April-May 2009
April 1 & 4 Two-session Zoo Pride volunteer orientation. Another session June 10 & 13; call (414) 258-5667.
April 4 Family Free Day at the Zoo, sponsored by North Shore Bank and FOX 6
April 4 & 5
Zoological Society of Milwaukee Members’ Newsletter • www.zoosociety.org
Breakfast and Lunch with the Bunny at the Zoo, sponsored by Racine Danish Kringles
April 11
Green Earth, Green Zoo Party for the Planet Sponsored by American Transmission Company May 16 & 17, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at the Milwaukee County Zoo Free activities. Free Zoo admission for Zoological Society members with ID Milwaukee County Parking Fee: $10 For more information, call (414) 771-3040
It’s easy being green! Celebrate all things Earth-friendly at the Milwaukee County Zoo’s Party for the Planet. This new event combines previous years’ Migratory Bird Day and Conservation Weekend into a two-day “green” fest. You can enjoy favorite activities such as bird banding and the Migration Game (see below for details), as well as new features. Hear Smokey Bear tell you how to prevent fires and conserve woodlands. In the U.S. Bank Gathering Place, outreach booths will offer tips and resources on making your home Earth-friendly. For example, here’s a waterconservation tip from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District: Keep a rain barrel and use its water for your garden. Other activities include: • Bird banding: Zookeepers will band birds from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday behind the Small Mammals Building. You may even have a chance to help release a bird. • The Migration Game: Some Wisconsin birds migrate thousands of miles each year. Kids can pretend to be migrating birds as they “fly” through the Zoo and learn about challenges birds face on their routes. Stop in the U.S. Bank Gathering Place to get bird “bands” and directions from Zoological Society staff and Zoo Pride volunteers, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (See page 4 for a story on the Zoological Society’s migratory bird project.) • The Chickadees: This live band will play kid-friendly, conservation-themed songs on the Flamingo Café patio. • Cell phone recycling: Bring in an old cell phone for recycling to the U.S. Bank Gathering Place and get a cool educational card game created through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Learn which animals are in danger of extinction! (Game supplies are limited.) • Farm art: A chalk artist will draw a giant “global garden” in the Northwestern Mutual Family Farm, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Grab some chalk and add to this masterpiece. Photo: Bella Smith (left), 4, of Milwaukee, counts crushed soda cans with sisters Maya, 6, and Cassie, 9, in 2008. Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful invited zoogoers to guess how many cans could be bundled for recycling. This environmental group will have an outreach booth at Party for the Planet.
Spares, Strikes & Prizes
Beastly Bowl-a-Thon
May 9, 2009 AMF Bowlero, 11737 W. Burleigh St., Wauwatosa Registration: 10:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. Bowling: 11:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. $15 entry fee per bowler; $5 entry fee per non-bowler Register at www.zoosociety.org by May 1 or call Becky (414) 258-2333
There will be prizes galore at the Zoological Society of Milwaukee’s (ZSM’s) Beastly Bowl-a-Thon. You could win everything from a Wii game system to movie packages at this family-friendly afternoon bowling event. Roll a strike, a spare or even a “nice try,” and help all of the animals at the Milwaukee County Zoo through the ZSM’s Sponsor an Animal program. Everyone from toddlers to ace bowlers can enjoy friendly competition for prizes in categories such as top scores, pledges and even “stinker” prizes (for the lowest score in each age category). Bowlers on each shift will also have a chance to have their names drawn for great door prizes. Qualify for Grand Prizes with a minimum of $100 in pledges or Zooper Grand Prizes with a minimum of $200 in pledges. A Zooper Dooper prize will be awarded to the individual who raises the most in pledges! The $15 entry fee for bowlers goes toward snacks (including pizza samples donated by Palermo’s® Pizza), shoe rental, three games of bowling, entry into the door-prize drawing and a magnet. (Fee includes 5.6% WI sales tax; $5 is taxdeductible.) There is a maximum of five bowlers per lane. The $5 entry fee for non-bowling family or friends who cheer you on includes snacks. (Fee includes 5.6% WI sales tax and is not tax-deductible.) Bumper bowling is available for children, and the lanes are handicapped-accessible. Photo (above): Scott Freimark of Oak Creek roots for his daughter, Morgan, 3, as she throws her bowling ball at last year’s event. Photo (right): Renee Linder of South Milwaukee coaches her son, Eli, 3, as he releases his bowling ball.
Egg Day at the Zoo, sponsored by Welch’s & Pick ’n Save*
April 15, 18, 22 & 25 Four-session follow-up Zoo Pride training. (Another follow-up in September.)
April 16 Free talk by Vicki Piaskowski, international coordinator of Birds Without Borders-Aves Sin Fronteras®; see page 4.
April 18 Filled: Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM) field trip to Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo
May 9 Beasty Bowl-a-Thon fund-raiser for the ZSM. Call (414) 258-2333 to sign up.
May 10 Mother’s Day at the Zoo, sponsored by Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort; all moms get in free*
May 16 & 17 Party for the Planet, sponsored by American Transmission Company*
May 23-Sept. 7 (daily) Special summer exhibit on birds: Wings From Down Under, sponsored by Lowe’s+
June 3-Aug. 18 ZSM Summer Camps at the Zoo, sponsored by National City
June 17, 18, 19 Nights in June for ZSM members only, 5:15-9 p.m.*+
June 21 Father’s Day at the Zoo, sponsored by Chinet® & Pick ’n Save; all dads get in free*+
June 24, July 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 Sunset Zoofari, sponsored by Tri City National Bank, 6-9 p.m.*+
June 27 Zoo Ball 2009, sponsored by American Airlines & American Eagle and U.S. Cellular®
July 14, 16 & 17 Kids’ Nights, sponsored by WaterStone Bank, for ZSM members only, 5:15-9 p.m.*+
July 27 Birdies & Eagles Golf Tournament, sponsored by MillerCoors. Call Special Events at (414) 258-2333.
