ZOOGOER FEATURES

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David K. Krohne

Zoo Animals Go to School...............eeceeecceeee Ll

Susan Stauffer

The Great Penguin Caper ..............ceeeeeeeeeeeee LO

Billie Hamlet

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The Touchlings by Dr. Michael W. Fox

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Jessie Cohen, NZP Office of Graphics and Exhibits

The Greening of the Zoo

David K. Krohne

Millions come to the National Zoo

each year to see the wildlife, yet few

stop to admire the tallest and oldest

wildlife at the Zoo—the trees and

shrubs. Several trees at the National

Zoo are actually ten times as high as

the tallest giraffe!

Perhaps visitors overlook the Zoo's

fascinating array of plant life be-

cause these living creatures don't

move much. And “backdrops,”

whether at the Zoo or on stage, can't

compete with actors—or animals.

But try to imagine the National Zoo

without trees, flowering shrubs,

and ornamental grasses, and you

quickly realize how important they

are.

Working “behind the scenes” as the

chief keeper of the plant material is

Ric Hider. He became the Zoo's first

horticulturalist in 1979 after six

years caring for the tropical plant

David K. Krohne

Zoo horticulturalist Ric Hider inspects some of the 500 pyracantha shrubs planted by FONZ

volunteers at the new Great Ape House.

David K. Krohne

Construction of the Great Ape House threatened this magnificent 240-year-old white oak tree,

requiring extraordinary efforts to save it.

collection at Thomas Edison's

winter home in Florida.

The task he and his staff of twelve

face is—like that of many of his

colleagues at the Zoo—staggering.

He is responsible for the care and

feeding (pruning, fertilizing,

mowing, weeding, transplanting,

and mulching} of approximately

5,000 trees, more than 500 flow-

ering shrubs, and 35 acres of heavily

walked-on grass. But he has high

hopes and practical plans for

making the National Zoological

Park as attractive as possible within

the limits of staff and money.

A major priority is the implementa-

tion of a zoned maintenance con-

cept. With only five journeyman

gardeners on the staff, zoned

maintenance promises greater ef-

ficiency as well as greater inter-

action between keepers and gar-

deners. By becoming familiar with a

particular area of the Zoo, the

gardener can understand better the

needs of the animals and anticipate

possible problems. Maintenance by

zones also promises to reduce the

time required to move equipment

from one area to another.

The hilly terrain of the 167-acre

Zoo compounds the difficulty of

maintaining the grounds and the

animal exhibit areas. And many of

the man-made enclosures, such as

the Lion-Tiger Exhibit, can be a

lawn mower’s nightmare.

Keeping up with seasonal displays

is also very time-consuming. Tulips,

for instance, require high mainte-

nance for repeat blooming, and it is

actually less expensive to replace

them each year with new bulbs. But

other flowers, such as daffodils,

require minimal effort and multiply

naturally. Daffodils have been

planted in formal beds near the

Connecticut Avenue entrance to

the Zoo with the idea that they will

later be transplanted into a perma-

nent natural setting.

An important part of the Zoo's

“green thumb master plan” is to use

plants from the same homelands as

the exhibit animals. To that end,

Hider recently added a tropical —

plant specialist to his staff, and the

Zoo is leasing a greenhouse at the

Bethesda Naval Hospital for propa-

gation and maintenance of tropical

plants. Importing these plants is

extremely difficult since there are

strict quarantine laws on plant

materials brought into the United

States, and some plant species are

completely prohibited. Seeds and

cuttings are being gathered from

locations such as the National

Arboretum and the U.S. Botanic

Garden to reduce dependence on

plant distributors.

David K. Krohne

Gardener Jim Murphy plants colorful flowers in a new bed next to the bongo paddock.

Jessie Cohen, NZP Office of Graphics and Exhibits

Graphics in the North American Mammal exhibit describe some of the Zoo's oldest and tallest

wildlife specimens.

Wherever practical, Hider hopes to

develop collections of plant families

known to be nontoxic to animals. In

addition to their possible use as food

for the animals, such plants could

provide a variety of floral displays,

require minimum maintenance,

and be adaptable to the rugged ter-

rain of the Zoo.

