Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens | Wild Magazine | Summer 2021

S U M M ER

2021

Animal Wellness WILDLIFE WELLNESS TEAM LIFE IS BETER IN THE GARDEN GORILLA INFANT UNF SCIENTIFIC PARTNERSHIP

W ild is published quarterly for the members and friends of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Come summer, when the days are long and hot, cool nights at the Zoo are now home to an incredible scattering of illuminations. An amazing spatial of color, IllumiZoo Summer Spectacle promises to transcend from sleepy wildlife to a fantasy landscape of nature drenched with rich lighting.

Stroll through various illuminated scenes—an enchanted fairy garden, an underwater world, and a starry night. Journey through creative imagery, music-synchronized animal displays, and animated motifs of moving light —step on it, play with it, be absorbed in it.

June 4–August 27 | Friday Nights 6–10 p.m.

Members Receive Discounted Tickets Jacksonvillezoo.org/illumizoo

Presented by

Table Of Contents 2 Who's Who at the Zoo: Wildlife Wellness Team

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4 Garden Highlights: Riverview Garden 6 What's New: Births Hatchings Acquisitions 8 Gardener's Corner: Life is Better in the Garden 10 ZooZone for Kids: Celebrate International Mud Day

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12 Animal Highlights: Gorilla Infant 14 Education: Upcoming Programs 16 Social Spotlight 18 Animal Programs: UNF and Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens:

A Unique Scientific Partnership

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20 Conservation: Wellness and Wildlife Conservation 22 Snapshot Society: Summer Photo Shooting 24 Volunteers: Enriching Animals’ Lives Through Volunteers 26 2021 Annual Board Meeting SENIOR MANAGEMENT Tony Vecchio, Executive Director Teresa Kennedy, Chief Operating Officer Dan Maloney, Deputy Director of Animal Care & Conservation Holly Ellis, Chief Financial Officer Paula Shields, Director of Human Resources Leanne White, Director of Education Nikki Smith, Director of Development Kelly Rouillard, Director of Marketing & Sales EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE William Rowe, Chair Chuck Ged, Chair Elect / VC Finance Karen Estella Smith, Secretary Ann Harwood-Nuss, M.D., VC Animal Care, Conservation & Wellness Carl Cannon, VC Capital Campaign Janna McNicholas, VC Governance John Hayt, Honorary Advisor John McIlvaine, VC Marketing & Development Jordan Elsbury, Mayoral Appointee* Kelly Coker-Daniel, VC Education Kerri Stewart, VC Special Projects & Properties Lucia Lindsey, VC Gardens & Art *City of Jacksonville Appointed

GENERAL BOARD Paul Blackstone Scott Chamberlayne Asher Chanan-Khan, M.D. *LeAnna Cumber Anne Marie Cushmac Kenyonn Demps Jessica Fowler Margaret Hicks Rene Kurzius Barney Lane George Mikes John Naugle *Ju’Coby Pittman Paul Sandler Joel Swanson Salmaan Wahidi Darryl Willie Scott Witt HONORARY BOARD Ivan Clare Dano Davis Lenore McCullagh Elizabeth Petway Herbert Peyton Clifford Schultz

Frank Surface Janet Vaksdal Weaver HONORARY PAST CHAIRS COUNCIL Martha Baker J.F. Bryan, Howard Coker Charles Commander Jed Davis Matt Fairbairn Joseph Hixon J. Michael Hughes Lewis Lee David Loeb Richard Martin Frank Miller John A. Mitchell Thomas Schmidt Carl “Hap” Stewart James Stockton Penny Thompson Courtenay Wilson Editors: Kelly Rouillard, Morgan Purvis Art Direction: Jen Morgan Graphic Design: Mark Sheppe

WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

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WHO'S WHO AT THE ZOO

Wildlife Wellness Team

By Morgan Purvis, Communications and Public Relations Representative

Animal wellness begins with a deep understanding of the preferences and needs of each species at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. Optimal wellness is obtained when each animal thrives. The more the animal's behavior resembles free-living wild animals, the more likely that wellness has been achieved.

Our wellness department has one of the most productive programs in the country, with students, staff, and faculty partners working in tandem to not only ensure animal wellness at our Zoo, but also publish high-quality research papers annually to improve animal wellness throughout the industry.

