ZOONOOZ January 2020

ZOONOOZ

®

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL

JANUARY 2020

A New Tapir Calf Platypuses at the Safari Park Bushmaster Babies

SENIORS FREE FEBRUARY IS SENIORS FREE MONTH AT THE SAFARI PARK

From February 1 through 29, 2020, all visitors age 65 and older receive free admission to the Safari Park. Enjoy the sights on an Africa Tram, see the platypuses and other Aussie animals at Walkabout Australia, wander through Tiger Trail, take a stroll around Mombasa Lagoon, and relax with refreshments on the patio at Kijamii Overlook.

There’s a world of sights to see, all at the Safari Park.

January 2020 VOL. XCIII–NO. 01

Graphically Speaking 10 Hail the Platypus!

A platypus primer on the characteristics of this unique, egg-laying mammal.

BY DONNA PARHAM

Cover Story 12 A Whole Different Animal

It’s an exciting time at the Safari Park: two platypuses have arrived at Walkabout Australia! Find out more about this weird and wonderful species before you come to see the pair in person.

BY DONNA PARHAM

Features 18

2019 Conservation Medalist

Honoring Jamie Rappaport Clark for her lifelong commitment to wildlife conservation.

BY SHANNON FOGG

20 Worth the Wait

Tapirs have a long pregnancy—13 months—so keepers were very happy to welcome the Zoo’s newest Baird’s tapir calf last November.

BY KAREN WORLEY

24 Cracking the Case

When black-headed bushmasters hatched at the San Diego Zoo in 2019, it was the first time this species was successfully bred in any zoo.

BY DONNA PARHAM

More

2 Nooz Notes 28 In the Field ON THE COVER: Platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus THIS PAGE: Capybara Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris PHOTOS BY: Ken Bohn, SDZG Photographer

N O OZ N OT E S

WHAT’S IN STORE?

Show Your Stripes Adorned with the likeness of the largest cat species, it will be hard to take your eyes off our new tiger collection! Add a little wild flair to yourself and your lair by checking out the gift shops at the Zoo and Safari Park or online at shopzoo.com.

Tiger/Panda flip sequins T-shirt with tie front. Available in kids’ sizes, $24.95.

Tiger crew neck sweatshirt, available in adult sizes, $39.95.

Tiger baseball hat, available in adult sizes, $21.95.

Tiger etched mug, $18.95.

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Tiger tote bag, $24.95.

Glow-inthe-dark tiger T-shirt, available in kids’ sizes, $18.95.

safari park winterdining events

Breakfast with Tigers

Saturday, February 15, 2020 8 a.m. at Tiger Trail Sambutan Longhouse

Breakfast with Kangaroos Saturday, January 25, 2020 7:30 a.m. at Zuest Station Join us before the Safari Park opens for a bountiful buffet breakfast in the Zuest Station, a comfortable and shaded venue in Walkabout Australia. After breakfast, guests will have a unique opportunity to see how the kangaroos and wallabies start their day.

Cost is $54 per person, plus tax and parking.

Nonmembers add Safari Park admission.

For reservations, call 619-718-3000 or book online at sdzsafaripark.org/dining-events.

Before the Safari Park opens, enjoy a bountiful breakfast buffet while watching our beautiful tigers, and see how the big cats start their day.

Our buffet, featuring a traditional American hot breakfast, awaits you in Tiger Trail’s Sambutan Longhouse, a comfortable and shaded venue with amazing views of our tiger enclosures. Enjoy exclusive viewing of Tiger Trail, a keeper talk, and tiger enrichment.

Cost is $52 per person, plus tax and parking.

Nonmembers add Safari Park admission. For reservations, call 619-718-3000 or book online at sdzsafaripark.org/dining-events.

N O OZ N OT E S

JANUARY 25 Breakfast with Kangaroos See and learn more about the kangaroos of Walkabout Australia, and then enjoy a tasty buffet breakfast. Call 619-718-3000, or visit sdzsafaripark.org/ dining-events. (P)

Save the Date What’s happening at the Zoo and Park this month and next (Z) Zoo events (P) Park events JANUARY 1–5 Jungle Bells presented by California Coast Credit Union The Zoo’s seasonal celebration continues for five final days, with special activities, animal experiences, entertainment—including Aurora, a multisensory spectacular—and fun for the whole family. (Z)

JANUARY 4, 18; FEBRUARY 1, 15 KinderZoo Animal interaction and fun for children ages 3 to 5, with an adult. To make reservations, call 619-557-3962 or visit sandiegozoo.org. (Z)

JANUARY 1–5 Wild Holidays Revel in five more days of seasonal fun at the Safari Park during the final week of Wild Holidays. (P)

JANUARY 11 Breakfast with Elephants Enjoy an early morning visit with the elephants at the Zoo’s Elephant Odyssey, along with a delicious breakfast buffet. Call 619718-3000 or book online at zoo.sandiegozoo.org/ dining-events. (Z)

JANUARY 4, 5, 25; FEBRUARY 1, 2, 29 Sunrise Surprise Strolls Explore the Zoo before it opens for the day, walk the grounds with experienced Zoo educators, learn the “inside secrets,” and hear stories about special animals. Call 619-718-3000 or visit sandiegozoo.org. (Z)

JANUARY 11; FEBRUARY 8 Kids’ Wild Night Out Leave your kids at the Zoo for a wild night out with Dr. Zoolittle and animal friends.

