Since taking on the duty as Conservation Programs Coordinator for the Roger Williams Park Zoo, I have had many fantastic opportunities in my career.  I have traveled to Papua New Guinea to help conduct biodiversity surveys discovering new species in remote forests that have never been surveyed before.  I returned in 2004 to introduce conservation curriculum to third world schools in remote Papuan villages.  I have been working on the front lines of the global amphibian crisis to save amphibians in Panama, and have been working in partners with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service propagating and reintroducing federally endangered insect species for 14 years now, just to name a few.

Nothing has been more rewarding than my work with the federally endangered American burying beetle.  This project has exposed me to some of the best professionals in the field and many have become my good friends over the years.  I can not say enough about the beetle team past and present, a group of people, far too many to name, not only here in the eastern portion of this species range, but out west as well.  All dedicated to one single cause, the recovery of the critically endangered American burying beetle.

In a conservation world often dominated by efforts to save more charismatic mega fauna it is refreshing to see more efforts underway to save the little pieces of the ecosystem, the ones often deemed creepy and crawly that get little recognition for the valuable role they play in the ecosystem. It is also refreshing to see, and know, so many dedicated people are working on conservation projects aimed at saving entire habitats.  This approach benefits all the flora and fauna, great and small.  The loss of our valuable pollinating species such as Honey bees and butterflies are finally starting to get some national attention.  As a conservation biologist it hurts to often see beneficial species like snakes and insects often lose their life to the hands of humans, humans who feel justified in doing so and feel like they have just done mankind a huge favor.

The American Burying Beetle Project, to me is a beacon of home for all the so called “CREEPY CRAWLEYS” out there.   I hope this project continues to be a model for new projects aimed at the recovery of other endangered insect species.  The whole science of invertebrate conservation is fairly new and there is so much more we need to learn.  One key part of these kinds of efforts is education.  It is important that people understand the vital role every creature plays in the natural world in order for them to truly appreciate it.

The American burying beetle has just gained a new and very powerful advocate, Jane Goodall.  The project was chosen to be featured in Jane Goodall’s new book, Hope for Animals and There World; Bringing Endangered Species Back From the Brink. As one of my colleagues put it “she (Jane Goodall) is the mother Theresa of conservation” and boy is she.  When Jane Goodall speaks people listen, she is well known and respected in every corner of the globe.  I recently had the distinguished honor to join Dr Goodall and her amazing staff for a book signing and book release celebration in New York City. It was a thrill to be in the presence of such an amazing woman, one who was a childhood hero of mine.  Dr. Goodall was very intrigued by the American burying beetle and especially the fact that it cares for its young, a very unusual trait in the insect world.

Dr. Goodall is helping to bring worldwide recognition not only to the American burying beetle, but the importance of all the so called Creepy Crawly’s in the ecosystems and the need for invertebrate conservation measures worldwide.

All my best,

Lou Perotti

RWPZ Conservation Programs Coordinator Lou Perrotti and Dr. Jane Goodall. Dr. Goodall wears the image of the American burying beetle on her shirt, Perrotti on the tattoo on his arm.

Project is one of a select few conservation success stories profiled in Hope for Animals and Their World

On September 4, RWPZ Conservation Programs Coordinator Lou Perrotti had a surreal experience. He received in-person recognition for his life’s work from a woman who has become practically synonymous with the idea of conservation – Dr. Jane Goodall.

Perrotti was in New York for an event to kick-off the promotion of Goodall’s latest book, Hope for Animals and Their World, which features the Zoo’s (and Perrotti’s) 16 years of work trying to save the critically endangered American Burying Beetle. The project was one of a select few to be profiled in the book, which is billed as “An upbeat compendium that will energize both hands-on and armchair conservationists.” – Kirkus Reviews

A synopsis of the book, from the publisher:

” At a time when animal species are becoming extinct on every continent and we are confronted with bad news about the environment nearly every day, Jane Goodall, one of the world’s most renowned scientists, brings us inspiring news about the future of the animal kingdom….. Interweaving her own first-hand experiences in the field with the compelling research of premier scientists, Goodall illuminates the heroic efforts of dedicated environmentalists and the truly critical need to protect the habitats of these beloved species. At once a celebration of the animal kingdom and a passionate call to arms, HOPE FOR ANIMALS AND THEIR WORLD presents an uplifting, hopeful message for the future of animal-human coexistence.”

