But how do you define a behavior like resting without calling it “resting”? 

 

Mei Sheng put on quite a show for the interns. It was hard to keep up with all his activities!

 

Pamela Crowe, Research Laboratory Technician, taught the interns how to be good observers.

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Like all of the other animal care staff we have encountered, these keepers feed and check up on each of the animals under their care. This can be a challenging job because every animal in the exhibit must be accounted for. Did I mention that the exhibits at the Wild Animal Park are huge? It can be difficult to identify sick animals as they avoid showing signs of illness in order to avoid the attention of predators. Each animal has an ear tag and a system of ear notches so the staff can tell one little brown animal from the next. Keepers maintain detailed records for every animal in the enclosures. These records include daily accounts of individual animals and are compiled in a “Red Book.” Every enclosure in the Zoo and Park has one. It’s an old-fashioned way to communicate, but keepers read through the records at the beginning of the day and record what happened with their animals at the end of each shift so that everyone stays well informed.  

This is a high-energy and exciting job with a lot of hands-on time with the animals. In order to work as a keeper, you must have a large amount of hands-on experience with animals. Tammy Batson began as a student of veterinary medicine at University of California, Davis, but soon realized that it was not her calling. She became an exotic animal trainer, working first at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle and then at the San Diego Zoo as a tour bus driver. This taught her many things about animals that she had not previously learned and opened up new opportunities with the Zoological Society of San Diego. Getting as much experience with animals as possible, both domestic and exotic, and to receive as much education as possible is her personal recommendation. After spending a few hours in the back of a keeper truck, I understand why Ms. Batson (and our driver/animal keeper Torrey) have so much love and enthusiasm for their jobs. 

-Ariel, Zoo InternQuest, Animal Careers Team 

Inter-species Enrichment
The extra-large exhibits at the Wild Animal Park allows for a new flexibility in captive populations. The vast amount of space can house larger numbers of animals, and multiple males can even coexist in the same enclosure. This happens because each male is able to stake out territory, thus preventing serious violent conflict. This situation places animals in a relatively stress-free environment, where they have the space to roam freely.  Extra space also relieves any strain put on the Park due to reproduction, giving more species the opportunity to breed. This is obvious at the Wild Animal Park, which has had an astounding number of births over its 35 years of existence.

Multi-species exhibits also provide a form of enrichment for both animals and people. In a naturalistic environment, animals can develop social hierarchies and can interact with other animals from their place of origin. This preserves natural instincts and encourages normal behaviors. It also adds new variables to behavioral studies, as biologists can observe a species’ social characteristics among its own group as well as its interactions with different animals.

This atmosphere increases the public’s awareness of conservation, as more people can appreciate wildlife in a natural setting. And, in the spirit of the “Real World” theme of this blog, it’s fair to say that in the real world, most people will not take a safari trip to Africa. When they come to the Wild Animal Park, this experience is as close as they can come to seeing animals in the wild. In a sense, it redefines the meaning of the word “zoo” and it humbles us all as we view the beauty of the natural world. 

-Megan, Zoo Internquest, Real World Team,  

Rhinos of All Kinds, Oh!
Our last week as interns turned out to be very exciting! After hopping into the back of a pickup truck, sitting on some hay bales, we drove out into some of the large animal enclosures at the Wild Animal Park. This reminded me of my African safari last summer, except with a lot more rhinos. In Africa, I was lucky to view one rhino sitting alone in the middle of Ngorongoro Crater, while at the Park, they were running all over the place and even bumping against our truck. Turns out that the Wild Animal Park has the largest population of captive rhinos in the world!
 
We encountered endangered white and Indian rhinos as well as black rhinos, which are critically endangered. The breeding program at the Park is amazing. When the number of southern white rhinos in the wild fell below 2,000, there were 50 of them being raised in San Diego. This captive breeding program is so effective that in the case of the Indian rhino, the keepers must separate the dominant male from the females in order to limit the number of babies they produce.
 
