at the Oklahoma City Zoo on 29 November 1978. This animal was born in the Primate Building but was transferred to the Nursery on the following day when it was determined that she was not being cared for by the mother. The Saki weighed 121 grams upon entrance into the Nursery and is progressing well, weighing 221 grams on 10 January 1979. This was the first live birth recorded for this species at the Oklahoma City Zoo. 19th ELEPHANT BORN AT WASHINGTON PARK ZOO On 19 May 1978, Portlands’ 19th elephant was bom to Me Tu, the second elephant bom at Portland. Exact time of birth was unknown, but the calf was on its feet and nursing when discovered by the night keeper after midnight. Exact birth weight and present weight are unknown due to the mother’s reluctance to part with the calf. Estimated birth weight is 180 lb. (81 kg) and present weight is estimated at 700 lbs. (318 kg). The male calf was named Khun Chom, the Thai words for "mister elephant." At eight months, fecal samples verify that he is ingesting and digesting some solid food. Zoo staff is delighted to see a normal healthy calf after the two unfortunate congenitally defective calves bom to Hanako. Khun Chom will spend a year with Me Tu at which time he will be weaned and chain -broke. For those of you planning to attaid the AAZK ’ 79 convention in Portland next September, we hope to have number 20 on exhibit (due as early as June) . HUMBOLDT PENGUIN HATCHED AT WASHINGTON PARK ZOO Thirteen Humboldt penguins reside in the Washington Park Zoo Penguin- arium, Portland, Oregon. On November 28, 1978, a pair laid one egg and a second one four days thereafter. Of the several nest sites provided for the colony, the pair selected a rock cave filled with sand. Both parents incubated the eggs and on January 12, 1979, a grey, downy chick was first noticed. The other egg has not hatched. Rarely have both parents left the nest to feed at the same time; hence the chick is not visible daily. This is the first successful hatching of a chick since the colony was formed. P.S. 1 just found out, on January 17, 1979, the chick died of yet unde- termined causes. We hope for better luck next time. Bear Biology Association Newsletter is available from C.J. Martinka, Treasurer, BBA, Glacier National Park, West Glacier, MT 59936 22 A Moto, iHjom th^ PfLU-idtnt As we enter 1979, I am optimistic that we will be able to correct some of our administrative problems and initiate the projects we discussed at Gains villa during the next year. In January, we switch over to a mailing service for distribution of the AKF which should rectify, in the near future, the mailing errors we experienced last year. We will also be trying to procure additional funds for operating costs in various areas to delay any increase in annual dues. I feel we are off to a good start in many of our long term projects already. We'll be attempting to solidigy the local chapter system and stabilize the adnsinistrative and regional coordinator personnel, both of which had a considerable turnover in the past, resulting in decreased efficiency. I feel we have made progress in some areas, but still have some per- sistent problems to deal with. AAZK is a young organization that is still feeling growing pains. AAZK is slowly developing into a more professional association, but we still have a long way to go before we can reach a level which I feel we should be capable of attaining. AAZK is a voluntary organization which must rely on member support and involvement to sustain its functions and to increase its overall input into the professional zoo field. Consequently, every AAZK member has the opportunity to maintain a viable organization dedicated to improving the status of all animal keepers. I urge all members to try to assist the association in some aspect, either on a local or national level. I'm looking forward to a productive year in 1979, and another great convention in Portland, Oregon in the fall. Sincerely , Dennis Grimm AAZK President NEED FOR OIL BLINDS GOVERNMENT TQ PLIGHT OF BIRD The Indian government consented to allow hunting parties of Arab noble- men to hunt the Houbara bustard, a favorite of falcon hunters. Environ- mentalists told the government that the bird is endangered and has become extinct in neighboring Pakistan. The Houbara bustard is an awkward migratory bird which squirts a gummy liquid. It is not protected by law as the Great Indian Bustard, which is considered a native bird. India is short on energy sources and the Arab noblemen are from countries that sell oil. The government protested, but then allowed the hunting parties. 23 SOME STATISTICS ON LION BIRTHS IN CAPTIVITY by Hick HeJJkaLii K^ng-6 Inland, Kdng^ , Ohd^o The following data on lion births in captivity is presented to enlighten others in the field of large felines. It can be used in a comparison with similar data dealing with lions in the wild. The data was collected primarily over the past two years at Wild Animal Safari, Kings Island Park, Cincinnati, Ohio. Below is a table showing the data on the age of the mother when the young were bom, the number and sex of the cubs in each litter, the month in which they were bom, and the length of the gestation period (when it was known) for the 26 litters. Name of Mother Mother's Age Sex of Cubs Month Bom Gestation (days) Bonnie 3.4 1.2 Sept. 107 Pepsi 4 0.2 Dec. 108 Claudine 5 2.3 Aug. 108 Mama 4 1.1 May - S tumpy 4 1.1 May - Frog 6 1.1 Sept. - Donna 6 2.2 Aug. 109 Maggie 4 1.1 Sep t . 108 Nema 5 2.1 Aug. 107 Peaches 7 1.1 Oct . _ 8.8 2.0 Sept. - Babe 4 0.2 June _ 5.2 1.1 Aug. 112 Taunti 4 - (2) June _ 4.7 1.2 Jan. - 5 1.1 June 109 Sheba 4 - (3) April _ 4.8 2.0 Dec - 5.2 2.0 June 109 Brenda 4 2.1 Aug. _ 4.4 1.0 Dec - 4.11 1.2 July 107 Miss 4.6 - (3) Dec. _ 7.2 1.2 Aug. 107 Cheetah 4 1.0 June _ 5.1 1.1 24 July 109 Statistics on Lion Births, continued We can see from the table that the mean gestation period for the twelve cases known was 108.33 days with a range of 107 days to 112 days. This suggests that this group of females fell within the upper end of the range usually given in literature as 98 days to 114 days with a mean of 106 days. However, Cooper (1942) found that the mean gestation period of 51 litters bom in the wild was even higher at 109.7 days with a maximum carrying time of 119 days. From these three means, it seems that our lions have a gestation period closer to that of wild lions than to zoo lions. This could be due to the more natural sur- roundings in which they are kept in our Park rather than a smaller, enclosed area of a zpo. Twenty-six litters are listed producing 62 cubs for a mean of 2.42 cubs per litter. The range is 1 cub to 5 cubs per litter. Of the 55 cubs sexed, the sex ratio was 28 males to 27 females. This indicates that the sexes are bom close to a 1.1 ratio, but that the males may be favored in the total population. A larger sample size is needed to draw any firm conclusion. Multiple births accounted for 92.3% of the litters, while single births accounted for the remaining 7.7%. The peak time period for births is June through September with 70% of the litters being bom during this time period. The three individual months with the greatest number of litters bom are August (6) , June (5) , and December and September (4) . The month in which a litter was bom could have been influenced by certain routines of the keeper. The table that follows shows the sex make-up in litters of the same size. The expectant percentages of the possibilities for the sexes assumes a equal chance of a male or female being bom. Litter Size Sex No. of litters Expectant Percentage Actual Percentage One Cub 1.0 2 50% 100% 2 Litters 0.1 0 50 0 Two Cubs 1.1 8 50 61.6 13 Litters 2.0 2 25 15.4 0.2 3 25 23.1 Three Cubs 3.0 0 12.5 0 6 Litters 0.3 0 12.5 0 1.2 4 37.5 67 2.1 2 37.5 33 The above expected percentages assume that an equal chance exists for a male birth as for a female, although these statistics show the male may be favored. This holds true for litters of one cub, but not for the other two litter sizes shown above. A larger sample size is needed to come to any firm conclusion. New litters are on the way to increase ray sample size and to add to the above statistics so perhaps I may observe some more definite trends over a longer period of time. 25 YOU ARE WHAT YOU SWEEP by JllZ GK-ddd The. ^ottoMTng u> a. teJXe.^ I n.e.c.e.ntty w/iote. to a Intend mine, conc.en.n- tng my vtew6 on hti> attitude toieancU antmat keepen6--then I neaJtlzed that lehat I u)ai> expnej)6tng on a pen6onaZ level may be nelevant to keepetu and cunatom thnoughout the pnoi^eA-6ton. After my recent visit to your compound, I was quite impressed with the facilities you have for your collection. It must be nice to own a plaee that was built for the specimens in residence. It makes it so much easier to keep them properly, and I envy your employees the physical environment in which they work. But I do not envy the fact that they work for you, your attitude toward your employees is as antiquated as a zoo which attempts to keep penguins in a bear moat exhibit. Not that penguins can not live, and even do well, in an exhibit meant for bears — but it puts them in a compromising situation in which the tenacity of the penguins (and their keepers) is the only positive force involved. Thus the employees are faced with extreme difficulties — to do well under adverse conditions; to attempt to work as professionals, with pride and expertise in their fields , for an employer who believes they are no better than that which they sweep or shovel out of cages. What was it you said?.. that they give you their opinions on how they feel specific situations should be handled, as token involvement with their work, but that underneath all they really want is to be told what to do by someone who knows better; and further, that all animal keepers fall into this category. If this is the attitude with which your keepers were approached when you were a curator at the zoo, it is no wonder they had so little respect for youl Why is it that you insist keepers are no more than easily replaced janitors just because they do not have management qualities? You consider a keeper who does not know the origin and Latin nomenclature of each species with which he works to be a non-professional. But where would you be if that same keeper had not told you that, while you were doing your paperwork, one of the Sianamg looked "alittle down", and was therefore examined and medicated before illness could overtake it? And what good does it do you to know the origin and scientific name of two Hyacinthine Macaws, when a keeper is the only person who has ob- served them enough to know they are not a breeding pair? Examples such as these could go on forever — my point is that it is the keepers, not the curators, who are working in close with the animals on a day-to-day basis; and if a zoo keeper is a professional, by keeper standards, he will look listen and learn every time a cage is swept, scrubbed, shoveled, raked or hosed, until his personal knowledge of the animals in that cage becomes so comprehensive that it could be considered invaluable by a curator if only it were utilized rather than scoffed at. Your attitude, and the attitudes of others like you in zoos throughout the world, is one of the reasons we keepers are having such a hard time becoming professionals. Zoo of ficialsbrag and publicize the fact that their zoo exhibits are modem, natural habitats in which endangered species breed. They are paid to take expeditions into the wild to capture and observe animals, and they send their curators (expenses paid) to AAZPA conventions to keep them abreast of new developments in the zoological field. But zoo keepers, in spite of the progress being made in zoos, are still often regarded as managerie caretakers, capable only of leaning on shovels; and yet are expected to have a BA in Biology before we are hired to shovel manure at a wage one-third that of a ditch-digger. But even with attitudes such as yours prevalent in many zoos, keepers are working towards becoming more scientifically knowledgable ; we are taking pride in our work and are 26 You Are What You Sweep , continued. despite what you may think, dedicated to professional animal care , In light of the efforts being made by many keepers towards educating them- selves and each other (as is seen in the work done by AAZK) , I can only say that I wish people like yourself would try to farther our efforts rather than foil them—how can you expect someone to rise to a profess^ ional level when you keep knocking them down with your atinking attitude. I'm sure you've been shooting holes in every point I've made here. If so, just keep in mind that there are many keepers who feel the way I do. If you want respect you've got to deal it out; and if you don't care whether or not your employees (or keepers) respect you, thmyou're in the wrong business. Professional animal care in zoos, or any business dealing with large animal collections, requires mutual respect between curators and keepers of the part each plays in the efficient management of their institution. All personnel must work as a team, egos aside, for the benefit of the animals with which we are so concerned. Such comradery may sound impractical to a businessman like yourself, and in truth is somewhat idealistic on my part in view of the fact that even on a grand scale keepers and curators are having a hard time relating to one another— AAZPA and AAZK are still mainly working as separate entities — but since we are all working toward the preservation of wildlife, I think its high time we started working together. Our task is difficult enough without inside turmoils. I guess I've said all I really can on this subject, and you've heard it all before- — -somewhat soapboxish if I do say so myself. Sorry if I've bored you with it — even sorrier if you've found it amusing. You know by now that I feel deeply about the part I play, as a keeper, in the zoo field. I just can't help taking it as a personal affront when you put down the efforts of people like myself. I hope you take what I've said here to heart this time. liU. hiAjmal KddpdU' fo/Lum a. rnddium opm cUscca^d-on. The vlem ISfie author axe not neceA^ahlly thoie oi the AKF on. AAZK. PHILADELPHIA ZOO GIVES ZOO MEMBERSHIPS TO NEW YEAR BABIES The Philadelphia Zoo is pleased to accept as its youngest members, six babies born in the Delaware Valley shortly after the beginning of the New Year. According to the Zoo's Director of Marketing and Development John H. Cassidy, Jr., "We belive that membership in the Philadelphia Zoo is one of our city's most cherished traditions. We feel that our gift to these youngsters creates an exciting blend of the old and the new — the first-bom babies in the brand New Year joining together with the oldest and best-loved zoo in America." Bat Research News is available from Dr. M.B. Fenton, Editor, Dept, of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario KIS 5B6 Canada 27 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ chapter Santa Fe Chapter Santa Fe Teaching Zoo Santa Fe Community College 3000 N.W. 83rd Street Gainesville, Fla. 32602 President .... Jeff Stafford Vice Pres.... Dee Nelson Sec/Treas . . . .Dee Hontscharik Program Director. . .Steve Stivers Project Director. .. Tory Brodahl news The chapter reports that they are putting together educational kits for local school children. If anyone is interested in the kits or has suggestions as to what might be included in them, please contact Tory Brodahl at the above address. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + NEW GORILLA TO ARRIVE AT THE SAN DIEGO ZOO Bouba, a 30-year-old female and the lone lowland gorilla at the San Diego Zoo, will soon be getting a playmate — and perhaps a boyfriend — with a little help from Ray Kroc and the San Diego Padres. Zoo officials flew to Colorado Springs to pick up Abraham, a 375-pound (160 kg) male lowland gorilla, to mate with Bouba through a breeding loan arrangement with the Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Park. "Abe” will fly back in the San Diego Padres team plane, courtesy of Ray Kroc. POLAR BEAR KEEPERS Those zoos and aquariums keeping polar bears will be interested to note that some work has been in progress covering the discoloration of the hair coats of this species. An algae has been cultured from the hollow space in the guard hairs of polar bears in the San Diego and Fresno Zoos which had caused a greenish cast to their hair. While publication of these findings is forth coming, it would be helpful to hear from institutions who have experienced similar problems. Any information about the occurrence of such discoloration should be sent to Dr. Phil Robinson, P.O. Box 551, San Diego, Ca. 92112. The results of these responses will be compiled and made available to the zoo profession. The most pertinent information should describe (1) occurrence (2) distribution on body (3) seasonality, if any (4) numbers of animals affected (5) treatment, if any (6) results of any treatment. For those institutions who have this problem currently, arrangements can be made to examine hairs from affected animals to determine causative factors and suggest remedies. 28 INFORMATION REQUESTS I am seeking information on the captive propagation of any subspecies of the Kestrel Fatco Any information or data related to diet, breeding enclosure and nestbox requirements, tolerance to disturbances, incubation and hand-rearing, and release of offspring would be greatly appreciated. Please send reply to Richard J. Devereaux 3530 SW 24th Avenue Box 86 Gainesville, Florida 32601 I am doing research on the African Crested Porcupine c^iU>tcuta, and would appreciate any information AKF readers could send to me. Denise Cunningham 200 East 31st St 2 Baltimore, MD 21218 Denise Bartenfelder is gathering information for a keeper education manual. She would like the zoos that do have keeper education courses and lecture to get in touch with her. Denise 0. Bartenfelder Baltimore Zoo Druid Park Baltimore, MD 21217 AAZK ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE — TELL THE WORLD ABOUT AAZK The official AAZK decal is available again through the Overton Park AAZK Chapter. The decal is a black and white reproduction of the AAZK rhino logo, suitable for any smooth, hard surface, especially your car's windowl Cost is $1.00 complete, prepaid. Make checks payable to the "Memphis Chapter, AAZK" and send directly to Mike Maybry, Decal Project Coordinator, 1887 Crump Avenue, Memphis Tennessee 38107. The official AAZK T-shirts are now available through Carlton Bailie. They come in a variety of colors and all have the AAZK logo on them. For more information contact Carlton. His address is 11 Willway Ave. , Richmond, VA 23226. The Lincoln Park AAZK Chapter will be producing the "Keepers CAre" buttons again in the near future. Interested individuals should contact Pat Sammarco, Chapter President, Lincoln Park Zoo, 100 W. Webster Ave., Chicago, IL 60614 for details and availibity. Monotreme Symposium Proceedings are available from the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, P.O. Box 20, Mosman, NSW 2088. Australia 29 from the President REFLECTIONS ON THE PAST . . . THOUGHTS FOR THE FUTURE by VdYivuji GnZmm S/Look^^eld Zoo As most of the zoos across the country slowly, but steadily, improve the methods in which animals are exhibited and the zoos are attempting to offer themselves as an educational facility to the public who are supporting them; the role of the animal keepers is also changing. Today’s animal keepers have more responsibilites and functions than their counterparts in the past. They are simply expected to do more and to be better at it. Unfortunately, the increased demands on the individual keeper have not always been appreciated or reflected financially by the zoos in many regions. Many animal keepers today are woefully underpaid while their duties and benefit to the zoo are not realistically recognized. Education and experience requirements have increased dramatically over the past several years. Many zoos now accept primarily applicants with a college background for prospective animal keeper positions. I feel this trend will continue and that persons interested in entering the zoo field will have to be better educated and qualified. The professional zoo associations, such as AAZK and AAZPA are cooperating and communicating more at a level which they never had in the past. The net result for these cooperative efforts will un- doubtedly be mutually beneficial to all persons involved. One of my primary goals for AAZK is to remain supportive to such associations and to increase these committed involvements. If AAZK is to be truly professional in nature, we will have to act accordingly. I have been involved in zoo work for over nine years and have witnessed many changes in the field, some of which are definitely positive. The process of improving the conditions and respectability of profes- sional animal keepers will be tedious and disappointing at times, but I'm optimistic about the future of animal keepers. It will take time and considerable effort, but I sincerely feel that zoo keeping will be widely accepted as a genuine profession in the near future. VmyiU GAimm -li the PAOAtdeyit o^ the Amen^ean Association o^ loo Keepers. FELLOWSHIP WINNER WANTS YOUR SUGGESTIONS I am an associate member of the AAZK. I have been nominated for a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship for an initial year of post-graduate study and plan to spend July 1979 - June 1980 in Great Britain, Germany, and Africa and/or Australia. I will be conducting a comparative study focusing on the areas of education, conservation, research and display. I would very much appreciate suggestions on which zoos or research facilities to visit. I would also be willing to act as a courier for your own research information. Contact: Laurie E. Bingaman PO Box 2082 Davidson College Davidson, NC 28036 704 892-6107 30 ************************************ KEEPERS, THE WESTERN REGIONAL NEEDS YOU The AAZPA Western Regional Workshop is to be held in Sacramento, CA. , the week of April 22-25. Realizing that the expense of lodging can often prevent keepers attending, the Sacramento staff has decided to take some positive action toward remedying this situation. We are willing to provide available beds and sleeping bag space in our homes for interested keepers. Transportation will be available to and from the conference. If interested, please contact us before April 10. We need your partici- pation— please cornel Sacramento Zoo 3930 W. Land Park Drive Sacramento, CA 95822 (916) 447-7383 Attn: Keeper Accommodations ********************************** * * * * * COMING EVENTS * * * * 4th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference March 24-28, 1979 Toronto, Canada for details write: Wildlife Management Institute, 1000 Vermont Avenue, N.W. , 709 Wire Building, Washington, D.C. 20005. American Society of Mammal ogists Annual Meeting June 17-21, 1979 Corvallis, Oregon The Elephant Interest Group will be included in this conference. For information contact: B.J. Verts, Dept, of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331 * * * AAZPA REGIONAL WORKSHOPS March 4-6, Great Lakes, Detroit, MI April 1-3, Southern, Knoxville, TN April 10-12, Central, Wichita, KS Connie Dillon announced an AAZK meeting on April 10, 7-9 at Wichita. April 22-24, Western, Sacramento, CA See announcement following. May 6-8, Northeastern, Erie, PA *******************^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 31 WHITEHURST ASSAILS CANADIAN PLAN TO KILL POLAR BEARS UNDER THE GUISE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH A Canadian plan to feed crude oil to four polar bears and then conduct autopsies to determine if there are adverse effects has been labeled *'a cruel and ill-conceived project" by Congressman Bill Whitehurst . (R-VA) According to a news report from Toronto, the experiment is to be carried out by Norwegian and Canadian scientists with full government approval. Results of the experiment are intended to show the effects of an oil spill. "If people don’t understand the devastating effects of an oil spill by now, then they never will. The thought of feeding crude oil to a polar bear and calling it environmental research strikes me as being a cruel and ill-conceived project." Apparently there are many who agree with the Congressman. When Imperial Oil, Canada’s largest oil company, heard what the experiment involved, they quickly withdrew their financial support and stated they would not become involved in any study that warranted the killing of polar bears. Several animal welfare groups have also lodged protests over the proposed experiment. Feeding of the crude oil capsules to the polar bears is slated to begin in February of 1979. ANIMAL WELFARE PROGRESS IN THE NINETY-FIFTH CONGRESS Animal Birth Control For the first time, funds for research in animal birth control will be available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Senator John Melcher (D. , Mont.) proposed an amendment to the agricultural appro- priations bill on the floor of the Senate to include twenty million dollars for veterinary research, recommending that five percent be allocated for research in animal birth control. The Senator said, "We have it almost within our grasp to provide for humane mehtods of con- trolling predators, decreasing the population of unwanted and uncared for dogs and cats. Stray dogs and cats in almost all communities are a drain financially, a public health problem, and humane control through lower birthrates is, in my judgment, a necessary and prime goal." The Senate passed the Melcher amendment. Although the House of Representative conferees brought the total down to five million. Secretary of Agriculture Bob Bergland confirmed that an additional ten million for special grants to animal health research is available. Thus, up to $750,000 should be distributed in the general area of predatory and other animal birth control. Information concerning grant applications should be addressed to Dr. E.F. Splitter, Coopera- tive Research, Science and Education Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250 32 This paper was presented at the 4th National Conference of the American Association of Zoo Keepers. HAND-REARING GOLDEN LION MARMOSETS Le-ontop^hccui /lo^oLLa AT THE OKLAHOMA CITY ZOO by Mcuicla A. Rohn. coucang and Senegal Bushbabies GaZago 6magaZen6^ . An Indian Fruit Bat Ft(ZA.OpLU> tonganuA was also fed by the syringe method and raised successfully. In addition to these species, a variety of small primates such as tree shrews, lemurs, other members of the family Lorisidae, and some of the smaller cebid monkeys could also be raised using these techniques. This has proven to be a successful method for raising small primates , especially when they are in a weakened condition, and is versatile enough to be used for raising a variety of other small mammals as well. 39 We oAe dt^ply Mebted to the, AAZPA Slm^letteA, {^oK aZtoMtng u6 to ^^pntnt pofvtioYVb oi tktM 6zctton i^om tk^Jji "Po^^ctton^ kvailoblo^' tUting^. Tht6 t6 a monthly 62.H.vtce, to , ioK you. CURATOR. . . responsible for administrating and managing animal department. Requires Bachelor's Degree in related field; two years of experience in zoo management. Salary: $14,747.40 - $19,718.40 Send resume to Kay Johnson, Personnel Officer, City of Louisville, Personnel Department, Civic Plaza Building, 701 West Jefferson, Louisville, KY 40202. NUTRITIONAL TECHNICIAN. . . responsible for daily preparation, ordering and maintaining current inventories of animal foods , food animal colonies and operation of hydroponics unit; con- sults with animal health staff on diet formulation and delivery. ^ Salary $10,651 - $12,193. Degree and zoo experience desirable. [ Send resume to Metropolitan Service District, 1220 S.W. Morri- ^ son, Portland, OR 97221 by February 15, 1979. ZOOLOGIST. . . responsible for operation of medium-sized animal collection. Requires zoo experience in all aspects of handling, care and record keeping of a variety of wildlife and degree. Send resume by 19 February 1979 to Paul E. Meyers, Director, Utica Zoo, Steele Hill Road, Utica, NY 13501. MARINE EVUATOR/ CURATOR. . . assist in the care of marine exhibits (no maihmals) and the development and teaching of marine science courses. Applicant must have a B.S. in Zoology or related field. Send resume to R.L. Bilodeau, Aquarium Director, Children's Museum of Hartford, 950 Trout Brook Drive, West Hartford, CT 06119. AQ^UARIUM CURATOR. . . expected to help plan a new aquarium for which funds are currently being sought; responsible to Director. Minimum B.S. or equivalent required. Experience with aquarium species essential. Salary and conditions equal to major U.S. zoos and aquariums. Contact: Peter Crowcroft, P.O. Box 20, Mosman NSW 2088, Australia by 30 June 1979, with curriculum vitae. PACHVVERM KEEPER. . . to perform routine duties with rhinoceros , hippopotamus, African and Asiatic elephants and to participate in handline and training of elephants for public show, under supervision of senior keeper and trainer. Pachyderm experience required. Salary: $9,318 - $9,880. Good benefits. Contact: Tom Foose , Zoological Curator, Oklahoma City Zoo, 2101 NE 50th, Oklahoma City, OK 73111. (405) 424-3344. ASSOCIATE VI RECTOR. . . supervision of personnel and daily main- tenance of animals primary responsibility. Will have extensive public contact. Requires knowledge of basic administrative principles. Prefer applicant with knowledge and ability for maintenance and upkeep of mechanical systems; filtration, plumbing, electrical and heating. Expected to be a working member of the staff; a general regard for animals, along with daily individual contact is necessary. Salary depending on experience. Send resume to Search Committee, Alaska Zoo, SRA Box 1728 W. , Ankorage , AK 99507. o p p o r t u n 40 cflX‘no37r INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS ANIMAL KEEPERS FORUM publishes original papers, and news items of inter- est to the Animal Keeping Profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles . Articles should be typed or hand printed. All illustrations, graphs, tables , should be clearly marked when accompanying an article for publication. All illustrations, graphs and tables should be in final form and should fit in a page size of no more than 6"xl0". AKF will not redesign illustrations or graphs. Articles longer than three pages will be separated into monthly install- ments at the discretion of the Editorial Staff. Cite literature use in text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Articles sent to Animal Keepers Forum will be reviewed for publication. No commitments to authors is made, but AKF will make every effort to print the article as soon as possible. All articles will be published in future issues of AKF for that calendar year. Telephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions is acceptable. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will not be accepted. DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION OF AKF IS THE 20th OF THE PRECEDING MONTH. MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION Affiliate (full-time keepers) $10.00 Foreign $15.00 Associate (part-time keepers. Students, docents) . . .$10.00 Contributing $50.00 and up annually annually annually annually All memberships include subscriptions to Animal Keepers' Forum. All new members receive an AAZK shoulder patch and a membership card good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada. oAe on an annual ba^yU. 50% a membe/i'A du2A> cxjkl budgel^d pubticuation oi kwimal KeepeAA ' Foaluti. bxVia patah^yi, oAe aoallabld AAZK HdadqixantzK^ , j^oA .25 mck. S^nd name, and add/iCyi^ and a check on. money onden to- l\MK Headquarters National Zoological Park Washington, D.C. 20008 Make checks payable to Amentcan A6-6ocyLatton o^ Zoo Keepem. ALL CHANGES OF ADDRESS SHOULD BE SENT TO AAZK HEADQUARTERS AT THE NATIONAl ZOO. DO NOT SEND THEM TO ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM. AKF IS NOT AVAILABLE BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY. ^ 21 z; QJ OJ 03 CO rt rt 13 rt O 3 O O 3 3 3 3 N N O O O O O 3 ^ ■rs l-t ??- 3 ro o o o 00 §• Cjj^ '8| ►s O i-ss hQ i I !>r *'* » Dedicated to Professional Animal Care MARCH 1979 ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606 ISSN 0164-9531 Edi tor-in-Chief : Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoological Executive Editor: Mike Coker, Topeka Zoological Managing Editor: Lois Bogia, Topeka Zoological Art Consultant: Elaine Shea MARCH 1979 VOLUME SIX NUMBER THREE Park Park Park humoJi Keeper' Vonim is a monthly journal published by the American Association of Zoo Keepers, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C., 20008, for its members. Send all address changes, undeliverable copies and other membership inquiries to AAZK Headquarters, Washington, D.C.. Second class postage is paid at Topeka, Kansas. Return postage is guaranteed. Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the Editor. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 Eti.zohQ.tk Gtcu>6c.o, kdmiYUMtAativo. SQ.cAQt:oAy Board of Directors Dennis Grimm, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513 VK.QJiidQ,Ylt Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606 \Jic,Q.-pH.QA>idQ.¥it Ed Roberts, Stone Mem. Zoo, 149 Pond St., Stoneham, MA 02180 Tom Goldsberry, Washington Pk. Zoo, 4001 S.W. Canyon Rd, Portland, OR 97221 Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 100 W. Webster Ave. , Chicago, IL 60614 Coordinators and Committees Coordinator for Chapter Affairs Coordinator for International Affairs Vent Sommo/Lco, Lincotn Panli loo Tom GotdsbeAAy, Walking ton PoAk loo AAZK/AAZPA Liaison Ed Robo.^ , WattQA V. Stone. Mem. loo Nominations and Election Committee Jitt GAade., Biuck Bin.d SanctuoAy , Calico Awia, ChcLiAWoma.n Kent Benedict, Attanta loo Mike MaybAy, OveAton PoAk Zoo BemoAd Fetdman, MitteA PoAk Zoo Von RcumuA^en, Minnesota State Zoo Awards Committee Mike CokeA, Topeka Zoo, Ckaiman Mike Vee, Lo6 Angete^i, Zoo Vieky LaRue, JnteAnatt. CAane Fdn. Viek Sodentund, BAook^ietd Zoo Mike CAoekeA, ViekeA6on PoAk Zoo Regional Coordinators Ed RobefvU WatteA V. Stone Mem. Zoo ME, l/T, NH, MA, RI Teii pQAAy Bailalo Zoo NV VeYii^e BaAten{^etdeA BaltimoAe PA, NJ, MV, VE Kevin Conway Pont Royal, Va VA, Wt/ Randy McGitt VetAoit Zoo MI HoAotd CAOOk6 Me6keA PoAk IN, OH, KT LaAAy SammoAco Lincoln PoAk Zoo m, IL Von Ra6mii66en Minnesota State Zoo MN, lA, MO Alan Stanley Knoxville Zoo TN, NC, SC iauAa Stniektand MontgomeAy Zoo EL, AL, GA Tim O'BAlen Audubon PoAk Zoo AK, MS, LA GoAy Tibbetts Rio GAonde Zoo TXpNM,C0,0K ,KS,NE,^ Helen MooAe PoAtland Zoo WA, OR, IV, MT, WV Jill GAade Buich BiAd SanctuoAy CA, Nl/, AZ, UT, HA — Scuttlebutt Andn.m Main and HeAb Clement give a tAlbate and a laugh on tIvU month’ 6 coveA.. Tho6e o^ u6 Mho have had a hoAd, hoAd MlnteA can Aeally use both’. Andrew Main Ih lAom the (Millington (Mild Animal FoAm, (Millington, Conn. Thanfzs to both o^ you. FIRE AT THE TOPEKA ZOO On February 1 at 0800 , the Topeka Zoo had a fire in its Tropical Rain- forest Building. The temperature during the night had sunk to an unbelievable -23° F. The fire was confined to the Mechanical Room of the TRF , therefore did not directly damage the animals or plants in the building. The gas- fired boiler in the TRF malfunctioned causing the temperature to rise to 1500° dr more. The aluminum flue melted and fell over onto the wooden roof of the Mechanical Room. The fire was confined to the roof and damage was confined to one of the two boilers. Estimate of the damage is $27,000. There were no injuries to staff or firemen. Supplemental heating was provided by propane heating systems. One week later there is evidence of minor plant damage. Two of the reptiles were lost, the Green Iguana and a Water dragon. A TRIBUTE TO KEEPERS Yesterday the keepers worked with shovel, broom, rake and hose. The animals were acquired by trade, birth, collecting, gifts and purchase by public funds. They were often exhibited in jail-like cages and were treated by "farm veterinarians’ when they were sick. Animals were caught with lariat ropes when necessary and fed a variety of foods that were caught, raised or butchered by the zoo staff. Animals are still acquired much the same way as in the past but they often live in open grottos and are treated by veterinarians specializing in zoo medicine. Tranquilizer guns are commonly used and specialized foods are brought to the zoo by the truckload. Our present-day-realization of the need for humans to understand their place in nature as a partner and not a destroyer will lead us to build a "new" zoo.... Yet with all the technology of the future plans, there will still be the keepers, the backbone of the zoo, caring for the animals with shovel, broom, rake and hose. {^Aom ’’(Mhat’s In a Name?” by Hugh S. Vavls , FoAmeA VlneetoA, Tulsa Zoo AepAlnted {^Aom Tulsa Zoo: The FlASt Fl{)ty VeoAs 41 BIRTHS HATCHINGS GETTING BY WITH A LITTLE HEl? ...... Michael W. Valancy, Cincinnati loo On January 19 , 1979, a female domestic ferret (ISIS #M9030) gave birth to a litter of 11 offspring. This was the third litter for this parti- cular female, but obviously the large number of babies were too much for her to take care of despite her motherly instincts. By the 21 of January, all 11 babies had died. On the 29 of January, 1979, a second female (ISIS //M9047) who is the daughter of M9030, gave birth to a litter of 9 offspring. Female M9030 was present for the birth of the nine to her daughter, and she immediately began helping her daughter with the chore of taking care of the newly bom. Both females are now fully taking care of the babies. They share in the feeding (female M9030 is obviously still lactating enough) and protecting of the little ones. Both females very actively protect the babies from intruders as we try to clean around the group . CINCINNATI ZOO INCREASES RODENT COLLECTION Mlckael W. duJiancy The Cincinnati Zoo recently acquired several interesting new rodent species to add to its collection. 3/5 Prevosts’ squirrels CaHo6 cluAlJL6 pfiC\)06tl recently arrived at the zoo. These beautiful tri-colored squirrels have settled in very well and a special attempt to breed them here at the zoo is being made. Other new rodent species added to the collection are... 2/2 Dwarf hamster, PAodopu2> 6ungoAa6j 2/2 Multimammatae mice, Maitomy^ natclcn^l^ (one pair has produced a litter of five off- spring) and 3/3 European Harvest Mice, ^IcKomy.^ mlnutiU . Except for the squirrels all these rodents are being kept in the zoo's Nocturnal Animal House in an off-display section. BRAZILIAN TAPIR BORN AT BROOKFIELD ZOO Brookfield Zoo celebrated the birth of a male tapir calf on February 6. Both parents are on breeding loan from the Baltimore Zoo. The infant was bom after an approximate 13 month gestation. Brazilian tapirs are on the endangered species list. The infant tapir has been named Anta, the word for tapir in Portugese, the language of Brazil, one of the South American areas to which the tapir is native. As is usual with infants of this species, Anta has unique whitish watermelon- like stripes and spots which he will bear the first six to eight months of his life. Now standing about a foot tall and weighing about 20-30 lbs., he will grow to his parents' approximate three foot height and 500-600 lbs. Anta will eventually bear their uniform brown or reddish-brown coloration, as well. Life expectancy on tapirs is about 20 years. June 5, 1979 is World Environmental day with the theme "Only One Future for Our Children— Development without Destruction." 42 SLOTH BEAR BIRTHS. by Gordon hloyu , Szyilok KeepeA. - Baau Wi aMoo^ng iU to Aop^Unt pottioni ojJ tbti ieetton ^tom tbett "p0'6ateoni Aooctbte to;ttng-6. Tto ^ a monthly 6 I o 0) 9 0.2 !DS*3 0B. * o 0) 55*^ OfiT on s o 3 h 0 >« O hQ 1 9* in Animal Keepers' Forum APRIL 1979 Dedicated to Professional Animal ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606 ISSN 0164-9531 Editor-in-Chief : Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoological Executive Editor: Mike Coker, Topeka Zoological Managing Editor: Lois Bogia, Topeka Zoological Art Consultant: Elaine Shea APRIL 1979 VOLUME SIX NUMBER FOUR Park Park Park kYiimaJi Keeper' FoAum is a monthly journal published by the American Association of Zoo Keepers, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C., 20008, for its members. Send all address changes, undeliverable copies and other membership inquiries to AAZK Headquarters, Washington, D.C.. Second class postage is paid at Topeka, Kansas. Return postage is guaranteed. Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the Editor. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 Ftlzohdth Gla66c.o, Adm-lnAJitAcutlvo. SdcAoXa/iy Board of Directors Dennis Grimm, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513 Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606 Ed Roberts, Stone Mem. Zoo, 149 Pond St., Stoneham, MA 02180 Tom Goldsberry, Washington Pk. Zoo, 4001 S.W. Canyon Rd, Portland, OR 97221 Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 100 W. Webster Ave. , Chicago, IL 60614 Coordinators and Committees Coordinator for Chapter Affairs Coordinator for International Affairs Pat ScumoAco, Lincoln Pa/dz loo Tom Gold6bcAAy, Washington PoAk Zoo AAZK/AAZPA Liaison Ed RobcAts , WaltcA V. Stone Mem. Zoo Nominations and Election Committee Jill GAadc, Biji6ch BlAd SanctaoAy, Cali^oAnla, ChalAWoman Kent Benedict, Atlanta Zoo Mike MaybAy, Oventon PoAk Zoo BennoAd Feldman, MllleA PoAk Zoo Von Rasmussen, Minnesota State Zoo Awards Committee Mike CokeA, Topeka Zoo, ChalAman Mike Vee, Los Angeles Zoo Vicky LaRue, JnteAnatl. CAone Fdn. Vick SodcAlund, BAooklleld Zoo Mike CAockeA, VlckeAson PoAk Zoo Ed RobeAts Regional Coordinators WalteA V. Stone Mem. Zoo ME, UT, m, MA Je^^ PeAAy Buiialo Zoo hIV Venlse BaAten^eldeA BaltimoAe PA, NJ, MV, VE Kevin Conway Font Royal, Va l/A, 0/1/ EveAett HaKAls BlndeA PoAk Zoo MI Harold CAooks MeskeA PoAk IN, OH, KT Lanny Sammarco Lincoln PanJz Zoo O/I, IL Von Rasmussen Minnesota State Zoo MN, lA, MO Alan Stanley Knoxville Zoo TN, NC, SC Lauia StAicklayid MontgomeAy Zoo FL, AL, GA Tim O'Brien Audubon PoAk Zoo AK, MS, LA Ga'iy Tibbiitts Rio GAonde Zoo TX,HM,C0,0K,KS, Hcl'cn Mi'cAc Portland Zoo WA, OR, IV, MT, Jil'i’ G‘:adc Busch Bird SanctuoAy CA, NV, AZ, UT, — Scuttlebutt The eoven. 6keT:eh ^ James M.Btuh oi a -sTXuoution he eneountoAed Mhen employed at the Montgomen.y Zoo, Montgomery, Alabama. And what keeper has not encountered a sttuatton where the animal Is definitely one-up on the human? The title Is ’Trustrated Keeper and Over- friendly Camel' . WILDLIFE EXPO '79 by Donald A. Rolla Great Lakes Chapter, East African lulltd Life Society The importance of wildlife conservation will be presented to the public at the "Wildlife Expo '79" at the Randhurst Shopping Center in Mount Prospect, Illinois, on Saturday and Sunday, April 21 and 22. Films, presentation, animals, artists, and information booths will makes this the largest wildlife event of its kind in the U.S. There will be 20 wildlife and photography exhibitors. Six wildlife films and two program presentations are planned. Many organizations and agencies are planning to participate, among them the Brookfield Zoo, the Whale Protection Fund, World Book and the U.S. World Wildlife Fund. AAZK ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE T-SHIRTS The official AAZK T-shirts are now available through Carleton Bailie. They come in a variety of colors and all have the AAZK logo on them. For more information contact Carleton Bailie, 3918 N.E. 1st Terrace, Gainsville, FL 32601. Note the change in address. Carleton has moved, and wrote AKF to inform anyone who wrote him at his old address, but has not heard from him to please write to his Florida address. DECALS The official AAZK decal is available through the Overton Park AAZK Chapter. The decal is a black and white reproduction of the AAZK rhino logo, suitable for any smooth, hard surface, especially a car window. Cost is $1.00 complete, prepaid. Make checks payable to the "Memphis Chapter, AAZK" and send directly to Mike Maybry, Decal Project Coordinator, 1887 Crump Avenue, Memphis, TN 38107. ******** THE PORTLAND WOLF SYMPOSIUM August 14-16, 1979 Contact: Roger Thacker, Northwest Trek, Eatonville, VA 98328 ******** Lewis & Clarke College Portland, Oregon 61 BIRTHS CHIMPANZEE BIRTH AT MONTGOMERY ZOO HATCHINGS LauAa St/Ucfitand The first birth of a chimpanzee at the Montgomery Zoo was recorded at 9:45 a.m. on January 19, 1979. The male infant weighed approximately 3 pounds, and was in very good health. The parents, Benji, age 7, and Liza, age 9, were hand-raised from infants. Neither one has had an opportunity to observe breeding activity or the rearing of an infant. The mother was a little confused the first few hours, carrying the baby upside down. However, she soon grasped the proper way to hold the youngster, and he was suckling in five hours. Liza is taking excellent care of the baby, and another young female, Sonya, age 4 (also hand- raised) has taken a very active interest in the baby. We feel we are well on the way to developing a breeding colony from hand-raised chimpanzees. We are interested in hearing from anyone who has successfully bred hand-raised chimps, or who have had hand-raised first time mothers who properly care for their offspring. Please direct any information or inquiries to Laura Strickland, Mont- gomery Zoo, P.O. Box 3313, Montgomery, AL 36109. PYGMY HIPPO BORN IN MEMPHIS Michael k. A pygmy hippo CkoQAop^i^ was born at the Memphis Zoo and Aquarium on February 6, 1979. Labor began sometime after 10 o'clock that morning and the male baby was delivered with the mother standing on her dry platform at approximately 12:30 p.m. The baby first nursed at 1:05 p.m. Weighing approximately 6 pounds at birth, the hippo has grown noticeably during his first two weeks with weight no estimated at 10-12 pounds. This baby was number six for the mother, who has raised three others successfully. TWO LITTERS OF TAYLOR'S CANTIL IN GLADYS PORTER ZOO VaJyvick M; BuAc.kilQ,ld Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas, reports two litters with a total of six live young in a first successful breeding of the rare Taylor's Cantil. The Cantil is among the most beautiful of the Crotalid (pit viper) snakes, and has one of the most volatile tempera- ments. A specimen was caught in a locality near the Tropic of Cancer in coastal Tamaullpas. Taylor's Cantil AgkyCitAodon b-Lbyin^dtuiA has slate gray and brown crossbands with vivid yellow or orange in between them. It has a dark line running from the snout through the eye toward the rear of the jaw. The darkmarking is edged in white giving a mask-like appearance. The tip of the tail is sulphur-yellow or bone white in the adult snake. SLOTH BEARS BORN AT GLADYS PORTER ZOO. . . L. Hugk^, Two sloth bear cubs were born in December and are being hand-raised by the zoo staff. The cubs were full term, weighed one pound and appeared strong and healthy, but the mother did not care for them. Colostrum was collected from the anesthetized mother to give the cubs antibodies. 62 A REPORT ON THE AAZPA GREAT LAKES REGIONAL WORKSHOP IN DETROIT F/Lom LoA/iy SammoAco GREAT CONFERENCE! The AAZPA Great Lakes Regional Workshop held in Detroit was very successful in attendance and in educational value. And they throw a great party. Keeper attendance totaled nearly twenty-five and included AAZK President Dennis Grimm, board member Pat Sammarco, Regional Coordinators Randy McGill, Everett Harris, Don Rasmussen, and Larry Sammarco; and other Keepers from many zoos. Larry Sammarco *s presentation on the AAZK was well received, and a similar talk will be given at each of the AAZPA Regionals by local Regional coordinators. Four Keepers presented papers; John M. Miller, Cincinnati on "A Review of the Lowland Gorilla Births at Cincinnati Zoo, with Emphasis on Maternallstic Behavior." Dick Mills, Cincinnati on "Parturition and Social Interaction in Captive Vampire Bats." Gerald Payne, Detroit on "Care and Husbandry of Amphibians at the Detroit Zoo." Don Rasmussen, Minnesota on "Animal Restraint: The Keepers Role." AAZK information was available and many delegates took ’Keepers Care’ buttons back to their zoos. Keepers are encouraged to attend the AAZPA regionals in the name of professionalism and comradery and to get a different view of the Zoo World. Topics of various papers included Research, Cost Analysis, Education, Medicine, Photography, Budgets, TV, A Reptile Collecting Trip and the plans for, and progress of New Zoos. Be sure to note the dates of the Regional Workshop in your area and make plans to attend. KEEPERS CARE BUTTONS Those sought after buttons to show that Keepers care about their Ecosystem are now available for the paltry sum of Fifty (50) cents, an unheard of bargain in today’s inflationary economy. Imagine the joy and thrill of owning 1, or 2, or even 10 of these buttons! Remember that 50% of the sale price goes into the AAZK’s National treasury to help give the members better service. Interested indi- viduals please contact Larry Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago, IL 60614 63 Dear Members, Here are the nomination forms for the upcoming Board of Directors election. Three seats are up for re-election .. .those of Ed Roberts, Dennis Grimm and Ron Kaufman. Their terms expire in December of this year. Nominations for the election must be received by me no later than June 30, thereby allowing time for approval by the Nominations and Election Committee during July. The election ballot, and a short biographical sketch of each nominee will then be published in the August issue of AKF. Note that the forms are somewhat lengthy and detailed, whereas the qualifications are relatively simple. The object of this is that the organization wishes to give members every opportunity to become involved in its administration, but you have to be able to handle the paperwork! Please send completed forms to me at the follow- ing address: JfXC G^ado. BuL^dk GoAddvn Attn: Zoo 3000 August A. Boic/i BZvd. Tampa, TL 33612 Potential nominees who do not qualify will be notified of this by mail. Good Luck! ! Sincerely, Jill Grade, Chairwoman Nominations and Election Committee DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: (Constitution, Art. Ill) 1. To confirm appointments made by the President 2. To control and manage the Association and its property, passing upon acquisition and disbursements with approval of a simple majority of the board 3. To formulate policies, rules and regulations in accord with the Constitution and these By-laws. QUALIFICATIONS FOR NOMINATION: 1. Nominee must presently (current Dues paid) be an active member of AAZK; must have been a member of the Association for at least 1 (one) year; 2. Nominee must agree to uphold the Constitution of AAZK; must uphold AAZK policy wherein the Association is not a labor organization and must not be utilized as such; 3. Nominee must presently be employed as an animal keeper/attendant by a recognized zoo or aquarium in the U.S. or Canada, must have been in the zoological field for at least 2 years; 4. Nominee must agree to appear at board meetings, traveling at his/her own expense (usually in conjunction with regional and national conventions); must agree to devote time to communica- tions pertinent to all board business, answering correspon- dence promptly and efficiently; must agree to accept Board assignments. VldoUid c-omploXd tkU ^onm on a i^dpaxatu ikndt papoA. 1. Name of Nominee, Address, Phone, Age and Institution. 2. A brief statement by the nominator as to why the nominee warrants election to the Board of Directors. 64 NOMINATIONS FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, conUnuad 3. A Biographical sketch presented by the nominee with the data 1. Professional background, places of employment, titles, length of service 2. Education background 3. Membership in AAZK; National and local chapters, number of years, offices held, involvement in activities, AKF contributions, etc. 4. Membership in affiliate organizations; AAZPA, NWF, Audubon, Etc. 5. A brief statement of why you would like to be a member of the Board of Directors of the AAZK. The form should be signed by both the nominator and the nominee. This will acknowledge that the qualifications for the nomination are underr stood and accepted. Be ^ undeA^tood that iali,(L tnionmatloYi oA {^oIIuaq. to cowplet:^ tka> iom will void tko, YiomlnattoYi. ONLY FEMALE KIWIS IN U.S. ARRIVE AT SAN DIEGO ZOO Two kiwis — the only female specimens of the squatty, flightless birds in the United States — arrived in the San Diego Zoo on January 22 from New Zealand to begin a captive breeding experiment with two male kiwis. If successful, the program may provide kiwi girlfriends for the three kiwis — all males housed at other zoos. The females are part of an exchange program with the Auckland Zoo in New Zealand, where the kiwi is the national bird. Though not an en- dangered species, the kiwi is highly revered by its countrymen and strictly protected by law. San Diego Zoo officials had to negotiate with the New Zealand government to arrange export of the two birds. Graham Meadows, assistant director and veterinarian at the Auckland Zoo, accompanied the female kiwis aboard a Western Airlines flight to San Diego. He remained in San Diego for a week, touring Zoo facilities and advising Dr. Art Risser, curator of birds at the San Diego Zoo, on methods and techniques of breeding the odd-looking kiwis in captivity. Said Risser, "Although kiwis have been displayed at the San Diego Zoo for many years, the arrival of these two females represents the first real attempt here at captive breeding." After the quarantine period, the females were introduced to the two male kiwis on Valentine's Day. The celebration included a Valentine's telegram from a lonely kiwi in a Chicago zoo and a big, red heart-shaped box filled with just the thing to make a female kiwi's heart flutter — earthworms . 65 INCUBATION PERIODS. . .HOW ACCURATE? by Ju.dl2. St2.e.nbeAg B^moAck, MV, {^onmQ,hZy Topeka, KS Have you ever looked up an incubation period on a given species, from a general reference, and accepted it unques tioningly? It’s a common practice. Recently, while doing research on golden eagles, AqiUZa chfiy^aoXoi, , I found their incubation period listed as 25-35, 27, 28, 30, 35, 42, 43, 43-45, and 44-45 days in various publications and references. \ The golden eagle gives us an excellent example of why incubation periods must be carefully reviewed. An incubation period is a biological fact, not merely a figure to be copied from a book- Nice (1954). And, yet, incubation periods are copied and used even if they are strikingly inconsistent . It would seem that the best approach to determining accurate periods would be to define what they are and work from there. That isn't always easy since readers will find disagreement on what exactly constitutes the incubation period. In general, "incubation is the operation by which the eggs are subjected to the requisite temperature to permit their development" Nice (1954), or, "keeping the eggs warm until they hatch" Van Tyne, Berger (1966). The definition of an incubation period is not as easily stated. Is it — - the time the parents sit on the eggs? - the time from laying of the first egg of a clutch until it hatches? - the laying of the firstvegg until the hatching of the last egg? - the time from laying of the last egg to the hatching of the first? - the time from laying of the last egg to the hatching of the last? To further complicate the problem, it cannot be assumed a bird is incubating because it is spending a considerable amount of time on the nest; it may be sitting on eggs without applying warmth. Because of the need for standardization in reporting information, and because it is difficult to obtain exact dates on each egg, a working definition of the incubation period is necessary. Thus, the incubation period, the time from uninterrupted incubation until hatching, is considered by most to be ’the lapsed time between the laying of the last egg in a clutch and then the hatching of that egg when all the eggs hatch" Nice (1954). Occasionally the sequence of hatching will differ from the laying sequence, but usually the first egg laid is the first to hatch. It really would be much easier to copy a figure out of a book, but, in the case of golden eagles, which one? "The period of incubation has been given variapsly as from 25-35 days; probably 30 days is the average time." Oberholsen (1906) "...period of incubation is about 35 days," Arnold (1954) "Two eggs, white flecked with brown or gray, are laid and incu- bated by the female for about 40 days." Burton (1969) "in Europe the accepted period is 44-45 days" Brown, Amadon (1968). They go on to say ... "incubation periods in Scotland 43-45 (days) ...California 43. . .yet many American records state 35 days". 