AMeetingof theMinds

•Spying onWildlife

•Bugged

Treefrogs

THIS ISSUE...

SOCIETY BOARD

MONTY WHITE, JR.ChairRaleigh

NICOLE A. CRAWFORDVice ChairGreensboro

MARJORIE M. RANKINSecretaryAsheboro

BILL CURRENS, JR.TreasurerCharlotte

RICHARD W. CARROLLCary

MICHAEL J. FISHERGreensboro

MINOR T. HINSONCharlotte

JIM KLINGLERRaleigh

SCOTT E. REEDWinston-SalemJOHN RUFFINWinston-Salem

KENT A. VARNERCharlotte

CHARLES M. WINSTON, JR.Raleigh

Cheryl TurnerExecutive DirectorAssistant Secretary

EDITORIAL BOARD

Jayne Owen Parker, Ph.D.Managing Editor

De Potter Design & LayoutJohn D. Groves

Corinne Kendall, Ph.D.Michael Loomis, DVMMark MacAllisterTonya MillerKen ReiningerPat SimmonsCheryl TurnerDiane VillaRuss Williams Angie Kahn Proofreader

Printed by Hickory Printing Solutions

Winter 2016 Issue No.83

The North Carolina Zoo is open every day of the year, except on Christmas Day.Winter hours begin November 2 and extend from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Summer hoursbegin on April 1 and extend from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Standard admission prices are$15 for adults, $13 for seniors and $11 for children. Zoo Society members andregistered North Carolina school groups are admitted free. The Zoo offers freeparking, free tram and shuttle service, picnic areas, visitor rest areas, food serv-ice and gift shops.For information, call 1-800-488-0444.

The Zoo is a program of the N.C. Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. The NC ZooSociety is the non-profit organization that supports the North Carolina Zoological Park and itsprograms. Society offices are open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information,please call 336-879-7250 or logon to the Society’s Web page at nczoo.com.

Financial information about the NC ZooSociety and a copy of its license areavailable from the CharitableSolicitation Licensing Section at 888-830-4989. The license is not anendorsement by the State.

The Winter 2016 issue of your Alivemagazine delves more deeply thanever into the Zoo’s ever expanding

presence in wildlife conservation and animal welfare. The magazine’s lead story introduces

Ms. Erin Ivory, the Zoo’s new ElephantManager, to discuss her approach to train-ing elephants and to explore her commit-ment to improving the welfare of animalsliving in zoos around the world. Ms.Ivory expresses her commitment by trav-eling to developing countries, especiallyVietnam, to offer training in behavioralmanagement to animal care providers.This training, which relies exclusively onusing positive reinforcement to communi-cate with animals, provides zoo personnelwith a sound background for workinghumanely with their animals and empow-ers keepers to provide enrichment activi-ties to these animals. Regular contributor and Associate

Curator Corinne Kendall, Ph.D., providesan interesting overview of some of thetechnology that she and other Zoowildlife researchers use to track, studyand protect free-ranging animals—ele-phants, gorillas, vultures and more. Acompanion article by guest contributorand keeper supervisor Chris Shupp bringsthe magazine back home to explain some

of the research Mr. Shupp and other Zoostaff have initiated to protect NorthCarolina’s Official State Frog, the PineBarrens Treefrog. We have also set aside space in this

issue of Alive to give thanks, once again,to the generous businesses, artists andother donors who helped make this year’sZoo To Do a roaring success. Zoo to Do2015 raised $128,665 that will be used toupgrade several of the Zoo’s servicebuildings and spaces. This Alive also announces the dates for

our 2016’s Veterinary and FieldConservation camps and lists the specialbackstage pass programs that we willoffer throughout the upcoming year.These programs make excellent holiday,anniversary and birthday gifts for anyonewho cherishes wildlife.And, last but not least, the magazine

says “goodbye” to former Zoo DirectorDavid Jones and says “welcome” to hisreplacement Mrs. Pat Simmons, the for-mer Director of the Akron Zoo. Dr. Jonesretired from his directorship after leadingthe Zoo for more than 20 years. We wish all our readers and friends a

joyous holiday season and a very happyand successful New Year. We hope to see you at the Zoo soon.

Jayne Owen Parker, Ph.D., Editor

ON THE COVER:

Tonga, Zoo Elephant COVER INSET:Valerie Abbott

VALERIEABBOTT

BIGSTOCKPHOTO.COM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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2 The Heart of Elephant TrainingA meeting of the minds........................................ Erin Ivory, Guest Contributor

6 Changes at the TopNew directions at the NC Zoo...................... Gavin Johnson, Guest Contributor

7 Year End Request: Can we talk?

8 Conservation Connection: Spying from the Sky— and through the Radio ................. Corinne Kendall, Ph.D., Contributing Editor

10 Field Notes: Frogs in Politics and ConservationRegarding the Pine Barrens Tree Frog............. Chris Shupp, Guest Contributor

11 Spotted SalamandersSome breed in winter .................................... John Groves, Contributing Editor

12 Zoo To Do 2015: An Affair to RememberA huge “THANK YOU” for a huge success

14 Zoo CampsField camps, vet camps and “Shadow a Vet”

15 Holiday GiftingChimp-mas fun, a zebra ornament and gift memberships

16 Kids’ Page: One Thing Is Not Like the OtherDifferences between seals and sea lions ...... Jayne Owen Parker, Ph.D., Editor

BC Congrats!NC Zoo wins AZA conservation awardREGULAR FEATURES13 Travel Programs14 Thank Yous17 Zoo Access

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lephants are dynamic,complex, interesting and,often, delightfully funny

animals. Each one has a uniquepersonality, and this personalityshapes the individual ways that itreacts to people, to other elephants,to training and to changes in itssurroundings. Learning to recog-nize and read an elephant’s indi-viduality adds a layer of socialcomplexity to elephant keeping thatmakes the profession more chal-lenging, gratifying and satisfyingthan any other job I can imagine.Over the years, I have had the

good fortune to work with morethan 40 elephants in five differentfacilities. My work has brought me in contact with allages of elephants—from newborns to a 60-year-old—and I have worked with both cows and bulls and withmembers of both the African and the Asian species.These experiences have brought me in contact with amultitude of different elephant personalities.

The Changing Nature of Elephant TrainingElephants live a long time and develop slowly, so theirneeds, interests and, to some extent, their temperamentschange as they mature or as they face new challenges intheir environments. As these changes take place, theycan influence the way an elephant learns and the waytrainers need to structure their training regimes.

Training Calves–Baby Steps: The biggest challengewith calves is that they have so much to learn—fromthe basic physics of coping with their body mass to thecomplex psychology of fitting into elephant society. Theneed to master a multitude of skills infuses calves withbountiful energy and an unrelenting drive to learn.

When they are awake, they bus-tle with energy. They play. Theyexplore. They run. They poke.And, despite their small (rela-tively speaking) size, they caninstigate mountains of drama. For one thing, calves love to

play with elephant dung. Theywill roll in it, kick it and stompthrough it like a human toddlerparading through mud puddles.Training youngsters begins withcultivating the patience tocalmly and positively help themlearn to control these bursts ofenergy so that they can focustheir attention on the tasks athand.

