Director's Den - Henry Vilas Zoo

International PartnershipZoo Director Ronda Schwetz' meaningfulconservation trip to BorneoZoo Director Ronda Schwetz recently returned from a three week trip to Borneo to helpthe orangutan rehabilitation centers of Matang Wildlife Centre and Ketapang Centre. Thetrip had several goals; to donate medical supplies desperately needed by the community(four suitcases full!), to teach a workshop and provide training to staff from Matang andthe Sarawak Forestry Department, and finally, to help build a much needed sun bearenrichment platform. This new structure provides shade, resting spots and enrichment toMatang’s sun bears.It was an amazing experience as Ronda lead 13 AZA professional staff overseas on thistrip for the fifth year of this program. The group included two veterinarians (includingDr. Christine Nelson of Wisconsin who is staying a year at Ketapang), several orangutankeepers and curators from zoos across the country and facilities professional JoeMyszkowski from Henry Vilas Zoo. It was incredibly well received by our partners inBorneo and we have been asked to return to continue the partnership next year. We alsohope to host a keeper from these sites at our institution in the coming year.These overseas efforts are vitally important. They allow us to continue Henry Vilas Zoo'smission to conserve and protect animal species both here and abroad, and to developrelationships with conservation partners from all over the world.Pictured Left: Henry Vilas Zoo Director Ronda Schwetz with facilities professional Joe Myszkowski and the greatlyneeded medical supplies they donated to the local community.Pat Giesfeldt Celebrates 25Years of Volunteering at the ZooPat Giesfeldt loves interacting with people and helping themdiscover animals, and feels strongly about conservation.Volunteering as a Education Docent was a natural fit for herwith her background as a teacher. Pat particularly likes workingwith animals that people widely deem as scary or ‘gross’, such astarantulas and millipedes. This gives her an opportunity to dispelsome misconceptions about these animals and often, after peoplehave watched her interact with the animals, they want to learnabout them and interact with them themselves.Pat began by volunteering on summer weekends, sharinginformation about Education Animals such as a boa constrictor oran alpaca with Zoo guests in the Children’s Zoo. By her 3 rd year, shewas both volunteering and teaching summer Zoo School. Thirteenyears ago, Pat even changed her work schedule around to spendmore time at the Zoo as the Friday Day Captain—a role she stillfills today. As a Day Captain, she commits to being at the Zoofor bleacher programs, mentors new volunteers, and is the leadvolunteer responsible for ensuring that animal care and handlingpolicies and procedures are followed on her day of the week.Now retired from teaching,Pat’s dedication to helpingpeople understand andappreciate the naturalworld is reflected in hervolunteer and professionalwork at the Zoo inaddition to Olbrich Botanical Gardens, the UW Arboretum, MMSDSchool Forest, and Cherokee Marsh. Pat particularly enjoys workingwith new docents because she “likes getting people excited abouttalking with people about animals.” Her favorite advice to newdocents is to approach Zoo guests with a fun fact to get theminterested rather than waiting for them to ask questions. Forinstance, Madagascar hissing cockroaches are “nature’s recyclers.”Doesn’t that make you want to know more?If you want to know more about how to becomean Education Docent, contact Friends of the Zoo atvolunteer@vilaszoo.org.4