$ Million Bequest

A check for $1 million from the estate of Juanita Spalding, Greensboro, was delivered at 5 p.m. yesterday. It is a partial distribution to allow the NC Zoo Society to acquire and protect land on behalf of its resident wildlife.

The wonderful, late donor described her intent to Zoo Director David Jones and me about a decade ago in her modest apartment near the Greensboro Arboretum.

Raft of Greater Scaup

Enjoy!

Those Bald Eagles...

...are growing up fast at Jordan Lake, NC.

A cold, misty, foggy day

A cold, misty, foggy day, a photo by ucumari on Flickr.

"Nothing happening with the [NC Zoo] animals today [1/23/12]. As I was walking towards the junction plaza this caught my eye. Work with what you have! [ucumari photo, title, quote]

Someone Special?

Or not so special?

"Bronx Zoo offers chance to name hissing cockroach for Valentine's Day."

58,000 hissing cockroaches await naming, for $10 each. Add $15 and get a hand-painted, dark-chocolate roach to send "your sweetie"(?)!

Elephant Encounter of a Spirit Kind

"We found piles of body-temperature dung and plants dripping saliva—all indicators that an elephant had been right there. But, there was not an obvious exit trail leading from the water source back into the forest, so we had no idea which way the elephant went. It was almost like it disappeared into thin air." [Dr. Mike Loomis reporting on yesterday's Elephants of Cameroon events]

"Several of the team members are Bagyeli, and they agreed that the elephant...was actually a "spirit elephant"...and that explained why the elephant was able to simply disappear..."

"...it reinforced my sense that every person's beliefs about the world around us should be respected, even if one does not agree with those beliefs."

"Today is our last day in this part of Mount Cameroon National Park. We...did not encounter any animals."

Ebi Sighting

Dr. Alan Proia tells me he saw young NC Zoo chimp Ebi on his visit today. The nice afternoon weather must have helped trigger the early exhibit appearance.

Family Portrait

Family Portrait, a photo by russ williams iii on Flickr.

NC Zoo photo by Keeper Jodi Wiley of the new baby baboon, born here Saturday, with its parents.

Seal Eaters Turn to Eggs

Polar bears are said "to be increasing their intake of eider duck eggs in the Arctic."

"...receding sea ice is likely causing the bears to turn to eggs..."

Polar bears are seal-eating specialists. They hunt seals from sea ice.

Elephant Grass & Viper

"A local superstition in this area is that people encountering a Gaboon viper while hunting will not have any success that day. Perhaps as a result of this belief, several of our team members lost interest in the tracking and may not have turned in their best work for the day." [Dr. Mike Loomis on today's Elephants of Cameroon efforts and on working with another culture]

Elephant grass also contributed to today's challenges, even 'though a female and her calves "were never that far ahead of us".

Yesterday, a dart was fired at one of four elephants but "it was simply not to be..."

Camera Captures

National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore's personal "Biodiversity Project" seeks to take "studio portraits" of as many species as possible. [NPR, 1/24/12; hat tip to Jean Hylton]

""I'm the only studio portrait photographer I know whose subjects routinely poop and pee...right in front of me..."

""All these animals are ambassadors...They serve to remind us of what we had or what we have, hopefully, and that it's amazing.""

"Sartore uses an anecdote of the gray gibbons he shot recently at the Miller Park Zoo in Illinois. They're on the verge of being "phased out." There are too few in captivity to continue propagation — and too few in the wild to bring in."

"New Head Keeper"

New York Times refers to the new CEO and President of the Wildlife Conservation Society (Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo and "conservation and wildlife-management efforts around the globe") as "a New Head Keeper".

Dr. Christian Samper is 46. Born in Costa Rica and raised in Columbia, he is director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, "the largest natural history collection in the world".

Promising!

"Dr. Mike" and the Cameroon team hear and track African elephants today.

"There is lots of elephant activity in this part of Mount Cameroon National Park, and much of it is very recent. With a little luck, we may well get our second elephant tomorrow." [The diplomatic Dr. Loomis is usually even more cautious in his predictions.]

Elephants in Church

"Dr. Mike" and the Elephants of Cameroon 2012 team "saw fairly fresh elephant sign in the area" [Bomana] yesterday, "but nothing worth following..."

"We normally don't get a lot of work done on Sundays—we sometimes say "The elephants are in church today.""

"My ankle recovered quickly, for which I'm thankful. It's still black and blue, but with my rubber boots and ankle supports, I'm hiking pretty comfortably." [Mike's "good hiking boots" have fallen apart, so he is making very strenuous hikes in rubber boots, with a black-and-blue sprained ankle...and he is thankful! The elephants should be thankful for what he is doing for them and for their descendents...but they very much are not!]

