Igniting a Passion for Wildlife

Igniting A Passion For Wildlife

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL

2015 HIGHLIGHTS

Dear Friends,

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ow does an institution prepare for its 100th anniversary? By having an amazing 99th year! In every way possible, 2015 was a remarkable year for San Diego Zoo Global and we could not have done it without you!

As you will see in the pages of our latest annual report, your San Diego Zoo Global educated hundreds of thousands of students and teachers, had incredible success in breeding endangered species and returning animals back to their native habitats, and inspired millions of San Diego Zoo and Safari Park visitors to do everything possible to make the world a better and safer place for all its inhabitants.

We also launched two major initiatives in 2015.

San Diego Zoo Global’s latest strategic plan, The Call, is focused on bringing the organization’s vision statement—to lead the fight against extinction—to life.

Robert B. Horsman Chair, Board of Trustees

And the first-ever, comprehensive fund-raising campaign, Roaring Forward, was launched in November with a goal to raise $400 million by December 2017.

Thanks to friends like you, the campaign reached $291 million by December 31, 2015.

It takes passion, commitment, and teamwork to make any enterprise successful. As Doug Myers, President and CEO, often says, “Just about every zoo has lions, tigers, and bears—but no other zoo has OUR people.” This includes you as well as every other donor, member, and friend who committed their time, talent, and personal treasure to ensure San Diego Zoo Global is the most effective wildlife conservation organization on Earth. We are grateful for all the ways you have joined our fight against extinction.

Sincerely yours,

Murray H. Hutchison Chair, Foundation Board of Directors

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TA B L E O F CO N T E N T S

2015

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C E L E B R AT I N G 40 YEARS of C O N S E R VAT I O N

C O N S E R VAT I O N E D U C AT I O N

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NEWS FROM THE ZOO & S A FA R I PA R K

NUMBERS COUNT

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MAMMAL Births & NEWS

BANKING ON OUR FUTURE

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R AV I N G A B O U T R E p t i l e s

PA R T N E R I N G FOR PLANTS

AND AMPHIBIANS F E AT H E R E D FRIENDS

H O W YO U CA N H E L P

2 0 1 6 B oa r d of TRUSTEES 2 0 1 6 F O U N D AT I O N

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B OA R D

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Sa n D i e g o Z o o Safe haven for more than 3,700 rare and endangered animals representing approximately 660 species and subspecies.

Prominent botanical collection that includes more than 25,000 species and approximately 700,000 plants on grounds.

An accredited museum: 8 accredited plant collections as well as an accredited library and photo archive and the largest accredited wildlife tissue archive.

One of the nation’s most popular tourist attractions.

Sa n D i e g o Z o o Sa fa r i Pa r k 1,800-acre wildlife sanctuary for many of the Earth’s rarest animals that roam in expansive habitats.

Home to more than 3,000 animals representing nearly 300 species and subspecies.

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SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL IS COMMITTED TO LEADING The FIGHT AGAINST EXTINCTION.

A s t h e w o r l d ’s p re m i e r, n o n p ro fi t zoological organization, we are at the top of our field, with three campuses and conservation field stations around the world.

I G N I T I N G A PA S S I O N F O R W I L D L I F E

Renowned botanical collection includes 3,500 species and more than 1.7 million plants on grounds, including 3 accredited collections: Conifer Arboretum, Baja Garden, and California Nativescapes Garden.

Unique adventure-oriented experiences.

Sa n D i e g o Z o o Institute for C o n s e rvat i o n Research One of the largest zoo-based, multidisciplinary conservation science teams in the world.

The team works on more than 140 local, regional, and global projects in nearly 80 countries on 6 continents.

Helped reintroduce more than 13,000 individuals belonging to 43 species back to the wild.

The Institute is the leading innovator in applying conservation science to endangered species recovery.

The team works with more than 300 conservation partners to bring endangered species back from the brink of extinction.

Home base is the 50,000square-foot Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center for Conservation Research, located near the Safari Park’s entrance.

The Beckman Center is one of the largest, most comprehensive, and best-equipped conservation science centers in the world.

Jillian King/SDZG

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C E L E B R A T I N G CONSERVATION

from the beginning, we hAve remAined true to our vision, using innovAtive science to Achieve wildlife conservAtion successes.

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n 1975, when the Institute for Conservation Research was founded (first as CRES, the Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species), we never imagined technologies like PCR diagnostics and whole genome sequencing would be invented, let alone used for conserving species. Today, innovations like geospatial analysis and remote monitoring provide new ways to understand animals’ needs. Engagement with local communities is also helping us make a real difference for wildlife and habitats worldwide.

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What has not changed in 40 years is the passion we bring to wildlife conservation. These stories highlight the shared sense of purpose infused with hope that compels us to lead the fight against extinction.

FROGS: BUMPER CROP YEAR!

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015 was our best mountain yellow-legged frog breeding season, with the most clutches ever deposited, at 15, and the highest survival rate. We’ve learned that providing colder hibernation temperatures for adults, varying their food, and monitoring water quality all help—as does encouraging mate choice! The bumper crop was 1,800+ tadpoles, great news for one of the most endangered frogs in North America and its recovery in the wild.

Tammy Spratt/SDZG

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A m p h i b i a n D i s e as e D e t ec t i v e s

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ach day in the Amphibian Disease Laboratory we’re never sure what samples and new challenges might appear in the morning’s mail delivery.

We provide a valuable diagnostic testing service to detect deadly diseases responsible for amphibian declines worldwide.

Every discovery promotes amphibian conservation. Over 100 zoos, aquariums, and wildlife agencies use our laboratory, including international conservation programs.

C O N S E R V A T I O N

T R AC K I N G TAT Q I Q

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very day for months the Zoo’s keepers watched one of our female polar bears, 14-year-old Tatqiq, dive to the bottom of her pool. She’s trained to wear a collar with an accelerometer that tracks her movements—such as swimming, walking, and running—while she is videotaped. This digital model of bear behavior helps U.S. Geological Survey researchers compare it with data from collared wild bears, all without direct observation. It brings us one step closer to understanding how the Arctic environment affects the great white bears.

LOOKING IN ON POLAR BEARS

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n the high Arctic, we partner with Polar Bears International to study denning behaviors of mothers and cubs. Newborns are completely helpless, so the 3 months in the maternal den are critical for cub survival. Since studying polar bears in extreme cold is a challenge for biologists, we use technology—such as mounting cameras with microphones in dens—to observe polar bear families without disturbing them.

Once cubs emerge with their mothers, we hope to see good growth rates for cubs and hope mothers can hunt successfully from solid sea ice to feed their young. This helps us understand what impacts wildlife survival in remote corners of the Earth.

G I A N T PA N DA M AT I N G : L E T THEM CHOOSE!

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ecently our research team tested a novel idea with giant pandas: What happens if pandas mate with partners they choose? When paired with a partner they chose, pandas were much more likely to mate and produce a cub. While the breeding program improved dramatically over the last 20 years, we’re hoping for many more panda births.

With our Chinese partners, we’re anticipating an increase in reintroductions, a major part of this vital conservation effort.

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SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL

Conservation Projects

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NS HE

A f r i ca

A R B EA R

BOTSWANA

Cheetah

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CAMEROON

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Chimpanzee Drill Western lowland gorilla

OUR MAJOR Field Sites:

CANADA

Rainbow boa Turks & Caicos iguana BIG ISLAND, KAUAI, MAUI

Coral trees Hawaiian forest birds

S o u t h A m e r i ca COLOMBIA

Andean condor

Boreal toad

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IFO

T TO R TO I S

DEMOCRATIC REP. OF CONGO

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Canada

R N IA C O N D

Bonobo Okapi

S W RE N

KENYA

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Black rhinoceros Reticulated giraffe Grevy’s zebra

A R O C K IGU AN

MOJAVE DESERT, NV

Desert tortoise

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SONORA, MEXICO

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Burrowing owl

WYOMING

Black-footed ferret

endextinction.org

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B I L LE D PA R

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Baja California, Mexico

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Cactus wren California condor Mangrove finch Least tern PERU/AMAZON REGION Light-footed clapper rail Aguaje palm Mountain yellow-legged Andean bear frog Giant otter Pacific pocket mouse Jaguar Ringtail San Clemente C e n t ra l A m e r i ca loggerhead shrike HONDURAS Snowy plover Roatan spiny-tailed Kangaroo rats iguana Westerm pond turtle

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Mojave Desert, NV Riverside County, CA San Diego County, CA Sonora, Mexico

Palms Thick-billed parrot

ECUADOR (GALÁPAGOS IS.)

