Dallas Zoo Focus Spring 2016

Spring 2016 1

WILD EARTHAction Team

WILD ADVENTURESSummer Camps

DALLAS ROARS!Event Weekends

HOORAY FOR HIPPOS!

FOCUSSPRING 2016DALLAS ZOO MEMBER MAGAZINE

17940 - Focus Spring 2016 V9.indd 1 3/22/16 2:27 PM

2 Focus

Directly SpeakingDear Members:

In January, the Dallas Zoo received the Quarter Century award from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) in recognition of more than 25 continuous years of accreditation. This honor means your Zoo has met or exceeded the AZA’s high standards throughout the park since before 1990. But we’re not content with maintaining the status quo. Our team is continually working on the next big exhibit, attraction, or program.

We are very excited to see construction start on the Simmons Hippo Outpost, opening in 2017. The charismatic hippos will make a big splash in their 3.5-acre river habitat. It is our first large-scale exhibit since Giants of the Savanna opened to rave reviews in 2010 and the Koala Walkabout debuted in 2012.

This spring, you will see changes involving some of our smaller residents, especially in ZooNorth. The Aldabra tortoises are moving in with the lemurs at Lemur Lookout and we’re adding Asian brown tortoises to an unused space at the entrance to Primate Place. As you travel down the Primate Place path, swing by to see the new spectacled langurs, and visit the two species of large Asian cranes.

You’ll have plenty of opportunities to see them if you attend all the events we have planned. Celebrate spring during Dallas Roars! Take advantage of Member Mornings, and arrive early on Saturdays in May. Catch a concert on Saturday evenings throughout the summer at Safari Nights. And come back in fall for Halloween Nights.

If you and your family want to make an impact on animals in our area, consider joining our Wild Earth Action Team and help preserve and protect wild spaces in our community, like our own Cedar Creek. And to get the kids outdoors this summer, sign them up for our summer camps.

So check out our calendar of events in this issue and take advantage of all the activities that your membership provides. We are always working on ways to see you again and again.

See you at the Zoo,

Gregg HudsonPresident and Chief Executive OfficerDallas Zoo and Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park

Dallas Zoo Membership Program generously sponsored by


Spring 2016 3Spring 2016 3

Dallas Zoo Takes Action for Animals Dallas Zoo members, volunteers, and staff are working on behalf of animals locally and across Texas through our new Wild Earth Action Team. In a series of fun and family-friendly conservation action days, we restore forest and remove litter from wildlife habitat along local waterways. To date, we have:

Visit reverselitter.com/tenontuesday to learn about the “10 on Tuesday” campaign and make your pledge today!

HARM IS DONEWhen unaddressed, litter pollution is an added pressure on urban wildlife. Fishing lines, six-pack rings, cigarette butts, aluminum cans, and plastics are among the most serious killers of wildlife. Waterways extend the problem from local to global with plastics flowing into oceans, killing 1.5 million marine animals every year. Every bit of litter we remove stays out of the critical estuaries of Galveston Bay and our world’s oceans.

MAKE A DIFFERENCETake hands-on action for animals and join our Wild Earth Action Team. Watch for upcoming events including Trinity River cleanups and a summer coastal expedition to Padre Island for beach cleanup and sea turtle rehabilitation with Dallas Zoo conservation partner, Sea Turtles, Inc.

For all the progress we’ve made, threats to animals remain unprecedented. At the Dallas Zoo, we care for animals and we know our members do, too. Every forest protected, every waterway restored, every endangered species saved begins with us. Working and caring together, we will save animals from extinction and change the world for wildlife.

• Removed over 300 garbage bags of litter from the Trinity River and Cedar Creek.• Planted a record-setting 11,000 longleaf pines in Big Thicket National Preserve benefiting the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. • Pulled 20 tires from the environment.• Secured over 100 personal pledges to “pick up 10 pieces of litter pollution every Tuesday” and support our region’s “Reverse Litter: Ten on Tuesday” campaign.

