MyZoo Magazine Fall 2021

FOR MEMBERS OF WOODLAND PARK ZOO • FALL 2021

PRESERVING TIGER FORESTS LIVING NORTHWEST: FROM WILDFIRES TO WETLANDS

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O I U DIT R YO E L O TA ST F I G DI O J U MYZOO Member Magazine | Fall 2021 | zoo.org 1 ZO 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 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

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 All for Animals Giving Day, a 24-hour online fundraising day, brings our community together to raise funds for our zoo to continue our mission of caring for animals, saving wildlife and inspiring our community to make conservation a priority in their lives.

Support what matters most to you and make a gift to the campaign of your choice. Gifts of all sizes make a difference for the animals in our care and in the wild!

2/ 3 vertical ad space 5.27” x 10.5” CARING FOR ANIMALS

ANIMAL WELFARE

SAVING SPECIES IMPACT FUND

LIVING NORTHWEST TRAIL

LEARNING AND INNOVATION

ZOOING IT ALL

zoo.org/givingday

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 Fall 2021. Volume 23. Issue 3.

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 FALL

FEATURES 6

Focus on Conservation: Malayan Tiger Program Preserving forests and stopping wildlife trafficking

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Slow and Steady to Win the Race Against Extinction Celebrating 30 years of turtle recovery in Washington wetlands!

Fighting Fire With Fire Protecting Northwest forests from wildfire.

ON THE COVER: Malayan tiger Azul shows her stripes.

Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, WPZ.

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Animal Spotlight: Komodo Dragons Komodo dragon profile and exhibit update

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MyZoo Kids Fall in Love With Wildlife Conservation

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Going to Bat for Bats!

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Membership Matters

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5 Otterly Awesome Things

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Together We Are Wild at Heart

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Share the Love

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Listen Up! Podcasts to tune into

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ZOOPARENT GIRAFFE ADOPTION SPECIAL Celebrate the changing of the seasons with a symbolic giraffe adoption! Adopt now and help fund wildlife conservation programs and the daily care and feeding of our giraffes and all zoo inhabitants.

ADOPTION PACKAGE INCLUDES: • • • • • •

One giraffe plush Personalized adoption certificate Species fact sheet Color photo ZooParent window decal Online recognition for one year

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$

Actual plus

h may vary .

½ page horizontal ad space 8” x 5.16”

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

Available through October 31, 2021

www.zoo.org/zooparent

BECU promotes the financial well-being of the families and communities we serve.

Our members also have access to discounts for some of the most popular events in town. Join our community and benefit from the BECU difference. Become a member today.

becu.org/join

Member Share, Member Advantage, or Early Saver savings account required to establish membership; not everyone will qualify.

Ebony P., Member-owner

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Federally insured

by NCUA

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Dear Friends, This year has demonstrated the broad reach and drastic impacts of climate change in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the world. For every species to thrive, including humans, we must strengthen the bonds that unite us and meet the challenges of our changing climate.

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

Despite heavy snowpack in our Pacific Northwest mountains, we saw record breaking temperatures that seriously inflamed wildfire conditions not just here in Washington state, but throughout the Western United States. This summer we experienced record-breaking heat, and it appears 2021 will be one of the hottest years on record for global temperatures. Woodland Park Zoo seeks to inspire everyone to make conservation a priority in their lives. It is essential that we act together at every level—individually, collectively and through policy—to enact necessary climate solutions that will reduce the worst impacts of climate change. It is our collective duty to transition to clean energy sources, prevent climate pollution, and invest in technologies that have the potential to mitigate or reverse the worst impacts of our heating planet.

Woodland Park Zoo knows these challenges are not simply a matter of political will. They contain logistical and community dimensions that must be addressed to ensure a just and equitable future for every community. Building resilience in communities and equitable access to climate solutions and the benefits those solutions provide are at the core of our zoo’s conservation work in the Pacific Northwest.

When the Northern Trail exhibit transitions into the Living Northwest Trail exhibit over the next year, you will encounter more stories of our efforts to protect the creatures that call our forest, shrub-steppe, coastal, alpine and desert ecosystems home. Providing an opportunity to get up close to many of the animals you have loved for years with new additions including Canada lynx and western pond turtles, the Living Northwest Trail will feature our work to save native Northwest species and ways for you to join and take action.

