As a FONZ, you and your family receive

many benefits—publications, discount privileges,

and invitations to specia! programs and activities

—to make your zoogoing more enjoyable and

volume 5 Number | Friends

January-February 1976 in.

contents

3 Vultures

§ ZooNews

12 ZooMap

13 Zoo Upkeep

20 BookNews

22 FONZNews

Front Cover: Feathered freeloaders for

years, wild vultures at the Zoo played an

unusual role in helping man invent the air-

plane.

Back Cover: Fascinating in looks and be-

havior, the polar bears at the National Zoo

will move into a dramatically new, $2

million exhibit sometime in 1977.

Design-Production:

Monica Johansen Morgan

Photographs on the front cover, pp. 3, 4, 5,

and 7 by Francie Schroeder; p. 6 courtesy of

Smithsonian Institution, Archives; pp. 9,

dgae2, 13,-15, 17,18, and 19 by Sabin Rob-

bins; pp. 14 and 16 by Pat Vosburgh; p. 21

by Ray Faass; p. 22 by William Trencher.

National

is anon-profit organization of individuals and

families who are interested in supporting Zoo

education, research, and conservation.

FONZ Board of Directors 1975-76

Arthur W. Arundel, President

Montgomery S. Bradley, First Vice President

John S. Brown, Second Vice President

Stephen T. Hosmer, Treasurer

Julie Pineau, Secretary

Peter C. Andrews

Theodore Babbitt

Lavell Merritt

Robert Nelson

Edward Boehm Ruth Nelson

Victor Delano John B. Oliver

Timothy V.A. Dillon Nancy Porter

Ronald Field Whayne Quin

M. Anthony Gould Ted Rivinus

Joan L. Jewett Rebecca Schergens

Donna K. Grosvenor Lee Talbot

Nella Manes

Cecil McLelland

Shirley McNair

Sabin Robbins, Executive Director

Sally Tongren

Gerald Wagner

educational.

THE ZOOGOER is published bi-monthly and

copyrighted © by Friends of the National Zoo,

c/o National Zoological Park, Washington, DC

20009, second class mailing permit approved at

the Washington, DC rate in the United States

$3 a year (of annual dues).

Zoo Staff

Dr. Theodore H. Reed, Director

Mr. Edward Kohn, Deputy Director

Office Chiefs

Mr. Jaren Horsley, Animal Management

Dr. Christen Wemmer, Conservation &

Research Center

Dr. Mitchell Bush, Animal Health

Dr. Richard Montali, Pathology

Dr. John Eisenberg, Zoological Research

Mr. Emmanuel Petrella, Facilities Manage-

ment

Mr. Robert Engle, Construction Management

Mr. Joseph Reed, Management Services

Mr. Robert Mulcahy, Graphics & Exhibits

Ms. Judy White, Education & Information

Cpt. Samuel Middleton, NZP Police

ixty years ago, Ned Hollister,

then Director of the National

Zoo, wrote a glowing account on the

free-flying vultures one still sees soar-

ing over the Zoo. “Of all the native

wild birds within the park, perhaps

none attracts so much attention as the

turkey vultures, or “buzzards,” which

congregate here in great numbers

during the fall and winter months,” he

wrote in the Annual Report. “Food, at

practically no expense, is provided for

the vultures, and they become very

tame and confiding. Many visitors

from the Northern States, to whom

these birds are a novel sight, greatly

admire the graceful flight of these

interesting creatures. During the sum-

mer months the vultures scatter out

over the surrounding country to nest,

and only a few appear within the

boundaries of the park, but the secur-

ity afforded for winter roosts brings

them back in great numbers with the

approach of autumn.”

Vultures have been a part of the Zoo’s

uncounted inventory for at least 74

years and are included in_ the

Audubon Christmas census each year.

Years ago, the vultures fed from food

removed from the cages and piled in

a dump. Better housekeeping elimi-

nated the dump, but the vultures soon

learned there were fish to be had in

the bear cages. At feeding time, they

would line up on the cage _ bars

waiting their turn.

To try to get more food to the bears,

Previous Page: Spying from a high tree, this

black vulture patiently waits for a chance to

raid a Zoo cage for a free meal.

their feeding time was changed a few

years ago so that they were not fed

until after the morning thermals had

wafted the vultures into the air to

begin their tireless vigil for carcasses.

