Volume 7, Number 6

November-

December, 1978

3 Animals Talk

9 The Zoo in Winter

12 What Doesa

Registrar Do?

17 ZooNews:

The Fourth Grade

Pilot Program

20 FONZNews:

Birdlab

23 Calendar of Events

FRONT COVER: The crowned crane is

more used to African marshlands than to

Washington snowstorms — but it adapts.

BACK COVER: The National Zoo’s newest

exhibit, Beaver Valley, will open this spring.

What appear to be rock formations are

actually clever fabrications of concrete.

Friends

of the

National

is a non-profit organization of individuals

and families who are interested in support-

ing Zoo programs in education, research

and conservation.

As members of FONZ, you and your

family receive many benefits—publica-

tions, discount privileges, and invitations

to special programs and activities — to

make your zoo-going more enjoyable and

educational.

The ZooGoer is published bi-monthly by the

Friends of the National Zoo, c/o The

National Zoological Park, Washington,

D.C. 20008. Third class mailing permit

44282. Subscription is $4 a year (percen-

tage of annual dues).

rights reserved.

ISSN: 0163-416X

Editor:

Mary W. Matthews

Consulting Editor:

Mary C. Massey

Illustrations Credits: Front cover, p. 9 and

p. 11 by Sabin Robbins; p. 3 by Deb Mayer;

pp. 4, 16, 17, 19 and 21 courtesy of the

Office of Education and Information,

National Zoological Park; p. 5 by Ben

Butterfield; pp. 6 and 20 by Francie

Schroeder; p. 8 by Letty Morton; p. 10 by

Jordan Ross, Office of Graphics, National

Zoological Park; pp. 12, 15 and back cover

by Mary W. Matthews; pp. 13 and 18 by Jan

Skrentny.

FONZ Board of Directors,

1978-1979

Stephen T. Hosmer, President

John S. Brown, First Vice President

Whayne S. Quin, Second Vice President

M. Anthony Gould, Treasurer

Victor Delano, Secretary

Samuel Biddle

Edward G. Boehm

Janice A. Booker

Montgomery S. Bradley

William C. Bryant

Al Hackl

Julie P. Hubbard

A. José Jones

Nella Manes

Stanley R. Mayes

Cecil McLelland

Sheila D. Minor

Monica J. Morgan

Robert L. Nelson

John B. Oliver

Joseph Y. Ruth

Ross Simons

Julia Vadala Taft

Sally S. Tongren

FONZ Staff

Sabin Robbins, Executive Director

Dennis Baker, Associate Director

Donna Schlegel, Volunteer & Educational

Services

Mary W. Matthews, Publications

Fran Bernstein, Membership

Tom Frame, Food Services

Lonnie Wornom, Merchandising

Kevin Polen, Transportation

Zoo Staff

Dr. Theodore H. Reed, Director

Mr. Vince Doyle, Assistant Director

for Administration

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. Emanuel Petrella, Facilities

Management

Mr. Robert Mulcahy, Graphics & Exhibits

Ms. Judy White, Education & Information

Mr. Samuel Middleton, Police & Safety

Animals Talk

Dr. Eugene Morton

Research Ornithologist

What if you were asked to talk to

an animal in its own language?

If you decided to take the task

seriously, your first step might be to

make a catalog of the sounds made

by your chosen species. Then you

would begin the tedious process of

finding out how the animal uses its

sounds. Ultimately, you would try

the real test: You would make a noise

and see if the animal responded the

way you predicted it would. How-

ever, if you did not take the task

quite so seriously, you might test

out a bark or a growl or whine, de-

pending on your mood, and con-

sider your task done.

In fact, you have just discovered

the basis of animal language — at

least, some of it.

The growl, low and harsh; the

whine, high-pitched and tonal: and

the bark, abrupt, with the sound

rising and falling, are the three

basic vocal elements of animal lan-

guage. (The word “tonal” is used in

this article to refer to a pleasant,

whistle-like sound that more closely

PRECEDING PAGE: In breeding colonies

pelican young bleat like sheep, bark,

squeak, and grunt— but only among them-

selves. If a human being is present, they be-

come as silent as their elders.

4

resembles a musical tone than does

the harsh, dissonant sound of a

growl or bark.) Unlike words, these

three elements tell only how the

animal feels inside; whether it is

frightened, friendly, or submissive

(whine), angry (growl), or sees some-

thing that interests it (bark). Animals

do not say “things”; they say

feelings —so in this sense, they do

not “talk” at all.

Some animals need to “say” more

kinds of feelings than others. Tur-

key vultures don’t say anything at all.

Pelicans are mostly silent; when

they do call, it is always angry —their

only sound is a harsh, nasal growl.

Zebra finches have a cheery song

when they sing in courtship and a

harsher song when they warn off

rivals. The Carolina wren has an

unusual repertoire of calls —when

its calls are slowed down to half-

speed on a tape recorder, they are

indistinguishable from the barks,

growls, and whines of a dog. And

the wren uses its barks, growls, and

whines as a dog does, depending on

whether it sees something alarming,

is attacking a rival, or is approach-

ing its mate. The agouti (a tropi-

cal rodent about the size of a rab-

bit) growls when angry and calls

creak-creak when it is friendly or

making an appeal. Even the tiny

pocket mouse gives a low, scratchy

growl when it is angry and a whining

squeal when it is frightened.