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H awa i i

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Polar bear COLORADO

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TURKS & CAICOS IS.

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Rhinoceros iguana Ricord’s iguana

Bighorn sheep California condor Peninsular pronghorn Vaquita

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

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Anegada rock iguana

BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

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BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

N o rt h A m e r i ca

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Ca r i b b e a n

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OR IG H

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Grand Cayman Honduras

Andros Island, The Bahamas Turks & Caicos Islands Anegada Jamaica Dominican Republic

JA G U A R

Colombia Ecuador Galápagos Islands

P UA I O H I

LA LA ‘ A

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D EA N B EA R

Peru/Amazon Region

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NT OT T E R

BRED MORE THAN

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ENDANGERED SPECIES!

C O N S E R V A T I O N REINTRODUCED MORE THAN

GIA N

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E O PA R D OW L

As i a BHUTAN

White-bellied heron

ENDANGERED SPECIES INTO THE WILD! P

CHINA RZ

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S K I’S H O RS

Dhole Giant panda Giant softshell turtle Guizhou snub-nosed

monkey Pheasants

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MADAGASCAR

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Lemurs

T H B EA R

DHO LE

SAHARA DESERT REGION

Addax

INDIA

Greater one-horned

rhinoceros Sloth bear

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G R EA TE

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INDONESIA

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& M A L AYA N AN

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Himalayas

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Kazakhstan

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LO W L A N D G OR

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Red panda Snow leopard

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African elephant Black-footed cat White rhinoceros

HIMALAYAS

Russia

Russia

SOUTHERN AFRICA

India

OKA PI

IN D R I

THAILAND

Asian hornbills

Bhutan

OR CHIDS Vietnam

Guam

Thailand

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N ELE P HA

Kenya

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Indonesia

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FIJI Fiji

Madagascar Botswana

C H E E TA H

Tonkin snub-nosed monkey Koala Tasmanian devil

Sumatra

T HO R N B I L R EA

VIETNAM

Au s t ra l i a

Palau

Malaysia

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Przewalski’s horse Tiger

Cameroon Democratic Republic of Congo

KAZAKHSTAN

SUMATRA & MALAYSIA China

Sahara Desert Region

Gibbon Orangutan

SMA TA

NIA N D E VI

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K OA L A Australia

Fiji iguana GUAM

Mariana crow PALAU

South Africa

Micronesian cycads Orchids Tasmania

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F O L L O W

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T E A M S

Collaborated with local communities in Kenya to lessen human-lion conflicts.

Relocated critically endangered black rhinos from areas of high poaching risk into safe habitat.

Partnered to reintroduce Tasmanian devils back into the wild and develop a vaccine for facial tumor cancer.

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eople everywhere can help us save the wildlife they love by joining San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy at endextinction.org. Thousands joined us this year alone!

Here are a few of the conservation field projects that kept our teams busy in 2015!

Released 3-year-old California condors back into the wild in Baja California, Mexico.

C O N S E R V A T I O N

A R O U N D

T H E

W O R L D Worked closely with local communities to save African elephant habitats.

Worked to combat destruction of sun bear habitat in Southeast Asia.

Saved orphaned giraffes in Kenya.

Increased endangered Pacific pocket mouse population by over 60%!

Boosted conservation efforts in Cameroon with local Gorilla Guardian Clubs, dedicated to preserving gorillas and maintaining their habitat.

Hand raised endangered pond turtles to reintroduce back into the wild.

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C e l E b r A t i n G

Nola

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Our Iconic Northern White Rhino 1 9 7 4 — 2 0 1 5

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ometimes you don’t need to travel overseas to meet one of the rarest animals on Earth. For 26 years at the Safari Park, you could see Nola, one of only four northern white rhinos left on the planet.

She was uncommonly rare and weighed more than a pickup truck. She was a vegetarian with a penchant for red apples, and she loved pedicures and back scratches.

Fellow rhino Chuck was her biggest fan, although millions of visitors gazed at her with awe over the years.

She appreciated the tender loving care lavished on her by keepers and other staff. She was a noble ambassador for her kind.

So when Nola passed away in the early hours of November 22, 2015, she was mourned around the world.

It was a double loss: Nola’s unique and gentle personality will be forever missed by those who loved and cared for her, while her species was pushed even closer to extinction.

C O N S E R V A T I O N

# R A L LY4 R H I N O S TRENDS WORLDWIDE!

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n Endangered Species Day, May 15, San Diego Zoo Global asked the public to spread the word about rhino poaching by writing a conservation message on their hand, taking a photo, and posting the photo to social media using #Rally4Rhinos. The campaign spread like wildfire with postings from San Diego to Europe, Asia, Africa, and beyond.

THE N I K I TA K A H N RHINO RESCUE CENTER WELCOMED 6 FEMALE SOUTHERN WHITE RHINOS IN N OV E M B E R 2015.

Rhino Rescue Center to the Rescue

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ola’s legacy lives on in the Frozen Zoo®, where many of her tissues were frozen for future research. Our team rallied to honor her by building the Nikita Kahn Rhino Rescue Center at the Safari Park, where we welcomed six female southern white rhinos in November.

Genetic rescue is the goal: with the northern white rhino genome sequenced, we can begin applying stem cell technologies to cell cultures. Reproductive Physiology is working on artificial insemination techniques to produce offspring through a surrogacy program with southern white rhinos.

“ S u p e r dA d ”

Maoto

of the white rhino rescue project T he success depends on the best cryopreservation

methods. We collected semen from Maoto, a 26-year-old southern white rhino, father of one calf born in 2015 at the Safari Park and expectant father of two more calves due in 2016. We’re testing to see which freezing method best protects samples. As poaching increases—1,200+ white rhinos were killed in Africa in 2015—a self-sustaining population is urgently needed.

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diet was changed by adding a new pellet low in phytoestrogens developed by our Nutritional Services team. We’ll have more news as zoos report back on diet studies, but we hope the puzzle is solved.

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ur female southern white rhinos now enjoy a new grass-based pellet as part of their meals. This may not seem extraordinary, but let’s back up to the early 1970s. That’s when a small herd of critically endangered southern white rhinos arrived at the Safari Park from South Africa and soon became one of our greatest conservation successes.

We’ve had more than 90 calves born here—but they were born to females brought in from the wild and not to their zoo-born daughters.

Reproductive Physiology found that female rhinos may be sensitive to phytoestrogens found in soy and alfalfa: these mimic

estrogen and may disrupt reproduction. If we eliminated this plant compound, females would have a good chance for a normal pregnancy. In 2015, we had three pregnancies at the Park—after the mothers’

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N e w D i e t s , N e w Hope for Rhinos

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C O N S E R V A T I O N

Co n s e rvAt i o n

MedAlists ~2015

s t i l l

w i t h

lephants face largerthan-life threats from habitat loss, humanelephant conflicts, and poaching. This is nothing new: the illegal trade in ivory was well under way in the 1970s, when Iain Douglas-Hamilton worked on groundbreaking behavior studies he continues today with Save the Elephants. Forty years later, Michael Chase is fighting the same fight through Elephants Without Borders. Our 2015 Conservation Medalists have spent much of their lives in Africa and know what it will take to save Earth’s largest land mammal.