Thank you for supporting our community and our endeavor to nurture and sustain wildlife in our own backyards and throughout the globe. Your voices and actions inspire everyone at Woodland Park Zoo as we work to save species and ensure a bright future for every living creature.

Sincerely,

Alejandro Grajal, PhD President and CEO

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FOCUS ON CONSERVATION

T

he true King of the “Jangal”—the Hindi word for forest or thick scrub—is the tiger. This enormous cat, weighing upward of 600 pounds or more in adult males, is capable of overpowering anything in Asia outside of adult rhinos and elephants.

THE WHO

Unfortunately over 93% of the tiger’s jangal has disappeared in the last 150 years due to Asia’s rapidly growing human population and their needs. With only 7% of wild tiger habitat left, and only 4% (less than 4,000) of the tiger population remaining in fragmented landscapes, this fearsome and beautiful predator is now one of the most threatened species in the world.

In 2012, Woodland Park Zoo joined with US-based organization Panthera and the Malaysian organization Rimba to launch the 10-year Malayan Tiger Program in and around Taman Negara National Park. Taman Negara lies within a Class 1 Tiger Conservation Landscape, a global priority for tiger conservation. With the addition of the recently created Kenyir State Park— which this program helped create—the program now works to protect 1,200 km2 (463 square miles) of pristine tiger habitat.

Photo by Fred Koontz, WPZ

THE MALAYAN T THE WHY

To date, staff have helped arrest 37 poachers in the Core Area. However, the threat has evolved, and the increase in “catastrophic” mass snare deployments using large cable snares aimed at large mammals requires an urgent response through well-planned patrols using our vigilance system.

Besides a focus on direct protection of tigers, the program is working with the local indigenous groups (the Orang Asli) to help them increase access to the lands they depend on for survival. On the other hand, they are helping the state government conduct complex carbon valuation, verification, certification, and annual independent auditing in order to generate carbon credits to protect more forest landscape, including adding considerable amounts of new protected forest to Kenyir State Park.

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Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, WPZ

The Covid-19 pandemic led to a national lockdown, especially around the borders. The catastrophic snare incursions were all from foreign poachers, so surprisingly there has been a steep decline in poaching for the past year. Besides taking the short-term pressure off the tiger population, it also allowed the team to prepare their vigilance system for when the borders reopen and poachers return.

This year the Malayan Tiger Program partners plan on signing another 10-year agreement to continue to build on this foundational work to save the last remaining Malayan tigers. Rimba as an organization will be retired, to be replaced by two new national organizations: Nature Based Solutions, which will focus on improving protected area management and developing new green finance mechanisms for protecting tiger habitat; and Panthera Malaysia, which will focus on anti-poaching initiatives and monitoring of tigers and their prey species. All of Rimba’s staff will join the new organizations.

THE HOW In 2018-2019 the program partnered with the Terengganu state government to create Kenyir State Park—the first state park in the area’s history— totaling 30,000 hectares (116 square miles) of new protected land for tigers.

The program staff perform regular antipoaching patrols to help find and capture poachers targeting tigers and their prey.

Some of the “deep-forest” patrol efforts mean team members are in the forest for over a week at a time.

The team trains national park rangers in patrolling methods, accompanies rangers on patrols and patrols on their own, helps in the capture of poachers, and trains lawyers and judges about Malaysia’s environmental laws to ensure that poachers are effectively prosecuted.

TIGER PROGRAM IMPACT AT-A-GLANCE CLIMATE CHANGE added new state park to protect tens of thousands of hectares of forest; developing green financing program to generate carbon credits to protect more forest WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING arrested 37 poachers through antipoaching patrols; providing training for lawyers and judges to strengthen environmental law enforcement Photo by Panthera Malaysia

In the end, this work is about saving tigers, and since the program began tiger numbers have clearly increased, and the firstever signs of tiger breeding—mother tigers and their cubs—have now been seen repeatedly in the region.

SOCIAL JUSTICE working with local indigenous groups to help them increase access to lands they depend on for survival SAVING SPECIES first-ever signs of tiger breeding—mother tigers and their cubs—seen repeatedly in the region MYZOO Member Magazine | Fall 2021 | zoo.org 7

SLOW AND STEADY TO WIN THE

For 30 years, Woodland Park Zoo has been helping Washington’s western pond turtles in their slow and steady race against extinction.

