wildlife

Orange Is the New Baby When Indah the Sumatran orangutan gave birth to her baby, it was cause for celebration!

inside december 2013

If You Build It, They Will ComeGuess who’s flocking to the fantastic habitats at the Safari Park? Locals of the feathered kind!

Making a Splash: New Sea Lion PupsTwo sea lion youngsters are joining the Camp Critters crew, and their career is going swimmingly!

conservation

Managing Diabetes in Zoo AnimalsFind out how our keepers and veterinarians work together to keep animals healthy.

Flora of the Australian OutbackEnjoy a bloomin’ eyeful of authentic plants from the Zoo’s Australian Outback exhibits.

Milestone for a Mini-mouseThe tiny Pacific pocket mouse successfully bred for the first time in managed care, and the baby mice are a welcome sight.

on the cover: Sumatran orangutan Pongo abelii ©Ken Bohn, SDZG Photographer

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You Said ItChairman’s Note

Through the Lens

From the Archives

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chairman’s note

Cheers to a Wonderful Year

OFFICERSRichard B. Gulley, Chairman

William H. May, Vice ChairmanSandra A. Brue, Secretary

Robert B. Horsman, Treasurer

BOARD OF TRUSTEESM. Javade Chaudhri

Berit N. DurlerClifford W. Hague

Nan C. KatonaPatricia L. RoscoeSteven G. Tappan

Judith A. WheatleyDavid S. Woodruff, Ph.D., D.Sc.

TRUSTEES EMERITIFrank C. Alexander

Kurt Benirschke, M.D. Weldon DonaldsonThompson Fetter

Bill L. FoxFrederick A. Frye, M.D.

George L. GildredYvonne W. LarsenJohn M. Thornton

Albert Eugene TrepteBetty Jo F. Williams

William E. Beamer, General Counsel

Douglas G. Myers, President/CEO

Charles L. Bieler, Executive Director Emeritus

The Foundation of San Diego Zoo Global

OFFICERSJohn E. Gartman, Chair

Murray H. Hutchison, Vice ChairMargie Warner, Secretary

Maryanne C. Pfister, TreasurerMark A. Stuart, President

Richard B. Gulley, Ex officioDouglas G. Myers, Ex officio

BOARD OF DIRECTORSChristine L. AndrewsRichard A. Baldwin

Joye D. BlountRick BregmanLisa S. Casey

Douglas Dawson Berit N. Durler, Ex officio

U. Bertram Ellis, Jr.Arthur E. Engel

Fran GoldenCraig L. Grosvenor

Judith C. HarrisRichard M. HillsCraig A. IrvingSusan B. Major

Susan N. McClellanMichael D. McKinnon

George A. RamirezJoyce Summers

Thomas Tull

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL

What a year it has been! Many signi!cant changes and achievements occurred for San Diego Zoo Global in 2013, and I

am proud of all that has been accomplished. As I mentioned in last month’s column, this third year of success for the Safari Park is a milestone for San Diego Zoo Global, and we are pleased to see mem-bers, guests, and visitors to San Diego embrace the wonderful adventures the Park o"ers. #e open-ing of the Conrad Prebys Australian Outback at the Zoo was also a resounding success, provid-ing a well-appointed home for our entire colony of Queensland koalas, as well as many other Austra-lian species. And the addition of Tasmanian dev-ils in October has made an interesting experience even more exciting. #is year we also saw many births and hatch-ings, including the particularly signi!cant arriv-als of a southern white rhino, greater one-horned rhino, Sumatran orangutan, and Jamaican iguana. Our conservation work continued at sites around the world, including Cocha Cashu in Peru, the Ebo Forest in Cameroon, and the Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program, as well as studies of African elephants in Botswana, koalas on St. Bees Island in Australia, and giant pandas and snub-nosed monkeys in China. Important local conser-vation achievements included releasing mountain

yellow-legged frogs, light-footed clapper rails, and western pond tur-tles to the wild; the !rst Paci!c pocket mouse births in a zoo; and the hatching of 6 California condors—which brings the total number of California condors we’ve hatched to 183, 129 of which have been re-leased to the wild. I’d also like to take a moment to thank our 2013 major donors, whose generosity has helped San Diego Zoo Global to make great strides: Conrad Prebys, Ernest Rady, and #omas Tull. #ere are so many peo-ple who have contributed to San Diego Zoo Global’s work this year, including all of you as our members, and I give you my sincere thanks for your support and enthusiasm for making a di"erence for wildlife. Happy Holidays from all of us at San Diego Zoo Global!

Rick GulleyChairman

!ank you so much for this—and all of the previous articles—about the Yun-Gao fam-

ily and about pandas in general. As much as I have been captivated by the adorable Baby Wu as he explores, experiences, and learns life lessons, your thoughtful and educational blogs add enormous-ly to the experience. Marlene

We visited your Park last week. My 11-year-old son loves rhinos. We were fortunate

enough to take the Caravan Safari. We were thrilled! My son was overjoyed to get to feed his beloved rhinos. !ank you for the work you do, and thank you for these lifelong memories! Daysi Diaz Shaw

Do you know, I find myself guiding every conversation I have toward pandas! I could

be a pandaholic! Plus, my spell check recognizes “pandaholics” as a word! I may be in trouble! LOL! Michele<3

I have come to appreciate elephants because of this cam! I have fallen in love with them

and just love their di"erent personalities! It is so much fun to watch them in the water. I never knew that elephants played in the water like that!Sandy