66 Incubation Periods .. .How Accurate? covutinund "Both sexes incubate the eggs 44-45 days” Grossman, Hamlet (1964). In "Problems of Incubation Periods in North American Birds" by Margaret Morse Nice, the incubation period for golden eagles is given as 45 days. In the section. Summary of Some of the Persistent Errors in North Amer- ican Species, the following data is given for golden eagle incubation Bendire 1892 ± 28 Bums 1915 35 Bergtold 1917 25 - 35 different 1920's 27, 30 compilations 1930's 28, 35 " 1940's 30 correct period 43 Her explanation for this variation begins with Aristotle who was respon- sible for the original belief in short incubation periods for birds of prey. Later, Bechstein and the Nauman’s principles were that the incu- bation period matched the size of the bird. Bendire (1892-1895) played a key role in field reporting incubation periods in North America. He assigned 28 days to larger hawks and owls (including golden eagles). The majority of his guesses were wrong yet were accepted as facts to the present. They formed the chief basis for incu- bation periods of North American birds in many quoted compilations. Bum's (1915) and Bergtold''s (1917) lists of incubation periods were also unreliable. Aristotle, Bechstein, the Naumans and Bendire assumed that the length of incubation corresponded to the size of the bird or egg. Because of their prestige, their assumptions were accepted, without question, by the majority. It was eventually determined that the incubation period for golden eagles is normally from 43 to 45 days. For the past eight years, the golden eagles at the Topeka Zoological Park have incubated clutches of eggs. Based on the following data, the incubation periods have averaged 40 days, last egg laid to last hatched, and 41 days for an overall average from 15 eggs that hatched under normal conditions. Topeka Zoological Park Golden Eagle Incubation Period Data 1969 - Three eggs laid, four days between the laying of the first and third eggs, second egg found on ground broken. First egg missing after 34 days. The third egg was removed from the nest 50 days after being laid; it was rotten. 1970 - Three eggs laid, seven days between laying of first and third eggs. All were removed for artificial incubation. Second clutch of two eggs found in nest six days after third egg of first clutch was removed. First clutch - artificially incubated eggs were checked after 58, 55 and 51 days respectively from date laid. The third egg showed a trace of fertility. Second clutch - after 43 days the eagles terminated incubating and the nest was found to be empty. 67 Incubation Periods. . .How Accurate? conX^nuizd 19 71-19 76 Year Egg No. Date Laid Date Hatched No. days from laid to hatched 19 71 1 23 March 2 May 40* 2 23 March 5 May 43 3 26 March 10 June tossed out of nest 19 72 1 25 March 5 May 41 2 28 March 7 May 40 19 73 1 16 March no information 2 20 March 30 April 41 3 23 March 1 May 39 1974 1 10 March 22 April 43 2 13 March 23 April 41 3 16 March 25 April 40 19 75 1 21 March 5 May 45 2 24 March 5 May 42 3 27 March 6 May 40 19 76 1 9 March 22 April 44 2 12 March 22 April 41 3 17 March 26 April 40 ^probably had been laid a few days before being discovered. Data from the last three years seems to bear out the fact that eagles may be sitting on the eggs but not actually applying heat to them. The data on Topeka Zoo’s golden eagle incubation periods is available because : 1. Zoo personnel carefully observed the birds and nest. 2. Observations were permanently recorded on the Zoo’s daily record. As a keeper, you may be in the unique position of being able to make accurate observations regarding incubation periods. If you are not making a permanent record of these data, you should be. It has been stated in several references that there is need for reliable data. A keeper may have opportunities not possible in field studies where nests are often located after they contain complete clutches. Nests are often inaccessible for observations or an entire cycle may be interrupted by the destruction of the nest. I am not suggesting keepers should be indiscriminately disturbing birds for the sake of making a determination of how many eggs have been laid or hatched. However, when opportunity presents itself keepers should take advantage of it, make careful observations and accurately record their findings. 68 Incubation Periods. . .How Accurate? continued At Topeka, a ladder is propped up against the outside of the golden eagle unit near the location of the nest. The ladder is left in place year around. The eggs are usually observable for a brief period of time when the eagles are fed. In 1976, the female often left the nest to eat when food was placed in the unit. When this occurred, there were usually a few minutes before the male assumed incubating or the female returned to the nest. When the nest was unattended, quick but careful checks were made of the nest and eggs or nestlings. It is safe to assume this is about the same procedure used in previous years. All observations were then recorded on the zoo’s daily report and also in the keeper’s notebook. When making observations , it is important to note the markings on the eggs to help determine if hatch sequence is the same as laying sequence. Also, differentiate, whenever possible, between sitting on the eggs and actual incubation. Notations on attentive and inattentive periods should be made throughout incubation. It should be remembered that prolonged incubation behavior may occur if the eggs fail to hatch. After hatching, brooding behavior is also important to record. "Zoo staff and private individuals owing wild animals have a special responsibility arising from the opportunity they have to observe and record information. By so doing they can discover more about the animals in their care and at the same time make valuable contributions to science, conservation and wild animal husbandry." Jarvis (1969). Herein lies a keeper’s opportunity to make a difference. ... observe , record and report. References ; Arnold, Lee W. "The Golden Eagle and Its Economic Status." U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Circ. 27, Washington, D.C., 1954. Brown, L.D. and D. Amadon Eagles Hawks and Falcons of the World. New York: McGraw-Hill Company, 1968 945pp. Burton, Dr. Maurice and Robert Burton The International Wildlife Ency- clopedia, 7:911-913. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 1969. Cornell University, Seminars in Ornithology, VIII: 241-243. Department of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, 1972. Grossman, Mary Louise and John Hamlet Birds of Prey of the World. New York: Bonanza Books, 1964 496pp. Hydman, Cecil C. and Adele S. "The Shell Pigment of Golden Eagle Eggs." The Condor, 74:2 200-201, 1972. Jarvis, Caroline (Lady Medway) Studying Wild Mammals in Captivity: Standard life histories with an appendix on zoo records. Interna- tional Yearbook. 9:316-328, 1968. Nice Margaret Morse "Problems of Incubation Periods in North American Birds." The Condor, 56:4 173-197, 1954. 69 References , dOYiJXYLUitd Oberholsen, Harry C. "The North American Eagles and Their Economic Relations." Biological Survey, U.S.D.A. , Govt. Printing Office Washington, D.C.. 1906. Van Tyne, Josselyn and Andrew J. Berger Fundamentals of Ornithology. Science Edition. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1966 624 pp. ?? INFORMATION PLEASE ?? The banded sea snakes, Lcuticduda cotub^na and L. Latlc.au.da, are typically difficult animals to keep in captivity. In attempting to maintain these two species on exhibit at the Detroit Zoo, several techniques have proven useful. Upon arrival these sea snakes were kept in salt water. No feeding was observed despite trying a variety of items. Upon intro- duction to fresh water, the snakes were immediately observed drinking. Feeding began on fish previously refused in salt and brakish water. In addition, shallow water levels have resulted in better feeding than in deeper water. Any information on banded sea snakes in captivity would be appreciated. Katherine Latinen, Assistant Curator of Reptiles Detroit Zoological Park P.O. Box 39 Royal Oak, MI 48068 PHILADELPHIA ZOO RECEIVES GIFT ANIMALS The Philadelphia Zoo received a pair of Secretary Birds and a pair of rare pallas’ cats recently. The Secretary birds are a gift of the Allied Florists of Delaware Valley and a restauranteur Fank Palumbo. The birds are in quaratitiae until the last of April. Secretaries' Day is April 25 and the birds will be named and released onto the African Plains Exhibit. The long quills on the heads look like those that clerks in years gone by used to put behind their ears — therefore the name. The pallas' cats are given to the zoo by Larry Magid and Allen Spivak, the nation's top concert producers. The species is native to the rocky terrain of Central Asia into Tibet and Siberia. It has a broad head with low forhead and widely separated ears and long grey fur with white and black markings. Zoo officials hope to learn a great deal of scientific information from the two new cats. MUSK OXEN ARRIVE AT SAN DIEGO ZOO Three musk oxen, the shaggy-coated wild oxen known for the unique defense ring the herd forms when threatened, will be on exhibit in the San Diego Zoo. Eighteen of the animals were captured in the wild, fifteen will form a University of Alaska study herd and three-two females and a male — will begin a herd at the San Diego Zoo. One hundred years ago, muskox were extinct in Alaska. In 1936, 31 musk oxen were transplanted from Greenland to Nunivak Island in the Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska. This small herd eventually grew to over 700 animals, so small groups were taken from Nunivak Island and transplanted to, other areas of Alaska. Nunivak Island still remains the most successful area for musk oxen — wildlife biologists try to main- tain the island's total population at 500 animals. 70 A 6pnlng-tXme, ^ayvt(i6y, . . A OPEN LETTER TO JOHN BARTMAN OF THE LEDGER-GAZETTE MoaJM Uvln In your past coverage of the Joseph P. Gearbevy Zoo and Insectarium, you have consistently ignored the good aspects while making it a point to report hearsay without regard for the sources, which have often been mis- informed, if not downright malicious. Once again you have displayed your lack of concern for the facts in your article of Wednesday, January 20, headlined "A New EndangeAe.d Species at the. Zoo; The. Public.! " in this article you state "The zoo obviously has no procedure for coping with escaped animals, and thus daily endangers their patrons, as well as the citizens who live in the surrounding area". You continue to the effect that even if such a procedure existed, it probably would ’t work, probably wouldn't be followed, in case of an emergency. A review of the actual events of which you write will show this to be completely false. On Sunday, January 19 at 12:30 pm, with a record attendance of 216 people in the zoo, it was discovered during a routine check by the keeper, that a mealworm had escaped. It was further established that this particular mealworm was being held in quarantine, after having savaged Senior Keeper Walter Watkins. Zoo Policy Memo 83,769, Emergency Procedure — Escaped Animal, was immedi- ately instituted. The escapee was sighted by Animal Keeper Arthur Green shortly thereafter, three inches from the outside door of Building 1763, where it had been quarantined. Mr. Green, keeping the mealworm always in sight to facilitate recapture, called to the other keepers in the building to report the matter to Security. This was attempted by the quickest means possible, as specified in the Policy Memo 83,769 — in this case by telephone. Upon consulting the list of persons to be notified and in what order. Security was delayed, since the first person on the list was the Curator, and- they were uncertain as to which of the Curators, Birds, Mammals, or Reptiles, was in charge of mealworms, as they were unfamiliar with the species. Fortunately the next person on the list was the Veterinarian, and one was on duty and was reached without delay. Security found they could not reach the Director, Assistant Director or the Public Relations Director, as the three were on a trip to another zoo. To be on the safe side. Security decided to notify the Supervisor of Parks, the Rangers, the Police Department, and the Fire Department. (In view of later events, this proved to be good thinking) Meanwhile Mr. Green was relieved at his post at 2:30 pm by Senior Keeper Jack Temple. (The facts are being covered in such detail to enable you, Mr. Bartman, to compare them with the procedure as outlined in Policy Memo 83,769, a copy of which is enclosed.) Since the Memo wisely assigns the bulk of the activity and responsibility to the department most qualified and equipped to carry them out. Security was now in full swing. They notified Admissions to remain at their posts, allow no one to enter the premises and to give "Rain Checks" to those patrons wishing to leave. Meanwhile, Dr. Garland, the Veterinarian, arrived at the scene, was unaccountable overcome by a fit of hysterical laughter, and had to leave. Jack Temple remained in charge. Carefully reviewing the implementation of the procedure up to this point, Mr. Temple realized that no one had notified the Assistant to the Head Keeper, who had important duties to perform, so he dispatched Keeper Frank Jones to find the Assistant and appraise him of the situation in detail. When Mr Crieghton arrived, Mr. Jones, following the Memo, said"An animal is out of its compound." 71 An Open Letter to John Bartman of the Ledger-Gazette, continued Several members of the public were within hearing. Mr. Creighton instantly took appropriate action. He went to building 6082 where he gathered the locker containing the emergency equipment. Since it took some time to locate a truck large dnough to convey the locker to the escape site, it was 3:30 pm before he arrived there. Since no veterinarian was available, capture gun equipment was not brought for- ward, but Senior Keeper Melvin Shore (a crack shot) had already arrived with the firearms in appropriate carrying cases, but without ammunition as none had been specified in the Memo. (This later showed great fore- sight on the part of the author of the Memo.) Around 4:00 pm, rumors began spreading among the public and what you called "panic which rightly swept through the record crowd of 216 patrons.’ It was rumored variously during this time that 8 gorillas, 3 elephants, 1 wolverine, 2 Tasmanian devils, and a walrus (the zoo does not exhibit a walrus) were prowling about and attacking patrons. In fact, the only injuires (with one minor exception, and that was limited to zoo personnel as outlined below) were inflicted by partons on other partons, as is usual in riotous situations. Furthermore, the streaker with zoo patches taped to his upper arms was NOT Keeper Gordon Vines, as you state, but a member of the public who was detained by Admissions when he tried to sneak through the gate. There is some thought that he may even have been the one who initiated the panic, as some reported screams of "Here comes the naked ape — run for your lives!" By 4:30 pm, the mealworm was recaptured and returned to its proper quar- ters, and all equipment except the firearms had been returned to storage by 5:00 pm. The injuries to zoo personnel referred to above involved Security Guard Weldon Tallman who arrived on the scene at 5:00 pm. As Mr. Tallman works at night, he had received only a sketchy briefing of what had occurred prior to his arrival. Bystanders report that he seemed to become deranged at the sight of the firearms, snatching up a rifle and attempting to fire it, but as the gun was empty for the reason explained above, of zoo personnel. Mr. Tallman, in keeping with Policy Memo 91,662 has been given a Verbal Warning. At the height of all this. Keeper Alice Spencer, also on the night shift, arrived and noticed that a goat had gotten out of the barnyard and was eating some new plantings. She opened the barnyard gate and herded the goat back in. For flagrantly violating all procedures relative to the Policy Memo 83,769, Miss Spencer has been terminated. So, you see, Mr. Bartman, we do have a procedure for handling escaped animals; it works, and not exceptions are permitted. Despite the fact that this was the first implementation necessary since the procedure was instituted, everything went smoothly. But for the matter of public panic, for which the zoo cannot rightly be blamed, the whole matter would have been routine. Joseph P. Gearbevy Director Joseph P. Gearbevy Zoo & Insectarium 72 THE BUSINESS SIDE OF A ZOO by TdAAy Cavanaugh Bu6^ne^6 Manager, Topeka Zoo There is no such thing as a free zoo. Someone has to foot the bill, whether it is for feeding the animals or capital improvements. Zoos are battling increased costs and tightened budgets. They are expected to help pay their own way. The three main sources of revenue are admissions, concessions, and souvenirs. At the Topeka zoo the business manager is in charge of all three of these operations. An admission charge is basically a user fee, just as the charge for swimming at a municipally owned swimming pool. With a large percentage of the visitors from out-of-town and out-of-state, it is only fair that they help pay for the facilities they are enjoying. An admissions charge also helps cut down on vandal- ism. There are also educational aspects of the admissions policy. School groups from the city are admitted free. Senior citizens as well as other organized groups are given a reduced rate. It is important to have pleasant, well-trained admission clerks. Our admission clerks are given a five day training session in which they not only learn the operation of admissions but public relations as well. It is very important that they know how to deal with children as well as adults. Operation of concessions is becoming more Important every day. Many zoos have their concessions leased out. In the quest for more revenue the Topeka Zoo took over its concessions operation three years ago. It has proven to be a very successful operation. Concessions are expected to have pleasant surroundings and good, fast service. People come to the zoo to 'have fun, therefore it is important to make their stay as enjoyable as possible. "Fun foods" should be served at a concessions stand. A good, successful concessions operation will be run profession- ally. Concessions management is kept up-to-date' on the changes in the industry through publications and attending food seminars such as those at the AAZPA Management school in Wheeling, West Virginia, and at Cincinnati, Ohio. The Topeka Zoo concessions also belong to the Na- tional Association of Concessionaires, which offers invaluable information on concession operation and also a chance to exchange ideas. We never have a lack of applicants for jobs because the zoo is considered a fun place to work. The concession personnel are given five days of training sessions which includes equipment operation, cleanliness of facilites, and public relations. We require uniforms as well as name tags. We consider our admissions clerks as well as the concession clerks to be our good will ambassadors. These employees are often the only employees of the zoo who are encountered by the public on a visit to the zoo. The primary duty of a sales employee whether in concessions or souvenirs is service to the public. They are responsible for efficient sales transations, good public relations, and often act as a sounding board for public opinion. Sales people need pleasant personalities. They must be cheerful, friendly, and courteous to the public, staff members, and fellow employees. They must be honest, have the ability to handle money properly, and be efficient in their duties. Punctuality, loyalty. 73 The Business Side of a Zoo, continued neatness, and trustworthiness are prime requisites. A willingness to learn and a genuine interest in the visitor are important attributes to concession personnel. A person who lacks experience but is sincerely interested in learning is quite often more desirable than a person who had previous experience. The experience gained can sometimes be a detriment rather than an advantage. It is best to have personal inter- views with prospective employees when possible. Methods of teaching are important. Staff manuals are important. Periodic staff meetings are good for exchanging ideas, suggestions, and constructive criticism. Above all, we strive for quality, not only in our employees but in our products . On heavy attendance days, we operate three portable units throughout the zoo. All our employees are taught to keep a roving eye on the visitors as well as the animals. Often a potential problem can be stopped by reporting an unusual incident to an animal keeper. The concessions operation at a zoo must keep the welfare of the animals in mind. If paper items are thrown at animals or in exhibits, this can be a problem. Obviously, they can not be completely banned, but the problem can be alleviated by a 'no straws, no lids' rule. The problem can be reduced further by requiring that children be under adult supervision and also by having plenty of trash receptacles around. A concessions operation can be frustrating and time consuming during the peak season, but with a top-notch, well-run operation it is a tremen- dous source of revenue. Souvenirs are a third source of revenue. Everyone always wants to take home a memento or souvenir of the visit. Whether it is a T-shirt, a postcard or a poster, it all means revenue. The Topeka Zoo does well with zooimprinted souvenirs as well ds state souvenirs. Whether there is a large walk-in gift shop or a small area, the need is there. It is important to have a clean, neat, well-lighted area. One would think that there would not be a problem with souvenirs and the welfare of the animals, but the Topeka Zoo found there could be a problem with balloons and some of the animals. In evaluating the 1978 season with the zoo director, this problem was discussed and the decision was made to ban balloons in the zoo. Revenue is not lost with this popular item because they will be sold outside the exit. An effective way to increase attendance is with special events. These could include magic show, musical groups. Senior Citizens Day, Kids Day, Winnie the Pooh, animal films, displays by community groups; the list could go on and the ideas are unlimited. With increased atten- dance, concessions and souvenirs will increase also. The Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture wishes to establish a national library on "Wildlife in Arid Ecosystems" to serve scientists and research workers throughout the Middle East. Donations of books, journals and periodicals are urgently required and should be sent to: The Ltb/LO/Uan, National ^tldLi{^e Llbh-Ofiy, Giza Zoological GoAdcn^, Egypt. 74 + + + + 4- + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ‘*" + + ‘*‘"*"'*' Welcome to the new Cincinnati chapter Chapter of AAZK 3400 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45220 President ... .Kerry Hoffman Vice Pres ... .Berry Pankuk Sec/Treas . . . .William P . Maynard Welcome to the Metro Toronto Zoo Chapter AAZK P.O. Box 280 West Hill, Ontario Canada MlE 4R5 news President .... Chris Parker 1st Vice President.... Oliver Claffey 2nd Vice President.... Frances Turner Secretary. . . .Charlotte Coghill Treasurer ... .Kathy Rettie The chapter reports having 47 affiliate members and 11 associate members. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + The Louisville Chapter has formed a marathon running team. The week preceeding the running of the Kentucky Derby, known as Derby Week, is host to a variety of activities such as the Great Steamboat Race between the Delta Queen and the Belle of Louisville, a hot-air balloon race, the Pegasus Parade, Celebrity Tennis Classic, etc. Also on the agenda is a 13 mile run through the city. This year seven keepers are planning to run as a team, known as the 'Wild Bunch''. Hopefully this will get some publicity for the zoo and for the local AAZK chapter. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + * * * * COMING EVENTS * * * * AAZPA REGIONAL WORKSHOPS April 22-24, Western, Sacramento, CA May 6-8, Northeastern, Erie, PA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAMMALOGISTS June 17-21, 1979 Corvallis, Oregon Contact: B.J. Verts, Dept, of Fisheries & Wildlife Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331 AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE SEPTEMBER 24-27, 1979 PORTLAND, OREGON AAZPA National Conference September 30 - October 4 St. Louis, Mo World Conference on Breeding Endangered Species in Captivity November 12-16, 1979 San Diego, Ca ****** 75 AAZK AND AKF AWARDS ANNOUNCEMENT In anticipation of the 1979 AAZK convention, nominations for the Annual AAZK Awards are being accepted. There are three award categories: Excellence in Zookeeping, Certificate of Merit for Zoo Keeper Education, and Excellence in Journalism. EXCELLENCE IN ZOOKEEPING This award is given to recognize out-standing people in the zookeeping field. Any keeper is eligible for the award and more than one award may be given each year. If five excellent keepers are nominated, five awards will be given. If none of the nominees qualify no award will be given. Excellence in zookeeping cannot be determined on the basis of an isol- ated breeding success or upon one spectacular instance, but rather upon examination of the keeper's total performance. Each keeper has a slightly different idea of what the job entails. Thae are, though, basic themes which can be used in judging a keeper's performance. Perhaps the most essential characteristic is commitment to the animals and to the profession. Commitment is defined as, "the state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to some course of action". This commitment is necessary because the needs of the animals often exceed the demands of an eight to five workday. Without this basic foundation of commitment, it is impossible to realize one's full potential as an animal keeper. Another important quality is the ability to empathize. A good keeper must understand the animal's needs, both physiologically and psychologi- cally, and fulfill them in the best way possible. This means a knowledge of the animal's behavior, physiology, and natural history is essential. A keeper should actively pursue greater knowledge of the animals through observation and private study, and should be able to communicate this knowledge effectively to other keepers and to the public. A keeper should be receptive to the knowledge and experience of others. The task that keepers face is too difficult to be stingy with knowledge or disdainful of another's opinion. Knowledge must be shared with other keepers and with the public to make them aware of the intrinsic value of the animals. The keeper must function as the animal's representative in policy decisions and in planning. A keeper may not be an expert on an entire order or even a particular family, but he or she should be an expert on the animals in his or her care. Since an animal can not say whether new cage is inadequate or a new situation is too stressful, it is up to the keeper to represent those needs. These are the basic criteria for examing the performance of a zookeeper. Any isolated single area is of little value. The ability to empathize with the animals is useless if you lack the knowledge and skill to im- prove their care. Knowledge and skill without commitment leads to a keeper who "keeps the animals alive and nothing more." Each area must be evidenced in the good zookeeper. The excellent zookeeper will excel in one or more of these areas, but cannot lack any of them. If you feel that a keeper you know meets these criteria, submit his or her name along with a brief letter describing why they deserve the Excellence in Zookeeping award. continued 76 AAZK and AKF Awards Announcement, dowtinuiiid CERTIFICATE OF MERIT FOR ZOO KEEPER EDUCATION This award will be given to the zoo most actively promoting educational programs for zoo keepers. Keeper training courses, staff seminars, and reimbursement for formal education are obvious examples of such programs. If you feel that your zoo merits such an award, please submit a brief letter of nomination, mentioning specific education programs. CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM This award is presented by AAZK for the best article submitted to the AKF during the period from July 1978 to July 1979. Selection of the best article will be made by the editors of the AKF on the basis of syle and content . Nominations for the Excellence in Zookeeping and the Zoo Keeper Education awards will be accepted up to June 15, 1979. Winners will be selected by the Awards Committee. Awards will be presented to the winners at the AAZK National Conference on September 24-27, 1979, in Portland, Oregon. Please send your nominations to Mike Coker, Awards Chairman Topeka Zoo 635 Gage Blvd. Topeka, Kansas 66606 EARTHWATCH Research Expeditions Professionals doing field research and interested laypeople are matched by EARTHWATCH, a nonprofit organization headquartered near Boston. This has opened new sources of funding to academics seeking increasingly competitive research dollars, and most importantly, has brought science closer to non-scientists. The expeditions are working experiences, sharing the lives of profes- sionals in the field, contributing to serious, often vital research. Most team members are amateurs, people who simply want to work and learn. EARTHWATCH volunteers pay their own way to the project site and share in the costs, anywhere from $474 (for three weeks of raccoon radio tracking in Georgia) to $1,450 (for the 20 day study of spotted hyenas in Kenya) . These contributions and out-of-pocket transit expenses are tax-deductible. EARTHWATCH is sponsoring 135 research teams in 15 states and 27 foreign countries during 1979. The expeditions are in archeaology, anthropology, earth, marine and life sciences and the humanities. For more information write EARTHWATCH, 10 Juniper Road Box 127MF, Belmont, MA„- 02178. Expeditions described in the summer and fall 1979 catalogue include: Rhesus monkey Inf ant /mother feeding behavior in Kathmandu, Nepal, Spotted Hyenas of Kenya, Desert Ecology in Reno, Nevada, Endangered Birds of Hawaii in Hilo, the Natural Trap in Cody, Wyoming, the Elusive Octopus in St. Joseph Bay, Florida and many more. An 18 minute film documentary of four of the expeditions is available to show the experience of the volunteers in archaeology, marine biology, animal behavior and geology. A contribution of US$15 helps cover the costs of postage, cleaning and handling. 77 This paper was presented at the 4th Annual Conference of the AAZK. PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ZOOLOGICAL ORGANIZATIONS by VoHAQJit BouZay ?n.(iAild(LYLt, Hontgomnn-y Chapter AAZK I would briefly like to introduce the words "public relations" in a formal definition set by Random House; "the efforts of a corporation to promote good will between itself and the public". Three key words in this sentence are efforts, good will and public. This paper will deal in part with the effort and types of promotion. The remaining part will touch upon the types of news media and the human interaction involved which is a never-ending play. A basic step involved in public relations work 'from any stand point is establishing a source. One source should be established with each medium and used for all your public relations. Although some people advise sending press releases to all the news media, our experience has indicated that one source will get you more coverage over-all. Once the source has been contacted, get him or her interested and involved in your organization, if possible. Make that source feel a part of what you are trying to do. This is a very important rule of thumb to follow in any of the media types. If that person is geared up enough for you and your organization, then goals are real and attainable. MAINTAINING A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR SOURCE : In dealing with this aspect, never lie, even if telling the truth puts you or your organization in a bad frame. Keep an open relationship kindled and let this source know if you plan to release any information to another media. In order to effectively use your information, the source must be con tacted by the telephone or personally to talk of any new ideas that you are working with. In turn, you should attempt to learn his working schedule. Will he need a day or a week to put to good use the informa- tion you have given him. Dealing with news releases can be a very sensitive thing. Many organizations construct a release like they were planning a three week hike in the Grand Tetons . Make your news release clear, concise and short. Keep to as many simple sentences or paragraphs as possible. The person involved does not have time to sift through a great deal of wasted words. The heart of the matter should be in the first paragraph or sentence structure. Elaborate your information in the following sentence or paragraph. Type and double space your article for clarity. TJae release title should always be capitalized to estab- lish an attention span. Use colored paper with a contrasting ink. Research shows people will read a message on colored paper more often than white. If you have access to a camera, have some pictures availa- ble to accompany a story. These pictures can be used to contrast the everyday, common place news story. Give your source the freedom to re-word the article if it seems necessary, and by all means, deliver the article to him in plenty of time. In dealing with the public, one finds out how naive and uneducated they seem to be as a whole. Dealing with wildlife, conservation and natural history, the general public is like a Greek Warrior watching Saturday Night Fever at a drive-in movie. They are lost and begin to assume 78 Public Relations and Zoological Organizations , continued things. There should be no room for assumptions after reading a press release. Objectives should be stated clearly and meaningfully. I would now like to talk briefly about the three types of media. They are— television, newspaper and radio. Each type is outstanding in its own fashion, with a unique audience, sometimes mixed and sometimes not. By this I mean different age categories which can be a very important factor in choosing which media type is the best for your organizational coverage. Television has a good strong appeal, but time is very limited. News is not covered from a community standpoint, unless it is of a tragic nature or out of the ordinary. These people will generally run public service announcements free at available times. They will grab at the opportunity for a feature story— an appealing animal character or activity at the zoo. These releases are transmitted only one time, usually, and are gone from the majority of people who need to be informed. Newspapers reach a variety of people because most competent people can read. It is not so much this fact, but the fact that they can hold on to this article for an indefinite period of time and maybe use it later as a reference. It does not fade from the screen, but is right there in their hands. Written words and good photographs are retained longer by the general public in most cases. Feature stories and community news are also a favorite. Also, the best bet for free publicity is with a newspaper. The AAZK Conference was publicized in our home newspaper. The article told who was going, where, and what the conference was about. I would like to emphasize again the personal relationship established with each of these media types as far as your source is concerned. The more contact that you or your organization has with the source, whether over the telephone or in person, makes an impressionable difference . The last of the three media types is the radio. It is unique in that it can reach people just about an5n(/here in town. Considering the city dweller is in and out of his/her car at least once a day, or more, the chances of that person hearing a public service announcement are pretty high. These messages might be given three times a day for 2-4 weeks. In order for this type of public relations to be effective within the station as well as on your car radio, etc., you must educate the station personnel and make them aware of your problems or needs. Ask the manager or public relations director to come to the zoo and see first-hand exactly what you want conveyed in a message or what relevant problems exist within your zoo. He or she will more fully understand the areas of need. Talk shows on the air are very effective in generating support because the public is not just hearing a disc jockey's hype, but they are catching first-hand news from the closest contact possible. In Montgomery, we have a Zoo Day which is sponsored, in part, by the Number 1 radio station. We have a very big turn-out and people generally donate money to a project or theme which was or had been broadcast for 4-5 weeks before Zoo Day. At the same time, the radio personnel are milling about promoting their organization. In essence, this type of relationship is a means within itself and a very worthwhile one. 79 Public Relations and Zoological Organizations , contlnue.d I have covered these three media types in hopes of providing some insiglt into effectively working with public relations and using it as a sharper tool in the future. If the public understands what is going on within your organization, how and why it is happening, then your objectives become obtainable and your foresight a reality. We oAe dto^ply Indzbtdd to tkd AAZPA H^wi>lQXtQA (^on. (Moiotng ll6 to Kupfvivit poAXton6 oi tkiii -i>2.CLtlon {,Kom thoMi "PostXloyis AvcuZablo," tUttngi^. Tht6 aj> a montkly 4eAu^ce to 06, {^OK you. ZOOKEEPERS... for hoofed stock/carnivores and responsible for the animal care/ management in an expanding and pro- gressive zoological garden. Requires two year’s experience in a recognized zoo and references. Starting salary $8,940 - $10,344; excellent benefits. Contact: Dale Stastny, Personnel Director, Audubon Park and Zoological Garden, P.O. Box 4327, New Orleans, LA 70178. ZOO ASSISTANCE SUPER!/ JSOR. . . responsible for obtaining financial assistance to help design and develop a new 740-acre, cageless zoo. Minimum of two years' grant administration; other financial duties involving research, planning, application preparation, contract negotiation, records and reports, site inspections, public relations, etc. Direct zoo or park and recreation financial assistance experience desired. First-year salary - $17,900. Send resume by 1 June to: Stan A. Hemphill, Financial Assistance Adi trator, Dade County Park and Recreation Department, 50S.W. 32nd Miami, FL 33129. MANAGERS... position available to a couple to manage animal display for the summer season. Man must have previous experience in handling and management of hoofed stock. Wife must be capable of overseeing office duties. Contact: Karl or Gloria Mogensen, Natural Bridge Zoo, Box 560, Natural Bridge, VA 24578. (703) 291-2420. ASSISTANT CURATOR... to operate and manage major animal collection, includes husbandry, exhibition, records and labels, senior supervision, education, public relations, etc. Requires B.S. or B.A. degree in Zoology, Biology, Animal Science or related field; supervisory ability mandatory. Ability to write and speak on general and technical subjects pertaining to experience in zoological park desirable. Salary open, fringe benefits. Send resume to: David Allen, Assistant Director, Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Park, Box 158, Colorado Springs, CO 80901. ZOOLOGICAL CURATOR. . . assume duties of major collection of exotic wildlife, including animal hospital and isolation facilities. Should have supervisory experience and an ability to manage a living collection of a wide variety of animals and possess a degree in animal sciences. Salary $15,008 - $19,846; excellent benefits. Send resume to: Mike Blakely, General Curator, Oklahoma City Zoo, 2101 N.E. 50th, Oklahoma City, OK 73111. o p p 0 r t u n 1 t y k n o c k s oad. 80 INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS knXmaJi /Cee.peA6 ' VoAirni publishes original papers and news items of interest to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles. Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs, and tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page size of no more than 6''xl0”. Literature used should be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Articles sent to AnJjndt KeepeA^' foAum will be reviewed for publication. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to publish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages will be separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial staff. The editors reserve the right to edit material without consultation unless approval is requested in writing by the author. Materials submitted will not be returned vinless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Articles printed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the kyiimaZ foAum editorial staff or of the American Association of Zoo Keepers. Telephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions are acceptable. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will not be accepted. The phone number is 913 272-5821. DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION IS THE 20th OF THE PRECEDING MONTH. MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION Affiliate (full-time keepers) $10.00 annually Associate (part-time keepers, students, docents) .$10.00 annually Foreign $15.00 annually Contributing $50.00 annually All memberships include subscriptions to AyUmaZ Kee.pe.A6' FoAum. 50% of the member's dues are budgeted for the publication. All new members receive an AAZK shoulder patch and a membership card good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada. The AAZK Headquarters has extra shoulder patches available for $1.25 and back issues of the Animal KeepeAS' FoAim for $1.00. Send name and address and a check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers to AAZK HEADQUARTERS NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 ALL CHANGES OF ADDRESS SHOULD BE SENT TO AAZK HEADQUARTERS AT THE NATIONAL ZOO. DO NOT SEND THEM TO Ayumol KeepeAA’ foAum. The journal is not available by subscription only. CD fJ* H' o 2 fU p >-» H* O CS3 N O O a O' o r* •-d H* p o' H P3 >3 . N5 O o o CO r » ^ t ,s,> iiS| .5 D) — ^ CQ =^^0) 15^1 > ^£-S ST s ND OcJ Animal KcqDers' Forum Dedicated to Professional Animal Care MAY 1979 ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606 ISSN 0164-9531 Edi tor-in-Chief : Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoological Executive Editor: Mike Coker, Topeka Zoological Managing Editor: Lois Bogia, Topeka Zoological Art Consultant: Elaine Shea MAY 1979 VOLUME SIX NUMBER FIVE Park Park Park kvimoJi Keeper' ¥oHum is a monthly journal published by the American Association of Zoo Keepers, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C., 20008, for its members. Send all address changes, undeliverable copies and other membership inquiries to AAZK Headquarters, Washington, D.C.. Second class postage is paid at Topeka, Kansas. Return postage Is guaranteed. Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the Editor. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 Etlzabdth Glai^c.0, kdmhiUiViojtivd SdcAdtoAy Board of Directors Dennis Grimm, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513 PA.d6-lde.nt Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606 Utcd-pA.d6tddnt Ed Roberts, Stone Mem. Zoo, 149 Pond St., Stoneham, MA 02180 Tom Goldsberry, Washington Pk. Zoo, 4001 S.W. Canyon Rd, Portland, OR 97221 Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 100 W. Webster Ave. , Chicago, IL 60614 Coordinators and Committees Coordinator for Chapter Affairs Coordinator for International Affairs Pat SarmoAco, Lincoln PanJk loo Tom GolddbdAAy, (nla6htngton PoAk Zoo AAZK/AAZPA Liaison Ed RobdAt6 , {JJaltdA V. Stond Mdm. Zoo Nominations and Election Committee JTH GAadd, Biuck BVid SayictuoAy, CatiioAviia, Ckavmoman Kdnt BdndcUct, ktlanta Zoo Mtkd MaybAy, OvdAton PoAk Zoo BdAnoAd Fdldman, MilldA PoAk Zoo Von Ra6mu66dn, Minnesota Statd Zoo Awards Committee Wtfee CokdA, Topdka Zoo, CkalAman Ulkd Vdd, Lo6 kngdlZyii Zoo Vicky LaRud, JntdAnatl. CAond Edn. Vick SoddAlund, BAooklldld Zoo Mikd CAockdA, VlckdA6on PoAk Zoo Ed RobdAti Jd{^i PdAAy Vdnl6d BoAtdnidlddA Kdvln Conway EvdAdtt HoAAOi KdAny tiOD^mu.n LoAAy SammoAco Von Ra6mu66dn Llndttd BAown LoixAa StAlckland Tim O'Bhldn GoAjy Tlbbdtt6 Hdldn Moo Ad JIM GAadd Regional Coordinators iiJaltdA V. Stond Mem. Zoo Bu^i^alo Zoo BaltimoAd To At Royal, Ua BlnddA PoAk Zoo Cincinnati Zoo Lincoln PoAk Zoo Minnesota Statd Zoo KnoxvlMd Zoo MontgomdAy Zoo ku.du.bon PoAk Zoo Rio GAondd Zoo PoAtland Zoo Bu6ch BlAd SanctaoAy ME, VT, NH, Mk, RI, CT NV Pk, WJ, MV, VE Vk, m MI IN, OH, KT m. IL MN, Ik, MO TN, NC, SC kL, Gk kK, MS, Lk TXfNM,C0,0K ,KS, NE,SV,NV OJk, OR, IV, MT, WV Ck, NV, kZ, UT, HA Th^ 2.xquyU-itQ, cov2/l (Plowing l6 by Lutz Ku6chtn6kt oi Glcugou), Scotland. He mote "My d/iawtng^ ^Ignt^^y a pa/ittculoA moment betLOcen keepeA and animal." He submitted otkeAd that will be ^eatuAed In ^utuAe l66uc6 o^ AKF. They oAe all tAuly beautl{,ul! This Issue, (^K-om hummlngbiAd coven, to papens on owls, cockatoos , and ostnlches. Is "ion. the bln.ds"; but we hope all the subscAlbeAS will ilnd plenty oi InteAest and Inionmatlon. We, the AKf staH, slnceAely appreciate all oi you who have written articles, sent In news, or submitted a cover lHustratlon . The Forum Is good, and getting better, because oi your work. We rely on your participation- -whether it Is actively sending In materials or reading and using the Inionmatlon, and, perhaps, planning a iutuAe contribution to AKF! SCOOPS — anH /— ITTI.FBI ITT PORTLAND CHAPTER OF AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS INVITES YOU TO THE 1979 CONFERENCE Monday, September 24 to Thursday, September 27 Conference theme is animal husbandry: care and propagation of exotic species. The schedule will include paper sessions in the mornings and workshops on the zoo grounds in the afternoons. Papers will be limited to 20 minutes with 5 minute question period. Deadline for outline or abstract is August 1. Schedule of papers will be in the September issue of the Forum. Free registration will be granted for those people whose papers are chosen for presentation. Some of the afternoon workshops planned are elephants — tour of facility, management, and foot care> chimpanzees — sign language and enrichment program, felines — tour of new small felid exhibit with an explanation and discussion of management techniques. Our keynote speaker will be Gary Clarke, director of Topeka Zoological Park. Mr. Clarke began his career in zoos at the Kansas City Zoo. Having a desire to learn as much as possible about all zoo animals, Mr. Clarke worked with a variety of different species. His favorite area was the African velt, which was one of the earlier mixed exhibits in the country. In 1962, he was promoted to senior keeper and in 1963 went to the Fort Worth Zoological Park as the animal department supervisor. In 1964, he became the director of the world famous Topeka Zoo. Registration forms will be in the June Forum. The fee will be $40 for AAZK members and $45 for non-members. Late registration, after Sept- ember 1, will be $45 for members and $50 for non-members. Red Lion Motor Inn will be conference headquarters. It is centrally located in downtown Portland with easy access to restaurants, theaters, and shopping. All conference inquiries and correspondence should be addressed to: Jonolyn Smith Washington Park Zoo 4001 S.W. Canyon Road Portland, Oregon 97221 81 BIRTHS GREY SEAL TWINS IN LOUISVILLE HATCHINGS . . David L. McuuhalZ On February 15, 1979, the Louisville Zoological Garden’s pair of Grey Seals HalA,(ihoQAUii> gn.ypii6 gave birth to a set of twins, their sex being 1.1. Twinning in pinnipeds is extremely rare, and our twin births of Grey Seals are the first of this species ever recorded. At six days of age the male pup was rejected by the mother, for what reasons we were unable to determine. Staff members began an around-the- clock feeding schedule, tube feeding a specially prepared formula. We gradually eliminated the tube feedings and switched to force feeding of whole herring. Unfortunately the male pup never reached the point of taking fish on his own. There was no significant weight loss, but no gain either. We are very sad to report that the pup, at 30 days, was found dead at 11:00 p.m. by two keepers reporting in for the night feeding. A post- mortem examination was performed, determining the cause of death to be aspiration penumonia. The female twin is doing fine, eating whole fish on her own and progressing normally. Last year our female gave birth to twins, again 1.1, but the female pup was still born. This year's twins make the 5th and 6th Grey Seals born in the Louisville Zoo. HAWAIIAN NE NE GOOSE HATCHED IN BOSTON f/iankUn PaAk A downy gray gosling is the first of the endangered species of Ne Ne to be hatched at the Boston zoo in Franklin Park. A special fiberglass shelter was constucted off of the public walkway in the Aviary to protect the adults and nest. It allowed the sun to warm the area and Supplemental heat was provided for the tropical geese. The hatchling, "Ronnie" weighed 65 grams. The native environment of the Hawaiian Ne Ne Goose BAanta 6andvlc2.yU>ll> is the volcanic jungles of Hawaii and Maui. SNOW MONKEYS AND TAPIR BORN AT MINNESOTA ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS Two snow monkeys were bom during the cold Minnesota winter weather in early February. The youngsters’ mothers showed no hesitation to bring them outdoors, but kept them so protected from the cold at first that visitors were lucky to see even the top of a haby’s head. Now with the warmer springtime weather, the infants will be more visible. Four snowmonkeys have been bom at MZG. SPECTACLED LANGUR AND PATAS MONKEY BORN VhUadoZphla loo A spectacled langur was born March 25, 1979, at the Philadelphia Zoo. It is bright orange, in complete contrast to the gray color of the parents. By the time the monkey is 6 months old, it will also be gray toned. The Patas Monkey is two months old. This specie, also known as red hussar monkeys, are native to central Africa, where they live terrestrial lives in wooded areas. 82 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS Financial Statement for Year Ending December 31, 1978 CASH ON HAND, JANUARY 1, 1978 $4731.63 INCOME Memberships, patches, contributions 8020.51 Interest on savings account 110.01 TOTAL $8130.52 EXPENSES Printing $ 760.15 Patches 568.29 Postage meter rental and base 393.69 Meter maintenance contract 63.00 AKF membership share 4187.50 Calligraphy 124.00 Bulk Rate, 1978-1979 80.00 Postage for meter 400.00 Address corrections 9.00 Wages and taxes (FICA, Federal Unemployment Tax) 2031.57 Office supplies 142.39 Miscellaneous postage 24.75 TOTAL $8784.34 CASH ON HAND DECEMBER 31, 1978 CHECKING ACCOUNT SAVINGS ACCOUNT $1429.25 2648.56 TOTAL CASH ON HAND $4077.81 Wildlife Prairie Park will open May 5, 1979, to show animals and plants native to Illinois. It is a 1000 acre wildlife and nature preserve with a visitor center, exhibits, trail graphics and classroom. A salmon-crested cockatoo is missing from the San Diego Wild Animal Park. A reward is offered for her return or for information. She is mostly white in color with some pink and has a crest that shows bright orange when raised. She has one claw missing and a crooked toe or her left foot, and a cloudy left eye. 83 ++++++++++ chapter -++++++++++++++ Cincinnati Chapter of AAZK Cincinnati Zoo 3400 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45220 President .. .Kerry Hoffman V Vice Pres... Mike Dulaney W Secretary. . .Bill Maynard A Vi^ Treasurer .Dick Mills Trustee Roger Wilhelm Trustee Rick Hiethaus Staff Advisor . . . Edward Maruska + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + The 1980 AAZPA Great Lakes regional workshop will be held at the Cin- cinnati Zoo sometime in April, 1980. The AAZK chapter is looking forward to seeing a lot of AAZK members then. NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD ZOO KEEPERS TO 1. Send a nomination for the Board of Directors to Jill Grade Busch Gardens Attn: Zoo Office 3000 August A. Busch Blvd Tampa, FL 33612 See Page 64 oi tko, kphJX f^4ae oi AKF tkd d^tcuZs. 2. Send a nomination for the Excellence in Zookeeping Award and for the Certificate of Merit for Zoo Keeper Education to Mike Coker, Awards Chairman Topeka Zoo 635 Gage Blvd. Topeka, Kansas 66606 See Page 16 tkd kphJJi i2>4ae AKF tk(L ddtouUU. AAZK ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE - TELL THE WORLD ABOUT AAZK The official AAZK decal is available again through the Overton Park AAZK Chapter. The decal is a black and white reproduction of the AAZK rhino logo, suitable for any smooth, hard surface, especially your car's window! Cost is $1.00 complete, prepaid. Make checks payable to the "Memphis Chapter, AAZK" and send directly to Mike Maybry, Decal Project Coordinator, 1887 Crump Avenue, Memphis Tennessee 38107. BUTTONS "Keepers Care" buttons are available from Larry Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago, IL 60614 84 Great Ape ct^‘^6^emonVi^ GORILLA BIRTH AT OKLAHOMA CITY ZOO VK notn the, EdUton. " f/mdeAbtlt" ia)(U kJlJie.d by thz aattovUi an unknom vt6ttoA,. At IvU de,ath he, Ma6 J 1 yeaja> and 7 months old. Hippopotami have, a tile, expec- tancy ol 40 to 45 yea/Li. METROTQRONTO ZOO, CANADA, PRESENTS TV TO GORILLAS A television set was presented to seven lowland gorillas in the Metro- Toronto Zoo by CTV's "LIVE IT UP" producer. Jack McGaw. The gorillas' reactions varied from fascination, to suspicion, to covering the ears. This reactions were filmed and will be shown later on the TV program. The Zoo's General Director, Mr. Tom Thompson said, "This may become an interesting part of the Zoo's research to see how gorillas behave." The TV will be permanently installed in the night holding quarters of the gorillas' new exhibit. The gorillas will be limited to watching the 'tube' on special occasions, and the set will be used most when an individual gorilla has to spend time separated from the rest of the group. From experience in other zoos gorillas enjoy watching childrens' programs, and westerns. 