volume 6, Number 2

March/ April 1977

contents

3 Zoo Freeloaders

Il ZooNews

19 BookNews

21 FONZNews

Front Cover: The Siamang gibbons made his-

tory by producing the first Siamang baby

ever born at the National Zoo.

Back Cover: Cheeks bulging with nuts and

seeds, a chipmunk carries Zoo food to its

underground burrow.

Design-Production:

Monica Johansen Morgan

Copy Editor:

Mary Massey

Photographs on Front Cover, pp. 4, 11, 12, &

13 by Francie Schroeder; pp. 3,5, 6, 8, & 9

Courtesy of Bureau of Sport Fisheries and

Wildlife—p. 3 by Peter J). VanHuizen, p. 5

by W.P. Taylor, p. 6 by Frank M. Blake, p. 8

by Allen M. Pearson, & p. 9 by V.B. Scheffer;

p. 7 Courtesy of Department of Interior,

National Park Service by Jack Boucher; pp.

14, 15, 16, 17, & 18 by Sabin Robbins; p. 20

by Jan Skrentny; p. 24 by Lang Elliot.

Friends

of

the

National

is anon-profit organization of individuals and

families who are interested in supporting Zoo

education, research, and conservation.

FONZ Board of Directors 1976-77

Stephen T. Hosmer, President

John S. Brown, First Vice President

Nancy Porter, Second Vice President

M Anthony Gould, Treasurer

Victor Delano, Secretary

Cecil McLelland

Lavell Merritt

Robert Nelson

Peter C. Andrews

Theodore Babbitt

Edward Boehm

Montgomery S. Bradley John B. Oliver

Timothy V.A. Dillon Whayne Quin

Ronald Field E.F. Rivinus

Donna K. Grosvenor Lee Talbot

Julie P. Hubbard Sally Tongren

Nella Manes

FONZ Staff

Sabin Robbins, Executive Director

Dennis Baker, Associate Director

Office Heads

Susan Trencher, Volunteer & Educational

Services

Monica Morgan, Membership & Publications

Michael Gill, Food Services

Claire Farnsworth, Merchandising

Renee Caldwell, Trains & Parking

Norma Gay, Accountant

As a 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 educa-

tional.

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

Mr. Samuel Middleton, Police & Safety

Praeloaders

Zoo Freeloaders

by Lang Elliot

a toueacce of Zoo visitors come

by air or on foot, never pay for

lunch, and stay long after the

gates are closed. These “free-

loaders” are the local wild ani-

mals that find food and shelter

within the Zoo’s 167 wooded

acres. They include muskrats,

fox, flying squirrels, black-

crowned night herons, and at

least a half-dozen species of mi-

eratory waterfowl.

During the winter months, hun-

dreds of wild mallards, black

ducks, wood ducks, widgeons,

gadwalls, and green-winged teal

descend on the duck ponds dur-

ing the day to join the flightless

residents in tapping the abun-

dance of Zoo-provided food.

Since the ponds are kept from

icing over during harsh winter

cold spells, they provide a valu-

able patch of open water when

other ponds and streams are

frozen solid.

Migratory ducks, however, are

not the only feathered visitors at

the Zoo. A colony of wild black-

crowned night herons has made

itself at home in two large sil-

very-gray beech trees appropri-

ately atop Bird House Hill. Dur-

ing the winter, when the herons

have moved on to the warm

south, abandoned nests of twigs

and limbs can be seen scattered

through the branches. In early

spring, the herons return to the

Zoo. The males arrive first, fol-

lowed a week or two later by the

females. After elaborate court-

ship rituals, pairing and mating

occur, new nests are constructed,

and broods are raised. One might

wonder why such a beautiful and

exotic wild creature, which is

usually quite timid in its dealings

with man, would choose to main-

tain a colony in a city setting.

The answer is easy: the herons

thrive on smelt and other foods

Previous Page: After about two months in its

mother’s pouch, the young opossum begins

to explore the outside world. At one year,

opossums can breed.

Aggressive pigeons and_ starlings often

monopolize the outdoor feeding stations at

the Zoo.

thrown to waterfowl in the Zoo’s

open ponds.

Another feathered wild resident,

the black vulture, roosts year-

round in trees behind the Bird

House. During the day the vul-

tures soar at high altitudes up

and down Rock Creek in search

of carrion on the ground. They

maintain their ties with the Zoo,

however, because they can sup-

plement their hard-earned meals

by stealing meat or fish fed to

Zoo animals.

