AUGUST 2016
VOLUME 29•EDITION 8
Nominations Open for the 2018 Indianapolis Prize
Nominations for the 2018 Indianapolis Prize will be accepted through Feb. 28,
2017. The biennial award is given to recognize and reward conservationists who
have achieved major victories in advancing the sustainability of an animal species
or group of species. Winners receive an unrestricted $250,000 award and the
prestigious Lilly Medal.
Nominees for the Indianapolis Prize — the world’s leading award for animal
conservation — have dedicated their lives to the preservation of our planet’s
wildlife and wild places. The Prize honors their heroic work and provides a higher
platform from which to tell their stories of adventure and inspiration. To be
accepted as a nominee, individuals must have accomplished an individual
achievement or series of achievements that have resulted in a demonstrable positive
impact on an animal species or group of species that is likely to improve long-term
survival. The impact of achievements under consideration must be clearly
recognizable when evaluated by the Nominating Committee and Jury.
Consideration will be given to:
2016 Indianapolis Prize
 The challenges overcome by the nominee in the pursuit of his or her
nominee David Western
achievement.
 The significance of the achievement(s).
 The measurable outcomes resulting from the nominee's work.
 The quality of any science involved.
 The number of years the nominee has dedicated to the aspect of conservation work under evaluation.
 The unselfish dedication to conservation work demonstrated throughout the nominee’s career.
 Any cooperation the nominee has demonstrated with zoological and other like-minded conservation
organizations, particularly those for which the nominee does not work.
Visit the Indianapolis Prize website for complete guidelines, to complete an application or to learn more about
the nominating process.
The Indianapolis Prize was first awarded in 2006 to George Archibald, Ph.D., the co-founder of the
International Crane Foundation. The 2008 Winner was George Schaller, Ph.D., known as one of the founding
fathers of modern wildlife conservation, and both a senior conservationist for the Wildlife Conservation
Society and vice president for Panthera. In 2010, Iain Douglas-Hamilton, Ph.D., founder of Save the
Elephants, received the Prize for his pioneering research in elephant social behavior and for leading the way in
the fight against the poaching of African elephants. Steven Amstrup, Ph.D., chief scientist for Polar Bears
International, received the 2012 Prize for his work promoting the cause of the world’s largest land carnivore.
In 2014, Patricia C. Wright, Ph.D., of Stony Brook University, founder of Centre ValBio, became the first
woman awarded the Indianapolis Prize for her dedication to protecting Madagascar’s lemurs. Carl Jones,
Ph.D., Chief Scientist for Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and Scientific Director for the Mauritian
Wildlife Foundation, received the 2016 award for his accomplishments in saving species and restoring
ecosystems, primarily on the island of Mauritius.
Volunteer Zoosletter
1
Hispanic Heritage Fiesta
Volunteers are needed on Sunday, Sept. 18, for Hispanic
Heritage Fiesta presented by Indiana Donor Network. Hispanic
Heritage Fiesta coincides with National Hispanic Heritage Month,
which officially runs Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 each year to celebrate
Latin culture during the independence period for the Latin American
countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and
Nicaragua. This event is a great enhancement to a Zoo visit! The
event includes extra festivities that celebrate this great culture with
an animal scavenger hunt, a piñata every hour, community partners,
bright decorations and Latin-inspired food.
 Three craft assistants are needed from 11:30am-2:15pm to
assist Zoo guests.
 Two craft assistants are needed from 2-4:30pm to assist Zoo
guests.
Please sign up for shifts via Volgistics. Contact Adam Garrett at
317-630-2041 or [email protected] if you have any questions.
Photo by Carla Knapp
ZooBoo presented by Central Indiana Honda
Dealers
The summer season is beginning to wrap up, the kids are headed
back to school and fall will be here before you know it! ZooBoo
returns this October for four weekends of fun. Volunteers will be
needed to assist with games and activities, as greeters/hosts and even
to pass out candy to our littlest guests!
Mark your calendars for the weekends of Oct. 7-9, 14-16, 21-23 and
28-30 and keep an eye on Volgistics. Shifts for the event will be
posted later this month. We’d love to see you (and your Halloween
costume) this October!