The bears are fed again before the

vultures come back to roost in the

late evening.

The range of the more buoyant turkey

vulture (Cathartes aura) extends as far

north as southern Canada but the

aerodynamically heavier black

vulture (Coragyps atratus) is restric-

ted to the southern half of the United

States and to tropical regions where

the warm sun generates many and

vigorous thermals. Maryland is_ its

most northerly limit. Both birds fre-

quently scavenge the same areas. The

black vulture is distinguished by a

chunkier body, longer beak, shorter

tail, and flaps more in soaring.

Typically, these vultures leave their

tree roosts at daybreak and move

over open country to soar high above

looking for carrion. They also have

Preening and stretching, this black vulture demonstrates the impressive wings and flight

feathers that make them champion soarers. Their remarkable aerial skills were closely

studied at the Zoo by an early pioneer of manned flight.

Tall trees throughout the Zoo provide daytime perches and nighttime roosts for dozens of free-flying black and turkey vultures. When not

stealing food from Zoo animals, the vultures soar high above the countryside looking for carrion, small reptiles, and grasshoppers.

been known to feed on small rep-

tiles, grasshoppers, fish, even

pumpkins.

At the beginning of the spring breed-

ing season, the male vultures strut in

procession and approach the female

with open wings, lowered heads, and

puffing sounds. Then follows a spec-

tacular courtship flight—fast dives,

spiraling and chasing each other—

over the nesting site. One to three

eggs are laid, and both parents incu-

bate the eggs for five to six weeks.

The young vultures are able to fly in

10-14 weeks.

Even though vultures are not endear-

ing animals because of myth and lack

of beauty, they are an historical as

well as natural part of the Zoo scene.

In fact, Zoo vultures played a little-

known but important role in helping

man invent the airplane. It began—

somewhat mysteriously —in 1902.

“Two tall towers, 50 feet high and

about the same difference apart, have

been newly erected in the Zoological

Park in the outskirts of Washington,

and visitors during the last few days

have been vainly speculating as to

their significance. When inquiry is

made, the guards shake their heads

and refuse information, but observant

persons have noticed that once in

awhile, when a buzzard flies over-

head, two men suddenly appear, one

on top of each tower and snap guns at

the birds, thereupon retiring with

equal celerity from view...”

reported the Cincinnati Enquirer on

June 13.1902.

Those towers were erected on Lion-

Tiger Hill by the Smithsonian’s third

secretary, Samuel Pierpont Langley,

to learn how vultures fly. He thought

that if’ he knew what kept the large

birds aloft perhaps he could perfect a

flying machine. Professor Langley

believed that aerial flight was the

“last remaining problem in human

transportation.”

At the top of each tower was a canvas

box, open on one side. Inside each

box stood a man with a camera. The

cameras had gunstocks with triggers

which were wired to take pictures

simultaneously as a vulture flew by. A

battery-powered machine recorded

the direction of the wind.

Professor Langley had many detrac-

tors and was considered quite eccen-

tric—in keeping with most opinions of

scientists in those days. Although he

was years ahead of his time in the

study of aerodynamics and the even-

tual construction of a flying machine,

one of his ideas added, no doubt, to

his reputation of eccentricity. He

stated, “It is not necessary for particu-

lar purposes to fly high. An altitude of

100 feet, say, is sufficient for all prac-

tical purposes. As for the difficulty of

steering, why not run the flying

machine on a wire, trolley fashion—

floating above the wire, that is to say,

instead of running beneath. Is the

motor too heavy to carry? Well, then

don’t carry it. Establish dynamo sta-

tions on the ground and transmit the

electricity for motive power through

the trolley wire. The amount of power

is thus practically unlimited.” (!)

The constant failures of early experi-

ments in flight had brought the whole

subject into disrepute. But Langley

gained respect because of his scien-

tific approach.

In 1891 Professor Langley foresaw

that “The mechanical sustention of

heavy bodies in the air, combined

with very great speeds, is not only

possible, but within reach of mechani-

cal means we actually possess.”

With the aid of an appropriation from

the U.S. War Department, Langley

built a full-sized airplane and found a

man brave enough to risk his life in

the apparatus— Mr. Manley of Wash-

ington, D.C. (About Mr. Manley

nothing else seems to be known!)

