Archive for October 2010

Oct
29

Rhino’s Return Series: Rhino’s Loaded…at Last!!!

Posted by in African Forest,Endangered Species,Rhinos

Johannesburg, here we come!

At long last, the day we had been planning for dawned, along with a feeling of uneasy deja vu for us!  But this time, the crates were ready, Louis had his team ready to switch the containers, and the veterinarians would be on hand to help load the rhinos and sign the last minute paper work.

We we once again packed our bags and tried occupy ourselves through the morning, hoping against hope that all would go according to plan this time! We would be loading the rhinos in the evening and driving six hours through the night to Johannesburg in order to be there at 8:00 AM to check the rhinos in for their first flight. Driving at night served several purposes.  We wanted to minimize the amount of time that the rhinos would be in their shipping containers, and it’s cooler to drive at night which is much more comfortable for the rhinos.  Aside from the normal road hazards we were also worried about hitting traffic if we arrived too late in the morning. Johannesburg  is infamous for having the worst traffic in the world, and the last thing we needed was for any hitch in our journey to be because of a traffic jam!

There was one more critical point to the ground transport.  I have previously mentioned the poaching situation in Africa.  Literally every rhino on the continent of Africa is in danger from poaching.  Rhino horn is unfortunately extremely valuable on the black market so people will go to great lengths and take huge risks because the payoff is so big.  Rhinos have even been hijacked and poached during translocation transports like ours.  This is obviously dangerous to the people transporting the rhinos as well as to the rhinos themselves. Louis wasn’t taking any chances. Traveling at night when there was less traffic meant that not only could we travel faster, but less people would be around to wonder what was in our containers.  There are many international regulations that determine how crates must be marked during transport by air, including “Live Animal” labels and also labels indicating the contents of the container.  Large “Rhino on Board” labels aren’t exactly subtle.  Louis was adamant that we  not mark the containers until we were safely inside the cargo area at the airport behind locked gates.  Until then our containers would just be three more non-descript shipping containers driving down the highway.

Thankfully, for once, the catch this night was that there was no catch.  Louis’ crew is expert at moving animals.  It was fun and exciting to watch them riding on the crates and chains as they swapped out the trainer containers for the shipping containers. The rhinos were given some more of the “happy drugs” that we used when we moved them down from their quarantine boma and they went into their crates without too much fuss. The crates were then loaded onto the flatbed trucks and secured for the journey. The whole process took about four hours, but finally we were ready.

Here is some video of the shipping containers being moved into place.  Quite the production!

The HZI team loaded luggage and all of Dan’s camera gear into our rented vehicle that seemed to get smaller with each bag that we stuffed in, and at 9:15 PM we pulled out of Ngongoni Lodge  and were finally, at last, after much ado, on the road with our three rhinos!

Wonder what's in those crates?

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Oct
27

Chimp Update: The Great Outdoors

Posted by in African Forest,Behind the Scenes,Chimpanzees

Finally, after years of planning and months of construction, the time has come to open the door. This would be the chimps’ first glimpse at their 18,000 square foot outdoor exhibit. We spent several weeks discussing what the plan would be for letting them out, as this is a bit more complicated than people might think.

As many of you know, we have 10 chimpanzees and while it would fun to just open the door and let them go outside, there are a few concerns we have to consider. First, if all 10 go out at once, they might be a little tough to keep track of and we want to watch closely these first few days. Its possible that one of the animals might get scared or they might break something we thought was chimp-proof so we need might need to get them back in quickly. Its also possible they might refuse to come inside. By leaving part of the group inside, there is more motivation for them to come back in when we ask.

So in the end, we decided that Lucy, Lulu and Willie were the right candidates for the inaugural events. What did they think? Just watch.

This was just day one – more updates on the chimps and how we get them to come back inside are coming soon.

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Oct
22

Rhinos Return Series: Rhino’s Rescheduled

Posted by in African Forest,Endangered Species,Rhinos

A few more hurdles as the team scrambles to reschedule the rhino’s air transport!

When last I posted, it was about 4:30 AM, Africa time.  We were exhausted, disappointed and frustrated.  Even when the shipping containers finally arrived, they weren’t actually finished!  They only had a coat of primer on them and would need to be partially dismantled and have three coats of paint applied.  With the next possible flight only two days away, there really was no time to lose.

After a few hours of exhausted sleep, Louis, the translocation manager, mobilized his team to complete the containers while the Houston Zoo team headed into town to begin communication with Johannesburg and Houston about rescheduling our flight.  Planes large enough to carry three rhinos don’t exactly leave every few hours!  Our only windows of opportunity were Mondays or Wednesdays and after missing our Monday flight we were hoping to get on the Wednesday flight.