Expansion of the Zoo's bamboo col-

lection would also provide multiple

benefits. Several species of bamboo

are grown at the Zoo now, and they

are used primarily for camouflage of

fences. A number of ornamental

varieties of bamboo are also useful

for animal food in addition to being

pest-free and providing an attrac-

tive screening effect.

Another of Hider's priorities is to

develop a computerized inventory

of every one of the estimated 5000

Zoo trees that is six inches or more

in diameter. The project is being

coordinated with FONZ volunteer

Angela Wessel, and Hider hopes to

have it underway by next winter.

Each tree in the inventory will have

its own identification number so

that a regular maintenance sched-

ule can be developed with the assis-

tance of the computer. The project

will also be useful in protecting

trees when new construction takes

place.

Occasionally trees of special in-

terest can be jeopardized during

construction. Extraordinary efforts,

such as the last-minute change

from asphalt to a wooden walkway,

intense pruning, and compre-

hensive root feeding, are being

made to save one particularly fine

2.40-year-old white oak tree behind

the new Great Ape House. Con-

struction of the new building com-

pacted the soil in that area, cutting

off air and water to the root systems

of this specimen and other large

trees. |

While introducing new varieties of

shade trees, Hider also hopes to

plant trees that look like those of

the animals’ native habitats but are

hardy enough to survive Washing-

ton weather. Included are some

trees, such as willows and

maples, that can provide food for

the animals, too.

Trees can also be useful to delineate

various animals’ areas and block the

view into other exhibit zones. This

would make it possible, for in-

stance, to create the feeling of

passing from the African area of the

Elephant House to the very dif-

ferent North American forest

environment of Beaver Valley.

The Zoo recently planted more

than 100 large trees. Wooden fences

and enclosures used to protect trees

David K. Krohne

Electrified wires protect newly planted trees from browsing elephants.

proved to be a visual distraction, so

in areas such as the Elephant House

yards electrified wires are being

used to protect the trees from the

animals.

One of the major challenges faced

by the Zoo's horticultural staff is

developing grasses and other

ground cover plants to take the

place of stone in many of the animal

yards. Gravel does have its advan-

tages—it doesn’t get muddy, and it

doesn’t have to be mowed—but it is

not very attractive. Hider and his

staff are researching hardy, low-

maintenance prairie grasses and are

also studying the grass coming up

in the elephant yards for possible

propagation. Eventually various

kinds of plant material may replace

gravel in many of the animal exhibit

areas.

continued on page 16

Ilene Ackerman, NZP Office of Public Affairs

Zoo Animals Go to School

Susan Stauffer

If you needed to examine a sea lion's Ors ee

eyes or draw a blood sample from an .

adult grey seal, you could net the

animals or herd them into a squeeze

cage. But this causes stress for the

animals and requires several

keepers.

Instead, you could teach the ani-

mals to hold still while you opened

their eyes or drew blood from their

flippers.

Animals at the National Zoo are

being trained to cooperate with

their keepers this way in a program

organized by Kayce Cover, keeper

leader for aquatic mammals, and

keepers Lisa Burton, Linda Mahn,

and Lisa Stevens.

Jessie Cohen, NZP Office of Graphics and Exhibits

The Zoo's grey seals have learned to

pick up objects and give them to the

Keeper Jim Lillie uses an ankus—or elephant hook—to lift a foot so Jim Jones can file the hoof.

trainer, which means their 150,000- Opposite: Aquatic mammal keeper leader Kayce Cover poses with two members of the sea lion

gallon pool does not have to be training class.

drained every time something falls

into the water. The seals will move

11

Jessie Cohen, NZP Office of Graphics and Exhibits

Polar bears are food-motivated and will stand up for a fish reward, making it possible to check the

underside of their paws from outside their enclosures.

12

from one area to another on com-

mand and will stand still for vet-

erinary examinations.

The sea lions will also stand still for

their examinations, and some have

learned to retrieve rings in their

pool, to obey direction signals, and

to perform some other behaviors on

cue.

