ZOOVIEW Vol. 47, No. 2 | Summer 2014

Special Conservation Issue

Board of Directors 2014 President Jason Ito Vice Presidents Paul Dyson Reid Hinaga Simone Perez Kenneth Kanter Treasurer Karen Francis Secretary Ryan Mukai Past President Tom Ocasek Board Members Mary Benson Sandy Brigode Joanne Clark Angela Eberhardt Michael Flores Sandra Gibson Kim Hehir Cory Kubota Melanie Long Aimee Lum Toni Maehara Rick Ornellas Glenna Owens Tara Spagnoli Barry Sullivan Aimee Tadaki Sisi Takaki Barry Wallace Non-voting Jeffrey Wilkinson Gerald Saito Ted Otaguro HZS STAFF Executive Director Ted Otaguro ZooView Editor Director of Research and Conservation Kathy Carlstead, Ph.D Director of Administration Amanda LaGoy Administrative Assistant Fran Jacobson Director of Volunteers Barbara L. Thacker Membership Director Judy Dugan Director of Education Programs Kelly Reno Head Instructor Connie Brown Docent and Animal Enrichment Coordinator Shelby Carlos Programs Coordinator Sarah Harris Contributing Photographers Rod Kuba Bryan Thompson Eric Jeltes Fields Falcone Leann Blinko ZooView Design & Production Pineapple Tweed PR & Marketing

Cert no. XXX-XXX-000

in this issue… 3

Honolulu Zoological Society Board of Directors

Aloha president’s message

6

President Jason Ito

Honolulu Zoological Society Executive Vice President Board Directors PaulofDyson

Pioneering Birds

6

No Chuffs About It

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Aloha

The Honolulu Zoo Society invites you to ZOOFARI 2014 – our unique fundraising event on Saturday, September 20, Jason Ito Reid Hinaga 2014. We hope you will support this fun, Zebra-themed Kenneth Kanter President ExecutiveThe ViceHonolulu President Zoo Society invites to ZOOFARI 2014ever – event.you For the first time Zoofari will be held at the Simone Jason Ito Paul DysonPerez The Honolulu Zoo Society invites to ZOOFARIand 2014décor – Waialae Country Club. Ouryou entertainment team is our unique fundraising event on Saturday, September 20, 2014. Treasurer Karen Francis our unique fundraising event on Saturday, September 20, Vice Presidents going the extra mile toFor make We hope you will support this fun, Zebra-themed event. the your visit to the club an Executive Vice President Secretary Reid Hinaga- Ryan Mukai 2014. We hope you will support thistofun, Zebra-themed you won’t miss. Come dressed in your first time -ever will beexperience held at the Waialae Countrywant Club. Paul Dyson Kenneth Kanter Past President TomZoofari OcasekZoo The Honolulu Society invites you to ZOOFARI 2014 – event. For the first time ever Zoofari will be held at the Simone Perez sleekest black and white attire! Our entertainment and décor team is going the extra mile to Honolulu Zoological Society by Jason President Board of Directors Vice Presidents

Ito

Aloha

Vice Presidents Reid Hinaga Kenneth Kanter Simone Perez

our unique Board Members

Waialae Country Our entertainment and décor fundraising event Club. on Saturday, September 20, team is

your visit to the club an experience you won’t want to miss. Treasurermake - Karen Francis goingwill the extra mile to make your visit to the club an Mary Benson 2014. We you support this fun, Zebra-themed We invite you to participate in ZOOFARI 2014 by Secretary Ryan Mukai Come dressed hope in your sleekest black and white attire! experience you won’t want to miss. Come dressed in your Past President Tom Ocasek Sandy Brigode event. For the first time ever Zoofari at the sponsoring a table ofwill ten be for held you and your guests.

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Board Members Mary Benson Sandy Brigode

Conservation Fund ON THE COVER

Zoo Camp A Japanese white-eye (Zosterops japonicas or mejiro) feeds his offspring while being photographed by Rod Kuba. The Japanese white-eye was intentionally introduced into Hawai‘i in the 1920s for purposes of bug control. Now, an increase in the numbers of white-eyes that live in old-growth forests is leaving native bird species with too little to eat. Visit us on our Facebook page “Honolulu Zoo Society” for all the latest information on what’s happening at the Zoo. For more information or to contact us: Honolulu Zoo Society 151 Kapahulu Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815 honoluluzoo.org Phone: 808 926-3191 • Fax: 808 926-2622

