The Keeper
The American Association of Zoo Keepers
San Diego Chapter
Quarterly Newsletter – Spring 2010
President’s Message
By Yvette Kemp, SD AAZK President
We are staring 2010 with a few changes to our chapter.
The first and most important is our membership status. As I mentioned in our last newsletter, how our members will be categorized has changed. We now only have 2 types of membership: San Diego AAZK members and San Diego AAZK supporters. Our San Diego AAZK membership means that not only are you a local San Diego AAZK member, but you are ALSO an AAZK national member. Our San Diego AAZK supports are those who are only local AAZK members. Both memberships entitle you to our newsletter and regular SD AAZK events. But the SD AAZK membership also entitles you to vote during elections and free entry to any of our special events.
The second change is to our website. Thanks to the generosity of local digital marketing agency Geary Interactive (), we are changing the look of our website. Geary Interactive had volunteered their services to produce our website for the 2011 conference. They then also offered to change the look and update our local website. Unfortunately we will be losing the website expertise of our web keeper Barry Fass-Holmes, who was key in our technological growth. We’d like to thank Barry for his years of patience and hard work on our website and newsletter; we will always be grateful. It couldn’t have happened without him!
A third change has to do with FaceBook and Twitter. San Diego AAZK now has a Facebook page. Become a fan by going to San Diego American Association of Zoo Keepers. You can also get twitter updates. Check it out!
And last but not least, we are looking for board members. Actually we are looking for members willing to assist and join the board as part of conference committees. We have already started working on conference details (yes, it is in August of 2011) and would love your input. Come to the next Conference Board meeting on February 11, 4:00 pm, at the Zoo’s Warner building large conference to learn more!
We look forward to seeing and hearing from you.
A WAP Photo Caravan Experience
By Brooke Brun, SD AAZK Member
The AAZK Photo Caravan tour, offered every October to San Diego AAZK members, was an amazing and educational experience.This was the first time I went on the tour and I can’t wait to go back and share this adventure with my family and friends.
I haven’t been to the WildAnimalPark in about 10 years, so it was great to be able to see the animals in such a large and natural enclosure.It was also nice to be able to observe how the different animals interact with each other as well as within their own groups.We went just before sunset, so the weather was perfect and the lighting was ideal for pictures.However, the best part was being able to have contact with the giraffes.It was such an incredible feeling, and they are such gentle giants.I have never been that close to them and did not realize how large they actually are.
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and was great at answering all of our questions. I felt lucky to be part of such a great tour and truly believe everyone should share this experience.
SD AAZK would like to thank Bob McClure, WAP Director, the WAP Mammal Department, and the WAP guides for their generosity, experience, and knowledge. The photo caravan is a great experience that we are lucky to share with AAZK members.
Dunk Tank Fundraiser
By Matthew Akel, SD AAZK VP
On September eleventh, our San Diego AAZK Chapter held a dunk tank fundraiser at CampTimbuktu at the San Diego Zoo. This much anticipated event drew in employees from almost every department.
While some throwers prepared by stopping by an ATM to withdraw their paycheck to dunk a manager, others set up targets to practice at off site locations. With the water inside the tank starting off crisp and clean, it quickly darkened as each dunkee lined up to endure their fate...some choosing to wear their dirty uniforms!
Many chose to purchase the “Guaranteed Dunk” ticket which enabled them to walk up and tap the target releasing their victim into the frigid tank of “payback.” Among the dunkees was Dr. Tracy Clippinger who challenged throwers to dunk her several times in order for our AAZK chapter to receive $100. Despite the lack of success from throwers, Dr. Clippinger still donated the money to our chapter for the 2011 National AAZK Conference! THANKS TRACY!
Dunkees chose to step up their game this year by taunting the crowd. Wearing a panda mask and sporting a stuffed panda, Gaylene Thomas warned everyone to be “VERY QUIET” when driving through panda canyon…hence, incurring an onslaught of softballs. Pat Whitman and Joop Kuhn chose to fight back and bombard throwers with water balloons attempting to distract them and delay their fall into the murky water below. Many dunkees had a line waiting to remind them of all the times they had been given extra projects, counseling notices, and more.
All in all, the event was a great success, raising $1,321 that Friday afternoon. Thanks to all of the dunkees below as well as everyone who came to support our AAZK Chapter’s fundraiser!
Dunkees: Amy Flanagan, Bob Dillon, Carmi Penny, Curby Simerson, David Page, Gaylene Thomas, Geoff Pye, John Dunlap, Joop Kuhn, Kevin Haupt, Matt Akel, Michael Letzring, Pat Morris, Pat Witman, Robert Cisneros, Ted Molter, Tracy Clippinger.
