june2015_final

A publication of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums
JUNE2015
GallonsofFun
FULL FACE MASK TECHNOLOGY
Engaging Visitors
in Dive Presentations
BREAKING NEW GROUND
The Chicago Zoological Society
and Social Innovation
BY THE NUMBERS
AZA and Cetacean Conservation
EnvironmentallyResponsible
Water Management

June 2015 | www.aza.org 1
Features
June 2015
18
Gallons of Fun
Whether aquariums source
their water from the city or
the ocean, conservation
of this natural resource is
top of mind among staff
at Association of Zoos and
Aquariums-accredited
facilities.
BY MARY ELLEN COLLINS
24
Full Face Mask
Technology
Scuba divers in aquarium
exhibits have been a crowd-
pleaser for many years, but
with the advent of full face
mask technology allowing
the diver to interact with the
audience, the “wow” factor
has gone up.
BY LANCE FRAZER
32
The Chicago Zoological
Society Breaks New
Ground With
Social Innovation
The Chicago Zoological
Society-BrookƓeld Zoo
recently became the Ɠrst
AZA-accredited facility
to launch a high-impact,
facility-wide Social
Innovation initiative.
BYAMELIA OROZCO

13
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LIKE USON FACEBOOK
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FOLLOW USON TWITTER
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E-MAIL THE EDITOR
tlewthwaite@aza.org
Editorial policy: Connect is published by the
Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), a nonproƓt,
tax-exempt organization dedicated to the advance-
ment of zoological parks and aquariums for conser-
vation, education, scientiƓc studies and recreation. Issued to members as a
free service; not available as a subscription. Mailed during the Ɠrst week of the
month. Articles submitted for Connect do not necessarily reŴect the opinions
and policies of AZA.
Mission: Connect is a forum for promoting AZA’s mission by highlighting zoo
and aquarium trends, industry initiatives, conservation efforts and member
achievements.
Copyright policy: All items appearing in Connect are copyright of AZA.
Permission to reprint items must be obtained by contacting AZA’s Publications
Department at tlewthwaite@aza.org.
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and mechanical requirements are available upon request.
11
7 Green Tales
The Vancouver Aquarium
Marine Science Centre’s
sustainability story starts
with conservation of aquatic
life through education,
research and direct action.
8 Conservation Spotlight
Woodland Park Zoo saves
animals and their habitats
through conservation
leadership and engaging
experiences, inspiring
people to learn, care and act.
9 Pizzazz in Print
The Sacramento Zoo’s
Browse campaign informed
local residents that many of
their tree trimmings could
help feed the Zoo’s animals.
10 Development
The Feinstein Foundation
announced a major gift to
Mystic Aquarium.
11 Conservation
Smithsonian Conservation
Biology Institute and
Smithsonian Tropical
Research Institute open new
rescue lab for endangered
amphibians in Panama.
12 Animal Health
John G. Shedd Aquarium
has teamed up with
Walgreens Pharmacy to
create a partnership that
provides on-demand access
to preventive care medicine
and supplements.
12 By the Numbers
AZA and cetacean
conservation.
13 Study Reveals
Chimpanzee
Determination and
Innovation
A Lincoln Park Zoo study
reveals chimpanzees
will travel a distance for
preferred food sources.
14 Research
This month’s selection of
what has been published.
42 Faces & Places
45 Calendar
47 Exhibits
48 Announcements
49 Advertiser Index
60 Births & Hatchings
10
A publication of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums
JUNE2015
GallonsofFun
FULL FACE MASK TECHNOLOGY
Engaging Visitors
in Dive Presentations
BREAKING NEW GROUND
The Chicago Zoological Society
and Social Innovation
BY THE NUMBERS
AZA and Cetacean Conservation
EnvironmentallyResponsible
Water Management
About the cover
Denison Barb
©TennesseeAquarium/ToddStailey

4 www.aza.org | June 2015
Dennis E. Pate
Executive Director and CEO
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
EDITOR
Tim Lewthwaite
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Jennifer Fields
REDESIGN AND ART DIRECTION
LTD Creative
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Lisa Cadigan, Cadigan Creative
ADVERTISING
Gina Velosky
(301) 562-0777, ext. 254, gvelosky@aza.org
EDITORIAL BOARD
Thom Benson | Tennessee Aquarium
Julie Larsen-Maher | Wildlife Conservation Society
Tim Lewthwaite | Editor
Kristin L. Vehrs | Executive Director
President and CEO
Jim Maddy
Executive Director
Kristin L. Vehrs
Chief Operating Of cer
Jill Nicoll
Senior Vice President of Conservation R & D and Policy
Paul Boyle, PhD
Senior Vice President of Conservation and Science
Debborah Luke, PhD
Senior Vice President of External Affairs
Rob Vernon
Senior Vice President of Finance
Phil Wagner
Vice President, Principal Gifts and Campaign Director for SAFE
Alison Davitt
Vice President of Animal Programs
Candice Dorsey, PhD
Vice President, Conferences and Membership
Melissa Howerton
Vice President of Congressional Affairs
Jennifer Keaton
Vice President of Accreditation Programs
Denny Lewis
Vice President of Federal Relations
Steve Olson
For a full listing of AZA’s staff, visit www.aza.org/about-aza
AZA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chair
Dennis E. Pate | Executive Director and CEO, Omaha’s
Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Chair Elect
Steve Burns | Director, Zoo Boise
Vice Chair
Dennis W. Kelly | Director, Smithsonian National
Zoological Park
Past Chair
Jackie Ogden, PhD | Vice President, Animals, Science and
Environment, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Directors
Jim Breheny | Executive Vice President and General Director,
Zoos and Aquarium, Jonathan Little Cohen Director of the
Bronx Zoo, Wildlife Conservation Society
Lynn B. Clements | Director, Virginia Aquarium and Marine
Science Center
Jim Hekkers | Managing Director, Monterey Bay Aquarium
Gregg Hudson | Executive Director and Chief Executive
OfƓcer, Dallas Zoo Management, Inc.
Steve Marshall | Zoo Director, El Paso Zoo
Amos Morris | Zoo Director,Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden
Douglas G. Myers | President and CEO, San Diego Zoo Global
Craig Pugh | CEO, Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo
Peggy Sloan | Director, North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher
Saving Animals From Extinction
Endangered Species Day in May marked the launch of SAFE: Saving Animals From
Extinction, an ambitious commitment by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(AZA)-accredited community to save some of the world’s most vulnerable species.
On launch day, AZA-accredited facilities across the country temporarily took many
endangered species “o exhibit,” making a dramatic statement about how impoverished
the planet would be without these animals. It also highlighted the important role that
AZA-accredited facilities play in their communities in bringing awareness about these
animals to the public.
In the coming years, SAFE will build
on the AZA-accredited zoo and aquar-
ium community’s existing eld conser-
vation, animal husbandry and education
programs to engage our 180 million
visitors in an inclusive e ort to target spe-
ci c endangered species. e initial focus
of SAFE will be on eight species and two
groups of animals: African penguins,
Asian elephants, black rhinos, cheetahs,
gorillas, sea turtles, sharks, vaquitas,
Western pond turtles and whooping
cranes. en, each year for the next
decade, we are committed to adding 10
additional species to our focus, provided resources and circumstances allow us to do so.
e AZA community, through SAFE and the Conservation Action Plan (CAP)
process, will convene scientists and stakeholders to identify threats to these species,
develop action plans, raise new resources and engage the public. e CAP process is well
underway, with stakeholder meetings having already been held for African penguins and
Western pond turtles, and plans for a cheetah meeting to take place later this year.
It should not be lost, however, that AZA-accredited facilities already invest $160
million in eld conservation work each year to save endangered wildlife and endangered
habitats. When you combine this impressive statistic with more than 600 animal pro-
grams, including the iconic Species Survival Plans®(SSP) the AZA-accredited aquarium
and zoo community manages, it is readily apparent that we are places that work to save a
wide range of species from extinction.

