Foxpaws | Summer 2021

foxpaws SUMMER

PALM

DESERT

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INDIAN

2021

WELLS

W onde rfull y Wild

board of trustees

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Chairman: Treasurer: Secretary:

Bill Appel * Craig McCollam * Sandra Cooper Woodson *

President/CEO & Assistant Secretary:

Allen Monroe *

Jon-Marc Blalock * Deborah Chapman Melinda Drickey Marylynn Gladstein Jim Gould Patti Grundhofer Candace Holzgrafe * H. Earl Hoover II Suz Hunt Sis Jackson Michael Kiner Jaishri Mehta Jneil Nelson Peter Scheer Michael Schreter Dick Shalhoub Sally Simonds Bill Simpkins BJ Skilling Phillip K. Smith, Jr. * Roger Snoble

Mary Lou Solomon Larry Spicer Sam Spinello Nancy L. Stegehuis * Van Tanner * * Board of Directors PRESIDENT EMERITA Karen Sausman

table of contents FEATURES 03 04 08 10 11 14

From the President’s Desk Meet Your New Neighbors On Your Mark, Get Set, Zoo! Welcoming Jaali & Nia Saving Rhinos on Our Savanna Supporter Spotlight: The Baltzell Family

TRUSTEE EMERITUS Curt Ealy

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LEGAL COUNSEL Brian S. Harnik Roemer & Harnik, LLP

WHAT’S NEW

Rhino Registry

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ADVISORY COUNCIL

City of Indian Wells – Mayor Richard Balocco City of Palm Desert – Mayor Kathleen Kelly and Councilman Sabby Jonathan

ON THE COVER Great White Pelican FOXPAWS EDITORIAL STAFF

City of Rancho Mirage – Mayor Ted Weill

Project Manager - Erin Scott

Coachella Valley Water District – Jim Barrett and Anthony Bianco

Designer - Tori Church

Wayne Connor Associates – Wayne Connor

CONTRIBUTORS

Greater Palm Springs CVB – Scott White and Davis Meyer

RoxAnna Breitigan Amy Crabb Dr. James Danoff-Burg May Guzman

Judy Vossler Carol Wright

Jan Hawkins Allen Monroe Angela Woods

Allen Monroe, President/CEO

FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK For the past three years, we have been working

on an exciting new project for The Living Desert with the design and construction of the new Rhino Savanna. This four-acre habitat will be complete and open to guests later this fall. If you have ever built or even remodeled a home, you know there are hundreds of details that must be considered and integrated into the design. My office is filled with stacks of blueprints ensuring that each feature is correct down to the last detail.

Usually there is one client who provides the input that the architects factor into the design. In our case, we have three clients whose needs must be considered, the animals living in the habitat, the staff with the support facilities, and our guests and how they will enjoy this new experience. Our challenge is to blend and optimize the needs of these three clients to build the perfect space to tell the conservation story of black rhinoceros and work to prevent their extinction.

We are often asked where our animals come from and the black rhinos are a great example of how zoos work collaboratively. Animals are rarely taken from the wild and only under exceptional circumstances. Our goal is to increase the population of wild animals so the animals under human care at zoos are carefully managed to build sustainable populations of genetically healthy species.

Generally, each species has a coordinator for their Species Survival Plan (SSP) who serves as a program manager, or matchmaker, and makes recommendations on when individuals can breed and which ones should be relocated to other facilities to ensure genetic diversity. Three years ago, we notified the SSP Coordinator for black rhinos that The Living Desert would be adding our new facility to the resources dedicated to rhino conservation.

That information was factored into the breeding recommendations of the species and the results are the two rhinos we will be receiving to begin our breeding program. In zoo lingo, that is 1.1 black rhinos meaning 1 male and 1 female.

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo will be sending us Nia (pronounced Ny-a), a three-year-old female rhino.

The Potter Park Zoo in Lansing, Michigan will send along three-year-old Jaali (pronounced Jolly), which means powerful in Swahili. We will be sharing more information about these two rhino ambassadors as their arrival approaches. It is our hope that this will be the start of a successful breeding program here at The Living Desert. There are only about 5,600 black rhinos left in the world; each one is precious and the work of conservation organizations like The Living Desert are critical to preventing their extinction.