To add to the confusion, every member of a herd feelsa sense of responsibility for the safety of the calves. So,when a calf gets into trouble (a common occurrenceamong these curious, active youngsters), its alarm callscan set a herd on edge. And, because young calves haveso much to learn, they can find lots of ways to get intotrouble. Even something as simple as stretching out totake a nap can culminate in a family uproar.Because even young elephants can weigh 200 pounds

or more, rising from a prone position presents its diffi-culties. To rise, an elephant must draw its legs alongsideits body and then roll its head up and over to gainenough momentum to push its body into a standingposition. While this sequence always requires strength,it fails entirely if an elephant makes the mistake ofstretching out on an incline with the soles of its feet fac-ing the upside of the hill. From that position, gravity holds the elephant’s back

firmly against the ground. So, when an inexperiencedcalf finds itself with its head downhill, it will create aclamor until its mom or an aunt rushes to the rescue and

ERIN IVORY, ZOO ELEPHANT MANAGER

tugs it into a standing position. It only takes one or twoof these dramas to teach a calf to pay attention to thelay of the land before it lies down. Young elephants also have to learn the rules that gov-

ern elephant society and the complex social hierarchythat determines one’s status inside the herd. Until a calfunderstands these rules, it will get trunk-tapped orchased when it pesters the adults just a bit too much asit seeks attention or a playmate.

Training Bulls–Giant Steps: Mature males present a different set of training issues. They are huge, up to 13feet high at the shoulder and 6 tons on the scales. Theyare strong, and they are smart. And, periodically, theirtestosterone levels skyrocket, sending them into a semi-frenzied state called “musth.” Derived from the Hindiword for “drunk,” the term “musth” describes the inter-mittent goofiness that can seize a bull inthis hormone-induced state. Musth will set a bull on edge. He

may take offense at the smallest infrac-tions. He may get testy when thingsdon’t go his way. But, because musthis easy to spot, a good trainer knowswhen to be careful. Bulls in musth doeverything but wear billboards toadvertise their condition. They dribbleurine as they walk about. Secretionsweep from the temporal glands behindtheir eyes, sending streaks of liquiddown the back of their faces. They dogoofy things to demonstrate theirprowess—like the time that a musth ingArtie, the Zoo’s younger bull, tried toclimb a wall with his back legs. Because of these attributes—size,

power and the occasional state of musth—bull elephants command a lot of respect and are oftenconsidered “difficult to work with.” But, with the rightskills and a history rife with trust and positive interac-tions, elephant trainers often find that bulls make won-derful training partners. Personally, I enjoy workingwith them. I admire their size and strength, and I amfilled with delight when I hear them squeeze out the ittybitty, little trumpet calls that signal excitement andpleasure. For me, a bull’s best feature is its capacity to focus.

Unlike cows, who concentrate much of their attentionon their herd’s social complexities, bulls are not part ofthe social hierarchy. Undistracted by its complexities,bulls are free to focus on other matters, like training,and can make excellent students.

When they enter musth, though, their attention willwaver. The tug that testosterone has on their attentioncan mess up their memory and their focus. Sometimes atraining session will be going along just fine, until—outof the blue—a bull in musth will just seem to forgeteverything he ever knew.

Training Cows–Social Steps: Elephant cows presenta different set of issues. Female elephants focus on thesocial inter-workings of their herds. With them, the familyand the herd and its hierarchy always take precedent. The bonds that stretch between and among herd mem-

bers keep the group together and create complex socialinteractions that must be considered when managing anindividual cow or every cow in the herd. Herds havehierarchies, and the top cow rules, but herds also con-tain individuals who feel and react differently to differ-

ent members of the group. Just like the members of ahuman family, elephant herds include some cows thatlike each other, some cows that don’t. In the wild, herds normally consist of related females

and their young. The bloodline includes mothers,daughters and aunts. In zoos, herd members may ormay not share this genetic history. The four females thatmake up the Zoo’s current herd include a mother and adaughter and two unrelated females.Until recently, we kept the mother and her daughter

together but separate from the other two females. Theyall shared a barn, so they could see, hear and smell eachother. But, a wire mesh separated them, so they couldnot touch each other the way that herd members can.Since putting these groups together, they have begun

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coalescing into a herd. Their introductions went slowlyand smoothly. One female, Rafiki, quickly, and withoutdissension, grabbed the role of matriarch or herd leader.The two younger elephants, Nekhunda and Batir,became fast friends. They play often and frequentlydelight their keepers by trunk wrestling with each other.Tonga is a great mother to Batir, and we hope she willguide herd members who become first-time mothers inthe future.

Training Seniors–Slow Steps: Geriatric elephantsare probably the hardest age group to manage. Agingaffects them much as it affects people, sometimes caus-ing arthritis or other age-related maladies. C’sar, ouroldest bull, for example, developed severe cataracts sev-eral years ago. When his vision became too clouded tolet him move about safely in the exhibit, we had to keephim in the barn. To remedy his confinement, the Zoo brought a team

of ophthalmic surgeons in from NC State’s VeterinarySchool and purchased a set of artificial lenses for theteam to insert in C’sar’s lens capsules once the cataractswere gone. Unfortunately, the cataracts had damagedthe lens capsules so much that the artificial lenses couldnot be used. As a plan B, the surgeons fitted C’sar witha contact lens—but he quickly plucked it out with hisdexterous trunk.Even without the correctional lenses, the surgery

restored enough of his vision to allow C’sar to go backon exhibit. But, because he is quite farsighted, staff usesverbal and other auditory cues during training and tohelp him navigate his environment.

On Being a KeeperGood animal keepers develop strong bonds with theanimals in their care. Food rewards often lay the foun-dation on which these bonds form, but over time, posi-tive interactions can become rewarding, too, and cancreate a deep sense of trust between a trainer and ananimal. Often, the sense of trust is strong enough tokeep an animal attending and cooperating even when itis sick and no longer motivated by food. When that

level of trust exists, trainers can help animalsget well by soliciting their cooperation inswallowing medicines or participating inphysical therapy.The complex nature of elephant society

and hierarchies predisposes elephants torecognize their keepers as individuals.Elephants can easily tell one keeper fromthe others and will form different opinionsabout different people, liking some and notliking others. That puts the onus on eachkeeper to keep his or her interactions posi-tive because, ultimately, each elephantdecides how it will behave and who it likes.Just because an elephant will cooperatewith one keeper does not mean that the ele-phant will take instructions from just any-one. And, elephants show definite socialpreferences, allowing some keepers greaterlevels of intimacy than other keepers.

For example, I once had a special relationshipwith an elephant named Swazi. When I wanted to calmher, I could rest my hand on the side of her face andgently rub her skin with my thumb. Once, when a co-worker and I were working with Swazi and she grewrestless, I told the co-worker to try my calming trick.When she did, Swazi immediately flicked my co-worker’s hand away, driving home the point that rela-tionships with elephants are not transferable. Everyonehas to develop his or her own.Besides, elephants are capable of building strong rela-

tionships with many other elephants and with manykeepers. An elephant’s capacity for bonding seems infi-nite. Forming a new relationship does not detract fromor diminish any existing relationships.

Elephants’ Impact on PeopleElephants are magnetic. They have the capacity toattract and connect to people of all ages around theworld. It is always incredible to witness the outpouringof love and admiration people feel for elephants. Once,I was in New Zealand so that I could train and transporta circus elephant to a facility in the United States. While

I was working with the elephant, I watched an 85-year-old man see an elephant for the first time.He was a dapper gentleman who made a habit of har-

vesting the banana plants on his property so that hecould leave browse—leaves and fruit—as a donation tofeed the elephant, Mila. He never visited her, but hebrought food to her.One day I invited him to come in to meet Mila and

watch one of her training sessions. He was overjoyed.When I took him down to meet Mila, his eyes openedwide when she came into sight. His first words were“Be still my beating heart. She is beautiful.” His eyestwinkled with awe, wonder and appreciation for Mila.His joy reminded me of the impact that elephants canhave on people. Their size, the intelligence in theireyes and their majesty can generate a profoundsense of respect and wonder.