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In Vancouver,British Columbia,theVan-
couver Aquarium MarineScienceCentre’s
sustainabilitystorystartswith itsraison d’être –
conservation ofaquaticlifethrough education,
research and direct action – and tricklesallthe
waydown to thecompostingand recycling
strategiesit teachesScoutsand GirlGuides
duringtheir Aquarium sleepovers.
ereare,ofcourse,operationalneedsthat
must bemet,but webalancethoseneedswith
theunderstandingthat conservation iskey
to thehealth offuturegenerations.Wehavea
structured framework for managingour envi-
ronmentalperformance,and weconstantlyset
newobjectivesand targetsto drivecontinual
improvement.In 2009,theAquarium was
registered to InternationalOrganization for
Standardization (ISO) 14001,an international
standard for environmentalmanagement sys-
tems(EMS),and wasthe rst aquarium in the
world to achievethat standard.It wascerti ed
again for another threeyearsin 2012and again
in 2015.
It took time to establish our principles,
programs and procedures. It has required
leadership from our management team, as
well as dedication from our sta , and a will-
ingness to change from our guests, young
and old.
In addition to o eringour visitorsaccess
365daysa year to our facility,wearealways
tryingto identifynewopportunitiesto connect
peoplewith thenaturalworld and identify
opportunitiesfor reducingtheir environmental
footprint.When Scoutsand Guidesvisit as
part ofour Sleepover program,theybecome
an honorarymember oftheAquarium’sgreen
team for thenight and put what theylearned
about environmentalsustainabilitytoward
earninga badgefor their camp reblanket.
Duringtheseevents,our goalisgenerating
zero wasteto theland ll,which reallyhits
homefor thechildren astheyseetheimpact an
individualcan haveon theenvironment and its
connection to thelarger picture.
Our dedication to generating awareness
about sustainabilityextends to all ages and
events. Whether it’s an intimate plated dinner
for 50 guests or a standing cocktail reception
for 2,000 people, our catering and events
team strives to use sustainablysourced food
through farm-to-table supplynetworks,
eliminate waste to land ll and o er an oppor-
tunityto further reduce the environmental
Green Tales
Education on
SustainabilityStarts
from theAquarium
‘Camp Ground’Up
By Jacob Clemens
Ocean Wise™ mussels are used in
Vancouver Aquarium’s kitchen.

footprint ofthe occasion byo ering Return
to Earth events. e seafood our kitchen uses
is Ocean Wise™, both because it’s the most
responsible, delicious option and because
we’re determined to spread the word about
our highlysuccessful sustainable seafood
program, now celebrating its 10th year. e
Ocean Wise symbol next to a seafood item
is the Vancouver Aquarium’s assurance ofan
ocean-friendlychoice.
Asa result,organizationso en contact us
a er their event for guidanceon implementing
sustainabilitymeasuresat homeor at their
placeofbusiness—howour WasteManage-
ment program works,for example,or howto
ensurethat their own eventsareOcean Wise.
From therainwater harvested to ush the
toiletsin our LEED®Gold Certi ed Aquaquest
facility,to thecompostablecontainersand
cutleryfrom our café,our goalisto bea model
organization in environmentalresponsibility.
Wepromotesustainabilitywithin our own
workforce,in our communityand to our visi-
torsfrom around theworld,becauseno matter
what our age,gender or badgelevel,theearth
needsusallto begood scouts.
Jacob Clemensisthe Vancouver
Aquarium’sManager of Sustainability.
Conservation Spotlight
Woodland Park Zoo
Woodland Park Zoo’s Mission
Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Wash., saves
animals and their habitats through conser-
vation leadership and engaging experiences,
inspiring people to learn, care and act.
Conservation Efforts
Conservation is the heart of Woodland
Park Zoo’s mission, with a focus on projects
in the Paci c Northwest and around the
world. Working with conservationists and
researchers, Woodland Park Zoo focuses on
a conservation strategy that includes: habitat
and species conservation, research, educa-
tion, local capacity building and community
support. “Our eld projects strengthen our
zoo-based education and animal programs,
inspiring our guests to take conservation
action,” said Fred Koontz, vice president of
eld conservation.
ese collaborations are divided into
three eld programs at the Zoo:
• Living Northwest: Linking animal conser-
vation, ecohealth and sustainability in
our bioregion.
• Partners for Wildlife: Creating “living
landscapes” for wildlife and people.
• Wildlife Survival Fund: Investing in en-
dangered species before it’s too late.
Woodland Park Zoo
Conservation Facts
• Since 1990, Woodland Park Zoo has been
involved in the conservation of western
pond turtles. In collaboration with Wash-
ington Department of Fish and Wildlife,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the
Oregon Zoo, the Zoo’s leadership on the
project has helped to reverse the fate of
this native turtle, increasing its wild pop-
ulation from 150 turtles to approximately
800 today.
• In 2012, the Zoo and Panthera estab-
lished a 10-year, $1 million partnership to
enhance tiger conservation in Peninsular
Malaysia, as part of Panthera’s Tigers
Forever Program. In concert with the
National Tiger Action Plan of Malaysia,
the program aims to strengthen tiger
survival by identifying core populations
and mitigating threats from poaching and
habitat fragmentation. e project team
is working cooperatively with Malaysia’s
Department of Wildlife and National
Parks and local conservation non-pro ts
and scientists.
• Woodland Park Zoo Senior Conservation
Fellow, Dr. Robert Long, is expanding the
Zoo’s wildlife science and conservation

e Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Conn.,
and the Alan Shawn Feinstein Foundation
have announced a major gi in support
of expanding opportunities for students
in Rhode Island and other Southern New
England states.
e $250,000 gi will be used by
Mystic Aquarium toward construction of
a new Ocean Conservation and Research
Center and provide access to Mystic
Aquarium for an estimated 60,000 Rhode
Island students from low-income serving
schools and youth centers annually over
the next decade who are part of the Fein-
stein Jr. Scholars program.
e planned Ocean Conservation and
Research Center at Mystic Aquarium will
include student laboratories, veterinary
exam and operating rooms and biological
research laboratories.
“ is facility will be the place where
many hundreds of seals and other marine
animals that we rescue every year along the
Rhode Island coast will get needed medical
attention before being released back into the
wild,” said Dr. Stephen M. Coan, presi-
dent and chief executive o cer of Mystic
Aquarium. “Most importantly, Feinstein
Jr. Scholars and other students will be able
to work side by side with our veterinarians
and research scientists in learning about and
caring for aquatic animals.”
e partnership announcement coin-
cides with the grand opening of a major
new exhibit at Mystic Aquarium, Explora-
tion: Wild, which immerses visitors in ve
di erent ecosystems, including a rainforest,
a polar region, a desert, swamps and a shark
habitat. e exhibit includes the debut of
American alligators and hands-on experi-
ences with other reptiles and animals.
Students in the Feinstein Jr. Scholar pro-
gram pledge to adhere to the ethos of “doing
good deeds” for others in their community
in order to gain membership. e program
operates in more than 156 schools in Rhode
Island and nearby Massachusetts.
Feinstein Jr. Scholars will be entitled to
three visits to Mystic Aquarium per year
with a guest of their choice until they reach
the age of 16.
“We want to provide a means for
encouraging young people by rewarding
them for doing good and to provide op-
portunities for young people who may not
ordinarily be able to visit such a wonder-
ful place as Mystic Aquarium,” said Alan
Shawn Feinstein. “Mystic Aquarium has
been a great partner with the Feinstein Jr.
Scholars program for many years. But this
solidi es that partnership well into the
future and will also give our Jr. Scholars
access to an exciting new facility where they
can go deeper in their learning.”
“Alan Shawn Feinstein is revered
throughout New England as someone
who cares deeply about young people and
their future,” added Dr. Coan. “It is hard to
imagine a young person in Rhode Island
who has not heard of the Feinstein Jr.
Scholars program or met Alan Feinstein in
person or seen him on public television.
He is beloved, and we are honored to be
associated with him and his family foun-
dation to expand learning opportunities
for young people.”
Development
Feinstein Foundation Announces Major
Gi to Mystic Aquarium
Gi Supports Ocean Conservation and Research Center and Learning Partnership
for Feinstein Jr. Scholars

