MyZoo Summer 2021

FOR MEMBERS OF WOODLAND PARK ZOO • SUMMER 2021

SUMMERTIME SWEETNESS SOAK UP THE SUN WITH YOUR FAVORITE SPECIES

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O I U DIT R YO E L O TA ST F I G JU DI |OSummer MYZOO Member Magazine 2021 | zoo.org 1 O Z MY

MYZOO MEMBER MAGAZINE WOODLAND PARK ZOO 5500 Phinney Avenue North Seattle, Washington 98103 MAIN ZOO LINE: 206.548.2500 GENERAL EMAIL: zooinfo@zoo.org MEMBERSHIP EMAIL: membership@zoo.org www.zoo.org

FROM THESE YOU’RE INVITED | JULY 9, 2021 Please join us on the second Friday in July for the 45th annual Jungle Party as we come together as a community in support of Woodland Park Zoo. Registration opens on May 17. Click HERE for more information or to register.

Presented by

Thanks to our Live Program Sponsor: Sound Community Bank

ZOO HOURS: Visit zoo.org/visit for hours and pricing.

Alejandro Grajal, PhD, President and CEO Sheri Horiszny, Chief Operations Officer Michele Smith, Chief Financial Officer 2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS Sandy Stelling, Chair Anders Brown, Vice Chair Laurie Stewart, Treasurer Pallavi Wahi, Secretary Matt Rosauer, Immediate Past Chair DIRECTORS Linda Allen Katie Bellows Warren Brown Stacey Campbell Irwin Goverman Angela Griffin Rosemarie Havranek Marlon Herrera Bill Hilf Matt Hill Holly Hirai Jeff Leppo Katie Matison Shelley McKinley Brian Mulvaney Larry Phillips Robert Plotnick

Molly Presley Fred Rivera Kyle Rolfe Kevin Schofield Diane Shrewsbury Bryan Slinker Ethan Stowell Stephanie True Jill Walker Courtney Wallace Joseph Woods Evan Wyman Ex officio Jesús Aguirre Alejandro Grajal Jeanne Kohl-Welles

MyZoo Summer 2021. Volume 23. Issue 2.

Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA General Information: 206.548.2500 Membership Department and Address Changes: 206.548.2400, membership@zoo.org Editor-in-Chief: Kirsten Pisto, kirsten.pisto@zoo.org Design Direction: Kelly Hampson, kelly.hampson@zoo.org Photo Direction: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, jeremy.dwyer-lindgren@zoo.org Contributing Writer: Elizabeth Bacher, elizabeth.bacher@zoo.org Designers: Meghan Payne, meghan.payne@zoo.org, Misty Fried, misty.fried@zoo.org, Kelly Hampson, kelly.hampson@zoo.org For Advertising Information: zoo.ads@zoo.org or 206.548.2625 Comments or questions? Write 5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103-5865 or email zooinfo@zoo.org Woodland Park Zoo is a City of Seattle facility managed and operated by the nonprofit Woodland Park Zoological Society. MyZoo (ISSN 2153-45659) is published quarterly for $6.00 per year for Woodland Park Zoo (WPZ) members from membership dues by WPZ at 5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103-5865.

Non-profit postage paid at Seattle WA. POSTMASTER send address change to: MyZoo, Woodland Park Zoo, 5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103-5865 All photos are property of Woodland Park Zoo unless otherwise noted.

Woodland Park Zoo is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

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CONTENTS CONTENTS SUMMER

FEATURES 8

Hello Sweetness, Meet Zuna The little gorilla was born to mom Nadiri on January 29, 2021

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Summer's Guide To Saving Species Our summer-long list of ways to connect with wildlife and take conservation action!

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Animal Spotlight: Sloth Bears Get the scoop on Bhutan, Tasha and Kushali!

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Conservation Spotlight:

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Member Tips

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Dinosaur Discovery!

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Pollination Power

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5 Otterly Awesome Things

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Giving Day

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Watch List

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MyZoo Kids From pollinators to dinos, get curious!

ON THE COVER: At just 8 weeks old, baby Zuna gets her first taste of sunshine.

Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, WPZ

Mondika Gorilla Project

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ZOOPARENT $ 69 MALAYAN TIGER ADOPTION SPECIAL Actual plus

Kick off the summer season by adopting our Malayan tiger, Bumi!

Adopt now and help fund conservation programs and the daily care and feeding of our tigers and all zoo inhabitants.

ADOPTION PACKAGE INCLUDES: • • • • • •

One tiger plush Personalized adoption certificate Species fact sheet, plus fun facts about Bumi Color photo of Bumi ZooParent window decal Online recognition for one year

Or, upgrade your adoption to the $100 level and receive two one-timeuse zoo tickets and your name on the ZooParent recognition sign on grounds for a full year, starting spring 2022!