Aug. 12, 13, 14 or 15 Snooze at the Zoo, sponsored by Old Orchard Brands & Sentry Foods * ZSM members get free Zoo admission with their Zoo Pass. The special bird exhibit is extra, except during Nights in June (free admission) and Kids’ Nights (50% off), starting at 3 p.m. each day of the events. Those with Zoo Pass Plus also get free parking. + More information on these events will appear in future issues of Wild Things.
GOOD DAY FOR A RUN It was 11 degrees at race time during the Milwaukee County Zoo’s 29th annual Samson Stomp & Romp. Sounds chilly? Not for the 1,133 people who came to walk or run in this Jan. 18 event, sponsored by Gatorade and Pick ’n Save. The walk/run featured four races, including a 5 km competitive run and a ¼-mile children’s run; proceeds went to animal care at the Zoo. Photo (below): Patrick Quella (left) of Germantown enjoyed Gatorade with his brother, Daniel, of Racine, at the event.
WINES, BEERS & PENGUINS Guests at Wines and Beers of the World, sponsored by Wachovia Securities, had a chance to see a Humboldt penguin enjoy the night air in his outdoor habitat. The sighting was appropriate, as proceeds from this Feb. 5 Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM) fund-raiser went to renovations of the Zoo’s Humboldt penguin habitat (see page 5 for details). The evening, held in the Milwaukee County Zoo’s U.S. Bank Gathering Place and Peck Welcome Center, brought out about 650 guests. A photographer from M: Milwaukee’s Lifestyle Magazine, the event’s media sponsor, was on hand to snap some of the attendees. Major contributors to the event were Downer Wine & Spirits, MillerCoors and Palermo’s® Pizza. Gourmet food and treat sampling was provided by Breadsmith of Wauwatosa, Larry’s Market, Alterra Coffee Roasters, HoneyBaked Ham Café, Maggiano’s Little Italy, Suedoodles, Niemann’s Candy Shop of Wauwatosa and Gourmet Cheesecake Shop & More. The Stearns Family Apes of Africa and Primates of the World exhibits were open for animal viewing much of the evening. Downer Wine & Spirits donated 10% of wine sales to the ZSM. Color photos of the event appeared in the Business Journal. Photo: Wachovia Securities representative Gary Sievewright of Hales Corners and his wife, Sherry, sample wine at the event.
A FANCY EVENING Art prints, a state-ofthe-art humidor and a weekend getaway to Phoenix were some of the featured auction items at the Zoological Society of Milwaukee’s (ZSM’s) 14th annual Puttin’ on the Ritz. The silent and voice auctions at this Jan. 22 fund-raiser, sponsored by The Frieda and William Hunt Memorial Trust, helped raise more than $44,000 for the ZSM. The event, held at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, brought out 160 people for a gourmet black-tie dinner and seven amateur boxing bouts of three rounds. The boxers were from the Al Moreland Boxing Club. The contributors included Edison Liquor Corporation and Lake Country Cigars. Photo: Event chair Paul Cadorin of Hartland meets boxer Thomas Hill.
NEW ZOO GATES Driving into the Milwaukee County Zoo will be easier this spring and summer. The Zoo recently remodeled its entrance gates and added an extra register booth for quicker access. Wider lanes will also make it easier for buses and large cars to drive into the park. Watch for colorful animal art on the gates; these graphics were designed by the Zoological Society’s Creative Department.
Zoological Society office hours: Through May 22, 2009: Weekdays, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Weekends, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. May 23- Sept. 7: Weekdays, 8:30 a.m.5 p.m.; Weekends, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Zoo hours: Through May 22: 9 a.m. -4:30 p.m. daily. May 23- Sept. 7: 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. daily. Please note that the Zoo’s admission gates close 45 minutes before the posted Zoo closing hours. Attraction Coupons: The attraction coupons you receive with your Zoo Pass are printed on the sheet that also holds your Zoo Pass cards. The Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM) pays the Zoo for the attraction/exhibit coupons issued to our members. Keep your coupons in your wallet or billfold so you have them when you visit the Zoo. Your attraction coupons are for use at the Milwaukee County Zoo only (not for any other zoo or aquarium). These coupons may not be reproduced and are not redeemable for cash or merchandise. We cannot reissue lost, stolen or expired coupons. Tax-Time tips: All or part of your ZSM membership is tax-deductible. The tax-deductible portions for the following categories are: Individual (Basic: $45, Plus:
A NEW MISSION FOR BONOBOS
GOODBYE KINGS, HELLO GENTOOS King and gentoo penguins, that is. This spring, the Zoo’s two longtime king penguins, Niles and Fredrico, are leaving for the Riverbanks Zoo in South Carolina. In their place, the Zoo plans to welcome a flock of gentoo penguins from Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium. Several new rockhopper penguins will also join the Zoo’s eight resident rockhoppers. The gentoos and the rockhoppers will share the aviary’s indoor penguin exhibit, which will close in early April for renovations. It’ll be easy to tell the two species apart once they’re together in the revamped habitat. Native to the Antarctic and subAntarctic islands, gentoo penguins are noted for their orange beaks and white stripes on their foreheads. They also have the longest tails of all penguin species. Rockhoppers sport spiky feathers on the tops of their heads. Photo: Niles the king penguin.
