Archive for the ‘What You Can Do’ Category

Jul
28

Rwanda Calling? Volunteers Wanted!

Posted by Peter in Africa,Endangered Species,Featured,Gorilla,Travel,What You Can Do,community-based conservation

Looking for a new experience working with children at the base of a volcano where half the world’s Mountain Gorillas remain? If so, you can volunteer with Art of Conservation in Rwanda. 

Art of Conservation, Inc. educates Rwandans about conservation and the importance of maintaining a healthy environment for both people and animals while instilling in them an understanding and respect for themselves, their peers, and the natural world. The Houston Zoo is a proud supporter of the Art of Conservation program in Rwanda

Art of Conservation (AoC)  is seeking a dedicated, experienced administrative support intern to work directly with AoC Director Julie Ghrist. Interns must commit at least six weeks to the position. After six weeks, the intern position may be extended at the discretion of the Director. For a description of the position and application – link here

Rushubi Primary School 5th grade class

AoC also occasionally accepts volunteers (link here for application) for short- to medium-term volunteer placements. Their needs vary depending on the staffing situation and class schedule. In general, they seek honest, hard-working individuals who can offer support in one or more of the following areas:

  • Teaching the English-language portion of our conservation education curriculum. We are particularly interested in volunteer teachers who have a background in conservation, biology, agriculture, medicine, or public health.
  • Teaching the English-language portion of our art curriculum. We are particularly interested in volunteer teachers who have a background in drawing, painting, music, or drama.
  • Administrative work including memo writing and grant research.
  • English-language training for non-English speaking staff.
  • Computer skills training for staff.

Ready for an experience of a lifetime? Well, here is one where you can both learn and give at the same time.

I wonder if Art of Conservation will let me volunteer with them this week...maybe I will just eat some bamboo instead

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Jul
27

Kids Get to be Biologists and Track Toads

Posted by Renee in Endangered Species,Field Research,Texas,What You Can Do,amphibians

   

When I was a kid I always knew that I wanted to work with animals. I used to tell everyone I’d be a marine biologist.  I didn’t really know what that meant at the time, but I knew they got to work closely with whales and dolphins.  I had every pet my parents would allow and asked to go to every aquarium and zoo that I could find, just to get close to animals.  As I got older I started to question what I could realistically do with this desire. Anyone that got to work with them in the field or in captivity were like celebrities.  I don’t think I ever thought of it as a job — it was more like a dream.  The only animal related career that I was really exposed to was a veterinarian.  And when I decided against that, it was difficult to visualize what I could do. I was very fortunate to meet the curator of a small zoo that took me under his wing and brought me into the wonderful world of zoo keeping.  But I have been very aware that not everyone gets this type of opportunity.
I am so excited for this generation of animal lovers in Houston.  The Houston Zoo offers so much to get kids involved and connected to the animal world.  It would have been a dream come true to be a part of the zoo camps and internships they offer here!
Recently, I’ve had the pleasure and privilege to assist with a new, unique, interactive conservation education program called Toad Trackers.  It was developed by my very talented coworker, Rachel Rommel, and allows kids to connect with the world of research and animal science.   

Rachel with students

  

 The Toad Tracker students are introduced to the same equipment field biologists use in their research and are exposed to some of the methods used in the scientific study of animal populations.  I got to assist with the evening class where the students get to actively search for a common toad species on Zoo grounds: the Gulf Coast Toad.  When it came to listening for the toads, the kids were very serious and quiet.  I was so impressed with their level of concentration, and how well they were able to control their excitement and really focus on the task at hand.  When a toad was found, they remembered exactly what they were taught in the classroom about approaching and handling it.  The students were then carefully guided through weighing and measuring each individual, determining its’ gender, and recording its’ GPS coordinates, citing exactly where it was found.  The kids then got to observe as Paul Crump (the Houston Zoo’s Amphibian Conservation Programs Manager) pit tag each toad, which is similar to the microchip in your cat or dog.  They were very intrigued by this process.     

Students measuring toad

 Over time, the locating and tagging of these toads will provide valuable information on their growth rates, reproductive events, and movement patterns on zoo grounds.  As important as this data is, more importantly, this program is inspiring local kids and leaving them hungry for more.   I really felt the gratitude of the kids involved in this program; their intrigue was tangible!  Rachel  is creating a whole army of amphibian advocates and future biologists through Toad Trackers.
      

  

To learn more about this program check out the Houston zoo Toad Tracker website and join the Toad Trackers group on Facebook.

 

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Jul
22

Spay and Neuter Your Pets

Posted by Peter in Africa,Endangered Species,Featured,What You Can Do,community-based conservation

First a story from Botswana: Cheetah Conservation Botswana works with local communities to keep their livestock guard dogs healthy. The livestock guard dogs are used to keep predators away from the community herds thus removing the need to shoot animals such as cheetahs and leopards which would normally prey on goats and cows. A little health prevention for domestic animals will go a long way in protecting wildlife in the region.

This week Cheetah Conservation Botswana (CCB) commenced a sterilization and vaccination mobile clinic for livestock guarding dogs. CCB offers free veterinary care for working guard dogs protecting livestock against predators. The mobile clinic is assisted by two overseas vets and will be visiting towns across Botswana travelling 600 miles over 4 days.

Earlier in the month of June, CCB launched its 4th annual ‘ Best livestock guarding dog in Botswana’ competition. Livestock guarding dogs are used with sheep, goats and cattle to alert them and protect them against predators. Every year CCB holds a competition to find the best dog in the country. The 2010 competition has just begun and is being …advertised on local radio. Winners win veterinary,hardware and dog supplies, and a trip for the family into the Okavango Delta.

What does that have to do with you? It’s all about you isn’t it? I will tell you anyway. Keeping your domestic pets healthy here at home can also help protect wildlife. We have all seen the stray cat and dog on the street – and they eventually are forced to eat native wildlife such as birds and small mammals when they can.

There is no need for the massive surplus in pet dogs and cats and they do not need to end up in shelters – spay and neuter your pets (unless you are breeding registered pets for competitions), there are plenty of kittens and puppies out there for every household and shelters would love for you to adopt today. Another great option here is H.O.P.E. (Homeless and Orphaned Pets Endeavor) which is a is an all-foster, no kill adoption group based in the Houston area. You may see them out at the local PetSmart on weekends.

Bonus question: To win a free small plush animal from the Houston Zoo – tell us what tv personality always ended his show “Don’t forget to spay and neuter your pets”. Three winners will be notified next week.

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Jul
19

Galapagos Travel with the Houston Zoo

Posted by Peter in Animal Origins & Fun Facts,Endangered Species,Featured,Travel,What You Can Do

Travel to the Galapagos: Land of Darwin with the Houston Zoo
April 24th to May 4th, 2011

Celebrate Darwin’s legacy by walking in his footsteps on a trip to the Galapagos Islands with the Houston Zoo and Terra Incognita Ecotours. These islands are home to some of the most interesting and accessible wildlife anywhere. Swim and snorkel with sea lions, come within mere inches of the blue-footed booby, galapagos tortoises or a marine iguana.

Your trip will include a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station, world famous for its research and tortoise breeding programs, where you learn about the vital work being done to study and preserve Galapagos wildlife. Visit nests of the magnificent frigatebirds, search for giant tortoises in the wild, experience the diversity of the legendary finches.

For a detailed itinerary – link here - tour will accomodate only 12 travelers.

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Jul
16

Speaker Series: Frans Lanting

Posted by Peter in What You Can Do

Houston Zoo Call of the Wild Speaker Series resumes October 2010 with an exciting lineup of guest speakers.

