ART ON THE WILD SIDE A PHOENIX ZOO ART EXHIBIT
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ART ON THE WILD SIDE A PHOENIX ZOO ART EXHIBIT S U P E R FA N S
ART ON THE WILD SIDE
A PHOENIX ZOO ART EXHIBIT
February 1, 2022 — January 31, 2023
Sculptures, Prints and Photographs
CONTENTS Contributing Photographers ............................................................................................................. 2 Show Map ................................................................................................................................... 4 NOW American Alligator .................................................................................................................... 7 A True Beauty .......................................................................................................................... 8 Bess and Jiwa .......................................................................................................................... 9 Clyde and Sweetpea ................................................................................................................ 10 Ellie .................................................................................................................................... 11 First Moments on the Savanna ................................................................................................... 12 Greater Flamingos After Breakfast ................................................................................................ 13 Hidden ................................................................................................................................ 14 Indu’s 50th Birthday .................................................................................................................. 15 It’s a Sand Cat! . ...................................................................................................................... 16 Look Out! ....... ...................................................................................................................... 17 Lunchtime ............................................................................................................................. 18 Nice Hairdo ........................................................................................................................... 19 Pretty Bird .......................................... .................................................................................. 20 Soundtrack of the Zoo .............................................................................................................. 21 Summer Sunset ...................................................................................................................... 22 Take Off ............................................................................................................................... 23 Tatum ............ ...................................................................................................................... 24 Tiger Power ........................................................................................................................... 25 Triplets .......... ...................................................................................................................... 26 We Are Family ....................................................................................................................... 27 THEN Breakfast Time ....................................................................................................................... 29 Claw Power ........................................................................................................................... 30 Duchess ............................................................................................................................... 31 Early Morning ........................................................................................................................ 32 Eldridge ............................................................................................................................... 33 Hadiah .......... ...................................................................................................................... 34 Harry ................................................................................................................................... 35 Hazel ............. ...................................................................................................................... 36 Luka .............. ...................................................................................................................... 37 Nacho the Bobcat ................................................................................................................... 38 Reba ................................................................................................................................... 39 Ruby ................................................................................................................................... 40 Yellow .................................................................................................................................. 41 ANIMAL CARE Orangutan Received Groundbreaking Surgery ................................................................................. 43 Routine Wellness Exam for a Spider Monkey .................................................................................... 44 Eye Examination for Sumatran Tiger .............................................................................................. 45
S U P E R FA N S
See the Phoenix Zoo through the lenses of our talented
and dedicated contributing photographers.
Joseph Becker | j.becker@seattleaquarium.org
Joseph worked at the Phoenix Zoo as an exhibit guide, keeper and in Digital Communications
from 2008 to 2015. He is now the Digital Marketing Manager at the Seattle Aquarium.
According to Joseph, “My journey to becoming an expert digital communications and
marketing specialist began at the Phoenix Zoo. In 2012, I was working as a zookeeper, and
while I loved my job, I saw a unique opportunity to combine my experience and life-long
interest in technology towards expanding the Zoo’s digital communications efforts.”
Bill Driver | williamdriver@msn.com
Bill is an amateur photographer of nature and wildlife. A friend introduced him to digital
photography, and he found that it allowed him to film wildlife in many beautiful ways. Bill is
a three-year cancer survivor, an experience that taught him to open his eyes to the beauty
of life and all of God’s creatures. His favorites to photograph are reptiles and insects. He’s
been a volunteer at the Phoenix Zoo for 20 years which allows him to capture images of
amazing animals. He uses Nikon and Sigma equipment.
Dick George | dickgeorge@mindspring.com
Dick began working at the Phoenix Zoo in 1978. He was a writer, photographer and
historian who documented the extraordinary life of Ruby, an elephant who had been at
the Zoo since its opening. He wrote “Ruby: The Painting Pachyderm of the Phoenix Zoo,”
which was published in 1995. He has left the Zoo an extraordinary archive of photography
from that period.
Steve Marquez | marquezsteve2@gmail.com
Steve’s obsession with wildlife began at a very young age with wildlife documentaries on
the Discovery Channel. His love for zoos was sparked after attending the Dinos After Dark
event held at the Phoenix Zoo in 2017. Since then, he’s been a member and supporter of the
Zoo; he even had his wedding here! His favorite animal to photograph is the endangered
Mexican gray wolf. He was born in Los Angeles, CA in 1987 and moved to Phoenix in 1994.