89 milONAL ZOOLOGICAL FOUNDATION PROPOSED BY CONGRESSMAN WHITEHURST G. William Whitehurst, congressman from Virginia has graciously sent to the AnlmoJi KeepeA^’ fon.im the text of his bill H.R. 806 on the proposed establishment of the National Zoological Foundation. He introduced the bill on January 15, 1979, and it has been referred to the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. In Introducing the^bill, Whitehurst remarked, "As our society becomes ever more urbanized, zoos and aquariums will provide the only available exposure to the world of nature for increasing numbers of children and their parents. The hundreds of thousands of citizens across the country who visit these facilities each day make it clear that people enjoy being able to see a wide range of animals. However, while one function of zoos and aquariums is to provide visitors with a means of enjoyment and recreation, their major purpose is conservation and education. "As what we like to call civilization continues to encroach upon the natural habitats of many animals, more and more will be driven over the brink to extinction. It seems to me that since zoos and aquariums are in effect rapidly becoming today’s Arks, it is incumbent upon us to make them the best possible refuges for the few members of these species left, so that future generations may have at least a small sample of magnificent species that we have been able to take for granted. Making this possible with the best possible facilities and care is the purpose of H.R. 806." H. R. 806 calls for the establishment in the executive branch of the Government an independent agency, the National Zoological Foundation, consisting of a National Zoological Board and a Director. In brief, the Foundation will: (1) award scholarships and graduate fellowships for professional and paraprofessional staff for zoos and aquariums, (2) initiate and support basic research and programs to promote the development of methods to improve the welfare of animals at zoos and aquariums, (3) establish recomended standards of accreditation of zoos and aquariums , (4) make grants of funds for projects to assist in the maintenance or attainment of the accreditation standards, (5) make grants of funds for establishing pilot projects to serve as models, (6) make grants of funds for the purpose of establishing "survival center s"f or the breeding, care, and perpetuation of endangered species , (7) initiate and support new programs to upgrade the care of animals and enhance their educational and scientific value, (8) foster the interchange of information among zoo and aquarium personnel in the United States and foreign countries, (9) evaluate the status and needs of the various zoos and aquariums. 90 National Zoological Foundation Proposed, continued H.R. 806 specifies the composition of the Board, the qualifications and term of office of each member of the board, and the authority and limitations of the Board. The Director would be appointed by the Presi- dent and would serve for six years. The present bill calls for $5,000,000 for fiscal 1980 to enable the Foundation to carry out its duties. It states that the Foundation shall not itself operate any laboratories or pilot projects or zoos or aquariums . FOURTH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM OF THE ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH WILD ANIMAL KEEPERS: MANAGEMENT OF WILD CATS Ma/ik Stabler The above Symposium took place on March 31st, 1979, at London Zoo and was chaired by Mr. C. B. C. Ralwins, Director of Zoos of the Zoologi- cal Society of London. A mixed audience of about one hundred keepers, directors and interested persons attended the all-day event to listen and discuss with eight speakers, mostly from Britain. Talks on speci- fic collections included the big cats at Maxwell, breeding Cheetahs at Whipsnade, and the keeping of big cats at the West Midlands Safari Park where the traditional "drive-through" type of cat reserve has been abandoned in favour of drive-past enclosures which afford greater safety and comfort to animals and people alike. Talks of a more general, though still practical, nature included the housing of cats in European collections, veterinary aspects in keeping non-domestic cats, and melanism in breeding cats by Mr. R. J. P. 0* Grady of Glasgow Zoo, where he has applied basic knowledge 'of genetics to the breeding of melanistic Leopards from spotted/black parents, in a way that would work with other species in which melanism occurs. Two other speakers talked about the conservation of cats in general; Terry Moore of the Cat Survival Trust delivered a talk on the conser- vation of the genus Felis, and Professor Paul Leyhausen of the Max- Planck Institute, Wuppertal, West Germany delivered a talk under the title "The Preservation of Felid Species: Can Captive Breeding be the Answer?" Professor Leyhausen ’s basic reply to this interrogative title was'No’, with few exceptions, which made a very interesting and poten- tially radical talk and resultant discussion. Symposium Proceedings will be sent to all persons attending the Sympo- sium; persons unable to attend who wish to have copies of the proceedings should apply to ABWAK Symposium Proceedings, c/o Graham Lucas, 5 Chequer's Cottages, Whipsnade, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 21J, U.K.. TAMA ZOO, JAPAN , PROVIDES UNIQUE EXHIBIT The publication, "Animals and Zoos", from the Tokyo Zoological Park Society contains an illustrated article on an artificial termite mound that was built in the enclosure of the troop of chimpanzees. This was to test the intelligence of the animals. The chimpanzees would get to the honey that was inside by poking sticks through small holes in the mound. The pictures show the chimps' reactions and fascination. 1 PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH HAND-REARING OSTRICHES SViatklo cameZiLi, o^tAatu by Batch Ha^t KccpeA III, LouyUvMc Although Ostriches have been fanned since 1838, unfortunately only a limited amount of published information concerning the hand-rearing of Ostriches is available. It is probably due to this reason, a lack of guidelines to follow, that the success rate of hand-rearing Ostriches is low. With just a small bit of help from their mate, our two Blue-necked Ostriches produced twenty-seven fertile eggs. The laying season began March 19, and ended July 10, with a total of 44 eggs laid 11 were found damaged. The remaining 33 were incubated, 6 of which were not fertile. Of the 27 fertile eggs incubated, a frustrating chicks died while still in the shell. Of the remaining 13 fertile eggs, due to my anxiety, -1 was removed from its’ shell prematurely. With 12 remaining 1 died 24 hours after hatching. Giving us 11 eggs that successfully hatched. The eggs, weighing an average of 3^ pounds each, were first rinsed of debris with lukewarm water. No disinfectant was used in fear of ab- sorption through the shells’ porous surface. They were then placed in a Humidaire Incubator where they were kept for 38 days. The incubator temperature was kept at 98°F. The eggs were automatically rotated every two hours. On the 39th day, the eggs were moved to the hatcher, maintaining the temperature setting at a constant 98°F. One of Our many problems was one that seems to be very common and very frustrating. That is the problem of chicks failing to pip and dying inside their shell even though fully developed. However, those that did hatch, did at an average of 45 days and usually took between 24 and 36 hours to break free of their shell. In some cases the chicks had to be helped from their shell. This practice should be done with the utmost of care. Pieces of shell, about one to two inches, were chipped away by hand in cases of those hatchlings that were having a difficult time hatching. Holes were made in the air chambers 48 hours after the eggs’ movement began. The holes were h inch in diameter. After waiting for 12 to 24 hours, had they still not pipped, a two inch by two inch piece of shell was removed. The removal of shell should be done as a last resort only, for it is believed that the hatchling requires a certain amount of exertion necessary to use up some of the yolk sac and to stimulate the chick’s system. One must be careful not to tear the membranes while removing pieces of the shell, for the inner-most membrane contains numerous blood vessels. conttnucd 92 Problems associated with Hand-rearing Ostriches, continued The hatchlings ordeal is not created by the shell alone. For it is the tough outer-most membrane within the shell that very often can slow down or in some cases even halt the hatching process. During the hatch- ing process the membrane should be misted often to prevent its drying out. Once free from the shell and membranes, the chick is left in the hatcher from 12 to 24 hours allowing enough time for complete drying. It is then placed in an infant incubator, temperature setting at 80°. The chicks stay there for 24 hours to assure drying and to acclimate the chicks to a decrease in temperature. At this point the two day old chicks are placed in a four foot by four foot brood box. A lamp was placed above one corner of the box giving the chicks a chance to warm themselves when chilled. The temperature under the lamp stayed between 75°F. to 80°F. The floor of the brood box was covered with non-backed indoor /outdoor carpeting. This type of carpeting is easily maintained and holds up very well. During the early part of the hatching season the chicks were exercised in a 20 X 10 feet outdoor pen after reaching the age of four to five days old. This pen consisted of a ground cover of coarse gravel over the soil (to allow adequate drainage) , ^ inch thick sheets of plywood over the gravel and a surface covering of the same indoor /outdoor carpet ing used in t^e brood box. The diet consisted of finely chopped or grated escarole, carrots and apple. The grain mix was made of one quart Purina Game Bird Chow, three tablespoons of oyster shell grit, and two tablespoons of Dical-D, which was later reduced by our staff veterinarian. Of course, water was made available 24 hours a day. The chicks should be kept on a fairly low protein diet for it is believed that a high protein, intake causing an excessive weight gain is the major contributing factor in leg rotation problems . Possibly we have found that in some cases of chicks hatching with a splayed leg problem, if detected early enough, that wrapping the legs up under the chick for 24 hours on and 24 hours off cycle for as long as possible, could correct the problem. This is only based upon one chick in four recovering. Earlier I mentioned an outside pen with a ground covering of indoor/out- door carpeting. The use of this pen was discontinued after it was felt that the majority of impaction problems was caused by a lack of natural roughage in the crop, therefore leaving the crop underdeveloped and unable to grind up the fiberous substances entering the birds’ digestive systems . At this point, a 40 feet by 20 feet pen was fenced in. Of course, the area was searched carefully and cleared of sticks, wire, large stones, and other debris that might be hazardous if swallowed. An area was provided in one corner of the pen offering the chicks some shade from the sun. As primitive as this weed patch might seem to some, not one of the four chicks died of an Impaction after the use of the pen was started and upon postmortem exam of the chicks that died while using the pen, it was found that all of the four chicks had healthy crops and clear digestive tracts. continued 93 Problems Associated with Hand-rearing Ostriches , aontlnue^d Other problems we encountered included one of the chicks dying of a yolk sac infection. Two chicks had a problem of toe turning outward. Both cases were corrected with an. .adhesive tape brace pulling the toe back into place and after a period of four days the brace was removed. One of our chicks developed a prolapsed rectum, the cause has not been determined. The problem was corrected by suturing the rectum partially closed using a purse string suture but allowing enough of an opening for the chick to defecate. Unfortunately, the rectum was so raw that it adhered to the anal wall and prevented normal defecation. As a result, the chick died a short time after. Although we have not successfully raised any of the hatchlings, I am looking forward to next year's laying season with high hopes of success. For I feel as though we have experienced a great deal in just one season. This is not to say that we have all the answers to all the problems for I know there are many more obstacles to overcome and hopefully with our combined efforts there will never have to be another paper titled: "THE PROBLEMS OF HAND-REARING OSTRICHES" I would like to thank Mr. David Thompson, Assistant Director of the Gladys Porter Zoo for publishing his paper on his experiences with ostriches. Also thanks to Ms. Ann Thompson, Curator of Birds at Jacksonville Zoo for sharing her knowledge with me while visiting here in Louisville. Many thanks to Mr. Barry Wakeman, Curator of Educa-^ tion at the Cincinnati Zoo, for his informative paper on ostriches. Special thanks go to Mr. Robert Bean, our Director here in Louisville, for his suggestion of the "weed patch", and for allowing me to continue my attempts despite my many failure. To Dr. William Foster, staff veterinarian, for his suggestions and medical help. Thanks to fellow keepers Ray Doyle, Steven Taylor, Marian Jones, Rachelle Rogers for helping me out when I needed it most. And last but not least, to my supervisor John Keeley, many special thanks for putting up with my extended lunch breaks while I worked with the birds. But most of all to male ostrich "Turkey" and the two females "Tiny" and "Big Bird". This paper was presented at the "First Annual Symposium on Captive Wildlife" A baby lowland gorilla — the first second-generation gorilla bom in the history of the Zoological Society of San Diego — will have a new home at the Wild Animal Park by the end of April. 'Alberta' had to be removed from her mother because she was not receiving enough nourishment . "Crip" the oldest whooping crane known, died unexpectedly in the San Antonio Zoo where he was on loan from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He was the first wild whooping crane to breed successfully in captivity. There are now 108 whooping cranes in the world. "Crip" was given his name by Service biologists when he was rescued in 1949 with an injured wing. 94 HAND RAISING A ROSE-BREASTED COCKATOO Kakatoe /L06 2lcap.ltta by Ma/Uan Jone^ Smatt kvimoJi kndcx. Cu/iaton. LouJj>vWiz Zoological GoAdm, LolluvaJHc, Kentucky The Louisville Zoological Garden has exhibited Rose-breasted Cockatoos for a little over ten years. There have been numerous hatchings and raising of young by our group of seven to eight birds until 1975. During 1975 and 1976, eggs that were laid and appeared for several days to be attended to, would be found cracked or broken. In the spring of 1977, after a clutch of three eggs was laid and then one found broken, the remaining two eggs were removed for artificial incubation . The first egg hatched, but the bird died within 36 hours. The second egg hatched at 4:30 a.m. on May 12, 1977, and the challenge of parenting a cockatoo chick began. Weight was recorded on a daily basis along with information on physical development. At one day old, Lindbergh weighed 8ki grams. He was naked except for a bit of downy fluff on his back. His eyes were closed. His first feeding was four hours after hatching when he was completely dry. At first, Lindbergh was kept in a small crock lined with facial tissue and placed inside an infant incubator. It was difficult to control the heat on this particular incubator, so the switch was made to a heating pad placed under the crock as a sourc of heat. This worked well and was used until the chick was feathered. Formula was given by eyedropper for the first two weeks. The first feeding consisted of three drops. Lindbergh was fed every two hours around the clock for the first three days. The interval was then length- ened to every three hours. The amount per feeding was carefully con- trolled by watching the crop and throat area to guard against overfeeding. The chick was burped after each feeding using the fore and middle finger on the back of the neck and the thumb on the crop. A pssst sound would be heard as the air was expelled. The basic formula ingredients were 1/4 cup water, one heaping teaspoon peanut butter, one heaping teaspoon honey, and Heinz Hi-protein Cereal. A pinch of canary grit was added to this at the start of feather development. This mixture was made fresh daily, heating the water to dissolve the peanut butter and honey. The Prosobee was then mixed in. The Hi-protein cereal was added to thicken the formula. As the chick developed the mixture was made thicker. At two weeks of age, Lindbergh weighed 63.4 grams, his eyes were opening, the feeding interval was every four hours, and he was switched from an eyedropper to a spoon bent up on the sides to form a trough for feedings. At a little over two weeks of age, the first and only problem during hand-raising was noticed. Lindbergh’s right leg would not stay up under him to support him as well as his left leg. It extended out to the side. The nest material seemed to be the culprit . Wood chips used at this time did not give sufficient resistance for pushing against without giving somewhat. A couple of other materials were tried before deciding on an ’astroturf’ type of carpeting cut in small sections to fit the bottom of the box that was his nest at the time. Extra pieces were cut to allow for cleaning. This worked very well, and gradually the leg improved until there was no longer a problem. The three to four week old chick had a hearty appetite which showed in his weight of 234.2 grams at the end of this period. His feedings 95 Hand Raising a Rose-breasted Cockatoo, continued were every four hours during the day with an eight hour stretch at night. Lindbergh would sit resting on the tarsometatarsus . His only gear was reverse. He was vocal and responsive, eating from the spoon with jerking motions simulating crop feeding by parent birds. There was much pin feather development around his shoulders. His tail was beginning to look more like a tail than just the end of his bottom. He would raise his stubby crest when approached. Between five and six weeks, Lindbergh was feathering out well. The pink and gray coloring were becoming very noticeable. At this time he was beginning to walk in circles instead of backward, and doing much flapping of wings and stretching them out one at a time over and over. He could perch on a hand albeit unsteadily. With these developments, Lindbergh was moved to a parrot cage and introduced to a mashed scrambled egg/ whole milk mixture to which a little grit and small seed had been added. At first the feed was explored but not eaten. As he began to eat the mixture with more enthusiasm, the formula was gradually decreased. Assorted fruit in small pieces was added to the diet also. If there was a doubt about his intake, feeling the crop was an accurate indicator. Lindbergh took his first flight at eight weeks of age. Landings were awkward. His interest in exploring and trying out his cockatoo screeches and shrieks was high. A great deal of time was spent grooming, ably using a toe claw to get to the area on top of his head and under his chin. By this time the very time-consuming and immensely rewarding responsibil- ity of hand raising a Rose-breasted cockatoo was coming to a close. Lindbergh's parents are presently housed in an off-exhibit parrot breed- ing area along with numerous other paired large parrots. This project is in operation for the second year with much hope for success. One pair of Moluccan Cockatoos are sitting on eggs. This paper was presented at the "First Annual Symposium on Captive Wild Life" held on November 1-2, 1978, in Louisville, Kentucky. WORLD CONFERENCE ON BREEDING ENDANGERED SPECIES IN CAPTIVITY TO MEET World Conference III on Breeding Endangered Species in Captivity), sponsored by the Zoological Society of San Diego and the Fauna Preser- vation Society, is scheduled for Nov 12-16 in San Diego. Held in the United States for the first time, the conference will high light captive breeding strategies and progress for such animals as pygmy chimpanzees, giant pandas, sea otters, radiated tortoises and falcons. Speakers from the world's top zoos, wildlife preserves and university-backed programs are on the agenda. Registration fee is $60 per delegate and meetings will take place at the Town and Country Hotel in San Diego. Tours of the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park are included. For a tentative agenda, registration forms or further information, please contact Ms. Jo Hammershoy, Conference Coordinator, San Diego Zoo, P.O. Box 551, San Diego, CA 92112. 96 BURROWING OWLS IN CAPTIVITY by C/LcUg S, SaJ^bu/iy loo The very name Burrowing Owl seems a contradiction to our usual image of owls as stately hunters of the night. What self-respecting owl would seek refuge, or even worse, nest and raise its young, in a hole in the ground? Burrowing owls do just that, and with no apparent loss of dignity But their uniqueness doesn’t end here, for there are many more unusual characteristics of these "un-owlike" owls. They have long stilt-like legs that look grossly out of proportion to their bodies; they are active and hunt both day' and night; and when threatened in their burrows, they can do a fairly good impression of a rattlesnake rattling. But if we look beyond some of the comical aspects of these birds, we can see an example of a uniquely adapted and highly successful species, one which has evolved to fill a previously unclaimed niche in the owl world. In general, the Burrowing owl can be described as a small brown owl approximately 9-11 inches in height, with very long legs (for an owl), a very short tail, and a compact rounded head with yellow eyes. It is a New World species, with its range extending from southern Canada through North America, Central, and South America. Within this range there are several subspecies, but only two are found in the U.S. The Western burrowing owl Spdotyto aunXcuZa/LtCL hypagaea. is generally associ- ated with the open, treeless plains and prairies west of the Mississippi Valley (Bent, 1938). More specifically, they are usually associated with prairie dog CynomyA 4pp. towns, whose abandoned burrows provide nest sites. In areas outside the range of the prairie dog, such as California, the burrows of other large burrowing mammals are used. A separate subspecies S. C. {,toHyidana can be found in the open flatland areas of central and southern Florida. Since there are no large burrowing mammals in most of these areas, the Florida burrowing owl has developed the unique ability to dig their burrows, a trait not shared by the Western burrowing owl. Throughout the North American range the cultivation of land and destruction of natural habitat has forced the species to inhabit populated areas such as gold courses and airports, which provide the necessary open space they need. We received our first pair of Burrowing owls at the Salisbury Zoo in May of 1976 on a breeding loan from the National Zoological Park. It had previously been decided to try and exhibit them in our already established prairie dog area. We first wing-clipped the pair and then placed them in a wire holding cage. The cage was then set in the exhibit area for five days, after which the birds were released and the holding cage removed. The owls were soon busy exploring the area and investigating the prairie dog burrows in the exhibit. It was decided not to re-clip the owls’ wings, but rather to take the chance that the birds would remain even after regaining their ability to fly. There is evidence that at least some wild populations of Burrowing owls have seasonal migrations (Coulombe, 1971), so theiEwas considerable appre- hension about the outcome of this gamble. Much to our relief, however, they did not fly away, and they remained in the zoo throughout the winter. They would, on occasion, fly out of the exhibit area; but never very far or for very long. Although no breeding behavior had been observed that spring, on May 30, 1977, two chicks appeared above ground for the first time at their burrow 97 Burrowing Owls in Captivity, con^nued entrance. Three more chicks appeared over the next week, bringing the total to five. Burrowing owl chicks are said to remain in their burrow for 2-3 weeks after hatching (Thomsen, 1971), and so are already beginning to feather out when they first appear above ground. The young owls begin to fly short distances within two weeks after emerging from the burrow, and are fully fledged within a month. Since our exhibit allows free flight, the young owls were captured with hand-held nets before they were fully fledged to avoid the risk of losing them. All five were eventually sent to other zoos. The next spring (1978) breeding behavior was seen in March, with the male ^'treading" (mounting) the female on at least two occasions. This time it was quite obvious when the female began nesting, for she was not seen at all out of the burrow, and the male was often seen taking food down the burrow. This behavior intensified in mid-April, and it was obvious that the male was feeding more than just a hungry mate. In fact, the male was so intent on food gathering that he would often leave the exhibit at feeding time and fly 50 3rards to the service barn, where he would meet his keeper coming out with the daily ration, which had been tripled. If offered food at this point, the male would quickly grab it, fly back to the burrow and carry the food down, and then fly back for more. On April 29, the first chick was spotted, with a total of seven emerging from the burrow by May 9. This was one month earlier than the previous spring. Within days the young were moving around the exhibit, exploring and occasionally descending into other burrows. Over the next two weeks the parents allowed the young owls to wander throughout the exhibit, and gradually they began to fly short distances of a few feet or so. How- ever, at the first sign of danger, the parents would sound the alarm and all the chicks would rush down into the nest burrow, while the parents remained above ground to defend the burrow. By May 30, the young were all fully fledged, and we realized that we had been so busy observing and enjoying the antics of the young that we may have waited too long to catch them. One of the chicks did, in fact, fly out of the zoo one afternoon and it never returned. Another one flew into our bison shelter and was apparently trampled. Capturing the birds after fledging proved to be a considerable task, for by now they were full-winged, and when approached with a hand-held net would usually take off for the nearest tree, fence post, or roof top. We decided to try using mist-nets, and after watching and chasing the owls for a few evenings to determine their favorite "hang-outs" and escape routes, we set up two nets (8' high x 30’ long) at strategic points. This method worked very well, and we managed to catch four young the first night, and the fifth the next day. Although time com- suming, this method was also much less traumatic for the birds than our daytime chases with hand-held nets. Once captured , the young Burrowing owls had to be sexed and banded before fore being sent to Other zoos. Burrowing owls are exceptional in< that males are both longer winged and heaview than females (Earhart and Johnson, 1970). The reverse is true for most owl species. A more practical method of sexing, especially for immature Burrowing owls, was suggested by Mr. Charles Pickett, Associate Curator of Birds at the National Zoological Park. He has found that the white "eyebrows" found in both sexes are wider and more prominent in males than in females. This trait certainly holds true for our breeding pair, and to a lesser extent it could be seen in our young owls as well. This method at 98 Burrowing Owls in Captivity, co/ittnued least allowed us to tentatively sex our young. As in the previous year, all of the 1978 hatchlings were sent to other zoos. There are many advantages to a free-f light exhibit for Burrowing owls. This method allows for a more normal expression of behavior, eliminates the need for pinioning or repeated wing-clipping, and provides a more appealing exhibit for the public. We would like to think that the good breeding success we have had is due at least in part to the unrestricted movement our exhibit allows. There are dangers involved in this method, however. I have already mentioned the loss of two young owls this year; one which flew away and the other which was, we believe, trampled by our bison. Both of these incidents could have been avoided in a covered aviary-type exhibit. There is also the danger of other predators, particularly large raptors such as Great Horned Owls. This necessitates placing the exhibit in an area where such birds are not a common occurrence. Our mixed Burrowing owl-Prairie dog exhibit has proven to be one of our most popular attractions with the public. The bar-less, uncovered en- closure; the diurnal activity patterns of both^species ; and the fact that the owls are free to fly in and around the area are all very posi- tive factors where public.opinion is concerned. We also feel that there is a good potential for education with this mixed-species exhibit, and we hope in the near future to set up a graphics display which will ex- plain and illustrate the prairie ecosystem, symbiosis, and the particu- lar attributes of the two species. We have had very good success with our owls, and we would encourage other zoos to consider the Burrowing owl for exhibition and propagation. It has been demonstrated that they acclimate well ouside their natural range, require very little in the way of special care, will thrive and breed in both indoor and outdoor exhibits, and, at least in our case, can be kept in an open, free-flight exhibit without losing them. The Salisbury Zoo has joined with the National Zoo and the Baltimore Zoo in a cooperative effort to maintain breeding pairs of Burrowing owls. It is hoped that other zoos will join in the effort to ensure the survival of this unique and remarkable little owl. BIBLIOGRAPHY Coulombe, Harry N. 1971. Behavior and Population Ecology of the Burrowing Owl in the Imperial Valley of California. Condor 73: 162-176. Earhart, C.M. and Johnson, N. K. 1970. Size Dimorphism and Food Habits of North American Owls. Condor 72:251-264. Thomsen, Lise 1971. Behavior and Ecology of Burrowing Owls on the Oakland Air- port. Condor 73:177-192. This paper was presented at the 4th National Conference of AAZK. The theme of the Conference was "Our Education for Their Survival". 99 We oAe de.Q,ply IndoJotad to tke. AAZPA Nm^leXtoA io^ aHowtng u6 to ^npnlYit poKtlovu> oi thJA &zcXlon iH,om tkoAJt "Vohitlonh Avatlable.'' tUt ti6ttng4>. Tht6 ts a monthly ^oAvtco, to lu, ^oa you. lOOKEEPER. . . The Minnesota Zoological Garden is currently accepting names of individuals interested in Zookeeper positions. These positions are responsible for providing daily observation and professional care of the animal col- lection and exhibits at the Minnesota Zoological Garden. Several vacancies are expected after July 1, 1979. The original State civil service examination procedure for Zoo keeper is undergoing revisions, and is expected to be reannounced shortly. Individuals interested in being notified of the upcoming announcement should contact Mary O’Neill, Personnel Director, Minnesota Zoological Garden, 12101 Johnny Cake Ridge Road, Apple Valley, Minnesota 55124, no later than May 25, 1979. EVUCATIOM OFFICER. . . Directly responsible to Director of Education, General Curator and Zoo Director. Will work with graph coordinator in the development of educational materials. Duties include instruct- ing various classes, workshops and lectures as well as outreach programs; creating educational aids and materials to be utilized in educational programs offered by the zoo; coordinating and securing instructors for various programs and attending to the physical needs of the classroom. Applicant must have extensive academic and practical experience in zoology, biology; especially herpetology, mammalogy and general ecology. Prior experience in the educational process and writing ability are essential. General zoo experience and skill in making group presentations are highly desirable. Position available 4 September 1979. Applications shall be accepted through 22 August 1979. Contact: Robert Szita, Director of Education, Staten Island Zoological Society, 614 Broadway, Staten Island, NY 10310. (212) 442-3174. AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. M/F. MAMMAL TECHNICIAN. . . primarily responsible for care and maintenance of collection of approximately 80 specimens of both native and exotic mammals. Should be high school graduate, or equivalent, with two year’s experience in the care of mammals; have a general knowledge of their habits, distribution, properhusbandry techniques, common diseases and treatment. Opportunity for personal development. Starting salary $3.60 per hour. Send application by 8 May 1979 to Gordon Henley, Zoo Director, Ellen Trout Zoo, P.O. Drawer 190, Lufkin, TX 75901. ! ! ! REMEMBER TO SEND IN YOUR NOMINATIONS! THIS IS YOUR ORGANIZATION. See page 84 for details. ! ! ! t ^ * * * * International Symposium on the Use and Practice of Wild Animal Studbooks October 19-20, 1979 Copenhagen, Denmark Contact: lUDZG Studbook Symposium Secretary, c/o Zoological Society of London Regent’s Park London NWL 4RY, England 100 INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS Ai^cmaZ Ke.e.peA6' foHUm publishes original papers and news items of interest to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles. Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs, and tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page size of no more than 6"xl0’'. Literature used should be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Articles sent to AyUrnat Keape/ii' foAum will be reviewed for publication. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to publish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages will be separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial staff. The editors reserve the right to edit material without consultation imless approval is requested in writing by the author. Materials submitted will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Articles printed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the AnZmat Ke.£.p£A^' FoA.urn editorial staff or of the American Association of Zoo Keepers. Telephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions are acceptable. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will not be accepted. The phone number is 913 272-5821. DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION IS THE 20th OF THE PRECEDING MONTH. MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION Affiliate (full-time keepers) $10.00 annually Associate (part-time keepers, students, docents) .$10.00 annually Foreign $15.00 annually Contributing . .’ $50.00 annually All memberships include subscriptions to AyUmaZ Kaepe^U' FoAum. 50% of the member's dues are budgeted for the publication. All new members receive an AAZK shoulder patch and a membership card good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada. The AAZK Headquarters has extra shoulder patches available for $1.25 and back issues of the ArumaZ Keepe^^' Fo^im for $1.00. Send name and address and a check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers to AAZK HEADQUARTERS NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 ALL CHANGES OF ADDRESS SHOULD BE SENT TO AAZK HEADQUARTERS AT THE NATIONAL ZOO. DO NOT SEND THEM TO AyujnaZ KeejT'l/iA ' Fo^LWi. The journal is not available by subscription only. as X S* P O p 0*0 o o .05*35 OS • n o N) OD) So?r Animal Keepers' \dicated to Professional Animal Care JUNE 1979 ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606 JUNE 1979 ISSN 0164-9531 VOLUME SIX NUMBER SIX Editor-in-Chief : Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoological Park Executive Editor: Mike Coker, Topeka Zoological Park Managing Editor: Lois Bogia, Topeka Zoological Park Art Consultant: Elaine Shea kviXmaJi Keeper' VoHum is a monthly journal published by the American Association of Zoo Keepers, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C., 20008, for its members. Send all address changes, undeliverable copies and other membership inquiries to AAZK Headquarters, Washington, D.C.. Second class postage is paid at Topeka, Kansas. Return postage is guaranteed. Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the Editor. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 ELizabdth Gl(i66c.o , kdmlYiu>tn.ativ2. SdcA^tcuiy Board of Directors Dennis Grimm, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513 Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606 [/Xcni-p/iey!>X,dent Ed Roberts, Stone Mem. Zoo, 149 Pond St., Stoneham, MA 02180 Tom Goldsberry, Washington Pk. Zoo, 4001 S.W. Canyon Rd, Portland, OR 97221 Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 100 W. Webster Ave. , Chicago, IL 60614 Coordinators and Committees Coordinator for Chapter Affairs Coordinator for International Affairs Vat SamnaAco, Lincoln Pa/ik loo Tom Gold^bunAy , iU as king ton Pcuik Zoo AAZK/AAZPA Liaison Ed PobzAt^ , iiJalt^ V. Stone Mem. Zoo Nominations and Election Committee Jilt GAade, BiucJi BiJid Sanctua/iy , CatiloAnia, Chaimoman Kent Benedict, Atlanta Zoo Mike MaybAy, Oventon PoAk Zoo BennoAd Feldman, MitteA PoAk Zoo Von Ra6mu6^en, Minnesota. State Zoo Awards Committee Mike CokeA, Topeka Zoo, Chainman Mike Vee, Los Angeles Zoo Vicky LaPae, InteAnatl. CAone fdn. Vick Sodenlund, BAook^ield Zoo Mike CAockeA, VickeASon PoAk Zoo Ed RobeAts Jeii PeAAy Venice BantenleldcA Kevin Conway EveAett HoaaU KoAAy Ho^^man LoAAy SammaAco Von Rasmussen Linette BAown LauAa StAickland Tim O'BAien GoAy Tibbetts Helen MooAe Regional Coordinators l^alteA V. Stone Mem. Zoo Bu^^alo Zoo BaltlmoAe foAt Royal, Va Binder PoAk Zoo Cincinnati Zoo Lincoln PoAk Zoo Minnesota State Zoo Knoxville Zoo MontgomeAy Zoo Audubon PoAk Zoo Rio GAonde Zoo PoAtland Zoo ME, VT, NH, MA, R1 , CT NV PA, NJ, MV, VE VA, m Ml IN, OH, KT m, IL MN, lA, MO TN, NC, SC EL, AL, GA AK, MS, LA TXfNM,C0,0K,KS,NE,SV,NV (jUA, or, IV, MT, WV CA. NV. AZ. UT. HA scoc SCUTTLEBUTT ZOO WORKER SURVIVES MAULING BY BEARS A worker at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was mauled by two polar bears for more than 30 minutes before zoo officials shot and killed one of the animals and rescued the man. Guy Lichty, 24, of Colarado Springs, suffered cuts and bites over 70 percent of his body. He was hospitalized in serious condition. David Allen, assistant zoo director, said Lichty was cleaning the cage Friday and apparently failed to secure a lock on the bears* alternate cage. Allen said he shot the male bear with a rifle after efforts to draw the two animals away from Lichty failed. The female backed away after the shooting and Lichty was rescued. ElcUm Blacken, tho. San Vlugo loo, did tkd detight^Lil d/LOW-ing ioh. tkd June. coveA. It It (^Aom a photogAaph o^ Vtck Swe,e-ne,y, o{f the, San Vtego Zoo, nuAttng a young bontebok. Vtck It the ioundeA oi the AAZK. AAZPA SOUTHERN REGIONAL WORKSHOP REPORT. Animal Keepers were again very visible at the Southern Regional AAZPA Workshop, many drawn by the many and excellent sessions dealing with elephant care, and a chance to see Knoxville's "Diamond". Keepers and other AAZK members presented some fine papers including: 'Breeding, Birth and Rearing of African Elephants at Knoxville Zoological Park' - Pat Parks and Frank Griffin, Elephant Keepers, Knoxville. 'A Minimum Stress Restraint Procedure for Snakes' - Russell Jones, Reptile Keeper, Knoxville. ■) 'Maternal Instinct of a Hand-reared Chimpanzee' - Laura Strictland, Montgomery. 'Elephants in U.S. Zoos, 1976* - Ken Kawata, Tulsa. Papers also included "Role of the Modern Day Zoo Keeper" by Charles Wilson, Director, Memphis Zoological Gardens and Aquarium. AAZK Board member Pat Sammarco and Regional Coordinators Larry Sammarco, Alan Stanley and Lynette Brown attended the conference, with Larry Sammarco standing in for Laura Strictland in giving the AAZK THeme presentation. Thanks to the AAZPA and especially the Knoxville staff for an enjoyable and educational workshop. Larry Sammarco Regional Coordinator 101 1979 CONFERENCE OF AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS Portland, Oregon September 24-27 Monday, September 24 - late registration at Red Lion Inn evening - welcoming cocktail party Tuesday, September 25 - morning: paper session afternoon: 1-2:30 Tour of elephant facilities and handling techniques or Presentation of chimp enrichment and sign language program 3-4:30 Elephant foot care or Tour of Present primate facility with emphasis on areas under construction or Penguin care and handling evening: films Wednesday, September 26 - morning: paper session afternoon: 1-2:30 Repeat of tour of elephant facilities or Tour of feline house with emphasis on new small felid exhibits 3-4:30 Repeat of elephant foot care or (this slot unscheduled as yet) evening: free Thursday, September 27 - morning: paper session afternoon: 1-2:30 Behavioral research in zoos or Tour of bear grottos (both polar bear and sloth bear cubs born this year) or Owl rehabilitation 3-4:30 continuation of Behavioral research or Tour of nursery evening: Banquet with Gary Clarke, Director of Topeka Zoological Park Friday, September 28 - Post conference tour to be announced * * * * REMEMBER - Deadline for paper outline or abstract is August 1. To receive registration form, motel reservation information, and post conference tour information, please use form below. I am interested in the 1979 AAZK Conference. Please send registration, lodging and post conference tour information to: Name Address City State ^Zip Mail to Jonolyn E. Smith Washington Park Zoo 4001 S.W. Canyon Rd. Portland, Oregon 97221 102 TRAVELING TO PORTLAND AfCF {jOKotd the. Acacia. Tfiavcl, Inc., a mcrnbeA oi AAZPA, and a^kcd ^on. Inlomaiion to help AAIK mmbeA^ plan thoiA tAavcl to the national con^eAence. Keith TuckeA, Co~owneA and ^tZdliie GAoap-6 VtaectoA, Aeplied to quatiovii wtth the&e ^iiggc&tioyis to con-6 tdeA. AKf: What do you ■6ugge6t ioA economical tAavel? Greyhound gives a special fare for all the travel you want in the USA for about $100, good for about 3 weeks. Airlines give good discounts, providing one qualifies. This mainly means to book reservations as early as possible since only a few seats are set aside for the discount rates. You must pay and be ticketed 30 days or more before travel date. You must stick to the flights you have booked. Prices are sometimes nearly half the normal coach fares. These are called "SUPERSAVER" fares. There is also a "Discover America" discount fare on some lines, but it is not as low as the SuperSaver. One , can cancel a flight and not pay a cancellation fee. But it cannot be changed once it is booked unless it is changed 30 days or more before the flight date. These fares are sold to the traveler from many points in the USA to Portland and back, but no jumping around is allowed. The ticket is written only from the home city to the destination city and return, or to a destina- tion city with the return to home city from another city. Mr. Tucker wrote that his firm would be glad to send general information to any AAZK members about bus and air travel, covering the schedules, rates and rules and regulations for the types of discount fares. He suggested the possibility of other travel in conjunction with the con- ference, for example, flying to Portland for the meeting, the going north to Seattle and maybe British Columbia for a look at the Zoo there and maybe a light vacation. Or possibly, go south to San Fran- cisco and then home. SuperSavers do allow going to one city and back from another. An ideal plan would be to fly into Portland to atten the meeting, then take a low-cost Hertz car rental for a week, unlimited mileage, to be picked up in Portland and dropped off for no extra charge in San Francisco. This would allow a great post-meeting trip through Oregon, along the beautiful coast line through the Redwoods with a flight home from San Francisco. AKF.’ What do you choAge ioA these ^eAvices? Travel agencies do not charge for their services. They act as agents for any of the airlines, hotels and car rentals who pay them a commis- sion. The price of the plane ticket is the same whether bought at the airport or through the travel agency. The advantage of working through a travel agency is using their experience in the business of travel and knowledge of all the different airlines, and various rate structures. Payments for flights, etc., would be made directly to the travel firm who issues the tickets and sends them to you. Mr. Tucker's address is Barnett Commercial Center, 4520 Pacific Highway, Suite 125, San Diego, CA 92110. PLAN NOW TO BE IN PORTLAND SEPTEMBER 24-27 103 BIRTHS HATCHINGS WHOOPING CRANE HATCHED IN TEXAS San kntonlQ loo A rare whooping crane chick was hatched at the San Antonio Zoo from one of the three eggs being tended by bantam jungle fowl hens. Another chick died after poking its beak through its shell. Another egg has been sent to the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland for incubation. Ektu, mate of the late Crip,(Aee month.' 6 AKFjproduced eight eggs in April. MALE BARASINGHA BORN IN PHILADELPHIA A beautiful male barasingha fawn was born on Friday, May 11, in full view of many fascinated Phildelphia Zoo visitors. The rare baby becomes the fourth member of the Zoo’s herd of two males and one female. Because of serious habitat destruction in India and Southeast Asia, the deer is considered to be an endangered species. NEW ORLEANS PREVIEWS 'ASIAN DOMAIN' McuigU C. Hcuaq. Four exhibits of the Audubon Park and Zoological Garden’s new Asian Domain were viewed by the public in New Orleans on April 28, 1979. The event a ’Zoo-To-Do’, was an evening affair designed to raise additional development funds. Malaysian Sun Bear, Asian Elephants, Indian Wolves and Asian Leopards represented Asia as ’’East Met West” in the Old South. Grand opening of the Asian Domain, which weill eventually include 9 exhibits, is scheduled for late May. 1979 REPTILE SYMPOSIUM IN KNOXVILLE The Third Annual Symposium on Reptile Husbandry and Propagation will be hosted by the Knoxville Zoological Park on August 10-11, 1979. Arrange- ments are being made for papers and presentations by many leading herpeculturists . Registration is $40.00 per person, with special group and day rates. This S3rmposlum will immediately precede the SSAR Conference to be hosted by the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. For further information, contact Howard Lawler, Department of Herpetol- ogy, Knoxville Zoological Park, P.O. Box 6040, Knoxville, Tennessee 37914. For information on the meeting of the Society for the Study of Amphi- bians and Reptiles (SSAR), contact Arthur C. Echternacht, Department of Zoology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37916. The conference meet August 12-16, 1979 at the University. 104 THE USE OF TELMIN FOR ROUNDWORMS IN PANTHERA LEO By Ann Bokmldt and R^aka/id P. HeXtfiaai Animal Sa^oAl, King '-6 Inland PoAk, Cincinnati, Ohio INTRODUCTION Telmin (mebendazole) has been found to be a safe, effective wormer for the 35 lions at Wild Animal Safari, Cincinnati, Ohio. Telmin is manu- factured by Pitman-Moore , Inc, as an equine wormer and although Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine (1978) does not recommend its use on carnivores, we have found it to have all of the necessary qualities to do the job where other wormers are lacking. < BACKGROUND Fecals taken from our lions have shown that they are constantly exposed to roundworms. ToxocoAa canl6 and ToxocoAa call moderately infect our lions every five months with some individuals more susceptible than others. Infestation occurs through the ingestion of the worm while it is in the egg stage. The original source for these eggs are the inter- mediate hosts, birds and rodents (starlings and mice in our case). Reinfestation can occur in one of the following four ways: 1 the lion licks the ground while eating where an intermediate host has had access to, 2 the lion licks its anal region after defecating, 3 the lion licks its paw after walking through feces left by the other lions 4 mothers pass it on to their cubs prenatally (T. canLi> only) . We suspect all of the above are responsible in our situation. LIFE CYCLE OF TOXOCARA CASIJS Once the eggs are ingested by a lion in one of the four methods listed above, they hatch in the digestive tract of their new host and penetrate the intestinal wall to enter the blood stream. From here, the larvae find their way to the lungs where they move up the trachea to be swal- lowed by the lion. The larvae find themselves back in the small intes- tines where they grow to maturity at the expense of the lion. This cycle takesabout 2^ months to complete. Indirectly, a heavy infestation of worms lowers the general resistance of the lion making it more sus- ceptible to a wide variety of disorders, especially mange during our cold winters. Symptoms include a loss of appetite and possibly weight, poor coat, sluggishness, depression, and secondary disorders. The life cycle for T. call varies a little from that of T. canli, but the resulting disorders and symptoms are the same. OUR PROGRAM Our problem is probably more acute than most places because we have such a large number of lions in contact with each other and all have access ‘to large open areas visited by the intermediate hosts. Obviously cleaning is very important and extra meat during the winter months help, but that doesn’t totally eliminate the problem. We take fecals every three weeks which are usually negative for a period of 4^ months after the last worming. After this time, signs of roundworms start to show up and winthin a month are found to be numerous enough to justify a worming. To do this, we put a 9 gram dose of Telmin in a 5 pound bar continued 105 The Use of Tel min for Roundworms in PantheAa Ito of Nebraska Brand per adult. Following the recommended equation of 6 grams per 250 lbs. of body weight, this would be the correct dose for a 375 lb. lion. This dosage has been found safe for our smallest adult (226 lbs) and has been found effective for our largest adult (500 lbs.) making it unnecessary for us to isolate each individual lion and estimate its weight for a more exact treatment. However, since we had 16 young cubs varying in age, hence weight, we gave them a calculated fraction of an adult dose based upon their weight. Telmin was found to be so safe that this separation of cubs from adults for treatment was dis- continued when the youngest cub reached the age of 16 months. Lions treated in this manner for just one day . had to be wormed again in three months. However, when lions were treated with Telmin for two consecutive days (two 9 gram doses per adult or corresponding proportion for a cub) they didn’t have to be wormed again for six months. Giving the second dose two weeks after the first dose is received has the same effect as doing it for two consecutive days. Either way, the second dose finishes what the first dose leaves behind and keeps the roundworms under control for close to half a year. One disadvantage of Telmin is that most lions don’t like the taste. This can be offset by starving the animal the day before treating it. SUMMARY We have been worming our lions with Telmin for the past Ih years. We have found it to be very safe, easy to use, and extremely effective. It is active not only against the roundworms found in our lions, but also against the hookworms and tapeworms occasionally found. Telmin has advantages over the other drugs we have used or considered using in the past (Levisol, Piperazine salts, thiabendazole, Disophenol, and others used on carnivores) . These are suspected to be toxic in lions or they are not active against the type of parasitic worm found in our lions. WILDLIFE EXPO 79 On the weekend of April 21-22, 1979, East African Wildlife Society presented a ’Wildlife Expo ’79’, a collection of animal organizations, and artists represented at booths along an enclosed shopping mall. Don Rolla of East African Wildlife Society is to be commended for his efforts at the organization of this successful exhibition which included slide shows, films, and group representatives. AAZK was represented by the Brookfield and Lincoln Park Zoo Chapters with a display of slides depicting Keepers at work and at conferences, with members of both chapters there to answer questions. Many people passed the booth, enjoying the slide show, and asking a variety of questions. One of the first visitors was the sister of a Santa Fe Community College Teaching Zoo student. Twenty-three very interested people listed their names to receive AAZK Brochures and indicated sincere interest in join- ing. All in all, this was a great opportunity to put Zoo-Keeping and especially AAZK before the public. Other Chapters are encouraged to participate in similar activities if the chance arises, or, perhaps, organize an ’Animal Expo’ of your own. Ira Armstadter, Pres., Brookfield Chap. Pat Sammarco, Pres., Lincoln Park Chap. 106 THE MENAGERIE CYCLE THOUGHTS ON POPULATION MANAGEMENT IN ZOOS by B, Wayne. Baakanan AbiZme, loologlaat GaAdunA Few who are seriously interested in zoo keeping as a profession are not familiar with at least one of Heine Heideger's works. A point strongly evident in all his writings is the ch’ange in function and role of zoos in the past few decades. The change is not yet complete. Still many zoos are working hard to replace old, inadequate facilities. Rows of small, sterile, barred cages housing individual animals are giving way to more naturalistic and aesthetic displays. Education, conservation, and research are now among the prime functions of a modern zoo. The menagerie is dying - or is it? In the seven years I have been a zoo keeper I have noticed a steady trend. In our quest to aid conservation, the breeding of existing animal collections has been attacked with a vengenance. Those species rarely or never reproduced in captivity are gradually succumbing to our propagation efforts. With reproduction Increasing continually in almost all zoos the inevitable result is becoming quite clear. Zoos may be running the risk of over production. I am not directly involved with animal marketing, so I must speak rather guardedly of my impressions of the situation. With that in mind, let me say first that the problem presently appears to affect primarily mammals, and second:, it does not yet appear to be a critical problem. I’m sure that few of us do not have an antelope herd that is bigger than it should be; a primate group that is constantly squabbling. How often are you hard pressed to arrange for an isolation stall or cage? And do not forget how long it takes to sell an animal once it is surplused - especially if it is a male. Yet we do seem to manage, though it is increasingly difficult to do so.' There are ways of controlling this growing problem before it does reach a critical state, I would like to mention a few at this point. These are not necessarily original ideas by any means. Far too many ’bull sessions’ have taken place to give proper credit. Nor do I claim that they are the only possible solutions. Indeed, I would be sorely dis- appointed if other possibilities are not suggested. My whole intent is simply to stimulate thought on the subject. I. RESTOCKING THE WILD WITH CAPTIVE BORN ANIMALS. This seems the most natural recourse, yet it may well be the least accessable goal of all. There are some definite possibilities in this area with North American animals. Our own continent is the only area of the world where there is a realistic chance to overcome the complicated legalities involved in releasing animals into the wild. Yet even if this is accomplished there must be somewhere to release the animals. Habitat destruction, being the prime cause for the demise of most troubled species, must be a major concern - a concern that is out of the direct controlling reach of zoos. Already most large North American mammals, especially carnivores, are likely beyond the application of a release program due to a lack of suitable habitat. Politics and an ever growing human population create extremely limited bounds of potential accomplishment by release programs. Such an effort would be very expensive and time consuming, requiring much planning. 