volume 6 Number 6
November/ December 1977
Contents
3 Stocking the Ark
10 ZooNews
ll Anthropomorphism
16 BookNews
22 FONZNews
23 Spring Calendar
Front Cover: The Zoo’s black rhino
launched her New Year with a male baby —
the third in National Zoo history.
Back Cover: Minnesota Governor Anderson
(left) and National Zoo Director Reed ad-
mire one of the Bactrian camels on loan at
Front Royal for a joint breeding program.
Design-Production:
Monica Johansen Morgan
Copy Editor:
Mary Massey
Photographs on front cover, pp. 3, 4, 10, 11,
12, 15 by Francie Schroeder; p. 6 & 13 by Ray
Faass; p. 16 courtesy of Times Books; back
cover courtesy of Smithsonian Institution;
illustration on pp. 20 & 21 by Ben Butterfield.
Friends
of
the
National
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As a FONZ, you and your family receive
FONZ Board of Directors 1977-78
Stephen T. Hosmer, President
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M. Anthony Gould, Treasurer
Victor Delano, Secretary
Nella Manes
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Sheila D. Minor
Robert L. Nelson
Peter C. Andrews
Theodore Babbitt
Edward G. Boehm
Janice A. Booker
Montgomery S. Bradley —_ John B. Oliver
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Sally S. Tongren
FONZ Staff
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Zoo Staff
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Office Chiefs
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Stocking the Ark
by J. Fisher
egotiations for the sale and
N trade of zoo animals can
sometimes be as complicated as a
Geneva conference. The business
of acquiring an interesting mix
of exotic animals is one of the
most intriguing since Noah
stocked the Ark. Often interna-
tional in scope, the search sends
zoo directors to the four cor-
ners of the world.
In transactions that sometimes
seem part Alice in Wonderland
and part Wall Street, zoos pay
cash for animals, trade animals
for other animals, and lend their
charges to other zoos for breed-
ing purposes.
“A lot of considerations are in-
volved before we acquire a new
animal,” explains William A.
Xanten, the National Zoo’s cur-
ator of mammals. ‘“‘We must
decide whether a creature has
educational value and will be of
interest to the public. Will it
help show the diversity of ani-
mal life? Of course, we want to
make sure that our facilities will
accommodate it.”
Previous Page: Romping at the Zoo’s Front
Royal facility, the rare onager, or wild ass of
Asia, proves with every birth the success of
captive breeding efforts.
4
“Then there are other equally
important factors. Is the animal
endangered in the wild? By
acquiring it, are we furthering
the cause of conservation?”
Once the decision has been
made to get a new animal, the
National Zoo usually checks
with other zoos in the United
States to determine what's
available and where.
Other valuable sources of infor-
mation are the International
Species Inventory System (ISIS),
“Animal Exchange,” a monthly
newsletter published by the
American Association of Zoo-
logical Parks and Aquariums,
and the International Zoo Year-
book (IZY).
IZY lists rare and endangered
species of animals around the
world and informs readers
who’s breeding them and
where. ISIS is a computer serv-
ice listing thousands of animals
in zoos in the United States and
abroad. The computer does
more than just note animals and
their whereabouts. It also notes
sex, age, and other information.
If a zoo needs a mate for a fe-
male bongo, a rare African
antelope, it could ask ISIS for
help. The computer would list
breeding-age male bongos in
other zoos.
“Animal Exchange” reports on
the asking prices for surplus
animals in zoos around the
country (see accompanying
chart) and also what animals
ZOOS need.
Very little is certain in the zoo
pricing business. The ‘‘king of
beasts,”” the African lion, is just
a glut on the market these days.
Zoos are lucky to get $300 for a
pair, and sometimes are willing
to give them away to qualified
institutions. The lions have only
themselves to blame. They
found captivity so congenial
that they have multiplied into
the low-income bracket.
There are other animals that are
suprisingly inexpensive, even
though they are great favorites.
American black bears and alli-
gators have even reached give-
away status.
In sharp contrast, hoofed stock
and deer from Africa and Asia
are expensive items nowadays,
because they are scarce and
difficult to obtain in their coun-
tries of origin. Also, passage of
the Endangered Species Act in
the United States has put rigid
new limitations on imports.
New and stricter United States
Department of Agriculture
(U.S.D.A.) quarantine regula-
tions have sent prices soaring.
Before reaching a zoo in the
U.S., hoofed stock, such as
antelopes and zebras, must
spend several months at over-
seas quarantine stations. Then
they are shipped to Clifton, N.J.,
a Department of Agriculture
quarantine station, for another
30-day wait. Birds can be ship-
ped directly to the U.S., but
must spend time at an approved
Wes BD Actacility.
All this increases prices in the
U.S. A sable antelope today is
priced at $7,500. A pair of
bontebok, South African ante-
lope, can cost $12,500. Rare
Arabian oryx may bring $30,000
a palr.
