SUMMER 2015

L O S A N G E L E S Z O O A N D B O T A N I C A L G A R D E N S

Mayor of Los angeLes

Eric Garcetti

Los angeLes Zoo CoMMission

Karen B. Winnick, PresidentBernardo Silva, Vice President

Yasmine Johnson Tyler Kelley

Marc MitchellRichard Lichtenstein, Ex-Officio Member

Los angeLes Zoo adMinistration

John R. Lewis, Zoo DirectorDenise M. Verret, Deputy Director

Cindy Stadler, D.V.M., Acting Director of Health ServicesMei Kwan, Director of Administration and Operations

Tom LoVullo, Construction and Maintenance SupervisorKirsten Perez, Director of Education

Darryl Pon, Planning and Development DivisionDenise Tamura, Executive Secretary

gLaZa offiCers

Betty White Ludden, Co-ChairRichard Lichtenstein, Co-Chair

Nick Franklin, Lori Winters Samuels, Laura Z. Wasserman, Vice Chairs

Phyllis Kupferstein, SecretaryJonathan D. Jaffrey, Treasurer Connie M. Morgan, President

gLaZa trustees

Peter Arkley, Margot Armbruster, Charles X Block, Richard Corgel,

Nancy Leigh Dennis, Brian Diamond, Bill Fujioka, Irfan Furniturewala,

Cassidy Horn, David V. Hunt,Frederick Huntsberry, Diann H. Kim,

Mona Leites, Beth Price, Robert N. Ruth, Patricia Silver, Slash, Richard Sneider, Jay Sonbolian, Erika Aronson Stern, Madeline Joyce Taft, Dana Walden,

Jennifer Thornton Wieland

trustees eMeriti

Willard Z. Carr, Jr., Richard Corgel, Ed N. Harrison,Mrs. Max K. Jamison, Lloyd Levitin, Mrs. John F. Maher,

William G. McGagh, Dickinson C. Ross, Shelby Kaplan Sloan, Thomas R. Tellefsen, Polly Turpin

gLaZa adMinistration

Eugenia Vasels, Vice President, Institutional AdvancementJeb Bonner, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Kait Hilliard, Vice President, MarketingLisa Correa, Director of Membership

Dawn Petersen-Amend, General CounselSara Rodriguez, Director of Special Events

Pete Williams, Director of Information Technology

ZOO VIEW (ISSN 0276-3303) is published quarterly by the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Periodical Postage paid at Los Angeles, CA. GREATER LOS ANGELES ZOO ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS: Individual $55, Individual Plus $75, Family $126, Family Deluxe $165, Contributor $250, Wildlife Associate $500, Conservation Associate $1,000, Safari Club $1,500. Each membership category includes unlimited admission to the Los Angeles Zoo, one-year subscriptions to ZOO VIEW and ZOOSCAPE, and invitations to special events. For more information, call (323) 644-4200 or log on to www.lazoo.org. Copyright © 2015 Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents of this publication without written permis- sion is prohibited. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ZOO VIEW, 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027-1498.

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Welcome to the JungleA new hillside habitat for jaguars opens

at Rainforest of the Americas.

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Zoo Sketchbook Four talented artists find

inspiration at the Los Angeles Zoo.

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In FIne Feather Raised in the Zoo’s nursery, a peregrine falcon chick is poised to make his Bird

Show debut.

16eIght great reaSonS to Party

at the Zoo No matter the occasion, the Zoo is the

perfect place to celebrate.

18enhancIng the vISItor exPerIence

Daily presentations offer opportunities to learn more about animals.

18Food For thought

Incorporating local, seasonal food sources into the Zoo’s catering menu.

19memberShIP matterS

August is Member Appreciation Month at the Zoo!

19red aPe reboot

Renovations to the orangutan habitat provide a more enriching space.

20SPonSor SPotlIght

Munchkin sponsors a night of magic at the Zoo for children with disabilities and

chronic illnesses.

21donor ProFIle

Long-time supporters Phil and Bobbie Wenger leave their mark on the Zoo.

CONTENTSSummer 2015

the Quarterly magaZIne oFthe greater loS angeleSZoo aSSocIatIon

volume xlIx number 2

InSIde Front coverThe Zoo’s orangutans explore new climbing structures recently installed in their exhibit. Photo by Jamie Pham

Front coverSeven-year-old Johar is one of three jaguars now taking up residence in Rainforest of the Americas. Photo by Jamie Pham

back coverThe sugar glider is one of the creatures featured in “Marsu-pial Talk,” one of several new educational encounters at the Zoo. Photo by Jamie Pham

editor

Brenda Posada

assoCiate editor Sandy Masuo

editoriaL CoMMittee

Kait Hilliard, Beth Schaefer, John Lewis, Connie Morgan, Kirsten Perez, Eugenia Vasels, Denise M. Verret

Zoo PhotograPher

Tad Motoyama

gLaZa Photo editor

Jamie Pham

design and ProduCtion Norman Abbey, Pacific Design Consultants

Pre-Press C4 Litho

Printing ColorGraphics

Proofreader Lynne Richter

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n u r t u r i n g w i L d L i f e a n d e n r i C h i n g t h e h u M a n e x P e r i e n C e

B y J e n n i e B e c k e r

Curator of Mammals

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See the Zoo’s jaguars

like never before—in

their new hillside

habitat at Rainforest

of the Americas.

