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Conservation & Science February, 2012 IN THIS ISSUE FEATURE SW ECOLOGY FIELD REPORTS NEWS & UPDATES GET INVOLVED The Phoenix Zoo provides experiences that inspire people and motivate them to care for the natural world. Species Biodiversity in Tropical Rainforests a Key Component to Conservation Tarsier at Danau Girang Field Centre Photo credit- B. Goossens i FEATURED CONSERVATION & SCIENCE ARTICLE TABLE OF CONTENTS FEATURED CONSERVATION & SCIENCE ARTICLE Species Biodiversity in Tropical Rainforests a Key Component to Conservation FEATURED CONSERVATION & SCIENCE ARTICLE.................. 1-5 Species Biodiversity in Tropical Rainforests a Key Component to Conservation............................. 1 Amazon Rainforest . ................. 2 Original and remaining forest cover (world map)..................... 2 Rainforest conservation strategies.................................. 4 Sites referred to........................ 5 SOUTHWEST CONSERVATION ECOLOGY................................. 6 Arid Land Ecology..................... 6 References:............................... 6 LOCAL SPECIES CONSERVATION.................... 7-9 Black-footed ferret ...................7 Springsnail.................................7 Chiricahua leopard frog............8 Desert pupfish...........................8 Narrow-headed gartersnake ...8 Gila Topminnow.........................9 Mount Graham red squirrel .....9 INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION PROGRAMS....................... 10-11 In situ conservation of the greater bamboo lemur using non-invasive genetics techniques.............................. 10 Condor releases...................... 11 ZOO TEEN CONSERVATION TEAM (ZTCT)........................... 12 Internships & Apprenticeships.12 SUPPORT CONSERVATION..... 13 Letter from the EVP—Ruth Allard...................................... 13 Zoo Participation in Global Conservation........................... 13 Contact Us.............................. 13 SUPPORT CONSERVATION Stuart Wells—Director of Conservation & Science Biological diversity is defined as the such as food, pharmaceutical drugs, wood full range of variety and variability within products, genetic diversity, and future breedand among living organisms, including the ing opportunities. Societal benefits, such as ecological complexes in which they occur. recreational use, research, education and Biodiversity encompasses ecosystem or comcultural values, i.e. appreciation of animals munity diversity, species diversity, and geand nature, are also compromised. netic diversity. Global species biodiversity, or By 2000, the human population reached “species richness,” is often described as the over six billion, surpassed seven billion total number of species living on Earth. Acin 2011, and is expected to reach nine cording to recent information, approximately billion by 2050. Anthropogenic, or human 1.75 million species have been identified in caused changes, such as habitat destruction, the world (IUCN). This number pollution, species exploitation includes plants, animals, and mismanagement, invertebrates, algae, are the chief factors molds, fungi and identified for the microorganloss of biodiisms. The versity. There exact number is increased of species pressure on in the world biological is not known, resources due however estimates to the sheer range from as low as number of humans three million to as high as populating the Earth. Tropical rainforest map. 117 million species. In recent Unfortunately, the areas on Mongabay.com years, researchers have become the planet that contain the increasingly alarmed at the rate of global and highest percentage of biodiversity, tropical local species extinction rates. It is estimated rainforests, are also the areas that, in recent that every 20 minutes another animal species years, have been impacted the most as a goes extinct, which would mean approxiresult of human-caused changes in habitat mately 27,000 species are lost per year. As and species distributions. A closer look at an example of a single group of animals, at the ecology of tropical rainforests may help least one third of the total number of known to explain their importance in maintaining amphibian species have been lost within the species biodiversity. last 25 to 30 years. The total number of all species lost may be much higher, as some species living in remote areas, or in microhabitats, may go extinct before they are ever discovered. Maintaining species biodiversity is a necessity for the long-term health and well-being of the Earth’s ecological systems and their inhabitants, including humans. Biodiversity losses impact the health and resiliency of global ecosystems, such as the regulation of water quality, the formation of soils, pollution breakdown, nutrient production, carbon dioxide conversion to oxygen, Rainforests play a critical role is stabilizing and climatic stability. Losing biodiversity can climate change, producing oxygen and reduce the availability of biological resources, absorbing greenhouse gases. Mongabay.com 1 FEATURED CONSERVATION & SCIENCE ARTICLE The majority of tropical rainforests are found in areas described as biogeographical forest realms. There are four biogeographical forest realms, which are named according to their location in the world. The Afrotropical forest realm includes mainland Africa, Madagascar and some nearby islands. The Australian geographical realm includes Australia, New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands. The Indomalayan realm includes Sri Lanka, India, mainland Asia and Southeast Asia; and the Neotropical realm includes the largest continuous proportion of tropical rainforests, including South America, Central America, and the Caribbean islands. The world’s tropical rainforests are an important reservoir for species biodiversity. They cover 2.5 million square miles, which only represents about 5% percent of the Earth’s surface but contains 50% percent of