Translocation Manager Louis and Joe Kalla check out the not-quite-finished transport containers.

Unfortunately, our hopes of a Wednesday flight were soon dashed.  The planes were full.  While disappointed, we weren’t overly surprised by this news given the months of planning it took to get this project coordinated in the first place.  To add to the stress of the rhino move, we all began making calls home to spouses, pet sitters and friends who were expecting us.  There were kids that needed care, pet tortoises that needed to come inside before the evenings got too cool in Houston, weddings that would be missed…..our own logistics seemed as complicated as moving rhinos from Africa!

Eventually things looked good for the following Monday. We set a time line for painting the shipping containers, switching them with the training containers, loading rhinos and setting off  for Johannesburg the following Sunday evening.

But our planning wasn’t quite over yet.  In addition to the logistics of physically moving the rhinos, Dr. Joe had to go through all the permitting paperwork again and determine what needed to be redone.  Some permits are good for 30 days, while others only last a week, and still others need to be signed as the animals are loading.  Some of this paperwork needed to be completed by a veterinarian licensed in South Africa and some required the signature of the Mpumalanga state veterinarian. (Mpumalanga is the beautiful South African state where we were staying.) By this point the South African vets were on speed dial on our cell phone!

At last things were once again on track and we suddenly had a week in Africa on our hands.  Of course, if one has to be stuck somewhere, Africa is not a bad place.  What to do?  As fate would have it, a veterinarian that Joe K. and I used to work with at our former institution, and that Dr. Joe has known from many years of being in the zoo vet field was actually in Africa, working in Kruger National Park. Joe K. put in a call to Dr. Michelle and we were soon on our way to Kruger, only about an hours drive away.

We had many adventures in our short time at Kruger Park and saw evidence of poaching for ourselves, which is definitely a story for another blog.  It was good for us mentally to decompress for a day and we were starting to feel more relaxed and pragmatic about the rhino transport… Here’s a picture of the Houston Zoo Africa Team looking much happier!

HZI Africa Team: Dan Breton, Dr Joe Flanagan, Beth Schaefer and Joe Kalla

How short lived that was!  It may be no surprise to those of  you who have been following along with our story that fate was not quite finished with us yet.  We got a call from Houston that I truly thought was a joke at first.  Sharon Joseph, VP of Animal Operations, was calling to let us know that we actually weren’t going on the flight next Monday.   I had to hear it several times before I believed that she wasn’t having a bit of fun with us.  The flight from Johannesburg to Amsterdam had space available, but the connection from Amsterdam to Houston did not have cargo space available for our three rhinos.

This time, a deep breath wasn’t going to do it.  This latest disappointment called for drastic action.  We went for “Sundowners”* with Dr Michelle and the other Kruger veterinarians.

Dr Joe & Joe K enjoying Sundowners with Dr Michelle and the Kruger Park veterinarians.

Visitors at our Sundowner celebration

* Sundowners are cocktails and hoers d’ oeuvres in the bush, on the savanna or by a hippo pool, where wildlife can be seen up close and personal.  The rules in Kruger National Park are that you can’t get out of your car because of the danger of being charged by a hippo or eaten by a lion.  When it comes to Sundowners, however, the rules are somewhat flexible.  If you get out of your car and you get eaten by a lion, then the park has no responsibility.  It’s your own fault for getting out of your car in the first place.  This adds an element of danger and excitement to the Sundowner celebration.  Fortunately, we didn’t get eaten.

Editors note: When the Houston Zoo team set off on what we called an adventure, little did we know just how accurate that would be! Their misfortune has become a splendid story, as many of you have been telling us. If you can’t wait for what happens next, check back for Beth’s next blog post!

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Oct
19

Mysteries of the Komodo Dragon

Posted by in Reptiles

There’s a new book out called Mysteries of the Komodo Dragon, by Marty Crump, Ph.D.  Ff you’re a reptile lover or have visited the Houston Zoo, chances are you’ll recognize one very special dragon featured within its pages — our very own Smaug!

Geared toward 9-11 year-olds, but certain to interest any dragon lover, this book is devoted entirely to the subject. It’s no wonder why — dragons have long inspired myths and legends and been the stuff of folklore for centuries. In modern day, they have scientists equally intrigued because the germs found in their mouths can be both deadly and contain microbes that “may lead to cures for stubborn diseases.”

Smaug, Komodo dragon extraordinaire, poses with the book that features him.

The  world’s largest lizard, the Komodo can weigh up to 200 pounds, be as long as 10 feet, and lives only in a certain area of Indonesia called the Lesser Sunda Islands.  How fantabulous then, that you can visit with Smaug right here, in your own town, at the Houston Zoo!!  You can find the handsome devil just to the right of the Reptile House entry doors.

