Posts Tagged ‘Speaker Series’

Feb
07

Introducing and Re-introducing Ruffed Lemurs

Posted by in Africa,Conservation,Endangered Species

Ruffed lemurs are definitely one of my favorite species of lemur!  They are terrible to clean up after, and horribly loud, but delightful characters.  When I was a zoo keeper, I worked closely with the oldest Red-ruffed lemur in captivity at the time.   I had to do some training with him once and the only reward he would consistently work for was his own reflection in a mirror.  The fact that he appeared to adore himself made him even more adorable to me! 

Ruffed lemurs came onto my radar in the mid 90’s after watching a documentary with John Cleese describing a re-introduction of captive ruffed lemurs back to Madagascar. The project was the first lemur reintroduction effort of its kind. Five animals were carefully selected for genetics and personality from Duke Primate Center in North Carolina, a world class lemur facility.  They kept the lemurs in very natural settings to encourage natural behavior.

They were nick-named the Carolina Five and were flown to Madagascar, then carried to a remote park.  All five of the lemurs were collared and released into the reserve with researchers following close behind. 

To be continued….

This month’s Call of the Wild speaker, Dr Jonah Ratsimbazafy has assisted with this and many other conservation efforts in Madagascar.  Purchase your tickets now to hear about Jonah’s work saving lemurs and other species on February 15th at 7:00 pm.    Be one of the first to hear all about his recent discovery of a brand-new lemur species!  Enjoy beverages and tasty appetizers from Houston’s own Beaver’s restaurant.  CLICK HERE to purchase tickets.

If you are interested in journeying to this amazing land, join the Houston zoo on our trip to Madagascar in 2013. CLICK HERE for more information.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Feb
05

Lemurs Love Rafting

Posted by in Africa,Endangered Species,Field Research,Travel

I have always been fascinated by Madagascar.  Did you know that it is the world leader in primate diversity?   The story that many schools of thought support is that the earliest form of primate, the lemur, drifted over to Madagascar on a piece of land/rafty thingy.  It creates an interesting image in one’s head (or maybe just my head) – the ring-tailed lemur was definitely Gilligan, the skipper had to be an aya-aya, the millionaire was a sifaka…., but I digress.  Anyway, this primitive primate floated over to an island of paradise, an island with so much diversity there was no need to compete for resources.  Unlike the other early primates that dispersed to other lands and evolved to have larger brains enabling them to compete for food, the lemurs simply specialized. They evolved to accommodate their individual niches.  And as a result we now have over 97 different, fairly dim (relatively speaking of course), fabulous species of lemurs.

It is often hard to believe that species discoveries are still being made in this day and age, but new species keep miraculously revealing themselves in places like Madagascar.  Last month there was yet another exciting addition to the lemur family.  This month’s Call of the Wild speaker, Dr. Jonah Ratsimbazafy, a Malagasy primatologist, was one of the scientists to find it.  Come and be the first to hear about this brand new species on Feb. 15th at 7:00 pm at the Houston Zoo.  CLICK HERE to purchase your tickets.

Do you want to see lemurs in the wild?  Join the Houston zoo on our trip to Madagascar in 2013. CLICK HERE for more information. 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: , , , , , ,
Nov
03

Coexisting With Wolves: Guardian animals

Posted by in Coexisting with Wolves,Conservation

Welcome back to this special Call of the Wild Speaker blog series.  If you have missed the previous posts click HERE to read them.

The wolves’ reputation for killing livestock is a real threat to the survival of the species.  Conservationists struggle to make peace with ranchers that have conflicts with wolves.  They try to find non-lethal ways of protecting rancher’s livestock that will have very little impact on the ranchers way of life.  There has to be long term coexistence strategies that all parties can agree on if there is going to be any hope of saving wolves and other carnivores.

Guardian animals have been used all over the world for centuries.  Donkeys and Llamas are sturdy, robust species that possess a strong protective instinct.  Both species have an intense social nature and a natural dislike for canids.  They look for companionship and bond to groups of livestock.  Their mission is to keep the peace, and they will stand between a predator and the herd to defend the herd.  Their protective nature and their natural disdain for dogs make them ideal guardian animals for ranchers with wolf problems.
This is not a cure-all for predator problems, but it is another wonderful non-lethal option for ranchers.  Solutions like this provide hope for a future where wolves and humans can share the landscape in harmony. 

This blog series is written to celebrate our fantastic upcoming  Call of the Wild Speaker Series  events about wolves , coming up on November 11 and 12, with renowned wolf expert Dr. Douglas Smith.