Joanne Clark Angela Eberhardt Michael Flores Sandra Gibson Kim Hehir Cory Kubota Melanie Long Aimee Lum Toni Maehara Rick Ornellas Glenna Owens Tara Spagnoli Barry Sullivan Aimee Tadaki Sisi Takaki Barry Wallace Executive Director Ted Otaguro

sleekest black and white update the Zoo’ s animal exhibits and attire! provide exemplary educational programs to Kim Hehir Angela Eberhardt kindindividual, experiences.reserved A Table Benefits information seats for $300 each.sheet, Table Michael Floresour Zoo a more conducive environment for Hawaii’s children to explore and Cory make Kubota Sales form, and Silent and Live Auction Donor form have Sandra Gibson Melanie Long appreciate our fantastic living world! We invite you tobeen participate inyour ZOOFARI 2014 bymay also included for convenience. You Through your patronage at ZOOFARI 2014purchase we will Kim HehirLum Aimee individual, reserved seats for $300 each. On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Honolulu Zoo Society, thank you sponsoring a table of ten for you and your guests. In continue our mission to transform and update the zoo’s Cory Kubota Toni Maehara advance for your Weexhibits look forward to provide welcoming you to addition, ourconsideration. Zoofari Auction willand feature many one-of-aMelanie in Long animal exemplary educational Rick Ornellas Through your patronage at ZOOFARI 2014 we will ZOOFARI 2014! Call us today to reserve your tableour or individual seat conducive Aimee Lum to make zoo a more environment experiences. Aprograms Table Glennakind Owens continue our Benefits mission toinformation transform and sheet, update Table the zoo’s Toni Maehara at (808) 926-3191 x 117. for Hawaii’s children to explore and appreciate our fantastic Sales form, Tara Spagnoli

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On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Honolulu Zoo Society, thankCome you in advance for your consideration. We Dressed in your Come Jason Ito2014! Call usTed Otaguro look forward to welcoming you to ZOOFARI Dressed in your sleekest Black Ito Otaguro President orTed today to reserve your table at (808)Jason 926-3191x117 mail a Executive Director sleekest andBlack White President Executive Director White check toand Honolulu attire! Zoo Society, 151 Kapahulu Avenue,

Pioneering Birds It’s a brave new world for rufous fantail number MAC 010-373. Flying around in the forest one day in April, chasing insects and minding his own business, he suddenly found himself entangled in a mist net. Quickly, he was removed by a group of sweating biologists who held him in their bare hands, outfitted him with a metal identification band (MAC 010-373), weighed him and then confined him in a plastic box. For 16 days he was forced to subsist on a diet of mealworms and fishy-smelling flies. To his chagrin, he gained five percent of his body weight from gorging himself on these free food deliveries, no work required. Little did he know that he was soon to be flown in a big, metallic whirlybird to become a founder of a whole new population of rufous fantails on the small island of Sarigan, 118 miles to the north of his home on the island of Tinian.

The Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is 14 islands, stretching over 470 miles between Guam and Japan. Rota, Tinian and Saipan are the only islands in CNMI with any significant human populations, while the remaining islands support on average fewer than 10 people. The northern islands, including Sarigan, Guguan and Pagan, are remote, rugged and mostly uninhabited by forest birds.

The MAC Program

Others have gone boldly before MAC 010-373. Between 2009 and 2013 biologists working in the Marianas Avifauna Conservation (MAC) program have transferred 100 bridled white-eye, 74 golden white-eye, 32 Mariana fruit dove and 32 rufous fantail from Saipan or Tinian to the remote island world of Sarigan to start new populations of these species. Then every year, biologists make trips to Sarigan to count birds to see if the population is growing. They are looking for unbanded birds, which would mean they hatched on Sarigan from founders such as MAC 010-373. CNMI biologists have discovered the translocations are working well! The bridled white-eye population, released starting in 2009, is estimated to be 2000-4000. Golden white-eye re-sightings in 2013 included banded and unbanded birds – evidence of breeding. For the Mariana fruit dove and rufous fantail it is too early to tell since the first birds were released in 2013, but pairs were observed courting and one pair of rufous fantails was found with a completed nest just seven days after they were released. Here’s hoping MAC 010-373 will take to his new home with a similar pioneering spirit. The purpose of the MAC Program is to safeguard the unique avian diversity of Rota, Tinian and Saipan from potential extinction that could result from the accidental introduction of the brown tree snake (BTS) (Boiga irregularis). No invader has been more detrimental than the brown tree snake, a species from New Guinea that came to Guam in the 1940s on military cargo. Within 30 years it has led to a collapse of nearly all of Guam’s wild birds. By the 80s, nine out of 12 of the island’s bird species no longer lived on Guam. Meanwhile, the handful of brown tree snakes that invaded in the 40s turned into an estimated one million. In the CNMI to date there have been 90 credible encounters with brown tree snakes, four on Rota, 10 on Tinian and 76 on Saipan. The US Department of Interior in 2004 determined that Saipan supports an “incipient”