2
John Qoyawayma | qstudios@cox.net
John got his start in photography early on, beginning with color correction of photos for visual
simulations. Later he began to photograph animals at the Phoenix Zoo as well as his father’s
beautiful pottery for commercial use. He continues to photograph wide panoramas used in
visual simulations for an engineering firm that he has worked at for 38 years. He recently created
an at-home studio for further product photography. He has a real passion for capturing photos
of animals that show their fun and quirky personalities and has found it very enjoyable to learn
and see different animal behaviors during his five years as a Phoenix Zoo volunteer. He has also
taught Photo Walkabouts at the Zoo and photographed some Zoo events.
Dave Seibert | dave@daveseibertmedia.com
Dave took some of his first photographs as a child at the Phoenix Zoo in 1965! He has been
a working photojournalist for more than 40 years and now freelances with a wide variety of
Arizona companies. Though he has worked with the Phoenix Zoo both professionally and
as a volunteer for many years and is a talented photographer of animals, he most enjoys
capturing the lives of those at the Zoo that walk on two legs, especially the keepers and
Animal Care Center staffers. Dave teaches a basic photography class on grounds at the Zoo
called Photo Walkabouts and uses Canon equipment (most of which is old and very worn).
David Wagner | drwphotocreations@gmail.com
David has been shooting and submitting photos at the Phoenix Zoo for the last 18 months
and enjoys contributing photos for use in Wild Times, posts on social media channels
and the Zoo’s website. His background is in computers and IT, but he became a realtor
about seven years ago. He enjoys shooting music events, people and animal portraits, as
well as landscapes. While he first purchased a Canon SLR camera back in 1990, he picked
it up again seriously two years ago.
WJ Wheaton | wjwheaton@gmail.com
WJ fell in love with cameras over 50 years ago and has shot photos of everything from rock
and roll bands in the ‘70s to recent zoo and rescue animals. His work shows the dignity of
the subjects and their individual personalities, with his favorites being big cats and giraffes.
For him, they are the most picturesque and seem to be the most cooperative. He’s been
a volunteer at the Phoenix Zoo as a trail host since 2012 and taught photo classes, as well
as led Photo Walkabouts. He uses Nikon equipment.
Thank you to our sponsors!
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NOW
American Alligator
American alligators can reach 10-15 feet in length and weigh over 1,000 pounds. At one time, they were nearly driven to
extinction by hunting and habitat loss and were listed as an endangered species in 1967. Because of efforts to protect
them, they are now common throughout the Southeastern U.S. and were removed from the list of endangered species
in 1987. There are now six alligators at the Phoenix Zoo. The Zoo’s current group arrived in 2015. The green material on
the alligator in this photo is duckweed, a plant seen on Zoo lakes at different times of year. But the most important thing
is that an alligator will see you later, while a crocodile will see you after a while.
Date Taken: June 3, 2019
Photographer: David Wagner
Canon EOS 80D, 400mm, 80th @ f10
7
A True Beauty
Female jaguar Caipora watches the early morning light as it comes across her habitat. The 16-year-old underwent a
procedure called focused radiation therapy in 2017 to treat a tumor on her leg. She can usually be found high in the
trees or rolling on her back.
Date Taken: December 29, 2018
Photographer: William Driver
Nikon D7100, Sigma 150-600mm, 250th @ f11
8Bess and Jiwa
Bess, a 41-year-old Bornean orangutan and her five-year-old son Jiwa, share some cuddle time together on the Tropics
Trail. Bess was born at the Phoenix Zoo in 1979.
Date Taken: January 5, 2019
Photographer: John Qoyawayma
Nikon D850, 200-400mm @ f4
9Clyde and Sweetpea
San Clemente goats were introduced to San Clemente Island, off the coast of California, in 1875. The goats thrived on
the island, but the native island flora suffered from the introduced grazers. The U.S. Navy took possession of the island
and in the mid-1980s began to try to rid the island of the introduced goats. San Clemente Island goats are now one of
the rarest goat breeds in North America.