107 The Menagerie Cycle. , contcnaed research, and follow-up field work. All of which would be impossible without a high degree of cooperation and coordination between zoos and state and federal wildlife agencies. Yet, it is the most logical and productive recourse I can imagine. We should never dismiss it completely. In fact, we should always aim for it. The following three suggestions are merely aspects of something that zoos actually deal with constantly — management of their animal collection. In this instance, I refer specifically to reproductive management. II. BIRTH CONTROL - There are three basic ways to control birth rate in any groups of animals. (A) By manipulating the collection to prevent breeding. This would necessitate sexual segregation during breeding periods. For amphibians, reptiles, and birds this would be quite feasible as these groups are generally quite seasonal in their reproductive cycle. However, mammals, who are presently the bulk of the population problem are seldom so cooperative. In many mammals females can come into estrus throughout the year. Others appear to have abnormal patterns and/or continued estrus cycles if the female is not bred. Additionally, sexual segregation may require more caging space than is available. (B) Use of chemical birth controls. Birth control pills and long term implants are already being used extensively in Felidae with good success. There remains a large amount of physio- logical research to be done before this method is perfected and its use expanded to more families. (C) The third method is sterilization of one of the sexes. This has been used in isolated cases in many zoos, but in general it is avoided. There is a prevailing fear that such a permanent act could be very damaging should that species become more marketable in the future. III. SPECIALIZATION. Each zoo would become a specialist in the repro- duction of a few, select species. Animals in the collection, but not in this select group, would be managed so as to prevent reproduction. These same animals would have to be available as potential breeding stock to zoos delegated the responsibility of reproducing those species. This would be necessary to prevent problems inherent with a very small gene pool. In effect, the majority of a zoo's collection would be reserve breeding stock for other zoos. It is impossible to imagine zoos establishing a level of cooperation on a national basis sufficient for meeting these requirements. Additionally, from this keeper's point of view, such a program would come very close to returning a zoo to a menagerie. IV. EUTHANASIA. Most likely this word is quite disturbing to most of you but please try to read on objectively. Under this plan all animals in the collection would be managed for reproduction. Reproduction is one of the best Indexes we have for judging the care we provide for our animals. Breeding should be managed as selectively as possible to produce the best confirmation and health possible. Based on a previously deter- mined ideal breeding group size, housing area, sex and age ratios considered, the least desirable animals above this number would be marked for surplus. Those that can not be marketed are then euthanized. In the real sense we become the predators who will, with the knowledge obtained from education, research, and experience, cull the group of its least 'fit' individuals in order to maintain the vigor of the group. This is, without a doubt, the most practical and productive tool presently at our disposal. Yet, it is avoided because of our own weakness. contlniLnd 108 The Menagerie Cycle, continued As humans we suffer from the blessing and curse of emotions. We often spend more time with our animals than with our families. We have hand- raised some, nursed many back to health, watched them raise their own young, and received their trust and affection. It would indeed be difficult for most of us to detach ourselves far enough from animals we know as individuals, in order to be a party to such an act. Yet, it would, in the long run, be to the benefit of that group or population of animals. I believe such a decision will face more of us in the not- too-distant future. There is one specific use of euthanasia with which I am greatly concerned. It is the reproduction of some species to supply the zoo nursery with a display simply because the public ’wants’ to see baby animals. Then after they outgrow the nursery they are euthanized. Euthanasia should be used only to benefit a breeding group or end the incurable suffering of an animal. Would it not be better to educate the public to more fully understand the situation: I dare say the public would not ’want’ to see baby animals under such circumstances. I believe the best solution will evolve from a blending of these ideas and others yet to be heard. Still, there will be other issues. Such as, do we go to the same extremes of management for all captive popula- tions, or will money (as in the past) limit us to high priority cases, i.e. endangered species? We have a long way to go to solve this growing problem facing zoos. With nowhere to house or sell surplus animals, zoos will make all attempts not to breed any. Yet, if management is forced to become exceedingly stringent, zoos may be reproducing only a relatively few species. Either way, we will be back to the old menagerie idea. The education and entertainment value will be higher than the old menageries as will be their aesthetic appeal. But for me, it would not be as enjoyable working in a menagerie as in a zoo. Kansas City Chapter President.... Ernie Galbraith Sec/Treas . . . . Julietta Thornton chapter Their activities include a newlsetter, speakers at monthly meetings, an ice cream truck for fundraising at ’’Zooballee” festivals, and working on a booth promoting Keeper activities and the AAZK chapter. Little Rock Zoo has changed its name to the Zoo of Arkansas Santa Fe Chapter had their first ’dog wash’ of the season and made $100; the second made $80. Good Work! news 109 THE STRUGGLE SURVIVAL THE BOLSQN TORTOISE, NORTH AMERICA’S LARGEST LAND REPTILE, LISTED AS ENDANGERED The Bolson tortoise, the largest land reptile in North America, has been listed as an endangered species by the Interior Dept. It lives primarily in grassland areas of the states of Chihua- hua, Coahuila, and Durango in Mexico. Adults may grow quite large, with shells measuring up to 39 inches in length. In spite of its size, the Bolson tortoise is one of the least know reptiles in the Northern Hemipshere. A PLEA FOR PLANTS i^om thz JUCM BuU^Un Conservation action on behalf of wild plants is minimal. In the world at large there is precious little awareness of the extent to which our lives depend on plants or of the rate at which they are being wiped out . Yet in the chain of being, plants are primary. No plant life, no animal life. From the outset plants "learned” the trick of tapping the energy of the sun and the nutrients of the earth so as to sustain themselves and support other life-forms. Giving to all animals food, shelter and remedies for ailments, to man plants also give a great deal else. "At present the greater part of man’s agriculture is pre- cariously based on less than 30 species of plants. The contrast between this statistic and the massive number of threatened species highlights the potential losses that could occur. Some of the threatened species may be potential crop plants in their own right; some may be near relatives of existing crops, and so particularly valuable for maintaining the genetic base available for future breeding and selection. Others may be needed as forage plants, for combating desertification, or for providing new drugs, medicines or other biochemicals. Others may prove valuable for their unique life-form or ability to thrive in unusual or particularly harsh environments." Here in this one paragraph, taken from lUCN’s latest Red Data Bood on plants is the essence of the case, the overwhelming case, for plant conservation. USDA STOPS BIRD IMPORTS THROUGH PRIVATE QUARANTINE STATIONS The U.S. Department of Agriculture has temporarily halted exotic bird imports through commercially operated, department approved quarantine facilites, because recent outbreaks of exotic Newcastle disease in California, Florida, Arizona and Nevada appear to be related to deficiencies in the operation of these facilities. RECOVERY TEAMS FOR EAGLE, PRAIRIE CHICKEN Two more recovery teams were appointed by the U.S, Fish and Wildlife Service, one for the bald eagle HcLZA,a.^2X.LLS ZzilCOC^ph- aZuub and the other for Attwater's greater prairie chicken TympanucfiLis capZdo cuttwatoAl. Four bald eagle teams have been appointed to date. When the Pacific team is appointed, the 48 contiguous States will be have teams developing recovery plans. no Great Ape cu^'C'^^etvionfu^ WITH MEMORIES OF MR. CHING by HeZm Bcutkz We received word that Mr. Ching, our male orangutan on breeding loan to the Rotterdam Zoo, Holland, died of unknown causes. We are sorry for this loss, as he was a long time inhabitant of our zoo. For those who liked him, and enjoyed him.... and there were many.... he was an incredibly beautiful Bornean orangutan. To people who had never seen him before, there was always an attitude of reserve and politeness. "What is that?", or "What do you call something like that?", or "Where is his head?" Since he sometimes stood on his head, this was an understandable question. Children like him, too! They would smile and could be heard to say, "There’s the cookie monster from Sesame Street." Mr. Ching arrived at the Oklahoma City Zoo in October, 1959. He was one and one-half years old. He was moved to the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas, on November 21, 1971. He returned to our zoo on August 20, 1975. While in Brownsville, he fathered a male named "Big 0" who later went to the Ruhr Zoo, Gelsenkirchen, West Germany. The Oklahoma City Zoo acquired a Bornean female orangutan, Maggie, on March 16, 1977, and she and Mr. Ching were introduced July 18, 1977. Several breedings were noted and on Saturday, July 8, 1978, Maggie gave birth to a boy. He weighed 3 lbs, 2 oz , and was named Subarno, but was called Barney. Gregg and Nancy Petromilli accomplished an "above and beyond" job of raising the little Bornean Baby Barney and at the start of this year, delivered him to a new owner in Miami Beach, Florida. Ching was such a longtime resident of our zoo, that the available information on him would fill a small book. Just about everyone has a favorite story. "Mr. Ching Goes to Rotterdam" was reprinted in the Arumat Keepe/L6 ' FoAcun May, 1978, p. 84. A NEW BOOK All About Gorillas is a new book by David P. Willoughby. His interest in the anthropoid apes has been lifelong so he is able to present an immense store of information. He writes "The mountain gorilla is the most endangered of the African apes. Although it is no consolation, the plight of the orangutan is even worse that that of the gorilla, since its capacity to breed in captivity is far more limited and uncertain; therefore, it will perhaps be the first of the great apes to suffer extinction." P. 254. He.le.n Bathe 111 PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH PET REHABILITATION AMONG CAPTIVE WOOLLY MONKEYS Lagath/ilx tagathAyica by MoAy Jo MaA6hcill and (fJdZtlam R. Voi>t2A, V.VM. ioiXAJivWid loologldol Ga/idm The woolly monkey is a South American monkey which inhabits the dense forests of southern Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru. Their diet is said to consist primarily of fruit, supplemented by leaves, seeds, berries and some insects. The main feature that distinguishes them from Old World monkeys is the prehensile tail. It is a remarkable organ and is sometimes referred to as a "hand-tail". It is used for hanging, picking up, carrying and reaching for objects beyond the reach of their arms. The fur coat is short, soft and dense, ranging in color from light silver grey, through brown to black, depending on sub-species. Woollys have long been hunted for their meat, which is said to be delicious. They are also used as catbait by the natives for capture of large and small cats for export or skins. But the heaviest market in the past has been for infants for the pet trade. Babies are very much in demand as pets and command higher prices than any other Amazonian primate. This hunting pressure and the demand for infants, together with a slow reproductive rate and preference for undisturbed - forest habitat, have placed this genus in a precarious position throughout its range. It is for this reason every effort should be made to save woollys from extinction. However, this feat seems to be easier said than done. Most . zoo speci- mens are donated pets; unwanted after "the baby" has reached sexual maturity and has attacked his owner. Males are more prone to serious biting than females. When mature, however, they too can be very danger- ous . It is at this point, that no diaper cannot be removed, no drapery strong enough for a swinging 15 pound bundle of energy, no cupboard safe from very dexterous fingers and no chandelier that is not considered a "fun thing to hang around in". Too much for the owner to handle, the next step is a trip to the local zoo and the problem child is "donated". The owner leaves, sad to loose a "member of the family", but somewhat relieved and secure in a mysteriously newfound knowledge that he or she will be "happier with his own kind". Some species adapt to their "own kind" with a minimum of difficulty, however, this does not seem the case with woolly monkeys. In September of 1975, the Louisville Zoo began accepting donated pets with disastrous results. We must keep in mind that these animals had been raised almost like children. Many wore clothing, ate table food and slept in beds with the owners. A feeling of abandonment, confusion and fear may sound anthropomorphi to some, but in my opinion, the transition from pet to zoo animal seems to be an almost unsurmount- able hurdle for many woolly pets. aontlnudd 112 Problems Associated with Pet Rehabilitation among Captive Woolly Monkeys 30 zoos reported exhibiting woollys resulting in a total of 93 animals. Of these 63% were donated pets, 7.5% zoo births and 27% undetermined or did not know the origin of the animal. Only 9 zoos reported copulation and only 16 pregnancies resulted. It is a very important fact to note that of these 16 pregnancies, 11 were shared by 2 zoos keeping woollys in colony situation. 8 pregnancies resulted in viable births, of which 2 died early neonatal deaths. There were 3 stillbirth and 5 abortions. Our survey proved that most woollys in zoos are donated pets and that there is very little breeding activity. I feel that this abnormal social development is directly related to the pet factor. In light of the compiled information from the survey we felt that we were one step ahead, being fortunate enough to have a breeding male. This, coupled with the fact that our females were adjusting very well, led to an all-out effort to establish a breeding program. We began a study of estrogen levels ini urine in cooperation with the San Diego Zoo. We have found that this is the first work done with woollys in this area. We have plans to begin Karyotyping studies also with San Diego . During the survey, I discovered that in some cases, private owners were having much better breeding success than zoos. In August, 1978, I received a letter from a gentleman in Florida with a family unit consisting of one male, two females, and their six month old babies and a two year old offspring. Since the potential for pro- pagation in our colony was very good, I felt that a lesson in mother hood XTOuld probably be very advantageous. In October, Dr. Foster and I took the 2 females to Florida to live for the winter in this family group. By November, the two babies were climbing oft their mothers and our females were allowing them to crawl on their bodies for brief periods. Hopefully they will return to our colony with a healthy family attitude and be successful in raising their own babies. In dealing with the woollys at the Louisville Zoo and through our survey, I have found that the three main problems with captive woollys are psychological instability, lack of breeding males, (both problems probably resulting from being isolated pets), and spontaneous abortion. Pet rehabilitation is difficult at best, but I believe that with special attention, personal contact and general T.L.C., it can be successful. More reseach needs to be done, however, especially before we can honestly say that zoos have helped save this species from extinction. In light of the complied information, we have devised a plan for further study of the Woolly monkey, which is divided into two primary areas' I. Husbandry A. Diet B. Behavioral studies C. Environmental influences D. Management practices II. Medical research A. Reproductive studies B, Immunoassay of estrogen in Urine (incooperation with the San Diego Zoo) contlnue.d 113 Problems Associated with Pet Rehabilitation among Captive Woolly Monkeys A pattern began to develop: depression, diarrhea, refusal to eat, hunched posture, and a general ’’wasting away" would begin often inrnedi- ately after arrival, sometimes up to several months later for no appar- net reason. On necropsy, ulcerative colitus, apparently as a result of stress, was found. Out of six monkeys, four had died and one was returned to her owner when signs of depression began. It was at this time, with one lone survivor, Geraldine, whom we will hear more about later, that we decided something would have to change if we were to continue exhibiting woolly monkeys. Calls to other zoos with woollys were made, information exchanged and the realization dawned that we were not the only zoo having this problem. The phraseology of the syn- drome varied. Some called it "low or invisible stress factors" , "severe depression", "wasting away", and just plain "losing the will to live". Whatever the title, the end result was the same. It was at this time we were offered a pair from .a. private owner. These animals had been kept with other woollys since they were very young, in fact, the female had been pregnant twice but had aborted both times. We accepted the pair and decided to try one more time. We had learned, admittedly the hard way, that any stressful conditions must be carefully avoided. The highly emotional makeup of the woolly had to be considered above all else. Previously, our woollys had been kept in one area during the summer months and moved to winter quarters in the Fall. We felt that this shifting may have attributed to the stress factor that we were trying to avoid so we decided to use the monkey island where vervet monkeys had been exhibited. The two islands, surrounded by a water moat, consist of 4,000 square feet of grass, trees, and ropes. The heated indoor enclosure is 500 square feet with ropes, shelves and a large cargo netting that serves as a huge hammock. In this exhibit, the monkeys have access to sunshine and fresh air and are locked inside only when the water moat freezes over* The new pair arrived and seemed to acclimate very well. In fact, our female ’Geraldine* became pregnant. Unfortunately she aborted approx- imately 3H months later. The male’s original mate died of liver compli- cations, but we felt very fortunate to have a breeding pair of healthy woollys. We then acquired four additional females and one male. All were originally pets. With the exception of one female, all had been in zoos since adolescence and had been with other monkeys. We were reluctant to accept the female directly from the private home, but decided to try her with the newly acquired pair. She has done remark- ably well, gained weight and has begun to behave in a monkey-like fashion. I attribute this to the fact that the pair seemed to be much better adjusted socially than any of our previous isolated pets. All but one female, Geraldine, have developed affectionate bonds with each other. This seems much more prevalent among the females rather that male/female bonds. The males do not seem to have a particular ’favorite female’ except, of course, during estrus. In February of 1978, we had one male and three females on monkey island and one male with two females off-exhibit. It was at this time that Dr. William Foster, our staff veterinarian, and I circulated a survey among 142 zoos requesting information on captive woollys. The results were disheartening. Of 142 zoos polled, 77 responded. contlnue.d 114 Problems Associated with Pet Rehabilitation among Captive Woolly Monkeys C. Comparative analysis as it relates to the Ortho Sub-human Primate Pregnancy Test D. Survey of Woolly mortality E. Karyotyping as a means of subspecies identification F. Pediatric care. We wish to thank everyone who took the time to answer our survey and the private owners who corresponded with information on their collections. A special thanks goes to the many Individuals and zoo representatives who offered encouragement and showed a sincere concern for the plight of the Woolly Monkey • This paper was presented at the "First Annual Symposium on Captive Wildlife". by Ray Voytd KdupoA 111, LoLili>vM,2. Zoo The close of 1978 marked the end of the first full year of existance of the Louisville Zoological Garden's Raptor Rehabilitation Program. Our rehabilitation staff consists of four keepers, and all of our work with birds is done on a voluntary basis after zoo hours. Fortunately, our zoo's veterinarian is very enthusiastic about the program, and he donates much of his free time to the treatment of sick and injured birds. The following statistical analysis demonstrates why we are encouraged by our first year and we have hopes for even better results in future years. TOTAL NUMBER OF BIRDS HANDLED 44 Total Number of Species 8 Percentage of Total by species R.T. Hawk Boteo j amalcuvU,^ 29.5%, Broad-winged Hawk Bitteo ptoXypteAUbi 2.2 Marsh Hawk CJjiciLS ayandUi^ 2.2 Sharp-Shinned Hawk kdoJjpiJiQJt 2.2 Sparrow Hawk FaldO 6paAveAlli6 36.3 Great Horned Owl Bubo viAg-iyUanubS 11.4 Barred Owl SXaXx UaAla 4.5 Screech Owl OtLi& OUbXo 11.3 Percentage of Total Released 45.45% Percentage of Total Pending Release 18.1 Overall Mortality Rate 27.2 Percentage of Total Euthanized 4.5 This paper was presented at the "First Annual Symposium on Captive Wildlife". m PLAN NOW TO COME TO PORTLAND, OREGON, SEPTEMBER 24-27, FOR THE 1979 NATIONAL CONFERENCE!!! 115 THE MILLER PARK ZOO: HERE AND NOW by BoAna/id C. fe^dinan KeepeA, Vouik Zoo In the heart of central Illinois, the combelt of the midwest, is the prospering city of Bloomington-Normal where there exists a two acre Zoo. Let me introduce you to the Miller Park Zoo, a zoo that is growing in size and steadily upgrading its professional standards. I would like to discuss how this small zoo operates. Therefore, 1*11 be talking about the animal collection. Keeper training, our communications, our responsibil- ities, problem solving, and our relationship with management (which con- sists of one person, the Zoo Superintendent). i The community haw shown interest in their zoo by raising enough money to Master Plan the 85 year old facility. With a three-phased Master Plan, Phase I being completed, we all look with enthusiasm to the enlargement of this Zoo. Phase I was the renovation of the main animal building, from eleven cages to four spacious exhibts for the large felines. Two new exhibits were constructed , a sea lion exhibit and a very attractive otter display. Phase II will see a Flamingo colony, an African Plains exhibit and a Prairie Dog Town. Phase III will be the constuction of the Australasian and South American continental exhibits. There is also an active Zoological Society which provides advice and financial assistance needed for the continued growth of the Zoo. Presently there are three full-time Keepers at the zoo and three part- time Keepers in the summer to work in the Petting Zoo. One of the Keepers is responsible for the Felines, Monkeys, Sea Lions, and Otters. Another Keeper is responsible for the Tropical Rain Forest exhibit, the Reptiles, and the Petting Zoo. The third full-time Keeper is basically a 'floating* Keeper, covering the areas of the other two when they're not there. We order the food and medications and often pick them up. We have a new van for transportation which we have used for just about everything, from transporting animals to bringing dirt in for the Rain Forest. It is said that is small zoos, the employees have to wear many hats. In this zoo, we have a closet full of hats. We wash the windows, clean the floors, maintain the restrooms, give tours, make holding or transport cages, and sometimes man the admissions booth— in general — keep the zoo. Versatility is obviously a must in this zoo. During the weekends and other times we answer the phone since there is no secretary. When the Cashiers and Zoo- venier shop attendants arrive, we are relieved of that work. Since our only form of surveillance at night is the Park Police, there is no night Keeper. For the small size of the zoo, we offer quite an extensive and varied diet for the animals. The cats are given the Nebraska brand feline diet and horsemeat. To the meat is added various medicines and food additives for the different cats. For example, our Spotted Leopards have Vit-asil, a vitamin supplement, and nutriderm a coat conditioner added to their diets. The monkeys are given various fruits, vegetables, monkey chow and meat. The snakes are fed mice, guinea pigs, rats, and an occasional rabbit. The hoofed stock in the Petting Zoo, which consists of the usual barnyard animals, are given good quality hay and grain. The Sea Lions are fed chopped mackerel with squid making up the lesser part of their diet. The otters feed on feline diet and mink chow that is worked to- gether with water. continued 116 The Miller Park Zoo: Here and Now, ciontlnue.d Of all the animals, the birds in the Tropical Rain Forest exhibitehave the most complicated diet . We have a meat mix which is ground horsemeat or feline diet, ground mackerel, ground apples, oranges, and carrots. This meat mix is then mixed with a vitamin supplement, mink chow, and a general mix which is ground dog chow, ground soft-billed bird diet, Rox- anthin Red~10, and bone meal. This moist and finely crumbled meat mix is the fundamental diet for the insectivorous and omnivorous softbills in the bird collection. Alongside the meat mix in the food pans are spread chopped apples, grapes, romaine, tomatoes, sliced oranges, grated carrots, and soaked raisins. The soft-billed bird pellets by Zu Preem are sprinkled over the meat mix and occasionally mealworms are added. Frequently crick- ets are tossed into the Rain Forest for the inclusion of additional live food. It is noted that I tood some time in describing our diets. This was done so one can see that the diet system can be as complicated as one would find in a larger Zoo. The animal collection is modest with its own stories of success and fail- ure. Most of our cats are either breeding or in the process of introduc- tion to each other. The Tropical Rain Forest has produced some Mandarin Ducks and Red-crested Cardinals to name a few. Numerous nests were built but some failed to produce. We reserve most optimism for better and more breeding in the Rain Forest when the plants grow more and present more nesting sites for the birds. The Rain Forest is just a little over a year and a half old. We’ve also experienced a severe rodent problem in this exhibit and with the Keepers going everywhere in that exhibit, many breeding instincts and 'attempts were disturbed. Many of our animal fail- ures are in the headings of stillborns, infertile eggs, drowhings, or a nest of eggs that just disappeared. Strangely, our pair of Greater Hill Mynahs managed to produce several offspring in the diet kitchen! Given an opportunity to breed in cramped conditions (meaning a parrot cage) the Mynahs showed us how to do it. A truly unique story of success. The Tropical Rain Forest exhibit is perhaps the most talked about because it is a completely new design of exhibit to the Bloomington-Normal area, a walk-through exhibit without a railing or bars . It also demands the most out of the Keepers in maintenance. This exhibit is approximately 80 feet in diameter, 25-30 feet in height , has circulating water for its four pools of various depths and has at least 50 different types of plants necessary for the jungle itself. Moreover, it has stone walls which mea sure up to 15 feet. It is .-octagonal in shape approaching a circle which allows uninhibited flight of the birds. There is a central skylight dome, numerous windows and spheres for light and vita-lites to further promote plant growth. Several species of ground birds;from White-faced Tree Ducks to Black Cranes find their niches while perching birds have greater difficulty. The perching birds are almost entirely softbills with a small psittacine bring the one exception. The softbills, from Peking Nightingales to Bare-throated Bellbirds, provide song and beauty. People seem to find the Iguanas the most intriguing and mysterious, and one always manages to rest in a branch of the Fig Tree overhanging the walk! The four renovated feline exhibits provide spacious and natural-looking displays, homes for Jaquars, Spotted Leopards, Pumas, Sumatran Tiger, and African Lions. There are inside and outside dens in each exhibit with transfer doors connecting all four exhibits. The transfer doors are operated either by a winch and cable or slide along a track. Behind the scenes is quite interesting. When one goes into the gunnite rockwork, the inside dens and the unique working conditions command one’s attention. aontlm^d 117 The Miller Park Zoo: Here and Now, aontlnue-d One can actually work above the animal supported by a strong grating with- out the slightest chance of danger. Transferring the cats from one exhibit to another is usually done with a water hose for encouragement. However, after awhile the animals seem to understand that when a door is opened, they are expected to pass through. Each of the four inside displays is connected to the larger outside exhibits by a transfer door. The Squirrel Monkeys live in an unassuming exhibit of various branches and ledges for running and jumping. We have seen some breeding but no results. The reptile exhibit, home for several Boas and Phythons, is now under renovation where the entire exhibit will appear natural instead of a huge holding cage. The California Sea Lions live in a new exhibit complete with a rock island, salt bath, denning area, and a Diaclear filter that is required to keep the 17,000 gallons of circulating water clear. Our 500-600 lb. Sea Lion bull is a major attraction on hot summer afternoons when begging for his food and chasing the smaller cow. The Otters are provided with a very spacious outdoor exhibit with two pools of circulating water and ample land space for frolicking and playing around, just like otters would. Inside they are provided with a private denning box and two holding spaces that are worked by sliding doors. The Petting Zoo, which is a favorite with everyone, offers the domestic barn- yard animals in a contact area. We have a consulting veterinarian who makes visits for a general question and answer session. We often go to his office to deliver fecal samples, to pick up medicine or for examination of a sick animal. All of the injections for worming or preventive measures are performed by the Keepers on the directions of the Veterinarian. These opportunities with and around the vet are most rewarding and certainly broadens one’s awareness of hygiene and disease. Since our keeper force is small, every Friday everyone is working and can get together. Usually we know how the other Keeper is doing and how his or her assigned area is doing by our weekly forms. We have complete free- dom is using the report forms, as a suggestion column, a discovery medium, and a bitch forum. Our feelings show the emotional impact we have for certain areas of the Zoo. For example, I wrote, "Hooray! I saw the Red and Yellow Barbets breeding this morning!" Disagreements are sometimes aired and problems solved this way. However, our problem-solving is usually that of general confrontation. If that doesn’t settle the pro- blem, the Superintendent arbitrates. If that doesn’t work, the Union, to which the Keepers belong, and the City Management try to settle it. Finally, for very important messages, we have a small blackboard in our one diet kitchen which we use constantly. You might be wondering now - WOW, with a Keeper force that small and in- tact, how do you get along with the Superintendent? Well, simply, very good. Our boss, Mr. Randall Carney, is in constant communication with all of us. He is appropriately termed, a ’Working Supervisor’. Our true relationship with Randy is very relaxed but professional and stems from the fact that he doesn’t ignore us, but sees our dedication and offers many good guide-lines to make our positions as Keepers enjoyable. All of us are open to new ideas to make a competent team of professionals that make the Zoo go. contZnue.d 118 The Miller Park Zoo: Here and Now, continu2.d Recently under the Comprehensive Employment Training Act, CETA, a grant by the Federal Goveemment afforded us the opportunity to expand the Education Program of the Zoo. An Education Coordinator position was created and an individual was hired to promote the understanding of zoo animals. Prior to this, the Keepers gave the tours and Randy went to schools with an assortment of animals for school programs. Now the Educa- tional Coordinator does this and the program is growing. A Docent pro- gram was created by him to visit more schools. He is also doing the graph- ics. Previously, the Keepers and Randy made the Graphics. When time was short, temporary signs went up. Now the graphics have a professional job of illustrating and describing the displays, which does add considerable appeal to the exhibits. In 1971, a program called the Junior Zookeepers was initiated for children in the pre-and early teens. They were given the basics of Zoology and Zoo Biology by teachers and completed a one year course, culminating in the awarding of a certificate. In the summer, the Junior Zookeepers help the part-time Keepers in caring for the Petting Zoo animals, a most rewarding aspect of the Junior Zookeeper program. When I was hired in the spring of 1977 to work at the Miller Park Zoo, on the job training by the Keepers and the Superintendent was required to adequately perform the routine duties. After a three month probation period, the Superintendent evaluates your performance and determines if you are acceptable for the staff. By then, the newly hired Keeper should know the routines quite well, should be well aware of the public and know how to deal with people. Though my degree in Biology and personal animal library prepared me for zoological work, the actual application of this knowledge and communications with other Keepers and their experiences were the best teachers of animal husbandry in the Zoo. General and specific information on animal behavior can be found in many books, but observing and trying to understand behavior in captivity makes ethology in large and mixed exhibits quite an assuming and young science. In my former Zoo positions, there were days when you completed your job routines and observations of the animals about noon and turned to obser- ving people, unless a project was in the works. Here the routine work and observations consumes the greater portion of the day. Winters are quiet and lonely and we can get more done. Another difference is the attitude toward managraent. At the Miller Park zoo, owing to its small size, there exists a complete mingling of thoughts and ideas between the management and the Keepers — a true ’espirit de corps’. This is a different type of paper to present at a Keeper conference, but one I hope touches on some of the suggested topics recommended for the conference. Along with the slides, I hope you can understand how we work, our communications, our responsibilites , and our professionalism. The Miller Park Zoo is a ’here’ Zoo because it is constantly trying to upgrade its standards as well as keep the facility appealing to the people as it is dedicated to the welfare of the animals. The Miller Park Zoo is a ’now’ Zoo because it is professionally alive for the animals and the public. This paper was presented at the National Conference of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, The theme of the conference was 'Our Education for Their Survival'. 119 We oAe ddiiply indebted to tko, AAZPA Nemlett:eA {^on. attoMtng uit> to h. ^nctton ^Kom tk^AJi "Po^tttons Avatlable' -tuttng6. TkU tt, a monthly 6<2Avtc2. to lU, io^ you. BIRV KEEPER. . . to work in tropical bird house. The duties include feeding, husbandry and general care. Some experience is necessary. This is a progressive bird department with a large collection of 325+ species, 1400+ individuals. Contact Bruce, Miller , Supervisor of Bird Departm^t, San Antonio Zoo, 3903 N. St. Mary’s, San Antonio, TX 78212, ? ? ? INFORMATION REQUEST Hyena and Serval information is wanted from anyone having knowledge or experience in exhibiting hyenas and/or Serval in an open moated grotto. We want to alternate the Spotted Hyena in the lion grotto and the Serval in the Cheetah grotto. Please send any information to: Ralph Konrath Milwaukee County Zoo 10001 West Bluemound Road Milwaukee, WI 53226 HAi/E you... • • • -6e.nt tn you/i nomtnatton {^ofi thz. Boouid oi Wmcton^ to Jill Grade Busch Gardens Attn: Zoo Office 3000 August A. Busch Blvd. Tampa, FL 33612 See poLg(i 64 o^ tho. AphJJi i^^uz o^ AKF Ion. tho, diztall6. Momtnattont OAQ, duo. Jam 30. VO IT NOW. * * * * COMING EVENTS * * * * AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS NATIONAL CONFERENCE September 24-27, 1979 Portland, Oregon AAZPA National Conference September 30-0ctober 4, 1979 St. Louis, Missouri Regional Conference for Zoo Support Organizations October 27-29, 1979 Louisville, Kentucky Contact: Nita Dean, Executive Director or Dr. A.J. Eilers, President Louisville Zoological Society 1100 Trevilian Way, Louisville, KY 40213 World Conference on Breeding Endangered Species in Captivity November 12-16, 1979 San Diego, California World Conference on Sea Turtle Conservation November 26-30, 1979 Washington, D.C. Contact: Ms. Vivian Silverstein 1244 19th Street NW Washington, D.C. 20036 ***** 120 INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS AyUmat foAum publishes original papers and news items of interest to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles. Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs, and tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page size of no more than 6"xl0''. Literature used should be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Articles sent to Anundt VoKim will be reviewed for publication. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to publish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages will be separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial staff. The editors reserve 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 envelope. Articles printed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the AyiimaZ Ke.e.peA^’ Fo^um editorial staff or of the American Association of Zoo Keepers. Telephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions are acceptable. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will not be accepted. The phone number is 913 272-5821. DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION IS THE 20th OF THE PRECEDING MONTH. MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION Affiliate (full-time keepers) $10.00 annually Associate (part-time keepers, students, docents) .$10.00 annually Foreign $15.00 annually Contributing $50.00 annually All memberships include subscriptions to AnXmat Keepe/L6 ' Folium. 50% of the member's dues are budgeted for the publication. All new members receive an AAZK shoulder patch and a membership card good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada. The AAZK Headquarters has extra shoulder patches available for $1.25 and back issues of the ArUmoJi KeepeA^’ FoAum for $1.00. Send name and address and a check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers to AAZK HEADQUARTERS NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 ALL CHANGES OF ADDRESS SHOULD BE SENT TO AAZK HEADQUARTERS AT THE NATIONAL ZOO. DO NOT SEND THEM TO Ayumal Ke.e.pzu' FoAum. The journal is not available by subscription only. fiSI 5 2L?;S: |n!§=' 3 OT3 > "0.2 5v ?s.n * P S’ &} ^ INO OD) ■' ^ ‘'h '- V'"", rt" o >• ; Animal ')edicated to Professional Animal Care JULY 1979 ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606 ISSN 0164-9531 Editor-in-Chief : Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoological Executive Editor: Mike Coker, Topeka Zoological Managing Editor: Lois Bogia, Topeka Zoological Art Consultant: Elaine Shea kvimaJi /(eepe/L6 ' Vonxm is a monthly journal published by the American Association naf Zoo Keepers, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C., 20008, for its members. Send all address changes, undeliverable copies and other membership inquiries to AAZK Headquarters, Washington, D.C.. Second class postage is paid at Topeka, Kansas. Return postage is guaranteed. Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the Editor. JULY 1979 VOLUME SIX NUMBER SEVEN Park Park Park AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 €l-lzab2,th Gldi^do, Adm^ini^tAcutlvii Szc/LoXoAy Board of Directors Dennis Grimm, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513 Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606 Ed Roberts, Stone Mem. Zoo, 149 Pond St., Stoneham, MA 02180 Tom Goldsberry, Washington Pk. Zoo, 4001 S.W. Canyon Rd, Portland, OR 97221 Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 100 W. Webster Ave. , Chicago, IL 60614 Coordinators and Committees Coordinator for Chapter Affairs Coordinator for International Affairs Pcut SammoAco, L-lncoln Pcuik loo Tom GolcUbeAAy, Workington PoAk loo AAZK/AAZPA Liaison Ed PoboAtr, WoItzA V. Stom Mem. Zoo Nominations and Election Committee Jtll GAode, Burch GoAdcnr, PloAido, Ckaimoman Kent Benedict, Atlanta Zoo Mike MaybAy, Ove/iton PoAk Zoo BeAnoAd Feldman, MilleA PoAk Zoo Von Rarmurren, Minnerota State Zoo Awards Committee Mike CokeA, Topeka Zoo, CkalAman Mike Vee, Lor Angeler Zoo Uicky LaRue, Int Vick SodeAlund, BAook^ield Zoo Mike CAockeA, Vi Regional Coordinators Jill GAade, Burch GoAdenr, FloAida, Ed RobeAtr Venire BoAtenleldeA Kevin Conway EveAett LioAAir KeAAy Holman LoAAy SammoAco Von Rarmurren Linette BAown LauAa StAtckland Tim O'BAien GoAy Tibbettr WalteA V, Stone Mem. Zoo BaltimoAe fAont Royal, VA BindeA PoAk Zoo Cincinnati Zoo Lincoln PoAk Zoo Minnerota State Zoo Knoxville Zoo MontgomeAy Zoo Audubon PoAk Zoo Rio GAande Zoo 'tl. CAane Fdn. ron PoAk Zoo 1 UT, MH, MA, RJ MJ, MV, VE 0/1/ OH, KT IL lA, MO MC, SC AL, GA MS, LA Head ME, UT. NH, MA. RJ . CT NV PA, i^A, MI IN, WJ, MM, TM, FL, AR, TX,NM,C0,0K,KS,NE,SV,MV WA, OR, JV, MT, WV, AK CA, Ml/, AZ, UT, HI SCOOPS and SCUTTLEBUTT Th^ Jaty c.ov2A Ltiuu^tAcution U> by He/ib Robe/Lt6 tho. Zoo o^ct A'z/caniai. He coLptuAnd th day. LovaJby! A GOOF AND AN APOLOGY In the June issue on page 115, the title of Ray Doyle's paper was inadvertently omitted. It should read RAPTOR REHABILITATION REPORT. Our sincere apologies. VISIT OUR REMODELED NURSERY. . . .Ann LdJXlewood, Workington PoAk loo The Nursery at Washington Park Zoo in Portland, Oregon, will soon reopen after a year-long, $25,000 remodeling. It can house baby animals ranging from tree shrews to elephants, from seals to owls. Caging, sanitation, lighting, and heating are improved, as is public viewing. The Nursery keepers initiated the design and contributed throughout the project. At the September AAZK Conference, tour our nursery and see what ideas you can take home ! REGIONAL COORDINATORS NEEDED Jill Grade, head of the Regional Coordinator network, announces the vacancy of three Regional Coordinator posts — those of NY; and WA, OR, ID, MT, WY, AK; and the region of CA, NV, AZ, UT, HI. Anyone who needs more information on the job or would like to serve in one of these regions (or any portion thereof), can contact her. Jill Grade is now at the Busch Gardens, 3000 Busch Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612 Attn: Zoo Office. Telephone 813 988-5171. Busch Bird Sanctuary in California is no longer in existence, and Jill reports some difficulty with getting her mail forwarded and asks that correspondents use the Florida address. 121 BIRTHS HATCHINGS BROOKFIELD ZOO CELEBRATES BIRTH OF OKAPI ) One of the Brookfield Zoo s rarest animals — an okapi — gave birth on May 30 to a little female. Calmly accepted by mother Mufuh, 6, a six hour labor was attributed in part to the good size of the baby, who stands over 3 feet tall and wleghs 49 lbs. The little okapi was up on her feet within 10 minutes of birth, seeking her mother’s nipples five minutes after that, and has been nursing regularly since. Based on the baby’s arrival and first hours in the world, zoo staff decided on an appropriate mane: Mangese (man-Gee-zee) is a pygmy term for a youngster capable of doing great things. Mangese is a third generation birth for Brookfield. In 1959, Brookfield Zoo was the site of the first okapi birth in the country. This rare species of large land mammal was unknown until 1900, when it was discov- ered in its native Central African rain forest area. With the face, sloped back and parallel gait of its cousin, the giraffe, the okapi has a dark brown velvety coat and white striped legs. The stripe pattern of the hindquarters is the animal’s ’’fingerprint,” as no two individuals are the same. An adult okapi is about the size of a small horse. The little okapi brings to six the number of this rare species at Brook- field Zoo. Currently, there are 17 okapis in captivity in the United States; 14 of these born in captivity. miller PARK'S MOUNTAIN LION GIVES BIRTH ON MOTHER'S DAY Miller Park Zoo's female Mountain Lion VqJJJ) COYlC-OtoH. Leonita gave birth to 2.1 cubs on Mother’s Day, May 13th. We have discovered that the female cub was so small she had to be given supplemental milk formula to more adequately compete with her larger brothers. All three cubs and mother are doing very well. BRONX ZOO'S WORLD OF DARKNESS IS SITE OF BIRTHS Night vision is the one requisite for enjoying three new-born nocturnal mammals at the Bronx Zoo’s World of Darkness. A black-backed baby duiker was born on March 22. The duiker is a small, gentle antelope from West Central Africa. A baby leopard cat was born on February 15. The spotted cat, about the size of a house cat, is from Southeast Asia. A douroucouli, or owl monkey, was also born on March 22. It is the only nocturnal monkey and is a native of Central and South America. 122 SLOW LORIS BIRTH AT ZOO OF ARKANSAS On May 19, 1979, a slow loris UycJticL ) the pale lilliput pearly mussel ToxotciAmd cy-tZnd/i^ZZcL; the turgid blossom pearly mussel EpXob-tcLSmcL {-Vy 6 no un-la] tuAg-ldata) the birdwing pearly mussle ConH-adUZ-ta (ia(lZ.oJi.a\ the tan riffle shell mussel EplbloU^ma tA)alkQjU} and the Cumberland monkeyface pearly mussel Quad/iuta InteJmzdia. The mussels are found in Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE'S WEST VIRGINIA SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM ONE OF THE LARGEST OF ITS TYPE IN THE WORLD One of the worldh largest space heating and cooling solar energy systems is harnessing the sun’s power amid the hills of West Virginia to fuel the new home of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicds National Fish Health Research Laboratory. This new solar unit is part of a larger, highly-sophisticated energy system based on the overall rise and fall of heat within the building. This system extracts and recirculates ’’waste’’ heat in a process popularly called” heat scavenging.” The laboratory has achieved worldwide recognition as the major center for the study of fish diseases. Eighteen staff members and specialists in parasitology, virology, bacterior logy, immunology, physiology, epidemiology, and histopathology conduct research into the infectious diseases of mid-range and ccfIrWater fishes. ESSA PROPOSES TO APPROVE LIMITED EXPORT OF ALLIGATORS AND GINSENG Limited export of wild American ginseng and American alliga- tors would be permitted under proposals published by ESSA. ESSA also proposed to approve conditionally the export 6f American alligators kULigotoft mi6i>-U^lppl2.n^iM legally killed in Louisiana and Florida on or after June 28, 1979, the date on which the species will be officially reclassified from CITES appendix I, to II. In the U.S. export permits may be issued by the Fish and Wildlife Service if it is satisfied that specimens were not taken in violation of federal and state law and if the ESSA advises in its final rulemaking of August 10, 1979, that export will hot be detrimental to the survival of the species. 129 PUBLIC MEETINGS TO BE HELD ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES PROGRAM Public meetings will be held in July to elicit opinion on the issues that should be addressed in a proposed environmental impact statement on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services 's endangered species program. The proposed impact statement will discuss various aspects of the present endangered species program, including environmental, economic, and other effects. Alternatives to the present program will also be considered. SECOND ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON CAPTIVE WILDLIFE Sponsored by Louisville Chapter - American Association of Zoo Keepers October 26-29, 1979 The Louisville Chapter would like to cordially invite all zoo keepers to attend the Second Annual Symposium on Captive Wildlife. The theme of this year’s program is animal behavior. Among those already scheduled to present papers are Dr. Michael Fox, Director of the Institute for the Study of Animal Problems, Dr. David Wildt of the Institute of Comparative Medicine, Mr. David Hancocks, Director of Woodland Park Zoo, and Dr. Erich Klinghammer, President of the North American Wildlife Park. We would like to invite anyone who would like to present a paper to submit an abstract to us by August 1. The length of the talk should be approximately 20 mirfutes. The Registration fee is $15.00. The Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Louisville is the site of this year’s meeting. Anyone wishing more information should contact: Steven Taylor’ Louisville Zoological Garden 1100 Trevilian Way Louisville, Kentucky 40213 502-459-2181 ? ? ? INFORMATION, PLEASE ? ? ? I request information on the following: (1) Nasal problems and diets for all species of guenons CoAcop-ithdCU^ . (2) Diet and cage structures for all species of spider monkeys KtoXo^ . Please Include sex ratio, not indoor-outdoor access, if animals are on constant public display, breeding success and any types of cage furni- ture (e.g. branches, ropes, chains, etc.). Send replies to: Brookfield Zoo Brookfield, Illinois 60513 Attention Carol Schifo, Primate House 7 ? ? ? 130 THE USE OF BACTERIA FOR MOSQUITO CONTROL by UlZttCam A. Ramo^ka, ?n.o{i(i66o^ Ve.paAtm(int Entomology, Kan^cu Statu Uyiivn-ulty Nuisance and disease carrying mosquitoes are becoming ever more tolerant to the insecticides used for their control. Additionally, most conven- tional insecticides are toxic to other "non-target” creatures living in the same environment as the mosquito. It is easy to see that alterna- tive methods of mosquito control must be pursued. Kansas State University and over a dozen other research centers are currently pursuing the use of insect pathogenic bacteria as a means of controlling disease transmitting and pest mosquitoes. Two of the most promising of these microbial agents are E>acJJiliii> 6pa.(int(iuJi and B. tkuAytngtdYL^uJi var. . B. ■6pha.QAtcuJ> was discovered in 1973 and has received much scientific scrutiny in the past years. it is harmless to man and other animals including all Insects except mosquitoes. Field test in Ft. Myers, Florida and the central American country of Nicaragua have demonstrated that B. 6pha.Q,^CLU> is capable of controlling nuisance and malaria carrying mosquitoes at the con- centration of one part bacterial preparation to 100,000 parts water. At this rate, no mosquito larvae remain alive in the test sites 12 hours after inoculation. Although B. thuAtngtQ^n^ti) was a later arrival to the bio-control scene (1975', it looks even better than B. 6pha2Atc.LU> does. In laboratory assays, B. thuAtngt^n6-l^ has been shown to produce a high degree of mortality upon the host population as early as two hours after inoc- ulation. This is at a rate of one part B.t. per million parts water. Field testing of this pathogen will be initiated this coming summer. The reason these agents can work so effectively in such small quanti- ties is that it is the nature of mosquitoes to consume microbes. In a manner of speaking, they are passively seeking the very entity that is lethal to them. Both bacterial pathogens are currently being studied by commercial concerns in hopes of eventually mass-producing and marketing these pesticides. This process should take from two to three years. The products will then be available for professional use in mosquito control. FAMILY THERAPY FOR CHIMPS A breeding facility is being built and operated by the University of Texas for the National Institues of Health because of the limited supply of chimpanzees available from abroad. But most of the chimps that will be first sent there have not been raised with other chimps so need to be taught by other chimps that have lived in a more natural environment in the Stanford Outdoor . Primate Facility. Michale Keeling is the veterinarian in charge and the report is printed in the May 1979 issue of Psychology Today . PESTICIDE WARNING PUBLISHED The May 1979 issue of Psychology Today carries a report of a recent study titled "Pesticides Go to the Brain." The report was on sarin, which is similar pharmacologically to the common pesticides malathion and parathion. It increased both beta (high-frequency) brain activity and REM sleep activity. ■ 1 131 PRLSS INVITED TO BEAR SURGERY loo Members of the press were invited to the Baltimore zoo to record an actual Zoo surgical procedure on a 1,000+ lb. female Kodiak Bear. The procedure involved the insertion of a pencil sized implant in the thigh. The surgery was performed by Dr. Michael Stoskoph, Zoo Staff Veterinarian. The purpose of the plastic time-release implant is to inhibit ovulation of the Female Bear, thus making it impossible to conceive. Its life is two years at which time it can be replaced during routine medical procedures. Birth control is becoming a way of life in the world's zoos. Surplus animals are one of the Zoo's greatest concerns . Zoo breeding successes have made the importation of wildlife for stocking zoos basically unnecessary. Less than IZ o£ the animals imported into this country are imported for zoos. Animal produced by captive breeding can only find homes in other zoos as their return to the wild is not practical at this time. PROTEIN DEFICIENCY POSSIBLE CAUSE OF GIRAFFE DEATH The Baltimore Zoo is sad to announce the sudden death of two female Angolan Giraffe within a twenty-four hour period on June 7 and 8, 1979. The probable cause of death has initially been determined as preacute mortality. Dr. Frank Loew, Pathologist for The Johns Hopkins Division of Compar- ative Medicine, who oversaw the autopsy, describes preacute mortality as "Sudden death, with no apparent signs". Dr. Loew further states that autopsy samples suggest a possible protein deficiency. Dr Loew's findings are further supported by a recent study of Dr. Murray E. Fowler, presented to the American Association of Zoo Veter- inarians. In his study, PAeacctte Mo^iXaZity Captive, GviaUd, Dr. Fowler draws the following conclusion, " The prime suspects as pre- disposing factors (in preacute mortality) are a protein and/ or other nutrient deficient diet combined with general stressors." Dr. Fowler's findings are based on indepth studies of Giraffe from 60 Zoos through out the United States and Canada. In Africa, the protein intake of wild giraffe varies dramatically from season to season. Whole herds have been known to die swiftly and suddenly from preacute mortality or "Giraffe Syndrome" as it is locally known. At present. Dr. Michael Stoskopf, chief veterinarian of the Baltimore Zoo with the assistance of Dr. Loew, is modifying and carefully observ- ing the daily protein intake of the Zoo's giraffe herd. Our one male and four females are adapting well to their revised diets and appear to be in good health. At the time of their death, the giraffe were 15 years old; both animals were pregnant. 