AZA Exhibit Award | Australian Adventures

AZA EXHIBIT AWARD 2021 Honors and Awards Application

Table of Contents SECTION A

candidate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 SECTION B

applicant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 SECTION C

construction information . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 SECTION D

summary of project planning, goals and impact . . . . . . . . . . 11 SECTION E

narrative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 SECTION F

illustrative materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 SECTION G

recognition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 SECTION H

image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 SECTION I

submitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 SECTION J

news release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 SECTION K

winner’s release form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

SECTION A

candidate title of exhibit

species or specimens contained in exhibit Mammals

Reptiles

Bennett’s Wallaby

Bearded Dragon Pogona vitticeps

Macropus rufogriseus Brush-Tailed Bettong

Bettongia penicillataz Short-Beaked Echidna

Tachyglossus aculeatus Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby

Petrogale xanthopus

Blue-Tongued Skink Tiliqua scincoides Centralian Carpet Python Morelia bredli Olive Python Liasis olivaceus

Birds Budgerigar

Melopsittacus undulatus Emu

Dromaius novaehollandia Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae Tawny Frogmouth

Podargus strigoides

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AZA Exhibit Award 5

SECTION A

candidate

River Bottlebrush Callistemon sieberi Captain Cook Bottlebrush Callistemon viminalis Captain Cook Macarthur Bottlebrush Callistemon viminalis Macarthur

Plants

Slim Bottlebrush Callistemon viminalis Slim

Mulga Acacia aneura

Seaside One-Sided Bottlebrush Calothamnus quadrifidus Seaside

Blue Bush Acacia covenyi

Prostrate Emu Bush Eremophila biserrta

Leather-Leaf Acacia Acacia craspedocarpa

Outback Bluey Emu Bush Eremophila divaricata Outback Bluey

Willow-Leaf Wattle Acacia iteaphylla

Grey Horizon Emu Bush Eremophila glabra Grey Horizon

Coonavittra Wattle Acacia jennerae

Kalgoorlie Gold Emu Bush Eremophila glabra Kalgoorlie Gold

Wirewood, Wiry Wattle Acaica coriacea

Lilac Tim Eremophila lehmanniana

Shelby Anne Desert Rose Alyogyne hakeifolia Shelby Anne

Carmine Star Emu Bush Eremophila maculata Carmine Star

Kangaroo Paws Anigozanthos sp.

Pink Lady Emu Bush Eremophila maculata Pink Lady

Narrow-Leaved Bottle Tree Brachychiton rupestris

Silver Orchid Emu Bush Eremophila maculata Silver Orchid

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Wendy Emu Bush Eremophila maculata Wendy Fairy Floss Emu Bush Eremophila maculata x racemosa Fairy Floss Outback Sunrise Emu Bush Eremophila prostrata Outback Sunrise Silver Gimlet Eucalyptus campaspe Red-Cap Gum Eucalyptus erythcocorys Book-Leaf Mallee Eucalyptus kruseana Narrow-Leaved Red Mallee Eucalyptus latens Moon Lagoon Red Flowered White Ironbark Eucalyptus leucoxlyon Rosea Coolibah Eucalyptus microtheca Ghost Gum Eucalyptus papuana Coral Gum Eucalyptus torquata Heart-Leaf Mallee Eucalyptus websteriana Long John Grevillea johnsonii x G. longistylla Long John Scarlet Sprite Grevillea Scarlet Sprite Dwarf Mat Rush Lomandra longifolia Breeze

number of personnel maintaining exhibit on a daily basis 6 Animal Care Team: 1 Animal Care Curator 1 Animal Care Supervisor 2 Animal Care Keepers 2 Float Animal Care Keepers

Pearl Bluebush Maireana sedifolia Cross-Leaf Honey Myrtle Melaleuca descussata Granite Honey Myrtle Melaleuca elliptica Robin Red-Breast Bush Melaleuca laterita Deer Grass Muhlenbergia rigens Outback Cassia Senna oligophylla Coast Rosemary Westringia fruticosa Mundi Coast Rosemary Westringia fruticosa Mundi

2 Guest Service Associates 2 Conservation Ambassador Volunteers 1 Gardens/Horticulture 1 Facilities Team Member 1 Maintenance Tech, as needed

has this program previously been submitted for an aza award?

No AZA Exhibit Award 7

SECTION B

Applicant

institutional budget

institution name

name of director

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

Allen Monroe, President/CEO

address

signature of director

More than $8 million

47900 Portola Ave. Palm Desert, CA 92260 Allen Monroe, President/CEO

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SECTION C

Construction Information date of official public opening June 15, 2020 Original Opening Date: March 21, 2020 (postponed due to COVID pandemic) The official grand opening of Australian Adventures was set for March 21, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Zoo closed on March 17th. The wallabies were quite upset when no one showed up for their unveiling and party.

