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It’s a familiar story: flames rage through Southern California landscapes. Do these burns benefit ecosystems, or do they damage habitats and reduce biodiversity?
Helping Mojave Desert Tortoises Survive in a Rapidly Changing World
As fanciful as butterfly migration may seem, there is a science behind their flight patterns.
SAN DIEGO, PALM DESERT, Calif. (April 15, 2024) – Seventy critically endangered Mojave desert tortoises have successfully emerged from their winter burrows after being reintroduced into their native habitat on Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, the global authority on desert plant and wildlife conservation, are working in partnership with Edwards Air Force Base, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey, using headstarting techniques designed to increase the survival rate for young tortoises. The cohort of young tortoises was the first in the program to be reintroduced into the wild after receiving a combination of an indoor- and outdoor-rearing. Within 24 hours of reentering their native habitat, the tortoises were exhibiting positive natural behaviors by constructing new burrows or modifying existing burrows for shelter. Now, six months later, they have emerged after winter brumation—a state of deep sleep specific to reptiles—and are spending more time basking at burrow entrances. Scientists are currently conducting health assessments and replacing radio transmitters on the tortoises to continue monitoring their success and better understand the juvenile age class.
The San Diego Zoo's 100 lush acres are blooming with a vibrant display of colorful flora.
Leap Day only happens once every four years. Explore which extraordinary wildlife leap, jump, spring, and everything in between.
SAN DIEGO (Dec. 13, 2023) – San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife recently rescued three orphaned mountain lion cubs. The cubs—approximately 6 weeks old at the time of their rescue—were each found separately following an extensive search over the span of a week. Each cub was treated in the field for dehydration before being taken to Paul Harter Veterinary Medical Center at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Because the young lions were orphaned at an early age, they cannot be safely reintroduced into their native habitat. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife designated the San Diego Zoo Safari Park as a safe haven for the rescued cubs, offering them a second chance and lifelong care.
SAN DIEGO (May 19, 2023) – Bedtime can wait this summer, when the San Diego Zoo brings back its annual after-dark extravaganza—Nighttime Zoo. From May 26 through Sept. 4, guests can explore the Zoo at night and enjoy a host of family friendly entertainment, live toe-tapping music and extraordinary summer treats, while learning more about wildlife from an unusual nighttime perspective.