Terry L. Maple, Ph.D. Our commitment to wildlife wellness would not be possible without the work of Dr. Terry Maple. As the Director of Wildlife Wellness, he helps the Zoo utilize wellness in the day-to-day processes of animal care. Primarily, this includes work through writing and mentoring, however he also has organized meetings and workshops along with assisting in exhibit design. He came to the Zoo in 2014 and was instrumental in the design of African Forest, his favorite exhibit at our Zoo. Raised in San Diego County, Dr. Maple earned his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in California. He was a fulltime college professor before he became the President and CEO of Zoo Atlanta. He has mentored 27 graduate students who now work at zoos across the nation and he has also written several books. In his spare time he enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife and three daughters.

Fátima Ramis As the Wildlife Wellness and Research Officer, Fátima Ramis manages the welfare assessment process at the Zoo. She also works with the University of North Florida (UNF) to promote our partnership with the biology and psychology departments. She started here in 2017 as a behavior research fellow, primarily studying giraffe behavior at the Zoo to understand guest-giraffe interactions through feeding programs.

During her undergraduate, Fátima studied primate ecology and behavior, as well as behavior and maternal investment in snakes. This experience gave her an appreciation for wildlife conservation and the importance of welfare in success.

Fatima’s favorite area of the Zoo is Wild Florida, where the animals represent local wildlife and help us better understand how to interact with the species that we share landscapes with every day. In her spare time, she enjoys the time outdoors with her dogs, gardening, and going to the beach. She is also a PhD student at the University of Florida, studying human-wildlife dimensions.

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WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

Lindsay Mahovetz, Ph.D. Dr. Lindsay Mahovetz came to the Zoo in August 2020 as the Animal Wellness and Research, Post-doctoral Fellow. She is working to establish our research program, spending time getting equipment functional and collecting baseline behavioral data.

She grew up in central New Jersey and has wanted to work with primates for some time. She majored in Animal Behavior and Psychology as an undergrad, doing research with capuchin and squirrel monkeys. Dr. Mahovetz volunteered as a field assistant on primate-related projects in St. Kitts and Costa Rica and interned at Zoo Atlanta. In graduate school, she worked with chimpanzees and bonobos, including the ones at our Zoo, and was a Visiting Assistant Professor at UNF before landing her role here.

Dr. Mahovetz’s favorite animal is the capuchin monkey, although if she had to pick a species at our Zoo, it would be the bonobos. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and camping with her partner.

Aimee Little Aimee Little started volunteering at the Zoo in 2019 as a master’s student at UNF, soon after deciding to focus her master’s thesis on visitor-stingray interactions at Stingray Bay. This past January she started working as the Wildlife Wellness Administrative Assistant. Her role is to help manage the annual Wellness Assessment to review, maintain, and improve the wellbeing of the animals at our Zoo. She helps compile surveys for keepers and meets with animal staff to discuss the reports and develop action items to help the Zoo toward a proactive approach in animal wellness.

Aimee grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where she spent much of high school trying to decide between vet school and animal behavior research. She majored in Biology as an undergraduate where she had the opportunity to work in a fish behavior and cognition lab. She was interested in studying sharks but realized she could combine her interest in animal health and wellness with behavioral research.

She loves to hang out with the stingrays and really enjoys African Forest—especially the lemurs. Outside of the Zoo, you can find her in the outdoors, whether it is running, biking, or swimming.

The Apex Machine TM helps apes engage in tasks to stimulate them mentally.

WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

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GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS

Riverview Garden

Beach Sunflowers (Helianthus debilis)

A view of the path in Riverview Garden

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WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

Spicy Jatropha (Jatropha integerrima)

'Rockin' Playin' the Blues' or Salvia Rockin' Playin' the Blues (Salvia longispicata x farinacea)

WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

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WHAT'S NEW

Births Hatchings Acquisitions

By Donna Bear, Curator of Species Management and Jasmine Alvarado, Species Management Officer

