Latest news with #SanDiegoZooWildlifeAlliance
Scoop
24-05-2025
- General
- Scoop
Northern Mariana Islands: Endangered Mariana Crow Population Rebounds On Rota
, RNZ Pacific Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas correspondent The endangered Mariana Crow, known as "Aga" in Chamorro, is showing strong signs of recovery, with 70 breeding pairs now thriving in the wild on Rota. That figure represents approximately 300 individual birds, a significant milestone toward the species' downlisting and eventual removal from the endangered species list. Rota Avian Behavioral Ecology Program's primary investigator Sarah Faegre told Marianas Press that the conservation effort is in a critical and optimistic phase. "This is a very exciting time to be here on Rota," Faegre said. "We are seeing high rates of reproduction among the captive-reared birds that have been released into the wild." Since 2017, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and the University of Washington have collaborated to rear and release 90 captive-raised Mariana Crows. These birds now make up 20 percent of the breeding population, and this year alone, they have already produced four fledglings. "It's significant because it means the birds we rear and release are not only surviving, but they're also displaying normal social behavior-they're pairing and reproducing in the wild, which is exactly what we need them to do," Faegre said. The Mariana Crow is a long-lived species, and Faegre noted that some of the birds released in 2017 are only now beginning to breed. "We saw a long delay. For a while, we were concerned about lower rates of reproduction, but even if it takes five or six years, they are breeding now," she said. "We're expecting to see the population increase faster going forward." Back in 2013, there were only 46 known breeding pairs. The recent rise to 70 brings the Rota population within reach of the US Fish and Wildlife Service's criteria for downlisting: 75 stable or increasing breeding pairs on Rota. "We could reach that 75-pair mark in just a few more years," Faegre said. However, full delisting requires not only maintaining 75 pairs on Rota, but also establishing a second viable population on another island. That means future conservation efforts may include translocating birds to other locations within the Marianas. While the progress is promising, challenges remain. "The biggest threat to the Aga is a poorly understood inflammatory syndrome that's killing young birds," Faegre said. Pathologists have been researching the syndrome since 2011 but have yet to determine its cause. One possibility is an autoimmune response triggered by mosquito-borne pathogens or high mosquito density. Other risks include potential future land-use conflicts with local populations, and the looming danger of the brown tree snake being introduced to Rota-an invasive species that has devastated native bird populations in Guam. Despite these concerns, Faegre said the focus remains on growth and recovery. "We are on the cusp of something really important," she said. "This species has a chance-not just to survive, but to thrive again." The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance operates a rear-and-release facility on Rota in partnership with the University of Washington. Their joint program continues to play a critical role in the recovery of one of the Marianas' most iconic and culturally significant birds.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance's Frozen Zoo® at 50: A Blueprint for Global Conservation
Non-Profit Conservation Organization Leads Biobanking Worldwide SAN DIEGO, May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fifty years ago, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance's Frozen Zoo® began preserving living genetic material, long before scientists knew how it might be used. Today this legacy, visionary for its era, is shaping innovative conservation strategies to safeguard wildlife and serves as the foundational blueprint for a crisis that reaches every corner of our planet—the biodiversity crisis. The Frozen Zoo is the world's first large-scale, systematic cryogenic (frozen) biological bank dedicated to preserving living cells and reproductive material from wildlife—and remains the largest and most diverse collection of its kind. Building on this vital resource, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance commits to leading the biodiversity banking of all endangered species globally by 2075. "Species are vanishing at astonishing rates," said Megan Owen, Ph.D., vice president of wildlife conservation science, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. "By some estimates, Earth loses more than 100 species every day due to mounting environmental and human-driven pressures. While we are advancing technologies to safeguard biodiversity, we recognize that nature itself remains the most powerful biodiversity bank there is—and that biobanking is a unique tool we must develop and use to protect life on Earth, complementing habitat and species protections." San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is now leading an ambitious global initiative to make biodiversity banking—the preservation of genetic material in many forms—a tool for species conservation worldwide. As part of this initiative, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission and the Animal Biobanking for Conservation Specialist Group, established the Center for Species Survival (CSS) Biodiversity Biobanking, where the organization's expertise, the largest global network of species expert volunteers, and CSS staff members converge to develop best practices to guide biobanking efforts on all continents. "We are investing in partnerships to develop biodiversity banking at a scale that matches the challenge of the biodiversity crisis," said Marlys Houck, curator of the Frozen Zoo. "We have collected irreplaceable genetic biodiversity, which is key to species resilience in the face of