Wellington Zoo

Samala from Daniel! 

Before I left Madagascar, I took the opportunity to interview MFG’s Director Maya Moore.  

Maya Moore (left) and Daniel Warsaw (right) with Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group management team.

Unfortunately, the audio on the video was not clear enough for sharing so here is the record of our conversation.

Daniel: I’m here with the Director of Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group (MFG), Maya Moore. Maya you’ve been the Director for four years now what are some of the highlights?

Maya: One of the really exciting projects that we are doing now is working with AZA in America (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) and EAZA (European Association of Zoo and Aquaria) to start a Global Species Management Plan for the the Blue Eyed Black Lemur, one of the most critically endangered lemur species.

Daniel:They’re really beautiful,

Maya: Yes, they’re beautiful and we have them at the park (Parc Zoologique Ivoloina) and have been really successful with breeding them. We recently conducted a transfer within Madagascar which went really well and we will be sending two individuals to the United States in the coming year. These two individuals from Madagascar are recognised for their genetic importance and will help the global breeding programme.

A baby Blue Eyed Black Lemur bred at Parc Zoologique Ivoloina.

Daniel: During my time in Madagascar we’ve drafted a new strategy for MFG, can you tell me a little bit about your hopes for the future are for MFG and the conservation of biodiversity here in Madagascar?

Maya: With our new strategy the goal is to be seen as a leader of conservation here in Madagascar and to share the experiences and knowledge that we have built up over the course of over a quarter century with other organisations in Madagascar to help them with their projects.

Daniel: How do MFG member and friend Zoos, such as Wellington Zoo, help what you’re doing here in Madagascar?

Maya: A really important component of MFG is our membership. Along with funding, many of the member Zoos and other organisations send people, like yourself, to Madagascar to help build the capacity of our staff which is a vital component.

Daniel: One of the MFG programmes I have been very impressed with is the reforestation planting around Betampona. Can you tell me about the Conservation Credit programme that supports this?

Maya: We’re working with local people to replant a degraded area around Betampona, which is an incredibly rich natural forest. It’s land that they own that they would otherwise farm on, so it’s a big choice for them rather than to use that agricultural land, to reforest it with native trees. As part of the incentive, the local people receive credits for every tree that they plant and then they can redeem those credits for healthy household items, like water filters or radios that are solar powered. Things that are going help their lives – school kits for their children and we also distributed a few fuel efficient cooking stoves. And one of the exciting new initiatives this year is that people can choose chickens and then they also received training on chicken raising.

Local villagers participating in chicken raising training

Daniel: Yes that was really exciting for me to actually see the chicken raising training in action with the local villagers. And then when I went up to Betampona with the local villagers we did some practical chicken training on the way up. I was also able to see the tree nurseries for the reforestation. It was something that I was really impressed with that you are doing to directly impact the conservation of biodiversity here.

Maya: Thank you!

Daniel: And finally, one of your interesting new projects is that you are working on eradicating an invasive toad, the Asian toad, that has established itself here in Tamatave.

Maya: We became aware of the issue of the toad in early 2014 and one of the first things we did was determine its distribution to know where it is and how big the problem is. We’ve been working with some experts from New Zealand (coincidentally!) and they drafted a feasibility study to see if eradication is still feasible. Their recommendation was that a local organisation would take the lead and they nominated MFG. We have been very proud to take the lead on this and we will be working in the coming year with these experts from New Zealand to try and get some ideas on how we can ensure these invasive toads can be eradicated.

Daniel: Well, thank you very much Maya. It has been an absolute privilege to spend some time with you and with the MFG team here in Madagascar. I have been absolutely blown away by the conservation work that you are doing here. So from all of us at Wellington Zoo thank you and keep up the amazing work!

Maya: Thank you Daniel, please do come and visit us again and thank you very much Wellington Zoo for sharing Daniel with us and for your support of MFG. Veluma!

Salama from Daniel!

This is my third week here in Madagscar working with Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group (MFG) thanks to the support of the Wellington Zoo Conservation Fund. I have spent the past week working with the MFG Managers drafting a new strategy for the organisation. This has been a really exciting project despite the obvious challenge of translating and presenting in both French and Malagasy! 