The otters and the timber wolf

know their names and know how to

“target’’—or fix attention on the

keeper's hand or some other ob-

ject—to receive their next instruc-

tions. More animals are now begin-

ning training programs.

One of the benefits of training Zoo

animals is that it provides them

some mental stimulus as well as an

outlet for their energy. Learning the

commands and enjoying the re-

wards minimizes boredom and

helps prevent the animals from

becoming fixated on objects in their

areas.

Training also increases an animal’s

adaptability to the Zoo environ-

ment and increases rapport with

keepers and veterinarians. The wild

animal adjusts to his surroundings

better and gains more control over

his lite through interaction with the

trainer.

a

Greater efficiency in animal han-

dling is also achieved through train-

ing. Moving a grey seal from its

exhibit pool to the holding area

used to require about $300 in staff

time and special equipment. Now

the seals follow the keepers into the

holding area and wait for the gate to

be closed behind them. The total

cost is pennies in keeper time, and

no equipment is required.

_ The Zoo's training program is based

on behavior conditioning—teach-

ing the animal by rewarding correct

behavior and encouraging the ani-

mal to do well. The first step in

training is to determine what moti-

vates the animal. Some animals are

highly food-motivated while others

enjoy learning more and do not

require as many food rewards.

When food rewards are given, they

come at irregular intervals but often

enough to make good. behavior

worth the effort.

However, sometimes a clearly un-

derstood command is ignored. In

these instances, the trainer turns

his attention away and punishes the

animal by ignoring him in turn.

This removes the opportunity for

the animal to earn rewards of food

or attention. After a little while the

keeper then resumes the session

with enthusiasm and a positive

attitude.

Jessie Cohen, NZP Office of Graphics and Exhibits

Lisa Burton and Linda Mahn use whistles and food rewards as part of the sea lion training in

Beaver Valley.

13

Jessie Cohen, NZP Office of Graphics and Exhibits

Keepers Jim Jones and Jim Lillie work with Asian elephants in the outside yards as part of the Zoo’s animal training program.

Trainers reward the animals im-

mediately after they do the desired

thing. This makes the animal want

to repeat the behavior in order to

earn another reward. Behaviors are

divided into approximations—or

steps—which the animals can learn

one at a time. Behavior is tested

under different conditions to make

sure the animals have not become

confused by new events or sur-

roundings.

The animals are given every oppor-

tunity to do well. If a keeper is

training a sea lion to “target” on the

keeper's fist, the animal is given an

encouraging word if he just begins

to come toward the keeper.

14

The end of this patient and con-

sistent process is a cooperative team

of trainer and animal. Still, animals

are independent beings and no mat-

ter how well trained they will

occasionally test their handlers by

doing requested behaviors incor-

rectly, by not doing them at all, or by

being aggressive toward the trainer.

Aggression can be a serious prob-

lem. Seals and sea lions are big

animals—and they bite! Elephants,

which are being trained for such

tasks as lifting their feet for vet-

erinary examinations, could crush a

person against the walls of their

enclosures. It would be a mistake to

turn your back on an aggressive

animal and ignore him. Physical

force is sometimes required in order

to safeguard the keeper and to dis-

courage the animal from making a

second attempt. However, with

training and common sense, aggres-

sion is minimized, and animal-

keeper relationships are charac-

terized by trust and cooperation.

The training programs being con-

ducted at the National Zoo are

based on respect for the animals’

intelligence and concern for their

welfare. Training means more effi-

cient and safe animal handling. And

it creates a bond of cooperation

between the two beings at the Zoo

who are the focus of each other's

lives—the animal and his keeper.

The Great Penguin Caper

This is the second in a series of

excerpts from the history of the

National Zoo now being written by

Billie Hamlet. (The first installment,

“The Beatrice Henderson Mystery,”

appeared in the September-October

1980 issue of ZooGoer.) We are still

waiting to hear from someone who

can tell us about John P. Hermann,

Sr.—the “man of a thousand

songs’’—who is memorialized by a

small bronze plaque near the Bird

House.

