Gifted Students Environmental Education Program

Hello valued supporters!

Our current program is well underway with the introductory lectures completed and visits with staff members in all Zoo departments almost complete. This means that our 14 students will soon finalize their choice of research topics.

Previous research areas have included:

• The effects of enrichment on wolf behavior
• Human and chimpanzee interactions
• Interaction between female Asian elephants
• The effects of enrichment on Kea parrot behavior
• The process of introducing Sumatran tigers
• The effects of enrichment on giraffe behavior
• The effects of music on Siamang behavior
• Medical indicators in elephants and giraffes through thermal imaging
• The effects of olfactory enrichment on Asian short-clawed otters
• The effects of environmental variables on Nile crocodile behavior
• Dispersion and survival data for Persian fallow deer releases and examining the geographical distribution and after reinstatement
• Enrichment in squirrel monkeys
• Color vision in penguins – testing this through changing colors in enrichment
• Parental care in deer: breastfeeding, parental care and group assistance
• Comparison of the effects of diabetes in mandrills and humans
• Elephant intelligence
• Eating patterns in Australian grey-headed fruit bat individuals
• Monitoring sleep behavior in Asian elephants with the use of infrared cameras
• Interactions between penguins and humans
• Schooling behavior of tilapia fish as influenced by internal and external factors
• Parental care versus group care in squirrel monkeys
• Interactions between lemurs and humans

We look forward to finding out what this year’s choices will be!

Your generous support enables students like these to realize their potential and to live their dreams. Thank you!