Maya Moore (MFG Director), Daniel and the MFG Management Team during the first strategic planning workshop

The team are very motivated, with the workshops revealing a deep belief and passion for the conservation work they are doing and what the organization hopes to accomplish in the future. The draft strategy has now been sent to the MFG Executive Committee for their review, and will hopefully be ratified at the Board Meeting being held in Taipei in July 2016.

Maya Moore (MFG Director), Daniel and the MFG Management Team

Before leaving Madagascar I managed to visit Parc Ivoloina one last time to see the Nocturnal and mysterious Aye-aye lemur. The Aye-aye is a very unique Lemur and is unlike any other primate. It is the largest nocturnal primate and features continually growing incisors (similar to a rodent) and skinny, elongated middle fingers which all help when foraging for grubs in trees. 

The Aye-aye is endangered, not just due to habitat loss but it is also unfortunately often killed by humans due to it being perceived as an omen of death by local people. The Aye-aye is a truly beautiful and unique animal – a great example of the extraordinary power of evolution.

“Lunch time for the Greater Bamboo Lemurs at Parc Ivoloina.”

“Blue-Eyed Black Lemurs with an infant at Parc Ivoloina. Despite the name, only the males are black – females are a reddish brown!”

Salama! I’m Daniel, and I’m currently in Madagascar working with the Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group (MFG), supported by the Wellington Zoo Conservation Fund. 

The turnoff for Parc Zoologique Ivoloina outside of Tamatave

MFG are based on the east coast of Madagascar in the port town of Tamatave, also known by its Malagasy name Toamasina. I’ve spent my first week at the MFG-run Parc Zoologique Ivoloina (pronounced ‘evo-lean') which is about 15km outside of Tamatave.

Map of Parc Zoologique Ivoloina

I am very impressed with Ivoloina. MFG are doing great work here caring for 12 different Lemur species. They’re particularly focused on breeding three 'espèces prioritaires' – critically endangered species – for eventual release back into the wild. One of these is the Black and White Ruffed Lemur, which we have at Wellington Zoo. 

A baby Blue-Eyed Black Lemur

Very exciting news: Tasmanian Devils are back on the Forestier Peninsula! 

The arrival and release went very smoothly, and 39 Tasmanian Devils were successfully released into the northern part of the peninsula at four separate sites. About 20 Devils arrived by small plane, and the others by road.

When they arrived their crates were unloaded and each Devil was given a quick health check, along with some ice to keep them cool and hydrated. They were organised into four predetermined release groups, with a ribbon tied to their crate in one of four colours. Four utes were also decorated with these colours. The crates were taken to their respective utes, and on to their release sites. 

At 5.30pm all crates were ready to be opened. One by one the Devils ventured out to check out their new homes. Some ran out and starting exploring right away, and some even ate from the supplementary feed sites. Others were a bit shy and chose to stay in their crates for a bit longer.

This is a really important step in the conservation of Tasmanian Devils. It’s  thanks to the hard working team at the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program, the zoos that take care of insurance populations, and all the people that have donated to the Save the Tasmanian Devil Appeal. 

Anna again, and I’m still out on the Forestier Peninsula in Tasmania working with the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program. The past several days have been very busy because we are setting up for the arrival of 39 Tasmanian Devils onto the peninsula. The Devils will be coming from breeding programmes at three different zoos around Australia.

Road accidents are a major threat to Tasmanian Devils, so signs have been put up on the main roads letting people know that these animals are coming back to the peninsula and reminding them to drive carefully.

We have been busy setting up infrared cameras around the four release sites so the team can continue to monitor the Devils to make sure they stay healthy.

We arranged with a local hunter to get around 140kg of meat for supplementary feed sites for the Devils, and made up some ice blocks to keep them cool if it’s a hot day when they get here.

We also set up two temporary enclosures near the release sites so that if any Devils need special attention for the first few months after they arrive, such as vet care or feeding up, they have a place to rest and recover.

Some of the Devils will be arriving by small plane from mainland Australia. There is a small airstrip on the north of the peninsula, but the problem is that there are lots of wombats and other animals that dig holes in the grass airstrip! We filled in any small holes and spray painted around the big holes, so that the pilot can see them from up in the air and the Devils can have a smooth landing.

