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Kara in perfect condition and
gravid with two kittens
I Went to Germany for Lemurs

by Tim L. Tetzlaff, and Left with a New Conservation Program
Director of Conservation,
Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

t was May of 2019. I was in Germany for lemurs. I had no idea I What wasn’t there was the funding to keep it going. Naples Zoo
was taking the first steps toward helping launch a country’s only stepped in with another small investment to keep the work moving and
Iconservation program for the world’s deadliest cat. committed to covering future seasons.
I was at Cologne Zoo as the Madagascar When Alex came to Naples in 2024 with his family, I welcomed
Fauna and Flora Group rotates its annual them through our new zoo entrance and arranged a visit to Audubon’s
meeting location because we have members Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Along the boardwalk, between fumbling
on five continents. It was my first year as with my new camera trying to photograph orchids and getting
Chair, and my focus was more on keeping predictably blurry shots of circling birds, I asked what was next for
things on track than starting anything new. Namibia. By then, the answer was clear. These cats needed a full-time
But I did have a surprise in store, and it presence in the field.
wasn’t how good the Kölsch was from the After the obligatory group photo (with someone else’s camera),
Brauhaus by the cathedral. Alex and I wandered off to talk through what that would take and who
My friend Liz had assisted Dr. Alex Sliwa, the Curator of would be best to do it. That answer was clear too: Martina Küsters. She
Cologne Zoo, during his black-footed cat work in South Africa and had the right skill set, more than a decade of experience tracking these
asked me to say hello. Over many decades, Alex had become the cats, and she wanted to do it full time. For Naples Zoo, this was a rare
world’s leading expert on this tiny cat. Weighing just 2 to 4 pounds, opportunity to help establish the only dedicated program in an entire
the black-footed cat has the highest hunting success rate of any cat country for a species that is vulnerable to extinction.
species in the world. Even with those distinctions, support for the After getting the word out, two donors who saw that same
species is about as small as the cat itself. opportunity stepped forward. Combined with the zoo’s own investment,
It would have been easy to say hello and get back to my lemur we turned the “what if” of that boardwalk conversation into a national
business. Instead, it was worth staying with the conversation a little program. After Martina completed her prior conservation contract, she
longer. began full-time work on January 1 of this year. For the first time, there
Alex had expanded work into Namibia, and tracking equipment is now consistent, on-the-ground effort focused on this cat in Namibia:
was needed to answer some basic questions. We don’t have black- supporting research, building relationships with landowners, and helping
footed cats at Naples Zoo, but that has never been a requirement reduce risk to a species that is still often misunderstood and sometimes
for our conservation work. The question is whether we can make shot by people who have no idea what they are looking at in the dark.
a real difference. In this case, it was clear we could, so I used some I was in Germany for lemurs when this began. I’ll be back in
unrestricted conservation donations to purchase the gear. Cologne again this fall for a global zoo meeting. I’m sure I’ll be sharing
The next year, Alex came to me with a more urgent need. Funding some “say hi for me” messages. Most of those don’t lead anywhere, except
for the seasonal field scientist fell through, and that year’s progress maybe for a Kölsch. But sometimes, just sometimes, they turn into
was at risk. The expertise was there. The work had started. something more.
To see the full schedule, visit NaplesZoo.org/speakers
Contact me at tim@napleszoo.org
To learn more or support these efforts, visit NaplesZoo.org/conserve
Together, we can create a brighter, more resilient future for people and wildlife.
Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit caring for rare species and welcoming families in a century-old historic garden. Since 2015,
the zoo has invested more than $4.5 million in saving plants and animals in the wild and fully supports 35 field conservation staff working in seven countries.
To learn more about how you can invest in a better future for people and wildlife, email tim@napleszoo.org.
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