“In February 2015, I was looking around “The Farm” for a Valentine’s Day shot when Sweet Pea and Clyde posed for this
shot,“ recalled WJ Wheaton.
Date Taken: February 12, 2015
Photographer: WJ Wheaton
Nikon Df, 220mm, 4000th @ f2.8
10Ellie
Ellie is one of the Phoenix Zoo’s largest rays, weighing almost 50 pounds. She is extremely social and usually the first
to interact with guests. “Ellie was the first ray I bonded with and will always hold a special place in my heart,” says Mari
Belko, Senior Stingray Keeper. “The first time she unexpectedly swam into my arms and climbed up onto my chest,
displaying trust and socialization, changed me forever.” Stingray Bay opened in 2006 and there are now 42 stingrays and
five sharks.
Date Taken: June 4, 2018
Photographer: John Qoyawayma
Nikon D500, Tamron 70-200mm, 500th @ f2.8
11First Moments on the Savanna
Six-week-old Masai giraffe, Rafiki, left the barn to make her first appearance to the public under the watchful eye of her
mother, Imara. It took about an hour for Rafiki to get comfortable on the Savanna, but she slowly made her way out and
then kicked up her heels a bit.
Date Taken: August 9, 2018
Photographer: Dave Seibert
Canon EOS-1DX, 400mm, 500th @ f5.6
12Greater Flamingos After Breakfast
Greater flamingos are the largest of the six species of flamingos. The Phoenix Zoo has a flock of 39 Greater flamingos
on the Africa Trail and a flock of 43 Chilean flamingos on the Tropics Trail.
Date Taken: December 29, 2018
Photographer: John Qoyawayma
Nikon D850, 600mm @ f4
13Hidden
The Saharan horned viper, a sidewinding viper from Saharan Africa, is often found buried or partially buried in soft sand,
avoiding the summer heat as well as using its camouflage to capture potential prey. The horned viper is visible to guests
in the Deserts of the World habitat in the Arizona Aviary. The Phoenix Zoo has 335 reptiles representing 117 different
species.
Date Taken: May 6, 2017
Photographer: William Driver
Nikon D7100, Nikon 60mm macro, 30th @ f8
14Indu’s 50th Birthday
Indu, the Zoo’s Asian elephant, turned 50 on Saturday, December 19, 2015 in grand style! According to Heather Wright,
Collection Manager of Elephants, Indu was a little overwhelmed at first by all the attention, but once she realized the
whole day was about her, she entered her habitat and enjoyed her beautiful ice treat cake made especially for her by
our amazing Nutrition Services Team. Her delicious birthday cake was made of beet juice, red and purple Gatorade and
filled with bananas, oranges and roses.
Indu and Sheena, both Asian elephants, can be found in their expanded habitat on the Tropics Trail.
Date Taken: December 19, 2015
Photographer: Dave Seibert
Nikon D5100, 100-600mm, 800th @ f5.6
15It’s a Sand Cat!
Osiris is a male sand cat. Sand cats are small, solitary cats native to deserts in Africa and Asia. They can live without
drinking water for weeks, run on shifting sand and detect prey underground. The Phoenix Zoo is home to two sand cats,
Osiris and Chelbi. They live in a habitat outside the C.W. and Modene Neely Education and Event Center, one of our
event venues, and make attending an event there extra special.
Date Taken: December 15, 2018
Photographer: Steve Marquez
Nikon D850, 500mm, 320th @ f5.6
16Look Out!
Jax, a 13-year-old male mandrill, arrived from Dallas in November 2019 and gets almost as much social media as
Fernando the sloth. When asked about the color of his teeth, Dr. Kristen Phair, DVM, DACZM, Director of Veterinary
Services reports that the yellow staining is quite common in Zoo primates and does not indicate a problem. “Like us,
they definitely can accumulate plaque and tartar, but having a low-sugar diet with a variety of textures can help keep the
teeth clean,” adds Phair. You can find Jax on the Africa Trail.