This is vastly important to wildlife conservation because if the number of wild rhinos drops to critically low levels, then the Wild Animal Park will be able to reintroduce their rhinos back into the wild to augment the declines. Also, by allowing the public to view these amazing animals, the Park is spreading the message that rhinos are endangered and that they need our help in order to stop poaching in the wild. reintroduce their rhinos back into the wild to augment the declines. Also by allowing the public to view these amazing animals, the Park is spreading the message that rhinos are endangered and that they need our help in order to stop poaching in the wild. 

- Sarah, Zoo InternQuest, Conservation Team

 

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Intern Marion gets to know one of the Wild Animal Park’s giraffes up close and personal.

 

As we drove up, the rhinos realized we had food for them and trotted over to say hello.

We saw many exotic deer in the exhibit, some of which showed more interest in grazing than in a bunch of interns in a truck.

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My main goal was to trial some new technology we have had developed in the area of koala radio tracking. We went to St. Bees with two new GPS radio-tracking collars; these use the Global Positioning System to accurately identify the koala’s location and then store the location onboard, as a lat/long record. With the new lightweight (150 grams or 5.2 ounces) dual mode collars (VHF tracking beacon and GPS logger) we think we have a good chance of collecting some key information on what koalas do while we are not watching them!

We tracked the group of koalas that live near the research base and amongst them found two female koalas without radio collars. One, Xena, had a small female back young and we named it Jen, so now we have two Jens in our project (Jen Tobey is a CRES research fellow)! Baby Jen was about 800 grams (28 ounces) and still too young to be independent from mum; her progress over the coming field trips will be of great interest to us. Xena received a GPS collar because we are really interested to see how far she ranges and test the accuracy of the collars to see if they can deliver the results we want. The other uncollared female, Echo, also received a GPS collar as she spends quite a lot of time in the rain forest and we are interested to see how the technology works under the denser canopy as well as the open woodlands occupied by many other koalas, such as Xena.

Dr. Bill Ellis is a Conservation Research Postdoctoral Fellow for CRES.

Here’s more information about Bill’s koala project.

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On the big day, the barrier was removed inside the house and the cubs found themselves face to face with their father for the first time. Izu lived up to his reputation as a great lion dad. After greeting the cubs, he attempted to play with them; as with Abena and Bakari, they were a little intimidated. Mina, being the laid-back mom that she is, was much less concerned about the cubs’ interaction with dad than Oshana had been with her litter. Although Izu was a little clumsy at first, the cubs soon realized that he meant no harm and that he was fun to play with! Mina was happy to be back with her mate also, greeting him with face rubs, licks, and a couple of playful tackles.

Things were going well and the family was released to the exhibit. Immediately, the cubs began using Izu as a gigantic toy, following him around, attempting to tackle him, and climbing on him whenever they could. Kamau and Zenda were thrilled with their new playmate; Mandisa, the smallest cub and the only female, was particularly bold, following dad around like a little shadow. (She is pictured above with Izu.) Predictably, she was the first one to experience some fatherly discipline. As Izu rested in the grass, she climbed on his back, which she had done before. However, this time her mission seemed to be to pull some hair out of his mane. After grabbing a mouthful, she leaned back and pulled as hard as she could. Izu tolerated this for a moment, but then she actually managed to rip out a few hairs. Izu’s limit had been reached. Standing up, he put his paw on his daughter and gently pinned her to the ground for a few seconds. Then he let her up and meandered off. Mina had watched the entire exchange closely, but knew her cub was in no danger. Mandisa quieted down for a few minutes, but soon was back to her old tricks, pouncing on and playing with Izu along with her brothers.

After the family was on exhibit for a couple of hours, everyone came back inside for a rest. Izu was happy to go back out a few minutes later with Oshana, Abena, and Bakari. He was one tired dad at the end of the day and was happy to be in his own room for a rest and a meal. All the lions were content and sleepy as we left for the night; it had been an exciting day.

For now, Izu and Mina will probably be out with their cubs first thing in the morning. At some point in the late morning/early afternoon, the groups will be switched so Izu’s other family can have some time with him on exhibit. There is no set schedule as yet; when we have settled into a routine, exhibit times for each group will be posted.

