FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

Conservation & research: conservation & research the zoo is a conservation leader, providing financial support to 40 conservation partners around the globe in 2024. The kids for nature conservation kiosk continues to involve guests in conservation, allowing them to vote among three projects with their zoo provided penny at the entrance. Funds are generated through ticket sales and memberships, along with corks for conservation event proceeds, employee giving, guests donations and wild things gift shop "round up" program. The zoo participates in various research projects initiated by external and internal investigators that want to learn more about the animals that call our zoo home. One of our signature conservation programs is headstarting eastern hellbenders in partnership with purdue university, the department of natural resources, and several other midwest zoos. We currently have over 300 hellbenders that are being raised for future release into the wild. In collaboration with purdue university, we have completed our initial growth rate trends and unique spot pattern retention potential. The data will then be used as we investigate if size versus age has a more significant effect on survivability in the wild with their release over the next two years. As part of the one-year veterinary internship at the fort wayne zoo, post-graduate veterinarians are mentored and trained in zoo medicine and conservation research. The current intern, dr. Emma zhang, has initiated a research study that aims to determine reference ranges of several gastrointestinal tests in red pandas so that potential abnormal results can be better interpreted. This may assist in diagnosing gastrointestinal disease in this endangered species and guide future treatments. Serum samples are being utilized from red pandas across the u.s. And analyzed at texas a&m university diagnostic lab, who is collaborating on this endeavor. Director of animal health and conservation, dr. Kami fox represented the fort wayne zoo by participating in the mariana avifauna conservation program (mac) in the south pacific. Heading up the veterinary and research components of this project, she and the team focused on an endangered bird, the saipan reed warbler, that only exists on the single island of saipan. With very little information known about this species, data was collected on behavior, husbandry, health, and disease during the trip. Over the next 5 years, the focus will be shifted to another endangered species, the rota white-eye, with an extensive recovery plan that involves future translocations to create insurance populations, in hopes of securing their long-term survival. The fort wayne zoo has been participating in the mac program for more than 10 years.

Attendance: in 2024, the zoo hosted over 630,000 guests. The zoo was open 9 months for guests and members extending the traditional 6 month zoo season. The zoo opened for the first time during spring break and remained opened for the wild zoo spring preview throughout weekends in april. Extending past halloween, the zoo was open weekends in november for fall weekends and ended the year with the family favorite wild zoo wonderland in december. New consumer events were a hit with guests and helped the zoo reach new audiences, including the big bugabaloo, featuring giant animatronic bugs on exhibit in august, our new adult only rock & roar events saw 2,800 guests over 5 evenings throughout the season. Wild zoo halloween, our largest annual consumer event hosted 2 sold out brunches where kids could interact with their favorite princesses.