Of course, most of the sounds

you hear from birds and mammals

are not used in what humans would

call conversation. Animals need to

say “To whom it may concern: | am

The piercing roar of the howler monkey

gave rise to its name. The howls of the

dominant males are so loud they have been

heard as far as ten miles away.

here” much more than people do.

They broadcast this message in ways

sometimes pleasing to our ears, as

with birdsong, and sometimes

deafening, as with the raucous

screech of the Argus pheasant or

the peacock.

A term for sounds or calls which

animals use over long distances is

“long calls.” Sometimes long calls

contain the message ‘I am aggres-

sive,” as in the howler monkey’s

roar; but usually all they are meant

to convey is “| am here,” since this

is enough both to attract a mate and

to chase intruders out of their terri-

tory. In birds, the “I am here” calls

are often tonal whistles if the bird

lives in a forest, and trills and buzzy

sounds if it lives in grassland or

marshes. Each species has a dis-

tinctive “| am here” long call so that

members of a species may identify

each other easily over long distances.

In their “conversation,” birds

and mammals use a certain code—a

code so ancient that even we humans

still, though usually unknowingly,

use a form of it. The code is tied

to the physical structure of sounds.

For example, a growl is low and

harsh, like a big bass violin, while

a whine is high and tonal, like a

small violin. The evolutionary advan-

tages of such communication are

obvious. If an animal wants some-

thing and is prepared to fight for

it, it uses a growl; often, then, it

doesn’t need to fight—the sound of

a big, threatening animal is enough,

and the animal need not risk its life

on the issue.

On the other hand, if one animal

wants to get near to another, it may

make a high, tonal sound—the

sound of asmall, meek individual.

Recently it was reported that

the common toad male makes a

threatening call if he is approached

by a rival male while he is near an

egglaying female. British researchers

found a direct relationship between

each male’s size and the deepness of

its call. A small male would re-

treat from a tape recording of a

larger male’s call, but not from a

recording of a smaller male’s call.

Thus, the researchers found, toads

assess their ability to win a fight

against other males based solely

on deepness of voice.

Interestingly, animal mates some-

times use different sound elements

during courtship. The courting sex,

usually the male, consistently uses

high-pitched sounds to say that

the courter is friendly and wants

to get close. Often, though, a female

will utter harsh, low sounds in re-

sponse, saying that she is aggressive

and does not want to be approached.

When the male persists in courting

an angry female, and the female at

last switches to high, tonal,

“affectionate” sounds, it becomes

“Thus. . . toads assess their

ability to win a fight against

other males based on voice

alone.”

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The baby bald eagle's cry is weak and high-pitched; and even when mature, this symbol of

strength has a call more like a squeal than a scream.

evident that a pair-bond has been

formed. In many bird species, such

as chickadees, the female even

reverts to “baby” behavior with her

favored suitor, inducing him to feed

her and otherwise indicate that

he will be a good provider.

It is this animal legacy that we

humans find in our own vocal in-

tonations: Our moods are portrayed

in the way we say words, as well as

in the words we choose. Both angry

and older voices are deeper than

happy or younger voices. “Don’t

come whining to me” is a familiar

response to a tone of voice; and it

is universal that you talk in a high

falsetto to a small baby. That the

voices of men and women differ in

vocal tone, but that those of chil-

dren do not, is underlined by the

“In many bird species... the

female even reverts to ‘baby’

behavior with her favored

suitor.”

ancient role differences between

adults and children and between

adult men and women.

What about the evolution of ani-

mal “mood” language? Since the

“mood” language system is directly

tied to body size, we might surmise

that it first evolved in animals

that reproduce before they attain

their largest size, or may even con-

tinue to grow throughout life.

Frogs and toads, for example, get

larger the longer they live.

We can only speculate, of course;

but it seems logical to assume that

species whose members did not com-

municate vocally with one another

acquired their resources almost en-

tirely by fighting for them. These

species grew larger and larger,

since the larger the animal the more

certain it was to win fights and to

reproduce. This would eventually

produce the dinosaurs: huge carni-

vorous or herbivorous reptiles, the

gigantic survivors of countless fights

for lives and mates.

When the environment changed or

new competitors appeared, these

species disappeared. They had be-

come too large, and could not get

enough to eat. It seems logical to

assume that those prehistoric ani-

mals that used the vocal code did

not need to grow so large. These were

the ones that survived and became

the ancestors of today’s animals,

including human beings.

So if you decide to “talk” with

an animal, you need not use words.

Use tones of voice. If you want the

animal to know you are angry, givea

low, harsh sound—and the angrier

you are, the longer you should draw

the sound out.

A high-pitched, tonal sound would

say you are friendly; a very high-

pitched one, that you are frightened.

Screeches, high-pitched sounds

with some harshness, say that you

are very frightened, but will fight

in desperation. You hear these

sounds from weaker animals in

fights, and from many small animals

when caught by a predator.

If you give a short sound that

goes up and down very fast, you are

saying you see something that

interests you. In small birds this

short sound comes out like “chip”

or “chirp”; in larger mammals, it

sounds like a bark or grunt. Humans

might use words like “wow,”

“hAmph,” or “aha!”