On a bright spring morning in April

1947, Admiral Richard E. Byrd and

his crew, returning from an

Antarctic expedition, slowly made

their way up the Anacostia River

toward the Washington Navy Yard

on the flagship Mount Olympus. On

board the ship was a group of pen-

guins—six rockhoppers, fourteen

macaronis, and two Emperors—that

had been collected for the National

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Rockhopper Penguin

Zoo by Jack Perkins of the U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service. The Emperor

penguins, handsome birds standing

three to four feet high, were the

most eagerly awaited by Zoo

officials.

All went well until the unloading of

the precious cargo. As the Zoo truck

stood waiting to receive the pen-

guins, the sling carrying them

broke, the crates broke, and eight

penguins scattered like a bag of

beans, jumping headlong into the

polluted Anacostia River. An in-

tensive two-hour chase by the

Harbor Patrol resulted in the cap-

ture of five of the birds, but three

more remained at large. Admiral

Nimitz, Chief of Naval Operations,

lent his cabin cruiser to aid in the

search, but the effort was finally

called off with two macaronis and

one rockhopper still unaccounted

for.

15

Four days later, John W. Cranford

was driving along the Indian Head

Highway toward Washington with

a load of jonquils for a Washington

florist. Suddenly he spotted a

strange creature waddling along the

highway with flippers flapping. It

was an odd—and unsettling—sight,

especially in the early morning.

Cranford slammed on his brakes,

made a U-turn, and headed back

toward the penguin. The bird

quickened its pace and headed for

nearby woods, but Cranford was

able to capture it. In the process, he

got a few “chicken pecks” for his

trouble. The penguin was placed

unceremoniously among the jon-

quils, and Cranford continued on

his merry way to Washington. He

had picked up the missing rock-

hopper 20 miles south of Wash-

ington and three miles from the

river, but at least the bird was

heading in the right direction!

Cranford delivered his jonquils to

the florist shop, where everyone

admired the jaunty bird he had

picked up on the highway. The

hungry penguin was fed two carna-

tions, which it seemed to enjoy.

After taking care of his business,

Cranford headed for the Zoo, where

he and the errant bird received a

warm welcome.

Six days after the great escape, Mrs.

Blanche Cleary of Colmar Manor,

16

Maryland (about eight miles north-

east of Washington along the

Anacostia River), was awakened by

strange yapping and squawking

sounds. She got out of bed and

looked out the window to see a

macaroni penguin fending off two

strange dogs. She rushed outside,

chased away the dogs, and brought

the penguin to the safety of her

porch. Meanwhile, her daughter

called the Park Police. Corporal

Bernard Beckman responded to the

call and drove to police head-

quarters with the penguin sitting

on his dashboard. The penguin re-

ceived a breakfast of minnows be-

fore being turned over to the Zoo.

Beckman noted that it was the first

time in his 23 years on the force that

he had ever “arrested” a penguin.

The third escapee, a macaroni,

was never found. And thus ends the

saga of the first—and last—

Anacostia River penguin rodeo.

Next in this series: ‘The Saga of the

Surinam Toads,” the thrilling tale of

how Dr. William M. Mann pulled off

a major zoological coup some 50

years ago.

The Greening of the Zoo

continued from page 9

Zoo horticulture, according to

Hider, is still in its infancy, with

both great potential and great chal-

lenges. Among his own long-range

goals is the development of a

nursery and study plots at the Zoo's

Conservation and Research Center

at Front Royal, Virginia, for research

and propagation of various kinds of

plants. Other areas of particular

interest for future study include the

relationships between animals and

plants and the optimum animal and

plant densities for given amounts of

space.

The possibilities are limited only by

time, staffing, and funds. There are

definite priorities—to enhance ex-

hibits with plant materials, to

emphasize the natural setting of the

Zoo, and to remain sensitive to the

environment through plantings as

well as construction.

Next time you visit the Zoo, take a

moment to admire all those tall

green creatures that are a special

part of our wild kingdom!