Other less conspicuous birds oc-

cupy the Zoo woodlots. Several

species of woodpeckers, inclu-

ding the red-bellied, hairy,

downy, and the impressive pile-

ated, search the bark of towering

trees for insects. During winter

and spring, these species pair and

mate, communicating the boun-

daries of their breeding territories

by drumming their bills in rapid

bursts against resonant dead

limbs. A variety of songbirds (in-

cluding chickadees, nuthatches,

titmice, cardinals, Carolina

wrens, mockingbirds, and song

sparrows) spend the entire year

in the Zoo woodlots. Springtime

marks the advent of breeding

season, as males sing their melo-

dic species-specific songs to

mark territories and attract

mates. Still other songbirds

(thrushes, thrashers, grackles,

and warblers) join in the singing

as they arrive to spend their sum-

mers on Zoo property.

Several species of songbirds have

entered the outdoor flight cage

at the Bird House through the

wire mesh. The cage supports a

large population of self-

introduced brown-headed cow-

birds, house sparrows, starlings,

and occasionally red-winged

blackbirds and Carolina wrens.

Many come and go as _ they

please, but some of the larger

birds probably forget the loca-

tion of the single hole big enough

to allow escape. Such individuals

may spend their lives there par-

taking of the free food, shelter,

and company.

Nature’s glider, the eastern flying squirrel is rarely seen by zoogoers since it sleeps during

the day in tree hollows and glides at night from tree to tree searching for seeds and nuts.

Another interesting bird roams

Rock Creek, using the Zoo as an

addition to its normal home

range. During the summer, listen

for the rattle of the kingfisher.

This fish-eating bird flies up and

down Rock Creek, stopping off

at Zoo ponds to search for left-

over fish fed to exhibit animals.

The Zoo also has its share of

free-living furred creatures. The

eastern chipmunk is common out

of doors, but disappears into its

underground burrow during the

colder months. Feeding mainly

on beechnuts and acorns fallen

from trees in the park, it supple-

ments its diet with food tossed

by Zoo visitors. The chipmunk is

often seen filling its internal

cheek pouches with food that is

later transported into special

storage chambers in the burrow.

The chipmunk is not a true hiber-

nator since it does not put on

layers of fat before winter. Al-

though it may sometimes be in a

metabolic torpor during its win-

ter stay in the burrow, it must

“wake up” periodically to eat

some of its burrow hoard.

Adult chipmunks are socially in-

tolerant of one another, and all

Peering from its tree cavity nest, the rac-

coon is a frequent Zoo visitor who some-

times tries to raid the cages for small animals

and birds.

individuals inhabit separate bur-

row systems. Male and female

alike aggressively defend the

area around their burrows from

intrusions by neighbors. Aggres-

sive chases are also common

near food sources. Zoogoers

often misinterpret such chases as

“frolick” or “play.” Breeding

usually occurs in early spring.

Males converge upon the

female’s home range to compete

for mating rights during her day

of estrus. The female gives birth

to four or five young in her bur-

row and raises them alone. At

around 40 days of age, the little

ones emerge and within two

weeks disband to search for

vacant burrows, thereafter be-

coming aggressive like adults.

Gray squirrels also abound on

Zoo property. Like the chip-

munk, grays are active during the

day gathering seeds and nuts and

collecting handouts. Unlike chip-

Possum-back riding is popular with babies who may number 20 in one litter! At the Zoo, opossums love the persimmon tree next to the

Monkey House for its summer crop of sweet fruit.

Named for musk glands in the groin, muskrats live along the Zoo’s Rock Creek border and

are sometimes seen swimming during the day. They search the banks for plants, fish, and

sometimes small animals.

munks, grays bury food in the

soil and under leaves for later

use. Gray squirrels remain active

all winter, and their numerous

“diggings” in the snow are tell-

tale signs of their reliance on

buried food during the colder

months. Gray squirrels are more

sociable than chipmunks and are

commonly observed foraging in

groups. They mate during mid-

winter and again in mid-summer.

The female raises two to five

youngsters by herself, and the

young stay with her until she has

her next litter. Gray squirrels

spend their nights asleep in leaf

nests or hollows high in the trees.