By using this short sound, an

animal attracts the attention of

others of its kind. Birds use this

sound to slow down a flock’s move-

ment. This use of the interest-

sound is in one sense deceptive,

since often the animal has not

really seen something that interests

it, but is using the interest-sound to

get the attention of its fellows.

The advantages of a flock’s staying

together are so important that flock

members will respond to this inter-

est-sound despite the deception.

But let’s return to your attempt

to talk to an animal in its own

language. You will probably soon

realize that communicating with

animals in their own way is at best

limited; and you will again resort

to words, asking questions and giv-

ing commands. Sometimes smart ani-

mals like dogs, and of course our

close relatives the chimpanzees and

great apes, can be taught what a few

of our spoken words mean. Fascinat-

ing experiments are also being made

in teaching the great apes the Amer-

ican Sign Language, which is widely

used by human beings who cannot

vocalize or who have trouble in

vocalizing, such as the deaf.

But those animals that do learn

the meaning of a few spoken words

do not pass this knowledge on to

their young. Most of what to us ap-

pears to be word understanding in

animals may to them be based on un-

derstanding the intonations we give

to the words.

The “mood” language of animals

is sufficient for them — and it is

almost always honest. An animal

that “says” it is angry by growling

makes its behavior perfectly predic-

table to another animal. That ani-

mal cannot lie, for its vocal sounds

are directly tied to its mood.

“By now you should have

decided that trying to ‘talk’

to an animal in its own

language is an impossible

assignment.”

Whether or not a sound is vocal-

ized is important. Some animals

“lie” by making hisses (a sound

not made with the vocal cords) that

may mimic a dangerous snake. A

mother titmouse does this when dis-

turbed inside her cavity nest; she

is trying to frighten off the intru-

der by “lying” that she is a black

snake. A goose’s hisses, on the

other hand, are not mimicry; but they

accomplish the same end. A goose

hisses at any non-goose animal that

threatens her nest—her “lie” says

that she is threatening, rather than

afraid.

A hiss is understood by all ani-

mals to be a threat, but only the

growl is both a threat and an actual

attack sound. An animal can in

reality be frightened, rather than

angry, when it hisses (it just wants

to be left alone); but it is always

angry when it growls —a sound made

with the vocal cords. As a general

rule, once an animal makes a vocal

sound, its inner feelings are known

to all that hear it.

By now you should have decided

that trying to “talk” to an animal

in its own language is an impossi-

ble assignment; humans stand alone

in their ability to talk. Talking

involves more than just the produc-

tion of word sounds; it also involves

hearing the sound in a very special

way. If you wanted to cuddle up to

an animal for a conversation, you

might say, “Oh, what a goose | am”

just to get into the spirit. But

the poor goose would probably lis-

ten to how you inflect this contin-

uous sound and hear: “Owaa tagoo

siam”! In “mood” language, this

would be terribly confusing.

So if someone brags that he or

she can talk to animals, remember

what Mark Twain said: “Animals talk

to each other; | never knew but one

man who could understand them — |

knew he could because he told me so

himself.”

Dr. Eugene Morton is currently studying how geese communicate; “they have an amazing

range of possible sounds,” he says. He has quickly realized that communicating with animals

in their own way has its drawbacks.

The Zoo in Winter

J. Fisher

Come snow or blow, we try to

keep them aglow.

That could be the motto of the

National Zoo’s dedicated keepers,

who do their best each winter to

keep the cold, wet weather from

making their charges miserable.

Plenty of food, dry beds, and

shelter are crucial. Without them

even cold-weather buffs like the

Arctic foxes, pandas, and polar

bears can get the shakes.

Winter at the Zoo means a lot

more than simply providing shelters

and dry beds. Like harried home-

owners, Zoo people bundle up for

the winter each year by installing in-

sulation, checking thermostats, and

keeping a sharp eye on the chill

factor.

Preparations begin in the autumn,

long before the first snowflake falls.

The diet of some animals, like

the hoofed stock, is supplemented

with extra doses of high-energy

foods, like corn, barley, and oats.

The new layers of fat produced by

the high-protein feed gives the ani-

mals more protection against cold.

Said one keeper, “When the

thermostat plunges, the animals out

there burn calories like mad; so it

The tiger, a highly adaptable predator, is at home in a variety of climates, from snow-

laden pine forests to steamy rainforests— to Lion-Tiger Hill at the National Zoo.

not a question of spoiling them with

these goodies. It’s a necessity.”

As an added line of defense,

wooden planks or plastic sheeting is

put up to protect many of the enclo-

sures and cages from chilling gusts.

Infrared lamps and heat panels

warm the air in many places. These

are closely checked by maintenance

people well in advance of the first

bone-chilling days.

“We've been switching from heat

lamps to infrared panels in the last

four or five years,” points out

William A. Xanten, Jr., the National

Zoo’s curator of mammals.

“The panels are controlled

thermostatically, shed heat over a

much wider area, and are really

money-savers in the long run. Bud-

getary restraints have forced us to

curtail the program, however.”

Other electronic devices give

birds the hotfoot, but it’s for their

own good. Electronically heated

perches keep claws free from

frostbite.