GRANTS RECEIVED Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM) programs and projects have received the following grants: • The Rodney F. Park & Betty Park Family Fund of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation has given $5,650 for ZSM general operations, which help support our mission to conserve wildlife, educate the public and support the Milwaukee County Zoo. • The ZSM’s long-running Animal Ambassador education programs bring the world of animals and conservation to elementary-school students in central city schools, many in disadvantaged neighborhoods. They have received a grant of $5,000 from Macy’s for the 2008’09 year and, for the 2009-’10 year, $5,000 from Joy Global Foundation and $3,500 from Cooper Power Systems Division. The Animal Ambassador program celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2009. • The ZSM’s efforts to help save the endangered bonobo, a great ape living in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Salonga National Park (see story at right), have received $5,000 from the Wildlife Conservation Network of Los Altos, Calif., and $400 from Steve and Betty Rosenthal of Westmont, Ill. Many individual donations over the years have supported the Zoological Society’s conservation programs for the bonobo, including our research station in the Salonga.
$46), Individual +1 (Basic: $50, Plus: $51), Individual + 2, Family and Single Adult Family (Basic: $59, Plus: $66), Family +1 (Basic & Plus: $75), Family +2 (Basic: $78, Plus: $84), Family +3 (Basic: $97, Plus: $103), Affiliate (Basic: $149, Plus: $145), Advocate (Basic: $212, Plus: $208), Benefactor (Basic: $270, Plus: $266). Visiting other zoos and aquariums: We have agreed to participate in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums listing of accredited institutions. Some accredited zoos and aquariums choose not to participate in this program and therefore do not appear on our list. Most participating facilities honor free or discounted admission for two adults and two minor children. Members should call ahead to the facilities they plan to visit to get current information. Members need to present their Zoo Pass and photo ID to qualify for this benefit. In a few cases, we have opted not to reciprocate with some institutions that are close to our Zoo. New lists will be enclosed with membership cards, and members are encouraged to review the updated list by going online at www.zoopass.com or request a list by calling us at (414) 258-2333. School field trips: For members visiting the Zoo with an organized class field trip or company picnic, members’
For more than a decade, Dr. Gay E. Reinartz (above left) has worked to help bonobos (endangered great apes) and people in Africa’s Democratic Republic of Congo. As head of the Zoological Society’s Bonobo and Congo Biodiversity Initiative (BCBI), she has developed a number of conservation efforts in the Congo’s Salonga National Park. In February, Dr. Reinartz went back to Africa to explore an area in Congo that’s more than 350 kilometers northeast of the Zoological Society’s research station in Salonga. Dr. Reinartz and the ZSM are collaborating with the African Wildlife Foundation, an internationally known environmental non-profit. Before she left, she met with BCBI supporters James Godsil (center in photo above), a community activist, and Louis Fortis, publisher of the Shepherd Express newspaper, at the Zoo. The Shepherd Express published Dr. Reinartz’s field diary from a 2007 trip. One goal of her latest mission is to test BCBI’s bonobo-tracking methods (such as surveying bonobo nest density) in the Cadjobe Corridor bordering the Lomako Faunal Reserve. (One of the Milwaukee County Zoo’s bonobos, Lomako, is named after this area.) “Much of this landscape has not been surveyed for bonobos, but it is suspected that pockets of bonobos exist there,” says Stefanie McLaughlin, assistant conservation coordinator. If Dr. Reinartz gets results that are similar to her earlier surveys in the Salonga, her research would eventually help other bonobo researchers, adds McLaughlin. They’ll be able to predict where these great apes are found in yet-unexplored habitats and protect those areas. Poaching and war have destroyed much of the bonobo population in the Congo, the only place in the world where these great apes are found. For more on the Milwaukee County Zoo’s bonobos, please see the back page.
FLAMINGOS ‘ON DEMAND’ They’re pink, they’re loud and they’re named after glitzy fashion designers. Meet the Milwaukee County Zoo’s Caribbean flamingo flock in Time Warner Cable’s Wisconsin On Demand show. The show features interviews with Dr. Robert M. Davis, the Zoological Society’s president and CEO, and with the Zoo’s bird curator, Alex Waier. If you have Time Warner digital cable, you can see the show on channel 1111 (select the Milwaukee County Zoo “super category,” then click on “flamingo”). The Zoological Society contributed about $703,806 to the Idabel Wilmot Borchert Flamingo Exhibit and Overlook.
free-admission benefits do not apply. Due to the many busloads of school groups visiting the Zoo, gate staff is not able to board each bus to verify memberships without causing potentially dangerous traffic backups onto Blue Mound Road. The fees paid for educational outings and company picnics usually include additional class materials or zoo-visit benefits as well. Zoo Pass – ID required: Please remember that you are required to present photo identification with your Zoo Pass as you enter the admission gates. Zoo Pass holders who are unable to produce identification when they arrive at the Zoo will either need to pay admission, which we cannot refund, or visit the Zoo another day when they have identification with them. If you have the popular Zoo Pass Plus that includes parking, please remember that parking is limited to one car per membership per day. Match your gift: Many employers offer a matching gift program for employees making charitable gifts to non-profit organizations. Please help us by asking your employer to match the tax-deductible portion of your gift to the ZSM. Send us the completed matching gift form and we’ll take care of the rest. Please call (414) 258-2333 with any questions.
