ocelots web-based presentation · g dear ocelots, i hope you are all doing well and are safe and...

IMPORTANT NOTICE!As you know our April Dinner Meeting was cancelled and there is a good possibility that the June Dinner will also have to be cancelled. Your Steering Committee feels that it is very impor-tant that we stay connected during this time of isolation. To do that we have decided to provide a web-based presentation. This will allow you to keep social distancing by staying at home but still stay connected to the Ocelots.

The details will be coming soon in a program announcement. There will be no cost for this, however, you may wish to contribute to the Grants Program ( page 10) or the Critical Needs Program detailed on (page 2) in lieu of the dinner cost.

Unfortunately, we have not found a way to deliver the meal to you, but at least this way you can have all the wine you want with dinner! And no line at the bar!

Apr/May 2020The Oceletter

In This IssueA special Announcement from David Wu . . . . . . . 2A Note From The Head Ocelot . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Mark Your Calendars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Review of Our Last Dinner Meeting . . . . . . . . 5Meet Your Steering Committee . . . . . . . . . . . 7Grants Program Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Ocelots Hop to It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Grants in Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13About the Ocelots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Ocelots Web-based Presentation When: Thursday, May 7, 2020 5:00-6:00 pm Who: Amanda Lussier What: Bounding Back From The Brink; Bighorn sheep of the Peninsular Ranges (Ovis canadensis nelsoni)

Our MissionThe Ocelots enthusiastically

support the efforts of the Zoological Society of

San Diego through active involvement, commitment to

education, and fund-raising.

Visit our website http://www.sandiegozoo.org/society/ocelots.html

A special Announcement from David Wu Chief Develoment and Membership Officer, SDZG

Dear Ocelots,

I hope you are all doing well and are safe and healthy.

As we face the challenges of COVID-19, our dedicated team of wildlife specialists and horticulturists continue to care for the plants and animals that rely on us every day at the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park.

As part of our family, the Ocelots have a unique opportunity to help us during this critical time. I’m writing today to ask for your help with our Critical Needs Campaign which will help with our daily efforts to continue with our mission and save species worldwide. And with that comes a special announcement—an anonymous donor has offered the Ocelots a $10,000 match challenge! When the Ocelots raise $10,000, the donor will then match it with another $10,000 for a total of $20,000! The donor has asked that the funds be raised by May 30th, 2020.

Please know that we are thinking about each and every one of you during this unprecedented time and truly appreciate all your support for our organization.

Sincerely,

David Wu

There are two options to make a tax-deductible donation to the Ocelots 10K Challenge:

1. Online via credit card at our secure link available on the Ocelots 10K Challenge Website: www.sandiegozoo.org/ocelotschallenge

2. Via check made payable to San Diego Zoo Global (with “Ocelots 10K Challenge” in the memo line) and mailed to San Diego Zoo Global, ATTN Sara Weiner, Development Events, 2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego, CA 92101

With the zoo closed and staff working from home, it is not currently possible to reach our Ocelots Advisor, Adviselot Sara Weiner by phone for a credit card payment. If you have problems with the donation website or questions about the Ocelots 10K challenge, email Sara at [email protected].

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/society/ocelots.html

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/ocelotschallenge


A Note From The Head Ocelot By Kim BidermanNHead Ocelot

Several people answered the call of our survey to help The Ocelots.

Babs Soller worked with the following people on what the future of our organization should look like: Barbara Brokaw, Helene Hoffman, Madeline Hunter, Theresa Low, George Molina, Kim Molina, Nancy Phillips, and Wes Potterton.

Alma Miller worked with the following folks on fundraising ideas: Mary Falwell, Theresa Low, Tabby Reed, Mary Stewart, and Lori Vallier.

A bit shout out of THANKS to everyone who volunteered their time and energy to help The Ocelots!

Kim Bidermann



Contribute to the Oceletter!

We invite you to submit articles and photographs for the Oceletter.

All content should be submitted electronically to the Oceletter Editor,

Paul Brooks, at [email protected].