Spiraling prices are nothing
new. For years, zoo directors
have been trying to save money
through shrewd trading. Even
before World War II, an orangu-
tan went for $3,000, and a pair
of giraffes, $7,000—princely
sums in those days.
Herds of scimitar-horned oryx,
Pére David’s deer, Burmese
brow-antlered deer, zebras,
onagers, Bactrian camels,
rheas, cranes, maned wolves,
and others can be found at the
3,150-acre conservation center.
Graceful dorcas gazelles have thrived — and multiplied — to herd size here at the Zoo. Some go to other zoos on breeding loans.
All of the animals placed at the
Center go there for a specific
reason. Breeding endangered
species and scientific research
on the life cycles of the animals
head the list. The Zoo also lends
a helping hand to other zoologi-
cal parks around the country by
occasionally giving their ani-
mals valuable breeding space at
Front Royal. Dr. Reed firmly be-
lieves that zoos have a national
responsibility to preserve these
animals so future generations
can see them.
Of course, Front Royal also
helps the National Zoo in prac-
tical ways. If there’s a death in
Washington, a replacement can
sometimes be found in Virginia,
eliminating the need for a trade
or swap. Breeding programs
undertaken for other institu-
tions often give the Zoo a share
of the offspring.
Zoos often send animals to
other zoos to build a surplus
credit position. For instance,
Zoo 1 might send a Dromedary
camel worth $1,800 to zoo 2
and get nothing in trade. But at
a later date, if zoo 2 finds it-
self with an extra pair of llamas
worth perhaps $1,300, zoo 1
might make a reasonable pitch
The long-legged Sarus crane is one of many
feathered species that nest and raise young
at the Bird House.
for them and still wind up with
a credit worth perhaps a white-
throated wallaby.
“lI know the zoo business may
sometimes look rather commer-
cial to outsiders,” says Bill
Xanten. “‘But we really don’t
look at animals as if they’re
wearing dollar signs. We look at
our charges as living creatures
and genuinely try to maintain,
exhibit, and breed them in the
most humane manner possible.
“This includes exchanges, trades,
and what have you. We’ve sent
surplus animals to reputable
zoos asking absolutely nothing
in return, rather than risk selling
them to questionable roadside
exhibits or other marginal
animal operations.”
Dealers still play a part in the
acquisition of animals, es-
pecially those that must pass
through overseas quarantine
centers. It might cost a zoo
$20,000 to locate, then clear a
sable antelope through the var-
lous Overseas quarantine pro-
cedures and fly it to the U.S. On
the other hand, a dealer bring-
ing in a number of animals at
the same time could drop off
the same antelope in Washing-
ton for $7,500.
Back in the ‘50s and before,
dealers played an important
part in the domestic acquisi-
tion of animals in the U.S. One
zoo’s curator of birds observed
after a shopping expedition
among an animal dealer’s
wares: “You feel them and
study them like a housewife in a
chicken market.”
Zoos sometimes launched their
own animal-gathering expedi-
tions. ‘““Now,” sighs Dr. Reed,
“vou jet here and there with a
specific animal in mind, sign a
few papers, and come _ back
with jet lag.”
But the voyage home in the
good old days could be arduous
despite the slow pace of boat
travel. Dr. Mann once found
himself trying to corral a seven-
foot-long Komodo dragon that
tried to take command of the
ship on its way back from
Indonesia.
“1! couldn’t tackle the carnivor-
ous character by myself, and the
crew of one man declined to
assist," he reported. ‘I didn’t
believe the lizard would devour
any of the passengers, but | was
afraid he would gobble his way
through the precious consign-
ment of birds and small mam-
mals we had in the hold. The
thought of his dining upon my
birds of paradise at $100 a bite
was more than | could stomach.
So even if | couldn’t play St.
George to this dragon, | did the
next best thing; with the aid of
my one helper, | managed to
move all the other animals and
birds topside. Only after we
reached Sumatra and could
summon reinforcements did we
confront the rampaging mon-
ster and subdue him.”
Although those colorful days
are history, zoos are no less
dedicated today to making sure
that their stationary arks are
filled with healthy, breedable
animals that have educational
value and interest to zoogoers.
“Get two zoo people together
and you’ve got a trade,” said
the late Dr. William M. Mann,
director of the National Zoo
from 1925 to 1956. One of the
most unusual deals Dr. Mann
ever talked himself into occur-
red while he was making atrans-
atlantic telephone call to the
U.S. from a London zoo. ‘‘When
| hung up the receiver,” re-
called Dr. Mann, ‘I turned to’
the director and asked him to
letme know the charge.”
“Il can tell you now without ask-
ing the telephone company,”
replied the shrewd Britisher. “It
will cost you exactly two prairie
dogs.”
Most zoos would much rather
trade than sell, getting some-
thing in return. Says Bill Xanten,
“With us a sale is a last resort. For
instance, we would rather give a
male giraffe to another zoo to put
in a breeding program for a few
years. Then if something hap-
pened to our male, we could
always go to that zoo and ask for
the return of our animal or one of
its offspring.”