Conservation
New Rescue Lab for Endangered
Amphibians Opens in Panama
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
(SCBI) and Smithsonian Tropical Research
Institute (STRI) scientists working together
as part of the Panama Amphibian Rescue
and Conservation Project (PARC) opened a
new safe haven for endangered amphibians
on 8 April. e state-of-the-art, $1.2 million
amphibian center at STRI’s Gamboa eld
station is the largest amphibian conservation
facility of its kind in the world. e new
center expands on the capacity of the El
Valle Amphibian Conservation Center to
implement a national strategy to conserve
Panama’s amphibian biodiversity by creating
captive assurance populations.
Panama is a biodiversity hotspot for
amphibians with more than 200 species of
frogs, salamanders and caecilians. For the
past 20 years, however, many of Panama’s
unique and endemic amphibian species
have declined or disappeared as a result of
the deadly chytrid fungus that has spread
throughout Latin America and the Caribbe-
an. In fact, a third of amphibian species in
Panama are considered threatened or endan-
gered. Amphibian conservationists around
the world have been working to establish
captive populations of the world’s most vul-
nerable amphibian species to safeguard them
from extinction.
“Our biggest challenge in the race to
save tropical amphibians has been the lack of
capacity,” said Brian Gratwicke, amphibian
scientist at SCBI and international coordi-
nator of PARC. “ is facility will allow us to
do so much more. We now have the space
needed to safeguard some of Panama’s most
vulnerable and beautiful amphibians and to
conduct the research needed to reintroduce
them back to the wild.”
e center features a working lab for
scientists, a quarantine space for frogs col-
lected from the wild and amphibian rescue
pods capable of holding up to 10 species of
frogs. In the working lab, SCBI scientists will
continue research focusing on things like a
cure for chytrid. ey published ndings last
month in Proceedings ofthe Royal Society
showing that certain Panamanian golden
frogs were able to survive infection with
chytrid as a result of a unique skin-microbe
community already living on their skin.
Seven amphibian rescue pods house the
amphibian collection and colonies of insects
needed to feed them. Amphibian rescue
pods are constructed from recycled shipping
containers that were once used to move fro-
zen goods around the world and through the
Panama Canal; they have been retro tted to
become mini-ecosystems with customized
terrariums for each frog species.
“Our project is helping implement the
action plan for amphibian conservation in
Panama, authored by Panama’s National En-
vironmental Authority—now Environment
Ministry—in 2011,” said Roberto Ibañez,
STRI project director for PARC. “ is is
only possible thanks to the interest in con-
servation of amphibian biodiversity by the
government of Panama and the support we
have received from businesses in Panama.”
e new rescue lab will be crucial to
ongoing breeding e orts and breakthroughs,
such as the successful hatching of an And-
inobates geminisae froglet. SCBI and STRI
scientists hatched the rst A. geminisae
froglet in human care in one of
the amphibian rescue
pods at the existing
Gamboa amphibian
conservation center.
e tiny poison frog
species, smaller
than a dime, was
discovered and
described for the
rst time in Panama in 2014. ey simu-
lated breeding conditions in a rescue pod.
e new facility will provide much-needed
space to grow and expand, allowing them to
build assurance populations for many more
species. A small exhibition niche provides a
window directly into an active rescue pod,
where visitors can see rescued frogs and
scientists as they work to conserve these
endangered frogs.
PARC is a partnership between the
Houston Zoo in Houston, Texas, Cheyenne
Mountain Zoo in Colorado Spring, Colo.,
Zoo New England in Mass., SCBI and STRI.
Funding for the new facilities was provided
by Defenders of Wildlife, Frank and Susan
Mars, Minera Panama, the National Science
Foundation and USAID.
As a research facility, PARC is not open
to the public. However, there are interpre-
tive panels and a window into the research
pod where visitors can get a glimpse of the
project in action. To learn more, the public
is welcome to visit the new Fabulous Frogs
of Panama exhibit at the Smithsonian’s
Punta Culebra Nature Center, located on the
Amador Causeway.

Animal Health
Shedd Aquarium and Walgreens Partner
to Create On-Demand Prescription Delivery
for Aquatic Animal Residents
John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chica-
go, Ill., a pioneer in aquatic animal
health and medicine, has teamed up
with Walgreens Pharmacy to create a
rst-of-its-kind partnership that pro-
vides on-demand access to preven-
tive care medicine and supplements
for its 32,000 animal residents.
e A.Watson Armour III Center
for Aquatic Health and Welfare at
Shedd is one ofthe largest full-scale
animal hospitals in the country,
caring for the more than 1,500 species
– each with signi cantlydi erent
physiological pro les and responses
to medications and treatments. In an
e ort to continue to provide the best
care for its animals while reducing
pharmaceutical waste in line with the Aquar-
ium’s robust sustainabilityinitiatives, the
Aquarium turned to national pharmacylead-
er and longtime Shedd supporter, Walgreens.
“We’re focused on providing the best
care for our animals at Shedd, so expand-
ing our partnership with Walgreens was a
natural t for us when looking for ways to
continue to provide reliable preventive care
while furthering our mission of sustainabil-
ity,” said Bill Van Bonn, DVM, vice presi-
dent of animal health for Shedd Aquarium.
“We found that because our animals are
healthy, stock medication o en went
unused and eventually expired, leading to
unnecessary waste. When we presented this
challenge to Walgreens, they stepped up to
work with us to nd a solution that would
meet both the health and safety needs of
our animals and our commitment to reduc-
ing environmental impact.”
Since the launch of the program pilot
late last summer, Shedd has already seen a
25 percent reduction in inventory and an
estimated 50 percent decrease in sta time to
manage pharmacy inventory.
A critical part of animal care includes
preventive examinations for all of Shedd’s
animals – similar to the way humans
receive regular physical assessments, dental
checkups and eye and prenatal exams. For
every animal group, from corals to sea
jellies and beluga whales to stingrays, the
regular checkups help monitor for changes
in health and behavior and help Shedd’s
veterinarians identify and address issues
before they occur. When necessary, medica-
tion or supplements are provided as part of
individual routine care.
“Whether drops for a baby sea otter’s
gassy stomach or preventive care probiotics
for an aging iguana, our sta can now easily
ll a prescription and have it hand-deliv-
ered by the Walgreens pharmacy at North-
western Memorial Hospital,” Van Bonn
said. “Shedd o ers around-the-clock care
to its animals and has teams in place should
an emergency occur. e few medications
that we do still keep ‘on-the-shelf’are there
to ensure we can respond immediately if
needed. So whether we are caring for an
animal at the Aquarium – or our rescue and
rehabilitation team needs access to a critical
medication hundreds of miles away – this
new ability to have what we need, right
when we need it, is tremendous.”
Sustainabilityis a priorityin everydepart-
ment at Shedd, from water- and energy-con-
serving exhibits to the pesticide-free gardens
that growfood for the animals. Innovation in
aquatic medicine is just one of11 operational
areas in which the Aquarium has committed
to improving sustainable practices.
By the Numbers
Cet a c ea n
Co n ser va t io n
More than million was
directed to
cetacean conservation
in the wild between
2010 and 2013

