The North Carolina Zoo is open every day of the year, except on Christmas Day.Summer hours begin on April 1 and extend from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Standard admissionprices are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for children. Winter hours beginNovember 1 and extend from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Zoo Society members and registeredNorth Carolina school groups are admitted free. The Zoo offers free parking, free tramand shuttle service, picnic areas, visitor rest areas, food service and gift shops.

For information, call 1-800-488-0444.

The Zoo is a program of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.The North Carolina Zoological Society is the non-profit organization that supports theNorth Carolina Zoological Park. Society offices are open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5p.m. For information, please call 336-879-7250 or logon to the Society’s Web page atnczoo.com.

SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORSDAVID K. ROBB

ChairCharlotte

MARY F. FLANAGANVice ChairChapel Hill

R. SEAN TRAUSCHKETreasurerCharlotte

HUGH “CRAE” MORTON IIISecretaryLinville

ALBERT L. BUTLER IIIWinston-Salem

EMERSON F. GOWER, JR.Florence, SC

LYNNE YATES GRAHAMAdvance

EARL JOHNSON, JR.Raleigh

ADDIE LUTHERAsheboro

MARK K. METZCharlotte

MOLLY MILLIS-HEDGECOCKHigh Point

MARY NORRIS PREYER OGLESBYChapel Hill

THERENCE O. PICKETTGreensboro

NANCY PROIADurham

MEHRAN RAVANPAYWinston-Salem

SCOTT E. REEDWinston-Salem

LIZ D. TAFT, Ph.D.Greenville

LAURA H. VIRKLERHillsborough

SYDNOR M. “MONTY” WHITE, JR.Raleigh

RUSSELL H. WILLIAMSExecutive DirectorAssistant Secretary

EDITORIAL BOARDJayne Owen Parker, Ph.D., Editor

De Potter, Design & LayoutStephanie GeeJohn D. GrovesRod Hackney

Dr. David JonesMichael Loomis, DVM

Mike McClanahanHayley McWilliams

Melinda PriorKen ReiningerCheryl Turner

Diane VillaRuss Williams

Gloria Moore, ProofreaderPrinted by Piedmont Printing

THE ISSUE...

Your ALIVE magazine canbe recycled in any recyclingprogram that takes maga-zines. To locate the closestmagazine recycling area inyour city, call “Solid WasteManagement” or “Recycling”under the City or County list-ings of your phone book.

Printed on recycled paper

Summer 2008 Issue No.53

The Value of Values

TT his issue of Alive wraps its storiesaround the grand, as well as thehumble. The stories swing from

the peak of animal majesty—AfricanElephants and Southern White Rhinos—to the meekest of creatures—frogs anddragonfly larvae.

While the gaps among these beastsseem large, their differences amount tomere pinpricks in the tapestry of life thatinhabits Earth. Quite possibly, our planetharbors 30 million or more different kindsof animals, plants, fungi, bacteria andother life forms. And, scientists wouldhave us value each of these species—all30 or 50 or 100 million—whatever thefinal number turns out to be.

Why? Because these species and theirlives intermingle inside a pulsatingGordian Knot that biologists call “biodi-versity.” This label encompasses the inter-play of genes, individuals, species andplaces that make life possible,sustainable and beautiful onPlanet Earth.

Biologists value eachtwist in thisByzantine gnarlbecause they see theways that these 30

million or more species cooperate to pro-vide the raw materials that life needs tolive. Biologists know that plants free oxy-gen for animals to breathe, that fungi fixnitrogen for trees to absorb, that bacteriafeed mammals by digesting cellulose andthat trees make rain by transpiring waterthrough their leaves. Biologists under-stand that biodiversity—the full comple-ment of life on Earth—matters becausebiodiversity drives survival.

When we plan for our future and thefuture of our children, biologists want usto fold biodiversity into the mix of whatwe value. Partly, they want us to valuebiodiversity because our lives depend onit. But, partly—perhaps mostly—theywant us to realize that we have grown somany and so powerful that we now havethe power to tatter great sections of biodi-versity’s web. We can disturb the strandsenough to destroy much of creation.

To protect this web instead, each of usmust begin to consider the ways

that our lives and our decisionsaffect other people, other

species and other parts of theworld. We must begin to

balance our wants againstthe needs of the rest ofcreation. This consider-ation is a rather smallprice to pay, really, for

the beauty, the life andthe wonder biodiversity

supplies us in return.