I want to fly to California right now just to see Xiao Liwu at the @sandiegozoo. !ese

pictures on Tumblr prove why pandas are my fa-vorite.@colormeinfinity

I visit the Zoo at least once a week, some-times twice, just to walk and enjoy the ani-

mals. I always make sure to visit my guy, Orson. I love that cat to pieces! I also love “my” Zoo. I’m 67 and visiting the Zoo each week has not only im-proved my health but has made my life so much better. By the way, I’ve been going to the San Di-ego Zoo since I was a baby.Barbee Bergan

you said it

@onurtekin

Willow ate all the leaves! Sharon Hunt

Had another fantastic day enjoying the ani-mals at @sandiegozoo and took over 120 pho-

tos. Never fail to have an uplifted spirit after leaving.@iamanownzoar

!x to @sandiegozoo for an amazing week of Zoo camp for my kindergartener. Ready to

sign up for next summer now! #AmericasBestZoo@sdreini

I was very impressed with the thoughtfulness of the design of the new koala exhibits. Each

koala has its own tree (which is a mix of natural wood trees and a metal tree which provides shade, misters, and heat). Another thing I liked was how the viewing area is raised so visitors can easily watch koalas (usually napping in a tree) at human eye lev-el. !e koalas and visitors can be comfortable this way.mosaic_world

One of my favorite projects in 4th grade was researching and writing about gravely threat-

ened California condors. Now—35 years later—I am grateful for your good work that strengthens the condor population. Please continue the condor cam and the great blog posts! Julie

@jor_dan_kai_ser

Western lowland gorilla Gorilla gorilla gorilla

through the lensPhotos by Ken Bohn, SDGZ Photographer

ORANGE Is the NEW BABY!

Indah, a Sumatran orangutan, gave birth to a female infant on October 25, 2013.

Sumatran orangutan Indah gave birth to a tiny bundle of joy on October 25, 2013, at 7:15 a.m. at the San Diego Zoo. !e sec-ond-time mother was doting and attentive to her "ame-colored daughter the minute she laid eyes on her. !e baby was estimated to weigh three to four pounds at birth and was the cause of much

celebration.Keepers knew Indah was due any time, and that morning she was up

early, moving around, holding the bars in her bedroom, and hanging

By Karyl Carmignani STAFF WRITER

Photos by Ken BohnSDZG PHOTOGRAPHER

Indah was attentive and caring toward her daughter from the start.

Orangutans are almost exclusively arboreal, and little ones hang on tight for the ride. This is Indah’s second offspring and is in good hands—or feet, in this case.

o# the ground in response to her contractions. At 7 a.m., her water broke, and 15 minutes later she was cleaning o# her newborn. Within an hour, the baby was dry and snuggled in tight to Mom’s body, and by early a$ernoon, the little girl was nursing. “Sometimes it can take up to 72 hours before the newborns nurse,” said Tanya Howard, senior keeper. “We were pleased that this birth and bonding process went so smoothly. Indah is a great mother.” !e baby’s father is Satu.

“Orangutans are critically endangered great apes,” said Tanya. “Hav-ing a girl is extra special, as we need more females in the population.” From the beginning, Indah has had the option to go out on exhibit each day or stay in the back bedroom area. She brought her daughter out for the world to see brie"y the %rst week, but then she chose to stay behind the scenes for several days. Now Indah is taking baby on out-ings more o$en. When she opts for the great outdoors, visitors can see them at the Zoo exhibit or on Ape Cam through the Zoo’s website. Q

If You Build It, They Will Come

Once just a nonbreeding visitor, the great egret Ardea alba began breeding at the Safari Park in 1989.

In the 1989 movie Field of Dreams, the famous tag line was “If you build it, they will come.” !e main character of the "lm creates a baseball diamond in his corn"eld to attract former legends of the national pastime, baseball. His prophecy comes

true, and he gets the result he hoped for—but he also receives a bonus he hadn’t considered. At the Safari Park, we create incredible natural habitats so that our exotic animals thrive, and we can immerse our guests in a great experience. But as we develop these areas around the Safari Park, we’ve discovered a bonus, too.

By Michael MaceCURATOR OF BIRDS, SDZSP

and Wendy PerkinsSTAFF WRITER

Photos by Ken BohnSDZG PHOTOGRAPHER

The white-faced ibis Plegadis chihi is one of the many native species that flock to the Safari Park’s ponds. The Park’s human-designed landscape of trees and shrubs is an oasis in the midst of the habitat change taking place due to human activity.

WILD WELCOMEDeveloping the Safari Park in San Diego County’s chaparral creat-ed an oasis of trees, lush vegeta-tion, and large water features. As it turns out, these micro-habitats have also provided homes for an inf lux of native avian species. Some birds stop in to rest during their annual migration along the Paci"c Flyway, while others stay year-round. Boat-tailed grackles, white-faced ibis, cactus wrens, and snowy and cattle egrets have taken up residence and become established populations at the Safari Park. In fact, the cactus wrens, egrets, and ibis living here have formed some of the largest breeding concentrations in all of San Diego County.

During the past 40 years, mi-grating American white pelicans have made good use of the Park’s ponds and lagoons. It seems when California has extended periods of drought and traditional water sources recede, the pelicans vis-it us during their migration. Bird enthusiasts throughout San Di-ego have been thrilled and aston-ished at the sight of hundreds of pelicans using the Park as a stop-over.

The native coastal sage scrub surrounding the Park’s expansive "eld enclosures is notably one of the most valuable habitats in San Diego County. Numerous bird

Peregrine falcons Falco peregrinus, once considered an endangered species, are making a comeback and have been spotted at the Safari Park.