Contact UsThe best way to reach a member of the Steering Committee is to use the following e-mail address: [email protected]

This e-mail account is monitored frequently, and questions can be routed to the member of the Steering Committee who should handle them.

The following people can be reached directly:Kim Bidermann–Head Ocelot (619) 233-7600 [email protected] Theresa Low–Grants/Logo Wear (858) 391-8616 [email protected] Brooks–Oceletter Editor (619) 889-9051 [email protected]

Mark Your Calendars You won’t want to miss a single Ocelots event this year!

May 7: Amanda Lussier—Bighorn sheep, web-based presentation

Please note that these dates, venues, speakers, and topics are tentative and are subject to change. There is construction scheduled for the Children's Zoo and our access to the Zoo Party Area (ZPA) may be affected. Our speakers are staff members of SDZG and their schedules may change necessitating a change in our programs.

Zoo and ParkHappenings

Jun3,4: Mad Night, Safari ParkJun18: Wild Night Out, ZooJun20: R.I.T.Z., ZooJun21—Sep7: Night Time ZooSep 26: Food & Wine CelebrationOct9-11, 16-18, 22-25: HalGloweenNov21—Jan3: Wild Holidays, Park-Dec10: Wild Night Out, ZooDec11—Jan3: Jungle Bells, Zoo

Please note:The Ocelot schedule is currently in flux. In the midst of the Corona Virus crisis we are unsure as to when we will be able to resume our scheduled activities. As soon as San Diego Zoo Global is able to let us know when we will be able to we will schedule and resume our great dinners, special events, and presentations. Please know that your Steering Committee is working to get things back to normal as soon as possible.


http://[email protected]

http://[email protected]

mailto:pbrooksphotos%40hotmail.com?subject=Oceletter


A Review of Our Last Dinner Meeting Members in attendance at the February 13th dinner at Treetops were greeted by a stunning Harris hawk, a reclining opos-sum in a basket, and a calm Solomon Island skink. During the business portion of the evening Kathy Morrison introduced the Steering Committee and Grants Committee members, as well as members of the newly formed Future Growth and Fund-Raising subcommittees. Dr. Oliver Ryder spoke of “The Ethics and Social Dynamics of Restoring the Northern White Rhino (NWR),” and explained that the goal to produce a sustainable population of NWR in the future is a project of hope. It will be driven by forward thinking individuals, devoting intellectual and financial resources to end extinction. He has submitted a paper for publication that postu-lates that this is an imperative project, with long-term goals of restoration of the historic range of NWR as well as the species itself. Members can read more on this topic in Ollie’s article on the Institute for Conservation Science Blog online. https://institute.sandiegozoo.org/science-blog/frozen-time-science-and-ethics-saving-species Theresa Low presented a review of the Grants program awards to the various departments of SDZG. In support of the Australian wildfire relief efforts organized by the Wildlife Conservancy, we “passed the pouch” with the help of a medically adorned plush koala and raised $1,607. Dinner attendees who donated received a drawing ticket, and 12 winners each took home small plush koalas. The featured speaker for the evening was Jessie McInelly, Senior Hospital Keeper at the Zoo, speaking on the topic “Em-brace the Bear-Utilizing Seasonality to Encourage Natural Behavior.” Traditional enrichment for zoo animals has been to offer an item to encourage natural behavior, but all too often this becomes keeper dependent and repetitive. The new approach toward enrichment is item-based rather than activity-based. Enriching experiences have a strong relationship to the environment. Choice and control on the part of the animal provide a positive indication of animal welfare. Goals include reducing anticipatory behavior in the animal and increased opportunities for problem solving.

