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Posts Tagged ‘shops at the zoo’

Climate change alone could result in the extinction of 20-30% of all US plants and endangered animals, says the United States Geological Survey. According to Imperiled Species Coordinator Rachel Muir, “Federal science that is conducted across biology, geology, geographic and water sciences, the social sciences and others is essential for the United States and the world to be able to continue to protect our biological heritage.” To protect endangered species, the USGS is turning to scientific methods like tracking grizzly bear movement with DNA testing, monitoring turtle activity in Everglades National Park, raising mussels in laboratories for release into the wild and restoring Channel Islands’ habitat.

The Sumatran tiger is one of the world’s most endangered animals, particularly because they are highly coveted in the world of poaching and their habitat is rapidly being destroyed by the logging industry. The island’s nature preserve houses 100 tigers but the poachers have managed to find their way into the park to kill. Three similar breeds of tiger — the Bali, the Java and the Trinil — have already gone extinct. It is believed that there are less than 400 Sumatran tigers in the wild. Similarly, the Siberian tiger has been whittled down to less than 200 existing in the wild. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has 1,000 tigers in their breeding programs, which has female tigers birthing several cubs each year.

Another one of the most endangered animals is the South China tiger. This feline is said to be the ancestor of all modern-day tigers. The population is so small (60 in captivity) that they are expected to be extinct within a decade. In 1959, there were 4,000 in the wild, but Mao Zedong declared them “pests” and ran campaigns to exterminate them until 200 were left in 1982. No wild South China tigers have been spotted in over 25 years, so they are now considered “functionally extinct,” save for a few scattered tigers in zoos around the world. Since then, the Chinese government has pledged to help conserve them in zoos and on preserves.

“It’s sad to see in my lifetime the loss of so many species. It’s like watching the end of the world in slow motion,” said Donna Fernandes, president of the Buffalo Zoo. In Buffalo, NY there are captive breeding and resettlement programs for 28 endangered species, including the snow leopard, Indian rhino, Siberian tiger, Puerto Rican Crested Toad and Golden Lion Tamarin. “I sometimes wish I could time travel back 200 years ago, and see the world the way it was,” she sighs, referring to the numerous endangered animals who have already met their end — including the Vancouver Island wolverine, the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit, the Dusky Seaside sparrow and the Bay Spring salamander, which have gone extinct since 1960. Fernandes adds, “I’m hoping people will realize there is hope if they take an active role in changing their behavior, and in supporting organizations trying to halt extinction.”

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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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