Bowling for Rhinos - 2009 Update
By Kymberlee Nelson, SD AAZK Fundraising Coordinator
Everyone knows that Bowling for Rhinos raises money for rhino conservation but do you know where that money actually goes?
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy has become one of the most successful rhino sanctuaries in all of Africa and that success is due in part to the great support BFR provides. We were lucky enough to have Ian Craig, the founder of Lewa, visit the Zoo earlier this year and if you heard him speak then you know how often he mentioned AAZK and thanked us for our support! Lewa has operating costs of $2.3million and uses the money donated each year from BFR to help cover them. New vehicles are always needed as the terrain is very rough and hard on the jeeps. We have helped to purchase an aircraft, which has aided their research and tracking efforts immensely, and we can’t forget the salaries and training costs of all the guards who protect the sanctuary and help to keep the rhinos safe!
In Indonesia, Ujung Kulon (UJ) depends on our donations to help fund the training and support of Rhino Patrol Units and pay for maintenance of buildings and equipment. Bukit Barisan Selatan (BBS) will use our funds to help with the costs of training more anti-poaching teams and getting them to strategic locations. BFR has also partnered with the newly formed Indonesian Rhino Conservation Program (IRCP) by allowing extra funds from UJ and BBS to be used for priority programs as determined by the IRCP.
Each year, the first $160,000 raised goes directly to Lewa. Additional monies are divided as follows:
International Rhino Foundation (Indonesian programs)50%
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy 40%
Cheetah Conservation Fund Kenya 8%
AAZK Inc. Resources 2%
As most of you are aware, the San Diego AAZK Chapter did not hold a dedicated BFR event this year. Instead our fundraising efforts have been focused on holding a successful National Conference. Our chapter did however make a donation of $413.30, 10% of monies raised at Bowling for Professional Excellence, to BFR. For most of our long-term members you are sure to be thinking that $413.30 could not possibly be 10% of our total! In past years our bowling event has generated an average of $15,000, unfortunately this was not the case with this year’s event and not only did our conference budget suffer but our donation to BFR was about a third of what it should have been! Despite the poor showing this year, our chapter’s total donation is now $148,038.32! We are still one of the top contributing chapters and we hope to keep this title in the years to come. AAZK has raised over $230,000 in 2009 andhopes to see this total rise to $250,000 by year’s end! BFR has now raised nearly $3.5 million for rhino conservation and I just want to take one final chance to remind you that none of this money would have been possible without the national efforts of AAZK and National AAZK would not exist if there were no national conference!
The San Diego Chapter looks forward to contributing to rhino conservation for years to come and we hope to have your support at next year’s bowling event!
Get To Know Contest and Conservation Conversations
By Laurie Brogan, SD AAZK Secretary
On Friday, September 28, I was able to attend 2 conservation events with 2 very different themes. The 1st event was the Robert Bateman “Get to Know”contest at the NationalHistoryMuseum. Robert Bateman is a celebrated Canadian wildlife artist and naturalist. In 1999, he founded the Get-to-Know program. His philosophy behind the program is that “caring begins with knowing.” He believes that the first step toward instilling in young Canadians a desire to conserve biodiversity is to encourage youths to go outdoors, to “get to know” their wild neighbors, and then to share their experience by creating works of art or writing and entering them in a contest. The contest is open to any Canadians youths, age 19 and under. The grand prize winners will receive their entry published in the Robert Bateman contest calendar and distributed throughout Canada.
Robert Bateman’s newest challenge? Introducing the United States to this wonderful program! Starting September 26, 2009 he launched the National Public Lands Day. It was open to all US residents 18 years or younger who were able to enter artwork, digital photography, or writings. The contest endedNovember 30, 2009 and just like in Canada, the grand prize winners had their entry published in the Robert Bateman calendar and distributed throughout California!
The San Diego Natural History Museum was proud to launch this historic and unprecedented international collaboration effort to reconnect young people with nature through the arts. There were speakers from the Deputy Chief of the US Forest Service, to the Executive Director of Sempra. Even a local marine wildlife artist you might recognize by the many buildings throughout San Diego that depict the marine life in and around our oceans was there. Yes, Wyland! The event was MC’d by Loren Nancarrow, our own local evening news weather guy! All of these different individuals and organizations agree that getting kids involved at a young age in learning and caring about wildlife and ecosystems around them is THE path to conserving and saving our collective future on Earth.
