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ST. AUGUSTINE, FL

PERMIT NO 40

999 AnAstAsiA Blvd • st. Augustine, Fl 32080

Visit Us Online at www.alligatorfarm.com

PRESENTING

M A K A S S A RBY GEN ANDERSON

COVER PHOTO

IN THIS ISSUE• AsK dAnnY!• intROduCing MAKAssAR• CHOOsing A Pet• KeePeR COntest Results• HOlidAY CAMP• stAFF sPOtligHt• Kid’s ZOne

Visit Us Online at www.alligatorfarm.com

Saving The Hornbills -Erin Cartmill, Bird and Mammal Intern

With the help of the Hornbill Research Foundation and the Hornbill Family Adoption Program, the st. Augustine Alligator Farm has proudly sponsored two hornbill nests in southeast thailand. due to habitat destruction and the poaching of nestlings for the pet trade, a number of hornbill species are on the verge of extinction. the Hornbill Adoption Project installs and monitors artificial nests to compensate for the depletion of suitable nesting sites from deforestation. the two nests sponsored by the Alligator Farm were located in Budo Mountain, a part of Budo sungai-Padi national Park in narathiwat Province, thailand. each was successful, with one accommodating a pair of endangered Rhinoceros Hornbills (Buceros rhinoceros) which fledged a chick on October 6, 2008. the other artificial housed pair of great Hornbills (Buceros bicornis). their chick fledged on July 4, 2008. Hornbills are magnificent birds, native to tropical Africa and southeast Asia, they’re named for the decorative and often colorful projections on their upper bills called casques. distinct from all other birds, hornbills have a unique way of nesting.

When ready to lay eggs, the female enters a cavity in a tree and seals up the opening with a combination of mud, feces, and regurgitated fruit until just a small slit remains. For the next several months the female will incubate eggs and raise chicks while the male continuously provides her with food. Hornbills provide a powerful service to the tropical forests they reside in. A majority of their diets consist of fruit (figs in particular) and through seed dispersal hornbills are leading contributors in forest regeneration. Hornbills require large areas of forest to find enough fruit to sustain themselves, another reason why preserving the worlds rainforests and programs like the Hornbill Family Adoption Program are so essential to the survival of the hornbills.

prESENTINg

m a k a S S a rBy gEN aNdErSON

999 AnAstAsiA Blvd • st. Augustine, Fl 32080

Our trip to Peru was very exciting. In addition to having the perfect camping location (hot river meeting a cold river, so you could bathe in whatever temperature you wanted!) we got to see spectacular South American wildlife. We saw three species of caiman, including smooth-fronted caiman that were previously unknown from the area. We saw a wonderful array of birds, but my favorites were the sixty, or so, green-wing macaws that showed up at a mineral lick and allowed us to photograph them for nearly 20 minutes. We may have discovered a new species of frog and we even saw a rare mammal, the tapir. Our guide (Tim Green of Amazon Adventures: http://www.4adventurersonly.com/) had never seen a tapir before this trip. He was very excited about it. It was nice to spend time in a place on our planet that has had so little human pressure. We came home with a new appreciation for our South American zoo animals. Hopefully the local Peruvians will continue to see the wildlife as a benefit and preserve this wonderful habitat.

are those geckos? If you’re referring to the small green or brown lizards that swarm over your fences, bushes, trees or pretty much anywhere in your yard, then the answer is no! What you’re probably seeing are anoles. Yes, that’s what those little lizards all over your driveway are called. But did you know that there are two types of anoles in our area; the Green anole (Anolis carolinensis) and the Brown anole (Anolis sagrei.)and only 1 of them is native to Florida? Which one is native and which one is introduced from the Caribbean? If you guessed the Brown anole is introduced then you’re absolutely right! Brown anoles are sometimes called Cuban anoles because they can occur on the

island of Cuba and they were brought here for the pet trade. Some got out and now they’re taking over. You won’t see as many green anoles any more because the brown anoles are much more aggressive so the shyer green anoles move up to the canopy of the trees. They both have very curious ways of grabbing a female’s attention. Anoles are very interesting little animals, and if you watch them closely and are patient you will notice a lot of very entertaining behavior. They will climb to the top of a bush or fence and actually do pushups to show how impressive they are. And you may also notice that they extend a brilliant flap of red to orange skin under their throats. Both Green and Brown anoles have this.