Caring for ElephantsThe wonder and respect that I feel when I workwith elephants has filled me with a deep sense ofpersonal responsibility toward them. Their wel-fare—and the welfare of all animals—has becomea driving force in my life. Over the last year and ahalf that drive has sent me back and forth toVietnam to help elephant keepers there establishand practice high management standards when car-ing for their elephants. So far, I have spent four months in Vietnam

working with the staff at the Hanoi Zoo and theHanoi Wildlife Rescue Facility. While there, Iworked with directors and their staffs to helpimprove the environments where animals are housedand the techniques keepers use to manage the animals. On one visit, I also met with staff from the Dak Lak

Elephant Conservation Center to help them build afacility where captive elephants could be humanelyheld. I also spent time training the staff to properlymanage the health and welfare of the facility’s elephantsand helped lay out plans for protecting Vietnam’sremaining population of wild elephants. My connection to the Elephant Conservation Center

helped lead me to join the staff at the NC Zoo, becauseit was through the Elephant Conservation Center that Ilearned of the Zoo’s strong commitment to animal wel-fare. Through the work of former Zoo Director DavidJones, the Zoo has earned an international reputation forits commitment to researching and conserving wild ani-mal populations and for its work to improve the welfareof animals living in both domestic and foreign zoos. On the international front, Dr. Jones was instrumental

in creating the nonprofit organization, Wild Welfare,

which helps developing countries improve the welfareof animals living in zoos. Wild Welfare has invested inVietnam’s animal welfare projects and has increased thescope of our elephant welfare work by helping us col-laborate with many other organizations. This past August, I spent two weeks working with the

staff at Vietnam’s Elephant Conservation Center. Itrained the staff to use positive reinforcement whenmanaging their elephants and offered advice on provid-ing for the welfare of a juvenile bull, Jun, who was res-cued by the Conservation Center. Jun was caught in asnare that permanently and severely damaged one of hisfront legs. The damage will never heal sufficiently to let

him return to the wild. The training I provided willallow the Center’s staff to care for Jun’s injury withoutsedating him and has made it possible for him to live inan expanded enclosure. This past November, I returned to Vietnam with Wild

Welfare to participate in a meeting to help create federallegislation and standards for animal welfare and animalcare. This trip also allowed me another chance to workwith Jun and to offer additional training to his handlers. The support that the North Carolina Zoo offers to

developing nations and to conservation programs onforeign soils embodies all of what I believe a zooshould do. This commitment fills me with excitementand with hope about the effects that these programs willhave on the future of animals here at home and in othercountries. These programs provide the NC Zoo and thepeople of North Carolina with a powerful capacity toimprove the well-being of captive and free ranging ani-mals at many levels and in many countries.

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Saying “Welcome” to thePromise of More to ComeMrs. Pat Simmons joined the NC Zoo’sstaff in September 2014, after beingselected to succeed Dr. Jones when heretired. The early hiring gave herplenty of time to learn the complexinner workings of the NC Zoo beforeshe took on the full responsibility ofleading the organization.Before winning this spot, she worked

for 31 years at the Akron Zoo in Ohio.She served as its president and CEOfor the last 29 years.After working with Dr. Jones, Mrs.

Simmons said, “His leadership andvision for this amazing Zoo speaks foritself. I am so fortunate to have had theopportunity to learn about our greatZoo from him and the entire Zoo staff.”Mrs. Simmons came to us after earn-

ing a sterling national reputation for herwork with the professional Zoo com-munity, especially the Association ofZoos and Aquariums. The Association,also known as AZA, leads the world inestablishing animal welfare standardsfor zoos and is an international leaderin wildlife conservation. Mrs. Simmonshas served on many AZA boards andcommittees and was elected as AZA’sboard chair in 2012. Currently, she ison the board of directors of the WorldAssociation of Zoos and Aquariums. While at the Akron Zoo, Mrs.

Simmons secured a stable fundingsource for that zoo, developed a top-rated conservation education programand implemented a 14-year master planthat added more than 30 new animalexhibits to the facility. In 2013, theAkron Zoo set an attendance record,welcoming 389,000 visitors.“I know that the NC Zoo is in great

hands,” Dr. Jones said. “Pat’s knowl-edge, enthusiasm and compassion forour animals and staff are evident everyday.” We are pleased to welcome Mrs.

Simmons to lead the NC Zoo, and weare grateful to Dr. Jones for his pastleadership. We wish them both the best.

GAVIN JOHNSON

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Changesat the Top

After leading the NC Zoo formore than two decades, DirectorDavid Jones began his retirementat the end of September 2015.On October 1, he welcomed Mrs.Patricia (Pat) Simmons as the NCZoo’s new Director.

When recognizing Dr. Jones, GovernorPat McCrory said, “The citizens ofNorth Carolina owe a great debt ofgratitude to Dr. Jones for what he hasaccomplished in leading our iconic zoofor all these years. Tens of millions ofvisitors have walked the grounds inthat time, immensely enjoying what hehas helped build.”During Director Jones’ tenure, the

NC Zoo consistently earned praise asone of the top zoos in the country. Hearrived in Asheboro just in time tooversee the final development of theZoo’s North American region, includ-ing the opening of the RJR RockyCoast, which exhibits Polar Bears,seals, sea lions and arctic sea birds.Under his direction, the Zoo later

expanded its exhibits for AfricanElephants, White Rhinos, Polar Bearsand other species and upgraded its chil-dren’s section to a state-of-the-art play-ground designed to entice children toplay outside and learn to love nature.Under Dr. Jones’ leadership, the Zoo

gained international recognition for itsmulti-million dollar public art collec-tion, themed around nature, and for itsrole in advancing animal welfare inzoos. Under his leadership, Zoo staffalso gained an international reputationfor its conservation work with AfricanElephants, Cross River Gorillas, NorthAmerica’s Hellbenders and other ani-mal and plant species. During this

same period, Dr. Jones and his staffalso worked with state and local offi-cials and the NC Zoo Society toincrease the Zoo’s landholdings fromapproximately 1,400 to 2,200 acres.“These 22 wonderful years have sim-

ply flown past,” said Dr. Jones, whocame to Asheboro from the ZoologicalSociety of London, where he had beenchief executive officer and had workedin six capacities over 25 years. “Wehave achieved a lot, but none of itwould have happened without the sup-port and hard work of an amazing staffwith such a varied range of talents andskills.”Dr. Jones has been active in many

international organizations. Amongthem, he is a former chair of theworld’s oldest international conserva-tion organization, Fauna and FloraInternational, and served as the chair ofthe Brooke Hospital for Animals, theworld’s largest international equinewelfare charity. He chaired theConservation Committee of the WorldWildlife Fund, United Kingdom, andcurrently chairs Central Park NC, theregion’s most prominent non-govern-ment rural development agency, andthe Environmental Defense Fund(North Carolina). He recently foundedand chairs Wild Welfare, the only zoo-based international animal welfareorganization that focuses on improvingsubstandard zoos around the world.

Saying “Thank You” For a Job Well Done

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Conservation is like real estate. It is all about location, location and location.To understand a species’ conservation needs,

researchers must first understand the complexities of itsaddress: where its members live, where they travel and whenand why they make their moves. By following animals as theycome and go, researchers can tease out details about theresources a species depends on to survive and can look at fac-tors that could potentially threaten these resources. The blue-print for any effective conservation plan always begins with areliable map of a species’ real estate claims.