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“Yesterday our crew of 14 people arrived on the island of Tinian. We spent the day unpacking equipment, building bird holding boxes, setting up the bird room and identifying potential sites for nets.” population of BTS. That prompted the CNMI Wildlife Department to ask North American zoos for assistance in developing captive populations of native bird species as a reserve in case the BTS should further decimate the native avifauna. The long-term plan to protect CNMI’s bird species from the brown tree snake is to establish captive breeding populations in zoos, as well as to found satellite populations on islands deemed to be safe from the BTS. MAC participants capture, manage and place all wild birds that will be transferred to a new location. Honolulu Zoo’s Peter Luscomb and Memphis Zoo’s Herb Roberts, now both retired from zoos and founders of the nonprofit “Pacific Bird Conservation,” started the MAC program. MAC program’s efforts are well documented on Facebook (www.facebook.com/The MAC Program) and www. pacificbird conservation.org. During the 2014 field seasons in April and July, Memphis Zoo’s Fields Falcone reports and posts photos almost on a daily basis. At the Zoo you can see Mariana fruit doves, rufous fantails and golden white-eyes in the round aviary near the entrance to Kipuka Nene.

“Because the fantails subsist primarily on insects, we need to have an ample amount of live food available for them before we start trapping. We have flytraps set up around the island with ripe fish to lure in the insects.” “Day 3 of trapping and we already have 29 fantails! Our goal is 48 birds to translocate to the uninhabited and snake-free island of Sarigan. Birds in our care are fed flies and mealworms four times a day and then weighed at the first and last feeding. Weighing the birds so often allows us to monitor how the birds are eating, and individuals that aren’t acclimating can be released back to the trap site. We only want the healthiest and stable birds to make the journey to Sarigan.” “We got confirmation yesterday that the weather is going to cooperate today! All last night was spent banding every single Rufous fantail and transferring them to the shipping crates. Initially the goal was 48 fantails to go to Sarigan, but we ended up trapping a total of 51 and because all were healthy and eating, we decided to send them all. The birds are going to get an early morning meal and then are meeting the helicopter at 8 am. Tensions will be high until all the birds are loaded and in the air.” “The MAC Program and its participants are proud to announce that the translocation of 51 Rufous fantails to the island of Sarigan was a success! Despite some early morning showers, the birds were whisked away by a helicopter and delivered safely to their new home. All 51 birds exited the holding crates with energy, vigor and a final ‘chip – chip’ farewell call. We are all so overjoyed!”

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Honolulu Zoo Conservation Fund The Conservation Fund supports field conservation programs around the world. We raise funds through donation boxes, special events and a portion of education program proceeds. One hundred percent of funds collected support one of the projects or programs listed below. If you would like to make a donation to the Conservation Fund or to a specific project, please mail a check stating which project to: Honolulu Zoo Society, Attention: Conservation Fund, 151 Kapahulu Ave., Honolulu HI 96815.

Pacific Bird Conservation: The Marianas Avifauna Conservation (MAC) Program was initiated in 2004 to provide the avifauna of the Mariana archipelago with chances for long-term survival by securing populations from the threat of the brown tree snake. www.pacificbirdconservation.org Turtle Conservancy, Madagascar Ploughshare Tortoise Project. This tortoise (Astrochelys yniphora) is known as the most endangered in the world because of its very limited range in Madagascar. The Turtle Conservancy develops and implements strategies to conserve the species in Madagascar using all possible tools for the conservation of this species. www.turtleconservancy.org

The Orangutan Foundation is a UK registered charity that plays an active part in international networks to promote the conservation of orangutans through the protection of their tropical forest habitat in Borneo and Sumatra. www.orangutan.org.uk

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The Tiger Conservation Campaign provides a connection between North American zoos and the conservation of wild tigers across Asia. Among its projects is to reduce Sumatran tiger-human conflict by constructing tiger-proof livestock pens in villages, and increasing outreach, and awareness and veterinary assistance. www.mnzoo.org/tigercampaign.

The IEF supports and operates elephant conservation and education programs in managed facilities and in the wild, with an emphasis on management, protection and scientific research. www.elephantconservation.org.

Komodo Survival Program (KSP). This Indonesian-based non-profit organization works to provide sound information on the biology, ecology, and conservation status of the Komodo dragon to help devise management and conservation plans for the species and its natural habitat. www.kspindonesia.org (website under construction.)

Manoa Cliff Native Forest Restoration Project. The restoration site is a six-acre area of forest along the Manoa Cliff trail above Honolulu. The all-volunteer project removes invasive plant species and restores natives to the site. Honolulu Zoo has provided funds to purchase plant seedlings, miscellaneous supplies for weeding and removing trees, and a storage container. There are public volunteer workdays every Sunday. www.manoacliff.org. The Mabula Ground Hornbill Project aims to bolster the number of wild southern ground hornbills, a flagship species for the savanna biome. There are only 1,500 birds remaining in South Africa where they are endangered, and their numbers are declining throughout all their range in Africa. School education programs are one component of this project. www.ground-hornbill.org.za. Chinese Giant Salamander Conservation. To save this species from extinction, a conservation program has been initiated in China by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) in collaboration with Chinese institutions and the government of China. The goal of this conservation program is to build a strategic conservation plan for the CGS within its native range in China. The Chinese giant salamander is a "flagship" species for China's freshwater river systems. www.chinesegiantsalamanders.org White Rhino protection. Kruger National Park is home to around 65 percent of the world’s rhinos. Devastatingly, it is also home to around 60 percent of the rhino poaching victims in South Africa. In 2013, SANparks launched their Ring-Fenced Rhino Account, meaning that all donations made in aid of rhinos will go directly to anti-poaching efforts.

No Chuffs About It “Chuffing” is the friendly sound a tiger makes when greeting a familiar tiger or human. Honolulu Zoo’s three Sumatran tigers chuff daily upon the approach of their primary zookeeper, Kristen Scheidly, who is also a graduate student in zoology at Miami University-Oxford, Ohio. For her coursework, she spent a lot of time reading about palm oil and the destructive effects its production is having on the habitats of some of the world’s most cherished, and endangered, species including tigers and orangutans. Feeling compelled to raise awareness of this issue, she created a website to teach people about palm oil and what we can do as consumers to lessen its impact. On the website, Kristen writes: “I have always had a passion for animals and the environment since I can remember. When I first heard about the negative effects of palm oil it was heartbreaking. I couldn't believe humans could still be so destructive to the environment. After all, we are supposed to be the more intelligent species. “ She decided to create a website for consumers that does the footwork on this complicated issue. On the website she explains what palm oil is, why it is a problem, the topics behind certified palm oil and what consumers can do to make changes to the palm oil industry. She has become an advocate for reducing or using only sustainably produced palm oil, and offers some tools to help shoppers make environmentally and socially responsible choices about what to buy. “As consumers, we have the power to influence big corporations to raise their standards. This year alone, consumers convinced Mars Inc., Kellogg’s and Procter & Gamble to commit to purchasing palm oil that will not destroy rainforests and is traceable by Dec. 2015! This is a huge move forward, but we have quite a ways to go. “ Please visit www.nochuffsaboutit.org and see what you can do to help reduce the growing environmental impacts of palm oil. hzs zooview

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Saving the Endangered

Native Koloa

DLNR Launches Awareness Campaign Even wildlife biologists have a tough time telling the difference between the endangered koloa maoli (Hawaiian duck) and the common mallard. Cross-breeding, or hybridization, between the two species is the primary reason the endemic koloa is endangered. To address the koloa’s future, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is collaborating with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the University of Hawaii Pacific Studies Cooperative Unit on The Koloa Project. The project provides steps that attempt to ensure the koloa's survival as one of three remaining native waterfowl species in Hawaii (the others being the Hawaiian nene or goose and Laysan duck). The koloa is a small duck, similar in appearance to the mallard but more secretive and behaves differently. Present in the Hawaiian Islands for at least 100,000 years, the koloa is found from sea level to as high as 10,000 feet. Cross-breeding with mallards began sometime in the late 1800s when the more common mallard was imported to Hawaii for ornamental ponds, hunting and farming. The USFWS has recommended removing feral mallard ducks as a critical step toward saving the koloa from extinction.

“The problem becomes distinguishing between koloa, feral mallards and hybrids in the field,” said Stephen Turnbull, DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife koloa communications and outreach coordinator. “Though koloa look very similar to female mallards, a trained eye can detect unique characteristics, and we’re working toward an identification key based upon genetic markers to further our conservation efforts.” A component of DLNR’s program to save the koloa is research to determine how many native ducks remain versus hybridized ones. It’s believed fewer than 3,000 true koloa remain in the wild. DLNR researchers are conducting tests on ducks visiting the ponds at Honolulu Zoo to help determine their degree of hybridization. “We do know, for example, that the degree of hybridization on Kauai is very low, and we suspect that there may be small remnant populations of koloa on the other main Hawaiian Islands,” said William J. Aila Jr., DLNR chairperson. “Another component of the program is to raise public awareness about the koloa to a level similar, or exceeding, the awareness of the Hawaiian nene. It is especially important to remind people who have ‘barnyard’ ducks not to release them into the wild. This is the biggest factor affecting the decline of the koloa.” Advertisements to educate people about the koloa will appear in newspapers across the state over the next year. In addition, DLNR is conducting an online survey to gauge public awareness of the koloa. Individuals may take the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/koloa.

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Summer Solstice Conservation Fest The Honolulu Zoo Summer Solstice Conservation Fest was a huge success! Mahalo to everyone that came out. Visitors learned about conservation organizations and what they can do to help. Mahalo to all the organizations and individuals that participated: The Waikiki Aquarium, Malama na Honu, Pacific Bird Conservation, The Manoa Cliff Project, Coconut Island-Kaneohe Bay Restoration/ Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Enersol Hawaii, Kids for Animals Wildlife Rehab, Kokua Worms, Koloa Duck Project, Mountain Gorilla Project, Ko‘olua Mountains Watershed Partnership, B.E.A.C.H. and Malama Maunalua. Special mahalo to the Honolulu Fire Department and the crew of Ladder 7 from the Waikiki Fire House for bringing the big ladder truck with the rescue boards, and to Meadow Gold Dairy for bringing Lani Moo and Calci and for supplying everyone with free ice cream and yogurt! Finally BIG MAHALO and ALOHA go out to the VW Club of Hawaii that anchored the event with their custom and classic car show.

My what lovely teeth you have Showing off his impressive dentition is Onyx, one of the Zoo's male African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), captured mid-yawn by photographer, Rod Kuba. Wild dogs have 42 teeth in all, 10 more than we do. Their dentition is well adapted for holding and shearing meat, but not for chewing and grinding. They have one molar shaped with a single crown which helps them shear off meat and eat very quickly. Their bite strength is believed to be among the strongest of all carnivores. As with all species, wild dog dentition is an adaptation to their lifestyle in the wild. They hunt prey cooperatively in a tight social group. This enables them to take prey much larger than themselves, such as large ungulates, including kudu bulls and wildebeest weighing up to 550 pounds. It also ensures a much higher hunting success compared to other carnivore species. The packs pull their hapless victim to the ground and immediately descend to feed. African wild dogs (painted dog, hunting dog) are endangered in their African savanna homeland. They require large home ranges to support viable packs of five to 30 individuals, and habitat fragmentation has caused decline in their populations. They are also persecuted wherever they come into contact with humans, and they are susceptible to disease, particularly those carried by domestic dogs such as canine distemper and rabies. The Honolulu Zoo participates in AZA’s Species Survival Program for wild dogs by holding and sometimes breeding this species. hzs zooview

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animal welfare…

animal news…

Zoo Study Reveals How to Reduce Pacing in Polar Bears

The Grande Dame of Tigers

What does Honolulu Zoo have to do with polar bears? Even though the Zoo doesn’t have these cold weather creatures, animal welfare research on a species that has problems in captivity benefits other species as well. Polar bears are notorious for pacing repetitively in their enclosures, and such behaviors are considered to be a sign of poor welfare. Honolulu Zoo Society’s (HZS) researcher, Kathy Carlstead, was one of the co-authors of a recently published study of zoo-housed polar bears in the journal, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, that set out to determine if pacing is associated with stress. The study was funded by Polar Bears International (PBI), the world’s leading polar bear conservation group. Former HZS board president, Tom Ocasek, was a founding board member of PBI. For one year, the study analyzed 55 polar bears living at 20 different American zoos. The researchers assessed enclosure sizes and configurations, if bears were housed alone or with others and their zookeepers' practices. They recorded the bear’s behavior at various intervals throughout the year and measured hormone levels in fecal samples.

confirms zookeepers’ long-held belief that efforts to reduce pacing are worthwhile and can improve polar bear welfare. Another surprising finding that may be contradictory to what animal experts might expect, is that polar bears living with other bears seem less likely to pace. Wild polar bears are solitary creatures by nature, often preferring to keep distance from one another. Zoos have often mimicked the solitary nature by housing animals alone or in small groups, believing this would provide the most appropriate living environment. The authors of the study recommend that zoos explore opportunities for social companionship for these animals when feasible and appropriate. These results are relevant for any zoo that has animals pacing repetitively or experiencing undue stress in their exhibit. Pacing and stress can be reduced by developing effective enrichment and training programs and by improving enclosure configurations, especially by allowing the animals an easy view of the surroundings outside of their enclosure. Options for social companionship should also be considered.

The study, led by David Shepherdson from Oregon Zoo, found a clear connection between pacing behavior, stress hormones and environments. The levels of stress hormones were lower for bears that paced less and for bears in larger exhibits. Bears were less likely to pace if they experienced good enrichment programs designed specifically to encourage natural behavior, and if they lived in an exhibit with a view out to their surroundings. This

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This is beautiful Djelita, one of the Zoo’s female Sumatran tigers. At age 23 she is now the oldest of her species in AZA zoos! Her longevity must be due to the love received over the years from the dedicated keepers and volunteers who have worked with her.

Keiki Zoo Has a Barn Owl "Bubo No No" came to the Zoo via Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) workers who found him in a tree they had to cut down because of a downed power line. The baby owl was in a nest cavity, but with no parents, so the workers called the Zoo to ask for help. Owls are considered to be altricial, meaning babies rely on their parents to feed them and keep them warm. The baby owl would not have survived if left in the tree. He spent 30 days in quarantine being hand-reared by keepers and now his home is in the Keiki Zoo. "Bubo No No" earned his name because he likes to shake his head as if saying “No No.....I am not a Bubo.” The barn owl’s scientific name is Tyto alba, but other typical owls (snowy owl, great horned owl) are of the genus Bubo. There are only two owl species in Hawai‘i, the barn owl and the endangered pueo or Hawaiian owl (genus Asio). The owl is located behind the barn next to Pepe, the skunk, when on exhibit Tuesday through Saturday. He is still acclimating to people so he has a shade cloth in front of his cage. If you are lucky you might meet him and his handler, Linda Meier, when she is working with him mid-morning and mid-afternoon.

A Banner Year for Birds The Bird Department has had many successful hatchings this year, more than in a typical year. So far this year, the following species have successfully fledged young. Look for them on exhibit: Green-winged dove (stage lawn, mauka cages) Palawan peacock pheasant (stage lawn, mauka cages)

Violet backed starling (Savanna aviary)

Laysan duck (duck pond)

Speckled mousebird (Savanna aviary)

Sun conures (pictured, parrot row)

Common waxbills (Savanna aviary)

Golden white-eye (round aviary near Nene exhibit entrance)

Crested wood partridge (off exhibit, female currently incubating 4 eggs)

Roseate spoonbill (front entrance flamingo pond)

Photo: Carl Davidson, courtesy of Oregon Zoo

Superb starling (Savanna aviary)

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zoo artists… Painting Animals

Animals Painting

Honolulu Zoo's Zooper Volunteer Ohana is a multi-talented group, and several members recently donated their artistic skills to create 15 animal-themed birdhouses. Well, at least they look like birdhouses, but in fact the Zoo uses the 18-inch square containers to store special event and emergency supplies. Look for these colorful additions to the Zoo landscape along public pathways, at major intersections or peeking out of the shrubbery at selected exhibits. Mahalo nui loa to the following volunteers for generously contributing their unique works of art: Lori Barth, Brenda Goerzen, Tony Cabianca, Erica Tang, Lia Howe, Stephanie Leong, Kristen Periera, Robert Sohnrey, Phillip Tan, Tami Tomita and Melissa Wright.