Allen Monroe, President/CEO

meet your new neighbors

By Erin Scott, Senior Manager of Brand, Marketing, and Public Relations

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens is setting the stage for a fantastic new habitat, opening late Fall 2021: The Rhino Savanna.

This expansive, multi-species, and state-of-the-art four-acre habitat is The Living Desert’s most ambitious project to date. Transforming the once empty space between the Zoo’s entrance and the existing giraffe savanna, the new Rhino Savanna will transport guests right to their own African safari, creating connections and appreciation for Africa’s wildlife.

The anticipation is building as we prepare for the opening this fall – here’s a preview of what makes this new experience so exciting.

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peculiar species of rodent is blind, hairless and has a penchant for tunnels. And although you can’t see it, be sure to look up because at that particular moment, a rhino could be walking above you on the land bridge between the East and West rhino habitats. As you emerge from the Life Underground tunnel, you will be rewarded with stunning views of the African savanna and a variety of Africa’s amazing biodiversity. The pair of black rhinos will be joined by three species of antelope and numerous birds native to the African deserts.

Guests will have the opportunity to grab a snack at the new Crash Café and take in the vistas of both the rhino and giraffe savannas. The giraffe feeding experience will remain at its original location and will continue to offer visitors the incredible opportunity to get eye-to-eye with the world’s tallest animal. The pathway will meander along the rhino and giraffe savannas and bring guests to the newly relocated and remodeled habitats of our beloved cape porcupines and warthogs at the new entrance of Village WaTuTu, adjacent to the petting kraal, leopard, and hyena habitats. The newly designed pathway through Village WaTuTu will offer guests a more cohesive experience and easy access to the rest of the African Safari.

Animal Care Leading the Charge

Rhino You’re Excited – Phase Two is Nearly Complete!

The opening of the Rhino Savanna will mark the completion of the second phase of The Living Desert’s three-phase capital expansion project: Crossroads of Conservation. Phase One opened Fall 2018 and features the new guest entrance, Grundhofer Entry Plaza, and Appel Gift Shop. The awe-inspiring rhino savanna of Phase Two will feature 12 new species, incredible vistas, numerous guest engagement opportunities, and remodeled habitats for warthogs and cape porcupines.

Awe-mazing awaits as guests are immediately welcomed by the majestic black rhino. As guests wander the landscaped pathways, they will then be greeted by the most unusual of creatures – the naked mole rat. Destined to life underground, this

Animal care functionality and flexibility was crucial in the design of the habitat. From training and husbandry to veterinary care, the new habitats will ensure that every animal will receive the highest level of care. A new Animal Care and Nutrition Center will give guests a glimpse into the detailed efforts behind the meals each animal receives. Adjacent to the Animal Care and Nutrition Center, guests will get an inside look at the hoofstock barn and training facilities. Training will be an integral part of the animal care programs. From taking routine weights to visual health checks to ultrasounds and x-rays, each animal will become a participant in their own healthcare.

Each habitat will have built-in features that offer the animals enriching experiences throughout their day.

Through the use of timed feeders, browse hangers, and grain scatterers, animals are provided variety and stimulating experiences that encourage them to use their natural skills, behaviors and diligence when eating. In addition to these enriched feeding experiences, the animals will have behavioral training opportunities that will provide cognitive challenges 5

Springbok ooZ eht ta hcnurB

Taking Center Stage

Eager to keep your eye on the construction progress? Be sure to tune into our live cams and check in on the progress.

LivingDesert.org/LiveCams

and cooperative care. There are numerous elements throughout the habitats’ design that push the boundary and challenge the status quo. Namely, the multi-species focus of the habitats – black rhino historically ride solo in their habitats. However, through land management techniques including the use of boulders, landscaping, and water, every species within the savanna will have ample choice and opportunities, ensuring the highest level of wellbeing for every animal. Multi-species habitats mimic an animal’s native environments, providing stimulating experiences, scents, and opportunities. foxpaws |

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One of Africa’s most iconic species, the breeding pair of black rhinos coming to The Living Desert will take centerstage. Known for their two horns and pointed upper lip, black rhinos are browsers that eat trees and bushes. However, these stars will be supported by a unique cast of feathered, furry, and subterranean characters ready to take the stage.