Research
Study at Lincoln Park Zoo
Reveals Chimpanzee
Determination and Innovation
Just as humans will travel to their favor-
ite restaurant, chimpanzees will travel a
farther distance for preferred food sources
in non-wild habitats, according to a new
study from scientists at Lincoln Park Zoo in
Chicago, Ill., that was published in March
2015 in the journal PEERJ.
Chimpanzees at Lincoln Park Zoo prefer
grapes over carrots. Previous research at the
Zoo provided that insight into food prefer-
ences. Now, a 15-month study, led byLydia
Hopper, PhD, ofthe Lester Fisher Center
for the Studyand Conservation ofApes at
Lincoln Park Zoo, suggests that the apes are
willing to travel further to get the food they
prefer. is is the rst studyofits kind in a
zoo setting, and the results compare nicelyto
similar research on wild chimpanzees.
In order to receive a food reward, the
chimpanzees had to collect tokens, or
small lengths of PVC pipe, from a single
location. e chimpanzees could then
exchange the tokens with researchers at
one of two locations – a close location with
a carrot reward or a far location(s) with a
grape reward. By the third phase (30 ses-
sions per phase), as a group, the chimpan-
zees preferred to travel further in order to
get the better food item (grapes).
“It was quite fascinating to see the
developments between each of the three
phases of the token exchange study,” said
Hopper. “In addition to learning about
food preferences and proximity, we also
observed innovative, problem-solving
behavior among the chimpanzees.”
Interestingly, the rst chimpanzee to
discover the better reward being o ered
at the far location was a female named
Chuckie, who is the lowest-status female in
the group. e far location may have been
preferred for not only its food reward but
also because it gave her an opportunity to
avoid competition from higher-status chim-
panzees at the close location. Additionally,
alpha male chimpanzee, Hank, observed
the other apes and learned the bene ts
of the far location, thus exchanging 100
percent of his tokens at the far, preferred
food location.
“All ofthe chimpanzees in this study
demonstrated exible foraging strategies
with minimal scrounging from one another,”
said Hopper. “Understanding the animals’
preferences and exploration oftheir habitat
is critical to caring for these animals.”
By the Numbers
AZA-accredited
aquariums
and zoos
supported
cetacean
conservation.
25
SigniƓcant funds were directed
toward marine mammal strand-
ing networks and rescue and
rehabilitation efforts, primarily
in the United States but also
internationally.
Many additional projects fo-
cused on cetacean health, often
in relation to ecosystem health
and exposure to contaminants
such as oil, pesticides, mercury
and marine debris.
At least 23 cetacean species bene-
Ɠted from this work, with the most
species-speciƓc efforts directed
toward the
North Atlantic
right whale,
bottlenose
dolphin and
the beluga
whale.
23
The Marine Mammal
Taxon Advisory Group
(TAG) manages eight
Species Survival Plan®
(SSP) programs.
Cet a c ea n
Co n ser va t io n

How Modern Zoos Communicate With Visitors
Researchers combined an online ques-
tionnaire with case studies to examine
how zoos provide educational information
to their visitors. One hundred seven-
ty-six zoos from 50 countries returned
the questionnaire; nine of those zoos
enabled direct observation and face-
to-face interviews on site with zoo sta
and visitors. Questionnaire respondents
identi ed signage, pamphlets, worksheets,
sta presentations, animal shows, animal
contact areas and formal/informal conver-
sations with volunteers as interpretive and
educational tactics. Exhibit signage was the
most prevalent medium, and 95 percent
of visitors reported reading at least some
exhibit signage. More than 70 percent of
participating zoos used person-to-person
education, and 54 percent reported having
animal shows. However, the comparison of
case study data to questionnaire responses
for each of the nine case study institutions
revealed that institutions frequently failed
to report educational programs and/
or tactics; this under reporting may be
attributable to some institutions using too
narrow a de nition of education. One key
nding of the case studies was that sta
and volunteers involved in person-to-per-
son educational tactics were typically ill
prepared to provide even basic informa-
tion on animals and zoo facilities. Notably
absent from case studies was signi cant
use of technology as a means of interact-
ing with zoo visitors. e unique social,
cultural and economic situations of the
participating zoos highlighted that their
context needs to be considered to commu-
nicate most e ectively with visitors.
Roe,K,McConney,A,and Mansfield,CF.
2014.How do zoos‘talk’to their general
visitors?Do visitors‘listen’?Amixed meth-
od investigation of thecommunication
between modern zoosand their general
visitors.AustralianJournal of Environmental
Education,30,167 -186.Correspondence
to KatieRoeat katie.roe@westnet.com.au.
Research
Impact ofGPSTracking
Deviceson Elephant Behavior
Tracking devices such as GPSor “radio”
collars are assumed to have negligible e ects
on animal behaviors, particularly temporal
and spatial patterns of activity. is study
examined the e ects of wearing GPScollars
on the behavior of eight African elephants
housed at a safari park in the United States.
A structured, positive reinforcement process
was used to desensitize the animals to
collars and train them to participate in the
attachment and removal of the procedures.
Observations were made at night and during
daylight. Nineteen behavioral categories
were used to compare behavioral patterns
with and without the collars. Although there
were 12 instances of animals touching the
collar of another animal, no signi cant dif-
ferences were found between the behaviors
with and without the collars. e results
indicate that, with training, GPScollars may
have minimal impacts on animal behaviors.
Horback,KM,Miller,LJ,Andrews,J,
Kuczaj II,SA,Anderson,M.2012.The
effectsof GPScollarson African ele-
phant (Loxodonta africana) behavior
at the San Diego Safari Park. Applied
Animal Behaviour Science 142: 76-81.
Correspondence to Kristina Horback
at Kristina.horback@eagles.usm.edu or
km.horback@gmail.com.

E ectiveness of
Demonstration Programs
Zoo or aquarium demonstrationsinvolving
animalbehaviorsor carecan encourage
nancialsupport,foster emotionalconnec-
tionsand increaseknowledgeofvisitorswho
observethem. isstudyused 336pre- and
post-demonstration evaluationsto examine
visitor responsesto two typesofdemonstra-
tion involvinglowland gorillas:trainingand
cognitiveresearch usingtouch screens. ese
demonstrationsareregularlyscheduled in a
publicviewingarea.Visitorsviewingeither
demonstration had increased understanding
ofcareand research involvingapesthan those
who had not witnessed a demonstration.
Somewhat surprisingly,therewasno di erence
between visitorswho viewed thetrainingvs.
theresearch/touch screen usedemonstrations.
However,within thoseresults,groupswith
children displayed greater understandingof
careand research and greater enjoyment than
did thosewithout children. estudyempha-
sizesthepotentialfor animaldemonstrations
to inform and changevisitor attitudesand
suggeststhat theinteraction between sta and
animals,rather than thecontent ofthedemon-
stration,maybethemost criticalin uenceon
visitor attitudesand perceptions.
Price,A,Boeving,ER,Shender,MA,and
Ross,SR.2015.Understanding theeffective-
nessof demonstration programs.Journal of
Museum Education,40,46-54.Correspon-
denceto Allison Priceat aprice@lpzoo.org.
Using GPSto Evaluate
Relationships Among
Social Animals
GPScollarswereused to monitor temporal
and spatialactivitypatternsand positive/
negativeinteractionswithin a group ofeight
African elephantsat a safari park in theUnited
States.Averagedistancesbetween individuals
werecalculated for nine24hour periods. ese
data werecompared with management sta
perceptionsofanimalsthat wereexpected to
spend high levelsoftimein closeproximity.
GPSdata validated most preconceived notions
about which animalswerein closeproximity
and therateofpositivesocialinteractions. e
resultsindicatethat GPStechnologycan be
used to examineand monitor individualinter-
actionsin largespacesand mayaid in research
and management byreducingtheextent and/
or need for direct observations.
Hacker,CE,Horback,KM,Miller,LJ.2015.
GPStechnology asaproxy tool for deter-
mining relationshipsin social animals: an
example with African elephants.Applied
Animal Behaviour Science 163: 175-182.
Correspondence to Charlotte E.Hacker at
charlotte.hacker230@topper.wku.edu.
Suggested Amounts in
Fundraising Asks
isstudyconducted an experiment to
examinehowa direct ask for a certain amount
ofmoneyimpactsfundraisingsuccess. e
experiment waswithin a tele-fundraisingini-
tiativeaimed at universityalumni. edesign
was:no suggested amount,a suggestion of$20,
a personalized suggestion (e.g.,$20.03for the
classof2003);each oftheseoptionswaso ered
with or without a 1:1matchinggi .Although
almost 50percent morepeopleresponded
to the$20suggestion,theaveragegi was
reduced from the“no ask”approach such that
totaland per capita revenuesweresimilar
for $20vs.no ask.Onepotentiallyimportant
result ofthistest isthat while28.6percent of
pledgesabove$20werenot honored in theno
ask scenario,allofthepledgesabove$20were
honored when theask was$20. epersonal-
ized ask outperformed no ask and the$20ask,
includingwhen thepersonalized ask was$20
(classof2000).Matchingincreased thenum-
ber ofdonorsand thetotalrevenuesbut not
signi cantly. estudyprovidessupport for
speci cask amounts,particularlywith respect
to recruiting/retainingdonors. eauthors
notethat determiningtheoptimalask amount
isa trickybalancebetween moredonations
and reduction ofsomedonation amountsfrom
thosewho might donatemorethan theask if
no amount issuggested.
Edwards,T,List,JA.2014.Toward an
understanding of whysuggestionswork
in charitable fundraising: Theoryand
evidence from anatural Ɠeld experiment.
Journal of PublicEconomics114: 1-13.
Correspondence to John List at Jlist@uchi-
cago.edu.For related studieson fundrais-
ing and charitable giving,visit the Science
of Philanthropysite at http://spihub.org.
Did you see?

