Viewing the Zoo

in Winter

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Friends

of the

National

is a nonprofit organization of in-

dividuals and families who are in-

terested in supporting Zoo programs

in education, research, and con-

servation.

As members of FONZ, you and

your family receive many benefits—

publications, discount privileges,

and invitations to special programs

and activities to make your zoogoing

more enjoyable and educational.

ZooGoer (ISSN 06313-416X} is

published six times a year by Friends

of the National Zoo, National Zoo-

logical Park, Washington, D.C. 20008.

Third class mailing permit no. 44282.

Subscription as percentage of full

membership dues is $4.00 a year.

Subscription-only membership is

$5.00 a year and is available only to

institutions and to those residing

outside the Washington, D.C., area.

Copyright 1982, Friends of the

National Zoo. All rights reserved.

FONZ Board of Directors

1982-83

Robert L. Nelson, President; Cecil McLelland,

First Vice President; Capt. Victor Delano,

Second Vice President; William C. Bryant,

Treasurer; Sally S. Tongren, Secretary; Knox

Banner; Janice A. Booker; John A. Cutler;

Janet Dewart; Marguerite P. Foster; M.

Anthony Gould; Alphons Hackl; Anne

Webster Hamilton; Dr. A. Jose Jones; Nella C.

Manes; John P. Manton, Jr.; Georgianna S.

McGuire; Robert W. Mason; Dr. Roscoe M.

Moore, Jr.; Monica J. Morgan; Ine N. Noe;

Terry R. Peel; Whayne S. Quin; James F.

Rogers; 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; Fran

Bernstein, Membership; Susan Bury Stauffer,

Publications; Lonnie Wornom, Merchandising;

James Mustakas, Food Service; Norma Grubbs,

Business Manager; Mary C. Massey, Personnel

Manager.

National Zoological Park Staff

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

Marcellini (Acting), Assistant Director for

Animal Programs; Gaetano Calise, Assistant

Director for Support Services; Vincent J. Doyle,

Office of Management Services; Dr. Robert J.

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 Mar-

cellini, Herpetology; Judy White, Education;

Dr. Mitchell Bush, Animal Health; Dr. Richard

Montali, Pathology; Dr. Devra Kleiman, Zoo-

logical Research; Dr. Christen Wemmer, Con-

servation and Research Center; Donald Mud-

diman, Construction Management; Emanuel

Petrella, Facilities Management; Robert Mul-

cahy, Graphics and Exhibits; Samuel Middle-

ton, Police and Safety.

Volume 11, Number 6

November-December 1982

Susan Bury Stauffer

Editor

Mary C. Massey

Consulting Editor, Friends of the

National Zoo

Dr. Robert J. Hoage

Consulting Editor,

National Zoological Park

Front and Back Covers

A National Zoo tiger takes a winter

stroll around the perimeter of its

snowy enclosure, and a Kodiak bear

examines wintertime photographer

Sabin Robbins. To make the most of

your winter visit, see page 4.

IN THIS ISSUE

ZOOGOER FEATURES

Viewing the Zoo in Winter ................ee eee eeeeee A

Julie Rovner

Bike Pan a Ste saves coho bis aces, ha eal p agen ae who

1982 FONZ Annual Report ..............eeeeeeeeeeee 15

Robert L. Nelson, President 7

ZOOGOER DEPARTMENTS

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Foe: NGS. 6 ec 5 ehh he ak ee eee eee

What's New atthe ZGQ? | ised vcs ones eee 2

Viewing the Zoo

Summer is the best time to see

animals at the Zoo because that’s

when the most people come, right?

Wrong!

Those cold, gray winter days

make most people think about

warm museums or maybe just acup

of hot chocolate at home.

“It's ashame because winter is one

of the best times to visit the Zoo,”

says Mike Morgan of the NZP Of-

fice of Public Affairs. ‘‘I’d say there's

only a tenth of the crowd here in the

winter than in the summer. On a

weekday, you can usually go down

to the Panda House and have almost

a private showing of their afternoon

feeding.”

But it's not just the lack of crowds

that makes winter trips to the Zoo

special. Animals from the colder

climates are in their element be-

tween October and April. And even

animals from warmer habitats are

more active when the temperature

drops.

Of course, there are some animals

you shouldn't expect to see in the

in Winter

Julie Rovner

winter. The prairie dogs, for in-

stance, and the skunk are rarely on

view when it’s very cold, according

to Dr. Daryl Boness, associate cura-

tor of mammals. And while the

Zoo's bears don’t actually hibernate

in the winter, when it’s very cold

they frequently bed down in their

dens with hay provided by the

keepers.

The Zoo can be tolerable for

human visitors even on the coldest

days, since it’s arranged so you can

go from house to house without

being outside very long. But Wash-

ington, thankfully, is blessed with

enough temperate winter days that

you shouldn't have any trouble find-

ing one that's cool enough to prompt

animal activity yet comfortable

enough so you can wander outside

leisurely.