environmental change. It's vital to keep this effort going and support capacity enhancement worldwide, because the species we bank today could be the key to restoring ecosystems tomorrow." This global effort focuses not just on mammals, but also on amphibians, reptiles, birds, plant life, marine organisms and invertebrate species that are critical to ecosystem health. Efforts are emerging around the globe: Kenya: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is supporting the construction of a national biobanking repository and increasing biobanking capacity in an area that tackles wildlife challenges on the ground every day. Vietnam: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is partnering to enhance expertise through on-site biobanking training in one of the world's richest biodiversity hotspots. Peru: A strategic framework is being developed to biobank species at field sites on both sides of the Andes Mountains. Hawai'i: Community-led conservation is informing culturally grounded strategies to biobank the Islands' irreplaceable and rapidly disappearing species. This work spans marine, forest, and desert ecosystems, aiming to protect keystone species like the sunflower sea star—an organism vital to the coastal kelp forest ecosystem—and help conserve the world's most endangered animals, such as the northern white rhino and the California condor. It also extends to Hawaiian forest birds and native plants, with San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance at the forefront of cryopreserving kelp, oaks and other foundational species. "Through our expertise, training and collaboration, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is facilitating the development of a worldwide network that will accelerate and scale the use of biomaterials for wildlife conservation—because protecting wildlife helps fortify the interconnected, delicate web of life we all depend on," said Owen. Due to the foresight of Frozen Zoo founder Kurt Benirschke, M.D., living cell lines from over 11,500 individuals representing 1,337 species are banked—almost twice the number of animals currently living at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park combined. Stored in liquid nitrogen at minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit, the collection includes living cells, embryos and gametes from mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. "For the past half a century, we have been preparing to meet this moment," said Houck. "And now, we are stepping into a doorway of limitless possibilities, and the work we do today—along with our allies—will shape the next 50 years and beyond." The Frozen Zoo is one of six unique San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance biobanking collections that make up its Wildlife Biodiversity Bank. Other collections include the Tissue and DNA Bank, Native Plant Gene Bank, Pathology Archive, Clinical Repository, and Wildlife Artifacts. Together these collections offer a variety of approaches to preserving biodiversity. Benirschke joined the San Diego Zoo's research committee in 1970, and in 1975, his forward-thinking efforts founded San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance's Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species (CRES), now known as the conservation research program, as well as the Frozen Zoo. After he retired from his director role in 1986, he joined the organization's board of trustees, serving as president from 1998-2000. Benirschke passed on September 10, 2018, at 94 years old. His legacy lives on and continues to shape global conservation efforts today. To learn more, explore partnership opportunities, or support this mission, please visit About San Diego Zoo Wildlife AllianceSan Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, a nonprofit conservation leader, inspires passion for nature and collaboration for a healthier world. The Alliance supports innovative conservation science through global partnerships and groundbreaking efforts at the world-famous San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, both leading zoological institutions and accredited botanical gardens. Through wildlife care expertise, cutting-edge science and continued collaboration, more than 44 endangered species have been reintroduced to native habitats. The Alliance reaches over 1 billion people annually through its two conservation parks and media channels in 170 countries, including San Diego Zoo Wildlife Explorers television, available in children's hospitals across 14 countries. Wildlife Allies—members, donors and guests—make success possible. CONTACT: San Diego Zoo Wildlife AlliancePublic View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
When elephant moms need help, nannies step in
In December 2023, a 10-year-old African elephant disappeared from her herd in Kenya's Samburu National Reserve. When she returned a month later, she was accompanied by two unrelated females, thought to be about 10 and 15 years old; the younger one had a newborn calf in tow. What happened next was remarkable, according to Giacomo D'Ammando, research manager for the Kenya-based conservation organization Save the Elephants. '[The recently returned elephant] had stepped into a caregiver role, helping the inexperienced young mother raise her calf, like a nanny,' D'Ammando says. While an exceptional story, allomothers—female elephants that help take care of calves that are not their own—have always been around. They play an important role in elephant society by comforting and teaching babies while giving mom a hand. 