Kelly Landen/EWB

Conservation-In-Action Award Michael Chase, Ph.D., Founder, Elephants Without Borders GPS Collar

G I A N T S

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or close to five decades Iain Douglas-Hamilton has worked tirelessly to save African elephants, leading the first scientific study of elephant behavior in Tanzania in the 1960s. He pioneered using GPS collars to track elephants, now today’s standard monitoring technique. Then DouglasHamilton sounded the alarm over the elephant poaching crisis and helped implement a world ban on ivory in 1989.

Save the Elephants, founded in Kenya in1993, works to preserve elephant populations and habitats as well as educate the public. No one has done more for elephant conservation for so long.

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hen San Diego Zoo Global partnered with Michael Chase of Elephants Without Borders, from

Lifetime Achievement Award Iain Douglas-Hamilton, Ph.D., Founder and CEO, Save the Elephants

2009 to 2014, as our Henderson Endowed Postdoctoral Fellow, he was working to save 220,000 elephants in southern Africa, nearly half of those left on the continent.

Botswana is home base for Mike Chase, where he gathers GPS data on wildlife movements across a

Nick Nichols

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w A l k i n g

50,000-square-mile area that extends into four countries.

In the Okavango Delta, his team promotes the best conservation strategies for this unique ecosystem, which encourages ecotourism, so Botswana’s treasured wildlife will survive.

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P i n t- s i z e d O w l Gets A Helping HAnd

CA L I FO R N I A CONDORS:

Flying the Friendly Skies

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an Diego Zoo Global has been hand raising and releasing California condors since the 1980s: we are very protective of this critically endangered species! Now when condors wearing new-generation GPS wing tags approach a wind farm, we have a solution: a geofence. This virtual boundary sends an alert to our Ellen Browning Scripps Spatial Ecology Lab and to wind farms to shut down the turbines until the tagged condor flies away.

ENTER GEOFENCE SMS alert sent. Fix rate to 30 sec

EXIT GEOFENCE SMS alert sent Fix rate to 15 min

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ide-eyed burrowing owls are getting much-needed attention from our Applied Animal Ecology team. A grassland stretch in Otay Mesa is home to the last breeding population of this feisty predator in San Diego County, where we are tackling burrowing owl conservation from every angle imaginable. Using camera traps and GPS mini-backpacks with data loggers helps reveal the world of this diminutive owl, such as foraging needs and what ensures chick survival. The next step is releasing owls back into restored areas, where introduced ground squirrels are creating burrows for their owl neighbors.

S AY I N G G O O D - BY E TO ALMIYI

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ird keepers at the Safari Park lost an iconic bird in May, Almiyi the California condor, a favorite with animal care staff. She hatched in 1983 at the San Diego Zoo after her egg—one of four—was brought there to start a fledgling condor recovery program to save the species. Almiyi graced a postage stamp in 1996 and was the mother of a record 38 chicks, with 28 of those now flying free in the wild.

Big Hopes

for Small Birds

tiny honeycreepers found T wo only on Kauai, the akikiki and

akekee, are getting help since their numbers tumbled drastically. Because San Diego Zoo Global has a successful history breeding endangered Hawaiian birds, we

were asked to begin a conservation program for these two.

With birds this rare, every egg collected is cause for celebration: once the camouflaged nests are spotted, it takes a 40-foot extension ladder to reach them! We collected 21 akikiki eggs and now have 12 fledglings, along with 5 akekee eggs and 1 fledgling, with more to come, we hope!

C O N S E R V A T I O N

Teens, SnowY P l ov e r s & t h e U . S . N Av Y

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O U R G OA L : PROTECT N E S T I N G A R E AS

hen our Conservation Corps high school students hit the beach at Naval Air Station North Island, they’re on a mission: protecting nesting areas for a threatened shorebird, the western snowy plover. The U.S. Navy invited us to set up a volunteer wildlife program to motivate teens. From March to September, several acres of nesting sites are roped off so beachgoers will avoid the area. Because the small birds blend in with the sand, this helps them thrive, protecting their eggs and chicks. All around, it’s a terrific example of conservation teamwork.

SHOREBIRD, THE WESTERN SNOWY P L OV E R .

Conservation Corps student hammers a beach sign to designate protected area for western snowy plovers.

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Tammy Spratt/SDZG

F O R A T H R E AT E N E D

Institute for C o n s e r vat i o n Research 40th A n n i v e r s a ry

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PAC I F I C P O C K E T M O U S E B A BY B O O M

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e celebrated new successes in breeding one of Southern California’s smallest—and most endangered—mammals, the Pacific pocket mouse. Affectionately known as PPM, they favor coastal areas also favored by developers, so the small rodents are running out of places to live.

This year, we bred 50 PPM pups and reared them to adulthood, almost doubling our current population from 60 to 110. The first release of 50 PPM into a protected area is set for 2016.

We are keeping our fingers crossed for future successes!

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hen colleagues and other friends gathered in September to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Institute for Conservation Research (formerly CRES, the Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species), it was a chance to reflect on the past, look ahead to future challenges, and welcome back visionary founder Dr. Kurt Benirschke. With Dr. Allison Alberts looking on, Dr. B’s lifelong passion for wildlife—and fascination with armadillos!—was still very much in evidence.

C O N S E R V A T I O N Researcher Tandora Grant releasing an endangered Jamaican iguana in the Hellshire Hills habitat.

When It’s Not R e a l ly t h e E n d : W i l d l i f e D i s e as e Labs

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Jeff Lemm/SDZG

Photo courtesy of Evert Henningheim/Dutch Iguana Foundation

Still Looking i n o n I g ua n as

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e’ve been a leader in developing conservation programs for Caribbean iguanas since the 1990s. Jamaican iguanas came close to extinction, with only about 50 adults remaining in the early days of our project. To make sure more youngsters survive predators, hatchlings are scooped up from their nest site and raised to a bigger size for a few years until we can safely release them.

Our headstarted iguanas are doing so well that now we look forward to releasing our 300th iguana!

W e ’ r e H e l p i n g t o S AV E

very animal in our care will reach the end of its life, and then we have an important job to do: evaluate the health of its group. Our labs play a vital role through diagnostic services and research, especially postmortem studies—discovering why an animal died so we can help improve wildlife health.

Each one leaves a legacy through tissue samples that help us advance our conservation mission for many years to come.

Tasmanian Devils!

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evils are facing a hideous disease, and conservationists are having a devil of a time dealing with it. This bewitching and unique carnivorous marsupial, best known from Taz, a 1950s cartoon character, is threatened by Devil Facial Tumor Disease, a rare cancer—highly contagious and fatal—spreading like wildfire. Our Applied

Animal Ecology team is rallying with Australian biologists to save the species.

Breeding facilities in Tasmania and mainland Australia have bred healthy devils for release into protected areas. We hope to keep them at release sites by adding their familiar “social odors” (feces), which reassure them the new habitat is safe.

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early 100 years ago in the fall of 1916, the roar of a lion inspired a local physician, Dr. Harry Wegeforth, to create the San Diego Zoo. While we celebrate a century of connecting people with wildlife in 2016, we are also looking ahead to our future with the largest fund-raising campaign in our history: Roaring Forward.

As we step into our second century, the goal is to raise $400 million by the close of 2017 to help the Zoo lead the fight against extinction.

Centennial Campaign for San Diego Zoo Global

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from the zoo & SAFARI PARK R OA R I N G F O R WA R D I N T O

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1 o o . +

N E X T

Y E A R S !

THE ROAR OF A LION INSPIRED D R . H A R R Y W E G E F O R T H .T O CREATE THE SAN DIEGO ZOO.

3 calls to action:

Ignite Grow Save

Ignite a passion for wildlife in every child.

Grow the Zoo’s worldwide leadership in animal and plant care as well as exhibition.

Save critically endangered species for future generations while working with local and global partners.

Z O O

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P A R K

N E W S

You Can Help!

To learn more about our Roaring Forward campaign and find out how you can help, please visit: sandiegozoo.org/roaringforward.