Black squirrels are seen occas-

ionally in the Zoo. These mela-

nistic gray squirrels are descen-

dents of ten blacks imported

from Canada in 1906 and turned

loose in the Zoo.

Another wild squirrel, the noc-

turnal eastern’ flying squirrel,

spends its days sleeping in aban-

doned woodpecker holes and

other tree hollows in the Zoo.

Feeding at night on seeds and

nuts, it glides from tree to tree

with the aid of a fold of skin

(patagium) that extends from

wrists to knees. Since it sleeps

during the day, its presence is

rarely detected by Zoo visitors.

Flying squirrels are somewhat

sociable and tend to cluster to-

gether in favored nest cavities

during the winter to conserve

heat. They are not true hiber-

nators but may become torpid

during severe cold spells. Flying

squirrels subsist during the winter

on food hoarded in tree cavities

during the autumn.

The Zoo is also visited by opos-

sums that live along Rock Creek.

The opossum, North America’s

Facing Page: The only fox that climbs trees,

the gray fox occasionally stalks the Zoo at

night in search of rabbits, mice, and birds.

only marsupial mammal, is noc-

turnal and feeds on a _ wide

variety of animals and _ plants.

When the persimmon tree in

front of the Monkey House drops

its sweet, ripe fruit in late sum-

mer and early fall, opossums

come at night to claim their

share. Opossums breed from late

winter through summer, and

young are born after only 13 days

gestation. The naked and grub-

like youngsters then spend 4-5

weeks in their mother’s pouch

before making their first explora-

tions into the outside world. Dur-

ing the day, opossums take

shelter in tree cavities, under

buildings, or in brush piles.

Raccoons frequently visit Zoo

property after hours. This

masked marauder leaves its tree

cavity nest at dusk to search for

small animals, nuts, or fruit. The

raccoon poses a threat to some

of the smaller caged animals and

pinioned birds in the Zoo. Rac-

coons breed in late winter at

night. They usually mate high in

trees, their amorous activities

accompanied by a loud, raspy,

squeaking vocalization. Rac-

coons are sociable and often

travel in family groups.

Occasionally, gray fox have been

seen. This nocturnal predator has

a large home range, stopping off

at the Zoo during nightly jaunts

10

up and down Rock Creek. Musk-

rats may also cross the Zoo. Pri-

marily an aquatic species, they

will periodically take to land in

search of new waterholes and

extra food. The muskrats living in

Rock Creek nest in burrows in

the banks that they enter at

water level. Muskrats are mostly

vegetarian, but they will some-

times supplement their diet with

small animals. They are most

active at night, but are occa-

sionally seen swimming in the

creek during the day.

Tiny mammals also abound in

Zoo woodlots. Several species of

insectivores, the shrews and

moles, scurry about night and

day in their runways and tunnels

under the leaves or in the

ground. These tiny furbearers

have voracious appetites and

high metabolic rates, but their

somewhat frantic activities under

the leaves usually escape -our

notice. When the ground is cov-

ered with snow, shrews make

abundant snow burrows. When

the snow melts, silt deposits re-

main as crisscrossing mounds,

signs of the shrew’s winter activi-

ties. These shrew mounds look

similar to the mounds left by bur-

rowing moles, except that mole

mounds are bigger and are

formed when tunneling just

underground pushes the earth up

on the surface.

Bats of several species also visit

the Zoo on summer nights. Most

species migrate in the fall and

spend their winters torpid in

caves. During the summer, they

take up daytime quarters in attics

or tree hollows, feeding aerially

on insects only during the darker

hours. Feeding bats congregate

around outdoor lights in the Zoo

because the bright light attracts

moths and other insects. Some

moths have special ears that de-

tect approaching bats. If a bat

gets too close, the moths go limp

and dive-bomb to safety.

Obviously, a great variety of wild

visitors come to the Zoo. Zoo-

goers on their way between the

pandas and white tigers should

stop for a moment to consider

and enjoy this astounding abun-

dance of local wildlife living right

beneath (or above) their noses!

ibaa pp

j

pec

een

ian

Ge

OOOO etches

Siamang Birth First

at National Zoo

By Dr. Dale Marcellini

Research Curator

.

.

.

.

<

.

The Zoo’s pair of Siamang gib-

bons now have something really

special to whoop about. On Feb-

ruary 23 they gave birth to a

healthy baby—the first ever born

at the National Zoo. The _ in-

fant and parents are on exhibit

next to the police station.