'They're essentially nannies and they're all over elephant society,' says Shifra Goldenberg, a population sustainability scientist for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, who has studied wild elephants in Kenya. Sometimes older females like grandmothers and aunts fill this role, 'but more commonly, you get this sort of younger age set…who are really attracted to babies, really want to spend time with them and take care of them, and it provides quite a lot of benefits,' she says. Most nannies are less than 15 years old and have never given birth, D'Ammando notes. Younger allomothers get vital parenting experience as they interact with their adopted calves, Goldenberg explains. Plus, moms get extra eyes on their young one. Since elephants tend to spread out to search for food, 'that helps to have more legs and trunks surrounding your baby,' she adds. According to D'Ammando, elephant nannies spend a lot of time greeting and touching the baby. They also comfort distressed calves, often 'touching them all over' with their trunk, according to Goldenberg. D'Ammando says nannies step in to assist in a variety of stressful situations—for instance, if a very young calf falls and cannot walk properly, or if they get stuck in the mud or panic after being separated from their mother. In high-stress situations, all of the group's females will engage in a group defense, D'Ammando adds. For example, in April, a viral video showed a 5.2-magnitude earthquake at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, California. Three of the park's older female elephants scrambled to form a protective circle around two 6-year-old calves. The actions in this video are a great example of herd dynamics in general, Mindy Albright, the facility's curator of mammals, says. 'Survival strategy is key, right?' she says. 'And so anytime there's any kind of signs of danger, you'll see the herd congregate together and often creating these alert circles where the calves are in the center so that they can be more protected.' However, Goldenberg says that the 'nanny' elephant's allomothering instincts also came out during the quake. When one of the young elephants first remained on the outside of the circle, his nanny repeatedly tapped him on the back and face as if to encourage him back in. According to Goldenberg, the relationship between nanny and baby includes a lot of play, which helps calves build confidence to eventually become independent from mom, a years-long process that's different for each elephant, though many are nutritionally independent around 4 years of age. Females ultimately stay with their natal group, while males gradually disperse around age 14. Elephants also participate in 'allosuckling,' with calves nursing from young females for comfort rather than nutrition. 'The allomothers will often sample trying to let the calf nurse from them even though they're not necessarily lactating,' Albright says of the Safari Park's herd. 'So, you see them practice. They'll even use their trunk to try to guide them to their nipple, kind of trying to share with them, 'I can comfort you too, and I'm a resource for that.'' Staff at the Safari Park have also witnessed impromptu sleepovers when tired calves wander over to the allomothers while their mom is foraging. 'They'll go cuddle with them and sleep in these big giant piles of juveniles all taking care of the babies while the moms can still go and forage throughout the night,' Albright says. 'They're really cute.'
National Geographic
09-05-2025
- Science
- National Geographic
When elephant moms need help, nannies step in
Elephant caregivers play an important role in their society by comforting and teaching babies when mom is occupied. Allomothers, aka "nannies," play an important role in elephant society by comforting and teaching babies while giving mom a hand. Photograph By David Chancellor, Nat Geo Image Collection In December 2023, a 10-year-old African elephant disappeared from her herd in Kenya's Samburu National Reserve. When she returned a month later, she was accompanied by two unrelated females, thought to be about 10 and 15 years old; the younger one had a newborn calf in tow. What happened next was remarkable, according to Giacomo D'Ammando, research manager for the Kenya-based conservation organization Save the Elephants. '[The recently returned elephant] had stepped into a caregiver role, helping the inexperienced young mother raise her calf, like a nanny,' D'Ammando says. While an exceptional story, allomothers—female elephants that help take care of calves that are not their own—have always been around. They play an important role in elephant society by comforting and teaching babies while giving mom a hand. 'They're essentially nannies and they're all over elephant society,' says Shifra Goldenberg, a population sustainability scientist for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, who has studied wild elephants in Kenya. Sometimes older females like grandmothers and aunts fill this role, 'but more commonly, you get this sort of younger age set…who are really attracted to babies, really want to spend time with them and take care of them, and it provides quite a lot of benefits,' she says. Most nannies are less than 15 years old and have never given birth, D'Ammando notes. An elephant matriarch is followed by calves. Photograph By Michael Nichols, Nat Geo Image Collection Younger allomothers get vital parenting experience as they interact with their adopted calves, Goldenberg explains. Plus, moms get extra eyes on their young one. Since elephants tend to spread out to search for food, 'that helps to have more legs and trunks surrounding your baby,' she adds. According to D'Ammando, elephant nannies spend a lot of time greeting and touching the baby. They also comfort distressed calves, often 'touching them all over' with their trunk, according to Goldenberg. D'Ammando says nannies step in to assist in a variety of stressful situations—for instance, if a very young calf falls and cannot walk properly, or if they get stuck in the mud or panic after being separated from their mother. In high-stress situations, all of the group's females will engage in a group defense, D'Ammando adds. A juvenile elephant plays in a river in Samburu National Park in Northern Kenya. Photograph By Michale Nichols, Nat Geo Image Collection Two African elephant calves play near a grazing adult elephant. Photograph By Beverly Joubert, Nat Geo Image Collection A young elephant raises its trunk. Photograph By Beverly Joubert, Nat Geo Image collection A newborn elephant sleeps in the shade of its mother. Photograph By Michael Nichols, Nat Geo Image Collection For example, in April, a viral video showed a 5.2-magnitude earthquake at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, California. Three of the park's older female elephants scrambled to form a protective circle around two 6-year-old calves. The actions in this video are a great example of herd dynamics in general, Mindy Albright, the facility's curator of mammals, says. 