the species on the planet. Additionally, rainforests regulate atmospheric gases and stabilize rainfall, help to maintain climate stability, and protect against desertification. Sadly though, we are losing the world’s tropical rainforests through deforestation at an alarming rate. Each day an estimated 80,000 acres of forests are destroyed, taking with them an untold number of plant and animal species. Many of these are undiscovered before their demise and will remain unknown to science in their extinction. The main contributors to the rainforest destruction are a direct result of human uses, such as clear cutting for farming, mining, and wood harvesting. These uses have a secondary effect of disrupting climate control, increasing erosion, and causing species habitat destruction, which leads to disturbance of the extremely delicate plant and animal balance existing in the tropical rainforest ecosystem, and ultimately leading to further decline in rainforest biodiversity. Clear cutting for agriculture is a chief cause of rainforest destruction. Photo credit Mongabay.com Amazon Rainforest Recently voted as one of the seven new wonders of nature, the Amazon rainforest, Amazonia, is the largest contiguous rainforest on Earth. The basin alone is roughly the size of the forty-eight contiguous United States and covers 40% of the South American continent, including portions of eight South American Countries: Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. The plant biodiversity in Amazonia is prodigious, numbering approximately 40,000 species. Additionally, it is estimated Fire is used to clear rainforests for agriculture. Photo credit Mongabay.com It is estimated that we are losing 80,000 acres of rainforest per day worldwide (WCMC, UNEP). Photo credit R. Allard 2 Back to top FEATURED CONSERVATION & SCIENCE ARTICLE Many species rely on the canopy cover of the rainforest in order to avoid predation – capuchin monkey. Photo credit Mongabay.com that there are approximately 30 million insect species that live in Amazonia, over 400 reptile species, one third of the world’s bird species, and approximately 500 mammal species. Biologist E. O. Wilson wrote as editor of the seminal BIODIVERSITY publication (1998) that he once identified 43 species of ants belonging to 26 genera on a single leguminous tree in Peru. Despite the species richness of Amazonia, it is a remarkably fragile ecosystem. The soil is notoriously poor in nutrients and is easily washed away by heavy rainfall. This coupled with fragile seed germination, makes for a very slow forest regeneration process. Some estimates suggest that it might take centuries for a cut forest to regenerate. In addition, Amazonia is characterized by very close plant and animal relationships. Many insect species exist on only one specific plant, and the disruption or elimination of that plant will spell the end of the insect species. Some plants require interaction with animals in order to reproduce, and therefore the absence or reduction in that animal species will lead to the demise of that particular plant species. These facts are troubling since recent estimates suggest that much of the Amazonia rainforest has been lost to deforestation due to road construction for mining access, clear-cutting for farming and agriculture, and harvesting trees simply to sell the wood. None of these examples are renewable resources, since the regeneration time for the rainforest may be centuries, if ever. There are attempts to stabilize this rapid decline. Brazil had until recently made a dramatic reduction in the level of deforestation. After reaching a peak of nearly 30,000 sq. km. of rainforest cleared annually, the Brazilian government declared a state of emergency and enacted strict regulations on deforestation. In 2010, they reported the lowest rate of deforestation in 22 years. However, from August 2010 to April 2011 they reported a 22% percent increase in deforestation in the country. One clue might be that the area with the highest reported increase was in Mato Grasso, which is responsible for 25% percent of the soybean production in the country. Even so, in October of this year, the Brazilian president announced that they are four years ahead of their goal of the 80% percent reduction in deforestation, and will achieve that goal in 2016. Evidence of clear cutting many years later. Photo credit Mongabay.com Rainforest cleared for palm, Malaysian Borneo. Photo credit J. Miksanek Brazil has reduced deforestation level to its lowest point in 22 years by enforcing strict regulations. Photo credit Mongabay.com Aerial view of deforestation in South America. Photo credit Mongabay.com 3 Back to top FEATURED CONSERVATION & SCIENCE ARTICLE Palm oil plantations have created fragmented rainforests, but they also supply an important local economic boost. Photo credit R. Allard Rainforest conservation strategies There are many strategies for reducing rainforest decimation. One strategy is to encourage local community members to live in ways that do not damage the environment, to teach them about the importance of the rainforest ecology, and how important it is for maintaining species biodiversity. One organization that has received support from Phoenix Zoo Conservation Grants, Health in Harmony, developed a novel approach to foster community stewardship by providing medical credits to individuals that participated in responsible forest management. Working in the Gunung Palung National Park located in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, the program integrates quality no cash healthcare in exchange for forest protection. They strengthened these incentives by developing reforestation programs for areas of the forest that had become fragmented, threatening the survival of approximately 2500 orangutans, or one tenth of the world’s remaining population. Another organization, HUTAN, which works in Sabah, Malaysia, is actively involved in improving habitats for orangutan, developing responsible palm oil