Once numbering as few as 150 turtles, endangered populations are now recovering in Washington’s wetlands with the help of a little head start.

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The eggs are brought to the zoo where they are artificially incubated until ready to hatch.

A WDFW biologist collects eggs and soil samples from a turtle nest inside a protected wildlife area.

With the next clutch of eggs, the cycle begins anew for as long as the turtles need our help.

WDFW biologists study the maturing turtles and rebounding populations in the habitats they manage and restore.

FOLLOW THE HEAD START CYCLE The tiny hatchlings are raised under the care of animal keepers in a safe environment optimal for rapid growth.

The young turtles take instantly to the water and are off on their own to survive and thrive.

When the turtles reach the size at which they can escape predation by bullfrogs, they are ready for release.

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ach year, biologists from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) collect turtle eggs from nests at protected areas located in South Puget Sound. Those eggs are then incubated and hatched at Woodland Park Zoo, where for the next year the hatchlings are raised under the care of attentive animal keepers. Turtles hatch with the

Each summer, zoo staff returns the head-started turtles to protected wetlands to rebuild the population.

instincts to survive, but they need a little help staying safe until they are large enough to escape predation, which is why the head start program is so critical to their success.

Each summer. when they reach a safe size and receive a clean bill of health, the young turtles are returned to protected wetlands where they eventually grow, mature and populate MYZOO Member Magazine | Fall 2021 | zoo.org 9

the next generation. In 1999, Oregon Zoo became a collaborator to expand the head-starting program.

In recent years, they have head-started all the turtles from the Columbia River Gorge recovery sites. “[The western pond turtle] is one of only two turtle species that occurs naturally in Washington,” explains Lisa Hallock, herpetologist (specialist in the study of reptiles and amphibians) with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “That makes western pond turtles a particularly special part of Washington’s natural heritage and worthy of protection and conservation attention.”

After three decades dedicated to this work, Woodland Park Zoo, WDFW and a long list of partners have successfully saved the last two western pond turtle populations from certain extinction in Washington state, and established four new populations.

More than 2,300 turtles have been Keep Washington’s waters clean head-started, and self-sustaining for turtles and other wildlife! populations 1. Pick up dog waste have been reestablished in the 2. Dispose of litter properly Puget Sound and 3. Avoid pesticides in your garden Columbia River that run off into stormwater and Gorge regions. In empty into waterways 2022, Woodland Park Zoo will

YOU CAN HELP

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bring this inspiring story front and center for zoo visitors or the first time in the project's 30-year history with the addition of a turtle conservation lab to the Living Northwest Trail exhibit, the future iteration of the current Northern Trail exhibit. Guests will see the year-long process of incubating, hatching and raising turtles, and what it takes for us all to play a part in their survival.

It is too soon yet to call the turtles’ race against extinction won in Washington. These slow-moving, long-lived animals native to our Washington waters face an uncertain future against human development, non-native predators, invasive plant species and the emergence of a new shell disease. “We all have a part to play in maintaining wetlands and the species that inhabit them because they have an impact on us and our human health,” shares Woodland Park Zoo Wildlife Conservation Manager, Bobbi Miller. “Be involved in urban planning, advocate for green spaces, preserve wetlands, do not release pet aquarium fish, amphibians or reptiles (including turtles) into the wild. Also be careful not to introduce invasive plant species in water or on land. There is no small job in preserving the western pond turtle – we’re all very closely and tightly woven into the fabric of saving these little turtles, and their success story.”

Rebecca Whitham, Vice President of Engagement Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren and Ryan Hawk, WPZ

full page ad space 8” x 10.5”

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We’re going to bat for bats— and we’ll show you how you can too!

Let's show some bat love for our flying (and mostly nocturnal) friends. It’s an opportunity to look at the good things these misunderstood mammals do to keep our environment healthy—AND to take action to keep them safe!

Bats are super cool! They’re the only mammal that can truly fly (some can “glide”). They come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny bumblebee bat that weighs less than a penny to the big, flying foxes with a wingspan up to 6 feet.

Bats eat tons of “pests.” One little brown bat can eat its own weight in bugs, like mosquitos and gnats, in one night! Those insects can carry diseases—like malaria or West Nile virus—so bats help keep us healthy too!

Bats are pollinators and seed spreaders. Not all bats are insectivores (bug eaters). Many feed on fruit, seeds and nectar. They pollinate plants and crops that we rely on for food, and their droppings help spread seeds.