Studying MovementsEarly naturalists and researchers relied on spoor—tracks, scat,feathers, kills, trails, drag marks, sounds, scents and markingposts—to speculate about the movements of wild animals.These researchers invested days and weeks searching for anyresidue of an animal’s activities to use in puzzling out where itlived, what it did with its time and when and why it shuffled fromone place to the next.Over the years, though, emerging technologies have made it

easier to track after wild animals and to gather more precisedata about their movements and activities. One of the earlyleaps in these technologies incorporated radio waves into biolog-ical research by coupling radio transmitters with collars. Bulky atfirst, these transmitters could each be tuned to a narrow frequency and then fitted onto collars that could be securedaround an animal’s neck during well planned catch and releaseoperations.Researchers would grab an animal—often by anesthetizing it

first—fit it with a radio collar set to a specific frequency and thensend the animal racing back into the wild. For the next severalmonths—until the transmitter’s batteries failed—researcherscould tune their receivers to a specific transmitter’s frequencyand search for an animal by waving the receiver around until itpicked up a telltale “beep,” “beep,” “beep” from the transmitter.By pointing their receivers in the direction that produced theloudest beeps, researchers could follow a pretty direct trail to,eventually, see the subject animal or at least get close enough toestimate where it was hiding.

Field Research and TechnologyOver a relatively short time, engineers have found ways to packtransmitters into smaller and smaller packages, making somemodern models tiny enough to fit on a frog’s back or, even, toglue onto a dragonfly or butterfly for a few hours.Radio collaring gave researchers a powerful tool for tracking

wildlife, but it came with a major drawback. The Very High

Frequency radio signals emit-ted by these collars travel ina straight line that cannot goover or around hills or moun-tains. So, a researcher has tobe in the field, close to—andin a direct “line of sight” with—a radio collar to pick up its transmissions.Space scientists offered a remedy to this shortcoming by pro-

viding satellites that could be periodically and predictably over-head to communicate with tracking collars via radio waves fromthe microwave part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The collarstransmit their location data, often GPS coordinates, up to thesatellites once or several times a day, and the satellites transmitthe data to computer terminals that send it racing around theworld via the Internet. Researchers on one continent can usethis technology to follow an animal on another continent withoutbreaking a sweat.

Following Wildlife in AfricaIn fact, NC Zoo researchers began following Cameroon ele-phants this way more than two decades ago and recently addedsome Nigerian elephants to this satellite-tracking program. Thistechnology adds depth and breadth to biological researchbecause it can track animals moving through rugged, wet, dark,arid, freezing or sweltering conditions on land, at the water’s sur-face or in the air—places where people cannot easily follow.While satellite telemetry is amazing, it also comes with majorcosts, both to buy satellite time and to buy and maintain satellite-tracking collars. Fortunately, though, the ever-expanding cellphone industry has recently begun offering a cheaper alterna-tive. New tracking collars communicate with the GSM networksthat carry cell phone signals and provide location data throughtheir GPS systems. The costs for downloading GSM-GPS trans-missions compare favorably with the costs of streaming a gameor movie on a smartphone, and cell coverage is already avail-able in a surprising number of places around the world. In fact,we have used this technology to track vultures flying aroundKenya. These vultures wear transmitters that use the GSM sys-tem to send out a text message once a day. Each text providesprecise information on the transmitter’s (and, consequently, itsvulture’s) longitude, latitude and flying altitude.By mapping this longitude and latitude data over several

months, we can draw extremely accurate pictures of the landrequirements different species have. For example, our vulturestudy revealed, for the first time, vultures’ extensive land use re-quirements. Frequently, these birds fly more than 125 miles in aday. One particularly active vulture logged a yearlong flight path

Spying from the Sky and through the Radio

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that encompassed more than 54,000 square miles. It sailed overa larger land area than North Carolina holds inside its borders.

Surveillance on Land and in the AirThe Zoo began tracking elephants in Cameroon more than 15years ago and recently added some Nigerian elephants to thisstudy. Dr. Mike Loomis, the Zoo’s Chief Veterinarian, anes-thetizes the elephants and, working with a team of local biolo-gists, fits the elephants with satellite-tracking collars. Both theZoo staff and the local park rangers follow the elephants torecord critical information on the herd’s land requirements and tolet park rangers know where the herd is so that they can protectit from ivory poachers. Of equal importance, the tracking dataalerts rangers when herds are migrating away from protectedlands and toward farms or villages. These warnings give rangersthe time and the direction they need to intercept and deter theseherds before they can damage crops or come into conflicts withangry farmers.This year, Zoo staff is moving into southern Tanzania to begin

studying a new species—the White-backed Vulture. Peoplehave inadvertently pushed White-backed Vultures onto theendangered species list. Many die from eating poison-taintedcarcasses set out to kill large predators. Others die when theycollide with power lines or wind turbines. And, a few, are killed tosupply feathers and other remains to the witchcraft trade.The populations’ rapid declines pose a serious threat to public

health as well as to the health of local ecosystems. By consum-

ing carcasses, vultures neutralize deadly bacteria, preventingdebilitating diseases from spreading to people as well as towildlife. And, vultures play a key role in recycling the nutrientsand minerals that keep habitats healthy and food webs strong.Vultures’ contributions to ecosystem and human health under-

lie our commitment to monitor their populations and, eventually,set out plans to protect them. Our early findings suggest thatsouthern Tanzania is an important area for this species, but it islikely that they travel to other countries, too, quite possibly toMozambique and Zambia. By using satellite telemetry, we hopeto confirm the extent of their movements and begin to build upan understanding of the resources they need to survive andwhat threats may be affecting these resources—information thatis critical to know if we are going to protect these importantscavengers.

Whether it is frogs, elephants or vultures, the NCZoo is using telemetry to spy on and save wildlife.

CORINNE KENDALL, PH.D., ZOO ASSOCIATE CURATOR OF CONSERVATION

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FIELD

As it rambles from the Smokies to the Outer Banks, NorthCarolina’s changing landscape supports a high level ofamphibian diversity. Consider that, within its borders, the

state boasts around 30 species of frogs and toads as well asanother 60 or so species of salamanders. (These numbers willvary from time to time, depending on whom you ask.) But, withso many frog options to choose from, it is not surprising that,when the legislature finally decided to name an official “statefrog,” it chose a truly spectacular species.Confirming this species did not come without some political

discontent. It began when someone nominated the AmericanBullfrog to become the state frog. Its nomination drew loud callsof protest from the state’s herpetologists (people who study rep-tiles and amphibians), because they could not bear the thoughtof elevating bullfrogs to such prestigious heights.It was not that herpetologists wanted to slight our native bull-

frog. They, better than anyone, knew its strengths: it holds therecord as the state’s biggest frog, and it is likely the best knownof the state’s frog species. People in every North Carolinacounty grow up thinking that its “jug-o-rum” calls are the signa-ture sound of a hot and humid summer night in the South.But, on the other hand, herpetologists see the bullfrog as, for

lack of a better word, just so “ordinary.” It is one of the world’smost common frogs and, in many places, it has become adestructive, invasive species. Besides, because herpetologistsunderstand the rich diversity of the state’s frogs, they were pre-pared to champion less well-known, but rarer and more spectac-ular species.Budding herpetologist Rachel Hopkins, a teenage student

from Raleigh, agreed, and led the charge to make the PineBarrens Treefrog our state frog. With help from the NC

Herpetological Society, Ms. Hopkins lobbied successfully tohave the state legislature confirm her choice. The title becameofficial in June 2013, when Governor McCrory signed the billthat added the Pine Barrens Treefrog to the list of other officialstate organisms (i.e., the Dogwood as the State Flower, theCardinal as the State Bird, the Eastern Box Turtle as the StateReptile, and the Plott Hound as the State Dog).