The blush of color on this male cattle egret Bulbulcus ibis signifies breeding season has begun.

The Park’s undisturbed acreage is home to a large population of endangered cactus wrens Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus.PHOTO BY KEN KELLEY, SDZG

species live in this unique habi-tat, and the more than 800 acres of undeveloped land at the Safa-ri Park provide a protected envi-ronment for these locals. In fact, one of the largest populations of cactus wrens in the county can be found on the Park’s undisturbed acreage. Other species such as red-tailed hawks, turkey vultures, American kestrels, and Nuttall’s and downy woodpeckers inhab-it the area, in addition to other "ne-feathered friends. Each year during the Christmas Bird Count (an annual event promoted by the National Audubon Society), about 130 native bird species are sighted at the Park.

MAKING THEMSELVES AT HOMESome of the local species seen at the Park are also represented in other parts of the world. Cattle egrets, for example, range from North and South America to Af-rica, Madagascar, and southwest-ern Europe. !e egrets are o#en seen walking among and even sit-ting on Cape bu$alo, gira$es, and rhinos in the wild. In San Diego, they spend time with animals in our collection, which enhances a

Cattle egrets choose to nest in the prickly acacia trees, where the long thorns help deter predators.

visitor’s feeling of “being in Africa.” Park guests are o#en impressed that we “trained the birds to walk with our large mammals,” until they learn that these are wild egrets just doing what comes naturally—then they are even more impressed!

Five heron species have established breeding areas at the Park: the great blue heron, great egret, snowy egret, black-crowned night heron, and the cattle egret. While large amounts of water at the Park are cer-tainly a draw for these wetland species, our other environments attract other types of birds. For example, the overhanging deck and support structure of the Great Ri# Li# elevator building and the bridges cre-ated for the Africa Tram Safari provide prime nesting locations for swallows.

We’ve built fantastic exhibits for our world-renowned collection, and guests have %ocked to see them. Yet the story doesn’t end there. Just as in Field of Dreams, there’s an unexpected bonus: because we built it, the local bird species also come—and bene"t. Q

Managing Diabetes in Zoo Animals

While binturongs consume fruit in the wild, in zoos it can be better for them to eat more vegetables.

As diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in humans in the US, a reasonable question is: can other animals become diabetic? It has been said that anything with a pancreas can develop diabetes, so yes, a surprising

array of animals can develop the disease. Fortunately, the animal care sta! at the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park have become de" in inter-cepting cases of full-blown diabetes while treatment has improved dra-matically. “We keep a close eye on them,” said Kim Livingstone, lead keeper at the Zoo. “Primates are closely related to humans, so we use all the same medications and diagnostic tools to manage their health when it comes to diabetes.” And it takes close collaboration between

By Karyl Carmignani STAFF WRITER

Photos by Ken BohnSDZG PHOTOGRAPHER

Lion-tailed macaques are social monkeys whose diets are carefully monitored to ensure they remain healthy.

PHOTO BY RON GORDON GARRISON, SDZG

our veterinarians, nutritionists, and keepers. “We work together to do what’s best for each animal,” said Kim. #at can be challenging, par-ticularly when the animal lives in a social group and must be singled out for its treatment. With well over 7,600 pancreas-toting animals in the San Diego Zoo Global collection, it is encouraging that very few are on the diabetes spectrum, but those that are require special care.

What Is Diabetes? Glucose is the sugar that is processed from the food we eat. When ev-erything is as it should be, the pancreas makes the hormone insulin, which helps the glucose get into our cells to give them energy. Accord-ing to the World Health Organization, diabetes is a “chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insu-lin or when the body cannot e!ectively use the insulin it produces.” Having diabetes indicates that the body is not making enough insulin or isn’t utilizing insulin properly. While pet dogs and cats can develop both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, zoo animals, which tend to live much

Training animals to voluntarily accept an insulin injection in exchange for a reward makes diabetes treatment easier for both the patient and the keeper.

longer in managed care than they would in the wild, usually devel-op only type 2 diabetes, o"en lat-er in life. #ough it is di$cult to pinpoint a single cause for diabetes in zoo animals, there is evidence, according to Jen Parsons, Ph.D., as-sociate nutritionist at the Zoo, of “a genetic component, a possible e!ect of progestins in birth control, and a large dietary factor that contributes to a cascade of hormonal reactions leading to insulin resistance.” Stud-ies of zoo animals indicate a gender bias: nearly 80 percent of diabetic animals are female.

Managing MonkeysGiven that monkeys are primates like us, it is not surprising that they should develop similar diseases, including diabetes. For example, a group of three lesser spot-nosed guenons at the Zoo is monitored closely. Sassy has diabetes and gets an insulin shot once a day. Fortu-nately, she is a tractable, social little monkey who trusts her keepers. She willingly enters the chute, and keep-ers gently position the “squeeze” board to hold her in place for an injection. She is rewarded with %ve Craisins, the only fruit she is al-lowed to eat. “Luckily, Sassy is very cooperative,” said Kim. “But some animals are not compliant, so we have to get creative when treating them.” Sassy’s roommate, Rachel, is pre-diabetic, so keepers and nu-When one animal in a social group needs

treatment, it takes planning and skill to make sure the diabetic animal gets what it needs while the others still receive their regular diet.

tritionists are working togeth-er to stay ahead of it. “Her diet is closely monitored, and she gets her oral medication in a piece of banana,” said Kim. “We take preventative mea-sures and check the animal’s urine for ketone levels daily.” Elevated ketone levels indicate the body is using fat instead of glucose for energy because not enough insulin is available.