Siamang gibbon births have been

quite rare in captivity. Only one

was recorded in all the world’s

zoos between 1959 and 1963.

Since then, births have become

more common, but they are still

important events.

FONZ volunteers have been con-

ducting behavior watches to

monitor the social interactions

between mother, father, and in-

fant. Such data will be valuable

for future Siamang births and

useful to compare with similar

work done on a related species,

the white-cheeked gibbon.

The Zoo’s pair of Siamang gibbons have

something special to hoot about—the rare

birth of a baby in captivity.

i

Happily, the female, Belem, a gift

from the Djakarta Zoo in 1961,

proved to be a model mother. She

carried her baby wherever she

went and lifted it to her breasts

for nursing. The 7-year-old father,

Sam, was also good. For Sia-

mangs, this apparently means

staying out of the way for the first

few days! The father’s involve-

ment has progressed until he is

now touching the infant.

At birth, the infant, believed to be

a male, was covered with short,

black hair. His eyes were open.

The baby developed rapidly. Af-

ter a month, he used his hands

well, reacted to loud noises, and

even sat away from his mother’s

body, although he always held on

to her with hand or foot.

Siamang gibbons (/tylobates syn-

dactylus) are relatives of the great

apes and are native to the rain

forests of the Malay Peninsula.

They live in small family groups

(two to four individuals) and es-

tablish territories which are de-

fended by both males and fe-

males. They feed on fruits, leaves,

and buds gathered high in the for-

est Canopy.

At three months, the Zoo's baby gibbon still

clings tightly to its mother—for security,

nursing, and a free ride.

Two characteristics make gibbons

a favorite Zoo animal. They are

capable of making loud, whoop-

ing calls by inflating a throat sack

like a balloon. The piercing

“whoop-whoop-whoop” calls can

be heard a mile away! Also, gib-

bons have exceptionally long

arms which permit them to per-

form dazzling acrobatic displays

as they swing from one limb or

perch to another. Few animals

have such hand-over-hand_ or

brachiating agility.

So what’s more fun than a barrel

of monkeys? A brand new baby

gibbon, of course!

Zoo Education

Center Opens

By Mike Morgan

Public Information Assistant

The headquarters of the National

Zoo has moved from a cramped

farmhouse built more than 170

years ago to an_ ultra-modern

complex that will serve the Zoo’s

expanded education and admin-

istrative needs. The Education-

Administration Building is the

newest facility in the Zoo’s con-

tinuing modernization program.

Located close to the Connecticut

Avenue entrances, the building’s

46,000 square feet of floor space

includes a 300-seat auditorium

equipped to handle a wide vari-

ety of film and lecture programs,

three classrooms, a large resource

room that will house a library of

“hands-on’”” teaching kits for

youngsters, a book shop, and

public restrooms.

On the second floor of the mod-

ern structure are the Zoo library,

a large meeting room, and

offices for Zoo and FONZ staff.

Like other new structures at the

Zoo, the Education-Administra-

tion Building was designed by

Faulkner, Fryer, and Vanderpool

to minimize visual impact on the

Zoo’s natural setting. A sloping

earth bank has been graded up

to the base of the second floor

windows. The bank has been

heavily planted with native hol-

lies, dogwoods, and English yew.

The public opening is scheduled

for this summer.

Nestled into a wooded hillside near Connecticut Avenue, the Zoo’s new Education-Administration Building provides a large auditorium,

classrooms, and library for expanded public use.

13

Amusement Is Vital

to Zoo Success

Robert Truett |

Director, Birmingham Zoo

Reprinted with permission from a speech

presented at the 1976 American Association

of Zoological Parks and Aquariums Confer-

ence.

Every day people come to the

zoo—some days by the thou-

sands. Why do they come? It’s im-

portant to know because people

are the only reason we have zoos.

They pay the bills—either di-

rectly through admission or in-

directly through taxes.

To discover why people come,

imagine you are at the home of

Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public and

their children. It’s Sunday morn-

ing. The Publics are planning a

trip to the zoo. As we listen, we

don’t hear anything about text-

books or learning concepts of zo-

ology. No one says anything

about endangered species.

Instead there is a holiday mood

as they pack a picnic lunch, load

film into the camera, and put on

their leisure clothes. We learn

that this family is going to the

zoo for a highly immoral reason.

They want to have fun!