There are many organizations affiliated with the “Get-to-Know” program. I will list just a few: the National Wildlife Federation, the US Fish and Wildlife service, the US Forrest Service, the San Diego Zoo, REI, and the newest affiliate? Drum roll please! The American Association of Zoo Keepers!
After hearing the wonderful speakers and seeing all of the young children that were there learning to paint from Wyland, all I can say isthat I am proud to have our AAZK listed as an affiliate of the Robert Bateman Get-To-Know contest!
If you wish to learn more about this program go to
If you wish to learn more about Wyland and his foundation then go to
The second event of that day was at SeaWorld. Boy, what an ending to a glorious day! Not only were there three world class speakers but we had animal encounters. We were able to touch a Magellantic penguin, saw a southern ground hornbill fly, were greeted by a very talkative cockatoo and met sugar gliders! About the only one missing was Shamu, but she had a previous engagement. Here’s a short write-up of the event and speakers:
Mauro Lucherini, Andean CatAlliance – Dr. Lucherini, a native of Argentina, discussed the Andean Cat Alliance studies and built awareness for the conservation of the elusive Andean cat (Oreailurus jacobita). How can a scientist study an animal he rarely, if ever, sees?
Dr. Greg Rasmussen and Peter Blintson, Painted Dog Conservation – Rasmussen and Blinston’s work with wild painted dogs (Lycaon pictus) was recently featured on Animal Planet. Their multi-faceted program has doubled the number of painted dogs in Zimbabwe and raised the status of the dogs to a national treasure. Find out more at
Rosamira Guillen, Proyecto Titi – Leads the effort to protect the critically endangered, cotton top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus) – a monkey that only weighs about one pound. Guillen helps local communities work together to save this adorable forest monkey. Visit for more information.
SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Animal Ambassador Julie Scardina hosted the program and she brought along some of her animal friends for us to meet up close and personal.
It was truly amazing to hear each speaker talk about the species that they are studying. Dr. Mauro Lucherini said that in all of the years he has been part of the Andean Cat Alliance, he has never actually seen the cat he is studying, other than a picture taken from a motion detector camera. It’s hard to tell a lot from the picture, the Andean cat is only about the size of our average house cat. Its tail is twice its size, which helps to balance it as it chases after prey in the high mountain areas. Dr. Mauro also spoke about the rough living condition for the scientists. At such high elevations, they can only stay as long as 3 months! Any longer and they suffer the effects of high altitude sickness, including weight and muscle mass loss.
The Painted Dog Conservation was originally established as Painted Dog Research in 1992 by Gregory Rasmussen with help from Dr. Peter Blintson. During the first two years the human-induced carnage from snares, shooting and road kills accounted for 95% of all dog mortalities. “Early public presentations showed prejudice and ignorance and it was clear that unless this situation was addressed, the species could become extinct. The initial emphasis was to identify the critical issues and develop a pragmatic and holistic strategy that would make a substantial, lasting contribution to Painted Dogs, nature conservation and, most important, to the lives of the local people”.
Like the previous speakers, Rosamira Guillen spoke with passion about the animals she has been studying since 1985. The cotton-top tamarins are an endangered species of primate found only in the tropical forests of Colombia. Weighing about 1 pound, this tiny monkey needs our help in order to survive. Proyecto Tití is a conservation program that works to study cotton-top tamarins in their tropical forest habitat as well as educating local communities about the need to protect the biodiversity of Colombia. But, to make conservation economically feasible for many local communities, they have developed some innovative strategies to empower local people to get involved and benefit from conservation activities.
All thought each speaker may be studying a different animal in a different natural environment, each emphasized the importance of working with the local villagers and governments. Without the support of the locals, saving the wildlife and the wild areas WILL NEVER HAPPEN. If it is a choice between feeding their families, then they will cut the forests down for heat and kill the animals to feed their family. Now, unlike in the past, more and more conservation organizations realize that they must involve the children. For just like the Robert Bateman’s program, each understands that the best chance anyone has of saving our existing wildlife and wild areas from extinction comes from getting the children involved. For they hold the key to this planets’ survival. And not just in exotic far-away places, but right here in the good old United States!
I have always counted myself lucky to be able to spend my life working in the animal profession. There is so much to learn from working with captivity birds. But to hear these folks talk, to see the passion that they obviously have for the wildlife they care for…. sometimes I wonder, is it too late for me to leave the “safety” and the security of the San Diego Zoo and go off to some exotic place to help conserve wildlife? Guess I’ll have to give that a little more thought.