Klipspringer are tiny antelope with big skills – they inhabit rocky outcroppings and have specialized hooves that help them jump from boulder to boulder.

The larger springbok antelope are crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) and are known for their pronking abilities, leaping over six feet into the air with a stiff-legged posture multiple times in row. The more sedentary waterbuck is one of Africa’s largest antelopes that makes its home near water sources.

Two species of pelicans will make their homes in the habitats’ water features: great white pelicans and pink-backed pelicans. Great white pelicans, native to the Saharan Desert, live, feed, breed, and migrate in large colonies. With a wingspan of up to nearly 12 feet, great white pelicans feature unique plumage – white, pinkish body feathers, a featherless head, and black underwing feathers. And speaking of wings, 6

Naked Mole Rat Great White Pelican

the pink-backed pelican can fly for 24 hours non-stop covering 300 miles in one flight. Although one of the smallest pelican species, they still have a wingspan of 7-9.5 feet with mostly grey plumage with pinkish back and underparts.

Dwarf Mongoose

Making their respective homes adjacent to the aforementioned naked mole rats, two more subterranean species will be making their debut – the dwarf mongoose and banded mongoose. Utilizing the underground burrows of others, including termite mounds, both species of mongoose live in colonies with a complex social structure. Despite being the smallest carnivore of Africa, dwarf mongoose have big personalities. These mammals live in groups ranging from 8-30 individuals and built sentry systems to protect the troop/pack/ business. Similarly, the banded mongoose communicate with each other using a vocabulary of calls and noises.

The Crash is Coming No matter where you look, there will be something incredible to see at The Living Desert’s new Rhino Savanna. Thoughtful design, inspiring encounters, and excellence in animal care are the cornerstones of this new expansion. We are excited to welcome everyone to this extraordinary experience – set to debut late Fall 2021.

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On your mark, get set, zoo!

The new inhabitants of the Rhino Savanna are arriving from our partners around the country.

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twelve new species will call the living desert home. but first, how do they get here?

Opening a new habitat brings a logistic puzzle - how do you transport and care for the new inhabitants before their new home is ready? Zoos work cooperatively together to ensure each species has a healthy and genetically diverse population. And, to accomplish that goal, animals often make big moves. Moving animals from one zoo to another requires thorough planning, intricate coordination with the other zoos, and can sometimes take up to a year of preparation!

To ensure a safe and healthy move, animals are often trained to voluntarily settle into a crate for their journey. In addition, each species has specific enclosure requirements that allow them to be most comfortable while traveling.

Some animals will fly commercial in the cargo bay of a major airline, with little to no layovers along the way, while others travel via temperature-regulated cargo van.

Some larger animals will travel along the roadways in specially built trailers.

1.0 = male

0.1 = female 0.0.1 = sex unknown/mixed

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Jaali & Nia

Meet Your New Neighbors: Arriving Fall 2021

Name: Jaali

Name: Nia

Pronouced: Jolly

Pronouced: Ny-a

Name Meaning: Powerful (in Swahili)

Name Meaning: Purpose (in Swahili)

Species: Eastern Black Rhinoceros

Species: Eastern Black Rhinoceros

IUCN* Status: Critically Endangered

IUCN* Status: Critically Endangered

DOB: 12/24/2019

DOB: 8/20/2018

Arriving From: Potter Park Zoo in Lansing, Michigan

Arriving From: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in Cleveland, Ohio

Estimated Arrival to The Living Desert: October 2021

Estimated Arrival to The Living Desert: October 2021

Mother: Doppsee

Mother: Inge

Father: Phineus

Father: Forrest

Fun Fact: “Jaali is so calm and patient.