Photo by Adam Garrett
Indy Wedding Ideas Bridal Show
Sept. 15 — One greeter is needed from 4-6pm at the Zoo’s exit to
distribute will call envelopes and vendor wristbands. Three greeters are
needed from 4-8pm: one greeter is needed at the entrance to the Party
Pavilion; one greeter is needed at the entrance to the Dolphin Gallery; and
one greeter is needed between the Party Pavilion and Dolphin Gallery to
guide guests and vendors to either event location. One greeter is needed
from 6-9pm at the Zoo’s exit to welcome and direct bridal show guests.
Photo by Sarah Lang
ID Badge Stickers Now Available
The 2016B stickers for Volunteer ID Badges are available for pick up at
Volunteer Services. Please update your ID Badge the next time you are in the
area so that you may qualify for free admission to the Zoo, receive discounts at
food service locations and the Gift Shop, and most importantly, access to the
Zoo grounds for your volunteer shift.
Volunteer Zoosletter
Zoosletter
Volunteer
3
42
Queen
The picture below to the left is a
honeybee frame from our own hive
during a hive inspection. Look
close and you'll spot the queen —
she is so much bigger than the
workers that surround her. Thanks
to a generous donation from the
Robert and Lou Rice Family, we
were able to add this queen's hive
of honeybees to White River
Gardens. This hive is growing
rapidly and is becoming a popular
attraction in the Gardens this year!
Bee-keeping is an incredible way to
become more closely connected to
the natural world around you.
Host
Let me introduce you to my
favorite
pollinator host plant. The
A Closer Look at Backyard
common milkweed (Asclepias
Bugs
syriaca) is the primary host plant
The busy season is upon us at the
for the monarch butterfly, but so
Indianapolis Zoo. Summer is a
many interesting Indiana bugs love
great time to take a stroll through
it: honeybees, bumblebees and
White River Gardens and take a
milkweed beetles. Most people
closer look at all the garden bugs
know about the monarch butterfly
that also enjoy the flowers.
connection, but the next time you
In the Gardens, a new hive of
encounter this plant, keep an eye
honeybees has increased the
out for the milkweed beetle! If you
immediate bee population by
look closely, you will discover that
several thousand. As global bee
its antenna emerges directly from
populations are under threat, we're
the center of its eye! This unusual
Photo by Mike Stockman
doing our part to help out
adaptation heightens the milkweed
pollinators here at home. Each year
beetle's senses. Don't be alarmed if
Ghost
we work to build better bee and
Pictured above is the rusty-patched you see them – they rarely do any
butterfly-friendly gardens for our
major harm to the plant.
native bugs, and it seems to pay off bumblebee. This wonderful, wild
bumblebee was once common in
— take a quick walk through the
central Indiana, but it was last seen
outdoor gardens and you are
here in 2009, and may now be
guaranteed to spot some of our
extinct in our area. Bumblebee
native bees and butterflies.
populations don't survive the winter
Let's take a closer look at a few
important players in the pollinator like honeybees do, making them
really scarce at certain times of
world: a queen, a ghost and my
year. I still wonder if this bee is
favorite host plant.
Milkweed beetle
truly a "ghost" or if it's still buzzing
(Tetraopes tetrophthalmus)
around central Indiana! If you are
interested in a treasure hunt, keep
There's a whole other world out
this bee in mind. Visit
there in the garden if you take the
Bumblebeewatch.org and learn
more about hunting, photographing time to look really close.
Mike Stockman
and reporting sightings. You might
Gardener
be the one to find it again!
Volunteer Zoosletter
Zoosletter
Volunteer
43
Complimentary Volunteer Tickets
Complimentary Zoo general admission tickets are just one of the perks of being a Zoo volunteer. Late last
year we opted to revise this recognition program. The timeframe for determining service hours will now be
calculated between January and June, and then from July to December to coincide with our active “A” and “B”
session stickers required for your ID badges. Now you’ll be able to pick up your complimentary tickets and
updated sticker at the same time!