ZooParent adoptions fund the daily care of the zoo’s animals and support programs that protect animals in the Pacific Northwest and around the world.

www.zoo.org/zooparent

Available through July 31, 2021

SEATTLE

OUR BEST NETWORK EVER IS HERE Learn more at T-Mobile.com/AcrossAmerica

Coverage not available in some areas. T-Mobile, the T logo, Magenta and the magenta

4 MYZOO Member Magazine | Summer 2021 zoo.org color are registered trademarks of Deutsche Telekom AG. © 2021| T-Mobile USA, Inc.

h may vary .

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Dear Friends, I am pleased and grateful that Woodland Park Zoo has kept its doors open since reopening last summer after three painful months. This incredible success is thanks to you, our members and guests. Thank you for maintaining social distance, availing yourself of our sanitation stations and wearing masks to lower the curve. Our continued success relies on everyone working together to create the safest zoo experience possible.

WOODLAND PARK ZOO SAVES WILDLIFE AND INSPIRES EVERYONE TO MAKE CONSERVATION A PRIORITY IN THEIR LIVES.

This summer, we anticipate expanding access to our zoo with increased capacity as vaccination rates climb. As more families safely enjoy our green oasis in the city, we are offering new experiences to delight and inspire our community. We are unveiling the new Dinosaur Discovery exhibit along our Habitat Discovery Loop, letting you and your family get up close and personal with life-size recreations of some of the world’s most fearsome and majestic dinosaurs. After you have wandered among the denizens of the Jurassic and Triassic ages, consider stopping by our remodeled 1899 Grove restaurant to check out our revamped and delicious menu.

2021 has been a momentous year and its not even half over! We celebrated the birth of Zuna, the western lowland gorilla born to parents Nadiri and Kwame. She joins her half-brother Kitoko and both of these adorable babes have captured the hearts of our zoo community. You can follow along at zoo.org/growingupgorilla. We are also celebrating important actions we can take to build a healthier environment for all of the creatures with which we share the planet. Our Microsoft Pollinator Patio features native plants that support bees, butterflies, and other important insects that help grow the food we eat.

One year ago, we did not know what the future would hold for Woodland Park Zoo as we faced a global pandemic with no end in sight. Today, we know that Woodland Park Zoo’s future is bright and strong thanks to the overwhelming support of our community. Your continued engagement means we can continue to devote 100% of our 92 acres to being all for animals. As the days get warmer and longer, I hope to see more and more of you visit us. Thank you for all that you have done and all that you continue to do to support our zoo community.

Warmest regards,

Alejandro Grajal, PhD President and CEO

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THE WHO The Mondika landscape contains three culturally diverse local villages with a large population of indigenous people often referred to as Ba’Aka. The employment of local Ba’Aka provides a viable alternative to unsustainable hunting and aids in addressing current gender and ethnic imbalances in economic opportunities.

Mondika is a multigenerational research site: several team members have been working for Mondika for nearly 20 years. In addition, there are increasing numbers of ape trackers whose sons are following in their father’s footsteps and working for the project.

CONSERVATION SPOTLIGHT: THE HOW The long-term goal of research at Mondika is to improve the conservation status of African apes and the forests they inhabit by addressing multiple threats to their survival.

Observations of individually recognized gorillas over time are allowing researchers to better understand their respective societies, social structures, interactions, resources and habitat needs. Using this data, we can monitor population trends and mitigate threats.

MONDIKA

The team evaluates logging impacts by monitoring the distribution of at-risk gorilla populations before, during, and after logging, to gather information to improve Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification logging practices. This research is paired with botanical surveys that provide quantitative evidence of changes in tree species diversity, structure and carbon sequestration potential.

Additional studies focus on the impact of road development in Intact Forest Landscapes and associated illegal hunting pressure.

Our long-term multispecies approach in monitoring provides information on how changes in landscapes impact great ape populations. This information also informs local and regional landuse practices as well as international conservation policies, assessment processes and bestpractice guidelines aimed at addressing issues facing the critically endangered western lowland gorilla.

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Assisting nationals to progress in their careers in conservation is one of the project’s long-term aims. Daily research activities are supervised by 12 university-educated scholars who are of Bantu origin. The program employs three research assistants who are aspiring local conservationists that have not had the opportunity to obtain a high school degree.

They play crucial roles in daily data collection at both sites. We strive to provide all of our research staff with opportunities for advanced training including graduate degrees, fellowship programs in their areas of their interest and participation in international conferences.

GORILLA PROJECT THE WHY The Congo Basin is home to 300 million people, many of whose livelihoods rely heavily on coexistence with wildlife. Emerging infectious diseases have increased significantly in recent decades, with roughly 70% of these originating in wildlife such as great apes. The Mondika study site has been at the forefront of gorilla health monitoring in central Africa.

The majority of remaining critically endangered western lowland gorillas are found in the northern Republic of Congo, which also harbors 33% of Western Equatorial Africa’s closed canopy forest. The rapid decline of pristine forests has resulted in widespread international concern. Insights gained from our long-term, detailed monitoring are critical in identifying areas important to conserve.