Assessing the Field Guide Pages

From the Summer 2008 Alive Magazine

The images associated with pages 2 – 5 in the Summer Alive are too large to include as

part of this PDF for the rest of the magazine.

To download the field guide pages, you need to visit another page in the Members Only

Section of our Web site.

The URL that you need to visit is located at

https://www.nczoo.com/membersonly/20080603102104129

You can either copy the above address and paste it in your browser or visit the Members

Only Section and select the menu item (on the left side of the page) that says Additions to

the Alive Magazine.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

6 | ALIVE

Oliver W. AlphinAmerican Scale CompanyArrow International, Inc.The Estate of Mr. & Mrs. James H

AustinMs. Sharon Belle & Mr. Mike

TaulbertBellSouth Matching Gift ProgramMs. Emily BerglMark & Carol BolesMr. & Mrs. J. M. BoozerMrs. Mary Martin B. Borden IIIEd & Claudia BostDavid & Roxanna BottjenRon & Cathy ButlerFred E. & Jeanette D. ByerlyMr. & Mrs. Clayton L. Cammack,

Jr.Fletcher & Jean CarterThe Cato CorporationCharlotte Pipe & Foundry

CompanyThe Coggin AgencyThe Donald & Elizabeth Cooke

FoundationJerry & Val Cooper

Cornerstone Health Care PA`Teri & Jeffrey CravenJohn Crosland IIIMr. Irvin G. Edwards IIIElastic Therapy, Inc.Fanwood Foundation/WestFirst BankMrs. Genie FrickRussell & Geordana GantmanThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.The Growing Place at First Baptist

ChurchMr. & Mrs. Joseph L. GulledgeHack Foundation, Inc.Mr. Bill H. HaggardDr. James Harper & Dr. Patricia

O'LearyNelson & Michele HendrixHoffman NurseryJames River EquipmentMarv & Burke JensenMr. & Mrs. David G. JohnstonMrs. Laren S. JonesSuzanne Kennedy-Stoskopf &

Michael StoskopfMr. Herbert S. Kerr

David & Cynthia KingMs. Mary A. LeightPaul & Caroline LindsayMrs. Cynthia H. LittleMr. Jeremy Luck & Ms. Janet

IsaacsonLunsford Richardson Preyer

Charitable Lead UnitrustScott & Michelle MacaleerMrs. Millicent S. MarsdenMecklenburg County BeekeepersMindWorks Multimedia, Inc.Mrs. Thetis J. MooreMs. Emma Neal MorrisonMrs. Hugh MortonN.C. State Beekeepers AssociationNewBridge BankMr. A. E. NivisonMr. & Mrs. John F. NuccitelliJohn & Alicia NunnallyMr. & Mrs. Robert H. Nutt, Jr.Dr. Nancy B. PateMrs. Janice PearsallBrad I. Procton & Cathy P.

ProctonAlan, Nancy & Alice Proia

Elizabeth & Robert PungelloMr. Don ReddingJohn & Joyce ReedyMr. Dalton D. RuffinJohn & Ginger SallSASDr. Anton SchindlerScience Hill Quaker MenMrs. Earl F. SlickMs. Gaye SpearsStarPet, Inc.Mary P. StephensonWalter & Gay SturgeonSyngenta Crop Protection, Inc.Ms. Barbara ThodeDick & Millie ThomasTouchstone Electric CooperativesLeonard & Joyce B. TuftsWachovia CorporationWal-Mart Super CenterDr. & Mrs. Stephen WallenhauptMr. Jonathan E. Wilfong & Ms. B.

W. Baker

Thank Yous...go out to the very generous donors who provided gifts of $1,000 or more to the Society between December 1, 2007 and January 31, 2008.

Summer 2008 | 7

Wild Adventures in2009 Journey to Costa RicaFebruary 18 - 29 $3,995Ride an aerial tram to enjoy a bird’s eye glimpse of rain-forest and get in touch with your inner fish as you glidedown the waterways crisscrossing Tortuguero National Parkand Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge. Raft Class I and II rapids onthe Sarapiqui River, watch lava flow from Arenal Volcano,visit nearby hot springs and search for rainbows andQuetzals in the Monteverde Cloud Forest. An optional exten-sion to Caraa Biological Reserve and Manuel AntonioNational Park is available.

