 The Fort Worth Zoo's Enrichment Online Website
The Fort Worth Zoo, in conjunction with the American Institute
of Biological Sciences, is proud to announce the recent launch of a new
website: www.enrichmentonline.org.
Developed by the Fort Worth Zoo's Conservation Department, the
website provides professional animal managers with a comprehensive resource
for incorporating enrichment into the routine care of captive animals.
Enrichment is any activity that improves or enhances a zoo environment.
It is a dynamic process in which changes are made to the animal's daily
routine, care or exhibit with the goal of increasing natural behaviors
and behavioral opportunities. Enrichment can create a changing and challenging
environment for captive animals and allows zoo guests the opportunity
to observe animals exhibiting natural behaviors.
Enrichment can be accomplished using a variety of methods. Something
as simple as scattering an animal's diet throughout the exhibit can be
very effective in increasing levels of activity exhibited by an animal.
This type of enrichment increases the amount of time an animal spends
foraging and working for food, similar to their behavior in the wild.
Other methods of enrichment may include creating new climbing structures,
applying scents and spices in exhibit areas or providing the animal with
novel objects (such as boomer balls or burlap sacks), just to name a few.
The Enrichment Online website serves as a valuable resource
for animal professionals by: promoting the improved management of captive species by providing detailed
information on peer-reviewed enrichment ideas; fostering communication regarding enrichment ideas and theories among animal managers from around the world. Users from as far away as Kuwait, France, Switzerland, Venezuela and Australia have already registered with the site; promoting the philosophy of enrichment as a critical component of routine
animal husbandry; providing animal professionals with the resources to integrate enrichment
at their institution including information on vendors, literature and allied websites.
Once users have registered on the site, they can submit enrichment
ideas, as well as search for new ideas that are already in the database.
They can also submit comments on their own experiences with specific ideas,
including effectiveness, problems and different applications of items.
Enrichment Online facilitates the incorporation of enrichment into the
management of captive animals and serves as a comprehensive and innovative
resource for animal managers around the world.
 American Flamingo Ecology and Wetland Conservation Awareness in Coastal
Yucatan, Mexico
The Mexican government has designated the American flamingo (Phoenicopterus
r. ruber) a protected native and endangered species. The Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
also lists this flamingo as in need of protection as a preventative tool
against extinction. American flamingos occur throughout the eastern coastal
areas of Mexico, Central America, the northern areas of South America,
Cuba and the Bahamas. Even though their range is extensive, they have
few breeding areas. Being concentrated into a few areas for breeding
makes them extremely vulnerable to disturbance, which has caused the
abandonment of entire nesting colonies in the past. The primary nesting
area in the Yucatan Peninsula is on the north shore within the Ria Lagartos
Biosphere Reserve. Approximately 85 percent of the flamingo hatches in Mexico
occur in this estuary.
Basic biological information, such as migration routes, nutrition and
parental care has not been intensively studied in the field. To obtain
this information, Chris Brown initiated a long-term conservation and
research program in 1999. At that time, Mr. Brown was the Curator of
Birds at the Fort Worth Zoo and has since moved to the Dallas Zoo as
Curator of Birds and coordinator of this project. The Fort Worth Zoo,
through it's Nutrition Department, continues to contribute significantly
to this project.
This project combines a variety of different conservation strategies
for the American flamingo in Mexico. At the heart is a scientifically
designed research program. Every year, hundreds of juvenile flamingos
are banded, weighed and measured, and blood and crop samples are taken.
All chicks are then released to join the main group, or creche, where
they resume normal activities.
The Fort Worth Zoo remains one of the partner institutions in this collaborative
effort, heading up the nutritional aspect of this multi-faceted conservation
project. The Fort Worth Zoo's director of nutritional services, Ann Ward,
coordinates and supervises collection, sampling, analysis and data summary
of crop milk and nutrition blood samples. Eventually, the nutritional
data obtained will help to facilitate appropriate diets for young and
adult flamingoes in captivity. Also, the establishment of a database
of nutritional serum parameters can provide a successful method for assessing
the nutritional status of free-ranging birds in addition to captive birds.
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 Bald Eagle Nest Restoration
At least one eaglet has hatched in a bald eagle nest restored last fall by several Texas AZA zoos and other state wildlife experts. The group partnered to build an artificial nest and perch for a pair of bald eagles that have been nesting on a northern Texas Panhandle prairie for the past several years. Biologists feared that if the nest was not restored quickly, the eagle pair, which mates for life, would lose this nesting habitat.
The nest was discovered in 2004 by Texas Tech University Research Biologist and Associate Professor Dr. Clint Boal. Since then, the two adult eagles have produced five eaglets, excluding the newly hatched one. The nest slowly deteriorated, and was found collapsed in October 2006.
The new artificial nest was constructed in November 2006 at the Fort Worth Zoo, and the poles donated by Xcel Energy were erected to provide support and additional perching. The partnership also includes Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Abilene Zoo, Texas Tech University and Amarillo Zoo. The project was completed just in time for the eagles to nest this past winter.
Project partners hope to take the conservation efforts a step farther by banding future eaglets of this pair. Banding would provide tracking opportunities, and a chance to study how bald eagles survive and develop outside their typical aquatic environment.