Since bats do so much to keep us and our ecosystem healthy, let’s return the favor. Here are three actions you can take to help them!

1. Create safe bat-friendly habitats. Avoid chemical pesticides and let our native bats (western Washington has 10 known species) help with pest-control work! Resist the urge to remove hollow logs or standing dead trees (snags), which make great bat habitat.

2. The next generation. Looking for some kid-friendly “Bat-ivities” to share? Kiddos will go batty for the crafts,coloring sheets and activities put together by Woodland Park Zoo team member, Kami Koyamatsu: kamikoy.wixsite.com/bat-ivities 3. Visit Woodland Park Zoo! When you come see our giant fruit bats (a.k.a. Indian flying foxes) you’re helping support wildlife conservation projects, including research we’re doing with Bats Northwest.

Together, we’ve installed monitoring devices at the zoo that record echolocation calls of wild bats hunting insects. So far, our bat monitor has recorded the sounds of 7 species found in our region! Learn more at www.zoo.org/batconservation 12 MYZOO Member Magazine | Fall 2021 | zoo.org

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MEMBER

TIPS FALL 2021

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WILDLANTERNS IS BACK! WildLanterns, the zoo’s popular lantern festival, is back and bigger than ever! Don’t forget, as a member you get 20% off of the ticket price! Check out zoo.org/wildlanterns for more information on visiting WildLanterns at the zoo this holiday season.

IT’S COOL BEING GREEN!

SEPTEMBER HOURS: From September 7 through September 30, the zoo will transition our operational hours: open daily 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Enjoy the zoo as the season transitions from summer to crisp and colorful fall! To plan your trip or for more information about our hours for October and beyond, please go to zoo.org/visit.

As a member, you are able to enjoy discounts across the zoo including the ZooStore. Make use of your member discount by purchasing ecofriendly back-toschool swag like reusable water bottles, straws and utensils, or pens and pencils made out of recycled material. Just show your current membership card at the time of purchase to save 10%!

MYZOO Member Magazine | Fall 2021 | zoo.org 13

TELL CONGRESS: Support the

PREVENTING FUTURE PANDEMICS ACT Your zoo is working with Congress members to educate them about this important bipartisan solution for global health.

YOU CAN HELP Ask your representative and senators to cosponsor the Preventing Future Pandemics Act and pass this legislation to benefit all people and wildlife.

TAKE ACTION NOW

Zika. Ebola. SARS. MERS. West Nile virus. Lyme disease. COVID-19.

Zoonotic diseases, those that pass between animals and people, are the primary source of emerging infectious diseases in humans. The bipartisan Preventing Future Pandemics Act would help reduce the risks of zoonotic disease transmission that can lead to pandemics by: • Giving the State Department additional tools to address wildlife markets and the global wildlife trade for human consumption.

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• Authorizing funding for USAID to help communities that rely on consumption of wildlife for food security to develop safer and sustainable alternative animal and plant sourced foods, and directing the agency to increase its activities in zoonotic disease surveillance, protecting biodiversity strongholds and combating wildlife trafficking.

• Prohibiting the import, export, and sale of certain live wildlife in the United States for purposes of human consumption as food or medicine.

POSTER PERFECT

FRANÇOIS’ LANGURS Get the look: Mutton chops, silky black hair, piercing eyes Main diet: Leaves, leaves, leaves. Please.

What are they snacking on? Langurs love to forage and will spend much of their time exploring their home for treats—some naturally occurring and some scattered by animal keepers, including fruits, seeds and other plantings.

What are they doing? Resting, foraging, swinging, playing and grooming.

How do they get around? Brachiation (aka swinging) Where do they live? Forest treetops in parts of China, Vietnam and Laos At the zoo: Trail of Vines Status: Endangered Conservation action: Treetop life means langurs are under threat of extinction as forests disappear. These endangered monkeys depend on thriving forests, and as habitat destruction leads to fragmented forest pockets, populations become isolated and vulnerable. Choose Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper and wood products to protect forest habitat and wildlife.

Motto: Stay curious Download the poster for your desktop or mobile screensaver Poster photo by Dennis Dow, WPZ

On this page: A curious François' langur at Woodland Park Zoo’s Trail of Vines.

A baby capped langur in Manas National Park, India where our partners at International Rhino Foundation save species big and small.

Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, WPZ.

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Dennis Dow, WPZ

1 Beary Tough When zoo researchers needed to test if the new scent dispenser they designed for field research was strong enough to stand up to Northwest wildlife, Keema volunteered to help. The zoo’s resident grizzly bear tried his best to break into the casing that protects the scent lure designed to attract wildlife to remote camera stations. Success!

Even this mighty grizzly couldn’t crack the case.

That means we are ready for the field season!

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2 Pumpkin Bash!

One of our favorite fall treats is watching the animals delight in devouring their gourds! Even sweeter? Knowing our members are committed to using our sustainable palm oil candy guide when picking out autumn treats. Happy Halloween to tigers, orangutans, hornbills and you!

3 Leaf Peeping What’s your favorite autumn view? For us, it’s

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watching the more than 200 species of trees welcome their fall colors across our 92 acres. If you haven’t planned a leaf-peeping stroll with the fam, now is the perfect time. Thanks to our horticulture crew who works their magic all year round!

4 Watch Wildlife Season 2 Our friends at KIRO TV take you inside Woodland Park Zoo with exclusive access to behind-the-scenes stories in season 2 of the Northwest Emmy-nominated Wildlife docuseries.

With six new episodes, you’ll spend a day in the life of an animal keeper, learn how keeper

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insights can help you understand the animals in your life, and discover the inspiring conservation connections we foster around the world.

5 Inspirational!

Our friends at Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife shared some awfully adorable news––fisher kits! Biologists have found the first wild fishers to be born in the North Cascades in perhaps half a century. Pretty amazing!

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FROM THESE ON JULY 9, 2021, hundreds of Woodland Park Zoo supporters gathered in-person and virtually to celebrate the 45th annual Jungle Party under the leadership of co-chairs Holly Hirai, Diane Shrewsbury, Laurie Stewart and Jill Walker. Collectively, our community gave more than $1.8 million at this year’s Jungle Party to ensure that the zoo will remain an accessible community cornerstone for generations to come while inspiring everyone who visits the zoo to make conservation a priority in their lives. Thank you!

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MYZOO Member Magazine | Fall 2021 | zoo.org 19

FIGHTING FIRE WITH N

ot all fire-blackened trees are the same in the pine forests of Kettle Falls, Wash. Some are dead or nearly so, claimed by the 2018 Boyds wildfire that started in the Sherman Creek Wildlife Area. Carried by high winds, the wildfire ripped through more than 3,000 acres, threatening wild lands, private homes, local businesses and critical power lines before it was ultimately suppressed.

Yet other trees there wear their blackened bark resiliently, surviving—even thriving—after being touched by a far more controlled burn.

“Landscape needs fire to reduce fuel and rejuvenate vegetation.

But we want to pick the timeframe when we do it,” explains Matt Eberlein, Prescribed Fire Program Manager at Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Each year, when cooler temperatures make for ideal conditions, Matt and his crew target areas of state lands for prescribed burns. The preemptive tactic reduces the load of highly burnable materials, known to the crew as “fuel,” such as dry brush and wood debris.

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Sherman Creek Wildlife Area at Columbia River, Kettle Falls, Wash.

Prescribed burns have been carefully applied to the area of forest on the right.

This work is part of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Forest Health strategy to enhance the landscape’s ability to survive and thrive when facing wildfire. Matt leads a trained and highly skilled team to lay down, manage and extinguish fires under controlled conditions.

They target areas that need thinning or mitigation or provide strategic defensible zones for other vulnerable areas. “We utilize fuel moistures and cooler temperatures. That way we can control our fire and its effects,” says Matt.

In contrast, wildfires tend to pick up intensity when conditions are at their least controllable, in the high, dry heat of summers, at the whim

of winds. The difference is clear in the Sherman Creek Wildlife Area, where the areas treated with prescribed burns in the spring of 2018 boast living trees and returning grasses, a clear demarcation against the non-treated areas that were consumed in whole by the Boyds wildfire that same summer.

“In the areas where the prescribed fire was applied that spring, the wildfire behavior was far less intense,” explains Matt. “The folks that came in to actually fight and suppress the wildfire utilized the area that we had burned that spring as their control line where they were able to attack that flank of the fire and safely get in and work the area.”

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PREPARE FOR WILDFIRE SMOKE Last year, our Evergreen State had the worst air quality in the world as a result of wildfires.