The trick to the winter Zoo visit is

knowing what to look for and what

to avoid. All the animals in the

various houses are on view year-

round, and a surprising number of

animals stay outside. As you plan

your trip, remember that winter

hours are shorter than summer

hours—grounds are open 8 a.m. to 6

p.m., and buildings are open 10 a.m.

to 4:30 p.m. from October 15 to

April 15. Here’s what not to miss:

The pandas: Winter is not only the

best time but almost the only time to

see Clearly the lesser pandas, says

Bess Frank, collection manager.

Since these animals spend most of

their time in the trees, they can be

seen best after the leaves have fallen.

The giant pandas, Ling-Ling and

Hsing-Hsing, are also more visible in

the winter since they are cold

weather animals and can usually be

found gallivanting in their yards on

cold days. Frank says one of the most

entertaining sights comes after a

snow: The keepers build snow

figures with carrot and apple faces

and then watch Hsing and Ling

knock them to bits.

The birds: Contrary to popular belief,

most of the birds do not molt in the

winter. In fact, their colors may be at

Lesser pandas, Atlas lions and young visitors enjoy a winter day at the National Zoo.

All photos by Sabin Robbins

their peak, says Charles Pickett, col-

lection manager. Pickett says that 90

percent of the outside birds stay

outside year-round and that some of

the larger birds, like the ostrich, are

surprisingly active in the cold. His

favorite winter place: ‘The indoor

flight room. You can come in on the

worst day of the year and sit in a

semi-tropical environment watch-

ing birds. There’s nothing like it.”

Monkeys and apes: The looks and

behavior of monkeys and apes don't

change much in winter, reports Lisa

Stevens, collection manager, al-

though those animals that have

access to the outdoors are given

bedding and heat lamps to help keep

their dens warm. Stevens’ favorite

place in winter is the inside of the

Great Ape House. “With all the

sunlight and tropical plants, you

forget how awful it is outside.”

Beaver Valley: While many of the

North American mammals make

themselves scarce in the winter (the

beavers all but disappear and the sea

lions tend to stay in the water where

it’s frequently warmer}, the activi-

ties of some of the Valley residents

make this worth a stop on your

winter visit.

In the snow, the otters are par-

ticularly entertaining, says associate

curator Boness. ‘They like to root

around in it and slide all over the

place.” The seals and polar bears, the

Zoo's arctic inhabitants, are more

active the colder it gets, as expected.

Black swans against the snow—a beautiful scene in the wintertime Zoo.

“The polar bears just love the snow,”

says Boness. ‘The female espe-

cially—she likes to roll her toys

around in the snow and make huge

snowballs.” Winter is also the time

of year the gray seal female usually

gives birth.

Winter is the time to see the

wolves howling and the sloth bears

playing in a swimming pool drained

of water and filled with leaves. You

can also see the tigers playing, but

remember that if the temperature is

to fall below freezing at night, the

large cats are brought inside at 3 p.m.

From November through March,

FONZ and the Zoo's Office of Edu-

cation sponsor “Sunday Afternoons

at the National Zoo’—see page 23

for details.

The only day the Zoo is officially

closed is Christmas, but whenever it

snows, the streets and paths must be

made safe before visitors are allowed

in, so the Zoo could be closed for

short periods. High winds or flood-

ing may also force the Zoo to close. If

you'd like to come to the Zoo but

aren't sure whether it’s open, check

with the Zoo police at 673-4731.

Julie Rovner is a staff writer for The

Humane Society of the U.S. and a volun-

teer in the FONZ Roving Guide program.

The Panda Story

Part I—The Panda

The bad news: There wasn't a panda

birth at the National Zoo in 1982.

The good news: There is better

information about panda breeding

than has been collected in the world

any time previously.

That's what Dr. Devra Kleiman

told FONZ volunteers at a wrap-up

session for the more than 90 who

had participated in the “preg watch”

of the giant panda, Ling-Ling.

Kleiman, a specialist in animal

reproduction, is head of the research

department at the National Zoo.

Including Zoo staff, FONZ volun-

teers and specialists from other

institutions, more than 100 people

participated in the effort to achieve a

panda birth, which also involved

several years of preliminary work.

Ling-Ling's artificial insemina-

tion proceeded as planned, and

everything about Ling herself

“looked right” for a pregnant panda.

The same procedures will probably

be used again in the spring.

The National Zoo decided to artificially inseminate Ling-Ling when she and Hsing-

Hsing were not able to mate.

Jessie Cohen, NZP Office of Graphics and Exhibits

Preparing to inseminate Ling-Ling are chief Zoo veterinarian Dr. Mitchell Bush (left), Dr. Michael Abramowitz, anesthesiologist from the

Children’s Hospital National Medical Center, and Lena May Bush, Zoo biological technician.

Jessie Cohen, NZP Office of Graphics and Exhibits

Ling-Ling was artificially insemi-

nated in March when it became

clear that she and Hsing-Hsing

would not be successful in natural

mating. They were put together for

several mornings when Ling-Ling

was coming into heat.

But, as Zoo public affairs super-

visor Dr. Robert Hoage tactfully put

it, ‘‘Hsing-Hsing failed to align him-

self in an effective breeding

posture.’

