Friends

of the

National

is a nonprofit organization of indi-

viduals and families who are in-

terested in supporting Zoo pro-

grams in education, research, and

conservation.

As members of FONZ, you and your

family receive many benefits—

publications, discount privileges,

and invitations to special programs

and activities—to make your zoo-

going more enjoyable and edu-

cational.

ZooGoer (ISSN: 06313-416X) is

published six times a year by

Friends of the National Zoo, Na-

tional Zoological Park, Washing-

ton, D.C. 20008. Third class mailing

permit 44282.

Subscription as percentage of full

membership dues is $4 a year. Sub-

scription-only membership is $5 a

year and is available only to institu-

tions and to those residing outside

the Washington, D.C., metropolitan

area.

FONZ Board of Directors,

1980-1981

Whayne S. Quin, President; Cecil McLelland,

First Vice President, Victor Delano, Second

Vice President, Robert L. Nelson, Treasurer;

Sally S. Tongren, Secretary; Knox Banner;

Samuel Biddle; Janice A. Booker; William C.

Bryant; Janet Dewart; M. Anthony Gould; Al

Hackl; Stephen T. Hosmer; A. Jose Jones;

Nella C. Manes; Georgianna S. McGuire;

Roscoe M. Moore, Jr.; Monica J. Morgan;

Terry R. Peel; Sylvia L. Samenow; Nancy M.

Schneck; Ross B. Simons.

FONZ Staff

Sabin Robbins, Executive Director; Dennis

Baker, Associate Director; Donna M. Schlegel,

Volunteer and Educational Services; David K.

Krohne, Publications; Fran Bernstein, Mem-

bership; Lonnie Wornom, Merchandising;

James Mustakas, Food Service; Kevin Polen,

Transportation; Norma Gay, Business

Manager.

National Zoological Park Staff

Dr. Theodore H. Reed, Director; Dr. John

Eisenberg, Assistant Director for Animal Pro-

grams; Gaetano Calise, Assistant Director for

Support Services; Vincent J. Doyle, Office of

Management Services; Dr. Robert Hoage,

Special Assistant to the Director; Jaren

Horsley, Executive Assistant, Office of Animal

Programs.

National Zoological Park

Department Heads

Dr. Edwin Gould, Mammalogy; Dr. Eugene

Morton, Acting, Ornithology; Dr. Dale

Marcellini, Herpetology; Judy White, Edu-

cation; Dr. Mitchell Bush, Animal Health,

Dr. Richard Montali, Pathology; Dr. Devra

Kleiman, Zoological Research; Dr. Christen

Wemmer, Front Royal Conservation Center;

Donald Muddiman, Construction Manage-

ment; Emanuel Petrella, Facilities Manage-

ment; Robert Mulcahy, Graphics and Ex-

hibits; Samuel Middleton, Police and Safety.

Volume 10, Number 5

September=October 1981

David K. Krohne

Editorial and Art Director

Mary C. Massey

Consulting Editor

Scott Bushnell

Layout and Production

Assistant

Front Cover

The Nile hippopotamus spends the day in

the water but comes out at night to graze

on grasslands. It is no coincidence that

the four largest land mammals—hippos,

rhinos, elephants, and giraffes—are all

vegetarians; no meat-eater could gather

enough food to support the body size of

these creatures. Meat-eating is an inef-

ficient way to get energy for it requires a

lot of energy to get a meal. Plant-eaters

may have to eat a lot, but the plants are

there for the taking. Hippos are found in

rivers and lakes in Africa, south of the

Sahara.

(From What's for Lunch by Sally

lishing. Reprinted by permission.)

Photograph by Jessie Cohen, NZP Office

of Graphics and Exhibits.

IN THIS ISSUE

ZOOGOER FEATURES

The Pree LW@HCH «5.500320. Se ekeks se ha eee ee

Sally Tongren

FONZ, Gilt Catalogue. ......0iiik wan ie aes 5 ape

Through the Eyes of a FONZ Intern..................15

Billy Branner

The Non-Nomadic Gypsy...........cceccecceccecceee L/

Billie Hamlet

ZOOGOER DEPARTMENTS

PONZ. Salatis sc oid os occea bane eee peel eee eee

Haak NeOws.. sss chs ccs cvee dace eRe

FONZ News and Calendar.............cccccccccessee Dd

Burmese Python (Python molurus bivitattus). Pythons and boa constrictors kill their prey by suffocation. They seize the animal with a bite and

then throw coils around it, squeezing it and keeping it from breathing. These big pythons can eat prey up to the size of a small deer, swallowing it and

then lying with a bulge in their middles, waiting for several weeks before eating again. Burmese pythons are among the few reptiles that take any

interest in their eggs once they are laid. The female coils herself around the eggs and by spasmodic muscular contractions manages to raise her body

temperature a few degrees, thus assuring a more even temperature for the developing embryos.

Natural food: Deer, rabbits; large lizards; birds; toads. Zoo diet: Rabbits or rats fed every other week; amounts vary.

The Free Lunch ©

The National Zoo is located within

Rock Creek Park, a scenic strip of

woodland in the heart of Washing-

ton, D.C. Rock Creek, a good-sized

stream, runs through the area, and

the park’s 1754 acres are sufficiently

spacious and forested to furnish

homes for a variety of native wild-

life. Crows, cardinals, blue jays,

vultures, hawks, even pileated wood-

peckers, are found there. There are

beavers in all parts of Rock Creek

Park, as well as muskrats, chip-

munks, mice, flying squirrels, oppos-

sums, raccoons, and foxes.

This article is adapted from What's

for Lunch? by FONZ Volunteer and

House Guide Sally Tongren. The

book is available at the FONZ

Bookstore/Gallery or by mail. (See

the special mail order form in this

lishing. Reprinted by permission.

Sally ‘Tongren

A few of these animals keep their

distance. Most, however, make fre-

quent trips to the Zoo grounds as

“free lunchers’”’ to take advantage of

the vast amounts of food found here.

On a winter morning, there may be

as many as thirty-five black vultures

perched in the trees around the Bird

House or hopping along the walks,

plus another thirty-five or forty

down near the bear enclosures. Vul-

tures are not everyone’s favorite crea-

ture, but they are quite tame and

give visitors a first-hand look at birds

they usually only see as a speck in

the sky or as pairs of great wings

soaring over open country. The vul-

tures are attracted by whatever food

they can pick up, especially fish and

meat from the bears. Also, the vul-

tures can see captive eagles and vul-

tures rather snugly enjoying their

morning meals inside their cages and

are probably looking for a chance to

share.

Vultures have a long association

with the Zoo. Some used to roost on

nearby apartment buildings, probably

warming their toes on the escaping

heat during winter nights. In 1902,

Samuel Pierpont Langley, then Secre-

tary of the Smithsonian Institution,

had observation towers built at the

Zoo from which vultures could be

seen and photographed in flight. He

felt that closer observation of the

birds, which are master gliders,

would help him build a flying ma-

chine. Langley’s machine never flew,

but the vultures remain, circling

. high on fine winter mornings and

seeming often to interest visitors as

much as the most exotic birds in the

cages.

Black-crowned herons until recently

had a nesting colony in the tall

beech tree next to the Outdoor

Flight Cage. They were attracted by

free fish, which they stole at will

Black-Tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus). These prairie dogs are found in the

Great Plains and the Rocky Mountain States. They are not dogs, but rodents. Very social animals,

they build extensive ‘towns’ made up of many burrows. The burrow mouth is surrounded by a

cone of earth that prevents flooding during heavy rains. The burrow may go down ten feet or

more and then branch out into nesting burrows.

Natural food: Grasses, herbs; low plants. Zoo diet for one animal daily: 1/4 cup rodent

mix; 5 rat pellets, 1/2 leaf kale.

from the ducks and pelicans in the

outdoor enclosures. In the trees they

courted, built their big nests of twigs

and sticks, and raised their families.

But when the Bird House was re-

modeled a few years ago, many

fish-eating birds were switched to

meat diets. The supply of free fish

dried up, and most of the herons de-

parted. They are one group of free

lunchers that are missed; a few fish

was a small price to pay for the

beauty and activity of the heron

colony.

The Flight Cage has a good-sized pop-

ulation of uninvited guests. Spar-

rows, cow birds, chipmunks, and

others find gaps in the wire and wig-

gle in to get food. Some come and go

seasonally, but others stay year

around. Outside there are pigeons

and starlings, the prize pests of any

city birdfeeder. They eat a tremen-

dous amount of the Zoo’s food and

may carry disease to both human

beings and Zoo creatures. The Zoo

regularly traps pigeons to check for

illnesses. Several species of wild

ducks also visit the Zoo. The duck

ponds are kept open all winter by

virtue of fast-moving water, and

there is always food, so wild mal-

lards, teal, and widgeon descend to

join the permanent residents. They

are avid eaters, and they may also

carry a number of serious waterfowl

diseases. But no one has come up

with an answer as yet except to shoo

them away every so often.

Wild birds enter the enclosures of

most Zoo animals, but often they do

so at their peril. In the Elephant

House, there are squirrel monkeys

that live above the elephants and

hippos. These little monkeys have

quick paws and a taste for birds, so a

sparrow’s hunt for a free meal may

end in a fast snatch and a drift of

feathers.

Raccoons and occasional foxes,

hawks, and owls pose more serious

problems. Their hunting may take

them to the duck ponds where the

Zoo's birds, wings clipped so they

can’t fly away, are easy prey. These

predators seem to have an unerring

eye for the most valuable birds in

the collection. Some enclosures have

electric fences around them to pro-

tect the birds at night, but often the

flock has to be moved close to the

Bird House until the predator is

trapped.

And then there are mice and rats. In

a place where food is stored in large

quantities, and where animals regu-

larly spill grain, fruit, and meal from

their mangers and dishes, these ro-

dents have a field day. Mice delight

children. Somehow kids always spot

the mouse in the enclosure of a lion

or panda and seem to take special

pleasure in the tiny animal’s antics.

But it is hard to control the rodents.

It isn’t possible to use poisons be-

cause a Zoo animal might eat the

mouse and get the poison. About all

Two-Toed Sloth (Choloepus didactylus). Sloths live slow lives hanging suspended from tree

branches. Their toes end in long hooked claws that grasp branches and also serve to pull leaves

over for the animal to munch on. Their fur grows from front to back and is furrowed so that

algae often live on it, giving it a greenish tinge. Sloths are common in the rainforests from Cen-

tral America to Brazil. They are almost helpless on the ground although they can swim well

when necessary. Sloths have a complex stomach that allows them to eat leaves.

Natural food: Leaves, twigs, fruit. Zoo diet for one animal daily: Handful of kale; 1/3

carrot; 1/3 sweet potato; 1/2 can primate diet; 1 banana, unpeeled; 2 green beans; 2 monkey bis-

cuits; bamboo occasionally.

Moluccan Salmon-Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua molluciensis). Cockatoos are among the

most spectacular members of the parrot family. Their powerful beaks can shear open the hardest

nuts. At the London Zoo, a child with a nutcracker could race with a cockatoo to see which

could open a Brazil nut first. The cockatoo always won. These birds come from the Moluccan

Islands in the East Indies.

Natural food: Fruit, seeds, berries; insects. Zoo diet daily: Fruit pan of banana, orange, apple;

peanut butter sandwich; corn on the cob; chopped kale; parrot pellets.

that can be done is to set traps and

keep food out of their reach. The

Zoo would be a perfect place to mar-

ket the proverbial better mouse trap.

Despite the problems they cause,

most takers of free lunches are

viewed by Zoo personnel with a be-

nign eye. Not so the givers of free

lunches—the visitors who cannot re-

frain from tossing food to the ani-

mals. Most zoos today discourage or

forbid feeding of animals by the pub-

lic, but the rule is hard to enforce.

Visitors will even lean on a No Feed-

ing sign to throw food into an en-

closure. We all like to feed animals.

feeding is a link, a relationship, no

matter how temporary. It makes the

animal aware of the visitor, and all

zoos have those people who come,

perhaps daily, to visit a favorite ani-

mal. But Zoo animals receive good,

plentiful dets. Extra food is no

favor—and may even be a danger.

Certain Zoo animals have become

accomplished beggars. Monkeys, ele-

phants, and bears are the worst. Ele-

phants will eat almost anything

offered, and the list of things that

elephants have taken and eaten runs

from chewing tobacco to ladies’

gloves and handbags. After a sum-

mer weekend, the elephants are apt

to look bleary-eyed, as if saying, ‘I

can’t believe I ate the whole thing,”’

and digestive upsets often follow. At

best, the animal eats less of its proper

food as a result of the dozens of free

morsels given by visitors. At worst,

the animal's life may be threatened.

One visitor offered an elephant a can

of cashews, apparently expecting it

to take one or two daintily. Instead,

the elephant snatched and ate the

aluminum can. The shocked visitor

was responsible enough to report the

incident to the keeper, the elephant

was watched for thirty-six hours, and

no harm resulted. But this escape

was pure luck. The animal could

easily have died. Elephants are curi-

ous and will grab anything. It gives

everyone in the Zoo chills to see

visitors holding small children out

over the guard rail to feed these

four-ton animals.

Monkeys will also take anything,

and there are always some people

who offer lighted cigarettes, lipsticks,

and such. Monkeys are very suscep-

tible to human diseases such as

measles and colds. To take some-

thing out of your mouth and give it

to a monkey is to risk its health—

even its life.

Bears are the other great beggars, and

keepers have a hard time managing

the diet of these dangerous animals

because of the way the public treats

them. People will toss anything into

the bear enclosures—plastic cups, pa-

per bags, popcorn, marshmallows,

golf balls—anything throwable, edi-

ble or not. At one time the National

Zoo sold food for the bears, thinking

Celebes Crested Macaque (Macaca nigra). The Celebes macaque is a stocky monkey from

the Celebes Islands. Although they are good tree climbers, running along branches on all fours

and leaping from one tree to another, they spend much of their time on the ground. They have a

good precision grip between thumb and forefinger and can pick up and handle small seeds and

other bits of food with ease.

Natural food: Fruits, roots; young leaves; insects; grubs; seeds. Zoo diet for eight animals

daily: A.M.: 1-1/2 cans primate diet; 8 ozs. monkey biscuits; 8 ozs. kale; 8 ozs. beans. P.M:

2 ozs. cabbage; 8 ozs. beans; 2 ozs. peas and carrots, 8 ozs. kale; 2 cans primate diet; 8 ozs. monkey

biscuit; vegetable du jour.

Short-Tailed Bat (Carollia perspicillata). These bats live on fruit, nectar, and pollen. They

are found from Mexico to southern Brazil. Other bats, which feed on insects, find their food by

echo location, sending out high-pitched squeaks and judging the location of their food by the re-

turning echos. Fruit bats navigate in this way, but find fruit by scent. They roost in trees, caves,

and abandoned buildings during the day.

Natural food: Guavas, bananas, wild figs; some insects. Zoo diet daily: Bat nectar of 3 tbsp.

cereal, 1 tsp. wheat germ, 2 tsp. milk powder, 5-1/2 tsp. sugar, 1 tsp. protein supplement, vita-

mins, and minerals, 263 ml. peach nectar, water, banana and corn oil; bananas hung in enclosure.

that at least they would get some-

thing nutritious flung into their

cages. But it didn’t help, and so the

practice was dropped. Some zoos do

use vending machines that dispense

duck food or monkey pellets, but

these represent an attempt to please

the public, not an effort to feed the

animals.

Often, animals are thrown things

they will never eat. Ducks don’t like

popcorn. Giraffes do not care for

ham sandwiches and will simply in-

vestigate and leave them for the

mice and rats and pigeons. Money

thrown to the sea lions will not

make your wish come true, but it

might well kill an animal that

thinks the silvery flash is a fish.

Every zoo has its tragic stories of ani-

mals killed by sick people on the

other side of the fence. Drugged

meat, razor blades in apples,

aspirin—all sorts of things—have

been recorded. When you see a Do

Not Feed sign at any zoo or animal

park, it does not mean that manage-

ment is trying to spoil the fun; it is

a serious reminder that there is no

such thing as a free lunch.

The photographs accompanying this

article are from What's for Lunch and

were taken by Jessie Cohen of the NZP

Office of Graphics and Exhibits.

FONZ Gift Catalogue

BOOKS

1. A lavishly-illustrated, deluxe ‘“‘coffee table’’ book, The

Giant Panda includes many rare photographs of baby

pandas. A must for any panda-lover! Hardcover (1)—$29.95.

2. Everything you've ever wanted to know about animal

feeding—and more—is in Sally Tongren’s What’s for

Lunch? Animal Feeding at the Zoo. |The noted author (and

FONZ Guide) takes you behind-the-scenes for a glimpse of a

part of the Zoo visitors seldom see. Includes 60 photographs

of Zoo animals and detailed descriptions of what each eats in

the wild and at the Zoo. Hardcover (2-A)—$12.95. Soft-

cover (2-B)—$8.95.

3. Zoobook is the ‘‘official’”’ full-color book about the Na-

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graphs. Softcover (3)—$3.50.

TOYS

4. America’s most famous animal (he even has his own ZIP

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5. Sure to be baby’s favorite toy, Amanda Panda is made of

soft, safe latex. By R. Dakin & Company. (5)—$1.00.

6. Designed just for FONZ, this eight-inch bean bag immor-

talizes the National Zoo’s first White Tiger—famed Mohini.

By R. Dakin & Company. (6)—$5.25.

7. Put a panda bean bag in your life! Picadilly Panda is

eight inches high and looks just like the real ones at the Na-

tional Zoo. By R. Dakin & Company. (7)—$7.25.

8. Made in China, this small Wool Panda is plush, four-and-

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ornament or crib toy. (8)—$1.95.

CUSTOM-DESIGNED ANIMAL JEWELRY AND GIFTS

9. Start your own zoo! These lovely Porcelain Seals look like

they’ve just come out of the water. Set of two. (9)—$3.95.

10. This attractive Panda Alumaline Pendant features an

exclusive panda design. (10)—$1.25.

11. The adjustable Panda Alumaline Bracelet, companion

to the panda pendant, features various views of the National

Zoo’s giant pandas. (11)—$1.25.

12. The Panda Lapel Pin features color enamel on a rho-

dium pin with a clutch back and can be worn as a lapel pin

or tie tac. (12) —$2.50.

13. A lovely addition to any charm bracelet or necklace, this

sterling silver Panda Charm with enamel design is sure to be

treasured. Boxed. (13)—$10.25.

« «

_ —

GIFTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS

14. These beautiful Panda Notecards feature four exclusive

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15. These exclusive jumbo ballpoint pens from the National

Zoo are sure to be a hit! The Jumbo Zoo Pen is brown on

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(15-A)—$1.50. Jumbo Panda Pen (15-B)—$1.50.

16. The FONZ giant panda logo is stitched in red or green on

these two- by four-inch Panda Patches. Red Panda Patch

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17. The Endangered Species Card Game is a full-color

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endangered animal species on the cards. (17)—$1.95.

DISTINCTIVE FONZ APPAREL AND ACCESSORIES

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(20-D)—$5.50.

21. Exclusively designed for the National Zoo, the Bengal

Tiger T-Shirt features an orange and black tiger on a beige

50-50 cotton/polyester T-shirt. Sizes from child’s 2—4

through adult extra-large. (Please indicate size.) Child’s

Bengal Tiger T-Shirt (21-A)—$4.95. Adult Bengal Tiger

T-Shirt (21-B)—$5.75.

22. Panda-lovers will love this twelve- by fifteen-inch natural

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purpose tote bag. (22)—$3.95.

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Scarf guarantee a panda-perfect winter for everyone! This

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(23-A)—$13.00. Panda Scarf (23-B)—$26.00.

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Through the Eyes

of a FONZ Intern

Billy Branner

If you visited the National Zoo re-

cently, you probably saw us. Wan-

dering through the various exhibits

and possibly “‘backstage’’ at some of

them, we are college-age students

looking for experience and

excitement.

We were easy to spot. Usually we

were equipped with books, pencils,

pads, and other educational tools.

We stayed at some exhibits for

hours, occasionally taking notes, but

mostly watching carefully the di-

verse behavior before us. We were

here to contribute whatever possible,

to do research, and to gain insight

into the operation of a major

zoological park. cael

With funding and assistance from

the Friends of the National Zoo (and

in my case with the cooperation of

the Morehead Foundation of the

: . FONZ intern Billy Branner’s research included behavioral observations of Kodiak bears, largest of

University of North Carolina— the world’s brown bears.

Chapel Hill), the National Zoo

offered me one of their limited num-

ber of research traineeships. This

fortunate opportunity did not

materialize until I had completed a

highly selective application process.

In 1981, sixteen candidates were

selected from a field of 171 appli-

cants.

I was assigned with two other train-

ees to work under the direction of

Dr. Edwin Gould, Curator of Mam-

mals. You can imagine my surprise

as I walked into his office at the

Lion-Tiger Exhibit and saw a white

tiger cooling herself by paddling in

the moat just outside the window.

For a student from North Carolina

who had worked only with farm

animals, this was definitely some-

thing to write home about!

I spent my first week getting to

know the Zoo and its organization

through special “‘behind-the-scenes”’

tours. I must have met fifty people

that first week! Trainers, mainte-

nance workers, administrators, keep-

ers, and curators all offered advice, a

friendly smile, and encouragement.

As the weeks went by, I developed a

new appreciation for the talented

staffat the Zoo. To see keeper

Melanie Bond using sign language to

communicate with an orangutan or

to see collection manager Bess Frank

orchestrate an entire crew of keepers

is to witness true ability and a pro-

found understanding of what a zoo

really is—a concrete tribute to the

mutual existence of humans and

animals.

My specific responsibilities focused

on observational research with the

gorillas and stereotypic—or

predictable—behavior in animals.

When my internship began, the two

female gorillas Femelle and M’wasi

were sharing the same enclosure. At

first they were together only briefly,

but gradually the introductory period

stretched to almost six hours a day.

Two other interns and I were asked

to establish a baseline on the social

behavior the two gorillas were exhi-

biting toward one another. We

perched on a wall behind their room

and quietly watched them. Occa-

sionally I saw them fighting or wres-

tling as each attempted to establish

dominance. From the outset, M’wasi

appeared to be the aggressor. After

some brief encounters, Femelle

would become more active, even to

the point of hitting the walls with

her fist and beating her chest loudly.

I was caught off guard each time

this happened, and the startling sud-

denness of her reaction sent my

heart racing. Their acceptance of

each other progressed steadily to the

point where I even witnessed Fe-

melle grooming M’wasi—a Zoo first!

The second project was more un-

usual. Dr. Gould suspected that

several animals were ‘‘neurotic.”’

Evidence could be found in certain

repeated, stereotypic behaviors they

were exhibiting, and he suggested we

study them. After watching a bear

pace around his water hole for more

than twenty minutes at a time,

oblivious to the presence of food or

the chatter of visiting children, I

began to wonder myself. Other

rhythmic patterns appeared in

different animals, such as twitching,

licking, and pacing. Observations

were recorded, and apparent patterns

were noted. A study of any complexity

requires more than twelve weeks

to complete, so I was conceivably

laying the foundation for more

exhaustive future research.

The flexibility of my daily routine

gave me the opportunity to attend

weekly seminars presented by Zoo

scientists or other FONZ interns and

to use the Zoo library.

If you wonder what happens to your

money when you contribute to

FONZ or buy something at the food

or souvenir stands, remember that

some of it goes to support such

internship programs and other re-

search projects.

By the end of my internship, I had

seen and learned much. Being a

FONZ intern is a unique and valu-

able experience—and a most unusual

way to spend a summer!

The Non-Nomadic Gypsy

Zoo historian Billie Hamlet offers an-

other fascinating glimpse into the

colorful characters who left their

mark—or their monkey—on the

National Zoo.

Almost from its beginning, the Na-

tional Zoo accepted animals on de-

posit. Originally this was done to

provide visitors with something to

see. Congress appropriated money to

buy land for the Park, but it then

stifled the Zoo's growth by forbid-

ding the purchase of animals.

Four years after its founding in 1899,

the Zoo “wintered over” animals for

the Adam Forepaugh Circus. (The

first animals in the Park were Dunk

and Gold Dust, cantankerous male

Indian elephants donated by the

same circus.) The arrangement pro-

vided that the circus would deliver

animals to the Zoo, which would

feed and care for them. Any young

Billie Hamlet

born during their stay would become

the property of the Zoo.

Among the seventy-six specimens

that first winter were twenty-six

monkeys, five baboons, four lions,

four zebus, a tiger, two pumas, zebra,

gemsbok, blackbuck, waterbuck,

white-tailed gnu, tora antelope, three

axis deer, a bactrian camel, three

dromedary camels (one with nursing

young), guanaco, alpaca, warthog,

hippopotamus, five kangaroos, white

pelicans, and a rare jewel—a Sumat-

ran rhinoceros.

Zoo Superintendent Dr. Frank Baker

estimated the cost of keeping the

animals at $2115. This included the

salary of an extra keeper, the cost of

modifying the main animal house to

accommodate the hippopotamus, and

the cost of building a barn to house

the large number of hoofed stock.

This bountiful assemblage not only

gave visitors many rare and unusual

specimens to look at, but it was also

slyly pointed out that the influx of

animals and the resultant publicity

in the fall would come at just the

right moment for the Congressional

budget hearings in December and

January.

For many years, the Zoo continued

to accept animals on deposit, mainly

from people who were going on va-

cation and needed someone to look

after their pets. Admiral Peary al-

lowed the Zoo to maintain his col-

lection of Eskimo dogs when they

weren't mushing through the Arctic

wastes. For many years the vast Gor-

don Gaver collection of reptiles spent

their winters at the Zoo since

Gaver’s place in Thurmont, Mary-

land, closed during the cold months.

In 1961, the Zoo established a new

policy—no deposits; donations yes,

but no deposits. This new policy hit

one man very hard. Ed Bernstein had

been placing his capuchin monkey

Gypsy on deposit at the Zoo for

twenty years while he spent the

winter in Pensacola, Florida.

Bernstein, also known as ‘‘the legless

man,” spent the spring and summer

panhandling from a small wooden

platform in the 1200 block of F

Street, N.W. Gypsy, who had been

given to him by Evelyn Walsh Mac-

Lean of Hope diamond fame, wore

an organ grinder’s monkey costume

and rattled her tambourine or tipped

her hat to those who dropped bills or

coins into a tin cup or a cigar box.

Bernstein grew up in Atlanta, Geor-

gia. One day when he was ten years

old, he crawled beneath a train.

When the train started to move,

both his legs were cut off above the

knees by the wheels. As a teenager

in Pensacola, he rode around in a

cart pulled by a goat, selling pencils

and newspapers. He eventually made

his way to Washington, where he

and Gypsy became a regular down-

town fixture.

Bernstein was a friendly man, and

he and Gypsy became known to

nearly everyone in Washington.

Many people went out of their way

to stop for a chat and contribute

something to his welfare. Although

he had pencils for sale, no one was

ever seen taking one in exchange for

a contribution.

The blow fell in 1961 when Bern-

stein was told by the Zoo adminis

tration that he could no longer

deposit Gypsy and would have to

make other arrangements. It was

suggested that he board her in a pet

shop, but he found the idea totally

repugnant. He pleaded, he cajoled, he

even threatened in an effort to keep

Gypsy in the Zoo.

Zoo personnel held fast to the new

policy—and Bernstein was furious!

Within a few hours, the director re-

ceived a call from a very important

person on Capitol Hill. He was told

in no uncertain terms that the Zoo

would keep Gypsy, and so it did for

another fifteen years. Gypsy never

left the Zoo again. Instead of being a

winter deposit, she became a year-

round resident—still on deposit.

Bernstein visited Gypsy periodically,

and if he felt she was getting less

than the best of care, he complained

loudly. It was rumored that he even

had one of the keepers peeling her

grapes! Gypsy was so set in her ways

that every attempt to provide her

with a cage mate failed. The fur

around her waist that had been worn

off by her belt never grew back. As

she grew older, she became more

arthritic and bad-tempered. It was

finally necessary to take her off exhi-

bit and put her in a cage in the base-

ment of the Small Mammal House,

where she spent her final years. She

died quietly on October 5, 1976, hav-

ing been a Zoo ‘‘guest” for thirty-

five years. The next day Bernstein

claimed her remains for a “‘proper’’

burial.

When he wintered in Florida, Bern-

stein attached artificial legs, dressed

stylishly, and was obviously a man

of property. Sometimes he sat in

front of the bar he owned near the

Naval Air Station. He talked with

passersby about world events, the

weather, local politics, and his trips

to Europe and the Middle East.

In the spring, he packed away his

artificial legs and again became the

legless panhandler of Washington.

When he died at 79 in 1979, he left

an estate of nearly $700,000—but not

a penny was bequeathed to the Zoo

that had taken care of Gypsy for so

many years!

FUNZ SAFARIS

Down-Under Safari Planned

for January

Only one place in the world is home

to kiwis and tuataras. And in Janu-

ary, you can join a FONZ safari to

this remarkable island-nation—New

Zealand.

The twenty-day adventure abounds

with natural wonders—everything

from parrots and penguins to geysers

and glaciers. You'll fly in a ski plane

over a massive glacier, enjoy

front-row seats for sheep dog demon-

strations, and go behind the scenes at

zoos and wildlife sanctuaries

throughout this Colorado-sized coun-

try. There’s even an underground

tour of a glow worm grotto!

In addition to the usual leader-escort,

local wildlife experts will brief parti-

cipants and conduct special tours.

Unlike Washington in January,

New Zealand is spring-like and per-

fect for plant- and animal-watching.

After two days in the seaside city of

Auckland, a five-day tour of North

Island by motorcoach takes in the

thermal geysers of Rotorua, a re-

markable waterbird sanctuary, an

evening of Maori food and dancing,

The flightless kiwi of New Zealand is one of many wildlife wonders that will be seen on FONZ's

upcoming safari to this unique island-nation.

and two days in the capital city of

Wellington.

Traveling by steamer to South Is-

land, participants tour beautiful

Christchurch, explore glacier-studded

Mount Cook National Park, and

cruise the spectacular fjords of Mil-

ford Sound.

At Taiaroa Head, an afternoon will

be spent watching the colorful antics

of colonies of penguins, seals, and al-

batrosses. Abundant wildlife will also

be seen on visits to Gannet Sanctu-

ary, Kapiti Island Reserve, Winter

Gardens, Waterfall Park, and Esk

Forest.

Cost for the January 22-February 10,

1982, tour is $3,447 and includes all

air, ship, and land transportation, de-

luxe hotels, sightseeing and entry

fees, service charges, many meals, a

leader-escort, and a $100 tax-

deductible contribution to FONZ.

For additional details, contact the

office of the FONZ Executive Direc-

tor at 673-4950.

April in Galapagos

For FONZ Members

By popular demand, the enchanted

Galapagos Islands again are the desti-

nation of a FONZ safari in April

1982. ,

The two-week wildlife adventure has

been arranged exclusively for FONZ

members and represents the perfect

itinerary, based on the experiences of

two recent trips. April is considered

the best month for weather and

wildlife viewing.

If you like to swim with friendly sea

lions, rub the necks of giant tor-

toises, or watch close-up the antics of

blue-footed boobies, breeding frigate

birds, and frolicking penguins, this is

the trip for you. The wild birds of

Galapagos are so ‘‘tame” they might

perch on your shoulder!

The April 25-May 7, 1982, safari be-

gins with three days in and around

Quito, the picturesque capital of Ec-

uador. There will be visits to color-

ful Indian markets, a special lunch

reception at a private hacienda, and

an unforgettable all-day ride on the

Autoferro (a bus on train wheels!)

through remote farms and villages

and over the snow-capped Andes to

the palm tree-lined port of

Guayaquil.

Fight days will be spent cruising the

Galapagos Islands, which have

changed little since their wildlife

wonders amazed Darwin. There are

thousands of marine and land igua-

nas, sea lions and fur seals, red-footed

boobies, balloon-necked frigate birds,

Darwin's finches, penguins,

flamingos, and—of course—the

famed Galapagos tortoises.

Tworthirds of the resident birds and

all but one reptile are found only in

the Galapagos. |

Each day the luxury cruise ship stops

at a different island for hikes led by

professional naturalists. Illustrated

lectures each evening highlight the

day’s events and previous upcoming

attractions.

The cost of $2,559 plus transporta-

tion to and from Miami includes

everything but a few meals in Quito.

The price also includes a FONZ ex-

ecutive leader throughout and a $200

tax-deductible contribution to FONZ.

Nowhere in the world is the incred-

ible splendor of unspoiled nature

so dramatically visible. The Galapa-

gos is a must for anyone interested

in nature, wildlife, ecology, or

evolution.

Space is limited, so please register

early by contacting the office of the

FONZ Executive Director at

673-4950.

The giant tortoises of the Galapagos, like much of the islands’ wildlife, can only be seen there. A

FONZ safari in April will follow in Darwin's footsteps.

BOOK NEWS

The Giant Panda, edited by

Zhu Jing and Li Yangwen. New

York: Van Nostrand Reinhold

Company, 1980. $29.95.

This remarkable book is the result of

careful collaboration among some

fifteen Chinese investigators. It repre-

sents the culmination of over two

decades of research on the giant

panda in the wild and in captivity

by the Chinese. The account of the

natural history of the panda is

lavishly illustrated, including many

photographs never published before.

There is a minimum of text. The

photographs are captioned, but most

speak for themselves. The book in-

cludes a listing of giant pandas that

have been exhibited in zoos outside

the People’s Republic of China.

Panda habitat, resting sites, and food

plants are illustrated in the opening

portion of the book. The events con-

cerning the breeding of pandas and

artificial insemination occupy some

sixty pages. The growth and develop-

ment of panda cubs is thoroughly

portrayed.

The die-off of pandas in the Wang

Lang Reserve following the flowering

and subsequent dying of the pre-

dominant bamboo species is graphi-

cally documented. Synchronous

flowering followed by a die-off of the

parental plant stock is a common

attribute of bamboos in many parts

of the world. The timing of bamboo

flowering can vary widely from one

region to the next. Until now, only

the Wang Lang Reserve has been

affected. There are several species of

bamboo present in any given reserve,

but the effect of the Wang Lang

bamboo flowering was very severe.

To what extent this poses a problem

for the preservation of pandas in

their remaining reserves is still to be

investigated.

The illustrations are, for the most

part, rather good. This book will be a

welcome addition to the library of

any nature lover.

John F. Eisenberg

Assistant Director for Animal

Programs

National Zoological Park

Swift and Enduring:

Cheetahs and Wild Dogs of

the Serengeti by George and

Lory Frame. New York: E. P. Dut-

ton, 1981. $16.50.

Probably no other groups of animals

seize our imagination as do the

predators. The safari member who

misses his fair share of lion sightings

feels cheated, no matter how many

wildebeest are seen. Through the

ages, man has attributed all sorts of

qualities to the predatory animals—

often with little or no evidence. But

in the last twenty years, field studies

have changed the image of many of

these animals and have put their

relationships with each other and

with other members of their ecosys-

tems into better perspective. The

“noble” lion scavenges on occasion,

the ‘‘cowardly”’ hyena is an effective

predator in its own right, and the

“ruthless’’ wild dog has as hard a

time making a living as any other

predator.

In this book, the outcome of four

years’ research in Tanzania’s Seren-

geti National Park, George and Lory

Frame record their observations of

wild dogs and cheetahs. Lory covers

the wild dogs and George the

cheetahs in more or less alternating

chapters. The two species make a

nice comparison. The social dogs

contrast with the solitary cheetahs

and, although both take similar prey,

their hunting methods are very

different.

Since both species seemed to have

declining populations in the area, the

Frames’ study was directed to assess-

ing their status in the Serengeti and

learning more of their relations with

the other, larger predators. Cheetahs

and wild dogs both roam over large

home ranges except when tied down

by young, so the study was far from

easy.

Part of the interest of the book lies

in the insight into the difficulties—

and sometimes delights—of

behavioral observation. There are

cold nights when the observed

animal sleeps peacefully, hot noons

when the observer swats flies

and the animal uses the Land Rover

as a sun shade, and frustrations

when the animal vanishes into the

dark while the Land Rover sits in a

mud hole.

From these days and nights, vignettes

of the study animals emerge. Chee-

tahs that will kill their own kind, a

cheetah who was hand-reared and

found release into the wild too

much to cope with, and the various

packs of wild dogs with their com-

plex and intriguing social life all be-

come personalities.

Without sentimentality, the Frames

engage the reader’s interest in their

subjects. It becomes important to the

reader that wild dogs continue to trot

across the plains and cheetahs perch

on a high rock somewhere. Lory

Frame’s delightful pen and ink draw-

ings are a marvelous complement to

the black and white photographs.

Sally Tongren

FONZ House Guide

Going Wild: Adventures of

a Zoo Vet by Dr. David Taylor.

New York: Stein and Day, 1981.

$12.95.

Don't begin David Taylor's new

book Going Wild unless you have

the next few hours free; you won't

be able to put it down! Dr. Taylor

writes well about his experiences—

and they are fascinating.

Any veterinarian who deals with ex-

otic patients will inevitably have

problems the pet practitioner never

even has to think about, let alone

solve. Since Dr. Taylor's practice is

literally worldwide, his particular

problems may assume gigantic pro-

portions. A new case could well

begin with the words, ‘‘First you fly

to Mombasa. . . .’’ Reaching the

patient may be the easy part. Once

at the site, roadblocks to successful

treatment appear with such regular-

ity that they quickly become

routine. Having to deal with un-

trained or—worse yet—disinterested

local assistants can be incredibly

dangerous or unbelievably funny.

One of Dr. Taylor’s more interesting

stories involves an apparently rabid

onager (a wild ass) and a group of

disgruntled natives who had been

chastised for their treatment of an-

other animal. The onager manages

to tree the veterinarian and a friend

in full view of the group. Rather

than come to the rescue, the

delighted natives use the top of a

fence as a grandstand from which to

cheer the onager toward the

hoped-for moment when the doctor

and his companion will lose their

grip and be ground to pulp by the

maddened beast.

The rest of the book is equally enter-

taining. There is something here for

you whatever your animal interest

may be. Give yourself a treat and

read Going Wild.

Nell Ball

FONZ House Guide

FONZ NEWS AND CALENDAR

Christmas shoppers will find

one-of-a-kind animal art treasures for

sale at the FONZ Bookstore/Gallery

in the Zoo’s Education Building. The

second annual The Potter and the

Beast exhibit through December 31

features the work of Susan

Greenleaf.

This special exhibit features

animal-themed ceramics as inter-

preted by the potter’s hand. Each

original work incorporates some ani-

mal form. The pieces range from

delicate porcelain miniatures to large

clay vessels.

‘In my second exploration of the

theme of animal creation as interpre-

ted by the potter’s hand,’”’ Ms. Green-

leaf explains, “I am striving for two

effects: a portrayal of the essence of

the character of the animal and the

vessel, revealing the majesty and

mystery behind the deep dark eyes

of wild beasts and behind the very

spirit of the clay.”

Susan Greenleaf has exhibited in

Switzerland and in galleries and mu-

seums throughout the Washington

area.

The FONZ Bookstore/Gallery is

open every day except Christmas

from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

November 1981

22/Sunday

Sunday Afternoons at the National

Zoo: ‘Bird Business” **

December 1981

6/Sunday

Sunday Afternoons at the National

Zoo: “Animal Ornaments’ **

13/Sunday

FONZ Christmas Tree Decorating

Party®

14/Monday

Audubon Lecture: ‘Sign Language

Conversations with Chimpanzees” *

20/Sunday

Sunday Afternoons at the National

ZOO: “Holiday Tails *

25/Friday

Christmas Day—Zoo closed

* Advance reservations and/or fee

required. For additional information,

call 673-4960.

** All Sunday Afternoons at the

National Zoo programs are held

at the Education Building from