This year is predicted to have another intense wildfire season with severe impact on our air quality.

Forest lost to the 2018 Boyds wildfire.

To prepare for wildfire smoke, the Washington Department of Health recommends: • Plan ahead with your doctor if you or a family member has a health condition that can be worsened by smoke and poor air quality • Get a HEPA filter or learn how to turn your air conditioner to recirculation mode in your house and car • Stock up on water, groceries and essential needs so you can remain home during inclement events • Plan for your pets and make sure animals can be inside and away from smoke dangers • Sign up for air quality alerts by zip code at www.enviroflash.info.

Matt Eberlein surveying a burn.

Fire is natural in forest settings. Matt warns that decades of fire suppression as a forest management tool has created harder to control fire conditions such as high fuel loads and tight, densely packed forests. Active management of these forests and the use of controlled burns create more favorable conditions to withstand wildfires, which are only increasing with climate change.

“Our temperatures are hotter. We’re not seeing as much moisture at times. We’ve seen summers get longer. What used to be a 90day fire season is now 105, 120 days,” adds Matt. During the 2000s, an average of 189,000 acres burned each year in Washington. That number tragically continues to multiply. In 2020, 812,000 acres were touched by flames, including 640,000 acres in central and eastern Washington, overwhelming entire communities.

Prescribed burning is becoming better understood as a proactive strategy against the increasing severity of wildfires.

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Grass, lupine and trees thrive in an area of land treated with prescribed burn five years ago.

New legislation has been introduced by Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington with senators from Oregon, California and West Virginia to significantly increase the use of prescribed burns on federal land. Here in Washington, state legislators approved a bill in 2021 to support and fund the Department of Natural Resource’s wildfire prevention and mitigation strategies, which rely on increasing prescribed burns as a centerpiece of their proactive measures.

Matt’s goal is to strengthen and grow the prescribed burn program for Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to keep up with its potential and demand. “We need to add more resources to it, more equipment, and more personnel because we have more business than we can do with what we have,” he adds.

Communities will directly benefit from this renewed investment.

Roughly 2.2 million homes in Washington are exposed to wildfire, threatening human life. Preventative management of these fire-vulnerable areas creates buffers and defensible zones to keep wildfires from crossing into human communities, like the stretch of 20 homes just outside the Sherman Creek Wildlife Area that were protected from the worst of the Boyds wildfire.

Wildlife communities directly benefit too. Lupine and grass are growing tall in an area of Sherman Creek that came into prescription five years ago. In the years following that controlled burn, the soil has been enriched by the nutrients, the charcoal and ash helping to hold water like a sponge for soil stability and plant growth. The animals have noticed.

“Within days after a burn, we'll see deer in there. They can get nutrients from the ash and the by-product of the fire. Within just a few days, you'll see new green sprouts, and that's nice and tender and tasty, and they like to come in and eat on that,” adds Matt. “We're improving the ecosystem they live in, eliminating a lot of the debris and increasing the forage.”

For Matt, the positive impact on communities and wildlife keeps him motivated after decades on the frontline of fire in Washington state. He knows the work is not without its dangers. “There isn’t a day that goes by that I’m not concerned about their safety,” Matt says of his crew. He’s had his own close calls with fire and seen its power up close. “I think we have a mutual understanding. I know it can take my life at any moment, if it chooses, but I have a lot of respect for it. It's a powerful living beast, but it's also a tool.”

Rebecca Whitham, Vice President of Engagement Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren

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Buddy the Pharaoh eagle-owl gets an education in ornithology at the Seattle Central Library.

TOGETHER WE ARE WILD AT HEART In celebration of our arts and culture community, Woodland Park Zoo is partnering each month with a different cultural institution from the Seattle area for a photo series to capture our shared spirit. From artists to actors to animal lovers, museums to musicians, and singers to scientists—we are all Wild at Heart.

Artist Wais Ali with Pike Place Market reaches new heights in a portrait session with Dave the giraffe.

Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Noelani Pantastico gives our Humboldt penguins some personal dance instruction.

This year, we have had the pleasure to partner with the Pacific Northwest Ballet, the Museum of Flight, the Seattle Library, Seattle Art Museum, the Burke Museum, Pike Place Market, the 5th Avenue Theatre and The Seattle Men’s Chorus and Women’s Chorus so far. Follow along with Wild at Heart as we explore the heart and soul of our region and feature a new partner on our social channels each month.