All active volunteers will receive two complimentary Zoo general admission tickets, and for qualifying
volunteers, additional tickets for hours of service. These tickets may be picked up with your 2016B sticker.
Aug. 31, is the deadline to stop by Volunteer Services to pick up your complimentary and earned tickets;
tickets may not be available after that date.
Volunteer Admission Discount
As a volunteer, you are able to use your volunteer ID to obtain free admission to the Zoo when you visit as a
guest. Please take your ID (with a valid A or B session sticker) to the Admissions Building to acquire your
complimentary ticket from a Guest Services staff member. Additionally, please make sure you have changed
out of your volunteer uniform before visiting.
Any guests you bring with you receive $2 off the admission price for that day. Guest admission tickets can
only be purchased the day of their visit and you must be present with your guests during their visit. Again, visit
the Admissions Building to purchase your tickets.
WILD U
At the Indianapolis Zoo, great hospitality is more than just a
part of our jobs and volunteer assignments, it is who we are.
Every season an outside company surveys Indianapolis Zoo
guests and we are consistently ranked high in customer service and hospitality, well above the benchmark set
by other similar institutions. But we are not content with being good – we want to be great. We want our brand
and our culture to be defined by excellence in guest service and we want the unmatched way we treat our
guests to be how people remember us after a visit or interaction with any of our Zoo family.
Building on our strong hospitality foundation, I am excited to share with you the launch of a new Zoo
initiative called WILD U. Think of WILD U as “Indianapolis Zoo University.” It is where we will all learn
how to take hospitality to the highest level, to provide excellent guest service not only to Zoo visitors, but also
to internal customers (our coworkers).
All staff, volunteers and concessionaires will be included in training sessions that are now taking place. We
will provide a variety of opportunities for you to find a time that works best for your schedule, but please
understand that participation is not optional: this is a part of your volunteer role.
Our goal is to combine our passion for animals and our commitment to mission with a unique brand of
hospitality that will set us apart from all others. So while we live in a state already known for friendly people
and hospitality, we are going to kick that up to the highest level. With a genuine respect for all of our guests
and for each other, we will set a new bar for Hoosier Hospitality as Indianapolis Zoo Hospitality becomes the
standard by which all others are judged.
Three classes for volunteers are offered through WILD U — WILD Welcome, WILD You and WILD Us.
WILD Welcome is the first course; once you’ve completed WILD Welcome, you may take WILD You and
WILD Us. To sign up for classes, login to Volgistics and search under Training/Orientation-WILD Welcome
or WILD You/WILD Us.
Wild U is in session and everyone is enrolled!
Mike Crowther, President & CEO
Volunteer Zoosletter
4
Volunteer Spotlight
Meet Leslie Soper
How long have you volunteered at the Zoo? I have been a
volunteer at the Zoo since March 2015. We moved to Indiana
from Connecticut in November 2014, where I had volunteered at
the Mystic Aquarium, so I was eager to get back into
volunteering.
In which area do you volunteer? I currently volunteer in Deserts
Animal Care.
If you could volunteer in any other area of the Zoo, what
would you choose? If I could switch to another department, it
would be with the sea lions or giraffes.
Photo by Adam Garrett
What is your favorite animal at the Zoo? My favorite animal at
the Zoo is the red panda but if we ever get a capybara, I’d spend all my time in that department!
Do you have any pets at home? Currently I have a 3-year-old redbone coonhound named Mojo, and a
2-year-old cat named Ryno (named after Cubs player Ryne Sandberg).
What do you like most about volunteering at the Zoo? I love being able to volunteer at the Zoo because it
gives me such unique animal experiences that I don't encounter in my regular job. The staff in Deserts are
always so much fun and willing to "talk shop" with me. My daughters also think it's great fun to have the cool
mom who works at the zoo.
Do you want to be featured in the Volunteer Spotlight in an upcoming issue of the Zoosletter? Contact Adam
Garrett at [email protected]. The monthly spotlight volunteer will be chosen at random from active status
volunteers who chose to participate.