Langley disliked premature publicity

and was understandably shy of the

press’ disparaging remarks about men

flying. Nevertheless, the press flocked

to the Potomac River where the great

demonstration was to take place and

camped there for two weeks. The air-

plane was to be launched from a

houseboat. The press watched day

and night ready to report the least

sign of activity. Reporters nicknamed

the man-carrying aircraft ‘‘The

Buzzard.”

Two experiments were made, but

each time the plane snagged on the

launching apparatus and plunged into

the water. On the second attempt

(nine days before the Wright Brothers '

historic flight at Kitty Hawk) while

Langley was looking into the condi-

tion of Mr. Manley, the crew of a tug-

Perched atop a 50-foot tower on Lion-Tiger

Hill, the Secretary of the Smithsonian, Pro-

fessor Samuel Pierpoint Langley, studied

soaring vultures in 1902 for clues to manned

flight.

boat grappled the frail framework

from the water and in so doing des-

troyed it. Thus ended that chapter in

Langley’s otherwise successful career.

Public ridicule prevented Langley

from getting further financial aid.

Alexander Graham Bell observed,

‘There can be little doubt that the

unjust treatment to which he was

exposed contributed materially to the

production of the illness that caused

his death.” Two days before his death,

Langley received a communication

from the newly formed Aero Club of

America recognizing and apprecia-

ting his efforts to promote mechanical

flight.

Anyone who watches the vultures

soaring gracefully over the Zoo, can

easily see why these birds fascinated

this pioneer of powered flight.

by Billie Hamlet

Public Information Officer

When the morning sun warms the air, the

Zoo’s vultures leave their tree roosts and

ride uplifting thermals to begin a day of

soaring vigil for food.

Bear Exhibits Begin

A yellow bulldozer rumbled up the

wooded hillside ripping chunks out

of the hard ground on January 26,

1976. Construction for the Zoo’s

new Bear Exhibits had begun.

When the two million dollar, year-

long project is completed, zoo-

goers will be able to enjoy the

antics of several species of bears in

spacious enclosures designed to

simulate as much as possible the

animal’s natural environment.

Conforming in general to the Zoo’s

Master Plan, there will be new polar

and grizzly bear exhibits, new en-

closures for one or two species of

smaller bears, and ultimately the

renovation of existing bear dens for

exhibit of three more species .

The grizzly bear area will be open

and separated from the viewer by

dry moats 12 feet across and 12 feet

deep. The exhibits will have natural

ground cover with rocks and logs.

All visible enclosures will resemble

natural rock formations. Under-

ground and out of sight will be six

dens, a holding area, and food

preparation room. The grizzly

enclosure itself will be nearly 100

feet long and 70 feet from front to

back. An adjacent smaller bear ex-

In 1977, the Zoo’s polar bears will move into a new and dramatic exhibit area now being built below the present bear cages. The two-million-dollar home

will feature a simulated Arctic environment, heated cubbing dens, and a series of underwater windows so visitors can watch the bears frolicking in their

private swimming pools.

hibit will be 50 by 50 feet-

The polar bears will have three

semi-circular enclosures -- a large

center area 90 feet by 100 feet

flanked by two smaller areas for

female and cub use. The area

above and behind the bears will be

heavily landscaped with black pine,

beech, and flowering dogwood

trees. The exhibit floor will

simulate the ice and snow masses

typical of the polar regions. Half of

the exhibit will be water pools

sloping gently from the shore line

to a deep pool moat along a

visitors’ walk. The 300,000 gallons

of water will be continually filtered

and recirculated.

Underwater viewing through seven

windows, each 6 feet high and 5

feet wide, will allow visitors to enjoy

close-up the remarkable swimming

skills of the polar bear. Two of the

seven underground den rooms will

have specially designed cubbing

areas to provide privacy, isolation,

and quiet believed to be essential

for polar bear births. The cubbing

dens will have heat in the floor.

Zoorillas on View

A recently acquired pair of zorillas

has been placed on exhibit in the

Small Mammal House. The zorilla is

an African mammal that belongs to

the same family as the North Ameri-

can skunks and badgers. It looks like a

skunk, being black with four length-

wise white stripes on its back. And

Bright-eyed and curious, one of the Zoo’s two zorillas peers out of his log shelter in the Small

Mammal House. Like its look-alike skunk cousin in America, these African mammals also have

potent scent glands to ward off intruders.

like a skunk, it has potent anal scent

glands. In South Africa, the species is

known by the Afrikaans name ‘‘stink-

muishond” or “stink-mouse-hound,”

referring to the zorilla’s rodent diet.