Be sure to watch our video, too— we hope it touches your heart!

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efore the public launch of Roaring Forward in the fall of 2015, there were four years of campaign fund-raising in the quiet phase. “What’s remarkable during this time is that we secured $291 million,” said Douglas Myers, President and CEO of San Diego Zoo Global. “More than 66,000 donors stepped up to contribute, from San Diego philanthropist Conrad Prebys’ lead gift of $15 million to schoolchildren pledging their allowances to help save rhinos from extinction.”

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n event to announce the public launch of the Campaign was held November 7, 2015, at the Zoo’s Wegeforth Bowl, followed by an open house in the Zoofari Party Area. Donors and other friends learned about the Zoo’s programs and saw firsthand how their donations support the Campaign’s three calls to action:

Ignite, Grow, Save.

“Now that our first-ever comprehensive campaign is public, we hope to involve all our supporters to help make the Zoo’s hopes and dreams a reality,” said Berit Durler, Campaign Chair and member of the Zoo’s board of trustees.

“The most important aspect of the $400 million is the impact Roaring Forward will have for children, wildlife, and the natural world.”

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L e a p i n g L e o pa r d s at t h e Z o o

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ew homes for two critically endangered big cats— Amur and snow leopards—opened at the Zoo in 2015. The spacious habitats, which are located adjacent to The Barlin-Kahn Family Panda Trek, include multilevel living spaces with rock outcroppings, slopes with felled trees and shrubs, and other features that encourage the leopards’ natural behaviors. There are four separate exhibits with enclosed, overhead catwalks allowing the leopards to cross between areas.

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The c at s c a n get up high and v i s i to r s ca n o b s e rv e t h e m from a unique perspective.

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Sa n D i eg o Zo o : #1 in the World!

Georgeanne Irvine/SDZG

Y Maryanne and Irwin Pfister, lead donors for Asian Leopards, enjoyed the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

More than 1,600 donors contributed $3 million to build the leopard habitats.

our San Diego Zoo was named the #1 zoo in the world by TripAdvisor®, the world’s largest travel site. Each year, TripAdvisor® presents Traveler’s Choice™ awards for zoos and aquariums. San Diego Zoo held the top spot on both the world and U.S. zoo lists!

The Safari Park also made the top 10 on the U.S. zoo list.

Top Honors f o r T i g e r T r a i l

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he votes are in and every whisker and stripe have been counted. The Safari Park’s Tull Family Tiger Trail received Top Honors for Exhibit Design from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). “This award recognizes the staff of San Diego Zoo Global for their planning, design, execution, and opening of the Tull Family Tiger Trail,” said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy. “Both animals and visitors benefit from the exhibit’s stunning backdrops and multiviewing opportunities, and the exhibit’s conservation messaging is powerful and action-driven to make an impactful experience.” That’s something to roar about!

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Breaking Ground for

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hings are really rockin’ at the Zoo now that ground has been broken on the largest expansion in our history, Conrad Prebys Africa Rocks. Ruva, an African crested porcupine, took the first dig at the groundbreaking as Africa Rocks namesake Conrad Prebys and Debbie Turner, principal donors Ernest and Evelyn Rady, and Board Chair Robert Horsman looked on.

African habitats that range from savanna to shore will be included in this $68 million project opening in 2017. Africa Rocks’ 8 acres will transform the Zoo by replacing the 1930s-era Dog and Cat Canyon grottos and cages with homes for leopards, African penguins, baboons, and dozens of other species. Included will be a Madagascar region that showcases lemurs as well as the 65-foot-tall Rady Falls, the largest man-made waterfall in San Diego.

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Z O O

Superstars

&

P A R K

N E W S

on

P e n g u i n Ca m

A

live cam showing the antics of future Penguin Beach residents— four adorable African penguins—debuted in 2015. People can watch Dan, McKinney, Vi, and D.G. on the Zoo’s website, sandiegozoo100.org/ penguincam, as they swim, preen, waddle, and dive in their temporary home at the Children’s Zoo. Stay tuned because more penguins will be arriving in the near future!

M

ore than 4,500 individual donors, including the visionary gift of $11 million from Conrad Prebys, have contributed to the Africa Rocks Campaign. Principal donor Ernest Rady provided a $10 million matching gift challenge in 2013 that resulted in 3,800 individual donors giving more than $20 million toward the exhibit.

Other principal donors, Dan and Vi McKinney, gave $5 million for the creation of Penguin Beach, an African penguin habitat. Additional funds were generously given by corporations, private foundations, and estate gifts.

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o u r Ay e - ay e B a by:

BIRTHS

A First!

F

or the first time ever, the Zoo is celebrating the birth of an aye-aye, a rare nocturnal lemur that is found only in Madagascar.

Precious Fady, a female, was born to first-time mom Styx and father Nirina. She represents hope for her species, which is critically endangered because of habitat destruction and hunting. San Diego Zoo

& NEWS BABY MAMMALS A T T H E Z O O WITH THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS IN

supports aye-aye conservation efforts in Madagascar, which include radio-tracking them to learn about their life in the wild as well as education programs to help schoolchildren understand the importance of protecting their native wildlife.

In addition, we oversee the AZA Species Survival Plan for aye-ayes in the U.S.

OUR CARE, EVERY MONTH OF THE YEAR IS A "BABY BOOM" FOR THE SAN DIEGO ZOO AND SAFARI PARK!

H i p, H i p p o, H o o r ay !

T

FA DY: RARE AND PRECIOUS!

26

he Zoo’s biggest baby in 2015 was Devi, a river hippopotamus born to mom Funani and dad Otis.

She weighed approximately 50 pounds at birth and could grow to be 3,000+ pounds like her mom. It took keepers nearly two months to determine she was a girl because protective Funani often hid her in the vegetation growing along the edges of the hippo pool. Now Devi is adventurous and explores her 150,000-gallon pool, with her mom always close by.

m A M M A L

B i r t h s

&

N E W S

27 27

The

Blues Brothers

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wo critically endangered blue-eyed black lemurs are new to the Zoo—this will be the first time this species has been exhibited here!

Nicknamed the Blues Brothers, twins Belushi and Aykroyd are destined to live in the Madagascar region of Conrad Prebys Africa Rocks.

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Ko a l a : 3 j o e ys With a cumulative total of more than 130 births, San Diego Zoo has had more koala joeys than any zoo outside Australia.

m A M M A L

B i r t h s

&

N E W S

Tinka’sTale

Mike Wilson

W

hen Tinka the parma wallaby was only a few weeks old back in 2011, she was ejected from her mother’s pouch.

The hairless baby, weighing just over 2 ounces, was found on the ground—she was dirty and cold. The Zoo’s veterinary team saved Tinka’s life and then keepers from the Neonatal Assisted Care team took over. Hand rearing such a young marsupial is challenging because they are so delicate, but Tinka thrived under their care, eventually graduating from the nursery and joining the Zoo’s other parma wallabies. In 2015, Tinka’s life came full circle when she became a mother herself. She is an excellent mom to her joey, bringing much joy to the animal care team that saved her life and helped her grow up! Today, Tinka and her family live with koalas in Conrad Prebys Australian Outback.

JAG UA R : 1 male cub, named Valerio through online voting. Valerio means powerful and strong.

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A T

Births

T H E

A N D W I L D L I F E C O N S E R VAT I O N

S A F A R I

P A R K

W I T H . i T S S PA C I O U S , NATURALISTIC HABiTATS, T H E . S A FA R I PA R K I S FAMOUS FOR BREEDING ENDANGERED SPECIES

A d da x :

16 calves, 520 total— for reintroduction into Tunisia.

SINCE 1972.

T

he numbers are impressive and include record-breaking cumulative births for a great variety of species. The Park supports conservation efforts for many of these, in addition to sending animals to other zoos as part of AZA Species Survival Plans. Here are some important breeding successes from 2015 that are tied to conservation projects:

A r a b i a n o ry x :

14 calves, 400 total—for reintroduction project in Muscat, Oman.