Naturally Inspired Paint Out presented by The Great Frame
Up Broad Ripple & Downtown Silent Auction
Each spring, guests can experience the Zoo through the eyes of artists — both
human and animal — at Naturally Inspired Paint Out Day! During this annual
event, artists transform a blank canvas or a hunk of clay into a truly extraordinary
work of art inspired by the natural world, right here at the Zoo.
After the paintings have dried and been professionally
framed by The Great Frame Up Broad Ripple &
Downtown, they’ve been displayed this summer in the
Schaefer Rotunda at White River Gardens. Plus, you also
get to enjoy the works of some of our more artistically
inclined animals. Who knows — you may see a
penguin Picasso, a walrus Warhol, an elephant Escher and
many others!
See a painting or sculpture that you'd like to have at
Photo by Danielle Faczan
home? Then join us on Aug. 25 for the annual silent
auction and artists' reception, held in the Hulman Riverhouse at the Gardens. Bid on your favorite artwork or
just enjoy the show! You'll also get to mingle with artists and other Zoo patrons, get after-hours access to the
Hilbert Conservatory and savor light hors d'oeuvres and wine. Plus, one of the 15 talented artists will receive
the Members’ Choice award. Reservations are required for the reception and silent auction. For more
information contact the Membership department at [email protected].
Volunteer Zoosletter
5
Volunteer Milestones
In this issue of the Newsletter, we’re recognizing years of service anniversaries reached in the first or second
quarter of 2016. Congratulations to everyone on their accomplishments!
One Year of Service
Carol Abner
Neil Alwardt
Wanda Atwater
Dale Bernard
Marianne Bernard
Kris Bertrand-Glomski
Leslie Blair
Lucy Boenitz
Heidi Boyle
Julianne Boyle
Jordan Brown
Qiujia Chen
Bethanie Danko
Barbara Gray
Joan Hilber
Thomas Keller
Megan Klomp
Erica Marks
Donna Kaye Minton
Marilyn Pate
Molly Quella
Larry Robertson
Patricia Scahill
Erika Scheck
Bill Slabinski
Leslie Soper
Jane Testa
DJ Townsend
Mickey Vogel
Rod Vogel
Joy K. Williamson
Brittany Wilson
Emily Wilson
10 Years of Service
Kathy Bramel
Sarah Halterman
Karine Huys
Chad Jasper
Gretchen Knight
Barb Krahl
Grace Metz
Erika Millen
Susan Stewart
15 Years of Service
Cathy Austin
Lannie Corbin
Sandra Ibaugh
Julie Whitinger
25 Years of Service
Colleen Halliburton
Bowling for Rhinos Update
The Indianapolis Chapter of the American Association
of Zoo Keepers is proud to announce that they once
again broke the chapter record at the 2016 Bowling For
Rhinos and blew the 2015 donation of $10,000 out of the
water!
This year, Indy AAZK will be donating $16,351 toward rhino
conservation! Thank you to all of the sponsors, donors and attendees! The
chapter members cannot wait to see what they can accomplish next year!
Proceeds from Bowling For Rhinos are donated directly to the Lewa
Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya, Ujung Kulon National Park in Java,
Indonesia and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia,
which are home to black and white (Kenya), Javan and Sumatran rhinos.
Photo by Marci Haw
Volunteer Zoosletter
6
15 Trovan (f) radiated tortoise
AUGUST
1997
National Homeless Animal
Day
Flower: Gladiolus
Birthstone: Peridot
1
Heather Bates
Katherine Patterson
16 Barb Krahl
Erika Millen
17 Rainy (m) umbrella cockatoo
2000
Mindy Curtis
Photo by Jackie Curts
8
Andrea (f) Amur tiger 2006
Devon Collett
Michael Guest
9
Carol Abner
Betty Briggs
Christine Erlandson
Lois Haupt
10 Lew Ann (f) Grand Cayman
Photo by Carla Knapp
2
Zuri (f) African lion 2006
Roberta Haynes
Mark Kleinschmidt
William Pfeiffer
4
Chelsea LeBeau
Dawn McPike
5
iguana 1995
Prim (f) meerkat 2015
Rue (f) meerkat 2015
World Lion Day
Donna Wilken
12 World Elephant Day
Photo by Don Reynolds
19 Peso (m) Speke’s gazelle
2009
World Orangutan Day
Tonya West
20 Indy (f) Atlantic bottlenose
dolphin 2001
Alyssia Hill
21 Lauren Ooley
22 Clyde (m) eastern yellowbilled hornbill 2007
Jacquelyn Stantz
Dawn Hagen
23 Kathy Lee
24 Beth Kingrey
Cathi Shover
25 Christian Maturana
26 Isabelle (f) eastern whiteThe oarfish (Regalecus glesne) —
reaching lengths of 26 feet — is
speculated to be the source of ancient
sea serpent tales.
