2008 - 2009 Annual Report - Zoos South Australia

CONTENTSYear In ReviewPresident and CEO’s ReportConservation ProgramsAssets and InfrastructureConservation EducationThe AnimalsLiving collectionsThreatened SpeciesOperationsCommunications and PartnershipsCommunicationsPartnershipsFuture Zoo and Conservation Arkfundraising reportMembership and Animal AdoptionGrantsBequestsVisitor ExperiencesHuman ResourcesFinancial ReportFinalsCommunicationsIn October 2008, Zoos SA hosted WAZA’s 63rd annual conference.This important international gathering debated the themeChanging Climate …. Changing Zoos and discussed the conservationchallenges of climate change. As an adjunct of this conference wealso hosted the International Zoo Educators conference (IZE) and the2008 Conservation Breeding Specialist Group’s Annual Conference(CBSG). With up to 400 delegates from across the globe, Zoos SA wasable to showcase not only both properties but our conservation work,which achieved international media coverage.Part of Zoos SA’s charter is to work with community organisations,and again this year we worked with a range of community groups,including PARAQUAD SA, with a successful special entry day for 1000of their clients. Up to 2000 members of the Play Group Associationenjoyed a day at Adelaide Zoo. The Special Children’s Christmas Partyattracted 4000 disadvantaged children in December.Other community festivities continued outside the Zoo grounds,with the Royal Adelaide Show, Womadelaide and the launch of theSA Murray River Guide in Rundle Mall where we hosted displays. Wewere involved in the Waterhouse Club Annual Art Exhibition whereChris West was the guest speaker, and we auctioned off one of ourChimpanzees’ paintings, the Fringe Festival Parade and our annualGoing Ape at the Zoo sell-out comedy program.Some of the new marketing campaigns have resulted in not onlyexcellent visitation to both properties but also a lot of media attention.Aiming to highlight the plight of Orang-utans, we invited red headsinto the Zoo for free, which attracted international media coverage.We celebrated the 130-year anniversary of Adelaide Zoo by runninga new series of TV advertisements on Channel 7, which was alsosupported by a web-based competition entitled My Zoo Memories.Our value-added experiences were the focus of a new campaignacross Adelaide Any closer, you’ll be dinner, resulting in excellentbookings for the Behind-the-Scenes programs.At Monarto we partied for the October school holidays to celebratethe lion cubs’ birthday, surprising lots of visitors as the cubs receiveddaily birthday packages.After the Flamingo bashing incident at Adelaide Zoo, we were quickto respond with a promotion to promote animal adoption, whichachieved a new list of Zoo foster parents.The Westpac Envirodome Where Conservation Comes Alive was thefocus of our marketing for Adelaide Zoo from March; the quirkybillboard campaign with the animals climbing off the page resultedin excellent attendances to the Zoo.Monarto Zoo attendances continued to fluctuate from month tomonth with the weather being an issue - the Zoo closed on the veryhot days in January. Our branding campaign Walk on the Wild Sidecommunicated the “walking” and Zu-loop options the Zoo now offers.In the cooler months we took a three-month weather sponsorshipon MIXFM promoting Monarto Zoo - where the weather is always fineto keep the property top of mind.Monarto Zoo was fortunate to have lots of babies born, and ourcampaigns focused on the lion cubs and baby rhino. When the rhinoescape – widely known as Satura’s big day - hit the headlines, wecaptured people’s attention with a Randy Rhino campaign, resultingin a lot of Behind-the-Scenes bookings to meet the rhinos and anincrease in visitation to the Zoo.Communications and Partnerships - 1 of 2