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HELLO, SWEETNESS! Meet baby Zuna, the newest addition to our western lowland gorilla family.

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n case you haven’t already heard, our newest western lowland gorilla baby is here—and she and mama are doing great! Little Zuna—which means “sweet” in the African language, Lingala—was born on January 29. She is the second baby and second daughter for 25-year-old mom Nadiri and the first between her and 21-year-old dad Kwame.

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ZUNA

(zoo-nah), which means sweet in the African language, Lingala (lin-gah-lah).

Due to some complications with her own birth, Nadiri was partially human-raised as an infant, which means she didn't get to experience firsthand how to be a gorilla mother. Our dedicated gorilla keepers worked with her every day during her first pregnancy with daughter Yola five years ago, and during this one—to help her learn good maternal skills.

So far she is meeting all the important health and wellness milestones, tracking things with her eyes, holding up her head and teething! Gorilla babies teethe very early and she already has a few teeth. Baby gorillas also develop strength and agility early on to allow for that rambunctious gorilla life.

She’ll likely be walking and climbing sometime very soon.

Nadiri did not immediately hold and nurse her baby after giving birth this time, so our gorilla keepers initially provided round-the-clock care and bottle feedings of human infant formula. Even during the times when Zuna was in the arms of our keepers, she was always in the gorilla area, immersed round-the-clock in the sights, sounds and smells of her gorilla family.

What’s next? Lots of play of course! Half-brother Kitoko, who is 1 year old, and half-sister Yola, who is 5, are both ready and willing playmates. Playtime is an essential part of growing up gorilla! It’s not only great fun, but also very enriching for young gorillas as they practice social skills and learn more about their gorilla world!

By mid-March, Nadiri and her baby were re-introduced and back together 24/7. Nadiri has learned so much and is proving to be an excellent mother while Zuna continues receiving bottle feedings.

It’s still too early to really see many personality traits yet, but we’ve noticed that Zuna does have the incredibly cute habit of sticking her tongue out. She seems pretty mellow, too, but that could also change as she becomes more mobile and more able to project her likes and dislikes.

You can see baby Zuna, mom Nadiri and the whole gorilla family together in their outdoor Tropical Rain Forest habitat. Their time outside is weather-dependent and often takes place in short increments in order to accommodate the baby’s behind-the-scenes bottle-feedings, but we’ll be sure to communicate the family’s schedule as best we can.

We hope you will plan to see her when you visit.

Visit zoo.org/growingupgorilla for updates on little Zuna and ways you can protect her species.

Elizabeth Bacher, Staff Writer Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, WPZ

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Scan the code for more design inspiration »

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MEMBER

TIPS SUMMER 2021

VIRTUAL ZOOFARI IS MAY 24-28 Zoofari, our annual member appreciation night, looks a little different this year—it will be a week-long, 100% virtual celebration! With exclusive daily content just for members (including live trivia the night of May 27), we can’t wait to show our thanks for all your support and offer an insider look into all your favorite things about Woodland Park Zoo! Get ready for: • Special animal keeper talks—get to know even more about your favorites!

• Live trivia (See if you can outplay the competition with Woodland Park Zoo fun facts!)

• A very special behind-the-scenes tour of our coveted Zoo Doo compost program—don’t worry, smell-o-vision hasn’t hit yet...

• Zoofari desktop/mobile wallpaper—exclusive to members!

• Coloring sheets curated just for little ones

TAKE ACTION!

• Crafts for the whole family—or just for you!

We look forward to celebrating with you at this year’s member appreciation event—make sure to check your inbox daily the week of May 24-28! Most importantly, thank you for all the kindness, love and patience during the last year. Our members are the heart of our mission and we are so grateful for your support.

PSST... DON’T BE SHY! Use hashtags #WoodlandParkZoo, #WPZMember or #ThisIsHowWeZoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok too!

We’d love to see your awesome zoo adventures this summer and all year long!

Summer is the perfect time to take stock of who is visiting your garden, patio or neighborhood... sit back, relax and look closely at the pollinators in your neighborhood. Keep a pollinator journal with others in your home and see just how many species you can spot. Understanding who lives here will help you provide good habitat for these precious PNW gems. Check out our pollinator resources for more info!

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THAT S T I L L When you visit Woodland Park Zoo this summer, be prepared to discover a new experience of Jurassic proportions. Welcome to the Dinosaur Discovery exhibit, where you can walk amongst more than 20 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs in a completely immersive experience.

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n recent years, our old conceptions about dinosaurs have been swept aside as new fossil finds and new technologies offer amazing insights into the evolution and the world of these prehistoric creatures. One thing has become very clear: some of your current zoo favorites have some very prehistoric relatives. In other words, there is a direct link between the raptors from Jurassic Park and the raptors such as eagles and hawks that live at the zoo and in many of the wild spaces that we share. Both are keen hunters with a carnivorous diet, sharp claws, amazing eyesight and even feathers!