Yellow-billed stork (Mycteria ibis) Yellow-billed storks frequent the wetlands south of the Sahara Desert in Africa and even Madagascar. The yellow-billed stork is in the same genus and family as our own native wood stork and shares many similarities. Both species migrate based on food availability and both species breed during the peak to end of the raining season, relying on wetland drying to concentrate food. Yellow-billed storks and their wood stork cousins hunt food tactically. They swish their feet around in the water with their bills open and partially submerged. When a prey item touches the bill, they snap it closed in as quick as 25 milliseconds to capture prey. The yellowbilled stork has been known to follow crocodiles and hippopotamus to feed on prey items that were disturbed by their movements. In the beginning years of monitoring our wood stork colony on Zoo grounds, we practiced placing satellite tags on our own yellowbilled storks before deploying them on the wild wood storks. Yellow-billed storks and the wild wood storks also nest in colonies around the same time in our Zoo. Yellow-billed storks are located in the River Valley Aviary.

They can also be seen in the aviary located at the end of the Africa Loop on Main Path, shortly past Stingray Bay.

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WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

Eastern glass lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis) Glass lizards are long, slender, legless lizards. They look like snakes, but are different in that they have moveable eyelids, external ear openings, and inflexible jaws. Glass lizards are found throughout the southeastern U.S. from extreme southern Virginia, west to Louisiana, and south to Florida. The lizards have very shiny scales that have osteoderm bones reinforcing them, causing them to be hard and brittle. Their tails break easily, which is what gave them the name glass lizard. Glass lizards can regrow their tail if they get enough food consisting of insects, spiders, small snakes, and grasshoppers. That is another difference from snakes because snakes do not have the ability to regrow a tail. Glass lizards can live over 10 years and scientists are studying lizards’ ability to regrow their tails in hopes of advancing medical techniques.

Eastern glass lizards can be seen in the Wild Florida Reptile House. They can sometimes be hard to spot because they spend some of their time burrowed underground.

Prehensile-tailed porcupine (Coendou prehensilis) Also known as the Brazilian porcupine, this nocturnal species can be found all over South America. These porcupines like to eat a variety of fruit (both green or ripe), seeds, tree bark, and occasionally leaves. While mostly solitary creatures, they can be social as well. They communicate with scent markings and vocal sounds, such as whistling and low moaning cries. Prehensile-tailed porcupines are skilled climbers and arboreal, preferring to stay high up in the canopies of trees where they can forage for food and stay away from predators. Even from birth, a porcupine is not entirely defenseless. Its eyes are open, it has sharp claws, and can already use its prehensile tail. Contrary to popular belief, porcupines cannot shoot their quills, but they can easily fall off when touched. Each quill has a set of barbs at the end so that any animal or person unfortunate enough to touch one will have a painful time removing it.

Prehensile-tailed porcupines are located in the Education Department.

January–March 2020 Births & Hatchings

Acquisitions

Black-faced ibis .............................................0.0.1 Eastern black-and-white colobus ..............0.1.0 Eastern bongo ..............................................0.1.0 Striped newt ............................................ 0.0.338 Yellow-billed stork .......................................0.0.3

Common squirrel monkey ..........................1.0.0 Eastern glass lizard .......................................0.0.4 EASTERN INDIGO SNAKE ............................1.0.0 Prehensile-tailed porcupine .......................1.1.0 Southern white rhinoceros .........................1.0.0 Spotted turtle................................................0.0.2

LEGEND: 0.1.2 • • • • •

First digit male. Second digit female Third digit sex unknown Two digits only represent male and female CAPS = Endangered Species * (Asterisk) = First time at the Zoo

WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

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GARDENER'S CORNER

Life is Better in the Garden

By Chris Dailey, Horticulture Manager

Gardens at Trout River Plaza

In response to new leisure time and the desire to be outdoors, many people have rediscovered gardening and nature in the last year. Gardening has become quite popular as folks have been seeking hobbies that include fresh air and limited contact with others.

Experienced gardeners know all the obvious beneficial outcomes of a well-tended garden: scenic views, restful shade, showy flowers, tasty food, wildlife viewing, and improved property value. Some plant keepers also understand the more complex ecological benefits like pollinator conservation, air purification, water filtration, and soil improvement. However, seasoned gardeners know there are also personal health and wellness benefits.

Gardening is hard, physical work.

Many of the strenuous tasks accomplished in the garden equate to exercise. Sustained “garden exercise” often leads to weight loss, stronger muscles, greater flexibility, improved breathing, and other health benefits. As with other forms of exercise, stretching and conditioning are important before taking on any strenuous garden activity.

