Expeditions - Spring 2021

KANSAS CITY ZOO A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE

SPRING 2021

G’Day Mate!

Koalas Return to the Kansas City Zoo!

Inside this issue: • Koalas!

• Jazzoo 2021 • A Day in the Life of a Zookeeper

Dear Zoo Friends, Things are heating up at the Zoo, including very exciting changes. The koalas, Thackory and Chuckels, arrived safely from San Diego Zoo and are now on exhibit. They will be here through November and are making themselves at home in the former swamp monkey habitat. (The swamp monkeys have been temporarily relocated behind the scenes during the koalas’ visit.) It’s been five years since we’ve had these popular marsupials and it is so fun to watch the excitement on children’s faces as they see koalas for the first time!

If you have been to the Zoo lately, you know that there is also a large construction project underway in the old valley area where the original bear grotto was located. This is where we plan to build our next big project, an aquarium, that will be the culmination of years of effort by many in our community. We are currently putting together final plans and funding, and anticipate being able to hold an official kickoff ceremony this summer. At that time, we will share many more details about the aquarium’s design and future inhabitants.

In the meantime, work has begun to prep the area by clearing it and addressing storm water drainage. The exhibits that were located along Beaks and Feet Boulevard have been permanently closed as those structures were removed as part of the construction project. The animals from Beaks & Feet have been moved behind the scenes and will be relocated within the Zoo as we are able to find new habitats for them.

We cannot wait to bring the experience of the ocean to Kansas City residents who may never get the opportunity to see it first-hand. With 600,000 gallons of water, the aquarium is expected to be about five times the size of Helzberg Penguin Plaza. Building ocean awareness and engaging in ocean wildlife conservation will be a big part of the aquarium experience at the Kansas City Zoo. And, the aquarium should also help us to continue our growth in annual attendance and membership, especially as it provides another indoor attraction that would not be weather-dependent.

This $75 million project will be funded through private donors and the Zoological District, which was created through a 1/8 cent sales tax in Jackson and Clay counties. We anticipate opening the aquarium in 2023 and cannot wait to share more about it. Check future issues of Expeditions for all the details!

See you at the Zoo!

Randy Wisthoff Executive Director/CEO

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2020 Friends of the Zoo BOARD OF DIRECTORS Hayley Hanson, Chairperson Husch Blackwell LLP

Wesley Fields, Secretary

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP

David Sanchez Jr., Treasurer PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP

Stephanie Ayers, Service Management Group David Barr, Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co., Inc. Brad Bodamer, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP Dr. Yolanda Cargile, Center School District Sharon Cleaver, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City Jeff Dillon, VanTrust Real Estate LLC Wes Dixon, KeyWest Technologies, Inc. Jan Francis, Heartland Golf Development Sandra Garcia, Metropolitan Community Colleges Ana Hernandez, La Mega Spanish Radio Audrey Hill, Saint Luke’s Health System Gayle Krigel, Community Volunteer Julius Lai, Community Volunteer Todd LaSala, Stinson Leonard Street LLP Jill Marchant, Hallmark Cards, Incorporated Yvette Miceli, Construction Brokers, Inc. Joe Prenger, ECCO Select Tony Reinhart, Ford Motor Co. Terry Riley, Transformation Consultants, LLC Kathy Smith, Community Volunteer Tom Waggoner, HOK Architects Representing the City of Kansas City Kevin McManus, Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw, KC City Council, 5th District Earnest Rouse, Acting City Manager Terry Rynard, Director of Parks of Recreation Zoological District Commissioners Greg Canuteson, Clay County Carol Hallquist, Jackson County David Mecklenburg, KC Parks & Recreation Rep Jerry Nolte, Clay County Dan Tarwater III, Chair, Jackson County Randy Wisthoff, KC Zoo Representative

Open daily, year round. www.KansasCityZoo.org 816.595.1234 The Kansas City Zoo is a non-smoking environment, except in designated areas which are indicated on the Zoo Map and on grounds with signs and ash trays.

The Kansas City Zoo, a private, non-profit organization is operated in agreement with the Kansas City, MO Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners, partially funded by the Zoological District in Jackson and Clay Counties in MO, and is accredited by the Assocation of Zoos and Aquariums.

Expeditions – Spring 2021

Welcome, Little Ones!