Besides rodents, the zorilla eats

insects and small reptiles such as

snakes. Zorillas are found in a great

variety of habitats throughout sub-

Saharan Africa. They are solitary and

mainly nocturnal, spending the day

in rock crevices or underground.

Scientists believe skunks and zorillas

have evolved their striking color pat-

terns as a form of “warning colora-

tion.” In other words, it is advan-

tageous for an animal armed with an

offensive scent to be easily seen and

recognized by others. Thus others will

quickly learn to avoid it.

by Austin Hughes

New Shrews at Zoo

One of the least seen of all matnmals

can now be viewed at the Zoo. A

long-eared elephant shrew is now on

exhibit in the Small Mammal House.

Elephant shrews belong to the order

Insectivora and have roamed the

earth for some 60 million years. The

order of mammals to which man

belongs, the Primates, almost cer-

tainly evolved directly from the insec-

tivores about 30 million years ago.

Although this ancient order is widely

distributed and some are quite com-

mon, few are ever seen by man. In

North America, the best known insec-

tivores are moles and shrews.

The name “elephant shrew” is appro-

priate: they are larger than typical

shrews and their snouts are elongated.

The long snout is somewhat movable,

and the nostrils are located at the end

like an elephant’s trunk. Unlike most

insectivores, it is diurnal. Travelers in

East Africa frequently see long-eared

elephant shrews scampering about in

rocky areas.

Typical of many mammals, _ this

species is solitary and territorial. Long-

eared elephant shrews, however, live

in small colonies that share a burrow

system and have a common excre-

ment area. As the name of the order

indicates, they feed mainly on insects,

especially ants and termites.

by Austin Hughes

Reptile House Features

New Animals, Exhibits

Recent developments in the Reptile

House include innovative exhibits,

new animals, and an unusual study.

An eerie red glow lights the home of

the parachute geckos (Ptychozoon

lionatum). The new lighting is

designed to better exhibit these secre-

tive, nocturnal lizards. By reversing

the day-night cycle, the animals

become more active in the day. This is

accomplished by exposing them to

weak red or blue illumination (which

most nocturnal animals cannot see)

during the day, and using strong,

“daylike” illumination at night. Even-

tually all of the geckos and a few

snakes will be similarly exhibited.

New additions are two species of the

southeast Asian pit viper genus Tri-

meresurus. Both are relatively arbor-

eal snakes from quite humid habitats.

Other new reptiles on exhibit include

African leopard tortoises (Geoche-

lone pardalis), puff adders (Bitis arie-

tans), anda large Mexican beaded

lizard (Heloderma horridum).

Opposite the tree kangaroo enclosure

is an intriguing group of Africa

clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis). The

“claws ” on the three inner toes of the

hind feet are probably used to dig

food out of the muddy bottoms of

ponds where they live. The greatly

elongated digits of the front feet are

used to sweep food into the mouth

instead of the usual frog technique of

snapping up food with a sticky, ex-

tended tongue.

Elsewhere in the Reptile House, the

courtship of the South American red-

footed tortoise (Geochelone carbo

naria) is being studied. Head-bobbing

visual displays are well known _ in

these tortoises, but reptile keeper

Brenda Hall is intrigued by strange,

chuckling sounds made during court-

ship and mating. Tracing the sounds

to the red-footed tortoises and obser-

ving the males calling as they pursued

and mated with the females, Brenda is

now tape recording the calls. The

phenomenon has been reported only

incidentally in zoological literature

and the function of the vocalizations

is unclear.

Taping tortoises is part of a special study being

conducted in the Reptile House by keeper

Brenda Hall. Brenda hopes to discover why the

Zoo’s red-footed tortoises of South America

emit strange, chuckling sounds during courtship

and mating.

LOOWW?

