RECREATION AND PARKS REPORT OF
SAN FRANCISCO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY
March 2013

Update on Tiger Cub: It’s a Girl!
On February 10th, a Sumatran tiger was born at the San
Francisco Zoo. Since then, SFZS staff has been able to
observe the cub and mother via the use of hidden cameras.
In all aspects, the newborn appears to be in good health, with
eyes opening and playful activity occurring within the nest
box. With only 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild (and the
numbers are declining), this is a very exciting time for both
the Zoo and the species. Firstly, from a zoological
perspective, SF Zoo is only one of a few zoos that have been
able to accomplish “awake” ultrasound exams; this allowed
SFZS staff to take multiple pictures up until the eve of birth.
Secondly, by acclimating mother, Leanne, to staff interventions and re-acquainting her with
nesting behaviors, Leanne remains calmly focused on her cub; indeed, the fact that Leanne is
NOT rejecting the singleton cub is huge news. Of the last four known births of singleton
Sumatran tigers, all cubs were rejected by their mother, as the species favors multiples. There
have been many theories expounded as to why, but by replaying tapes of Leanne’s mothering
techniques, the zoological world may have more answers. During these critical early weeks,
the Lion House remains closed to the public. The cub is likely not to be viewable on exhibit
until 8 weeks of age, following vaccinations and a full medical exam. However, the first
“wellness” exam provided exciting news – it’s a girl!

Wellness Exams for All Animals!
Almost no animal is either too big or small for a
medical “awake” exam at the SF Zoo! After
months of training (and patience by all), giraffes,
ostriches, large cats, gorillas, langurs, goats,
sheep, koalas, tamarins, macaques and sea lions
– just to name a few -- willingly climb on a scale
now for the team to obtain a body weight. Also,
all of the Zoo’s tigers and lions now allow the
Zoo to give hand injections of medications and
vaccinations. SFZS staff can look at the big cat’s
teeth and feet, and some cats will allow staff to
collect blood samples from their tails. Staff now
case use ultrasounds to look at the hearts of the Zoo’s great apes as well as diagnose
pregnancy in tigers, anteaters and yellow-backed duikers. Practically every animal in the Zoo
has been trained to participate in their own health care, allowing staff to safely evaluate and
treat animals without the risk of anesthesia or the stress of a tranquilizing dart.

Zoo’s Polar Bears Get New Furniture?!!
To celebrate International Polar Bear Day, the Zoo’s polar bears recently received some new
“furniture.” With the rental of a very large crane, staff was able to remove older deadfall from
both yards and replace them with brand-new logs. Everyone thought the logs for the exhibit
were enormous until they were placed inside the bear yards; then they were dwarfed! But
polar bears Piké and Uulu love their new logs and now they have something else to sniff, rub
on, climb over and use for enrichment. Happy Polar Bear Day to all polar bears!

One-Winged Pelicans Rescued by SF Zoo
At the Zoo’s Pelican Beach, which is the water feature across from the South American
Aviary, two new American White Pelicans named "Hammer" and "Oates" now reside. These
pelicans arrived at the Zoo recently from the Treehouse Wildlife Center in Dow, Illinois.
They arrived there within days of each other, each missing a wing. Unable to fly or survive
independently, the birds were faced with euthanasia. They are named after long-time SFZS
Board member Ed Oates and his wife, Jennifer Hammer, for their long-standing support of
animals-in-need!

Chinese New Year Made Special
In celebration of Chinese New Year, the SFZS was pleased
to join the San Francisco Recreation & Park Commission
and Department to contribute 250 Zoo admission tickets
to the residents of the Chinatown Community
Development Center (CCDC), a senior center in the heart
of Chinatown. In addition, the SF Zoo held its annual
Lunar New Year celebration on February 17, which was a
huge success. Miss San Francisco and Miss National
California made appearances to celebrate the Year of the
Snake, and there were performances by a martial arts
group, Chinese dancers and yo-yo performers, acrobats
and dragon dancers. The crowds enjoyed snake-themed
Keeper Talks and those with the stomach for it got to see an anaconda feeding. ‘Tis Year of
the Snake, after all!