#e veterinarians determine what to have keepers monitor, and this information is used by the veterinarians to deter-mine how well an animal is doing on treatment. Keepers take copious notes and main-tain a spreadsheet for diabetic animals indicating their med-ications, diet, test results, and, when needed, where the ani-mal received its injection. “Just like with people, we have to rotate where we give a monkey its shot so it doesn’t build up callouses in one spot, which could impact the e$cacy of the medicine,” said Kim. Working together, vets and keepers closely monitor the animals’ health. “One of the best things about my job is being part of a compassionate team that puts the health and well-being of the animals %rst,” she added.

Macaque Cutting BackIn the heart of Asian Passage at the Zoo lives a troop of lion-tailed ma-caques, a handsome, &u!y-faced primate from southwest India. Frank-ie, the resident male, had put on a few extra kilos and was found to be pre-diabetic. Jen pointed out the challenges of treating a member of a social group: “It’s tricky when we have to cut back the calorie intake for an individual in a group, especially when others in the group may be geriatric and perhaps underweight.” Keepers, veterinarians, and nutri-tionists collaborated on dietary strategies to keep the “bad stu!” (fruit

Two Types of DiabetesWorldwide, 347 million people have diabe-tes; it is the seventh leading cause of death in the US. Type 1 diabetes, also called ju-venile diabetes, is likely caused by a combi-nation of genetics and environmental trig-gers. It causes the immune system to target and kill o! its own insulin-producing cells and requires regular insulin shots to man-age the condition.

Type 2 diabetes (formerly called adult-on-set or non-insulin-dependent diabetes) re-sults from the body’s ine!ective use of in-sulin and is the most common form in both humans and animals. It is typically the re-sult of excess body weight and physical in-activity. Sometimes diet and exercise regi-mens can keep it under control; sometimes insulin injections are necessary.

and other high-calorie items) away from Frankie and make sure the rest of the troop is get-ting enough “good stu!.”

“We had to come up with a way to reduce calories but in-crease volume of food for the monkeys,” said Jen. “So we in-creased the amount of greens and cut back on the starchy vegetables like potatoes, yams, and corn. Jicama is half the calories and contains a lot of %ber, so it is a great substitute. And the monkeys love it!” Also helpful is the progress made in commercial monkey biscuits; they are now lower in starch. Keepers can also do “target feeding” as animals move through the chute out into the exhibit. Dieting mon-keys can see when others get treats like fruit, and if they don’t get any, it can create an-

imosity between them. So keepers conduct short training sessions in the chute out of sight of troop mates. “We can still fatten up the skinny ones,” Jen said. “And Frankie can stick to his diet.”

Binturong #ough a member of the order Carnivora, the binturong has adapted to a more &exible diet in the forests of Southeast Asia; it eats mostly fruits, as well as leaves, shoots, insects, small mammals, birds, and carrion. #is omnivorous diet does not always work as well in a zoo, and binturongs can be prone to developing diabetes. Jen explained that store-bought, domesticated fruit has been developed for the human palate to contain a higher sugar content and lower %ber. (Fiber helps slow sugar absorption, keeping an animal’s glucose on an even keel.) Duplicating the composition of lean, wild fruits means the binturongs

get lots of veggies instead. “As the science of zoo nutrition evolves, di-abetes is diminishing, as we are better at managing an animal’s body condition and weight,” said Jen. “Treatment is one thing, but preven-tion is the name of the game.” Just as it is for humans.

Diabetes DiagnosisAnimals in the collection are monitored closely, and if a keeper notices an increase in appetite, water consumption, and urination, veterinari-ans request that the animal’s urine be tested for glucose or ketone lev-els. Sometimes diabetes can be detected in a blood panel taken while an animal is anesthetized for something else. Dietary modi%cations are the %rst line of defense, with oral medication next. Some animals are trained and desensitized to injections, while keepers are trained to give insulin shots, in case it comes to that. #ough the animal cannot “cheat” on its low-sugar diet, it can be di$cult to tightly control its glucose levels 24/7. “#ere are about %ve classes of drugs for glucose metabolism,” said Meg Sutherland-Smith, D.V.M. “But some are ex-pensive and require intense monitoring. We always have to balance the side e!ects with monitoring and the bene%ts of the medication.” Sound familiar? Q

FLORA of the

Australian Outback

Banksia menziesii flowers are made up of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of individual blossoms.

L ast spring, the San Diego Zoo opened the Conrad Prebys Australian Outback to a chorus of laughing kookabur-ras, chirping rainbow lorikeets, and excited, chattering human visitors. Our e!orts to bring Australian "air to the “Koalafornia” coast included many new plants that

also come from the Land Down Under. Our goal was to have unusual Australian native plants to complement the animals in our newest ad-dition to the Zoo. Like the fauna that call Australia home, the native "ora have unique and beautiful features as well.

During the past few years, the San Diego Zoo’s Horticulture Depart-ment grew and prepared a variety of plants for the project. One exciting element of this process was collecting and sourcing seeds in the Aus-tralian states of Western Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland,

By Seth MenserSENIOR HORTICULTURIST, SAN DIEGO ZOO

Photos by Ken BohnSDZG PHOTOGRAPHER

Grevillea banksii

both on private lands and by working with various botanical gardens and zoos. Some plants starting their life here in the US are species of Ficus, Acacia, Banksia, Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, Grevillea, Hakea, Hibis-cus, and Syzgium, as well as cycads, boabs, bottlebrushes, orchids, tree ferns, and colorful kangaroo paws. With these plants, many of which are seldom grown outside of Australia, Zoo guests get a more immer-sive Aussie experience—perhaps even the koalas will wake up and take notice!