132 THE KEEPER EDUCATION COURSE AT THE BALTIMORE ZOO By VdYiUn 0. BoAtmioZdoA BaZXJjnofid loo The theme of this year's conference "Our Education for Their Survival" reflects that zoo keepers are entrusted with a large responsibility. We are the caretakers of the many species that are, or soon will be extinct in the wild in a few years. How can we cope with the responsibility of managing an animal that, without us, might disappear from the face of the earth? The answer - - education. Too often in-house keeper training has been hit and miss, passed on from old keepers to new, or even non-existent. At the Baltimore Zoo, keepers decided that their education was vital to the management of the animals in their care. The keepers suggested the course and their interests created the course. In a preliminary meeting with the Educa- tion Department the keepers delineated what topics they were interested in covering. With the combined help of the Education, Medical, and Administrative Departments the varied subjects were molded into a course of instruction starting September, 1977. There were many problems to overcome. Previous years had seen several false starts in keeper education courses at the zoo, from tall tales of dangerous animal captures in the wild to a fifteen minute one-shot lesson in safety. After much debate, a time slot was finally resolved. Being municipally funded, the administration paved the way for the City of Baltimore to allot twenty minutes of work time and the keepers to give twenty minutes of their lunch time on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Keeper education was diverse, ranging from old-timers who had been at the zoo up to thirty years to the newly -hired college graduate. Would the course insult the senior staff by the implication that if they attended, they didn't know all about the animals in their care? Attrition was also a problem - how do you hold the interest of a hard-core reptile keeper when the subject is hoof and horn problems. These are just a few of the problems that were realized before and during the course. Organization of the course was a multi-departmental effort. The major proponents and facilitators were the Zoo Veterinarian and the Director of Education, who did most of the work as well. They arranged the lecture presentations and their sequence, the lecturers and speakers, reference materials, lecture notes, media, etc. which entailed a great expenditure of time and effort for keeper benefit. Speakers and guest lecturers included veterinarians from the Department of Comparative Medicine of the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore Zoo administrators, curators and principal keepers, most of the lectures being shared by the Medical and Education Departments of the Zoo. Lec- tures included the topics of anatomy, physiology, taxonomy, zoogeo- graphy, public health, capture and restraint, parasitology, management, breeding, obstetrics and nutrition to name a few. Keepers were given notebooks and typed lecture notes and diagrams. A variety of media were used to accent lectures. Slides of restraint techniques and procedures highlighted several lectures in a clear, precise manner. Overhead projections used in conjunction with take home handouts allowed for better class discussion and participation. A 133 Keeper Education Course, coKittnaed variety of preserved specimens were used in the lectures on anatomy, physiology and parasitology. Field observations enabled keepers to observe sexual dimorphism and adaptive mechanisms in birds. Demonstr- tions also allowed keepers "hand on" experience , showing them the proper way to lift a rock python or handle a soft shelled turtle. Finally, informal open book, take home tests were given. Keepers were generally in favor of the tests as a method of finding out just how much they had learned. Means, medians, high and low grades were given to the class, however, no records of the test results were kept. Results and after affects of the keeper education course are visible. The keepers taking the course agreed that the knowledge and education that they received increased their professionalism and pride in their work. Serving as an educational stimulus, several keepers went on to research areas of interest to them. A big bonus was in the area of communication. The course had a side benefit of fostering an interdepartmental sensitivity enabling keepers to see and understand the animals, hazards and duties in areas other than their own. The keepers at the Baltimore Zoo felt that one of the primary objectives of the keeper course was to help them to understand illness and the prevention of disease spreading in animals. In this respect, awareness, observations and terminology learned in the keeper course are of impor- tance to the Baltimore Zoo Veterinarian in treating the animals. The keeper is better able to convey the ideas behind zoos, animal management, and zoo keeping as a profession to the public. Drawing from what he or she learned from the course, the keeper is better qualified to answer the technical questions posed by the public. The keeper course was held weekly from September, 1977, through May, 1978. At the end of the course many keepers were curious in specific areas that interested them. Again, the keepers created the "Advanced Keeper Seminar" to begin the fall of 1978, with research and lectures to be given by the keepers themselves. Some of the topics included are: "Nutrition," "The hoof and its Problems," "Captive Diet of the Sloth Bear," and "Captive Managment of the Marmot". The professional attitude fostered by the keeper education course provided the impetus for keeper inclusion in exhibit planning. Species profiles were completed by keepers to aid architects in exhibit design. Recommendations for beginning a keeper education course would be to garner the enthusiasm of the keepers and have them suggest what they are interested in learning. Enlist the help of the administration and all the department heads in the zoo to assist in organizing the course and to undertake the proposed lecture topics. For example, the zoo vet- erinarian would be a good person to ask to teach anatomy and physiology; the curator might agree to teach manual restraint techniques; and zoo administration may be willing to lecture on the principles of zoo man- agement; while the graphics department could produce slides and illus- trations for lectures. The importance of written lecture notes and open book, take home tests canot be stressed enough. Diagrams and slides help hold interest as 134 Keeper Education Course, contlnazd well as stress an important point. Be sure to include organized field observations and "hands on" demonstrations as experience is still the best teacher. Keeper education is a no-loss proposition— everybody wins. The zoo management wins with a more professional staff member. The zoo-going public wins with informed zoo staff answering their questions. The zoo animal wins with a more knowledgable keeper to meet his problems and needs. Finally, the keeper is the biggest winner with a better self image along with pride and confidence in his work. This paper was presented at the 4th National Conference of AAZK. ^ "Bali and Caspian Tigers Disappear"— The Bali tiger is now considered extinct; and no positive signs of any surviving Caspian tigers have been found in Iran and eastern Turkey, although some Individuals might still exist in the mountains of northern Iraq. from the President OPEN LETTER TO ZOO DIRECTORS AND ZOO SUPPORTING SOCIETIES: There are a number of conferences throughout the year which would be beneficial for professionally-minded animal keepers to attend including the AAZK National Convention, AAZPA National Convention, and the AAZPA regional Workshops. I encourage you to offer your support to such keepers who wish to attend any zoo or animal related conferences by allowing sufficient time off and offering possible financial support to help cover registration fees, traveling expenses, or miscellaneous costs incurred. Those keepers who hold an administrative position in AAZK or other professional zoo related associations or those who wish to present a paper should especially be considered for such assistance. Animal keepers attending these important conferences not only are exposed to pertinent information relevant to their job and other zoo professionals at various' levels of management, but also have much to offer to the delegates with respect to their knowledge and experience in direct animal management . I urge you to consider such assistance for your animal keepers when feasibly possible. They’ll appreciate your added concern and support. Thank you. Sincerely , Dennis Grimm President, AAZK Brookfield Zoo Brookfield, Illinois 60513 leXteA by tko. AAZK u)(U p/viyit2.d In thd AAZPA 135 Great Ape O.'^^^emonVi^ 'OLD MAN OF THE WOODS' DIES AT METRO TORONTO ZOO by AtfzZtuon, Keepe/L MeJyio ToA.onto Zoo, We^t Onta/Uo, Canada "Mias", the zoo's only adult male Sumatran orang-utan Pongo pygmaQ.ui> died recently at approximately 25 years of age. At the time of death, he was under sedation for examination of a serious ear infection. A preliminary post-morten revealed that his nasal cavities, throat sac and lungs were also seriously infected. There were no noticeable external symptoms of these complication. His weight at this time was 350 lbs. His hand measured from the wrist to the tip of the finger was 11 3/4" long, and 9 3/4" wide from the base of the index to the base of the baby finger. The forearm measured midway between wrist and elbow was 23" in diameter. During his five years at Metro Zoo, "Mias" fathered two offspring - a female now 4 years old and a male just 20 months. Along with these two individuals, he shared the orang-utan exhibit with three other females, aged 19, 12 and 7 years. Exceptionally well-mannered and tolerant, "Mias" very rarely used physical force to exert his dominance over the group. Due partly to his large size and patient attitude, he became an extremely popular animal with zoo visitors. Thousands of people enjoyed watching the antics of the younger orang-utans as they seemingly harassed "the big guy" to distraction by searching his hairy bulk for small pieces of food. They would sometimes jump up and down on his head or swing on his long hair, and on occasion, grab his cheek flanges and shake them vigorously. "Mias" never reacted violenlty to this treatment and at times actually seemed to enjoy it. He will be missed by not only his keepers and the public, but also by "Chantek" (4 years) and "Agnes" (7) After an autopsy is performed at O.V.C., University of Guelph, Ontario, his body will be preserved and placed on display at the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. A noto, by UoAXa Hammond, V^cke/uon PoAk Zoo, 06 a n.m-lnd2A to {^ttt-tn. Lions and Tigers have nothing to gain. Just lay in the sun each day is the same. Content they will be if each day at four Their tummies are filled with horsemeat and gore. If kitchen help forgets to thaw out their meat Then at four They will roar And eat Keeper fcr treat ! 136 ELEPHANT CONTROL by Ed. RobeAX^, S^. Zoo Ke,^peA M.V. Stone. Zoo, Mci64. My topic today is "Elephant Control", and you have probably all heard the expression, "how do you stop a wild charging elephant?" " You take away its credit card." Right? Well, elephant jokes are almost as endless as the ideas different elephant men have on how to control their animals. But there is one unalterable fact, and all of them will agree on this — that discipline in the form of punishment is the force necessary to gain an elephant’s respect . So how do you discipline an elephant? There are a number of ways a good elephant handler can accomplish this. In the first place, you must enjoy working with the largest of all land animals. Since elephants are known to be very intelligent, it could be said that they make up their own minds on whether they will let you handle them! Elephants form their own likes and dislikes of certain people and others they will tolerate, very much like humans. I have seen zoo people stepped on, batted by a swinging trunk, and have seen an elephant handler get sandwiched between two elephants. If I hadn't yelled a warning to drop to the floor, that handler would have ended' up seriously injured, if not killed! Ordinary persons seeing things like this, would think that the elephant was getting even for something that she was punished for. The fact of the matter was — the elephant did not respect the handler, did not fear him, and therefore tried to take advantage of the situation and, let me tell you now, an elephant will test you time and again, just to see it you’ve got the moxie to stand up to them. So, to get down to basics, you gain an elephant’s respect through fear of punishment. Never punish an elephant for no reason at all, only when it has done something it shouldn’t have. Elephants are exception- ally inquisitive, and if they have access to wheel barrows, water hoses, rakes, shovels, buckets, water pipes, almost anything that their trunks can reach, they will, in their playful moods, proceed to become a demolition unit. If you happen to catch the brute doing something it shouldn’t, discipline it immediately and not ten minutes later, for it will never understand what it is being punished for. • Now, you ask, what exactly do you do to discipline an elephant when it has done something it shouldn't have. All elephant men usually carry an elephant hook. A good elephant man never hits an elephant with the steel end part of the hook. You rap the animal smartly along the rib cage or the upper hind quarter with the wooden curved part of the hook which is shaped like a cane and shout "no!" a couple of times. Don’t worry, the elephant will get the meaning very quickly, for as large as the animal is, they do not like punishment. The keeper who knows when to mete out punishment when necessary and praises his elephant with kind words and a lump or two of sugar or carrots when the elephant is good, will gain the respect and love of the animal, and, in turn, will love the animal also. Once the keeper has gained this respect, he or she can start working the elephant from, chain commands to doing some basic tricks like putting a foot on a wooden block if you wish to trim some toe-nails or work on the pads. To get an elephant to lay down may pose a problem, but I 137 Elephant Control , continued have found that by exerting pressure down with the hook on the elephant's top neck, it will get the idea you want it to lie down. The command, along with the hook, would be 'down' followed by the elephant's name. To keep the elephant down, exert light pressure with the blunt end of the hook on its neck repeating the word 'steady' if it starts to rise up. To move an elephant out of a building, freeze it in one spot with the command 'steady' repeated at intervals as you unchain. I often use the words ' easy, girl' and 'steady now' to freeze an elephant. Always walk on the left of your elephant; if she moves ahead, hook her above the left knee and pull back. Never hook an elephant on the trunk. If you want her to raise her trunk, pat the underside and give her the command 'trunk up' followed by her name. To back an elephant up from a standing position, use the flat of your left hand, with you hook in your right hand (opposite for lefties) against her trunk, push forward with the command 'back' followed by her name. Chaining up for the night, you may have to hook her on her rear flank to get the leg you want to chain, and once she is in position, give again the command 'steady' while you proceed to put the chain around her leg. Practice calling from a distance with the command 'come here'. She should come at a run and stop dead in front of you, if you've trained her right. Always praise your animal when she's good. Once she has accepted you as her handler and trainer, then you can trust her with your life. Elephants manifest their pleasure in different ways. All of them rumble deep in their throats when contented, flap their ears rapidly when you come close, and some roar out a greeting and trumpet noisily when called by name. Our elephant "Babe" used to get so excited each morning she'd wet herself much like a puppy. Remember, if you have the slightest fear or working with elephants, it would be to your advantage to stay away from them. If you decide to work with them, then punish only when necessary. If you let her get away with something she shouldn't have, then you have lost your control over your elephant . The elephant must fear punishment and discomfort, and I repeat this, for if you don't chastise when necessary, then some day, she will get you. The reason would be that she did not respect you. More handlers have been maimed or killed by elephants thatn any other animal in the zoo (or in circuses without the attendant publicity) and the reason was, the elephant had no fear — fear of punishment — from her handler and trainer . This is how you gain an elephant's respect and love, and you, in turn, can find that you, too, can love and respect such a huge beast. This paper was presented at the AAZK National Conference, Gainesville, Florida. 138 U/e aA.e. dnzply Inddbt^d to the. AAZPA Nevo^letteA iofi attoMtng 116 to n.e.p/u.nt pontton6 0^ thU 6e.c.tton iK.om tkeln. "Posttiont Available" It6tlng6, TIvU -it a monthly -i^eAvtoe. to at, ion. you. Oklahoma C-ity Zoo hat the. ic£oivtng potltlont available: SENIOR KEEPER/ ASSISTANT TRAINER, PACHVVERMS... to supervise routine operations and keeper personnel in Pachyderm Building that includes Asiatic and African elephants (males and females of both species), rhinoceros and hippopotamus, and to assist heat trainer with elephant program that includes public demonstrations. Elephant experience mandatory. Salary: $11,794 - $12,626. Excellent fringe benefits. PACHVVERM KEEPER. . . to participate in husbandry program of Asiatic and African elephants, rhinoceros and hippopota- mus and to assist trainers with an elephant program that includes public demonstrations. Elephant experience required. Salary: $10,046 - $10,608. Excellent fringe benefits. UNGULATE KEEPER. . . to participate in husbandry program with large collection of hoofed animals and some birds. Previous zoo or other large animal experience preferred. Salary: $10,046 - $10,608. Excellent fringe benefits. For the above three positions, submit resumes to Tom Foose, Curator of Pachyderms and Ungulates. Oklahoma City Zoo, 2101 N.E. 59th, Oklahoma City, OK 73111. o p p 0 r t u n 1 t y SENIOR CURATOR/MAMMALS. . . must be a Primatology specialist. Applicant must have Ph.D. or equivalent in life sciences or related subject matter, plus extensive experience in management of captive primate collections and their exhibition. Experience in the conduct of behavioral research within a zoological park setting is mandatory. Salary range: $27,453- $32,442 per annum. Position available at the National Zoological Park. Applications should be sent to the Office of Personnel Administration, Attn: Ms. Janice Brambilla, 900 Jefferson Drive, S.W., Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560. AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. ANIMAL COLLECTION SECRETARY. . .requires experience in the care and main- tains collection accounts and inventories, makes transportation arrange- ments for animal shipments. Demonstrated ability in a responsible position requiring a high degree of accuracy. Basic secretarial and clerical skills required, stenographic skill preferred. Familiarity with things zoological, experience with medical record keeping or laboratory management helpful. Contact Jean Coontz, Personnel Manager, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513. (312) 485-0263, ext. 24. ANIMAL SUPERVISOR requires experience in the care and maintenance of a diversified animal collection and some supervisory experience. This is a working supervisor and applicant is expected to perform some animal maintenance work as well as supervise personnel within the areas of animal care and record keeping. Starting salary $11,194 plus benefits. Contact George Speidel, Jr., Director, Salisbury Zoo, 750 S. Park Drive, Salisbury, MD 21801. (301) 742-2123. 139 crproOSTT AWIMAL KEEPER ... to work with apes and Old and New World monkeys; exten- sive involvement with a marmoset colony. Responsibilities include daily maintenance of animals, building upkeep, behavioral research and parti- cipation in public education programs. Excellent salary, benefits and working conditions. Good opportunity for advancement and to work in a pioneering primate facility. Position available August 1979. Submit resume and letter detailing relevant experience to Jean Coontz, Personnel Manager, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513. * * * * COMING EVENTS * * * * July 29-Aug.4 1979. 59th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists to be held at the University of Maine at Orono. For further information, contact the University: or for pre-registration, mail to Conferences and Institutes Division, 128 College Ave. University of Maine at Orono, Orono, ME 04469. August 10-11, 1979 Third Annual Symposium on Reptile Husbandry and Pro- pogation to, be held in Knoxville, Tennessee. For further information, contact: Howard Lawler, Dept, of Herpetology, Knoxville Zoological Park, P.O. Box 6040, Knoxville, TN 37914 August 22-26, 1979 5th Annual Convention of the American Federation of Aviuclture, hosted by the Gold Coast Exotic Bird Club at the Diplomat Hotel, Hollywood, Florida. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS NATIONAL CONFERENCE September 24-27, 1979 Portland, Oregon AAZPA National Conference September 30-0ctober 4, 1979 St. Louis, Missouri Annual Convention of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, October 7-11, 1979 Stouffer’s Denver Inn, Denver, Co Contact: M.S. Silberman, D.V.M., Executive Secretary Emory University, P.O. Box 23800 ^ Atlanta, Ga 30322 (404) 329-7423 Second Annual Symposium on Captive Wildlife October 26-29 Louisville Chapter AAZK Contact: Steven Taylor Louisville Zoological Garden 1100 Trevilian Way Louisville, Kentucky Regional Conference for Zoo Support Organizations October 27-29, 1979 Louisville, Kentucky World Conference on Breeding Endangered Species in Captivity November 12-16, 1979 San Diego, California World Conference on Sea Turtle Conservation November 26-30, 1979 Washington, D.C. 140 INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS kvimoJi Kee.peAA’ Fonim publishes original papers and news items of interest to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles. Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs, and tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page size of no more than 6"xl0". Literature used should be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Articles sent to AvUmaZ ' foAum will be reviewed for publication. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to publish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages will be separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial staff. The editors reserve 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 envelope. Articles printed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the AnA/naZ Ke.e.pcJU>’ FoAuwj editorial staff or of the American Association of Zoo Keepers. Telephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions are acceptable. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will not be accepted. The phone number is 913 272-5821. DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION IS THE 20th OF THE PRECEDING MONTH. MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION Affiliate (full-time keepers) $10.00 annually Associate (part-time keepers, students, docents) .$10.00 annually Foreign $15.00 annually Contributing $50.00 annually All memberships include subscriptions to AnZmaZ Ke.G.pQ.A^' foAum, 50% of the member’s dues are budgeted for the publication. All new members receive an AAZK shoulder patch and a membership card good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada. The AAZK Headquarters has extra shoulder patches available for $1.25 and back issues of the ArumoZ fCeepeAi ' VoAxm for $1.00. Send name and address and a check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers to AAZK HEADQUARTERS NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 ALL CHANGES OF ADDRESS SHOULD BE SENT TO AAZK HEADQUARTERS AT THE NATIONAL ZOO. DO NOT SEND THEM TO AvumoZ Ko^O^p^U' foA,um. The journal is not available by subscription only. Q S' 0^ American Association of Zoo Keepers National Zoological Park Washington, D.C. 20008 Animal dedicated to Professional Animal Care AUGUST 1979 ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606 AUGUST 1979 ISSN 0164-9531 VOLUME SIX NUMBER EIGHT Edi tor-in-Chief : Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoological Park Executive Editor: Mike Coker, Topeka Zoological Park Managing Editor: Lois Bogia, Topeka Zoological Park Art Consultant: Elaine Shea KviimoX. FoAum is a monthly journal published by the American Association of Zoo Keepers, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C., 20008, for its members. Send all address changes, mdeliverable copies and other membership inquiries to AAZK Headquarters, Washington, D.C.. Second class postage is paid at Topeka, Kansas. Return postage is guaranteed. Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the Editor. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 Fllzabnik Glcii^co, kdmhuj>tA.cuti\)Q, S,(icAiLtoA.y Board of Directors Dennis Grimm, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513 FA.eJ>ZdQ,nt Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606 \/yi(i^-pAQJ>yid2nt Ed Roberts, Stone Mem. Zoo, 149 Pond St., Stoneham, MA 02180 Tom Goldsberry, Washington Pk. Zoo, 4001 S.W. Canyon Rd, Portland, OR 97221 Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 100 W. Webster Ave., Chicago, IL 60614 Coordinators and Committees Coordinator for Chapter Affairs Coordinator for International Affairs Pat SammoA-co, Ltnao-tn PoAk Zoo Tom GotchboAAij, Ma^fUngton PoAk Zoo AAZK/AAZPA Liaison Ed RobeAt6, WaltiiA V. Stonz. Mem. Zoo Nominations and Election Committee JTZt GAjadz., Biiick GaA.dQ,nt, FtoAtda, ChcuAwoman Kz,nt B^mdtct, Atlanta Zoo Mtke. MaybAy, OvzAton PoAk Zoo BnAnoJid FzZdman, Utttz/i PoAk Zoo Von Minnesota State Zoo Awards Committee Mtke CokzA, Topeka Zoo, ChatAman Mtke Vee, Lo6 Angeles Zoo l/teky LaRue, JnteAnatl. CAane Fdn. Vtck SodeAlund, BAook{^teld Zoo Mtke CAockeA, VtekeA6on PoAk Zoo Regional Coordinators Jill GAade, Biueh GaAdeni>, VloAtda, Head Ed RobzAts WalteA V. Stone Mem. Zoo ME, (/T, HH, MA, RJ, CT MV Venice BaAten^eldeA Kevin Conway EveAett Hoaaaa, KeAxy Ho^^man LoAxy Sammaxco Von Ra6mu6-6en Llnette Bxouon Lauxa StAlckland Tim O’BAlen Gaxy Tibbetts BaltlmoAe PAont Royal, VA BlndeA PaA.k Zoo Cincinnati Zoo Lincoln Paxk Zoo Minnesota State Zoo Knoxville Zoo Montgomexy Zoo Aaduhon Paxk Zoo Rio Gxande Zoo PA, MJ, MV, VE VA, (jUV MI IW, OH, KT WI, IL MM, JA, MO TM, MC, SC FL, AL, GA AR, MS, LA TX, MM, CO, OK, ,KS, ME,SV,MV (UA, OR, JV, MT, WV, AK CA, MV, AZ, UT, HI The. c-OveA oJutUt ioA August Xd SheAl (UTILlamon the. VoAt inloAth loo tn Texas, She M/utes that heA ttlastAotton ts done "tn the scAotehbooAd te^ehntque and deptcts a ^oAty-yeoA old Amazon poAAot advising heA lavoAute keepeA In the pAepoAotlon o{, Flamingo diet. 'Polly* lives In ouA blad house kitchen oAea and 'helps' as In many matteAS." Thanks, SheAl, ioA giving AKF 'Polly' as the coveA glAl this month! — "Scuttlebutt SAN DIEGO WILD ANIMAL PARK DISPLAYS ENDANGERED HANUMAN LANGURS Sagar Tal, a home for a colony of endangered Hanuman langurs, has been constructed and opened at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Fourteen langurs — leaf-eating monkeys from India and Sri Lanka who are noted for their silver-gray fur and black hands and faces and their gregarious nature — are part of a group that has been studied for social patterns since 1972. Six are adults and of the remaining eight juveniles, three have been born with the past year at the zoo. The birth of a Hanuman langur is truly a group experience. Within minutes of birth, a baby Hanuman langur is held and fondled by all the females in the colony. The baby is passed from one to another, in contrast to many primate species in which the mother is extremely possessive of her newtjorn infant. This unique "infant transfer" behavior helps teach juvenile femles to be good mothers and assures that one of the colony's females will adopt the baby should the mother die. It also serves to bind the groups socially, as even male Hanuman langurs join in the cuddling to a lesser degree. Because of their venerated position in the Hindu religion, Hanuman langurs are seldom hunted and are not directly threatened by man. ELEPHANT TRAINER'S DEATH INVESTIGATED Morgan Berry, the first person to breed elephants in the U.S., was found dead in the pen of his bull elephant, Tonga. It is not known whether Berry died of his poor heart condition or was killed by the elephant. It took several hours for the authorities to retrieve Berry from Tonga who was guarding and tossing the body. Mr. Berry was an animal trainer and dealer for 38 years and has served as a keeper at the Seattle Zoo. BONUS FOR ELEPHANT KEEPERS Elephant Keepers at the Philadelphia Zoo will receive $1,000 annual bonus for their demanding, dangerous work. The provision was included in a two year contract and is believed to be the first of its kind in any zoo. 141 THREE RARE HOOD ISLAND TORTOISES HATCHED When three rare Hood Island tortoises hatched recently some 3,000 miles from San Diego in the Galapagos Island, San Diego Zoo curator of reptiles Dr. James Bacon started talking like an excited godfather. "This birth is a banner event!" Bacon announced, " It is just short of fantastic!" Cause for the jubilation was a particular closeness the curator feels for the tortoise father, known simply as Number 21, one of only three Hood Island tortoise males known living in the entire world and a San Diego Zoo resident for more than 40 years before his return to the Galapagos Islands in 1977. The notice that Number 21 was a father of three land turtles means scientists at the Charles Darwin Research Center on the cluster of islands 600 miles off Ecuador have won another round in the fight to save the extremely endangered Hood Island (Espanola) tortoise, with the aide of the San Diego Zoo. A NEW IDEA The Japanese government, sandwiehed hard between animall lovers and fishermen, hopesrto solve its problems with a $15,00 plastic replica of a killer whale. The whale has been designed to frighten dolphins which flock around a fisherman's net once it is loaded with fish. The killer whale is a natural enemy of dolphins and it is hoped the fake whale will reduce the slaughter of dolphins during fishing runs. THIEVES STEAL ANIMAL BABIES FROM NURSERY. SMy SmUh On July 20, 1979, thieves broke into the nursery at Roeding Park Zoo in Fresno, California, during the early morning ho and stole two young babies, a 5 week old ailing male Reeve's Muntjac and a 9 week old female Japanese Raccoon Dog. The Muntjac, a tiny Asian deer, has been frail since birth and at the time of the theft was on cortisone injec- tions for an eye infection. It would take formula from no one but the nursery attendants. The Raccoon dog was one of the first two to be born and survive at our zoo, and may fare better in the kidnapping due to the fact it was eating solid food and has a hardier constitution. We feel that the thieves will not know how to care properly for these animals and they will probably die from stress or starvation. This is the first theft in the 15 year history of Roeding Park Zoo's nursery, which was scheduled soon for installation of Sonitrol. Thieves used bolt cutter to enter and break into the cages. Nothing else in the building was touched, lending speculation that the thieves wanted an unusual pet. UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION LEADS TO SEIZURE OF RARE BIRDS FROM TAXIDERMISTS The carcasses, skins, and mounted specimens of hundreds of protected birds — including peregrine falcons, eagles, hawks, owls, waterfowl, song birds and a number of exotic species — have been seized after a ten month undercover invest if at ion by the Interior Dept. U.S. Fish and Wildflie Service. Some are thought to be stolen from the University of Michigan's Ornithology Department. 142 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS NATIONAL CONFERENCE PORTLAND, OREGON SEPTEMBER 24-27, 1979 Board meeting, open to all AAZK members, will be held Sunday, Sunday evening, and Monday; so everyone planning to attend needs to add an extra day onto their stay in Portland. Registration for AAZK members is $40, non-members-$45 . Late registration, after September 1, is an additional $5. Slim Lewis, author of I LOVED ROGUES, (Superior, 1978), is coming and will speak Wednesday afternoon, September 26. Anyone desiring information on paper sessions (deadline for abstract was August 1) , workshops (see tentative schedule in June FORUM) , or post-conference tour of Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington (see July FORUM), contact: Jonolyn E. Smith Washington Park Zoo 4001 S.W. Canyon Rd. The election for three seats on the Board of Directors, originally scheduled for August has been postponed until October. Mix-ups in the paperwork needed for recommendations of nominees (The Nomination Form) , and for qualification of the nominations by the Nominations and Election Committee, have resulted in the acquisition of only three nominees — hardly sufficient for an electoral "race"! It has therefore been decided to adjust the election proceedings timetable as outlined in the Constitution to allow sufficient time to finish "processing" some of the recommendations received. Announcement of the new Board members, following the October election, will appear in the January 1980 issue of the kYumaJi KeepeA^' FoAim. Jill Grade Nominations and Elections Chairwoman REGIONAL COORDINATORS are still needed for three posts: New York; and Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming; and the region of California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and Hawaii. Please contact Jill Grade, head of the network, for any information. Jill Grade 3000 Busch Blvd Attn: Zoo Office Tampa, FL 33612 143 BLANKET PERMIT TO EASE INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE OF COLLECTORS' SPECIMENS In response to requests by museums and others in the scientific community, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has developed a "blanket" permit to facilitate the international scientific shipment, by U.S. scientists and institutions, of the preserved specimens of Endangered and Threatened species in their collections. This permit is available to all recognized educational or scientific institutions in the country. The primary difference between this type of permit and those issued in the past is the waiver of separate permits and separate notices in the VndoAdt RZQ'Uit.QJi for each shipment. The blanket permit does not authorize new acquisitions, collections from the wild, or loans from foreign institutions. A separate permit is still required for these activities. Only animal specimens can be covered under this blanket permit. (Plants are covered under a separate blanket permit issued in accordance with 50 CFR 17.62 and 17.72.) Shipments must be made through the designated ports of New York, Miami, Chicago, San Franciso, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Seattle, or Honolulu. Authority under this blanket permit does not preclude the institution from complying with other regulations, such as those issued under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Blanket permits under these laws have already been developed and can be used in conjunction with the Endangered species blanket permit to cover shipments of specimens pro- tected by more than one law. Applications and inquiries should be directed by mail to the Federal Wildlife Permit Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240, or by calling that office at 703 235-1903. ANIMALS AND THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS The Animal Welfare Institute has just published the newly revised third edition of knXmoJUi and TkilAJi Ldgat Rdgkt6. This unique paperback book contains accurate information on existing laws for the protection of animals . AWI is raising charitable funds in order to make one free copy available upon request to public libraries, police chiefs and humane societies around the country. To date, over 2,700 libraries in 49 states and 2,900 police chiefs in 48 states have requested the book, and the demand continues . In providing the book to' libraries , we hope to disseminate the vital and relevant facts concerning animal welfare to the general public. At the same time, AndniaZ6 and ThoJji Legal. Rights will assist police chiefs in the enforcement of local and federal laws for the protection of animals against cruelty, abuse and neglect. Animals and TkzJji Legal Rlgkt6 has nineteen chapters with an extensive appendix, together totaling 279 pages. It is available to individuals at cost price: $2.00 per copy, from the Animal Welfare Institute, P.O. Box 3650, Washington, D.C. 20007 144 THE STRUGGLE (^UHVIVAl FUNDING PROSPECTS IMPROVED FOR STATE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION PROJECTS Millions of dollars in Federal funds for wildlife conservation tied up for months in a lawsuit over environmental impact statements, may begin to flow again under a recent court order, Interior Secretary Cecil D. Andrus said. Andrus said the Fish and Wildlife Service was pleased with the court’s ruling, which he said would remove "some of the uncertainty in all 50 States and Puerto Rico on their fiscal situation and their ability to plan conservation projects." He said the Fish and Wildlife Service could renew State pro- jects 20 days after submitting environmental assessments or impact statements to the plaintiffs. In dismissing the suit brought by animal welfare groups against the Service, Federal District Court Judge Charles R. Richey ruled that requiring 182 impact statements on past conservation projects would be of "merely historical interest." He also found that cutting off reimbursement to the States for work already performed would be "punitive and not in conformity with the public interest or the purposes of the Federal environmental laws . " The Fish and Wildlife Service has already submitted environ;“ mental assessments on 15 projects that expired during the winter and will submit 62 more. BOBCAT, SEA OTTER, AND TRUMPETER SWAN TO RETAIN STATUS UNDER ENDANGERED SPECIES TREATY The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has reconsiderd its original proposal and will now recommend that the bobcat remain on Appendix II of the Convention on Internation Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The proposal had generated coitroversy, but little additional data was received. Evidence did not clearly show whether the southern sea otter should be classified in Appendix I (threatened with extinction) or Appendix II (potentiall threatened with extinction) . It was decided to leave it on Appendix I The trumpeter swan was omitted by clerical error from the Appendix IT, but is included. The Convention met in Costa Rica on March 19-30, 1979 to consider these and other proposals. All proposals must be approved by the party countries in the Treaty. ALLIGATORS RECLASSIFIED, MAY NOW BE HUNTED American alligators in nine parishes of Louisiana have been reclassified from "threatened" status to a less restrictive "threatened (similarity of appearance)" category. This will permit a controlled harvest of alligators in the nine parishes. 145 LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION ESTABLISHED Attorney General Griffin B. Bell announced a major new effort by the Department of Justice to stop illegal trade in wildlife and plants. The program will consolidate all the Department's civil and criminal jurisdiction over wildlife laws in the Land and Natural Resources Division, headed by Assistant Attorney General James W. Moorman. This Increased centralization will enable the Department to use its resources more efficiently and to concentrate its efforts against the growing Illegal trade. "Working closely with the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Customs service, and the Departments of Agriculture and Commerce , the Justice Department will vigorously enforce all criminal and civil laws regulating trade in wildlife and plants," Mr. Moorman said. MIGRATORY GAME BIRD HUNTING REGULATIONS FOR NEXT FALL PROPOSED Preliminary hunting regulations for ducks, geese, and other migratory game birds for the 1979-80 hunting season have been proposed by the Interior Department ""s U.S. Fish and Wildlife. Species discussed in the proposals include ducks, geese, brant, and swans; doves and piegons; cranes; rails, coots, and galli- nules; and woodcock and snipe. No major changes from last year's hunting regulations are proposed at this time. To make it easier for disabled sportsmen to hunt, the Service has proposed to allow paraplegics and single and double ampu- tees of the legs to hunt from stationary motor vehicles or other motor-driven land conveyances, the use of which are prohibited at present. LIBERIA TURNS TO CONSERVATION The May, 1979, issue of the lUCN Bulletin outlines the turn about of the country of Liberia to a policy of conservation. Dr, William R. Tolbert, President of the Republic of Liberia, is committed to the conservation of wildlife and has instructed the Foresty Development Authority to act on proposals which came from a recent assessment of the situation. ENDANGERED PEREFRINE'S FLIGHT HONORS RACHEL CARSON "Rachel," a young female pergrine falcon raised on the roof of the Interior Department building, flew for the first time, a symbolic testimony to the work of biologist Rachel Carson, in whose honor the endangered bird of prey was named. "Rachel" is one of four fledgling peregrines placed in an attempt to restore this species to the Nation's Capital. "Rachel Carson documented the disastrous consequences of DDT and other pesticides on the Nation's wildlife — effects which in large part caused the peregrine to become extinct as a breeding bird in the East," said Interior Secretary Cecil D. Andrus. 146 Great Ape a-'&‘C^6^etnon\i^ SHE DID IT, SHE FINALLY DID IT! by fn.2.d/Uck VittmoJi VfiAjmoutQ. SapdAvi^on,, Oklakomoi C-vty Zoo Fern, a 20 year old Lowland Gorilla at the Oklahoma City Zoo gave birth to a female infant at 1430 hours on 8 June 1979. She has tried four times before without success. In March 1973, Fern aborted a six month fetus. Since then she conceived three times only to retain the fetus sixty to seventy days. This time she made it all the way. There were no birth complications. Fern was confirmed pregnant with a urine test in December 1978. Fern's last breeding date was 12 October 1978 which gives this pregnancy 238 days gestation. On the day of birth, she showed no signs of the impend- ing birth as she ate her normal diet between 1230 and 1330 hours. At 1400 hours, blood spots were noted in the cage, 1415 hours first signs of straining or contractions were noted, then fifteen minutes later she had the infant in her arms. On 30 May, nine days before birth, she had showed signs of bleeding. In the cage with Fern at the time of birth was another 20 year old female, Boma. During the first two hours after birth Fern carried the infant in fairly good positioning, but was noted to be nervous. Boma kept "bird dogging" Fern so they were separated. Observers from the Primate Staff spend the night watching Fern. Although she was given burlap sacks, she still appeared nervous the next day. It was felt that if Fern was in the bedroom cage away from the public view, she might calm down some. To accomplish this, we had to put Boma back in. No sooner were they together when Boma grabbed the infant. Fern took two or three minutes to regain possession of the infant which now had two small cuts. Our Zoo Veterinarian said they needed medical attention. While at the hospital, it was noted that the infant also suffered a fractured jaw. Due to this, we are now hand raising the infant gorilla. Post birth weight (18 hours) was three pounds, thirteen ounces. She is now, at three weeks, four pounds ten ounces, taking sixty cc's a feeding of Similac with iron for seven or eight times a day. Projected plans are to move Fern to the Gorilla Building first with Kathryn and her two youngsters, Fredrika and Macho (see AKF May 79); second, when Fern's infant is three to four months old to move her to a "howdy cage" in the Gorilla Building next to the other gorillas. This way she will have sight and smell contact with the group. Using a Kind- erkage, we will take Macho out of the group and allow her to play with her half sister. Then, at about seven months of age, we will introduce Fern's infant into the group. San Diego Wild Animal Park received a prestigious national award for community beautification at ceremonies at the White House. 147 THE PROFESSIONAL ZOO KEEPER by Bn-uce, M-ltteA BJAd Supc/LvZ&o-^, San kntovilo Zoological. GoAdcm S kgu.ahiujr\ Over the past years, I have observed an interesting phenomenon regarding zookeepers scattered across the U.S. This does not apply to those who are possible recipients of awards for excellence in zookeeping or to those dedicated individuals who are really good and enjoy their calling. I refer to the bulk of those who are new in the world of zoos, as well as those who feel critical of their zoo and its management. It is often the first and only zoo they have worked in! Some of the common complaints voiced are: "We do not get proper respect,” ”We are underpaid”, and "We are thought of as mere dung-rakers who can be replaced at a moment’s notice.” These are only a few of the common ones and should include a statement of the zookeeper’s low self-image. I may have a biased point of view, based upon my early training in the zoo field. However, if this type of training could be accepted here in the U.S. and lead to elimin- ating the above objections and developing better keepers, so much the better. I started as a keeper apprentice in a European zoo. The hours were 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a hiatus from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for classes, other training and luach. Money? I was concerned not about making a fortune, but about learning as much as possible in order to begin an exciting career. In fact, at this time (mid-60’s) I was paid a whopping 52c per hour. No, I could not buy fancy clothes nor even spend a lot of time going out to entertain myself. I was there for a purpose... to learn. I have great difficulty coping with the "new breed of zookeeper,” who after 6 months declares he knows everything there is to know and is ready to move up to a top position. .with all the accompanying money. Under the apprentice system one would learn and master a particular area of interest (herps, fish, small mammals, primates, etc.). As one worked, studied and passed oral and written comprehensive exams, advancement to the next level came. And with advancement came more detailed learning, more responsibility, and some more money. But, most importantly, one gained self-respect, and respect from others who knew that you worked for what you got because your professional progress could be documented. Experience, knowledge, and understanding come with time, not overnight. Maybe Europeans are more patient. Career zoo people at ALL levels realize there are a finite number of zoos in the world with a limited number of positions available at any given time. On a smaller scale, consider how many zoos exist in your state or in your city. Because of the limited number of positions available, competition is stiff. It is not easy to find a person with experience and education. I have never met anyone in the zoo business who got into it to make money. Those who are strongly money-motivated should be out selling insurance or real estate. Something other than money motivates a person to be in the zoo business. I don’t imply that money is not at all important, for all the intrinsic joy in the world will not pay rent or buy groceries. There are reasonable well-paying positions for QUALIFIED people. The competition is keen, and those considered for such positions have, in addition to knowledge and experience, a good ’professional manner.’ The zoo grapevine is active. What does this mean to a pros- pective employee? It can mean hearing about that ideal position before it is advertised. It also means those doing the hiring generally know when a talented person is shopping for a slot somewhere. It can also 148 The Professional Zoo Keeper, continued put an end to a career based upon fancy talking with nothing to substan- tiate the claim of experience and knowledge. Bad references can follow one for years. Simply bad-mouthing the local establishment to everyone in the immediate world can sour prospective employers. One should be careful, as this is "conduct unbecoming a professional." Those who are really talented and excel have a high market value and greater oppor- tunity. The grapevine usually gets wind of a good up-and-coming person. If you are really good, others will know. Back to the common complaints: "We are not treated as professionals nor with respect." When a large number of ’experienced’ keepers have to be told to clean water bowls or feed dishes or even worse, put food into an enclosure for several days before someone else points out that the animal has been dead during that time, SOMETHING IS WRONG! Either the training provided to those keepers was inadequate or they are not demonstrating professional care which is worthy of respect. These people need to be weeded out to make room for the ’real’ keepers. The mere fact that such a keeper can name all subspecies of a particular group of endangered animals and current population estimates, holds a degree in wildlife science or biology, and has a basic understanding of metabolic processes and digestion doesn’t make him a good keeper if he/she can’t master the basics! Why should any respect be forthcoming for such an individual? Why should any business pay top wages for shoddy work? Zoos are no different. Yes, mere dung-rakers are easily replaced, and usually at a moment’s notice. Why? You don’t need years of experience nor education to rake dung and put it into a wheelbarrow, folks!. It is hoped that all of us realize a zookeeper’s job is much more than that. It may come as a shock to some, but when an individual respects him/ herself and those around him, it leads to mutual respect. Professional manners are important! Not many will hire someone who has only unplea- sant things to say about past zoos worked at or how dumb all the staff was or who claims that they, Phineas T. Goatraker, with one year of experience at several places has all the answers. To those of you who are keepers by choce and not by default and really enjoy your calling, take heed: You are one of the most important links in the zoo. Any department is only as good as its keepers. The best collection in the country with the sharpest, most progressive department curator can do nothing if the system breaks down at the primary care level. All progress would stop if curators had to worry daily about whether or not young animals raised after many years of work are going to get fresh food and water. The more experienced people are the inspirations and models for the new people just entering the zoo business. It is an exciting time in their lives. It is also crucial that the examples set by those experienced keepers are of the highest standard. It is very easy for a new person to get the idea that no one enjoys zoo work when all he hears is how bad everything is. If a new person sees an exper- ienced person ignore some detail, it may be assumed by the newcomer that details are really unimportant. Although it is up to the department heads to provide better training, it is also up to the keepers to be responsible and willing to be held accountable for their work and to earn respect. We will get respect, joy, knowledge, as well as frustration, for our efforts, and for those who make that extra bit of effort, the positions and money which goes with them will come their way. 149 +++++++++++++++++++++++++ HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PHILADELPHIA ZOO! I 105 Years! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BROOKFIELD ZOO! 45 Years! chapter Welcome to the Milwaukee County Zoo AAZK Chapter 1001 W. Bluemound Road Milwaukee, WI 53226 President ... Sam LaMalfa Vice Pres... Jack Uphill Secretary .. .Valerie Werner Treasurer .. .Nina Schaefer news +++++++++++++++++++++++++ THE WESTERN REGIONAL AAZPA WORKSHOP - A KEEPER'S VIEWPOINT by Jam HamjoAgm Ungulate Keeper The Sacramento Zoo hosted the 21st annual Western Regional AAZPA work- shop this year. The four days were the culmination of months of planning, preparation and anticipation which resulted in a workshop overwhelming in its success. Monday evening a meeting of the American Association of Zoo Keepers was held and we had the exciting surprise of finding close to 40 keepers in attendance. This was one-third of the total attendance at the Workshop! A two-hour meeting concentrated on development of "professionalis*, dedication, unity and growth of the AAZK." From the inside looking out, I can say the Western Regional AAZPA workshop was the best thing that could have happened to the Sacramento Zoo. It got us motivated to start and complete projects that somehow kept getting put off or buried under the daily load (or overload) of work. It forced us to rely on each other and believe in our capabilities as true professionals. We came to appreciate each other in new and exciting ways and we were shown how smoothly and effectively we can run a zoo when we totally care for our facility, animals and each other. excQJipted the BULLETIN oi the SacAomento Zoologteal Soctoty. ? ? ? INFORMATION PLEASE! ? ? ? I am attempting to teach American Sign Language to our year old male orangutan at Houston Zoological Gardens. Anyone who has any advice or experience with the teaching of ASL to an ape or any type of specific information on orangutans, please send it to Patty Smukall c/o Education Department Houston Zoological Gardens 1513 Outerbelt Houston, Texas 77030 150 ANIMAL RESTRAINT By M-lckadt L. Hughes, V.U.M. Re^Xdent {/eX-QAlnaAlan, Gladys VoKt^ loo IVeterinariaijgj keepers How does one perform a pregnancy test on an adult female gorilla, or what is the procedure for drawing blood from an elephant? And, finally, how may one administer an oral parasite medication to a rattlesnake? These and other similar situations must be dealt with in most zoos on a daily basis. To perform any type of examination or treatment on wild animals, some type of restraint must be practiced. The method that stresses the animal the least, allows maximum safety for zoo personnel, and still is adequate for the intended procedure is the best method. Many types of restraints are available to the zoo veterinarian, some beknownfrom work with domestic animals, and others improvised for use with wild species. Whole books are written on the subject of wild animal restraint. This article is only intended to give the reader a general view of the basic procedures and equipment used. In the simplest form, restraint may merely involve the isolation of animal to a quiet enclosure with minimal distractions. This may be done to facilitate visual examination or to provide a suitable recovery area for a post surgical patient. Rarely, one may encounter a tame animal that responds to vocal restraint with minimal physical reinforcement. Vocal restraint may include sooth- ing voice tones as well as commands. A more severe method of restraint involves the use of various squeeze devices. Many forms of squeezes are used, but all utilize the ability to slide one wall of the device toward the opposite wall. This allows the animal to be trapped in a somewhat immobile position. This technique is best limited to giving injections and very rapid examinations. Some wild animals require very special handling. Snakes, especially poisonous ones, would fall into this category. One must remember that I aside from the obvious danger to the human, a snake is an animal capable j of being injured. The task of restraining these animals is generally left to a few individuals with considerable experience and skill. Their tools include hooks, clear plastic tubes, bags, and shields. Probably the method most people envision when wild animal restraint is mentioned is the use of drugs delivered with a rifle. Chemical restraint has become a popular method of restraint only in the last 15 years. Be- cause drugs have been used a relatively short time on a very limited ‘ number of animals, and because each species of animal responds dif- ferently to the various drugs, the use of drugs can be unpredictable " at times. An example of variation of response to M99 (a popular restraint drug) would be the 6000-pound elephant and the 200-pound i Yellow-backed Duiker. The total does of M99 required by each of these ij animals is essentially equal. contlnu(id 151 Animal Restraint, aoyvUnuQ^d Even with the unpredictable factors involved, the use of drugs has greatly reduced the danger to the animal and its handlers during a restraint procedure. Before the use of present day drugs, the immo- bilization of many species was impossible* An attempt to describe the drugs used would be very lengthy so suffice it to say that several good drugs or combination of drugs are available that tranquilize or anesthetize wild animals. These drugs are usually delivered in a special dart constructed so that it injects the drug on impact. The delivery devices are many, the most popular being the capture rifle that uses either CO2 power or powder charges. Pistols are also popular for short-range work. Other delivery devices include cross bows and blow guns. A syringe can also be fitted to the end of a pole that allows the veterinarian to inject from a distance of up to six feet. The last method of restraint I will mention is the use of manual restraint That is actually physically overpowering an animal. This requires a knowledge of the animal (some animals are more likely to become shocky or injure themselves). It also require quick, planned action by trainee and experienced personnel. Many ancillary devices such as nets, ropes, bags, shields, and heavy gloves are used. In many instances, a combination of procedures is used. An animal may be physically restrained while an inhalent anesthetic is administered by applying a face mask. Perhaps by answering the questions posed at the beginning of this paper will give the reader a better picture of wild animal restraint: 1. The gorilla is simply kept in an enclosure with a hard, smooth surface and when it becomes available, a urine sample is collected which is sent to the laboratory for testing. 2. The elephant is chained and vocally and physically restrained by a respected and trusted Keeper. The veterinarian then drawsblood from a vein on the ear. 3. The blackbuck is darted with an anesthetizing drug. The key is to keep the animals, including undarted animals, from fleeing the handler and injuring themselves. After the animal has been darted with the correct dosage of drug, it will lay down in 10 to 20 minutes. It is then removed from the enclosure, given a drug to reverse the effects of the anesthetic, and placed in a well-bedded shipping crate. 4. The snake is hand caught by use of a snake hook or one may coax the snake into a clear tube and once inside, the body can be restrained without danger from the fangs. Once in hand, the fangs of the snake are occupied by placing a piece of foam or food into the mouth. The wormer is then squirted down the back of the mouth. I hope the reader will realize that Zoo personnel must deal with restraint everyday and that much thought and experience is needed to achieve the desired objective without injury to the animal or to the people involved. ThJj> papeA AQ.pAintQ,d in.om tka Gladys VokZqa loo Mm-6, BAoMn^vZHo., T&X(L6, by poAMU^Zon o^ tkz auXkoA. 152 INFANT MORTALITY AMONG GIANT RED KANGAROOS IN A ZOO ENVIRONMENT by Jame^ L. PomM. KaepeA, Oklahoma City Zoo Abstract What I have attempted to do is to investigate the incidence of infant mortality among Giant Red Kangaroos in a captive situation. We at the OKC Zoo have attempted to record accurately the number of births, rejected births, and in particular the sex and age of rejected births of Giant Red Kangaroos at our zoo. I think it is possible that the adult female kangaroos have the ability to control (probably instinct- ually) the quantity and distribution of a captive group of animals by rejection of offspring. Methods and Procedures The kangaroos have been and are presently housed in a 6 foot chain-link fenced enclosure with a dirt substrate and 20 trees (some Hackberry, Scrub Oak, Austrian Pine, and Chinese Elm). The size of the enclosure is approximately 10,500 square feet. There are also two inside enclo- sures of 150 square feet each. The enclosure is terraced with a rise from one level through three levels of approximately 5 feet. There are two pools each 5 feet in diameter and 1 to 2 feet deep. The diet fed from 1965-1972 was whole corn and lab chow (8 ounce per individual) with alfalfa (approx. 1 pound per individiual) as a browse substitute. The corn and lab chow were fed in wooden troughs and the alfalfa was spread out on the ground. The diet was changed in 1972 to sweet feed which is presently being used along with alfalfa. Fruit and spinach greens are given 3 times a week. Results The group began with the purchase of one male and two females in Septem- ber of 1965. In 1973, one male and one female was purchased. From 1965 to 1977, 133 kangaroos were born. Of this number of births, 45 were rejected (29 males and 16 females). One male joey was rejected in 1965, none were rejected in 1966-67, and there was a steady increase of rejections from 1969 on. Of the 45 rejected joeys, 15 were newborn and never made it to the pouch; 6 were one month of age, 1 was two months, 8 were three months, 7 were four months, 3 were five months, 1 was six months, 2 were eight months, and 2 were ten months of age. At birth the kangaroos were an average of 3/4 inch long and weighed! 1 gram. They had no hair, eyes were closed, forelimbs well-developed with nails on the ends of the digits, hindlimbs under-developed, tail formed and the sex of the animal obvious, but not complete in development. At six months of age, the hair begins to cover the joey and it is full developed weighing about 8 pounds. The youngest rejected kangaroo that has been successfully hand-raised in our nursery was three months of age. The average number of adults in the exhibit during this period from 1965-1977 was 40 with a ratio of 1/30. Average number of pouchers in the group year-round was 6. The present group male has been at the OKC Zoo since 1973 and has had a good disposition toward the female members of the group and keepers compared to the previous male who was known for his unpredictable 153 Infant Mortality among Giant Red Kangaroos, contCnucd attacks on keepers. Stress seems to be minimal on this group since their location is not a mainstream of public flow through the zoo, and public harassment does not take its usual toll. Some feral dogs have entered the zoo and caused a couple of injuries. The majority of the group have become tolerant of zoo life and individuals have not lost their instinct for survival and protection. If a keeper approaches too quickly or makes sudden moves , one or half a dozen ’roos will simultaneously sprint away plopping their feet in alarm. Discussion Weather plays an important role at our zoo since the wifiters get quite cold. Since the inside enclosure space is limited, the number of animals in the group must be carefully monitered. We have had no deaths due to severe weather. Lumpy jaw occurs occasionally and the entire group is put on medication for a limited time. We feel that the inadequate supply of alfalfa forces the kangaroos to eat the stems since they normally eat strictly the leaves from the alfalfa. It is possible that stems may cause trauma and hence the disease. Since a couple of newborn kangaroos have been found partially eaten by adults ’roos, it can be assumed that there are a number of 'roos born and rejected that we are not aware of. I find it very interesting that there were more males rejected than females. Since the number of adult male ’roos in the exhibit is kept at a minimum (no more than 4), in theory, the female ’roos may be regulating this ratio by rejecting males that they conceive in order to keep the balance. Since females can delay development of a fetal kangaroo in the wild due to drought, it does not seem impossible for them to control the develop of the group in a zoo environment. As for rejected joeys of different ages, there is only speculation on the sporadic change in group ratio because of sales to other zoos and deaths. Comprehensively, we feel like we have had good success with our group of Giant Red Kangaroos. Behavior ly, they seem to follow patterns studied in the wild. No physical problems have arisen that are not unusual for a captive situation. We hope we have learned better feeding techniques, better restraint procedures; and learned how to understand medical problems associated with marsupials and how to treat them. We hope we have a better understanding of this animal and other related species and how they fit in a zoo environment. Through this understand- ing, it should be possible to present this animal as an exhibit animal while the animal survives extinction in the best possible way. This paper was presented at the National Conference for the American Association of Zoo Keepers. ??? INFORMATION PLEASE! ??? Please send information about the best available diet for Bushdogs and also general dietary requirements to Elizabeth Krohn Small Mammal House Lincoln Park Zoo 2200 Cannon Drive Chicago, Illinois 60614 154 OUR APOLOGIES AND A CORRECTION The, July issue of AKF, page 135 has a letter from the president of AAZK Dennis Grimm to zoo directors and supporting societies. A postscript at the bottom of the page indicates the letter was printed in the AAZPA Newsletter. This was not the case. The editors of AKF extend their apologies to the AAZPA for this error... Alternatives... Education and P.R. Tkz kYiimoJi K2,^p2A^ ' Foacud and nm6 many zoo6 and wouZd to 6haA(Z Aome the. cAeattve, 6ttmuZattng zdacatlonat tducu, that the^e publtaattons contain. The events oAc patented In a bhyiei {,oAm to 6eAvc 06 an lYitptaatton ^on. Ideas that can be adapted to youA zoo and tts needs and /lesouAces , SHEEPSHEARER TO SHEAR SHEEP AT PHILADELPHIA ZOO Thirteen Philadelphia Zoo Suffolk sheep and two Angora goats were sheared by William McCauley, a 4-H Club leader. A weaving demonstration was presented using the shorn goat hair. MONTGOMERY ZOO HOSTS CITY DIGNITARIES FOR A NIGHT SAFARI The Montgomery, Alabama, zoo took advantage of the difference of viewing a zoo world at night and invited city officials for a Sauntering Safari. MONTGOMERY ZOO SPONSORS A SAFARI TO THE ATLANTA ZOO Montgomery Zoo chartered a bus to take interested members and guests of their Society to visit the Atlanta zoo for a glimpse of behind-the-scenes action at a major zoo. It was a day-long expedition. PHILADELPHIA ZOO HOSTS HANDICAPPED The Philadelphia Zoo and the Rotary Club are sponsoring a special day at the zoo for handicapped persons from local institutions and organi- zations. They will be assisted through the zoo by Rotarians and Boy Scouts. Several animal demonstrations are planned. NATIONAL ZOO PRESENTS " MINGLE WITH THE MONKEYS" "Mingle with the Monkeys" is an ongoing series of tours about primates and primate behavior presented at the National Zoo. It was conceived and organized by three keepers, Linda Mahn, Bruce Kirtley-Hodess , and David Kessler as a response to the questions of an interested, but sometimes mis-informed public. "Mingle" takes place about feeding time and includes both the observable behavior and other issues such as Zoo philosophy, social structure, long term effects of public feeding. 155 THE CAPTIVE BIRTH of a CALIFORNIAN SEA LION by Mcuik look^Q^poA iUoltoA V. Stovid Mmo^cit loo The Stone Zoo Sea Lion herd, consisting of one bull and three cows, were wildcaught and shipped to us some eleven years ago. The first birth occurred in the third week of May, 1974; a pup was stillborn or died almost immediately after birth; in late May, 1975, again a birth. The female had delivered on a pedestal surrounded by water approximately 10 feet deep with a several foot drop from the lowest point of the ped- estal to the water. The mother had failed to cut the umbilical cord and this was done by myself under the direction of our staff veterinar- ian. The pup lived twenty four hours before it drowned after being taken to the water by its mother. The second week of June another pup was born to a second female. Again, the pup lived only twenty four hours before it died of cranial damage, perhaps due to tossing by the mother. The second week of June in the same year, another pup was stillborn. The female who delivered the previous year did not produce and died a few nxmlhs later of natural causes. The third most dominant female remained barren. At times she would also act dominant to the bull, which usually ended up in a loud and sometimes viscious scuffle. On June 3, 1977, our present pup, "Bo Jangles" was born. He was born in our old polar bear exhibit, while the sea lion tank was undergoing renovations to better accomodate a rookery type of a situation. The polar bear exhibit is a flat cement area built in a semi-circular design surrounded by a moat approximately 15 to 20 feet in depth. Just inside the moat area is a smaller pool about 6 feet deep. In the rear of the exhibit is a den large enough to house a bear, and just to the right of the den is the keeper entrance door. The back wall is one side of our mammal house, running the length of the exhibit, about 20 feet high. "Bo Jangles" was born in the early morning. The mother’s actions prior to the birth were somewhat unusual in that she did not eat and appeared oblivious to her surroundings for about a week. After delivery, she licked the pup clean but failed to eat the placenta. The pup had been born on cement and we were quite concerned about overheating when the afternoon temperature reached the eighties. The mother, quite pur- posely kept the pup by the waters edge, occasionally splashing with water to keep him cool. One interesting observation was that the mother became dominant over the bull at once. She would display threats and even go so far as to bite the bull. This happened especially when the bull vocalized and approached them. The bull seemed to be most tolerant of the female’s actions and displayed affection towards the pup. The sleeping pattern was at first thought to be pure chance, but it turned out to be very deliverate indeed. The bull and the female would arrange their bodies in such a manner as to block any possible entry in to the water by the pup. Using a "V" type formation, they would keep their bodies at waters edge with the pup between them. (Note: the waters edge is a six foot deep pool on one side and the twenty foot deep moat on the other, each filled to the brim with water.) oowtivnidd 156 The Captive Birth of a Cal i form' an Sea Lion , c.oyvtlnuQ,d The second female occasionally would approach the pup, possibly out of curiosity, but the mother would give an audible sign of protest, and the bull would immediately proceed to chase away the "intruder". Cur- iously, the second female refused food the preceding week as did the expectant mother. The pup nursed and vocalized to the mother; she would answer and then nuzzle the pup’s face with her snout. As the days went by, the pup’s mobility steadily increased. He would go into periodic spurts of activity, constantly inspecting his suri" roundings. If the parents were in their sleeping position, they would keep track of his movements by gently touching him with one of their flippers. When the pup started to lea-^ them to wander or to "inspect" the water’s edge, one of the adults would sweep him back between them with a gentle but firm movement of a flipper. Several times each day, the pup would manage to fall into the water despite the parental protection. He was always promptly recovered by the female. The bull, as expected, did little as far as the rearing of the pup. He did show, however, a great deal of parental protection. When it was obvious that the adult’s sleeping pattern was deliberate, I was somewhat surprised as I have never seen any mention of a bull doing this in captivity. Vocalizing between the mother and the pup was almost constant during their awakened hours. This gradually diminished as the weeks went by. Following each vocalizing session would come a brief period of stroking each other's face with their snouts. It was noticed that the bull would rub the pup’s face with his snout in what seemed to me to be an open gesture of affection. As the pup’s mobility increased, he would chase after his mother almost frantically, apparently wishing to feed. The mother would take to the water, leaving him on land, but the pup would refuse to follow her into the water. It has been noticed that should the pup fall into the water, the rescue by the mother was not always gentle. On occasion she would actually toss the pup several feet to land and therewas worry by the keepers that she may accidentally injure him. Fortunately, it never developed into a serious problem. The mother did not take to the water at all until the pup was six days old. For a few days the pup would become extremely alarmed at his mother’s absence. When she was in the water, she would look back to the pup every few seconds and would swim over to him and rub snouts. Then she would swim away leaving the pup crying on the water’s edge. The pup did not venture into the water voluntarily until his twenty-first day, although he had shown some minor swimming ability when he fell into the water. At best, his attempts could be described as frantic and clumsy. If he got himself back on dry ground without help from his mother, he was visibly exhausted. The pup’s first voluntary interaction with the water started with his lying on the edge of the pool with his head partially submerged. He very slowly lowered himself over the edge into the water. He remained motionless approximately one foot under the water for about twenty to thirty seconds. He then very lazily began to maneuver his flippers and swam under water for approximately forty feet, following the curved edge of the moat. The pup managed to haul out on his own and showed signs of fatigue. This procedure started to occur on a regular basis 157 The Captive Birth of a Californian Sea Lion, continued for a couple of days. The bull showed signs of excitement when the pup ventured into the water, but made no attempt to chase him or in any other way try to remove him from the water. The mother would swim over to the pup , but remain very calm and seemingly unconcerned . When she did this, the bull also seemed to quiet down until the next time the pup went into the water. From this time on, the pup’s weight and mobility continued to increase. As the pup got older, the second female was gradually allowed to go near him. They eventually became quite good friends, chasipg one another around the pool. When this action would start, it seemed almost contagious, for the bull would soon join in on the play and chase any member of the pool that was in front of him. The bull would catch the pup with little difficulty, but would refrain from overtaking him. The pup would make good his escape and the chase would again be on. As the next summer approached, we became concerned that the mother might again give birth. The pup was not yet weaned and after careful deli- beration, we decided to remove the pup to private inside quarters. The den was modified by building an enclosure using a bathtub with a tiled platform adjoining it, totally surrounded by plexiglass. The bull showed a great deal of protectiveness when we removed the pup, but all went well. The pup took to his new quarters extremely well, only becoming upset when he could hear the herd vocalizing. He was fed on live shiners, then gradually changed over to dead shiners and then to chopped herring. As it turned out, the mother did not deliver another pup and "Bo Jangles” was returned to the pool after about six weeks with no re-introduction problems. Several problems were associated with this birth. The first precaution taken was to rope off the section of the public viewing area closest to the mother. Also, no keeper was allowed in the exhibit for fear that the mother might take the pup to the water and cause accidental drowining. This procedure was continued until the pup had no difficulty maintaining himself in the water without his mother’s assistance. New England suffered an unusually severe winter. It was observed that as the weather got colder the pup was becoming less and less active. He would constantly go next to the wall of the building to sleep even though the adults kept to the water. This problem was solved by install- ing a large propane heater, suspended on a wire approximately seven feet off the ground in the area where the pup slept. It would keep that area about fifty to sixty degrees. The pup took to it at once and would even allow his keeper to approach him and pet him rather than jump into the water. This helped out tremendously in getting the pup used to humans. Another problem was the moat Inside the exhibit, which was not originally constructed to hold a full volume of water for long periods of time. There was a leak from the drain, so water had to be constantly flowing into the exhibit. If a proper balance was not maintained, the level would drop, creating a lip around the edge. To a new pup, a several inch lip was almost an impossible obstacle, should he fall into the water and have to rely on his own resources to climb back out . Constant surveillance was necessary in this area. At the time of this writing, "Bo Jangles” is over fifteen months old and approximately seventy pounds. Soon he and his family will be going back into their original sea lion tank that has been long in renovating 158 The Captive Birth of a Californian Sea Lion, contCnu&d Equipped with a new filter system, a ramp going down into the water for easy exiting, a rookery and a beautiful network of man-made cliffs surrounding the area, the exhibit should be an excellent encouragement for breeding certain species of marine mammals as well as a natural and pleasing sight to our visiting public. The success of this project involving our sea lions has been a joint effort between the zoo staff of the Metropolitan District Commission and the Boston Zoological Society, both of whom are to be commended. This paper was presented at the 4th National Conference of The American Association of Zoo Keepers. * * * AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO September 24-27, 1979 COMING EVENTS * * * KEEPERS NATION CONFERENCE Portland, Oregon AAZPA National Conference September 30-0ctober 4j 1979 St. Louis, Missouri Annual Convention of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians October 7-11, 1979 Stouffer's Denver Inn, Denver, Co. Contact: M.S. Silberman, D.V.M., Executive Secretary Emory University, P.O. Box 23800 Atlanta, Ga 30322 (404) 329-7423 Second Annual Symposium on Captive Wildlife October 26-29 Louisville Chapter AAZK Contact: Steven Taylor Louisville Zoological Garden 1100 Trevilian Way Louisville, Kentucky Regional Conference for Zoo Support Organizations October 27-29, 1979 Louisville, Kentucky World Conference on Breeding Endangered Species in Captivity November 12-16, 1979 San Diego, California World Conference on Sea Turtle Conservation November 26-30, 1979 Washington, D.C. Vlllth Congress of the International Primatological Society July 7-12, 1980 Florence, Italy CHASIGEV yOUR AWRESS LATELY? Since AKE has be.e,n g/Lante.d Second Class postage, the Eoh-um is not {^oHjMan.ded. Vlease let lls knoio be^oKe you move, i^ possible, as the pH-ocess o^ changing youA adckc64 does take some time. Send changes o^ address to Elizabeth Glassco Administrative Secretary American Association of Zoo Keepers National Zoological Park Washington, D.C. 20008 Thanks 159 We oAe d^e,ply lyidzbtz-d to thu kklVk Umi,tQXt2A ion. (Mousing lU to H.Q.pnyint ponXtoyis oi tku ^dctlon i^om tkoJji "Vo^-Ltion^ Available" tuttng, Tkl6 -U a monthly -ioAvtae, to ii6, Ion. you, ASSISTANT ZOOKEEPER. . . Supervise and direct the work of a crew of Zoo Attendants engaged in operating and maintaining an expanding Municipal Zoo Complex. Minimum of two years experience in care of a variety of animals including Zoo operations experience. Prefer knowledge and experience in use of immobilization drugs. Salary range - $8,520 - $11,400. Application deadline August 31, 1979. Reply to Beverly Spencer. Personnel Technician, Department of Personnel, 1st Floor, East Wing, City Hall Building, P.O. Box 1531, Norfolk, Virginia 23501. ANIMAL ATTENDANT I... two keeper openings to be available 1 October 1979. Interested persons should request an infor^- mation and referral card in order to be notified on how and when to apply. Contact: Dudley Brown, Assistant Direc- tor, Fort Worth Zoological Park, 2727 Zoological Park Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76110. Al/ICULTURIST. . . duties involve the care of cranes, maintenance of facilites, artificial insemination, operation of incubators, supervision of volunteers, and assistance to researchers. Starting salary $10,000. Send resume to: Chris LaRue, International Crane Foundation, City View Road, Baraboo, WI 53913 ASSISTANT PLANNER. r . for all educational exhibits. Responsible coordination of design and graphics consultants, liaison with staff, research and project reports. Background in zoology or biology and in museum exhibit design and preparation. Send resume by 30 August to: Lydia Kowalski, Education Director, Boston Zoological Society, Franklin Park. Boston, MA 02121. POSITIONS WANTED ZOOKEEPER. . . several zookeeper trainees will complete a one-year training on 30 September 1979 and will be available for employment. The training has involved on-the-job work, as well as classroom training. A description of the training program and recommendations are available from: Glenn Coughlin, Administrative Assistant, Crandon Park Zoo, 4000 Crandon Blvd. Miami, FL 33149. (305) 361-5614 AAZK ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE BUTTONS ~ Buttons printed with ’Keepers Care’ and a logo are available for fifty cents (50o) from Larry Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago, IL 60614. 50% of the sale price goes into AAZK’s national treasury. DECALS The official AAZK decal is available through the Overton Park AAZK Chapter. The decal is a black and white reproduction of the AAZK rhino logo, suitable for any smooth, hard surface, especially a car window. Cost is $1.00 complete, prepaid. Make checks payable to the Memphis Chapter, AAZK and send directly to Mike Maybry, Decal Project Coordinator, 1887 Crump Avenue, Memphis, TN 38107. T-SHIRTS The T-shirts come in a variety of colors and have the AAZK logo on them. Contact Carleton Bailie, 4400 NW 39th Avenue, #214, Gainesville, FL 32601. 160 INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS Ayumdt Ke.ep2A6 ' FoAum publishes original papers and news items of interest to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles. Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs, and tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page size of no more than 6''xl0". Literature used should be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Articles sent to AyUmat Kee.peAyi>' foAum will be reviewed for publication. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to publish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages will be separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial staff. The editors reserve 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 envelope. Articles printed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the AyiisnoJi Kq,q.pqA6 ' Fo^Ufn editorial staff* or of the American Association of Zoo Keepers. Telephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions are acceptable. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will not be accepted. The phone number is 913 272-5821. DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION IS THE 20th OF THE PRECEDING MONTH. ® ® MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION Affiliate (full-time keepers) $10.00 annually Associate (part-time keepers, students, docents) .$10.00 annually Foreign $15.00 annually Contributing $50.00 annually All memberships include subscriptions to AyUmaZ Kec.pe.-U' Fo^um. 50% of the member's dues are budgeted for the publication. All new members receive an AAZK shoulder patch and a membership card good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada. The AAZK Headquarters has extra shoulder patches available for $1.25 and back issues of the AyiZmaZ Keepeu' FoUm for $1.00. Send name and address and a check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers to ^ AAZK HEADQUARTERS ^ ^ NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 ALL CHANGES OF ADDRESS SHOULD BE SENT TO AAZK HEADQUARTERS AT THE NATIONAL ZOO. DO NOT SEND THEM TO AyUmol KeepeU' Fo^um, The journal is not available by subscription only. 5<* ? ® 5' CQ ^PsO) Ft D 2 N(^ ? O P5-3 Cfo • ?5* 0) ND — OD) S3- 00 FT Association Animal Keepers' Forum Dedicated to Professional Animal Care SEPTEMBER 1979 ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606 SEPTEMBER 1979 ISSN 0164-9531 VOLUME SIX NUMBER NINE Editor-in-Chief : Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoological Park Executive Editor: Mike Coker, Topeka Zoological Park Managing Editor: Lois Bogia, Topeka Zoological Park Art Consultant: Elaine Shea kvumaJi Kcape.^ ' Vo^um is a monthly journal published by the American Association of Zoo Keepers, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C., 20008, for its members. Send all address changes, imdeliverable copies and other membership inquiries to AAZK Headquarters, Washington, D.C.. Second class postage is paid at Topeka, Kansas. Return postage is guaranteed. Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the Editor. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 ELLzabdth GZcui)6c,o , Adm-lvu^tAcutivo. So^cAdtjCViy Board of Directors Dennis Grimm, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513 Vfi
  • -id2.YVt Ed Roberts, Stone Mem. Zoo, 149 Pond St., Stoneham, MA 02180 Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 100 W. Webster Ave., Chicago, IL 60614 Tom Goldsberry, Washington Pk. Zoo, 4001 S.W. Canyon Rd, Portland, OR Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 100 W. Webster Ave., Chicago, IL 60614 Coordinators and Committees Coordinator for Chapter Affairs Coordinator for International Affairs Vat SammoAco, Ltncotn PoAk Zoo Tom GotcUb^AAy , Workington PoAk Zoo AAZK/AAZPA Liaison Ed Pobuntr, WaltoA V. Stone. Mem. Zoo Nominations and Election Committee Jtll GAodz, Burch. GoAdcnr, E to Aida, Ckatnwoman Kent Benedict, Attanta Zoo Mtke UaybAy, OveAton PoAk Zoo BeAnoAd EeZdman, UtlteA PoAk Zoo Von Rarmurren, Mtnnerota State Zoo Awards Committee M^fee CokeA, Topeka Zoo, CheuAman Mtke Vee, Lo-6 Angeter Zoo \Jtcky LaRue, JnteAnatl. Vtck SodeAtund, BAook^^teld Zoo Mtke CAockeA, VtckeATon Regional Coordinators Jttt GAade, Burck GaAdenr, E to Aida, Ed RobeAtr Ventre BoAtenieldeA Kevtn Conway EveAett HoAAtr Ke/iAy Ho^^man LoAAy SammoAco Von Rarmur^en Ltnette BAown LauAa StAtckland Ttm O'BAten GoAy Ttbbettr WalteA V. Stone Mem. Zoo BalttmoAe EAont Royal, VA BtndeA PoAk Zoo Ctnctnnatt Zoo Ltncoln PoAk Zoo Mtnnerota State Zoo KnoxvtUe Zoo MontgomeAy Zoo Audubon PoAk Zoo Rto GAande Zoo Head ME, i/T, MV PA, l/A, MJ IN, WJ, MN, TN, EL, AR, MJ, WU OH, IL TA, MC, AL, MS, CAane Edn. PoAk Zoo MH, MA, RJ, CT MV, VE KT MO SC GA LA TX,MM,C0,0K,KS,ME,SV,MV WA, OR, IV, MT, WV, AK CA, Ml/, AZ, UT, HI Lutz KcL6c.fUn6fU Glasgow, Scotland t6 the aJvtUt Mho dtd the coven, ion tht{> Jji6ue. Ht6 antwonk oi the nhlno and keepen t& appnopntate ion the Conienence month oi the AAZK, dnawtng^ ati>o appean tn looLlie, the pubticatton oi the Zoological Society oi Glasgow and We^t oi Scotland, oi the Caldenpank zoo. Thank you ion ^honing youn talent mth AAZK! SCOOPS aiar'^SCUTTLEBUTT KAUFMAN RESIGNS BOARD POSITION by Ron Kauiman, Edlton-ln-Chlei , AKf I have recently been appointed Education Coordinator for the Topeka Zoo. This is a new position for the zoo and I am looking forward to the challenges it will provide. On the other hand, I will miss my involve- ment in animal care. Too, I must resign my position on the AAZK Board of Directors. This does not mean that I will be dropping from AAZK, an organization I deeply believe in. I think my best contributions to AAZK have come through AKF and I will continue my involvement in AKF. STOLEN ANIMALS FOUND Sally Smith, Roedlng Rank Zoo, fne^no, CA At midnight on July 25, Acting Zoo Director Ron Tremper was notified by police that the two missing animals had been found alive. We accompanied a Fresno Police Detective to a small town about 40 miles away to claim the animals. We found them to be in relatively good condition after their ordeal, although thin and nervous. The Muntjac had been found in an orange crate in a wooded area, with someone providing milk. The Raccoon Dog was found in a private home. One week later both have returned to normal in the Zoo Nursery with medication continuing on the infected eye of the deer. The thieves have not been apprended, but we are pleased to have the animal back in good health. Sally also wanted to add some information to the report of the baby Lowland Gorilla in the May 1979 Tonum. 'Alberta’ was born at the Roeding Park Zoo in Fresno, the first gorilla ever born at our zoo and the first for either parent. The male belongs to Roedlng Park Zoo and the female is 'Alvila' on loan from San Diego Wild Animal Park, who has been at our zoo two years. 'Alberta' is the first second-generation gorilla in the history of San Diego, but she was born at Roedlng Park Zoo. Due to the breeding loan agreement, however, after her necessary removal from the mother and a critical month regaining her health in Fresno, she was taken to San Diego for permanent residence. Migration of Birds is available for $4.25 from the Superintendent of Documents, W.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. # S/N 024-010-00484-3. It is an updated version of the classic work by Frederick C. Lincoln, The 120 page book contains color drawings by the noted Fish and Wildlife Service artist. Bob Hines. 161 BIRTHS HATCHINGS SIBERIAN TIGER BORN AT MINNESOTA ZOO June 6 was a red-letter day at the Minnesota Zoo with the first birth of Siberian tigers. Mother and cubs are doing well and can be seen on TV and in the tiger maternity den. CONCAVE-CASQUED HORNBILL CHICK EMERGES FROM NEST AT BRONX ZOO For the first time in the United States — and only the second time ever — a concave-casqued hornbill chick has emerged from its nest. The event took place recently at the Bronx Zoo. As far as is known, Singapore is the only other zoo in the world to have reared a check of this species. The male and female of this species look exactly alike except for their eyes; the male has red eyes and the female’s are white. So far, the youngster at the Bronx Zoo appears to have white eyes, although it is reported that they seem to be getting darker in color. The youngster and her'(?) parents are on exhibit in the Zoo’s World of Birds . PHILADELPHIA ZOO HAS BABY BOOM An Orang-utan baby was born on July 14 and is being raised by members of the Zoo staff. The baby, a female, is named Sabah after an area in Borneo where captive orangs are being taught how to return and live in the wild. Sabah was rejected by her mother and is living in the Animal Nursery. Also in the Nursery are two leopard cats who lost their mother. Another baby born in the Philadelphia Zoo is a kerodon or rock cavy. PYGMY HEDGEHOG TENRECS BORN AT TOPEKA ZOO The Tenrec EckZnop^ toI-icvOvi colony was increased in population by the births of 30 babies during the months of July and August. The Topeka zoo also reports the births of 0.1 Onager, 0.0.2 Rock Hyrax, and 0.0.1 Eland. ROTHSCHILD'S GIRAFFE BORN AT OKLAHOMA CITY ZOO MoAola RohAeA A male Rothschild’s giraffe was born at the Oklahoma City Zoo on 31 July 1979. The animal’s legs were extremely weak and motor control was so poor that he was unable to nurse from his mother. The calf was taken to the zoo nursery on his date of birth. The underdeveloped condition of his legs and hooves and his weight (only 98^ pounds, 44.7 kg.) lead us to believe he was born prematurely. At three weeks of age, the giraffe had already made tremendous improvements in his coordination and his legs were strengthening daily due to exercise and dietary supplements. 162 AAZK National Conference- 1979 September 24-27 Portland, Oregon Papers have been selected for the conference. They include: captive breeding work with the hammerhead stork( Frankl in Park Zoo) Malayan sun bears( Roeding Park Zoo) African 1 ions(Washing Park Zoo) captive m.anagement of snow leopards( Woodland Park Zoo) Chimpanzees, mandrills, and colobus (Washington Park Zoo) black rhinos (Memphis Zoo) reptiles (Roeding Park Zoo) handrearing Humbolt and Adelie penguins(Sea World, San Diego) adoptive parenting as an alternative to hand rearing(Bal timore Zoo) also included is a slide presentation of rhino and giraffe births( Phoenix Zoo) Further conference information can be found in the May, June, and July issues of "Animal Keeper's Forum". Extra, Extra An AAZK Non-Animal Auction will be held on August 27 in the evening. The Auction will take place during the Conference banquet.. Samples of items to be sold: An original chimp painting, blown eggs from San Diego, much, much more. Any person wishing to donate to the auction, please give all items to Jonolyn Smith upon arrival at conference. Registration material can be obtained by contacting: Jonolyn E. Smith Washington Park Zoo 4001 S.W. Canyon Rd. Portland, Oregon 97221 1-503-226-1561 ext. 61 Attention Conference Goers AAZK Board Meetings wiTl be held on Sunday, August 24, and or Monday, August 25. Please submit items or ideas tor discussion at the meeting to AKF no later than Sept. 20. An agenda of items to be discussed will be posted at the Conference. "Remember" submit any and all items for AAZK Board disscussion to Animal Keeper's Forum. (Please, no later than Sept. 20) At the 31st IWC meeting, a total moratorium on factory ship whaling for all species except the minke was voted and passed by member nations anc’ the entire Indian Ocean north of latitude 55° south has been declared a sanctuary for all whales for the next the years. vandals killed 2b, 00 brown trout valued at more than $7,000 it an experimental hatchery of the Interior Department's National Fisheries Center in Leetown, W. Va. Drain pipes were pulled on two raceways, letting the water run out and the fish suffocate. 163 FREE-FLIGHT MACAWS IN A PLANTED EXHIBIT by Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoological Pa/ik This paper is intended to report on an on-going project that is being carried out at the Topeka Zoological Park. The project, attempts to exhibit certain psittacines in free flight in a heavily planted exhibit , has been going for about two years in the zoo's Tropical Rain Forest. The animals involved have been blue and yellow macaws and scarlet macaws, with some data taken from Finsches and yellow-fronted Amazon parrots and from orange-fronted conures. In the following paper, I will examine the motivations for and the theories behind the techniques used, as well as the results to date and some predictions for the future. The traditional method for exhibiting many psittacines has been to either feather clip or pinion the birds and then place them on an attrac- tive arrangement of dead branches. The idea behind this method seems to have been two-fold. One, the bright splash of active color the birds presented made a very attractive exhibit and; two, if the birds were let loose, they would reek havoc with their powerful and destructive beaks. Indeed, it became necessary to regularly replace the perches the birds roosted on, due to chewing. This is the technique that was being used in the Tropical Rain Forest exhibit. The Tropical Rain Forest is a one-hundred foot diameter circular building. A geodesic dome rests on 10 foot concrete walls to create a bright, sunny environment for a simulation of the Amazon rain forest. The TRF is heavily planted with tropical plants throughout, creating a dense forest, broken only by public walks and occasional exhibits. Many of the plants would cost several thousands of dollars at retail, not because of rarity, but because of size. It was in this exhibit on an arrangement of dead branches, anchored on a small island, surrounded by a pool, that we first exhibited our macaws. Our macaws went through a range of activites that many zoos probably see. There would be occasional squabbles, where one or two birds might be forced off the perches, and while off, would nearly destroy nearby plants from chewing. Or, at night, the whole bunch would spook and scatter themselves around and really do a number. And, of course, the problems of acquiring and arranging the proper kinds of branches for the perch was one of logis- tics as well as labor. Topeka used osage orange, the hardest wood found in the area. It is frequently used for fence posts (untreated) and will easily burn up a chain saw or a drill bit. The macaws had no problem chewing several feet from the perch tips within 3 months time. At Topeka, we always search for a better way, but nothing ever surfaced for exhibiting psittacines in a more natural setting. The macaws solved the problem for us. One female blue and yellow macaw had emerged as an outcast of the group and was found one afternoon, in an Indian Rubber Tree, having been forced off the regular perch. Casual observations revealed that she was making no attempt to chew on the tree. Furthermore, she was making an effort to conceal herself in the boughs of the tree. The tree is a marvelous specimen, thick and bushy, about fifteen feet tall and quite healthy. In short, she seemed content to stay put. We began to feed and water her in the tree. At the same time, the other macaws on the perch seemed to settle down. There were fewer social squabbles, fewer sorties into the surrounding 164 Free-flight Macaws in a Planted Exhibit, contlnae,d bushes and reduced chewing. We decided to allow the wa3A^ard macaw to stay in the live tree, as long as she didn’t chew her way out of house and home. She never tried. She stayed on the tree for about four months when we decided to allow the other macaws to fly off the tree as their wing feathers grew back naturally. This was done primarily to allow them to develop their flight muscles, looking forward to the day when they would fly free. During this time, they were fed only on the home perch and chased back to it, rather than carried. This did three things...!, it helped to gradually develop their flight muscles.. 2. it made them realize that they could fly and 3. that food was available in a familiar location, if they would only fly to it. During the two-year period to date, as the birds began to fly around, satellite feed and water stations were set up and gradually implemented so that the birds no longer use their original home perch. The variety of techniques and animal combinations that were used over the period of time are too numerous to mention here. But based on observation of , their behaviors, the following theory was developed. A. Some chewing for macaws is natural 1. To condition jaw muscles for natural feeding 2. TO'- condition the beak for natural feeding 3. To provide manipulation for the sensitive tongue. B. Excessive chewing for macaws is unnatural 1. It exceeds the normal body demands for conditioning 2. It tends to destroy the animal’s habitat — an ecologically and evolutionarily unsound behavior — usually reserved for man 3. It is frequently directed toward objects that would not serve to condition beak or jaw — -soft things. C. Excessive chewing is caused in large measure by stress 1. Social a. overcrowding b. too few feeding stations c. incompatible individuals 2. Reproductive a. presence of competitive individual for reproductive purposes b. incorrect sexing c. lack of suitable nesting location c. lack of ability for pairs to segregate at season 3 . Environmental a. temperature extremes b. lack of cover from each other and from public c. restrictive environment (related to overcrowding) 4. Psychological. a. boredom b. continuing, incessant excitement c. lack of bathing facilites. How, then, did the Topeka Zoo correct each problem? Many of these may occur all at once in the same exhibit. Free-flight capabilities with not one, but several feeding stations provide the following corrective measures. 1. Social a. overcrowding was eliminated because our 100 foot diameter 165 Free-F1ight Macaws in a Planted Exhibit, contlnuc.d building held only 2 correctly sexed pairs at the most. b. too few feeding stations - eliminated. c. incompatible individuals - behavior watched and aggressive, incompatible animals were removed, only established pairs remained . 2. Reproductive a. presence of competition - removed when pairs were correctly sexed. b. incorrect sexing - laparoscopy used. c. lack of nesting locations - two set up, on opposite sides of building, out of visual contact with each other d. ability to segregate - pairs can find their privacy in tangle of plants. 3. Environmental a. Temperature extremes - eliminated, birds can choose their own, sun, shade, breeze, etc. b. cover lack - plenty in building, as far away from people or each other as they saw fit c. restrictive environment - relative freedom in building. 4. Psychological a. boredom - substantially reduced as animals become involved in pair bonding, food, water finding, casual browsing, in- terspecific relation b. excitement - reduces as cover increased, away from poking finger, whistles c. bathing - plenty of water in pools or morning misting, also access to plant waterers. The results of this program have been good. Some chewing is acceptable, but there must be cooperation with the horticulturist. Topeka uses trees that can not be killed from chewing (not totalled out, but merely casually nipped) . Hard perches provided here and there will be used. Ficus is an especially good plant to use. We have macaws flying around free in our exhibit, mingling with the other animals, with only a small amount of acceptable chewing going on. We are anxious to try it out with some other psittacines as the building continues to develop. Some interesting challenges have occurred. 1. Many perch-bound macaws are reluctant to fly. They would make every possible effort to walk or climb to food, rather than fly. Some seemed almost to prefer to starve than fly. Others were used to being fed on "a silver platter,” it is hard to break old habit ... extrapolated to turning zoo animals free in the wild. Each bird had to be shown the location of each dish and the animal made the choice. The animal was walked around. 2. Each bird is an individual. They are very intelligent. Some, held as pets develop chewing habits and other habits that could not be broken. They were 'neurotic,’ so to speak and could not adjust, period. 3. Some took a very long time to develop muscles or grow back the clipped feathers - females seemed to grow feathers back faster. Something unexpected happened to stressed individuals - trying 166 4. Free-Flight Macaws in a Planted Exhibit, continued to figure it out and correct it. In many cases it was incorrect sexing. 5. Free-f light birds are hard to catch! 6. Interspecific - the juvenile tamarins, part devil, would delight in pulling tails, swinging on tails or playing dodge-um with that beak. For the most part, they get along well with the other birds and animals. They tend to get spooked by the Indian Giant Fruit Bats flying - but everything does. 7. The macaws even ate the meat intended for the ibises. They were fed SBB and hard Monkey Chow. They make no attempt to raid other bird food plates which contain some fruit - nor iguana feed plates which are fruit and chopped vegetables. This paper was presented at the 1978 AAZK National Conference. ADDENDUM, August 1979 Recently, the zoo had to clip the macaws again and place them on an established perch. Changes in the population of macaws and changes in the population of the Rain Forest, seemed to have an effect on the individuals. They began chewing on plants. It seems that the success of this technique is highly variable, depending upon surrounding con- ditions and individual personalities. Initial success was good and very encouraging, later it deteriorated. Overall success has been termed "moderate", but it was an excellent learning experience. It is interesting to note that the birds seem quite content on the perches and can sit in the shade of overhanging trees. They have access to tree branches that overgrow onto the perches ... and they don* t chew them. . . ! REPORT ON THE AAZPA WESTERN REGIONAL WORKSHOP by Mlchaul Pee, Lo6 Angule^ Zoo, AAZK RepA.e6en;ttLtTue The AAZPA Western Regional workshop was a very successful conference. Roughly one-half of the delegates in attendance were animal keepers. The keepers from the Sacramento Zoo are to be commended for their outstanding contributions to make this a very worthwhile conference. All the talks were very interesting, and elephants seemed to be an especially intriguing subject. George *'Slim" Lewis' talk on elephants was especially well received. Thirty-eight people attended a discussion on the history of AAZK, its goals, and importance and problems of local chapters. Marvin Jones is to be commended for his help during this discussion. Also, participation at the AAZK National Convention in Portland, Oregon was brought up. Bill Meeker, his staff, the Sacramento Zoological Society, and AAZPA should be thanked for allowing AAZK to be actively involved in the AAZPA Western Regional Workshop. 167 so YOU WANT TO BE A ZOO KEEPER? by Ed, RobeAt6^ S^. Zoo Ke.e.pe/L WalteA V. Stone, Mem. loo, Ma66, There are those who believe that just because some one has an Inherent love for animals, they could very easily become a keeper to work with wild animals in captivity. True, an affection for animals is a desirable trait for entering the zoo field, but there is a lot more to it than that. The glitter and dazzle of working in a zoo wears off in direct proportion to the piles of mess you clean up dally. Many a would-be keeper becomes sick to the stomach at some of the odors associated with zoo animals. As a matter of fact, some of these odors penetrate into your clothes and keeper friends of mine have been known to walk into a bar for a drink or two and in no time find themselves the only customers there. Well, you may say, I*ve already had my tasteof it out here and my stomach is in good shape, so I’m ready. All right, let’s get down to some basics. The attitude of the embryo keeper must be such that he or she can withstand the boredom of routine daily work in the care, cleaning and disinfecting of animal quarters and compounds. Since the public is the first to notice how clean an area is, and also the first ones to complain about it, the trainee keeper must be instucted in the proper method of cleaning such quarters . He or she must be able to work under variable climatic conditions." that in some places range from the upper 90 ’s to well below zero. If you enjoy working outdoors then this may be your particular forte. Usually, the head keeper or a senior keeper will take the trainee on an orientation tour of the zoo introducing you to your fellow keepers, explaining the various animals in the zoo collection. He will then turn you over to an experienced keeper for training where you will learn that the emphasis of zoo operation will Indicate punctuality in feeding schedules which are critical to the maintenance of the animals, cleanliness of their quarters, safety of the keeper and the public under all types of conditions and situations. There are times when the only person between the public and an animal is the keeper. The trainee will be encouraged to ask questions about the breeding habits, gestation periods, animal peculiarities, winter and summer quarters, types and amounts of various animal feed products used for food, how to spot a sick animal and what to do about it, keeping record of food intake, births, deaths, breeding cycles, etc. We have found, and I'm sure some of you more experienced keepers can attest to this, that through no fault of the trainee-keeper other than his or her trying to make a good Impression, a more clumsy, uncoordin- ated individual can no where else be found! The trainee will trip and fall over hoses, rakes, shovels, brooms, tip over wheel barrows, leave cage doors open and unlocked, give out wrong diets to different animals, fall into moats and heaven only knows what else! But, eventually, out of this chaos there emerges a successful animal keeper who enjoys and understands the work with his or her animals and who is now able to keep a sharp eye out for any irregularities in their behavior. 