Reports of the Museums and Research Institutes 



57 



places where people can be moved by the wonder and glory 

 of real, living things." 



After he left the Zoo, Robinson continued his tropical 

 biology research at the Smithsonian's Tropical Research In- 

 stitute in Panama. 



Gorilla Birth 



Mandara, a 17-year-old lowland gorilla, gave birth to her 

 fourth offspring on November 20, 1999. Great-ape keepers 

 knew she was pregnant, but did not expect a birth until Jan- 

 uary. Named Kwame, the male newborn was the latest 

 addition to the gorilla troupe, which includes Kigali, a five- 

 year-old female, and Ktembe, a two-and-a-half-year-old 

 male. Kwame 's father is Kuja, a 1 6-year-old male who had 

 not bred before. 



Delegation of Chinese Present Panda Art to NZP 



A group of 21 Chinese children from Qingdao, China, pre- 

 sented artwork they had created depicting giant pandas to 

 the National Zoo on February 7, 2000. The art was donated 

 in memory of Hsing-Hsing and Ling-Ling, the National 

 Zoo's first pair of pandas. 



Tiger Gets Dental Work 



The Zoo hosted a photo opportunity for members of the 

 press, who were invited to witness a veterinarian examine a 

 10-year-old, 260-pound Sumatran tiger's teeth and carry out 

 any necessary treatment. During the hour-long treatment, 

 reporters took turns watching. Dr. Lucy Spelman, chief vet- 

 erinarian; Becky Yates, associate veterinarian; and Dr. Chuck 

 Willams, a veterinary dental specialist who practices at the 

 Animal Dental Clinic in Vienna, Virginia, participated in 

 the procedure. 



interrelationship between plants and animals in a series of 34 

 srunning color photographs by biologist and photographer 

 Carll Goodpasture. The photographs were produced using 

 the IRIS process. The images are digitized, manipulated 

 with computer software, and then printed. IRIS enables the 

 photographer to adjust his work and essenrially allows a 

 range of fine-tuning that is available to a scientific illustra- 

 tor. In addition to the photographs, the exhibit includes a 

 video on pollination biology, two interactive computer pro- 

 grams, What Are Flowers For? and Flower to Apple, as well 

 as reference material for all ages. 



International Migratory Bird Day 



Washington, D.C., mayor Anthony Williams attended the 

 Zoo's annual Migratory Bird Day celebration on May 6 and 

 led an early morning bird walk. Other activities during the 

 two-day event included musical performances, interactive 

 displays, special appearances by live birds of prey, games, 

 arts, and crafts. 



Shanthi Confirmed Pregnant by Artificial Insemination 



A team of scientists and keepers confirmed preliminary hor- 

 monal evidence that Shanthi, a 24-year-old Asian elephant is 

 pregnant. The sonogram ended three months of speculation 

 whether a carefully timed artificial insemination in February 

 had been successful. 



Shanthi was inseminated on February 23 and 24 with 

 sperm from Calvin, a bull elephant living at African Lion 

 Safari in Canada. National Zoo specialists teamed with col- 

 laborating veterinarians Thomas Hildebrandt and Frank 

 Goeritz from the Institute for Zoo Biology and Wildlife Re- 

 search in Germany. The gestation period is 22 months. This 

 will be the second elephant birth at the National Zoo. 



Zoo Announces Plans to Acquire Giant Pandas 



On April 1 1, Smithsonian Secretary Lawrence Small an- 

 nounced that the Zoo had signed a letter of intent with the 

 China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) regarding 

 a long-term giant panda loan. The CWCA agreed to loan a 

 pair of giant pandas for 10 years, for the purposes of study, 

 breeding, and exhibition. According to the agreement, NZP 

 will contribute Si million per year for 10 years to support 

 China's National Project for the Conservation of the Giant 

 Panda and Its Habitat. Lawrence Small said, "Since I became 

 Smithsonian Secretary this past January, I've been asked al- 

 most every day if giant pandas will return to the National 

 Zoo. I am delighted to report that, by signing the letter of 

 intent with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, 

 the National Zoo is one critical step closer to bringing pan- 

 das back to Washington, D.C." 



Vanishing Pollinators 



Vanishing Pollinators opened on May 5 in the Amazonia Sci- 

 ence Gallery. The exhibit explored the hidden 



Spelman Appointed New Director 



Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lawrence Small an- 

 nounced the appointment of Lucy H. Spelman, chief 

 veterinarian in the Department of Animal Health, as the 

 Director of the Zoo: "Lucy brings to this position one of 

 the most important attributes we looked for — her love and 

 thorough knowledge of animals. But she also is deeply com- 

 mitted to the public and to making sure that visitors have a 

 great experience at the National Zoo. As a clinical veterinar- 

 ian at the Zoo for the past five years, Lucy has proven herself 

 to be an outstanding leader, researcher, and scientist." 



Spelman, then 37, joined the National Zoo in May 1995 

 as associate veterinary medical officer and was named senior 

 veterinary medical officer in September 1999. Her research 

 efforts have included anesthetic techniques for problem 

 species such as otters and sea lions, and finding treatment 

 options for geriatric zoo animals. 



Spelman has been a member of the American College of 

 Zoological Medicine (ACZM) since 1994 and has served on 

 the ACZM's Examination Committee since 1995. She has 

 served as editor for the Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 



