ocelots dinner program - san diego zoo® official site · 2019-12-16 · 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. dinner...

Dec2019_Jan2020The Oceletter

5:45 to 6:15 p.m. Check-in outside at main gate.6:00 p.m. Dining area open for seating selection.6:00 to 6:30 p.m. Cocktails and animal ambassadors. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dinner and program.

In This IssueHead Ocelot Report 2Mark Your Calendars 3A Review of Our Last Dinner Meeting 4Grants Program Update 7Opportunity Drawings 9Grants in Action 11Safari Park – Elephant Enrichment 11About the Ocelots 14

Ocelots Dinner Program When: Thursday, December 12, 2019 Where: Hunte Pavilion, San Diego Zoo Safari Park Who: Barbara Durrant What: The Rhino Rescue Center From Vision to Reality

Our MissionThe Ocelots enthusiastically

support the efforts of the Zoological Society of

San Diego through active involvement, commitment to

education, and fund-raising.

Visit our website http://www.sandiegozoo.org/society/ocelots.html

We are now in the middle of the 2019 Ocelots grants fund raising activities The grants committee has been working hard reviewing and setting funding priorities for the 397 grant proposals received from the various departments throughout the Zoo, Safari Park and the Institute for Conservation Research

Speaking of Ocelot grants, the Steering Committee has received a number of questions regarding the new San Diego Zoo Global policy of assessing an Infrastructure Recovery Costs fee of 5% on charitable contributions

After much discussion, we now know how this policy will affect the Ocelots grants program:

All money you donate to the Ocelots grants program will still be 100% tax deductible As in the past, you will receive a statement from the Development Department indicating your donation is fully tax deductible

The 5% fee will be taken out of the Development Department’s matching funds

For example: If the Ocelots grants program raises $80,000, the 2 for 1 match from the Zoo would be $160,000

The 5% fee on the $80,000 raised by the Ocelots would be $4,000 which will be subtracted from the match So we have:

$80,000 Ocelots grants contribution

$156,000 Development match ($160,000 - $4,000 fee)

$236,000 Total

Therefore, we will be able to continue to grant the full amount raised from Ocelets contributions due to the Development match

If you have any questions please contact me by phone or email as indicated on page 3.

Head Ocelot Report By Bill KolbHead Ocelot

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/society/ocelots.html


Contribute to the Oceletter!

We invite you to submit articles and photographs for the Oceletter.

All content should be submitted electronically to the Oceletter

Editor, Paul Brooks, at [email protected].

Contact UsThe best way to reach a member of the Steering Committee is to use the following e-mail address: [email protected]. This e-mail account is monitored frequently, and questions can be routed to the member of the Steering Committee who should handle them.

The following people can be reached directly:Bill Kolb–Head Ocelot (619) 955-5006 [email protected] Theresa Low–Grants/Logo Wear (858) 391-8616 [email protected] Brooks–Oceletter Editor (619) 889-9051 [email protected]

Mark Your Calendars You won’t want to miss a single Ocelots event this year! Dec 12: Barbara Durrant—Rhino Rescue Center. Hunte Pavilion, Safari Park

Please note that these dates, venues, speakers, and topics are tentative and are subject to change. There is construction scheduled for the Children's Zoo and our access to the Zoo Party Area (ZPA) may be affected. Our speakers are staff members of SDZG and their schedules may change necessitating a change in our programs.

Zoo and ParkHappenings

Dec 6: Employee Arts & Crafts Fair (see pg 10)

Dec 13: Jungle Bells begins at the Zoo


mailto:ocelotsbymail%40yahoo.com?subject=

mailto:kim%40bidermann.org?subject=

http://[email protected]