S c i m i ta r h o r n e d o ry x :

13 calves, 606 total— for reintroduction programs in Tunisia and Senegal.

Addra gazelle:

9 calves, 375 total— for future reintroduction program.

Bongo antelope:

8 calves, 134 total—for reintroduction into Kenya.

m A M M A L

B i r t h s

&

N E W S

Suka

T i g e r T r a i l’ s F i r s t C u b

Meet Suka, the first Sumatran

tiger cub born at the Safari Park’s Tull Family Tiger Trail. Although Joanne, his mom, cared for him during the first few days, keepers noticed he was losing weight so they made the difficult decision to hand rear him. Now that Suka— OKAPI: whose name means 1 calf, 41 total. “loved” in Malay—is Safari Park supports thriving, he has playtime conservation efforts in at Tiger Trail for a few the Democratic hours each day. Because Republic of Sumatran tigers are critiCongo. cally endangered, we participate in conservation projects to protect them in their native habitat.

Grevy’s zebra: 2 foals, 132 total.

Partnership with Grevy’s Zebra Trust in Kenya.

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he Park’s 8 giraffe births in 2015 are important because wild giraffe populations are decreasing. Our team collaborates with Kenyan partners to protect giraffes in the wild.

Caring for Congo

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32

hen Congo, a male giraffe born at the Safari Park, lost his mother last summer, keepers bottle-fed him at the Paul Harter Veterinary Medical Center. As he grew stronger, they introduced him to a 2-year-old giraffe, Leroy, in a boma, or barn, in the East Africa exhibit. Eventually he was released into the expansive habitat. Even though Congo hangs out with the other giraffe calves, he always comes running when his keeper arrives with a bottle.

m A M M A L

B i r t h s

&

N E W S

Vila:

Looking G r e at at 5 8 !

V

ila, one of the oldest gorillas in the world and the Safari Park’s matriarch gorilla, celebrated her 58th birthday in style with 7 other gorillas in her troop. This included enrichment items such as a cardboard zebra, messages written in peanut butter, popcorn, an ice cake, and Vila’s favorite—ice cupcakes filled with fruit.

New Digs for Dholes Plus Pups

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pack of critically endangered Asiatic wild dogs—dholes (pronounced “doles”)—is exploring a new 3-acre habitat at the Safari Park.

The old tiger exhibit was modified to house the 8 animals, which previously lived at an off-site breeding center. Dholes are fast runners, excellent swimmers, and impressive jumpers, so the new exhibit provides them with a pool and room to roam. Another dhole pack—including 4 pups born in 2015—continues to live at the breeding center. We support dhole conservation efforts in southern Asia and are studying vocal communication in dholes.

Counting C h e e ta h s

T

en South African cheetah cubs were born at the Safari Park in 2015, taking the cumulative number of cheetah births up to 155 cubs. Addison had her paws full with a litter of 6 cubs (see page 5), all of which she is raising herself! Our staff is involved in conservation efforts for this endangered species in Botswana as well as a Species Survival Plan for North American zoos.

Chutti Meets Moo Moo Kitty

W

hat do a rhino calf and an Ankole calf have in common?

Friendship! Chutti, a greater one-horned rhinoceros, and Moo Moo Kitty, an Ankole calf, bonded last year when the pair was introduced at the Park’s Harter Animal Care Center. Both were born to first-time mothers that couldn’t care for them. Keepers were thrilled that the “odd couple” calves became friends because both species are social and 33 the youngsters each needed a playmate.

B I R D

N E W S

F R O M

T H E

T

he spectacular Raggiana bird of paradise is the national bird of Papua New Guinea and is pictured on its national flag.

In San Diego, we have hatched more of these exquisite forest birds than any other zoo in the world!

Andean C o c k - o f -t h e Rock

9 chicks hatched.

Raising R ag g i a n as

9 chicks, including 3 from the Safari Park.

A total of 103 chicks.

T

his was our best year ever for raising these colorful birds from South American cloud forests. San Diego is one of only two zoos in the U.S. to breed this species.

A f r i ca n g o l d e n o r i o l e

1 chick. San Diego is the only U.S. zoo to breed

this species.

SAN DIEGO ZOO HAS THE RAREST BIRD.COLLECTION.IN.NORTH AMERICA,.WITH.NEARLY.310 SPECIES..AND.2015.WAS.A STELLAR YEAR FOR CHICKS, WITH MORE.THAN.640.HATCHINGS.

F E A T H E R E D

S A N

D I E G O

Z O O

F R I E N D S

Largest Colonies in the World

S

everal bird species at the San Diego Zoo, including whitebreasted woodswallows and metallic starlings, live in the largest colonies of any zoo in the world. This is a true testament to the natural environments in which they live and the superb care they receive from their keepers.

Each of these flocks

also had excellent breeding successes

in 2015.

Whiteb r e as t e d w o o d s wa l l o w

14 chicks. These Australasian birds live in 6 other U.S. zoos— and most came from our Zoo!

B ly t h ’ s

M e ta l l i c s ta r l i n g

t r a g o pa n

1 chick. San Diego has the only breeding pair of these rare Asian pheasants in any North American or European zoo.

29 chicks hatched.

N

ative to New Guinea, most of the Zoo’s 138 metallic starlings live in Owen’s Aviary. They are visible to visitors, especially in spring and summer when they build large, multichamber hanging nests out of wood wool and Spanish moss their keepers provide for them.

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W

I

N

G

I

N

G

I

T

F

R

O

M

Cra zy About

Cranes

W

attled cranes from South Africa are a species listed as vulnerable in the wild. The Safari Park has a stellar record of wattled crane hatchings—in 2015, half the chicks in North America hatched at the Safari Park!

In addition, an experienced red-crowned crane pair incubated an egg from a wattled crane couple. The chick hatched and was successfully raised by its foster parents, which just happen to be native to Asia, not Africa.

A First for the Pa r k

H

abitat destruction is causing many of the world’s crane populations to decline.

With 7 species of cranes living at the Safari Park, we are dedicated to crane conservation efforts. Some of our most important bird hatchings in 2015 were cranes.

36

F

or the first time ever, demoiselle crane chicks have hatched at the Safari Park.

What makes the chicks extra special is that both were conceived by artificial insemination.

F E A T H E R E D

T

H

E

S

A

F A

R

I

P A

F R I E N D S

R

K

Bee E at e r s i n Yo u r Bonnet

T

brought to the Zoo to be raised. wo Dalmatian pelican chicks, A third chick was raised by foster which hatched at the Safari Park in 2015, received a helping hand parents: a pair of pink-backed pelicans. And an additional 2 chicks from keepers at the Zoo’s Avian were raised by their parents, Propagation Center. The chicks’ parents were bringing the 2015 total to 5.

S a fa r i unable to care for Dalmatian pelicans are one of Pa r k them, so they were the rarest pelicans on Earth.

P e l i ca n s

West Helps East

AAfrican crowned cranes mated pair of West

with excellent parenting skills played a major role in increasing the Park’s endangered East African crowned crane population. When a first-time East African crane hen laid two eggs on an island, keepers removed them and placed them in an incubator at the off-exhibit chick-rearing facility.

A few days before the eggs were to hatch, they were transferred to the nest of West African crowned cranes that had chick-rearing experience. The two East African chicks hatched in September and thrived under the care of their West African foster parents.

I

f you visit a national park in southern Africa, you might be fortunate enough to see a large flock of white-fronted bee eaters nesting in cliffs or an earthen bank. But if you want to see any of these insect-eating birds in a North American zoo, the only place you will find them is at the Safari Park. The Park’s flock was prolific in 2015, with 11 hatchings.

White-fronted bee eaters are challenging to raise in a zoo setting, although the Park has hatched more than 90 over the years.

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T

he Zoo lost one of its most iconic residents in 2015: Speed, a beloved Galápagos tortoise that came to the Zoo in the 1930s as part of an early effort to breed and protect tortoises native to Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands. Speed arrived at the Zoo as an

SPEED: 1 5 0 -y e a r old Zoo Favo r i t E !