We at Roger Williams Park Zoo couldn’t be more proud that our American Burying Beetle Recovery Project has been included in such a prestigious publication and we thank our own Lou Perrotti for his years of unending effort, passion and dedication to the cause of bringing this one particular species back from the brink.

Find out more about the book >

Find out more about the American Burying Beetle Recovery Project >

During the first day at El Nispero I was able to take a walk around the zoo and determine what I could do to help. The grounds of the garden were beautiful and the animal exhibits were scattered throughout. I quickly began to take notes and select projects.

Every day on our way to EVACC (El Via Amphibian Conservation Center) we passed a group of three cages containing a three-toed sloth and two heron, a spider monkey, and three raccoons. The physical structures were kind of small but otherwise in decent shape, however they were

Jaguarondi Explores a New Enrichment Tool

lacking sufficient objects for the animals to climb on, hide in, and play with. The sloth cage was built around a fallen tree, which provided the only thing to climb on besides the actual cage itself. It was actually one of the nicest looking cages, but did not suit a sloth’s natural behavior.

Three-toed Sloths are the world’s slowest mammals; they move so slowly that algae can actually grow on their fur. They are well suited to live in trees and have a strong grip that is aided by their unusual claws. They are nocturnal and herbivores and eat leaves, shoots, and fruits. They maintain a low body temperature to conserve energy and regulate their temperature by moving in and out of the sunlight.

I decided to improve their cage by hanging ropes and vines up high for climbing on and providing elevated resting spots with buckets that had the bottoms cut off. These changes would allow the sloths to move around at the top of the cage and rest in the branches or buckets. It would also provide more perching areas for the two heron that live with the sloth. We observed both the sloths and the herons using the new perching shortly after we placed them in the cage.

My next project was restructuring a group of four enclosures containing three ocelots and a jaguarondi. These cages were fairly new and spacious, but again had very little inside. Ocelots and jaguarondis are both carnivorous felines. Ocelots are about twice the size of the average house cat and are usually nocturnal (active during the night) but can sometimes be diurnal (active during the day). They swim well and are usually found in pairs or solitary. They are targeted by hunters for their fur and the illegal pet trade. Jaguarondis are mostly diurnal and can live in a wide range of habitats as long as there is dense ground vegetation.

I decided to give the cats places to hide since they had none. I created hide boxes by painting shipping crates and adding some slats of bark to the front for privacy. One of the zookeepers added leaves and pine needles as bedding in the boxes. As soon as they were placed in the cages all the cats investigated and entered them. I also provided giant spools, branches, “scratching posts” (big pieces of bark that had been stripped off a fallen tree), and brushes for the cats to rub on. One day I gave each cat a coconut and watched them play with this new “ball”.

Every day I would find more enclosures that I wanted to improve. There were some animals that would have benefitted from having more individuals of their species living with them. All of the primates they had live in social groups in the wild, but they had one each of the capuchin, spider monkey and Geoffrey’s tamarin.  They also had single coati and kinkajou which sometimes live in groups in the wild. For each of these animals I implemented enrichment similar to the sloths, adding branches, vines, and rope to climb on; buckets to hide in; spools, shelves, and swings to climb on.

I had mixed feelings by the end of my time at El Nispero; I had improved the lives of some of the animals, but it felt like there were so many more that could use it too. It felt good knowing that I had shown the owners of the zoo that enriching their animals can be done easily with items they already had at the zoo. Hopefully they were inspired and will continue to enrich their collection. And maybe one day I will return to see!