168 dowtlnatd So You Want to be a Zoo Keeper? conMnaed Points to be taken into consideration by the head keeper in the training of new keepers are as follows: 1. reaction time, 2. observation, 3. initiative, 4, reliability, 5. mobility, 6. empathy, 7. drinking habits, 8. respect for animals. I have put 25 years working in a zoo and have done some extensive traveling talking to other keepers, listening to their gripes, asking how they enjoyed working their animals and with them, whether they were large or small, feathered or scaly and so forth. I found it was reasonable to concede that they all enjoyed working with animals because they felt very strongly, that at least they were doing their part to preserve that which is only too fast disappearing from the face of the earth.... the animal kingdom. This paper was presented at the 1978 AAZK National Conference Alter natives... Education and P.R. The AYumaJi Keepeu ' foAum ^eceTve^ nm6t&tteA^ and nm6 many zooh and mutd tike to 6kan.e &ome the cJteouUve, 6ttmaZattng edaeational tdea6 that the^e pubtieatton6 contain. The events oAe presented tn a b/Ue^ ^oAm to soAve as an tnsp-Oiatton {,oA. ideas that can be adapted to yo a/i zoo and tts needs and /lesouAcdi . PHILADELPHIA ZOO SPONSORS 'SKETCH A ZOO' Philadelphia hosted ninety young artists who sketched animals on the African plain. The youngsters, ages 6-18, were part of a program of art instruction. Philadelphia plans to have easels, stools and drawing boards available for rent to encourage all artists to enjoy a day of drawing at the zoo. BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AT METRO TORONTO ZOO The Metro Toronto Zoo 5th birthday party included many Toronto celebri- ties# a puppet show, special feedings for many of the animals, and a giant birthday cake for the elephants. BRONX ZOO HOSTS ASIAN FESTIVAL Wild Asia is the Bronx zooh newest and largest exhibits area. Other animals of the world’s largest continent can be seen in natural habitat displays in the World of Birds, the Reptile House and the Rare Animals Range Exhibits. The Asian Festival was held one summer weekend and included the red kerchief dance of Mongolia, the martial arts of Thailand, and dancers and musicians from Tibet. These events highlight animals that visitors would most likely never be able to see in the wild. 169 PROCEDURES USED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HYDROPONICALLY GROWN BARLEY Ho/ideum valgoAc AT THE CHICAGO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY, BROOKFIELD ZOO by H. LuCleAz and S.J.H. Cog^ioiM Introduction. Hydroponics is the common term for soilless cultivation; or the use of any method for the growth of plants without the use of specially compounded soil based composts or natural earth. Douglas (1976) describes over thirty different hydroponic methods and leaves 2-1/2 pages blank for the student to add other methods that they might know. He lists the method used at Chicago Zoological Society as "fodder growing machiner" or "grass incubator". This method dates from the 1930 's and its primary object is to provide an optimum environment for the germination and growth of grass fodder. The process normally takes from seven to ten days between planting and harvest; depending on the kind of seed used, temperature, humidity, methods of management, structure used, etc. This form of hydroponics is used at a number of zoos including the Bronx, Phoenix, Honolulu, San Diego, and Lincoln Park Zoos (Sullivan, 1976). The Brookfield hydroponics unit is a "Magic Meadow", Model #224 manufactured by Hydroculture Inc., Glendale, Arizona. The unit has been in use for seven years and was originally acquired to provide a substi- tute for lettuce. While it is difficult to accurately estimate all costs, it has been conservatively estimated to save $5,000.00 per year in foodstuffs that would otherwise be bought. During the last five years, oat Auena i,atdva and barley Ho^deum vutgaAil seed have been used, however certified barley is planted exclusively due to greater ease in handling and cleaning. The barley is planted daily with each day’s planting being allowed to germinate and grow for seven days before harvest. This gives a continuous daily harvest year round. Physical description. Table 1. The hydroponics unit is similar to a house trailer in that the exterior is vinyl coated aluminum and rests on a trailer undercarriage. The interior walls are plastic sheeting, the floor is fiberglass. Centered on the lengthwise wall, directly across from the entry door is a double-tubbed , galvanized sink. The sink drains have valve closure. In each quarter of the room is a set of shelves seven rows high. Each shelf is made from two parallel pipes off-set so seed trays will drain toward the wall. Each shelf will hold up to eight trays horizontally. Pipes closest to the center of the room carry water to spray nozzles for the next lower shelf. There are two air conditioners, one mounted at each end. Mounted directly in front of and onto each air conditioner is a heating element. The temperature is thermostatically set at 19°C year round. Each air conditioner/heater is capable of maintaining unit temperature by itself, however there is some loss of homogeneity. This also causes excessive wear on the system. There are two forty-eight gallon sumps, one at each end of the unit. Their primary purpose is to store water for use during the spray cycle and to collect water drained from the seed trays. A float valve acts to add water during the spray cycle and otherwise maintains water level. Water in solution with nutrients and sodium hypochlorite is pumped 170 Hydropom'can.y Grown Barley, c-owtiniLnd from here every six hours for ten minutes. Light is provided twenty-four hours a day by twenty cool-white fluores- cent tubes set in the ceiling. TABLE I . Specifications for "Magic Meadow", Model 224 Hydroponics Unit at the Chicago Zoological Society Building dimensions 9 *8" x 9 ’9" x 22 ’6" shell pl57wood exterior vinyl-coated aluminum interior walls and ceiling .. .ABS plastic sheet floor fiberglass painted with epoxy (BZ) Heating and cooling air conditioners (2) ......... 8 , 000 BTU each thermostatically controlled heating elements (2) 2,000 watt each thermostatically controlled Light lights 20 cool-white fluorescent bulbs 5 waterproof fixtures, ceiling mounted (BZ) Water system water approximate Ph 7.5, 1 ppm chlorine sumps (2) 48 gallon capacity water added by float valve pumps (2) each connected to one sump controlled by electrical timer spray nozzles (84) 3 per 8 tray shelf Other trays plastic, 12" x 36" x 2" total tray capactity 224 BZ = modification from original design by Brookfield Zoo Daily harvesting, planting, and maintenance. Upon entering, the unit’s temperature is checked and the entire unit is briefly checked for any signs of malfunction. The bottom row of trays contain grass ready for harvest. Each tray is individually removed and harvested: i.e., the grass is removed from the tray and put into a large container set in the doorway. Both tray and grass are inspected for signs of mold or fungus. This process continues until all bottom trays are harvested. Remaining rays are shifted down one shelf and across the aisle. This allows water to drain in a different direction through the seed and roots. This also gives a better distribution of light over the grass. I Trays are set so they do not contact walls or shelving side supports, leaving contact only with the supporting pipes. 171 continued Hydropom'cally Grown Barley, continued One sink tub is filled with water as hot as is barely comfortable. Sodium hypochlorite (household bleach) is added to a solution of 500 ppm.^ Trays are scrubbed inside and out with all surfaces coming into contact with the solution. Extra care is taken on interior corners and drainage slots at the ends of the trays. The sink is then drained and rinsed. The sink is again closed and a screen set into the drain. Seed to be planted for the day is put into the sink and another solution of water and sodium hypochlorite (500 ppm.) is added. The seed is stirred thoroughly to destroy air pockets and to even temperature variations in the water. This is to clean the seed and it should be noted that this is the first time the seed comes into contact with water. Currently, soak time is twenty minutes. Planting simply consists of evenly distributing an alloted amount of seed into a washed tray, leveling the seed throughout, and setting the tray on the top shelf. One tray is done at a time. The sink and tools used (bucket, screen, scoop and sponge) are washed in hot running water. The floor is swept of all dirt and debris. Major cleaning is done every second day. The sumps are drained. A "Doodle-Bug" scrubber is used to clean all surfaces inside the unit. Surfaces are then hosed down, being careful not to splatter into the trays. Sumps are scrubbed and all residues washed down the drains. On days when the sumps are not drained, the unit is not hosed down. Instead the floors are squeegeed into the sumps after being swept and residues removed. Since we are now running half the unit, floors are squeegeed to the sump on the side that does not have grass growing. A 20-20-20 water soluable fertilizer is put on the floor to be drained into the sumps after the first spray cycle: twenty-eight grams on each end that is planted. Eight fluid oz. of a 5.25% solution of sodium hypochlorite is added to each sump. The mean time spent in the above procedures is 1.5 hours per night including the period while the seed is being soaked. Discussion. Ideal germination and growth temperature for barley is 21^0 - 23°C (Douglas, 1976) in combination with the highly humid, wet environment of the grass incubator is a prime environment for molds and fungi. As a result, molds and fungi are an endemic problems and combat- ing overt contamination to the grass is a primary operational problem. Procedures that aid in this situation can be discussed under three major headings: suitable cleaning and handling techniques, prevention of introduction, and manipulation of environmental variables. Techniques used in handling and cleaning are regular, frequent, and thorough cleaning with an emphasis on identifying sources of contamin- ation. It is essential that cleaning be done without contaminating another area in the process.* Hosing is done in a sequence and manner that prevents the spreading of spores, etc. Special attention is given to areas, such as corners and behind pipes, where there is poor air circulation and a collection of moisture. Tools are used only for their specific operation and cleaned after use. When necessary, the design of the unit has been modified to eliminate sources of contamina tion. continued 172 Hydroponically Grown Barley, (iontlnae.d To prevent the introduction of contaminates , passage into the unit is regulated. During daily cleaning, etc., passage into and out of the unit is kept to three times including while the seed is being soaked. After the floor is squeegeed or hosed, access is denied to the interior. Routinely used tools are stored inside. Rubber overboots are worn and used only in this operation. Seed is disinfected before being put into the trays. Also important in the prevention of introduction of contaminants is the use of Certified seed. "Certified" is seed that has been handled to maintain purity and genetic identity. Standards for specifications are maintained through various state agencies and co-ordinated by the International Crop Improvement Association (Hartmann and Kester, 1968). Standards for Certified seed are high and result in a cleaner seed than what is often found in other seeds. Altering environmental variables often involves a trade in lower gross weight gain in barley for lower gain and proliferation of molds and fungi. This kind of compromise has resulted in the present setting of 19°C in interior temperature. Another environmental variable, the moisture accumulation at one end of the tray as opposed to the other, is changed by the daily shifting of trays from side to side. Also, cleaning processes are timed so the first spray cycle starts within sixty minutes after they are done. This gives the greatest amount of consecutive time possible for drying through the twenty-four hour day, while main- taining the integrity of a spray cycle once every six hours. During the past five years, considerable variation in the performance of different varieties of barley has been noted. Due to this factor, there is an initial period of adjustment of the hydroponics machine. As an example, a recently procured lot of seed was introduced and during a trial and error period, procedures were changed until a peak in performance was subjectively observed. The changes were an increase in dry weight planted per tray, a raising of the interior temperature, and a shorter soak period. In order to finely adjust the environment and to check the validity of the changes, it was decided to systematically explore the variables that might affect growth of the barley. A null hypothesis that there was no difference between a twenty minute soak period and a forty minute soak period in gross weight of harvested barley was selected. Forty-eight pounds dry weight of certified Barsoy barley was planted every day during two, twenty-one day periods. For one period, seed was soaked for twenty minutes; for the other, it was soaked for forty. Gross weight of each day's harvest was taken to the nearest half pound. Temperature of the unit when initially entering the unit and temperature of the soak solution was recorded for use in later studies. Results were a mean gross weight of 334.74 lbs. per day’s harvest for the twenty minute soak period and 321.07 for the forty minute soak period. A standard _t - test for a difference between two independent means (Bruning and Kintz, 1968) was calculated with ^ = 2.37 and significant at P = .05 and insignificant at P = .02. (A _t - test was also calculated for the unit temperature means with ^ being insignificant at P = .10.) Bases on these results the null hypothesis that there was no difference in stated soak times and a twenty minute duration was established as a consistant planting procedure. continued 173 Hydroponically Grown Bariev, continued It has been essential for peak production that procedures be rigidly standardized, that there be accurate and consistent records to monitor production, and that the process not become static to the extreme where variations in the environment and materials cannot be adjusted for. Since fodder incubators are closed self-contained environments, the unit is ideally suited for the use of results from systematic methods of investigation for a basis in changing operational procedures. Because of the performance variability of barley, it is again recommended that Certified seed be used because of its high standards in maintaining genetic identity and purity. This allows for a consistent performance and nutrition. When initially procuring seed, available lots are compared for purity (percentages of Variety seed, crop seed, weed seed, and inert matter) and germination percentage. Less than 90% germination is not acceptable. Before buying a specific lot, several bags of seed are tested in the unit for germination and all around suitability. Buying as much as possible of a specific lot number also aids in getting a genetically consistent seed. Additional note. Table II contains nutritional analysis results for two hydroponically grown barleys. The Brookfield Zoo barley is Certi- fied Variety Dickson, Lot #E1269-D65 , 620 (Wise.) with a germination rate of 97%. Purity was 99.95 (inert: 0.03%; weed seed: 0.01%; Crop seed: 0.01%). It was analyzed 5/77 and grown as described in this paper. The other barley was grown and analyzed in South Africa (Douglas, 1976). Due to the wide variation in nutrition of seed (National Research Council, 1972) according to the variety, location, and conditions under which it is grown, it is felt that this is of limited use. Another limitation in its use is that many species prefer one portion of the grass over another while the analysis data is for the grass as a whole. However, it is included here for the purposes of comparison and dissemination. See next page for Table II. Acknowledgments . We would like to thank Bruce Brewer for his help in organizing and understanding the nutritional data and the Science and Telchnological Section of the Chicago Public Library for allowing us to check out books not normally available. Special appreciation goes to Gay Kuester for her last minute help in typing the manuscript; may her typewriters always be golden. Bibliography. Bruning, J.L. and Kintz, B.L. 1968. Computational Handbook of Statistics. Scott, Foresman, 272 pp. Douglas, J. Sholto. 1976. An Advanced Guide to Hydroponics . Peham. 333 pp. Hartmann, J.T. and Kester, D.E. 1968. Plant Propagation; Principles and Practice. 2nd ed. Prentice-Hall. 702pp. National Research Council. 1971 Atlas of Nutritional Data on United States and Canadian Feeds. National Academy of Sciences. 772 pp . Sullivan G.B. 1976. Understanding Hydroponics. Frederick Warne. 96 pp. 174 TABLE II NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS RESULTS FROM TWO HYDROPONICALLY GROWN BARLEYS SOUTH AFRICA BROOKFIELD DRY FRESH DRY FRESH Moisture % 91.2 92.14 Dry Matter % 8.8 7.86 Crude Protein (Nx6.25) % 26.3 2.29 15. ,44 1.21 Fat % n/a n/a 3. ,67 0.29 Fiber % 25.3 2.22 24. ,46 1.92 Ash % 4.81 0.42 4. ,70 0.37 Nitrogen Free Extract % n/ a n/ a 51. ,73 4.07 Digestible Carbohydrates % ^ n/a n/ a 53. ,10 4.18 Total Digestible Nutrients 7o n/ a n/a 69. ,90 5.49 Estimated Digestible Protein n/ a n/ a 11. ,27 0.89 Nitrogen % n/a n/a 2. ,47 0.19 Phosphorus % 0.84 0.073 0. ,41 0.03 Potassium % n/ a n/a 0. ,45 0.04 Magnesium % n/ a n/a 0. ,18 0.01 Calcium % 0.38 0.033 0. ,17 0.01 Sodium % n/ a n/ a 0. ,14 0.01 Zinc mg/kg 35.0 1.65 54. ,0 4.0 Iron mg /kg n/ a n/ a 198. ,0 16.0 ! Manganese mg/kg 10.5 0.91 19. ,0 1.0 Copper mg /kg 35.0 3.04 99. ,0 1.0 Aluminum mg /kg n/ a n/ a 128. ,0 10.0 True Vitamin A n/ a n/ a 4900.0 USP / lb. Vitamin E (total Tocopheral) 171.3 lU >^carotene mg/kg per lb. 237.0 20.6 n/a n/a Selenium ppm n/ a n/ a n/a 0.014 n/ a = analysis result not available 1 = calculated for lactating cattle South African barley green fodder from farm hydroponics unit and analyzed by J. Muller Laboratories, Capetown (from Douglas, 1976). Brookfield Zoo barley green fodder from hydroponics unit and analyzed by United States Testing Inc., Rochelle, Illinois. This paper was presented at the 1978 AAZK National Conference. Nine Puerto Rican Parrot chicks have increased the wild population count to 28 during 1978. Wild populations reached a low of 13 birds in 1975. 175 BREEDING SNOW LEOPARDS AT THE OKC ZOO: THE APPLICATION OF RECORDS-KEEPING TO HUSBANDRY AND MANAGEMENT by St2.ve, A. Cl2.vmg2A AyuMCit TachyUcian II Captive propagation is necessary to the very survival of some species today. This is unquestionable. However, if we attempt to breed animals in captivity without keeping a detailed record of all their interactions, we are neglecting not only a very useful descriptive tool, but also a means of actively changing husbandry and management practices to increase the probability of births and hatchings. The solitary nature of the snow leopard VayitkoAa, uyiCA,a. and the relative inaccessibility of its habitat combine to make this very uncommon cat rare in captivity. Recent studbook figures indicate a world captive population of 169 Individuals. Continued ' persecutiom in the wild (despite protection) and their natural scarcity further point to the need for captive propagation and careful management of the species. No species deserves the fate of extinction. In 1975, we began taking steps to consolidate four welded-wire "corn-crib*’ style cages in the breeding area into a single facility for maintaining (and hopefully breeding) 1/3 Snow leopards. This was accomplished by joining the four separate cages with three foot square chain-link fencing tunnels which are closed by sliding or guillotine doors. This configuration, when used with the dens in each of the cages, allow us to introduce the male to as many as three different females at one time. It also allows for denning in the event of pregnancies. Our quest for reproductive success with this species began with four animals, all of which are first generation captive-born. The females are all Oklahoma City born; "Damascus" in May of 1972, "Elektra" in May of 1974 and "Tangla" in June of 1975. The male of our group, '*01d Man" was received in October of 1975 and was born in San Francisco in 1970. By the latter part of 1975, the facilities were completed and all the animals were in place. We began introducing the male to the two older females at this time for roughly two week periods. We have con- tinued to switch the male back and forth based mostly upon outward indication of estrus in the females. This method has been fruitful in producing four births in the last three years. In the middle of January 1976, "Old Man" and "Damascus" were introduced. As with subsequent introductions, the female in each case was the more dominant animal. Copulation was observed and/or heard (snow leopards have a distinct vocalization while mating) early in February and late in March. Early in June "Damascus" did not eat for three straight days. Ninety days after the first recorded copulation, "Damascus" gave birth to two male kittens. "Old Man" was Introduced to ’’Elecktra" in February of 1977. Late in March breeding was observed and heard for approximately 30 minutes one afternoon. Because of this single isolated instance of copulation, the male and female were not separated (as is generally done when we suspect an animal is approaching parturition) . Ninety-six days later "Elektra" gave birth to 2/1 kittens. Subsequently , none of this litter survived. "Elektra" had barely attained puberty (at this time she was 3 years, 2 months old) , the litter was fairly large and all the kittens seemed relatively small at birth. c.oyitA^yiLL2.d on nS-xX page,» 176 Breeding Snow Leopards at the OKC Zoo, continued "O'ld Man'* remained with "Elektra" on into the winter months of 1977 and in the middle of February copulation again was observed over a two day period. By the middle of April, she was showing an obvious weight gain and began staying in the nest box at night. She did not eat starting 25 May 78 and three days later we heard kitten noises from the nest box. The gestation was 101 days. In the fall of 1978, "Damascus" and "Old Man" were re-introduced . Copulation was observed on 3 Dec 78 and heard throughout the next three days. By the middle of February, 1979, "Damascus" was "definitely" pregnant and on 11 March became extremely seclusive, not eating and staying in the den all the time. Two days later she gave birth to 2/1 youngsters. Gestation was 99 days. Thus far attempts at introducing "Old Man" and the young (three and a half year old) "Tangla" have resulted in several aggressive encounters. We do not feel that this is an indication of incompatability . "Tangla" was first introduced to "Old Man" in the late stages of puberty. There seem to be strong indications also that on those occasions when we've attempted introduction, "Tangla" has not been in estrus. By consulting the records of these animals, we can not only get an over- view of snow leopard behavior in captivity, but may also draw several conclusions concerning their reproductive behavior. These may then be applied to husbandry and management of the species. Past records indicate several things: 1. All observed copulations which resulted in births occurred during the period of December through March. 2. The average of the four gestation periods is 98.5 days. 3. The females in three of the four births became extremely seclusive for short periods immediately prior to giving birth. 4. In two of the four births, the females stopped eating (or their appetites decreased significantly) just before copulation occurred. These four generalizations may be applied to future husbandry in the following ways: 1. Indications are that (like all snow leopards) our females are seasonal breeders during the winter months. Introducing the male regularly to each female for a short period of time during the period November through mid-March would create conditions most favorable to breeding. 2. The average gestation period of our females will allow us to accurately predict dates of birth after an initial breeding is recorded. 3. Extreme seclusiveness will be viewed as an indicator of immed- iately impending birth. 4. A decrease in appetite during the receptive period (November through March) will be viewed as the onset of estrus, giving us an indication of the best possible time to introudce the male to a female coming into heat. By controlling the period and frequency of introduction, we hope to more efficiently produce young in this species without causing undue repro- ductive stress in our adult animals. 177 continued on next page> Breeding Snow Leopards at the OKC Zoo, continmd These conclusions came about primarily as a result of consulting our animal records. Records are a readily available tool to assist zoo professionals in their day-to-day duties. By devoting a small amount of time daily to this simple task we stand to reap great rewards in furthering conservation, in improving our husbandry methods and in simply taking better care of our animals. Records-keeplng may be a approached in three steps: 1. Record carefully noticeable changes in behavior regardless of their apparent relation to the events of the day. 2. So much as is possible, retain the recorded material for as long as you can. 3. Periodically, review the material to check for generalizations which may be drawn from the material, trends which may be identified or potential problems which might develop. In reviewing records I have found it very helpful to wait for a period of 8 weeks before looking back in the files - this tends to give one a more detached and objective view of the situation. By cultivating the habit of recording significant or possibly signifi- cant changes in the behavior of our animals, we stand to benefit in two ways: At the very least, we become more knowledgeable of and acquainted with our animals. We may also be able to contribute positively to the propagation and maintenance of all animals in captivity. And, after all, isn’t that what zoo-keeping is all about? IW MEMOklAM Our Topeka Zoo family suffered a great loss with the untimely death of Carl Joseph "Joe" Dreyer, Jr. He was killed in a one car accident on 13 July 1979. Joe was a Senior Keeper on our staff and recently was promoted to Area Supervisor. He was a familiar sight in the Animals and Man building, as he regularly worked that area and the gorillas and orangutans were four of his favorite animals. He was well liked and respected by his professional colleagues, and was extraordinarily polite, patient, and helpful with questions from the Zoo Docents and other volunteers. Joe was a favorite with the school children whenever he was asked to speak to any of the Zoo classes. All of us on the Zoo Staff are extremely grieved at this tragic event. Joe’s life was much too short, and he left his mark on each of us in one way or another. An appropriate memorial for him will be developed at the Zoo. Contributions may be made to the Joe Dreyer Memorial Fund in care of the Zoo. GoAy K. CloAke., Zoo V- oi t\nU 6ectton j^^om th^AA "Po^ttton6 Avatlabla Itittng. Thts ^ a monthly -6eAvtc& to us, ^oK. you. VEPARTMENT HEAV/VESIGN ANV EXHIBITION. , , responsible for design and production of educational and exhibit materials. Supervise the activi- ties of department personnel and contract workers, and work with other zoo staff, supplying creative input to the needs and desires of zoologi- cal, educational and visitor services managers. Demonstrated managerial abilities mandatory. Must have broad-based knowledge in graphic arts, technical illustration, industrial design, or equivalent in training and experience. Salary range: $18,000 - $25,000, plus excellent fringe benefit package. Applications should be sent to Personnel Manager, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513. HORTICULTURIST/MANAGER. . . responsible for organizing, planning and supervising day-to-day activites of large horticultural staff. Full spectrum of horticultural work required for 2000-acre park. Excellent salary and fringe benefits. Send resume, including education and work history to: Personnel Manager, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513. ZOOKEEPER/HOOTSTOCK. . . responsible for animal care and management in an expanding zoological garden. Requires a minimum of three years’ experience and references. Excel- lent salary and benefits. Contact: Dale Stastny, Personnel Director, Audubon Park & Zoological Garden, P.O. Box 4327, New Orleans, LA 70178 o p p o r t u n 1 t y k n o c k SUPERVISOR. . . responsible for supervision of animal care in quarantine stations and a holding facility. Veterinary background an asset. Sal- ary commensurate with experience. Send curriculum vitae and photograph to Michken Corporation, 01314 Charlevoix St., Montreal, Quebec, CANADA H3K 2Z0. (514) 935-9174 or 937-2577 BIRV/REPTILE CURATOR... responsible for diverse bird and reptile col- lection. Share supervisory duties for entire keeper staff with mammal curator. Will take part in renovating design of present facilities and master planning of new exhibits. Responsible for research programs, as well as public and professional presentations. Degree in applicable field and at least two years’ experience in the care and maintenance of exotic birds and reptiles, with at least one year in supervisory position. Professional work may be substituted for formal education. Salary: $13,000 - $15,000 annually. Reply to: Minot Ortolan! , Interim Director, Buffalo Zoological Gardens, Delaware Park, Buffalo, NY 14214. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. INFANT CARE SPECIALIST/KEEPER. . . provide care to orphan neonates full time and keeper assistance to Children’s Zoo during exhibit season. Qualifications should include supervisory keeper experience; neonate husbandry and medical/veterinary experience; behavioral observation training; working knowledge of exhibit repair and minimum of two years’ college education. Salary: $9,268. Send resume to: Director of Veterinary Medicine, Boston Zoological Society, Franklin Park, Boston, MA 02121. Closing date 1 October 1979. ASSISTANT CURATOR/MAMMALS. . . requires Bachelor’s Degree in Zoology and closely related field plus two years’ supervisory experience in a recog- nized zoological park or five years’ experience in a zoological park, three of which must be in a supervisory capacity. Prefer in-depth 179 OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS, coyitlnued experience with carnivores and hoof stock, plus organizational skills. Responsible for assisting the Curator of Mammals in management and exhibition of mammal collection, administrative duties and research. Contact: Dale Stastny, Personnel Director, Audubon Park and Zoological Garden, P.O. Box 4327, New Orleans, LA 70178 ZOO KEEPER, . . knowledge of and experience in caring for hoofed animals. Starting salary $10,500. Excellent fringe benefits. Send resume and references to Robert Lotshaw, General Curator, Cincinnati Zoo, 3400 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45220. ZOOKEEPER/ LABORER, applicants with previous experience preferred. Excellent benefits, starting salary $11,648 per annum. Send resume to: Roger Valles, Director, Roger Williams Park Zoo, Providence, RI 02905 * * * COMING EVENTS * * * AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS NATIONAL CONFERENCE September 24-27, 1979 Portland, Oregon AAAPA National Conference September 30-0ctober 4 St. Louis, Missouri Annual Convention of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians October 7-11, 1979 Denver, Co Second Annual Symposium on Captive Wildlife October 26-29 Louisville Chapter AAZK Contact: Steven Taylor Louisville Zoological Garden 1100 Trevilian Way Louisville, Kentucky p. 130, Jlity AKF Regional Conference for Zoo Support Organizations October 27-29, 1979 Louisville, Kentucky World Conference on Breeding Endangered Species in Captivity November 12-16, 1979 San Diego, Ca p. 96, May AKt World Conference on Sea Turtle Conservation November 26-30, 1979 Washington, D.C. Vlllth Congress of the International Primatological Society July 7-12, 1980 Florence', Italy ***** ? ? ? INFORMATION PLEASE! ? ? ? Information (references, personal communications, etc.) is wanted concerning breeding and maintaining river otters LaVia canadQ,n6- in captivity. Regina Grebb, Animal Keeper Pittsburgh Zoo P.O. Box 5250 Pittsburgh, PA 15206 9 9 9 180 INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS kYiimaJi Ke.e.peA^ ' FoHum publishes original papers and news items of interest to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles. Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs, and tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page size of no more than 6''xl0'’ (15 cm. x 25h cm.). Literature used should be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Articles sent to knhnoJi Ke.e.peA6' foAum will be reviewed for publication. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to publish articles as soon as possible. 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(8) — MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION Affiliate (full-time keepers) $10.00 annually Associate (part-time keepers, students, docents) .$10.00 annually Foreign $15.00 annually Contributing $50.00 annually All memberships include subscriptions to kyiLmaJi KeepC-AA ' Fo-'lllih. 50% of the member's dues are budgeted for the publication. All new members receive an AAZK shoulder patch and a membership card good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada. The AAZK Headquarters has extra shoulder patches available for $1.25 and back issues of the kyiimoJi /(eepeAA ' Fo^um for $1.00. Send name and address and a check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers to AAZK HEADQUARTERS NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 ALL CHANGES OF ADDRESS SHOULD BE SENT TO AAZK HEADQUARTERS AT THE NATIONAL ZOO. DO NOT SEND THEM TO kn^al Keepo/u' Fo^um. The journal is not available by subscription only. ® C; n3 “ o S D CQ O w - D O 3. QJ ^ O 3 0*3 ;p o ® 5) CD .05-3 ow. • o 0) hO — O^ ■ 00^ u w a p >». r "3 ?r p Animal SPECIAL ELECTION ISSUE!! Dedicated to Pro^^Sidnat Animal Care OCTOBER 1979 ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606 OCTOBER 1979 ISSN 0164-9531 VOLUME SIX NUMBER NINE Edi tor-in-Chief : Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoological Park Executive Editor: Mike Coker, Topeka Zoological Park Managing Editor: Lois Bogia, Topeka Zoological Park Art Consultant: Elaine Shea An-unaZ ' FoAum is a monthly journal published by the American^ Association of Zoo Keepers, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C., 20008, for its members. Send all address changes, undeliverable copies and other membership inquiries to AAZK Headquarters, Washington, D.C.. Second class postage is paid at Topeka, Kansas. Return postage is guaranteed. Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the Editor. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 El-izab^th Glci6-6c.o, S2.cA2XaAy Board of Directors Dennis Grimm, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513 Ed Roberts, Stone Mem. Zoo, 149 Pond St., Stoneham, MA 02180 Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 100 W. Webster Ave., Chicago, IL 60614 Coordinators and Committees Coordinator for Chapter Affairs Coordinator for International Affairs Vat Samm(Vic,o, Lincoln VoAk loo Tom Golds beAAy, Wasklngton PoAk Zoo AAZK/AAZPA Liaison Ed RoboAZs, {JJaltQA V. Stom Mem. Zoo Nominations and Election Committee Jm Gnadd, Basak GoAddns, Flo^dda, CkouAWoman Kdnt BdndcUdt, Atlanta Zoo Utkd MaybAy, OvoAton PoAk Zoo BdAnoAd f Oldman, MTlloA PaAk Zoo Von Rasmu^^dn, Minnesota Statd Zoo Awards Committee Mtkd CokdA, Topdka Zoo, Ckalnman Mtkd Vdd, Lo^ AngeldS Zoo l/tcky LaRad, JntoAnatl. Vtdk SodoAlund, BAookilold Zoo Mtkd CAockoA, VlckoASon Regional Coordinators Jtll GAadd, BuAdk GoAddns, Flonlda, Ed RobdAts Vdnlsd BoAtdnidlddA Kdvln Conway EvdAott HoaaIs KeAAy Ho^^man LoAAy SammoAco Von Rasmus^dn Ltndttd BAown LauAa StAtckland Tim O'BAldn GoAy Ttbbotts [JJaltdA V. Stond Mem. Zoo BaltlmoAd PAont Royal, VA BtnddA PaAk Zoo Cincinnati Zoo Lincoln PaAk Zoo Minnesota Statd Zoo Knoxvllld Zoo MontgomdAy Zoo Audubon PaAk Zoo Rio GAandd Zoo Hdad ME, l/T, MV PA, [/A, MI 1M, m, MM, TM, n, AR, MJ, Wl/ OH, IL lA, MC, AL, MS, CAand fdn. PaAk Zoo MH, MA, RI MV, VE KT MO SC GA LA CT TX,MM,C0,0K,KS,ME,SV,MV WA, OR, IV, MT, WV, AK CA, Ml/, AZ, UT, HI The OcXoboA covoA Ulixy^tnjoutioYi X6 by John WM^lngeA the Int^Anattonal C/Lone VoandcuUon, The JCT ti> pK-oad to announce the hatching oi a B/Lolga Cmne Chick [6ee antlcle undoA Blnth^ and Hatching^]. Cong^atulatloyis ! ! SCOOPS id SCUTTLEBUTT The 1980 National Conference of the American Association of Zoo Keepers will meet in Montgomery, Alabama. It will be hosted by the active chapter of the AAZK of the Montgomery Zoo, the zoo, the Parks and Recreation Department and the Dixie Zoological Society. They are planning a red carpet welcome for their fellow keepers from around the country. PHILADELPHIA ZOO DISPLAYS ASIATIC LIONS Three rare Asiatic lions were given to the Philadelphia Zoo by the Provident National Bdnk in the name of its employees. Two young females and one male give the zoo the opportunity for captive breeding and eventual restocking of the original habitat. The Asiatic lion was slaughtered almost out of existence by 19th century trophy hunters. Numbers were further diminished by advancing civilization and altered habitats. About 200 of the lions exist in the wild in and around India’s Gir Wildlife Sanctuary. PYGMY C..IMPS SENT TO YERKES PRIMATE CENTER Alan ShoAplei On May 29, 1979, 1.1 Pygmy Chimpanzees were transferred from the Atlanta Zoo to the Yerkes Primate Center. They will join Laura, a female born at the San Diego Zoo, who went to the Center several months ago. The male, Bosondjo, on loan to Yerkes from the Zaire government, was sent to the zoo on April 21, 1978, to meet Laura and was joined a few weeks later by Laura’s sister Lorel. Despite frequent matings, no pregnancies occurred and this was the reason for the transfer, as it was felt that the Primate Center was better equipped to deal with any reproductive problems. With only a dozen individuals in the U.S. and most of them descended from one pair ~ Kakowet and Linda at San Diego, we hope thau his breeding project will be successful. ARMADILLO AN AMBASSADOR FROM BROOKFIELD TO RUSSIA ’’Artie" armadillo traveled 5,600 miles to become an ambassador in an exchange program between Brookfield Zoo and the Moscow Zoo. Brookfield had an armadillo, but Artie will be somewhat exotic in Moscow, Director George Rabb explained. 181 BIRTHS HATCHINGS FIRST HATCHING OF BROLGA CRANE ChAl6 LaRua, Hmd kvlduItvJiUt lYVt2AnatLo¥ioJi Cnunz Voandcutlon On August 30, 1979, the International Crane Foundation hatched its first Brolga Crane GKiiS ^ubd-Canda. This bird is believed to be the first of its kind ever hatched in the United States and possibly the first outside of Australia. IGF received 4.1 Brolga Cranes through the Australian government in 1974. One male was selected to pair with the single female and they were placed in a 45' x 60’ enclosure. In an attempt to simulate the Australian rainy season in which they breed, a water sprinkler was used in the pen for three years without success. This year the artificial rain was intensified by using three 25’ soaker hoses and watering for 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the afternoon. Student researcher Kate Lindsay operated the watering system daily and recorded behavior during and after the rain. The male Brolga began producing good semen at the beginning of May and continued through August. The female Brolga laid her first and only egg on July 30, 1979. The brownish spotted egg weighed 198.6 grams and was incubated at 37°C dry bulb and lO^C wet bulb. During the incubation period the egg showed a 13% weight loss. The egg was automatically turned every two hours while in the incubator. On day 26 of incubation, the egg was moved to the hatcher and was not turned thereafter. The silver gray chick which was produced through artificial insemination hatched after an incubation period of 31 days. The chick actually pipped on day 30 and was helped out 28 hours after piping. The chick weighed 122.1 grams after hatching and is being reared on a 23% protein starter diet in 1/8” pellet form. The adult Brolgas are fed a 20.5% protein breeder diet in 1/16 pellet form. MALE AFRICAN ELEPHANT BORN AT GLADYS PORTER ZOO IN TEXAS ’’Fanti” a male African Elephant Loxodonta a^AA^cana^ was born 20 May 1979. at the Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, Texas. Fanti is a Swahili word meaning "sir,” an appropriate title for an animal that will one day weigh seven tons! The baby was 200 pounds at birth. Gestation period was 21 months, 17 days. AFRICAN BONGO ANTELOPE AND GIBBON BIRTHS AT STONE ZOO On July 30, the birth of a rare African Bongo antelope occurred at the Stone Zoo, Boston, and was recorded on video tape. The baby, a male, weighed a healthy and above-average 59 pounds at birth, and keeper Mark Crosbie reports the Bongo baby, still nursing, is exploring and adjusting well to his environment. A male gibbon was born at Stone zoo on August 14 in the Children’s Zoo. SEVENTH ORANGUTAN BORN AT ATLANTA ZOO. . ATan Sungeij 25 years old, gave birth to a female infant on June 16, 1979. The infant has been named Penari, which is Malay for Dancer. The father is 24 year old Bukit. He is also the father of Molek, a male born on June 24, 1978. His mother is Sibou, 25 years old. Both infants are being raised by their mothers. Sibou is a noteworthy Orang, as her first baby, a female named Seriba, was the first Orang to be born at the Yerkes Primate Center. She is also the mother of Pensi, a female now at the National Zoological Park. All of the Orangutans (2.3) at the Atlanta Zoo belong to the Sumatran race Vongo pygma^ii& ab^ZU,. MONKEY BIRTH AT ATLANTA ZOO ............. Molyi ShoAplu On June 28, 1979, our pair of Spot-Nosed Guenons C2AcopbXhe,CLlJi& (U CLCLnAJM AchmitZ gave birth to a male infant. The mother guarded the baby very closely, making observation difficult. This viewing problem wasn't improved any by the father who became quite defensive, rushing to the front of the cage whenever any of the primate keepers were within sight. Unfortunately, the infant was found dead on the morning of July 1, The cause of death has yet to be determined. A premature still-born infant was found in November, 1978. This was the female's first pregnancy, and the loss of the infant was attributed to the young age of the mother. Our adult pair was born at the Birmingham Zoo, Alabama. BLUE LORIES HATCHING AT SAN DIEGO ZOO Tahitian blue lories, UZnl peAuvZana, among the world's rarest bird species, have hatched and are being raised at the San Diego Zoo, Dr. Arthur Risser, curator of birds, announced. "A male and a female blue lory chick are out on their own, away from the nest and their parents are sitting on another clutch of blue lory eggs," Risser said. "In addition, two other blue lory chicks have hatched and are being cared for in the nest by another set of parents." This is the second recorded successful breeding of the strikingly-colored parrot-like birds in captivity. Risser attributed the Zoo's success in rearing birds of the parrot family to an experienced group of enthusias- tic bird keepers. CAPYBARA AND NILE HIPPO BORN AT BALTIMORE ZOO The Baltimore Zoo is extremely pleased to announce 2 births. Five capybaras, the world's largest rodents, were born, a first for the Baltimore Zoo. The other birth is a Nile hippo. This is the first to be raised successfully. It was not a planned birth. The mother was obtained from another zoo, with assurances that she was not pregnant. She was! 183 THE KEEPER'S ROLE IN ZOO ANIMAL HEALTH by JucLle. StQ.^nb2Ag INTRODUCTION More than ever before in the history of zoos, wild animals in captivity should be receiving optimum care and treatment for their general good health and well-being. This is not to say that zoo animal medicine has reached its peak. On the contrary, it must still be considered to be a new field of veterinary medicine. My statement regarding optimum care is based on the many advances that have been and are being made in zoo animal medicine, increased training and participation of zoo personnel and an over-all cooperative attitude. In recent years many zoos have employed veterinarians on a full-time basis to tend to the medical needs of the animals in their collections; other zoos have part-time veterinary services based on daily or weekly visits and emergencies. Some zoos must still rely on veterinary services on an on-call or emergency call basis only, and a few zoos have Directors who are also Doctors of Veterinary Medicine. Other medical staff, occasionally found in zoos, are veterinary technicians or assistants, lab-technicians and pathologists. Most zoos rely on. local laboratories to run tests on blood, urine or tissue samples. This paper deals specifically with the role of the animal keeper in zoo animal health. In actuality, the keeper is at the end of the line in a zoo's chain of command regarding animal health, coming after the director, assistant director, curator, zoologist, head or supervisory keeper and perhaps even after other keepers with more seniority. However, the keeper responsible for the daily care of zoo animals, and especially the keeper of a sick or injured animal, is in a unique and important position. Yet it is a tenuous position, dependent upon several things on the part of the keeper, the administration and the veterinarian; namely attitude, personalities and policies. -the role a keeper can play as an integral part of a team effort in a zoo's animal health program should be recognized. -the keeper must be aware of his or her relative position in a zoo's animal health program in terms of accurate observations and communications, following directions on care and treatment, and maintaining a cooperative attitude. Before a keeper can be a participant in an animal health program, there must be some training or background to draw from. Zookeeper training programs may or may not provide this basis. As a minimum instruction a keeper should be made aware of what procedures to follow when an animal is sick or Injured. Some zoos have keeper training programs which include preparing a keeper to participate more fully in animal health. Regardless of a zoo's training program, individual effort and self-prepardness , on the part of the keeper, will probably be the key factor as to whether the keeper is a help or hindrance to the animal, to other zoo personnel and the veterinarian in a time of need. KEEPER, KNOW THYSELF One of the definitions of "attitude" is ... a manner of acting, feeling or thinking that show one's disposition, opinion, etc.. An attitude can 184 The Keeper's Role in Zoo Animal Health, cont^nue.d be reflected as a spontaneous reaction to an emotion or experience, or it can be developed as a vital part of an individual’s personality. Keepers' attitudes regarding the well-being of animls in their keep may range from anthropomorphic to antagonistic, or, on the other hand, can be rational and cooperative. Animals often elicit an emotional response from keepers, especially if something has happened to cause the animal discomfort. These emotions may intensify if the keeper immediately responsible for the care of a sick or injured animal feels helpless to relieve the problem. The attitude reflected by the keeper of a sick animal can have an effect on the speed and efficiency with which the animal receives medical attention. The rational, cooperative keeper will evaluate the situation, take whatever immediate action is necessary and, according to the seriousness of the problem, notify the proper people. The keeper with an antagonistic; or know-it-all attitude who cannot, or will not, accept the role of others in treating a sick or injured animal, can hamper proper treatment and complicate the condition. This attitude can also cause the breakdown of communication and cooperative efforts and in the end result in feelings of resentment toward the keeper. The keeper who tends to be anthropomorphic or anthropopathic and doesn’t deal with the problem, may not be capable of being objective and realistic regarding the care and treatment of sick animals. These attitudes are difficult for other people to work with and should be avoided. Although it may seem, to some keepers, that going through the chain of command to notify the veterinarian that an animal needs attention is an unnecessary waste of time, it serves two important purposes. It can put the keeper in contact with several members of the zoo staff. This would be the case in zoos where the policy is that the keeper contacts the senior keeper, then members of the administrative staff and then the veterinarian, instead of passing the responsibility to another person and then sitting back and waiting. There are pros and cons to this method and the individual keeper must be considered. This would not work with all keepers but would be most effective in establishing good working relationships with the rational, cooperative keeper and his administrators and veterinarian. The second important advantage of going through a chain of command is that everyone concerned has been notified of the problem and, therefore, may be able to help. At least they have been apprised of the situation. Whatever the zoo’s policy is, the keeper should work within the system rather than against it. If there are serious problems in the chain of command and in communicating information, they should be dealt' with and the problems resolved. The attitude expressed by a keeper and the relationships that are devel- oped are what the keeper’s reputation is based upon. A keeper should take care to establish a good reputation with immediate co-workers, supervisory personnel, the director and veterinarian. The reliable, capable, cooperative and knowledgeable keeper who can communicate is an important part of zoo animal health. Also of importance is that the keeper understand and work within his or her degree of authority. This applies to the apprentice or novice level up through senior or supervisory levels, and keepers should act accord- ingly. It should also be remembered that with increased authority comes increased responsibility to act. COJtttKiued 185 The Keeper's Role in Zoo Animal Health, continued When keeper professionalism is discussed, many qualities are listed. The keeper "is the first to begin to interpret some communication from the individual animal" (Nall 1972-73). How well the keeper responds to that condition has a great deal to do with professionalism.. "Zoological medicine is in its infancy" and "we as keepers and veterinarians are working toward the same goal. We can benefit ourselves and our animals only by working together and sharing our discoveries" (Stoskopf 1975-11:2). On the other hand, the keeper who hoards information as "professional secrets" can hinder the progress of an animals’ recovery. Such a person doesn't belong in a zoo. Another potential attitudinal problem is over-dedication; coming to work no matter how debilitated, no matter how sick the keeper feels. Zoonoses, defined as ’a disease that can be transmitted to man by verte- brate animals’ (Webster 1970) works the other way, too. A sick keeper can transmit disease to animals as well, especially to primates. In "Zoonoses and the Animal Keeper" l&ielitski 1977), keepers are reminded to consider the possibility that they may also carry bacteria and viruses from home to work, from persons with whom the keeper lives, from pets kept at home and from farm animals the keeper may be in contact with. Another point regarding a keeper’s attitude is that all animals should be equally well cared for; the small, insignificant animals deserve the same consideration regarding their welfare as do the more exciting, expensive animals. C ommun i c a t i on For a keeper to be effective in his or her role in zoo animal health, communication skills must be developed to share information with others and also to seek out the knowledge and advice of others. There is an art to asking and answering questions. The way a question is phrased and presented drastically affects the type of response. Conversely, the way a person answers a question generally reflects a person’s attitude, training and personality. Questions should be a means to learn more about a situation or to share information with others, not to challenge some- one’s position. Well- intended, well-phrased questions will usually bring about the information being sought. Demanding answers to questions may result in no answer at all and have a closed door effect. Note- taking and record-keeping are important to all concerned. "Proper recording of information is important to document techniques, routines and data for the benefit of all employees and for analysis;" (Peel 1975). Important data should not be trusted to memory. The experienced as well as a novice keeper would do well to carry a sma'll notebook and pen or pencil to record observations and data as soon as they become apparent. The next best practice is to record notes at the first opportunity. It is conceivable that a new keeper would spend time taking notes throughout the day, until procedures, the facilities and especially the animals become familiar. Veteran keepers may only take notes occasionally, but must take care not to take too much for granted and thereby deny others the benefits of his or her experience. Records in zoos vary a great deal as does the keeper’s participation in record keeping and data retrieval. Fortunate is the keeper who is allowed to participate in the record keeping system. Data retrieval from a zoo's records is as important to a keeper’s training as is the case lii story to the veterinarian. However, regardless of the keeper’s position in relation to the zoo's recording keeping policies, there is value in 186 The Keeper's Role in Zoo Animal Health, contlnao^d keeping a "keeper’s notebook". It can serve as a means of review and for sharing experiences and information with co-workers. The sharing of information is especially important between the keepers in an area, such as the regular and relief keepers. The responsibility of informing the other keeper lies with the keeper directly involved with a new situation. This does not, however exclude the