KEY TO THE MAP

Soft Drinks

Gift Shop

Police Station— First Aid

Trackless Train Stop

Restrooms

Restaurant

Amphitheater

Telephone

Parking Lot

Bus Parking Lot

Under Construction

WE $- )BORHOS

Deer

African Animals

Kangaroos

Deer & Antelope

Delicate-Hoofed Stock

Giant Pandas

Great Flight Cage

Bird House

Birds

10 Elephant House

11 Black Rhinoceros Yard

12 Small Mammals— Great Ape House

13 Lesser Pandas

14 Prairie Dogs

15 Mammals

16 Sea Lions & Cheetahs

17 Bears

18 Gift Shop

19 Reptile House

20 Monkey House

21 Siamang Gibbon— Jaguars

22 Police—First Aid

23 Restaurant

24 Lion-Tiger Hill

25 Waterfowl Ponds

26 Administration Building

27 Hospital and Research Building

OOnN DO BWNH

Zoo Is a place where people

A and wild animals come together.

Keepers take care of the animals. The

zoo education staff, police, and con-

cessionaires take care of the people.

But, who takes care of the place?

The National Zoo spreads over 167

acres with fifteen major buildings,

600 animal enclosures, three miles of

roads, nine miles of walkways, ten

miles of fence, 90 pieces of motorized

equipment, hundreds of utility lines,

light switches, water fountains, trash

cans, and door knobs. Not to mention

2400 animals and four million visitors

a year who depend on such facilities.

Around the clock maintenance is vital

for the health and welfare of animals

and people.

The largest staff unit of the National

Zoo is the least recognized by the

visitor. The 125 employees in the

Office of Facilities Management

(OFM) comprise nearly half of the

Zoo’s entire work force.

A large zoo, like a small city, depends

on a sizeable group of skilled crafts-

men. Carpenters, pipefitters, elec-

tricians, sheetmetal workers, welders,

masons, painters, and operating engi-

neers comprise the maintenance

unit. Most of their work is typical of

what would be required in any large

building complex. The same carpen-

try skills needed to build a cabinet are

required to build a rhino’s shipping

crate. But on occasions Zoo work can

Previous page: A fraction of the 90 vehicles and

125 employees needed for zoo upkeep prepare

for another day’s work.

be unique. Recently, an electrician

working near a jaguar cage saw one

of the spotted cubs escape. Unper-

turbed, he quickly took chase, ran

the animal down, seized it by the

scruff of the neck and carried the five-

pound cub back to its mom. Then,

he calmly returned to his repair job.

In the old Lion House, one tiger was in

the habit of tearing loose the sheet

metal covering from the wooden sides

of her cage. She kept the carpenters

busy. At the Elephant House one eve-

ning, an Indian elephant stretched her

trunk between the bars, grasped the

end of a hose, and yanked a water

pipe through the wall. When the night

engineer arrived, he found an ele-

phant enjoying the spray of water

from the broken pipe while the build-

ing flooded. He scolded the 6,000

pound animal, took the hose and pipe

away, located the valve and shut

off the water.

Another elephant found his way over

a railing and into the eight-foot moat.

Haif the zoo staff gathered to deter-

mine how to move a frightened behe-

Designing and building shipping crates strong enough to hold a 6,000-pound rhino require the

skills of a trained carpenter backed-up by a fully-equipped shop.

Riding high in a “cherry picker” over a herd of wildebeest, the Zoo’s tree trimmer can quickly and easily prune off dead branches. The “cherry picker,” or

truck with motorized crane, is just one of dozens of expensive, intricate machines used to maintain the 167 wooded acres, 15 buildings, 600 animal enclo-

sures, and 12 miles of roads and walks at the National Zoo.

moth back where he belonged. The

solution: welders cut through and

took down the three-inch thick bars

that the animal'had fallen over; the

service unit brought two truck loads

of dirt to the scene and dumped them

into the moat to build a ramp; anda

keeper walked the animal up and out.

Many years ago a pipefitter was

called to the Reptile House to open a

drain where a black rat snake had es-

caped. When he opened the drain,

out came a cobra ready for action!

The relieved keepers quickly subdued

the snake, but the pipefitter, now

retired, allegedly never responded to

another call from the Reptile House.

The grounds unit maintains the Zoo’s

landscaped and wooded areas and

controls pests. The unit is composed

of gardeners, tree workers, and ex-

terminators. The gardeners must feel

like everyday is Saturday! They plant

bulbs, weed flower beds, prune

shrubs, mow lawns, rake leaves,

spread fertilizer, and battle crab grass

throughout all 167 acres. And how

would you like to have four million

people tramp through your tulip bed

every year!