Last of all, we checked the Devil-proof fence that has been constructed at the isthmus of Forestier Peninsula to keep out any potentially diseased Devils. 

Forestier Peninsula has an advantage in that there is a man-made canal at the isthmus that was built in 1905 as a shortcut for boats going between Hobart and the east coast. Devils can swim, however, so the fence is an extra precaution and allows for a buffer zone. 

Hi there! I'm Anna, one of the Visitor Rangers at Wellington Zoo. I previously blogged about my time working at Wildtracks, a manatee and primate rehabilitation centre in Sarteneja, Belize.

This time I’m on the Forestier Peninsula in south-east Tasmania working with the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program (STDP) on some really exciting projects.

Unfortunately, Tasmanian Devils are critically endangered due to a unique contagious cancer called Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD). As the name suggests, this disease causes tumours on their faces. It is spread through contact with infected Devils when they come together to feed or fight. There is no cure for the disease at this stage.

There were estimated to be at least 200 Tasmanian Devils on Forestier Peninsula before the first case of DFTD was detected here in 2004. Since then, all Tasmanian Devils have been removed from the peninsula in order to introduce a new population of healthy Devils. Disease-free Devils were moved to zoos for breeding, and their descendants are some of the ones being reintroduced to the peninsula! 

To ensure there are no remaining Tasmanian Devils on Forestier Peninsula ahead of the coming reintroduction, infrared cameras have been set up all around the peninsula. They take photos when they detect any movement. These cameras are set up in front of some Devil bait (wallaby or possum) as well as 'stinky muesli', oats covered in fish oil, mutton bird oil, liver and sardines - this is very smelly and great at attracting Tasmanian Devils. The stinky muesli is hung up in a container above the bait just in front of the camera. This is so the Devils lift their heads up to smell it, revealing the white crests on their necks (helpful for identifying individuals) and also gives a good view of the face, enabling the team to spot any signs of DFTD.

The cameras on Forestier Peninsula have been up for a few weeks, being regularly checked and restocked with fresh bait. Our job over the last couple of days has been removing the cameras and checking through the hundreds of photos on each camera for any signs of Tasmanian Devils. We are hoping to not see any because that means that the peninsula is Devil-free (and therefore free of DFTD) and ready for the new population of Tasmanian Devils to arrive next week!

The census work kicks off with a nice early start - leaving the hut at 6am so we can get to our site by 6.30am for the dawn chorus when Kōkako start singing. The dawn chorus is really a territorial call, when birds sing to proclaim ownership of a particular area or “territory”. This goes from around sunrise until early afternoon. 

The basic survey technique is to do a walk-through of the survey area while constantly listening for Kōkako. If none are heard, we stop every 200m and play some local dialect tape in the following sequence:  - Three mew calls, followed by a 5 minute listening period; then  - Three mew calls, followed by a 5 minute listening period; and finally  - 30 seconds of song, followed by a 5 minute listening period.

Mew calls are played first as they are less dialectical than full song and are less potentially aggressive for a Kōkako if played within its territory.  We try to use elevation such as ridges where we can to get better coverage for broadcasting the calls.  Unfortunately, weather plays a major factor as rain and wind can cause surveyors to miss birds and reduce singing frequency. Once we’ve located Kōkako, we try to follow them through the bush - mapping out their routes or preferred areas while observing them through binoculars to try to find any identifiable markers to differentiate them (and avoid multiple counts of the same individuals). We also listen for different types of calls, in particular full song which indicates territory ownership. 

Though it sounds easy enough, following a bird that glides, bounds and flies in short bursts through the canopy can be pretty tricky on variable and steep terrain, particularly when we go off track and have to fight our way through thick patches of supple jack vine and fallen trees. Lower canopy layers will often obscure your view of the birds as they regularly move to feed or sing in the highest trees as provide the best coverage for when they sing to proclaim their territory. Most of the time you rely on your ears as you listen for the occasional quiet calls that Kōkako produce (particularly between individuals of a pair) or the rustle that they make when moving through or foraging for food in the canopy including the noise from unwanted food as it drops to the ground. 