Dinner photos coutesy of Lonnie Kaufman


https://institute.sandiegozoo.org/science-blog/frozen-time-science-and-ethics-saving-species


An example from the wild of these environmental cues is the salmon run, when seasonal changes signal a gorge on the fish. The challenge is how to replicate these environmental cues in a zoo habitat. The keepers needed to break down the bear behaviors and how they are linked to the seasonality. As part of the process they looked at past data of interest in certain categories of enrich-ment previously provided. With little seasonal change in San Diego it is difficult to provide natural environmental cues for the bears in our care. Some ad-justments that can be made in the habitat are to provide fog, snow, and ice from machines, wind from fans, and “rain” from sprinklers. Jessica provided more detail on how keepers can provide artificial seasonal change for the bears. Keepers provide an imitation of a lush forested habitat for spring. The emphasis is on deep soil substrates to plant a variety of tropical plants, including ferns, banana plants, and hibiscus. They produce numerous fog and rain events. With a diet emphasis on fruit and eggs, the enrichment challenge is to place food items high on perching spots and buried under the substrate. Perfume is fanned into the habitat just as pollen floats in the air in the wild, which builds the association of upcoming fruit. Water-based activi-ties are encouraged. For summer, keepers create a sparser habitat with dry soil, sand, and rock riverbeds, planted with prickly shrubs and grasses. Fans produce dry, windy days. Diet is primarily kibble, dried fruit, and small mammals. There is an emphasis on scent activities, in-creased manipulative and visual challenges, and opportunity for social interaction. In the fall, the keepers run the fans for the grizzly bears and drop the water level in their pool over three days, until rocks ap-pear along with huge amounts of fish, mimicking the salmon run of their wild relatives. There are several indicators to allow keepers to collect data on the effectiveness of the enriching experiences. How does the bear interact with the enrichment items, such as food caching? Is there high interest indicated by multiple interactions with an item? Is there an increase in conspecific behavior (although bears are often solitary, are they interacting appropriately when given the op-portunity)? Jessica wrapped up her talk with a list of all of the Ocelots grants that have enabled the keepers to develop these complex, enriching experiences. The grizzly bears have received items to create salmon runs, fruiting seasons, wildfire season, and fall pumpkin and carcass scavenging. The Andean bears have been provided spring weather and habitat overhauls, fruiting season, and summer grassland. The program goals for 2020 are to expand sloth bear experiences, and to monitor developmental milestones in Alba’s (the Andean bear) cub, born January 8. Wild Andean bears are shy and avoid humans, so little is known of this species. This birth allows for an increase of scientific knowledge to support the support in their wild relatives.

Our Last Dinner Meeting cont. from previous page



Meet Your Steering Committee

Hello Ocelots!

My name is Tabby and I am pleased to be your secretary! I joined the Ocelots in the summer of 2017 because I recently renewed my membership and I wanted to be more involved with the Zoo and be surrounded by people who love animals just as much as I do. Although I have learned some of you love animals more than me. The Zoo was a great escape for me since I was working insane hours on an ambulance trying to become a firefighter. Spending all my free time at the Zoo made me realize my heart and passion lies with these amazing animals that we all spend so much time admiring. I was perusing the Zoo’s website and stumbled upon the Ocelots and it sounded amazing, so I sent an email, became a member, and have enjoyed every event since. Being a part of the Ocelots has allowed me to interact with so many amazing people from a variety of backgrounds. This is truly the best organization I have ever been a part of, except, maybe, for volunteering with the tigers through the Zoo.

I have been proudly serving as your secretary since 2019. My job is pretty simple but very important. I attend the monthly Steering Committee meetings and keep notes on what is being discussed. We call these notes the minutes. Once I write them all down I send them out to the Steering Committee members so they all have a copy, and so they can see if I missed anything. I also create the Ocelot calendar and send that as well as the Steering Committee roster to the committee members. As secretary I hold a voting position, so when there is a need for a vote I think about the Ocelots organization and vote in the way I think is best for all of us.



In addition to serving as secretary, I am also on two sub-committees. I am on the Fund-raising Committee, sharing my ideas to help us raise more money for our wonderful Grants Program. I am also on the Future Growth of the Ocelots Committee, sharing my ideas for encouraging people to join our wonderful organization.