The next step for our pride will be to introduce both females with their cubs to each other. They have all had visual contact while inside the bedrooms, but have not shared the intro screen as yet. When we see how everyone does side by side in the house, we will decide whether or not to let the whole pride be together. Mina and Oshana will have to get used to each other again, and be allowed to resolve the issue of who will be dominant. Hopefully, all will go smoothly and we will be treated to the sight of all eight of our beautiful lions enjoying each other’s company. I will post updates as things progress. Come visit and watch Izu, our super lion dad, with his youngest cubs!

Marcia Redding is a senior mammal keeper at the Wild Animal Park.

Watch video of the cubs playing with Izu.
Take a look at our new Lion Cub Photo Gallery!
Read Marcia’s previous blog about the lion cubs.

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (rose of China) is a widely used shrub in the Zoo. They are not only handsome plants, adding splashes of tropical color and verdant foliage throughout the landscape, but they also provide delicious browse for many of our primates! Sirena, from our Browse Department, collects hibiscus daily and distributes it throughout the Zoo. Monkeys enjoy the leaves, but the flowers are the icing on the cake. Browse serves several purposes. It is edible, providing nutrition, plus it gives the animals something to play with (enrichment). We are fortunate in San Diego to be able to grow such a wide array of edible treats that look so attractive in the landscape. Lush, often suitable to eat, landscaping helps create the ambience that makes the Zoo such a special place.

Some of the hybrid hibiscus you will find around Flamingo Lagoon are ‘Heavy Metal’ (pictured above), ‘Crystal,’ ‘Gerald Derr,’ ‘Gypsy Music,’ ‘Rainbow Christie,’ and ‘Rosalind.’ Other varieties are placed across from the Reptile House and along the main road from Flamingos to Gorilla Tropics. There are enticing names like ‘Flash Dancer,’ ‘Renaissance Blue,’ ‘Georgia’s Pearl,’ and ‘High Voltage.’ The word “flamingo” is derived from the Latin flamma, meaning flame or flaming. These showy hibiscus blossoms do pair well with the elegant birds they frame!

Mychael McNeeley is a senior gardener at the San Diego Zoo.

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Shi Shi was more of a mellow fellow. It quickly became apparent that he enjoyed a regular routine of “on exhibit, off exhibit, eat, sleep.” As an older animal, Shi Shi (whose name translates to “Rock Rock,” or “Rocky” to me) was less energetic than the younger Bai Yun. He was even described as a “tweed jacket with leather patches” kind of guy. A guest once asked of the napping Shi Shi, “At what time will the bear awaken and romp?” and was met with giggles, since “romp” and “Shi Shi” had never before been used in the same sentence! Imagine my surprise one January day when a sudden, unexpected storm dropped the temperature sharply and sleet began to plop into the exhibit on Shi Shi. He awoke with enthusiasm and began to, well, ROMP around the exhibit for the duration! It lasted for less than an hour, but was certainly memorable for those few of us who were there to see it.

As winter ended and spring began, Bai Yun’s behavior began to change in ways we now know signal hormone shifts and an upcoming breeding season: a decrease in appetite and increases in activity, restlessness, scent-marking, vocalizing, and excitement on the part of the staff and guests. Careful introductions were made, allowing each bear to be in the others’ space to smell and scent mark, visual and auditory introductions through physical barriers. When it became clear to the researchers and animal care staff that it was in fact that time of the year, Bai Yun was allowed to enter Shi Shi’s out-of-view back exercise yard, the area we now know as the current viewing area. Narrators were equipped with a control panel in the main viewing area so guests could watch the activity on the monitors as breeding season progressed.

Alas, in spite of Bai Yun’s persistence and enthusiasm, mating did not take place. Shi Shi rebuffed all her advances (they are pictured above), moving away, seeking to enter his bedroom, barking and chasing her off, much to our dismay. Again and again she approached; again and again he rejected her advances. Subsequent testing indicated that while Bai was sending out all the appropriate signals, Shi Shi may have been unable to receive the all-important olfactory markers due to the injuries to his nose, preceding his rescue in 1992. Subsequent breeding attempts would be by artificial insemination.

