COLLABORATIONS: CONSERVATION & RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AT TAMPA'S LOWRY PARK ZOO

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1 COLLABORATIONS: CONSERVATION & RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AT TAMPA'S LOWRY PARK ZOO OVERVIEW One of the primary objectives at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo is to play an active role in conservation and environmental issues affecting animals and habitats throughout the world. Activities include Zoo staff lending a helping hand to regional and global conservation projects through in situ work (in the field), conducting research at the Zoo or at other zoos (ex situ), furthering training opportunities, and partnering with other like minded institutions to contribute to knowledge about animals and the habitats on which they depend (basic research) and systematic inquiry involving practical applications pf science (applied research) for problem solving, most often to make advances in animal husbandry and to improve the tactics of species survival. Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo does not have a formally established Research Department. Nonetheless, building on the bright spots, the centers of excellence, and the successes of the Zoo s first 25 years, we currently maintain the following collaborations: CONSERVATION CENTERS FOR SPECIES SURVIVAL (C2S2) Tampa s Lowry Park Zoo was invited to become an associate member of the Conservation Centers for Species Survival (C2S2). This is a unique consortium of zoological institutions that have extraordinary resources in space, scientific breeding, research and recovery of endangered species. The Zoo is one of only four associate level facilities in the country. C2S2 cooperatively applies and develops its unique resources for the survival of threatened species with special needs large areas, natural group sizes, minimal public disturbance and research. Why were we invited? Because of professional relationships maintained by current Zoo management, because of staff expertise, because we operate with a Trustee ratified strategic plan that emphasizes conservation, and because we play a leadership role in Florida wherein we have access to private and public lands that

2 have extraordinary potential to be in service to propagating species at risk of extinction outdoors, year round. FLORIDA PANTHER CENSUS In cooperation with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tampa s Lowry Park Zoo, through its Director of Medical Sciences, Dr. Ray Ball, participated in the annual wild panther capture and GPS collaring program. The purpose of the program is to gain a better understanding of panther depredation on private ranchlands and better define prey requirements for maintaining a healthy panther population. Seasonal capture efforts for 2012 included collaring 10 panthers (six males and four females) split between two ranches. This is important because it improves our veterinarian s understanding of this important Florida species and its needs, and through his participation we demonstrate our institutional commitment to its conservation. HOMOSASSA SPRINGS STATE WILDLIFE PARK (HSSWP) VETERINARY PARTNERSHIP Under a new formal agreement established in FY 2012, the Zoo s Director of Medical Sciences, Dr. Ray Ball, has been named the veterinarian of record for animals housed at Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park (HSSWP). This entails providing veterinary services, maintaining medical records, planning and implementing a preventative medicine program, providing nutritional consultations, performing diagnostics and bi annual health assessments on manatees at HSSWP. It is important to note that animals are managed along a continuum of circumstances that range from intensively managed (as in a zoo setting) to free ranging (for example, an animal released into a protected habitat. HSSWP is somewhere in the middle of this continuum offering large, open areas that are nonetheless mostly protected from public intrusion. Parts of Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo are similar for example, along the Florida boardwalk, we can soft release an animal recovering from an injury into a somewhat wild setting that is free of predators. Different settings have different effects on animals, and the veterinary care we offer at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo is stronger because of Dr. Ball s rounds at HSSWP. SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL ACADEMY ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAM A collaboration of six zoological institutions including Tampa s Lowry Park Zoo launched an internet based training program for animal care staff at zoos around the world. Offered under the banner of the San Diego Zoo Global Academy, the program offers a wide spectrum of

3 teaching models that share the knowledge of experienced zoological professionals. All supporting institutions provided expertise, critical review and editing to each training course which is now available to all AZA accredited zoos, with Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo now able to make the professional training widely available. The more staff we have with working knowledge of the basics, the better the performance and cross department training here at the Zoo, and the more leadership roles our staff can take nationally. CONNECTING TO COLLECTIONS STATEWIDE TRAINING PROGRAM The Florida Association of Museums (FAM) is the not for profit professional organization for Florida s museums and museum professionals. Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo CEO Craig Pugh is an elected member of its board of directors. With funding from the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS), one board ratified initiative was for FAM to develop the Florida Connecting to Collections program to bring together collections care professionals to learn best practices. Mentors and mentees were intended to work together to develop plans and policies to enhance the knowledge and experience of each across the state of Florida. The Zoo s Vice President of Animal Science and Conservation, Dr. Larry Killmar, was named a mentor to play a vital role in the Florida Connecting to Collections statewide training program on emergency management planning. Dr. Killmar served as a mentor for the Central Florida region, sharing our organization s knowledge and expertise in emergency planning with other organizations to enhance their practices. In addition to improving collection planning statewide, the involvement helped to position better Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo in the state s museum community, helping our museum colleagues to understand that, more than being an attraction, the Zoo is also a museum a living museum with a living collection, well poised, we hope, for eventual accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (formerly the American Association of Museums), one of the Zoo s long range strategic goals. VETERINARY INTERNSHIP AND MASTER S PROGRAM WITH UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA In addition to the existing Veterinary Internship with the University of Florida s College of Veterinary Medicine and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the Zoo has established a new veterinary internship/master s degree program to help meet clinical support needs as well promote research and provide training. This program has its research focus on manatee health. The Zoo s Director of Medical Sciences, Dr. Ray Ball, oversees all clinical staff, including interns and residents to support our Zoo s mission of education, which includes