He has a quiet demeanor about him, and he’s very curious,” said Potter Park Zoo’s Hoofstock Area Lead Zookeeper Kim Hernandez

Fun Fact: Nia’s name was selected through a community naming contest that raised $3,400 for Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

Nia and Jaali’s move to The Living Desert is based on a specific breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP). This pair has been matched through the SSP to ensure genetic diversity and sustainability of the species in human care. Listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature* (IUCN), Eastern black rhino populations number around 5,600 individuals across the entire African continent.

Their main threat? Poaching for their horns. foxpaws |

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Black Rhino

saving rhinos

ON OUR SAVANNA Dr. James Danoff-Burg, Director of Conservation

As we get closer to opening our new Rhino

Savanna habitat, it is important to share how having rhino on our grounds furthers the conservation of rhino in Africa. The connection is much more direct than it may seem at first glance! But first, we must delve into the challenges that are facing rhino, as they help us determine how we must move forward.

Five Species – One Major Threat The world’s five rhino species are in trouble, with three of the species recognized as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Their main threat? Humans. Poachers who brutally butcher the still-living animal for their horn imperil all five of these rhino species – from the savannas of Africa to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. The demand for rhino horn is intense, as it is thought to be of "medicinal value" for a great diversity of ills.

However, none of these "perceived medicinal values" has ever been supported by reliable medical research. In fact, rhino horn is made

of keratin, the same as that of our fingernails, and equally not valuable for curing health woes.

The illegal trade of rhino horn around the world has driven these species to near-extinction.

Rhino horn is more valuable by weight than gold, diamonds, or cocaine. The massive demand, high price, and illegality means that the only people who are selling or moving rhino horn internationally are criminals. Rhino horn is trafficked in the same way, and often in the same shipments, as guns, drugs, and human trafficking.

Three countries have the dubious honor of purchasing the greatest amount of illegal rhino horn – Vietnam, China, and the USA. In the United States, it is the large port cities that have the greatest demands, with Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle-Tacoma, and New York being where most trafficking confiscations occur. Fortunately for The Living Desert, we are perfectly located in Southern California to work with our visitors to take actions to stop this terrible enterprise.

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Of the five species of rhino, two are historically native to Africa – white and black rhino. The other three species (greater one-horned, Sumatran, and Javan are native to Southeast Asia). Historically, "sport-hunting"

by European colonialists was so extreme that by 1895 there were fewer than 50 white rhino left in Africa!

More recently, however, the extreme level of poaching that has occurred has dramatically reduced the historical numbers of the five species – all due to the rise in demand for rhino horn. Until the 1970s there were over 100,000 black rhino across Africa. However, there are approximately only 18,000 white rhino and only 5,600 black rhino – across all of Sub-Saharan Africa, an area larger than North America, India, and Europe combined. Rhino poaching is a crisis that needs all of our help.

Saving Rhinos from Extinction

Black Rhino

Fortunately, there are valiant efforts being conducted across Africa. By working with local communities to build support for the reintroduction of black rhino into areas where they have historically occurred, reintroduction efforts will be more successful. Some ways to work with local community that have been successful include having well-funded anti-poaching efforts employing local people as rangers, training local people on the use of novel technology to detect and stop poaching, aggressive local law enforcement approaches with serious consequences, and programs that involve local women as leaders in the antipoaching efforts. When these efforts are combined with education and behavioral change campaigns to help local people benefit from the presence of rhinos financially, everyone wins – and rhino in particular.

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens supports inthe-field rhino conservation in Africa by conducting research in support of the all-women Black Mambas Anti-Poaching Unit in South Africa to realize their greatest strengths.

We help to increase local support for rhino conservation among local people in Africa. In addition, we evaluate how the Bush Babies Environmental Education Program, a sister program to the Black Mambas, can be most impactful.

In Tanzania, we help design elementary school curriculum and evaluate programs to benefit Africa’s Giants, including rhino, with Wild Nature Institute.