King Penguin

Photo by Bill Arimborgo

King penguins Bennie and Ricky, both 18, welcomed their first chick on April 12. The tiny chick had incubated for 55 days atop its parents’ feet, covered by a warm flap of feathered skin.

These impressive birds, the second largest of all penguins, are native to the sub-Antarctic islands of the Southern Hemisphere and can stand 3-feet-tall at adulthood and weigh up to forty pounds.

The little chick will stay in his parents’ care for up to one year! It will grow to nearly match its parents in height but will retain its fluffy brown feathers for many months. Until the chick is fully feathered, it will stay inside the protective “playpen” at the front of the exhibit. This is to prevent the chick from accidentally entering the frigid water, as its downy feathers do not afford it any protection.

Photo by Kenda Patterson Photo by Bill Arimborgo

Humboldt Penguin Humboldt penguins Vito and Beatriz welcomed their new chick, Salsa, on April 2. She will stay in her nest box until 70-90 days old, which is when Humboldt chicks normally fledge in the wild.

You can visit our penguin colony and our newest residents at Helzberg Penguin Plaza or check out our live webcams at Youtube.com/KansasCityZoo.

Scimitar-horned Oryx Two scimitar-horned oryx calves have joined the herd! Did you know that these antelope are classified as “Extinct in the Wild?” These two calves bolster the numbers of animals in human care. You can see these adorable youngsters on the plains habitat in the Africa section of the Zoo.

www.kansascityzoo.org

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A Day in the Life of a Zookeeper Photos by Nicole Bissey for Missouri Life Magazine Every day of the year, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, our team of nearly one hundred zookeepers arrive at the Zoo ready to give the animals in their care their very best. They arrive as early as 6 am and begin by checking in with their animals, reviewing the notes from the day before, and ensuring all the animals are well. As unglamorous as it may be, zookeepers note anything out of the ordinary which can include inconsistent feces, urine, or vomit.

Any of these could be cause for concern and will be relayed to our management and veterinary staff.

The day’s food is retrieved from cold storage, barns, and even our own animal commissary where fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish are prepared in accordance with each animal’s specific needs. Even individuals of the same species may receive slightly different mixes of foods according to their age, weight, and any health conditions. Medications are dispensed as well, from daily medications for age-related ailments to “sandwiches” of heart pills for a few of our elephants.

Next on the agenda, outdoor habitats are sanitized and scrubbed of the prior day’s enrichment, animal waste, and any leftover food items. Then comes the task of creating the day’s enrichment. That can include scattering food items, hiding treats in nooks and crannies, or decorating the exhibit with themed items for the day’s scheduled guest activities. Once all of this is done, feeding may take place indoors to ensure everyone is properly fed before they spend their day in their public habitats. Zookeepers may use this time to perform medical checks or husbandry procedures like foot care for elephants or eye drops for sea lions.

Additionally, training may take place, giving them an opportunity to develop strong relationships with the animals as well as ensuring they can participate in their own health care by presenting body parts, etc.

Once all these tasks are done, safety checks are performed to ensure the habitat is ready and the animals are given access… and that is all before the

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Expeditions – Spring 2021

Zoo opens to the public! Now the zookeepers begin to clean indoor habitats and barns. It all has to be done, from scooping hundreds of pounds of elephant dung to cleaning the glass at Helzberg Penguin Plaza, and some of these tasks are completed multiple times each day. Once indoor facilities are cleaned, diets are prepared, training is done, and enrichment is made, teams are able to perform routine care. Veterinarians may have appointments with animals for treatment or exams. Paperwork must also be completed, and records kept carefully. Just about now, it’s time to clean again! Fingerprints on glass must be washed, habitats checked, and additional enrichment items given. Over the loudspeakers, the closing announcements are made and animals are given access to their lovingly-prepared evening quarters, where evening meals and medications are distributed, more safety checks are made, and buildings are locked for the night.

All these tasks are essential, and the Zoo relies on our dedicated team of professionals to provide our animals with the best life possible and you, our guests, the best visit possible.

www.kansascityzoo.org

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Life Support at the Zoo? What Do They Do? There are many staff members that work at the zoo who are rarely seen by guests but are still of great importance to its daily operation. The life support team falls in this realm.

The name may sound like a version of veterinarians who are standing by for animal emergencies, but their job is actually to help prevent emergencies.