The relationship between dinosaurs and birds goes way back—more than 100 million years back! Virtually all paleontologists now agree that birds evolved directly from dinosaurs, and many even go so far as to claim that birds are, in fact, living dinosaurs! The most bird-like of the dinosaurs are the theropods—a group of meat-eating dinosaurs that walked upright on two legs and emerged more than 230 million years ago. Some of them were quite small, like the size of a house cat, and some were massive like the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex! Let’s take a look at what paleontologists have learned about theropods—big and small—and compare that to what we know about birds that are living today.

Unlike lizards and snakes, which are cold-blooded, most scientists now agree that theropods were warm-blooded dinosaurs. There is fossilized evidence that they laid

calciferous eggs—meaning the eggshells were calciumbased like bird eggs. And fossilized remains have been discovered showing that some of them exhibited brooding behaviors too, which means they would sit on and incubate their eggs to keep them warm the same way many birds do.

There are many structural similarities between theropod dinosaurs and birds too—further evidence of how birds may have evolved. Unlike mammals, which have solid, heavier bones, theropods and birds both have hollow bones—the same kind of lightweight skeletal structure which eventually allowed for the evolution of flight. And there is evidence that theropods had the same kind of specialized respiratory system that birds have—made up of a series of air sacs in addition to a set of lungs.

In the last few decades, and even just this last year, paleontologists have continued to uncover the physiological similarities between theropods and birds—and we’ll leave you with this final one for now: feathers! Yes, it is now commonly accepted science that many theropods had feathers—perhaps even colorful ones! Theropods didn’t fly (and neither do some of today’s birds such as penguins, ostriches and kiwis) but it is believed that their feathers had other uses—such as providing camouflage, attracting mates or regulating body temperature. These are all functions that living bird species still use their feathers for, too.

Kirsten Pisto, Editor

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S U G N O M A LIVE

DEINONYCHUS

TYRANNOSAURUS REX

(DIE-non-e-cuss)

(TIE-ran-oh-SORE-us rex)

10 feet long Early Cretaceous 115 million years ago Western North America Deinonychus was a large raptor (think Jurassic Park) that could reach more than 10 feet from snout to tail. It had sharp teeth but probably killed with the single big claw on each of its hands and feet.

UTAHRAPTOR (YOU-tah-RAP-tore)

20 feet long Early Cretaceous 125 million years ago North American West

40 feet long Late Cretaceous 65 million years ago North American West Tyrannosaurus rex was the smartest and most powerful of all the giant meat-eating dinosaurs. It had the most powerful bite of any animal ever, with 50 sharp teeth, each the size of a banana! This, no doubt, allowed it to chomp 500 pounds of dinosaur meat in one bite.

Utahraptor was one of the largest and the earliest raptor dinosaurs. Like all of the raptors, it had a single large claw on each hand and foot. Many dinosaurs are named after the place their fossils were discovered. Can you guess where Utahraptor’s bones were found?

PLAN YOUR VISIT TO DINOSAUR DISCOVERY May 1 – Sept 6, 2021 at Woodland Park Zoo! MYZOO Member Magazine | Summer 2021 | zoo.org 13

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ur favorite bee pollinators are beginning to buzz about looking for nourishment–– making our landscapes, gardens, and flowerbeds more beautiful, bountiful and colorful in the process. Most bees seek shallow and tubular shaped flowers with a gentle landing platform, but bees can be seen gathering pollen and nectar from a plethora of plants. Bees are drawn to a range of plant colors from every end of the rainbow.

WHAT COLOR FLOWER WOULD YOU CHOOSE? Pick your favorite, then see which bee you match up with to receive a summer pollinator action tip to keep our bees buzzing!

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POSTER PERFECT

RIVER OTTER A

curious river otter is hoping our photographer has a fishy treat to spare. This photo by zoo photographer Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren captured our hearts with a seemingly simple otter request. Fish, please? Jeremy was standing on the roof of the otter exhibit and captured this view from the same spot animal keepers toss live fish to the otters below. We are told the otters did get some extra delicious snacks that day. #NoOttersWereTeasedInTheMakingOfThisPhoto

Download this photo for your desktop or mobile screensaver at zoo.org/digital

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Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgre, WPZ

1 Wild at heart We are all Wild at Heart and each month in 2021, we’re featuring creative photo opportunities that celebrate just that! Arts, science and heritage are the heart of Seattle. Your zoo is part of a vibrant and rich community of cultural partners—from artists to actors to animal lovers, museums to

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musicians, and singers to scientists.

2 Calling all shutterbugs!

If you aren’t already following the zoo on Instagram @woodlandparkzoo, now is a great time to check it out! Our summer photo challenge #ThisIsHowWeZoo with weekly prompts, June-August, showcases some of the zoo’s best angles!