Black Mambas Anti-Poaching Unit

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The Living Desert also helps further the black rhino range expansion project by supporting Ol Pejeta Wildlife Conservancy and Lewa Wildlife Conservancies (both in Kenya) and also Wild Nature Institute (Tanzania). Our Building Community Conservation

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Bush Babies Environmental Education Program (Photo by Black Mamba APU)

Success (BCCS) social science workshop training program teaches rhino-focused conservation biologists how to best learn from and collaborate with local communities. As a result, they are better able to engage local communities in conservation and ensure that locals also benefit from conservation projects. The BCCS workshop teaches these innovative researchers how to best do so.

Lastly, we have directly funded efforts by African Parks to reintroduce black rhino back into southern Chad in Zakouma National Park.

You Can Help Save the Chubby Unicorn Closer to home, there is a lot that we all can do to help rhino conservation. As The Living Desert prepares to welcome a breeding pair of black rhino later this year, we are so excited to welcome you to visit.

Research shows that seeing impressive and amazing animals, like rhino, up close and personal leads to empathy among zoo-goers. It has also been well documented that those who have empathy for other species are much more likely to advocate for their conservation. We anticipate that those who come to The Living Desert and interact with these incredible rhinos will then become Agents of Conservation on their behalf!

If you already have assumed the mantle as an Agent of Conservation, or if you do so after you interact with our soon-to-arrive rhinos, there is one incredibly important act that you can do right now to help rhino: Help us reduce demand for rhino horn in the United States, the third largest consumer of rhino horn in the entire world. The Coachella Valley is near to and is visited by many people from cities where rhino horn consumption is greatest along the West Coast and the Midwest.

Whenever it is appropriate, please consider sharing this message with your neighbors and to strongly advocate against the use of rhino horn anywhere.

You have the power to help rhino in Africa by helping to reduce the demand for their horn as an Agent of Conservation here in the United States!

We can’t wait for you to see these incredible black rhinos very soon - marvel at their power, learn about the beauty of these majestic animals, and build empathy for these living works of art. Rhino need our help and you can contribute to their care in many ways. Your support of The Living Desert and our innovative conservation programs are saving species here in Southern California and around the world.

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Left to right: Jeff and Lori Hemighaus, Rick and Judy Rowe, Fred and Denise Speicher, Dean and Sharon Baltzell, Bob and Donna Ward (Photo by Lani Garfield)

Supporter Spotlight:

Baltzell Family Support Builds Family Memories and Deepens Friendships

Levi and Lacey

By Amy Crabb, Senior Manager of Development

Sharon and Dean Baltzell are avid supporters of The Living Desert. Many Zoobilee Gala attendees know the Baltzell table guests who dress on theme every year - all the way to their giraffe tails one year. “We missed the gala this year – it is one of those events our friends just keep talking about;” says Sharon.

Dean made his first visit to The Living Desert with his grandmother when he was in his late 20’s and Sharon was introduced by a friend just a few years ago. “I was just amazed at all the botanicals, as well as the diversity of animals,” shares Sharon. “It was unlike any zoo that I had ever been to and it quickly became something we would do every time we came to the desert.”

The more often they came and the more involved they became the more the mission of education and conservation resonated with them.

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and we both knew we wanted to be a part of its sustainability and growth,” explains Sharon. “With every visit, we see all of the excited kids that are on tours and I think what a great education this is for our future generations to learn about conservation and the responsibilities we all share.”

Recently their oldest grandson Levi visited, and they cherish the time spent in wonder and excitement. They look forward to introducing their other three grandbabies to The Living Desert when they are a bit older.

Thank you to Dean and Sharon Baltzell and their friends who support The Living Desert. Their support is helping bring African black rhinos to the Coachella Valley and raising up an entirely new generation of Agents of Conservation!

You too can support The Living Desert with a gift of any amount online at LivingDesert.org/donate or call (760) 340-4954.

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GET EXCITED

RA RHE CI N OS OMING! You’re Invited to a Housewarming!

The Coachella Valley’s NEWEST Movers & Shakers – a pair of African black rhinos - will be arriving at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens this fall. Their new multi-species habitat, set on almost four acres, is nearing completion and in need of those final touches to make it feel like home.

“What could I possibly get a rhino?” you ask.