17940 - Focus Spring 2016 V9.indd 3 3/21/16 8:03 AM

4 Focus4 Focus

THE SIMMONS HIPPO OUTPOST IS THE NEXT NEW THINGThe massive mammals will be seen from multiple vantage points, including a giant 24-foot by 8-foot underwater viewing window sponsored by Diane and Hal Brierley. The 3.5-acre, $13.1 million habitat is the Zoo’s first major exhibit to debut since Giants of the Savanna. Nearby, an upper-level habitat will provide an enhanced home for our okapi herd, which is residing away from the noise during construction.

BECOME A HIPPO HEAVYWEIGHTIf you are passionate about hippos and want to play a role in funding the final touches on their habitat, please ask about becoming a member of our Kiboko Society. This group of generous donors will receive exclusive benefits, including permanent recognition of their support within the exhibit. This limited-time opportunity is available now, but membership is closed once the Simmons Hippo Outpost opens in Spring 2017. We hope you are as happy as we are to have hippos returning to the Dallas Zoo.

Get ready to say “Hi” to hippos next year. We’ve already broken ground and begun construction on an African waterhole that will be home to a family of Nile hippos in 2017. The Simmons Hippo Outpost will be located in the Wilds of Africa next to the Adventure Safari station. The immersive exhibit will give guests the sense of viewing hippos as they go about their lives around a slow-moving river in sub-Saharan Africa.

For additional information, visit DallasZoo.com.


Spring 2016 5

HIP, HIP HOORAY

FOR HIPPOS


6 Focus

PreK, Kindergarten through 1st Grade, and 2nd through 3rd Grades Animal Athletes, Animal-gination, and single-day camps are divided by grade levels: PreK for ages 3 to 5 years, Kindergarten through 1st grade, and 2nd through 3rd grade. Each level features grade-appropriate activities and adventures. PreK campers also have the option of half-day programs from 9 a.m. to noon for weeklong camps.

Weeklong camps - $200 a week PreK half-day programs - $135 a week Single-day camps - $40 a day

ANIMAL ATHLETES Get up to speed on various animal adaptations and their roles in world cultures.

ANIMAL-GINATION Imaginations soar through creative nature-themed projects, storytelling, and dramatic play.

CHILDREN’S AQUARIUM AT FAIR PARK: CAMP H2O Explore the underwater worlds of the Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park.

SINGLE-DAY CAMPS Campers will discover ways to take action to protect wildlife and the environment through special Zoo tours, activities, and animal encounters customized to each day’s theme, including:

• EcoHeroes • EcoExplorers • EcoBuilders • EcoInventors

Prices indicate member pricing only; visit DallasZoo.com for non-member pricing.

Have a WILD Adventure at the Dallas Zoo and Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park this summer!

Member Guide to the Dallas Zoo’s Wild Adventures Summer Camps

Our unique camps give children of all ages a chance to explore the Zoo and the Children’s Aquarium and have one-of-a-kind camp experiences. All camps run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and feature tours, outdoor play and activities, themed arts and crafts, and close-up animal experiences. Camps run June through August. BeforeCamp and AfterCamp are available at both the Dallas Zoo and Children’s Aquarium for most weeklong and single-day camps.


Spring 2016 7

4th through 5th GradesENRICHMENT ENGINEERS - $200 a weekLearn to make interesting toys and treats to enrich the lives of our Zoo animals!

KEEPER CAMP - $240 a weekGo behind the scenes and meet zookeepers who teach about the dynamics of animal husbandry and training.

CHILDREN’S AQUARIUM AT FAIR PARK: FROM LAND TO SEA: Partner Camp with Texas Discovery Gardens $240 a weekJourney from the land to the sea while exploring Texas Discovery Gardens and the Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park.

6th through 8th Grades $240 a week for each camp All 6th-8th grade camps include a supervised overnight.

TOP PHOTOGRAPHER Using digital cameras, campers will be introduced to the basics of wildlife photography. Selected photos will be featured on the Dallas Zoo website and in our social media!

