Page 29 - life-in-naples-march-2016

Harmon and the Zoo’s vet Lizzy Arnett-
Chinn met me at the Zoo after midnight to
take care of the emaciated kitten.”

Now named Sassy, this female panther
beat the odds. “Sassy is a tough girl. After
her mother was killed, Sassy survived on
her own for nearly a month while her
siblings did not,” shared Harmon. “Even
so, she needed careful attention and our
team rose to the occasion. In addition to
achieving a healthy weight, she required
multiple treatments for the pinworms
and hookworms she picked up in the
wild.” Zoo veterinarian Dr. Arnett-Chinn
oversaw her progress throughout and Sassy
now looks to be in excellent health. After
her temporary care in Naples, Sassy moved
to the Palm Beach Zoo, another facility
that has also met the rigorous criteria for
accreditation by the Association of Zoos
and Aquariums.

LOST KITTEN FOUND the fields. Perhaps not coincidentally, we also started seeing fewer of the raccoons that eat our
crops. Being a good steward of the land can pay off in unexpected ways,” shared Johnson.
The latest arrival, a two to three month
old male, was found in an agricultural PARTNERING FOR PANTHERS
area near Lehigh Acres. From the various
panther footprints, Lotz and FWC These rescues illustrate how important different lands are to panthers. Naples Zoo’s Director
Panther Team Leader Darrell Land pieced of Conservation Tim Tetzlaff explains, “Conserving and restoring the natural world we all rely
together a scenario where two mothers on is the long game and partnering is the greatest way to reach those long term goals. We need
with kittens appeared to cross paths and everyone: private landowners, wildlife agencies, dedicated individuals, and nonprofit wildlife
somehow this male got separated from organizations like zoos.”
his family and options for reuniting him
were too risky. Darrell was grateful for the David Shindle, USFWS Florida Panther Coordinator, sums it up this way: “The Naples Zoo
new facility, stating, “When faced with at Caribbean Gardens is an integral partner in Florida panther conservation efforts. The U.S.
making a decision about what to do with Fish and Wildlife Service values the investment made by Naples Zoo staff and their supporters
an orphaned or injured panther found in in constructing a facility specifically designed for the temporary housing of injured or orphaned
the wild, having a well-equipped facility panthers removed from the wild.This investment, combined with the Naples Zoo’s long standing
like the zoo nearby provides us the option commitment to providing science based education and support for field conservation efforts, is
of bringing the animal in for temporary a model for the private and public partnerships that will be crucial as we move forward with
or long-term care, an option that has not Florida panther recovery.”
always been available.” Naples Zoo will
care for this male kitten until USFWS and MARCH LECTURE SERIES
FWC arrange a permanent home for him.
In addition to the Zoo’s temporary care facilities for panthers, visitor education at the
Randy Johnson, Florida Station Branch Zoo’s panther habitat engages guests in a balanced discussion of living with larger predators
Manager for the Sakata Seed America that are endangered species. Join the Zoo on March 24 as we welcome David Shindle from
Research Station where this kitten was the USFWS for our evening lecture series. For more information and to RSVP, visit www.
found, can understand how multiple cats napleszoo.org/speakers.
could be using that land and how hard
it could be to locate them. “We’ve got Far from the simple menageries of past, today’s nationally accredited zoos are centers of learning
acres and acres of woods between us and and natural crossroads for biologists, educators, environmental scientists, and researchers - as well as for
the airport and 50 acres of our 125-acre students, conservationists, and all animal lovers. Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is a trusted, private
station are natural with cypress trees and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving wildlife and families here and around the world. More information at
retention reservoir.We see plenty of wildlife www.napleszoo.org.
attracted to our area like bears, wood storks,
and sand hill cranes. And about a year ago,
we started finding more panther tracks in

Life in Naples | March 2016 29