The Rhino Registry is here to help!

Here are just a few of the items your donation will support: • Spa Day, Everyday: A daily mud bath keeps their skin healthy • Scrub a Dub Dub: Cleaning supplies to keep their habitat tidy • Let’s Play Ball: Rhinos love to play with balls and other enriching items • Move in the Neighbors: Transportation for the hoofstock that will share the Rhino Savanna • Fast Food Anytime: Auto feeders for the 100 lbs of food each rhino consumes daily • Gift Card: Supports The Living Desert’s mission and immediately impacts species survival

Visit the Rhino Registry for all your rhino-sized gift options!

LivingDesert.org/RhinoRegistry Would you like to talk to a registry consultant? Call us today!

RhinoRegistry@LivingDesert.org or (760) 340-1037

Thank you to all that have given to the Rhino Registry so far!

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ZOONEWS ZOO NEWS WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING IMPACTS ON THE LAND Illegal Wildlife Products

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens’s newest exhibit, “The Rise of Illegal Wildlife Trade,” aims to help bring awareness and educate visitors about this growing issue.

The free, interactive exhibit is located in the foyer of the Tennity Wildlife Hospital and Conservation Center.

Sponsored by the International Fund for Animal Welfare and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the exhibit displays more than 40 seized and forfeited illegal wildlife products including a rhino hoof ashtray, tortoise shell combs, furs, and ivory decorative items. The exhibit also aims to educate visitors about illegal trade and its huge impact on nature, address what is being done to combat it, and focus on how people can help.

Wildlife trafficking is the illegal trade, smuggling, poaching, or capture of protected wildlife. According to the World Wildlife Report authored by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, this multi-billion dollar, global business impacts more than 7,000 species worldwide by abducting and killing tens of millions of animals annually to satisfy the illegal market demands for endangered wildlife and their by-products including leather, food, medicines, exotic pets, among others.

“This illegal industry continues to grow, and it not only

kills millions of animals and plants in the wild, it does so brutally,” said Dr. James Danoff-Burg, Director of Conservation at The Living Desert. “We hope that by enlisting our visitors as change agents on this issue, they will be more aware of it and help reduce demand. This will help save wild animals, plants, and their habitats.”

Make your plans to visit this informative exhibit during your next visit to The Living Desert.

The Living Desert actively contributes to the reduction in illegal wildlife trade through a variety of activities including: • Providing temporary homes for rescued animals from wildlife trafficking trade, in concert with several federal agencies; • Providing top-quality animal care if needed for these animals and plants that are often in poor health; • Releasing animals stolen from their habitats back home after court cases have been completed; • Caring for confiscated plants obtained during wildlife trafficking seizures; • Replanting stolen plants back into their native environment whenever possible; • Acting as leaders and active participants in the development of the Southern California Wildlife

Confiscations Network; we are collaboratively creating a plan to best care for, return to nature, and advocate against the purchase of plants and animals that are the victims of wildlife trafficking; • Messaging at The Living Desert about wildlife trafficking and advocating against the purchase of trafficked plants and animals and for responsibly sourcing plants and animals that do not come from the wild; • Working with legislators on supporing bills that protect wildlife. foxpaws |

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JJ LEISSING JOINS THE LIVING DESERT JJ Leissing recently joined The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens as the Director of Education Engagement where she leads the volunteer and education programs which includes school field trips, ZooCamp, and interpretative stations.

Previously, she was the Chief Programs Officer at Kidspace Children’s Museum in Pasadena where she oversaw educational programs and special events for children ages 0-10. JJ’s additional experience includes managing special exhibits, science programming, private and behind-thescenes tours, school field trips, camps, and other programming at the Orlando Science Center and SeaWorld. JJ holds a Bachelors in Biology and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida.

JJ Leissing, Director of Education Engagement

THE NEW EXPLORER GUIDE

THE LIVING DESERT IS NOW SENSORY INCLUSIVETM

On your next visit, don’t miss our new and free Explorer Guide! Fun for all ages with special features and audio stops to help guide your adventure at The Living Desert, the Explorer Guide can be accessed by your smartphone’s camera. Currently featuring animal keeper chats, the daily program schedule, and more, the Explorer Guide is a great addition to your next visit to the Zoo. Simply scan the purple signs around The Living Desert with your smartphone’s camera or QR code reader.