I am also a Zoo volunteer where I love providing enrichment, especially for the tigers; being an interpretive volunteer and sharing with guests small steps they can take to make a difference; going through leopard camera trap photos; and helping guests enjoy our amazing webcams. I love San Diego Zoo Global so much that I decided to get my master’s degree through their Advanced Inquiry Program in collaboration with Miami University, in Oxford, Ohio. I am excited to announce that I will be going to Namibia, Africa this June through school where I will be learning about cheetahs at the Cheetah Conservation Fund. I am thrilled to announce that I will be graduating this December with a master’s in biology with a concentration in conservation where I have focused on big cats. Hopefully, I will be able to help these beautiful creatures in the wild and come back and be a speaker at a future Ocelot dinner.

I am always willing to talk to each and every one of you, so please, if you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or concerns I would love to hear them! I am here for you and would love to help make this organization the best it can be. Feel free to email me at [email protected] and I promise you I will respond.

I look forward to making 2020 the best Ocelots year yet!

Tabby

Meet Your Steering Committee cont. from previous page

Editor's note: Due to the Covid-19 pandemic Tabby's trip to CCF in Namibia has had to be postponed. I know she is greatly disappointed, and I am sure that CCF will be missing her enthusiasm and ideas. Tabby has been a valuable member of your Steering Committee and would have been just as great an asset to CCF.


mailto:[email protected]


Margaret Elizabeth Sangster wrote “never yet was a springtime, when the buds forgot to bloom.” In light of the rapidly changing COVID-19 developments, our daily routines are being altered. As we slow down and take care of ourselves and our community, perhaps we can enjoy watching Spring unfold and the 11 LIVE CAMS streaming from the Park and Zoo. Certainly, physical distancing does not apply to getting close to admire the breathtaking lavender-blue flowers of the jacaranda that will be blooming soon.

For our Grants Program, this “off-season” allows time for celebration, reflection and preparation. At the end of January, Ocelots awarded $315,422 to staff grant requests. Shortly after the awards were announced, one Zoo staff member replied, “This is my favorite time of year!” I couldn’t agree more. Throughout the com-ing year, I look forward to sharing photos and staff messages of gratitude with you. At our next gathering, I hope to share how Ocelots are helping a thriving community of Fijian iguanas right here in San Diego and are also involved in hatching eggs, growing chicks and providing fresh flowers to hummingbirds at the Zoo’s Avian Propagation Center. THANK YOU for fulfilling so many wishes!

More good news! Your gifts to the Ocelots Grants Program will continue to be matched. For the next five years, San Diego Zoo Global (SDZG) has committed $100,000 per year to our Grants Program. Each year SDZG will match, 1 for 1, the amount Ocelots raise up to $100,000. If Ocelots raise $70,000, SDZG will con-tribute $70,000. If Ocelots raise $110,000, SDZG will contribute $100,000. While we follow stay at home orders, SDZG staff remain steadfast in caring for wildlife and saving species worldwide. Our support and contributions not only help maintain our connection, but ensures we are able to help with future needs. We expect, as in previous years, to solicit grant requests from staff at the Zoo, Park and Institute in the fall. Those requests will be filled through your donation to the Ocelots 2020 Grants Program.

Grants Program Update By Theresa Low Grants Coordinator



Donating to the Ocelots 2020 Grants Program: San Diego Zoo Global has asked that all donations to our Grants Program go directly to SDZG. Thank you for your continued generosity!

Currently, there are two options to make a tax-deductible donation to the Ocelots Grants Program.

(1) Online via credit card at our secure link available on the Ocelots Donation Website scroll down and click on 'Donate to Ocelots here'

(2) Via check made payable to San Diego Zoo Global (with “Ocelots” in the memo line) and mailed to San Diego Zoo Global,

ATTN Sara Weiner, Development Events, 2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego, CA 92101

Wishing everyone good health.