And if you’re looking for the book, it’s available a mere hop, skip and a jump from our Smaugs’  habitat… at the Zoo ‘s gift shop (members receive 10% discount).  And, a portion of the proceeds from this book will go to the Komodo Survival Program.

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Oct
17

Rhinos Return Series: Rhino’s Delay

Posted by in Rhinos

What happens when things don’t go according to plan on he other side of the globe?  Our team in South Africa was about to find out!

We are getting very close to our transport date now.  On Thursday I collect Joe K. and Dr Joe from the airport.  We are also joined by Dan Breton, a film maker, who has done some very cool work for the zoo.  Check out his work – the video of the cobra in the Reptile House – next time you are at the zoo.  One of my favorites!

The next day we say goodbye to Laurie McGivern as she heads home to make sure the new barn is ready for the arrival of our three rhinos.

Dr Joe and Joe K. work on finishing the last minute paperwork for the transport.  The amount of planning and logistics that go into an international transport is mind boggling.  Months upon months of paperwork and applications on both continents.

We have some scrambling to do which involves mad dashes into town to get faxes and emails sent before offices close for the weekend, but by late Friday afternoon everything is in order and we’re feeling prepared for the trip.

Our top priority is that the rhinos do well during transport and arrive safely at the zoo, but before that can happen, we are still waiting on their containers.  Saturday arrives and we hear the crane truck and trailer headed off to Johannesburg before dawn.  Perfect!  The containers will be here by tonight.

As the day goes on, we burn off nervous energy with some wildlife viewing and finding busy work on our laptops.  We are confident that the containers will arrive that night.  Through dinner we listen anxiously for the trucks so that we’ll know the containers are here and we can relax.  Nothing.  As the evening wears on we grow increasingly tired of jumping up and exclaiming “I think I hear a truck!!”,  only to realize it’s a car on the lower road.  As we finally head to bed the containers still haven’t materialized.  Yet we are still assured that everything is on schedule. Not to worry.

If one MUST work in Africa, this isn't a bad spot to do it!

Sunday morning dawns….no containers.  Sunday afternoon approaches….no containers.  Things are not looking good.  Here in Africa, there is something that we have dubbed “tortoise time.” While this can be good when you are on vacation, this transport has taken on a huge sense of urgency.

This day is getting very long and as the appointed loading time comes and goes we are pacing the floor, making a lot of phone calls and trying to deny that sinking feeling.  Through all of this we are told that we will still accomplish the loading and get to Johannesburg by 8:00 AM.

After pacing anxiously until until 1 AM I was finally able to speak to the truck driver on his cell phone and he tells me he’s had delays on the road but will be here soon.  We opt for a couple of hours of sleep since there really is nothing more to do.  The sound of the truck arriving at 4 AM wakes us.  At this moment we all know we’re not going home today.

As you can imagine, there are many more phone calls, including waking people in Johannesburg on their cell phones at a ridiculously early pre-dawn hour.  This was definitely not the best day of my career.  Time for a deep breath and regrouping.

We humans may be stressing out just a bit at this point, but the rhinos continue to munch and snooze happily in their bomas, completely unaware of the drama unfolding around them.  Hakuna matata in their opinion! No worries!

Nothing like a "Hakuna Matata" sunset to help you forget the day's cares!


Editors note: What happens next? Come back for the next installment of Rhinos Return to find out! If you are enjoying Beth’s series, please leave her a comment below and share this with your friends on your Facebook or Twitter account by clicking on the little logos below and left!

Oct
16

Meet The Staff: Lynn Killam

Posted by in Behind the Scenes,Meet the Staff,Primates

Lynn Killam

Hometown: New York, NY

Lynn just outside of Wortham World of Primates

Section: Primates Supervisor- I supervise the Orangutans, Lemurs, Tamarins, Mandrills and Guenons, Gibbons and Babirusa.

Quote: “The assumption that animals are without rights and the illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance is a positively outrageous example of crudity and barbarity.  Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality.” — Arthur Schopenhauer

Favorite animal: The orangutans, but I have a special affinity for Kelly.  She is so intelligent and very challenging. I have been working with her since she was 8, and she is now almost 30 years old.

 Animals you train: I train the orangutans for fun and for behind the scenes tours.

 Special Interests/ Hobbies: I love to travel.  I have been to Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Peru, Madagascar, Borneo, and Sri Lanka.

Interesting Facts: I love to volunteer.  I have volunteered at Hermann Hospital NICU (Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit) with premature babies, have done hospice patient care, and I am traveling to Utah this summer to volunteer at Best Friends Animal Society with their pot-bellied pigs.