Ling-Ling was inseminated on

three successive days in March. The

process required that she be anes-

thetized, but she was on her feet

within an hour each time.

On the first and third days, Ling-

Ling was examined with a laparo-

scope, which is essentially a very

thin telescope with multiple lenses

through which light can be directed.

The laparoscope is inserted into the

abdominal cavity through a small

incision, providing a view of the

reproductive organs.

Laparoscopy is used frequently by

the Zoo's chief veterinarian, Dr.

Mitchell Bush, to diagnose diseases,

to determine the sex of birds belong-

ing to species in which the male and

female look alike and to aid in

reproductive studies.

On the first day that Ling-Ling

was “scoped,” her ovaries were

found to be in a preovulatory con-

dition, and she was inseminated

with frozen semen from the London

Zoo's male giant panda, Chia-Chia.

Chia-Chia had made an unsucess-

fuly mating visit to Ling-Ling in

1981.

Ling-Ling was inseminated with

fresh semen from Hsing-Hsing on

the second and third days. Laparo-

scopy on the third day showed that

she had ovulated.

The veterinary staff gave Ling-

Ling vaccinations and a complete

physical exam and carried out blood

and genetic sampling while she was

anesthetized—as they did with

Hsing-Hsing when he was anesthe-

tized to obtain the semen.

The gestation periods known at

the time for giant pandas ranged

NZP veterinarian Jo Gayle Howard prepares semen for Ling-Ling's artificial insemination.

from 122 to 163 days, so the birth

was projected to occur between mid-

July and the end of August. (Dr.

Kleiman has learned since that a

panda in Shanghai had a gestation

period of 175 days.]

One difficulty in calculating

panda birth dates is that the panda

may have delayed implantation—

that is, the fertilized egg does not

immediately attach itself to the wall

of the womb and begin to develop.

The Panda House was closed July

13, and FONZ volunteer “preg

watchers” began their 24-hour-a-

day watch in three-hour shifts.

Jessie Cohen, NZP Office of Graphics and Exhibits

The National Zoo has been work-

ing with the London Zoo on repro-

duction in giant pandas. Recently,

NZP has also been collaborating

with the New York Zoological

Society on endocrine research.

When it was time to analyze Ling-

Ling’s urine for hormone levels,

samples were sent both to London

and to New York. The tests checked

levels of three different hormones

that are indicators of pregnancy.

Urine analysis takes time, how-

ever, and Dr. Kleiman had to wait

three weeks for each set of results.

The first set showed that there was

no increase in hormone levels for

the period between April and early

June as had been expected.

Around the first of August, Ling-

Ling began a good deal of licking

around her genital area, a sign

Chinese and Mexican authorities

say indicates a fairly advanced stage

of pregnancy.

The Chinese also reported that

pandas ready to give birth build

nests. On August 4, Ling-Ling began

to carry dried bamboo to two specific

sites in the viewing enclosure and in

her private den. But her behavior

wasn't consistent, and very often

she ended up eating the bamboo

instead of building any nest!

By mid-August, the genital lick-

ing was appearing in periods of up to

20 minutes and taking up one hour

of every 24, a significant amount of

time.

10

Jessie Cohen, NZP Office of Graphics and Exhibits

Is it a nest or isn’t it! Dr. Devra Kleiman, head of research at NZP, examines bamboo

assembled by Ling-Ling during the period when her pregnant-like behavior was at its peak.

Hormone results coming in at this

time indicated an increase in hor-

mone levels for the period back in

late July.

At this stage, Dr. Kleiman and

other Zoo staff were checking Ling-

Ling every day for the definite signs

of impending birth: developing

nipples and a reddened or swollen

vulva.

Checking a panda’s nipples is no

easy task. The keeper would lure

Ling-Ling with a carrot and make

her stand up to get it. As Ling

reached for her treat, staff members

would look at her nipples, spotting

them through her fur. But there was

no development.

Ling-Ling's vaginal area would be

checked as she sat back to eat her

carrot treat. No apparent changes

there, either.

The Chinese also reported that

mucus would drain out of the

vagina before birth. Ling-Ling did

drain mucus, but, like so many of

the other signs, this was ambiguous.

Pandas expel mucus from their

digestive tracts, too, and the origin

just wasn’t clear.

Still another sign of an impending

panda birth is depressed appetite.

There was a wave of excitement

among the panda team August 13

through 15 as Ling-Ling’s appetite

decreased substantially—only to be

followed by more disappointment

when, as one FONZ volunteer putit,

“she pigged out.”

New hormone results arriving

later in August were baffling, too.

Ling-Ling's hormone levels had

been low when her unusual be-

havior had been at its peak.

When no birth occurred and the

behavior associated with pregnancy

began to decrease, the decision was

made to call off the watch. On

August 27, a press conference was

held to make the announcement.

True to form, though, Ling-Ling

threw the panda team a final curve

by increasing her genital licking

during the weekend after the press

conference. The watch was ex-

tended for another week but with no

result.

Was Ling-Ling pregnant? With

the panda watchers and the careful

attention of her keepers, there could

not have been a miscarriage gone

unnoticed.

