The Zoo

The Philadelphia Zoo joins Kids Corner monthly to explore the fascinating world found behind the gates of America's First Zoo!

Help Us Name Our New Jaguar Cub

Our new melanistic (black) jaguar cub has just moved into his new home at Bank of America Big Cat Falls, and now he needs a name. He came to us from the Montgomery Zoo in Alabama. Wild jaguars are primarily found in Central and South America - and you can choose from one of four names, which all reflect that heritage.

a) Cosijo (Jaguar God of the Zatopecs) "cos-E- ho"
b) Kaa-Iya (National Park in Bolivia) "kaa-E-ya"
c) Baru (National Park in Costa Rica) "BAH-roo"
d) Kon (Inca God of Rain and Wind) "Con"

Visit philadelphiazoo.org and vote for the one you like best!

Big Cat Conservation

Big cats are some of the most magnificent creatures on the earth. However, many of them are declining in numbers and becoming threatened or endangered. Some of the biggest problems facing the big cats are the loss of habitat, being killed by people who fear them or want to protect their livestock and illegal poaching for the black market trade in body parts such as bones and skins. With the opening of Bank of America Big Cat Falls, the Philadelphia Zoo is working to protect big cats all over the World, and you can too.

Lions

Lions are declining in number and are threatened in the wild. Recent studies estimate fewer than 23,000 lions remain in all of Africa - barely half of what the population was thought to be 10 years ago. One of the biggest problems for lions is that they have the same basic needs as people, and competition for resources like food and space creates conflict. Lions will go after an easy meal if it's available - sometimes a farmer's livestock. Farmers, wanting to protect their animals that are not only important for food but also culturally important symbols of wealth, may resort to the use of guns and poison to defend them. It's hard to identify problem lions; so innocent lions are often killed instead.

The Philadelphia Zoo is supporting the Laikipia Predator Project to protect lions in Kenya, East Africa. The support helps to provide funding for radio tracking equipment (collars, darts, and darting drugs) and airplane rental to track lions; the construction of better livestock enclosures to protect livestock; and salaries for community relations officers to help local people learn how to better live with lions.

The Project teaches herders how to improve their livestock "bomas" (holding pens or lion proof animal corrals) that are primarily made of acacia trees. Africans have long used corrals made from thorn-brush fencing to protect their livestock. Research supported by the Zoo has led to adding strong wire mesh and gates to the corrals. These affordable improvements help keep livestock safe. If fewer livestock are eaten, fewer lions are killed in retaliation. By keeping goats and cows safe, we're keeping lions safe, too.

The Project also studies lions to determine how much land and prey they need. Studies include putting collars on lions that emit radio signals so that the lions can be followed and their land use patterns mapped.

You can also help support the Laikipia Predator Project by putting you spare change in the donation machine in Bank of America Big Cat Falls Base Camp and watch your coins roll through the maze. Your donations go directly to help researchers studying lions and allow farmers in Kenya to buy supplies they need to protect their livestock from lions.

Jaguar Conservation

The Jaguar is considered critically endangered. There are approximately 15,000 left in the wild. The best way to protect jaguars is to save large undisturbed habitats for them to hunt in. If we can do that, we not only protect jaguars, but many other beautiful and endangered animals that share the habitat. Humans and big cats both need lots of land in order to survive. With the human population exploding, conservation organizations around the world are working hard to set aside land for wildlife.

The Philadelphia Zoo supports the Mexico Jaguar Project. This project buys large pieces of land and sets them aside for the northern-most breeding population of jaguars in Mexico, with the hope of one day connecting reserves throughout Central America and North America. The linked land would make a large corridor of connected habitats that would help bring jaguars back into our country. The project also studies jaguars to learn more about their needs, and works with local people to help them better live with jaguars. More than twenty U.S. jaguar sightings have been documented in the past year by camera-traps in southern Arizona. The Philadelphia Zoo supports these cats' efforts by providing funds, along with scientific and education expertise to the Project.

Another fundamental challenge of this project is maintaining the ecological health of the borders between Mexico and the United States. These areas must remain open to wildlife, while meeting the security needs of the two countries. Keeping the border more "open" is currently a sensitive political topic. However, before they ever reach the border, jaguars must face a more immediate threat in Mexico, intolerance and persecution by humans. Despite their reclusive nature, jaguars have been labeled as a "nuisance species" by many ranchers. They are frequently blamed for the deaths of livestock and shot on sight in an effort to preempt an anticipated attack. A "Jaguar Guardian" program based out of Los Pavos Ranch and funded in part by the Philadelphia Zoo, has been started to address the conflicts between ranchers and jaguars. The guardians' primary role is to build positive relationships with ranchers, landowners and the local community in an effort to gain support for conservation initiatives and dispel the misconceptions that lead to the illegal killing of jaguars.

Belize Problem Jaguar Rehabilitation Program - This project was initiated by The Belize Zoo, which works together with the Belize Forestry Division to provide a temporary home for "problem jaguars", jaguars that have been repeatedly preying upon livestock or domestic animals. These animals cannot be returned to the wild and so are placed in appropriate zoos in North America. The Zoo helped fund this project, and it is through this program that a jaguar named Frankie will be coming to the Philadelphia Zoo in the future.

Predator Ecology and Conservation in Western Belize. This study provides much needed information on the status of jaguars, pumas and ocelots from a non-hunted, relatively well-protected, tropical forest area and hence provides baseline data from "healthy" populations.

You can help jaguars by stopping at the interactive "Acres for Jaguars" area in Bank of America Big Cat Falls Base Camp during your next visit to the Philadelphia Zoo and learning more.

Amur Tiger Conservation

The Amur Tiger is considered critically endangered. Recent studies estimate that approximately only 400 Amur tigers still survive in the wild. This is actually an increase from the early 1900's when numbers were thought to be fewer than 50 (thanks to conservation efforts and stricter anti-poaching laws their numbers have bounced back and continue to increase). Only five subspecies of tigers still survive out of the eight originally known.

The Philadelphia Zoo supports the Save the Tiger Fund. Since its launch in 1995, the Save the Tiger Fund has supported 271 projects in 13 out of the 14 tiger range countries. These contributions are making a real difference for tigers from the snowy forests of the Russian Far East to the steamy jungles of Sumatra.

The Philadelphia Zoo also supports the Tigris Foundation. This foundation is dedicated to conserving both the Amur tiger and the Amur leopard. With Amur tigers, the Tigris Foundation is focused heavily on anti-poaching activities. As a result of the demand for tiger body parts for traditional Asian medicine, poachers killed as many as 60 Amur tigers annually in the early nineties. Today, poaching has declined to around 30 tigers annually. Better control at border crossings and a decrease of demand from China, where laws against illegal wildlife trade and the use of rare animals in medicines are now being enforced, have also played a positive role.

You can also help support the Philadelphia Zoo's conservation efforts with Amur tigers by being "Buyer Beware." If you and your family are traveling abroad think twice about the souvenirs you wish to buy. For complete details on how to be buyer beware log onto: www.worldwildlife.org/buyerbeware/guidelines.cfm