But some protective measures

don’t work out, despite the best of

intentions. When special rubberized

insulating flaps were installed to

give the black rhinos easy access

to the outdoors, the ungrateful ani-

mals ate the flaps! Conventional

doors now keep them inside unless

outdoor temperatures reach the 40s.

Giraffes, elephants, and hippos

stay inside, too, unless temper-

atures are moderate. “They also

remain indoors if the ground is

covered with ice,” says Xanten. “We

just don’t want to take chances on

broken bones.”

10

Some animals do well in slip-

pery conditions. For instance, rein-

deer and caribou have wide hoofs

and a short gait to help them over

ice and snow. The soft part of the

underhoof contracts, leaving the

hard outer edge projecting. Cutting

through ice and snow, this hard

outer hoof gives non-skid traction.

The giant pandas love a good

snowfall. Like dutiful parents, the

Zoo’s keepers traditionally build

“Naturally more active In

wintertime, the pandas romp in

snow.”

snowmen for them to celebrate

the first big storm. And like mischiev-

ous children, the pandas respond by

knocking the snowmen down.

Naturally more active in winter-

time, the pandas romp in snow.

“1 can’t remember a day when it’s

been too cold for them to go out,”

said a veteran panda-watcher.

Many of the monkeys, too, frolic

outside in all but the coldest

weather. Rubber flaps in the Monkey

House give them easy access to

outdoor play areas while conserving

heat inside.

Monkeys, lions, and many other

African animals often regarded as

tropical by the public actually do

quite well in cold weather. As Xan-

ten notes, the temperatures in their

native habitats sometimes fall to

the 30s at night. Given the neces-

sary time to adjust, they adapt

quite well to prolonged cold wea-

ther in U.S. zoos.

The animals that have probably

fared worst during the last two

severe winters have been the hoofed

stock. There have been cases of

frostbite and frozen hooves, but

quick reaction from attendants has

kept permanent injury to a minimum.

Only one animal suffered exces-

sively: A tiny male dik-dik lost

his horns in the cold snap the win-

ter before last — one of the worst

in the Zoo’s history.

Nobody at the Zoo looks for-

ward to a prolonged bout with sub-

freezing temperatures. Invariably,

it means broken pipes, frozen water

troughs, and all sorts of unexpected

headaches.

Two years ago, the protracted

cold weather inspired an invasion

of predators. Denied normal food

supplies in the surrounding area by

the deep freeze, foxes, raccoons,

possums, and weasels descended on

the Zoo for free meals. Their ponds

frozen over, the waterfowl had no

place to retreat to, and made parti-

cularly easy pickings for their furry

enemies. Ravenous raccoons even

scaled outdoor birdcages protected

by electronic wire to snare a meal.

The Zoo has since taken added

precautions to protect animals

vulnerable to the unwelcome out-

siders—for example, aerators in the

ponds now keep them from freezing.

A severe snow brings a separ-

ate set of miseries. It is particu-

larly hard on keepers, who must

struggle in no matter what problems

Waterfalls, aerators, and water pipes keep

bird ponds at the National Zoo from freez-

ing over during severe cold spells.

the storm may cause. “Who else

will feed and care for the animals?”

asked one keeper succinctly.

Even snowy road conditions can

seem trivial once a keeper gets to

work. A severe blizzard can leave

animals bogged down in heavy drifts.

Gates to pens can be blocked by

snow.

“When that happens, it’s grab

the snow shovels and climb the

fences,” says Xanten.

What Does a

Registrar Do?

Judith Block

Registrar

Query: “What do you do?”

Response: “I’m the National Zoo’s

Registrar.”

Incredulous rejoinder: “You

mean you register the animals?”

Yes, of course; for if you do

not register them, it is as if you

don’t have them.

Let me explain this. | think every-

one who works in a zoo has a primary

personal rationale for keeping ani-

mals in captivity. For me, it is that

although keeping one or two speci-

mens of a species at a time does

not count for much, if we can learn

as much as possible about these

specimens and others like them,

then over a period of time perhaps

we can begin to learn something

about the species as a whole.

This is where a registrar’s job

begins. When an animal comes to

the Zoo, the registrar is responsible

for identifying it and for keeping

track of everything that is found

out about it. With this information,

curators can chart genealogies to

help formulate their breeding

programs. They can also work out

management plans based on health

and reproduction data and begin

research studies suggested by mere

fragments of observation. Veteri-

narians can keep track of individual

progress and recurring problems

and spot trends in groups. And in-

formation on well-known specimens

can be provided to the public.

How do you register an animal?

The process begins with its acquisi-

tion. If it is born or hatched in

the Zoo, the procedure is relatively

simple. A birth or hatching is noted

as breeding data on the parents’

records, and the new arrival is

assigned an accession number—a

number unique to each specimen,

much like a social security number.

So that everyone knows how to

match that number with the correct

individual, the registrar may arrange

to have the animal marked with

some sort of identifier—a leg

band, ear tag, tattoo, notch, etc.

Animals acquired by trade, pur-

chase, loan, or acceptance of a don-

ation are also given accession num-

bers and individual markers; but

“Documentation also includes

securing as much information

as possible about the speci-

men’s past.”

much more goes into their dossiers.