When The Living Desert reopened to guests on June 15, 2020, Australian Adventures made its grand debut to our Zoo guests. Due to safety precautions and capacity limitations, there was no formal grand opening gathering.

length of construction 13 months February 2019 - March 2020

australian adventures cost Design

$153,500

Construction $2,918,000 Owner FFE

$13,400

Marketing $45,000 Landscaping $67,000 Misc.

12,000

Total

$3,208,900

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SECTION D

Summary OF Project Planning, Goals and Impact how does the exhibit fit your long-range strategic plan?

The mission of The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens is desert conservation through preservation, education, and appreciation.

Founded in 1970 as a nature reserve focused on preserving a small section of the Colorado Desert, today, The Living Desert is focused on telling the compelling and impactful stories of the world’s desert habitats, flora, and fauna. Set on 1,200 total acres, The Living Desert features 150 animal species and over 1,500 plant species on 80 acres of developed zoo and gardens. Given the Zoo’s location and climate, The Living Desert is unwavering in its commitment to the deserts of the world and the incredible diversity held within those ecosystems.

Australian Adventures was the first new major habitat construction at The Living Desert since the addition of the jaguar habitat in 2011. The area chosen for Australian Adventures has a long and storied history of uses throughout The Living Desert’s history. Originally built in 1975, the original structure had previously served as a plant nursery, gift shop, weather station, and office space. It was long overdue for a renovation, and the new Australian Adventures habitat was the perfect fit.

After a series of planning and architectural meetings, the detailed footprint of Australia was finalized in January 2019. After thirteen months of construction, Australian Adventures was ready for guests.

The Living Desert’s Master Plan was updated in 2015 to include the continent of Australia to augment the Zoo’s Wild Americas and African Savanna habitats.

From a conservation perspective, many of the ecological challenges facing Southern California, such as climate change, drought, forest fires, population expansion, and the loss of natural resources, are also occurring in Australia. This similarity made for a natural comparison between the two regions and a compelling argument as to why people should care about climate change. In addition, the diversity of animal species in Australia, that are climatically compatible with the local climate, gave a broad choice of mammal, avian, and reptile species to incorporate into the habitat.

Today, Australian Adventures is an immersive, walkabout experience for guests to explore and learn about the incredible wildlife of Australia’s deserts. Set within a nearly one-acre footprint, Australian Adventures highlights some of the incredible biodiversity of Australia’s outback.

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Australian Adventures is an engaging, immersive experience featuring four species of marsupials and numerous birds and reptiles.

Guests begin their Australian journey with a face-to-face meeting with iconic emu, who might be seen splashing in their ponds or running to greet each other. And the adventure really begins after entering the walkabout habitat, where Bennett’s wallabies will bounce alongside exploring guests. There are no barriers on the walkabout path, so the animals may even come for a closer look.

Free-flying budgies welcome and delight, along with the watchful tawny frogmouths and singing kookaburras. Yellow-footed wallabies gracefully scale the Australian rock formations showing off their climbing abilities, and a variety of Australian reptiles bask in the sunny habitat.

Australia is the driest inhabited continent in the world, with deserts receiving less than 10 inches of rainfall per year. Many similarities exist between Californian and Australian deserts, but the continent’s geographic isolation, long geologic history, and diverse climates result in sustaining a variety of animals that are unique to Australia.

However, both the Californian and Australian deserts face the impacts of our world’s changing climate. Longer-lasting heat waves lead to longer and more intense droughts, which increase wildfire risks, and more non-native species that crowd out natives. The more that we can share this message with guests, the better hope we have of making positive changes that will impact us all.

what was the exhibit designed to do? goal a: immersive guest experience Desired Outcome Create lasting memories and impactful moments for guests by creating engaging and immersive experiences and animal habitats. By choosing Bennett’s wallabies as the signature species for this habitat, the animals are able to roam where they feel comfortable, while the guests remain on the paved pathways.

Evaluation Method Quantitively evaluate guest experience feedback via social media review sites, etc.

Results The immersive, walk-through experience has been very well received. It is consistently mentioned as a must-see on travel review sites. Thirty-one reviews, submitted between December 2018 and May 2021, were analyzed. One review was submitted in 2018, one in 2019, 13 in 2020, and 16 in 2021. Overall, 24 comments were purely positive, five were mostly positive with some sort of complaint embedded (e.g. overpriced items/experiences, lack of dining seating, issues at Giraffe Feeding habitat, etc.), and one was negative. Of the 31 reviews, the Australia habitat was specifically mentioned in 30. Five of these 30 (17%) mentioned Australia in anticipation of its construction or grand opening. These five were excluded from analysis hereafter to focus on opinions of those who experienced Australia. Seven of 25 (28%) mentioned or implied that Australia was one of their favorite feature(s) of the Zoo. Ten of 25 (40%) generally described they enjoyed the Australia habitat. For example, “We enjoyed seeing... the kangaroos” or the “Australia exhibit is a great way for you to... end” your visit to the Zoo. Fourteen of 25 (56%) people highlighted the ‘free-roaming’ quality of the wallabies and/or that they were able to get ‘up close’ to the wallabies. Eight to nine people (of the fourteen; 61%) specifically linked this feature (up close interactions) to why they enjoyed the habitat experience; others simply described that one could get ‘up close’ to the wallabies without explicitly linking the feature to their enjoyment of the habitat. One person linked the multi-species feature of Australia to why the habitat was their favorite.