38

adult—and keepers estimate he was 150 years old when he died! Many people fondly remember Speed when he lived in the Children’s Zoo in the late 1950s and early 1960s. To help identify him, he had a “#5” painted in white on his shell. Speed lives on in people’s hearts—and in the more than 90 offspring that hatched when he was part of the Zoo’s breeding group of tortoises.

R AV I N G ABOUT A N D A L S O A M P H I B I A N S !

THE. ZOO .BREEDS.AND.EXHIBITS RARE.REPTILES.AND .AMPHIBIANS BUT IS ALSO INVOLVED IN CONSERVATION.PROJECTS.IN.THE.FIELD .

O p e r at i o n Turtle Rescue

L

ast summer, authorities in Palawan, Philippines, confiscated more than 4,000 turtles—3,800 of which were critically endangered Palawan forest turtles—right before they were to be shipped out and smuggled into China! A team of veterinarians and keepers from San Diego Zoo mobilized quickly and headed to the Philippines to care for and rehabilitate as many turtles as possible before returning them to the wild. Our staff, along with volunteers from other zoos, helped save the turtles, and within 3 weeks more than 3,500 turtles were released into streams in their native habitat.

Jill Kuntz/SDZG

S ay i n g G o o d - by e t o Speed

R E P T I L E S

G

olden mantella frogs used to be plentiful on Madagascar but now the species is critically endangered, primarily because of habitat destruction. San Diego Zoo Global is partnering with other U.S. zoos to create an “assurance” population of these tiny orange frogs and learn more about them. The Safari Park raised 5 of them in 2015, with a total of 90 reared at the Zoo and Park over the last 10 years, which is critically important to golden mantella conservation efforts.

Saving Fiji’s Iguanas S

an Diego Zoo and Australia’s Taronga Zoo are working with partners in Fiji to save crested and banded iguanas. In 2015, our San Diego Zoo reptile experts released nearly 3 dozen crested iguanas—raised at Kula Eco Park in Fiji—into the wild on Fiji’s Monuriki

Venomous Viper Births

F

or the second time in as many years, San Diego Zoo is the only zoo in North America to rear rare Ethiopian vipers! Twelve baby snakes were born in 2015, double the number from 2014. Ethiopian vipers, which give live birth, are found in the highlands of Ethiopia.

They are rarely found in zoos.

Kim Lovich/SDZG

M a dag as ca r ’ s P r ec i o u s M a n t e l l as

Island. Our team, alongside partners from the U.S. Geological Survey, also trained local scientists and conservationists how to put the radio trackers on the iguanas as well as how to track them using GPS technology.

39

zoological organization, w

An accredited museum: An accredited museum: top of our field, with three campuses andca top of our field, with three 8 accredited plant 8 accredited plant conservation field stations around the world. conservation field stations arou collections as wellcollections as as well as an accredited library an accredited library and photo archive and photo archiveI G ANPA FO I LF DO L IRF E andN I T I N GI G I T ISNSGI OANPA SR S IW ON W the largest accredited the largest accredited wildlife tissue archive. wildlife tissue archive.

PA R T N E R I N G

FOR

CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIPS One of the nation’s most botanical collection One of the nation’s Renowned most

Sa n D i e g o ZSa o on D i e g o Renowned botanical collection Institute fo I nrs t i t u t e EFFORTS TO LEAD.THE than 1.7 million plants on grounds, than 1.7 million plants on grounds, 950 species C o n s e rvat i C oo n n s e rva including 3 accredited collections: C R USa CIA Go HT A I N S T n LD. iFeIg ZSa oAoG including 3 accredited collections: n Diego Zoo Research Research and native conifers, Baja garden, and native E X T Sa I N fa C TrI iOPa N rFkO H r k conifers, Baja garden, SaRfaBrOi TPa plants garden. plants garden.

PLANTS AND ANIMALS. One of the largest One zoo-based, of the larg 1,800-acre wildlife1,800-acre sanctuary wildlife sanctuary multidisciplinary conservation multidisciplina for many of the Earth’s for many of the Earth’s Unique adventure-oriented Unique adventure-oriented science teams in the world. science teams e’re excited rarest animals thatrarest roamanimals in thatexperiences. roam in experiences. about our new expansive habitats.expansive habitats.

O Rspecies C H I D and S more A R E popular .A.BIG . P A attractions.

RT . O F. O U R attractions. tourist includes 3,500 popular tourist includes 3,500 species and more

W

partnership with the Center for Plant Conservation (CPC), a consortium of 40 botanical gardens formerly based in St. Louis that will help us restructure and extend our reach to save rare plants.

Our horticulture and research programs are now united under the leadership of a new Director of Plant Conservation, John Clark, Ph.D., who also serves a dual role as CPC’s president.

We’re looking forward to more opportunities to collaborate on research to promote education outreach and support vulnerable habitats worldwide.

40

Our Accredited Plant Col lections:

Home to more than 3,000to more than 3,000 Home animals representing nearly animals representing nearly 300 species and subspecies.

300 species and subspecies.

BAMBoo Fig

(Ficus)

Trees

97 species

90 species

P L A N T

C O N S E R V A T I O N

PA L M S

C YC A D S

259 species

108 species

AC AC I A S

25 species

Coral Trees

(Erythrinas) 60 species

Our Accredited Garden Collections Baja G a r d e n â—?

Aloes

95 species

Conifer ARBORETUM CA L I FO R N I A N at i v e s c a p e s Garden

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R E S T O R I N G

E N D A N G E R E D

P r o pag at i n g P l a n t s

T

he people of the beautiful island nation of Palau received help from our plant conservation and horticulture

Pa l a u ORCHID

Christy Powell/SDZG

Dipodium freycinetioides

42

Plant diversity thrives on one of the Rock Islands made of limestone uprises.

in Palau

teams on ways to conserve their forests and botanical treasures.

Our workshops there helped several dozen Palauans acquire skills in plant propagation techniques for their unique orchids, including collecting seeds from the wild. Seeds from some of the orchid species and the endangered Micronesian cycad made their way back to the San Diego Zoo where horticulturists hope to learn more propagation techniques that can be shared with our partners in Palau.

H

ow long does it take to plant 10,000 native shrubs representing over 17 species in rare coastal sage scrub habitat found only in Southern California? Just over three months—and countless volunteer hours!

Rich in endemic plants and animals found nowhere else, it’s home to coast horned lizards, California gnatcatchers, cactus wrens, and Dunn’s mariposa lily, among others.

Our first graduating class from the Advanced Inquiry Program gladly helped with plantings.

AIP is a unique program that allows students to earn a master’s degree in Conservation or Conservation Education through our partnership with Miami University in Ohio.

P LL A A N N T T P

H A B I T A T

C O O N N SS E E R R V V A A T T II O O N N C

Blooming Orchids!

T

RA R E B LO O M : PERUVIAN ORCHID Kmekumer Parkia parvifoliola

Christy Powell/SDZG

L A DY Slipper ORCHID

Kerdeu Ixora casei

Paphiopedilum stonei

Christy Powell/SDZG

Phragmipedium kovachii

here was excitement in the Zoo’s orchid house in 2015 when a rare Peruvian orchid, Phragmipedium kovachii, actually bloomed. Discovered in 2002, it was given to us as a legally imported seedling in 2009— and this was its first blooming. In fact, it’s been called the most important discovery in the orchid family in the past 100 years! Back in Peru, they are protecting the habitat of this endangered species.

This was also the year when another extremely rare orchid bloomed at the Zoo, Paphiopedilum stonei, a lady slipper from Borneo where it has been overcollected by orchid poachers. Confiscated at the U.S. border in 2001, several plants were placed at the Zoo—a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-designated Plant Rescue Center—where we have cared for them in our orchid house. This is just one of 60+ species of lady slippers in the Zoo’s diverse orchid collection of 3,000+ plants.