Another possibility is resorp-

tion—that is, the embryo doesn't

develop completely but is simply

absorbed back into the animal's

tissues.

The best explanation is that Ling-

Ling had a false pregnancy. Two

things suggest this: no nipple devel-

opment and no swelling or redden-

ing of the vulva.

In false pregnancy, the brain

misreads some of the signs it gets

from the body and produces be-

havior as though the pregnancy is

real. False pregnancy has occurred in

pandas in other zoos.

Interestingly, after the watch was

finally ended, Ling-Ling was ob-

served cradling an apple in her lap as

she would have cradled a baby

panda!

The Zoo veterinarians have been

watching Ling-Ling carefully to

make sure the licking that so

strongly suggested pregnancy is not

a sign of a medical problem. Her

activity and appetite are normal,

which indicates that she is well.

Part II—The Public

While the drama was taking place

inside the Panda House, there was

plenty of action outside. Washing-

ton-area panda fans thought Ling-

Ling’s possible pregnancy was great

because they could look forward to

viewing a baby panda.

People who came from Texas or

Oregon and stopped into the Zoo

weren't so pleased.

“Why can't we see the pandas?”

was the cry from tens of thousands

of Zoo visitors who came through

during the summer. Jo McFarlane,

the FONZ information desk atten-

dant in the Education Building,

handled the questions, the irritation

and the downright anger—not to

mention a good many jokes—with

tact and humor.

She directed visitors to the tele-

vision monitor at the information

desk where they could at least get a

11

FONZ Photo

Although some Zoo visitors complained about not being able to see Ling-Ling “in person,”

many spent long periods of time studying her on the television monitor in the Education

Building lobby, trying to decide for themselves whether she was pregnant.

second-hand look at Ling-Ling, while

she snoozed or munched bamboo.

“A lot of visitors did get mad

because they came a long way, and

they wanted to see those pandas,” Jo

says. “One woman was visiting from

Australia, and she was really dis-

appointed and angry.

“But I managed to send them all

away smiling because I gave them so

much background information.”

Many visitors came from the “if

we can send a man to the moon, why

12

can't we tell if a panda is pregnant”

school. Jo explained that it's not easy

to physically examine a 250-pound

wild animal. She also told visitors

that tranquilizing Ling-Ling to

examine her could have endangered

her baby.

Many asked the question,

“Wouldn't she gain weight if she

was pregnant?” Jo told them she

wouldn't if the baby weighed only

four or five ounces, as panda babies

do.

Part 1]—The Volunteers

“We may not have a baby panda, but

we ve got one of the best sets of

animal observation data in the

world,” said Dr. Kleiman, after

FONZ volunteers logged 1,365

hours of watch time.

In the August 27 press conference

announcing the end of the watch,

National Zoo Director Dr. Theodore

H. Reed said, “The FONZ volun-

teers have extended the eyes and

ears of the Zoo research scientists.

We've shown that trained volun-

teers are a very valid part of the

scientific program.”

Volunteer coordinator Jo Anne

Grumm says it wasn’t difficult to

find the volunteers needed to fill the

watch hours. ‘“There were even

enough night owls to fill in the

1 a.m. to 4 a.m. shift,” she says.

Many of the volunteers are old

hands at animal behavior and preg-

nancy watches, and they are quite

knowledgeable about the animals

they study.

This watch was a bit different,

though, with a formal training

session directed by Dr. Kleiman and

a get-acquainted session with the

television equipment the volunteers

would use to view Ling-Ling and to

videotape any significant behavior.

The volunteer on duty during Zoo

visiting hours also had to make sure

a picture was being fed to the moni-

tor in the Education Building for the

public.

The FONZ watchers would have

to inform the Zoo staff of behavior

that might indicate an impending

birth, but they would also have to

continue to watch Ling-Ling care-

fully after those calls had been

made. First-time animal mothers are

sometimes poor mothers, and if

Ling-Ling did not start out taking

proper care for her baby, the Zoo

would have to remove it to the

hand-rearing facility. In fact, a diet

had already been planned by the

nutrition lab.

There was another special reason

why FONZ watchers had to be on

their toes if a birth occurred. If Ling-

Ling had two babies, as has often

happened with artificial insemina-

tion of pandas in China, she would

have chosen only one to take care of.

The Zoo hand-rearing facility was

prepared to begin caring for the

other. The second baby would have

to be removed within the first hour,

and it would be taken only if that did

not jeopardize the other baby in any

way.

And Ling-Ling herself was not the

only subject the FONZ watchers

had to contend with. Volunteer

watcher Steve Frank was on duty

when a heavy rain storm overloaded

the drains and rain water began to

back up in the panda kitchen. Frank

frantically made calls for help and

then unplugged and moved the

tangle of video equipment out of the

way of the water. Zoo maintenance

staff arrived promptly. The water

was drained off, and the precious

video equipment and tapes were not

damaged.

But neither rain nor sleet nor lack

of births can keep the FONZ

watchers from participating in

future preg watches. At the wrap-up

session held by Dr. Kleiman, most of

them wanted to know: “What about

next year?”