The Zoo’s huge stone eagle delights young

visitors who come to Bird House Hill.

These people actually believe the

zoo is a place of amusement.

The dirtiest word in the zoo—

amusement!

Why should we treat amusement

as a dirty word? Why seek only

the more sublime reasons for our

existence? Why should we hang

our heads in shame if someone

mentions the zoo as a place of

amusement? What is so. bad

about amusement?

These days the average person

has lots of time for recreation and

amusement. It is a vital ingredient

for making life pleasant and hap-

py. It is a relief from the hectic ex-

istence of a concrete rat race. It

provides therapy and_ relieves

boredom. The laughter of a child

or the smile of a grandparent are

to be treasured. Research should

never chase the smiles and the

laughter from zoos.

Today, in spite of a puritan tradi-

tion which declares amusement

to be immoral, we have many

kinds of amusement. Most, how-

ever, are designed primarily for a

specific group of people. Most

recreation programs funded by

cities seem to be aimed at physi-

cally active teenage boys. Most

of the movies seem to be made

for dirty old men. Television is

mostly for morons or persons

under 12. Each amusement

seems designed for a particular

age or for only one sex or ethnic

group. Families splinter as each

member goes his or her own way

to pursue his own thing for per-

sonal amusement.

How many places of amusement

can you think of that appeal to

both grandparent and grandchild?

The zoo is such a place. How

many. places can you think of

where the entire family can go to-

gether and every member of the

family can find enjoyment? The

zoo is such a place. How many

places of amusement can you

think of where you learn painless-

ly while having a good time? The

zoo is such a place.

It just doesn’t matter who you

are. Rich or poor, old or young,

black or white, genius or nincom-

poop, women’s libber or male

chauvinist pig, Democrat or Re-

“We learn best what we enjoy” is proven daily at Zoo exhibits such as the waterfowl ponds.

publican, Catholic, Protestant or

Jew, everybody enjoys the zoo.

That is unique and very valuable.

Some people loudly proclaim

that zoos are cruel for the living

creatures housed there. And they

are right! Absolutely! The zoo is

cruel to the creatures that live

there. | know because | live in a

zoo and sometimes it’s cruel to

me. I’Il tell you what else is true.

The typical farmyard is cruel to

the creatures housed in it. If you

want the complete truth, the for-

est is cruel to its inhabitants, the

desert is cruel, the ocean is cruel,

even a Fifth Avenue penthouse is

cruel to the wealthy creatures

that live in it. Life is cruel to

Girl meets giraffe in an encounter that teaches and amuses simultaneously.

every living creature, human or

non-human, sooner or _ later.

Every creature that lives will

sooner or later experience cruelty

and pain. Every one must even-

tually get sick or injured or get

old and die. It’s no different with

Zoo animals. A zoo’s duty to all

its animals is to delay that time

of cruelty as long as possible,

and when it comes, to make it as

easy and brief as possible.

It isn’t necessary to turn educa-

tion into a dose of medicine like

castor oil. It isn’t necessary to

wear the title “conservationist”

with a long and sad face. It isn’t

necessary to display animals in

test tubes to prove the worth of

an institution. Amusement Is a

good, desirable goal for a zoo,

just as necessary as education or

conservation or research.

So, amusement in the zoo should

not be considered a dirty word. It

is a primary function in the zoo.

Good, wholesome _ family-type

amusement belongs right at the

top of our list of zoo purposes

and objectives.

When | was a child in school, |

found it to be very difficult to

learn the names of kings or poli-

ticians. When school was out, |

went out to catch frogs and

snakes and look at birds. | never

had to find out the name of one

of these more than once. Even the

technical names stuck in my mind

forever. This kind of learning was

fun for me. | diligently studied

Spanish for four years in school. It

was drudgery. Although | made

good grades, | actually learned

very little Spanish. Then | went to

Puerto Rico and fell in love with a

very pretty girl who didn’t speak

English. In just a couple of weeks,

| learned more Spanish than any-

one ever learned in school. It was

fun! Today, you can introduce me

to a businessman, and I'll for-

get his name before | finish shak-

ing hands. But introduce me to a

pretty girl, and I’ll never forget

her name. The reason is simple.

We learn best that which we en-

joy. That is why the zoo is or can

be such an effective educational

institution. With just a little ef-

fort, people can learn painlessly

what we might never beat into

their heads in a classroom. They

learn because of amusement.