The opening of the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens’ new jaguar exhibit in May

2015 marked the end of a long journey. Several years earlier, due to insufficient funds,

jaguars had been excluded from the plans then being developed for the rainforest

exhibit. Though necessary, the decision was disappointing, and we never gave up

hope that the jaguar habitat would eventually become a reality. a They say

good things are worth the wait—and, thanks to cost savings realized over the

Welcome to the

Jungle

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ZOO VIEW O Summer 3

course of the bond program that funded the Zoo’s Master Plan, we were able to go back to the drawing board last year. It was with great excitement and enthusiasm that we finally moved our jaguars into their new 7,100-square-foot mesh-enclosed habitat.

esigned by architects from L.A. City Bureau of Engineering, in concert with Animal Care staff and Zoo management, the exhibit was specifically planned to meet the physical and behavioral needs of

our jaguars and allow them to exhibit species-specific behaviors. The outdoor area includes a variety of substrate—deadfall to climb on, scratch, rest on or crouch by; shrubs and trees to offer visual barriers and shady areas to relax; and a waterfall that flows gently over

G Powerful, sleek,

and graceful, jaguars

are a wonder to

behold.

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4 ZOO VIEW O Summer

jagged rocks into a refreshing pool deep enough to take a cooling swim on a hot day. Large viewing windows allow guests to view the jaguars up close. Behind the enclosure sits a spacious holding area, which offers ample room for the exhibit’s current residents—males Kaloa and Stewie, and female Johar. The building’s design allows for a good deal of flexibility in how the jaguars are managed. Jaguars are gener-ally solitary animals, though males and females will come together for breed-ing, and males are occasionally seen traveling together in the wild. Each of our jaguars can be let out on exhibit

individually, or you may see our breed-ing pair, Stewie and Johar, sharing the outdoor space. Adjacent to the holding building there is a mesh-enclosed “day room,” where the jaguars can spend time outdoors even if they are not out in the exhibit.

he jaguar is the third larg-est species in the genus Panthera, known as the “big cats.” It is the largest felid—and only representa-tive of the big cats—in the New World. Visually the jaguar resembles a leop-

ard, although the rosette patterns on its neck, body, and legs have a distinctive black spot in the cen-ter. They have a stocky build, and short muscular limbs. Although they can run swiftly for short distances, jaguars are built for power, stalking and ambushing their prey. Jaguars are said to have the strongest bite of any mammal; their powerful jaws allow them to crush the skulls or break the shells of their prey (which includes paca, peccaries, deer, rabbits, capyba-ras, tapirs, and sea turtles). Like their larger cousin the tiger, jaguars are good swimmers and may even hunt for prey in the water. Jaguars are found in a variety of habitats, but wherever they live they tend to gravitate to areas where there is water—rivers, streams, and lagoons. Healthy wild populations need adequate vegetative cover, uninterrupted connec-tivity along the expanse of their range, and low human density. But the jaguar’s habitat has been threatened by over-development by humans, causing frag-mentation of populations and disappear-ance from much of its original range. Historically the jaguar could be found in North America, down through Cen-tral America, the Amazon basin, and into Argentina. According to the Inter-national Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the jaguar can now be found in only about 46 percent of its historic range. The IUCN Red List of Endangered and Threatened Species

lists the jaguar as near threatened, but in some of its current range there are only small remnants of the origi-nal population. In the United States, for example, the jaguar once ranged from California to Texas (and perhaps even further east), but in the last 20 years only solitary males have been spotted in desert mountain ranges along the south-ern borders of Arizona and New Mexico. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists jaguars as endangered in this region. The Los Angeles Zoo has been car-ing for jaguars since the early 1960s. Fourteen-year-old Kaloa had been our only representative of the species since he arrived in 2005. Because of gaps in

H Hopefully,

breeding pair

Stewie (top) and

Johar will have

offspring.

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ZOO VIEW O Summer 5

G The rosettes on

the jaguar’s body have

a spot in the center,

one way to distinguish

these cats from

leopards.

F Glass viewing

areas allow guests

the opportunity to

come eye to eye with

these magnificent

cats.

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the record of his lineage on his maternal side, he is not included in the Asso-ciation of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) North American breeding population of jaguars (which relies on genetic infor-mation in making breeding recommen-dations). In early 2014, we welcomed Stewie (now four years old) and Johar (seven). The AZA Jaguar Species Sur-vival Program has determined that they are a good match genetically and important to the breeding population. We are hopeful to see offspring from these two. Watching the jaguars in their new

habitat has been very rewarding. They explore every corner, log, bush, tree, and rock. They look beautiful lounging on the rocks next to the pool, and Johar has even been observed swimming. For years Kaloa had been housed in a much smaller exhibit, so it is really wonderful to see him taking advantage of this new, enriched environment. For Stewie and Johar, their first time out in the exhibit was quite exciting. After exploring for a period of time, they spotted the Cape vultures in the aviary behind them and rushed to the top of the exhibit, sending the vultures flying. Now acclimated to their neigh-

6 ZOO VIEW O Summer

Animal husbandry is at its best when it incorporates a good training program. Training, using operant conditioning with positive reinforcement, is one of many tools that allow keepers to take good care of the animals. Train-ing animals to shift locations in an exhibit, get into a crate, sit on a scale, or accept injections, to cite a few examples, facilitates their daily care. Training can give an animal keeper an opportunity to get a close look at an animal, treat a wound, monitor a preg-nancy, or just administer daily medi-cation. Training becomes the common language between an animal and its keeper. It all starts with a good, trust-ing relationship. At the jaguar exhibit, all three ani-

t r a i n i n g Jaguar oving can be a stressful event for animals, just as

it is for people. In the case of the Zoo’s jaguars, the

process of shifting them from their previous quarters

into the new habitat was smooth and stress-free—

thanks to the training that is part of their regular care.