The keepers at the Zoo work to enrich the lives of animals by adding interesting and complex activities to the animals’ daily routines. From lizards and skinks to meerkats, elephants and apes, it is becoming a common practice in zoos to allow animals to paint pictures. Animals are given canvases and non-toxic paints to use as they create their masterpieces – with supervision from their keepers of course. This activity is believed to be enriching for animals because of the novelty of the activity, the attention from keepers, and most of all, the reward of transforming a plain white surface into a colorful composition. Or maybe it’s the treats! Keepers use operant conditioning and positive reinforcement during the painting process. The artists are taught how to paint by receiving a treat as they learn the steps (i.e. holding the brush, dipping the brush, touching the brush to paper or walking through trays of paint and onto paper). The animal artists have learned what it means when their trainers arrive with paint and paper (treats!!). Then they leave their caretakers with a unique, aesthetic reward. Enrichment coordinator Shelby Carlos assures us that all animals that have tried the artistic challenge have done so with great enthusiasm and willingness.

Posing with their artful birdhouses are (top left to lower right) mammal section and docent volunteer Brenda Goerzen, Keiki Zoo volunteers Tony Cabianca and Stephanie Leong, and mammal section volunteer Lori Barth.

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Connecting Kids with Nature — By Ruth Moen and Kathy Carlstead

Zoey’s reports grew more fervent as the week passed.

After her first day at the Honolulu Zoo Society’s “Camp ‘Imi Loa,” eight-year-old Zoey reported on Day 1 activities to her mother: We had all these ingredients like popcorn, millet seed, peanuts and a brown bag. We put the stuff in the paper bag. After, when we were done, one of the zookeepers took our bags of treats for the parrots. We got to watch the zookeepers put the packets in their cages. The parrots liked them. They ripped the bags and ate the goodies. I liked it and I made one at home for my bird Manu. We went to see different herbivores in the zoo – elephants, giraffes, zebra, hippos. Both hippos were by the glass. It was fun. I made four friends – two sisters and two other girls. We were talking about the food chain. How a deer eats a plant and something eats the deer. We played “Fishy Fishy in the Sea.” It was fun. It is like “Sharks and Minnows.” Making the bird treat was my favorite part. I liked everything!

Zoos Exist To Educate Even though recreation “happens” at a zoo, the main intent is to educate because a zoo’s overriding purpose is to promote wildlife conservation. One of our most important responsibilities as zoo educators is to connect children with nature in meaningful ways. We want children to develop environmental ethics that are critical to the protection and conservation of our natural resources. Honolulu Zoo Society’s Zoo Camps are created with “hands-on” and “minds-on” instruction designed to meet the specific developmental needs of children. Every week of camp has a different theme such as: Dinner or Diner: A Look at the Food Web; Earth 911; The Most Extreme; or No Business Like Zoo Business. Spending a week at the Zoo can expand children’s knowledge to encompass the whole world, from the tiny one-inch poison dart frog with brilliant blue skin to the 18-foot giraffe that has a long purple tongue. This spectacular array of species can be a catalyst to learn more about the magnificent biodiversity that inhabits this planet. “A zoo is a fun and exciting place to learn, where curriculum is enhanced through crafts, activities and even animal encounters," says Kelly Reno, HZS education programs director. "It’s a nice break from the formal classroom setting.” Different learning styles are easily accommodated – auditory, kinesthetic, visual and tactile learners all have ample opportunities to explore and learn in their best mode. Also important is play immersion in an outdoor setting, which is fundamental to connecting children with the natural world around them.

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Summer 2014

Day 2: We saw the cheetahs up close. They were sleeping by the glass. We also saw the wild dog running around. It was cool. We talked about how an animal eats its food. They showed us the skulls again, the crocodile, gharial, alligator and giraffe. I saw my friends and I made two more friends. I have six all together now. It makes it more fun. I eat lunch with my friends. We play on the playground. I loved it all!! The best thing was the cheetahs. The other kids were excited too! Day 3 We talked about omnivores. Omnivores are half meat eaters and half veggie eaters like aardvarks, pigs and bears. The turkey gobbled at us. There are two boys and one girl. The boys have the saggy skin on their heads. We went in the animals’ kitchen today. We saw rats, mice, fish, horse meat. We went in the freezer. That is where we saw all the meat. It was 0°. It was freezing!!! It smelled stinky!!! We got to touch a gharial skull, a crocodile skull and an alligator skull. We got to feel how big the brains are. I liked touching the skulls. Everything was fun! Day 4 We talked about the zookeepers’ jobs. They have to keep the animals busy because if the birds didn’t have any fun stuff to play with they will get bored. It’s not at all good to get bored. They can get sick. The zookeeper cleans the animals’ cages. They make sure the animals get fed. It is a hard job. I would like to be a zookeeper maybe.

We did a paper mache to keep the toucans busy. We blew up a balloon and we covered it with strips of newspaper and glue. We got to watch the toucans chew up two of the paper mache piñatas. Red is their favorite color so we colored them red. They loved them! We played lawn games today. We played “Gazelle, Gazelle in the Grass Won’t You come Try to Pass.” I liked it. We played in the big banyan tree too. I found a peacock tail feather. I found a head feather yesterday too. Day 5 We fed the giraffe!!!!! We fed them hibiscus branches. We were in the back by the sleeping quarters. Don’t talk. Don’t push. Don’t scream or we will be on time out. Everybody stay safe and not hurt. I loved it!!!!!!!!Yes indeed!!!!! It was part of being a zookeeper. We saw the rhinos. I learned that rhinos are almost extinct because of the horn. It is used for jewelry and people eat it because they believe it makes them feel better. The horn is made of the same thing as hair and fingernails. We also saw the alligators eat a sausage stuffed with rats, mice and fish. It was disgusting. We saw the skunk. He woke up, walked across his cage and curled up in bed. He did that because they are day sleepers or nocturnal. We did a craft. We made a picture frame from stickers. It was a foam frame we decorated. I choose a flower. We played lawn games. I had fun with my friends. I will miss them. What a fun day! I loved the zoo camp!!!! I liked the leaders and I learned a lot. I hope I can go again.

The Animals Are Real

Most important to the effectiveness of Zoo Camp – the animals are real! Reno says “Animal encounters are always the most rewarding for me. I love to watch how excited the kids are. Why isn’t a giraffe’s tongue pink? And how many vertebrae are there in a giraffe’s neck? What better way to learn than when you have the opportunity to feed one! Watching videos and reading books can help generate an interest in animals and habitats, but having an opportunity to meet an animal up close can help solidify a lifelong connection. Our future scientists and educators are in these camps!” We hope your child will join us soon in one of our Zoo Camps: Camp Menehune (ages 4 & 5), Camp ‘Imi Loa (ages 6-8) and Camp Wildlife Koas (ages 9-11), next scheduled for the week of October 6-10. See www.honoluluzoo.org for more information.

hzs zooview

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151 Kapahulu Avenue Honolulu, HI 96815

classes for children

Fall classes for children 2014 SIGN UP ONLINE www.honoluluzoo.org Camp Wildlife Koas (Ages 9-11)

Camp ‘Imi Loa

Through research and scientific inquiry, Wildlife Koas will discover some of the natural and human-made causes of animal endangerment and learn what they can do to help. We'll meet threatened and endangered species from around the world while starting our own wildlife conservation project. Animal enrichment/encounter activities, crafts, animal-themed lawn games and multi-media presentations round out this truly unique experience!

This wildly popular day camp is all about ‘Imi Loa, exploring and seeking knowledge about the wonders of nature. Participants will be led on educational animal tours, have exclusive animal enrichment/encounter activities and have all program aspects reinforced with classroom lessons and discussions. Crafts, animal-themed lawn games and educational videos will round out this truly unique experience!

Connecting Keiki to Conservation

Oct. 10-16, Dec. 22-26 , Dec. 29-Jan. 2 , Jan. 5-9. 8am – 2:30pm; 2:30pm – 5:30pm *

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Aftercare available for additional charge, see website for details

Members: $240 Non-members: $285

Camp Menehune

(Ages 6-8)

Explore Our Zoo, Our Islands, Our World

Oct. 10-16, Dec. 22-26*, Dec. 29-Jan. 2*, Jan. 5-9. 8am – 2:30pm; 2:30pm – 5:30pm Aftercare available for additional charge, see website for details

Members: $240 Non-members: $285 * Shortened week due to holiday. Pricing will be adjusted.

(Ages 4-5)

Small ‘Kine’ Explorers

We couldn’t leave the little ones out – our menehune day camp is modeled after Camp 'Imi Loa, but designed for preschool children. Participants will be led on educational animal tours, visit select animal exhibits for an exclusive experience and create animal-themed crafts appropriate for their age group.

Oct. 10-16, Dec. 22-26*, Dec. 29-Jan. 2*, Jan. 5-9. 8am – 2:30pm; 2:30pm – 5:30pm Aftercare available for additional charge, see website for details

Members: $225 Non-members: $275

Pre-registration for all classes is available online at honoluluzoo.org