In places like the indoor flight area of

the Bird House, gardeners need

special expertise to nurture exotic

tropical plants. Exterminators from

the grounds unit continually cope

with the insect, rodent, and bird pests

who enjoy the Zoo’s hospitality as

much as the registered guests. It’s a

tough job. Only pesticides and physi-

cal methods of control that pose no

threat to the animals can be used.

Tree workers, who sometimes can be

spotted 60 feet up a tall poplar,

are skillful enough climbers to shame

a spider monkey. They feed and

prune healthy trees and remove dead

or dying ones for public safety and

appearance. Occasionally, they are

called on to take a net, don climbing

spikes, and swing from tree to tree by

ropes to capture a tree kangaroo or

other escapee.

The transportation unit is an engine

buff’s dream. The Zoo’s 90 vehicles

run the gamut from police cars,

pick-up trucks, vans, and motor

scooters to forklifts, tractors, motor-

cycles, cherry picker, front-end

loader, streetsweeper, and trucksize

vacuum cleaner. They also run the

gamut in price, from $600 for a honda

motorcycle to $35,000 for a vac-all

truck. Three mechanics are needed

Fan letters for the pandas and Smokey Bear

along with hundreds of packages, mail, and

memos to and from zoo staffers keep one

mailman scootering around the park all day .

full-time to keep the half-a-million

dollars worth of vehicles repaired and

running at peak efficiency. Drivers de-

liver zoo supplies, and carry inter-

office and Smithsonian mail, and

supply the Front Royal, Virginia

Research and Conservation Center 75

miles away. Sometimes ‘zoo sup-

plies” are 14 feet tall and weigh

1100 pounds! Like the year-old giraffe

that recently was driven by truck to

the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston.

Laborers, custodians, and heavy

equipment operators make up the

service unit. Laborers provide the

Zoo's muscle for heavy moving and

loading, digging ditches, removing

trash, and setting up special equip-

ment. Emergency crews remove

snow, clean up after storms and

cope with Rock Creek floods. The

custodial staff cleans public areas ana

zoo offices. Twenty-five thousand

people may track mud across their

floor in one day, so it takes a special

kind of person to keep the zoo look-

ing presentable. Front-end loaders,

back hoes, streetsweepers, heavy

trucks, and a vac-all are used by the

equipment operators to cope with the

Zoo’s big jobs like regrading an out-

door exhibit after animal and weather

erosion have “rearranged” it.

The vac-all is a jumbo vacuum

cleaner so large that it must be

mounted on a 12-ton truck. It makes

An elephant-size vacuum cleaner or vac-all

makes daily rounds to. suck up manure, dis-

carded bedding from large animal enclosures,

and bottom muck from the waterfowl ponds.

tense

daily rounds to pick up manure and

discarded bedding from the large

mammal enclosures. It also comes in

handy for sucking up leaves and

muck from the bottom of the water-

fowl ponds.

The Property and Procurement Unit

purchases the wide variety of equip-

ment and supplies used at the Zoo.

Articles range from penny pencils to

electron microscopes worth thous-

ands of dollars. Consumable articles,

like office supplies are stored in a

warehouse and distributed to zoo

areas as requested. Permanent equip-

ment is assigned an inventory number.

Once a year a computerized inven-

tory system helps supply technicians

check on the whereabouts of each

piece of equipment. When an article

is no longer needed or becomes worn

out, it is disposed of by the Property

and Procurement Unit through GSA.

Efficient procedures and competent

administrative staff are essential to

keep such a large operation running

smoothly. Key to it all is the work

order system. For large jobs, such as

the installation of new equipment or

rewiring a building, the person reques-

ting the job describes it on a work

order form. An estimator prepares a

proposal based on several factors in-

cluding: materials, time, labor, out-

side help, and most importantly cost.

Three electricians use an electric hacksaw to cut conduit for a wiring job in the zoo. Many of the zoo’s workers use the radial arm

drill press, pipe threader and electric hacksaw in this area of the shop. |

The work is planned between the esti-

mator and the requestor and finally

scheduled. When the job is minor,

OFM uses a work authorization ticket.

For instance, if the electricity fails in

one of the animal houses, a zoo

worker in the area telephones OFM

directly. An electrician is dispatched

by the foreman to check and repair

the circuits.