The National Zoo has a number
of animals out on breeding
loans including dorcas gazelles,
Orangutans, and eld’s deer. In
some cases, it has the right to
the first, third, and fifth animals
born at the host zoo, or it can
ask for the original parent.
Occasionally, zoos will make
straight exchanges of animals to
avoid in-breeding in a_ herd.
Goofs sometimes occur in even
the best planned swaps. A
young dorcas gazelle sent to the
Los Angeles Zoo unexpectedly
delivered a calf. “Our people
didn’t realize she was _ preg-
nant,’ says Dr. Theodore Reed,
the Zoo’s current director. ‘So
Los Angeles got two for the
price of one, and we got a good-
natured razzing.”’
Few animal trades have been as bizarre as
the swap of a transatlantic telephone bill for
two prairie dogs.
Animal trading talks often fill
the corridors at professional
meetings and conventions.
Phone calls can be productive,
too. “l’ve formalized deals in-
volving thousands of dollars
with a handshake or a verbal
Ookay,’’ observes Dr. Reed.
“Goodwill and sincerity are key
ingredients in this business.”
Goodwill of another kind shines
through at the Zoo’s Conserva-
tion and Research Center at
Front Royal, Virginia. The facil-
ity was created to sustain gene
pools of rare and endangered
species of mammals and birds,
using modern breeding prac-
tices based on research, and to
share this knowledge with the
rest of the world.
LJ
If you’ve ever wondered about the current market value of wild
animals, here’s a random sampling as listed by the American Asso-
ciation of Zoological Parks and Aquariums:
African elephant $12,000
African lion Free
American bison 300
Black rhinoceros 8 000
Black swan 250
Blesbok 1250
Bushbaby 200
Cape hartebeest 10,000
Capuchin monkey 150
Cheetah 5, 000
Chimpanzee (17 years old) 500
Corn snake 5
Everglades rat snake 10
Hispid cotton rat 50
Llama 250
Masai ostrich 500
Moustached parakeet 50
Nile hippopotamus 500
North American river otter 350
Peach-faced lovebird 20
Pére David’s deer 1,250
Polar bear 750
Puff adder 75
Red fox pas
Red-tailed boa 10
Rose-ringed parakeet 75
South American tapir 950
Squirrel monkey 75
Texas porcupine Free
Timber wolf
Free
Prices for males in almost all instances are 50-75% lower than for
females. This is particularly true in the case of herd or family-type
species where many females will be tolerated, but only one male
can co-habit with the females. Regardless of sex, prices for all ani-
mals can be changed at amoment’s notice.
60 Pound Rhino Born
by Bill Xanten
Curator of Mammals
After eight years of trying, wait-
ing, and hoping, the National
Zoo rang in the New Year with a
baby black rhino. Only two oth-
ers have been born at the Zoo,
and only a dozen or so zoos in
the United States have success-
fully bred these _ prehistoric-
looking, 3,000-pound creatures.
Weighing approximately 60
pounds at birth on January 4,
1978, the healthy male calf
stood up after eight hours and
immediately began nursing.
“Nepo’”” (Latin for grandson)
gained an impressive five
pounds a day and so doubled
his birth size in two weeks.
Nepo and his 7%-year-old
mother will be on public view in
their enclosure next to the
Small Mammal House when
warm weather begins, probably
in late March.
Not to be outdone, the Zoo’s
other adult female (actually
Nepo’s grandmother) is also
Born on the fourth of January, “Nepo,” a
black rhino, and his 3,000-pound mother
will go on public view when the weather
warms.
10
thought to be pregnant, with
delivery expected in March.
Gestation is 15-16 months.
The black rhinoceros (Diceros
bicornis) is one of two rhino
species that roam sub-Sahara
Africa. Unlike the white rhinoc-
erous (Ceratotherium simum),
which is several thousand
pounds bigger and more gre-
garious, the black rhino lives
alone or in small groups of one
or: two -adult. females “ane
their calves.
Once plentiful throughout
South and East Africa, the black
rhino is now restricted to parks
in East Africa. Their numbers
have been severely reduced by
habitat destruction and poach-
ers who kill them for the alleg-
edly aphrodisiac qualities of
their horns.
I
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism
by Austin Hughes
uman beings have long attri-
buted human emotions, hu-
man characteristics, and even
human vices to animals. The
classic example of anthropomor-
phism was Benjamin Franklin’s
satirical statement opposing the
adoption of the bald eagle as
our national symbol: ‘He is a bird
of bad moral character; he does
not get his living honestly; you
may have seen him perched on
some dead tree, where, too lazy
to fish for himself, he watches the
labor of the fishing-hawk, and
when that diligent bird has at
length taken a fish and is bearing
it to his nest for the support of his
mate and young ones, the bald
eagle pursues him and takes it
away from him.”