By Animal Keeper Danila Cremona

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G Jaguars are

good swimmers

and may even hunt

for prey in the

water.

bors’ presence, both species can be seen peacefully keeping track of each other. Being able to offer a well-designed and appropriate habitat for this species is important, not just to the jaguars but also for the education of the visitors of all ages who come to the Zoo.

he Los Angeles Zoo also sup-ports the conservation of this species in the wild. In 2010 biologists working with Paso Pacifico, an NGO (non-gov-ernmental organization) based in Nicaragua, discovered the presence of jaguars in an area

where they had not been seen for more than 15 years. Due to deforestation and conflicts with rangers in the area, jag-uars had disappeared from Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast. Finding evidence of jag-uars in Paso de Istmo, north of Costa Rica, gave hope that this species was moving back in. Financial support from the Zoo and GLAZA has helped fund the purchase of camera traps, radio collars, and other equipment needed to identify individual jaguars and track their movements. By assisting in the preservation of the habi-tat and promoting community educa-tion, Paso Pacifico is working to ensure that this habitat will be able to support a healthy population of jaguars. j

mals undergo daily training. Kaloa, the Zoo’s long-time resident jaguar, knows more than a dozen behaviors! He began learning as a youngster at his previous zoo. Today, his paw health is checked on a daily basis and he gets on the scale for regular weight checks. He will pres-

ent various parts of his body on c o m m a n d s o that his physi-cal condition can be monitored. On moving day,

we were able to sedate him via a hand injection at his shoulder—a trained behavior that minimizes stress to the animal, veterinarian, and keeper. Once sedated, Kaloa received a thorough vet-

erinary examination and then woke up in his new quarters. Johar, the female jaguar, came to the Zoo already knowing a handful of behaviors, including laying down and getting into a crate. This aided in her smooth transition to the new exhibit. Stewie, our younger male, is just building his confidence. Though solid behaviors can be a large part of his future, currently his training is simple and mainly consists of learning to trust me and be relaxed in my presence. By spending a few calm minutes with him each day, I am building my rela-tionship with him. Over time, as he becomes more confident, I can con-tinue his training program at the level of his exhibit mates. j

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MH Johar enjoys a

cool dip on a hot

day.

F Fourteen-year-

old Kaloa quickly

adapted to his new,

enriched environ-

ment.

F A training

session between

Kaloa and keeper

Danila.

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JP Sans has been a professional animator with DreamWorks Animation for almost five years. His latest work can be seen in Rise of the Guardians. JP remarks that his mother said he “was born with a crayon, and just loved sketch-ing, drawing, whenever he could.”

Zoo View: How did you know you wanted to be an animator?

JP: I think I was seven years old when I noticed that the credits at the end of the films were actually artists that create the movies, and that’s when it clicked that people make these films. I thought it was just magic that comes up on screen. When I realized that, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I loved act-ing and performing as well, but I thought animation was the best way to go, because it allows you to perform with your characters, as well as be an artist.

ZV: You recently visited the Zoo with a group of your DreamWorks colleagues. Can you tell us about the purpose of your visit?

JP: We like to study from real life, if we can. Obviously with technology now, we can always go online, but it’s very different when you see it in person. You see how the animals move. When the animals move a lot … we have to draw much quicker. But it’s good because it keeps us loose. We don’t try to erase ever; we try to just keep going.

ZV: So it was a practice session?

JP: It was. It was to maintain our drawing skills as best we can. We can lose sight of it while we’re working on the com-puter, so we try to do live drawings to kind of keep that energy up. And animals are actually great because they don’t hold the pose for you. So when they’re moving around and you’re drawing quickly, it helps grab the essence of the animal on paper. For animators, you can see timing, motion, and vol-ume. You can get a better sense of an animal’s anatomy, and how it’s structured.

ZV: Do you have any advice for people wanting to sketch Zoo animals?

JP: Practice! In high school and college, we used to go to the Zoo a lot to study, and it really helped. And honestly, any career that you choose, just practice as much as you can. I read this quote recently that I love: “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” I believe you can only develop talent if you work hard. If you don’t work at it, you won’t get better, or even end up losing it. Hard work really can take you anywhere.

8 ZOO VIEW O Summer

WWalking around the Zoo, you may find yourself not just face-to-face with a gorilla, but occasionally with an artist sketching (or sculpting) animals, plants, or even people. To many artists—both professionals and hobbyists—the Zoo is not only a venue for enjoyment and family bonding time, but a place to hone their skills and express themselves. It also serves as a workshop of sorts for animators and engineers from motion picture studios, who have used our animals as springboards for charac-ters in countless films. a We recently asked four diverse artists why the Zoo is so important for them.

ZOOB y C H A n T E l M I K I S K A

Sketchbook

JP Sans

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ZOO VIEW O Summer 9

Chris AyersChris Ayers is a professional character designer for the enter-tainment industry. After a battle with AML (acute myelogenous leukemia), he set a goal for himself to sketch one animal per day for a year, a project which resulted in a book series, The Daily Zoo: Keeping the Doctor at Bay with a Drawing a Day. He has continued to do so, cancer-free, for the past 10 years.

ZV: Why do you enjoy sketching at the Zoo?

Chris: First, it’s nice to be outside. And there really is no substitute for drawing a subject from life. You can draw from photographs, but that’s just a two-dimensional static image, and you really don’t get a sense for how the animal moves, and how the animal behaves, even perhaps how the animal smells. You get a sense of the essence of the animal. And no, I don’t have a pet rhino, so I can’t draw my rhino in the back-yard, but I can sketch Randa the rhino at the Zoo.

ZV: What makes the L.A. Zoo special to you?

Chris: It provides a great service to the city in allowing the residents to get up close and personal with animals that they wouldn’t see walking around L.A. otherwise. The Zoo offers a very important role in terms of educating, especially the younger generations. If we want to keep animals around, we have to take very specific conscious actions to protect them and to protect our earth. Zoos are very important in that sense. Also, it’s just a great way to spend some family time.