Book News

Noted veterinarian-author

Dr. Michael W. Fox has received

word of a unique species never

before seen by man. According to

legend, this rare creature originally

lived in the jungles of Brazil and

survived on love, sunshine, and

giving. The small, furry, green

creature bears the scientific name

Tactus Veridus, which translates

into English as “the Touchling.”

The Touchlings were discovered by

Dr. Melanie Scott, a research

zoologist, and her friend and guide

Geriguiguiatuko (Jerri-kwi-kwi-ah-

to-ko, meaning “firewood jaguar” in

his native language)—or just plain

“Geri’’ to his friends.

The strange little green creatures

like to be touched by people and

when held they give off a gentle

hum, known as “The Touchling’s

Song.”

Dr. Scott took three of the curious

creatures back to the zoo for further

study. After intensive research, she

determined that they “lived to love

and be loved, but to be loving was

most important of all.”

‘Touchlings

Michael Fox,

The Adventures f | e. MS

of the f

Fantasy Creatuggs

that Live on

LOVE,

SUNSHINE §

and GIVING |

THE TOUCHLINGS,

by Dr. Michael W. Fox.

Acropolis Books, Washington,

D.C., 1981. (Hardcover, $7.95)

Soon thousands of people were

crowding the zoo to see the Touch-

lings. Among them was a young boy

with an earache. The Touchlings’

song made him feel better, and—

more than anyone else—he wanted

a Touchling of his own.

Additional scientific research re-

vealed that Touchlings didn’t need

food or water, didn't need to be

housebroken, kept the air around

them clean and sweet, and made

people feel relaxed and happy.

Suddenly Touchlings became the

most popular pet imaginable. An

entire line of Touchling products

was developed, and there were even

grooming parlors for these cuddly

pets.

The remainder of the story is too

exciting to divulge here. Suffice to

say that these enchanted creatures

eventually fell from favor, but the

boy with the earache later showed

the world the true value of the

Touchlings.

This delightful book includes maps

of Dr. Scott's home city and the

sacred jungle where the Touchlings

were discovered, space to record the

Touchling’s song, and a certificate

of membership in the ‘‘Touchling

Protective Society.”

Like many books ostensibly written

for children, The Touchlings holds

as great appeal for adult readers.

17

Zoo News

Zoo Will Study Wild Pandas

in China

On April 15, 1981, Dr. John F. Eisen-

berg and Dr. John Seidensticker of

the National Zoo and Mr. Ross

Simons of the Office of the As-

sistant Secretary of the Smith-

sonian Institution began a three-

week visit to the People’s Republic

of China. The purpose: to draft an

initial research agreement and

action plan for one year’s research

in a wildlife reserve to be selected

after preliminary discussions in

Beijing. The Chinese had arranged

for visits to three giant panda

reserves, thereby allowing some

flexibility in site selecition.

The goal of the project is to increase

the scientific understanding of the

behavioral ecology of the giant

panda. Only recently have western

scientists been allowed to study this

rare, little-known animal in China.

To augment our knowledge, the

giant panda must be studied in the

context of the reserve ecosystem in

which it lives and reproduces. In

addition, an essential part of the

project will be the survey of the

mammals, the birds, and the habitat

in the reserve selected.

18

After preliminary discussions and

agreement in Beijing, the three of us

flew west to Chengdu, the capital of

Sichuan Province. It is acity of some

3.5 million people and the head-

quarters for the provincial ministry

of forestry, which controls access to

and work within the forest reserves

of Sichuan. We visited Chengdu

Zoo, site of recent success in the

artificial insemination of captive

pandas and then drove to Tang Jia

He Reserve; its 100,000 acres in-

clude habitats from 500 to over 900

feet above sea level. The giant panda

is abundant in the reserve, as are the

golden monkey, musk deer, takin,

serow, blue-eared pheasant, golden

pheasant, and giant salamander.

Other days were spent studying the

Wang Lang and Fong Tong Zhae

Reserve. (The Zoo's male giant

panda Hsing-Hsing was captured at

Fong Tong Zhae.]