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goal b: attendance growth Desired Outcome Increase attendance by 10% compared to FYE 2019 through the addition of a new and exciting signature species and habitat.

Evaluation Method Australian Adventures opened mid-June 2020 upon our COVID-19 reopening. To track the change in attendance, we compared the total number of visitors from June 15, 2020 - June 1, 2021, with the parallel period of June 15, 2018 – June 1, 2019. We chose to exclude 2019-2020 as an outlier due to our COVID-19 closures.

Results Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, zoo closures and restrictions, attendance to The Living Desert grew by 19% in 2020-2021 compared to the same period 2018-2019.

Daytime Attendance (general admission and membership)

6/15/2018 - 6/1/2019 =

6/15/2020 - 6/1/2021 =

356,352 425,496

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goal c: guest Engagement and Understanding of Climate Change Evaluation Method Guest surveys (n=100) were collected electronically by tablet from February through March of 2020 prior to the opening of the Australian Adventures habitat. These surveys would serve as a baseline for the formative attitudinal data of our visitors. From April through May of 2021, guest surveys (n=100) were collected electronically by tablet at the exit of the Australian Adventures habitat upon the completion of the guest’s visit. These surveys incorporated the same questions to compare our guest’s perception about climate change before they experienced the habitat to after they visited.

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Desired Outcome 1 Increase understanding for guests that human activity is impacting natural ecosystems. The Living Desert is committed to spreading awareness about climate change and how it affects the environment. Through graphic interpretation and engagement opportunities, this message is shared with guests. Action steps are shown to provide guest ways to make a positive difference for the deserts of the world, like in Southern California and Australia.

Results When pre-visit survey data was compared to post-visit survey data, there was a 16.9% increase in guests who Strongly Agreed that human activity is having an impact on natural ecosystems.

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goal c: guest Engagement and Understanding of Climate Change [cont.]

Desired Outcome 2 Increase understanding for guests that the climate is changing.

Results When pre-visit survey data was compared to post-visit survey data, there was a 34.9% increase in guests who Strongly Agreed that the climate has changed where they live.

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Guests were asked to rank the activities they felt most contributed to carbon emissions on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the greatest contributing factor and 1 being the least.

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Desired Outcome 3 Guests understand the continued challenges Australia is experiencing from the effects of climate change.

Results To assess our guest’s continued awareness of Australia’s effects from wildfires and climate change we asked visitors to rate how strongly they agreed or disagreed with the statement in the post-visit survey.

After visiting the habitat, 87% of our guests rated that they agree or strongly agree.

goal d: Superior Animal Care and Welfare Desired Outcome Use habitat design, animal husbandry, and training to promote animal welfare for each individual.

Evaluation Method The Animal Care team has three guiding principles: • Provide an excellent, optimal level of well-being for each individual in our care, both animals and humans.

• Provide high quality veterinary care for each species in our care.

• Provide engaging and inspiring messaging for guests, so they can make a positive difference in the world.

Throughout the habitat design process, these guiding principles were the pillars of how the space would come together. Throughout the process, the animals’ needs remained top priority without sacrificing a meaningful experience for our guests. Built-in options allow for dynamic experiences and give the animals the opportunity to make some of their own choices. Through daily animal observations, the Animal Care team evaluates and determines if the animals are comfortable and/or have shown they take advantage of the choices offered to move through the habitat as they wish.

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Results From its early conception phase, this habitat was designed to create a balance between guest enjoyment and animal welfare.

One of its biggest advancements to welfare is the ability to leave the animals in the guest-facing habitat 24 hours a day.

This allows the animals to display natural behaviors, not only in front of the guests, but they are also afforded the same opportunities without guests present.

For the Bennett’s wallabies, topography changes and foliage in the middle of the habitat create a high look-out point, while allowing guests the opportunity to see the wallabies from a variety of angles. The wallaby “lounges”, are our modern take on animal holding areas. Located in two areas and equipped with fans, heaters and misters, climbing structures and automatic feeders, these areas are viewable by the guests, but only accessible by the animals, which gives the more reserved wallabies a guest exclusion zone. Located just off the guest pathway, large natural, flat rocks provide for elevated locations for training creating a comfortable zone for the wallabies, while giving guests an inside look into animal care. Guests can watch behaviors being trained such as recall, weighing, and even injections anywhere throughout the habitat, or be included in a “WOW” moment between Animal Care Keeper and animal.