AcaciaWith nearly 1,000 Acacia species na-tive to Australia, wattles (as they are called Down Under) are the largest group of plants found on the island continent. They grow in just about every environment you can think of. Australian acacias are unusual be-cause their foliage has evolved with many forms and structures. #is leads

to some bizarre yet attractive specimens. Many acacias have been plant-ed in the Zoo’s Australian Outback—keep an eye out for a few along the bus route near the Tasmanian devil habitat. Once you see them, you will not even think they are closely related plants. As di!erent as they may seem, they share one common trait: they all produce yellow pu$all "owers.

BanksiaScattered around the Australian Out-back are a variety of the Banksia species, from trees to ground covers. Banksias belong in the Proteaceae family (com-monly called proteas) and are known for their spectacular "owers. Many of the groundcover banksias look like ferns and are pollinated by small mar-supials in their native habitat, such as

possums and the yellow-footed antechinus. Tree forms of banksias are pollinated by many of the colorful native birds that frequent the plant for its nectar. Fire is an essential part of several of these Banksia species’

lifecycles. Because of this, we use some unorthodox techniques when propagating them, such as burning the dried cones and using smoke-in-fused water to soak the seeds prior to sowing.

EucalyptusNothing says Australia like eucalyp-tus, so it should come as no surprise that we have many new specimens of this fragrant "ora in our Australian Outback area. We wanted to include species that are smaller growing with attractive foliage and flowers. This led us to a group of Eucalyptus spe-cies called mallees, which are short

growing, multi-trunked trees from the arid regions of Australia. #ey have evolved to live with %re by burning to the ground and resprouting a&er the "ames have died down. One such species is Eucalyptus cae-sia, planted on the various faux termite mounds in the area where our male koalas reside. #ese beautiful, weeping trees come from Western Australia. With their graceful, pendulous silver branches and giant red "owers, these trees are sure to be an eye pleaser.

Ficus (Fig) TreesAustralia is blessed with a rich and diverse variety of native %gs, from the wet tropics of Queensland to the dusty outback of Western Australia. In our collection, we have more than half of the Ficus species native to Australia. One exciting example is Ficus albip-ila—look for it near the bus road on the female koalas’ side of the exhib-

it. Native to the rain forests of Queensland, the wood from this tree was used by indigenious Australians to make %ghting, ceremonial, and symbolic clan shields. To cra& a shield, they cut a section of the large, buttressed trunk and then used local plants, shells, and even rocks to decorate and preserve their creation. Our tree is young now, but in time it should become a towering landmark.

GrevilleaAlong with banksias, grevilleas are a member of the protea group, and they, too, bear beautiful "owers. Grevilleas have become popular as a landscape plant thanks to the breeding of dif-ferent species. Growing between the bird aviaries across from the Tasma-nian devil habitat are two Grevillea species (G. banksii and G. bipinnati-

!da) used to develop the many colorful hybrids now available on the market. Interestingly, this makes for a sort of cross-country love story, as G. banksii grows naturally on the humid, sub-tropical Queensland coast while G. bipinnati!da is found in the hills around Perth in West-ern Australia.

Wollemi PineWe are very excited to bring one of the rarest plants in the world, the Wollemi pine Wollemia nobilis, to the Zoo and be able to share its tale of conservation with our guests. With fewer than 100 le& in the wild, this coniferous tree from Australia’s Blue Mountains is listed as critically en-dangered. It is commonly referred to

as a pine; however, it is not a pine at all but rather belongs to the Arau-cariaceae family of ancient coniferous trees. Amazingly, this tree was discovered for the %rst time in 1994 by an adventurous bush hiker in an isolated canyon in New South Wales. Because this species is new to science, it is sometimes called a living fossil. We are fortunate to have a pair of Wollemi pines growing between the bird aviaries across from the Tasmanian devils. Q

MiLeStOnE FoR A

MiNi-MoUsE

The excitement is palpable, though the animals are snoozing soundly in their cozy, air-conditioned digs on a sweltering summer a!ernoon. "e natural light and darkness that spill through the skylight over the Plexiglas enclosures keep the animals’ circadian rhythm on track. Presently, the nocturnal

residents are holed up in their burrows, some solo, others with pups. It is Debra Shier, Ph.D., Brown Endowed Associate Director of Applied Animal Ecology at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Re-search, who is exuding excitement about the recent litters of Paci#c pocket mice born at the o$-exhibit breeding facility. Despite some chal-

By Karyl Carmignani STAFF WRITER

Photos by Tammy SprattSDZG PHOTOGRAPHER

Pacific pocket mice are healthy eaters, consuming mainly seeds and greens.

lenges, the breeding project is go-ing swimmingly. “"e #rst pocket mouse pup was born on June 11, 2013, and we have had #ve litters born to our founder colony this season,” Debra said. She explained that 26 mice were collected from the 3 remaining populations on the coast of Southern California. Breeding them at the facility was a challenging prospect because, as is o!en the case, females are choosy when it comes to their mates.

ChEeKy LiTtLe RoDeNtA!er neither hide nor hair of the creature was detected for years, the Paci#c pocket mouse was thought to be extinct by the 1980s. But the pocket-sized California native proved to be stealthy and resil-ient—it was rediscovered in 1993.