Today, we may smile at Ben
Franklin’s humor, but there still is
real danger that to call an animal
lazy, dishonest, or bad-tempered
may lead some people to back up
their moral judgments with guns.
Gorillas, which, to naive Euro-
peans, looked like stern and per-_
petually frowning men, acquired
Previous Page: When Ben Franklin called
the bald eagle “lazy and immoral,” he pro-
vided a classic example of anthropo-
morphism.
12
an undeserved reputation § for
ferocity and were needlessly per-
secuted. Some _ recent writers,
decrying this history, have been at
pains to claim that gorillas are
‘shy and retiring’ or even “gen-
tle.” Neither of these characteri-
zations is correct. Gorillas rec-
ognize that man is a danger to
them and avoid him. But if pro-
voked or cornered, a 400-pound
adult male gorilla can be a for-
midable adversary. Thus anthro-
pomorphism can be deceiving
and even dangerous.
True, scientists recognize that it
is often convenient in informal
discussions tocall an animal shy
simply to indicate that it is likely
to retire if we approach it too
closely, or to call another bad-
tempered to warn that its behav-
ior is unpredictable and that it
A matamata turtle may leek grotesque to zoogoers, but “ugliness” is its key to survival.
may attack suddenly. But they
are quick to insist that there is no
substitute for an adequate des-
cription of an animal’s behavior
patterns in explicit, nonhuman
terms. Indeed, an _ anthropo-
morphic characterization is never
needed to understand the behav-
ior of anon-human species.
Zoologists do not want to take
the fun out of our viewing and
reacting to animals in peculiar
human and_= subjective ways.
There is nothing wrong with the
zoo visitor describing an animal
as cute, endearing, or ugly. These
are merely personal impressions.
The problem may be that over-
emphasizing the appealing or un-
appealing aspects of animals
may detract from our appreciat-
ing serious study and description.
We may call a matamata turtle
grotesque and forget to appreci-
ate the importance of its unusual-
ly long neck and fleshy protuber-
ances. We may forget, too, that
all animals are worthy of our
attention and respect, no matter
how ugly or unappealing they
seem to an observer.
Some conservationists have un-
intentionally increased this
danger by focusing on the more
popular or glamorous endanger-
ed species. When do we hear
about a Save-the-Hawaiian-
Crow or Save-the-Emerald-Tree-
Boa campaign? And what about
the lowliest creatures in the
food-chain—among them the
minute crustaceans and aquatic
larvae that feed some of the
greatest wading birds in Flor-
ida’s Everglades? If man robs
the glades of too much water,
these small creatures will die,
along with the wood stork, the
white ibis, the roseate spoon-
bill, and many others.
The literal application of an-
thropomorphic attitudes would
result in the extermination of
certain species whose appear-
ance is unappealing to humans.
This has happened in the past
and continues to happen, al-
though such animals usually al-
so have a mistaken reputation
as pests. The fear many people
have of all snakes, lizards, or
bats illustrates such irrational
and dangerous emotions.
One other question deserves
consideration. Should we. as-
cribe emotions to animals, such
as anger, fear, or unhappiness?
Well, we are animals, too, and
reactions analogous to human
reactions certainly occur in
other animals. When two male
American anole lizards (often
The strikingly beautiful roseate spoonbill
depends for survival on less dramatic but no
less important-to-save creatures as tiny
shellfish and aquatic larvae.
13
mistakenly called chameleons)
prepare to fight, flattening their
bodies, raising their crests, and
displaying their crimson throat
fans, it seems harmless to say
they are angry. Among our
closer animal relatives, we can
find striking physical similarities
between behaviors that seem
to indicate certain emotions
and human behavioral expres-
sions of the same emotions.
Yet we cannot take similarities
for granted. Many observers
have pointed out the striking
similarities between human and
chimpanzee facial expressions.
Yet Jane Goodall has noted that
Chimpanzees may make faces like humans, but the meaning may be totally different.
the chimpanzee’s ‘smile’ ex-
presses fear, not pleasure. And
in the case of anoles, we not
only would be hard put to find
any precise parallelism between
their external anger-behavior
and our own, but we would also
be mistaken to conclude that
the internal changes they under-
go resemble even faintly the in-
ternal changes that accompany
human anger, merely because
we tend to label their fighting
behavior as anger. The only
similarities we can expect to
find in all cases of anger-
behavior is a rough similarity of
cause—usually threat or at-
tack—and of function—pri-
marily to intimidate.