The yellow-footed rock wallaby habitat is at a lower grade than the guest pathway which allows the guests and wallabies to be at the same height, as this species is more comfortable up high. Similar to the Bennett’s wallabies, these animals have a “lounge” in which they can access heat, misters, fans, climbing structures and automatic feeders. The rock wall of this habitat features many alcoves that provide for natural, comfortable, and cool resting zones. This species is more reserved, so training occurs on the rocks, where wallabies are a comfortable distance from the guests. Moreover, the yellow-footed rock wallabies have bred successfully and are raising joeys in this new space.

The “flexible habitat space” gives reptiles the opportunity to exhibit natural behaviors like basking and exploration. The budgerigars have a large variety of trees to perch in, which has created successful social structure and natural perching opportunities. A large bird bath creates a water source for both wallabies and budgerigars.

Due to the Zoo’s three-month COVID-19 closure, the animals within Australian Adventures were given the rare opportunity to slowly acclimate to the habitat without guests. This time allowed the Animal Care Team to work with the animals in a more relaxed state without the pressures of a strict opening time. This became an important part of the introduction process for the animals, as they were able to move, train, and learn about the habitat at their own pace.

Specific Animal Training and Welfare Success Examples • Bennett’s wallabies and yellow-footed rock wallabies reliably participate in training sessions, eat from and interact with VIPs and guests in spontaneous engagement sessions, and reliably participate in their individual husbandry care.

• Budgerigars are trained for A-B flight and crate.

• Emus are conditioned to eat from VIPs and guests and participate in husbandry and medical care.

• 70% of behavioral goals are complete or in progress.

• Australian Adventures’ animals scored an average 93% on welfare assessments in 2021.

(The Living Desert’s average is 87%)

SECTION E

Narrative

1. physical description Australian Adventures, The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens’ newest habitat, immerses guests and animals in dynamic and engaging experiences. The 15,000+ square foot habitat was renovated from a retail plant nursery and gift shop space that was underutilized, underperforming, overlooked by guests, and understated in sharing The Living Desert’s mission of desert conservation through preservation, education, and appreciation. The nursery and shop closed in late 2017, and this area sat empty while the plans to create Australia came to fruition, as outlined in the Zoo’s Master Plan.

Designed to transport guests to the red-rock deserts of the Australian outback, guests are immediately welcomed by the iconic red dirt and Australian gardens. Navigating through native Australian bottlebrush and ecalyptus, guests are guided through the

24 THE LIVING DESERT ZOO AND GARDENS | Australian Adventures

winding garden pathways by interpretive elements highlighting the similarities between the deserts of Southern California and the deserts of Australia, while being introduced to the effects of climate change on our world.

Built to inspire guests and encourage change through action, each turn of this Australian journey brings new experiences, connections, and delights.

The welcoming trio of emu are the first animal species guests will discover along the path into the main habitat. Peering out from the eucalyptus trees or bathing in their 315 gallon pond, the emu can greet each guest or watch from afar in their 3,755 square foot habitat. Guests then formally enter Australian Adventures through the first set of automatic sliding glass doors that begin the double containment area. It is there, guests enter a special slow space where they can sit and watch the excitement of the Outback without entering the habitat. Relaxing Adirondack rocking chairs await under a cooling and misting system and kids of all ages can size themselves up with life-sized Australian marsupial cut-outs that line the expansive wall behind them. Once the outer door closes, the next set of automatic doors open into the main habitat where a Bennett’s wallaby may greet with a bounding welcome.

Free to explore at their leisure, guests are met with Conservation Ambassador Volunteers and

Guest Service Associates to enhance their journey. Along the path, they will not only be met by the free-roaming Bennett’s wallabies, but also by colorful budgies flying overhead.

As guests travel the pathway, the call of the laughing kookaburra or the silent, watchful eye of the tawny frogmouth will lure them in to see these two remarkable species.

A towering 20-foot red rock outcropping habitat looms over the south-end of the habitat with a towering 15-foot waterfall and wandering stream where guests will get a glimpse of the mob of yellow-footed rock wallabies. The rock wallabies’ astonishing agility is on full display as they maneuver around the rockwork, designed to mimic their natural habitat. Both wallaby species have their own shaded lounges where they can remove themselves from guests when they choose to. These spaces have both warming and cooling features depending on the time of year and the animals’ needs.

Continuing along the pathway, guests will see the Critically Endangered brush-tailed bettong either nest-building or taking a snooze in their den. The bettongs’ neighbor, the echidna, can be caught napping in its climate-controlled indoor home through large glass windows. A peek into the work of an Animal Care Keeper is available through a glass panel door offering a look into the workspace. Here, guests will see communication boards full of meal recipes,

tools, food supplies, and keepers preparing any number of items to fulfill their role as caretakers of these unique species.