So, What’s So Special About the Pine Barrens Treefrog?This little treefrog bears the name of the habitat that it occupiesin the most northern part of its range, the pine barrens of south-ern New Jersey (another state that has named it as its statefrog). Smallish and slender, the Pine Barrens Treefrog bears astriking resemblance to the larger and more common GreenTreefrog. But, unlike the widely distributed Green Treefrog, thePine Barrens Treefrog lives only in three widely separated are-nas. The first is in New Jersey. A second begins at the shorelineof Florida’s western panhandle and stretches into southeasternAlabama. The third, and probably the largest, covers a swath ofland that begins in North Carolina’s southern coastal plains andarches into the Sandhills of both North and South Carolina.This disjointed distribution results from this amphibian’s spe-

cialized adaptations, which predispose it to thrive in habitats thatare too acidic for most other amphibians to tolerate. In theCarolinas, Pine Barrens Treefrogs live in the acidic drains andseeps that pool inside Longleaf Pine forests. These shrubbywetlands grow sphagnum moss, carnivorous plants, cane andferns (as well as many, many chiggers) and these wetlands tendto be too acidic and, often, too ephemeral to accommodate thephysical needs and maturation times of many species of tadpoles.

Belting Frogs!Over the past decades, the state’s population of Pine BarrensTreefrogs has declined as individuals have disappeared fromdifferent parts of its range. But, because so little is known aboutthis species’ habits and needs, conservationists have been at aloss to explain these declines and what might be done todevelop a conservation plan. Currently, we cannot answer ques-tions as simple as: How do these frogs behave before and afterthey breed? How does fire, which is key to maintaining healthyLongleaf Pine habitat, affect this treefrog’s survival? Whichtypes of vegetation do these treefrogs prefer?Until we can answer these and other questions, we will not be

able to protect this species. And, that is why, in the spring of

Frogs in Politics and Conservation in North Carolina

10 | ALIVE

2014, zookeepers from the NC Zoo and biologists from theNC Wildlife Resources Commission decided to pool theirresources and talents to study the needs of this disappear-ing species.In our initial meetings, we agreed that we would need to

track treefrogs to begin to understand them, and we decidedto use radio telemetry to allow us to get an intimate pictureof the behaviors of a few individuals. Without this or somesimilar technologies, we would have to stumble around in thedark, depending on luck to help us find and observe shiftinggroups of the frogs.We were fortunate to have this option. Technology has

only recently produced transmitters that are light enough toload onto a 4 to 5 gram frog (i.e., the weight of a nickel) andstill have batteries that last long enough to make a study.Before we bought any transmitters, though, we struggledwith finding the best way to attach a 0.3 gram (about theweight of an aspirin) transmitter to a frog without harming it.After much research and brainstorming, we created a pro-

totype belt that we were pretty sure would be strong enoughto hold a transmitter in place. We modified it with a pressure-sensitive mechanism that would release the belt if it snaggedon something and the frog tugged to get free. When wewere satisfied with our design, we ordered four transmittersusing grant money from the local chapter of the AmericanAssociation of Zoo Keepers.We started our pilot study in August 2014 and, after

adjusting to the challenges it uncovered, we confirmed thatthe belt and tracking equipment worked and our methodol-ogy was sound enough to expand the study into 2015’sbreeding season.Of course, it turned out that finding sites with frogs, captur-

ing a few to study and then actually tracking them was a lotharder than we thought it would be. We had to work mostlyin the dark. (These frogs usually call after sunset on warm—sticky—summer nights.) We had to pick through densebrush. (Greenbriar snaked around all the pools and occa-sionally reached out to trip us, especially when one of ourhands was busy waving an antenna around.) And, then therewere those aforementioned chiggers—everywhere! (The itchthey left behind kept their memory alive for weeks.)But, despite these challenges, the experience of working

for the frogs and for conservation built memories that will last.Forever etched in my mind is one particular night this sum-mer. We were caught in a downpour that left us drenched tothe bone for several hours. It was later that night (while coldand uncomfortably wet) that I was able to squat in a wetlandand immerse myself into the world of the Pine BarrensTreefrog. Surrounded by a cacophony of the calling frogs, itwas one of those rare moments when I felt truly privileged tobe experiencing something that few people ever will.We finished collecting data on our frogs in August. While

our vegetation surveys are not yet complete, we recordeddata on 20 frogs from four different sites. Eventually, whatwe learned will help us plan conservation programs that willhelp secure a future for this species in North Carolina.

CHRIS SHUPP, KEEPER SUPERVISOR

Winter 2016 | 11

Spotted Salamanders: Some Breed in WinterBy late fall, your typical salamanderhas crept into a rotting log or under-ground burrow to shelter, insulated andwarm, until spring’s warm rains return.Within some species, though, southernsalamanders take shorter winter naps thantheir northern counterparts.Up North, salamanders reliably sleep through the winter.

Down South, the members of several species will wake upearly if a brief stretch of mild temperatures and gentle rainsettles in long enough to masquerade as spring. One ofthese early breeders, the Spotted Salamander, is also one ofNorth America’s most striking amphibians. Its bands con-gregate in moist forest habitats throughout most of easternNorth America, avoiding only the southern ends ofLouisiana and Georgia and almost all of Florida.Though dainty to look at, Spotted Salamanders are con-

sidered large and robust for terrestrial salamanders. Adultsreach lengths of 6 to 9 inches. They spend most of theirtime on land and in forests, feeding on a vast menu of bugs,spiders and other invertebrates. Spurring sunlight and arid-ity, Spotted Salamanders pass the daylight hours inside bur-rows or under leaves or other debris. Only at night do theyventure out of hiding.Throughout their southern range Spotted Salamanders

will rise, often in great numbers, to breed from Decemberto March, when the weather suits their needs. Often, theymigrate in large bands, marching from their winter restingplaces to fish-less breeding ponds, pools, swamps or othersmall and calm bodies of water.Males arrive first, gathering at the water’s edge to wait

for females. When one steps into the pool, several maleswill commence courtship by nuzzling her and, eventually,dropping their spermatophores—neat little packages stuffedwith sperm—under the water, near her feet. Eventually, shewill find a packet and pick it up using a maneuver thatlooks rather like egg-laying in reverse. She squats over thespermatophore, pushes it into her cloaca, rises and walksaway with all she needs to fertilize her eggs internally.Within a few days, she will lay her eggs and depart. Four

to six weeks later, the eggs will hatch into larvae that havefront feet, feathery gills and a lizard-like tail. Over the nextnine to 16 weeks, each larva undergoes a metamorphosisthat trades its gills in for lungs, tacks on two hind legs,adds eyelids and a tongue and makes other adjustments thatturn the fully aquatic youngster into a four-legged creaturefit to live in a forest.

JOHN D. GROVES, CURATOR EMERITUS OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES

“SPO

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Signature Sponsor:Randolph Communications$10,000 “Ann Onymous”

$5,000 Hickory Printing Solutions

$2,500 NeoNova/NRTC/TelispireTechnimark, LLC

$1,500 Asheboro Elastics CorporationBank of North CarolinaBB&TCarolina Bank of AsheboroClapp’s Convalescent NursingHome, Inc.

CommunityOneDiversified Trust Company –Michael Fisher

Energizer, Inc. Plants 1 & 2Richard & Susan GarkalnsInk n’ Stitches, LLCMr. Scott LeaMcDowell Lumber CompanyDanny & Wendy MullRandolph HospitalRandolph Medical AssociatesRheem Heating & CoolingThe Timken Company – AsheboroPlant

Triad Corrugated MetalTri-City Mechanical Contractors,Inc.

Turlington & Company, LLC

$1,000 Bojangles’Mr. & Mrs. Howard BurkartCare ‘N Motion PhysicalTherapy/RLJ Transport, Inc.