Similar physical changes may
accompany more than one
emotion among the higher ani-
mals. In humans, for instance,
both fear and anger produce in-
creased adrenalin. Nor does any
Wolves, like this maned species being bred at the Zoo’s Front Royal Conservation Center,
have been hunted and harassed to near extinction ever since Little Red Riding Hood gave
them an anthropomorphically bum rap.
one pattern of behavior always
accompany any one emotion;
rather, there is a whole reper-
tory of possible responses, both
instinctive and learned. Scien-
tists are interested in the causes
and functions of any given bit
of behavior, not in the emo-
tions the animals seem to be
experiencing. Thus, to account
for a gull’s harsh cry and abrupt
take-off, we say that the behav-
ior is caused by the bird’s hav-
ing caught sight of a predator,
and its function is to alert the
rest of the colony. To say the
gull called and took to the air
‘because it was afraid’ adds
nothing. Current scientific opin-
ion holds that emotion words
are never necessary to fully ex-
plain any animal behavior, even
that of humans.
i
15
Editor’s Note: All books reviewed
are available through the FONZ
Bookstore and Gallery —
232-7705.
Birding Adventures
by Sally Tongren
FONZ House Guide
The World of Roger Tory Peter-
son; by John C. Devlin & Grace
Naismith; Times Books; $14.95:
256 pp.; illustrated; 1977.
To many birdwatchers, Peter-
son is not aname but a noun
synonymous with field guide.
Roger Tory Peterson has done
more than any other person to
change bird watching from a
hobby of small boys and maid-
en aunts to an outdoor sport
for millions. His field guides,
films, and lectures have con-
tributed richly to the enthusi-
asm and knowledge of these
millions. But Peterson is more
than this. He is an author, con-
servationist, and painter.
This book is the portrait of a
truly single-minded man. From
childhood, his dominant inter-
est was birds and the out-of-
doors, interests that he follow-
ed in the face of considerable
opposition. Other children
A bird on the head and binoculars in the hand say much about the remarkable career of
teased him; his father, under- author-artist Roger Tory Peterson.
16
standably perhaps, felt there
was no future for his son in
birds or bird painting. Lacking
money for formal training, he
painted furniture to support
himself in art school. Although
shy, he did not hesitate to ask
the Director of Buffalo’s Na-
tural History Museum to allow
him to visit the museum on
Sunday when it was closed, be-
cause he had to work on other
days. He got his visit.
We hear a great deal today
about doing one’s own thing,
but few people have the drive
and discipline to hold to their
vision. Peterson did! That he is
sometimes difficult and absent-
minded about anything not con-
cerned with his work is merely the
reverse of the coin.
Today Peterson is devoting his
time to painting — his first
love—and producing beauti-
ful portraits, not only of birds,
but of the plants and flowers in
the birds’ habitats. He is so
associated with birds that few
realize that he is a botanist as
well. A fine selection of his
paintings are in the book.
Moments of Discovery:
Adventures with American Birds,
by Eliot Porter and Michael Har-
wood; E.P. Dutton, 1977, 120 pp.
$29.95.
To many of us interested in the
natural world, Eliot Porter's
photography needs no introduc-
tion. These superb pictures cap-
ture moments of discovery —the
essence of the action that the
photographer has watched from
his blind and has frozen at its
height. The green heron stands
with the wind ruffling his feathers,
showing his low-set eye and
slightly webbed feet. The male
woodcock struts with cocked tail,
like a tiny turkey. The flicker
arrives for a perfect two-point
landing, wings and tail spread for
braking power. Marvelous
moments, recorded for us to
enjoy again and again.
Michael Harwood’s text is an in-
teresting account of natural his-
tory and ornithology in North
America. He tells of the discov-
eries of the early explorers whose
writings reveal a diversity of life
that is now lost to us. He traces
the work of the giants, from
Audubon and Wilson to the finest
field studies of today.
The book’s format can be criti-
cized. Moments of Discovery is
so wide, it is awkward to hold.
The Adventure of Birds by Charl-
ton Ogburn, drawings by
Matthew Kalmenoff; William
Morrow and Co., Inc., 1976,
380 pp., $10.95.
This is the best non-technical
bird book yet published, full of
information for the novice birder
and evocative of memories for
the experienced. Charlton Ogburn
is lucid, literate, and polished. He ,
evokes in words what Eliot Porter
captures on film.
The book’s first section describes
structure, adaptation, distribu-
tion, and behavior— all those
things that can lend excitement to
watching even a house sparrow
at the back door.
The final and longer section fol-
lows birds through the seasons,
adding a wealth of anecdotes,
illustrations, and personal experi-
ences to the facts given earlier.
Zoogoers please note the delights
of visiting the Bird House in
winter. The collection described
by author Ogburn is our own
NZP. This is a book to keep be-
side your chair, to dip into and
savor at leisure.
LI
7
Guides to the Wilds
Reprinted with permission of
Zoo Book Service, 2633 Adams.
Street, Hollywood, Florida 33020.
If you plan to travel this year and
are interested in wildlife, as you
must be if you are one of our
readers, you owe it to yourself to
learn something about the wildlife
in the area you plan to visit.