Navajo-Churro Sheep: Now in Nature Exploration Area
Navajo-Churro sheep are now in the Nature Exploration Area behind the Zoo’s Lion
Fountain. Navajo-Churro sheep are descended from the Iberian Churra breed. Prized by the
Spanish for their hardiness, these sheep were among the first to reach the New World when
the Spanish brought them along to help feed and clothe the Conquistadores. By the
seventeenth century, “Churros,” as they became known, were found on all of the Spanish
ranches in New Spain, or the American Southwest. Navajo peoples acquired flocks of
Churros through raids and trades, and it soon became an important animal in their culture to
provide wool for their textiles and weavings. In the 1930s, government-sponsored flock
reduction programs and cross-breeding nearly wiped out the Navajo-Churro breed, which is
why today it is considered a rare breed. Unique features of the Navajo-Churro sheep include
horns, which can number up to six and occur in both males and females, and the variety of
colors in their wool. If you have a chance to see them, they are worth the visit!

A New Generation of Animal Lovers: Zoo Career Days!
One of the goals of the San Francisco Zoo is to expose young people to career opportunities
in animal care. As such, SF Zoo recently developed a career-themed lesson that uses the
ZooMobile and Koret Animal Resource Center animals to discuss how keepers care for
animals, what type of diets animals eat, enrichment items, how to volunteer and more. In
addition, the ZooMobile attended a Career Day at the offices of “First Graduate,” a nonprofit which selects 25 seventh grade students each year and supports them all the way
through four years of college. These kids will be the first members of their families to
graduate from college and exposure to career paths is an important part of the process.
Another example is a Career Day at the Zoo co-hosted by the Zoo and staff from the
Aquarium of the Bay. Fifty-one teen volunteers attended talks and received information on
zoo and aquarium careers. There were discussions on animal and veterinary care, how to
make the most of their volunteer experiences, other avenues to zoo careers and job
application skills.

Zoo’s Little Learners Cabin Turns Five – Thank you, Fisher-Price!
On February 24, SF Zoo hosted a birthday
party for the Fisher-Price® Little Learners
Cabin. The celebration commemorated over
five years of successful early childhood
programming held in the Fisher-Price®
sponsored cabin. Approximately 50 children
with families in tow came to the
celebration. Present and former participants
ranged in age from 1 to 8 years old. Attendees
enjoyed games, face painting, and snacks,
including a huge birthday cake. One family
traveled all the way from Reno! Families were
delighted by Fisher-Price’s generosity when they learned that each child would go home with
a toy. Fisher-Price® deserves an enormous thank you for its continued support of the Little
Learners program. They enable the Zoo to reach hundreds of children every year, instilling in
them the desire to connect, care and conserve our animals and environment.

February Attendance: Sunny Skies Brings Visitors
The month of February was a great month for visitor attendance at the Zoo. The Presidents’
Day Holiday weekend, a Lunar New Year event and beautiful weather made a significant
contribution to the total actual monthly attendance of 63,692. Based on historical data,
budgeted attendance was 40,000, but that was exceeded by 23,692 visitors or 59%.

Dinosaur Exhibit Encourages Junior Paleontologists and More!
Dinosaur Revolution: Live Large, a temporary exhibit, is now open. A maze and bone yard
can be found within the exhibit, and messaging focuses on the connections between
yesterday’s dinosaurs and today’s birds. We thank long-term Zoo sponsors Fisher-Price for
their support and welcome everyone to rest and relax in the Fisher-Price play area!

ZooFest 2013: Hard Hats and Tails!
The theme of this year’s annual gala is “Hard Hats and Tails” to celebrate the upcoming
groundbreaking and construction of the Zoo’s remodeled Elinor Friend Playground. The
Zoo is VERY grateful to Recreation and Parks Commission President Mark Buell for
agreeing to be the night’s auctioneer; he brings much experience and enthusiasm to the cause!
This will be sure to be the best ZooFest ever!