3 Hug a tree

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We’re thrilled to be a 2021 Evergreen Carbon Capture participant with @ForterraNW. We’re mitigating the carbon footprint of Woodland Park Zoo and making your PNW a little greener. So far, 225 trees were planted to offset our 2020 natural gas usage and WildLanterns electricity, offsetting a total of 1,123 tons CO2!

4 Saving species Even though there are no elephants at Woodland Park Zoo, we still support their conservation through the Tarangire Elephant Project because we love them. Every zoo visit helps us protect

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wildlife, like this endangered species and their migration corridors.

5 Inspirational!

How do you plant a forest? Watch and learn from these strong women with green thumbs and emerald hearts as they reconnect habitat for endangered species from the ground up.

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This year will be Woodland Park’s Zoo’s third annual All for Animals Giving Day, a day of giving just for our community zoo! As the largest cultural organization in the Pacific Northwest and a unique urban oasis that is home to nearly 1,000 animals and 250 different species, Woodland Park Zoo relies on the community and the people we serve. As we rebuild with resilience, we are thinking equally about how we can care for our community and animals alike.

To bring our community together, we are expanding Giving Day to include the All for Animals Walk with peer-to-peer fundraising. Fundraise as an individual or as a team with your family and friends to earn fun incentives along the way! As a peerto-peer fundraiser, you can register to walk on zoo grounds on Saturday, September 25, 2021. Registration will open August 2, 2021.

GIVING DAY & WALK ALL FOR ANIMALS GIVING DAY | September 22, 2021 ALL FOR ANIMALS WALK | September 25, 2021 zoo.org/givingday

You may also participate in peer-topeer fundraising without attending the walk by donating a gift of any size that is meaningful to you. Every gift helps the zoo build a better community — your community. Join us on this day of giving to your zoo!

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SUMMER’S GUIDE TO s e i c e p S g Savin World Tur tle Da y

Endangered Species Day On May 21, the world will celebrate Endangered Species Day. What can you do? Start with taking action to help your favorite endangered species or habitat by researching their biggest threats, then map out a few ways you can make changes in your own home and lifestyle to mitigate these impacts. Every action matters.

Y A M ST A H E RT RE

Hello, on Picnic Seas Pick out stylish and eco-friendly reusable picnic baggies and utensils at the ZooStores (don't forget to ask for the member discount in-store!) and plan a weekly picnic at a different park or green space. Reducing plastic waste is a delicious way to kick off summer.

Iced Coffeee for a Tre o 'Ro

On Tree Kangaroo Awareness Day, May 29, swing by for an iced coffee or your own bag of YUS beans at Caffe Vitta to celebrate our Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program with a sip that saves species.

May 23 kicks off the 30th anniversary of our Western Pond Turtle Recovery Project. For these PNW gems, recovery is possible thanks to a collaboration between Woodland Park Zoo, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Zoo and others who give the turtles a fighting chance. But the work doesn’t end here: Reduce pesticides in your yard, pick up garbage and refuse (including scooping that dog poo) in and around wetlands and advocate for clean water initiatives in your community.

Pollinator Par ty Join fellow bee lovers and

Zoofari k !

Wee

butterfly aficionados on May 22 for a chance to get outside and appreciate pollinators. This event is hosted by the Endangered Species Coalition and uses the awesome iNaturalist app to help you document and identify species in your yard, neighborhood or nearby green spaces.

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Save the dates, May 24-28 for virtual Zoofari, a weeklong celebration of our zoo members! Each day we’ll reveal special activities and ways to engage with our animals and wildlife conservation all leading up to Live Day, May 27 when we’ll be streaming memberonly content just for you!

ic-free t s la p a n la P sea!

July for the World Ocean Day is June 8, which is the perfect time to plan how you’ll go plastic free next month. Join thousands of others in the month-long challenge to reduce microplastics and deadly trash from entering our oceans worldwide.

Pollinatokr Wee Join Woodland Park Zoo for a week of tips, actions, and colorful ways to protect pollinators and the plants they need to thrive all week, June 21-27. Follow along on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for daily prompts, educational tips from our pollinator experts and ways to connect to other pollinator lovers in the community. Bee there!

Go Green

World Environment Day is June 5, but you can take all summer to look for ways to commit to a healthier planet. When you’re at the zoo, consider grabbing a bite to eat at a zoo food or beverage location— all our items are compostable (don’t forget to ask for the member discount!)

JU

E N

thday Happy Bir Sempurna!

Sempurna, the #SeattleWatermelon turns 1! On June 10, 2020 at approximately 9:30 p.m., our Malayan tapir Ulan gave birth to her first baby, a girl. We all fell in love and the little tapir brought joy and a sense of hope to our community during a challenging summer.

Give the best birthday gift of all—saving species.

Sempurna and her cousins can use your help to keep forests thriving and reduce threats to their precious habitat. Choosing products that include sustainable palm oil is a great first step!