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L o r d H o w e I s l a n d B a n ya n s :

“By comparing the DNA profile of existing native banyans with seedlings, we’ll be able to know if they are natives, exotics, or hybrids. Any nonnative plants can then be removed,” Seth noted, “so Lord Howe Island’s majestic banyans will remain native banyans.”

44

David Dewsnap

discover if any planted nonnative fig trees on this pristine island paradise had been cross-pollinating with endemic ones. As Seth says, “I spent the next few years forming a plan.” Then in 2015 he returned to Lord Howe with a plan and permits to begin fieldwork.

Seth Menser/SDZG

T

his is a project that began back in 2012, when Zoo horticulture supervisor Seth Menser arrived at Lord Howe Island—a World Heritage Site off Australia’s east coast—to study the towering banyans, large fig trees with aerial roots. He wanted to

Solving Secrets

Seth (pictured) and fellow researchers traversed the island and collected leaf samples from fig seedlings, marked their location with GPS, and took photographs. The samples were then shipped back to the Zoo to be dried, labeled, and used for DNA barcoding.

C O N S E R V A T I O N

Seth Menser/SDZG

P L A N T

Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Zoo

S u m at r a n R h i n o :

Send Emergency Browse!

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he simple task of sending special food—in this case, ficus browse—to a sick animal demonstrates a commitment between the San Diego Zoo, endangered species, and another zoo thousands of miles away.

It’s a story from the past, the mid-1990s, but it’s a critical one for Sumatran rhino conservation.

Back in September 1994, Dan Simpson, Zoo horticulture manager, received a call from the

Cincinnati Zoo asking for an emergency shipment of ficus browse for Ipuh, their male Sumatran rhino that had stopped eating and had lost 200 pounds. Before Ipuh went to Cincinnati, he spent several months in San Diego, while his new exhibit was being built, and he developed a preference for leaves from the Moreton Bay fig tree. Dan and his team had years of experience shipping eucalyptus browse to koalas on loan at other zoos, so they quickly cut and packed 5 boxes of ficus, made the critical flight connection, and fresh foliage

C ata l o g u i n g was there for Ipuh that evening.

We then continued to send browse to the Cincinnati Zoo for the next 21 years!

The best news was when Ipuh later fathered a male calf, Andalas, that was sent to the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Way Kambas National Park, Indonesia, in 2007 to be part of the breeding program. Last fall, 8-year-old Harapan (pictured), Andalas’ younger brother, was also sent there, giving even more hope for this critically endangered species.

Peru’s Plant Diversity

P

eru is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the American tropics: 20,000+ plant species and 5,000 are found nowhere else. Mathias Tobler, Ph.D., from Behavioral Ecology is working there to digitize their collections, including hundreds of thousands of stored specimens, with images and data stored in an innovative database hosted by the San Diego Zoo. Records from botanical expeditions in the early 1900s that brought a wealth of new species discoveries are included, so this is sure to be a great resource for future plant research.

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C O N S E R VAT I O N

l

Our Education Mission Statement Speaks for Us:

“To inspire people

to make a difference COMING TO A H O S P I TA L N E A R YO U

S

omething magical happens when children discover a fascination with animals that can ignite a lifelong passion for wildlife and nature. One wildly successful program close to our hearts is San Diego Zoo Kids, the closed-circuit TV channel available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in 54 children’s hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses in 17 states and two countries.

San Diego Zoo Kids helps children relax as they laugh at entertaining videos and live animal cams about wildlife and the keepers who care for them.

It also touches the hearts of doctors and nurses who tell us that seeing animals, having that emotional connection, really does create a healing environment for young patients.

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A T H O M E A N D AROUND THE WORLD

for wildlife and wild places through fun, exciting, and

E d u c at i o n ,

life-changing

R e s e a r c h , P e o p l e , A N D W i l d l i f e.

experiences.”

WE’RE

Connecting

Sa n D i eg o Zo o K i d s :

Denny Sanford T heater Dedicated

W

ith children and animal ambassadors looking on, philanthropist Denny Sanford unveiled the new Denny Sanford San Diego Zoo Kids Theater in April. Located at the Zoo’s Harry and Grace Steele Elephant Odyssey habitat, visitors can enjoy the same programs seen in children’s hospitals and appreciate how much these wonderful wildlife stories benefit young patients and their families.

E D U C A T I O N

g u e s t s f r o m i n fa n t s t o s e n i o r s e n j oy e d o u r p r o g ra m s & s e rv i c e s !

1 3 0 i n n ovat i v e E d u c at i o n program choices!

300,000 students v i s i t e d/at t e n d e d o u r s p e c i a l yo u t h programs!

Zoo Express and Animal Express:

Outreach Touches Young & Old

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ur therapy outreach programs bring charismatic animal ambassadors to those who can’t visit the Zoo and Safari Park. This year, our animals inspired thousands of seniors in retirement homes, children at care facilities, and young pediatric patients.

Georgeanne Irvine/SDZG

2.4 Million

16,000 were “wowed” by t h e S e c o n d G r a d e Zoo program!

When friendly Zoo staff bring along animals, young and old love getting close and gently touching them. We’re told “It’s a breath of fresh air when the Zoo comes!”

8 0 5 t e ac h e r s at t e n d e d o u r w o r k s h o p s — i m pac ting 1 million students!

45,000 students pa r t i c i pat e d i n t h e F I R S T y e a r o f P r i c e Fa m i ly Wat e r s h e d H e r o e s !

60,800 STUDENTS Connected to wildlife c o n s e r vat i o n w i t h Z o o a s s e m b ly & c l a s s r o o m

Summers

O

Are for Learning!

ur Summer Teacher Workshops in Conservation Science are having quite an impact: we’ve trained 805 teachers to date, with a cumulative impact of

more than 1 million students nationwide!

This year we partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to pilot an East Coast workshop at the National Conservation Training Center in

West Virginia, where teachers participated in hands-on science activities and received conservation science curricula for their classrooms. It’s an exciting start to a national program for science teachers.

programs!

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E N C O U R A G I N G

C O M M U N I T Y—

hen our researchers and educators travel to Africa, Asia, and North or South

America, we have goals: save species, engage local communities to understand their attitudes toward wildlife, and help plan sustainable conservation initiatives benefiting people and animals. We work with citizens at all levels, from community leaders to children, and we listen to

what each community needs so they can become good stewards of their wildlife.

When people learn how important animals are to their area, they rally to protect them. That’s why communty-based conservation education programs have so many long-lasting benefits.

K e n ya :

China,

L ao s a n d

Vietnam,

Ca m b o d i a :

Sometimes s av i n g e n da n g e r e d animals means r e ac h i n g out to the lo ca l c o m m u n i t y.

W Rare Birdwings Rescued

O

ur team works to stop the threat to wildlife from trafficking in animals and animal parts. That’s why there was great excitement at the Safari Park when 130 golden birdwing butterfly pupae arrived. They were carefully unpacked by animal care staff and positioned so they would have the opportunity to emerge from their cocoons just as they would in the wild. These living butterfly

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cocoons are an endangered species from Indonesia and were confiscated by the U.S. Fish and Wild Service from an illegal shipment sent here. With our experienced entomology staff on hand, “We could offer sanctuary to these rare insects so they can live out their lives at the Park,” said Michael Mace, curator of birds.

Work with pastoralists to protect wildlife.

and M a dag as ca r :

Peru: Forest Guardians engage teachers with environmental education programs.

Little Green Guards foster a love for wildlife in schoolchildren.

Baja

Ca m e r o o n :

Gorilla Guardian Clubs outreach to thousands near proposed Ebo National Park.

Ca l i fo r n i a , Mexico:

Ridge to Reef program engages teachers and students to protect wildlife.

Engaging communities to reduce demand for wildlife products.

E D U C A T I O N

B A S E D Lekupanii greets Mara and Twiglet with a big smile and milk bottles each day. He is so dedicated to these orphans that he spends his entire days with them.