Completing the Australian Adventures experience are three spacious floor-to-ceiling reptile habitats for some of the scaly friends from the land down under.

Built into the design philosophy of the habitat, Animal Care Keepers create dynamic opportunities for guests and animals, such as the budgerigar flock flying around the aviary, a wallaby mob gathering for a special photo opportunity, or the chance to meet an ambassador blue-tongued skink or tawny frogmouth. The habitat’s builtin features like the flexible habitat space can be used for sunning a reptile, a unique Animal Care Keeper chat or even a “WOW” moment where a child can help feed an animal. Natural red rock seats can be used to relax and watch the activity, observe a training session, or a chat with a keeper. As guests exit and return into the slow space foyer, they can utilize the family restroom or new moms can get comfortable in “The Pouch,” the Zoo’s first dedicated mother’s room space. Upon exiting the Australian Adventures habitat, guests can head to the newly remodeled Kookaburra Café and Overlook that rises above the entire habitat and gives a bird’s eye view of the region’s landscape and the Australian action below.

From design, The Living Desert approached Australian Adventures through a modern lens of housing and managing Animal Ambassadors. Traditionally in zoos, animals in educational outreach and ambassador program roles are housed behind the scenes.

In evaluating welfare assessment scores for ambassador animals with those on public view, this new design consideration allowed the Zoo to create a space that was geared toward elevating animal welfare, creating dynamic natural behavior and experiences for the animals, and increasing a greater positive impact with guests. Eight of the eleven species housed in Australian Adventures are trained to participate in guest programs within or out of the habitat. Through design of multi-species habitats and consideration of social groupings, when a specific animal is away from its primary habitat for a guest experience, the habitat still offers guests the opportunity to see other conspecifics of the species in the space. This innovative habitat design has moved The Living Desert forward in efforts to provide the best care practices for animals while providing interaction with guests and in support of education and conservation goals.

2. interpretive program The Australian Adventures interpretive plan focuses on how the Southern Californian and Australian deserts face many of the same challenges due to climate change. Changing weather, prolonged droughts, and increased fires affect both regions; however, through the collective actions of people, it is possible to limit the devasting impacts of climate change.

The Big Idea Deserts throughout Australia and California, and the diverse species that live there, face the same threats from climate change; people must work together worldwide to create positive change.

The interpretation of this message is delivered through static and digital signage, keeper chats, and interpretation from education staff and volunteers. Volunteers and staff were trained on climate change interpretation that highlighted the similarities

between Southern Californian and Australian deserts allowing guests to make meaningful connections about how human impact is affecting natural habitats. By facilitating these interactions, our staff and volunteers were able to encourage guests to take action to reduce their carbon footprint and chose sustainable practices.

Key Messages

1.

Climate change threatens desert environments in many ways.

2.

Excellent animal care is a core pillar of The Living Desert.

3.

Healthy deserts are thriving ecosystems with diverse plant and animal species.

4.

Although many miles separate us, the deserts of California and Australia can learn from each other to combat negative impacts from climate change.

Key Interpretive Elements Desert Similarities: Signage highlights how the deserts of Australia and California share many similarities and the diverse species living within them face similar threats from climate change.

Weather vs Climate: A dynamic weather station shares current and realtime weather from Tanami, Northern Territory, Australia and Palm Desert, California.

How do you Measure Up? A life-sized marsupial wall is a fun and interactive way to learn about Australia’s marsupials.

You Can Make a Difference: Signage encourages guests with actionable steps to help reduce the climate change impacts.

Daily Keeper Chats and Training Sessions: As the Animal Care Team completes their work, they showcase the daily animal care and husbandry for the guests.

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3. safety Guest Safety Guests navigate through the entrance garden and into the habitat on a designated 10.5 foot wide slip resistant cement pathway. Inside the habitat, the well-defined substrate distinction between the guest pathway and animal space and gardens minimizes guests unintentionally entering specified animal areas and the gardens. Guest areas were designed for ADA accessibility and ease for disabled, elderly, and children with even, flat pathways throughout the space. The uniform grade of the guest walkway onto portions of the animal space maintains a safe egress, distance, and comfort for the animals, while still maintaining an immersive experience for guests. Boulders and rockwork are accessible to guests and placed to allow for seating and rest, while preventing unsafe climbing opportunities.

The foyer into the walkthrough habitat has glider chair seating under fans and mister systems for comfort during the summer heat. The family restroom and mother’s room have climate-controlled HVAC systems.