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Go Electric

JULY

With summer road trips heating up, it’s a good time to remind family and friends that they can charge up their electric vehicles at one of the many charging stations we have on grounds (Otter and Hippo Lots). Don’t own an electric car?

Consider walking, carpooling, taking the bus or biking to the zoo for a lower carbon footprint on your next visit.

z ul Bumi and fAavor need a On International Tiger Day, July 29, commit to showing your stripes. The Malayan tiger lives only on the Malay Peninsula and in the southern tip of Thailand. The population for Malayan tigers is dangerously low—fewer than 300 survive in their natural range.

Your zoo is saving tigers (click here to read all the ways), but one of the most important things you can do to protect tigers is to choose foods and products made by companies committed to certified sustainable palm oil. Read labels and look for certification from the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), or download the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo app.

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Reduce isk the R

Reflect on what the summer of 2020 was like, in the midst of a global pandemic, and we think you’ll agree it wasn’t fun. There is something we can do to stop the next pandemic though, and it starts with working together. Zoonotic diseases are a threat to human and animal health worldwide— the wildlife supply chain—both legal and illegal—presents several opportunities for transmission of zoonotic diseases.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (Woodland Park Zoo and other member facilities) are well-positioned to help combat risky wildlife trade practices and reduce the risk of future pandemics. Learn more about this life-saving initiative.

Red Hair, D o Ca r e World Orangutan Day is Aug 19. Unsustainable palm oil production is costing these precious animals their forest homes. Yet the shopping choices you make can reverse this trend. Learn about the palm oil problem...and the solutions.

Get action tips at www.zoo.org/palmoil

Whiskey dBites! & Wil Join us for an evening of tasting local deliciousness while sipping a whiskey. Does that sound like saving species? It should! Every ticket for Whiskey & WildBites (throughout August) supports efforts in conservation, animal care and educating others about saving species. It’s built into our mission and every bite.

UST G U A SEPTEMBER Week Zero Waste

Zero Waste Week is Sept. 6-10 Currently, over 80% of waste at the zoo is diverted from landfills each year and our goal is to achieve 90% diversion from landfill by 2022. How can you reduce your waste at home?

What ’s onorizon?

In September, we’ll celebrate the h National Wildlife Day, Sept 4 and All for Animals Giving Day, Sept 22! Summer may be coming to an end, but saving species is always in season.

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ANIMAL SPOTLIGHT

A TALE OF (Sloth)

THREE BEARS ^

(Melursus ursinus)

T

oday we turn the spotlight to one of the lesser known and less understood bear species: the sloth bear. This mediumsized bear, which is native to South Asia and the Indian subcontinent, is actually not related to sloths at all. So why the name? It was apparently coined more than 200 years ago by a zoologist who mistook them to be from the same animal family after noticing the bears’ long claws and unusual teeth. The fact that they also climb trees (and often nap up there), are quite shaggy and look a bit sloth-like to anyone observing from the ground probably only added to the confusion!

In truth, sloth bears aren’t slow-moving at all, as their namesake would imply. In fact, they’re quite agile, able to both climb trees and run faster than a human. These bears are mostly black or dark brown with thick hairy coats. They’re especially shaggy around the head, shoulders and ears— almost like a mane—and have long short-haired pale muzzles.

Most sloth bears have a cream-colored “V” or “Y” shaped patch of fur on their chests, with no two being exactly alike.

A couple features that all sloth bears share are also good clues to help understand their diet. They all have extra-long,

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BHUTAN

curved claws—like sickles—and a mouth with big lips that works a little bit like a vacuum cleaner! Their favorite foods are termites, ants, grubs and other bugs. Those super long claws help them rip open logs and termite mounds, and then they use that narrow snout and those long floppy lips to suck up all the bugs. Adult sloth bears don’t have front teeth on their upper jaw either. It’s an adaptation that enables them to really vacuum up all those tasty bugs! Sloth bears also love fruit, honey and the occasional bird egg.

There are three sloth bears living in Woodland Park Zoo’s naturalistic Banyan Wilds habitat: one male and two females—a mother and an adult daughter. Each has a diet that meets all their nutritional needs with plenty of fruits, veggies, nuts, hard boiled eggs, and even some dry dog chow depending on the season.

And of course, plenty of bugs and worms.

Sloth bears are an endangered species with less than around 10,000 remaining in the wild—but there are ways we can help to secure a future for them. They’re native to the lower elevations of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka where their survival is challenged by fragmented populations,

TASHA

PERSONALITY PROFILES: Our dedicated and patient animal keepers spend lots of time working with these often-shy bears, to build a relationship of mutual trust and confidence. Let’s meet the bears:

Sloth Bear Range

competition with humans (and other animals) for space and food, deforestation, and the bear parts trade for use in traditional Asian medicines.