Betty White Celebrates @ Zoo

Betty White marks her 90th at the LA Zoo.

(Just because she got an arguably "fantastic" cake at the zoo does not make calling it "zootastic" anything other than nonsense; one English major's opinion.)

Gotta love that Betty!

Poachers Kill Wildlife Ranger

African elephant poachers have killed an unarmed wildlife ranger and injured another in Kenya.

"...it reflects an escalation in violence caused by the in-creasing demand for ivory in the far eastern markets, especially China..."

Dino Roars!

Maybe wife Ann can check this out on her next trip to South Dakota soon.

"The Great Plains Zoo and Delbridge Museum of Natural History [Sioux Falls, SD] today [Jan. 20] opened its new traveling dinosaur exhibit, “Dino-Roars.”

"...19 lifelike dinosaurs come to life to “roar” and swish their tails.

'Zoo-goers will see the apatosaurus family grazing, the maiasaura watching over her nest and the ferocious albertosaurus on the hunt. Admission to the “Dino-Roars!” exhibit is $3 per person, plus zoo admission."

Believe I heard 19 is the number of dinos coming to the NC Zoo and opening April 1.

Thank You, Donors!

"The center admitted over 745 sick, injured and orphaned wildlife in 2011. And with the help of NC Zoo Staff, Volunteers, NC State Vet Students, and interns over 70% of the rehabilitatable [sic] animals were returned to their wild homes." [from facebook page of the NC Zoo Valerie H. Schindler Wildlife Rehabilitation Center]

We so appreciate NC Zoo Society members for their gifts to the Schindler Center, above their membership support and their other gifts for Zoo exhibits, programs and needs. Most Zoos cannot offer this help to area, native wildlife.

Thanks too to the late Drs. Anton and Valerie Schindler. She took orphaned and injured gray and flying squirrels into their Durham home and released them. He remembered her, and the squirrels, with love and two facilities that serve the needs of the NC Zoo.

Synchronicity

Synchronicity, a photo by ucumari on Flickr.

Title and 10/10/11, NC Zoo photo by ucumari. (Double click on the photo to see it as ucumari intended (with two heads); wish my blogspot template dealt better with horizontal visuals!)

Stairs Do What Mt. Couldn't

"Dr. Mike" has suffered a low-ankle sprain this morning on the stairs of his Cameroonian hotel, after he had "managed to hike up and down Mount Cameroon for over a week with no significant problems."

Use this link to learn more and to see a video (at right) of the big bull elephant, collared January 12, "acting very aggressively as he wakes up from the anesthetic."

Dino Delivery

Dinosaurs will be delivered to the NC Zoo March 12 for an April 1 opening here.

2012 Journal - Part I

Field Trip Earth offers the Elephants of Cameroon journal of NC Zoo lead veterinarian Dr. Mike Loomis.

Some highlights:

Jan. 1 - "Dr. Mike" clears security at Greensboro, NC airport despite his "dart rifle and powder charges".

Jan. 4 - Celebrating the new year by roasting fish on the beach.

Jan. 7 - "didn't get much sleep last night. There is a cabaret next door to the hotel—literally three feet away—that had loud live music playing until 0200."

Jan. 9 - "For the first time in the 15 years I have been doing this work in Cameroon, I had to ask for a rest break. I think it was a combination of the altitude, terrain and my cold."

Jan. 10 - Fruit bats. Coming across Uppsala, "an elephant we had previously collared" and her two calves.

Jan. 11 - Dr. Mike fires a dart at a bull elephant. It does not go down. His "boots are completely shot".

Jan. 12 - Mike darts an elephant which proves to be the same bull he hit the prior day. (The earlier dart had failed to discharge.) "VERY happy", but rowdy chimps "kept us awake".

Jan. 13 - "a large rhinoceros viper"

Jan. 14 - "the driest I have seen this part of Mt. Cameroon."

Jan. 15 - "We drove to Bahingili where we celebrated our success." (see photo)

Jan. 16 - "worked on reports and...equipment..."

Jan. 17 - "transcribing diary entries and labeling...photos."

Polar Bear Workshop...

...@ the NC Zoo, March 1.

Improve your "capacity to communicate effectively about global climate change" and help others in slowing "temperature changes and help protect Polar Bears".

Designed for zoo and museum staff and volunteers, the workshop will be led by Polar Bears International staff and NC "Zoo staff trained as Arctic Ambassadors".