Adventure to IndiaMarch 5 - 22 **$15,795 (land only)Travelers will visit ancient temples, explore exotic culturesand search for magnificent wild Tigers. There will be time toride camelback down antique alleyways and climb intomore modern vehicles to look for Tigers in parks that wereonce reserved for royalty. Both Old and New Delhi are on theitinerary, which provides visits to Bandhavgarh NationalPark, the Taj Mahal and so much more. An optional exten-sion is available to the sacred town of Pushkar, the Delwaratemples and Udaipur.

Whales & Wilderness in AlaskaAugust 8 - 16 *starting at 4,649Slip down Alaska’s Inside Passage with Executive DirectorRuss Williams as he leads his fifth trip north to Alaska. The166-foot Spirit of Discovery will take guests where largecruise ships dare not go. An extension is available to spendfour days exploring Anchorage, Denali National Park andFairbanks.

TRAVEL SAFARI

Chart a new course for future adventures

|ALL PRICES BASED ON DOUBLE-OCCUPANCY.* PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE AIRFARE.

Still in2008Migration Safari to KenyaAugust 28 - September 9 !$10,995Only one space remains on this luxury Migration Safari tosome of Kenya’s most remarkable landscapes and land-marks. Tour Karen Blixen’s former home, get close enough totouch giraffes at the AFEW Nature Center and witness Earth’smost magnificent migration as tens-of-thousands of wilde-beest and zebra return home to the Masai Mara. Enjoyimpeccable accommodations on every leg of the journey.

Explore ManitobaNovember 6 - 12 $4,595*Leave the South behind and venture into Churchill, Canada,to search for Polar Bears—the great lords of the Arctic. Aprofessional naturalist will escort our travelers through anecological sanctuary frequented by Polar Bears and 43 othermammal species along with more than 150 species of birdsand 500 species of plants. The residents include SnowyOwls, Eider Ducks, Gyrfalcons, Arctic Foxes and Caribou.Look for the Aurora Borealis to dance through the lingeringtwilight of the setting midnight sun. The trip includes timeto visit Winnipeg’s museums and nature center.

For more information, e-mail sgee@nczoo.com or call 336-879-7253.

HR

DEN

NLE

R

I love exploring ponds. Ponds come in all sizes, fromsmall ornamental water gardens to pools that span several acres.Regardless of their depth and breadth, ponds typically swarm with surprising, ever-changing varieties of life. Weather, luck and happenstance shine on some inhabitants and foil others, rearranging a pond’s mix of species and changing the way thewater looks and feels.

Cold Waters Every season affects life in a pond. Winters hush the water. Only

a rare fish or aging tadpole adds motion, skimming slowlyover the bottom. In January even the plants are dull.

Standing as ghostly brown and gold stalks, theyshelter tadpoles and fish from predators

—dragonfly larvae, turtles and fish—that must hunt, even in winter.

Warming To Spring When February temperatures rise to

meet March, pond communitiesspring to life. Hibernating frogs

and salamanders pull them-selves out of the mud

to breathe in thespring air. Somespecies, particularly

animals that becometerrestrial in summer,

migrate, often in mass.First their journeys take

them to breeding pools.Later, they move on to findtheir terrestrial shelters.

Warm spring rains drawguilds of SpottedSalamanders into longparades that march tobreeding ponds. Somefrogs gather into gangs,too, bounding to their breedingsites. The males bellow almost

as soon as they hit the water. Amid the choruses,

Spring Peepers peep

FIELD

in high-pitched voices that carry for nearly half a mile.Occasionally, short trills interrupt the din of the peepers’clamors. These crisp, short notes warn overeager maleswhen they mistake a fellow male for a receptive female.

Chorus Frogs sing in early spring, too, calling in chorusesthat sound like sleigh bells tinkling by the thousands. Closerto the calls, they lose their tinkle and sound more like thenotes that a dragging thumbnail plucks from a plasticcomb. American Toads chorus, too, enticing females withlong, throaty trills that linger for 30 seconds. Almost eerie,the trills sound rather like spaceships landing in early Sci-fi movies.

Spring brings out predators, too. Dragonfly nymphs or“water tigers,” scoop up frog and salamander eggs andsearch for amphibian and invertebrate larvae. Some birds—Green (or Striated) Herons and Grackles—extend their staysat springtime ponds, dipping into easy meals provided by a flush of tadpoles, fry and young turtles.