WILD THINGS Issue No. 81, April-May 2009 Wild Things is a membership newsletter published by the Zoological Society of Milwaukee six times a year: February-March; April-May; June; July-August; September-October; November-January. Editor: Julia Kolker Contributing editor and writer: Paula Brookmire Writers: Loni Luna, Noelle Steffen Designer: Cary Piggot Photographer: Richard Brodzeller (unless otherwise noted)
Write to any of us at the Zoological Society 10005 W. Blue Mound Rd. Milwaukee, WI 53226 Web site: www.zoosociety.org
STICKY, ICKY & FUN What has lots of legs, two antennae and can make kids go “ick”? The answer is bugs! Little Love Bugs, a Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM) class for 2-year-olds, makes learning about creepy-crawlies fun. Held every February, Little Love Bugs lets kids play in a giant beehive and crawl through a cardboard ant tunnel. “It’s important that children this age have hands-on activities,” explains ZSM educator MaryLynn Conter-Strack. For example, kids learn that some bugs get their food from flowers. Children then create butterfly costumes and “fly” to flower cutouts sitting atop the carpet. Youngsters even see live butterflies and crickets up close. The friendly and inviting classroom takes the fright factor out of bugs. Learning about “yucky” critters isn’t just for toddlers. “Anything creepy, slimy, sticky or smelly is fun for kids,” says Conter-Strack. “They love learning weird facts to gross out their parents at home!” A summer camp for 6- and 7-year-olds called Munch, Gulp, Slurp (which covers the sometimes-gross eating habits of animals) still had openings when we went to print. Go online at www.zoosociety.org/ Education/SummerCamps.php to check on availability and register. For other open camps, see below. Photo (above): Owen Karls of Oak Creek and Colin Eaton of Waukesha, both 2, made butterfly wings in the Little Love Bugs class. Photo (at right): Cameron Moslavac, 2, of Waukesha, “lands” on a flower cutout wearing butterfly wings.
SUMMER CAMPS STILL OPEN • It’s easier than ever to sign up for the Zoological Society of Milwaukee’s (ZSM’s) popular summer camps, sponsored by National City, at the Milwaukee County Zoo. While some camps fill up fast, many others have available spots. To register, please go online at www.zoosociety.org/Education/SummerCamps.php (where you can view the summer camps brochure mailed with your January issue of Alive). Here’s how we’ve made online registration easier than ever: 1. We’ve added open camp dates and times underneath each class description. You can instantly zero in on available camps. 2. If a camp you’d like to take is full, you can quickly add your name to an online waiting list. You’ll get e-mail alerts when openings are available or camp sessions are added. 3. We monitor online registration for camp demand and try to add more sessions of popular camps. Education photos by Margo Pactanac
• Some camps were still open when we went to print. They include Carousel, a camp for 2-year-olds (accompanied by one adult). Explore a colorful, carousel-themed classroom; then take a spin on the Zoo’s Penzeys Spices carousel. At Hip Hippo Hurray, a camp for 3-year-olds (also accompanied by an adult), meet the Zoo’s hippos, Patty and Puddles, and make a giant hippo head! • Other camps with open spots include Globetrotting for 4- and 5-year-olds; Munch, Gulp, Slurp for 6- and 7-year-olds (see story at left); Great Animals, Great Artists for 8- and 9-year-olds; and Secret Language of Animals for 10- and 11-year-olds. For details and to register, go online. Photo (below): Corbin Cooper, 8, of Waukesha, colors a frog at an art class.
MAY CLASSES STILL OPEN Some ZSM spring education classes still had openings when we went to print. To check what’s available, go to www.zoosociety.org/Classes. Have you ever taken a family class? We Are Family, a class for adults and children ages 4-10, is an insider look at animal families at the Zoo. Go on a scavenger hunt and learn how the Zoo’s animal families play, eat and communicate. This class is held May 10, 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.; cost for Zoological Society members is $26 for the first two family members; $10 for each additional family member. Non-members, $36 for the first two family members, $10 for each additional family member. Here are some open classes for other age groups; dates, times, prices and details are online. • Age 2 (accompanied by adult): In Watch the Birdie, kids can climb into a giant nest and “hatch” from an egg like a baby bird! Color Zoo features a colorful classroom with hidden animals. • Age 3 (accompanied by adult): Seals and Sea Lions gives kids a chance to “dive” into an ocean classroom and see live seals and sea lions at the Zoo.
SCOUTING PROGRAMS AT THE ZOO Scouts and scout leaders, earn a scout badge at the Zoo with our “Badge in a Day” Girl Scout and Boy Scout programs. The two programs we offer are “Animals Try-It” for Brownie Girl Scouts and the “Sharing Your World With Wildlife Achievement” for Bear Cub Scouts. Program dates are limited to some weekends, “kids’ days off” from school, and school early release days. For a schedule of available dates and times, please contact Christopher Uitz at (414) 258-5058, ext. 428 or chrisu@zoosociety.org.
TIPS FOR TEACHERS • In fall and spring, the ZSM publishes a brochure listing our broad variety of education programs offered either at the Zoo or as outreach to schools. The school brochure is also online at www.zoosociety.org/Education/SchoolPrograms. Registration for the 2009-2010 school year begins April 21. • Teachers of grades 3 through high school can learn to develop animal curriculum at Study of the World’s Endangered Species, a two-day course on June 20 and 21 at the Milwaukee County Zoo. This ZSM class runs 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. both days and features Zoo tours and discussions. Teachers can receive undergraduate or graduate credit from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Call UWM Outreach, (414) 229-5255, for fees and to register.