'Survival strategy is key, right?' she says. 'And so anytime there's any kind of signs of danger, you'll see the herd congregate together and often creating these alert circles where the calves are in the center so that they can be more protected.' However, Goldenberg says that the 'nanny' elephant's allomothering instincts also came out during the quake. When one of the young elephants first remained on the outside of the circle, his nanny repeatedly tapped him on the back and face as if to encourage him back in. According to Goldenberg, the relationship between nanny and baby includes a lot of play, which helps calves build confidence to eventually become independent from mom, a years-long process that's different for each elephant, though many are nutritionally independent around 4 years of age. Females ultimately stay with their natal group, while males gradually disperse around age 14. Elephants also participate in 'allosuckling,' with calves nursing from young females for comfort rather than nutrition. A female elephant cares for two calves orphaned by the deaths of their mothers. Photograph By Michael Nichols, Nat Geo Image Collection 'The allomothers will often sample trying to let the calf nurse from them even though they're not necessarily lactating,' Albright says of the Safari Park's herd. 'So, you see them practice. They'll even use their trunk to try to guide them to their nipple, kind of trying to share with them, 'I can comfort you too, and I'm a resource for that.'' Staff at the Safari Park have also witnessed impromptu sleepovers when tired calves wander over to the allomothers while their mom is foraging. 'They'll go cuddle with them and sleep in these big giant piles of juveniles all taking care of the babies while the moms can still go and forage throughout the night,' Albright says. 'They're really cute.'
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Rare Fijian iguanas, rescued from wildlife traffickers in Spain, arrive at San Diego Zoo
After a whirlwind journey around the world, during which they were nabbed, rescued and quarantined, eight critically endangered Fijian iguanas have finally arrived at their new home at the San Diego Zoo. The iguanas will fit right in at the zoo, which is home to the largest captive colony of these reptiles and is leading genetic research efforts that will hopefully help pave the way for their future survival, officials said. Zoo staff were thrilled to finally meet the long green additions, which were seized by Spanish authorities in a 2017 bust of more than 600 illegally trafficked reptiles. Read more: Shocked by earthquake, zoo elephants form 'alert circle' to protect their young at San Diego Zoo "Confiscations of trafficked wildlife happen a lot more frequently than people realize, and reptiles are especially susceptible due to their high demand in the illegal pet trade,' Brett Baldwin, curator of herpetology and ichthyology at the San Diego Zoo, said in a statement. "This transport of Fijian iguanas from Spain to the San Diego Zoo was several years in the making, but is a testament to our commitment and dedication to saving wildlife and getting these iguanas the best possible care." While in Spain, the iguanas were in the care of the Foundation for Research in Ethology and Biodiversity near Madrid. Their move to San Diego was authorized by the Fiji government as part of an international effort to help restore the endangered species. "Wildlife smuggling is a real problem that threatens Fiji's endangered iguana populations that are already facing pressures from expanding human activities and invasive alien species," National Trust of Fiji Council Chairman Setoki Tuiteci said in a statement. "Therefore, we appreciate the actions of security authorities and organizations like San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance." Baldwin traveled to Spain to help prepare for the iguanas' flight to the United States. When the reptiles arrived safely in Los Angeles, they were escorted to the zoo's Jennings Veterinary Hospital for in-depth health assessments and quarantine. Once cleared from quarantine, the iguanas will be ready to meet the rest of their long-lost family at the zoo. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has assisted with more than 20 reptile seizures in the last 28 years and was one of the first zoos to begin receiving Fijian iguanas. Their conservation breeding program that was established in the 1990s has successfully produced over 100 hatchlings. The zoo has analyzed DNA samples taken from nearly 200 iguanas on 30 islands as part of its effort to learn how to best conserve the species. The results showed that native Fijian iguana populations have much greater genetic diversity than previously thought — possibly pointing to an entirely new species of iguana. Zoo geneticists will work with the eight new iguanas to determine whether they were poached directly from the wild or bred illegally, and which island they may have originally come from. Fijian iguanas are found on 10% of Fiji's around 330 islands and most populations are threatened. The lizards are around 21 inches long and feast on leaves, fruits and flowers in the coastal swamps and rainforests of their native islands. They spend most of their lifetime living in trees — descending only to lay eggs. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