ZV: How did the Zoo help you in your healing process?

Chris: One of the best things was that the Zoo was not the hospital. After being treated for cancer, going through that rollercoaster, I wanted to do something to really center myself and get my head back on straight. It seemed like a good fit to

spend some time drawing animals every day, as a form of art therapy. The Zoo provided a great forum for that. As an artist, I find a lot of inspiration in the animal kingdom—the various shapes and sizes, behaviors, textures, and colors.

ZV: Besides the Daily Zoo project, do you sketch as part of your profession?

Chris: Yes, I’m a character designer for the entertainment industry. I help give visual form to the characters in a script or a treatment. It’s a lot of fun for me. Start-ing off with a blank piece of paper and then coming up with what the character looks like, whether animal, human, or alien.

ZV: Have other people, such as cancer survivors, told you that your Daily Zoo books have helped them?

Chris: Yes, I’ve been pleasantly surprised at just how deeply the story and the artwork has resonated with certain people. Seeing that someone else has gone through it can provide some uplift on the tough days. It’s been surprising, too, that it’s re-inspired former artists to dust off their sketchbooks. Ultimately, I hope the message that people might take away from my story is how powerful pursuing your own passions can be to your own life, whether it’s drawing, cooking, gardening, writing, singing, mathematics—whatever you’re passionate about. If my work gives someone a little bit of a nudge, that’s really all that I can ask for.

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A GLAZA member, concept artist Aaron Berchild has been visiting the Zoo every Sunday for the past two years to keep his professional skills on point, as well as enjoy the animals.

ZV: What’s been your favorite animal at the Zoo to sketch, and why?

Aaron: There’s something about the flamingos that I love. I often start with these guys (and gals) as warm-up sketches. They’re an interesting combination of shapes—with the long legs and neck, and those round, feathery mid-sections. I’m fascinated by the seemingly endless range of motion the necks have. Plus, you gotta love how they sleep on one leg! I need to add also the special experiences I’ve had sketching the orangutans. I sat with Rosie, who I was told likes to paint. She sat, pressed against the glass, watching me the whole time. There’s a lot going on in that head of hers!

ZV: Why do you enjoy sketching animals at the Zoo?

Aaron: I’ve always been an animal lover. In fact, prior to what I do now, I was planning to become a marine biologist and study sharks. As usual, life happens, and I became an artist. During art school, one of my instructors told me to go to figure drawing and sketch at the Zoo as much as possible. Done and done. It all worked out because I get to enjoy the best of both worlds: Draw and learn about animals.

ZV: What have you learned about the animals in observing them?

Aaron: I’ve learned how each animal is built to truly function best in its own natural environment. Lions have coats that blend them into the savanna; giraffes have their long necks to reach leaves; bighorn sheep have their horns and thick skulls to protect them in their head-butting battles. This is important for me to keep in mind when I’m designing animals and creatures. I’m not just creating features on them because they look cool, but they actually serve a purpose in their survival and well-being. After observing them for a while, too, you start to see different personalities emerge. Some are docile, some are aggressive, some playful, and some shy. It varies so much, and it’s fantastic to see.

Aaron Berchild

We’d love to see your zoo-in-

spired artwork! Share it with us

at Facebook.com/LosAngelesZoo

or Instagram.com/TheLosAngeles

Zoo.

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Sculptor Adam Matano has been visiting the Zoo once a week for the past five months. He sells his sculptures privately or through galleries.

ZV: Which animals have you sculpted at the Zoo?

Adam: So far I have sculpted yellow-footed rock wallaby, cassowary, red river hog, lesser kudu, serval, duiker, African spoonbill, harpy eagle, gerenuk, and peccary. I tend to work on multiple sculptures at a time. It allows me to give the sculpture a rest, so I can have fresh perspective. The work is very personal to me, and this allows me to work on the ones that are truly inspiring to me at that moment.

ZV: Why did you decide to start sculpting Zoo animals?

Adam: I joined a sketch group with some artist friends and we would go out to different locations once a week. It was a way to get out of the studio and explore new subjects, and maybe find interests that I didn’t know I had. One week we went to the Zoo, and it reminded me of when I was young and would go to my uncle’s farm. I really connected with the animals then, but I didn’t know about sculpting. I finally started sculpt-ing at 25 … I went back to school to get my BFA in sculpture at Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts. When I am sculpting at the Zoo, I enjoy talking to the kids who show an interest in sculpture, to hopefully inspire them to start making art at an earlier age than I did. Art is a great way to learn about and appreciate nature.

ZV: How do you decide which animals to sculpt?

Adam: I often don’t know why I initially pick the animals I do. In our fast-paced society we sometimes don’t look at things on a deep level. When I do pick an animal, I will spend the whole day with him/her and come back multiple times. A lot of that time is spent observing, not just the physical characteristics and anatomy, but the internal. I try to get a sense of who they are as individuals. When you spend a lot of time with them you can easily tell them apart by their unique personalities.

ZV: What have you learned in observing and sculpting them?

Adam: I have learned a great deal about their anatomy and unique proportions. My background in sculpture is the human figure and human anatomy, and that helps me understand animal forms, because they are just an altered version of us, or the other way around! I have found, however, that a lot of what I have been learning is really about myself. The animals I choose, based on appearance or personality, are probably projections of myself in some way. Ultimately the sculpture becomes more about the individual animal and myself, rather than the natural species as a whole. j

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12 ZOO VIEW O Summer

n April, a downy bundle of charm

took up residence behind a nurs-

ery window at the Winnick Family

Children’s Zoo. The peregrine fal-

con chick, hatched on March 12,

arrived at the Zoo on April 9 from

a New York falconer and breeder.