ZOO BY DESIGN Work with zookeepers, Zoo educators, facility operations personnel, and others to develop ideas for a Zoo exhibit.

TEXAS BORN AND BRED: Partner Camp with the John Bunker Sands Wetland CenterExplore Texas wetlands and learn about the wildlife that rely on them as you visit the Dallas Zoo and the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center.

9th through 12th Grades $240 a week for each camp

CAREERS CAMP Go behind the scenes and meet Zoo professionals who teach about the dynamics of their careers.

DESIGN THINKING AND ENGINEERING CAMP: Partner Camp with Village Tech Schools Incorporate principles of design thinking and engineering to solve current challenges faced by the Zoo.

For additional information and summer camp schedule,

visit DallasZoo.com/Education.


8 Focus8 Focus

MARK YOUR CALENDAREnjoy the outdoors and see if you spot any babies. We have expanded our schedule of keeper talks and added more events this spring and summer.

Saturdays, May 7, 14, 21, & 28MEMBER MORNINGSStarting at 8 a.m.

Explore your Zoo before we open

to the public.

Saturdays & Sundays,May 7 - 8 & June 17 - 18FAMILY CAMPOUT7 p.m. to 10 a.m.

Spend the night at Camp Okapi. Take

a guided tour, help feed animals, roast

s’mores, and more. Enjoy a continental

breakfast the next morning. Ages 5 and

up. Reservations required. Visit

DallasZoo.com, email

[email protected]

or call 469.554.7300.

Saturday, May 21 & Sunday, May 22WILD EARTH WEEKEND: ENDANGERED SPECIES9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Help save endangered species by taking small steps within your own community.

Saturdays, May 28 to July 30 SAFARI NIGHTS CONCERT SERIES5 - 9 p.m.

Jam with us on Saturday nights in June

and July. Always free for members.

Thursday, June 9 WILDLIFE EDUCATION DAY AT GLOBE LIFE PARKStarting at 10 a.m.

Hit a home run with the kids!

Cost: Tickets start at $3. Call 817.436.5979

for information and to purchase tickets.

Saturday, June 11KIDS CLUB! AT THE ZOO8 - 11 a.m.

Exclusively for Passport and

higher level members.

Weekdays, June 13 to Aug. 12 WILD ADVENTURES SUMMER CAMPReservations required. See our Summer

Camp guide on pages 6 and 7.

Fridays, July 15 & 29 & Aug. 12FAMILY SAFARI NIGHT HIKE7 - 10 p.m.

Experience the dark side of the Zoo with a

tour, fun activities, and animal encounters.

Ages 5 and up. Reservations required. Visit

DallasZoo.com, email

[email protected]

or call 469.554.7300.

Cost: $20 per person

Saturday, July 16

KIDS CLUB! AT THE PEROT MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE8 - 11 a.m.

Exclusively for Passport and

higher level members.

Thursday, July 21DOLLAR DAY9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Join in the fun and bring your friends -- or

avoid the crowds -- because members get

in free every day!

Saturday, April 16 & Sunday, April 17 RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLEWe have a special place in our hearts for the “Jungle Book” movie, being released this weekend. Make like Mowgli and look for the real jungle creatures.

Saturday, April 23 & Sunday, April 24 UNDER THE SEAThere’s a special catch this weekend in anticipation of the release of “Finding Dory”. You might see Dory, Nemo, and their fishy friends at the Zoo.

Saturday, April 30 & Sunday, May 1 TREES ARE LIFEConservation is key to preserving wild habitats. For Arbor Day, discover how flora and fauna rely on each other.

Saturday, May 7 & Sunday, May 8 LOVE YA, MOM!Treat Mom to a day out with her family. Check our expanded schedule of keeper talks to see if we’re introducing any baby animals.

Saturday, May 14 & Sunday, May 15 PIRATES AND PRINCESSESAaar! Bring the little swashbucklers and pretty princesses on an animal adventure. The fun is only limited by your imagination. Saturday, May 21 & Sunday, May 22 A FORCE FOR GOODFor Armed Forces Day, we are offering a special salute to superheros of all kinds.