Cecil McLelland, FONZ vice president and volunteer panda watcher, takes her shift at

the television monitors in the panda kitchen.

SATN

eC

13

Jessie Cohen, NZP Office of Graphics and Exhibits

Part IV—The Future

That Ling-Ling didn’t give birth

isn't that much of a disappoint-

ment or a surprise when you re-

member that there have been only

about 30 panda births in zoos and

only about 12 of these young have

survived. Most of the births have

been in China, although even the

Chinese succeed in only one of

every five attempts at achieving a

birth by artificially inseminating

pandas.

At the Madrid Zoo, twin cubs

were born in early September to a

panda that had been artificially

inseminated with semen from Lon-

don’s Chia-Chia. The smaller cub,

weighing only 2.1 ounces at birth,

was placed in an incubator and

tended round-the-clock, but it did

not survive. The other cub was left

with its mother.

Ling-Ling will probably be artifi-

cially inseminated again next

spring. There is also some discus-

sion about sending her to a zoo with

a single male panda, possibly in

France. Dr. Kleiman reports that

cooperation between zoos with

pandas has increased in recent years.

Although there are no pandas in

New York, the New York and Lon-

don facilities are working together

to improve the urine analysis

methods. These two facilities some-

times got different hormone results

from Ling-Ling’s urine samples, and

14

At one of several press conferences, Zoo Director Dr. Theodore Reed addresses a roomful

of reporters, responding to the nationwide interest in a possible panda birth.

their researchers are trying to

resolve the discrepancies.

Some interested people have

brought up the possibility of in vitro

fertilization, in which the egg and

sperm are brought together in the

lab, and the fertilized egg is then

placed in the female's womb. Dr.

Kleiman says that not enough is

known about how the reproductive

process works in pandas for this to

be a serious possibility.

There are 1,000 to 4,000 pandas in

the wild (the data available are con-

tradictory). Their scarcity makes

captive breeding extremely impor-

tant. But our lack of experience with

giant pandas is one of the obstacles

to successful breeding in captivity.

But the Zoo staff is looking for-

ward to next spring, to working

again with Ling-Ling, to the birth of

a healthy baby panda, an achieve-

ment for the National Zoo and a joy

for panda lovers.

The Panda Story was written by Zoogoer

editor Susan Stauffer.

FONZ Photo

1982 FONZ Annual Report

Obviously, 1982 can't be called The

Year of The Pregnant Panda! But

even if Ling-Ling didn’t come

through as expected, it wasn't be-

cause FONZ didn't try!

In fact, more FONZ volunteers

spent more hours conducting the

Giant Panda Preg Watch than any

single effort in our history. In the

most elaborate surveillance setup

since Abscam, 90 FONZ volunteers

monitored five different cameras in

the Panda House recording Ling-

Ling's behavior 24 hours a day for

two months. In three-hour shifts,

FONZ volunteers watched, waited

and recorded 1,365 hours.

As the Zoo's head of research, Dr.

Devra Kleiman, said at a thank-you

reception for our FONZ watchers,

“Although a panda cub was not born

at the National Zoo in 1982, the data

obtained from FONZ's meticulous

watch is the finest effort ever and

will be invaluable in future panda

breeding attempts.”

Although the panda watch at-

tracted world-wide attention, many

other less publicized — but no less

important — FONZ programs

helped the Zoo in 1982 in its edu-

cation, research and conservation

efforts.

Most of you know that we have a

newly-renovated and spectacular

Reptile House with HERPLab now

open. Renovation is nearly com-

pleted on the Small Mammal House,

and the Zoo will soon open what

promises to be the swingingest place

in town — a new Monkey Island

home for Barbary macaques.

Keeping pace with ever-improv-

ing animal exhibitry, FONZ has

been active carrying out its primary

mission of educating the zoogoers,

whether they be pre-school toddlers,

high school scholars, older persons

or families who just wander in for a

day. To serve these different audi-

ences, FONZ made its biggest-ever

effort in terms of program diversity,

Robert L. Nelson, President

staff energies, volunteer contribu-

tions and revenues to support edu-

cation programs.

In 1982, more than 425 FONZ

volunteers contributed an incredi-

ble 40,404 hours to carry out more

than 15 different education pro-

grams. That represents a 40% in-

crease or 12,000 more hours than

last year. Our volunteers toured pre-

school and school groups on a

variety of themed presentations,

staffed ZOOlab, BIRDlab and the

just-opened HERPIlab, served as

roving guides and conducted spe-

cialized tours for the handicapped

and the older visitor.

Three new volunteer programs

began in 1982. Because the Zoo

is doing better than ever at captive

breeding, the number of animal

babies needing human help has in-

creased. On a daily basis year-round,

more than 20 FONZ volunteers now

staff the hand-rearing facility.

A second new program uses

15

Tom Sullivan

16

ZooNight is a highlight of year-round FONZ activities.

These photos and the one on page 18 should whet your

appetite for next summer's ZooNights, June 3 for members

with last names beginning A-M and June 17 for those N-Z.

