| 2008 AAZK/AKF Award Recipients The following are recipients of awards presented at the 2008 AAZK National conference held in Salt Lake City, UT and hostd by the Utah’s Hogle Zoo and the Utah Chapter of AAZK. The Certificates of Recognition and the Certificates of Appreciation are given by the AAZK Board of Directors. The AKF Excellence in Journalism Awards are selected by the journal’s editorial staff. All other listed awards are determined by the AAZK Awards Committee from nominations received from the membership. Lutz Ruhe Meritorious Achievement Jacque Blessington, Kansas City Zoo. This award is based on her outstanding commitment to professionalism in her distinguished career as a zoo keeper. Specifically noted has been her work as the Tree Kangaroo Species Survival Plan® Coordinator, as an Instructor and Co-Course Administrator for the AAZK/AZA Advances in Animal Keeping in Zoos and Aquariums Class, for facilitating the Australasian Rap Sessions at National AAZK Conferences and serving on the Kansas City Zoo’s Green Team, Conservation Committee and the Capture and Restraint Team. Also noted is her service to AAZK on Chapter and National levels. Her dedication to the animals and her institution along with promoting professionalism is outstanding. Such action earns the praise and respect of all members of the zoological profession. Lee Houts Excellence in Enrichment Award Bree Booth, Oregon Zoo, for developing a process that ensures every animal in the Wild Life Live show receives daily enrichment with items that are appropriately novel, complex and encourage species-appropriate behaviors. Enrichment items are divided into one of five categories: food, nonfood, sensory, environment and social which are documented, photographed and indexed to minimize mistakes. Also noted is her development of an enrichment calendar to ensure that all animals receive enrichment from each of the five categories throughout the week. Volunteer Enrichment Team, Oregon Zoo, for volunteering over 4,231 hours last year coordinating with zoo keepers to create and implement hundreds of enrichment items for animals in all areas of the zoo. The Team has used innovative techniques to develop, implement, obtain and deliver a wide range of enrichment activities throughout the Oregon Zoo. These can range from delivering ice from the local ice skating rink to creating items from car wash material, paper maché, and fabrics to an enrichment garden, collecting natural items and building structures for the animals. The Team is also active in the evaluation of enrichment items and fundraising. Certificate of Recognition Kristen Wolfe, Disney’s Animal Kingdom for her work as the Marketing Committee Chair Angela Cecil Binney, Disney’s Animal Kingdom for serving as Co-Chair of the Animal Training Committee Kim Kezer, Zoo New England for serving as Co-Chair of the Animal Training Committee Dawn Neptune, Utah’s Hogle Zoo for serving as Co-Chair of the Enrichment Committee Bethany Bingham, Utah’s Hogle Zoo 2008 National AAZK Conference Co-Chair Joanne Randinitis, Utah’s Hogle Zoo 2008 National AAZK Conference Co-Chair Certificate of Appreciation Utah’s Hogle Zoo – AAZK 2008 National Conference Host Institution Alex Mohr, for giving AAZK access to the Wonderferret Zoo Careers website Robert Buchanan, Polar Bears International, for his support and donations to AAZK AZA, for including AAZK in the AZA Needs Assessment Survey and presenting the results Anne Marie Plante, Biodome de Montreal, for the French translation of the AAZK Enrichment Notebook Richard Hahn, Director, Catoctin Wildlife Preserve & Zoo for putting together the Venomous Animal Workshop The following individuals who served as instructors at the Venomous Animal Workshop Dr. Daniel Keyler, Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation, Univ. of MN Jessi Krebs, Henry Doorly Zoo Don Middaugh, Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo Dr. Samuel Seashole, Chief Vet at Alligator Adventure, Attending Vet at Cypress Gardens Kristen Wiley, Kentucky Reptile Zoo Dr. James Murphy, Smithsonian Institute Flavio Morrissiey, Reptile Behavior Inc. Al Cortiz, Private Herpetologist June Bellizzi, Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo Jim Harrison, Kentucky Reptile Zoo David Croghan, Frederick Community College Chapter of the Year Phoenix Chapter of AAZK Distinguished Service Plaque Utah Chapter of AAZK 2008 AKF Excellence in Journalism Award Recipients “Baked Soil/Clay Block Enrichment for Captive Naked Mole-rats Melba Brown, Animal Keeper and Markeita Matthews, “Crisis Management Planning in Zoological Institutions” (Nov/Dec 2007 AKF) Geoff Underwood, Manager “Developing a Weapons Team for Dangerous Animal Emergencies: Organization and Training” (Nov/Dec 2007 AKF) Ken Kaemmerer, Curator of Mammals “Dive Safety in Zoos and Aquariums” (Nov/Dec 2007 AKF) Gil Falcone, Sr. Dive Safety Officer “Using an Enrichment Program to Control Feather Destructive Behaviors in a Female Mauritius Pink Pigeon (Columba mayeri)” (March 2008 AKF) Heather Nelder, Keeper/Aviary “Stimulating Natural Hunting Behavior in 0.3 Captive African Wild Dogs (Lyacaon pictus) Using a Lure Course in a Protected Contact Setting” (May 2008 AKF) Michael Murray, Keeper “Training a Yellow-Backed Duiker for Radiographs” (June 2008 AKF) Nicole Bouwens, Molly Nardi and Lisa Smith “Outstanding Cover Art ~ Ocelots” (September 2007 AKF) Kate Woodle, Exhibits Artists |