Dallas Roars! Presenting Sponsor

DALLAS ROARS!Our animals are outdoors, enjoying the warmer weather. You should be, too. The Dallas Roars! spring festival gives you a reason to get outside and see what’s new at your Zoo. The six-week event will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, beginning April 16, and it’s free with your Zoo membership. Kids will get moving with music, games, and bounce houses, and you’ll meet different costumed characters each weekend. With fun themes each weekend, you’ll really have a reason to Roar!


Spring 2016 9

Asian Cranes Flock to Primate PlaceRed-crowned and white-naped cranes are flocking to a wooded habitat along the Primate Place path. A pair of red-crowned cranes that used to live adjacent to the Wings of Wonder moved into their new home this winter, and a young pair of white-naped cranes will arrive in early summer. Though the breeds look similar, the red-crowned cranes are taller and mostly white with a red cap on top of their heads. The white-naped cranes have slate-gray feathers, white necks, and large red patches on their faces when mature.

Both species are significant in Eastern cultures, associated with long life and fidelity because pairs form long-lasting bonds. At serious risk of extinction in the wild, the large birds help draw attention to environmental concerns in their native range, which includes Japan, Korea, China, and parts of Russia. Both red-crowned and white-naped cranes are managed under Species Survival Plans, and it is hoped that they will produce offspring in the future.

Big Tortoises Await Warm Welcome in ZooNorthThe weather forecast will dictate when two cold-blooded species – Aldabra and Asian brown tortoises – will arrive in ZooNorth. The Aldabras, the second-largest tortoises in the world, are moving from the Gorilla Trail to Lemur Lookout. Asian brown tortoises, the largest tortoises in mainland Asia, will move into a new habitat at the entrance to Primate Place.

This is the first time Asian brown tortoises have been exhibited at the Dallas Zoo, and they had a rocky start to their lives in America. The endangered animals were seized when authorities discovered they were being imported illegally. The Turtle Survival Alliance, a non-profit organization supporting turtle and tortoise conservation, asked the Zoo to care for them and support breeding. The slow-growing animals are at serious risk of extinction because they are easy to capture, and it takes many years for them to reach the age to reproduce.

Make plans to see the new tortoises in ZooNorth, but don’t rush. They are waiting for consistently warm weather for their welcome.

Look Out for LangursThe spectacular large monkeys that moved into Primate Place are spectacled langurs, sometimes called dusky langurs. Spectacled langurs get their name from the bright white rings around their eyes that resemble glasses, which contrast with their dark gray fur. Almost 2 feet tall, they have tails as long as their bodies. The Dallas Zoo had two spectacled langurs, a male named Rama and a female named Marti, living off exhibit. They have been joined by three females from the Philadelphia Zoo -- Melaka, Tahah Dara, and Jelek. All five have moved to Primate Place.

These interesting arboreal monkeys spend most of their lives in the middle to upper canopies of forests in Southeast Asia. They are folivores (leaf eaters), although they also eat other parts of plants. To do the hard work of digesting leaves, langurs have a complex sacculated stomach that is similar to those of cows, sheep, and deer (ruminants). It takes a lot of leaves to provide the nutrition they need, so they often rest after eating.

If you’re searching for the spectacled langurs at Primate Place, just look upward.


10 Focus10 Focus

Careful Planning Under Way for Elephant ArrivalWhat does it take to move elephants from drought-ravaged Swaziland to Dallas? We can tell you – hard work, creative thought, pinpoint precision in details, and utter dedication from our staff.

While the application to relocate the elephants was pending for more than a year, we moved into full-on logistics mode when our permit was granted in January. Our facilities team coordinated with contractors to build a new elephant barn, complete with deep sand floors, an innovative log wall with bark for the elephants to strip, and security measures.

We began the process of securing airline and ground transportation in both Africa and the U.S., which was planned out to the smallest detail, coordinated with our two partner zoos in Omaha and Wichita.