"evaluate the best methods for inspiring people to take action to protect wildlife"

Ebi

Ebi, a photo by russ williams iii on Flickr.

NC Zoo chimpanzee born 1/16/12. [NC Zoo photo; not mine]

Also New @ NC Zoo

Also New @ NC Zoo, a photo by russ williams iii on Flickr.

Baby chicken turtle hatched yesterday (1/17/12) at Cypress Swamp. [Hat tip - Jeff Owen, Animal Mgmt. Supervisor; NCZP photo, not mine]

Baby Chimp Details

Filling in the blanks:

"A baby chimpanzee was born at the North Carolina Zoo Monday evening, marking the 12th chimp birth at the park since its opening in 1974 and the second since August 2010.

"Ebi, as the infant female has been named, was born to Tammy, a 41-year-old female who had previously given birth to Maki in March 1994.

"Both mother and daughter are doing fine, and the mother is caring for the infant without any intervention from zoo staff members. The two are not on exhibit and will not be in the foreseeable future due to the cold weather and the infant-rearing process. According to General Curator Ken Reininger, it will be at least summer before the two will be on exhibit.

"Seventeenth-month-old Nori, the zoo's youngest chimp before Ebi's arrival Monday, can be seen on exhibit daily--weather permitting.

"Monday's birth brings the number of chimps in the N.C. Zoo to 12 and keeps the zoo's chimp troop as one of the largest in U.S. zoos." [from NC Zoo Park media release - 1/18/12]

"Chimp" Is the Word

"...pleased to announce...new chimp...NC Zoo...female...born...Monday...mother...doing a wonderful job of caring...due to...lower temps...unsure when...on exhibit....Nori [next youngest chimp here], however, can still be seen...daily." [select words from e-mail today from NC Zoo keeper Elizabeth Garrison McChesney]

Queen of her jungle, Nikita

Queen of her jungle, Nikita, a photo by ucumari on Flickr.

Ucumari photo and title. [NC Zoo, Jan. 16]

UPDATE: Comment advises that Mekita is her name.

Q: How Many Polar Bears...

...were there in the 1960s?

A: "...we had no idea..." [Polar Bears International]

On Top of Purgatory

Checked out progress on the trail up Purgatory Mountain here at the NC Zoo today.

Gravel is being added and the route is being altered (to avoid some rare and delicate plants, I believe).

When open, it will be a short walk from the "North American" parking lot to the top of Purgatory Mountain (elevation: 938 feet).

With leaves off the trees...there's a bit of a view.

Zoo Train Wreck

Louisville Metro government has spent more than $670,000 so far as a result of a zoo train wreck in 2009.

The biggest costs look to be ahead for Louisville Zoo and government. "Six other lawsuits are pending and the people most seriously hurt have not settled their cases yet."

New Year Grizzly

DSCF1630, a photo by masterartemus on Flickr.

Taken Jan. 1 at NC Zoo by masterartemus.

Picture Education Exhibits

You will find photos of both the NC Zoo's award-winning "Plug Into the Future" energy exhibit and the Natural Science Center of Greensboro's (NC) Adventure Theaters on page 27 of the January, 2012 issue of "Connect", the magazine of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

The Science Center's theaters allow its "education team to transport audiences to virtually any city, habitat, biome, planet or conjured up world of the staff's choosing."

"Several" Problems?

Today, Dr. Mike reports, "several of our team members became too loud and, eventually, the elephants ran off."

Yesterday he observed that "several of the newer members" panicked on a couple of occasions, scaring off the elephants at least once.

Perhaps there will be "several" changes in the make-up of the successful 2012 Elephants of Cameroon team by the time it gets to Korup?

Elephant Ivory Pool Cues

A U.S.A. company has pled guilty to violating the Endangered Species Act. Atlas Fibre Company, of Skokie, IL, sold parts for billiard cue sticks made from African elephant ivory, as well as from exotic shells and "leather".

"...fined $150,000...ivory value of $3,057...elephant leather valued in excess of $11,700...inspection fee deprived...$12,273..."

Just numbers. But one living African elephant is priceless.

Two Bald Eagles...

...have hatched at Jordan Lake!

Great Poster

WPAzooposter1, a photo by russ williams iii on Flickr.

Created for W.P.A.

Second Dart Is the Charm!

Dr. Mike has collared a big bull elephant! It is the same one he got a dart into yesterday.

A dart which "did not properly discharge" and "several of the newer members" of the 2012 Elephants of Cameroon team made yesterday and today more challenging than they had to be.