18 www.aza.org | June 201518 www.aza.org | June 2015
“Back in the day, the thought was always, ‘If you’re not sure what’s going on in an
aquarium, do a water change,’” said Thom Demas, curator of Ɠshes and manag-
er of life support systems at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tenn. The
22-year veteran has seen that approach evolve as aquarium professionals have
become much more sensitive to the impact of water supply and disposal on the
environment and on the budget.
BYMARYELLEN COLLINS
Environmentally Responsible
Water Management

20 www.aza.org | June 201520 www.aza.org | June 2015
hether aquariums source
their water from the city or
the ocean, conservation of
this natural resource is top of
mind among the sta at Association of
Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited
facilities across the country. While some
have implemented new approaches, De-
mas sees room for even more new ideas
and strategies.
“We all want to know how you make
your environment more stable and
healthy. It’s really quite an e ort to rep-
licate what Mother Nature does so well,
and that makes us push the envelope,
and that means we’re going to learn new
things. Managing an aquarium as an
ecosystem requires a lot of learning.”
The Ups and Downs
of DenitriƓcation
Demas has spent the past few years
implementing a system for the Tennes-
see Aquarium that can eliminate the
need for a water change by replicating
the “other half of the nitrogen cycle,” or
removing nitrates from aquarium water.
“In nature, there is bacteria in ma-
rine sediments to attack nitrates. If you
can get a heterotrophic bacteria culture
going, you can break the nitrates down
to remove them. I would love to never
have to do a water change,” said Demas.
His team implemented a denitri cation system for their big
tank in 2009, and because it has worked intermittently since
then, he is in the process of redesigning it.
Despite how logical the denitri cation process looks on
paper, replicating it in an aquarium is a challenge that not
many facilities have undertaken.
“First, as with any LSScomponent, each tank needs its
own system, which may require moving things and reallo-
cating space, and many zoos and aquariums aren’t out tted
to support it. Secondly, heterotrophic denitri cation, the
type most commonly used for a long time in the industry,
has a track record of being an operations nightmare and
not user-friendly,” said Andy Aiken, director of life support,
the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Md. “Heterotrophic
bacteria grow so rapidly, it clogs and gums up the works, and
it smells.”
Since 2011, Aiken has focused his e orts on re ning
an autotrophic denitri cation process originally designed
for small exhibits by aquarists at the Aquarium de la Porte
Dorée in Paris, France. Autotrophic denitri cation systems
aren’t burdened with the massive bio-growth that hetero-
trophic systems provide; however, autotrophic systems can
take up a lot of space—too much space to be useful on a
large aquarium exhibit.
“To increase e ciency and make it small enough to work
on large exhibits, I increased the ow rate upward through
the lter beds to keep them uidized and well-mixed and
use pressure-rated lter vessels and an aggressive backwash
schedule to maintain thin bio lms. in bio lms maximize
nutrient (nitrate) transport to the bacteria,” said Aiken. e
Aquarium has already implemented a denitri cation system
for two tanks and has plans to do the same for remaining
tanks one at a time.
Conservation in the Desert
For sta at the Albuquerque Biological Park’s Aquarium
in Albuquerque, N.M., their desert location made water
conservation particularly important. In addition to recycling
their aquarium water, which contains good sh waste, into
the surrounding small wetlands, they included plans for salt
water recovery in their initial aquarium design.
“From the beginning, we looked at being able to
conserve as much water as we could,” said Rich Lerner, cu-
rator of shes at the Albuquerque BioPark. “We developed
a holding system for salt water and put it in place when
the Aquarium was built. is system was an additional
expense, but it enabled us to recover backwash water from
the sand lters, collect it and reuse it. Over the long haul,
“Weall wanttoknowhowyoumakeyour
environmentmorestableandhealthy.
It’sreallyquiteanefforttoreplicatewhat
MotherNaturedoessowell ...”

you can recoup the costs through the
reduction of buying and shipping the
salt.” ey are also currently consid-
ering a plan to recycle the water they
drain when cleaning the gravel in
small tanks by using it to water the
plants outside the Aquarium.
Lerner is also focusing on water-re-
lated energy conservation as a cost-sav-
ing measure. “When we’re running all of
the pumps in our big tank and lighting
it with 1,000 watt metal halide lights
we are generating a lot of heat, so we
need chillers to keep the water at the
right temperature. I’m changing over
our lighting to LED lights which do not
radiate heat into the water like the metal
halides do. is means less cooling, less
energy expenditure and less costs to
manage the tank.”
Conservation on the Coast
Proximity to the water source doesn’t
make conservation e orts any easier,
as evidenced by the unique challenges
facing the Monterey Bay Aquarium in
Monterey, Calif., which has an open
seawater system.
“Fresh water on the Peninsula has
been an issue for a long time, so we’re
pretty far ahead of the curve,” said Roger
Phillips, director of applied research at
the Monterey Bay Aquarium. One of the
facility’s water-saving initiatives involves
using a stainless steel drum screen lter
rather than a sand lter in a back ush
recovery system located at the o -site
Animal Research and Care Center.
“We are among the rst to use it in
seawater systems,” Phillips said. “A small
sand lter might require 1,200 gallons
for a good back ush cycle, and a drum
screen would use less than 100 gallons.
It’s more expensive, but it uses consider-
ably less water.”
Building a desalinization plant is a
common way to address the need for
fresh water when using an open seawater
system. In 1995, the Aquarium added a
new wing and installed a small desali-
nation plant to make fresh water for
bathrooms and all industrial equipment.
Although there has been talk of enlarg-
ing the plant, regulatory obstacles will
present challenges.
“If we want to use de-salinated
water for anything other than industri-
al purposes, we would need to obtain
special permits because everyone in
California wants to build one. Ours is a
tiny little plant that only runs when the
reservoir level goes down. Increasing the
production of our desalinization plant
is going to be di cult to get through
the regulators. ey want to know how
you’re going to get rid of the brine and
what chemicals you’re using. All of the
regulatory aspects of how you get water
from the ocean and discharge the brine
back to the ocean are formidable. Over
the long term, nothing is going to be
easy,” said Phillips.
When Size Matters
Even before Georgia Aquarium in
Atlanta, Ga., was completed, those
involved knew they would have to come
up with a creative water recovery system.
“Because of the unprecedented size of
the Aquarium and the volume of water
we would have, we knew we would
overwhelm the municipal system with
the typical industry standard ten percent
per week water discharge rate,” said Eric
Hall, Georgia Aquarium’s director of life
support systems and water quality.
To address this issue, they built ve
salt water recovery systems into the de-
sign of the Aquarium. Four systems are
dedicated to one exhibit each, and the
h is a multi-exhibit system. “Recovery
systems aren’t new, but we’ve optimized
them,” said Hall. “We’re very aggressive
in the way we treat the ‘old water.’We
rely on disinfection and denitri cation,
which we do very, very well.”
Life support professionals agree that
there will be new challenges to meet and
new regulations to follow, necessitating
more creative solutions in the area of
water conservation. Hall cites the fact
that zoos and aquariums are much larger
and with more aquatic habitats than
they were 20 years ago, which means
water management will become an even
greater organizational and logistical
challenge. He also emphasizes the need
to remember that an answer to one prob-
lem may present a new complication.
“We’re all looking for creative
solutions. We are going to have to keep
studying our water and all trace com-
ponents. Every time we do something
to aquarium water, we always create a
byproduct. ere is no free lunch.”
Mary Ellen Collinsisa writer based in
St.Petersburg,Fla.
Lifesupportprofessionalsagree
thattherewill benewchallenges
tomeetandnewregulations
tofollow,necessitatingmore
creativesolutionsintheareaof
waterconservation.