Once we have finished surveying in the forest, we still have a couple of hours work back at the hut writing up reports for each follow and mapping them out. We download the GPS data that we have collected each day so that it can be compiled into a single map for the day as well as a second for the entire survey to date. From this information we then decide whether or not a ‘follow’ has met the criteria to be classed as a territory (or fixed location within the forest) and if certain follows need to be redone particularly when two follows are in close proximity as could be the same pair seen on two different occasions rather than two separate pairs.

Hey there everyone, Nathan here, one of the Primate Keepers at Wellington Zoo. I am currently on secondment for the Rotorua Department of Conservation working as part of a small team conducting an adult census survey of North Island Kōkako in the Kaharoa Conservation Area on behalf of the Kaharoa Kōkako Trust.  

The Kōkako is one of New Zealand’s native wattlebirds, an ancient family of birds whose common feature is the brightly coloured, fleshy “wattles” poking out from either side of the base of their bill or gape. The North Island Kōkako is now endangered. In the late 1980s it was estimated that only 350 pairs remained, but thanks to conservation efforts this had increased to around 640 breeding pairs by 2006. 

Kōkako censuses are important as they are used to give an indication as to the abundance, territory distribution and ratio of paired to single birds of the surveyed population. When comparing censuses conducted on the same population over a number of years, it helps to show whether the population is increasing or decreasing. Having this knowledge means we can figure out what might help boost their populations even more, using better management techniques like increased pest control during the Kōkako nesting period.  

Kōkako census surveys in the Kaharoa Conservation Area began in 1997 with 12 pairs found, 47 birds in 2002 and 130 in the last full census in 2006. 

I was approached to do a secondment with this census as I have experience conducting Kōkako census surveys in Mokihaha and Rotoehu forests from when I worked with Rotorua Department of Conservation. I monitored a small group of Kōkako over a number of months when they were first translocated to Mokoia Island (in Lake Rotorua) from Tiritiri Matangi as a student. 

Having experience is really helpful for conducting these surveys, as you need to be comfortable going off track on your own while knowing what to listen out for.  It also helps to reduce observer bias when recording and interpreting follows. 

I was incredibly lucky to be chosen as the winner of the 2015 Shape of Enrichment ICEE Travel Grant, which meant I was able to attend the 15th International Conference on Environmental Enrichment (ICEE) in Beijing this month. So, after my adventures in Cambodia, I headed to China! On my first day I got up nice and early for registration, then got to know Beijing a little bit by exploring Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. 

The first day of the conference started with welcoming speeches and a group photo – which consisted of all the delegates standing on little squares to form the words ICEE 2015! This was the first time ICEE had been held in Asia, so everyone was very excited. Delegates from across the world attended, coming from Mexico, Brazil, USA, England, France, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and, of course, China. 

The talks were excellent, with the main themes emerging being: enrichment for physical fitness, animal welfare, incorporating enrichment into exhibit design and many studies on the way enrichment affects behaviour.

One of the most inspiring sets of talks were done by middle school students from Tsinghua Attached Middle School in Beijing. Three groups of students spoke on the studies they did on enrichment at Beijing Zoo.

The talks were extremely well done, as were their studies. They wanted to make a difference for animal welfare using enrichment, and even when they faced difficulties in their experimental designs they persevered and came up with alternatives. They did an excellent job, and I’m excited to see what these students do in future.

I gave my presentation on the second day of the conference, and it was well received. I had lots of questions and emails from people afterwards.

Sarah here! I’m home from my overseas adventures, and wanted to share a bit about my time working at Free the Bears, supported by Wellington Zoo.

The first thing I noticed when I got off the plane in Cambodia was the heat – 40°C! Luckily the volunteer house had a pool, so in the evenings after work we always had a swim. 

Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre, where Free the Bears is situated, is massive. They have awesome interpretation, and really great enclosures. There are seven bear houses, with varying numbers of Sun Bears and Moon Bears. 

Visiting with a couple of Sun Bears.

I’d never seen a Moon Bear before, and they took my breath away – so much personality and so beautiful. The Sun Bears were their cheeky, playful selves. There were a group of seven near the office that were around three years old, and were great fun to watch.

A Moon Bear investigating some enrichment.

There were bears with really interesting stories – Brandy the golden Moon Bear and Tomtom, a Sun and Moon Bear hybrid. There were also numerous bears with amputations due to being caught in traps. It’s very sad to see, although they have adapted really well without their missing limbs. 