Ellie Rosenbaum is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.

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Janey also has arthritis in her joints. The keepers make sure that she takes her arthritis medication two times a day. She also takes other medications to keep everything flowing. Staying regular is a big part of her overall health plan! It’s nice to see her climbing and active at this stage of her life. Janey’s medications are mixed in a plastic drink bottle and then the keeper just hands her the bottle–with the cap on, of course! Janey unscrews the cap and sips from the bottle until the very last drop. She will usually ask for more by handing the empty bottle back to you and gesturing with her hand.

A few days ago I was looking at pictures of her from last year when she was making some of her famous paintings (bid on Janey’s paintings online). I compared the photos to ones that were recently taken and I noticed a difference. She looks healthier now! Her hair is longer and shiny. There is a spark in her eye! Being active and eating healthy is something we all think about daily. Well, Janey is doing it! Janey is a vegetarian. Her diet consists of a variety of fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, and biscuits specially formulated for primates. The keepers and the nutritionists at the Zoo monitor her diet on a regular basis. She is weighed every month and is trained to voluntarily give us her arm so the veterinarians can take blood samples! When I go to give blood I can never watch the procedure. Not Janey! She looks you straight in the eye when the needle goes in and then watches the blood flow into the tube! Janey has built a trust and rapport with the people that work with her.

She is an incredible orangutan who not only has given us her trust and companionship but also gives the same to the other animals and the guests that share her environment at the Zoo.

Until another afternoon at the San Diego Zoo……..

Kim Livingstone is the Heart of the Zoo team area lead at the San Diego Zoo.

Here’s another blog about Janey.
Check out Janey’s profile at www.myspace.com/janeyape
Great Ape Awareness Week at the San Diego Zoo continues through November 19.
Watch Janey and the other apes daily on Ape Cam.

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I watched him as the person moved to Bai Yun’s area; she also responded with huffs and snorts! When the person came back to Mei Sheng’s station, he stood and snorted and huffed. I have never seen such a negative response from the bears. When this person stood in front of me I still did not understand what set the pandas off. The person seemed all right to me, but my sense of smell is not as keen as theirs!

Some of the perfumes of today are outrageous and the bears will respond with noses in the air. One day Bai Yun actually got up, walked to the wall, stood up, and took a few moments to smell the perfume on one of our guests. I have to chuckle because it was such a nice scent that we both enjoyed the moment. I just love watching them when their noses go up. I always wonder if I will smell what they smell.

Have you ever heard of PMS? (Panda Mood Swing)? It’s not like our PMS, thank goodness. Bai Yun will pace and water dip often; this is her way of getting the message out to Gao Gao that it is getting close to our “Panda Moments” and she is letting him know that. Of course, I’m not a scientist and I don’t know all the details of why she does this, but I have watched her for many years and this is how I see her. I can’t think for Bai Yun; she’s so smart and it is always exhausting to watch her when mating season comes around. Gao Gao is so much smaller than Bai Yun, yet he will be waiting for their moments together.

Your comments about Bai Yun’s beauty are so true. She is a knockout when it comes to looks. You must remember: pandas are not soft, they just look that way. Each one has a beauty about them, but Bai is outstanding. She is a great mom and has given birth to three of the five baby pandas to survive in the U.S. I love to call her “super panda mom.”

I hope that this answers some of your questions. I do enjoy your comments and I will try to answer them to the best of my ability.

Kay Ferguson is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.

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There is more than one kind of pathology and more than one way to help animals with the kind of work pathologists do. Clinical pathology involves investigating samples (tissue, blood, feces, and more) from sick animals, in order to advise the clinical veterinarians on diagnosis and treatment. The job also requires a lot of work in researching exotic and endangered animals (all the way down to the cellular level), in zoos and sometimes in their original habitat, in order to find out what the animals’ normal functions should look like. The most difficult and exciting part of the research, according to Laura Keener, M.S., manager of the Clinical Pathology labs at the Zoo and the Wild Animal Park, is learning about and understanding poorly understood diseases, or even previously unknown diseases. She said it’s especially difficult working with species of animals she has never seen before. They can use information about related species to help them guide their investigations of what might be causing an animal to be sick.