Visitors to the wild areas in North
America have a wide selection
to choose from. The familiar
Peterson Field Guide Series
covers Eastern, Western, and
Texas birds, insects, butterflies,
flowers, trees, and even rocks and
minerals. These medium-sized
guides are available in regular
hardcover or tear-resistant soft-
cover. Prices are $7 to $10 each,
softcover editions a couple of dol-
lars less. For those who wish to
save a few dollars and are willing
to sacrifice some detail, Golden
Nature Guides offer pocket-sized
guides for familiar birds, mam-
mals, reptiles, game birds, trees,
spiders, seashore, seashells, but-
terflies, fishes, flowers, insects,
and even cacti and rocks. These
low-cost, full-color guides are
$1.95 each.
Books from either of these series
are easy to pack and carry and
can make your trip, or even a
day out in the country, more in-
teresting and enjoyable. Golden
also has three larger and very
complete books on North Ameri-
can trees, birds, and seashells,
softcover, $4.95 each.
Wherever you travel, in the U.S.
or anywhere else in the world,
there is at least one field guide
available. The World Wildlife
Guide, by M. Ross-Macdonald, is
a comprehensive handbook on
6549 of the world’s national
parks, reserves, and sanctuaries.
Approximately 200 are in the U.S.
and the rest are scattered from
the Antarctic to Russia, Ethiopia
to Australia, Japan to Argentina.
This guide describes the plant and
animal life (species index, map
and photos included) of each
area, the accommodations avail-
able, the best way to travel there;
gives dates of operation, visiting
hours, entrance fees, cost of hir-
ing guides and equipment;
recommends the best time of year
to visit; and much, much more.
Travellers to Africa have almost
as complete a selection of pocket
or field guides as do North Ameri-
can travellers. The Southern Afri-
can area is covered by A Field
Guide to the Birds of Southern
Africa, by O.P.M. Prozesky, $10;
A Field Guide to the Snakes of
Southern Africa, by Fitzsimmons,
$9.95: A Field Guide to the
Butterflies of Africa, by J.G. Wil-
liams, $8.95; The Insects of
Southern Africa, by Bevis, $6.95.
A lower-cost series is also avail-
able on Southern Africa. They are
the pocket-sized, full-color hard-
back books, What Antelope Is
That?, by P. Rose, $3.95; Big
Game and Other Mammals, by
Rose, $3.95; What Bird Is That?,
by H. Stokes, $3.95; What Snake
Is That?, by J. Visser, $3.95.
A complete field guide to the
larger (from squirrel size up)
mammals is A Field Guide to the
Larger Mammals of Africa, by J.
Dorst and P. Dandelot, $8.50.
This covers all the major mam-
mals of the continent.
West Africa is less completely
covered. However, a good field
guide to birds has recently been
released, A Field Guide to the
Birds of West Africa, by W. Serle,
G. Morel, and W. Hartwig,
$14.95. A less complete series of
softbound books covers West
Africa: Birds of West African
Town and Garden, by J.H. Ell-
good, $2.95; Large Mammals of
West Africa, by Happold, $3.50;
West African Snakes, by Cans-
dale, $3.50; West African Fresh-
water Fish, by M. Holden and W.
Reed, $2.95; West African Butter-
flies and Moths, by John Boor-
man, $2.95; West African Lillies
and Orchids, by J.K. Morton,
52.95.
The rest of Africa is not
covered well. A Field Guide to
the Birds of East and Central
Africa, by J.G. Williams, $8.95,
lacks the quality illustrations
found in the guides on other
areas. The Birds of Zambia, by
C.W. Benson, R.K. Brooke, R.J.
Dowsett, and M.P.S. Irwin, $9.95,
covers the Central African area
and is good even though all
species are not represented in the
12 pages of color plates. A Guide
to the Snakes of Uganda, by
C.R.S. Pitman, $29, is more of a
reference book than a field guide
and might be cumbersome to
carry in the field. This, however,
is all that is available at present
that would cover most of the
Eastern-Central African area.
,
North Africa is sparsely covered,
and little information is available.
Some of the European bird field
guides do cover a portion of the
birds in the Northern or Mediter-
ranean area. Libyan Mammals, by
E. Hufnagl, $13.50, while larger
than field-guide size, does cover
North African mammals and in-
cludes drawings and photos.
Travellers to Europe have the
Peterson Field Guide Series, A
Field Guide to the Birds of Bri-
tain and Europe, by Roger Peter-
son, Guy Mountfort, and P. Hol-
lom, $10, and A Field Guide to the
Mammals of Britain and Europe,
by F.H. Van den Brink, $12.50.
Mammals in Colour, by Leif Lyne-
borg, $5.95, is also a field guide to
mammals of Europe. Reptiles and
Amphibians in Colour, by Hans
Hvass, $5.50, is about the only
available field guide to Europe
and Britain. The Peterson series
books A Field Guide to Insects
of Britain & Northern Europe, by
M. Chinery, $9.95, and A Field
Guide to the Butterflies of Bri-
tain and Europe, by L.G. Higgins
and N.D. Riley, $8.95, cover
these animals well.
