2008 Annual Report - Denver Zoo

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added to the collection included a trio of ankole (also known as watusi cattle), twopairs of lappet-faced vultures, shingleback skinks, boreal toads, and a pair of kea– unique alpine parrots native to the South Island of New Zealand.There were a number of significant animal births in 2008 which garneredexcitement and interest for zoo guests. Prominent mammal births included a trio ofsnow leopard cubs, two red pandas, red river hogs, two spotted hyena, De Brazza’smonkey, colobus monkey, golden lion tamarin, emperor tamarin, bongo, Africanbuffalo, Grevy’s zebra, and giraffe. The zebra foal represented the second successfulbirth of this endangered species from our breeding herd established in 2006.Tropical Discovery staff also enjoyed a number of significant births and hatchings.Over the past few years, we have expanded our work to conserve endangeredamphibians. There is a global amphibian crisis where at least half of all knownspecies risk extinction due to habitat loss as well as a rampant chytrid funguswhich wipes out entire amphibian populations. Collectively, zoos, aquariums,botanic gardens and other interested groups declared 2008 to be InternationalYear of the Frog to raise awareness of the problem. During the year, TropicalDiscovery staff successfully reproduced numerous amphibians including the bluepoison arrow frog, yellow-banded poison arrow frog, dying poison arrow frog, CostaRican tree frog, and file-eared tree frog. New species were also acquired through2008 in order to establish additional future breeding programs designed to fosterinsurance populations for species at risk. Other significant births and hatchingsin Tropical Discovery included the many-horned adder, hump-headed lizard,Sumatran pit viper, caatinga lance-headed viper, small Javan forest dragon, linedflat-tailed gecko, and leaf-nosed viper.The bird department began to see results from our new Bird Propagation Center,in addition to the flamingo hatching and rearing, with a number of notablehatches including Egyptian plover, hammerkop, palm cockatoo, Humboldt andblack-footed penguins, demoiselle crane, green-naped pheasant pigeon, goldenbreastedand violet-backed starlings, crested oropendola, jambu fruit dove, andMalay great argus.Inevitably, an organization with highly active endangered species breedingprograms will suffer setbacks. During 2008, we lost two precious okapi. One ofour adult females died suddenly in February. Unfortunately, she was still nursingher female calf born in November 2007. Despite valiant efforts by staff to sustainthe calf during the weaning process, she failed to thrive and succumbed a littleover a month after her mother. We view this as a temporary setback for the zoo’sextremely successful breeding program for this endangered west African forestanimal. Late in the year, we lost two newborn polar bears and a maned wolf pup,none of which survived 24 hours. While disheartening, each of these offspringwere the result of first-time adult pairings which confirms we have viable breedingpairs, and which gives us hope for future success. During 2008, we acquired 802animals for the collection through births, loans, or donations from other zoos andaquariums. There were 594 animals removed from the collection due to death,loans, or donations to other institutions.Our interdepartmental Special Events Team led by members of the MarketingDepartment created numerous fun events not only to raise critical funding for thezoo’s education, conservation and capital initiatives but to share key conservationmessages as well. Our premiere fundraiser, Do at the Zoo, presented by HaseldenConstruction and chaired by Frances Owens was a tremendous success in support4 4
of Asian Tropics, our next major exhibit initiative. Two other events, Brew at theZoo and Zoomily: Frogs, Fables, and Family Fun, both sponsored by MountainStates Toyota, raised funds for the zoo’s Red Apple Education Scholarship Fund.Brew, in its 10th year, was a complete sellout with 3,000 guests. Zoo Lights, aDenver holiday tradition, enthralled 140,007 guests in December — the highestattendance in ten years. Boo at the Zoo, Prairie Dog Day, First Frog Fridays (incelebration of the International Year of the Frog), Ape-ril, and Dream Night alsowere well received.2008 was a successful year for our Conservation and Education programs aswell. 150,884 people participated in the zoo’s on-site and community outreacheducation programs. An additional 102,475 students visited the zoo on schoolfield trips. A number of programs experienced significant growth includingschool outreach programs throughout Colorado and Wyoming, career programs,teacher professional development workshops, Zoo Edventure classes, ScoutNight, Bunk with the Beasts overnights, and Summer Safari day camp. SummerSafari had a record 1,765 campers for its popular theme of “Zooper Heroes” andefforts are under way to expand the program once again in 2009 to better meetdemand. Bunk with the Beasts introduced its new CampOUT programs whereparticipants sleep under the stars in a tented camp located in Primate Panorama.Unfortunately, fewer students were able to participate in the award-winningWonders in Nature – Wonders in Neighborhoods (W.I.N.-W.I.N.) urban educationprogram managed by the zoo and the Colorado Division of Wildlife due to reducedfunding from the State of Colorado. To address this, we completed a needsassessment in 2007 in order to determine how the program or an alternativemodel might continue to serve this critical audience of elementary children andteachers with more sustainable, consistent funding levels. In 2008, zoo and DOWfar left red river hog piglets with motherleft snow leopard cubsright giraffe calf with mother5
Page 2 and 3: mission statementTo provide a wildl
Page 4 and 5: 008Ribbit! (that’s Frog for “We
Page 7: left green-and-blackpoison arrow fr
Page 11: While we did not have a major exhib
Page 14 and 15: animalseggs that fly!2008 marked th
Page 16 and 17: flock was transferred to our flamin
Page 18 and 19: partnerships + creativity =positive
Page 21 and 22: significant birthssignificant acqui
Page 23 and 24: Denver Zoo’s efforts to share the
Page 29 and 30: Our host and teacher at the Wat was
Page 31 and 32: far left golden lion tamarin baby a
Page 33 and 34: guests, Betty is often putting toge
Page 35 and 36: zoomilyDenver Zoo’s first annual
Page 37 and 38: denver zoo conservation & research
Page 39 and 40: far left Thang Long Hadisplays post
Page 41 and 42: storage repository for many departm
Page 43 and 44: asis during the growing season. Beh
Page 45 and 46: company in Nigeria was found that h
Page 48 and 49: first right loyalcorporate supportc
Page 50 and 51: donations 2008asian tropics/millenn
Page 52 and 53: did you know?126,007 guests visited
Page 54 and 55: ( Figure 2 )2008 support & revenue
Page 56 and 57: left lorikeetright gerenuk, ground
Page 58 and 59:
staffas of 12/31/08Shaina M. Aguila
Page 60:
denver zoological gardens > 2300 St
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2008 Annual Report - Denver Zoo

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