What the Killings of Cecil and Harambe Should Have Taught Us

At TedxFlourCity 2016 last November, Seneca Park Zoo Society Executive Director Pamela Reed Sanchez spoke about two recent events that brought the plight of wildlife to the fore: the killings of Cecil the lion and Harambe the gorilla. But as she points out, the way that these incidents captured the public’s attention left too much unexplored about the real causes of extinction.Watch the talk:As Pamela Reed Sanchez tells us, the social media outrage with the killings of Cecil the Lion and Harambe the Gorilla obscured the bigger issues related to wildlife and made clear that we are disconnected from nature. Pamela explains the real lessons to be learned and the role zoos play in saving animals from extinction.WHAT YOU CAN DO

Denda’s growth spurt

If you’re a regular visitor to the Zoo, you may have noticed some changes recently in our 14-year-old male Bornean orangutan, Denda. He is experiencing the development of what are referred to as secondary sexual characteristics; male orangutans undergo this process as they mature.

These characteristics include larger body size, flanges, or cheek pads, on either side of his face, long hair, and development of a large throat sac which helps carry the adult male’s “long call” over great distances.

In nature, these fully-developed males are preferred by females for mating, but males that have not fully matured are still capable of producing offspring. In fact, there is rarely more than one flanged male within a certain range; the presence of one dominant male represses the development of this feature on other males, even if they are already sexually mature. Denda was able to successfully breed with Kumang when he was only 11, resulting in the birth of their offspring Bella.

Denda’s cheek pads began developing last fall and are quite noticeable. He’s also put on 50 pounds since early 2016! We’ve increased his diet to keep up with his growth, as he now weighs close to 200 pounds. A year ago, he was getting approximately the same amount of fruits and vegetables as his mate Kumang but we recently increased that amount by one third, and will most likely increase it again.

Denda’s size, strength, and hair will continue to grow into the coming summer months, until the hormones driving this growth spurt slowly level out and he becomes a fully-developed male.  The entire process takes about one year.

The images below document Denda’s growth each week since mid-October. These photos give you a glimpse of Denda’s transformation and an understanding of why the word orangutan means “man of the forest” in Malaysian, the language spoken in this magnificent species’ native Borneo.– Brian Sheets, Zoo Keeper

ZooBrrrew

100th African penguin chick hatched

County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo and Seneca Park Zoo officials are proud to announce the hatching of the Zoo’s 100th African penguin chick. The chick is the 100th hatched at Seneca Park Zoo in its nearly 20-year history of breeding this endangered species.

“We are thrilled to welcome another penguin to the Zoo and so proud of the monumental conservation achievements that it represents,” said Dinolfo. “Residents should be very proud of the work Seneca Park Zoo is doing as a national leader in the conservation breeding of African penguins.”

The Zoo participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) African Penguin Species Survival Plan (SSP) as one of the foremost breeding programs in the world. Only three other zoos nationally have hatched 100 or more African penguin chicks in conservation care.  Seneca Park Zoo joins the ranks of Maryland Zoo, New England Aquarium and Denver Zoo in this achievement.

“The hatching of the 100th chick at Seneca Park Zoo is an important milestone for our renowned breeding program,” says Larry Sorel, Zoo Director. “It highlights the work we are doing in conjunction with other AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums to save this bird from extinction.”

Of the 100 chicks hatched at Seneca Park Zoo, 68 chicks have been sent to 26 accredited zoos and aquariums across North America as part of the SSP. This program aims to ensure genetic sustainability for this endangered species.

Steven Sarro, Curator at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park and AZA Species Survival Coordinator for African penguins commented: “Seneca Park Zoo has been an integral member of the African Penguin Species Survival Plan for the past 20 years. The dedication to this SSP proves that a smaller zoo or aquarium can have a major impact on conservation work for endangered species, such as the African penguin. We commend them for this milestone and know that we can count on Seneca Park Zoo to do its part in preventing this charismatic species from becoming extinct in the future.”

African Penguins have been designated by AZA as a signature Species for the SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program, underscoring the critical status of this species, and inspiring action from a broad array of supporters and AZA-accredited zoos.

The largest threats to the survival of the African penguin are changes and destruction of habitat and diminishing food sources because of commercial fishing. One of the most distressing forces affecting the survival of these penguins is oil spills.

Scientific knowledge gained from the success of breeding programs in zoos is being used to help assist breeding programs in the natural range of this species, where population decline is due in large part to breeding failure. Zoos across the country have also adopted breeding techniques and strategies documented by Seneca Park Zoo staff with great success in the last 20 years.

Seneca Park Zoo also participates in the conservation of African penguins by partnering with the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Costal Birds (SANCCOB), a nonprofit organization with the primary objective of reversing the decline of seabird populations through the rescue, rehabilitation and release of ill, injured, abandoned and oiled seabirds. Fundraising efforts at the Zoo’s Front Gate and at special events have contributed thousands of dollars toward these efforts in recent years.

The 100th chick is named Ikhulu, meaning “one hundred” in Zulu, the most widely spoken language in the species’ native South Africa. Female African penguin Georgia and male Phoenix are the parents of the new chick. It will be closely monitored as it continues to develop.

Shirt-front-detail

The Zoo has created a commemorative t-shirt to celebrate this conservation milestone, featuring each of the 100 penguins hatched at Seneca Park Zoo and where they currently reside. A limited number of these unique t-shirts will be available for purchase at the ZooShop while supplies last. T-shirts cost $19.99 and can be purchased at the ZooShop or by calling (585) 336-7203.Photo by Kevin BlakelyLEARN MORE ABOUT PENGUINS

Winter learning for the tigers

Katya and Anastasia are the Amur tigers at the Zoo. They are litter mates and will be 12 years old in May. Formerly known as Siberian tigers, Amur tigers enjoy the snow. They also enjoy learning new behaviors during this time of year, when they are most active.

Katya and Anastasia are trained with positive reinforcement. This means we reinforce beneficial behavior with delicious treats, including their favorites, pork and chicken. They have learned many behaviors over the years, like responding when they are called and allowing us to close gates so we can clean inside or outside without them present.

Tiger-blogThe tigers participate in their own health care by allowing us to weigh them on a scale or give them their annual vaccines by hand injection. We aim to make these processes stress-free by providing a succulent chunk of meat for the tigers to enjoy during the injection process.

This year, the tigers have also learned to participate in an emergency recall to their off habitat area. This behavior is important so we have the ability to change the tigers’ location if necessary, like if an unexpected item enters their habitat or to protect their safety during a weather event. They find responding to the recall very entertaining!

Presently, we are working to train the tigers to allow us to draw blood from their tails.

It takes time for the tigers to learn all of these behaviors that help us provide the best care. That’s why all the training we do is “on their time”–based on their interest and participation, and never forced.

We are looking forward to a new year of keeping the tigers active, healthy, and engaged!– Mary Ellen Ostrander, Zoo Keeper