In these cases, the curator makes

the arrangements for the particular

acquisition, and the registrar takes

care of the attendant documenta-

tion. This includes such business

aspects as price or what is being

traded for the animal; who is respon-

sible for the shipping; and whether

Shipping animals overseas requires so many

documents that they may outweigh the

animal.

there is a guarantee that the animal

will arrive alive and survive for at

least 30 days.

Documentation also includes se-

curing as much information as possi-

ble about the specimen’s past. For

example, knowing if the animal is

captive-born or wild-born, what its

age is, what its experience is in

socialization, and what its medical

history is, may all prove significant.

The key issue, though, is docu-

mentation of legal origin; and the

registrar is responsible for compli-

ance with all state and federal reg-

ulations on protected species,

disease restrictions, and shipping

methods. Documentation also in-

cludes proof of legal acquisition

by the supplier and of compliance

with health regulations. Sometimes

complex transfer or import permits

must be obtained.

An increasingly popular form of

transaction, at least for the cura-

tors, is the breeding loan. In this

Breeding Loan Agreements are popular with

curators but difficult to document. Of the

six clouded leopards at the Zoo’s Conserva-

tion and Research Center at Front Royal, a//

of the animals are owned by other zoos.

transaction, the registrar helps

negotiate formal Breeding Loan

Agreements — and then tries to keep

up as the subjects of the contracts

multiply and the arrangements

thus become more complex. For

example, most agreements stipulate

13

that ownership of offspring is appor-

tioned by sex—and sex is often not

determinable for several months

after the offspring are born.

The National Zoo currently has

some 400 animals involved in loans,

both to and from. With some loans,

as in the case of the six clouded

leopards which are at the Zoo’s Con-

servation and Research Center, al/

of the animals are owned by out-

side zoos.

A computer system is being de-

signed to help keep loan records

straight. Meanwhile, record com-

puterization is already under way.

The initial record for each bird and

mammal (and soon for each reptile

and amphibian as well) is entered

in coded— and necessarily con-

densed—form to the International

Species Inventory System (ISIS),

which provides printouts of both in-

house and international inventories

of specimens. This latter inventory

enables us to estimate the total

captive population of a species and

to locate other institutions that

hold specimens we might be in-

terested in breeding. The press has

nicknamed ISIS the computer dating

service for zoo animals. This may

be catchy, but it gives quite the

wrong impression about a very

sophisticated process.

Zoo specimen cards—one for

each of the some 2,500 individuals in

the Park —supplement the data in the

14

computer and are used to record in-

formation about breeding, health,

feed, pairings, moves, etc., gathered

by keepers and noted on their Daily

Reports. Once a year or more, the

record cards are matched with the

specimens by a “head count,” and all

transactions are summarized in a

balance sheet by species. (The first

year they were here, the giant pandas

were left off the Inventory. The

Director spotted the omission, and

instead of remonstrating was kind

enough to reminisce about the time

someone forgot to count the ele-

phants.)

The procedure for removals is

similar to that for acquisitions.

There are the same business, legis-

lative, and historical aspects to

be covered. The exception is in the

case of death. When an animal dies,

the carcass is offered to the Smith-

sonian for its study collections; if

the Smithsonian does not want it,

it may go to the NZP’s Zoolab or

Birdlab, or it may be incinerated.

For such removals as sales,

trades, gifts, and loans to other

institutions, the National Zoo usually

makes its own shipping arrange-

ments — and therein lies an exasper-

ating task.

You’d think arranging a ship-

ment would be simple: All you’d

have to do is call the airlines for

a reservation, get the vet to sign

a standard health certificate, and

off the animal would go.

It’s a bit more complex than

that. First you have to find out

the dimensions and weight of the

proper crate for the animal. Then

you must go to the airlines’ schedule

book to pick the most direct routing

and see if the crate will fit in the

cargo hold of that type of plane.

You must also consider the weather

at all stopovers: Will it be too hot

for the animal? too cold?

After all this, you begin calling

the airlines—to explain just what

a consignment of wombats, genets,

dik-diks, caracaras, iguanas, or

whatever, means; to discuss the

special care which might be required

on the way; to stress the importance

“You'd think arranging a ship-

ment would be simple. . . .

It’s a bit more complex than

that.”

of a quick, easy journey, with no

long stretches of sitting on the

tarmac for the crated animal; to

explain how animals calm down

when their crate is in motion; and to

learn the idiosyncracies of each

airline’s rules and how to work with

or around them.

One airline may not accept mon-

keys because they are prone to es-

Cape; so you explain how adept the

Zoo is in crate-building. An air-

line’s prohibition against hippos of

more than six months of age may be

lifted for a yearling pygmy hippo,

since pygmy hippos weigh much less

than their more well-known kin. You

promise that odoriferous specimens

will be bathed before takeoff; you

explain that the ten chicks you’re

shipping aren't going to be packed

one on top of the other. After all

this, you may get the special per-

mission you need—or you may have

to contact an animal trucker.

Either way, the next step is to

contact the curator, so that he or

she can schedule taking the shipment

to the airport— and you had better

have a very good explanation if it

turns out that they have to get to

Kennedy Airport in New York at four

o’clock in the morning!