Date Taken: December 17, 2019
Photographer: David Wagner
Canon EOS 80D, 100-400mm, 125th @ f5.6
17Lunchtime
Mary Yoder, Collections Manager of Primates, eats her lunch by the viewing glass to keep Jax the mandrill company on
Thursday, April 9, 2020. With minimal foot traffic at the Zoo while closed to the public due the coronavirus pandemic,
the Zoo’s animals felt the impact. Zoo employees said some of the animals had definite changes in behavior that they
attributed to the sharp decrease in human interaction to which they are accustomed.
Date Taken: April 9, 2020
Photographer: Matt York / The Associated Press
Unknown camera data
18Nice Hairdo
Stripe, left, is an adult male cotton-top tamarin and father of Marimonda and Tunda who are holding tight to his back,
inside their habitat on the Nina Mason Pulliam Children’s Trail. The youngsters enjoy riding on their parents’ backs, and
you will see them bounce around their habitat taking turns piggybacking on both mom and dad. Today they are fully
grown and now their younger siblings ride on their backs!
Date Taken: December 23, 2017
Photographer: William Driver
Nikon D7100, Sigma 150-600mm, 250th @ f5.6
19Pretty Bird
Dynah the Bali myna came to us from the San Antonio Zoo and can be found in the Tropical Flights Aviary. “I picked
her up from the airport on February 28, 2013. Once out of quarantine, she quickly became a keeper and guest favorite
with her playful, inquisitive nature. She’s nearly nine years old and has picked up a few phrases. Fortunately, all of them
are family-friendly. Dynah does have a jealous side. If I’m in her habitat and start talking to someone through the mesh,
she will land on the mesh at eye level and start squawking at me. She’ll also land on my radio and start pecking at it if I
answer a call near her. Luckily, she gets over it quickly, but I’ve found a gentle head rub speeds up the process (for her,
although it works on me as well!).” Bryan McAulay, Collections Manager of Birds
Date Taken: February 4, 2016
Photographer: Dave Seibert
Canon EOS-1DX, 24-105mm, 320th @ f4
20Soundtrack of the Zoo
Enik and China are a pair of buff-cheeked gibbons whose calls echo around the Zoo every day. This species exhibits
sexual dimorphism in adult fur color. Enik, the male, has mostly black fur while China’s fur is mostly yellowish-tan. It is
unclear whether this pair is singing for everyone or just to each other. They are arboreal and spend most of their time at
the top of these palm trees. “I can’t imagine the Phoenix Zoo without their singing.” WJ Wheaton
Date Taken: November 10, 2017
Photographer: WJ Wheaton
Nikon Df, 340mm 500th @ f4.8
21Summer Sunset
On a summer night in 2018, a group of giraffes moved into the perfect position for this sunset photo. Every evening
they are moved into their night house to rest until morning.
Date Taken: June 4, 2018
Photographer: John Qoyawayma
Nikon D810, Tamron 150-600mm
22Take Off
McFly is a male fennec fox with ears so large he could almost take flight, according to Heather Vetter, Senior Keeper of
Carnivores. McFly arrived at the Phoenix Zoo in 2017 and shares the habitat with Noelle, who arrived in 2012. They are
located on the north side of the Savanna and are a bit shy.
Date Taken: June 3, 2019
Photographer: David Wagner
Canon EOS 80D, 400mm, 250th @ f6.3
23Tatum
Tatum, the black-and-white ruffed lemur, defies gravity and munches fruit from a fan palm on an island in the Zoo’s Main
Lake. Lemurs are quite territorial but are often playful with the pelicans who get too close to their island.
Date Taken: Unknown
Photographer: John Qoyawayma
Nikon D850, Nikon 600mm @ f4
24Tiger Power
Jai is a male Sumatran tiger born on April 17, 2004. The critically endangered Sumatran tiger is the smallest subspecies
of tigers. “Jai’s favorite, non-edible toy is his keg. I am not aware of anyone ever attempting to take it away from him.”
WJ Wheaton
Date Taken: February 4, 2015
Photographer: WJ Wheaton
Nikon Df, 390mm, 250th @ f11
25Triplets
Dirk is a male cheetah born on December 27, 2014. His two brothers, Boykin and DeMarco, were both born on
Christmas Day, Dirk was late. The cheetah brothers were named after notable sports figures from the Dallas-Fort Worth
area. Dirk Nowitski was a power forward for the Dallas Mavericks, playing 21 seasons with them.