mailto:pbrooksphotos%40hotmail.com?subject=Oceletter


A Review of Our Last Dinner Meeting The members and guests in attendance were entertained by a Cape porcupine who was making his second appearance as an animal ambassador, and an American kestrel, a tiny bird with a big personality Kathy Morrison greeted the attendees and intro-duced new members Joanne Leidenberger introduced David Wu, SDZG’s new Chief of Development and Membership David thanked Ocelots members for our passion, and shared a bit of his background He grew up in St Louis where he was introduced to wildlife at the local zoo His mission has been to work to reduce inequity in the world After working many years in global health, helping women and babies, he turned to connecting people with animals in the zoo community He found that creating human empathy for animals helps people do something with their lives, and that connection and empathy leads us to be agents of change He came to SDZG after 30 years of working at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle Theresa Low shared photos of various grant awards from 2018, including clay for elephants, a firehose bed for tigers (Ocelots granted the hardware for construction), and barrel beds for monkeys She reminded us that members have been emailed the grant request list, and pointed out that the requests include a rational to help guide our donation choice Featured speaker Mathew Kinney, DMV, DACZM, senior vet at the SDZ Safari Park, spoke about the computerized tomogra-phy (CT) work by the SDZG veterinary team The equipment was received in 2017 thanks to a generous donor, and became opera-tional in 2018 For those unfamiliar with a CT, it provides high quality images by sending an x-ray beam through a patient to collect hundreds of images within seconds The vet team is able to see images live, and the unit is large bore (has a large opening for the patient) and portable, with wireless technology and battery power, so it can be used in a wide range of situations The unit moves, not the table on which the patient is secured, so this means a larger animal doesn’t need to transfer from the exam table into the CT machine

Oceletter Editor Paul Brooks with David Wu, new Chief of Development and Membership



Mathew provided a variety of examples of images that have been collected from the machines The portability of the unit means that a scan can be done in an examination room or in the operating room In the past the only option was a two-view x-ray, but with the CT machine the vets are able to get 700 incredibly detailed images on a cheetah, for example, which means they can check on any plane for a bone fracture or an off-center kidney, and can catch the smallest of lesions It can be used to follow the vas-cular system to pick up lung or vascular lesions Since the unit became operational the medical team has performed, on average, 31 studies a month, with a total of 651 at the time of Mathew’s talk The advantage of these particular CT machines is the wide range of animals it can be used to scan Vet staff have worked with patients as small as the Pacific pocket mouse and as large as the Przewalski horse They have scanned Tatqiq the polar bear and a takin, which subsequently supported an article on this hoofed animal in The Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine They have found a lesion (bone chip fracture) that was only 7 8 mm in size on one of the okapi The only animals too large for the machine are elephants, hippos, and rhinos A tortoise is difficult to radiograph due to the thick shell, but with a CT scan the image peels away the flesh to reveal the bones One particular use of the CT scan has been in the reproduction of the California condor If a a chick is malpositioned in the egg it could die if left to pip naturally, but if keepers know ahead of time they can assist the chick as it hatches In the past they have used six-view radiographs to diagnose the position In 2018 the vet staff used about a 10 second exposure that virtually rotates the egg on any axis The CT scan shows the internal pip, which is when the chick breaks through into the air sac in the egg The keeper then knows where to Dremel the shell to help the chick through the shell

Cont. from previous page

Dinner photos coutesy of Lonnie Kaufman



Cont. from previous page

The information collected from the many animal scans has various research applications The anatomic database can be used for both internal (SDZG) or external (outside organizations) collaboration and for peer-reviewed publications Digital copies of scans of alala, shoebill, and tuatara have been shared with other zoos Three-D images and cross-sectional images of Gao Gao were completed before his return to China NOAA Fisheries, an external collaborator, have used the imaging to determine the gender in opa, a warm-blooded fish, as they don’t have external sexual dimorphism Cheetah liver disease has been studied with an external collaborator, using images with contrast media Computerized tomography provides advantages in animal welfare Off-site travel for animal patients is minimized since both SDZG veterinary facilities have a unit It reduces anesthesia time and improves diagnostic abilities, which can be more accurate and faster, and allows for collaboration with keepers There is an increase in case communication, and treat-ment is more rapid Veterinary care no longer has to be reserved for the sickest or most valuable animal, and patients have ranged from bighorn sheep to bullfrogs The cost of the two CT scanners was approximately $1 4 million, funded by a generous estate donor Neuro-Logica, a subsidiary of Samsung, provided a service contract at an 80% discount A dinner attendee queried the radiation dose effects on animal patients and Matt explained that the dosage is relatively small, and given the relatively shorter lives of animal pa-tients the life-time dosage is minimal In condor eggs, it is applied at the later stage of development so it has no effect on the chick Following the talk the winners of the Zootique Opportunity (baskets) drawings, as well as the winners of the Suka intarsia and the Call of the Wild quilted wall hanging, were announced



THE OCELOTS GRANTS PROGRAM: A PRIMER

How to Grant Wishes for San Diego Zoo Global’s animal care teams, re-searchers, veterinarians, horticulturists, maintenance crew, catering and retail staff, not to mention ... THE ANIMALS!