Engaging Visitorsin Dive Presentations
Fu l l
TECHNOLOGY
BY LANCE FRAZER

Scuba divers in aquarium exhibits
have been a crowd-pleaser for many
years, but with the advent of full face
mask technology making the diver
able to interact with the audience,
what George Peterson, director of dive
programs for Monterey Bay Aquarium
in Monterey, Calif., and others dub the
“Wow” factor has gone up exponen-
tially.
“We’ve been using full face mask
technology in our Kelp Forest exhibit
for more than 20 years,” said Peterson.
“We quickly found that upped the
inquisitiveness of our guests, so as
the technology became more readily
available, it was a natural progression
to make that connection.”
Nine hundred miles up the coast,
Je Christiansen, dive safety o cer for
the Seattle Aquarium in Seattle, Wash.,
said “exit polls had told us that a
diver in the water was one of the most
popular features, so the next step was
to build the connection between the
guest and the environment within the
exhibit. Put in a person you can actual-
ly interact with, and it adds a priceless
element of scale and connection.”
Aquariums have had to make the
choice between wireless communica-
tion, which requires less supporting
infrastructure but can have problems
with aquarium topography, and hard-
wired. Hardwired systems are popular
in shows as they add an element of
safety in addition to more consistent
sound.
“ e hardwired system,” Peterson
believes, “delivers better and more
consistent sound, and if the topside
tender produces the show, that can
[eliminate] the need for a dedicated
sound tech. And because the sound
cable is commingled with the topside
air supply, you also have what is, in
e ect, a dry-side ‘buddy’for the diver
in the water.”
Mike Brittsan, curator and dive
safety o cer at the Columbus Zoo and
Aquarium in Powell, Ohio, said his
facility uses the full face mask tech-
nology in their Indo-Paci c Discovery
Reef exhibit, where diver presentations
reach across the age spectrum.
“First, it’s a way to engage kids,” he
said. “ ey walk in and see (and hear)
the person underwater, who is actually
talking to them. e person in the
water sounds a little like Darth Vader,
and that can be really cool.
“Because somebody speaking to
you from underwater is di erent, peo-
ple are engaged quickly. I mean, if you
see someone standing there talking
about turtles, that’s really not that new.
But if the person talking about turtles
is at the bottom of a 30-foot deep
tank, feeding the turtles while they’re
telling you about them, that’s a whole
di erent thing.”
Arnold Postell, dive safety o cer
and senior biologist for the South Car-
olina Aquarium in Charleston, S.C.,
echoes that sentiment.
“Our large exhibits are the most
popular, and just seeing a diver in
the water gets people interested and
involved,” he said. “You see kids’faces
just light up, and if you can impact a
kid to connect to the water, it makes
delivering your educational message
that much easier. And diving like this
bridges the gap of the acrylic window
and the world of the ocean as well.”
“We try to tailor the content to be
accessible to everyone; not focusing
on kids or adults, but nding that area
in between,” Peterson said. “Make the
science accessible, and you’ll make
the connection with the kids, with
the parents or grandparents who are
there with the kids and with the adults
there on their own. Our goal is to
inspire everyone to love and have a
sense of wonderment for the critters in
the ocean, and a well-conducted dive
presentation can do just that.”
A feeding presentation ups the in-
terest level, Peterson said. “You attract
the attention of the guests, and then,
you can build the fascination with a
particular ecosystem and its popu-
lation. is helps people care about
the animals and the health of their
environment.”
“We can have a diver talking about
the coral reef in the exhibit, and how
it’s not a real coral reef, in spite of how
realistic it looks,” said Holly Bourbon,
curator of large- sh exhibits at the
National Aquarium in Baltimore, Md.
“And we can talk about why it isn’t

real, about how hard coral is to care for
and about how the removal of so much
coral would devastate the natural
ecosystem, and that, too, helps bring
home the conservation message.”
At the Aquarium of the Paci c
in Long Beach, Calif., Vice President
of Husbandry Perry Hampton said,
“We do four to six shows at each of
two exhibits [the Honda Blue Cavern
and the Tropical Reef habitat] every
day. We can be cleaning, or feeding
… it doesn’t seem to matter because
the audience is immediately engaged.
Once that happens, then you can work
in your message – extreme weather
events, the impact of climate change,
sustainability or whatever.”
Full face mask technology, most
agree, can also be a valuable tool in
other areas of aquarium operation.
Peterson said Monterey Bay uses it for
tank maintenance and animal study.
Wireless technology can also be valu-
able, several divers said, if you’re in
water where you can’t clearly see your
dive buddy, or when you’re moving
large animals.
Bourbon said her facility has been
using it in the set-up of their new
Blacktip Reef shark exhibit.
“We’ve been using the Guardian
Full Face Masks as part ofour diving
program with the sta and in anticipa-
tion ofusing them for our education
communication talks,”she said. “ ese
same masks, without the communica-
tion microphone component, can also
be used for exhibit dives in which the
diver needs extra protection.”
“Just seeing a diver in the water
gets people interested and
involved ... You see kids’ faces just
light up, and if you can impact
a kid to connect to the water, it
makes delivering your educational
message that much easier.”
© Tennessee Aquarium/Todd Stailey

In Tampa Bay, Fla., e Florida
Aquarium Dive Safety O cer Casey
Coy said that several years ago, the
Aquarium was involved with the study
and eventual preservation of the Civil
War-era tugboat USSNarcissus, and
this summer they’re going back and
taking divers along.
“I think the submerged human
and animal history needs to be told
to convey the whole scope of life on
Earth,” he said. “So this summer, we’re
beginning wireless full face mask
tours of the site of the Narcissus so
that guests can listen and watch while
the guide interprets the history of the
site, as well as the marine life that has
settled there.”
e Aquarium will use full face
mask technologyto broadcast live on
the Internet to school programs in
Tampa from the bottom ofthe ocean
while the divers restore coral or explore
shipwrecks. Seeking a metaphor for the
experience, Coyhearkens back to the
1960s when the world could listen to
Neil Armstrong speak from the Moon.
“In both instances,”he said, “you’re
dealing with a human being, speaking
to you live from an alien environment,
while on life-supporting equipment.”
e technology has changed a
lot in the last 15 years, said the South
Carolina Aquarium’s Postell. “Back
then, people hated to wear the full face
mask. It used to be a punishment to
do a show; now it’s a pleasure. ese
masks provide great vision, they don’t
fog easily and you can breathe through
your nose. It’s a world of di erence.”
Challenges
esemasksareexpensive,Postellpoints
out,runningin excessof$1,400each,
so proper maintenanceisvital– a point
with which PerryHampton concurs.
“ eyhave to be properlydried out
a er each presentation, and we’ve found
that mold can be an occasional prob-
lem, so that requires constant attention,”
he said. “And I’m not entirelyconvinced
that the microphones are as water-resis-
tant as they’re advertised. We have had
some problems there as well.”
Learning for the diver is a two-
stage e ort. First, the full face mask is
a very di erent animal from that with
which most divers learned their skills.
“Anytime you put salt water and
electronics together, you’ve got reason
to be concerned,”said Hampton. “And
the fact that you’re breathing through
your nose and mouth, rather than
through a mouthpiece, makes a big dif-
ference. It does take some getting used
to for the divers.” e equipment, adds
Hampton, can be damaged ifyou don’t
put it on and take it o properly, so that
also becomes part ofthe training.
Topside, says Bourbon, there’s
a learning curve as well. “ ere are
certain operational nuances the dry-
side sta needs to learn,” she said.
“ ey need to know how to deal with
the tethered connection for audio, the
microphones for the educators, how to
speak with the public and so on.”
Once the mask is on and the diver
feels comfortable, they need to learn
to talk. And that, said Hampton, is not
always easy.
“The technology has changed a lot in the last 15
years ... Back then, people hated to wear the full face
mask. It used to be a punishment to do a show;
now it’s a pleasure.”

