SAN DIEGO (Sept. 20, 2022) – A six-week-old male southern white rhino calf at the Nikita Kahn Rhino Rescue Center at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park has been given a name: Neville. The name was chosen by a generous supporter of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, in honor of a South African doctor who made a positive impact on the donor’s life, and on many others. Neville, and all rhinos, will be the focus of attention on World Rhino Day, Sept. 22— a day to bring increased awareness of rhinos and the importance of conservation efforts to protect these iconic animals.

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. 17, 2022) – Orphaned animals of several mammal species suffer socially and physiologically, and even if their mother dies after weaning, they may have lower survival than non-orphans. One physiological consequence of orphaning – stunted growth – had been discovered in humans and chimpanzee orphans.  A new study, published recently in the journal Conservation Physiology, shows that orphaning also stunts the growth of African elephants by an estimated average of 13 centimeters.

SAN DIEGO (July 14, 2022) — The San Diego Zoo Safari Park has welcomed three new residents: 8-year-old female African lions Malika, Zuri and Amira from the Caldwell Zoo in Texas. The three lions, who are sisters, curiously explored their new home at Lion Camp earlier today—shyly at first, but soon showing great confidence as they became comfortable with their new surroundings.

SAN DIEGO (July 7, 2022) – San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has achieved a conservation milestone with the hatching of a North Island brown kiwi—the first time this species has hatched at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The male chick hatched on June 13, and brings valuable genetic diversity to the very small brown kiwi population in North America. 

SAN DIEGO (June 10, 2022) – Chinese giant salamanders are well camouflaged in the rushing waters of China’s mountain river system. Spotting this critically endangered species in its native habitat is exceedingly rare, but guests at the San Diego Zoo now have a unique opportunity to take a close look at this sleek and mysterious creature—at the newly opened Denny Sanford Wildlife Explorers Basecamp. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and conservation partners, including Ocean Park Hong Kong, are working toward the goal of creating a breeding group of Chinese giant salamanders.

SAN DIEGO (June 9, 2022) – The largest study ever conducted on a free-ranging population of rhinoceroses reveals that about one in every seven rhinos in a key South African national park has been infected with Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), the pathogen that causes bovine tuberculosis (bTB). The finding shines new light on the potential for diseases to disrupt global conservation efforts, and potentially increase risk to human health, if left unaddressed.