Chili’s – AsheboroNicole CrawfordBill & Sarah CurrensDuke EnergyFirst Bank – AsheboroHeart of North Carolina Visitor’sBureau

Bill & Ann HooverInsurance Associates of the TriadKlaussner Home FurnishingsMid State ToyotaMOM BrandsAdam & Liz OrvosPam PotterPugh Funeral HomeMissy & Sam RankinScott & Pam ReedJohn & Fowler RuffinSir Pizza of AsheboroStarPet, Inc. Thomas Tire & AutomotiveCharles & Jenny WinstonZhone TechnologiesJudy Younts

$500 Acme – McCrary and SaponaFoundation

Burge Flower ShopCharlie’s Heating & CoolingEast Coast LumberElastic TherapyThe Fresh MarketWilly & Brooke GarrouMinor & Tiffany HinsonIt’s Leather, Inc. JD Contractors, LLCLiberty Tax ServiceWalker & Joanne MoffittDan & Connie MullOliver Rubber CompanyPointe South Dance & TumbleMr. J.M. Ramsay, Jr. Randolph Electric MembershipCorporation

RE/MAX Central Realty/ H.R. &Vickie Gallimore

Riazzi Rhyne & Swaim InvestmentGroup of Wells Fargo Advisors,LLC

Ridge Funeral Home & CremationServices

Dave & Gretchen SawickiJay & Leslie SmithWells Fargo

Live AuctionAlabama Theatre – Myrtle BeachAlligator AdventureArt of Solomon W. JagweAsheboro Auto MallBiltmore EstateChildren’s Museum of SouthCarolina

Vickie ComerCamille & Tim CunnupMike DurhamMike FerreeFour Saints Brewing CompanyFrom the Ground Up – MichaelMahan & Levi Mahan

Grandfather MountainStewardship Foundation

Jimmy John’sDr. & Mrs. David JonesEarl & Margery JohnsonLonghorn Steakhouse – MyrtleBeach

Eck McCanless PotteryPhil Morgan PotteryNC Zoo Animal DivisionPottery by Frank NeefBen Owen PotteryPalace Theatre – Myrtle BeachPatchwork Possibilities – Dr. ScottMurkin

Pinehurst Resort & Country ClubPrecision Art PuttersJoseph Sand PotteryLenton SlackSodexo CateringSTARworks NC The Star Bed & BreakfastTot Hill Farm Golf ClubJuan & Diane Villa – VillaPhotography

Michael & Paige Wilhoit

Special Th anksAble Custom SignsAmerican Premium BeverageBeane SignsThe Courier Tribune Four Saints Brewing Company

Gilmore Plant & Bulb Co. Jimmy John’sLori Lanier PhotographyJimmy Leonard IIILowe’s Home Improvement Centerof Asheboro

Monroe’s Music – Tony Hoover The Plant ShopPepsi Bottling VenturesPIP PrintingR.H. Barringer Distributing, Co. Reddy Ice, Inc. Tanya RiveraTarheel GeneratorBecky Tarlton United Country – RogersAuctioneers, Inc.

Villa PhotographyBill Walden Sound System, LLC

“Freeze Frame” $1,000 Cash Giveaway SponsorSuperior MechanicalIncorporated

Food, Fun & Entertainment

AAA Vacations – GreensboroWendover Place

BAM! Books-A-MillionBeauti-Control/Bridget Ashley-Harris

Bermuda Run Country ClubBiltmore EstateBlack Lady SewsBojangles’Terri BrittCakes by CindyCarolina BreweryCarolina PanthersCharlotte HornetsThe Cheesecake FactoryChick-fil-A of AsheboroCycle CenterTommy DavisDeb Wise CreationsDiscovery Placedi’lishiDollywoodEnnobra Bloom BoutiqueThe Exchange Banquet & MeetingHall

Kathy FernandezMargaret GilesGreen Hill Center for NC Art –ArtQuest

Anna HinsonBill & Ann HooverJimmy John’sLaRose CandlesMagnolia 23Marbles Kids MuseumArchie McGee

12 | ALIVE

The NC Zoo Society would like to thank our Signature Sponsor RandolphCommunications, as well as our other Zoo To Do sponsors, donors, volun-teers and guests for making Zoo To Do 2015—An Affair to Remember—asuccess. This year’s event raised $128,665 that will be used to help the Zooupgrade some of its service buildings and work areas.

NC Zoo Education DivisionNC Zoo Red Wolf KeepersNantahala Outdoor CenterOlive Garden – GreensboroOutback SteakhouseP.F. Chang’s – Chinese BistroPinewood Country ClubPlaymakers Repertory Companythe preppy possumPrimitive Knife Artworks &Jewelry

Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants& Hotels

Queens Landing, Lake NormanR.H. Barringer Distributing Co. Randolph-Asheboro YMCARichland Creek Zip LineSantosha YogaSoulshine ArtistrySports AtticTot Hill Farm Golf ClubTotal FitnessToys & Co. Zoo City Drug

Art & Décor andPottery

Valerie AbbottEric AbernathyAmish Trading PostArc of High PointArt from the HeartAsheboro Dodge, AsheboroHonda & Asheboro Nissan

Ashley InteriorsRich Bergl & Amy HansonBlack Lady PotsBlue RhinoBuck’s RidgeCori CagleCagle Road PotteryCarl King ArtCarolina Girl FurnitureNikki CherryChrisco’s PotteryCreative Glass & CraftsAndy CrofootMartha CrottyCustom Creations by MMSteve & Rhonda EblinJohn FogartyFour Paw PotteryFreeman PotterySusan GarkalnsGingerbread House PotteryCandace HammondHardin’s FurnitureMichele Hastings & Jeff BrownPottery

Heart Shine StudiosHickory Hill PotteryHigh Point Furniture

Humble Mill PotteryIn His Image Photography byCarolyn

William IveyJohn Ireland PhotographyMary Beth KiddKlaussner Home FurnishingsKovack PotteryLatham’s PotteryGeorge LentzLes IIILonesome Joe’s Wood ShopJohn LopienskiLori Lanier PhotographyLuck’s WareLufkin PotteryBill LunsfordKim LutherMama Shabs DesignsChristy McKenzieMcNeill’s PotteryTerrance MeadowsMimi TinklesPam MyersNC Zoo Animal DivisionNC Zoo – Baboon KeepersNC Zoo – Lemur KeepersNC Zoo – Lion KeepersNC Zoo – Rocky Coast KeepersNC Zoo – Rhino KeepersNC Zoo – Sonora Desert KeepersNCR PhotographyFred NanceNichols PotteryO’Quinn PotteryKen and Diane PowellR.H. Barringer Distributing Co. Sam RamseyRockhouse PotteryLinda RonsickJack Winfield RossSeagrove Stoneware – AlexaModderno

Sherwin WilliamsMike ShinnLori Shoenfeld & Scott ShoenfeldSouthern Belle Decorative PaintMelissa Southern PhotographyJim SpiresTeague’s Frogtown PotteryThomas PotteryDanny TownsendTriple C PotteryTurn & Burn PotteryUwharrie CrystallineVinny Colucci PhotographyConrad WeiserDonna WellingtonWestmoore PotteryTiffany WhelessWilliam Mangum Fine Art

Visit the NC Zoo Society’s Web site, nczoo.com, to learn moreabout these trips and to review the other travel options throughthe Zoo Society. Or, give us a call to speak to someone aboutany of our travel expeditions.