Volunteering at the Zoo Dad & Daughter are Zoo Fans They like primates, zoology and Zoo Pride. Father and daughter Justin and Alissa Gottfreid have taken their common interests into the world of volunteering. Alissa was the first to join Zoo Pride, the Zoological Society of Milwaukee’s (ZSM’s) volunteer auxiliary. In 1999, she was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in environmental conservation from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in hopes of becoming a zookeeper. Volunteering at the Milwaukee County Zoo supplemented an internship at the Racine Zoo. She brought her father, Justin, to a Zoo Pride picnic in 2004. Soon, he joined Zoo Pride as well. “This is something I could do with Dad,” says Alissa. Adds Justin: “We have a lot of discussions about animals.” Alissa works as a zookeeper at the Racine Zoo, where she cares for giraffes, rhinos and zebras. “I always knew that I wanted to be a zookeeper,” she says. “I like taking care of these incredible animals.” Alissa also serves as the Racine Zoo’s registrar, keeping animal records and archives. Like his daughter, Justin has a science background, a B.S. in zoology, although his career was in business. Now retired, he was a business manager for the city of Milwaukee. Both he and Alissa completed extra training and passed an exam to move up to the level of Zoo Pride docent. “As a volunteer, I learn a lot about animals at this Zoo, and Alissa knows a lot about animals in Racine,” Justin says. Primates are their specialty. As members of Zoo Pride’s primate committee, they answer visitor questions near the Zoo’s three great-ape exhibits – bonobos, gorillas, orangutans – and at the siamang and sometimes the mandrill and spider monkey exhibits. (The committee is active May 1 to Oct. 31.) Alissa has been fascinated since
childhood by gorillas after reading about gorilla conservationist Dian Fossey. Justin likes telling zoogoers “insider” facts about animals, such as the nicknames and ages of his favorite gorillas, Hodari, 13, and Maji Maji, 17, facts that aren’t always on the signs. He also gives outreach talks to Milwaukee-area schools and nursing homes as part of Zoo Pride’s Speakers Bureau. In 2008, Justin was elected to the Zoo Pride Board of Directors, a longtime goal. For Alissa, the volunteer group is a good resource. She gets to hear experts who give talks to Zoo Pride volunteers, she has access to the Zoo’s library for animal research, and she can socialize with fellow animal-lovers. As a child she learned about animals from her father during family trips to the Zoo. Today, father and daughter help teach each other. By Julia Kolker
You, Too, Can Volunteer You can sign up for Zoo Pride basic orientation held on June 10 and 13 or on Sept. 9 and 12 (five hours over a two-day span). An additional four-day New Volunteer Training (which allows you to do more activities with Zoo Pride) will be offered September 16, 19, 23 and 26 (four sessions over two Wednesdays and two Saturdays). Please contact Zoo Pride at (414) 258-5667 to schedule an interview. Photo (top): Justin Gottfreid sometimes talks with zoogoers in front of the bonobo exhibit. Photo: Alissa visits Hodari the gorilla, one of her favorite Zoo animals.
Years Sun, Seals 12 of Birds
& Sea Lions
Sea Lion Splash $75 Zoological Society members, $85 non-members Aquatic Adventure $125 members, $135 non-members Underwater Journey, a new five-day camp: $375 members, $390 non-members Register online at www.oceansoffun.org or by phone at (414) 453-5527, ext 1.
Seals and sea lions are some of the most charismatic, charming and downright cute animals around. Meet five sea lions and two seals up close and learn about their care in the Milwaukee County Zoo’s Oceans of Fun pool. Oceans of Fun offers workshops for kids and adults, as well as a new five-day camp that gives kids a chance to work with professional marine mammal trainers. Zoological Society members get discounts on Sea Lion Splash and Aquatic Adventures, which begin in May, and on Underwater Journey, which starts in June. All programs have limited openings; reservations are required. Register online at www.oceansoffun.org. All programs include admission to the MillerCoors Oceans of Fun Seal/Sea Lion Show; photo packages are available starting at $19.99. • The popular Underwater Journey summer camp for kids ages 7 through 12 is now a week-long program! Kids work with professional trainers and learn about marine-mammal care and conservation. The camp includes training sessions with animals poolside, games, art projects and Zoo tours, including a trip to the special summer bird exhibit, Wings From Down Under, sponsored by Lowe’s. Sea Lion Explorers (children 7-9) and Marine Voyagers (children 10-12) have alternating schedules throughout the summer. Workshops run weekly from June 15 through Aug. 28, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Early arrival and late pick-up are available. • Families can feed, train and play with seals and sea lions in Aquatic Adventures, a family camp (a paying, participating adult must accompany children ages 6-12). Guests interact with the animals alongside trainers in the water. This is the only program of its kind in the Midwest, says Oceans of Fun owner Shelley Ballmann. Programs begin May 1 and run Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10:15 to 11:45 a.m. • Many kids are curious about careers in marine biology. Sea Lion Splash, an afternoon workshop for children ages 5-10, gives youngsters a chance to explore this fascinating field. Kids help trainers in a poolside training session with seals and sea lions, prepare animal food, learn about conservation and participate in a sea lion show. The class limit is 12; so register early. This work shop is offered Saturdays, May 2 through June 6, and then Sept. 5 through Oct. 31, 1 to 3:30 p.m. Starting June 7 through Labor Day, workshops are held every Tuesday and Thursday from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Photo provided by Oceans of Fun: Carsen Ballmann, 12, touches a sea lion.
Pretty & Playful Wings From Down Under Sponsored by Lowe’s May 23 – Sept. 7 daily $2.50 per person exhibit admission Otto Borchert Family Special Exhibits Building
They’re bright, they’re friendly and they might land on your hand, if you like. This summer, you can touch, hold or even feed grass parakeets, cockatiels and eastern rosellas in the Milwaukee County Zoo’s special summer bird exhibit. All three types of birds hail from Australia, where they’re extremely common in the wild. Included in the exhibit admission is a food stick with millet seeds so visitors can feed these charming birds (extra food sticks are $1). Guests who don’t wish to get that close can simply watch the colorful cuties fly in two mesh aviaries. How can you tell the birds apart? Parakeets (known as budgies in Australia) are the smallest of the three (7 to 8 inches head to tail feathers) and vary in color from blue to green and yellow. Cockatiels are gray, with a big orange spot on their cheeks and a tall crown of feathers on their heads. You’ll have no trouble spotting the multi-colored eastern rosellas, which sport vivid red, yellow and green feathers. See the Alive magazine that was enclosed with your Wild Things for more fun facts on the birds in this exhibit. Photo provided by Living Exhibits, Inc.: Cockatiels perch on a branch.