Barbara Hadley

FONZ volunteers as training in-

terpreters in elephant demon-

strations. This program is a big

crowd pleaser and a dramatic way to

explain the talents of elephants and

their trainers.

Finally, the Potpourri volunteer

program is, as its name implies, a

mix of volunteers with diverse

talents who help the Zoo in a variety

of needs, from typing and filing to

assisting the horticulturist with

plantings on the grounds and in the

greenhouse.

Also for the first time, we video-

taped many of our volunteer train-

ing sessions so these classes can be

studied again and again through

convenient playback.

In close cooperation with the

Zoo's Office of Education and Re-

search, FONZ carried out other

special education efforts, such as

the D.C. and Summer Bus Pro-

grams, the Self-Guided Tours and

Behavior Watches on animals other

than the pandas. FONZ also as-

sisted in supplying slides, films and

brochures to requesting groups and

individuals to further enhance their

Zoo visits.

To better serve the general walk-

in visitor, a newly-designed Mobile

Cart rolled through the Zoo with

FONZ personnel answering ques-

tions and handing out fact sheets.

FONZ also staffed three permanent

information centers and supervised

all audiovisual orientation pro-

grams in the Education Building

auditorium.

The Zoo's longest-running stage

show was another FONZ success

story as some 60 teenage Zoo Aides

gave up their summer vacations to

perform daily animal-themed

puppet shows for thousands. These

talented FONZ volunteers were so

good that they performed at the

National Aquarium in Baltimore

and for Rock Creek Park Day.

Several major Zoo events re-

ceived important FONZ backing.

Those included a weekend of events

dramatizing Human-Animal Part-

nership, a Tenth Anniversary Panda

Celebration, the Sunday After-

noons at the Zoo series and the first

Zoo Summerfest.

FONZ continued to expand its

support of crucial research and

conservation programs supervised

by Zoo scientists. This year, FONZ

project grants reached an all-time

high of $285, 000, a 28% increase

over last year's support. FONZ

funds enabled undergraduate and

graduate researchers to conduct

intensive studies on many threat-

ened species, such as the red howler

monkey, golden lion tamarin and

Pere David's deer.

FONZ funds backed extensive

radio tracking studies done on the

native wildlife at the Zoo's Con-

servation and Research Center in

Front Royal, Virginia. These tech-

niques could be vital for possible

application to exotic species in the

wild.

FONZ funds financed a land-

mark deer symposium that brought

together world experts to share

their knowledge of deer husbandry

and strengthen conservation efforts

for many hoofed species. And

FONZ aided a crucial reptile sym-

posium on captive breeding and

care as well as the first-ever and very

successful symposium on ex-

tinction.

Recognizing that effective con-

servation efforts must reach far

beyond Zoo grounds, FONZ-

supported scientists studied chee-

tahs and giraffes in South Africa,

sea lions in California, dwarf

caimans in Surinam and small

carnivores in Venezuela.

The $650,000 that FONZ con-

tributed to education, research and

conservation projects for the Na-

tional Zoo is possible only because

of member support plus income

generated by visitor service con-

cessions. Our 1982 support level

was 25% larger than last year.

As in recent years, the lion’s share

of these support dollars was pro-

duced from our food, souvenir,

public parking and membership

departments.

In 1982, these revenues totaled

more than $3,600,000. Even though

recession affected the purchasing

habits of visitors, our merchandis-

ing efforts achieved a 12% increase

in net profits.

Savings were accomplished by

instituting direct purchasing of

17

One of the Zoo’s orangutans plays with a favorite toy, entertaining FONZ members at

ZooNight 1982.

certain items from the Orient.

Because of better management, net

revenues in food service operations

increased 28%.

Parking at the Zoo was off 15% in

1982, primarily, we believe, because

of the opening of the two Metro

stops close by. Although we earned

less income here, the reduction of

car congestion has been worthwhile.

The Smithsonian Institution was

pleased enough with our operations

that they extended our parking

contract through September 1984.

Zoo programs just for members

expanded and improved like every-

18

thing else. The 1982 calendar was

filled with FONZ classes, field trips,

safaris, photo contests, holiday

parties and the always popular

ZooNights.

A well-received adult Wildlife

Studies Certificate Program was

introduced in 1982. The series,

offered in conjunction with the

National Zoo and the Smithsonian,

may receive approval for academic

credits at an area college.

A major FONZ publishing event

in 1982 was the creation of the first

official Zoo Guidebook in 20 years.

The 80-page, all-color and lavishly

Barbara Hadley

illustrated book was written by

FONZ volunteer and board member

Sally Tongren. It proved an instant

bestseller with more than 1,000 sold

weekly last summer.

Also in 1982, our member maga-

zine, Zoogoer, competed with more

than 600 other non-profit publica-

tions to win a graphic design award

from the American Association of

Museums.

Memberships have risen from

22,000 to 26,000, making FONZ the

second largest Zoo support organi-

zation in the world.

As FONZ has grown in size and

excellence, it is fitting that FONZ

representatives are playing leader-

ship roles on the national Zoo scene.