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 International Bongo Foundation
History and Mission
In January 2004, 18 Mountain bongo were returned to the slopes of Mount Kenya. At the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, the 18 bongo were released into receiving bomas were they were kept for the first year as the 100-acre forest sanctuary was completed. Several calves were born during this time. Now with the sanctuary complete, the animals are living in the forest where they can begin to adapt to a more natural life.
The focus of the project is to acclimate the offspring of the original repatriated animals for life in the wild. When the time is appropriate, some of these offspring will be outfitted with tracking transponders and released into the forests of Mount Kenya.
The International Bongo Foundation held its organizational meeting at the Fort Worth Zoo in January 2006. Individuals from the Zoological Society of San Diego, Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Fort Worth Zoo and Actress Stefanie Powers attended. The focus on the foundation will be for the Mountain Bongo and dedicated initially to the return of the species to Mount Kenya. The foundation is currently in the initial set up stage.
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 Iron Absorption and Effect of Dietary Tannins in Black Rhinoceros
The Fort Worth Zoo Nutrition Department, in collaboration with the Brookfield
Zoo, is currently conducting a study to assess the effect of tannins
on iron absorption. Reports indicate that excess iron storage (hemosiderosis)
is a common condition in the black rhinoceros. There are many institutions
taking part, including Brookfield Zoo, Dallas Zoo, El Coyote Ranch, Fort
Worth Zoo, and Fossil Rim. The overall purpose of the study is to determine
what changes should be made in captive rhino diets. By doing so, we hope
to eventually prevent diseases that are linked to diet.
To carry out the study, the rhinos are offered four different diet treatments,
each for six months, which is followed by a 14-day digestibility trial.
The first treatment is the zoo diet that they are currently being fed.
The second is a carefully measured baseline diet that will be the same
among institutions. The third is the baseline diet with an addition of
hydrolyzable tannins. The last treatment is the baseline diet plus condensed
tannins.
Once a rhino has been on a diet treatment for a full six months, a member
of the Fort Worth Zoo nutrition staff and the participating institution's
keepers conduct a 14-day digestibility trial. This labor-intensive period
involves carefully measuring food offered to each rhino and the food
remaining at the end of the day. A chemical marker (N-alkane C36) is
also offered during this portion of the study and provides a good measure
of digestibility when excreted. Before this portion of the study is over,
not only will food be weighed many times each day but samples are also
taken of fecal material, blood, water and soil.
The rhinos at the El Coyote Ranch are the healthiest in this group of
institutions. These four animals will remain on their current diet throughout
the duration of the study to better assess the effectiveness of their
diet with regard to promoting normal iron stores.
By the end of the project, a great amount of valuable data will have
been collected. Digestibility data (the differences between consumed
nutrients and nutrients in the fecal material) will indicate if differences
occur in the amount of iron absorbed based on the presence or lack of
tannins in the diet. Additionally, blood serum parameters will help assess
the effectiveness of each diet. Based on this data, the most appropriate
diets for captive rhinos to maintain healthy iron stores will be proposed.
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 Native Texas Species Conservation
Partnerships for Texas Conservation
With the opening of the Zoo's new Texas Wild! exhibit, the
Fort Worth Zoo has a unique opportunity to spearhead native Texas
species conservation. Based on the concept of thinking globally
but acting locally, the Zoo's Texas Wild! exhibit touts a
message that wildlife stewards should start close to home.
On August 23, 2001, more than 20 prestigious wildlife organizations
partnered with the Fort Worth Zoo to sign a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) and support the Zoo's mission to identify and prioritize wildlife
conservation projects in Texas. On the same day, the Arthur A. Seeligson
Conservation Fund was announced. Fulfilling the promise and mission of
the new flagship exhibit, the Conservation Fund and MOU will enable the
Zoo to advance the cause of native Texas species through the unification
of world-class institutions.
Arthur A. Seeligson Conservation Fund
In 2001, the Fort Worth Zoo dedicated $200,000 toward the conservation
of native Texas species. Established in the memory of Arthur A.
Seeligson Jr., the father of Zoo supporter Ramona Bass, this fund
represents the spirit behind the Zoo’s Texas Wild! exhibit.
Mr. Seeligson truly loved the land and served as the inspiration
for this innovative new exhibit that teaches the importance of land
stewardship and of conserving the biodiversity found in our own
backyard. To honor his memory, family and friends established the
fund to benefit Texas wildlife. Any organization or individual whose
work benefits native Texas species can apply for support from the
fund. Click here for proposal information.
Texas Horned Lizard
 The Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) was once common throughout most of Texas, but its population has significantly declined in most of its historical range. This decline is partially due to collection for the pet trade, loss of habitat and the introduction and spread of exotic ant species including the red fire ant.
The Texas horned lizard's primary diet in the wild is red harvester ants, though they will eat other small invertebrates such as termites and beetles. The Texas horned lizard is currently listed as a threatened species by the state of Texas. It is illegal to possess, collect, or even harass a Texas horned lizard. They do not do well in captivity and seldom live long when taken out of their natural environment.
All of the Texas horned lizards at the Fort Worth Zoo are either individuals confiscated by Texas Parks and Wildlife from the public or were captive bred in the Texas Wild! exhibit of the Fort Worth Zoo. The Fort Worth Zoo has worked with this species for more than six years to improve its husbandry techniques. Those fortunate enough to spot a Texas horned lizard in the wild should look but not touch. Take pictures and admire it for the wonderful and amazing creature that it is. Any wild sightings can be communicated to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Texas horned lizard watch.
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