Gramts Program Updatre cont. from previous page


https://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/support-us/ocelots


Ocelots Hop to It in Support of Australia Wildlife Relief

Ocelots generosity and passion for wildlife shined at our February dinner. When called upon to assist San Diego Zoo Global’s partners in responding to the tragic wildfires in Australia, Ocelots rallied to the cause donating $2,007 in cash and checks into our wallaby pouch. David Wu, SDZG’s Chief Development and Membership Officer, capped off our evening by informing us that the Ocelots’ contribution brought SDZG’s total relief effort over $900,000. In recognition of our contribution to the SDZG fundraising effort Ocelots will be recognized on the Conservation Plaque displayed at the Safari Park April 2021-April 2022.

Helping draw attention to our fundraising efforts during the dinner was Mary Fallwell’s larger-than-life plush koala. ICR koala researcher, Jen Tobey, and our own Adviselot, Sara Weiner, donated a basket of small plush koalas for a drawing for those who contributed during the evening. The Animal Care Center at the Safari Park lent us the pouch that we used to collect the donations. That pouch was used to care for young wallabies that arrived at the Safari Park in the spring of 2018 for the opening of Walkabout Australia. Now the money collected in that pouch will help care for animals effected by the historic wildfires in Australia.

The Ocelots donations are part of SDZG’s efforts supporting emergency crews and conservationists addressing the immediate needs of wildlife, rescuing and caring for as many animals as possible. More than 43,000 square miles or 27.2 million acres across Australia have been burned. Entire ecosystems have been destroyed. And animals that managed to escape the fires now face starvation and dehydration.



Our colleagues in Australia, including Dr. Kellie Leigh, are rescuing animals that have been injured or stranded by the wildfires and taking them to safe places where they can receive the treatment and care they need in order to heal. The teams’ heroic rescue efforts also include leaving food and water behind for animals that don’t require veterinary treatment.

For now, emergency crews and conservationists are addressing the immediate needs of wildlife, rescuing and caring for as many animals as possible. But the challenges won’t end when the fires are gone. Animals that don’t fall victim to starvation, dehydration, exposure, or opportunistic predators will have to adjust to an altered landscape.

And later in the year, when the rainy season arrives, debris from the fires will be washed into waterways. Water-dwelling animals like platypuses will likely be affected by contamination and pollution as their homes become inundated with soot, ash, charred wreckage, and fire-dousing chemicals.

The Ocelots’ donations supported immediate efforts to rescue and relocate animals in danger, provide critical access to water for survivors in the wild, and care for koalas and countless other victims stranded by the wildfires. You can still contribute to SDZG’s Australia Relief effort at endextinction.org/australia.

Ocelots Hop To It cont. from previous page



ICR Community Engagement and Park Education Department

Hi Ocelots team!

In the spirit of gratitude during this holiday season, I wanted to share a quick story from our 2018 Ocelots grant. We received funding to purchase 20 trail cameras to support our ongoing Community Engagement project working with indigenous communities in the Bolivian Amazon. The cameras were deployed in a student-led wildlife monitoring project to help communities better understand their coexistence with the animals living around their communities. We recently received some of the footage and results showcasing a diverse collection of Amazonian species, including porcupines, agouti, tapir and – an ocelot!

The Team photo includes some of our team members, who are also highlighted in the video, along with some of our collaborating teachers. The photo of the kids is from when they were setting up the cameras. J

Thank you for your continued support of SDZG projects, and don’t forget that every dollar of support makes a difference.

Happy Holidays!

Peter G - Education Specialist

Safari Park Education Department

Note: The video Peter mentions was shown at our February dinner.

Grants in Action


Ocelots enjoy a special relationship with San Diego Zoo Global. While having fun at many educational dinners and other special events at the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, Ocelots raise money to support the

Ocelots Grants Program. Departments within the San Diego Zoo, Safari Park, and Institute for Conservation Research as well as conservation programs throughout SDZG are eligible to apply for these grants.

About the Ocelots

Diego the ocelot, pictured above, was purchased for the

San Diego Zoo by the Ocelots in 2005. Diego is a working member of the Education Department!

Dafyd the ocelot, pictured above, lived at the San Diego Zoo

Safari Park in an enclosure funded by the Ocelots in 2011.

ocelots web-based presentation · g dear ocelots, i hope you are all doing well and are safe and...

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