There are very good field guides
for birds of Australia and New
Zealand: A Field Guide to Aus-
tralian Birds, by Peter Slater,
comes in two volumes (Vol. 1,
“Passerines,” $12.50, and Vol.
2, ‘“Nonpasserines,” $12.50),
and A Field Guide to the Birds of
New Zealand, by R. Falla, R. Sib-
son, and E. Turbott, $10. A couple
of local guides are also available
on birds of Australia but are limi-
ted to the more common types.
Periwinkle offers a series on all
forms of natural history of Aus-
tralia and New Zealand. The
series is no longer being printed,
and birds, plant life, trees, rocks,
and pond life are the only ones
still available at $2.95 each. The
mammal and reptile life are no
longer covered by field-guide-
type books. There is, however, a
large volume on Australian rep-
tiles entitled Reptiles and Am-
phibians of Australia, by H.G.
Cogger, $47.20, that should fill
most anyone’s needs.
The Asian continent is sparsely
covered, although there is one
good recent field guide for birds,
A Field Guide to the Birds of
Southeast Asia, by King and Dick-
inson, $17.50. This covers most of
the area of Southern Asia and is
usable in surrounding areas even
though some birds might be en-
countered that are not covered.
Birds of Korea, by Gore and
Pyong-oh Won, $19.25, while not
a field guide, does give field-
guide-type coverage to part of the
North Asian area. The Book of
Indian Animals, by S.H. Prater,
$11.95, is the closest general
guide-type book on Asian mam-
mals. A field-guide-type book on
mammals of Thailand is reported
to be in preparation. A Field
Guide to Indian Snakes is also in
preparation but probably will not
be available until later this year.
Until something is published,
one must rely on scientific
pamphlets or books for any in-
formation on Asian reptiles.
The Caribbean Island area has the
standard and excellent field guide
Birds of the West Indies, by
19
James Bond, $8.95. This covers
the Bahamas, Cuba, Greater and
Lesser Antilles. One other field
guide, The Birds of New Provi-
dence and the Bahama Islands, by
Brudenell-Bruce, $10.95, is avail-
able for more detailed informa-
tion on the Bahamas.
There are several field guides for
birds of Central America, from
Mexico to Panama. These are
listed from Mexico southwards:
Birds of Mexico: A Guide for
Field Identification, by E.R.
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Blake, $7.95; A Field Guide to
Mexican Birds and Adjacent Cen-
tral America, by R.T. Peterson and
E.L. Chalif, $8.95; A Field Guide
to the Birds of Mexico and Central
America, by L.|. Davis, softback
$6.50, hardback $10; Birds of
Guatemala, by H.C. Land, $10; A
Guide to the Birds of Panama, by
R.S. Ridgely, $15. One or a com-
bination of these should ade-
quately cover any of the Central
American countries, and in addi-
tion, the book on birds of Panama
covers much of Northern South
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America. A small paperback
guide, A Guide to Mexican Mam-
mals and Reptiles, by N.P. Wright,
$2, gives very basic coverage of
these animals. There is no other
guide on mammals and reptiles of
Central America, so for these it is
necessary to go to larger technical
books or scientific reprints.
South American travellers will
find only a few guides, and these
are on birds. Guide to the Birds
of South America, by R.M. de
Schauensee, $20, gives fairly
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good coverage to all the birds of
South America. This book is a bit
larger than field-guide size, but
the illustrations are limited.
Travellers to the Guyanas can use
A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad
and Tobago, by Richard French,
$15, which is a complete guide to
those off-shore islands, and cov-
ers many of the birds found in
adjacent areas of the mainland.
The Birds of Guyana, by D.E.
Snyder, $6, is field-guide style
without illustrations. A Field
Guide to the Birds of Galapagos,
by M. Harris, $10.95, covers the
specialized bird life of these off-
shore islands. A Guide to the
Birds of Venezuela, by R.M. de
Schauensee and W.H. Phelps, Jr.,
$27.50, is due for release soon,
so coverage of Northern South
America will be more complete
from a bird-watcher’s viewpoint.
In addition to the guides | have
named, there are regional guides
and more detailed books on the
natural history of several of our
states and several of the foreign
countries. We could not cover
them all here, but | have tried to
outline the better guides that can
be carried along to make your
trip more enjoyable and educa-
tional.
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Whether on safari in game-rich Africa or
weekending in the Virginia countryside,
wildlife watchers can double their travel
pleasure by packing and using good field
guides.
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_—_—
—
FONZ Expands Zoo
Research Support
In 1978 FONZ expects to grant
up to $126,000 to support re-
search and conservation pro-
jects conducted by Zoo scien-
tists. This is a 50% increase
over last year and more than
four times as much as the ini-
tial $30,000 grant in 1976.