Date Taken: February 4, 2015
Photographer: WJ Wheaton
Nikon D500, 500mm, 600th @ f7
26We Are Family
In May 2019, a litter of six Mexican gray wolf pups were born to three year old parents, Tazanna (shown) and Tulio.
The Phoenix Zoo has been active in the Mexican Gray Wolf Species Survival Plan® and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan for quite a few years. The Zoo was excited to actively participate in the species’ recovery.
Date Taken: June 22, 2019
Photographer: William Driver
Nikon D500, Sigma 150-600mm, 640th @ f8
27THEN
Breakfast Time
Galápagos tortoises, Mary, left, and Ralph having their breakfast greens. Ralph was at the Phoenix Zoo from its opening
in 1962 until he moved to the El Paso Zoo in 2016, where he turned 119 years old this year. In exchange, the El Paso
Zoo sent Elvis, a male Galápagos tortoise, to Phoenix. This animal exchange was an extremely important move for
the species. While Ralph became a companion for another tortoise at the El Paso Zoo, Elvis was matched with Lola to
form a breeding pair of the endangered Iguana Cove tortoise, a subspecies of Galápagos tortoises (C. n. vicina), as
recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Galápagos Tortoise Species Survival Plan®. The Phoenix Zoo
is one of only two institutions working to breed these rare tortoises!
Date Taken: May 8, 2013
Photographer: Dave Seibert
Canon EOS-1DX, 24-105mm 500th @ f4
29Claw Power
“Perhaps the most beautiful animal I’ve seen at the Phoenix Zoo was Ivan, a Komodo dragon who opened the Land
of the Dragons in November 2009, along with female Gaia,” says photographer Dave Seibert. Previous thinking on
Komodo dragons was that they used “weaponized bacteria” in their saliva to help subdue prey. While there is a lot
of bacteria present in a Komodo dragon’s mouth, it is no longer considered to be important to hunting. Current
research has discovered that Komodo dragons have venom glands that produce a cocktail of proteins that are similar
to rattlesnake venom. This venom is not considered deadly or overly potent, but it increases bleeding and decreases
clotting at the wound site to allow prey to bleed out quickly.
Date Taken: March 19, 2010
Photographer: Dave Seibert
Canon EOS 5D MKII, 500mm 2000th @ f5
30Duchess
Duchess, the Phoenix Zoo’s beloved matriarch Bornean orangutan, was one of the Zoo’s original animals when the
Zoo first opened. She gave birth to seven offspring over the years, including her daughter Bess, and at one time her
offspring spanned four living generations.
In 2012, Duchess was the oldest known Bornean orangutan in North America. Sadly, Duchess developed an aggressive
form of cancer and passed away at fifty-two but had far exceeded the typical life expectancy of thirty years in the wild.
Her death was devastating for those at the Zoo who cared for her and the entire Phoenix community mourned her loss.
Date Taken: March 19, 2010
Photographer: Dave Seibert
Canon EOS 5D MKII, Canon 500mm @ f5
31Early Morning
Kitambi, an eight-year-old male African lion, on a cold, windy morning in November 2015. Kitambi was born at the
Columbus Zoo in 2011 and came to the Phoenix Zoo in 2012. He lived on the Africa Trail, until he was humanely
euthanized in 2018 after a devastating sudden infection. Video and audio recordings of his evening vocalizations have
gone viral.
Date Taken: November 7, 2015
Photographer: John Qoyawayma
Nikon D810, Tamron 150-600mm
32Eldridge
Eldridge was a black leopard who came to the Phoenix Zoo after being the mascot for the 13th Tactical Fighter
Squadron, “Panther Pack”, in Thailand from August 1971 to November 1973. He was not releasable and was eventually
brought to the Phoenix Zoo. He was twenty-three when he died in 1994 and fathered six offspring during his life. During
his time in Phoenix, members of the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron would visit on a regular basis.
No date, photographer or camera data available.