The eyass (term for a baby raptor)

was destined to join the cast of the

Angela Collier World of Birds Show

as a lure stooping bird. Peregrine

falcons are renowned for their ability

to dive (or “stoop” in falconry parlance) from great heights to strike at prey birds, achieving speeds upward of 200 miles per hour. “Lure stooping” is an exercise in which the handler swings a lure on a tether in the air to encourage a raptor’s hunting behavior. But before he could stoop, little Zeus, as Nursery Keeper Nancy Thomas dubbed him, had to fledge. “The main goal of the nursery keepers was to interact with him as much as possible,” explains Bird Show Curator Mike Maxcy. “We put him in a window exhibit so he could be exposed to as many people as possible. They are very impres-sionable when they are babies, so positive expo-sure is critical. The nursery staff did a great job.” A solid-walled pen was set up inside the nursery and furnished with a tub (to serve as a surrogate nest), a bath, some perching, and a variety of toys. Because he would eventually be a demonstration bird, it was important that he become acclimated to humans and the vari-ous noises they make. When not in the room or playing with him, keepers left a radio on and kept the inner door to the office and kitchen area open so that he could hear their activities and conversation. Other ambient sounds were welcome. “This was the one time when people

B y S a n d y M a s u oG H In only nine weeks, Zeus went from

hatching to flying.

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outside knocking on the window was all right,” Thomas jokes. Flight feathers rapidly began dis-placing Zeus’s baby down, and as he grew stronger, taller perching was pro-vided. Finally, he took wing, which meant keepers had to close the door to the kitchen. Still, Zeus would perch by the observation window where he could watch keepers preparing the daily animal diets in the kitchen. Just prior to his final physical before transferring to the Bird Show, Lead Bird Show Keeper Jon Guenther started familiarizing him with the basic gear used in falconry—anklets for attaching leather strips called jesses that make handling the bird easier, and a small radio transmitter for track-ing birds when they are out of visual range. Hoods help keep the highly sensitive birds calm, and are often elaborately embellished. On May 10, fully feathered and 63 days old, Zeus advanced to the next phase of his training, which involves learning skills that are part of a very long legacy.

G G Although lanner falcons

such as Slider can also stoop

(or dive) after prey, they often

pursue them horizontally at

high speeds.

G Jon Guenther demonstrates

lure stooping—triggering a

raptor’s hunting behavior with

faux-prey on a tether.

G Zeus’s favorite toy was a blue

fleece flower that he practiced

catching and “killing.”

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14 ZOO VIEW O Summer

People around the world have been hunting with birds of prey for more than two thousand years, and some speculate for as long as six thousand. Ancient depictions of falconry in mosa-ics, hieroglyphs, and bas-relief as well as written descriptions reveal a pursuit that has not changed significantly. The human hunter, with or without dogs, flushes the prey for a trained raptor to pursue. Different types of raptors (the term comes from Latin, meaning plunderer, or one who seizes) include hawks, eagles, harriers, ospreys, kites, owls, and, of course, falcons, for which the sport of falconry is named. Vari-ous species specialize in hunting dif-ferent prey animals, from rabbits and other small mammals to snakes, fish, and game birds such as ducks, doves, and quail.

racticing falconry requires as much training on the part of the hunter as the bird. A novice must apprentice under an experienced falconer for two years in order to obtain a general license that

allows a specific number of birds and certain species that can be flown. A mas-ter falconer with a total of seven years’ experience is free to fly even more diffi-cult and/or dangerous species—and can house more birds. Despite centuries of falconry, raptors are not domestic animals, even when they have been bred and raised by humans. Though the process of training a wild raptor is very different from that of training a captive-bred bird, both rely on developing a solid level of trust and understanding the birds’ natural behaviors. “I’ve heard falconry described as the most intense form of bird-watching out there, and in a sense it really is,” explains Maxcy, who has been a fal-coner for more than 30 years. “With a wild bird, what you’re doing is you’re taming or training (we call it ‘manning’) it to allow you to be part of what it does naturally every day, five times a day for its whole life. You get to be part of the chase. You get to sometimes control the chase. That’s what we call a passage bird, a wild bird that’s trapped, and usually returned to the wild after a few

seasons. An eyass bird, a baby raptor, is the complete opposite. It’s growing up with you. It’s super tame and has no fear. But it has no idea how to hunt. So you have to really, really carefully teach this bird not only how to hunt, but also what it should and shouldn’t be afraid of.” “It’s less complicated training a wild bird,” adds Guenther, who became fas-cinated by falconry when he was in ele-mentary school after reading a Hardy Boys whodunit called The Hooded Hawk Mystery. “With a passage bird, keeping the natural fear of humans at bay is mainly what you deal with. With a hand-raised bird (called an imprint bird), lack of fear creates many issues. They can be overly aggressive toward you—an imprint female red-tail hawk can be downright dangerous. And then you’ve got the begging issue. A baby bird will scream at its parents for food, but the parents kick the young ones out after a while. The difference is, when you take their place, you never go away.” For this reason, nursery keepers never allowed Zeus to see them bring his food. Because he did not learn to associate humans with that paren-tal role, he doesn’t beg them for food. This is part of what falconers refer to as “manners.” The next step was to develop his natural instinct to chase potential prey. In the wild, young rap-tors have a very steep learning curve—they must master hunting skills very quickly in order to survive, and three out of four chicks do not survive the first year. Raptor parents (like mother cats) teach their offspring how to hunt by bringing back increasingly less inca-