How long have you been in the animal care field and what institutions did you work at prior to coming to the Houston Zoo?
I have been working at zoos about 35 years.  I worked at the Bronx Zoo for 4 years in the Children’s Zoo.  We had wild boar and domestic piglets and that is where I fell in love with pigs. After that I worked at the Philadelphia Zoo for 2 ½ years as a relief keeper, so I was able to work in every department.  I started out at the Houston Zoo nearly 29 years ago in the Small Mammal department (now Natural Encounters).  I transferred to the Primate Department in 1988, and became a supervisor in 1991.

What made you want to be a zookeeper?
When I was a child, my mother took me to the Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn almost every day.  From the time that I could articulate it, I knew I wanted to be a zookeeper.  I was designing Sea Lion habitats when I was 3 years old.

What is your previous education/training?
I attended Hunter College, majoring in Physical Anthropology, for about four years.  I became impatient because I wanted to become a zookeeper, so I quit.  I wouldn’t suggest that to anyone now!
 
What sort of advice would you give to anyone wanting to enter the zoo field?
Volunteer first; get your hands-on animal experience.  This job is not for everyone, so find out if you like it first.  Also, get your degree!

Kelly, the orangutan

What is your favorite animal story?
That is an easy one!  When Kelly was having her first baby (Luna) in 1997 I was the only staff member with her at the time.  It happened right in front of my eyes and I will never forget it.  All of the sudden she stood up and gave birth and we were both simultaneously surprised!  I was shocked because I didn’t know exactly when it was going to happen, and she was amazed because she had never done this before.  Her instincts immediately took over and she cleaned the baby off, and the baby quickly started breathing and crying.  It is difficult to describe the feeling for me, as there were so many emotions at once, but I will never forget that moment.
Written by Tina Carpenter, Keeper, Children’s Zoo

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Oct
13

Rhinos Return Series: Container Trainer

Posted by in African Forest,Endangered Species,Rhinos

Today’s installment is about the next step in preparing the rhinos for their trip to Houston. It’s all very exciting to know the rhinos are that much closer to their new home in The African Forest! Read on…

The next task for Laurie and I before Joe Kalla and Dr. Joe arrive tomorrow is to start the container training so our three rhinos are as calm and comfortable as we can make them on the trip to Houston.

The rhinos did so well on their move to the new boma area that we wasted no time starting the container acclimation. That afternoon we put their hay on the ramp leading into each of their containers.  All three went over, peered into the container and began munching away!  I suppose I should make it seem that this job took a bit of time, but really, the rhinos have cooperated so well that I’m beginning to feel a bit superfluous! 

The very next morning we put their hay in the container.  With only a cursory look around the rhinos all went right in and began munching like they’d been doing it their whole lives!  Rhinos container trained — check!

Our rhinos felt quite at ease when in their travel crates.

By the next day the rhinos were going in and out of them, even if there was no food.  They also know that’s were yummy munchies appear… so if one of them wanders into their container, the other two hear it and go into theirs as well!  This bodes very well for their comfort level during transport.

Speaking of containers, the next hurdle is that our transport versions arrive on time.  The containers we are using for training are identical to the ones that they will travel in except for a catch pan underneath for urine.  The airlines have recently changed their regulations to require this pan.  For some reason they don’t want rhino urine running across the floor of their planes!  Our containers had to be specially manufactured in Johannesburg and they are not quite finished yet.  We are assured that they will be here by Saturday evening though.  We need to load on Sunday evening and drive through the night to be at the airport in Johannesburg by 8:00 Monday morning.  Reserving space for three rhinos on a cargo plane is no easy feat, so there really is no margin for error!

Written by Beth Schaefer

You can read the entire exciting  Rhinos Return Series by clicking rhinos in the category list to the right of this page.

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Oct
06

Rhinos Return Series: Meet Our Trio

Posted by in African Forest,Endangered Species,Rhinos

RHINOS!!

This morning we met our three new rhinos for the first time.  They’re fantastic!  The three of them were a bit unsure at first about having people with North American accents around — and women at that!  I’m sure we appeared strange to them since they have only been cared for by men.

They soon realized that we were no threat  and came over for a sniff.  Here are some pictures of them in their bomas.

One of our female white rhinos in the boma

The other of our two ladies

Our handsome male says hello

They are all in fine shape and are adjusting well.  Tomorrow we will move them down to a different set of bomas where their travel crates have been set up.  We’ll begin getting them used to the crates, and eating and drinking in them so that it’s a familiar place when we set off for Houston.

You’ll want to stay tuned for that blog as the process involves walking them down the hill… and apparently Laurie and I have been enlisted to help with this.  Wish us luck!

Written by Beth Schaefer

As Beth asks, tune in for the next blog post in this series.

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