Today, three small populations along the California coast burrow in at Dana Point, Santa Margarita, and southern San Mateo. Last year, mice from each population were collected to form the founder colony in an o$-exhibit breeding area at the Safari Park. “We weren’t sure if each population should be bred separately or if it was appropriate to inter-breed them until the Institute’s Genetics Division did some investigat-ing,” Debra said. As it turns out, the slight genetic variation in pocket mouse populations is “due to genetic dri!, not a clear selective force, so we were able to combine the founders for breeding purposes.” Cre-ating a “match made in heaven” for each female, however, is a di$erent matter.

It is both an art and a science to pair a tiny Romeo with a petite and picky Juliet at precisely the right time. “"ey are mostly solitary in the wild and only come together to mate, so we have to facilitate this repro-ductive behavior in the lab…at night,” said Debra. Since the mice are full of vim and scurry under the cover of darkness, researchers work under red lights, which are not visually perceived by the animals, to

Substrate is very important to these little rodents, so the cages at the breeding center contain soft sand for burrowing and bathing.

observe their behavior without disturbing them. “Our biggest challenge has been trying to be here right when the female is in full estrus and pair her with a male she likes,” said Debra. And if the small window of opportunity is missed, it will be another two to three weeks before she cycles again.

RoDeNt RoMaNcE"e females do not show a preference for males from their own popula-tion but do have a penchant for larger males. Once a female shows signs of estrus—which can be hard to detect on a tiny, nocturnal creature—a male is introduced. Finding “Mr. Right” may take multiple pairings, and each meeting can take a few minutes to a few hours. “"e males have to be patient but persistent,” said Debra. "e male sand bathes, which spreads his scent and status. If his scented sand is presented to the female in advance of their pairing, she may #nd him more desirable when the time comes. “Once they are both sand bathing together, it’s a good sign,” she added.

If the female decides a male’s scent and sincerity are worthy of her

Researchers, including senior research technician Amaranta Kozuch, carefully tend to their tiny charges, making sure each mouse has all of its biological requirements met in its cozy home.

PHOTO BY KEN BOHN, SDZG PHOTOGRAPHER

a$ections, things take a strange—and fast—turn. “"e #rst time I ob-served the behavior, I was stunned!” said Debra. "e mice sidle up to each other head to toe and proceed to twirl in circles at dizzying speeds, like little furry pinwheels, tails %ying. A!er their “spin,” the female mouse lies on her side and mating ensues. When it’s over, the animals are quickly separated, as females can get aggressive and ward o$ a persistent male with a bite to the head.

LiTtLe LiTtEr"e gestation period for the Paci#c pocket mouse is an enviable three weeks. First, she builds up her nest to accommodate her four to #ve pups. “By the second or third week, she gains weight, nearly doubling in size, going from about 6 to 12 grams in weight. "en her abdomen lengthens, and the fur disappears around her nipples,” said Debra. Each cage has a so!, sandy substrate with PVC pipes in which to tunnel and nest. "e %u$y nesting material provided by the sta$ is o!en tucked around the mouse’s burrow so it stays dark and comfortable. "e mice get sprigs of native buckwheat and #nch mix to nibble on and hoard,

PHOTO BY KEN BOHN, SDZG PHOTOGRAPHER

as well as spinach and lettuce every other day. Pregnant and lactating females receive a sprinkling of powdered milk to augment their diet. Pocket mice do not drink water and have highly e&cient kidneys that enable them to live o$ of the moisture in their food.

When the pocket mice pups are born, they are barely the size of a human #ngernail. "e mother keeps them snug in the den, where they grow rapidly. "ey are ready to reproduce at 41 days of age. Despite their fast track of development, Debra was quick to say that Paci#c pocket mice are not a pest species. “Unlike other mice and rats, they do not live well with humans. "ey are highly specialized in both diet and be-havior.” "eir diet of primarily native seeds makes them important to habitat restoration, as they excrete them or leave them behind in their seed caches. And their burrowing activities help to aerate the soil and provide homes for other creatures that use abandoned mice burrows. "ese native mice do not want to take over your home!

GrOwInG UpDebra and her team are working toward the goal of increasing the Paci#c pocket mouse population to 200 individuals so that 50 can be released back into their historic range. E$ective survival skills will be evaluated. Upon weaning, the pups will be tested in a small, red-lighted room for their “recognition and response behavior” to their top preda-tors: barn owls and snakes. A king snake named Sylvester will be em-ployed in a cage next to a mom and her pups and the reaction of the mice documented. Youngsters tend to mirror their mother’s response, so it’s a good way to make sure they’ll behave appropriately in the wild. Later, a stu$ed barn owl will swoop over their cage on a cable, which simulates another very real threat in the wild. A camera mounted on the wall will capture the desired %urry of activity.

Saving the Paci#c pocket mouse requires a great deal of hard work, and Debra points out that support for the e$ort goes beyond the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Conservancy. "e California Department of Fish and Wildlife recently awarded the project funding for two more years. Its o&ce in Carlsbad is an ardent “mover and shaker” for the project, garnering funding, convincing landowners and other agencies of the merits of the project, and securing release sites. "e cooperation and collaborations are impressive. “It’s a big investment for agencies to save this tiny species,” said Debra. “It’s not just us.” We can all celebrate the #rst season of successful breeding of this mysterious mini-mouse. Q

Making a Splash New Sea Lion Pups

There are two new stars on the horizon at the Zoo’s Wege-forth Bowl, and the hopefuls—a pair of California sea li-ons Zalophus californianus—can’t wait to try their hand, er, !ipper, at showbiz. "e one-year-old males, Ranger and Maverick, will eventually join Cabo, Jake, Riley, and Baja as

part of the show’s water-loving and whisker-equipped cast members. “"ese boys have big personalities,” says Carlee Westbrook, lead ani-mal trainer. “We have started their basic training, and they are eager to learn.” "e arrival of the pups was a big event for the training sta#. Kristi Lee Dovich, animal training manager, says, “"ese are only the third and fourth pups we’ve raised since 1990!”