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens is now a certified Sensory Inclusive™ facility, through a partnership with the non-profit KultureCity. This initiative promotes an accommodating and positive experience for all guests with sensory needs who visit. The KultureCity certification process included training for The Living Desert’s team, along with tools like sensory bags, equipped with noise-cancelling headphones, fidget tools, verbal cue cards, and weighted lap pads. Special maps and signage will help guests identify areas of high volume “Headphone Zones” and areas to take a break “Quiet Areas."

Happy Exploring!

Explorer Guide

KultureCity

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WILDFILE

Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby with Joey

HOPPING WITH EXCITEMENT This Spring, The Living Desert was overjoyed to welcome three rock wallaby joeys to the mob. Born to mothers Bonnie, Lucy, and Prissy, these adorable joeys are settling in to their new home in Australian Adventures. Yellow-footed rock wallaby joeys are native to Southern Australia and live in rocky outcroppings. They are master rock climbers that can easily maneuver using their long, strong tails and feet. Listed as Endangered by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), these rock wallaby joeys are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan.

SUMMER ZOOCAMP RETURNS TO THE LIVING DESERT Your budding naturalist’s wonderfully wild adventure awaits!

Summer ZooCamp will be offered in person for students, ages 4-13. Join The Living Desert for seven weeks of programming focused on nature play, STEAM-based learning, behind-thescenes experiences, and more. ZooCamp themes vary by age and include Hop, Slither, and Climb; Mysteries of the Desert; Eco Heroes; and much more.

Summer ZooCamps run select weeks June 21-August 6 from 8:00am – 12:00pm. COVID-19 safety protocols will be in effect, including mask-wearing and daily temperature checks.

Members: $186/week; Non-members: $216/week.

ZooCamp

Registration is NOW OPEN at LivingDesert.org/ZooCamp.

SAVE THE DATE!

Mark your calendars for these future Zoo events.

Howl-O-Ween

October 30-31, 2021 WildLights

November 23 (Member Preview Night), 24, 26-27;

December 3-4, 10-11, 17-24, 26-30, 2021 Late Fall 2021

Rhino Savanna Grand Opening Celebrations

International Desert Conservation Summit *More information to come. Programing and events are subject to change.

WildLights

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PACK YOUR BAGS! THE LIVING DESERT'S TRAVEL CLUB RETURNS. The Living Desert’s Travel Club offers extraordinary trips around the world; each one custom-designed to highlight the breathtaking beauty of the destination. Each trip is led by Allen Monroe, President/CEO of The Living Desert. Space is limited. All trips follow Covid safe practices.

Kenya May 30-June 10, 2022 The original safari destination awaits with spectacular wildlife and memorable moments. Post excursion add-on to Uganda, June 12-17, 2022.

Botswana October 1-12, 2022 Discover adventure wrapped in luxury with visits to numerous National Parks for extraordinary wildlife experiences.

Tanzania and India - Coming in 2023!

Limited space is still available. Call today to book your seat!

Call (760) 340-4954 or email Travel@LivingDesert.org

Kenya

Botswana

DON'T FORGET! June 1 – September 30 – Summer Hours Resume. The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens will be open daily from 7:00am-1:30pm, with last admission at 1:00pm.

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NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO.149 PALM DESERT, CA

47900 Portola Ave. Palm Desert, CA 92260

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS We want to thank all of our new and renewing members who have supported us this past season.

Year after year, your membership provides The Living Desert with a reliable and renewable source of income. You help give our animals and gardens the best possible care and support our mission of desert conservation through preservation, education and appreciation.

Observing some of the world’s endangered desert plants and animals in a natural setting is truly a unique experience. In the coming season, we hope you can enjoy the many valuable benefits that come with being a member of The Living Desert.

Not a member yet? Join today!

LivingDesert.org/Membership (760) 346-5694