As the Zoo has continued to grow and add habitats with water and filtration, our need for staff who monitor water quality has increased dramatically. Since 2007, we have added aquatic exhibits at Tropics, the front entry, Polar Bear Passage, Helzberg Penguin Plaza, and Stingray Bay. We have also added filtration to the sea lion and elephant pools. While our animal care teams work with our maintenance staff to maintain exhibit excellence, we also need staff whose sole focus is ensuring water quality for the health of the animals and water clarity for our guests. In 2015, we added Rick Stuckey as our life support specialist and in 2019, added Kaylee Craven as a life support operator.

Each aquatic addition at the Zoo has brought with it additional daily specialized maintenance that our life support crew is responsible for. There is chemical filtration that needs to be established, maintained, and monitored. Preventative maintenance schedules are kept to prevent pump damage and then maintenance must be performed when systems malfunction. Proper water flow must be determined, and filtration monitored. Filters need to be managed and cleaned on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis. Thousands of gallons of saltwater mixes are made each week. Each type is made to a specific salinity level depending on the needs of the animals.

The life support operators help to monitor the pH, ammonia, and nitrogen levels of the water as higher levels can create health issues with fish and invertebrates. When these levels go outside of the norms, water changes are performed.

Even in areas where animals may not spend their entire days in water, the life support team has helped in developing plans to ensure the water is a safe place for our animal residents. The amphibians in the Discovery Barn are examples of that as are the Wyoming toads that are in behind-the-scenes areas.

As is the case for anyone working with animals, the workday may not be what is considered “normal.” Some tasks must be completed after our visitors have left for the day. The life support team is also on call 24/7 when emergencies occur, such as a power outage or low flow rate on an exhibit.

The success of this team is also measured by the communications they have with other staff. In addition to the six animal teams they may work with each day, they must also work well with our maintenance team, vendors, and contractors.

As the Zoo plans for the future, there will certainly be more water features and an increased need for more of these unsung heroes. The next time you watch our penguins swim through crystal clear water, remember the people that you never see who help to make it possible!

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Expeditions – Spring 2021

Adopt a Wild Child Show your favorite animal that you care. As an adopting individual, family, group, or corporation, you will receive a personalized adoption certificate, framed animal photo, an invitation to the annual adoption picnic, and other fun wild perks throughout the year. Visit the Kansas City Zoo often–you’ll see your adoption at work!

Learn more at kansascityzoo.org/donate.

ADOPT A KOALA! Each $75 adoption includes: • Koala plush • A personalized eucalyptus leaf on our donor mural YOUR NAME • And more!

HE RE!

Your adoption helps support our visiting koala friends and all of the animals at the Kansas City Zoo.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2021

4 MILE & 1 MILE

RUN THRU THE ZOO COLLECTIBLE FINISHER MEDALS 8:30am - 4 Mile Walk/Run 9:45am - 1 Mile Walk/Run

REGISTER AT www.KansasCityZooRun.org PRODUCED BY EVENT MIDWEST, LLC.

RUN #4 OF THE KC SWEET 16 RACE SERIES - www.kcsweet16.com

Scan the QR code or visit kansascityzoo.org/donate/ adopt-a-wild-child to adopt today!

www.kansascityzoo.org

SPONSORED BY

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 6:00pm – 11:30pm

Support the Zoo at the wildest fundraiser in Kansas City!

Participating Restaurants Belfonte Ice Cream & Dairy Foods Co. Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken

Smitty’s Garage Burgers & Beer

Bizz & Weezy Confections

Hiland Dairy

Southside Bar & Grille

Bo Lings

Kingswood

Tabard’s Ale House

Brookside Poultry Company

Lakeview Village

Teocali Mexican Restaurant & Cantina

Carmen’s Cafe

Lion’s Choice

The Homesteader Café

Charleston’s

Macarena’s Mexican Food

The Roasterie

Chicken N Pickle

Morgana’s Gluten Free Bakery

The Town Company

Cosentino’s Catering

O’Neill’s Restaurant & Bar

The Well

Cowtown Mini Donuts

Polar Oasis

T-Shotz

Deep Roots Restaurant & Bar

Price Rite Market & Deli

Unforked

Edible

Redrock Canyon Grill

Waldo Pizza

Fogo de Chao

Shake Shack

GATES BAR-B-Q

Sheridans

...and more to be announced!