FONZ summer interns and re-
search fellows have so helped
the National Zoo carry out ani-
mal behavior studies and other
vital projects that the program
has doubled each year since it
was launched in 1976. This year,
it is hoped that FONZ will fi-
nance 20 summer interns and
four fellowships. Last summer,
FONZ students did every-
thing from tracking lizards in
Florida to monitoring mother-
young relationships in hoofed
stock and golden marmosets.
A $30,000 FONZ grant will sub-
sidize expenses for scientific
symposia and workshops, in-
cluding publication and nation-
al distribution of the proceed-
ings. More than 200 patholo-
gists and medical technicians
from across the country will
22
FONZ\EV\S
come to the National Zoo in
October for a major, three-day
meeting on the comparative
pathology of zoo animals. Larg-
est of its kind ever held in Amer-
ica, the symposium promises to
improve medical diagnosis and
health care of captive animals.
Two FONZ-sponsored programs
will break new ground for the
National Zoo. A visiting keeper
program will enable impor-
tant exchanges of ideas and
techniques between leading
zoos. A visiting lecturer pro-
gram hopes to bring noted ex-
perts to the National Zoo to
share their knowledge through
informal discussions and formal
presentations to larger National
Zoo audiences.
Finally, FONZ funds will sup-
port several field study projects
and assist in the creation of
educational graphics for the
innovative North American
Mammal Exhibit, expected to
open in the old Beaver Valley
area by late 1978.
It is appropriate that FONZ is
celebrating its 20th anniversary
this year by dramatically ex-
panding research and conserva-
tion support aimed at preserv-
ing wildlife at the National Zoo
and around the world.
Artist Safari to Kenya
In August, artist Bill Talkington
will lead a 23-day safari to East
Africa, which will provide a rare
opportunity to sketch, paint, and
photograph African game in their
bush setting.
Internationally known for his
bronze sculptures of wildlife and
people (which are sold at FONZ’s
Bookstore-Gallery), Mr. Talking-
ton lived six years in Kenya and
founded an art gallery there.
The summer safari will follow the
great game migration through the
Serengeti, glimpse elephants,
lions, and antelope close-up in
renowned parks like Tsavo and
Samburu, and explore the tropi-
cal beaches of Mombassa. A spe-
cial treat includes a 6-day visit to
the beautiful and remote
Seychelles Islands in the Indian
Ocean.
Accommodations will be in mod-
ern, comfortable lodges and
hotels, and ample time will be set
aside for game watching and art
work. The all-inclusive cost of
$2,300 includes a $100 tax-
deductible contribution to FONZ.
Interested adults and students
should contact Bill Talkington,
Box 1313, Middleburg, Virginia
22417,
LJ
FONZ Spring Calendar of Events*
MAY
APRIL
1
2
16
7
22
30
Saturday
Spring classes begin
Sunday
FONZ Lecture—Animal Acquisitions, or Hold
the Plane While I Pick Up a Dragon
In this unusual and fascinating lecture and slide
presentation, Dr. Reed will describe the great
care taken by Zoo officials to make sure that
animals from far-off lands have a safe and
smooth trip here.
Thursday
FONZ Lecture—same as above
Sunday
Front Royal Trip
A special tour of the Zoo’s breeding farm to see
some of the world’s rarest animals. The day will
include a tour of the research and animal-
housing facilities as well as a tour of the 3,000-
acre grounds to see herds of rare onagers,
Bactrian camels, scimitar-horned oryx , and
Pére David’s deer.
Front Royal Trip — same as above
Monday
Audubon Lecture— Preserving Wetlands and
Cranes Inside Outer Mongolia
A color slide report by Dr. George Archibald,
one of the world’s leading experts on cranes, will
describe his recent efforts to save these noble
birds.
Saturday
No classes
Sunday
Treasure Hunt
This event is designed to give members a few
hours of fun while learning about some of the
Zoo’s most interesting animals. The program is
free, and prizes will be awarded to the winners.
4 Thursday
15
FONZ Film — Jane Goodall and the Primates
Explore the interrelationships of the complex
societies of baboons and chimpanzees and ob-
serve the growth and development of their
young.
Sunday
FONZ Film—same as above
Monday
Audubon Lecture— New Zealand Spring
Enjoy the beauty of this island nation from
mountain-walled lakes and fjords to the fasci-
nating and exotic wildlife, such as the wingless
kiwis, mountain parrots, flightless rails, and wry-
billed plovers.
JUNE
2
10
16
7
Friday
ZooNight
Saturday
Shenandoah Hike
The perfect time of the year to see the beautiful
mountain laurel in bloom on the Appalachian
Trail while enjoying the spectacular views of the
valley and the Massanutten ranges beyond.
Friday
ZooNight
Saturday
Summer classes begin
JULY
29 Saturday
Chesapeake Bay Canoe Trip
This unusual canoe trip will explore the Mat-
taponi Creek for a close-up look at the diverse
plant, fish, and animal life.
*For more details please call the membership
office at 232-7700.