How about a zoo’s conserva-

tion efforts? If you talk to the av-

erage person on the street about

the cutting of a forest in Sumatra

or the channelization of a stream

in Alabama, you will probably get

a blank stare. “So what!” is the

typical reaction. But let the same

Some 30,000 school children have fun every year while learning about animals on tours

given by FONZ volunteer guides.

sagen

7

Having fun watching exotic animals such as the Indian rhino, often inspires zoogoers to

become conservation activists.

person see a baby orangutan and

laugh at the antics of an otter.

Then explain to him what is hap-

pening in the Sumatran forest or

the Alabama stream. Suddenly,

you have a conservationist con-

tributing money or writing § in-

dignant letters to Congressmen.

Amusement can inspire conser-

vation activism.

How does amusement relate to

research? Behavior studies are

most appropriate in a zoo. A

good behaviorist observes and

makes notes about the animals

while interfering as little as pos-

sible in their normal behavior.

How worthless for a behavior

study is the solitary monkey sit-

ting alone in a cage? Just as

worthless as he is for amusement!

No intelligent person could be

amused by such a pathetic crea-

ture. But display a normal group-

ing of monkeys and you have an

exhibit of amusement value— and

of research value. And who pays

for that research worker or veter-

inary clinic? Directly or indirectly

funds are paid by that person who

visits the zoo for amusement.

In summary, we have reviewed

the high-sounding, sublime, mor-

alistic purposes of a zoo: educa-

tion, conservation, and research.

Each of them goes back to that

dirty word in the closet. None of

these things in the zoo is possible

without amusement! And so we

need to take that dirty word out

of the closet, re-examine it, and

discover that it isn’t as dirty as we

thought. We can and should put

it back into our vocabulary and

use it in polite society. We need

to talk more about amusement,

learn more about amusement,

and emphasize amusement more

to make our patrons happier.

I’m proud of our zoos in this

country. I’m proud to wear

several titles—educator, conser-

vationist, researcher. But when |

see people laughing, enjoying

themselves, having a good time in

my zoo: I’m: proud. to* ‘claim

amusement as my _ profession.

Amusement is a good word. It

should not be treated as the dirt-

iest word in the zoo.

BOOK\\S

Birds & Beasts in Brief

Flamingos; edited by Dr. Janet

Kear and Nicole Duplaix-Hall;

T. and A.D. Poyser Ltd.; $21.50;

246 pp.; illustrated; 1975.

If you love long-legged red birds,

this is the book for you. Based on

papers given at the international

Flamingo Symposium in England

in 1973, this volume covers what

is known about the flamingo,

wild and captive. It is interesting

that a bird which has been ad-

mired and kept in captivity since

ancient times can still pose un-

answered questions, but fla-

mingos live in odd and inaccessi-

ble places, and the study of

animal behavior is still a young

discipline.

The first section covers the

ecology, breeding behavior, and

status of wild flamingos; the

second covers the flamingo in

captivity. The third reports on

the fascinating and elaborate

displays of these very social |

birds. If you have wondered why

flamingo food is red, the final

section explains this, since it

covers captive feeding in depth.

In spite of the specialized nature

of the book, it is readable. The

illustrations are beautiful.

This Broken Archipelago: Cape

Cod and the Islands, Amphibians

and Reptiles by James D. Lazell:

Demeter Press; $12.50; 260 pp;

illustrated; 1976.

Don’t let the title scare you. This

is a readable, entertaining ac-

count by an enthusiastic profes-

sional. It tells not only of the

animals, but of hunting for them.

| had never considered the Cape

a herpetologist’s heaven, but it

is. The chapter on zoogeography

—what lives where and why — is

especially interesting.

The photographs by Martin

Michener are excellent, but |

wish some could have been in

color. They would make the

book more useful as a field

guide.

Sometimes we become so con-

cerned with the fate of the ele-

phant in Africa that we forget

the plight of the salamander in

our back yard. The reader of

this book will not forget.

Waterfowl: Their Biology and

Natural History; by Paul A.

Johnsgard; University of Nebras-

ka Press; $8.95; 138 pp. illus-

trated; 1968.

Though short, this book is

packed with information sure to

fascinate any one interested in

ducks, geese, or swans. Johns-

gard, a leading authority on

waterfowl, also has the rare gift

of selecting and explaining the

essentials to the general reader.