Otters join the hunts, alert to the risingtide of supple, young prey. Beavers getbusy, too, with seasonal repairs of winter-worn lodges and dams. Muskrats pop inand out of holes along muddy banks.Turtles and watersnakes search for the Sun,basking on logs that break through the water’ssurface or lying on sunny ledges along banks.

Some fish show up to begin their breeding activities.Sunfish, for example, clean out circular nests on pondbottoms, and males line up to guard their eggs.

Meanwhile, spring leaves unfurl, their shootsbreaking the water’s surface. A fresh coat of green paintsthe vegetation vibrant.

Brightening to Summer Overhanging branches leaf out, extending their shad-

ows. The deepening shade stretches over the water,cutting the Sun’s glare and revealing life and

habitats previously hidden under the water’ssurface. By now, most frogs have

finished breeding. Theirtadpoles swim

Pondering Ponds

8 | ALIVE

ANNIE RUNYUN/DE POTTER

their shoots back up in spring. Any time of year, ponds reveal much about life and its daily

and seasonal struggles. These sights and sounds can pleaseadults, but may have special meaning for children. Ponds often give children their first close encounters with wildlife—providing places to chase tadpoles in shallows or listen for frogs in evening shadows.

Ponds make good teachers. They instructon the physics of splash and the skipping capacityof pebbles. Ponds preach on the peace thataccompanies strolls and the joy that accumu-lates from accidental encounters with wildlife.Frogs, birds, fish, tadpoles and even snakesseem less frightening when seen in contextfrom a shoreline. Ponds reveal animals asgood neighbors—not as enemies.

The more one watches a pond, themore one learns about nature,

wildlife, peace and the valuesthat really matter.

JOHN D. GROVES, CURATOR OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES

in vast numbers, each kind searching for algae and vege-tation at depths typical for its species. But, not all frogsare silent. The “jug o’rum” calls of Bullfrogs and thebanjo-like plunks of Green Frogs persist as males hangonto territories, even though nuptials have passed.

Cricket Frogs, Green Treefrogs and Gray Treefrogs singnow. They gather on low branches, reeds and grasses nearthe water. When the Sun goes down, they send up callsthat draw in females. Water Beetles and Skimmers pass thesummer gliding across the water surface, grazing onminute invertebrates that live there, too.

Butterflies dart among the vegetation, occasionallystopping in muddy pools to drink and consume mineralsdeposited by the water.

Beginning the Fall As summer’s warm temperatures wind down, tiny toadletsand froglets—some still carrying a hint of their formertails—hop out of their ponds. Stretching legs that meta-morphized just weeks before, these youngsters are ending theirswitch from aquatic to terrestrial animals. They no longer graze onalgae and plants. They swallow insects. Hops and leaps have replacedswimming strokes. Gills are gone, and lungs are breathing. Coolingtemperatures eventually silence the last frogs’ calls. Young amphibiansand reptiles begin their first searches for safe places to hibernate.

Meanwhile, Beavers get busy again, harvesting branches andcaching them in their lodges. Otters and other small predators getmoving, too. They hunt overtime \to build enough fat to warmand nourish them through the winter.

As branches shed their leaves, their shade disappears.Sunlight resumes its glare on the

water’s surface.

Beginning Again As winter settles in, activity evaporates from ponds. Occasionally,a fish may break the surface, or a school of tadpoles may swim by.When they do, they are likely Bullfrog or Green Frog young headingdown their one-to-two year trip through metamorphosis. Birdsoccasionally drop in for a drink, both regulars and occasionalmigrants looking for rest or water on their journeys south.

Vegetation withers and dries, adopting autumn’ssomber browns and golds. As they wither, theplants carefully dismantle the starchesstored in their leaves to store them

in their roots, packing awayenough energy to send

Summer 2008 | 9

What Can

Frogs Tell Us?

(If you really listen, you might be surprised.)

10 | ALIVE

Frogs understand clean. They know—and confirm inconcert—when local accommodations meet environ-mental standards. On a warm summer night, any

healthy pond will have frogs singing their praises. WhereGray Treefrogs trill, Leopard Frogs chuck and Cricket Frogschirp, nature is working just fine.

Smart FrogsBiologists put trust in the calls of frogs and toads becausebiologists know that amphibians never lie about the land-scape. Wherever amphibians peer out from the underside ofrocks, the environmental news is good. Local birds, beesand people can breathe easy, secure that nature and her con-stant companions—water, soil and air—are healthy.