To ensure plenty of room for social distancing, Jazzoo 2021 is limited to 1,500 exclusive sponsors-only tickets with levels beginning at $1,000.

See all sponsorship opportunities at JazzooKC.org

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Expeditions – Spring 2021

Conservation by the Numbers

2020

2020 CONSERVATION FUND REVENUE Raised $350,000

CONSERVATION IN ACTION

$303,000

23 Reforestation of 28 acres of riparian habitat in the tropical floodplain rainforest within the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary in Sabah, Borneo.

Roughly 10,000 tree saplings planted.

Trumpeter Swan Cygnets born at the Zoo and reintroduced into the wild

To date, 19,660 fresh water mussels raised at the Zoo have been released into the wild

10+ pollinator gardens at the Zoo

Participated in 89 Species Survival Plans

$300,000

in 2020

$250,000

$204,000

In 2020, $204,000 was raised from the conservation portion of admission and membership sales

$24,000

$200,000

Step Up programs in the gift shops and food and beverage locations along with animal paintings sold in the gift shop accumulated $24,000

$150,000

$26,000

$26,000 was raised from education programs and events, including the Zoo Run and Brew at the Zoo

$100,000

5

57

Mammals

Amphibian & Reptiles

$49,000

$50,000

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Donations from our bird show, coin vortex displays, private donations, and miscellaneous contributions raised $49,000

Birds

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Fish

CONSERVATION PROJECTS 18 Total Conservation Projects Worldwide 9 Projects in Foreign Countries 9 Total Projects in the United States 6 Projects at the Kansas City Zoo

Conservation Fund Expenses:

$203,005

1 9 4 2

2

$127,560 Conservation Research and Field Projects $5,009 Conservation Program Support $70,436 Conservation Initiatives Supported Remaining funds reserved for future conservation projects.

www.kansascityzoo.org

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Image courtesy of San Diego Zoo Global

• Thackory was born at the San Diego Zoo on June 15, 2011.

• He is a smaller-sized male koala weighing in at 6.80kg or 15lb.

• His name means “heavy.”

• Thackory is a seasoned veteran of koala loans; he has been to Boston, Indianapolis, and Santa Barbara. This will be his fourth loan and first to Kansas City.

• Thackory has a very calm disposition and does very well being handled. Thackory has been paired with females in the breeding program, and just sired his first offspring last year!

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Expeditions – Spring 2021

Image courtesy of San Diego Zoo Global

Come visit us!

Now-November!

• Chuckels was born at the San Diego Zoo on October 13, 2014.

• He is a larger koala, weighing in around 9kg or about 20lb.

• He is named in honor of former San Diego Zoo Director Charles “Chuck” Bieler, who was instrumental in bringing the first breeding group of koalas to San Diego in the 1970s.

• Chuckels is a more vocal koala and will often grunt while being carried. He can be ornery and will become fidgety when being held for too long.

• If given the choice, Chuckels likes to sit up high in his perching and not come down low to interact with keepers.

• Chuckels loves to eat!

www.kansascityzoo.org

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Now Hiring!

Become a part of our team!

Visit kansascityzoo.org/careers.

Photos by Bill Arimborgo

GET WILD with your friends at Hump Day Happy Hours at the Kansas City Zoo. This 21 and over event lets you experience the Zoo and its animal residents kid-free while enjoying music, drinks, food truck treats, yard games, and trivia. Hang with the koalas, feed the camels, and chill out with the penguins all while supporting the Zoo! Tickets are $18 each. Timed tickets are available online at KansasCityZoo.org.

Buy soon for earliest admission!

JUNE 16, JULY 14 & AUGUST 4 5:30-8:30 Tickets are transferrable, rain or shine.

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Expeditions – Spring 2021

ZOO CALENDAR Activities for the whole family!

June Sat/Sun, June

5&6

10am-3pm

World Oceans Weekend Swim on over to the Kansas City Zoo to celebrate

World Oceans Day. Find out how Kansas City affects oceans with special displays behind Helzberg Penguin Plaza. Throughout the zoo, many of our animals will be receiving special ocean-themed enrichment to help us celebrate. Pledge your commitment to clean oceans in the lobby. Doo- doo- doo-doo- doo, do you want to meet your favorite family of sharks?

Mommy, Daddy, and Baby Shark will be taking photos with guests from 10am-3pm.