Harry the skunk takes an interest in classical art at the Seattle Art Museum.

Painting: Puget Sound on the Pacific Coast, 1870, Albert Bierstadt, oil on canvas, Seattle Art Museum, Gift of the Friends of American Art at the Seattle Art Museum, with additional funds from the General MYZOO Member Magazine | Fall 2021 | zoo.org 25 Acquisition Fund, 2000.70.

ANIMAL SPOTLIGHT

MALAYSIA

Borneo

Sulawesi

INDONESIA Java

Bali Timor West Nusa Tenngara

East Nusa Tenngara

Varanus komodoensis

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ur latest animal spotlight shines on the king of the lizards: the Komodo dragon! This massive reptile is the largest living species of monitor lizard in the world—found only on a handful of islands in southeastern Indonesia.

they're about 7 to 10 years old. When full grown, these massive monitor lizards weigh between 150 – 200 pounds on average, but some can get up to 300 pounds, and measure more than 10 feet from end to end.

Komodo dragons are both scavengers and ambush predators, meaning they are just as capable of feeding on dead animals as they are of hunting live prey. Almost everything is on the menu for these carnivores, from smaller birds and snakes to large mammals such as water buffalo, wild pigs and deer.

Their wide-ranging palates can even include their own kind, so it’s no surprise that, in the wild, young Komodos are known to hang out in the treetops where they can hunt for smaller animals while avoiding the ravenous appetites of the larger adults.

In addition to their size, these cunning carnivores are known for their keen sense of smell and their potentially deadly bite. As with many other reptiles, Komodo dragons use their forked tongues instead of noses to smell. They can detect a dead animal (a.k.a. “dinner”) from several miles away. When it comes to hunting live prey, Komodo dragons have a mouth full of sharp teeth and saliva that contains dangerous bacteria and— as recent research suggests—toxic, venom-like proteins that weaken and eventually kill their prey.

At hatching, a baby Komodo is little more than a foot long and they don’t reach adult size until

If you are familiar with Woodland Park Zoo’s Komodo exhibit, you may have noticed some

26 MYZOO 26

Member Magazine | Fall 2021 | zoo.org

KAHLI

NAKAL

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Komodo

Rinca

East Nusa Tenngara

Sumba

Komodo Range

CONSERVATION CONNECTION: Woodland Park Zoo supports the Komodo Dragon Survival Program in Indonesia. When you visit Berani, Nakal and Kahli, your admission or membership helps us to support conservation partners in the field, like this one.

recent changes to their habitat. We’ve been caring for this species for more than 20 years, and in that time Komodo dragon husbandry—that is, the knowledge about their care and conservation—has advanced significantly. Our Komodo Dragon Improvement Project was made possible by generous support from Seattle voters, the Seattle Park District, The Sunderland Foundation and John and Sarah Cook. It includes renovations based on the latest science to better meet the needs of our dragons and to provide a better guest experience for you when you visit them.

Like all reptiles, Komodo dragons are cold-blooded. They can’t thermoregulate—which means control their own body temperature—so their internal temperature depends on the environment they’re in. And it just so happens that this amazing species comes from a place of extremes.

Temperatures in the 90s and 100s (Fahrenheit) with high humidity are common in the islands of southeastern Indonesia, with sunny basking spots getting even hotter than that! In the wild, Komodos will move between these areas

above ground, and cooler burrows underground to help meet their temperature needs at any given time.

The improvements we’ve made to our Komodo habitat offer enhanced control over conditions like temperature, lighting, humidity and ventilation—all essential elements that our dragons need to stay healthy, while supporting more efficient energy use. The Ultraviolet heat lights that have been installed are cleverly hidden by new artificial logs and climbing structures inside the exhibit—all created by our talented in-house design team.

Komodos are solitary, so each of our three dragons has its own space in the renovated exhibit. We can control all the lighting, temperature, and ventilation conditions within each area separately, so we can meet the needs of each of our Komodos—depending on their age, size and health status— throughout their lives.

For you, our guests, we’ve installed new glass for better viewing and some new interpretive and thematic elements for a more immersive experience! We hope you’ll come for a visit and see for yourself!