The center of the habitat has an innovative LED lighting system 25 feet above the space that is adjustable to provide different guest and animal experiences and dimmable opportunities set to timers. It also allows natural nighttime lighting effect that is comfortable for animals during introductions or potential environmental stressors. All pathways of the gardens and habitat are lined with lighting.

Animal Safety Guests enter and exit the walkabout area of the habitat via electronic sliding double-doors. Both sets of doors are timed to stagger in their opening and closing, to prevent animals from exiting the space, ensuring double containment. These doors are also monitored by Zoo personnel to ensure additional containment adherence.

Should an animal breach through one electronic door, the door attendant will be nearby to secure the next set of doors and use a two-way radio to call for further assistance. At minimum, one Animal Care Keeper is in the habitat space during hours open to the public. Additionally, Guest Service staff and/or trained volunteers are within the space to observe and monitor both guests and animals.

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3. safety [cont.]

The entire Australian Adventures habitat is designed to be fully enclosed with double containment doors leading into each direct animal area. 15,000 square feet of 1” hand-woven stainless-steel mesh completely encloses the walkabout animal habitat portion. The mesh containment protects the animal collection from natural desert predators in the area, while allowing spacious free flight opportunities for the Australian birds in the walkthrough. The Animal Care team takes precautionary measures of placing anti-strike materials on windows or mesh when introducing animals to a new space. The camera monitoring systems, located throughout each animal habitat and guest spaces, allows for review and assessment of animal behavior, as well as monitoring of guest influence and activity. Throughout the animal areas, there are misters, fans, and heaters to aid in further comfort and safety for the animals.

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The Bennett’s wallabies, yellow-footed rock wallabies, and budgerigars have choice options to be in many distinct locations of the habitat including a space tucked back from guest access, but still visible for guests. This area, called “the lounge” provides additional space for the animals should they not want to be near guests. All animals went through acclimatization and desensitization training prior to the habitat opening to guests. In addition, welfare was assessed before and after the habitat was opened. The Animal Care Team focused on conditioning resilient animals, and in turn, have observed the animals welcoming of being around guests. Prior to Australian Adventures opening to guests, the animals were quarantined within the habitat. All animals in the walkabout habitat are trained for recall to any location designated should there be an emergency need.

4. conservation Australian Adventures addresses the wide diversity of challenges facing the species and ecosystems of the marvelous Australian continent, and in our representation of it here at The Living Desert. We have created habitats that have bred imperiled marsupials, engage the public in climate change and empower them to act, have created a structure based on reuse of earlier materials, and use it as a messaging tool to encourage donations to Australian conservation efforts.

The Big Idea Australian Adventures is a conservation experience, complete with messaging about the threats that these species face and the many things that visitors and The Living Desert are doing to make a positive impact for wildlife and wild places in Australia.

Breeding The Living Desert is successfully addressing a request voiced at a recent Marsupial and Monotreme meeting for the need of new holders and breeding facilities for yellow-footed rock wallaby and brush-tailed bettongs. We decided to contribute to this pressing need to maintain genetic diversity within both species in Australian Adventures by specifically designing the spaces for these two species to accommodate for breeding.

The yellow-footed rock wallabies have responded to the opportunity, with three viable and vibrant joeys being born shortly after moving into their new habitat. The intricate rockwork in their habitat, with many crevices and opportunities for maintaining their own territories, has helped them feel at home and safe enough to breed.

Similarly, for the bettongs, we have seen copulation events.

The Living Desert is confident that both species of great conservation value will continue to enjoy their new homes and produce many future offspring to help maintain these species in AZA organizations.

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4. conservation [cont.]

Climate Change Action Messaging about climate change is central to the entire Australian Adventures experience and makes connections between a guest’s individual experiences in the Southwestern United States and those of a person living in the deserts of Australia. The interpretive messages highlight the causes and impacts of climate change and finish by empowering guests to make changes to reduce the magnitude and impact of climate change on desert ecosystems in North America and Australia.

As guests enter the winding pathway, they see the many ecological similarities between the Coachella Valley and central Australia – meteorologically, ecologically, and their sensitivity to climate change. Guests go on to experience a series of digital images about the disproportionate impacts of climate change on desert ecosystems in Australia and the Coachella Valley.

Conservation Ambassador Volunteers are trained in climate change interpretation and are stationed throughout the experience to emphasize the challenges of this problem and how it relates to the animals in their species’ natural habitat. As guests leave Australian Adventures, they see an engaging multi-panel sign describing the many simple lifestyle changes that they can make to help mitigate the impacts of climate change – to benefit both Australia and the Southwestern United States.

Sustainable Building To reduce the impact on climate change and the planet more broadly, The Living Desert created a building that highlights sustainability in its very bones. The walled structure enclosing Australian Adventures was pointedly repurposed from the previous retail plant nursery. This decision obviated the emissions of many tons of carbon due to the cement and mortar that would have otherwise been necessary to build a new structure, as well as haul away and dispose of the existing structure. To complement

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this, solar tubes were installed in the reptile rooms to reduce electricity consumption.