Utility bills can cause headaches at

the Zoo too. Like every homeowner,

OFM must cope with rising costs.

During fall and winter the gas bill may

be $12,000 a month. Electricity is

another $8,000. The year’s utility bill

may run a quarter-of-a-million dollars!

Taking care of the place—the Zoo—

is obviously a demanding, complex,

and around-the-clock operation. And

like a giant resort hotel, residents

and visitors alike can only be well

cared for if the behind-the-scenes

machinery is running smoothly. The

National Zoo is fortunate in having

people and equipment working hard

doing just that.

by Michael Morgan

Public Information Assistant

Sixteen-foot tall sidewalk superintendents

keep a careful eye on a Zoo welder as bars are

replaced in the giraffe enclosure at the Elephant

House.

BOOKNE\W\S

The Year of the

Polar Bear

Thomas J. Koch, Bobbs-Merril]

Company, New York, 1975, 150 pages;

12 photographs, $8.95

“It is the beginning of December.

The mother delivers herself of a tiny

male cub. She gently but firmly

nudges him from the fetal sleep that

has been his existence for eight

months. The warmth and protection

of the womb are no longer his, and he

feels the cold. Only a hundred miles

from the Arctic Circle, he shivers

convulsively .. .”

So begins scientist-author Thomas

Koch's The Year of the Polar Bear.

Month by month, Koch details the

first year in the life of this fascinating

Arctic mammal. It is one of nature’s

ironies that although born in the most

inhospitable and coldest of regions,

polar bears are born blind, nearly

naked, and weigh less than a pound.

During the first weeks, the mother

must keep her infant close to her

body for warmth. If a cub drops to the

ice floor of the den, it will freeze to

death in minutes.

Alternately feeding and sleeping,

the cubs will remain in the den four

months. Then they emerge in spring

to forage for food. But the cubs will

remain dependent on their mother

for a year and a half.

While the cubs remain in the den

throughout the winter, the adult

males are outside hunting for food.

They travel great distances on the

ice —so far in fact that the hair wears

off the soles of their feet—in search

of seals. Adults rarely live commu-

nally. The male stays with the female

only during the mating season. For

most of their adult lives, polar bears

are solitary nomads.

The polar bear has special sub-zero

protection. Three-inch thick blubber

protects the rump, an area often in

contact with ice and snow. Long

guard hairs in the fur trap air for insu-

lation. A dense inner layer of hair is

so thick it is waterproof. In short

bursts, polar bears can run 25 miles

per hour. Three-inch long teeth are

well-suited for the killing and eating

of their main prey — seals. One polar

bear was credited with biting a

half-inch thick iron spear in two!

Polar bears will not attack humans

unless they feel:threatened, but as

Koch observes, ‘“Man’s influence over

the years has caused a marked be-

havioral change .. . the bears are shy

and easily frightened, due to numer-

ous encounters with explorers,

whalers, and hunters.”

According to Koch, the estimated

5,000-20,000 polar bears alive today

are a marked decline due to pressures

of hunting and a receding polar ice

Cap.

In addition to the narrative account of

the first year in the life of a polar

bear, author Koch provides a sum-

mary history of Thalarctos maritimus;

anecdotes of eskimo encounters with

giant “Nanooks” and reports on new

discoveries in bear research. Color

and black-and-white photos show the

bears hunting, swimming, and romp-

ing in their natural habitat.

The Year of the Polar Bear is a com-

pelling account of a fascinating ani-

mal, and a moving plea for its pro-

tection.

by Sallie Ann Robbins

If you lived in a house where all the windows

faced south and you saw a bear, what color

would it be? White, of course, since only polar

bears roam the North Pole where all windows

would face south! Unique in other ways, the

great white bears are the tallest of all—nine

feet—and exceptionally clever hunters. They

use ice floes as rafts to hunt their favorite

food—seals—and will cover their black noses

with a paw or snow so that sharp-eyed seals

won't spot their approach. Tragically, this fasci-

nating Arctic mammal faces extinction because

of the pressures of hunting and a changing

habitat.

FONZ Pians Safari

fo European Zoos

A one-of-a-kind tour of European

zoos with special tours and hospital-

ity is offered to members of Friends

of the National Zoo. In the fall of

‘76, thirty FONZ members will tour

seven of Europe’s best zoos. In addi-

tion, they will have at least one day

of leisure in six major cities.