October 13th, 2010

The Houston Zoo welcomes internationally acclaimed photographer Frans Lanting

FRANS LANTING has been hailed as one of the great nature photographers of our time. His influential work appears in books, magazines, and exhibitions around the world. For more than two decades he has documented wildlife and our relationship with nature in environments from the Amazon to Antarctica. He portrays wild creatures as ambassadors for the preservation of complete ecosystems, and his many publications have increased worldwide awareness of endangered ecological treasures in far corners of the earth.
Go to http://www.houstonzoo.org/lectureseries/ for ticket information

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Jul
14

Come and visit the new and improved conservation kiosk- A message from the conservation intern.

Posted by Renee in Endangered Species,Field Research,Going Green,Sea Turtles,Texas,What You Can Do,community-based conservation,orangutan

Hello to all!
 As this is my first blog I think I should give you a little bit of information as to what I do as the conservation intern here at the zoo.
  I am working with the conservation department to fuse the message of conservation with the Zoo and to better impart information to the guests about the Zoo’s projects. I am currently working to improve the conservation Kiosk which is located just by the main door for the Kip Aquarium.
In this blog I will keep you posted on not only the fabulous new updates to the Conservation Kiosk, but also the tons of other Conservation projects at the zoo, and the ways you can help out.
Conservation Kiosk Update!
The Conservation Kiosk is getting a new look with the addition of some new eye catching posters.  These posters offer a glimps at some of the Houston zoo’s local and international conservation projects, as well as some tips of what you can do to help endangered species all over the globe.
The Conservation Kiosk is located right next to the entrance of the Kip Aquarium, so come and check it out the next time you visit the zoo.

Till next time,
Elliott the intern

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Jul
08

Give toads a brake on rainy nights!

Posted by Rachel in Endangered Species,Texas,What You Can Do,amphibians

With all the rain and flooding we have gotten over the last couple of days, little toads will make their way out of their hiding places and hop around our neighborhood streets and driveways looking for a nice  puddle or ditch to hunker down and sing their little hearts out to attract lady toads.

You may hear the low trill of Gulf coast toads outside your bedroom window or the quiet chirp of the Rio Grande chirping frog.

Let’s not silence these melodious songs by squashing  them under our monster tires! We need our slimey friends around to munch mosquitos and other pesky insects.

What can you do to help our amphibious friends on rainy nights? Give amphibians a brake! Drive a tad slower and watch out for toads and other amphibians crossing our streets and driveways!

Have you been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a googly eyed toad in the last day or so? If so, please share!

Below, feast your eyes upon the handsome Houston toad at the Houston Zoo, one of the most endangered amphibians in the world!

Jul
06

The Pasadena Citizen is interested in our Efforts to Save the Philippine Eagle with Plastic Flamingos

Posted by Renee in Endangered Species,What You Can Do

The Houston Zoo has been organizing little surprises for people all over the city.  The Bird department’s “Flamingo Flocking” team, consisting of bird keepers armed with plastic flamingos, is deployed on unsuspecting recipient’s front yards by the resipient’s family members or friends, in the name of conservation and good fun.   This is a fabulous campaign to raise awareness as well as funds for bird conservation.  Read about an experience with this unique activity here in today’s Pasadena Citizen.

Proceeds from the Flamingo Flocking program currently support the The Philippine Eagle Foundation. They are a non-profit organization dedicated to saving the endangered Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) and its forest habitat. SUPPORT BIRD CONSERVATION and go “FLOCK” someone. E-mail us at flamingoflocking@houstonzoo.org

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Jul
06

Lowland Tapir Conservation: Brazil

Posted by Peter in Endangered Species,South America,Travel,What You Can Do,community-based conservation

Photo Patricia Medici

The four living species of tapirs occur in the tropics of Central America (Baird’s tapir), South America (lowland tapir, and mountain tapir), and Southeast Asia (Malayan tapir). The lowland tapir has the broadest range of the four living species extending from north-central Colombia and east of the Andes throughout most of tropical South America down to north eastern Argentina and Paraguay at elevations up to 2,000 masl. The species occurs in 11 different countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, French Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.