C O N S E R V A T I O N W h e r e H av e A l l the Giraffes Gone?

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iraffes are silently disappearing. Reticulated giraffes will soon be listed as critically endangered because their numbers have decreased by

70 percent since 1998—so we knew we had to act by rescuing orphaned giraffes, providing antipoaching patrols, and monitoring herds using drones and camera traps. San Diego Zoo Global and its partners are training Kenya’s pastoralists to save these elegant giants.

Meet Orphans Mara and Twiglet

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oung giraffes are appealing, with their big brown eyes, ridiculously long eyelashes, and curious natures.

But not everyone wants to protect giraffes, as our partners found when they rescued Mara after local boys had sliced off her left ear. Despite this cruelty, several Samburu tribesmen took over her care

and used a local remedy, pure honey, to heal Mara’s wound.

Now she and another one-yearold orphan, Twiglet, are safe in the giraffe orphanage, which is managed by one of our partners, the Namunyak Conservancy.

Here, the barn where they sleep is guarded day and night from leopards and poachers by the Samburu.

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N U M B E R S

Numbers Count!

O u r L oya l Members

E m p l oy e e D e d i c at i o n

O u r Va l u a b l e Vo l u n t e e r s

223,346 member households

1,620 full-time employees

2,000+ volunteers

23% have worked for the Zoo for 20+ years 10% have worked for the Zoo for 30+ years

For the first time ever, 160,000+ hours were contributed by our volunteers—the equivalent of 77 full-time staff!

Zoo and Safari Park Annual Attendance

Monetary value of volunteer service in 2015 is more than $4.3 million.

375,480 adult members, the world’s largest zoo membership!

105,210 Koala Club memberships for children Our total number of card-carrying members— 480,690—would fill nearly 12 Petco Parks!

More than 5 million people combined!

As of 2015, more than 1 million cumulative hours of volunteer service have been recorded—a value estimated at more than $30 million.

The Zoo’s volunteer program received the Volunteer Engagement Award Top Honors, presented by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

C O U N T !

Web Visitors & Social Media Profile 23 million visitors to sandiegozoo.org and our other 5 web addresses 6 million views on 8 live animal cams 820,000 Facebook likes 26.5 million YouTube video views 413,200 Instagram followers 1.5 million Tumblr followers 250,000 Vine followers 128.2 million Vine views 101,400 Twitter followers 8.8 million Flickr photo views

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Banking on Our Future S a n D i e g o Z o o G l o b a l’ s E c o n o m i c I m pac t a n d Ac t i v i t y i n t h e Sa n D i eg o R eg i o n i n 2 0 1 5 :

GIFTS, GRANTS, AND SPONSORSHIPS

TAX REVENUE AND OTHER

ANIMAL AND PLANT cARE, EXHIBIT AND FACILITIES MAINTENANCE, ZOO & SAFARI PARK OPERATING COSTS

$1.3

BILLION

80%

ADMISSIONS

2015 EXPENSES

6%

$251

27%

17%

Million*

2015 REVENUE

$280 Million*

10% 10% 9%

41%

Administration

MEMBERSHIP FOOD, MERCHANDISE, CATERING, TOURS, AND EDUCATION 52

$29

mILLION

CONSERVATION PROJECTS AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS

E XC E S S R E V E N U E S O V E R EXPENSES USED TO LEAD T H E F I G H T AG A I N S T E X T I N C T I O N !

*Please note: These are unaudited numbers for 2015. Audited financials and IRS Form 990 will be posted on sandiegozoo.org under the Support Us tab when they are completed.

B A N K I N G

O N

O U R

F U T U R E

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SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL 2016 BOARD OF TRUSTEES OFFICERS Robert B. Horsman Chairman

Steven G. Tappan Vice Chairman

Judith A. Wheatley Secretary

B OA R D O F TRUSTEES Sandra A. Brue M. Javade Chaudhri Berit N. Durler Richard B. Gulley Clifford W. Hague Linda Lowenstine, D.V.M., Ph.D. Patricia L. Roscoe Steven S. Simpson

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TRUSTEES EMERITI

James E. Lauth

Frank C. Alexander Kurt Benirschke, M.D. Thompson Fetter Bill L. Fox Frederick A. Frye, M.D. George L. Gildred Yvonne W. Larsen John M. Thornton A. Eugene Trepte Betty Jo F. Williams

Douglas G. Myers

General Counsel

President/CEO

Charles L. Bieler Executive Director Emeritus

B O A R D S

OFFICERS Murray H. Hutchison Chair Maryanne C. Pfister Vice Chair Susan N. McClellan Secretary

B OA R D O F DIRECTORS

Richard M. Hills Treasurer

Christine L. Andrews Joye D. Blount Rick Bregman Lisa S. Casey Douglas Dawson Berit N. Durler, Ex officio Chris L. Eddy U. Bertram Ellis, Jr. Arthur E. Engel Craig L. Grosvenor Michael N. Hammes

Mark A. Stuart President Robert B. Horsman Ex officio Douglas G. Myers Ex officio

Judith C. Harris Michael E. Kassan Susan B. Major Michael D. McKinnon Joshua Pack Philip C. Seeger Ryan Sullivan Thomas Tull Margie Warner Ed Wilson

SA N D I EG O ZO O G LO BA L 2 0 1 6 F O U N DAT I O N B OA R D

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HOW YOU CAN HELP US

S

Roar Forward

AN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL INVITES YOU TO HELP US ROAR FORWARD INTO OUR SECOND CENTURY. MEETING OUR GOAL TO RAISE $400 MILLION BY THE CLOSE OF 2017 WILL TRANSFORM OUR EFFORTS TO LEAD THE FIGHT AGAINST EXTINCTION. FOLLOWING ARE WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT OUR VISION:

CURRENT GIFTS C AS H :

A gift of cash provides immediate support for the Zoo and provides you with a charitable income tax deduction in the year of the gift.

SECURITIES AND R E A L E S TAT E :

For gifts of appreciated property, you can receive a charitable income tax deduction for the full fair market value of the property and avoid paying capital gains tax on the appreciation.

FUTURE GIFTS BEQUESTS:

A bequest is made through your will or living trust and can be for a specific amount, asset, or a percentage of your estate.

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R E TA I N E D L I F E E S TAT E :

POOLED INCOME FUND:

F O U N DAT I O N G R A N T S

You may donate your home to the Zoo now but retain the right to live there for the rest of your life.

A pooled income fund is similar to a mutual fund in which you receive payments for the rest of your life (or lives). When the gift matures, the remaining principal passes to the Zoo.

Partner with us to advance a broad range of projects and programs that create new habitats, help the underserved, inspire the next generation, or use scientific techniques to save endangered species.

C H A R I TA B L E REMAINDER TRUSTS:

With a charitable remainder trust, you can choose to receive a fixed annuity payment or receive variable payments based on the investments of the trust principal. When the annuity matures, the remaining trust amount passes to the Zoo. C H A R I TA B L E G I F T A N N U I T Y (C G A ) :

A charitable gift annuity enables you to receive fixed payments, based on your age, for the rest of your life. When the annuity matures, the remainder passes to the Zoo.

I N D I V I D UA L R E T I R E M E N T AC C O U N T ( I R A ) :

Naming the Zoo as a beneficiary of your Individual Retirement Account is a tax-effective way to make a charitable gift, because it avoids multiple estate and income taxes.

LIFE INSURANCE:

Naming the Zoo as a beneficiary of your life insurance is a simple way of supporting us without giving up current assets.

FOR MORE I N F O R M AT I O N

Visit us at:

zoolegacy.org Or email us at:

donations@sandiegozoo.org Or call us at:

619-557-3947

Editors Georgeanne Irvine and Mary Sekulovich Design Scott Ramsey D e s i g n S u p e rv i s o r Katherine Brewer Lapinsky Photographer Ken Bohn Photo Archive Librarian Lisa Bissi

© 2016 ZSSD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.