Sarah Poses with a New Friend

Hello readers! I am Sarah, a keeper here at RWPZoo. I just returned from a two week trip to Panama where two other zoo employees and I shared our knowledge with other zoos and began an Animal Care Staff Conservation and Outreach Program. This annual program aims to provide an opportunity for zookeepers to significantly contribute to in-situ conservation (protecting endangered animals within their natural habitat) and/or professional outreach initiatives of their own choosing. Lou Perrotti, the zoo’s Conservation Programs Coordinator, brought two projects to Panama.
The first project was at El Nispero Zoo in El Valle. El Nispero is a third world zoo with little to no expertise in modern animal husbandry, exhibit design, or enrichment. Lou recognized the need to try and better the welfare of the animals in the zoo’s collection. The second project was at The Summit Zoo in Panama City. The Summit Zoo is set in the Summit Municipal Park and is a bit more up-to-date than El Nispero Zoo. The keeper staff is made up of workers with little or no animal background but who are dedicated and eager to learn. Both zoos contain animals that are native to Central and South America.
My work in Panama mainly focused on animal enrichment and training. Animals in captivity need more than just food and water each day. Enrichment provides physical and mental stimulation, hopefully to provide situations and activities they would normally experience in the wild. There are many types of enrichment that zookeepers can provide. Some examples are: providing different objects for the animals to manipulate, hiding food or prolonging the amount of time it takes an animal to get their food, providing branches, leaves, or grass for the animal to eat, smell, or hide in. We take this as common knowledge in the United States, but that is not necessarily how it is in other countries. Training can also improve the lives of animals in captivity in many ways. It can allow the keeper to view the animal up close and even have the animal present certain body parts. This  helps if an animal is sick, injured, or in need of medication. Training can be used to a keeper’s advantage by teaching the animal to move from one spot to another or to get into a crate for transportation. Training provides mental stimulation for the animal and is also another form of enrichment!
I would like to thank the RWPZ AAZK chapter for providing the funding for this first Animal Care Staff Conservation and Outreach Program!

We had a wonderful first day of Summer ZooCamp yesterday, learning about all things with wings.  We started with birds and learned that bird wings aren’t just for flying – they’re for camouflage, attracting mates, showing dominance and warning away predators too!  We made a “flashy flyer” – our very own brightly colored bird and took a trip into the rose garden where we learned about why and how birds, their eggs and their chicks are camouflaged.  Being camouflage experts, we took turns hiding our own bird/egg/chick and being foxes or snakes searching for them in the grass.  For snack we made “bird seed” – individualized concoctions of popcorn, chocolate chips, cereal, raisins and marshmallows and learned that birds eat half their body weight each day!  In our animal interviews we met a pigeon, a radiated tortoise and a leopard gecko.   

Here is an activity you might want to try with your kids tonight:

Build a Bird

Birds come in all shapes, sizes and colors – and all for very special and very different reasons.  Visit the website (http://www.rwpzoo.org/education/KidsNCritters.cfm) to download the the templates of bird beaks, heads and legs to build a bird with your child.  How does your bird’s head, beak and leg shape help it to survive?  Take it one step further and create a name and habitat for your bird! 

Until tomorrow,

 Jen Karow – Manager of Family Programs

Lou Perrotti, RWPZ Conservation Programs Coordinator, during fieldwork in Panama.

By Lou Perrotti,
RWPZ Conservation Programs Coordinator

Hello, Gone Zooing readers!  

I just wanted to send out a friendly reminder that early June is turtle nesting season. It is this nesting behavior that unfortunately costs the lives of many turtles every year. Due to increased development and habitat loss, turtles often find themselves now having to cross busy roads to get to their nesting sites. You will start seeing many species of turtles crossing roads all over the state for the next few weeks.

Even here at the Zoo, during this time of year we receive many calls from visitors regarding the sighting of a turtle on the pathways around the Zoo. We are fortunate enough to have a natural wetland area that is heavily populated with Eastern Painted turtles and the Common Snapping turtles that haul out of the water at this time of year to deposit their eggs. These turtles will usually seek out the same egg laying spots each year and are hard-wired to do so.

This is one of the major threats that face turtles and tortoise populations every year and sadly it can eventually take all the females and what would have been the next generation out of many populations.

In most cases, the best thing we can all do for them is to leave them alone.  Once the eggs are laid they will soon return back to the water. If we take them back to the water before the eggs have been laid they will just turn around and return back to the same spot. 

So, if you find yourself driving through a wetland area in the next few weeks please be aware of the possibility of a turtle crossing the road, especially in the early morning and late afternoon hours.  This is one way we can do our part to try and reduce road mortality and unnecessary disturbance in nesting turtles.