pacitated prey so that the young can develop their ability to pursue, catch, and kill until it’s time for them to leave the nest. In Zeus’s case, keepers taught him to chase faux-prey. “He is being trained to fly to the lure right now,” Maxcy explains. “We don’t want to encourage his natural hunting behavior because this may cause him to go off hunting when released for his show behavior. We want him to catch the lure instead of live birds.” In recent years, with increased con-cerns over pesticides seeping into the environment, raptors have become an important component of integrated pest management (IPM). Hawks and owls can be part of an effective strategy for controlling rats and mice. Peregrine falcons specialize in hunting medium-sized birds (they are also known as duck hawks), and adapt well to urban environments, where they help control invasive European starlings and keep pigeon populations in check. Demand is growing for falconers in pest abatement programs at landfills and in agricultural areas. This is a remarkable reversal of for-tune for these birds; only 50 years ago just 39 nesting pairs of peregrine fal-cons remained in the U.S. As with other raptors, use of the pesticide DDT inter-fered with reproductive cycles, causing the birds to lay eggs with thin, brittle shells that often broke during incuba-tion. Falconers played an integral role in establishing the captive breeding efforts that brought the peregrine falcon back from near extinction, and it was removed from the federal endangered species list in 1999. As part of the World of Birds Show, Zeus’s main purpose will be to act as an ambassador for his species and demon-strate his deft flying skills for the public. So although he will not fulfill his destiny as a hunter, he will be pursuing a goal that is just as critical to the survival of his species and many others that depend on healthy ecosystems—education and inspiration. j

G Raptors’ visual processing

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The Most Exotic Dining Experience in L..A.Many venues offer elegant décor in beautiful outdoor settings, but where else might you dine with an elephant?

Size Doesn’t Matter From a birthday party for 20 five-year-olds to a corporate function for 500, the Zoo can accommodate your group and your vision.

Stand Out from the HerdJust as no two zebras have the same stripes, every Zoo event is unique and customized to the individual or organization. “It’s up to your imagination, which will quickly be inspired by the Zoo’s natural and beautiful surroundings,” says Rodriguez. “Whatever you dream it to be, we can make it happen.”

You’re in Good CompanyLocated in the entertainment capital of the world, it’s not surprising that several celebrities have hosted their special events at the Zoo. Last year, both Shameless star Shanola Hampton (below) and television personality Christina Milian held their daughters’ birthday parties here, and a party for Girl Meets World star August Maturo and his brother, Ocean, brought out several Disney Channel stars.

8Great Reasons to Party at the Zoo

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rom birthdays to bar mitzvahs,

workshops to weddings, the Zoo

has always been a great place to

celebrate. Under the direction of

Private and Corporate Event

Manager Cathy Walker and Director

of Special Events Sara Rodriguez,

we’ve experienced unprecedented

success in the last year, generating

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Bedazzle the HolidaysWith L.A. ZooLights a new annual tradition, the Zoo is the coolest place in town to host a holiday gathering. Your guests will enjoy a private party space and experience the brilliant lighting displays and festive holiday music as they stroll through the Zoo.

Retreat from Business as UsualWhat better way to motivate and inspire your clients or employees, than to get them out of the office and into the Zoo?

Learn Something An appreciation for wildlife and the outdoors is naturally incorporated into our events. Zoo tours, educational presen-tations, and animal encounters are unique opportunities to add to any event.

Bring Out the Kid in Your Guests The Zoo is not just for kids. Hosting your event at the Zoo is an opportunity to expose your friends to the animals you adore, and perhaps remind them of their own cherished childhood memories.

Great Reasons to Party at the Zoo

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much-needed revenue to support

the Zoo’s mission. a Treat your

guests to a unique, untamed, and

unforgettable experience when

you host your next event at

the Los Angeles Zoo. For more infor-

mation, e-mail cwalker@lazoo .

o r g , v i s i t w w w . l a z o o . o r g /

privateevents or call 323/821-0836.

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ENHANCING THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE

e used to think Chacoan peccaries were extinct,” their keeper explains as she tosses food toward them with care. “But they were rediscovered in 1972 in a very remote area of Paraguay.”“Are they pigs?” a young girl asks. She is one of a few dozen guests gathered here to listen to the day’s scheduled keeper talk.

“Although they look like pigs, they are not,” the keeper responds. “But you could say they’re distant cousins.” This type of educational encounter has been happening all over the Zoo in recent months, since the introduction of a series of presenta-tions and programs designed to enhance the visitor experience. These revolving daily activities allow guests to learn more about the Zoo’s animal residents from the people who know them best—our amazing animal keepers and education specialists. A key topic of conversation at some of the talks I attended recently was environmental enrichment, an important aspect of animal care. Enrichment encompasses many elements, including exhibit design, puzzle feeders and other devices that support foraging skills, auditory or olfactory stimuli, and behavioral training. The goal is to provide stimulating environments and cognitive challenges to encourage an animal’s natural behaviors. At “Good Morning, Gorillas,” a thrice-weekly event that takes place as the great apes eat their breakfast, an education specialist fields questions about the gorillas’ names and relationships, diet, and daily routine. A similar talk occurs six mornings a week at “Good Morning, Flamingos,” where an educator shares fascinating facts about the

boisterous birds as they begin their day. The daily presentation at Rainforest of the Americas is as varied as the rainfor-est itself, with a different species in the spotlight at 2:30 each afternoon. “Marsupial Talk” offers the chance to observe koalas and other pouched mam-mals and also inspect biofacts (preserved teeth, claws, and fur). Other presentations focus on seals, chimpanzees, babi-rusas, giraffes, hawks, and elephants. Back at the peccary ex-hibit, the talk is wrapping up. The inquisitive young girl speaks for all of us who’ve learned something new about these little-known mammals. “They’re cute,” she says, to nods of agreement from many in the crowd. But her closing question catches the keeper off-guard. “Can I kiss one?”