4 training and research. In turn, veterinary interns and residents have the opportunity to generate publications and research projects needed for their board certification in zoological medicine. They gain practical experience from their time here at the Zoo with our unique animal collection and we gain from their challenging questions, novel research interests, reviews of current literature, and future professional development. FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS (FAZA) Dr. Larry Killmar, Vice President of Animal Science and Conservation, was elected President of the Florida Association of Zoos and Aquariums, representing 16 Association Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoos and aquariums in the State of Florida. As a 501 (c) (6) not forprofit corporation, FAZA has a primary purpose of promoting the welfare of, and encouraging efficiency and high ethical standards in the management of, professional zoos, aquariums and animal parks within the state of Florida. The 16 participating organizations collectively have a $1,000,000,000 annual economic impact. FLORIDA ANIMAL CARE PROFESSIONALS DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP SERIES Tampa s Lowry Park Zoo has developed and hosted a series of quarterly professional development workshops for animal care professionals from throughout the State of Florida. Each workshop focuses on a theme with one or two animal related topics being discussed in depth. The goal of each workshop is to foster an environment where greater depth of understanding of each particular topic can be attained by all participants through peer and outside presentations, moderated roundtable discussions, theoretical and practical exercises and good old talking shop with a community of peers. To date Tampa s Lowry Park Zoo has hosted five such workshops with over 185 participants. We are now opening them up for other Florida institutions to host. MANATEE REHABILITATION PARTNERSHIP Tampa s Lowry Park Zoo is a founding partner in the Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP), which was established in late MRP is a cooperative group of nonprofit, private, state and federal entities with a stake in tracking the post release fate of rehabilitated manatees in the wild. In 2011, this group was entrusted by USFWS with self managing all aspects of the manatee rehabilitation program.

5 ELEPHANT RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION AT TAMPA'S LOWRY PARK ZOO AND IN RANGE COUNTRIES Tampa s Lowry Park Zoo s commitment to wild elephant populations and to their care in the population managed in North America is illustrated by the following activities: Using Science to Determine Zoo Elephant Welfare Study (IMLS) Tampa s Lowry Park Zoo participated in a study funded by The U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to determine the environmental and husbandry factors that are most important to elephant welfare. Data was collected on a variety of variables for 290 elephants at 78 facilities (including the Zoo), representing the entire population of elephants housed in AZA accredited zoos. In addition, the study includes a more detailed examination of the behavior and locomotion of elephants using video recordings, direct observations and GPS technology. Standards for managing elephants in a zoo setting and for the occupational health and safety of elephant managers are ever developing and there will be greater demand for quantitative assessment of our elephant management program. Our participation in this and future elephant welfare studies is important because it demonstrates our commitment to best practices, to the welfare of each elephant, to the safety of our employees, and to our need for greater understanding of what it takes to manage a sustainable elephant population. The National Elephant Center The National Elephant Center (TNEC) is a collaboration of AZA accredited facilities, including Tampa s Lowry Park Zoo, which is committed to improving the North American elephant population s long term health and welfare. The 225 acre facility in Fellsmere, Florida, provides flexible habitat space for both Asian and African elephants in need of both short and long term care. The large enclosures and Florida s tropical climate promote natural elephant behaviors such as foraging, swimming, and socializing. We have not placed an elephant there, but our modest annual support helps to take part alongside other AZA accredited zoos also committed to elephant husbandry and conservation.

6 Swaziland Elephant Conservation In the early 1950s, wildlife in the country of Swaziland had been severely decimated by rampant hunting and habitat loss. One family, the Reilly s, recognized this loss and began a crusade that led to the establishment of three National Parks and the beginning of wildlife conservation in Swaziland. For a decade, Tampa s Lowry Park Zoo had committed $10,000 annually in support of the Swaziland conservation mission, which helps to defray the cost of acquiring additional land, anti poaching programs, and public education. Results to date include expansion of the Mkhaya Game Reserve by 10 percent, which promotes the survival of elephants and thousands of other animals protected there. In 2013, Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo CEO, Craig Pugh, and VP of Animal Science and Conservation, Dr. Larry Killmar escorted 20 guests on a tour of Swaziland to showcase the results of the Zoo s 10 years of financial support. The group learned from Ted Reilly, Executive Director of Swaziland s National Parks system and his son, Mick Reilly, Operations Director, about the challenges in operating wildlife parks in Africa. They toured Mkhaya, one of Swaziland s three National Parks, to see firsthand the habitat restoration and perimeter fence improvements completed with the Zoo s help. This habitat restoration has improved the overall quality of the pasture by removing invasive plants and allowing the native grasses and plants to return. The fence line improvements have helped to control public access to the Park, thus reducing or eliminating unwanted encampments and, more importantly, poachers. In discussions with the Reilly s, and as a result of the successes of the past 10 years, the Zoo renewed its commitment to Swaziland. Tampa s Lowry Park Zoo s Commitment to the North American Managed Elephant Population Breeding Success at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo Prior to 1 January 1999, only 25 African elephants had been born in captivity in North America and only 6 of those elephants were known to be alive as of 30 November It was determined at this time by the AZA s African Elephant Species Survival Plan (SSP) Program/Taxon Advisory Group (TAG) that new elephants and their genetic material (particularly bulls), were needed in order to sustain the North American population. Reserves cannot sustain unlimited numbers of elephants over browsing trees and shrubs upon which other wildlife also depends. In 2003, Tampa s Lowry Park Zoo, together with San Diego

7 Zoo Global, airlifted 11 elephants from Swaziland where they were scheduled to be culled, bringing their invaluable genetics into the North American SSP population marked the 10th anniversary of the successful collaborative effort by these institutions. Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo has had two recent births, a female calf in December 2012 and another female in July With the arrival of these two calves, we achieved one of our core objectives of the Swaziland importation, which was the successful reproduction of all imported females in support of the sustainability of the North American managed population. As of July 2013, all of the female Swazi elephants and 2 of the males have successfully reproduced, increasing the North American SSP population by 14 elephants.