"Despite all of the difficulties, we are very happy with the outcome of today's work. It is great to finally get an elephant collared, and we are now excited to move on to our next mission."

Willy is 27

Willie b'day cake, a photo by russ williams iii on Flickr.

Ucumari reports that NC Zoo polar bear Willy (or Willie or Wilhem; he goes by all three) has turned 27. Here, she offers a photo (ignore the flickr claim that I am the photographer) of the birthday cake Zoo volunteers enjoyed yesterday. (Volunteer Loretta Lutman saved a piece for me!)

Willy's in Milwaukee for his big day this year.

EagleCam

Jordan Lake, NC!

On Uppsala's Trail

"Dr. Mike" and the Elephants of Cameroon team "came across Uppsala, an animal we first collared in January 2009" yesterday.

Uppsala now has two calves and a collar with a dead battery. "Today...we have been following her for four hours...hoping to get a [fresh] collar on her yet..."

(The team is healthy, but Mike's boots are not.)

"Spring Fever!?"

"Giraffes jump for joy at Brookfield Zoo", Chicago. A January first on January tenth:

"The Owner Is the Climate...The Dog Is the Weather"

The owner is also the trend. [Hat tip: @delene]

"Better Today"

"Dr. Mike" admits today that he "was really dehydrated and sick yesterday". (That makes a five-hour hike on a mountainous trail that travels over a slippery lava flow a challenge for a younger man, but Mike was right back across the same difficult ground today.)

"Better today...but not enough [so] to make us feel like this is a good spot" to "collar" an elephant.

Red Lake tomorrow. Perhaps Bush House after that.

Tripoli Zoo Still Needs Help

It is closed to the public as more funding is needed.

"We haven't got the money we need to feed the animals. It costs $2,000 a day."

NC Zoo Director David M. Jones launched an effort to aid the Tripoli Zoo in September.

Tough Day

"Today [Monday] has been a tough day. We hiked from our camp all the way to Keita Lake, which took about five hours. The going was very difficult, as we had to cross some lava that was very slippery with old vegetation...The only elephant sign we saw during the hike in was two or three weeks old, and probably from a male elephant that we've seen up here before."

[From Dr. Mike's most recent Field Trip Earth report on the prior three days of the Spring 2012 edition of Elephants of Cameroon.]

Not a promising start...and Mike is dealing with a cold and the altitude.

In Common

What do Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Diego, Portland, Detroit, Salt Lake City, Indianapolis, Oklahoma City and Asheboro (NC) have in common?

The nation's 10 most successful Bowling for Rhinos fundraisers are run by American Association of Zoo Keepers members in those U.S.A. population centers. (More than 60 zoos participate; the NC fundraiser has generated over $100,000 for endangered rhinos through the years.)

Zelda Repaired

An NC Zoo sitatunga calf born last week here with splaying of her rear legs, which did not allow her to stand, is now thriving. Zelda's back legs were tied together to help strengthen leg muscles.

She is now getting "normal maternal care", the Zoo reports; photo of Zelda and Mom at link.

While another sitatunga calf is currently on exhibit; it will probably be spring before you will find Zelda there.

Transitioning

Aging, actually.

But the transition is from my hour-long run to one or more longer, strenuous hikes per week. (Still trying to jog a couple half-hours per week.)

Struggled 5 and 1/2 hours to go seven miles on the Profile and rocky Grandfather Trails, between NC 105 and Calloway Peak, Grandfather Mountain, Saturday. Muddy and somewhat icy, even 'though it was 64 degrees in Greensboro when I returned at 7 p.m.

Walked for under two hours and went over five miles on the thankfully dry and gently-rolling Townsend Trail (Lake Townsend, Greensboro), yesterday.

Have enjoyed coming across varied NC habitat, wildlife and animal behavior in my years of trail running, hiking and canoeing.

Goals: to see much more as I continue hiking and canoeing AND to do the seven-mile Grandfather hike for as many years as possible. The year 2012 is the 65th in which I have spent some time here. Glad I already have this year's G'father hike in the bag!

Pink and gorgeous

Pink and gorgeous, a photo by belgianchocolate on Flickr.

By belgianchocolate - 12-29-11.

The "Pop-In"

Or "Just Visitin'".

Mountain gorillas give lucky tourists more than they expected. [Hat tip: Gary Williams; I was not among the million plus who had already seen this.]

Free Fridays for Locals

Riverbanks Zoo has a special winter deal for its South Carolina neighbors.

contact

contact, a photo by ucumari on Flickr.

Title says it all 'bout ucumari's wonderful portrait.

Old Growth w/ Turpentine Scars!