Amphibians are such reliable measures of habitats thatthey qualify as indicator species. Their populations point to the health of habitats by growing and shrinking in syn-chrony with local conditions. Like living barometers,amphibian numbers climb as environmental pressures easeand their populations fall when environmental pressures rise.

Amphibians respond so quickly to habitat declines thatbiologists look to frogs for the same advice that minerscount on from canaries. When they stop singing, the time toact is at hand.

Amphibian AlertSince the early 1980s, frog songs have dwindled worldwide.On every continent and from every type of habitat, manyfield surveys have recorded the bad news that frogs andtheir relatives are disappearing.

The best current estimates suggest that at least one-third,and probably one-half, of ALL amphibian species should beconsidered threatened or endangered. The data suggest thatamphibian species are becoming extinct twice to three timesfaster than birds and mammals are.

In some cases, devastating epidemics of chytrid fungusare driving these extinctions. But, amphibians are dyingfrom unknown causes, too; sometimes in otherwise pristinewilderness areas.

Because these deaths arrive suddenly and often remainunexplained, field researchers and conservation biologists

have concluded that captive breeding programs may holdthe only hope for many amphibians. While scientists searchfor remedies, frogs and their relatives need places to hideout and stay safe.

Doing the Right ThingThe N.C. Zoo agrees and is well-positioned to help. It is theonly institution in the state with the land, the expertise, theexperience and skills needed to quickly launch an amphib-ian breeding, research and conservation center. All we needto get this started is a small facility to house the program.

It is our hope that every Zoo Society member will make adonation—no matter how small—to get that center started.We are calling out to our members to give the Zoothe resources it needs to responded to thisemergency and do everything possible tosecure a future for frogs and salaman-ders native to the Southeast.

Donors who can give $50 ormore and give us their e-mailaddress, will be rewarded with asubscription to our Frog WebNews—an official e-mail thatwill go out whenever frogs cho-rus here in the Park. Donors whogive $500 or more will be invitedto a late night walk in the Park to

hear a live concert performed by the Zoo's own FabulousAmphibians.

You can make your gift online at www.nczoo.com, call ustoll free at 888-244-3736, or mail a check to TheAmphibian Breeding Center; N.C. Zoo Society; 4403 ZooParkway, Asheboro, N.C. 27205.

Be Part of the SolutionSign up for Frogwatch USA, a program operated by theNational Wildlife Federation and the United StatesGeological Survey. Anyone can volunteer. You do not haveto be an expert, just someone who is willing to help.

A Toadily Cool—Absolutley Ribbeting way to have fun,do some good and get to know your wildlife neighbors.

Logon to www.frogwatch.org to learn more.JAYNE OWEN PARKER, PH.D., SENIOR EDITOR

Summer 2008 | 11

! PineBarrensTreefrog

! Cope’sGrayTreefrog

! CarolinaGopherFrog

! Brimley’sTreefrog

Button Up forConservation!Support N.C. Zoo efforts to protect

frogs by wearing an exclusive “Year of the Frog” button.

Available at Zoo Society gift shops or online from the Society.

Hop Up and Vote!Please vote for one candidate by placing an “X” in the box next to your favoritenative North Carolina frog’s name.

Your name_______________________________________________________________

Mailing address___________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Would you like to receive e-mail information on up-coming programs to celebrate TheYear of the Frog 2008? If YES!, please give us your e-mail address.

E-mail address ___________________________________________________________

Can we count on you to give frogs a

chance? Make a pledge to help protect North Carolina’s frogs and waterby signing here:

__________________________________________________Send to: J. Parker, N.C. Zoo Society, 4403 Zoo Parkway,

Asheboro, NC 27205

MakethePledge

North Carolina needs a State frog!CLIP AND MAIL TO ADDRESS BELOW

Many Zoo visitors travel through thePark asking questions that never getanswered. So, the Alive magazine edi-torial board has decided to set asidesome space, from time to time, toaddress a few of the more common andinteresting questions that come to us.Here are the answers to a few of them.

Q.I thought that elephants weregray—why are the Zoo’s red?

A.Elephants have brownish-grayskin, but central North Carolina

has red soil. Elephants naturally tosssoil or mud on their backs to ward offinsects, cool down and keep from get-ting sunburned. So, when elephantspack on the dirt, they also put on thelocal color.

Q.Are the crocodiles (turtles,snakes, the tarantula, etc.) alive?

Can you make them do something?