The Lowland Tapir Conservation Initiative
The Atlantic Forest Tapir Program has demonstrated that tapirs are a keystone species that play a critical role in shaping and maintaining biological diversity and forest structure, and are essential for key ecological processes such as seed dispersal and predation. In order to advance scientific knowledge and promote the conservation of this widely spread but seriously imperiled large mammal, Patrícia Medici has now launched a country-wide Lowland Tapir Conservation Initiative that will establish tapir research and conservation programs in other key biomes of Brazil. The first of these is a new Tapir Research and Conservation Program in the Brazilian Pantanal, where no tapir research has ever been conducted. The Pantanal is increasingly threatened. Deforestation is now widespread throughout the region, threatening tapirs and other wildlife with local extinction.

The Pantanal Tapir Program was established in 2008. The study areas of the Pantanal Tapir Program are the Hotel Fazenda Baía das Pedras in the Nhecolândia sub-region of the Pantanal, and the Pousada Xaraés and Fazenda Nossa Senhora do Carmo in the Abobral sub-region. The main goals of this new long-term program are to collect ecological, demographic, epidemiological and genetic data to assess the conservation status and viability of tapir populations in the Brazilian Pantanal.

Link here for more on Tapir Conservation on the Blog da Anta website

You can travel to the Pantanal with the Houston Zoo and visit with the Pantanal Tapir Program in August 2011. Just link here for an itinerary.

Giant Anteater-Pantanal Tour 2009

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Jun
28

Mountain Gorilla Blog

Posted by Peter in Africa,Endangered Species,Field Research,Gorilla,What You Can Do

Two weeks ago, one of the Gorilla Doctors field veterinarians, Dr. Eddy Kabale, posted an update on two Mountain Gorilla orphans, Ndeze and Ndakasi who were transferred from Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to a facility in Senkwekwe at Rumangabo, DRC about 6 months ago. You can watch a short video of Ndeze and Ndakasi’s move to Senkwekwe back in December here.

Dr. Eddy Kabale is the groups Democratic Republic of Congo in-country Field Veterinarian. Eddy’s duties include monitoring Grauer’s gorillas (eastern lowland gorillas) as well as mountain gorillas—and caring for the orphans.

Yesterday I mentioned that the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP) was a field project – treating wildlife in their natural habitat. Although never intended, MGVP has also taken the duel role of having to care for and manage confiscated orphan gorillas. Sadly, poaching and illegal trade have resulted in the confiscation of mountain and Grauer’s gorillas in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

MGVP's Orphan Guardianship Program

In their lovely home, Ndeze and Ndakasi are enjoying a fresh, suitable and cleaned environment with very little pollution compared to Goma. They are taking enough fresh forest food and they are still discovering new forest food items. They enjoy playing, climbing, rolling over and are progressively getting use to their new home, and are behaving normally.

Nevertheless, even in this healthy state, they continue with the quarterly preventive medicine program that includes visual and physical examinations and a de-worming program for Ndeze and Ndakasi.

So how do you perform a check-up on a gorilla? On May 11, 2010, Dr. Arthur, the ICCN veterinarian and I visited Ndeze and Ndakasi for their quarterly health check. We found them to be very active, playful, running, rolling over on grass, climbing on us very often and showing a degree of their satisfaction! We took the opportunity to start lesson teaching the little gorillas to be comfortable with stethoscope, syringes and needles. We will progress to getting them to accept injection as part of this activity. 

I used a sterile syringe without a needle for this training session; Ndeze and Ndakasi played with the syringe with no fear. After that I took another sterile syringe with sterile needle on it, and a second syringe filled with honey (they LOVE honey!). I offered them the honey and when they ate it I pricked them in the arm, one after another. Because they had honey as a reward for accepting the injection, no one ran – they gave me a positive reaction! After this lesson I put in the syringe the indicated dose of Ivermectin for their quarterly de-worming and gave it directly in mouth to Ndeze and Ndakasi, they continued even lapping drug on the empty syringe. Success – they took their medicine, they accepted some small pricks in their arms and left Ndeze and Ndakasi with a very good memory!

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