Gardening grows the mind.

The plant world is huge and there is much to know about plant care and the eventual understanding of gardening’s environmental impacts. A persistent gardener never stops learning.

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WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

Gardening is an art form.

It is a creative outlet just like painting, writing, or playing music. Opportunity for personal artistic growth is limitless for the enthusiastic gardener.

Gardening is a challenge.

There are so many things that can go wrong, and setbacks teach us to learn from our mistakes. An honest gardener will admit to killing many plants while trying to figure out how to make them thrive. When there is finally success after many failures, there is an intense sense of accomplishment and pride, followed by renewed confidence.

Gardening can be social.

Sharing plants, seeds, cuttings, tools, and knowledge is natural for those who love plants. Serious gardeners can quickly make a lengthy list of friends who they met through plants. Many even have fond memories of passed loved ones who shared gardening and plants with them.

Finally, gardening can improve mental wellness.

There is something about being surrounded by plants and nature, when everything is balanced and working together, that calms the mind. It may be the changing light as it moves through the plants, the earthy feel of the soil, the clean smell of the garden air after a gentle rain, the taste of fresh food, or the quiet sound of trees moving in the breeze.

PHOTOS: JOHN REED

Asian Bamboo Garden

WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

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ZOO ZONE FOR KIDS

Celebrate International Mud Day Tuesday, June 29

By Emily Blum, Educator

Mud Painting Activity

What You'll Need

There are countless ways to celebrate International Mud Day on Tuesday, June 29, but all of them have one thing in common: you must get dirty!

International Mud Day aims to connect children around the globe to the natural world around them—by playing in the mud of course. Mud play helps children develop tactile skills with sensory play and can also release serotonin in the brain, which lowers stress levels and regulates mood. Some studies have also found the microscopic bacteria found in mud may help strengthen children’s immune systems.

In fact, playing in an environment that is too clean at a young age may increase the likelihood of developing allergies and asthma. So, playing in mud can help make your child happy and healthy.

• • • • • • •

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WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

Cups or other containers Dirt Water Stirring sticks or spoons Paintbrushes or fingers Paper Optional: food coloring

1 Grab some cups and go on an adventure around your yard or neighborhood and collect dirt. Get a variety of colors and textures to experiment with.

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Add water to your dirt to create mud and stir with a stick or spoon. Play with the dirt and water ratio to get a consistency you would like to paint with. We recommend a thicker mud for painting. Optional: Add some food coloring to your mud. Usually, 10 or more drops help the color shine through.

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Paint with either a paintbrush or your fingers.

Remember to have fun and do not be afraid to get a little messy.

WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

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ANIMAL HIGHLIGHTS

Western Lowland Gorilla Male infant born April 14, 2021

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WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

PHOTOS: JOHN REED

Zoo Exhibits African Forest

Habitat Tropical forests

Diet Primarily plants including leaves, seeds, roots, shoots, and fruit.

Range Central and western Africa

Conservation Status IUCN Redlist Critically Endangered

WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

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EDUCATION

Upcoming Programs

By Jamie Gilkison, Education Engagement Supervisor

Wild Family Workshops: Zoo Sleuths (Sold Out) June 12 9 a.m.–12 p.m.

Ages 4 & up A mysterious crime has happened at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. Do you have the detective skills to become a part of our elite crew of Zoo sleuths? Through investigation and discovery, we will examine the crime scene, uncover clues, and find out “whodunnit.” Help bring order back to the Zoo. jacksonvillezoo.org/wild-family-workshops Wild Family Workshops: Flutter and Fly July 17 9 a.m.–12 p.m Ages 4 & up Calling all butterfly lovers: earn your Wings Over Florida butterfly certificate and become a butterfly expert in this all-about-butterflies workshop. Join us as we discover, identify, and count various butterfly species we find right here in our Zoo. A butterfly themed activity and craft will round out this high-flying day of fun. jacksonvillezoo.org/wild-family-workshops Wild Family Workshops: Sounds of Music August 21 9 a.m.–12 p.m.