November 11th at 7:00 pm come to our Wolves and Wine event, sip wine, listen to stories from wolf  researcher Dr. Douglas Smith and listen to the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra as they perform Peter and the Wolf.

November 12th at 4:00 pm Come for a presentation by Dr. Douglas Smith on the Wolves of Yellowstone. 

To purchase tickets and for more information about these events click here .

Come back for more of this exciting series.

Tags: , , , ,
Oct
31

Call of the Wild Speaker Series: Coexisting with Wolves

Posted by in Coexisting with Wolves,Conservation,Field Research,Travel

For those who are lucky enough to go to Yellowstone National Park to see wolves know the thrill of seeing them in their natural environment. I felt honored to watch an Alpha male and a pup dance with a bison on a hillside with a researcher in Yellowstone 10 years ago. We watched as the male with a pup in tow circled around behind the large male bison over and over again. The bison was much too large for the two of them to take, but the researcher suspected the pup was getting a lesson from the adult male. We watched this amazing display for 20 minutes through a spotting scope — it is one of my most cherished wildlife experiences.

 There is something magical about seeing and being in the presence of a wolf, which is probably why the wolf has been such a major character in stories for centuries.  It is amazing to see such a diverse standpoint in story telling over one animal.  Even though some cultures held the wolf in high regard and wrote epics about how brave and loyal a wolf was, unfortunately more often than not the species played the “bad guy”.  As a result of these sinister portrayals conservationists find they need to spend a great deal of time dispelling myths about this social carnivore.

This is the first installment for what will be a blog series, written to celebrate our fantastic upcoming  Call of the Wild Speaker Series  events about wolves , coming up on November 11 and 12, with renowned wolf expert Dr. Douglas Smith. In the series, we will spotlight some of the efforts going on in this country to ensure that this beautiful carnivore will continue share our landscape.

November 11th at 7:00 pm come to our Wolves and Wine event, sip wine, listen to stories from wolf  researcher Dr. Douglas Smith and listen to the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra as they perform Peter and the Wolf.

November 12th at 4:00 pm Come for a presentation by Dr. Douglas Smith on the Wolves of Yellowstone. 

To purchase tickets and for more information about these events click here .

Come back for more in this exciting “Coexisting with Wolves” blog series.

Tags: , , , , ,
Feb
14

Speaker Series: Chimpanzees

Posted by in Africa,Chimpanzee,community-based conservation,Conservation,Endangered Species,Featured,Field Research

The Houston Zoo’s 2011 Call of the Wild Speaker Series will begin again on February 17th, 2011 with an exciting lineup of guest speakers. Enjoy an evening of scrumptious hors d’oeuvres, breathtaking photographs and first-hand stories from conservationists on the frontlines in the battle to help save the world’s wildlife. Proceeds of the Call of the Speaker Series benefit our local and global conservation initiatives at the Zoo.

The Houston Zoo welcomes Dr. Jill Pruetz, Co-Founder Neighbor Apes, Associate Professor of Anthropology Iowa State University and National Geographic Emerging Explorer.

The Fongoli Chimpanzees of Senegal: Dr. Jill Pruetz began research on the Fongoli chimpanzees in 2000 and continues to expand her work to conserve the habitat of wild chimpanzees in southeastern Senegal, to protect the chimpanzees themselves, and to provide for the wellbeing of the Senegalese people who have traditionally lived in the area alongside these chimpanzees. The goal of Neighbor Apes is to promote sustainable conservation practices that take into account the needs of local humans, in part by providing assistance to the people of the various local villages.

The Fongoli Chimpanzees where a focus of the National Geographic documentary Chimps: Next of Kin. They were also featured in the National Geographic Magazine feature Almost Human in April 2008 with photographer Frans Lanting.

Tickets are available at http://www.houstonzoo.org/lectureseries/

Members Price: $12        Students/Children $7        Non-Members: $18

Seating is limited. Gate 5 in the front parking lot opens at 6:30pm. Speaker event runs from 7:00pm-8:00pm

Tags: , , ,
Jan
14

Special speaking event with chimpanzee researcher, Dr. Jill Pruetz

Posted by in Africa,Chimpanzee,community-based conservation,Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research

Come and join us for a special evening of hors d’oeuvres and wild chimpanzee stories on February 17th 2011 at 7:00 pm in the BEC auditorium at the Houston Zoo.  We will be welcoming Dr. Jill Pretz, associate professor of anthropology at Iowa State University.  She will be sharing exciting stories and research about the chimps in southeastern Senegal. 