July July

Christmas in July

Sat/Sun, July

Red, White & Zoo

Sat/Sun, July

Snow Zoo

1-31

3-4

10-11

10am-3pm

Sat/Sun, July

17-18

Visit the Zoo during the month of July to participate in Christmas in July. Our donations tree will be displayed in the lobby with ornaments listing specific donation requests for our animals and their zookeepers. Take an ornament home with you and return with your donations! Donations can be delivered to Guest Relations near the front entrance of the zoo.

Have a blast this Independence Day at the Kansas City Zoo. Many of our animals will be receiving special patriotic enrichment to celebrate. Coloring sheets and crayons will be available in the lobby near our themed backdrop. Take your patriotic photo and post it on social media, tagging the Zoo in your post for your chance to win a KCZoo themed prize pack! Submissions accepted until 11:59pm on July 5.

It is cooling down at the Kansas City Zoo this weekend for Arctic Sea Ice Day! Over two tons of ice will be delivered to the Zoo for polar bears Berlin and Nuniq to enjoy, while many others will also be getting “cool” enrichment throughout the weekend.

Coloring sheets and crayons will be available in the lobby. Meet your favorite ice queen and her sister... if the cold doesn’t bother you, anyway! These cool characters will be taking photos with guests 10am-3pm.

Zookeeper Appreciation Weekend

Join us in celebrating the people that care for our animal residents- it’s Zookeeper Appreciation Weekend! We will be delivering enrichment donations collected from Christmas in July. You might even spy Santa making some special deliveries!

Check out our calendar of events online at KansasCityZoo.org to find out more information and to make reservations or call 816.595.1234 for more assistance.

www.kansascityzoo.org

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We are grateful for the continued generosity of our exhibit sponsors. Thank you for your steadfast support which helps make our world-class Zoo possible.

Great Southern Bank If your company would be interested in sponsoring an animal or area of the Zoo, please contact lisafickenscher@fotzkc.org. Kansas City Zoo sponsorship is a great way to increase visibility for your business and support the incredible work that our Zoo does year-round.

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Expeditions – Spring 2021

Spend the Night at the Zoo! We are excited to be able to offer modified private overnight options on Friday and Saturday nights! Private overnights are available for family groups of up to 10 people. Stay in Helzberg Penguin Plaza or Polar Bear Passage, take a night hike through the Zoo, and enjoy a movie. You are welcome to bring your own snacks and other activities. The cost is $500.

Private birthday parties are also available for booking. Call 816.595.1765 or email education@fotzkc.org to book either occasion. An event at the Kansas City Zoo guarantees a wild time for all of your guests!

Sign up for our weekly insider email and stay up to date on all the Zoo News!

Sign up online at kansascityzoo.org/contact or scan the QR code.

Photos by Bill Arimborgo

www.kansascityzoo.org

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NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE

OPEN DAILY!

6800 Zoo Drive | Kansas City, MO 64132 816.595.1234 | www.KansasCityZoo.org

PA I D

KANSAS CITY, MO #4831

Now through October 9:30am-4pm Monday-Friday 9:30am-5pm Saturday-Sunday

Let’s Get Social!

LOOK INSIDE!

Baby Penguin!

See page 3

ZOO MISSION: The Kansas City Zoo connects people to each other and the natural world to promote understanding, appreciation, and conservation.

Summer Activities Schedule 9:30am Humboldt Penguin Feeding 10:00am Cold Penguin Feeding Koala Chat 10:30am Sea Lion Q&A sponsored by US Bank Polar Bear Q&A Cheetah Q&A 11:00am Amazing Animal Ambassador Show Tree Kangaroo Feeding and Q&A Lorikeet Feeding 11:30am Elephant Chat Hippo Chat 12:00pm Caracal Chat Lorikeet Feeding 12:30pm Tropics Chat

(starting Saturday, May 29)

1:00pm Chimpanzee Chat Camel Chat Lorikeet Feeding 1:30pm Sea Lion Splash (starting June 26) sponsored by US Bank Gorilla Feeding and Q&A 2:00pm Koala Chat Humboldt Penguin Feeding and Q&A Orangutan Chat 2:30pm Lorikeet Feeding Rhino Chat Cold Penguin Feeding 3:00pm Bat-Eared Fox Feeding and Q&A Tiger Feeding and Q&A Lorikeet Feeding 3:30pm Amazing Animal Ambassador Show (starting July 24)