The best thing about becoming an Ocelot is the opportunity to participate in our annual Grants Program Do you have a favorite critter? Or a particular focus on conservation? Perhaps a breeding program for endangered birds in California or on an island in the Pacific might interest you Or you may be drawn to help a program that supports a critically endangered species on the African plains

With significant boosts from matching funds from a special San Diego Zoo Global (SDZG) endowment and a generous bequest, Ocelots raised and disbursed $345,000 last year, fulfilling 281 requests Ocelots Grants sup-port virtually every living thing at the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, from insects to elephants Ocelots con-tribute to the pioneering science done by the Institute of Conservation Research, as well as paying for feeders that encourage birds, monkeys and tigers to forage for their meals as they would in the wild Some requests ask for the sublime — laboratory equipment to isolate northern white rhino stem cells that are then cultured in vitro to obtain mature northern white rhino gametes for eventual fertilization and implantation in surrogate southern white rhinos Other grant requests — mirrors for the barn stalls housing kangaroos and wallabies — seem ridiculous until animal keepers explain how much these animals love looking at themselves

Grants Program Update By Theresa Low Grants Coordinator



THE OCELOTS GRANTS PROGRAM: A PRIMER cont

Here’s a cheat sheet for figuring out what you’d like to support:

1) The full list of requests from all SDZG’s facilities, including field research centers around the world, is sent via email to all Ocelots

2) Ocelots grant requests start around $200 and top out at $5,000, with requests for almost every pocketbook However, you may also pledge a portion of any individual grant, regardless of its size

3) In addition to designating donations for specific grants, you can also assign all or a portion of your contri-bution to undesignated funds Members of the Grants Committee, which includes Ocelots Steering Com-mittee members and Ocelots members, will then distribute the money to the most critical needs through-out SDZG

4) When you’ve made up your mind, make your check payable to SDZG, and write Ocelots and Grant ID num-ber on the memo line Mail your check to: San Diego Zoo Global, ATTN: Sara Weiner, Development Events, 2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego CA 92101-1646 For credit card donations, call Sara at (619) 685-3212, during business hours

5) You can also donate online at https://zoo sandiegozoo org/support-us/ocelots Click on “Donate to Ocelots here” You may specify Grant ID number in “Additional Comments”


https://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/support-us/ocelots


Opportunity Drawings

OPPORTUNITY DRAWING WINNERS

The winners of the Zootique opportunity drawings at the October dinner were:

Rebecca Hertig -- Leopard Print Scarf and Pandora-style Coordinating Bracelet

Brenda Richmond -- Wine Country Gift Basket

Kathy Morrison -- Whimsical Giraffe Planter

Congratulations to Suzanne Price who had the winning ticket for “Suka the Sitting Tiger”.

THANK YOU for wearing your logo merchandise items to the October dinner! We had a terrific display of vintage and new items. You may recall, anyone showing their logo mer-chandise was given one free ticket and entered into a drawing. The winners of the drawing were: Roger Kingston, Carolyn Belfiore, and Vickie Roberts



Friday, December 6, 2019 8:00am to 3:00pm

VOLUNTEER BUNGALOWS

Come and shop for unique holiday gifts at the Volunteer Bungalows. There will be over 25

vendors selling their hand-made jewelry, wildlife art, decorations, and many more of their

one-of-a kind gifts at the annual Employee Arts and Crafts Fair!

Come meet members of the Ocelots organization and learn how they raise funds in support of all departments! They will be selling tickets for our

traditional opportunity drawing, and you’ll have a chance to win artwork and products donated by the vendors.