Now you must assemble the

myriad documents. In the case of

overseas shipments, where you want

enough copies for all possible agents

to have sets of their own and still

have.one set left over to arrive at

the final destination, this may mean

a packet of documents that weighs

as much as the animal does.

Next, you forewarn everyone

along the way that the animal will

be in transit. “Everyone” includes

those zoos which may have to be

called in to help at various stop-

overs, brokers, and government offi-

cials. Then the shipment goes; and

you hold your breath, either for the

This Kodiak bear cub is on its way to Guatemala. Although it has not attained its full weight

(which could be as much as 1,500 pounds), it took five men to get cage and bear onto the

waiting fork lift.

cable from the other end that says

“all arrived safely,” or for that

dreaded midnight phone call that the

animal did not arrive as scheduled.

If that nightmare occurs, you

frantically go to work to track the

shipment down— knowing that when

it changed planes, it could have gone

almost anywhere in the country. Any-

one who has lost a suitcase while

flying knows a little about this! — but

imagine, if you will, a suitcase that

15

4/4

... Imagine, if you will, a

suitcase that is alive, hungry,

and perhaps sitting in entirely

the wrong environment.”

is alive, hungry, and perhaps sitting

in entirely the wrong environment.

There are other, no less impor-

tant, aspects to the job of regis-

tering the animals. Annual reports

must be submitted to the interna-

tional stud books. Surveys request-

ing data on certain species under

study at other institutions must be

dealt with. Queries must be an-

swered—for example, the letter in-

quiring about whatever happened to

the rhesus monkey “Stratosphere

Mike,” who was at the Zoo after a

historic voyage into space or the

letter from the reporter who wanted

to know the latest giant panda

weights.

Query: “What does a zoo regis-

trar do?”

Response: “A job of endlessly

interesting variety.”

Scenting water, this seal, the first arrival at

Beaver Valley’s new exhibit, scampers out

of the crate in which it was shipped to the

Zoo.

The Fourth Grade

Pilot Program

Judy Herman ,

NZP Office of Education

This year not one trip to the Zoo

but six are planned for 16 fourth-

grade classes from the District of

Columbia School System. These

classes are participating in a new

program, “Zoo Animals: A Closer

Look,” which was jointly initiated

in 1977 by the National Zoo’s Office

of Education and FONZ’s Office

of Volunteer and Educational Ser-

vices. The program is exciting: parti-

cipating students, teachers, and

guides enjoy the opportunity to look

and learn, in depth, together.

The children are first introduced

to the program in their school class-

room. They watch the FONZ film

“Zoo,” which captures their inter-

est immediately. After a lively

discussion about animals and the

way the Zoo cares for them, the class

finds out that even more is in store

for them over the next five weeks.

Eyes light up when students are told

that the Zoo Express (a bus decor-

ated with animal silhouettes taken

from the Zoo’s striking new graphics

system) will take them to the Zoo.

Each week the class will con-

centrate on a different group of

animals —reptiles, amphibians, birds,

mammals, and primates. Like scien-

tists, class members will observe

carefully, describing, recording,

and asking questions about what

they see. Sometimes they will get

very close to the animals — even

touch them. The class is excited!

The children already have lots of

questions to ask their teacher and

fora leopard gecko.

the guides. Everyone is looking

forward to next week’s trip.

The children’s initial enthusiasm

continues throughout the next five

weeks. The lessons are activity-

oriented and challenge the children

to become involved. During the

first lesson in the Zoo workroom,

each child is encouraged to touch a

lizard, a turtle, asnake, and a frog

to compare reptiles’ scaly, dry skin

to amphibians’ smooth, moist skin.

Few children forget the difference.

During the lesson about birds,

children compare the weight of a

bird bone and amammal bone. They

also look at bird skeletons and com-

pare feathers by dropping them.

This close examination of a bird’s

Children learn by doing in this lesson about habitats by constructing a desert terrarium

7

structure gives the children new in-

sights when they go out into the

bird area.

Looking at mammals during the

fourth lesson, each child tours the

Zoo with a clipboard and record

book. After drawing a specific

mammal, the child notes its size,

the placement of its eyes, and what

its legs and feet are like. Using these

observations, the group discusses

the similarities and differences

among mammals. Such comparisons

show how mammals are adapted to

many different habitats.

While most lessons focus on

18

physical features, the final lesson

is planned to give the children the

opportunity to observe animal be-

havior—in this case, that of mon-

keys. Again, each child has an obser-

vation sheet; if you peer over some-

one’s shoulder, you are likely to

find that not only has she or he

checked off some of the behaviors

listed on the sheet, but some be-

haviors have been added that were

not listed.

During this six-week period,

guides and teachers notice how the

children change. Most blossom dur-

ing the course and are more willing

to discuss their observations. Dur-

ing the final lesson, children who

are initially reticent begin to par-

“Participating students,

teachers, and guides enjoy the

opportunity to look and learn,

in depth, together.”

ticipate. By the last class they

are volunteering information. Some

ask more questions than they did at

first. Most are looking more

closely — noticing more about one

animal before they move on to look

at another.

While the major goal of the

program is to get the children to

look carefully at animals, it is the

involvement of the teachers and

guides that insures the program’s

success. When the children arrive

at the Zoo, they are divided into

small groups of six to eight children

that always work with the same guide

or classroom teacher.