33Hadiah
Female Sumatran tiger Hadiah came to the Phoenix Zoo in 2009. In 2015, she moved to the Dallas Zoo on a breeding
recommendation from the Tiger Species Survival Plan®. “Despite all the shadows, this picture was taken around
noon, but luckily the tree shadows worked out just right. I had been waiting for about three hours doing a behavioral
observation (observing new animals to ensure they adjust well to their new surroundings) for the Zoo. This was the only
photo I got the entire day!” WJ Wheaton
Date Taken: July 9, 2015
Photographer: WJ Wheaton
Nikon Df, 390mm, 250th @ f11
34Harry
In April 2019, Harry, the male jaguar, returned to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens where he was born. During his time
at the Phoenix Zoo, he was a popular cat with his keepers due to his goofy personality, and large, block-shaped head.
As you can see from this picture, jaguars have the strongest jaw muscles of all the big cats relative to their size. Jaguars
use that jaw strength when hunting prey, as a skull bite is their preferred incapacitating method.
Photo taken: June 4, 2018
Photographer: John Qoyawayma
Nikon D810, 300mm @ f2
35Hazel
Hazel, a female gorilla, was an original animal at the Phoenix Zoo when it opened in 1962 and lived more than thirty
years here. In 1970, she gained notoriety when Jack, a gorilla from the Baltimore City Zoo, was scheduled to arrive.
The problem was how to get Jack here. Different approaches were tried, including the Arizona Air National Guard,
commercial flights, CBS television and others. But none of these options worked out. Then Hugh Hefner, publisher of
Playboy Magazine, stepped in and offered his DC-9 “Big Bunny” for transport. Jack arrived to a crowd of 150 people,
including the Zoo’s Auxiliary, media and the public. Despite the public interest, Hazel showed no interest in breeding
with Jack and he died in 1972. It was discovered during an autopsy that Jack had Valley Fever and was also sterile.
Today there is a statue of Hazel in the Zoo’s Main Plaza.
No date, photographer or camera data available.
36Luka
Luka, the Andean bear, was born to Rio, left, in January 2013. Initially sexed as male, Luka quickly became a media star
for the Phoenix Zoo. Two years later, during preparations to send Luka to the Nashville Zoo as a recommendation from
the Species Survival Plan®, it was discovered that Luka was actually a female. Some said this was “em-bear-assing.”
Today she lives at the Nashville Zoo.
Date Taken: 2013
Photographer: Joseph Becker
Unknown camera data
37Nacho the Bobcat
“I have been around many, many bobcats but at 24 years old, she was far and away the oldest. She was hard to get a
photo of because she, in her advancing age, enjoyed the nooks and crannies of the bobcat habitat. On occasion you’d
see the tip of her tail protruding from her ledge on the back wall. On only a few occasions was I rewarded with a photo
op of the ‘Grand Dame of the Arizona Trail.’” WJ Wheaton
Date Taken: August 16, 2016
Photographer: WJ Wheaton
Fujifilm X-T1, 140mm, 240th @ f2.8
38Reba
“Reba was an incredible Asian elephant who thoroughly enjoyed being showered by the Phoenix Fire Department
during the Zoo’s summer event, Winter in July. Reba’s shower was always a highlight of the day for staff, guests and
firefighters. Reba is deeply missed by all who knew her. She had been at the Phoenix Zoo more than twenty years and
was fifty-one years old when her health declined and she was humanely euthanized in 2020.”
Heather Wright, Collections Manager of Elephants
Date Taken: July 14, 2018
Photographer: Dave Seibert
Canon EOS-X MKI, Canon 70-200mm
39Ruby
“Ruby, the Zoo’s famous artistic Asian elephant was such a unique personality. One of my favorite memories of her is
that she would go behind her elephant keepers after we shifted her inside the elephant barn and “double-check” all
the gate locks for us to make sure we were doing our job. She was an extremely intelligent animal with a personality
larger than life. I have fond memories even twenty years after working with her and still dearly miss her to this day,”
remembers Kara Schilling, Curator of Mammals. Ruby arrived at the Phoenix Zoo in 1974 and was euthanized after
complications from pregnancy in 1998.
Date Taken: Unknown
Photographer: Dick George
Nikon F3, Kodachrome 64, 24-50mm
40Yellow
Yellow was a female maned wolf. Not only is she not a true wolf, but genetic studies have concluded that the maned
wolf is the only member of its genus. Native to South America, the maned wolf can be found in the tall grasses of the
Pampas where their long legs enable them to see over their surroundings, particularly helpful in spotting food and for
defensive advantages. Yellow was a sweet, gentle girl with the most incongruous bark that you can imagine. She passed
away in July 2020 at the age of 14.