Woodland Park Zoo has been supporting the Wildlife SOS program in India since 2015. They are currently researching ways to help minimize conflict in areas where humans and sloth bears share the forest habitat. Their work not only helps sloth bears (and other animals that depend on that ecosystem) but it also helps support communities that would otherwise be dependent on wildlife to earn a livelihood. A true win-win.

Every time you visit Woodland Park Zoo, a portion of your admission price or membership fee goes to support our conservation partners—like Wildlife SOS—out in the field and around the world! Thank you!

Elizabeth Bacher, Communications and Christine Anne, Animal Keeper Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren and John Loughlin, WPZ

BHUTAN: Our male sloth bear is named Bhutan, after one of the south Asian countries where his wild cousins live. Bhutan is one of the oldest sloth bears in North America, having celebrated his 21st birthday at the beginning of 2021. He is a gentle bear who loves curling up in his soft fluffy bed or in a number of heated spots throughout his exhibit.

But don’t let his age or love of naps fool you— Bhutan is full of spunk! He loves showing off to get the attention of the female bears and his keepers.

One of his more popular moves is to slam around his enrichment items, including barrels, large ropes, and bones which he smacks on the ground to get all the marrow out from the inside! His favorite treats include raisins, peanut butter and insects.

TASHA: Tasha is our 15-year-old female. She loves to sit upright in a position that resembles a gummy bear and her keepers say her favorite treats are raisins and insects. Like most sloth bears, which are primarily solitary, Tasha is quite content to spend time on her own and is the most independent of our bears, except when she’s with cubs. Tasha has had two litters of cubs over the years, and she is a very attentive and protective mother. After giving birth, she will go weeks in the den with the cubs before coming out to get food or water for herself—a behavior that is not at all unusual for doting sloth bear mothers. While most of her cubs—who are all adults now—have moved on to other conservation zoos where they will be able to start their own families, one of Tasha’s daughters still lives here with us.

KUSHALI: Kushali was born at Woodland Park Zoo in 2012—the offspring of Tasha and a male that used to live at our zoo. She loves to play and to sleep out at the windows on the public side of her habitat, where everyone can see her. Kushali is a pretty relaxed bear—easy to work with and eager to interact with her keepers. She enjoys spending time outside with Bhutan during the day, but when it’s cold and rainy, she often chooses to hang out in her cozy den. Whether inside or out, Kushali always makes time to enjoy her favorite foods—avocado, grapes and insects.

KUSHALI

MYZOO Member Magazine | Summer 2021 | zoo.org 25

Your photos inspire us. Every day we are grateful for your love of animals and passion for saving wildlife—and we’re thrilled to see your images invite others to join us in saving species. You tagged us, and we couldn’t be happier.

Share your favorite Woodland Park Zoo pics with us using #WoodlandParkZoo and we might feature your photo!

Use #WPZMember to connect to other members!

Follow us and stay connected to conservation stories, animal news and more! @woodlandparkzoo

26 MYZOO Member Magazine | Summer 2021 | zoo.org

ZOO FAVORITES

SUMMER WATCH LIST This binge-worthy list of videos includes documentary films, a series of science-based programs, and even an overlooked Hollywood comedy! It is sure to contain something for animal lovers of all ages.

BEARTREK It’s a conservation story wrapped in an adventure!

Follow adventurer, renowned biologist and Woodland Park Zoo friend, Chris Morgan, on an epic and entertaining journey to find, understand, and protect the world's most elusive and endangered bears!

Find it here PBS EONS Go on a journey through the history of life on Earth from the dawn of life and the “Age of Dinosaurs,” right up to the end of the most recent Ice Age. Each episode of this series, which follows the evolutionary history of mammals on our planet, is less than 15 minutes long! Perfect for the young (or young-atheart) paleontologist in your life!

Find it at PBS.org and here on YouTube MY OCTOPUS TEACHER In this 2020 release, a filmmaker documents his unusual relationship—call it a friendship—over the course of one year with a wild octopus in a South African kelp forest. This amazing film lets us go down into the depths with him as the octopus shares the mysteries of her world—and changes the way we look at ours!

Find it here NALEDI: A BABY ELEPHANT'S TALE This documentary is the true story of a baby elephant born in a protected wilderness camp in Botswana. Naledi, whose name means “star” in the local language, was orphaned at 6 weeks old. This heartwarming film shows how her dedicated caretakers rallied to save her life, raise her through infancy and reintroduce her to her rightful elephant family.

TINY WORLD This amazing series uses new camera technology to spotlight the smallest animals on our planet! Each episode is filled with surprising stories and “knock-your-socks-off" video that gives an up-close look at the extraordinary things nature’s tiniest heroes do to survive.

Find it at Apple TV+ THE BIG YEAR For anyone obsessed with birdwatching (or who struggles to understand their bird-obsessed friends), this long-overlooked comedic gem will inform and entertain! The Big Year, starring Hollywood faves, Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson, is named after a real-life North American birding competition to see who can ID the greatest number of bird species in a calendar year.