Upon our return to Beijing on May

3, we finalized the action planned

with our colleagues and reached a

decision to carry out the first year’s

research in Tang Jia He Reserve. It is

located in the Min Shan Mountains

and offers an interesting habitat

contrast to the research studies

being conducted by the World

Wildlife Fund in the Woolong

Reserve. That field work com-

menced last fall under the leader-

ship of Dr. George Schaller.

We are extremely enthusiastic

about our opportunity to do an

ecological reconnaissance of higher

vertebrates and their distribution in

the Min Shan Mountains of

Sichuan. Departure of Smith-

sonian/Zoo scientists is scheduled

for mid-February 1982. The initial

field team will include Dr. Melvin

Sunquist and Dr. John Seiden-

sticker.

Dr. John F. Eisenberg

Assistant Director for Animal

Programs

Plants Needed for “New”

Reptile House

The Reptile House, now in the final

stages of renovation, needs dona-

tions of tropical plants or cuttings

for use in exhibit areas. All plant

materials donated will be used in

the Reptile House—unless there is

a surplus, in which case plants will

also be used in the Bird House and

the new Great Ape House.

Zoo staff can arrange to pick up

large plants or large quantities of

plants if the donor requests. For

additional information, contact Dr.

Dale Marcellini or Mike Davenport

at 673-4783.

Zoo to You

What do you have when you com-

bine:

5 Lion Whiskers

1 Half-pound Elephant Tooth

4 Bags of Hay

1 River Otter

1 3%-pound Ostrich Egg

1 Snake Box

1 Stalk Bamboo (Preferably with

Leaves)

1 Hoof File and Rasp

5 Nests

1 Ruffed Grouse

Answer: A new educational project

called ‘‘Outreach.”

Visitors to the National Zoo know

the thrill of seeing the animals in

person and of the educational,

hands-on facilities available to

them at Zoolab and Birdlab.

But what about the thousands of

persons in the Washington area

who, for one reason or another,

cannot come to the Zoo? For them

Sherri Kohr

there is now the Smithsonian Col-

laborative Educational Outreach

Program, which is designed for spe-

cial audiences.

Of course, nothing can compare

with visiting the Zoo and seeing the

animals firsthand, but when a

glimpse of the Zoo and sharing of

animal behavior can be extended to

these special audiences, the results

are always successful.

The audiences are so varied that

you never know quite what to ex-

pect. They include the elderly, the

physically handicapped, the men-

tally retarded, those with learning

disabilities, young adults in prisons

and detention centers, and young

children who are hospitalized.

The two programs—The Zoo Now

and Then and Birds—are designed to

provide hands-on learning experi-

ences through touch, smell, sight,

and hearing. Each person in the

audience is encouraged to touch all

the objects and become involved in

the program. It is immensely re-

warding for the participants when

they recognize a familiar bird call,

come face to face with a “stuffed”

river otter, feel the soft, warm down

feathers of a bird, or smell the rich

honey and molasses scent of

omolene—the elephant food.

This is exactly what “Outreach” is

all about: reaching out to special

people, sharing knowledge and

excitement about animals and the

Zoo with them, and having them

react with obvious joy and ap-

preciation.

The Smithsonian Collaborative

Educational Outreach Program in-

cludes the National Zoological

Park, the National Museum of

Natural History, and the Museum

of African Art. There is no charge

for the presentations to special

groups. A sign language or oral

interpreter can be provided at no

cost for the hearing-impaired.

For additional information, call

Catherine West at 357-1413 during

office hours Monday through

Thursday.

Beverly Graham, Laurel Rabin, and

Sherri Kohr

NZP Office of Education

19

Animal births occur almost daily at

the National Zoo in the spring. On

April 8, a Dama gazelle gave birth

shortly before noon as Zoo research-

ers, FONZ volunteers, and visitors

looked on. The event was photo-

graphed by Jessie Cohen of the NZP

Office of Graphics and Exhibits.

The baby emerges head-first on the

soft ground where the mother had

earlier cleared a space for it.

The mother gazelle immediately re-

moves the birth sac as the floppy-

eared baby lies on the ground.

20

Ears erect and barely dry, the female

baby begins to test her legs in the first

attempt to stand up. It takes a few

minutes. . .

.. .but less than an hour after being

born, the Zoo's newest resident is

standing on her own four feet and

moving about. Six days later the

entire sequence was repeated when

another Dama gazelle gave birth to a

second female in the same enclosure.

21

FONZ News

FONZ Summer Film

Programs

If you're looking for an educational

escape from Washington's summer

heat, FONZ has a no-cost answer!

Beginning June 1, FONZ's award-

winning films Zoo and The Last

Chance will be shown daily from

10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the air-

conditioned auditorium of the

Zoo's Education Building.

Zoo highlights the varied opera-

tions that make up life at the

National Zoo. The film provides an

eloquent statement of the mission

of the modern zoo and takes the

viewer “backstage” to see many

activities that zoogoers rarely—if

ever—encounter.

The Last Chance examines the pur-

pose and working of the Zoo's

Conservation and Research Center

at Front Royal, Virginia. Like Zoo, it

also takes the viewer behind the

scenes to explain the vital work

being done at the Center—which is

closed to the public—to study and

breed endangered animals.

In addition to being shown at the

Zoo all summer, these two half-

22

hour color films are available for

loan or sale to schools, libraries, and

other organizations. For more in-

formation, call the FONZ Educa-

tion Department at 673-4955.

Super Zoodle Wants You!

Look—out in the Zoo! It’s a bird! It's

a plane! No—it’s Super Zoodle! The

purple puppet dedicates every day

of his life to helping creatures great

and small at the National Zoo.

If you are between the ages of 13

and 16, you can help Super Zoodle

by spending your summer as a

volunteer zoo aide.

After being trained by professional

puppeteers, zoo aides will stage

performances to explain to Zoo

visitors the importance of good Zoo

manners.

For more information about this

summer volunteer opportunity at

the Zoo, call the FONZ Office of

Volunteer and Educational Services

at 673-4955.

Help a Future Jane Goodall

Each summer FONZ brings college

students to the National Zoo as

interns. The students assist Zoo

scientists in animal research

projects as they learn about the Zoo

and develop skills that will be use-

ful to them later in their careers.

Although FONZ provides stipends,

the summer interns still need low-

cost room and board. Many are new

to the Washington area and must

live on limited budgets.

If you have a room in your house

that will be empty this summer or if

you need a housesitter, why not

help a future Marlin Perkins or Jane

Goodall stay within his or her

means while learning about wild

animals.

The FONZ summer interns will

need housing near the Zoo or near

public transportation for twelve

weeks from late May to early

September.

These interns are a very select

group of highly intelligent, dedi-

cated individuals. They are some of

the brightest and best of future zoo

professionals. Won't you help?

For additional information, please

call Mary Sawyer Hollander at 673-

4955. |

Free Member Tours

FONZ members are invited on free

guided tours of the Zoo on week-

ends in the spring and summer.

Trained FONZ guides will take

groups of eight or more on 90-

minute walking tours covering

lions and tigers, monkeys and bears,

the underwater antics of seals, sea

lions, and otters, and other fun and

exciting exhibits.

The tours provide a great outing for

scout troops, church or club groups,

or very special birthday parties. The

minimum age for tour groups is

second grade.

Tours start at 10:00 a.m. For

reservations, call 673-4955 at least a

week in advance—earlier if possible.

David K. Krohne

WMAL's Chris Core and Bill Trumbull came to the Great Ape House for their broadcast on

Friday, April 24. Scott Riviere, assistant director of membership, discussed FONZ programs and

presented the popular broadcasters with a FONZ ‘“‘Good Egg" award.

23

Jessie Cohen, NZP Office of Graphics and Exhibits

The baby orangutans created quite a stir when they explored their outside yard at the new Great Ape House for the first time. The delight of this Zoo

visitor is apparent!

Friends of the National Zoo

National Zoological Park Nonprofit Organization

Washington, D.C. 20008 ; U.S. Postage

PAID

Washington, D.C.

Permit No. 44282

Address Correction Requested