Our director of volunteer and edu-

cational services delivered a major

paper at the annual meeting of the

American Association of Zoological

Parks and Aquariums (AAZPA) in

Phoenix in September.

At that same conference of all

zoos and aquariums in North

America, FONZ was honored with a

resolution of appreciation for help-

ing to obtain a presidentially pro-

claimed Zoo and Aquarium Month

(June). Our executive director was

named to chair AAZPA's public

relations committee.

By any standards, 1982 was a good

year for FONZ and the National

Zoo. Plans are already under way to

make sure that our successes con-

tinue. We will construct an ex-

panded food and shop complex

called Panda Plaza. And FONZ

hopes to host its first benefit

Zoo gala evening next spring.

Such success is the work of

many. But I would be remiss if I did

not pay special tribute to Zoo Di-

rector Ted Reed and Smithsonian

Secretary Ripley for their con-

tinuing support.

On the FONZ team: the seciet

seems to be aremarkably productive

combination of staff, a hardworking

board of directors and the crucial

contributions of hundreds of volun-

teers and 26,000 supportive

members.

New board members elected

FONZ welcomes three new mem-

bers to its board of directors:

@ Marguerite Peet Foster has been

a science teacher in Washington-

area schools for many years. A

graduate of Smith College and

Harvard University Graduate

School of Education, she is a board

member of the Washington Area

Chapter of the Epilepsy Foundation

of America and St. John’s Child

Development Service. She has

served FONZ as a non-board mem-

ber of the Education Committee.

e John P. Manton, Jr., is executive

vice president and chief operating

officer of Peoples Drug Stores, Inc.

He serves on the board of St. Francis

High School and has been active in

United Way campaigns, the Jaycees

and the YMCA.

@ Ine N. Noe, a Phi Beta Kappa

graduate of Duke University with

M.A. and M.A.L.D. degrees in inter-

national law and economics, is

currently a doctoral student in child

development at George Washington

University. She has several years

experience as a teacher and coun-

selor in Washington-area schools

and served as a consultant for

natural science curriculum

materials at the National Geo-

graphic Society. She has served

FONZ as anon-board member of the

Education Committee.

The new board members were

installed at the annual meeting

October 21.

Also at the meeting, Board Presi-

dent Nelson explained to members

that the FONZ Executive Commit-

tee had met and determined that it

would be inappropriate for FONZ to

take an official position on the Zoo-

proposed deer hunt at Front Royal

since FONZ is not chartered to

make or carry out animal manage-

ment programs.

However, because of the member

interest in the issue and because of

FONZ's commitment to its educa-

tion role, substantial time at the

Annual Meeting was devoted to a

discussion of the matter. Partici-

pants included both National Zoo

officials and concerned members.

Update on Deer Situation

On November 9, the Smithsonian Institution announced it had

cancelled the scheduled deer hunt following consideration of infor-

mation brought out during a hearing of the Subcommittee on Interior

and Related Agencies, House Committee on Appropriations.

The National Zoo and Smithsonian are studying alternative plans

to deal with the overpopulation of wild white-tailed deer. Consulta-

tion with appropriate experts is being planned.

FONZ will keep its members posted on developments and programs

as they unfold.

19

Portraits in the Wild: Animal

Behavior in East Africa, by Cynthia

Moss. Chicago: University of Chicago

Press, 1982. 371 pp.; $25, cloth; $9.95

paper.

Surprisingly, animals have been

studied in the wild for only a few

decades. Before that, it was thought

that only study under controlled

conditions could yield good results.

Cynthia Moss first brought to-

gether the results of some important

field studies in 1975. Her highly

readable account has now been up-

dated to include new information

about the endangered status of ele-

20

phants and black rhinos.

The animal “portraits” detail the

behavior of the elephant, giraffe,

zebra, baboon, black rhino, spotted

hyena, six species of antelope and

three of the big cats: cheetah, lion

and leopard. Myths and misunder-

standings about the animals are ex-

plored, and different researchers’

points of view are presented. Each

section is illustrated with action

photos.

This book offers new perspectives

on animal behavior, including the

surprising suggestion that the study

of hyena social behavior may tell us

a great deal about ourselves! There is

also a lengthy list of suggested

reading for those interested in more

detail.

Track of the Grizzly, by Frank C.

Craighead, Jr. San Francisco, Sierra

Club Books, 1982. 272 pp., $9.95

paperback.

This is the first paperback edition of

the definitive study of grizzly bears,

first published by Sierra Club in

1979.

Beginning in 1959, Frank and

John Craighead and their colleagues

spent 13 years studying grizzly bears

in Yellowstone National Park. They

used radio-transmitter collars to

track the bears, but they learned also

by simply sharing the bears’ habitat

and studying them as individuals.

Craighead explains the bears’

social hierarchy, describing how

they identify each other's social

status with sounds and gestures

when they come together at feeding

areas or during mating season.

These signals decrease fighting for

dominance and stop combat before

an animal can be seriously injured or

killed.