 

Dr. Jill Pruetz began research on the Fongoli chimpanzees in 2000 and continues to expand her work to conserve the habitat of wild chimpanzees in southeastern Senegal, to protect the chimpanzees themselves, and to provide for the well being of the Senegalese people who have traditionally lived in the area alongside these chimpanzees. The goal of Neighbor Apes is to promote sustainable conservation practices that take into account the needs of local humans, in part by providing assistance to the people of the various local villages.
 
The Fongoli Chimpanzees where a focus of the National Geographic documentary Chimps: Next of Kin. They were also featured in the National Geographic Magazine feature Almost Human in April 2008 with photographer Frans Lanting.

Purchase tickets here 

Tags: , , , , , ,
Oct
11

Last Call for Frans Lanting Tickets

Posted by in Africa,Animal Origins & Fun Facts,community-based conservation,Conservation,Elephant,Endangered Species,Featured,What You Can Do

There are still seat left but our first speaker event of the season is near capacity in our 285 seat Brown Education Center auditorium. Tickets are available at http://www.houstonzoo.org/lectureseries/.

October 13th we welcome world acclaimed National Geographic photographer Frans Lanting and videographer Christine Eckstrom to the Houston Zoo’s Brown Education Center. Doors open at 6:30pm for refreshments from FreeB!rds World Burrito. Speaker event begins at 7:00pm.

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.

CHRISTINE ECKSTROM is a writer, editor, and videographer.  She is the author of Forgotten Edens, and is a contributing author of numerous books published by National Geographic, where she worked as a staff writer for 15 years.  Assignments have taken her to wild places on all seven continents, and for the past two decades she has worked with her husband and partner, Frans Lanting, on fieldwork from the Amazon to Mongolia. She collaborated with Lanting to write and edit Life: A Journey through Time), and to realize The LIFE Project as a traveling exhibition, an interactive website, and a multimedia orchestral performance with music by Philip Glass.  She has teamed up with Lanting to produce natural history and photography books, including Jungles, Penguin, Eye to Eye and Okavango: Africa’s Last Eden.

Tags: , , , , ,
Jul
16

Speaker Series: Frans Lanting

Posted by 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

Tags: , , , ,
Jun
22

Speaker Series: Painted Dog Conservation

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

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

March 23rd 2011
The Houston Zoo welcomes Dr. Gregory Rasmussen, Director, Painted Dog Conservation, Zimbabwe
 
Go to http://www.houstonzoo.org/lectureseries/ for tickets for this event.
 
African wild dogs (aka; painted dogs) are one of the rarest carnivores in Africa.  They face intense persecution by humans, often shot, snared, poisoned, or hit by cars.  Wildlife conservation biologist, Dr. Greg Rasmussen, is a world authority on predator conflict issues and has studied the African painted dogs for more than twenty years.  He has spent much of that time living among the communities in Zimbabwe endeavoring to understand their needs as well as the conflicts with the dogs.
In 1992, he founded and became Director of African Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) in Hwange National Park.  His research has lead him to base PDC on the following five components: Research; Direct conservation of the dogs; Conservation education; Capacity building for the future; Community development.  PDC employs over 60 local people and its ecology-based education program sees over 1000 rual village childern go through each year.  As a result of the awareness PDC has generated, the population of Africa painted dogs in Zimbabwe has doubled since the project began.  Your participation in this event will make a lasting contribution to the future of African painted dogs and the lives of the local people.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Jun
20

Speaker Series: Carter Smith

Posted by in What You Can Do

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

November 17th, 2010

The Houston Zoo welcomes Carter Smith, Executive Director, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

A native of Austin, Smith developed his passion for wildlife and the out of doors at a young age while roaming his family’s farm and ranch land interests in Gonzales, Williamson, and Edwards Counties.  He has a wildlife management degree from Texas Tech and a master’s degree in conservation biology from Yale University.  He began his professional career in 1992 as a management intern at TPWD, assisting in the Private Lands and Public Hunting programs.   As a biologist, he has worked on a variety of research projects ranging from studying moose in the boreal forests of Saskatchewan to pronghorn antelope in far west Texas.

He serves on a number of conservation-related boards of directors and advisory councils and was recently named an outstanding alumnus by Texas Tech and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.  Prior to his selection as TPWD Executive Director, Carter Smith was with The Nature Conservancy of Texas, serving as state director, where he led a team that protected nearly 250,000 acres.

Go to http://www.houstonzoo.org/lectureseries/ for ticket information

Tags: , , , ,