During each visit the groups

spend some time in the Zoo work-

room, which is located in the Educa-

tion Building, and some time out in

the Park. It’s not always easy to

orchestrate these lessons, but the

guides and teachers work together

and enjoy the challenge. They ask

questions to draw the children out,

focus their observations, and encour-

age them to compare. Sometimes

when the children are using work-

sheets, their leader (guide or teacher)

will explain the activity; the children

then continue on their own. The

guide or teacher checks in with each

of them to see how he or she is doing,

and finally pulls the group together

for a discussion to sum up its

findings.

For the guides, who are prac-

ticed in touring the Zoo with school

groups, this program is an intense

new experience. The guides like the

opportunity to introduce the lesson

with an activity in the workroom,

and then to reinforce what the group

has done there with an activity in

the Park. They enjoy the continued

contact with their students, who pro-

mise at the end of the session to

come back to see them at the Zoo.

Teachers are also pleased with

the program. All through the pro-

gram’s planning states, teachers

were consulted to find out what

they wanted for their children. The

Zoo/FONZ team then considered

these needs and how they might be

filled at the Zoo. The program com-

plements the fourth-grade science

curriculum by reinforcing skills

taught in the classroom — observa-

tion, classification, and the re-

cording of data. Since students are

so excited about the visits to the

Zoo and are anxious to learn more

about the animals, classroom teach-

ers take advantage of their enthusi-

asm. Using materials provided by

the Zoo, teachers plan other lessons

to complement the “Zoo Animals”

program.

The Zoo is proud of the program,

“Zoo Animals: A Closer Look.” It

provides a lasting experience that

students, teachers, and guides can

share—and after this rich experience,

we hope the children will come back

to the Zoo to look and learn again

and again and again.

Editor’s Note: In fall, 1978, “Zoo

Animals: A Closer Look” won a

Significant Achievement Award from

the American Association of Zoologi-

cal Parks and Aquariums.

Fourth-graders are encouraged to handle and compare reptiles and amphibians dur-

ing their first lesson in the Zoo workroom.

19

Birdlab

Unless you know where it is,

Birdlab may be hard to find the

first time. You might not notice

an unobtrusive room by the kiwi

when there’s a cockatoo right in

front of you, hanging from a tree-

limb by its beak, or dozens of birds

fly over your head in the indoor

flight room.

Birdlab is worth the hunt. It’s

right outside the indoor flight room;

and it is a classic example of a quiet

exterior cloaking a treasure house.

Outside the door of Birdlab are

information boards that keep you up

to date on Bird House news and acti-

vities. The news is supplied by

Keeper Mary Noél and updated

weekly.

Yellow baby chicks stand in

Birdlab’s front window, under a

spotlight (for warmth). They have

a carpeted glass case with two feed

dishes; there are brightly-colored

marbles in the chicks’ water dish—

to keep it from tipping over.

Next to the chicks’ case is an

incubator/brooder which usually

contains fertile chicken eggs in some

stage of development. Birdlab’s other

window, a little further down, con-

tains two model biplanes, a swan’s

egg, various stuffed birds, and a

stuffed flying squirrel hanging by a

wire from the ceiling as if in mid-

flight.

Inside, Birdlab is long and

narrow. Along one wall is a low

counter with sturdy stools under-

neath. On the counter are: two

stuffed birds (a toucan and a robin);

a shadow-box and projector, for

the showing of a two-minute silent

movie about the Bird House; a

bluebird’s nest in a plexiglas imi-

tation birdhouse, with a hinged lid

for easy nest-touching; cases con-

taining skeletons of a rat, a bat,

a pigeon, and a swan; and a vase

holding feathers from a number of

different bird species.

Between the two sets of windows

is another low counter. Behind it

are resource boxes on various sub-

jects, such as bird sounds, bird diets,

feathers, etc.

Pat Petrella, the FONZ staff

member in charge of recruiting,

training, and scheduling the Birdlab

volunteers, explains one resource

box, marked Wing Span. “Hold the

other end of this,” she says, and

unfurls a long, thin piece of hunter

green acetate cloth. It’s about

12 feet long. “This is the wing

span of a wandering albatross. Do

you believe the length of it?!

“Wing Span is my favorite box,”

Pat confides, folding the green cloth

up again. She shows some of the

box’s other contents, including a

The Nest Games box gives students a

chance to examine nests of various species

of birds. Not only is this a useful lesson on

how birds build their nests to cope with

different environments — it’s fun!

card exhibiting the wing span of the

red bishop, the bird that has the

smallest wing span (4.75 inches, or

12.2 cm) at the National Zoo. The

red bishop, you also learn, has about

the same weight as three sticks of

chewing gum.

Birdlab also contains telescopes

and binoculars that can be borrowed

for close-up birdwatching; activity

cards; resource files; books on

birds—in fact, an almost bewilder-

ing variety of resources for learning

about birds.

“Birdlab is in an ideal situa-

tion,” Pat says, “because it’s right

in the Bird House. People can come

in, go out, come back, compare, ex-

plore; there’s a sense of immediacy.”

