Archive
Technology takes wing, and is playing a key role in Hawaiian hawk conservation.
In the face of increasing biodiversity loss, biobanks like ours play an essential role in conservation.
It takes an innovative, comprehensive approach to bolster Hawaiian bird populations and ensure their future.
SAN DIEGO (June 6, 2023) – Researchers are currently tracking over 40 wild ‘io, also known as Hawaiian hawks, on Hawai‘i Island with lightweight, solar-powered GPS transmitters. This work is part of a collaborative effort to conserve this beloved species and one of its natural prey—the ‘alalā. Researchers with San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and the State of Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources – Division of Forestry and Wildlife are collaborating on this effort as part of a large-scale GPS tracking program to better understand the extent to which ‘io move across the island and how they utilize different habitats. With the new insights that are gathered, scientists will be better equipped to conserve this iconic raptor, and simultaneously glean critical insights to aid in the future reintroduction of the ‘alalā, also called the Hawaiian crow, to their native habitats. The aim is to ensure that both ‘alalā and ‘io can coexist in their native habitats, as they previously did for many years.
SAN DIEGO (April 19, 2023) – Scientists are elated with the recent birth of the world’s second successfully cloned Przewalski’s horse, supporting the concept that cloning can be used as a viable tool for genetic rescue and contribute to new options for fostering resilience and genetic sustainability of endangered species. The foal, born Feb. 17, 2023 to a domestic surrogate mare, is a clone of a male Przewalski’s horse stallion whose living cell line was cryopreserved over 40 years ago in the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Biodiversity Bank’s Frozen Zoo®.
Translocating 21 eastern black rhinoceroses in Kenya is no small feat, but it's a vital step on the road to recovery for this critically endangered species.
For Andean bear conservation efforts to work, scientists must study the varying landscapes as well.
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 14, 2023) – The San Diego Zoo continues to celebrate the arrival of twin Andean bear cubs—now 3 months old and venturing out of their private den into the guest-facing habitat. The cubs were born in December 2022 to second-time mother Alba, and sire Turbo. Since the twins’ birth, wildlife care specialists have been closely observing the bears via a closed-circuit video camera and an audio “baby monitor,” allowing Alba to care for her youngsters without interruption until they were ready to leave the den.