Drought-friendly landscaping, as is throughout the Zoo, uses low flow drip-irrigation and drought-tolerant and desert-adapted plants throughout Australian Adventures.

Financial Contributions The Living Desert encourages our guests to make financial contributions to our conservation collaborators in Australia. To model this behavior, we donated $10,000 to Zoos Victoria during the firestorm that devastated wildlife in Australia in late 2019-early 2020. We continue to support our partners in Australia.

5. animal husbandry and management Habitat Design From its inception, the primary goal for Australian Adventures was to increase animal welfare by creating large spaces with varying opporunties for them to exhibit natural behavior, and by providing the animals choice throughout the space. This new habitat was to be primarily the home for the animals and secondarily a home the guests visit – a completely immersive experience for both animals and humans. This is not only an immersive experience, but a transparent one too. The Animal Care Team can share all the work they do with the animals throughout the day with our guests, including cleaning, feeding, training, veterinary exams and offering enriching experiences. The animals who live in this space are not locked into any holding in the evenings and released each morning, but rather have access to their areas throughout the day and night. They have access to shade, water, cooling/warming spots, guest exclusion zones, so they can decide where they want to be.

Animal Management The Bennett’s wallabies may interact with guests as they walk along the pathway or they can watch from a distance. The Bennett’s wallabies will interact with keepers during training sessions, readily eat browse or drink from a pond while guests walk by and watch. Throughout the day, they can be seen lounging under a tree or bouncing along the pathways. They readily utilize the lounge space that has mister fans for the hot summer days or radiant heaters for the rare winter chilly nights.

The yellow-footed rock wallabies can be seen scaling the looming twenty-foot red rock wall built to showcase their extraordinary rock-climbing skills. They can often be seen at the highest point of the wall with a bird’s eye-view of the entire habitat. The yellow-footed rock wallabies will come down each morning to be hand-fed during their training sessions with the Animal Care Team. The habitat’s slow-moving stream allows them to get a quick drink of water, augmented by their own lounge to cool down or warm up depending on the season.

The kookaburra aviary allows the birds to have a full view surrounding them. They can watch the emus’ antics on one side and the walk-through habitat on the other. The tawny frogmouths enjoy the open-air space above the bettongs, blending in perfectly with their trees to surprise guests when they make the slightest movement. The free-flying budgies offer another dynamic layer to this habitat as they fly above it all. The emus can observe everything going on around them, and can be seen sunning themselves, finding a shady spot under a tree or cooling off under the misters or in their private pond. The three reptile enclosures were designed for versatility. Depending on the species, the reptile habitats can be quickly managed to provide one, two, or three habitat areas.

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5. animal husbandry and management [cont.]

Post-Opening Modifications As the space opened to guests, there were minor adjustments made throughout the habitat.

Door Timing- The double containment doors had to be adjusted to allow for the proper timing of the opening and closing of both to allow for entry and exit of guests.

Waterfall Safety - As an additional safety precaution during joey season, the waterfall in the yellow-footed rock wallaby habitat would be turned off to allow the joeys to safely explore the habitat as they emerged from the pouch. As the joeys grow and are confident traversing the habitat, water will be added to the stream at a low level and increased over time, with the waterfall being the last thing added into the environment. This process is to prevent accidental drowning by young animals who are not yet familiar with their surroundings.

Tawny Frogmouth Move - Flexibility and options were at the forefront when designing this habitat. One of those options was to move the tawny frogmouths from an enclosed habitat to the greater mesh enclosure allowing them to perch within the bettong habitat. The move happened about six months after original opening, once it was determined that these specific individuals would be successful outside of the enclosed habitat.

Reptile Shade Panels – As the sun’s positioning throughout the day and year progressed, it was discovered that glare was limiting guest viewing opportunities into the reptile habitats.

A uniquely themed and effective solution was developed.

Tall, colorful, and adjustable panels were added in front of the reptile glass enclosures to improve visibility into the habitats. These panels can be turned at different angles depending on the sun’s position.

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Illustrative Materials

Illustrative Materials exhibit plans and drawings

Early Design Sketch

Mid Design Sketch

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Fully enclosed 1” stainless steel mesh

Kookaburra Cafe Patio/Overlook

Rock-wallaby habitat

Flexible reptile habitat

Natural barriers creating unique spaces

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Site Plan Overview

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Alternate Perspectives

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Wallaby Shelters

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Main Animal Care Space

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GP AJ

EG

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Australia Garden

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AS

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GP AS EP C EP AS AS – Acacia saligna or other suitable browse plant AS EB AS

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n Planting Plan

AZA Exhibit Award 41

Illustrative Materials interpretive graphics

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A AL L B

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interpretive graphics [cont.]