Also, if you try to catch one you’ll probably notice one of two things, they’re fast and they do that crazy thing that lots of lizards do when caught, lose their tail. But don’t worry; anoles can grow a new tail back within a month so no harm done. So why do some people call them geckos? Probably because like geckoes, the green anole can change color from bright green to dark tan, but the brown anole is only ever brown. go anoles!

If you have any wildlife questions, email them to kgirvin@alligatorfarm.com and we’ll discover the answers together.

Visit Us Online at www.alligatorfarm.com

PRESENTING

M A K A S S A RBY GEN ANDERSON

COVER PHOTO

V O l U m E 1 • N U m B E r 4 • w I N T E r 2 0 0 9

Cover Photo By GreG LaPerawww.gregleperaphotography.com

(904) 806-0906

Mission stateMentTo maintain the highest standards of zoological professionalism as it promotes wildlife conservation and education. Furthermore, the Alligator Farm is committed to promoting the appreciation of all animal and plant life, but specifically the living species of crocodilians and other animals in its collection.

how to reaCh usGeneral Information 904/824-3337Membership ext. 10Gift Shop ext. 14Education ext. 29Group Sales & Rentals ext. 10Rookery Updates ext. 23Reptile Department ext. 15Bird & Mammal Department ext. 16

Zoo hours & ratesopen 365 days a year!9AM - 5PMExtended hours from Memorial Day to Labor Day - Open till 6PM

Zoo MeMBersGeneral Public • Adults $21.95• Children $10.95 (ages 3-11)• Children age 2 & under are admitted free• Discounts available for locals, military, AAA, seniors and groups

Zoo Members • Free admission

ContriButorseditor & Curator of education Katie Girvin

Director John Brueggen

Keeper ii Danny Lippi

education specialist Debi Ricks

Bird & Mammal intern Erin Cartmill

Bird & Mammal Curator Gen Anderson

Cover Photo Greg Lapera

Ask Danny!

I see a Red Knobbed

Horn Bill!

The St. Augustine Alligator Farm is proud to announce the

significant hatching of a Red-knobbed hornbill (Aceros cassidix)

chick. Last fall Kong, the zoo’s six year old male, was finally matched

up with a female companion. Faye was previously paired up with another

male at Seaworld San Diego, but the birds never expressed any interest

towards one another. The pair was split up to provide Kong with a chance

at love since he had been (un)patiently awaiting a female since his

arrival here in 2004.

Faye began exploring her nest barrel in March before finally

accepting it and settling in. She then proceeded to seal up the

entrance hole using a combination of fecal matter and pine

shavings. On April 30th, an egg was observed via a nest camera

that had been installed prior to breeding season.

She diligently incubated the egg for 37

days until it hatched on June 6th. Kong turned out

to be the perfect mate and father, steadily feeding

both Faye and the new chick a combination of mice,

figs, and other assorted fruit through a small opening in

the barrel. The chick fledged on August 25th, one week

after the female had finally emerged from the increasingly

crowded nest. Keeper staff has dubbed the chick Makassar

after the provincial capital of South Sulawesi. The chick’s

gender will remain unknown to animal staff and zoo guests

until the bird is between 10-13 months of age. At this time,

Makassar’s adult plumage will begin to emerge. Male hornbills

have a tannish-colored neck and a red casque, while females have

a black neck and yellow casque.

This species is very common in their native Sulawesi, but not in this

country where, after the arrival of Makassar, there are now a grand total of

sixteen Red-knobbed hornbills being cared for in seven AZA zoos.

Kristy has won the 1st Annual Zoo Keeper Exhibit

Contest here at the Alligator Farm. The rules were

simple: choose an enclosure and use on-hand

items to improve it. Each exhibit was

judged on:

1) How well improvements met species requirements.

2) Aesthetic improvements for guests.

3) Overall improvements.

The Bird and Mammal Curator, Gen

Anderson chose a finalist from the Reptile

Department while David Kledzik, Reptile Curator,

chose a finalist from the Bird and Mammal Department.

From those two finalists, a winner was chosen - SURVIVOR

STYLE. In a very suspenseful vote, each keeper wrote down

the name of the person they thought should win. Director John

Brueggen, as a stand-in for Jeff Probst, read the votes out loud. Again,

CONGRATULATIONS to Kristy Staudenmaier!

Her re-design of the Red and Yellow-footed tortoise exhibit looks great!

When visiting zoos like the St. Augustine Alligator Farm, people are sometimes so fascinated by the exotic animals they see that they decide

they want to own one as a pet. But without the necessary consideration and planning, this decision can turn into a big mistake.