Meanwhile, Dr. Lynn Kramer, our vice president of Animal Operations, coordinated detailed planning that involved elephant keepers and supervisors, the veterinary team, and outside elephant experts. The plans were evaluated again and again to ensure that all details were considered to help ensure the safety of the elephants.

Separate planning also focused on how to successfully integrate the new arrivals in their new home. This included details of how to introduce them to our four female “Golden Girls” already in residence, as well as how they would be allowed to explore the Giants of the Savanna habitat.

With habitats that stress social interaction and round-the-clock veterinary care, we are a viable, strong safe haven for these elephants, given the excessive poaching, habitat loss, and elephant-human conflict in Africa.

For more information about this project and the situation in Swaziland, go to RoomforRhinos.org.

We’re Super-Social!As much as you’d like to, we know you can’t come see us every day. So our communications team keeps you updated on what’s happening via social media all the time! Here’s how to stay in touch:

Facebook: /DallasZooLikes: 110,000+

Twitter: @DallasZooFollowers: 19,500+

Pinterest: /DallasZooFollowers: 750

Instagram: @dallaszooFollowers: 35,000+

TripAdvisor: We’re proud to have won another Certificate of Excellence from the world’s largest review website. We appreciate you taking the time to review us!


Spring 2016 11

Thank You to Our 2016 Sponsors

Adopt-An-Animal Specials for Mother’s and Father’s DaysTake pride in giving a gift that is as special as Mom, Dad or dear friends. When you adopt a Dallas Zoo animal, you’ll receive a photo suitable for framing, an adoption certificate, and a zookeeper report to present as a gift -- or keep for yourself.

AFRICAN LIONESSESLions are the most social species of big cats and live in groups called prides. Females handle the cub-rearing and hunting -- working cooperatively to encircle prey before attacking. Lina and Jasiri are the “queens” of Predator Rock. Expect a roar of approval when you adopt these lovely lionesses.SPECIAL PRICE: $200

AFRICAN LIONThe king of the jungle is usually found roaming the savanna grasslands. The royal reference refers to his status as an apex predator that maintains balance on the African plains. Kamau has ruled Predator Rock since arriving in Dallas a year ago. Adopt our African lion for the head of your household.SPECIAL PRICE: $200

To take advantage of these special prices, please visit DallasZoo.com/AdoptSpecial or call 469.554.7449.

Signature Partner Premier Partners

WOW Patrol Sponsor

Official HotelAnimal Adventures Outreach Sponsor

Official Beverage Sponsor

DinoSOAR Sponsor


DallasZoo.com

Dallas Zoo

650 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway

Dallas, TX 75203-3013

469.554.7500

NON PROFIT ORGANIZATIONU.S.POSTAGE

PAIDDALLAS, TEXASPERMIT #4498

Dallas Zoo Membership—Your Passport to AdventureMake the most of your Dallas Zoo membership by renewing now. You don’t want to miss all the activities that members will be enjoying this spring and summer. As always, members receive free admission and parking, plus a subscription to this magazine!

A Big To-Do List This YearWe’re kicking off the season with Dallas Roars! Celebrate spring with six weekends of free fun from April 16 through May 22. Plus, every Saturday morning in May, the Zoo will open early just for members. Come out early for Member Mornings to see how our animals start their day.

When the temperature heats up in summer, you can hang out with the cool cats. Members receive free admission to our Safari Nights concert series on Saturday nights beginning May 28 through July 30.

The Ultimate Membership ExperienceDouble the fun this year. Upgrade to a Family Passport membership for free admission for your family PLUS a guest every visit. You’ll also receive a $50+ VIP coupon booklet, unlimited rides on the carousel and renovated Adventure Safari monorail, plus invitations to exclusive events, such as Morning Feeding and Kids Club! Have fun and feel good by knowing that your membership donation helps support wildlife conservation and education programs. If it is time to renew, visit www.DallasZoo.com/renew or call 469.554.7400. We’ll see you at the Zoo!


Dallas Zoo Focus Spring 2016

Documents

Transcript of Dallas Zoo Focus Spring 2016