Alaska in Summer: Under the Midnight SunJune 15 – 25 $7,689 Includes air travel inside AlaskaAn intimate exploration of some of Alaska’s most dra-matic landscapes and the opportunity to experiencefirst-hand the richness of her wildlife. The itineraryincludes an extensive Park Service guided tour of DenaliNational Park, a riverboat ride down the Chena andTanama rivers, a hike into Talkeetna to look for wildlife,excursions to Anchorage, Seward, Kenai Fjords and more. See the full itinerary at NCZoo.com.

A Luxury Safari to TanzaniaFebruary 28 – March 11 $8,995 per person* Tour the mysterious wonderland of Hemingway’s Africawith our most renowned tour leader and wildlife conser-vation expert, former Zoo Director Dr. David Jones, andhis wife Janet. This 10-day luxury trip explores Tanzania’smost iconic parks and conservation areas, includingTarangire and Lake Manyara national parks, NgorongoroConservation Area and Africa’s most renowned wildlifearea, Serengeti National Park. Enjoy top-tier accommoda-tions in luxury tented safari camps all along the route. Anoptional post-extension trip to Zanzibar is available foran additional fee of $2,265 per person, including flightfrom Arusha to Zanzibar and Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam.* Based on double-occupancy - International airfare is not

included. Estimated airfare from Raleigh Durham $2,590.

2016 Destination

2017 Destination

TRAVEL SAFARI

Winter 2016 | 13

Thank yous go out to the very generous donors who provided gifts of $1,000 or more to theSociety, 6/12/2015–9/16/15.

Ace/Avant ConcreteAlderman CompanyBeverly & Jimmy AllmanAmerican PremiumBeverage

Amick’s SuperstoreMable Anderson & A. P.Anderson, Jr.

AnonymousAsheboro Auto MallAshley InteriorsCynthia & Troy BargerEd & Vivien BaumanBeane SignsMr. & Mrs. E. S. BessetteBirmingham ZooBiscuitville, Inc.Blumenthal FoundationBojangles’The Borden Fund, Inc.Burlington Animal HospitalRon & Cathy ButlerC & J Crosspieces, LLCCarolina BankCarolina Farmers MutualInsurance Company

Steve & Patti CarsonCarter’s Family PharmacyChili’s AsheboroDennis Clements & MarthaAnn Keels

Ginger & Kelly CobleThe Courier-TribuneMs. Nicole CrawfordJohn Crosland IIICamille & Tim CunnupMr. William E. Currens, Jr.Davis Furniture Industries,Inc.

Diversified Trust CompanyKeith & Barbara DrumMr. Mike DurhamDurham AcademyEast Coast Trailer &Equipment Co. Inc

Eck McCanless PotteryEcoquest Travel, Inc.Edward Jones –Greensboro

Edward Jones – High PointCandace & Robert ElderEnergizerESRICharlene & Steve EwingFidelity BankWilliam H. and Muriel J.Fox Endowment Fund

B. Parks & Jane FreezeThe Fresh MarketGenie FrickKaryl GabrielRussell & GeordanaGantman

Alisha & Samuel GillilandGraphik Dimensions Ltd.Gregory Poole EquipmentCompany

Häfele America CompanyJames Harper & PatriciaO’Leary

Michael & Virginia HearneLeonard G. Herring FamilyFoundation

High Point Bank & TrustCompany

Mr. Brent Hoover & Ms.Lindsay Harris

Bill & Ann HooverIBM Matching GrantsProgram

IdeacomWilliam & RebeccaJohnson

Dr. & Mrs. David M. JonesMs. Sherry A. KellettMr. Thomas S. Kenan IIIMs. Pamela L. KoppMr. Scott C. LeaCharles & Martha LewisMs. Doris Lin & Mr. JasonLeonard

Lowe’s Flatbed D.C.-0989Lowe’s Millwork DC -973/3174

Lowe’s StatesvilleDistribution Center #960

Lowes Foods, LLC.Alan & Jacqueline LuriaMartin Marietta AggregatesBob & Bonnie MeekerMt. Olive Pickle Company,Inc.

Mr. & Mrs. Hayes MurdochScott & Mary MurkinNC Touchstone EnergyCooperatives

NC Zoological Park –Animal Division

Teresa & Daniel NewtonNorth Carolina TroopersAssociation

Martha NoyesMr. & Mrs. Perry E.Nystrom

Mr. Adam Orvos

J PearsallFrancis & Abbie PepperPepsi Bottling VenturesPerth ZooPhil Morgan PotteryCarl & Mary PorcheyMs. Pam PotterDiane & Ken PowellRandolph ElectricMembership Corporation

Randolph HospitalSam & Missy RankinMr. & Mrs. Scott E. ReedJoan Reid & JohnMontgomery

Ms. Jennifer Rozycki & Mr.Andrew McCabe

John & Fowler RuffinSafe-T-Works, IncRobert A. SebroskySheetzTalmadge and IanSilversides

Mr. & Mrs. C. HamiltonSloan

Richard C. SloanMs. Sally SnodgrassSodexoSouthern IndustrialConstructors

Southland Electrical SupplyFred & Alice StanbackState Employees CombinedCampaign

John H. Stelling & VictoriaHerring

Strategic Alliance GroupLLC/FotoFX!

SunGard Public SectorTherapeutic AlternativesThe Timken CompanyToms Creek Nursery &Landscaping

Tot Hill Farm Golf ClubTriad Corrugated Metal,Inc.

Leonard & Joyce B. TuftsMonty & Nancy WhiteWildlife ConservationSociety – New York

Russ Williams & AnnLynch

Charles & Jenny WinstonWorld Wide Fund forNature

Mrs. Frances D. YoungMs. Judy Younts

Veterinary and Field Camps for 2016NC Zoo and Zoo Society

“Wild and Wonderful” LearningExperiences for Young People

NC Zoo and Zoo Society Veterinary CampsThese hands-on camps explore zoo veterinarymedicine. Sessions are held in the Zoo’s veteri-nary hospital and are taught by Zoo veterinarystaff. Final admission into the camps is deter-mined by a lottery, which will take place onMarch 15. Learn more at nczoo.COM.

JUNIOR VETERINARY CAMPSMay 14 CoeducationalAugust 20 Coeducational

SENIOR VETERINARY CAMPSJune 17, 18, 19 Girls onlyJuly 15, 16, 17 Coeducational

NC Zoo and Zoo Society Field CampsThese hands-on camps explore careers relatedto protecting and conserving rare and endan-gered species and studying free-ranging ani-mals in the wild. Campers spend one nightcamping inside the park. Classes are taught byZoo Conservation Biolgists and SocietyEducation Staff. Applicants are accepted assoon as their applications are completed andapproved. Learn more at nczoo.COM.All field camps are coeducational.

May 21, 22 Junior Field CampJune 25, 26 Senior Field CampAugust 6, 7 Senior Field Camp

Shadow a VeterinarianOnce a month, the Zoo offers the opportunity fortwo people to shadow Senior Veterinarian, Dr.Jb Minter, for an entire morning while he makesrounds inside the Zoo. When rounds are com-pleted, join Dr. Minter and his staff for lunch andthen enjoy a golf cart tour of the Zoo. Dates areflexible and are arranged on mutually agreedupon Saturdays. Visit nczoo.COM to learn more.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:Visit the NC Zoo Society’s Webpage, nczoo.COM, tolearn more about these experiences.

We begin accepting applications for all of our 2016camps on December 15, 2015. Applications areaccepted over the Internet and by mail. All JuniorCamps are for rising 7th through 9th graders. Seniorcamps are for rising 10th graders through collegefreshmen. Nearly all tuition costs are tax-deductible asa donation to the NC Zoo Society.