Craighead says, “The grizzly has

evolved traits that prevent it from

annihilating its own species even

though it has the strength, fero-

ciousness and destructive power to

do so. It would be reassuring to learn

that its main enemy, man, had a

comparable built-in deterrent to

destroying his fellow creatures.”

Craighead also gives a history of

the relationship between man and

bear in Yellowstone and the various

human attitudes toward animal

management. This story is often

disturbing and sometimes tragic,

but understanding human politics is

as important as understanding bear

behavior to developing a better plan

for the future.

LN0 NEWS

HERPlab opens

“Herps’—reptiles and amphibi-

ans—evoke fear in many people,

while others find them fascinating.

These reactions are one of the

reasons herps were chosen as the

subject of the National Zoo's newest

learning center, HERPlab.

A young HERPlab visitor gets acquainted with an Animal of the Day, an African bullfrog.

Developed by the Zoo's Office of

Education and the Department of

Herpetology, HERPlab is located in

the middle of the Reptile House.

This lets visitors look “behind the

scenes” where keepers work.

At HERPIlab, visiting families

have an unusual opportunity to

learn about the animals through

exhibits and activities. For example,

there are ten learning boxes to use.

With “Turtle Bones,” you assemble a

skeleton with real turtle bones, fol-

lowing an assembly guide. “Skull-

duggery” teaches how different

shaped skulls relate to the various

foods reptiles eat.

Visitors can study the Anolis

21

Jessie Cohen, NZP Office of Graphics and Exhibits

HERPlab offers Zoo visitors a special place to learn about reptiles and amphibians.

lizard, which changes from brown to

green under different conditions.

The Zoo will use the recorded

observations of HERPlab visitors to

learn why this animal changes

colors.

There is also an Animal of the

Day, a corn snake or an African

bullfrog, which can be studied with

the assistance of a HERPlab

volunteer.

The general concepts HERPlab

visitors learn about reptiles and

amphibians—such as anatomy,

22

behavior and communication, and

conservation—can be applied to

other animals as well.

HERPIlab’s teaching materials

have been developed with a three-

year grant from the National Sci-

ence Foundation. Zoologists, edu-

cators and families participated in

designing the learning boxes and

other materials, which are being

tested at the Philadelphia Zoo and

the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids,

Michigan, as well as here at the

National Zoo.

Jessie Cohen, NZP Office of Graphics and Exhibits

A family learning center is par-

ticularly appropriate for zoos.

Studies show that four out of five

National Zoo visitors come with

families. Groups of two to four

people with at least one adult are

perfect for working with HERPlab

materials (children should be six

years or older).

Friends of the National Zoo is

supporting HERPlab with 20 volun-

teers, who have taken a special train-

ing course so they can assist HERP-

lab visitors and help in evaluating

the materials.

HERPlab is open from 12:00 noon

to 3:00 p.m., Wednesday through

Sunday. Admission is free, but

tickets are required as they are for

Zoolab. For more information, call

FONZ at 673-4955 or the Zoo

Office of Education at 673-4724.

Wanted: spring flowers

If you grow day lily, shasta daisy,

rudbeckia, lavender or phlox, and

you plan to thin your garden in the

spring, the National Zoo needs you!

NZP will welcome donations of

your surplus flowers before April 16.

You can bring them to the receiving

area of the General Services Build-

ing at the far west end of parking

lot C. For further information,

please call 673-4783. (Please note

that the flowers above are the only

kinds needed—be sure to label your

plants now.)

'S NEW AT THE Z00?

FONZ activities

January 3-February 18

Entries accepted in FONZ Photo

Contest”

January 22

FONZ winter classes begin”

*See FONZ Winter Wildlife Adven-

tures brochure for details.

At the Zoo

Sunday Afternoons at the National

Zoo, 1-3:30 p.m., Education Build-

ing, free admission

January 16

Walk, Trot and Gallop—animal

locomotion with the Archaesus

Mimes.

January 23

Elephants—films and an animal

training demonstration by the

keepers in the Elephant House.

January 30

Zoo Photography—tips from the

Zoo staff photographer and other

professional photographers.

February 6

Things That Go Bump in the

Night—chase away your animal

fears with the help of a psychologist

from the Phobia Program of Wash-

ington.

February 13

Music, Music, Music—bird music

and people music.

February 20

Monkeys, Apes and Us—films and

facts.

February 27

One String Attached—animal

puppet-making workshop with Bob

Brown Puppet Productions (the

string attached: bring a scarf-sized

piece of fabric}.

March 6

Art in the Park—sketching animals

with the Zoo graphics staff and

other Washington artists.

March 13

Snow Foolin’—save this date to re-

schedule any program that is

snowed out.

For more information, contact

FONZ at 673-4955 or the Zoo

Office of Education at 673-4724.

At the Monkey House, celebes

crested macaque, born September 3;

liontail macaques, one born Sep-

tember 26 and one born October 16.

At the Bald Eagle Exhibit, two young

bald eagles presented to the United

States by the Federal Republic of

Germany.

Winter hours in effect:

Zoo grounds open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Animal houses 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Education Building 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Celebes crested macaque

23

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