Elizabeth Bacher, Staff Writer Photos by Dennis Dow, WPZ, and Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, WPZ

Nakal and Kahli • brothers from the same clutch (a group of eggs laid together by one female) • both nearly 14 lbs. – lots of growing left to do!

• love mealtime and are both very food motivated

• 4 years old in October • hatched at Ft. Worth Zoo in Texas in 2017 • each have their own space as Komodos are generally solitary

Berani • 8 years old • hatched at Memphis Zoo in 2013

• 60 pounds and still growing • a super good boy!

MYZOO Member Magazine | Fall 2021 | zoo.org 27 BERANI

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!

28 MYZOO 28 MYZOO Member Magazine | Fall 2021 | zoo.org

ZOO FAVORITES

LISTEN UP, ANIMAL LOVERS

We’ve lined up some podcasts for you to enjoy. There’s something on our list for animal lovers and wildlife warriors of all ages—so check them out through the links below or look for them wherever you get your podcasts.

BRING BIRDS BACK This new podcast is from the makers of BirdNote (those chirpy radio vignettes). Host Tenijah Hamilton, who discovered her love of birds during the pandemic, celebrates our feathered friends and offers ways that humans can help them with simple, conservation actions.

CHRIS MORGAN’S “THE WILD” Washington state-based conservation biologist and Woodland Park Zoo friend Chris Morgan explores how nature survives and thrives alongside (and often despite) humans. In each episode, Morgan takes listeners across the Northwest and around the world to explore wildlife and the complex web of ecosystems they inhabit.

OLOGIES Ologies is a science podcast hosted by self-styled “professional science nerd,” Alie Ward. Each week, she talks with a different "ologist"—a specialist in one of a wide range of different scientific fields. Over the last few years she has interviewed experts in bryology (moss), plumology (feathers), Medusology (jellyfish) and more.

THE ROSSIFARI PODCAST Jon Rossi is a musician-turnedpodcaster who wants to share the conservation mission of accredited zoos and aquariums. Guests include animal keepers (including one from Woodland Park Zoo) and conservation staff. You’ll come away with an understanding of what it means to be an animal keeper and a deeper connection with the amazing species they care for.

SHE EXPLORES This podcast includes stories of women who are inspired by time spent outside and includes a wide cross-section of voices, topics and practical content.

KIDS PICK FOR AGES 5-12: EARTH RANGERS Earth Rangers is a conservation organization for kids! In the podcast, “Earth Ranger Emma” transports listeners into the wild kingdom with stories about animals, interviews with biologists and other experts, plus nature trivia, mysteries, jokes and learning games.

WILDLANTERNS -- Coming in Proof #2 1/ 4 page horizontal ad space The 8” x 2.48”

holiday magic begins on Nov. 12 zoo.org/wildlanterns

MYZOO Member Magazine | Fall 2021 | zoo.org 29

Pumpkin Ask your parent or

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guardian to head out on this fun pumpkin prowl with you. See if you can find all the items on this autumnly-awesome scavenger hunt list.

Golden leaf

Crow

Red leaf

Something orange

Pinecone

Something sweet

Check them off as you go!

Something spooky

BE SWEET TO ANIMALS Halloween is the perfect time to enjoy wildlife-friendly treats!

That means choosing candy and sweets that taste delicious and are good choices for our planet and for wildlife.

Look for candy made by companies committed to certified sustainable palm oil. Find a handy shopping list at zoo.org/palmoil.

30 MYZOO Member Magazine | Fall 2021 | zoo.org 30

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Visit zoo.org/zootoyou to download pumpkin patterns inspired by some of your favorite zoo animals. Then ask an adult to help you create a perfect pumpkin masterpiece!

Show off your design and share with us #woodlandparkzoo MYZOO Member Magazine | Fall 2021 | zoo.org 31

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32 MYZOO Member Magazine | Fall 2021 | zoo.org

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TO U S E R E B M E , REM DY GU IDE N I K P M Y C AN L D N HEY PIU E I R F OUT FE I L G D N I L K C W I P OUR WHEN N O S A E AT S! E R T L L A THI S S F VO R ITE YO U R FA MYZOO Member Magazine | Fall 2021 | zoo.org 33

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

THURSDAY, OCT. 7 6:00-9:00 PM ZOO.ORG/BREW # THISISHOWWEBREW

PRESENTED BY

34 MYZOO Member Magazine | Fall 2021 | zoo.org