“You have to learn to breathe prop-
erly, so you don’t run out ofbreath. And
you have to learn to modulate your
speech, and not get involved in long
sentences, [or] you can end up out of
breath and behind the eight-ball.”
ere’s a lot going on for the
diver, said Monterey Bay Aquarium’s
Peterson. “When you do a presenta-
tion underwater, it’s natural to get a bit
nervous to start with. row SCUBA
into the mix, and that’s another task
to manage. en, if the presenta-
tion involves feeding animals, that’s
something else to watch for. at’s why
we take divers through a progressive
training program, until they can mas-
ter all these skills.”
“ e microphone can be tricky
and has to be adjusted for each diver,”
Peterson cautioned. “To get the opti-
mum sound, it helps having someone
who can tweak the sound levels on the
y. And while you don’t want mask
and breathing sounds to overwhelm
what the diver is saying, you also don’t
want the presentation sounding like it’s
taking place in a conference room.”
According to Christiansen, Seattle
runs its signals through a digital
signal processor, “which was a big step
toward improved diver audio,” he said.
“Now it can be so clear, you can’t tell
it’s a diver. But you don’t want to com-
pletely take out the bubbles, breathing
sounds and the other noises that make
it real for listeners.”
You need to know how to clear the
mask if it oods (and they do), also
how to speak clearly and with proper
breathing and how to do it all with
calmness and assurance so you won’t
freak out the people watching,” said
Brittsan. “So if you’re going to invest
in the technology, make sure you’re
prepared to invest in the time and
“The microphone can be tricky and has to be
adjusted for each diver ... while you don’t want
mask and breathing sounds to overwhelm
what the diver is saying, you also don’t want
the presentation sounding like it’s taking place
in a conference room.”
©MontereyBayAquarium/TysonRininger
©JohnBarber

training to keep your divers safe and
comfortable with the technology.”
Brittsan explains there are two
technologies; one where the diver can
push a button to talk, then release
button so that anything that comes out
of their mouth is not heard. e other
where there is no button to push to
talk “so everything you say gets broad-
cast. Of course,” he added with a laugh,
“you need to be careful with that.
“Some divers prefer the push
to talk, but one problem with that is
that you end up with a diver with one
hand tied up pushing the button. at
can get problematic if you’re doing a
feeding and need to open a container.”
is where proper training comes in
very handy.
What is Down the Road
“One of the things we’d like to see
is a diver-controlled camera built
into the face mask,” said Peterson.
“ ere are some available now, but
they’re not yet the industry norm,
and I’d like to see the development
of a system where we can display a
diver’s eye video to those watching
the exhibit.”
“I’d also like to see more e ective
integration of this technology with
closed-circuit rebreather technol-
ogy,” said Coy. “With a rebreather,
you can go deeper and stay longer
without a lot of extra equipment. e
problem with the full face mask tech-
nology is that the way the breathing
loop is designed, there’s more space
in the mask, and you get these eddies
where CO2 can build up. If we can x
that, and come up with the technology
to do video and voice notes as you
swim, that would open a whole new
arena for us to deliver our messages to
the public.”
e bottom line, reminds Peterson,
is diver safety. “It’s very well-managed
by the industry, and Association of
Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accred-
ited facilities are extremely focused
on that aspect. For us, safety equals
sustainability, and sustainability equals
being able to continue educating and
entertaining our guests.”
Lance Frazer is a writer based in
Cameron Park, Calif.
©MontereyBayAquarium/RandyWilder

YOUR ZOO A ND AQUA RIUM
ONLINE NETW ORKING COMMUNITY
START DISCUSSIONS. INVITE COLLEAGUES. SHA RE RESOURCES.
GET CONNECTED.
Lo g in at w w w.aza.o rg and
click o n My A Z A Net w o rk .

Member News
Shedd Aquarium
President and
Chief Executive OfƓcer
Ted A. Beattie to Retire
A er more
than two
decades of
leadership
for one of
the world’s
most respected animal care,
conservation and education
organizations, Shedd Aquarium
President and Chief Executive
O cer Ted A. Beattie an-
nounced his intent to retire in
late 2016, bringing to close a
35-year legacy of commitment
to the advancement of conserva-
tion and education for animals
and ecosystems.
“It has been an exceptional
honor and privilege to lead and
work alongside the thousands
of amazing sta , volunteers, re-
searchers, educators and others
who have dedicated their lives to
animals and inspire the 180 mil-
lion people who visit accredited
zoos and aquariums each year
to learn and care about them,
both at places like Shedd and in
the wild,” Beattie said. “To have
played a role in enhancing the
way we develop connections
that foster a greater a nity
for the living world has been a
remarkable and rewarding jour-
ney. I know it is the appropriate
time for me to pass that torch, as
Shedd is poised now more than
ever to cultivate the next gener-
ation of responsible stewards for
species and the environment.”
Shedd’s Board of Trustees
has formed an executive search
committee to identify and select
Beattie’s successor with planned
assistance from a national ex-
ecutive search rm. e charge
will be led by Shedd’s Board
Chairman Tyrone C. Fahner,
partner for global law rm
Mayer Brown.
“Ted has been a transforma-
tive, visionary leader passionate-
ly dedicated to Shedd’s mission
and the hundreds of sta and
volunteers who are a part of it,”
Fahner said. “His collaborative
management style, strong focus
on nancial stability, commit-
ment to making Shedd the
friendliest place in town and
unwavering delivery to provide
best-in-class animal care, con-
servation and educational ini-
tiatives has made the Aquarium
the outstanding organization it
is today. On behalf of the entire
Board, we thank Ted for his
invaluable leadership – he will
enormously be missed.”
Beattie has committed to
supporting the Board through-
out the transition period and
will continue to serve in his
Faces &Pl aces
AZA Staff
AZA Hires Alison Davitt as Vice
President, Principal Gifts and
Campaign Director for SAFE
The Association of Zoos and
Aquariums (AZA) hired Alison
Wainright Davitt as vice president,
principal gifts and campaign
director for SAFE: Saving Animals
From Extinction. Davitt brings two
decades of diverse fundraising
experience and successful cam-
paign leadership to AZA, most re-
cently as associate vice president
at Maryland Institute College of
Art (MICA). In that role, Davitt led a development team of
23 to achieve the largest single fund raising year in MICA’s
history, exceeding the initial Legacy Campaign goal by 80
percent. She also worked closely with the president, trust-
ees and the vice president of advancement to successfully
complete the second phase of the College’s overall $150
million campaign.
Davitt has also held positions at the University of Maryland
School of Pharmacy, the University of Baltimore and the
Greater Baltimore Medical Center. Early in her career, she
worked at both The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore and the AZA.
“I am thrilled to be back at AZA and to be part of the AZA
SAFE team,” said Davitt. “SAFE is truly unprecedented, and
I am excited to be generating support for something I am
so passionate about. It is profoundly rewarding to provide
others with the opportunity to partner and support in saving
some of the most vulnerable species in the world. When
people think about leaving a legacy, not many can say they
helped to save a species.”
Davitt hasan MBA from the JohnsHopkinsCarey Business
School in Baltimore,Md.,and aB.A.in political science and pre-
law from Notre Dame University of Maryland in Baltimore,Md.
Network with more than 2,000 colleagueswho share a passion for what they do, a drive to nd new solutions,
and an eagernessto make a di erence in the zoo and aquarium community. Plan to attend.
www.aza.org/annualconference

