SAN DIEGO (July 13, 2023) – After more than two years of dedicated work, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance conservationists are achieving success breeding a critically endangered coastal bird: the milky stork. This breeding program is part of an 11th-hour effort with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Taxon Advisory Group (AZA TAG) to assist the last remaining individuals of the species living in North America—helping them successfully reproduce, and bolster the world’s population of milky storks. 

SAN DIEGO (June 1, 2023) – The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is celebrating a conservation milestone with the birth of an endangered Matschie’s tree kangaroo—only the second time this species has been born at the Safari Park. The female joey, named Kikori, was born to mother Arona and father Bek, at the end of August 2022 at the Safari Park’s Walkabout Australia.

SAN DIEGO (May 17, 2023) – The San Diego Zoo Safari Park has welcomed a new lion to the pride: Bo, a 7-year-old male African lion. Earlier today, Bo curiously explored his new home at the Lion Camp habitat, showing confidence as he became comfortable in his new surroundings. Bo will eventually lead his own pride when he is introduced to the three female lions who reside at Lion Camp—Malika, Zuri and Amira.

SAN DIEGO (March 28, 2023) – A birth of twins is exceptional, no matter the species. However, when those twins are Amur leopards—and fewer than 300 of those big cats are estimated to exist on Earth—the births are especially significant. This week, wildlife care staff at the San Diego Zoo announced the birth of two Amur leopard cubs, increasing this rare cat’s estimated worldwide population by two and furthering the nonprofit conservation organization’s ongoing work to save this vital Asian species.   

SAN DIEGO (March 3, 2023) – San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance hosted a “Toss the Tusk” event at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park earlier today, to help raise awareness about the devastating effects of elephant poaching. The event, organized by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Wildlife Trafficking Alliance (AZA WTA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), encouraged the public to surrender unwanted ivory products to help ensure that their availability will not drive demand for the product

SAN DIEGO (Oct. 3, 2022) – For more than two decades, conservationists from San Diego Wildlife Alliance have been waiting with anticipation as they watched for the slightest signs of breeding from a rare reptile species. This summer, their patience paid off after wildlife care team members at the San Diego Zoo welcomed 41 tiny Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle hatchlings—becoming the first accredited conservation organization in North America to hatch these endangered turtles, and furthering the organization’s ongoing work to save this vital Asian species.

SAN DIEGO and PALM DESERT, CALIF. (Sept. 30, 2022) – As a changing climate impacts wildlife around the globe, one keystone species in the Southwest United States serves as a prime example of the dangers of rising temperatures and habitat loss.

SAN DIEGO (Aug. 29, 2022) – Lucas, a prominent member of the San Diego Zoo’s African penguin colony who was diagnosed with a degenerative foot condition, has a new opportunity to thrive, thanks to intervention by the Zoo’s wildlife heath and wildlife care specialist teams. Team members—with the help of Thera-Paw, a national organization that designs and manufactures rehabilitative and assistive products for animals with special needs—created and fitted Lucas with custom orthopedic shoes made of neoprene and rubber, to prevent pressure sores from developing on his feet and ankle when he stands and walks.

SAN DIEGO (Aug. 19, 2022) – On International Orangutan Day (Aug. 19), wildlife care team members at the San Diego Zoo are celebrating two of the Zoo’s prominent primate residents: Kaja, a critically endangered Sumatran orangutan infant; and his mother, Indah. Following major health complications that left Indah hospitalized after giving birth, wildlife care specialists jumped in to care for Kaja and help nurture him during the critical early weeks of his life.  Due to quick intervention, both mother and infant are now doing well, and have since been reunited.