A Sun Bear feeling just as hot as I was!

I volunteered with the keepers, so my days consisted of servicing the bear enclosures and houses, food preparation, enrichment, and feeding. Food prep was fascinating. The fruit and vegetables for the bears are brought fresh daily from the local markets. They get a mix of really interesting fruits, including mango, dragon fruit, rambutan and guava. 

More enrichment!

I was so inspired by the keepers, and particularly impressed with the training and enrichment they do. I watched a keeper training one of the bears, who would sit, stand up and let the keeper touch his stomach. The enrichment included things like balls stuffed with food, fire hose nets stuffed with grass and food hidden inside, banana stalks with food stuffed in cuts in the stalks, smears in the enclosure, perfume and leaf baskets.

Part of the education programmes that Proyecto Titi delivers involves school field trips to the forest to see the Cotton-Top Tamarins. Even though the kids live right near the forest, many never had the opportunity to explore before and none had seen a Cotton-Top in the wild. 

At the end of my first week, I helped out with the community projects around Santa Catalina. I met the local artisans and business women, helped with quality control of the products being made, and handed out more materials.

First we went to Los Limites – a town only two streets big. In order to know the history of Los Limities, you must know the history of Ana Isabel, a 95-year-old woman known affectionately as 'Mami'. Mami had 20 kids, often birthing them solo because midwives were too far away. The whole town is related to Mami: her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc. This town is also the headquarters for the eco-mochila programme. Eco-mochilas are beautiful totes and backpacks woven out of recycled plastic bags. One large eco-mochila takes roughly 200 plastic bags to make. The Proyecto Titi education programmes help collect plastic bags from the communitites. Getting rid of plastic waste is a huge problem for some of these rural communities and the eco-mochilas help re-purpose these bags and provide a stable income for the artisans.

We next went to meet the leaders of the peluches project. Peluches are handmade Cotton-Top Tamarin soft toys. Because they are all handmade, each one is a little different and has its own unique story. When we went to pick up the peluches, we looked over each one to make sure that its face was symmetrical; there were no parts missing or askew. It takes a lot of skill and technique to hand-make these toys. The peluches project helps with the problem of wildlife pets. Proyecto Titi tells kids if they want a Cotton-Top as pet, they can get a peluche instead. They are just as cute and a lot easier to take care of! The peluches sell mostly in Colombia and go hand in hand with Proyecto Titi’s responsible pet messaging.

Not only do these community projects help with recycling plastics and the wildlife pet trade, the initiative has really made an impact in the lives of the artisans. The women who lead the eco-mochila and peluche projects have been able to improve their lives and those of their families. Things we may take for granted like having a floor instead of dirt under our feet is a cherished addition to one of the eco-mochila leaders’ houses. These artisan leaders also have the first children to go to university, not just in their families, but within the whole community. They’re understanding of conservation has grown as well. Each of the artisans has committed to not having wildlife pets, recycling, and reducing their dependence on wood. Roughly 60 artisans are working with Proyecto Titi at the moment, which means 60 families are being supported through this initiative. Plus the artisans employ further help from their communities to cut the plastic bags, etc. so the project actually expands even further.

Today I spent time with Carlos, a Proyecto Titi staff member who works collecting plastic from the local communities near the forests where Cotton-Top Tamarins live. Many of these communities do not have a service to get rid of their rubbish and recycling, so it’s very common to drive past mounds of plastic waste on the side of the road.

Proyecto Titi has turned the collection of plastic into a social enterprise, paying members of the community for the plastic they have collected. Every Tuesday, Carlos and Alfred go into several villages collecting plastic bottles. Sometimes his truck is so full he has to make multiple trips. The bottles are sorted by colour and weighed, paying for the total weight of the plastic. Clear plastic gets the most return because it’s easier to re-process.

Then the bottles are brought back to El Ceibal, where there is a machine that grinds them into fine plastic chips. These chips are then sold to a company that can make things such as fence posts. Why fence posts, you may ask? Well, most of the communities around the forest use a lot of wood, including to fence off their farms and land. In the humidity these fence posts only last a few years before more trees need to be cut down to make new ones. The “Titi posts” made of plastic last a very long time, reducing dependency on wood. They also mix the plastic with concrete to make bricks that can be used for building.