A.Yes, these animals are alive. Ifthey are still and quiet, they are

probably asleep or resting. Zoo ani-mals, like all animals, need to sleepand rest in order to be healthy. Manywild animals follow a sleep schedulequite different from ours. These ani-mals may be nocturnal or crepuscularin their sleeping habitats. Nocturnalanimals sleep during the day and movearound at night. Crepuscular animalshunt at dawn and dusk.

Because the N.C. Zoo cares aboutthe well-being of its animals, the staffdevotes a good portion of its time andtalents to arranging natural habitatsthat encourage the animals to behaveas they would in the wild. That meansthat sometimes an animal will be sit-ting quietly, doing nothing.

The animals and the visitors benefitfrom this arrangement, which makesanimals healthier and happier andgives people a more honest picture ofnature and wildlife.

At our Zoo, when an animal is sleep-ing, it is likely doing what comes natu-rally for its species at a given time ofday in a particular season of the year. Visitors can actually learn quite a lotabout the Zoo’s animals and nature bytaking note of which animals tend tosleep at different times of the day andby noticing how a species’ activitylevel varies at different times of theday. By taking a few notes and making

a few observations, visitors canbecome good predictors of the besttimes to visit, say the Lion exhibit orthe Aviary, to see the animals engagingin interesting behaviors.

Q.Why aren’t all of the animals onexhibit every day?

A.Keepers close exhibits for avariety of reasons. An exhibit

may need some repairs or maintenanceto keep it safe for its animals. The tem-perature may be too cold or too hot fora particular animal to be on exhibit. Ananimal may be undergoing its annualphysical or its keepers may be con-cerned that an animal doesn’t seem tobe feeling well.

Q.Are the animals on exhibit duringthe winter months?

A.The N.C. Zoo is open every dayof the year except Christmas

Day, and whenever possible the ani-mals are on exhibit.

The Zoo equips the animals’ exhibitswith heaters and shelters that keep theanimals warm and comfortable onmost winter days. The Zoo makes surethat the animals are comfortable by letting most of them—including theGiraffes, Chimpanzees, Gorillas, PatasMonkeys, Elephants and Rhinoceros—decide if they want to be inside or out-side whenever the temperature fallsbelow 45° F. On cool days, these ani-mals can wander back and forthbetween their barns and their exhibits.

A few of the exhibits have specialfeatures that add warmth and comfort,like heated rocks in the Chimpanzeeexhibit and radiant heaters above theviewing area at the Gorilla exhibit.Keepers also provide animals withextra bedding materials to snuggle intoduring the winter months.

MELINDA PRIOR, ZOO EDUCATOR

Since You Asked...

Visitors get answers to some of their most frequently asked questions.

12 | ALIVE

Summer 2008 | 13

ZOO happenings

Upcoming Zoo & Zoo Society Events for 2008July 1Animal Coverings meets at the African Pavilion.Watching for Wings meets at kidZone’s Butterfly Garden.

August 5Wetland Wonders meets under the North America entry

bridge.Arctic Adventure meets underground at Polar Bear.

ONE-DAY CAMPS All camps require pre-registration andbegin at 10 a.m. The cost for each camp is $30.Preregister by calling the Education Office 336-879-7712.

Rising 1 - 3 Graders

June 18 Photo SafarI

July9 Cool Critters15 The Scoop on Poop17 The Bear Facts22 Scutes, Scales and Slippery Skin. 24 Things with Wings

August7 Animal Tales

Rising 4 - 6 Graders

June10 ASI–Animal Scene Investigator

July10 Zoo Do16 Nature’s Mythbusters23 Carolina’s Coolest

August 6 Arctic Ambassadors

MULTI-DAY CAMPS

Rising 1 - 3 Graders

June 24 - 26Feathers, Scales and Skin

9 a.m. - 3 p.m daily Cost: $80

Rising 4 - 6 Graders

July 29 - 31Amazing Adaptations

Cost: $110 This program includes an overnight stay on the second night.

SOCIETY EVENTS & PROGRAMS are for membersand their guests. For more information click on Eventsat nczoo.com. Call 888-244-3736 to register.

JUNE 14 Children’s Photo Safari 9 - 11 a.m. For children 5 and

up. $10 for a child and an accompanying adult. $5 for anadditional person. Meet at the Stedman Education Center.

21 Things with Wings - Suitable for Adults (youngsters 13and older). Meet at the Stedman Education Center.

Butterflies at 11 a.m.Dragonflies at 12:30 p.m.