Ages 4 & up Explore music with the sounds of the Zoo. You may have heard our lion roar, but have you heard our warthogs chant or our southern screamers, well, scream? Not only will we hear our animal friends, but they will hear us too. As we walk through the Zoo, we will be joined by a musician who will play music for our animals. We will discover how animals react to diverse types of music, meet some of our musical animal ambassadors, and make an instrument for you to play your own music around the Zoo and at home. jacksonvillezoo.org/wild-family-workshops Stroller Safari June 22 and 26—Australia and Play Park (Sold out) July 20 and 24—Stingray Bay, Giraffes, and Savannah Blooms (Sold out) August 24 and 28—Range of the Jaguar Ages 3 and under Pack up the stroller, put on your walking shoes, and bring your little one on an early learning adventure as we stroll through the Zoo. Make new friends while you visit animal exhibits, meet a friendly animal ambassador, read a story, and explore the animal world with all your senses. jacksonvillezoo.org/stroller-safari

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WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

Summer Zoo Camp June 7–July 30 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Kindergarten–8th grade It has been a long year, and we are all ready to bring some adventure back into our lives. Luckily, Summer Zoo Camp at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is here and ready to help. Kids entering K–8th grades in the fall can join us for one or two of our week-long sessions and have a wildly fun time. jacksonvillezoo.org/summer-zoo-camp Nature Newbies Summer Semester starts June 15 Ages 1–3 Each Nature's Newbies class will engage you and your child in free-choice play activities, a story, song, and more. Programs will also feature a positive and engaging interaction with one of the Zoo's animal ambassadors to allow for an up-close encounter during each class. jacksonvillezoo.org/natures-newbies Zoo Tots Summer Semester starts June 16 Ages 3–5 Zoo Tots focuses on specific animal themes to engage your preschooler as they learn about the wonders of the animal kingdom. Each program emphasizes positive and engaging interactions with animal ambassadors as well as activities, stories, and crafts that revolve around the week's central theme. jacksonvillezoo.org/zoo-tots

WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

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SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT

Douglas Peacock

Jenson Bell

Tag your posts with #jaxzoomember for a chance to see your photos here.

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WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

kvol30

Jill Griffis Boatright

mementomorris66

stufftodoinjax WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

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ANIMAL PROGRAMS

UNF and Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens: A Unique Scientific Partnership

By Terry L. Maple, Ph.D., Director of Wildlife Wellness

As a former college professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, I organized field trips to local zoos and aquariums and utilized the animal collections to gather data for my research. I never had to build a lab or pay per diem costs for subjects, as the zoo was my living laboratory during the years I was employed at Emory and Tech.

All my students greatly benefited from close contact with charismatic megafauna, and my graduate students were able to generate high quality master’s theses and doctoral dissertations on a variety of taxa. Over the years, we studied the behavior of alligators, anteaters, antelopes, baboons, bonobos, capuchins, chimpanzees, elephants, giant pandas, hippos, gibbons, giraffe, gorillas, lions, mandrills and drills, orangutans, spider monkeys, tamarins, and tigers. With the biodiversity represented in zoos, we were able to practice our trade as comparative psychologists, publishing more than 250 research papers and books.

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WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

Zoos and aquariums provide access to scholars in colleges and universities and their students. Academics need zoological collections as no university has the space or the financial resources to manage so many animals. Managed properly in naturalistic displays, zoo and aquarium animals are inspiring sources of knowledge. Students and faculty who study these animals enable zoos to build innovative exhibits and manage with better practices.

Universities need zoos and aquariums that are willing to form strategic partnerships. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is fortunate to have colleagues at the University of North Florida (UNF) who share our enthusiasm for wildlife. Both partners are equally dedicated to developing a truly empirical zoological facility.

The Biology and Psychology departments at UNF have committed to educating graduate students with an interest in zoo animals. The zoo provides funding for these students to work with UNF faculty and collaborate with zoo personnel. Two of our former students have moved on to doctoral programs, and two others are working in zoos. We expect great productivity from these young zoo biologists. They help zoo staff by contributing data to solve management and husbandry problems.

Our unique program is the foundation that defines an empirical, evidence-based zoological park. Throughout the zoo, students and faculty collaborate on a variety of projects. Much of this research is connected to our wellness program. We are national leaders in wellness and have mentored other zoos to join us in advancing animal welfare to meet wellness standards. Essentially, wellness is an expansion of welfare standards for animals and people, ecosystems, and communities.

Every future exhibit at our Zoo will be influenced by our wellness operating philosophy. The pandemic challenged zoos and aquariums to create safer, cleaner facilities, so wellness has great relevance in managing today’s zoological parks. The pandemic has changed everything we are doing for our visitors and employees.

The first exhibit to reflect wellness design principles w a s o u r a w a rd - w i n n i n g t i g e r e x h i b i t . O u r s t a ff incorporated new ideas such as vertical travel tunnels w h e re t i g e r s c o u l d e x p l o re t h e Z o o b e y o n d t h e confines of their exhibits. African Forest also reflects wellness standards featuring a cognitive work station for enrichment and for evaluating cognitive capacity.

We hired Dr. Lindsay Mahovitz to lead our program of research with bonobos, gorillas, and mandrill baboons.

Our wellness program is supported with operating funds and a major donation from an anonymous donor.

We are grateful for their support and encouragement.

As a model program, we expect many other zoos to create similar partnerships. As we strive to keep building our wellness program, we are proud to spearhead this effort among the best zoos in North America. We invite you to stop by and learn more about our work.

For more information about Dr. Terry Maple and wildlife wellness, check out his book Beyond Animal Welfare on Amazon.

Terry L. Maple, Ph.D., and a bonobo at the Kapok tree in African Forest

WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

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CONSERVATION

Wellness and Wildlife Conservation

By John Lukas, Curator of Wildlife Conservation

Animal wellness implies an involvement of humans in the care and management of wildlife to promote an environment that is as natural as possible, in which they can thrive. In the wild, however, wellness does not apply to animals living a natural life as their evolutionary history determines where and how they live.

In the field of wildlife conservation there is a need to apply the principles of wellness to help animals that have been orphaned or injured while they are being rehabilitated in human care. Caretakers help the animals adapt to their temporary conditions before they can be released back to the wild. This includes keeping the animals in a natural environment, in the right social groupings, and in optimum health to contribute to a successful outcome when they are released.

As wild lands and natural habitats are increasingly occupied by an expanding human population, conflict arises and animals fall victim to poaching and the bushmeat trade. Primates are particularly affected by hunting for meat and retaliation for crop raiding. Many young primates are captured after their mothers are killed to be sold in markets as pets. Wildlife authorities confiscate the animals from markets and from owners to be cared for by conservation organizations that are dedicated to helping these unfortunate animals.

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens supports two organizations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that care for orphaned bonobos and Grauer’s gorillas: Lola Ya Bonobo and Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (GRACE). The approach to providing wellness is similar for both species. A human surrogate mother cares for the orphans around the clock as their mother would until they can be socialized with animals of similar age.

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WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

Eventually different age primates are introduced to mimic mixed social groupings of wild populations. They live in an enclosed habitat which contains similar food sources to those they will encounter at the release site.

Providing veterinary care is a human intervention to help the animals grow to be physically fit and contribute to their overall wellness.

Once the bonobos at Lola Ya Bonobo are living as a cohesive group needing minimal human care, they can be translocated to a protected rain forest block. Here they receive supplemental feedings until they can forage widely and take care of their own needs. Over 30 confiscated bonobos are now living in the wild in a community reserve protected by eco-guards from the local villages.

At GRACE in Eastern DRC, 14 orphaned Grauer’s gorillas live as one social group. The Grauer’s gorilla is the largest gorilla species and therefore the largest primate in the world with only 3,800 individuals remaining in the wild. GRACE staff care for the gorillas and work with the local community to monitor and protect the release site in Tayna Nature Reserve. Providing natural food in a large forest enclosure prepares the gorillas for a future in the wild. Insecurity in the region has delayed the release of the gorillas but work continues locating the best release sites when security improves.

Care of orphaned primates is difficult but applying the principles of wellness-inspired management gives the animals the best chance to survive once they return to their forest home. Your membership at our Zoo helps us support our conservation partners around the world, including Lola Ya Bonobo and GRACE.

Bonobos can be seen in the African Forest exhibits

PHOTO: JOHN REED

WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

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SNAPSHOT SOCIETY

Summer Photo Shooting Notes from the Field

By John Reed, Photography Volunteer & Snapshot Society Teacher

Spring is behind us and now we are now headed for the long, hot summer. It can certainly be more challenging to take photos when the weather turns hot and humid, so please remember these commonsense tips before photographing. First, dress for the heat with lightweight clothes that wick away sweat.