current role until the next ex-
ecutive leader has been named,
with a planned retirement date
of December 2016.
“Shedd’s continual success
and growth will remain my top
priority to ensure we deliver
continuity, transparency and sta-
bility throughout this process,”
Beattie said. “While the decision
to retire was not one made
without heavy consideration, it
is the right decision at the right
time for Shedd – and for me, my
wife, Jill, and our shared family.
I look forward to continuing to
contribute to the growth of the
non-pro t world and the devel-
opment of its future leaders.”
Beattie added that the next
chapter in his career includes the
intention to applyhis passion for
teaching to the advancement of
non-pro t management as well
as the continual development
and reward of the PennyBeattie
Leadership Fund – a profes-
sional development scholarship
program established in honor of
Beattie’s late wife that provides
funding support for Shedd and
other zoo and aquarium sta
across the nation to participate in
leadership growth opportunities.
Since joining Shedd in Jan-
uary 1994 as the third president
and chief executive o cer in the
Aquarium’s history, his many
accomplishments have included:
the development and opening
of six permanent exhibits – the
second expansion in Aquarium
history with the $47 million ad-
dition of Wild Reef in 2003 and
the $79 million re-imagination
of Shedd’s Abbott Oceanarium
marine mammal pavilion in
2009 being two of the most no-
table; eight special exhibits with
the anticipated opening of Am-
phibians this May; establishment
of the Daniel P. Haerther Center
for Conservation and Research,
which has grown to include
a portfolio of 18 global eld
research programs that span that
world; the addition of Shedd’s
onsite animal hospital and lab
facilities within the A. Watson
Armour III Center for Aquatic
Animal Health and Welfare; a
visionary Master Energy Road
Map designed to cut the Aquari-
um’s energy consumption in half
by 2020; the opening of Shedd’s
Teen Learning Lab – a free,
collaborative space for teens to
develop critical-thinking skills
while exploring environmental
interests and science; and the
earned position of Chicago’s
top-attended paid cultural
attraction for 17 of the last 21
years, welcoming more than 33
million guests – just to name
a few.
Beattie also served via Pres-
idential appointment in 2001 to
the 16-member U.S. Commis-
sion on Ocean Policy where he
helped cra recommendations
on a range of issues, from
stewardship of marine resourc-
es and pollution prevention
to enhancing and supporting
marine science, commerce and
transportation. e report was
presented to President George
W. Bush and Congress in late
summer 2004, listing ocean edu-
cation and Great Lakes issues as
a high priority, with aquariums
playing a prominent lead role.
Margot Amelia
Joins National
Aquarium Leadership
The Nation-
al Aquarium
in Balti-
more, Md.,
announced
the appoint-
ment of Margot Amelia as
senior vice president and chief
marketing officer. Amelia,
who previously served as
the executive director of the
Maryland Office of Tourism
Development since 2007,
started at National Aquarium
in early March.
As Chief Marketing O cer,
Amelia will be responsible for
the development and execution
of the National Aquarium’s
marketing plan to achieve
nancial and strategic objec-
tives. She will lead all aspects
of implementation of the plan:
driving attendance and revenue,
enhancing the brand, e ectively
managing customer relation-
ships and increasing market
penetration. As a member of the
National Aquarium Leadership
Team, she will actively partici-
pate in organization-wide policy
decisions, strategic planning,
fundraising strategy, board re-
lations, resource allocation and
representation of the National
Aquarium mission and brand.
“We are going forward into
the 21st century and creating a
new kind of aquarium. Margot
brings a wealth of tourism,
branding and leadership skills to
the position and the organiza-
tion,” said John Racanelli, Na-
tional Aquarium chief executive
o cer. “Her strategic approach,
enthusiasm and inspiring cre-
dentials will take us to the next
level. We look forward to her
elevating the National Aquarium
as a local and global leader.”
Amelia brings to the National
Aquarium more than 25 years
ofexperience developing and
directing marketing strategies
for both the private and public
sector. Most recently, she served
as executive director for the
Maryland O ce ofTourism
Development where she was re-
sponsible for marketing the State
ofMaryland as a destination.
Amelia initiated consumer-driv-
en marketing strategies, targeting
keyfeeder markets through
digital and traditional marketing
channels, which led to re-
cord-breaking years ofvisitation,
in-state visitor spending and sales
tax revenues. She also launched
the Maryland Green Tourism
certi cation program in 2009.
Prior to the Maryland O ce
of Tourism, Amelia served as
vice president of marketing for
the Baltimore Area Convention
and Visitors Association (now
Visit Baltimore), the o cial
destination development and
marketing leader for Greater
Baltimore. From 1988 to 2001,
Amelia worked for Gray Kirk
Vansant Advertising in various
management positions. Prior
to that, she worked for Smith
Burke &Azzam and for Amelia
&Associates.
“I’m looking forward to
joining the Aquarium to help
change the way guests view and
care for the ocean,” said Amelia.
“As an engaged resident and pro-
fessional, I’ve witnessed how far
the Aquarium has come, and I’m
looking forward to the opportu-
nity to take it further. ”
Nashville Zoo Hires
Event and Donor
Engagement Manager
Nashville
Zoo in Nash-
ville, Tenn.,
announced
the appoint-
ment of Amy
Colton as event and donor
engagement manager. In this
role, Colton will support the
e orts of the Zoo, the board of
directors and campaign cabinet
in raising funds for operating
and capital projects. In addition
to event management and logis-
tics, she will also be responsible
for designing, implementing
and coordinating a compre-
hensive donor relations and
stewardship system.
Colton joins the Zoo with
a wealth of experience leading
successful fundraising initia-
tives in the Nashville commu-
nity. She has chaired the Swan

Faces &Pl aces
Member Updates
Welcome New Members
AZA is pleased to warmly welcome new Professional
AfƓliate, Professional Fellow, Conservation Partners,
Accredited Institutions, CertiƓed Related Facilities and
Commercial Members.
New Professional
AfƓliate Members
AmyAnderson,Palm BeachZoo
Luciana Bardwell, Safety
Specialist, Kansas City Zoo
Kate Barszczowski, Animal
Keeper –Carnivores, Little
Rock Zoo
Jeffrey J Bocek, Keeper,
Herpetology,Houston Zoo,Inc.
Adam Burling, Director of
Membership, Dallas Zoo
John Clark, Zoological
Manager, Children’s Zoo,
Saint Louis Zoo
Sheila Cook, Education
Programs Manager,
Birmingham Zoo
Chris Davis, Managing
Partner,ZoOceanarium Group
Joshua Craig Davis,Trainer,
Mystic Aquarium
Andrew Fischer, General
Manager of Merchandising,
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Melissa Gramling Senior
1 Animal Care Specialist –
Elephants, Busch Gardens
Tampa Bay
Michael Grumney, Life
Support Systems and Water
Quality Keeper, Columbus
Zoo and Aquarium
Laurie Hageman,
ZooKeeper, Bergen County
Zoological Park
Carolina Holguin Gonzalez,
Registrar, Africam Safari Park
Allison Kao, Behavioral
Husbandry and Enrichment
Manager, Lincoln Park Zoo
Chris Keene, Creative
Director, Zoological Society
of Milwaukee County
Allan Kottyan, Aquarist,
National Aquarium
Jamie Landenburg, Keeper
I, Chattanooga Zoo at
Warner Park
Shannon Linton, Youth
Learning Supervisor,DallasZoo
Rachel Markowitz, Franklin
Park Zoo
Emily Marrin, Marketing &
Communications Manager,
Greater Los Angeles Zoo
Association
Staci Otero, Zoo Personnel
Coordinator, Zoo Miami
Aaron Robert Pilnick,
Aquarist, National Aquarium
Suzette Randall, Human
Resources Manager,
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo
& Aquarium
Kristen Scaglione, Wild
Animal Keeper, Akron
Zoological Park
Jeremy Vargo, International
Exotic Animal Sanctuary
Amber Wiedeman,
Children’s Animal Center
Supervisor, Fossil Rim
Wildlife Center
Peta Wittig, Director of
Operations, ZoOceanarium
Group
Katie Woods, Zookeeper I,
Lion Country Safari
New Professional
Fellow Members
Tricha Cross, Head
Zookeeper, Bermuda
Aquarium, Museum and Zoo
Suzanne Frounfelter,
Manager of Purchasing &
Distribution,Woodland ParkZoo
Beth Nathan,
Assistant Director of
Marketing & Sales, South
Carolina Aquarium
Scott Rosenbloom, Director
of Veterinary Services,
Lehigh Valley Zoo
New Conservation
Partner Members
Honolulu Zoological Society
151 Kapahulu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815-4096
Email: alagoy@honzoosoc.org
Phone: (808)926-3191
www.honoluluzoo.org/
Primary Contact:
Ted Otaguro
To foster an appreciation of
our living world by supporting
and advocating environ-
mental education, recre-
ation, biological study and
conservation activitiesat the
Honolulu Zoo.
New/Reinstated
Commercial Members
Vac-Tron Equipment LLC
27137 South Hwy 33
Okahumpka, FL 34762
Email: sales@vactron.com
Phone: 1-888-VAC-TRON
www.vactron.com/
Primary Contact: Cori Walsh
WildWorks
105 N 400 W
Salt Lake City, UT
84103-1124
Email: natalie@wildworks.com
Phone: (801)355-4440
www.animaljam.com/
Primary Contact:
Natalie Shahmiri
Animal jam isa virtual
video game world for kids,
partnering with National
Geographic for
educational content.
Winterland Inc
1101 SMiller Ave
Marion, IN 46953-1161
Email: sales@winterlandinc.com
Phone: (800)788-9627
www.winterlandinc.com/
Primary Contact: Tarah Fred
Holiday decor and lighting.

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