7
Sea Serpent Day
Lucy Boenitz
Amy Ferree
Megan Ornellas
Volunteer Zoosletter
bearded wildebeest
National Dog Day
Photo by Mark Kaser
13 Chestnut (f) eastern yellowbilled hornbill 2013
Ray Watkins
14 Melissa Wooton
27 Linda Crowe
Kathy Harris
Allison Wietecha
31 Zahara (f) African elephant
2006
7
Editor: Adam Garrett
Reporters: Adam Garrett, Mike Stockman
Photography: Jackie Curts, Danielle
Faczan, Adam Garrett, Marci Haw, Mark
Kaser, Carla Knapp, Sarah Long, Don
Reynolds, Mike Stockman
Volunteer Services Staff:
Kristin Kraemer
Adam Garrett
Ashley Couch
Shannon Gaughan-Kelly
Chelsea Leach
To Contact the Volunteer Office:
Office Phone: 317-630-2041
Kristin Kraemer: 317-630-2193
Fax: 317-630-2031
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Volunteer News ....................... 1
Your Chance to Help ............... 2
Collections News .................. 3, 4
Special Reports ...................... 5-6
Birthdays ................................... 7
Announcements ........................ 8
Save The Dates
Animals and All That Jazz Concert Series — Aug. 4
Lion Awareness Day presented by MainSource Bank — Aug. 6
Hispanic Heritage Fiesta — Sept. 18
Meet a Hero — Oct. 15
Summer Hours
May 27-Sept.5: 9am-5pm, Monday-Thursday
9am-7pm, Friday-Sunday & holidays
Volunteer Winter Wear
Additional uniform pieces — Zoo-logoed fleece, sweatshirts and hats
to help stay warm during your volunteer shifts — are coming soon!
Information about ordering these optional items will be available in
next month’s issue.
Sigourney Weaver Named the 2016 Recipient of the
Jane Alexander Global Wildlife Ambassador Award
Famed actor and conservationist Sigourney Weaver has been named
the recipient of the 2016 Jane Alexander Global Wildlife Ambassador
Award.
Since her starring role in the 1988 film Gorillas in the Mist, she has
been an advocate for the mountain gorillas of Rwanda and serves as
honorary chair of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International.
Sigourney brought her credibility to BBC’s highly popular
series Planet Earth as narrator, joined other conservationists at the
United Nations General Assembly in 2006, and has earned multiple
awards from the Explorers Club and Audubon’s Women in
Conservation.
Weaver has captivated audiences with unique and memorable
characters. She continues to lend her voice in honor of conservation
efforts and roles.
The award was created in honor of Tony- and Emmy-award winning
actor Jane Alexander for her decades of serving as a credible,
consistent and effective voice for wildlife sustainability. Alexander has
been involved with organizations including the Wildlife Conservation
Society, the Audubon Society and Panthera. She received the first
presentation of the award in 2012 and is an honorary chairwoman of
the Indianapolis Prize.
Weaver will receive the award on Oct. 15, at the Indianapolis Prize
Gala presented by Cummins Inc., to be held in downtown
Indianapolis. This inspirational black-tie event honors conservationists’
selfless dedication, scientific expertise and lasting success, while an
influential audience enjoys an awe-inspiring evening of storytelling
with films shot on location around the world.