The European zoo offers delights and

exhibits not often seen in the United

States. Most are magnificently land-

scaped with abundant flowers and

up-to-date exhibitry. They are parks

in the true tradition, providing edu-

cational entertainment for all ages.

The trip is scheduled for September 9

thru September 28, 1976, when the

weather should be ideal. The cost of

$1300 ($1400 for non-members) in-

cludes: all transportation, first class

accommodations (double occu-

pancy), breakfasts, and admissions.

Child’s rate (12 years and under) is

$925; single occupancy runs $100-

$150 additional. A staff member

from each zoo will conduct a guided

tour. Two FONZ officials will escort

Exotic animals, flower-filled vistas, and historic architecture combine to make the Cologne Zoo—like many in Europe—charmingly different

from most American zoos. Special tours of seven of Europe’s finest zoological gardens in five countries highlight a FONZ member tour in

September, 1976.

the group, and serve as liaison.

English-speaking guides will be avail-

able for the group in each city.

Itinerary

September 9— Depart Dulles Airport

via scheduled economy flight on

747 jet.

September 10— Arrive LONDON

with accommodations at cen-

trally-located Brittania Hotel.

September 11-14—LONDON: One

day each at the London and

Whipsnade Zoos operated by the

London Zoological Society. Two

days for optional side trips, shop-

ping and sightseeing.

London Zoo is located in Regent’s

Park and exhibits over 6,000 ani-

mals. The zoo includes one of the

largest collections of small mam-

mals, a Moonlight World, Tropi-

cal Bird House with a humming-

bird exhibit, a children’s zoo, and

camel ride, aquarium, a modern

ape and monkey exhibit, Insect

House, Snowdon Aviary and

Pheasantries, and two giant pan-

das. Whipsnade Zoo is the

Society’s breeding farm. The ex-

hibits include a dolphin show,

Bennett’s wallabies, wolves and

cape hunting dogs, breeding polar

bears and cheetahs, okapi, yaks,

sitatunga, and musk ox.

September 15—LONDON/ANT-

WERP by air in the morning, after-

noon free.

September 16— Antwerp Zoo is the

cultural center of the city. It em-

braces a botanical garden, Plane-

tarium, Natural History Museum,

newly renovated Monkey House,

new Reptile House and Nocturama.

September 17 —ANTWERP/

COLOGNE by motorcoach or

train.

September 18-19—COLOGNE: One

day for the Cologne Zoo along the

Rhine River and one day to enjoy

the city and its great gothic cathe-

dral. The Cologne Zoo is famous

for primates, a Lemur House, a

new aquarium, a large group of

polar bears, penguins, proboscis

monkeys, and a breeding flamingo

colony.

September 20— Cruise down the

castle-rimmed Rhine River with a

stop in Rudescheim to enjoy one

of Germany’s finest winemaking

areas; overnight in Frankfurt.

September 21-22— FRANKFURT:

One day for the Frankfurt Zoo and

one day at leisure. The Frankfurt

Zoo, mostly rebuilt since the war,

features an Exotarium (aquarium-

reptiles-crocodile jungle-insects),

a large collection of lower pri-

mates, breeding okapi, ant bears

and elephant seals. Visitors love

the hedge maze!

September 23 —FRANKFURT/BASLE

September 24-25—BASLE: A day for

the zoo and a day to enjoy the:

beautiful city or countryside. The

“barless’” zoo boasts a modern

primate house, birds-of-prey

aviary, new carnivore house, pen-

guins, elephant rides and perfor-

mances.

September 26—BASLE/PARIS; rest

of the day to enjoy Paris.

September 27-28— PARIS: A day for

the zoo in Vincennes and a full

day of leisure. Stars at the historic

Paris menagerie include a giant

panda, colorful chimps, and

dozens of bears.

Optional side trips (not included in

the basic cost) will be available for

either groups or individuals.

Interested members should call

232-7700 for questions. A one hun-

dred dollar deposit by May 15, 1976,

is required to reserve a space; until

that date all non-members will be

placed on a waiting list, first-come-

first-served. For cancellations after

June 15, $20 will be forfeited. All

fees must be paid by August 9. A

current passport is required; luggage

is limited to 44 pounds per person.