DAVID ATTENBOROUGH’S A LIFE ON OUR PLANET AND A PERFECT PLANET Two of the newest releases from one of our favorite wildlife ambassadors!

A Life on Our Planet (2020): One man has seen more of the natural world in his lifetime than any other. In this featurelength documentary, the award-winning broadcaster and natural historian shares a lifetime of wisdom and a hopeful vision for the future.

A Perfect Planet (2021): David Attenborough shows how life on planet Earth flourishes as the result of a perfect balance of a whole array of factors.

Find it on Netflix, on the PBS streaming app or here MYZOO Member Magazine | Summer 2021 | zoo.org 27

Pollinators include bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, bats, flies, moths and more! In the United States, there are over 4,000 species of native bees and in Washington state there are 600 species... that's a lot to buzz about!

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Click here to play!

“B7.... you found the silver lupine!”

28 MYZOO Member Magazine | Summer 2021 | zoo.org

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Help our gardener design a pollinator perfect garden. Draw, paint, or write in your ideas to show where you would plant or build. Click here to download the garden template, then use all of the elements in the gardener’s toolbox to meet the needs of each PNW pollinator!

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MYZOO Member Magazine | Summer 2021 | zoo.org 29

Are you ready to explore the Dinosaur Discovery exhibit this summer (May 1 - Sept. 6)? Dinosaurs share quite a few similarities with animals at the zoo! Read on to reveal the secret riddle below.

BRACHIOSAURUS was the tallest animal that ever lived. Its neck could reach up to 35 feet high to feed on high branches of trees.

Brachiosaurus is known from both the American West and East Africa from the Late Jurassic Period, 145 million years ago. Can you think of an animal that uses its height to reach the best leaves?

TRICERATOPS was the largest of all the many kinds of horned dinosaurs. It grew to 30 feet long, bigger than an ice-cream truck.

Triceratops had small leaf-shaped teeth with which it snipped and ground down low-growing plants. Its three bony horns were thin and so were probably better for scraping against rivals than stabbing a T. rex. Can you think of an animal with lEaf-shaped teeth and horns?

PARASAUROLOPHUS was one of the largest and last of the duckbilled plant-eating dinosaurs. The crest of Parasaurolophus was a huge trumpet-like tube of bone. By blowing through the crest, it could have created a low rumbling sound that signaled danger to other members of its herd. Parasaurolophus lived in the American West in T. Rex’s time, 65 million years ago. Can you think of an animal that uses special sounds to communicate to its herd or pack?

Dinosaurs lived in many Environments, from forest to desert. While it never snowed in dinosaur time they experienced cool weather and dark arctic winters. Can you think of an animal that lives in a warmer climate, but that might eXperience cooler weather?

30 MYZOO Member Magazine | Summer 2021 | zoo.org

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Answer: Tea, Rex?

Riddle: How do you invite a dinosaur to a cafe?

Answer: ,

Did you know...

Dinosaurs lived only on land. The flying reptiles, called pterosaurs, were not dinosaurs. Large prehistoric swimming reptiles such as plesiosaurs and mosasaurs were not dinosaurs either.

Birds are living dinosaurs. They are descended from feathered dinosaurs, although dinosaurs did not fly. The closest living relative to dinosaurs here at Woodland Park Zoo is the emu! Pretty cool huh? Do you think emus Windana (and the late Kowia) look like dinos?

Dinosaurs are a group of reptiles that lived during the Mesozoic Era. Dinosaurs have certain features in their skeletons, such as the number of holes in their skulls and the way their teeth fit into their jaws that make them different from other reptiles such as lizards or turtles.

Reptiles have sprawling postures where dinosaurs had an erect posture—meaning their legs were directly underneath their bodies so they could stand.

Speaking of reptiles... celebrate pond turtles!

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Western Pond Turtle COLORING ACTIVITY Shell-ebrate 30 years of western pond turtle recovery with your most turtley awesome and creative coloring! Download and print the template, then share your artwork by taking a photo of your art and tagging us @woodlandparkzoo and #30YearShellebration by July 31.

We’ll be sharing your artwork to inspire others to keep Washington wetland habitat healthy for the next 30 years!

Share yo @woo ur ar twor k show dlandparkz by taking case yo a oo ur ar tw and #30Yphoto of yo (Or em ur ork in ea ail to our Po rShellebr ar t and tagg zooinfo at nd Tu @ zoo.o rtle 30 ion by July ing us rg with 31 th anni the su versar , 2021 and bject “t w y cele ur tle ce bratio e’ll lebratio n! n”)

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MYZOO Member Magazine | Summer 2021 | zoo.org 31

WOODLAND PARK ZOO 5500 Phinney Avenue North, Seattle, Washington 98103

presented by

back cover space 8” wide x 7.15” tall

Where dinosaurs come to life!

An immersive, life-size experience.

MAY 1– LABOR DAY zoo.org/dinosaurs

32 MYZOO Member Magazine | Summer 2021 | zoo.org