Page 9 - Gateways_2018_summer_RGB_Neat

Whisking Up a Plan SEA LIONS

SCIENCE A whisker is worth a thousand words. Well,
not quite—but it’s amazing what a single

whisker can tell us.

Chicago Zoological Society veterinary and research staff

have teamed up with animal care specialists at the Huachipa PARK
UPDATES
Zoo in Peru to analyze the dietary health of wild fur seals and
Fill ‘Er Up!
sea lions. The animals they’re studying live along the coastline
Plastic pollution is a big problem. So big, in
at the Punta San Juan reserve, where Society staff have been fact, that plastic makes up 90% of the trash
floating on the ocean’s surface.
involved in research for more than 10 years.
Reducing the amount of single-use
In a similar manner to how scientists can analyze human plastic material one uses (such as plastic
bags or plastic water bottles) is one of the
hair for evidence of mineral deficiencies or traces of toxins, best ways to help combat this growing
problem. Brookfield Zoo’s two new water
researchers are examining fur seal whiskers to learn more bottle refill stations—located near Seven
Seas and Tropic World—will help our guests
about their diets. Certain elements (like carbon and nitrogen) do just that.

get passed up the food chain, and eventually present Now, during a trip to the zoo, individuals
can refill their water bottles with water from
themselves in the whiskers of predators. In addition to telling these stations as many times as they need.
Say goodbye to plastic bottles! The stations
us what these animals are eating, the ratio and amount of also make it easy for guests to stay hydrated
on the hottest summer days.
these elements also tell us where and when the seals and sea
Thanks to
lions are eating. One of Brookfield Zoo’s new
for the donation of these bottle refill stations. water bottle refill stations,
Using whiskers from seals and sea lions living at Huachipa located near Seven Seas.

Zoo—animals known to be fed a nutritious diet and to be

in excellent health—allows researchers to determine the

normal rate of whisker growth to help best undersand data

from the wild.

In addition to painting a broader general picture about

what wild seals and sea lions consume, this research will

also inform decisions about how to best protect their wild

populations. Depending on their findings, the researchers

may need to collaborate with local conservationists and

fishermen to regulate commercial fishing, ensuring enough

fish are available for both humans and hunting animals.

BROOKFIELD ZOO | SUMMER 2018 9