Programs are $5 each or both for $8.

ZOO EVENTS are for everyone and, unless otherwisenoted, are free with the price of admission. For addi-tional information call 1.800.488.0444

JUNEEvery Weekend: Bee a Bear –

We don’t know what that titlemeans, either, but every week

there will be programs focusingon bees, bears or both.

AUGUST9 & 10 ZooCOOL – Chill out with

us and learn how Zoo animalsbeat the heat.

ZOO SUMMER CAMPSAll camps require pre-registration

and are age specific. Call the Zoo’sEducation Office to register.

JUNE BUGS These hour-long programsare meant to be shared by a parent and a preschooler. AllJune Bugs programs begin at 10 a.m. at a specifiedexhibit inside the Park. Pre-register by calling the EducationOffice (336-879-7712. The cost for each program is $5($4 for Society members).

June 17Digging into Deserts meets outside the Sonora Desert. Summer Safari Adventure meets at Watani Grasslands.

Details on all of these programs and the events we have planned for the rest of the year are available on the Web atwww.nczoo.com/index_html. * Reservations are required. For Society Member programs, call 336-879-7250 to make areservation. We begin taking member reservations six weeks before an event.

For more information on Zoo Camps click on Zoo Camps at www.nczoo.com or call 336-879-7715.

When Muriel and William Fox spoke to me in 1996,they explained that they each stood at the end of theirfamily’s line and that they wanted to leave their estate tothe Zoo Society. Mr. Fox, then 83, talked through theprocedure he needed to follow to create an endowmentfrom the estate and restrict the ways that funds from thisendowment would be used.

Mr. Fox died a year later, his wife last year.

In the wake of their deaths, the William H. and Muriel J.Fox Endowment Fund formed and will provide fundingfor the Zoo’s “bears, cats, foxes and wolves.”

The gift is timely, arriving just as the Zoo has commit-ted to expanding and improving its Polar Bear exhibit.The $35,000 that the Fox Endowment will generateannually should make a significant impact on this, andfuture, Zoo programs.

Mr. and Mrs. Fox enjoyed playing with their name asthey made gifts to the Zoo. After Mr. Fox’s death, Mrs.Fox commissioned a bronze Arctic Fox to sit in front ofthat species’ exhibit at the RJR Rocky Coast. The statuewas dedicated as a memorial to Mr. Fox.

RUSS WILLIAMS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

RUSSling’s Passing the Buck

Zoo PatronsAs I write this column, artists are shaping a massive artifi-cial tree in the Watani Grasslands exhibit, craftsmen areraising a roof on the Schindler Wildlife Learning Centerand artists and staff are designing a geyser and visitorgathering plaza to add to the North American Great Plainsexhibit.

A special couple funded two of these projects entirelyand, along with Dr. Anton Schindler and a handful of otherdonors, made the third one possible.

The sculptured tree will stand where elephants come toscratch and is one of many educational and artistic ele-ments that this couple’s generosity underwrote for the newpachyderm exhibits. The geyser will join a long list ofsculptures and educational additions that the couple hasscattered throughout their beloved Zoo.

Their additions enrich the Zoo experience for everyone.The couple gave us a bronze elephant herd at the entrance;provocative building blocks in the North American plaza;canoes, silhouettes and water carriers on the African entrybridge; a tile mural in the Junction Plaza; life-size bronzesof a rhino, a bison and chimpanzees outside of theirrespective exhibits; limestone hippos by the lake;Spalanzani’s Generator (bikes that churn out electricity)along a path, animated glass murals at the Rocky Coast,and more. All are in place here thanks to the quiet patronswho are Bob and Bonnie Meeker.

RUSS WILLIAMS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Express yourself, your family or yourgroup when you visit the Zoo by enteringthrough a Zoo Society Members-OnlyExpress Entry Ticket Booth. The Zoo has instituted a new admission

policy for Society members, who mustnow enter through the Society’s ExpressEntry ticket booths. These booths sit onthe far left of either Zoo entrance.Accessing these gates will provide our

members with the fastest possible entry

into the Zoo. Entering through thesebooths will also ensure that our membersare greeted by a Society employee whocan answer their questions and help themorganize their visits.The Zoo hopes that this new entry pol-

icy will help streamline the flow of visi-tors into the Zoo. To further streamlineyour entrance, please have your mem-bership card and a picture identificationout and ready to show to the person

Express Yourself with the New Society Entry Policy to the Zoo

14 | ALIVE

Father’s Day Adoptions: $45(Please circle one.)