By Erica M. Leduc

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he Los Angeles Zoo has been making strides at more local sourcing of food, starting with its catered events. Brad Robertson, executive chef with Service Systems Associates (SSA), which operates the Zoo’s concessions and catering services, first got into seasonal, regional food sources when he

was working at a bed and breakfast in rural Ohio.“We had a lot of land with our own garden and Amish

neighbors who would bring me eggs and chickens,” he recalls. “Out of the kitchen window I would see these kids sneak in with bags and leave with heaps of morel mushrooms. I could never find their spot. I finally stopped them one day and said, ‘you know where the mushroom spot is. I don’t. That’s fine. But if you’re going to use our property, I want a third of whatever you

get.’ So that became my morel pipeline.”Nowadays Robertson relies on a newsletter that arrives every

Monday and provides a list of local farms and the fresh produce they have to offer that week. From those selections, as well as recommendations from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch and other sources, he composes the menus for the Zoo’s catering services.

According to a recent United Nations study, 75 percent of the world’s food is generated from only 12 plants and five animal species. As large-scale farmers opt for more genetically uniform and high-yield breeds and varieties, people have become accustomed to an on-demand food supply that produces tomatoes and salmon all year long, when foods such as these are seasonal by nature. “Foods taste better if you eat them when they’re supposed to be eaten.”

Just as survival in nature relies on adaptability, Robertson has to be able to adapt to what is locally available. That might mean switching out one ingredient for another at the last minute, or using a different preparation method to accommodate changes in the ingredients. “We might get asparagus that’s a little bland because they got too much rain and they’re swollen with water,” he says, so they might benefit from a hollandaise, or be better served as part of a marinated salad. “There have been a couple times where I had to call a client and tell them that the peaches aren’t ready yet or I have to change the salad. And they’ve been great about it.”

FOOD FOR THOUGHT By Sandy Masuo

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n 1966, the year of the Zoo’s opening, the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association had 3,000 member households. Today that number exceeds 61,000—one of the largest membership bases of any cultural organization in Los Angeles! The amazing improvements that have taken place

throughout the Zoo over the last five decades would not have been possible without the support of our members.

To show our appreciation, we’re offering extra incentives and benefits to our members throughout the month of August. We have lots of surprises in store, including free ICEEs, special discounts, and token gifts generously donated by our sponsor, 99 Cents Only Store. For a complete list of incentives and benefits offered throughout Membership Appreciation Month, visit www.lazoo.org/memberappreciationmonth.

We often hear from our members that one of their favorite benefits is the opportunity to enter the Zoo early on select days during the year. Join us on Saturday, August 15, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. for the next such chance to enjoy the Zoo before it opens to the public. Be the first to experience the Zoo as it wakes up! This exclusive morning event is open to members at all levels, but no guest passes will be honored. You must bring your membership card and photo ID. To RSVP for Member Appreciation Morning, please phone 323/644-4770.

In a continuing effort to reduce costs and improve our environmental efficiency, last year we began making both Zoo

View and our bimonthly newsletter Zooscape available electronically. Members now have the option to receive both publications digitally or continue to receive them by mail. It’s your choice! By printing fewer copies, we are reducing our consumption of paper, ink, and other r e source s—sav ing money and reducing our environmental foot- print while continuing to keep you updated on all the news at the Zoo. To update your preference, e-mail membership@lazoo.org.

We are grateful to our expanding circle of friends who make the Zoo’s achievements in animal care, wildlife conservation, and education possible. In buying a membership you’ve made a vital investment in your community. Your membership matters, and we thank you!

MEMbERSHIP MATTERS

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ZOO VIEW O Summer

nitially built in 2000, the Zoo’s orangutan habitat—Red Ape Rain Forest—was showing definite signs of wear earlier this year, when the decision was made to replace the mesh fencing covering the entire exhibit. The Net House, a division of West Coast Netting, Inc. was hired to replace the exhibit mesh. This

much-needed repair work provided an opportunity for additional modifications that would improve the daily life of the inhabitants. The orangutan is the largest arboreal species on the planet, so a healthy and natural environment for them includes opportunities to be up off the ground and to climb around suspended in the air. With many of the original exhibit features in need of replacement, we began to develop new ideas to create a more stimulating environment. Zoo management, keepers, and the enrichment team began to design a new, exciting, and durable atmosphere for the orangutans, incorporating plenty of climbing structures and platforms. To accommodate these ideas, the Net House was able to install large telephone poles that would act as the framework for the new structures. In total, 23 poles were thoughtfully set in place. Next it was up to the enrichment team to implement their ideas for platforms, climbing areas, hammocks, bridges, and other structures. Even previously existing artificial trees and bamboo sway poles were refurbished. With much thought given to each individual orangutan and

their needs, special features were included to address the abilities or disabilities of each—from 3-year-old Elka and 10-year-Berani, who need many things to do in order to expend their considerable energies, to 46-year-old Eloise, who has special needs that require more easily accessible and usable climbing and resting areas. Adult male Bruno and adult females Kalim and Rosie were also taken into account, as they each have preferred areas within their exhibit, and they also need additional exercise and climbing opportunities. The hard work by everyone involved in this project has resulted in areas that utilize the vertical space like never before! The orangutans have more climbing structures, and according to calculations by the Enrichment staff, 1,000-square-feet more habitable space above the ground than they had previously. The enrichment team has designed and constructed a fantastic new environment for the orangutans that they can enjoy using—and we can enjoy watching them use—for many years to come.

