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Only 100 Florida panthers exist in the wild today. The beloved state mascot is facing trouble from modern developments that encroach the 200 mile radius each male panther needs to itself to feel at ease. So far this year, more than eight panthers have been hit and killed by cars. Now a new proposed housing development in Collier County threatens to corner the panther even more. Many wildlife activists are hoping that President Obama will add the Florida panther to the endangered species list so they can receive more critical protection. In the meantime, zoo animals are being bred around the country to ensure that the species proliferate.

The San Diego Zoo has one of the most active species-preservation programs in the nation. Their Center for Conservation and Research raises endangered species, such as California condors, pandas, tigers and African black rhinos. Some of these species are bred in captivity and later released into the wild, while others proliferate in the zoo for their entire adult lives. To help preserve rare animals, the San Diego Wild Animal Park has a cryopreservation facility to freeze sperm and eggs of rare animals. In 2009, the San Diego Zoological Society was proud to announce the birth of a giant panda cub, a western lowland gorilla and two endangered Grand Cayman blue iguanas.

Over the years, the Oregon Zoo has held many fundraisers for endangered animals abroad and has participated in many zoo animals breeding programs. In recent years, they’ve successfully bred western pond turtles, pygmy rabbits, condors and Chinook salmon. The zoo houses a number of endangered or threatened species, including the Rodrigues flying fox, ocelot, Babirusa pig, Malayan sun bear, mandrill, black rhinoceros, Humboldt penguin, African slender-nosed crocodile, barn owl, Edward’s lorikeet, black howler monkey, emerald tree boa and many more.

There is some question as to whether endangered zoo animals can be saved through these breeding programs. On one hand, there are many success stories. For instance, zoos have been credited with the stabilization of the African bongo antelope, black-footed ferret, Przewalski’s horse, Spix’s macaw, California condor, Guam rail bird and scimitar-horned oryx populations. However, some programs have yet to take off — such as the giant panda, snow leopard, lowland gorilla and Andean condor breeding plans. Even though zoological society facilities continue to make advances, more must be done to protect these endangered animals’ habitats as well or else these magnificent creatures will have nowhere to go but cages.

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