Behavior, classification, plumage,

migration, evolution are all

covered. There is a fine key to

the identification of unfamiliar

waterfowl. Photographs, many

in color, illustrate almost every

species of waterfowl.

The author’s black and white

drawings of courtship displays,

behavior patterns and of some

duck species are beautifully clear

and artistic. A little time with

this book would add appreciably

to the zoogoer’s enjoyment of

the Zoo’s waterfowl collection.

By Sally Tongren

FONZ House Guide

19

ZOOBOOK

National Zoological Park, Smith-

sonian Institution; Photographs by

Jan E. Skrentny; Smithsonian Insti-

tution Press, Washington, D.C.,

1976, 80 pages. Hard cover: $6.50;

Soft Cover: $3.95.

White tigers, pandas, oryx,

crowned cranes, kudus, and

other rare and endangered

species, along with many of the

more familiar zoo animals, fill

the pages of this book about the

‘National Zoo. These beautiful

photographs and a brief text

vividly portray life at the Zoo.

The ZOOBOOK illustrates the

_ fascinating behavior of many of

the National Zoo’s two thousand

permanent residents, whose

drawing power lures several mil-

lion animal watchers annually.

Behind-the-scenes research proj-

ects and maintenance programs

in which hundreds of staff mem-

bers and volunteers helpers are

engaged are pictured, too. These

include the veterinarians making

rounds—a continuous part of

Zoo routine— and the daily culi-

nary preparations, which are

wondrous to behold. Besides the

tons of potatoes, meat, and hay,

there are delicacies for some

A sedated scimitar-horned oryx with a cut and bandaged leg is tended by a keeper. The fas-

cinating behind-the-scenes activities at the National Zoo are described and illustrated in the

new ZOOBOOK.

which add up each year to such

juicy items as 884,000 crickets

and 520,000 maggots! No Zoo

resident goes hungry! Informal

glimpses of many of these events

are shown in beautiful color

photographs taken especially for

this book.

The final section is a pictorial

essay of the animals and research

projects at the Conservation and

Research Center established by

the Zoo on a 3,150-acre tract

in the rolling countryside near

Front Royal, Virginia. Here, long-

range breeding programs for

many rare species are carried on,

with the participation of other

zoos around the world.

Are zoos necessary? In the words

of Smithsonian Secretary S.

Dillon Ripley, who has strong

feelings on the subject: ‘’Zoos

and their breeding park adjuncts

are the last chance that we will

have of seeing a number of wild

animals in the future.” And, in

addition, ‘Zoological gardens

will continue to delight and in-

struct the young and their par-

ents with the fascination of

Noah’s ark.”

ZOOBOOK not only is a “must”

for zoo lovers, but makes a per-

fect gift for animal lovers of all

ages.

FONZNE\S

Special Events

Planned for ZooNights

Touch a tortoise, go behind the

scenes in the Bird House, or take

a sneak preview of the new polar

bear exhibit. These are just a few

of many special events planned

for FONZ members on ZooNight,

scheduled for June 10 and 24,

1977, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Rain dates are one week later,

June 17 and July 1.

Because of limited parking space,

members whose last names begin

with A thru O should try to attend

on June 10. Those with last names

beginning with P thru Z should

come on June 24. Even then,

parking for all inside the Zoo can-

not be guaranteed, so try, if possi-

ble, to come by foot or public

transportation.

ZooNight ’77 will offer more

special activities than ever

before. Certain events have been

designed to give members a rare

insight into the inner workings of

the National Zoo. For instance,

FONZ guides will conduct tours

of the Bird House basement,

which is off limits to the public.

Keepers will explain the workings

of the incubation room, demon-

strate egg candling, and show

how 150 feed trays are prepared

to suit the finnicky diets of some

236 different species of birds.

Zoo staff will also give animal

demonstrations in the Reptile

House, while just outside, FONZ

members will be permitted to

touch giant Galapagos tortoises

inside the exhibit enclosure.

A taped, automatic slide show

will be specially put together to

explain the inner workings of the

new Lion-Tiger Hill complex —

from its fail-safe system of gates

and chutes to its interlocking

series of interior cages. ZOONight

_ visitors may view some of the off-

limits areas in this building.

A demonstration program featur-

ing live birds is planned for the

auditorium of the new Education-

Administration Building.