Next, splash on sunscreen, insect repellent, or both depending on the situation. Nothing ruins the photo experience more than being slowly roasted and/or eaten by biting insects. Finally, drink water. None of these are tough, but I have had folks during workshops forget one or more of these tips and were sorry for it.

When photographing animals in the wild or at the Zoo, the best times of the day are early and late. Early in the day the temperatures are lower and the critters are more active. Late can still be warm, but animals are generally a bit more active as they get ready to settle in for the night.

Find yourself a nice spot and drop anchor.

By that I mean stay put and let nature come to you. Results are often better when the animal finds you rather than if you tromp around looking for subjects. Even at the Zoo where the animals are easily found, your patience will often be rewarded. Stick with one subject, get comfortable, and be ready.

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WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

Being ready means two things. First, be alert and watch the subject. Most will give some tipoff of action about to take place. Secondly, if you have an adjustable camera, take a few test shots to dial in your exposure for the situation so you are ready when the action occurs. Doing that before any action helps ensure you are not fiddling with buttons and dials when things start happening.

If fast action is expected, be sure to have a higher shutter speed set to freeze the motion.

Otherwise, just remember the basic rule of thumb: set your minimum shutter speed at one over the focal length you are using. For example, with a 100mm lens, you should use 1/100 sec or faster. If your camera is not a full-frame sensor, double that number to be safe. For those of you familiar with aperture settings, set it either for the depth of field you want, or if you do not care about depth of field, set it between f/8 and f/11. That is where most lenses are sharpest. Finally set your ISO to give you the shutter speed you want or need for the aperture you have selected.

PHOTOS: JOHN REED

Early in the day:

Later when it gets hot:

With these tips you should be able to capture some action on those warmer days.

Good luck and enjoy your summer.

WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

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VOLUNTEERS

Enriching Animals’ Lives Through Volunteers

By Alyssa Knowlton, Volunteer Engagement Coordinator

Have you ever walked around the Zoo and seen a bonobo playing with a colorfully painted box? Have you spotted a bird eating Cheerios off a palm frond? Did you witness a tiger playing with a rice paper pinata full of spices?

Keepers give these items to the animals as enrichment, which enhances the animal’s wellness by providing physical and mental stimulation while demonstrating their species-specific, natural behaviors. Enrichment can be as important as nutritional and veterinary care, and loyal groups of volunteers help provide these necessary items to the animals.

Our Volunteer Engagement Department partners with different community organizations such as The Arc Jacksonville, North Florida School of Special Education, and Transitioning Adult Program (TAP) to coordinate opportunities for the volunteers to come out to the Zoo. These volunteers join us weekly throughout the school year to help clean windows and rotate through a variety of fun and engaging enrichment projects—for both volunteers and animals.

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WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

By volunteering at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, adults with intellectual differences gain job experience, social skills, and strong work ethics in a fun environment. Without their hard work and dedication, the Zoo’s animals would not experience the same level of enrichment. We unfortunately faced this reality in early 2020. Even though our weekly groups had to take a pause that spring due to the ongoing pandemic, they came back later that year and were as enthusiastic as ever.

The students are currently taking their summer break for a couple of weeks, but will be back in the fall, ready to help our keepers and support animal wellness once again.

When that time comes, keep an eye out for these groups cleaning windows around the Zoo and say hello if you ever meet them. So, now when you notice a bird playing with a pinecone covered in peanut butter and bird seed, you will know a little bit about the great individuals who made it.

WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

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The Jacksonville Zoological Society cordially invites you to the

2021 Annual Board Meeting October 20, 5–6 p.m.

Light refreshments will be served.

As a valued Member, you have the opportunity to lear n more about the Zoo as an organization and participate in a review of our past year. We will honor past board members and look to the future by introducing new board members.

RSVP if you would like to attend: annualmeeting@jacksonvillezoo.org.

Information will be sent at a later date to those that reply.

Include your name and number of guests attending.

Please note this an adult event.

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WILD MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

ASIAN SMALL CLAWED OTTERS PHOTO: JOHN REED