Both Ms. Keener and Dr. Pessier said that the main focus of their job is to maintain the Zoo’s collection of animals and ensure they are all healthy. They work in collaboration with clinical vets, nutritionists, and animal care staff in order to achieve their mission.

-Elizabeth, Zoo InternQuest, Animal Careers Team

Veterinary Pathology- A Race Against Extinction
Dr. Allan Pessier, a veterinary pathologist, is attempting to understand and stop the spread of a fungus, chytridiomycosis, that is wiping out frogs and other species of amphibians in Central America. This tropical strip of land is home to myriad unique frog and amphibian species that are in grave danger of extinction because of this pathogen. The rockhopper frog, native to the El Cope region in Panama, disappeared after it had been in contact with the fungus for only one month. Disappeared means there were absolutely no more living frogs in a forest where they had previously been uncountable.

Dr. Pessier called it a “disease wave” moving rapidly from the northwest to the southeast of Central America. The contribution to conservation that a veterinary pathologist makes was not immediately obvious to us. The field biologists who spend time in the field were actually sending him boxes of dead frogs in the mail so he could test them for the presence of this fungus. By looking at the already dead frogs it is possible to document more about the fungus, perhaps finding methods for slowing it down or treating it. To make detecting the fungal disease faster, Dr. Pessier traveled to Panama ahead of the disease wave with new equipment that can diagnose the fungal disease faster and in the field. With a quicker diagnosis it may be possible to treat still living individuals who will make up captive backup colonies. If the wild population of a frog species is completely killed off by this fungal outbreak, these backup colonies may become the last refuges of the species. He left the field equipment there and trained people in the native country to use it. That will make it easier to see where the amphibian population is being hit hardest by the fungus, thus where the need for conservation is greatest. Hopefully, with the new technology provided by veterinary pathologists, and speedy conservation efforts for the healthy frogs, many species native to Central America can be saved from extinction.
If I go to the rain forests of Central America one day, frogs are animals I definitely want to see.

A.J., Zoo InternQuest, Conservation Team

Here’s more information about Dr. Pessier’s efforts in Panama to help amphibians.

Technological Advances
Through necropsies (the name for animal autopsies) and exploration with a microscope, scientists including Laura Keener, M.S., and Allan Pessier, D.V.M., detect and diagnose the cause of illness or death in zoo animals. By accumulating this data, these members of the Wildlife Diseases Laboratories Division of CRES can apply the information to wild populations, as well as the populations of animals in zoos around the world.

By finding the root cause of an ailment, it may not only be cured, it may be prevented. Technological improvements are making this even more reasonable, and the devises used to gather and process medical info (medical analyzers) continue to shrink in size and increase in capability. Point of care analyzers, like the little devise used by many people with diabetes, can calculate the amount of glucose in a blood sample. Other point of care (POC) devises record temperature, pulse, and oxygen saturation. These are becoming more widely used by doctors and veterinarians. Of course, modern technology creates new opportunities for diseases to spread.

Travel has become more efficient, cheaper, and easier, but this gives contagious pathogens a free ride. This has serious consequences for both human and animal populations. Recently, nations around the world have had epidemic scares. Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and avian influenza have reminded us that we are vulnerable, and we must use our technology, as well as good logic, to protect the health of humans and animals alike.

Despite recent technological innovations, much of the field of veterinary pathology remains relatively unexplored. Parts of the puzzle are missing, and there is a lot that we do not know. This is especially true for reptiles and amphibians, and cytologists (scientists that study cells) cannot even label certain types of their white blood cells. However, these gaps in knowledge provide opportunities for the next generation. It simply shows that scientists have not discovered everything, and there are endless hypotheses that are yet to be proven. This will undoubtedly motivate tomorrow’s scientists, as they plunge into unknown waters and discover things that will change this planet’s fate.

-Megan, Zoo InternQuest, Real World Team

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