UNG

G’day mate!

Check out our wallaby lounge.

We can choose to come here for a little rest and relaxation, or to visit with our Animal Care Team.

We all need a space where we can take it easy.

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Illustrative Materials

photographs

photographs

Aerial before photo Originally built in 1975, the building’s last use was a plant nursery and gift shop.

The curved brick structure remained as the foundation of the new habitat space.

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Aerial After Photo Australian Adventures completely transformed a once tired space into an inviting and immersive animal experience.

AZA Exhibit Award 47

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Australian Adventures Await Red rocks and inviting landscaping invites guests to explore the Australian Adventures that await within.

Amazing Guest Experiences The unique and immersive habitat invites guests to get up close and personal building lasting connections and fostering a deep appreciation for Australia’s incredible wildlife.

Greeted by Emu As guests enter the habitat, they are greeted by a trio of playful and gregarious emu.

How do you Measure Up? Kids of all ages can see how they might measure up to one of Australia’s notable marsupials.

Breeding Success Within just a few months of the animals in the habitat, there were several breeding successes to support the SSP. Currently, there are three yellow-footed rock wallaby joeys in the habitat.

Take a Seat and Relax in the Outback In the vestibule/corridor, guests are encouraged to take a seat and enjoy the scene before them. For those guests who do not want to enter a free flight aviary, this area enables them to still see the wallaby in the habitat.

Wallaby Walkabout Paved pathways encourage guests to stay on the pathways, while getting up close to these adorable marsupials. The Bennett’s wallabies have the freedom and choice to roam throughout the habitat.

Free-Flight Aviary As an enclosed space, budgerigar and tawny frogmouth make their home in the greater habitat footprint, while the kookaburra delights guests with their cacophony of sounds.

Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby Habitat Designed specifically for rock wallabies, this habitat features rock outcroppings, tucked away niches, a waterfall, and numerous perches for these high-jumping and nimble marsupials.

Bettong Habitat Glass panels invite guests to take a peek at the nocturnal brush-tailed bettong in their den or larger habitat space.

Wallaby Lounge A secluded space was designed into the habitat that is reserved only for the Bennett’s wallabies. In this area, they can retreat from guests, rest under the misters, and seek shade and shelter when needed.

Reptile Habitat Wonderous suprises abound at every twist and turn. Floor to ceiling reptile homes allow guests of all ages and sizes to view accessibly.

Flexible Animal Habitat Flexible habitat space allows Animal Care Keepers to give some of the smaller animals different experiences throughout the day.

Guests engage in unique viewing opportunities at this spot.

Animal Ambassadors Australian Adventures provides opportunities for guests to meet our troop of Bennett’s wallabies. Surprise encounters may offer guests an opportunity to feed or interact with the Bennett’s wallaby.

Kookaburra Café Patio A new guest space for daytime use and private events, features an incredible view of the surrounding landscape along with an aerial view of the Australian Adventures habitat.

Australia’s Incredible Fauna There are over 55 species of native Australian plants throughout the habitat.

Natural Barriers Throughout the walkabout, there are boulders that serve a variety of functions, including guest barriers, seating, and an animal training area.

The Pouch and Family Restroom The Pouch is The Living Desert’s first dedicated mother’s room space, set aside specifically for breastfeeding mothers as a private space. Adjacent to The Pouch is a family restroom.

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Illustrative Materials in the news

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Recognition consultants and contractors GLMV Zoos - Design/Architect D.W. Johnston Construction - General Contractor Nets Unlimited Cemrock

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major donors

photo credits

The Skilling Family Foundation

May Guzman

Carol and Larry Jones,

Erin Scott

Larson Jones Family Trust

the living desert team Animal Care Team Gardens Team Park Maintenance

Adam Duplay Christine Montgomery Olivia Luna Tori Church Allen Monroe

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Image

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Submitter allen monroe President/CEO June 14, 2021 AMonroe@LivingDesert.org

“

Australian Adventures is a unique habitat and one that gives guests a truly immersive experience with Australia’s amazing wildlife. I am proud of the hard work that went into building this space. Through years of planning, construction, and even a global pandemic, Australian Adventures stands as an outstanding, natural habitat that promotes excellent animal welfare, engaging guest experiences, and the importance of taking steps to reduce the negative effects of climate change.

“

- Allen Monroe, President/CEO

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News Release Form institution Name The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

award Category Exhibit

program or exhibit title Australian Adventures

media contact Erin Scott, Senior Manager, Brand, Marketing, and Public Relations

phone number (760) 346-5694 ext. 2610

email address Escott@LivingDesert.org

public relations department head Erin Scott, Senior Manager, Brand, Marketing, and Public Relations

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winner’s Release if yours is the winning application, would you be willing to have it posted on the AZA website?

Yes.

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Thanks for hopping by.

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