Date Taken: May 13, 2016
Photographer: WJ Wheaton
Nikon Df, 550mm, 500th @ f9
41ANIMAL CARE
O R A N G U TA N R E C E I V E D
G R O U N D B R E A K I N G S U R G E RY
DANIEL
In March 2018, veterinarians from the Phoenix Zoo teamed
up with Dr. Jeff Steurer of Southwest Veterinary Surgical
Service and ENT surgeon Dr. David Simms M.D., of Arizona
Otolaryngology Consultants to treat Daniel, a then twelve-
year-old Bornean orangutan at the Zoo with sinusitis and
air sacculitis.
“Daniel had been experiencing a recurring sinusitis with
air sacculitis,” says Dr. Gary West, Executive Vice President
of Animal Health and Collections at the Phoenix Zoo.
“We had attempted to treat the condition medically and
also with surgery of the air sac, but when the symptoms
reoccurred, we knew we needed to address surgery of the
sinuses and the air sacs. We are fortunate that we found an
incredibly talented team willing to take on this complicated
surgical procedure.”
Dr. David Simms thought he was being pranked when he Photo Credit: Dave Seibert
was first called by Dr. West to inquire about performing
sinus surgery on an orangutan. “I’ve performed thousands
of surgeries on humans, but this is the first one I’ve ever
done on an orangutan! The orangutans’ nasal cavity is
similar to humans, but due to the shape of their skull there
are important differences within the sinuses to be noted
before attempting surgery. To familiarize myself with the
case, I reviewed the CT scans of Daniel’s head to confirm
the disease and to visualize the anatomic structure. In
addition, we were able to download the CT images into a
computer and with the use of a 3D printer, we were able
to print a life-size replica of his skull to be used as a guide
for the actual surgery.” The endoscopic surgical procedure
went perfectly and Daniel is doing extremely well.
43ROUTINE WELLNESS EXAM
FOR A SPIDER MONKEY
K E L LY
In December 2018, Kelly, our female spider monkey,
was anesthetized in her enclosure for transport to the
Zoo’s Joyce Corrigan Animal Care Center for her yearly
checkup. Once at the Center, Kelly was removed from the
crate asleep and placed on the exam table for evaluation.
Various monitors were attached to Kelly to track her
stability under anesthesia. A full examination was
performed by Zoo veterinary staff and she was moved to
the radiology room for full-body radiographs to assess
her chest and limbs, and to receive an ultrasound on
her abdomen. During this routine exam, Kelly was found
to have multiple loose, diseased teeth that were easily
extracted while she received nasal oxygen. For recovery,
she was returned to her crate where reversal drugs were
administered to facilitate her waking up. Kelly received a Notes from Dr. Kristen Phair, DVM, DACZM, Director of Veterinary
Services, Phoenix Zoo
clean bill of health and can be found in her enclosure on
Photo Credit: Dave Seibert
the Zoo’s Tropics Trail.
44E Y E E X A M I N AT I O N
F O R S U M AT R A N T I G E R
S U R I YA
In September 2018, Suriya, our adult female Sumatran
tiger was examined for changes to her corneas. She was
anesthetized in her enclosure and then once asleep, was
transported to the Joyce Corrigan Animal Care Center.
Suriya was intubated and then placed on inhalant gas
anesthesia. An oral exam was performed during which
time a couple of small masses were noted on the roof
of her mouth (confirmed to be eosinophilic granulomas
based on biopsy, a relatively common and mostly benign
fvinding in tigers). Consulting ophthalmologist, Dr. Zoe
Reed of Eyeshine Veterinary, performed a full ophthalmic
exam and Suriya was found to have a perforation of her
right cornea which required placement of a patch (made
from surrounding eyelid tissue). She also had thinning of
her left cornea, and this was stabilized by placing layers of
medical grade tissue glue on the cornea.
Notes from Dr. Kristen Phair, DVM, DACZM, Director of Veterinary
Services, Phoenix Zoo
Photo Credit: Dave Seibert
45Thank you to all of the
contributing photographers
who are Super Fans
of the Phoenix Zoo!You can also read