CHARACTER ACTORSAccording to Carlee, the sea lion youngsters get along swimmingly. In the beginning, it looked like Maverick would live up to the lovable “bad

By Peggy ScottASSOCIATE EDITOR

Photos by Ken BohnSDZG PHOTOGRAPHER

Smart and wily Maverick lives up to his name.

boy” reputation personi$ed by the Top Gun character he was named for. “Maverick was a challenge,” Carlee says. “He’s generally been a good, smart sea lion but a bit wily. He caused a little more trouble.” Ranger, on the other hand, was a docile boy who appeared happy to follow his buddy’s lead. “Ranger was sweet and not as mischievous,” says Carlee. “He’s the one with the pink patch on his nose.” However, Kristi notes that the boys’ traits are starting to change. “"e youngsters are now living with Cabo, our 26-year-old male sea lion. And their personalities have done a complete 180-degree switch!”

"e plot of Maverick and Ranger’s journey to join the Camp Critters crew is worthy of a Hollywood drama. Both of them stranded them-selves on a beach in San Francisco when they were just pups. A%er being rescued, rehabilitated, and released back into the ocean, they ended up on land again. “Maverick was found up in the rocks above the beach, and Ranger actually followed a group of people o# the sand and up into Ghiradelli Square. It was decided they needed a home somewhere

that would take care of them,” Carlee ex-plains.

Kristi says that the boys’ situation may be the result of what’s known

as an “unusual morbidity/mor-tality event,” which has been occurring this year—an indi-cation that something unusual

is going on in the ocean. “"ere have been over 700 strandings of young sea lions from Wash-ington State to Baja California, Mexico, this year alone,” Kristi says. She notes that young sea li-

ons typically leave their mother and go out on their own between eight months

and one year of age, but if they are weaned early or orphaned, they may not have learned the skills need-

ed to hunt for $sh on their own. Scientists are looking at what role pollution may have

in these events. “A neurotoxin called domoic acid is produced by algae during algae blooms—such as the red tide that Califor-

nians may have heard about. Fish eat the algae, and sea lions and

other marine animals eat the $sh,” Kristi says. “High levels of domoic acid can lead to lethargy, seizures, and death. And pollution may have a signi$cant role in more of these toxic algae blooms occurring. "at’s why it’s so important to keep pollution and trash out of the ocean, such as recycling plastic. "ere is a correlation between NOT recycling and the emergence of excess domoic acid in marine animals, a documented connection between animal populations and pollution.”

THEIR “BODY” OF WORKSea lions and their blubbered brethren—seals and walruses—belong to a group of animals called pinnipeds, which means wing foot or feather foot. While walruses have a look all their own, it can be trickier to tell sea lions and seals apart. "ey’re both marine mammals that spend much of their time searching for food in the water, and they both have !ippers. But if you look a little closer, there are di#erences, starting with the ears. If the animal has a small ear!ap on each side of its head, you are looking at a sea lion. Seals just have a small opening for their ears. Sea lions are also able to rotate their hind !ippers underneath

Strong front flippers support the sea lion on land, propel it through the sea, and also serve to help regulate the sea lion’s body temperature.

their body to help them scoot along beaches and shorelines. Seals can-not do this and must wriggle, roll, or slide to get around on land. Aquatically adept, sea lions are built to thrive in the briny blue. "ey have a re!ective membrane at the back of their eyes that acts like a mir-ror, bouncing what light there is back through the eye a second time to help them see better underwater. Sea lions rely on their excellent hearing to help them $nd food: squid, anchovies, mackerel, rock$sh, and sardines. "eir long snout has rubbery whiskers that help them feel their way around in dark, underwater areas. "eir strong front !ippers also help regulate the sea lion’s body tem-perature. When it is cold, blood vessels in the thin-skinned !ippers constrict to prevent heat loss; when it is hot, blood !ow is increased to these surface areas to be cooled more quickly. Reports of a cluster of dark “$ns” sticking out of the water in California harbors usually turn out to be a resting group of sea lions sticking their !ippers into the air to cool o#.

You can identify Ranger by his fun-loving disposition—or the pink spots on his nose.

BULKING UP FOR THE ROLEMale California sea lions, called bulls, establish breeding territories that include harems of up to 14 females, called cows. Males aggressively defend these territories during breeding season with physical displays and loud vocalizations. Biologically, they reach sexual maturity at two to three years of age, but they don’t realistically have a chance of best-ing a larger, older male until they’re seven or eight. Breeding males measure about 7& feet from nose to tail and weigh around 700 pounds, although some have been known to top 1,000 pounds. "e females are downright dainty in comparison: 6 feet long and 240 pounds. Currently weighing about 100 pounds each, Maverick and Ranger have a way to go—or grow—on their way to adulthood. To reach “lead-ing man” size, they are chowing down on eight pounds of $sh a day. Carlee points out that this equals about 10,000 calories. Sound like a lot? “"e big sea lions eat three times that much,” Carlee says.