Marlene Robinson, the member of

the NZP’s Office of Education staff

responsible for putting together the

resource boxes, agrees. ‘People can

really immerse themselves in learn-

ing about birds. | can’t stress enough

how important it is that people

be able to, say, study nesting sites

in the Nest Games box, and then

go right out and look at a bird sitting

on anest. And then come back and

learn about something else.”

Birdlab is open from 12:00 to

3:00 on Friday, Saturday, and Sun-

day, and at other times by appoint-

ment. When it first opened, in late

1978, the weekend crowds some-

times exceeded 300 people. Visitors

occasionally had to be asked to wait

Both telescopes and binoculars are available for loan at Birdlab. They can be taken out of the

building for looking at birds outside — or used on the spot!

or to come back later. “Now the

crowds have eased off,” Marlene

says. “It’s really the perfect time to

come in and see everything at your

leisure.”

Beaver Valley

FONZ members are invited to a

very special private opening of

Beaver Valley on Friday night, May

4 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

FONZ guides will be available to

answer questions as members tour

the National Zoo’s newest exhibit.

Gray seals, timber wolves, Califor-

nia sea lions, beavers, crabeating,

foxes, and North American river ot-

ters will roam through exhibits set

in a wild area of rushing streams,

ponds, and tall shade trees —a

wooded ravine that is amazingly

close to their natural environments.

Beaver Valley will be featured

in the next issue of The ZooGoer—

a special, double issue that will also

focus on bears. Watch for it!

21

Lenda

Helping Hand

. and get paid for it!

FONZ sometimes needs depend-

able, enthusiastic help in its park

concessions operations on weekdays

during the beautiful spring and

fall seasons. If you have several

days free and would like to be a

gift shop sales clerk, a parking or

stroller rental cashier, or a food

services worker, please call Mary

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

July-August, 1979

A most unusual FONZ adventure!

The same wildlife wonders that amazed Darwin—and

triggered the theory of evolution—remain untouched

For more details on either of these exciting safaris, contact the Office of the Executive

Director of FONZ at 232-7700.

22

Massey, 232-77 18, weekdays, for

details.

How Wild

Can You Get?

Membership in FONZ is a mean-

ingful way to support wildlife

conservation through the National

Zoo’s special programs. And FONZ

membership privileges and programs

in 1979 will be the most exciting

we’ve ever had.

Make your friends our Friends

FONZ Safaris

PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

September, 1979

The toure

will then cro

Hong Kong. Op

The tour begins in the

ticipants will visit such

Palace and Chairma

Other cities to be v

rarely-seen commun

city in the world and

by giving them a FONZ member-

ship — it’s a gift that both educates

and delights.

Or, if you’re from out of town,

consider a subscription-only mem-

bership. You will receive The Zoo-

Goer six times a year and be able to

keep in touch with the important

work going on at the Zoo in educa-

tion, research, and conservation

of wildlife.

For more details, write to

FONZ, c/o The National Zoo,

Washington, D.C. 20008.

Wall of China, the

Let course, giant

largest

ot KE c countries in

Asia and Europe are available at that time.

The all-inclusive price of $3,100 covers transportation

and all costs throughout China.

- MARCH

5

19

ee rr—r—i“‘irssC

_ “Pawpaws, Pitcher Plants ad Peresrines. “Stanwyn

__ Shetler, Associate Curator of Bele Smithsonian _

_- Institution. _ - _

_ Free Tour of he Zoo —

Open to FONZ members only. Please call 2327700 |

_ coe

31

Photo Exhibit Opens

oa

| Monday”

(Satu ae

for reservations.

(Saturday)

ee Classes Begin.

APRIL

14

oe

Front Royal Volu nteer Weekad

An opportunity for FONZ members to donate

their efforts to the conservation program at Front |

Royal. Volunteers will assist in activities contributing -

to the well-being of the animals; weekend accom-

piodaons wilde pipviced. Please ou ae he ee _ Tour the new Lion-Tiger Exhibit, learn about the big

information ang reservations.

S Mondan

Audubon Lecture

“Life on Earth— The Primates. ] “John Spars, BBC

producer. | |

a a cea:

Trip to the Baltimore 200 tis

_ a Aspecial tour of the Baltimore Zoo will melds

_ _behind-the-scenes tours of Penguin ee and Ls

ne y Afric ar

ue a -

_— Spelunkine Spree _ |

__ Avisit to a cave in Virginia will eter a paricipante a

chance to explore rock formations ano) examine cave |

- _ _ wildlife ar and insect ve

Gideon

Exhibit Open

A special preview, for FONZ members only, of che

_ National Zoo! s new exhibit, Beaver Valley.

(Saturday)

Catoctin Mountain Park Hike

- Wild scenery and splendid panoramas of the sur-

rounding countryside —an adventure that will take

: Place rain or ‘shine!

i Suan

_ Family Day: the Big Cat

- cats, and even make a soft-sculptu re cat to take

_ home. This is an opportunity for parents and child-

ren to learn—and have fun! eee

_ ay F foi more stein on any ves the above events, call the

— FONZ emai a office at 232- 7700. |

ithe

Friends Non-Profit Org.

of the _ US. Postage

National PAID

Washington, D.C.

Permit No. 44282

at the National Zoological Park

Washington, D.C. 20008

Address correction requested