SAN DIEGO (Nov. 27, 2023) – When a mysterious illness called “sea star wasting syndrome” decimated 95% of the sunflower sea star population, and some 20 other sea star species along the Pacific Coast from Baja to Alaska in 2013, scientists rallied to understand the factors that caused such a massive wasting event. Now as part of the greater recovery initiative, in a scientific first, dozens of baby sunflower sea stars were hatched and are thriving thanks to a breakthrough in reproductive cell cryopreservation technology.

It takes a team and some careful observation to keep the San Diego Zoo's colony of 25 black-and-white African penguins in the pink.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are changing the game for wildlife research and conservation.

SAN DIEGO (Nov. 14, 2023) – San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, in collaboration with Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, reintroduced more than 70 endangered mountain yellow-legged frogs into a lake located in the San Bernardino Mountains. This release marks the first time the Southern California distinct population segment of the mountain yellow-legged frog has been reintroduced into a lake instead of a mountain stream. The frogs were bred at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Beckman Center for Conservation Research between 2020 and 2022, and then reared at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. The cross-country effort to save this California frog is part of a robust conservation breeding and reintroduction research program aimed at restoring populations of this declining species throughout its historic range.

In the quest to save a true Southwest icon, we've teamed up with the California Mountain Lion Project.

There's no limit to what our team will do for wildlife.

SAN DIEGO (Nov. 9, 2023) – A binational team of scientists, using creativity and innovation, adorned dozens of endangered thick-billed parrots with tiny solar-powered satellite transmitters to track and reveal their winter migratory nesting sites in the remote treetops of the Sierra Madre Occidental ranges. Their research reveals new critical habitat, 80% of which has no formal protection.

For the herd of elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, family isn’t just the main thing. It’s everything.

Biodiversity banking is a critical component of conservation, and the need for it is more urgent than ever. 

LOS ANGELES, SAN DIEGO, and PORTLAND, Ore. (Oct. 16, 2023) – The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Service) is sharing early results from the historic vaccine trial for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in California condors (Gymnogyps californianus). As reported by the Service’s Incident Command leading the effort, results from the first test group showed that 60% of the condors produced measurable antibodies that are expected to provide partial protection against mortality from HPAI if the birds are exposed.