The NC Zoo has just "acquired 60 acres of Arnett Branch Longleaf Pine Forest, the only known old growth longleaf pine forest of its size in the North Carolina Piedmont."

"The Zoo used funding from the Natural Heritage Trust Fund to purchase the land and the LandTrust for Central North Carolina obtained a no interest loan from the Norcross Wildlife Foundation to buy the remainder of the property, to hold and protect it until the Zoo raises funds for the rest." (The NC Zoo Society is expecting a bequest in 2012 for just such purpose.)

"The land is located in northern Montgomery County, about 12 miles from the Zoo. Along with the old trees, some still marked with turpentine scars from the old naval stores industries of over a century ago, this land is home to timber rattlesnakes, various amphibians, and in the warmer months, some neotropical migrant bird species that prefer larger forested tracts, like Kentucky warbler and ovenbird."

Exciting!

Pious Leader

The lead tracker for the Winter 2012 Elephants of Cameroon Expedition is named Pious. "He feels confident that we'll find animals...", reports "Dr. Mike".

Record Zoo Attendance

Nashville Zoo announces "record attendance of 648,0354 visitors in 2011." This is the third straight year for an increase.

"Zoo memberships reached a new high with 28,276 households...", which is close to the NC Zoo Society number.

"Plans for 2012 include the opening of DinoTrek, a new exhibit with 16 animatronic dinosaurs in a hidden forest." The NC Zoo will have about that number of dinosaurs in the forest which is between the Aviary and the African Pavilion in 2010.

Tripoli Zoo Animals Recovering

While these reports, including a video and links to other articles, make no mention of the NC Zoo's role, here is some good info on Tripoli Zoo, after the overthrow of Gaddafi.

"Missiles were fired over the zoo grounds and Kalashnikovs strafed the mammal house; the hippos’ enclosure was hit by a NATO rocket which, fortunately, did not explode."

[NOTE: the names of zoo keepers and veterinarians who stayed on to care for the Zoo's animals, despite the risk, on the "roll" at the video's end]

Technical Tasks: Cameroon

Dr. Mike's missing crate, containing his vital dart rifle, arrived last night.

Altimeters are set to zero.

How? By making a quick trip to the beach at Limbe.

Zoo Shatters Attendance Record

Fresno [CA] Chaffee Zoo has bettered an attendance record set in the 1980's. (Attendance was up 15% in 2011, to 511,747, "but that record may not stand long as the zoo prepares major projects for the new year.")

"Zoo Attendance Soars"

St. Louis Zoo saw over 3 million visitors last year despite suffering through a summer heat wave and "rainy spring".

The "free zoo" had 2011 fees (parking, rides, food and gift shop purchases) totaling $22 million.

Elephant Investigation Ordered

Tanzania's president orders an investigation as African elephant census numbers plunge in two sanctuaries. It is a three-year, 42 percent drop, from 74,900 in 2006 to 43,552 in 2009, Reuters reported yesterday.

Ivory Criminals Winning

"Horrible year for [African] elephants." [The New York Times - Environment - Green blog]

Dr. Mike's Back...

...in Cameroon, and offering this greeting from Limbe and the "Winter 2012 elephant expedition".

Six weeks of field work starts Friday on Mount Cameroon (SW section of the national park).

There's an Ape App for That

Milwaukee Zoo's "Apps for Apes" project "could see orangutans being given iPads to video-chat with primates in other zoos."

"However, at the moment the iPad is too fragile to just hand over to the animals and keepers would like to consult with Apple engineers to make them 'orangutan-proof.'" (Make it Willy-proof too and the orangs can chat with the NC Zoo polar bear, who is on exhibit in Milwaukee while his exhibit here, with Aquila, is being renovated...right, Valerie?)

Detroit Zoo Attendance Up

Detroit Zoo attendance topped one million for the sixth straight year. At 1,217,200, it is six percent more than 2010's attendance, 1,146,241. And 2009's attendance was well ahead of 2008's.).

Detroit Zoo says a makeover of the lions' exhibit and this summer's "Dinosauria", with 30 robotic dinosaurs, factored largely in the 2011 increase. (NC Zoo is bringing "animatronic dinosaurs" in 2012.)

@SF_BananaSam re: Return

"That's the last time I ever crawl into someone's backpack who says we're going to an "awesome party, dude."" [@SF_BananaSam]

Banana-Sam Back...

@ SF Zoo.

"The passer-by coaxed the monkey from the bushes into his backpack..."

2 Bottle-Fed Polar Bears

China has the cubs. Finland gave them.

2 better than 1?