RED APE REbOOT

IBy Megan Fox, Great Ape Keeper

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By Lisa Correa, Director of Membership

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omething special was clearly happening on Friday, June 5, as the Los Angeles Zoo was just about to close. Rather than entic-ing animals to return to

their night quarters for the evening, zookeepers were bringing food and enrich-ment treats to many animals in their exhibits. Costumed characters from some of Hol-lywood’s most engaging ani-mated films were making their way through the Zoo, and a red carpet was being rolled out at the entrance to the Children’s Discovery Center. Dreamnight, a partnership between the Greater Los Ange-les Zoo Association and Chil-dren’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), was about to make its debut—and the Zoo was buzz-ing with excitement. Dreamnight is a global char-itable initiative in which more than 250 zoos and aquariums partner with institutions that care for children with special healthcare needs in order to provide a magical evening for kids and families—and a welcome respite from the med-ical concerns that can often become a major part of their daily lives. The special guests began arriving at 6:30 p.m., and judg-ing from the abundant laugh-ter and irrepressible smiles, Los Angeles’ first Dreamnight was going to be a wild success. As families made their way through the Zoo, they encoun-

tered a delight at every turn. They not only had the oppor-tunity to learn about animals in an unhurried environment, they also enjoyed a sumptu-ous meal complemented by a range of special treats from cupcakes to shaved ice, and surprise encounters with some of their favorite sports and entertainment personalities, including Minions, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Power Rang-ers Dino Charge, as well as the LA Kings Ice Crew and the LA Galaxy Star Squad and mascot Cozmo. At the end of the evening, guests received goodie bags with treats to take home so that they could remember the joy and spirit of their special night at the Zoo for months to come.

Munchkin, the evening’s presenting sponsor, was the driving force in helping the L.A. Zoo and CHLA make this remarkable event possible. According to Munchkin founder and CEO Steven Dunn, “When the Munchkin team was first approached about the pos-sibility of helping to make this unique experience a reality for hundreds of CHLA patients and their families at the L.A. Zoo, we knew immediately that it was an effort we had to sup-port.” Dunn added, “Everyone involved was energized about the project from the start, and to see firsthand at Dreamnight how our involvement and employee-volunteer participa-tion made such a big impact was incredibly gratifying for me

and everyone from Munchkin who joined me on that very special night.”

Generous support was also provided by Activision Bliz-zard, Legends, and Warner Bros. and D.C. Entertainment, as well as a range of other thoughtful companies whose in-kind donations helped make the evening possible. Joining these corporate donors were many generous individuals and foundations including Dream-night co-chairs Beth Price and Kim Shepherd, Erika Aronson and Adam Stern, Teena Hos-tovich, Frederick Huntsberry, Junior Ambassadors of Chil-dren’s Hospital Los Angeles, Ted and Lori Samuels, Eva and Marc Stern, Wayne Gretzky Foundation, and Jennifer Thornton Wieland.

GLAZA is grateful to all of our corporate sponsors, whose con-tributions help us to support the Zoo’s mission. To learn about sponsorship opportuni-ties, please visit www.lazoo.org/support/sponsorships or phone 323/644-4705.

H SpongeBob Squarepants strikes a pose with guests at Dreamnight.

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DZ o o D o n o r P r o f i l e

ouring the Los Angeles Zoo with long-time supporters

Phil and Bobbie Wenger, the line between tour guide and honored guests becomes quickly blurred. Not to diminish the considerable skills of docent Steve Braddock, who ably escorted the couple around the Zoo on an overcast morning in May. But at each exhibit, Bobbie was quick to add a bit of history or a colorful anecdote about its inhabitants, many of whom she knows by name. “We used to have black rhinos there,” she says, pointing to a space that is now part of the orangutan habitat. At another: “That’s where we had Arabian oryx, which the Zoo helped bring back from near extinction.” She explains that the snow leopard exhibit was once a round-house, and that the Zoo’s in-house construction staff did the conversion. “She has a memory like an elephant,” Phil says with a wink and a smile as his wife cites animal facts and conservation statistics. He adds with characteristic good humor, “People always say that’s a good thing, but it’s not. I made a mistake once—and she never lets me forget!” Bobbie’s encyclopedic knowledge of animals was shaped by extensive travel, a lifetime of zoo visits, and plenty of pets along the way. The couple currently has three cats and one dog, a Schnauzer—all rescue animals. Married 54 years, the Wengers witnessed the Zoo’s evolution firsthand, having been members since 1976 and regular visitors since opening day in 1966. “It was about 95 degrees that day, and there wasn’t a tree taller than I am,” Bobbie recalls. In fact, it’s the towering trees and lush greenery of today’s L.A. Zoo that she singles out as the biggest change in five decades. “It’s an oasis. You wouldn’t know you’re in the middle

of a city of almost four million people!” In the early 1990s, upon retiring from a career as a social worker with the County of Los Angeles, Bobbie signed on as a Zoo volunteer. “When I retired, she drafted me to join her,” says Phil, a mechanical engineer who worked for Litton Industries (now part of Northrop Grum-man) for 28 years. After a lifetime of hard work and care-ful spending, the Wengers are delighted to be able to give back to the Zoo and other favorite causes. They point with pride at improvements they’ve helped to fund—including renovations to the Bird Show and okapi barn, construction of Elephants of Asia, and the Tom Mankiewicz Conservation Carousel (they sponsored the jaguar, which they named “Bob’s Cat”). After their tour, they handed over five Hefty bags filled with pinecones, a donation to the Enrichment Department, which uses them for exhibit dressing and animal treats (the apes particularly enjoy extracting peanut butter and raisins stuffed in the crevices). “We’ve probably brought in five tons of pinecones over the past 15 years,” Bobbie says. “And I’ve already started on another bag!”

—Brenda Posada

G Carousel jaguar “Bob’s Cat” is one of many enduring symbols of Phil and

Bobbie Wengers’ long-time support of the Zoo.

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To learn about the variety of ways you can support the Zoo, please phone the Development Office at 323/644-6035 or visit www.lazoo.org/support.

DevoteD Duo: Phil anD BoBBie Wenger

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