Choosing a new pet should never be a spur of the moment decision. People who pick out an animal simply because it looks cute in the pet

store window often end up with a pet whose needs they are unable to meet. This causes

trouble for that person, their pet and maybe even the local ecosystem if they think they can

help their animal by “setting it free.”

Most pets released into a habitat where they don’t belong will not be able to survive

for long. However, some animals adapt well to the new environment and actually

develop a wild population. This can be a big problem for the native animals in the area

that have to compete with—and sometimes avoid being eaten by—the new species.

If you decide that you would like to have an exotic species for a pet or even a

conventional pet like a cat or dog, it is very important to first research the animal you

are planning to adopt. Finding out information such as how much space the animal

is going to need as an adult, what it eats and how long it will live can be the first

step towards taking care of your new pet and the environment.

BEFOrE aFTEr

prESENTINg

makaSSarB y g E N a N d E r S O N

Congratulations kristy Staudenmaier!

Choosing a pet. By debi ricks

Photo By GreG LaPerawww.gregleperaphotography.com

FUN FaCTBIrdS CaN BE FOUNd all OVEr THE wOrld

IN almOST EVEry kINd OF HaBITaT. aT THE

ST. aUgUSTINE allIgaTOr Farm yOU CaN

SEE BIrdS FrOm 5 dIFFErENT CONTINENTS!

Up COmINg Ed•ZOO•CaTION

n O v e M B e R

Parents Night Out Nov 6 Zoo Camp Nov 11

d e C e M B e R

Parents Night Out Dec 4 Holiday Mini Camp Dec 21 Dec 22 Dec 23 Zoo Year Celebration Dec 31 - Jan 1

J A n u A R Y

Zoo Camp Jan 15 Parent Night Out Jan 1

Meet Candace Donato! Candace hails from

Danville, Pennsylvania and was enticed

to Florida by the sunshine and warm

weather. She is a graduate of Jacksonville

University where she earned a Bachelor of

Science in Marine Science. Here at the Alligator Farm, Candace loves

caring for Krakatoa, the Komodo Dragon, and Mr. Bones, an albino

alligator. Despite her small stature (she is only 4’10”), even the largest

of reptiles take her directions. Candace takes her work home with her

having two cats, two snakes and a turtle as pets.

STaFF SpOTlIgHT

NEEd SOmE TImE TO gET yOUr HOlIday SHOppINg dONE wHIlE yOUr kIdS HaVE a FUN FIllEd day aT THE ZOO? Back by popular demand, the Alligator Farm is offering three day-long mini camps right before the holidays! Sign up for one day, two days or all three! Each day will be different and will include crafts, games, animal encounters, and lots of fun! Lunch will also be provided.

I N T r O d U C I N g

Holiday mini Camp

20% gIFT SHOpp U r C H a S E S

(DOUBLE your regular 10% discount)Receive 20% off on your next gift shop purchase. Coupon must be present. Limit one coupon per family. Offer expires 12/24/09. Not valid with any other offers. Photocopies or reproductions will not be accepted.

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TImE: 10:00am-3:00pmCOST: $35 FOr mEmBErS, $45 FOr NON-mEmBErSdaTES: mONday, dECEmBEr 21 • TUESday, dECEmBEr 22 • wEdNESday, dECEmBEr 23[

wOOd dUCk

TOCO TOUCaN

CapE grIFFON

palawaN pEaCOCk pHEaSENT

SOUTHErN CaSSOwary

This African bird is a scavenger, which means it likes to eat dead animals.

The large colorful bill of this South American bird is used for reaching fruit and eggs.

Male birds of this Asian species show off their colorful tail feathers to impress the females.

This North American bird uses its webbed feet for paddling around in the water.

danielle demato • Age 7

“Gharial”

This large Australian bird cannot fly and has a dagger-like claw on each of it’s feet.

Can you figure out which bird belongs on each continent?

Answers: Cape Griffon Vulture – Africa, Palawan Peacock Pheasant – Asia, Southern

Cassowary – Australia, Toco Toucan – South America, Wood Duck- North America

CallINg all BUddINg arTISTS!Send us a drawing of your favorite part of the

Alligator Farm and you could see it in the

next issue of the Investigator.Send artwork to:St. Augustine Alligator FarmAttn: Education999 Anastasia Blvd.St. Augustine FL 32080

[ gradES k THrU 5 ]

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