Proceeds will benefit 2019 Ocelots Grants Program Requests

Drawing at approximately 2:15pm Do not need to be present to win

31st AnnualEmployee Arts & Crafts Fair

DECEMBER ZOOTIQUE OFFERINGS THIS IS THE LAST OPPORTUNITY DRAWING TO SUPPORT 2019 REQUESTS

Special and fun items, see descriptions below Tickets are $5 each, or $20 for 5

Purchase tickets with your dinner reservation, or at the December dinner (cash or checks only)

Ocelot Diego Necklace

Fun and Games Basket – attraction passes, gift certificate, activities, and more

Framed Paw Print and Photo of Jaguar Guapo (31” x 25”)

Hand Drawn Animal Conservation Tie



Safari Park – Elephant EnrichmentI really love connecting people to our herd, organization and conservation. Ocelots do so much, and the keepers are always happy to share our passion. Here are some photos Keeper Evan captured of the herd enjoying the weeble and feeder bags that were purchased through last year’s Ocelots grant award. Elephants are browsers and grazers; it is important to maintain their muscle and physical ability to lift their heavy heads. These feeder bags not only allow us put hay in them, but we also hide treats and use them as a puzzle feeder.

Thank you!

Lead Elephant Keeper Mindy

Weeble Feeder: This smaller weeble feeder can be used to increase our elephants exercise and the amount of time spent eating. The elephants must manipulate the weeble with their entire body to get the hay or treats out The calves especially love to push and shove on these!

Heavy Duty PVC Forage Bags: These feeder bags increase our elephants foraging and manipu-lation behaviors The bags can be hung very high or buried These bags will be especially useful for our new calves as they learn to use their trunks

Clay: Elephants use this thick clay to play in the mud bogs The clay can be used for sunscreen, bug repellent and to cool off Clay is used as an enrichment item and it is a new scent for the el-ephants; they really enjoy it Interaction with the clay increases natural behaviors of digging and rolling around

Grants in Action



Zoo – Volunteer Enrichment Team

Volunteer Services has an amazingly talented enrichment team Volunteers construct enrich-ment items resulting in improved animal physical and mental welfare plus reduce Zoo expen-diture Sample enrichment projects include complex foraging items, exhibit (on/off display) enhancements, hammocks, beds, puzzles, swings, climbing structures and much more To com-plete these projects, the team needs funds to purchase stainless steel hardware, PVC, lumber and miscellaneous materials

Bed Fit for a Tiger When inverted this is a “bed” for one of the tigers (see tiger photo in the up-per right-hand corner) The photo shows the number of stainless-steel hardware pieces needed to build just one bed The yellow colored material is donated firehose This group can build, modify, repair, paint, and safely secure firehose to just about anything!

Barrel Beds for Primates The enrichment team can repurpose several common items used on Zoo grounds Again, note the number of stainless-steel hardware pieces needed to ensure our animals sleep safe and sound

Grants in Action Cont.



Institute Population Sustainability, Giraffe Conservation in Kenya – Field Vehicle Repairs

Meet the Twiga Walinzi Team! They are all from the areas in which they work, so not only have they grown up in these communities, they have grown up in the landscape which is invaluable for data collection. They range in age from 22-28 and most have been with the project since we began in 2016! Community boards and elders help select new Twiga Walinzi members so that all units, families, and communities in the conser-vancy are properly represented. The community board typically suggests the lead warrior in the community to be hired. This has been an amazing advantage for our community work as these individuals are widely known and respected.

You may recall the vehicle in the photo recently spent some time in a repair shop. The team is ecstatic that they don’t have to walk on foot anymore and the vehicle looks and drives perfectly.

Thank you, Ocelots!

Research Coordinator Jenna

Grant request alert! The teams have become experienced in ecological sampling methods and com-munity engagement techniques Recently, we have seen a need for computer and technology training to enhance their data processing, reporting, and analysis We see this as an opportunity to provide necessary skills to the teams that will not only benefit giraffe conservation through more robust data processing and analysis but will also strongly benefit the individuals

2019 Grant Request ID I03.5 -- Population Sustainability, Giraffe Conservation, One-Week Computer Course

Grants in Action Cont.


Ocelots enjoy a special relationship with San Diego Zoo Global. While having fun at many educational dinners and other special events at the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, Ocelots raise money to support the

Ocelots Grants Program. Departments within the San Diego Zoo, Safari Park, and Institute for Conservation Research as well as conservation programs throughout SDZG are eligible to apply for these grants.

About the Ocelots

Diego the ocelot, pictured above, was purchased for the

San Diego Zoo by the Ocelots in 2005. Diego is a working member of the Education Department!

Dafyd the ocelot, pictured above, lived at the San Diego Zoo

Safari Park in an enclosure funded by the Ocelots in 2011.

ocelots dinner program - san diego zoo® official site · 2019-12-16 · 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. dinner...

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