From backyards to classrooms, Birds Without Borders-Aves Sin Fronteras® (BWB-ASF) has helped save songbirds. This bird research-conservationeducation project wraps up its major missions this spring. “It’s been very rewarding that we have met and in many cases far surpassed our goals,” says Vicki Piaskowski, the project’s international coordinator since its launch in 1996.
BWB-ASF was started by Dr. Gil Boese, thenpresident of both the Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM) and its partner, the Foundation for Wildlife Conservation (FWC), Inc. He wanted to study the declining numbers of songbirds on both their breeding grounds in Wisconsin and their wintering homes in Belize, Central America (where the ZSM has had a variety of conservation projects). More than 114 species of birds spend part of their lives in both Wisconsin and Belize, often on privately owned land. That’s why Boese, who’s still FWC president, involved 56 private landowners in the project and why Piaskowski and her staff developed guides for landowners, even those whose land is a small backyard. BWB-ASF accomplishments include: • Publishing in 2008 a guide for Wisconsin landowners. It includes reader-friendly tips on helping birds, numerous photos and bird research data. The Birds Without Borders-Aves Sin Fronteras® Recommendations for Landowners: How to Manage Your Land to Help Birds (Wisconsin, Midwest & Eastern United States edition) is available in print and as a free download at www.zoosociety.org/wilandowner. It has received more than 19,000 visits since last fall. • Publishing in 2006 a Belize & Mesoamerica edition of the guide, which was distributed in Belize and is also available free online (it has received more than 49,000 visits). • Giving more than 110 educational presentations to kids and adults in Wisconsin and Belize. BWB-ASF staff also participated in the Migration Game at the Milwaukee County Zoo (offered this year at Party for the Planet; see cover). In fall, winter and spring 2008’09, Piaskowski gave 20 free public talks and radio interviews in Wisconsin on ways to create bird-friendly yards. Her last talk is April 16 in Sheboygan (see below). • Educating more than 3,300 kids and 15 teachers in Wisconsin and Michigan plus 137 children and 31 teachers in Belize through a middle school bird curriculum developed by the ZSM’s Conservation Education Department. • Banding 9,867 birds in Wisconsin and 4,755 in Belize thanks to 45 private landowners in Wisconsin and 11 in Belize who generously allowed BWB-ASF to use their land for research. (A Pewaukee government agency and two conservation groups in Belize also participated.) • Training 21 Belizeans to be bird researchers and conservationists. Many are now considered some of the country’s top bird experts. • Publishing eight papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals and giving 16 presentations at scientific meetings. (The papers are available at www.zoosociety.org/Conservation/BWB-ASF/list.php.) In the future, the project will continue under the FWC. Dr. Boese and Piaskowski plan to do follow-up research in the Pewaukee area and Rosendale, Wis., to compare bird populations from the original study period to the present day. For more bird resources, including radio interviews with Piaskowski, a story on how she made her own backyard bird-friendly and fun bird crafts for kids, go to our Web site, www.zoosociety.org. Photos: BWB-ASF project founder Dr. Gil Boese (top), BWB-ASF international coordinator Vicki Piaskowski (center) and project assistant Kari Williams (bottom).
Helping Backyard Birds Thursday, April 16, 7 p.m. Maywood Nature Center, 3615 Mueller Rd., Sheboygan, Wis. Free. For more information, call (920) 459-3906
Beautiful songbirds such as the Baltimore oriole and the American redstart arrive in Wisconsin in May. Discover how you can attract these colorful birds to your yard at a free talk April 16 in Sheboygan. Vicki Piaskowski will discuss simple ways to create bird-friendly backyards (see above story). She’ll also distribute free copies of a new guide with tips on helping birds. For the past 12 years, Piaskowski has been the international coordinator of Birds Without Borders-Aves Sin Fronteras®, sponsored by the ZSM and its partner, the Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Inc.
Zoo Ball 2009: King of Carnaval
S’Mores, Snores
& Sea Lions Snooze at the Zoo Sponsored by American Airlines & American Eagle and U.S. Cellular® Marketing sponsor: Zizzo Group Advertising & Public Relations Saturday, June 27 Prices start at $300 per person
The samba sounds and bright colors of Brazil are coming to Zoo Ball on June 27. Celebrate the Brazilian carnival (“carnaval” in Portuguese) at this Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM) black-tie fund-raiser. The evening, held at the Milwaukee County Zoo, will shimmer with elaborate masks, vivid flowers and live samba dancers. Pat the Cat, the Zoo’s new jaguar (who originally came from the Central American country of Belize), will serve as the event’s symbolic king. This year’s co-chairs are Kathy Hust of U.S. Cellular® (right) and Dr. Joan Prince of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Both women are longtime ZSM supporters and members of the Board of Directors. Zoo Ball, now in its 26th year, is the ZSM’s biggest annual fund-raiser, having raised more than $500,000 last year. A welcome reception sponsored by Fields Jaguar Land Rover Volvo Waukesha & Madison will greet the guests, about 750 of southeastern Wisconsin’s most influential people. As always, the evening will feature a gourmet meal served in two elegant dining rooms, high-quality auctions, superb entertainment sponsored by Northwestern Mutual Foundation, cocktails and dancing in the late-night venue. For more information on sponsorship opportunities or corporate tables, call Laura at (414) 258-2333.
Moms & Critters Mother’s Day at the Zoo Sponsored by Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort May 10, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Free Zoo admission for Zoological Society members with ID. Moms get free admission, no coupon necessary. Milwaukee County parking fee: $10 For information, call (414) 771-3040 Spotting animal moms and babies at the Zoo’s Mother Day’s celebration is a longtime tradition. After Mom gets her free admission (not including parking) to the Milwaukee County Zoo, she can register to win a two-night stay at Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort, the Mother’s Day sponsor. Then, if it’s a nice day, head to the Holz Family Impala Country and watch for a young female impala called Doruba. Born in a snowstorm last December, Doruba now frolics with Mom Cilantro. Nearby, in the African Waterhole Exhibit, you’ll find another youngster, Barudi, a male greater kudu born in January. (What do these animal names mean? See story on the back page.) You might catch Barudi bonding with big sister Tamu and Mom Megan. In the Primates of the World building, say hello to the ever-popular orangutan toddler Mahal and his surrogate mom, M.J. Feisty Mahal is becoming more independent and often ambles around his exhibit on his own. On the other side of the Zoo, adult grizzly bear brothers Chinook, Bozeman and Brian still stay close to Mom Ronnie. A mother’s love is never-ending! Photo: Amy Berry of Lannon, Wis., and daughter Liza, 4, saw the elephants at last year’s Mother’s Day at the Zoo. A “beary” good gift for Mom: Sponsor Ronnie the grizzly bear as an unusual and nature-themed Mother’s Day gift (see the flyer enclosed with your Wild Things).
Sponsored by Old Orchard Brands & Sentry Foods Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday, August 12, 13, 14 or 15, starting at 5 p.m.
Online registration begins May 4 for members; May 5, non-members For details, call Special Events at (414) 258-2333 or go online at www.zoosociety.org/snooze Here’s what’s on the docket for Snooze at the Zoo: A stroll through the Zoo at twilight, s’mores around a campfire and a night under the stars near animals such as seals and bears. This annual Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM) overnight campout is the one time each year when the general public can camp at the Milwaukee County Zoo. This year again, this ZSM fundraiser features four evenings to choose from for camping. Each night will have the same activities, including entertainment by ComedySportz, an outdoor buffet dinner and s’mores around a group campfire. The next morning, enjoy a continental breakfast and discounted admission into the Zoo’s special summer bird exhibit, Wings From Down Under, sponsored by Lowe’s. Once you’ve taken your camping gear back to your car, spend the rest of the day at the Zoo. This event always fills quickly. The earlier you register, the better your chance of getting a spot. Registration is held online on a first-come-first-served basis at www.zoosociety.org/snooze. Members can begin to register on Monday, May 4, at 8 a.m. Non-members start registration on Tuesday, May 5, at 8 a.m. You will be registered as soon as you submit your payment information. If you lose your registration confirmation, you can go back to our Web site and reprint it. Get campsite rate discounts when you send in a Sentry Foods cash-register receipt showing the purchase of four 64-ounce Old Orchard juices or blends (see details online when you register). If you or a member of your party has special needs or a disability, please let us know in the comments area online. Photo: Mason Miller, 2, of Milwaukee (center) plays with a flashlight at last year’s Snooze at the Zoo. Meanwhile, Mason’s sister Abi (left), 5, and Mom Nicole cast shadows with family friend Tina Jostsons (far right) of Wauwatosa and her daughter Hailey, 3.
Annual Appeal:
Humboldt Penguins The Milwaukee County Zoo’s Humboldt penguin group is a personality pack. Mongo, a male, is outgoing and friendly. Arisco, a female, is smart but stubborn. Houdini has learned to let a zookeeper check his feet. Jack and Eva are sweetheart mates. All 11 Humboldts will be more visible to the public next year, if the Zoological Society of Milwaukee raises enough money in its 2009 Annual Appeal. The goal is to renovate the Humboldt penguins’ habitat with better nesting areas, new rock pathways closer to what they have in the wild, and a redesigned glass pool for better viewing. Two Web cams will give you a chance to watch the birds live on the net 24-7. A renovated behind-the-scenes area will make it easier for keepers to care for the penguins as they nest and hatch chicks. To give to the appeal, please go online at www.zoosociety.org or call (414) 258-2333. Some giving levels even feature a chance to watch Mongo make a painting with his feet behind the scenes. All donations are tax-deductible. (For more on Humboldt penguin art, please see back page.) Photo: Mariano, a young Humboldt penguin, scopes out the scene.
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Call Me Kyllikki Penguin Paintings
Have you ever tried to choose a good pet name? Even zookeepers at the Milwaukee County Zoo struggle with choosing just the right names for their animal charges. “Sometimes a name is descriptive of that particular animal’s behavior, sometimes the animal comes here with a name, and sometimes the zookeepers get to name it,” says Dawn Fleuchaus, area supervisor of the North American and Australia areas. For example, a young caribou earned the name Kyllikki, Finnish for “woman of strength,” because she is “kind of feisty,” says Fleuchaus. Houdini, a Humboldt penguin, was named after the famous magician because the bird had a tendency to escape his behind-the-scenes enclosures when he was a youngster. The Zoo’s Caribbean flamingo flock was named after glitzy fashion designers such as Versace, Prada, Cavalli, Gucci and Chanel. “With their pink plumage, they just seemed so fashionable and chic,” says aviary zookeeper Caty Poggenburg. Meet celebrity namesakes such as Hanna, a young bonobo named after famous naturalist and TV personality Jack Hanna, and J. Lo, a green tree python snake named after movie star Jennifer Lopez. Sometimes keepers choose names based on puns and jokes: Roberto, a spitting red cobra in the Aquatic & Reptile Center (ARC), was named after now-retired baseball player Roberto Alomar, who was famous for spitting.
Themed names are also popular, says Rhonda Crenshaw, area supervisor of the Small Mammals Building. A group of golden lion tamarins in this area has Western-sounding names such as Wyatt, Dylan, Jesse and Delilah. Carina and Cosmos, the cotton-topped tamarins, are named after star constellations. And several bats have been named after science-fiction heroes, such as Starbuck and Apollo.
Names based on geographic locations are common: Denali the Dall sheep is named after Alaska’s Denali National Park where the sheep are found in the wild. The names of the Zoo’s five wolf siblings all mean “friend” in different Native American languages. Wilson Gathirimu, a farm attendant from Kenya, chose Swahili names for three African animals. An impala is called Doruba, a variation on the Swahili word for blizzard; Barudi the kudu means “cold” (both animals were born last winter); and another kudu was named Tamu for “sweet.” One of the more unusual names belongs to the Dall sheep Crashpoopknees. Say what? “She was named and hand-raised at a previous institution, and we try to keep the names that an animal would already know,” explains Fleuchaus. Adds an ARC keeper: “Sometimes we can’t come up with a name, and other times the names just hit us.” Photo (top): Mr. Toronto, a Dall sheep. Center: Flamingos are named after fashion designers. -by Julia Kolker
Make a Splash
What happens when you put an 8 ½–by-11-inch canvas and children’s finger paints in a room with Humboldt penguins? Art! Zookeepers provide this “enrichment activity” as an enjoyable break from routine. All 11 Humboldt penguins are invited to be creative with the non-toxic tempera paints, but the enthusiasts are Mongo, Lil’ Gal, and Houdini. The birds mostly use their feet to paint, running through the colors and across the canvas. They sometimes even dip their tails in the paint for a new technique. In only a few minutes a new piece is created. “It takes a lot longer to clean up the area than for them to make an actual painting,” jokes Heather Neldner, an aviary zookeeper. “We just started this as a fun thing for the penguins to do, and it turned into a conservation project,” adds Neldner. The paintings are sold in the Milwaukee County Zoo’s gift shop for $24.99 (Zoological Society members get a 10% discount). As of February 2009, 62 paintings had been sold, raising about $1,549. The proceeds go into the Zoo’s conservation trust fund, which supports various conservation projects, including a Zoo project studying Humboldt penguins in Chile. (That project is also supported by the Zoological Society of Milwaukee.) “They’re helping their wild cousins,” says Neldner. Two of Mongo’s paintings raised about $320 at auctions last fall during the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ annual North American conference, held in Milwaukee. The money went to conservation projects. One auction, which was live online on the Auction Network, allowed Houdini the Humboldt penguin to make his Web debut. Visit these “painting penguins” in the Taylor Family Foundation Humboldt Penguin Exhibit at the Zoo. You also can contribute to the Zoological Society’s Annual Appeal, which is raising funds to remodel this penguin habitat this year. Go to www.zoosociety.org. Photo: Mongo the Humboldt penguin “paints” with his feet. Photo by Liz Schuff. By Noelle Steffen
TURKEY HAS WILD GIRLFRIEND Picking a place to live is all about location, location, location. Last fall, a wild turkey chose a great animal location as her home—the Milwaukee County Zoo. Visitors and zookeepers first spotted the new bird in the elk yard. She later migrated to the moose area, home to the Zoo’s longtime turkey, Bob. “She probably hatched from one of the wild female turkeys that were seen here last summer,” says Dawn Fleuchaus, area supervisor of the North American and Australia areas. Zoo grounds are home to many wild Wisconsin animals, including squirrels, chipmunks, deer, geese and ducks. (A new male wild turkey was spotted in March; see photo at right.) The yet-unnamed female turkey likes to follow the Zoo’s resident free-roaming peafowl. “She thinks she’s a peahen,” adds zookeeper Mike Hoffmann. You can also spot her hanging out with 9-year-old Bob, the larger and fluffier of the two turkeys. Keepers will let the turkeys breed if they show interest.
GOODBYE TO LINDA & SASHA Two grand old animal “ladies” passed away this winter at the Milwaukee County Zoo. The first was Sasha, the Zoo’s longtime lioness. On Dec. 24, 2008, Zoo staff made the decision to euthanize this nearly 23-year-old big cat because she was suffering with complications from cancer. Born in 1986 at the Wild Wilderness Park in Gentry, Ark., Sasha came to our Zoo at 4 months of age with sisters Samantha and Ethel Louise (they later went to a zoo in Hawaii and died in February 2009). For years, her mate was Amon Ra, the Zoo’s regal male lion, who died of cancer in 2003. Sasha was often seen by visitors during behind-the-scenes tours, and her roars made her famous. Though grumpy at times, Sasha will be missed. “People grew up with her,” says Val Werner, one of her longtime keepers. Themba and Sanura, the Zoo’s 5-year-old lion couple, can be seen in the Florence Mila Borchert Big Cat Country.
Another animal who leaves a gap in the hearts of visitors and keepers is Linda the bonobo. The great ape was euthanized in January because she was suffering from advanced congestive heart failure and complications of diabetes. Her early life was full of twists and turns. Linda, whose age is estimated at 55 to 58, was captured in presentday Democratic Republic of Congo (then called the Belgian Congo) in the 1950s as a youngster. She was one of the oldest bonobos in captivity. Linda came to Milwaukee in 1995 after stints in a zoo in Antwerp, Belgium; at the San Diego Zoo; and at Yerkes Primate Research Center in Atlanta, Ga. Here, she found her calling as a foster mother to young bonobos. She also had a knack for reigning in young male bonobos when they violated the group’s social hierarchy. “We'll miss her and wish she was back when some of the troop members forget their place,” says bonobo keeper Mark Scheuber. Linda leaves a legacy of seven living offspring, 27 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and five great-great-great grandchildren. At our Zoo, this progeny includes Linda’s daughter Laura, grandsons Murph and Brian, granddaughter Claudine, and great-grandson Zuri. The Zoo’s 16 bonobos, found in the Stearns Family Apes of Africa building, comprise one of the world’s largest bonobo groups in a zoo environment. The Zoo is also home to Kitty, a 59-year-old bonobo who, like Linda, was captured in the Congo in the ’50s (Kitty is off exhibit because of health issues). For details on the Zoological Society’s strides to help these rare great apes in the Congo, see page 2. Photo (at left): Sasha. Photo (above): Linda the bonobo.