14 | ALIVE

Adoptions will be mailed December 9th unless stated here

____________________________________________________________

Buyer’s Name: _____________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________

City: ____________________________ State: _____ Zip: ________

Home Phone: ____________________________________________

Email Address: __________________________________________

Recipient’s Name: _________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________

City: ____________________________ State: _____ Zip: ________

Home Phone: ____________________________________________

Email Address: __________________________________________

Personal Message: ________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Send adoption: _______ to me _______ to recipient

(The above price includes standard shipping.)

Credit Card: ___Visa ___ MasterCard ___ AmEx ___Discover

Number: ____________________________________ Exp.:_______

Three or four digit security code from the back of credit card_______

Signature: ______________________________________________

Being an adoptive parentmakes zoo visits that muchmore fun! Each $45 pack-age includes a 12"plush Chimp, anAdoption Certificate and a photo/fact sheet about chimps. We’ll alsoinclude a gift card with your special message.

Proceeds support the Zoo’s Animal Enrichment Program.

­Zoo Memberships and Programs stay fresh and funfor 12 months (or even a lifetime) and give familiesan incentive, and a place, to come together to enjoynature and wildlife. And, the gift of a Zoo SocietyBackstage Pass to feed an elephant, a puffin oranother favorite animal can build memories that last forever.

Zoo Honorariums will warm the hearts of loved oneswho already have all they need, including a generousspirit, and will provide the Zoo with the annual support it needs to help care for its most preciousassets, its animals, its plants and its visitors.

Because the NC Zoo has raised its ticket prices, Zoo Society mem-bership prices will go up in 2016. Buy your gift memberships now(or think about renewing early) to lock in 2015’s prices. (Rates willrise between $6 and $15 depending on the membership level.)

As the Holiday Season nears, we hope that our readers and Zoo supporterswill consider celebrating the season with gifts from the Zoo Society.

Adopt one-year-old chimp, Gus,for the holidays.

Another collector’s ornament from local artistChris Gabriel. This limited edition piece can bepurchased at nczoo.com for $24.95. This priceincludes shipping.

DOC ID:2015-200 ID#:

2015

HOLIDAY ADOPTION FORM

Two of the Zoo’s newest exhibit ani-mals are the California Sea Lions,Diesel and Owen. Both came to the

NC Zoo from a California wildlife rehabilita-tion facility that rescues stranded marinemammals. Both animals were rehabilitatedand released after a first stranding. But,when they turned up stranded a secondtime, officials decided to place them in agood home—the NC Zoo—where theywould be taken care of. Since then, Dieseland Owen have joined Ronan and Paco,the Zoo’s two Harbor Seals, in the RockyCoast Exhibit.

Now, at first glance, these two animalsprobably look pretty similar to most of ourreaders. Both Harbor Seals and Sea Lionsshare a torpedo-shaped body plan. But,once you get past this sleek silhouette,Harbor Seals and Sea Lions actually lookquite different.

Look carefully at the pictures to see ifyou can find at least four ways that SeaLions look different from Harbor Seals.Then check the list on the opposite page tosee what differences you might not havenoticed.

If you watch them swim or move abouton land, you will see even more differ-ences. A seal uses its hind-flippers to pushforward in the water and steers with itsfront-flippers. A sea lion does the opposite.It powers forward with its fore-flippers andsteers by using its hind-flippers as a rudder.

On land, seals move around like cater-pillars because they cannot draw their hindflippers under them to walk around. SeaLions can tuck their hind-flippers undertheir bodies and rise up to walk around onall fours.

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Backstage Passes 2016 These Close Encounters Make Magnificent,

Memorable Gifts for Any OccasionTickets go on sale November 30. Group sizes are kept small, so programsoften fill up quickly. Please note the age requirements for attending programs.Prices quoted are for NC Zoo Society members. Add $10 for non-membersand be aware that prices do not include General Admission to the Zoo.Meet & Feed the Otters - 11 a.m.Must be at least 7 years old* $95 March 12 May 7 July 9

Sept. 3, Oct. 15

Meet & Feed the Giraffes - 5:30 p.m.Must be at least 6 years old* $99 April 16 Aug. 27 Oct. 1

Meet the Grizzly - 1:30 p.m.Must be at least 10 years old*Not ADA accessible $95 March 19 July 23 Oct. 15

Bison & Elk Safari - 1:30 p.m.Must be at least 8 years old* $95 June 11

Meet & Feed the Gorilla - 1:15 p.m.Must be at least 6 years old* & 5 feet tall $99 April 2 July 30

Aug.13 Sept. 3 Oct. 29

Meet & Feed the Puffin - 1:30 p.m.Must be at least 8 years old*Not ADA accessible $79 April 9 Aug. 27 Sept. 3 Oct. 29

Meet & Feed the Elephant - 2:30 p.m.Must be at least 10 years old* $100 April 16 June 11 July 30

Oct. 8

Meet & Feed the Aviary Birds - 8:15 a.m.Must be at least 6 years old* $85; March 5 April 2 June 11 Oct. 1

Schooling Seals and Polar Bears - 1:30 p.m.Must be at least 12 years old*Not ADA accessible $85 May 7 July 9 Sept. 17

How to Entertain a Cougar - 1:30 p.m.Must be at least 12 years old* $75 April 9 June 4

Backstage with LionsSee How They’re Trained - 3 p.m.Must be at least 12 years old* $100 June 4 Sept. 24

Backstage with ChimpsSee How They’re Trained - 3 p.m.Must be at least 12 years old* $100 March 12 May 7 July 30

VIP Encounter with a Rhino 10:30 a.m.Must be at least 8 years old $99 March 19 July 9 Sept. 10*Children younger than 15 must be accompanied by a paying adult.To sign up online, click on EVENTS at nczoo.com, or call us during regular business hours (336-879-7250). Add $10 to purchase tickets for non-members. Prices are ‘per person’. All or most of the cost of an event is tax-deductible as a donation to the NC Zoo’s Conservation Programs.Got questions? Call or send an email to jparker@nczoo.com.

Winter 2016 | 17

The NC Zoo Society is yourbridge to more than a Zoo visit.We make you a partner in theZoo’s global efforts to support

• Animal well-being• Conservation • Education• Field Work• Research

And we welcome you into afamily that cares about nature.

NON-PROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE

PA I DHICKORY, NCPERMIT #104

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

4403 Zoo ParkwayAsheboro, NC 27205www.nczoo.com

Recently, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums recognized the NC Zooand its partner, New York’s Wildlife Conservation Society, for their successin protecting the critically endangered Cross River Gorilla. Dr. RichardBergl, the NC Zoo’s Curator of Conservation and Research, accepted the2015 Significant Achievement in International Conservation Award at theAssociation’s national conference this past September. Dr. Bergl has ledthis conservation project since 2008, when it was established to protectCross River Gorillas from poaching, mostly for the bushmeat trade, andfrom habitat destruction. Restricted to a small range inside parts of Nigeria and Cameroon, the

world’s population of Cross River Gorillas totals around 300. Dr. Bergl’s program won national recognition by providing wildlife and law enforcementofficials with hand-held, mobile computer systems to use in tracking thegorillas, assessing the activities of poachers and evaluating the successesof different intervention efforts. Long-term statistical analyses of these inter-ventions have documented the program’s success in significantly increasingprotection levels for the gorillas while reducing threats to their survival andmaintaining the stability of their population.“The long-term collaboration between our Zoo and the Wildlife Conser-

vation Society is an excellent example of how zoos work together to savespecies from extinction,” said NC Zoo Director Pat Simmons. “By bringingtogether a broad range of expertise and resources, our partnership hashelped to preserve not only Cross River Gorillas but also the other plantand animal species that share this forest home.”

Congratulations to the NC Zoo for Winning AZA’s2015 Significant Achievement in International Conservation Award

ANDREW DUNN/WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY