Habitat 36 Spring 2014

2 | March/April/May 2014 H ABITAT Celebrating and Saving Wildlife T h e M a g a z i n e o f t h e D e t r o i t Z o o l o g i c a l S o c i e t y Habitat is produced quarterly for Members of the Detroit Zoological Society. EDITED BY Graphinity, Inc. CONTRIBUTING WRITER Jennifer Thomas PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT ArborOakland Group GRAPHIC DESIGN Graphinity, Inc. Copyright © 2014 Detroit Zoological Society All rights reserved. PLEASE CONTACT: Detroit Zoological Society 8450 W. 10 Mile Road Royal Oak, MI 48067 Phone: (248) 541-5717 Fax: (248) 541-2489 www.detroitzoo.org For questions about membership, please contact: info@dzs.org. facebook.com/detroitzoo youtube.com/detroitzoo twitter.com/detroitzoo The Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo. Printed in the USA. The Detroit Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. You often see the phrase “celebrating and saving wildlife” on Detroit Zoological Society literature and signage. We call it our statement of purpose and it truly describes what we’re about. We celebrate and save wildlife in ways you can see when you visit your Detroit Zoo – such as our breeding programs for threatened and endangered species – and in ways you can’t – as in the local field conservation programs the DZS leads and the international programs we support. Messages on conservation, education and environmental stewardship – important components of celebrating and saving wildlife – are woven throughout this issue of Habitat . Captive breeding of threatened and endangered species is vital to the conservation of many animals, such as the chimpanzees you’ll read about on page 4. These programs help to ensure the long-term maintenance of animal populations that serve as education and conservation ambassadors to the million-plus guests who visit each year. You’ll note on page 7 that the theme of this year’s Sunset at the Zoo is Howling at the Moon in support of the future wolf habitat and renewal of our conservation efforts for this iconic native mammal. In the fifties, we sent four wolves to Isle Royale in the Upper Peninsula to be released as part of a program to re-establish the species. This year, we’ll bring wolves back for the first time since 1989 to an expansive new habitat. Many important local conservation projects happen beyond our 125 acres in the meadows, waterways and forests throughout our great state. Our field conservation efforts support various species of Michigan wildlife, including birds, amphibians, reptiles and even a butterfly. The catch-and-release surveys we conduct on mudpuppies (not a threatened species) provide valuable information for monitoring the health of the Detroit River’s ecosystem. Learn more about mudpuppies on page 13. We are especially committed to educating the next generation about conservation and environmental stewardship. For that reason, we are introducing Conservation Camps to our Summer Safari program (see page 10) that will allow campers to explore the role they can play in conservation. Several thousand miles away, our Adopt-A-School program, discussed on page 6, provides essential tools for youngsters in Peru to achieve a basic education so they will understand and protect the amazing natural resources of the Amazon rainforest. Our annual GreenFest , described on page 8, is dedicated to educating the community about environmental conservation. On page 13, you’ll find useful tips for living a sustainable lifestyle. These are just some of the ways we are celebrating and saving wildlife through conservation, education and environmental stewardship – there’s so much more. See it, feel it and experience it on every visit to the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo this spring. From the Director Ron Kagan Executive Director, Detroit Zoological Society