Sorry, no grown-ups allowed! For reservations, call 619-7183000, or book online at sandiegozoo.org. (Z)

FEBRUARY 1–29 Seniors Free at the Park Seniors age 65 and older get free admission to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park throughout the entire month of February. For full details, visit sdzsafaripark.org. (P) FEBRUARY 14 Valentine’s Day Dinner Celebrate with a scrumptious meal prepared by Safari Park Executive Chef Joshua Mireles.

Exciting Times Ahead

A

For reservations, call 619-718-3000 or book online at sdzsafaripark. org/dining-events. (P) FEBRUARY 14, 15 Albert’s Valentine’s “Celebration of Love” Treat your sweetheart to a memorable dinner prepared by San Diego Zoo Executive Chef Carissa Giacalone and Albert’s Chef Grant Toraason. For reservations, call 619-557-3964 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily. (Z)

PRESIDENT/CEO’S NOTE PAUL A. BARIBAULT

s I start the New Year as president and chief executive officer of San Diego Zoo Global, I want to thank you, our members, for the warm welcome I have received. I am incredibly humbled and honored to follow in the footsteps of conservation leaders like Doug Myers, Chuck Bieler, Dr. Charles Schroeder, Belle Benchley, and Dr. Harry Wegeforth. My background includes over 22 years at Disney, driving a mission-based wildlife fi lm label with Disneynature, and building strong partnerships with conservation organizations around the world.

I made the decision to join the team at San Diego Zoo Global because I wanted to do more to save species—it is so exciting to be part of an organization that is so committed to wildlife conservation.

And as we start 2020, there is a lot to be excited about: including the recent opening of the Nelson M. Millsberg Platypus Habitat at the Safari Park, and building the brand-new Denny Sanford Children’s Zoo. I look forward to furthering our mission of bringing species back from the brink of extinction— and engaging our guests even more in our conservation efforts, which all of you help make possible.

FEBRUARY 14, 15 Roar & Snore Safari: Wild About You Learn about mate selection, mating behaviors, and love in the animal world at this adults-only sleepover at the Safari Park. For reservations, call 619-718-3000. (P) FEBRUARY 15 Breakfast with Tigers Watch our tigers start their day, then enjoy a delicious buffet breakfast. Call 619-718-3000 or book online. (P)

Let’s Talk Follow @sandiegozoo & @sdzsafaripark.

Share your #SanDiegoZoo & #SDZSafariPark memories on Twitter & Instagram.

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12/11/19 10:49 AM

SAFARI PARK VALENTINE’S DAY DINNER FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 5:30 P.M. | RECEPTION WITH ANIMAL AMBASSADORS 6 P.M. | DINNER

Join us for a romantic dinner at Hunte Pavilion.

The event includes an animal presentation, a glass of champagne, and a gourmet meal specially prepared

by Safari Park Executive Chef Joshua Mireles.

Cost is $115 per couple, plus tax and parking. Guests will be seated at their own private table. For reservations, call 619-718-3000 or book online at sdzsafaripark.org/dining-events.

ALBERT’S VALENTINE’S DINNER “A CELEBRATION OF LOVE” FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14 OR SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2020 SEATING BEGINS AT 5 P.M.

Celebrate at Albert’s Restaurant and enjoy an elegant meal prepared by San Diego Zoo Executive Chef Carissa Giacalone and Albert’s Chef Grant Toraason, for you and that special someone.

Cost is $115 per couple, plus tax and gratuity. Maximum party size is eight people. Wine pairings available for $20 per guest. Menu substitutions are not available for this event. For reservations, please call 619-557-3964 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily. Reservations secured with a credit card. Event ticket will be emailed and must be presented to gain access into the San Diego Zoo.

N O OZ N OT E S

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL OFFICERS

Steven G. Tappan, Chairman Javade Chaudhri, Vice Chairman Linda Lowenstine, DVM, Ph.D., Secretary Ryan Sullivan, Ph.D., Treasurer BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Rolf Benirschke Kathleen Cain Richard B. Gulley Clifford W. Hague Robert B. Horsman Steven S. Simpson Judith A. Wheatley TRUSTEES EMERITI

It’s only a number With average temperatures of 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and up to 78 inches of rainfall annually, it’s no wonder tropcial rain forests teem with astonishingly diverse plant and animal life. From the canopy to the forest floor, this lush habitat holds wonders and mysteries, and is a vital part of the planet.

80

6

Percent of the world’s plants and animals that are found in this biome.

Percent of the Earth’s land surface that is covered by tropical rain forest.

ZOONOOZ

®

PUBLISHED SINCE 1926 JANUARY 2020 | VOL. XCIII–NO. 01 MANAGING EDITOR

KAREN E. WORLEY

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

PEGGY SCOTT

STAFF WRITERS

WENDY PERKINS KARYL CARMIGNANI DONNA PARHAM COPY EDITOR

ESTON ELLIS DESIGNER

KERRI ABRAMS SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL PHOTOGRAPHERS

KEN BOHN TAMMY SPRATT

SR. IMAGING SPECIALIST

TAMMY SPRATT

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

KIM TURNER AMY BLANDFORD LISA BISSI JENNIFER MACEWEN

PREPRESS AND PRINTING

QUAD GRAPHICS

6 / ZOONOOZ / JANUARY 2020

2,000 Types of rain forest plants known (so far!) to be useful in cancer treatment.

The Zoological Society of San Diego was founded in Octo­ber 1916

by Harry M. Wegeforth, M.D., as a private, nonprofit corporation that now does business as San Diego Zoo Global. magazine (ISSN 0044-5282) is currently The printed published bimonthly, in January, March, May, July, September, and November. Publisher is San Diego Zoo Global, at 2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego, CA 92103, 619-231-1515. Periodicals postage paid at San Diego, California, USA, and at additional mailing offices.

ADDRESS CHANGES: Please send to Membership Department, P.O. Box 120271, San Diego, CA 92112.

ZOONOOZ®

Copyright© 2020 San Diego Zoo Global. All rights reserved.

“ZOONOOZ” Reg. U.S. Pat. Office. All column and program titles are trademarks of San Diego Zoo Global.

Annual Membership: Two adults in the same household $160 early bird renewal; $170 lapsed; $185 new. One adult $97 early bird renewal; $102 lapsed; $112 new. Seniors (age 65 and older) receive a 15% discount off Annual Pass Memberships. Keeper’s Club (BEST VALUE!): two adults in the same household, or one adult plus one accompanying guest each visit $224 early bird renewal; $239 lapsed; $254 new. Each membership includes unlimited entrance to the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Please visit our website zoomember.org for a complete list of membership benefits.

Subscription to ZOONOOZ magazine: $25 per year, $65 for 3 years.

Foreign, including Canada and Mexico, $30 per year, $81 for 3 years.

Contact Membership Department, P.O. Box 120271, San Diego, CA 92112, for subscription information.

As part of San Diego Zoo Global’s commitment to conservation, ZOONOOZ is printed on recycled paper that is at least 10% post-consumer waste, chlorine free, and is Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified.

54,000 The number of square miles of tropical forest that are currently destroyed each year.

SAN DIEGO ZOO HOURS January 1–5: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

January 6–February 29: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

SAFARI PARK HOURS January 1–5: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

January 6–February 14 and February 18–29: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

February 15–17: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

WEBSITE sandiegozoo.org PHONE 619-231-1515 ZOONOOZ® Online web publication zoonooz.sandiegozoo.org FSC® is not responsible for any calculations on saving resources by choosing this paper.

Berit N. Durler 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 James Lauth, General Counsel to the Board Paul A. Baribault, President/CEO Douglas G. Myers, President/CEO Emeritus Charles L. Bieler, Executive Director Emeritus THE FOUNDATION OF SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL OFFICERS

Joy Blount, Chair U. Bertram Ellis, Jr., Vice Chair Barry Munitz, Secretary Susan N. McClellan, Treasurer David C. Wu, President Amy B. Parrott, Vice President Paul A. Baribault, Ex officio Steven G. Tappan, Ex officio BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Todd Beck Sophie W. Bryan David Crane Berit N. Durler Chris Eddy Nikita Kahn Ellison Arthur E. Engel JJ Fetter Susan Guinn Murray Hutchison Lynelle Lynch Susan B. Major Susan F. McCarthy Diane McKernan Joshua A. Pack Maryanne C. Pfister Philip C. Seeger Elizabeth W. Shoemaker Rosa Sinnott Carter Skeath David M. Tehle Kathryn J. Vaughan, Esq. Tony Yousif

ANI M AL S IN ACTI ON

Ever wonder how exotic cats leap and climb with perfect balance, how some animals can make a meal out of insects, or how slow-moving forest dwellers protect themselves?

Join us for a special interactive experience at the San Diego Zoo’s Animals in Action! Watch our animal trainers work with a variety of different species as the animals show off their natural behaviors.

Discover how these behaviors help with daily animal care routines, hear fun inside stories, and meet some animals up close. Don’t miss the action!

YOU CAN RESERVE YOUR ANIMALS IN ACTION EXPERIENCE ONLINE AT SANDIEGOZOO.ORG OR BY CALLING 619-718-3000.

snooze

Visit the San Diego Zoo Kids website to find out about

news

these and other animals, plus videos, crafts, stories, games, and more! kids.sandiegozoo.org

When it comes to catching shut-eye, those in the Animal Kingdom have their own ways of hitting the hay.

Use the clues and unscramble the letters below to identify each animal, then arrange the boxed letters to find the answer to the bonus question.

1

Drowsing on the savanna is risky, so this long-necked mammal only sleeps about 30 minutes a day.

F

R

A

G

F

I

2

These winged mammals sleep hanging upside down. This position helps keep them out of the way of predators.

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B

S

A

Native to Australia, this marsupial takes sleep seriously and can spend up to 20 hours a day dozing.

K

A

O

4

O

H

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5

This animal is able to lock its limbs, allowing it to sleep standing up.

It’s a “mane” way of remaining ready to gallop away from danger.

S

O

R

H

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E

A

T

R

E

M

7

These water birds sleep in a row.

The ones at the end keep the eye that faces away from the group open, to be on the lookout for danger.

U

C

S

D

8

These orange great apes have a great way to catch 40 winks— they often make nests or find platforms for cozy slumber up in trees.

L

When this slow-moving arboreal mammal dozes—for up to 18 hours a day—are its dreams upside-down?

L

K

K

3 A

“Safety in numbers” could be the motto of this small carnivore that counts the mongoose among its relatives. It can be a real “mob” scene!

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G

N

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S

BONUS If this leaping mammal is going to “move it, move it” around its native Madagascar, it needs 16 hours of sleep a day!

E ANSWERS: 1. GIRAFFE; 2. BATS; 3. KOALA; 4. SLOTH; 5. HORSE; 6. MEERKAT; 7. DUCKS; 8. ORANGUTANS; BONUS: LEMUR

E

6

ART HELPS WILDLIFE Kids! Enter the 2020 Saving Endangered Species Youth Art Contest Celebrate Endangered Species Day through art! Young artists from kindergarten through high school can raise awareness about endangered species by entering this Endangered Species Day art contest.

Student artwork must depict a land- or ocean-dwelling species that either lives in or migrates through the United States and its waters, or a plant/flower that is found in the United States. The species must be on the threatened or endangered species list, or was on the list but has recovered. Participants are encouraged to tell a story of hope through their art, and judges appreciate artwork that shows species within their native habitats.

Winners will be selected in four categories: Grades K–2, Grades 3–5, Grades 6–8, and Grades 9–12. A grand prize winner will be selected from the four grade-level winners. The 2019 Grand deadline for submissions is Prize Winner March 1, 2020. Late entries will Texas Blind not be considered. Artwork Salamander

By Sam Hess, must be submitted electroniGrade 1. cally, 3300 x 2550 pixels at 300 dpi resolution. Submit art at: endangered.org/submit-your-art.

Visit endangeredspeciesday.org for complete contest rules and information, and to discover more about the 15th annual Endangered Species Day, on May 15, 2020.

G R A P H I C A LLY S P E A K I N G

Top Billing Imagine how the platypus once confounded taxonomists. It has a bill like a duck, webbed feet like a frog, and a tail like a beaver. It has fur, but it lays eggs. It’s a crazy mix of adaptations, but they are perfect for a platypus. And now you can see for yourself. Visit our new pair of platypuses at the Safari Park, in Walkabout Australia!

VISIT A PLATYPUS Two platypuses arrived at the Safari Park in October 2019, and you can see them now! They are currenty the only ones outside of Australia.

BY DONNA PARHAM | STAFF WRITER

EYES AND EARS A platypus doesn’t have external ear pinnae like we do. In fact, its ears and eyes lie in grooves just behind its bill.

These grooves squeeze shut, closing off its eyes and ears, when a platypus dives.

BILL A platypus’s unique bill is soft and pliable—not hard like a duck’s bill. It’s made of naked skin, supported by long, flattened bones.

Nostrils near the tip close when a platypus dives.

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CRUSHERS A baby platypus has a few molar-like teeth, but sheds them at about the age it’s ready to leave its nesting burrow. Instead of teeth, furrowed and continuously replaced pads of keratin in a platypus’s mouth crush food.

FRONT LIMBS Alternate thrusts of its webbed forelimbs propel a platypus through the water. The webbing extends past its claws when it swims, but folds under to expose the claws when a platypus walks on land or burrows into soil.

FUR Staying warm in chilly water couldn’t happen without a platypus’s insulating, waterproof fur. Coarse guard hairs overlay a thick layer of fine underfur that traps a warm layer of air. A platypus can have as many as 580,000 hairs per square inch!

TAIL A platypus stores as much as 40 percent of its body fat in its beaver-like tail. Platypus tails are plump when food is plentiful, and more slender in winter and in females that are nursing young.

PHOTO ©JOEL SARTORE/ NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTO ARK; ILLUSTRATIONS: AMY BLANDFORD/SDZG ILLUSTRATOR

HIND LIMBS A swimming platypus uses its hind limbs as a rudder. Hind limbs are only partially webbed, so the sharp claws are always at the ready—for grooming or for hanging on.

SENSORY STRUCTURES Tens of thousands of tiny craters dot the bill of a platypus.

Some are mechanoreceptors that perceive pressure changes, but most—about 40,000 of them—are sensitive electroreceptors. Electroreceptors detect very weak electrical fields, such as those produced by small invertebrates.

To make the most of its bill’s sensory abilities, a foraging platypus sweeps its head quickly from side to side.

FANTASTIC FIVE Today we know that the platypus is one of just five egg-laying mammal species called monotremes.

(The other four are the equally fascinating echidnas.)

PAINFUL PUNCTURE Sharp, half-inch spurs on a male’s—but not a female’s—hind limbs are equipped with venom glands. Because male platypuses produce more venom during the breeding season, scientists surmise that spurs and venom are important in competing for females.

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL / SANDIEGOZOO.ORG / 11

A Whole Different Animal

Never seen a platypus?

You’re not alone.

Water is life.

Platypuses live in freshwater ecosystems of eastern Australia and depend on them for their aquatic lifestyle.

M

BY DONNA PARHAM | STAFF WRITER

PHOTOS BY KEN BOHN AND TAMMY SPRATT | SDZG PHOTOGRAPHERS

any people have heard of this unique egg-laying mammal, but even in Australia, few have managed to spot one. That’s partly because platypuses are mostly nocturnal, taking shelter in burrows during the daytime. It’s also because, when they do emerge in the evening, platypuses spend the majority of their time quietly swimming in and under the water.

They’re rarely found in zoos, either. “There are only 20 platypuses in Australian zoos,” says Bob Wiese, Ph.D., chief life sciences officer at San Diego Zoo Global (SDZG), “and now we have the only 2 outside of Australia.” The platypus pair—a female, Eve, hatched at Australia’s Taronga Zoo and a male, Birrarung, hatched at Healesville Sanctuary—just has come to live at the Nelson M. Millsberg Platypus Habitat at the Safari Park.

Bob headed up the team responsible for bringing this unique species to San Diego. “San Diego Zoo Global has a long history working with Australia and the Taronga Zoo,” says Bob. “We began working with our partners eight years ago, to develop the policies and parameters necessary for a successful platypus overseas move. A process for platypus export did not exist when we started our discussions.

We are honored to be entrusted with these extraordinary animals.”

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL / SANDIEGOZOO.ORG / 13

This page: As highly aquatic animals, when a platypus is not in the water, it is probably inside its burrow.

YABBY DABBY DOO

Below: Keepers from Australia showed Safari Park keepers how to care for platypuses.

A variety of foods will do.

Mostly carnivorous, platypuses are opportunistic eaters.

They gobble freshwater invertebrates such as crayfish (known as “yabbies” in Australia; seen below), shrimps, mollusks, and worms, as well as some surprisingly small prey: larvae and nymphs of insects such as caddisflies, mayflies, mosquitos, gnats, and midges.

PLANNING AND PREPARATION

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A platypus hunts underwater. Probing the substrate as it moves its bill from side to side, it detects and uncovers its prey in and on the gravelly streambed. It crunches and grinds its food (like the stonefly nymph below) with tough pads inside its bill; unlike most mammals, a platypus has no teeth.

LOCATION: TARONGA ZOO SYDNEY

Before the platypuses arrived, Safari Park animal keepers and Meredith Clancy, DVM, veterinarian at the Park, traveled to Australia to learn how to care for them. “They can adapt to many different environments, but we knew it would take them time to acclimate to their new environment after an overseas transport,” explains Meredith.

“Experienced platypus husbandry staff also traveled with the animals from Australia, to monitor them during and after the transport. The animals did very well.”

Safari Park senior mammal keeper Luis Ochoa spent eight weeks in Australia, training with the expert platypus keepers at the Taronga Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary, and the Melbourne Zoo. His training covered feeding, care, and handling protocols.

Like most of us, Luis had never seen a platypus before. When he finally met one at the Taronga Zoo, “My first thought was that they are a lot smaller than I imagined.” From the rubbery beak to the tip of the pudgy tail, most platypuses are between 16 and 24 inches long and weigh less than

Down Under in San Diego The Safari Park offers all the comforts of home.

The new Nelson M. Millsberg Platypus Habitat in the Safari Park’s Walkabout Australia was specifically designed for the platypus’s lifestyle. Because these animals forage in the shallow water of streams running over stones and gravel, the habitat features water moving over heavy sand and cobblestones, a gentle waterfall, and tangled logs for exploring and climbing.

Because platypuses are nocturnal, the habitat is on an opposite daylight schedule.

Inside, lights get brighter in the evening, cueing the animals that it’s time to curl up inside a burrow. As Park visitors arrive in the morning, lights dim to nighttime levels, a sign for the platypuses to come out to explore and forage. It might seem a little dark for human vision, but it’s better for the welfare of the platypuses.

© NICK DE VOS

Their diet at the Safari Park consists of crayfish, bloodworms, mealworms, fly pupae, and fly larvae. Through the viewing window, visitors can watch the platypuses swim, play, and hunt both above the water and underwater.

This page, top: Meredith Clancy, DVM, gained firsthand experience examining and treating platypuses, learning from expert veterinarians in Australia.

Right: Eve and Birrarung wasted no time exploring their habitat at the Safari Park.

6 pounds. Luis compares their size to a cat—“but without the long legs. They look almost flat, because the orientation of their limbs is different.”

ONE OF A KIND Even up close, “A platypus’s bill looks as though it’s been glued on,” says Luis. “It feels like a pencil eraser, and you can actually see the pores.

They are just weird-looking animals—they look artificial.” That’s exactly what the first European scientists to see a platypus specimen thought— they initially considered it a hoax. “I can honestly say that in spite of all the time I spent with them, the novelty has not worn off,” Luis says with wonder and affection. Meredith agrees.

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL / SANDIEGOZOO.ORG / 15

Left: To learn about the species that live in the freshwater ecosystems of Australia, researchers test water samples for traces of eDNA. Analyzing samples from hundreds of waterways in southeastern Australia is helping researchers create a spatial map of platypus distribution. Right: In a related project, researchers set up specialized nets that will temporarily trap platypuses.

“Platypuses have so many fun things that make them a little lizardy, a little bird-like, and a little mammal-like. They’re a little of everything—all at once, and their very own unique thing.”

SAFE HANDLING “One important thing I learned was how to safely handle male platypuses without getting envenomated,” says Luis. Platypuses— males, anyway—are venomous. On each of its hind ankles, an adult male has a tiny spur that’s connected to a venom gland. Venomous spurs are an adaptation for male combat during the intense competition for females during the breeding season. To envenomate, a platypus wraps its hind legs around its rival and drives in its sharp spurs.

In a human, injury causes swelling, fever, and nausea—and reportedly it hurts like the dickens. There’s no antivenom—the only treatment is for pain relief. (There’s never been a fatality, though.) So, picking up and handling a male platypus takes know-how.

Males and females look very much alike, so the key to staying safe, says Luis, “is to treat each individual like it’s a male. If some-

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PARTNERS Platypus Conservation Project Collaborators San Diego Zoo Global University of Melbourne cesar Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water, and Planning New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage Taronga Conservation Society Australia Melbourne Water

one gets envenomated, it’s usually because they assumed the platypus was a female when it wasn’t.”

CAUSE FOR CONCERN In 2016, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) revised the conservation status of platypuses from Least Concern to Near Threatened, and more recent research suggests that the platypus population is continuing to decline. “San Diego Zoo Global has been following the platypus decline for some time,” says Randy Rieches, director of Collections Husbandry Science at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

“We’ve been disturbed to see that this amazing species now needs increasing conservation attention.”

To learn more about the elusive platypus and threats to its survival, SDZG has teamed up with the University of Melbourne and cesar (an Australian science-based environmental research and consulting company) in the largest-scale investigation of platypus populations in history. “We want to work with our colleagues in Australia to help keep this unique animal from becoming listed as

BY THE NUMBERS

16–24

Length of a platypus in inches, from head to tail

10

Days a platypus mother incubates her (usually two) eggs

0

Nipples (teats) on females—offspring suckle or lap milk released from pores in the mother’s skin

40,000

Approximate number of electroreceptors on a platypus’s bill, an adaptation for locating prey

an endangered species,” says Randy.

“We are two years into a three-year project,” explains Bob. “Researchers are comprehensively mapping the current distribution of platypuses.”

They are doing so in an innovative way, analyzing water samples from hundreds of waterways in southeastern Australia to identify traces of DNA. While it may be hard to see a platypus, all animals leave traces of their DNA behind—in skin cells, hair, feces, or mucus, for example.

Water samples contain traces of this “environmental DNA” (eDNA), and with this noninvasive method, researchers can create a spatial map of the species that are found at the sampled sites.

In another project, researchers with

cesar and the University of Melbourne are using specialized, noharm nets to briefly catch platypuses, measure them, examine their overall health, and quickly release them. This information will be cross-referenced with eDNA samples.

The goal of both projects is to help people better manage waterways to protect platypuses and other species that share the habitat.

“I feel extraordinarily lucky that I get to work with these animals,” says Luis.

Thanks to SDZG’s partners in Australia, now Safari Park visitors from the US and around the world—who will likely never see a platypus in the wild—can learn about the animals’ fragile state in their native habitat, and the importance of maintaining their survival as a conservation priority.

This photo and above: After carefully examining a platypus, a researcher gently releases it. The information the researchers learn will be cross-referenced with environmental data gathered from the same waterways.

2–6

Weight in pounds of most platypuses

580,000 Hairs per square inch, in the thickest part of a platypus’s fur

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL / SANDIEGOZOO.ORG / 17

Lifelong

Champion for

Wildlife

2019 Conservation Medalist – Lifetime Achievement Award

S

BY SHANNON FOGG | DIGITAL FUNDRAISER, DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

an Diego Zoo Global is proud to honor Jamie Rappaport Clark, President and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, with our 2019 Conservation Medal for Lifetime Achievement. Jamie is a lifelong advocate for wildlife, and has testified before Congress on numerous occasions in support of strong fish and wildlife conservation laws. As the former director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, she is also recognized as the leading national expert on imperiled wildlife and the Endangered Species Act.

18 / ZOONOOZ / JANUARY 2020

Jamie Rappaport Clark was presented with her award during a special ceremony.

“We need to communicate the fundamental message that the fate of wildlife and humans alike is linked to the well-being of the environment around us.”

–Jamie Rappaport Clark

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL / SANDIEGOZOO.ORG / 19

PHOTOS BY: (BACKGROUND) STEVE SIMMONS/ISTOCK /GETTY IMAGES PLUS; (THIS PAGE) KEN BOHN, SDZG

As a young college student, Jamie chose a career in wildlife biology, where she helped release peregrine falcons into the wild as part of a national recovery effort. Twenty years later, while serving as the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, she had the honor of removing the species from the federal Endangered Species List.

Jamie has always championed protections for animals and nature. She works with policymakers at all levels— local, state, and federal—to protect wildlife and wild places. Her passion is evident, and she is skilled at fostering cooperation across agencies.

In recognition of her achievements, expertise, and leadership in conservation, President Bill Clinton appointed Jamie to lead the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1997. During her tenure, she supervised the establishment of 27 new refuges—and the addition of 2 million acres—to the National Wildlife Refuge System. She also managed the successful recovery of several endangered North American species, including the bald eagle, gray wolf, and Aleutian Canada goose.

Jamie Rappaport Clark’s dedication to protecting species and restoring habitat makes her an invaluable ally for plants and animals. We’re honored to recognize her extraordinary vision and priceless contributions to conservation.

Worth

Sniffing Out Adventure. The Zoo’s newest Baird’s tapir calf is busily checking out her habitat at Elephant Odyssey and learning tapir techniques from her mother, Luna.

18 / ZOONOOZ / JANUARY 2020

the Wait

After 13 months, there’s a new tapir calf at the Zoo

BY KAREN E. WORLEY | MANAGING EDITOR

T

PHOTOS BY KEN BOHN | SDZG PHOTOGRAPHER

he Zoo’s Harry and Grace Steele Elephant Odyssey has a new addition: an adorably spotted and striped Baird’s tapir calf! After a 13-month gestation, Luna gave birth to her eagerly anticipated second calf on Sunday, November 10, 2019. When the keepers weighed the little female at 5 days old, she tipped the scales at a healthy 27 pounds.

Luna is taking great care of her calf, nursing her regularly, keeping her tidy, and watching over her. The keepers were thrilled to see Luna taking readily to her maternal role. With Luna’s first calf—Don, born in 2018—she was rather overwhelmed and wasn’t able to care for him, and he required support from the keepers to feed him bottles of milk. This time, however, everything has gone according to plan, and the roly-poly calf is able to take advantage of her mother’s full attention.

“She is feisty and fun, and communicates with little chirps,” said Kimberly Hyde, a senior keeper at the Zoo. A tapir calf’s spots and stripes serve as camouflage in the dappled light of their native forest habitat. They start to lose the markings after a few months, and they resemble miniature adults at about eight months of age.

Mother and daughter can be seen trotting around the habitat at Elephant Odyssey that they share with the capybaras and guanacos, seeking out food like lettuce, carrots, fruits, and leafy browse. “The calf is very curious, and she’s actively using her flexible little

snout to explore her surroundings, and the other animals,” Kimberly said. Luna is also fond of napping on the sandy bank in the sun, and taking leisurely swims in the pool.

Tapirs are at home in the water and are good swimmers, and Luna has been teaching her calf to take the plunge.

It initially took some coaxing, but now that the calf’s got the hang of it, she seems to enjoy the paddling and splashing.

This calf is more than just an adorable new face: she’s also a valuable addition to the Baird’s tapir population. This tapir species, native to the tropical forests of Mexico and Central America, is listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Habitat loss and hunting have contributed to an estimated 50 percent population decline over the past 30 years, and there are thought to be fewer than 5,000 in their native habitat. San Diego Zoo Global participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Baird’s tapir Species Survival Plan (SSP), which aims to maintain a genetically viable population of this species in accredited zoos.

Like all youngsters, the calf is growing fast—you could say in leaps and bounds, since she’s quite good at those. Come by the Zoo’s Elephant Odyssey to see her while she’s still sporting her jaunty spots and stripes—and say hello to Luna, dad Felix, and neighbors Rachel and Tatum, as well.

DID YOU KNOW? Adult tapirs can eat up to 75 pounds of food per day.

The most primitive large mammals in the world, tapirs have been around for 20 million years and have changed very little.

A tapir can move its prehensile snout in all directions.

The tapir is a key species in shaping and maintaining the diversity of tropical forests, dispersing seeds in its scat and leaving them well fertilized to grow.

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL / SANDIEGOZOO.ORG / 21

You are their

second chance— DON’T LET THEM DISAPPEAR FOREVER.

Wildlife is vanishing at an alarming rate. San Diego Zoo Global is saving species from extinction in more than 40 countries around the world, but we can’t do it without you. Your monthly gift to the Wildlife Conservancy helps rescue and protect endangered species worldwide and ensures their survival for generations to come. Monthly donors are the heartbeat of everything we do. Become a monthly donor today and join us in the fight to end extinction.

endextinction.org/heartbeat

Want more ZOONOOZ? There are many more stories to be found on our free digital version, ZOONOOZ Online! A feature animal or plant story is posted every week, and you can also find additional stories in the categories of Saving Species, Keeper Notes, and Wild and Fun. All you need is an internet connection and a web browser—and the site is mobile friendly, too!

VISIT ZOONOOZ.SANDIEGOZOO.ORG

About 10 inches long when they first hatch, adult black-headed bushmasters can reach lengths of 6 feet or more.

Cracking the Case

Rare pit vipers hatch at the Zoo for the first time ever.

BY DONNA PARHAM | STAFF WRITER PHOTOS BY KEN BOHN | SDZG PHOTOGRAPHER

22 / ZOONOOZ / JANUARY 2020

I

n the wet lowland forests of Costa Rica, you might step within inches of one of the largest and most venomous snakes in the Americas—and never know it was there. The rare black-headed bushmaster Lachesis melanocephala is an elusive species that’s seldom encountered in the wild.

“Although they are large, these snakes are super secretive,” says Brett Baldwin, associate curator of herpetology and ichthyology at the San Diego Zoo. “You don’t come across them in the wild very often, and not much is known about them.”

During the day, slowly cruising, blackheaded bushmasters are rarely encountered. They are more active at night, but with this species, “active” is a relative term. A snake might leisurely slither to a new spot nearby—or not. A terrestrial ambush predator, it only strikes when its prey (typically a rodent) comes within reach—and only when it’s hungry or feels threatened. Depending on the size of its prey, it may eat only one to three times per month. “They don’t like to give up their hiding spots,” says Brett.

Black-headed bushmasters are rare in managed care. The only two adults in US zoos—a male and a female, both about eight years old—are at the San Diego Zoo. The species had never reproduced at a zoo, so to encourage the pair to breed, the reptile team worked to recreate

Bouncing Baby Bushmasters: Hatchlings emerged after a closely watched, 71-day incubation. A temporary egg tooth on a hatchling’s snout slits an opening in its egg shell. During the daytime, these nocturnal pit vipers seek refuge in burrows, or get comfortable under fallen logs or exposed tree roots.

just the right environment. Senior keeper Jonny Carlson tracked down an archive of weather history for the regions of Costa Rica where the species is found. “I averaged temperatures for various parts of their range, and adjusted the temperature in their enclosure to fluctuate throughout the year to match that average,” he says. “I had to translate rainfall amount to mist.”

Unlike other neotropical pit vipers, which give birth to live young, black-headed bushmasters lay eggs. So, Jonny provided masses of springy moss the female could use for nesting. No eggs.

“Then we tried leaf litter,” says Jonny. Still, no eggs. In the end, he cut an opening in a polystyrene foam ice chest, and one morning in May, he was thrilled to find the female guarding a clutch of eggs.

To keep the temperature just right for the developing embryos, Jonny carefully relocated the eggs to an incubator.

After a 71-day incubation at 82 degrees Fahrenheit, the clutch resulted in 5 neonates—perfect, miniature versions of their firsttime parents. It was the first-ever reproduction of the species in any zoo, and it increases the US zoo total to seven—all here at the San Diego Zoo. “When they first hatch, their bellies still have some of the yolk sac that sustained them in the egg,” says Jonny. In the wild, “that gives them a month or two before they have to really start to hunt for food.” Now, keepers offer the hatchlings small mice about once a week. As they get older, keepers will be able to determine their sex and document the development of this rare species.

SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL / SANDIEGOZOO.ORG / 25

T R AV E L TH E WO RLD WITH SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL Experience the beauty of wildlife in its natural habitat. WorldWild Tour itineraries include exhilarating encounters with nature accompanied by San Diego Zoo Global’s animal expertise.

For more information, visit sandiegozoo.org/travel or call 619-685-3205.

SOUTH AFRICA S EPTEM B ER 20 – O CTO B ER 2 , 2020 From penguins waddling along the beach to lions roaring in national parks, seek out the Big 5 while witnessing South Africa’s conservation efforts firsthand. $7,895 plus airfare (per person, double occupancy)

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C O S TA RICA— A F A M I LY ADVENTURE

Experience the heart of East Africa on this journey that extends from the Serengeti to the Maasai Mara. Go on safari and enjoy the best of Africa’s rich wildlife and natural beauty.

J U NE 20 –28 , 2020 Inspire young minds with hands-on conservation workshops and family friendly adventure in Costa Rica.

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ECUADOR & TH E G A L Á PAG OS ISLANDS O CTO B ER 9 –19 , 2020 Visit two of the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites in one trip. Island-hop to explore the wildlife diversity of the Galápagos, and experience the rich cultural history of Quito. $7,995 plus airfare (per person, double occupancy) 26 / ZOONOOZ / JANUARY 2020

N O R T H E R N K E N YA

IN THE FIELD San Diego Zoo Global’s mission to end extinction takes place not just at the Zoo, Park, and Institute for Conservation Research, but also through fieldwork in projects around the globe. Each issue, we share an update on these projects.

CATS AND CONCESSIONS

BY KARYL CARMIGNANI | STAFF WRITER

Since 2011, San Diego Zoo Global (SDZG) and its partners have been surveying jaguars Panthera onca, the largest cat in the Americas, inside and outside protected areas in the Peruvian Amazon. Over 100 motion-activated field cameras strategically positioned throughout the Tambopata National Wildlife Reserve in Peru collected images of jaguars over time. Additionally, over 200 field cameras were set up within two logging concessions in the Madre Dios region. Researchers identified 43 individual cats by their unique spot patterns. Images revealed other large mammals, like peccaries, tapirs, ocelots, and giant anteaters, potential prey for the cats. Field cameras are put out in June and collected in September; a team of four local people help with the project. While Peru has a good network of protected forests, wide-ranging carnivores like jaguars need connectivity between them. New research shows that well-managed, selective logging practices could 28 / ZOONOOZ / JANUARY 2020

link fragmented habitat and help jaguars survive.

Logging concessions typically have a 40-year lease on the land. The area is divided into 20 blocks, and one is selectively harvested annually; the land is essentially on a 20year rotation. “Logging concessions prohibit hunting and agriculture, so they tend to protect their leased land from illegal activities,” explained Mathias Tobler, Ph.D., associate director, Population Sustainability, SDZG. “Protecting the forest protects their business, too,” which conserves the ecosystem. Logging concessions are ideal for this type of survey, as the land is closed to the public and there are decent (and temporary) roads, which are used by researchers as well as wildlife. Well-managed logging concessions safeguard jaguars and the forest. Consumers can help by purchasing timber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the standard for responsible forest management. The elusive, elegant jaguar will be most grateful.

THANK YOU FOR STANDING WITH US TO END EXTINCTION! San Diego Zoo Global would like to thank our 2019 sponsors for their support of our worldwide conservation efforts. You help us save wildlife every day!

TM

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