!!CougarCougar !!Peregrine FalconPeregrine Falcon !!GorillaGorillaYour personal message: ______________________________________________________________________________

Mail to: " Recipient " BuyerFather’s Day gifts will be mailed June 6th unless otherwise noted here:_________________________________________Recipient’s Name____________________________________Recipient’s Address __________________________________City_________________________ State_____ Zip _________Phone_____________________________________________E-mail_____________________________________________Buyer’s Name ______________________________________Buyer’s Address_____________________________________City_________________________ State_____ Zip _________Phone_____________________________________________E-mail_____________________________________________Please make checks payable to the N.C. Zoo Society,or charge to:

" MasterCard " AMEX " Visa " DiscoverAcct.#______________________________Code __________Exp.Date______Signature_____________________________Mail to: N.C. Zoo Society, 4403 Zoo Parkway,

Asheboro, NC 27205

Show Dad you love him by adopting an animal that reminds you of him:a strong, steady Cougar, a distinguished Peregrine Falcon or a genialGorilla. Father’s Day adoptions come with a Society baseball cap.

Adoptions arrive with a personalized adoption certificate and a fact sheet with a picture of the adopted animal. Earnings from adoptions buy treats and toys for the Zoo’s animals and fund training that helps our keepers continue to take great care of the animals.

The ZooFileZ, a syndicated television series supported by funding from the ZooSociety, began broadcasting its tenth season in April. The program’s two-minute storiesfocus on the Zoo’s animals and plants; staff members; and education, veterinary andfield conservation efforts. The series airs on 10 broadcast stations and two cable sys-tems and is available to viewers in every major TV market in North Carolina. An esti-mated 400,000 viewers see the program weekly. Zoo Public Relations Manager RodHackney writes and hosts the programs.

More than 270 segments of The ZooFileZ were produced during its first nine seasons. The series has won several major awards, including the prestigious MercuryAward and the 2007 Charles Kuralt Award from the North Carolina Travel IndustryAssociation.

Zoo TV Series Enters its 10th Year

Summer 2008 | 15

PAGEIVEKids’

Wild animals have to work to survive.They need to find food, water and

shelter every day—and do it while they stay outof harm’s way and cope with changing weatherand seasons. Nature equips animals to facethese challenges by providing them with adap-tations, or features, that the animals can useto find food, water and shelter in certain kindsof habitats or places. Aquatic animals—animalsthat live in water or in wetlands—have differentadaptations than animals that live in the desertor in the Arctic.

Many aquatic mammals have thick, oilyfur that keeps them dry and warm in thewater. Some aquatic animals have webbingbetween their toes. The webbing gives the animals more power when they stroke againstthe water. Some aquatic animals have adapta-tions that let them stay underwater for a long time. Whales canstay submerged forhours, crocodiles andturtles, for days.

Arctic animals are equipped to cope withcold weather and frozen earth. A thick layer ofblubber surrounds Arctic sea mammals, insulat-ing them from the cold water and storingenergy for them to use when food is scarce.Land animals may burrow under the snow tofind insulation. Arctic Wood Frogs go under-ground to wait out the winter. Their blood con-tains a special sugar-based substance thatkeeps them from freezing, even in very coldtemperatures. The substance acts like the

anti-freeze that people put in cars.Desert animals can get along with very

little water. Often, these animals drinkvery little. Instead, their bodies areadapted to draw water out of the foodthat they eat. Desert animals adoptbehaviors that are adaptive, too. Theseanimals stay in the shade or, even better,underground during the heat of the day.

Animals that forage at dawn and dusk arecalled “crepuscular” animals. Animals that are active all through the night are called“nocturnal” animals.

MELINDA PRIOR, N.C. ZOO EDUCATOR

Survivor... inthe wild

Arctic Foxes

CaliforniaSea Lion

PHO

TOS:

BIG

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CKP

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Summer 2008 | 17

Dear Friends,

Animal habitats are very important.They provide all the things that animals need—food, water, shelter and space. Whenyou are a visitor in nature, remember to take timeto observe and enjoy the different animals that livein that habitat, but most importantly—take onlymemories and leave only footprints!

Your planet,Earth

Survivor Challenge…Help the animals find their waythrough the maze to their habitat.Along the way, they must collect thefood that they need to survive.

REMEMBER: REDUCE/REUSE/RECYCLE