Members will take sneak-preview

tours of the new polar bear area,

not scheduled to open to the

public until July. They will also

hear designers of the proposed

new Ape House explain its special

features, using a scale model of

the innovative exhibit.

Everything is being planned to

ensure an animal-filled ZooNight:

there will be a late feeding of the

giant pandas; the white tigers and

Atlas lions will be prowling their

moated, terraced hilltop; and all

the residents of the Elephant

House will be exhibited in their

outdoor enclosures.

To please music lovers, caril-

lonneur Frank Delapino will give

an hour’s concert on the 40-foot-

high glockenspiel.

As usual, there will be free beer

and soft drinks and free train

tours throughout the evening.

Gift shops will be open, and hot

and cold food will be available at

several facilities. New snack

treats this year include wine and

cheese baskets and hand-scooped

ice cream and yogurt cones,

sundaes, and sodas.

Cars must enter the Zoo from

Connecticut Avenue. Pedestrians

may enter either at Connecticut

Avenue or Harvard Street. All

should have their FONZ member-

ship cards available.

21

Wildlife Symposium

Set in St. Louis

FONZ members have been in-

vited to participate in the 2nd

Symposium on Endangered

North American Wildlife and

Habitat in St. Louis, Missouri,

June 1-5, 1977.

More than 60 noted speakers

and panelists will participate,

including Marlin Perkins, TV host

of “Wild Kingdom”; Stewart

Udall, former Secretary of the

Interior; FONZ Director Lee Tal-

bot, Assistant to the Director of

the President’s Council on En-

vironmental Quality; Keith

Schreinder, Director of the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service; and

author Cleveland Amory, Presi-

dent of The Fund for Animals.

Missouri Governor Joseph Teas-

dale will give the welcoming

address.

A myriad of subjects from habi-

tat preservation and corporate

involvement to education and

legislation will be covered during

three days of sessions expected

to be attended by nearly 1,000.

In addition to sessions that focus

on what can be done to save

America’s dwindling wildlife

population, there will be a film

festival and special tour of the

Wolf Sanctuary.

22

The action-oriented symposium

is hosted by the Wild Canid Sur-

vival and Research Center, of

which Marlin Perkins is Acting

Director.

Information and advance regis-

tration ($15 per person, tax de-

ductible) for the Symposium may

be obtained by writing the Wild

Canid Survival and Research

Center, Box 16204, St. Louis,

Missouri 63105.

Treasure Hunt Winners

FAMILY TREASURE HUNT,

APRIL 24

Ist Larry Finger Family

2nd Kent Price Family

3rd Shermon Powelson Family

Honorable Mention Goes To:

B.P. Fishburne Family, William

Kenety Family, Romelle Million

Family, Michael Rapport Family,

Delvis Roberts Family, John

Spiegel Family, Pat Taylor Family,

Emmett Turner Family, Peter

Zassenhaus Family.

ADULT TREASURE HUNT,

MAY 15

Ist The Curchacks

2nd The Browns

3rd The Hardys

Be a ZooVolunteer

“What can | do to help the Zoo?”

It’s a question often asked by

FONZ members. Although vol-

unteers can’t feed pandas or

babysit white tigers, they are

needed to help the Zoo carry out

a variety of important programs.

Throughout the year, Zoo offices

— from medical staff to visitor

services — need extra help to

complete special projects. Infor-

mation desks need staffing.

The new Education-Administra-

tion Building, with its expanded

facilities for education and

audio-visual programs, will re-

quire a variety of volunteer help.

And FONZ is always looking for

people with weekdays free to

train as guides.

Volunteer needs at the Zoo are

varied and unpredictable. Hope-

fully, one (or more) of the oppor-

tunities listed will interest you.

Just check the program(s) in

which you would like to partici-

pate, and return the form to:

FONZ, c/o National Zoological

Park, Washington, D.C. 20009.

If you need further information

about any of these programs,

just call 232-7703. Thanks for

your help!

FONZ VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION FORM

Name:

Address:

Information Desks

Office Skills

Typing

Filing

Shorthand

Business Machines

Mail registration form to:

FONZ

ATT: Volunteer Office

c/o National Zoo

Washington, DC 20009

Daytime Phone:

Evening Phone:

Zip Code

Guide

Kindergarten-2nd

3rd grade and up

Miscellaneous (visitor

survey, resource room,

inventory, etc.)

23