STUDYING THEIR PARTSCurrently, Maverick and Ranger are doing just what they should be doing—acting like young sea lions. “It’s a lot of teenage nonsense,” Carlee says. “"ey’ll be sunning on the deck and then all of a sudden, they get all bug-eyed and jump in the pool. All you see is a big ball of !ippers and backsides in a big, goofy lump. "ey are so funny!” "e boys have begun training to learn basic behaviors before tackling any scripts. “We’re doing well with name recognition and following direc-tional cues, but we’re also working on the daily stu# of ‘you can’t $ght with your brother; let us in your enclosure; let us out.’ It’s all part of being young sea lions,” Carlee says.

Luckily, the boys have someone to look up to and learn from. “Cabo has been wonderful with them,” Carlee says, “He is patient with them, and they think he is awesome.” Kristi notes that “He is teaching them to be sea lions, which is very important in their development as they mature.” "e pups’ “acting lessons” will continue until they are ready for some on-stage experience. Carlee is con$dent they will be stars. “"ey’re learning every day and are smart sea lions. "ey’ll do well in the show,” she says. Perhaps pretty soon, they’ll want to direct. Q

http://www.endextinction.org

what’s in store

Visit our shops at the Zoo and Safari Park to purchase these featured items.

Items and prices may vary based on availability.Available in select stores.

WARM FUZZY CHEER

HANDMADE FROM NEPAL

22” Gira!e $260

Tiger Ornament $28.95

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Lion Ornament $34.95

Panda Ornament $28.95

If you’re look for a “merry, beary” gift for the holidays, our charismatic black-and-white bears—our beloved giant pandas—are ideal gifts for friends and family. With a gift membership, your recipient can visit the pandas and our other animals every day of the year while our Adopt An Animal holiday special provides a plush panda mom and cub to cuddle.

Holiday Shopping Made “Bearable”!

Membership: For an imaginative, a!ordable gift that keeps on giving all year long and includes animal adventures and fun, a Zoo membership is the perfect present. Membership benefits include free, unlimited entrance to the Zoo and Safari Park for an entire year and so much more! For easy holiday shop-ping, visit zoomember.com to purchase your gift member-ship today or call 619-231-0251.

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Where there’s a WILL there’s a WAY.To request a complimentary brochure about

including the Zoological Society of San Diego in your will or trust, please call 619-744-3352 or

tap here to visit zoolegacy.org.

To celebrate the first year of our giant panda cub, Xiao Liwu, as well as the dedication of his mother, Bai Yun, we’re o!ering an Adopt An An-imal special that’s a charming and cuddly gift for the holidays!Our $100 giant panda holiday special includes:

• Mom and cub giant panda plush• Giant panda reusable tote bag• Adoption certificate and fact sheet

Your tax-deductible adoption benefits our glob-al wildlife conservation e!orts and provides toys and treats for our Zoo and Safari Park animals. To order, visit us online at sandiegozoo.org/adoptpanda or call 619-557-3914. Quantities are limited.

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from the archives

Stars of Stage—and Pool?Captain Bennie Kirkbride ignored the adage about working with ani-mals (and children) and turned pinniped-packed performances into shows that had Zoo audiences roaring with laughter for 35 years.

What began in 1948 as a less-than-10-minute act grew into elaborate pro-ductions incorporating the 3 types of shows that Bennie developed during his years at the Zoo: a dry act, which featured seals and sea lions perform-ing on the stage; a diving act, which took place in the Wegeforth Bowl pool; and the most unusual—the seals and sea lions presenting their skills while riding ponies.

In all those years and performances, one show stood out to Bennie as the best example of being upstaged by his whiskered sidekicks. As he recalled in a post-retirement interview, “Once I was doing a show, and I had the sea lion on a diving board. I had a white uniform on. I was trying to get him to put his tail up and do a handstand…and I fell into the pool. When I climbed out, the audience just roared…I looked down and saw that the red polka dot shorts I was wearing were showing through the pants.”

Maybe there’s something to that adage a!er all. Q

PUBLISHED SINCE 1926 DECEMBER 2013 Q� LXXXVI–NO. 12

SAN DIEGO ZOO HOURS: December 1–12 and 24: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; December 13–23 and 25–31: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

SAN DIEGO ZOO SAFARI PARK HOURS: December 1 and 26–31: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; December 2–25: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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The Zoological Society of San Diego was founded in Octo ber 1916 by Harry M. Wegeforth, M.D., as a private, nonprofit corporation. The Zoological Society of San Diego does business as San Diego Zoo Global.THE DIGITAL VERSION OF ZOONOOZ® is currently published monthly and is available for the iPad and Kindle Fire. Publisher is San Diego Zoo Global, at 2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego, CA 92103, 619-231-1515. Copyright® 2013 San Diego Zoo Global. All rights reserved. “ZOONOOZ” Reg. U.S. Pat. Office. All column and program titles are trademarks of San Diego Zoo Global.Annual Memberships: Dual $119, new; $104, renewal. Single $98, new; $86, renewal. Each membership includes unlimited entrance to the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

MANAGING EDITOR KAREN E. WORLEY

ASSOCIATE EDITORS PEGGY SCOTTDEBBIE ANDREEN

STAFF WRITERS WENDY PERKINSKARYL CARMIGNANI

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL™ PHOTOGRAPHER KEN BOHN

DIGITAL IMAGING TECHNICIAN TAMMY SPRATT

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION DAMIEN LASATERCHRISTOPHER MARTINHEIDI SCHMIDSTEPHANIE BEVIL-PAGADUANDENNIS CORBRANKAMBIZ MEHRAFSHANIKRISTIN NIELSENTIM REAMERLISA BISSIJENNIFER MACEWAN

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