less-informed keeper from asking questions about an animal’s condition or a prescribed treatment if not properly informed. "I wasn’t asked" or "I wasn’t told" are no excuses for not briefing each other when problems with an animal’s health and welfare are apparent, and such attitudes should be reprimanded. A keeper returning to work from days off should seek information to be brought up-to-date on the condition of all the animals in the area. Personality Traits "Keeper, Know .Thyself" should include a self-evaluation of one’s person- ality traits, both the strong and weak characteristics. Awareness is knowing what’s taking place; observing and interpreting what one sees, hears or feels, knowing what conditions are present. Some people seem to be naturally observant, but actually, "we see only what we know". (Goethe). It is possible for a keeper to develop powers of observation by watching things with an active, inquiring mind; by learn- ing as much as possible about the animals being kept. Ego must never interfere with the welfare of a keeper’s animals. Self- confidence is important but over-confidence can be dangerous to the keeper, the animals and anyone else involved in a situation. A zoo is not the place to bolster one’s ego. Super-egos not only lose sight of what the process of animal health is about, but can interfere with the beneficial actions and attitudes of other keepers. Wearing decorative scarves, or jewelry, pendants, necklaces, bracelets, etc, to enhance the appear- ance of the keeper is inadvisable. Such items can be attractive to some animals and if given an opportunity grabbed by the animal and ingested. The concern here is not for the personal loss to the keeper but for what effect an ingested item will have on the animal. An informed, conscien- tious keeper is aware of this possibility and takes care to keep easily- grabbed pens, or pencils, pack of cigarettes, glasses, keys or any other loose items well out of the reach of primates, elephants, raccoons or any other animal that has the physical ability and inclination to take such items. At some time during a keeper’s career, it will probably be necessary to handle a situation where a member of the public is teasing or actually injuring animals. It is a time when self-control may be difficult and the keeper would prefer to take the offenders to task rather than dealing with them rationally. The immediate objective is to make the harassment stop! Whether a keeper can handle the situation alone or needs help from other keepers or security personnel depends on the situation. The keeper should be prepared, mentally, to size up the situation and deal with it in the best way possible. When dealing with the public, the keeper is always serving in the role of public relations agent and even at a time like this, an effort should be made to remember that role. Generally wrong-doers cease their actions when they realize they’ve been caught and often will leave the area on the run. But, if not, a keeper should keep cool-headed and act promptly. dOWtlVLildd 187 The Keeper's Role in Zoo Animal Health, continued Another emotion-charged situation is the emergency. It is also a time when cool-headness and composure can help relieve the problem while panic and hysteria only add to it. It’s not unusual for the novice keeper to become somewhat excited in an emergency situation, but as long as the excitement is under control and the keeper can function properly, he or she can still be of help. A keeper’s calmness during a time of excite- ment can have a quieting effect on the animals, too. If a keeper realizes he or she has a problem controlling emotions or has an aversion to pain, blood or death, it is best for all concerned for the keeper to come to grips with the problem. If that’s not possible, if the emotional reaction is too strong to cope with, then it must be realized that this particular keeper cannot be depended on in an emergency. Another personality trait that could have a serious, negative effect on the health of a zoo animal is a keeper’s inability to admit mistakes. Everyone has and will make mistakes. If a mistake is serious and causes an animal to be injured or become sick, it must be admitted to facilitate treatment. An example of this would be the over-graining of an equine. The quantity and kind of grain fed is important for the veterinarian to determine the degree of seriousness of the situation and to know what to be prepared for to treat the animal. Withholding such information could result in the treatment not being effective and the animal becoming permanently lame. Self-preparedness A keeper can do several things to improve his or her value as a partici- pant in the health of zoo animals. Again, knowing the zoo’s procedures and policies can facilitate treatment of a sick or injured animal. A keeper should not be asking ’who do 1 call’ or ’what do I do’ but should be acting instead. Knowing a routine and the animals well comes from being observant, asking questions and taking notes. It also requires some effort on the keeper’s part to research the natural behavior of the animals being cared for. "For the keeper to begin to determine the abnormal, he (she) must fully understand and know the normal" (Nall 1972-73). A keeper may or may not have time to do this research during working hours, but in either case it is important that it be done. Another invaluable source of information is the zoo’s records. Although quite time-consuming, reviewing the history of each animal being cared for will reveal important useful data. Until working in a zoo, a keeper may not have heard words such as amplexus, cloacal, monotreme or olfaction, must less agonistic behavior, colostrum, ecdysis or fecal. Becoming familiar with the definition of words such as these, and many others, will aid in communications. Here again it’s up to the individual to make the effort to learn zoo termin- ology. A good way to start is simply to ask for the meaning of unfamiliar words. Note-taking helps and a dictionary is indispensable. The AAZPA* Zookeeper Training Guide lists more than 150 such words with definitions. Most zoos have a copy of the guide. An understanding of basic medical terminology can be an asset in communi- cations between the veterinarian and keeper. Many of the definitions of basic medical terms can be learned through self-study. Local libraries have such books as Learning Medical Terminology Step by Step , Young and Barger. A keeper might also consider taking a medical-terminology course at the local Vocational-Technical school. In any case, when a medical term is used or instructions given using medical terminology, * American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums. 188 I Itu' Keopor-'s Role in Zoo Animal Health, continued it t tu' iik'aning of a word is not fully understood the keeper should ask lor an (.'xp J anat ion . Zoo books have become more common in recent years and some care must be taken when purchasing some of these books. Care should be taken that they are authoritative. If there is but one set of references that a keeper should become familiar with, it would be the International Zoo Yearbooks . Published on an annual basis, the Yearbooks are described as ” ... an indispensible publication for everyone concerned with care, conservation, biology and behavior of wild animals" (IZY 1976). Each volume contains a section on a specific topic. Other sections contain articles on breeding, husbandry, hand-rearing, buildings and exhibits, conservation, education, veterinary care and statistics and surveys. There are many other good references, some old stand-bys and others published in recent years. Some of the most helpful references are listed at the end of this paper. (ed. note: at the end of the last installment) Reading is a form of self-education that should never end. In a keeper's day it's hard to imagine that something hasn't happened that's worth making a note of for future reference. A seemingly insignif- icant observation can later be the key to further discovery. Note-taking is a habit that can be developed. The tendency to keep notes whether on a personal basis or for the zoo's records may diminish in time. A keeper should guard against this happening. Beyond note-taking, a keeper should seriously consider writing of his or her experiences and observa- tions for sharing with others in the zoo field. And this does not just apply to animal health. Ideas and knowledge should be communicated, shared with others who can use the information to better care for their animals . While preparing oneself to become a more knowledgeable keeper through self-study, it would be well to remember that "chance favors only the prepared mind" (Beveridge 1957). "KeepoA, Knou) Thy Antmats" and the Btbtlog^aphy wUJi {^oIZom In iuta/ie t&^uej> oi AKf. FREE ADVERTISING FOR NATURALISTS The Naturalists' Directory is a book published approximately every two years listing people around the world interested in nature. Anyone can place a listing in it without charge and no obligation to buy a copy. The purpose of the directory is to help people contact others with similar interests. Each person's listing gives their name, individual index number, address, and one or more 4-part code numbers describing (a) their subject of interest, (b) their geographical area of interest, (c) their field of interest in the subject and (d) how the interest is applied (collect, research, etc.). The Naturalists' Directory would like to list as many naturalists, both amateur and professional, as possible. There is absolutely no cost or obligation. They know that the better the publication, the greater the demand. It's to your advantage to send them a detailed listing today. Contact: NATURALISTS DIRECTORY World Natural History Publications 1330 Dillon Heights Ave. Baltimore, Maryland 21228 189 REVERSIBLE VASECTOMIES TRIED ON LIONS by RlchoAd P. Heltkaca, Lion KeepeA Two male lions from Wild Animal Safari, Kings Mills, Ohio, were the subjects of a new type of vasectomy. In this new procedure, each lion was fitted with two implants in their vasa deferentia rendering them infertile. These implants can be removed at a later date restoring fertility — thus making the vasectomies reversible. This new technique is the work of Dr. David Frisch, a physicist, and Dr. Moshe Shelev, a veterinarian, both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The implants were installed on May 24, 1979, on a pair of 23^1 month old males. Woody and Eugene. These males weighed 300 lbs. and had started copulating with our lionesses a month earlier. Since we did not have a need for any cubs and all seven of our young males were reaching sexual maturity, it was decided to give the five youngest cubs standard vasectomies and the two oldest cubs the new reversible vasectomy. As it turned out, a semen sample taken from Woody revealed a large number of mobile spermatozoa indicating that he may already be able to father a litter. In preparation for the actual surgery, both males were darted with 500 mg. of Vet alar with 200 mg. of Rompun. They went down in 20 minutes and Eugene was lifted onto a table set up at the lion huts where he became the first lion to receive a reversible vasectomy. Both were given two supplemental doses of 200 mg. of Vetalar each during their operation to ensure that they stayed down. Due to the delicate nature of the opera'^ tion, Sernalyn was not used since it causes convulsions. Each lion also received 5 cc. of Flocillin after the operation to reduce the chance of a low grade infection. Dr. George Reed, veterinarian for Wild Animal Safari, handled the pre-op and then made an incision through the skin layers to expose the vas deferens on one side (for details of this part of the procedure, refer to Dr. Reed’s description in Zoo and Witd AnimaZ Medicimf, 1978, pp. 655-656.) Once exposed, a longitudinal incision was made directly over the vas deferens where a slilastic ring was implanted into the lumen perpendicular to its walls. This porous doughnut shaped ring is made of Mular polyester with an outside diameter of 0.040 inches, an inside diameter of 0.008 inches, and a thickness of 0.002 inches. This implant is held in place by a suture until fibrils (scar tissue) can grow into the pores of the ring holding it tightly in the correct position. The incision made over the vas deferens was closed with small Interrupted suture followed by the closing of the incision made through the skin layers. The lion was then rolled over and the vas deferens on the other side was implanted in the same manner already described. Sometimes two vas deferens can be found on one side in lions so three, instead of two implants would be necessary. Surgery time was 40 minutes per lion as compared to 20 minutes for a standard vasectomy, but due to the supplemental dosages of Vetalar, both lions stayed down for three hours. Woody and Eugene were placed back with 28 other lions to go on display within 36 hours of the operation. The design of the implant is the key to its effectiveness. Being dough- nut shaped, the larger hole in the middle allows for drainage while the smaller holes in the outer part give the fibrils a place to catch hold to tightly secure the position of the implant. Eventually, fibrils will fill in the middle hole, but only after the drainage of the fluids 190 Reversible Vasectomies Tried on Lions , aontinu^d formed in reaction to the operation is complete. The implant is now solid enough to block the flow of sperm released by the testes from meeting with the seminal fluid during an ejaculation rendering the male infertile at the time of copulation. At the same time, the implant is porous enough to allow the sperm to slowly penetrate it and be harmlessly released at a later time. Once this sperm trickles through the implant and reaches the other side, it will die there in the vas deferens due to the absence of a seminal fluid medium necessary to sustain the normal life of the sperm. This dead sperm is released during a future ejaculation or while urinating. It must be remembered that a lion will not reach infertility until approximately three weeks, or X number of ejaculations after the operation due to the reservior of sperm left between the implant and the penis. It is important to note that since all sperm that is produced does eventually exit the body, even though dead, the testes will continue to produce it. Thus, the implant can be removed at any time restoring fertility. In a standardvasectomy , where a 2 cm. section of each vas deferens is removed, the sperm has no outlet, so after awhile the body treats it as a foreign protein to be broken down by enz5nnes to be absorbed by the body. Eventually the body reacts to this situation and shuts down sperm production in the testes. It has been suggested that discontinuing sperm production causes a raise in cholesterol levels in the animal, but this has not been conclusively proven yet. Another method of birth control used in male lions involves a hormonal implant. However, this method causes an increase in the female hormone and a decrease in the male hormone in the animal resulting in atrophy of the hair follicle. The end result is that the mane falls out. This type of reversible vasectomy has been tried in dogs with successful results. We plan on removing the implants from Woody and Eugene in one year and see if they can the produce offspring. The final objective is to use this procedure in man, reducing the present need for microsurgery to reverse a vasectomy with a slim chance of restoring fertility. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + chapter Congratulations to the San Diego Chapter formed July 5, 1979 President ... .Michael Kachuba Vice Pres ... Barbara Normington Mcllraith Sec/Tres ... .Diana E. Quintero news + 4- + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 191 ELECTION The election is to decide who will take the seats on the American Association of Zoo Keepers Board of Directors. Three are up for election. . .those of Dennis Grimm, Ron Kaufman, and Tom Goldsberry. Those elected will begin their term of office on 1 January 1980 and will help lead the Association in the years to come. The times ahead are important ones, as the professional zoo keeper takes a place alongside the other persons that manage our captive wildlife resources. Choose your selection carefully. HERE ARE THE RULES: f. SkoAt blog^pkicat 6keX(ihQJ> oi tko. candldato^ Sdi ioA AA2K I'm ^hoictng my commttmnt to thts veAy cU.veAi>tite.d oAgantzatton oi caAtng ioA Mttdttie., A ^tmpte. motto that I ttve. by ti^: We te.aAn by dotng. We 6houJid conttnixe. to teoAn by beJ,ng active, tn whatcveA we. oAe. engaged tn." JILL GRADE Nomination by Dennis Grimm "I would like to nominate Jill Grade as a candidate to the AAZK Board of Directors. Jill has been active in AAZK for some time and has gained valuable experience on a national level in recent years as a Regional Coordinator and as the Chairperson for the Nominations and Election Committee. Jill is prompt and extensive in her correspondence and com- pletes her duties and responsibilities at her various posts on time. She is one of the most reliable individuals in the Association and per- forms admirably at whatever job she is assigned. Jill has attended AAZKNationalConventions in 1976 and 1978, where she had considerable input during the Board Meeting discussions. She is frank and straight- forward and unafraid to let her opinions be known. I feel Jill has the ability, knowledge, and energy to become a very effective, responsive Board member." Biography Jill Grade began her career at the Magic Mountain Children’s Farm in California where she worked for three years as an animal keeper and educational program MC, hand-raising and presenting to the public in an educational manner animals representing every taxonomical order. Among these was a llama owned by herself for use as an educational aid in an elementary school program of her own. During this time Jill also took courses in animal behavior, training and veterinary care in the Wild Animal Training and Management Program at Moorpark College, Ca. , but left to pursue interests in zoo husbandry and management little dealt with in that particular school. Jill began working at Busch Bird Sanctuary in 1973, her first zoo responsibilities there being centered on her position as an Endangered Species Program tour guide, where she gained experience enough to enable her to later contribute to the devel- ment of a new educational program there. As a keeper, Jill then worked with a variety of birds in a large freeranging collection, eventually renovating both the waterfowl and Psittine breeding programs. In 1978 she was promoted to Senior Keeper, thus responsible for all animal maintenance, working the various strings intermittently. Jill currently works as a zoo keeper in the bird department at Busch Gardens, Tampa, FI., where she was relocated when the L.A. park was closed. Jill has been a member of AAZK since 1976, and was a member of the Los Angeles Zoo Chapter while still living in that area. She attended the San Diego and Gainesville conventions, contributing to Board Meeting discussions at both. She requested and received the positions of Nominations and 195 Grade Biography, continued Election Committee Chairwoman, Regional Coordinator for the Western Region, and Director of the Regional Coordinator System, her work on the NEC resulting in several changes in the Constitutional By-Laws. She has contriubted articles on keeper status in zoos to the AKF. Jill has also been a member of AAZPA since 1977, attending a convention that year. She is a member of the World Wildlife Federation, National Geo graphic Society, Audubon Society (local and National), Smithsonian Institute and several zoo associations, as well as subscribing to many wildlife publication. Jill writes, '"A^ thd H-oln Mkick today’ 6 zooh play In tho, i^txagglo, to ouA vanliktng becomes tncAe^custngly significant, so must the Aolcs of the people working In these Institutions. A pAogAzsslve zoo Intent on the breeding of th/ieatened and endangered species Is hampered by archaic, menagerie- based methods of managing Its valuable charges. It Is the responsibility of zoo directors, curators, and keepers alike to form a viable, harmonic team capable of creating the most effective Mays In which to maintain and propagate animals ’In captivity. As zoo keepers, we therefore must do everything within our bounds to Insure that we keep pace with the progress our zoos are making. lOe must cater to the more sophisticated needs of today’s animal collections, through use of a thorough knowledge of those animals, I bellve that the American Associa- tion of Zoo Keepers Is here to secure that knowledge- -to secure It, and pass It on. It would be an honor for me to take part In that function; to work toward the utilization of keepers In all zoos to their full capacities as knowledgeable contributors to the difficult task of saving our jeopardized wildlife.” RICHARD GRUDZIEN Nomination by Bernard Feldman I would like to nominate Richard Grudzien as a candidate to the AAZK Board of Directors. Richard has been an Affiliate member of AAZK in good standing for many years. After working with Rich at the Buffalo Zoo in New York, I could see the true and deep devotion he had for the zoo profession. Not only being a thorough and conscientious Animal Keeper, Rich has also demonstrated a strong but versatile personality with others. His aggressiveness in standing up for what he belives is correct is also a quality worthy to consider Rich for the Board of Directors. Combine his versatile personality and an agressiveness in attitudes and I can certainly see this individual giving AAZK continued honor, respecta- bility and wisdom. Biography Richard Grudzien began his career in zookeeping at the Buffalo Zoological Gardens. He held a variety of positions there: Caretaker for 3 months. Utility Worker for 4 months and Animal Keeper for 4 years, totalling five years at that institution before moving on to the Washington Park zoo in Portland, Oregon, where he has been employed as an animal keeper for over a year. Rich earned an Associates in Science degree at Dixie Jr. College in Utah, and has taken a 15 hour animal keeper course in basic biology offered by the Buffalo Zoo. He is a member of the AAZK National, and was the Secretary-Treasurer of the Buffalo Chapter of AAZK from Jan. 1976 thru April 1978. continued next page 196 Grudzien Biography, continued Rich writes, "I mold tike, to be, on the. BooAd oi Vtne,atou 6o J ooiitd i.e.aA.n moK.e. about the. o^gayu-zatZon and thu& tn tuAn heZp otheJUi In theJji local chapteAi>." PHIL PREWITT Nomination by Pat Sammarco Because of his enthusiasm and dedication to AAZK, I would like to nomin-^ ate Phil Prewitt for election to the Board of the American Association of Zoo Keepers. Phil has not only attended national AAZK Conferences, but has participated actively in making them productive meetings. Phil has been a Chapter president, and therefore has executive experience as well as enthusiasm to be an active AAZK Board member. Biography Phil Prewitt began his career as a zoo keeper at the Memphis Zoo. He worked at that institution from 1971 to 1973, and again from 1977 to the present. The interruption in his career from ’73 to ’77 was terminated when Phil’s attendence at the 1976 AAZK Conference in San Diego rekindled his interest in his "calling in life". He now enjoys his work with the Pachyderms at the Memphis Zoo most, although he has worked with the entire memmal collection, with the exception of the primates. Phil has also spent a great deal of time traveling to other zoos, the number of institutions visited now reaching over 30. He attended the ’78 AAZK Conference in Gainesville, as well as the ’79 AAZPA Southern Regional, and a gathering of the American Society of Mammologists at a beaching site where he was able to assist with the necropsy of sperm whales. Phil writes, "I {,cel I owc the AAZK ^oA cncouAaglng me to Ac-enteA the business . ” THIS 1$ THE OFFICIAL BALLOT. . .VOTE FOR THREE INDIVIDUALS. . .DO IT NOW! DENISE BARTENFELDER JILL GRADE _MIKE COKER PRICHARD GRUDZIEN BERNARD C. FELDMAN ^PHIL PREWITT This ballot must be completed and postmarked no later than midnight, 30 November, 1979. Do not write your name on this ballot. Mail to Elizabeth Glassco Administrative Secretary American Association of Zoo Keepers National Zoological Park Washington, D.C. 20008 197 * * * COMING EVENTS * * * Second Annual Symposium on Captive Wildlife October 26-29 Louisville Chapter AAZK Contact: Steven Taylor Louisville Zoological Garden 1100 Trevilian Way Louisville, Kentucky 40213 Regional Conference October 27-29 for Zoo Support Organizations Louisville, Kentucky World Conference on Breeding Endangered Species in Captivity November 12-16, 1979 San Diego, California World Conference on November 26-30, Sea Turtle Conservation 1979 Washington, D.C. * * * * We (Vie. lnde.bte,d to the. AAZPA NewsleXteA ion, alloMtng u6 to n.e.pnlnt pontXova oi thu> 6e.cttoYL iAom tkeJji "?o^tttovu> AvcUZable," Hating. ThJj) a monthly ^eAvtoe, to at, ioA you. INFANT CARE SPECIALIST / KEEPER, . , provides care to orphan neonates fulltime and keeper assistance to Children's Zoo during the exhibit season. Qualifications: Supervisor, keeper experience, experience in neonate husbandry, medical/ veterinary experience, behavioral obsrvation training, working knowledge of exhibit repair, minimum two years college education. Salary: $9,268.00. Send resume's to Director of Veterinary Medicine, Boston Zoological Society, Franklin Park, Boston, MA 02121. 100 KEEPER I... The Jackson Zoological Park is now accepting applications for the entrance level of Zoo Keepers. Salary range $717.00 - $845.00 per month. Standard benefits. Duties include the general care and maintenance of a wide variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, and children's zoo animals. Applicants must have a high school education. Practical experience desirable; however, we will train the proper persons. Send resume to James L. Swigert, Director, Jackson Zoological Park, 2918 West Capitol Street, Jackson, Mississippi. 39209. o p p 0 r t u n 1 t y k n o c k SENIOR ZOO KEEPER, , , Ideal position for individual on the way up as a pro- fessional in animal care. Newly created position in the City of Clovis, New Mexico. Fifty-five animal City Zoo offers opportunity for a innova- tive individual to be instrumental in the development of a Zoo Master Plan, and to supervise the care and feeding of animals housed at Clovis' Hillcrest Park Zoo. Animals presently owned Include carnivores, large felines, hoofed animals, and mammals. Management /Prof essional position with minimum starting salary of $10,000 per year. Prefer individual with two years experience in a recognized zoo and college level courses in Zoology, Veterinary Medicine or related field; individuals with less training will be considered based on number of years of progressively responsible experience, the most recent of which should have been in a supervisory position. Send summary of training, experience and salary history to: Director of Personnel, City of Clovis, P.O. Box 760, Clovis, NM 88101 198 zoo FOREMAW... (Deputy Director/General Curator)... individual knowledge- able in captive management of wild animals, responsivle for day-to-day operation of Zoo, under general direction of Director. Requires 4 years zoo experience, 2 years in a supervisory capacity. Salary $11,350 to $14,830. Send resume to: Personnel Department, City of Little Rock, Markam and Broadway, Little Rock, AR 72201. EVUCATION ASSISTANT. . . plan educational exhibits for children 3-9, develop and Implement children's programming during spring and summer, run Zoomobile program, assist as keeper. Qualifications should include early childhood education, teaching/exhibit development for young children, animal handling of nondomestic animals. Salary: $9,700. Send resume to: Lydia Kowalski, Education Director, Boston Zoological Society, Franklin Park, Boston, MA 02121. EVUCATION CURATOR. . . must have graduated from accredited four-year college or university with major in elementary education. Graduate-level degree and some background in science or natural history preferable. Minimum of two years successful teaching experience, must have public speaking ability and willingness to appear on television and radio programs and accept occasional weekend, holiday and after-hour assign- ments. Salary approximately $13,000. Send resume to Palmer Krantz, Director, Riverbanks Zoo, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210. ASSISTANT OR ASSOCIATE CURATOR/MAMMALS. . . managerial experience and advanced degree preferred. For job description, salary and other in- formation, contact: Mrs. J. Coontz, Personnel Manager, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513. PLANNING A MOUE? Since, Animal KccpeA^' Fq/llwi fia6 been granted Second Cla^h postage A,ate6, It iM not ^omaAded. Please 6end youA change oi addxu^ aj, 6oon 06 po6-6lble to Elizabeth Glassco Administrative Secretary American Association of Zoo Keepers National Zoological Park Washington, D.C. 20008 The four peregrine falcons who grew up and learned to fly atop the Interior Department building in Washington, D.C., are now independently flying free and taking their own food. This was the first attempt to restock the endangered peregrine back into its former range. (AKF, p. 146) Stranding of marine mammals should be reported to: The Law Enforcement Division of local National Marine Fisheries offices; the U.S. Coast Guard; or Shirley Maina, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560. 24 hour telephone service (202) 381-4174. 199 HAND-REARING THE SAIGA by MoacJm. a. RohAQA Oklahoma City loo The Saiga Saiga taloAlca is a medium-sized ungulate native to the Soviet Union. The species occupies an intermediate position between the sub- families Caprinae (wild goats) and Atilopinae (antelope) . The exact taxonomy of this species is debatable. The most distinctive character- istic of the saiga is its proboscis-like nose which functions to warm and moisten the cold air of its environment. Saigas are found on tree- less plains and eat low-growing shrubs and grasses many of which contain a high level of poisonous substances and salts making them inedible to other species. The female bears 1-2 young after a gestation period of 5 months. Although nearly extinct at the end of World War I due to hunting pressures, predation, and severe winters, this species has been protected by the Soviet government for over 50 years. Saiga are so plentiful now that 250,000-300,000 are harvested annually for their meat and hides. In May 1979, the Oklahoma City Zoo had two herds of saiga in its collection. A herd of 1/6 saiga was on public display and 1/3 saiga kept in an off-display area. On the evening of 9 May 1979 one of the females in the display herd gave birth to triplets (1/2) . Triplets are rare in saiga births. Over 14,000 newborn saiga had been examined in the wild in a 2 year period and triplets had been found in only four cases (A.G. Bannikov, 1967). The herd male became aggressive towards the offspring and they were taken to the Zoo Nursery temporarily until the male could be removed from the herd. Then it was decided to return both females to their mother in the herd and leave the male in the Nursery for hand-rearing. The newborn females were returned to the herd the morning after their birth. It was noted two days later that one of the females was not nursing and appeared to be growing weaker. She was transferred to the Nursery permanently on 12 May. The other female remained in the herd and matured without problems. Upon entering the Nursery, the male saiga weighed 7 lb. (3.18 kg) and the female weighed 5 lb. (2.27 kg.) Their temperatures were 100 F. (37.7°C) and 101°F. (38.3°C). Each received 122 cc. of Bovine Anti- bacterial Serum (Anchor Lab. Inc., St. Joseph, Mo.) both orally and subcutaneously at weekly intervals until the animals were six weeks old. Their umbilical cords were treated with iodine to prevent infection. The following comparisons were made to determine what formula should be used for saiga: The analysis of saiga milk was given by A.G. Bannikov (1967) and the other values taken from USDA Composition of Foods . COMPARISON OF MILK Saiga's Cow's (Whole) Cow's (Evaporated) (Canned) Goat ' s Fat 6.7 3.9 7.9 4.0 Protein 5.37 3.5 7.0 3.3 c.ontinae,d on mxt page. 200 Hand-rearing the Saiga ^ dontlme^d These figures showed that not even goat’s milk approached the high fat content of saiga’s milk, It was decided to feed a mixture of 4 parts evaporated milk to 1 part water. This ratio resulted in a for- mula with 6.3% fat and 5.6% protein which we felt was a sufficient approximation of saiga’s milk. In addition vitamins A and D were added once daily, 4 days per week. For their first feeding both saigas received goat colostrum and two doses of ta.cXobacZlZ.(JL6 GLCMdophJXu^ were given 18 hours apart. A plastic bottle with a rubber lamb’s nipple were used for feeding and all equipment was Sterilized between feedings. The weight of the saigas determined the quantity of formula offered. It is our procedure with hoofed stock to feed 4 oz . (120 cc) of milk for each 10 lbs. (4.5 kg) at each feeding, with 4 feedings daily. Following these guidelines the male saiga received oz. per feeding (75 cc) and the female received 2 oz. (60 cc) . The amounts per feeding was increased by \ oz (15 cc) at weekly intervals until 6 oz. (180 cc) was being offered at each feeding. Both saigas nursed readily and normal stools indicated the suitability of our formula and amounts being offered. No health problems were encountered. We usually begin weaning hoofed animals at 3 months of age. However, the saigas started weaning themselves before this time. At 2 months of age, they were regularly refusing bottles and were accepting formula only rarely during the remainder of their stay in the Nursery. This agrees with Bannikov’s finding (1967) that young saiga consumed milk until 2-2i^ months of age and at 3 months were completely dependent on vegetable matter. He also notes that they begin eating solid foods at a much earlier age ( at 3-4 days) than most hoofed animals. Ours were observed eating solids at 5 days of age. In contrast to this however, E. Orbell and J. Orbell (1976) reported that their hand-reared saiga did not eat solids until Day 14. The young saigas were transferred from the Nursery at the end of August. We feel that the formula we devised was a good one. The formula re- sembled saiga's milk in both fat and protein content, the ingredients were easily obtainable, it was easy to prepare, and most important — our animals thrived on it. If it is necessary to raise more saiga in the future, the only change we would make in our present procedures would be to begin the weaning process at 2 months of age rather than at 3 months. Literature Cited Bannikov, A.G. (editor) 1967. The Biology of the Saiga . Israel Program for Scientific Translations Cat. No. 1833, 252 pp. Orbell, E. & J. Orbell. 1976. Hand-rearing a Saiga Antelope at the Highland Wildlife Park. International Zoo Yearbook 16:208-209. Watt, B.K. & A.L. Merrill. 1950. Composition of Foods . USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 8, 147 pp. 201 _ELEPHANT TRAINING AND MANAGEMENT AN INTERVIEW WITH STEVE CLARKE SUPERVISOR OF MAMMALS, FORT WORTH ZOO Steve Clarke visited the Topeka Zoo as a consultant in the elephant training program. Mike Coker, Executive Editor of the AKF, interviewed him. AKF: Hoiv tong kavo, you worked ivtth antmat6? I started in 1964 with Asian elephants. I went with the head keeper for two days of training on two Asian elephants in Kansas City. Then he said, "It's all yours. I'm going on vacation for three weeks." The elephants wouldn't even let me in the pen! That's when Benny Henry came through the building and told me to act like I knew what I was doing. So when they would keep me from coming in through the bars, I'd give 'em a push with my shoulder and use the hook and act like I knew what I wanted. AKF: Vou'vQ, bzm at Font Wontk 1969. Havo, thuy o^xpotAmozd any majon pfiobtm^ MAXh et^phant manage/mnt? We've had ^ome. heAe at the. Topeka Zoo. The problems we had were with a female Aslan. There were certain people who didn't exert their authority enough or who didn't get their bluff in on the elephant. AKF: At the, Topeka Zoo, m keep an A^tan and an A^ntean togetheA. Vo you ieet tht6 good? A^Aiean and Ahimv^, do things dt{,{)eAentty 6ome- ttme^. But they oAe ioelat antmats. A lot of zoos have that. We had that at one time. Of course, the African was the dominant animal. But I didn't see any problem. After the Asian died, there was a big problem. The African had lost her companion and was alone for two years. She wouldn't go into the pool, or do anything that she used to do. But when we got the next young one, it was almost as if she got a pep pill. She perked up and was a different elephant. I don't think it makes any difference to them whether it is the same species or not, just so they have a companion. But when one dies, I think all effort ought to be made to get another one, regardless of species. If you start out with one alon^ it really needs a lot of attention from the keeper since elephants are social animals and physical contact is needed. Just thinking back over all the injuries that have happened with Asian elephants, I don't know if more have been when there is just one animal or two in the zoo. Maybe that's something someone should research. When you have two they're always interacting. When you have a keeper for each elephant that gives them a lot of attention. Elephants can be jealous, too; they're like little kids, each wanting more attention. AKF: What technique haj> mnked be&t ion you? Vo you use a lot oi ^oAce, pushing the animat oAound? My main experience is with the African and I feel that a lot of force is not necessary. It comesdown to taking time with the elephant, especially the African, and showing them attention. Of course, they are individuals; some require more force. It depends on the animal and on the situation. continued 202 Elephant Training and Management, continued AKF: So you mutd itatc youx theory oh. pkiZo^opky oi tHulntng ctcphant{> U6--go In, know what you axe doing, be confident, and txeat them 06 an Individual, Yes, and if they keep doing something wrong, maybe you are doing some- thing wrong with the way you're training them. Stand back and think for a second, maybe it is you! A/CF: Ve^texday, at the &mlnax, you made the point that the animal may want to play, but you want to do the xoutlne, and It' 6 a mattex o^ cAo66ed 6lgnal!>. You have to know the animal, so you can interpret their actions and behavior. Again, it's like kids! I have two kids and when they've been playing and then one wants to watch TV and the other still wants to play. One will get angry and give the other a whack. With elephants, when you've been petting and rubbing them and tickling thie tongue, and all that (which is a form of playing) and then you want to clean up, but they want to play — ^so you give them a whack! You have to know their individual behavior and that takes time. A/CF: Vo you {^eel keepexs axe doing ialxly well In txalnlng elephants ^ It seems like most every zoo has one or more dedicated elephant people who are really good elephant people. Sometimes it boils down to management at the supervisory level. People are shuffled in and out too fast. It takes time to establish a relationship. Sometimes the animal is blamed when it is too frequent changing of personnel. You can't always have the right people. You don't have to go in with them if you have it set up to move them, clean up and move them back in. That's OK if your set-up if like that. But we have to train them because we have to go in with them. A/CF: A lot oi Z006 have men and women woxklng elephants. Have you ^een ^ome good women elephant keepeX6? We've had -6ome good one^ and 6ome not 60 elective hexe. It seems like a lot of women really want to do it, are really enthusi- astic, but they seem to baby them so much and not exert their authority when it is needed. I haven't seen many, but then I've really not observed that many. In Ft. Worth, we have had a lot of men who weren't very effective either. A/CF: Elephants axe xeally a delicate animal. We've had pxoblm^ with the ieet. They get 6ome kind o{, xot 6taxted In the pad6 and the naUU get long and bumpy. People think that the elephant is a big, hardy animal; but it seems like every so often you hear of a healthy mature elephant suddenly dying. Our African has a spur on her left rear knee joint. She's not very old, but arthritis has set in the joint. Our male has tusk troubles, keeps breaking his tusks off all the way to the hollow core. It goes all the way to his sinus cavity and keeps draining. People look at them and think they're big and hardy with that tough skin. 'Pachyderm' means thick skin, but it is sensitive skin. People think they never get sick, but elephants are sensitive to drafts and cold. continued 203 Elephant Training and Managment , contlnaad AKF: theAe anytklng you can recommend to a poA^on who an cZepkant keepeA OK tklnklng o^ becoming an elephant keeper? 1 think a person should get acquainted with one and then really evaluate the whole thing. Can ^ do it? You have to have confidence, authority in your voice, and get your bluff in first. Elephants are big and challenging. There are ’born politicians’ and born elephant keepers. AKF: {JJhat, In yuuA opinion, i^ the iutuAe oi elephants in zoo6? With the uncertainity of the wild populations, and the more professional personnel in zoos, more of an attempt to keep males will be made. All of the aforementioned will make the future good for elephants in zoos. AAZK ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE BUTTONS Buttons printed with ’Keepers Care’ and a logo are available for fifty cents (50c) from Larry Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago, IL 60614. 50% of the sale price goes into AAZK’s national treasury . DECALS The official AAZK decal is available through the Overton Park AAZK Chapter. The decal is a black and white reproduction of the AAZK rhino logo, suitable for any smooth, hard surface, especially a car window. Cost is $1.00 complete, prepaid. Make checks payable to the Memphis Chapter, AAZK and send directly to Mike Maybry, Decal Project Coordinator, 1887 Crump Avenue, Memphis, TN 38107. T-SHIRTS The T-shirts come in a variety of colors and have the AAZK logo on them. Contact Carleton Bailie, 4400 NW 39th Avenue, //214, Gainesville, FL 32601. IN MEMORIAM PHILADELPHIA ZOO'S ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT OF ANIMAL SERVICES DIES The Philadelphia Zoo is saddened to report the death of Associate Super- intendent of Animal Services Norman Hess. "The Zoo has been very fortunate to have had Norman Hess on its staff for more than 30 years," said Zoo President William V. Donaldson. "His warmth and grand sense of humor will be missed by all." Mr. Hess began his zoo career in 1934 as a keeper for zebras and camels. He later worked with the animals he most admired— the elephants. He said in an interview in 1974, "I used to come to the Zoo when I was a little boy just to watch the elephant keeper. I thought he had the most admirable job in the world." 204 INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS Animat Ke.e.peA^' Fo^um publishes original papers and news items of interest to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles. Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs, and tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page size of no more than 6"xl0" (15 cm. x 25h cm.). Literature used should be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Include scientific names. Articles sent to Animat Ke.e.pe/Li>' FoAcun will be reviewed for publication. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to publish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages will be separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial staff. The editors reserve the right to edit material without consulta- tion unless approval is requested in writing by the author. Materials submitted will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self- addressed envelope. Articles printed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Animat ' Fo^um editorial staff or of the American Association of Zoo Keepers. Telephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions are acceptable. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will not be accepted. The phone number is 913 272-5821. DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION IS THE 20th OF THE PRECEDING MONTH. ® -® MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION Affiliate (full-time keepers) $10.00 annually Associate (part-time keepers, students, docents) .$10.00 annually Foreign $15.00 annually Contributing $50.00 annually All memberships include subscriptions to hiimat Keeper' FoHum, 50% of the member's dues are budgeted for the publication. All new members receive an AAZK shoulder patch and a membership card good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada. The AAZK Headquarters has extra shoulder patches available for $1.25 and back issues of the Animat /CeepeAA ' Fo-'ium for $1.00. Send name and address and a check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers to ^ AAZK HEADQUARTERS NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 ALL CHANGES OF ADDRESS SHOULD BE SENT TO AAZK HEADQUARTERS AT THE NATIONAL ZOO. DO NOT SEND THEM TO Animat KcepcAS ’ Fo/LUm. The journal is not available by subscription only. I I Dedicated to Professional Animal Care NOVEMBER 1979 ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606 ISSN 0164-9531 NOVEMBER 1979 VOLUME SIX NUMBER ELEVEN Editor-in-Chief : Ron Kaufman, Topeka Zoological Park Executive Editor; Mike Coker, Topeka Zoological Park Managing' Edi tor : Lois Boqia, Topeka Zoological Park Editorial Assistant: Diana Brey Art Consultant: Elaine Shea AvumcjJi Keeper' foAim is a monthly journal published by the American Association of Zoo Keepers, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C., 20008, for its members. Send all address changes, undeliverable copies and other membership inquiries to AAZK Headquarters, Washington, D.C.. Second class postage is paid at Topeka, Kansas. Return postage is guaranteed. Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order repriitts from the Editor. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008 Elizabeth Glci66co, kdmlvu^tAcvtivQ, SzcAoXoAg Board of Directors Dennis Grimm, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513 ?AeJ>bdQ,nt Ed Roberts, Stone Mem. Zoo, 149 Pond St., Stoneham, MA 02180 Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 100 W. Webster Ave., Chicago, IL 60614 Coordinators and Committees Coordinator for Chapter Affairs Coordinator for International Affairs ?cut SammoAco, L-lncotn PoAk Zoo Tom GoTcUbeAAg, Workington PoAk Zoo AAZK/AAZPA Liaison Ed PoboAtr, WaltoA V. Stom Mem. Zoo Nominations and Election Committee JilZ GAodt, Burc-k GoAdunr, PloAida, CkcuAwoman Kent Bmo-dict, Atlanta Zoo Hike. MaybAy, 0v2Aton PoAk Zoo BnAnoAd Feldman, MtlleA PoAk Zoo Von Rarmur^en, Minnesota State. Zoo Awards Committee Mf^fee Cok&A, Tope.ka Zoo, ChaOman Mike Vee, Lo-6 Angeler Zoo Vieky LaRue, Jnt Vick SodeAland, BAookiield Zoo Mike CAockeA, Vi Regional Coordinators Jill GAade, Bur eh GoAdenr, Flo Aida Ed RobeAtr Venire BoAten^eldeA Kevin Conway EveAett HoaaU KeAAy Ho^^man LoAAy SammoAco Von Rarmur^en Linette BAown LauAa StAiekland Tim O'BAien GoAy Tibbettr WalteA V. Stone Mem. Zoo BaltimoAe FaoyvL Royal, VA BindeA PoAk Zoo Cincinnati Zoo Lincoln PoAk Zoo Minnesota State Zoo Knoxville Zoo MontgomeAy Zoo Audubon PoAk Zoo Rio GAande Zoo 'll. CAane Fdn. ron PoAk Zoo 1 ^T, WH, MA, RI WJ, MV, VE WV OH, KT IL lA, MO wc. SC AL, GA MS, LA Head ME, i/T, WH, MA, RJ, CT MV PA, I/A, MI IW, WI, MW, TW, FL, AR TX, NM,C0,0K,KS,HE,SV,h}V WA, OR, IV, MT, WV, AK CA, Nl/, AZ, UT, HI The oAt m^k ion, the eoven U> by Sam LaMalia, pnJjnate keepen oi the Milwaukee Comwiy loo. It IZZoAtnateA Sam, the keepen, oUentng "Saruon" the 29 yean old male lowland gontlla hU monntng nation oi jello and vttamtnA. Sam also authoned the antlele tn this tss>ae on the gonJlZa "iilhat Makes Sammy Run?” AKf deeply appneeiat^ those i^ho use theJji wntting and dnawtng talents to communicate theln love oi animal Hie and to shone theln knowledge. SCOOPS and SCUTTLEBUTT PHILADELPHIA ZOO'S LIVING FOSSILS ON WAY TO ST. LOUIS The Philadelphia Zoo has made arrangements to send its pair of rare tuataras to the St. Louis on breeding loan. The tuatara is a unique reptile of great scientific importance. It is the sole living repre- sentative o£ an otherwise extinct order of reptiles, found only on approximately 31 islets off the coast of New Zealand. It is an endangered species rigidly protected by the New Zealand government. It is intriguing because it has remained virtually unchanged through 150 million years. The St. Louis Zoo has a pair of tuataras and adequate space to maintain 4 adult animals. It is believed that the prospects of captive repro- duction will be greatly increased in a group situation with adequate space that will enable the animals to establish home territories, and demonstrate normal patterns of behavior. INTERNATIONAL EFFORT SAVES RARE ARABIAN ORYX Four female Arabian oryx have been transferred from the San Diego Wild Animal Park to the Shaumari Wildlife Reserve, 118 km. from Amman, Jordan. The four females (one was born at the WAP and the other three were born at the Phoenix Zoo) will join four male oryx sent in 1978. These eight oryx, plus three sent from Quatar, will form the nucleus of a breeding herd destined to replenish this part of the Middle East which once teemed with wildlife. Plans were begun in 1962 when conservationists on three continents united to save the Arabian oryx from extinction. Oryx were captured from the wild and placed in a suitable captive environment for propagation. Three were sent to the Phoenix Zoo and were joined by six captive-born oryx sent from London Zoo and the rulers of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. These nine were called the World Herd. Today, the World Herd consists of nearly 100 animals in herds at the San Diego WAP, the San Diego zoo, the Phoenix Zoo and the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas. There are captive herds of Arabian oryx at the Los Angeles Zoo and at the Hai-Bar Reserve in Israel, although these animals are not included as part of the World Herd. 205 BIRTHS HATCHINGS SOUTHERN WHITE RHINO BIRTH Vme. BaueA S Hoiuton WlnblglM. On September 5, 1979, Memphis Zoo experienced the birth of a 120 pound, (54.5 kg.), female white rhino, CdACLtothdAyimm 6-lmLLm. Both wild-caught parents have shared the same quarters since 1976. Breeding has been observed at infrequent intervals. The last breeding was observed in May of 1978. Early this year the female began to exhibit signs of pregrancy. She was separated from the male on September 4 and gave birth sometime during the early morning of September 5. The calf appeared strong, but was unable to get to her feet. After exhausting herself, she was tubed with dextrose and several hours later she was standing. During the night she was observed standing, but by the morning of the 6th, she was in a weakened condition. She was tubed again with dextrose, but never regained her footing and died shortly thereafter. Three days later the pair were reintroduced in hopes of renewed breeding. Breeding attempts were observed on September 27. Reproduction in a single pair of white rhino is rare. We would appreci- ate any information on other occurrences. Please write to us in care of the Memphis Zoo, Memphis, TN 38112 GREATER KUDU BORN AT MEMPHIS Ulchaol R. ^ayb/iy A male Greater Kudu was born at Memphis Zoo and Aquarium on September 30. With this birth a long history of Kudu rearing was renewed at the zoo. A very successful breeding herd during the sixties and early seventies was decimated in 1974 when several individuals died from suspected bad feed and possible lead poisoning from a freshly painted roof. The two remaining herd members were sold when it was decided to use their lot for a different species. In early 1978, 1.2 Greater Kudu were received from Oklahoma City through an animal dealer. One of the females had frostbitten ears and was returned leaving us hopefully with a compatible pair. The male was barely a year old and the female approximately six months. No breeding activity had been observed, but early this summer we suspected the female was pregnant. By September, there was no doubt as evidenced by a rapid increase in the size of the abdomen and a swelling udder. After a week of increasing size of the vulva and a huge udder, the calf was delivered during the night in the straw-covered stall. After two days inside, mother and calf were released into the lot, much to the curious pleasure of the male. The calf has spent his first two weeks lying up in the weeds at the rear of the lot, coming down only to nurse. We are currently attempting to secure another female to fill out our breeding nucleus and are looking forward to more reproduction from this striking large antelope. TRIPLET MARMOSETS REARED BY PARENTS by Em-lly In April, 1979, and September, 1979, the pair of common marmosets CoLUUXhLLX jaC-ckuA at the Zoo of Arkansas successfully raised two sets of triplets. Apparently this is a very unusual occurrence in that one baby in a set of triplets usually dies when all three are left with the parents. There is no agreement on the reasons for this, but it has been suggested that it may be due to a lack of sufficient quantities of milk or the "inability of the mother to cope with three babies". Stevenson, Sutcliffe (1978) According to Pook (1974), "There is as yet no record of triplets being successfully reared by their parents. Although all of them may be fed for several days, one infant usually perishes before the end of the first week." A more current reference, Stevenson, Sutcliffe (1978) states "To date no female has succeeded in rearing more than two infants at once. The excess young should be removed and hand-reared." Our marmosets first gave birth to triplets in September, 1978. All three babies appeared healthy, but one was found dead at one week of age. At the time these babies were born, there were numerous older brothers and sisters in the cage and the babies were being passed back and forth a great deal at a very early age. We thought that in the confusion one baby may have missed out on feedings or have been stressed too much. The post morten revealed that pneumonia was the cause of death. In April, 1979, when the next set of triplets was born, all offspring but the two young of September, 1978, had been removed. It was decided to leave all three babies with the parents to see if they could raise them without the "help" of the other offspring. They did, in fact, raise all three babies with no problem. Early in September, 1979, with another birth imminent, the two young of the previous September were removed. On September 16, the female again gave birth to triplets. At this writing, they are three weeks of age and all are healthy and growing rapidly. The father is just now starting to let April's triplets carry the new babies for short periods. It seems, in our case at least, that marmosets can successfully rear triplets if both parents are healthy and there are not too many eager brothers and sisters "helping out". References Pook, A.G. "The Hand-rearing and Reintroduction to its Parents of a Saddleback Tamarin" T/ie Vn.(^AQA.\J