practices and legislation, working to repair fragmented orangutan habitats, planting and protecting trees, building bridges across fragmented orangutan travel areas, and enlisting local Rainforest Discovery Centre virgin forest, Malaysian Borneo. Photo credit R. Allard Reforestation project led by HUTAN attempts to reconnect fragmented rainforests. Map credit HUTAN 4 Back to top FEATURED CONSERVATION & SCIENCE ARTICLE communities in species protection and monitoring. Although reforestation is slow in tropical rainforest systems, it is a good strategy to foster community stewardship by planting trees in areas that have been depreciated due to harvesting. Developing local community involvement in the protection and responsible harvesting of their local resources can foster a deeper involvement of the community in the protection of their forest. The Phoenix Zoo is proud to have provided support to HUTAN for a number of their species and habitat conservation efforts. There are many organizations working to stem the tide of rainforest habitat destruction. The Phoenix Zoo seeks out conservation efforts that are consistent with our mission of species and habitat conservation, community stewardship, and capacity building. There is no single solution to stopping the destruction of rainforest habitats. Restoration, community awareness, and protection play critical roles, but it is equally important to try to encourage corporations to invest in renewable resources as opposed to harvesting. One strategy for reducing deforestation is to harness and market the enormous pharmaceutical potential that exists in tropical rainforests. An estimated 25% percent of western pharmaceuticals come from rainforest plants, while only 1% of the trees and plants have been examined for potential beneficial drug production. By encouraging pharmaceutical companies to invest in research into beneficial drugs derived from tropical rainforest plants, we can reduce the temptation to remove these important rainforest plants that may hold the secret to important life-saving drugs. Many companies are beginning to examine these options. Thirty years ago there It has become increasingly evident that continuing to destroy rainforest habitats will have irreversible consequences for our planet’s critically important animal and plant biodiversity and its ability to purify water and remove greenhouse gases. If continued, we may reach a tipping point, a crisis of global environmental instability from which we may not fully recover. There may be time to reverse these trends, and there are many organizations already working hard to make a difference by educating and involving local communities in conservation, working to reduce and repair the effects of deforestation, and protecting species from exploitation and habitat destruction. We join these organizations in supporting these causes, and applaud all who are involved in these efforts. Sites referred to Many rainforest plants may have medicinal uses. Photo credit R. Allard were no pharmaceutical companies actively conducting research to discover medicinal uses or disease cures from plants. Now there are over 100 companies. The periwinkle plant, which originated in the rainforest of Madagascar, provides one of most powerful anti-cancer drugs known. In addition to being a source of important medicinal plants, rain forests contain a wealth of fruits, nuts, and energy producing plants. Many, such as Brazil nuts, cannot be grown anywhere else. Left intact these forests are far more valuable than the land would be if the trees were removed for farming or other uses. In areas that have already been deforested, and where there is little hope of reforestation, alternative agricultural methods can be utilized. www.bbc.co.uk/news/ world-latin-america-13449792 rainforests.mongabay.com/1001.htm www.hutan.org.my/Home/Home.html http://www.healthinharmony.org/ http://proyectotiti.com/ Rainforests play a critical role in climate regulation. Photo credit R. Allard 5 Back to top SOUTHWEST CONSERVATION ECOLOGY SOUTHWEST CONSERVATION ECOLOGY Arid Land Ecology Jeff Williamson—Senior Conservationist As you have just read, biodiversity and its retention are critically important in the context of rain forests around the world. As you will read, species conservation is one essential tool as we aspire to assure the retention of diversity across ecosystem types. Diversity is key to adaptability or the capacity for ecological systems to be resilient in the face of rapid change often driven by anthropogenesis. Here in the arid southwest and northern Mexico, we face challenges that are quite different than those identified in tropical forests but fundamentally, we are working with agencies, academics, NGO’s and private land interests to identify ways of coping with extended drought, rapid habitat fragmentation, the proliferation of non-native and invasive species, and shifts in both land use and fire régimes. We are currently working with federal and state land use and wildlife agencies, major universities, the Sky Island Alliance, and The Nature Conservancy to build into our process resource management strategies that incorporate scenario plans which anticipate complex change. Those scenario plans envision unprecedented change and recommend monitoring and adaptive management approaches that are focused on retaining as much effective ecological value as possible. We are doing this so the species we focus our recovery efforts on always have homes in quality ecologies that support diverse life across generations and around the world. In the Southwest, we hope the initiative just outlined will help conserve the ferrets, springsnails, narrow-headed gartersnakes, Chiricahua leopard frogs, desert pupfish and other species that are a part of our arid ecology and presented followings. References: Scenario Planning: A Tool for Conservation in an Uncertain World Scenario-Planning.pdf From Uncertainty to Action: Climate Change Projections and the Management of Large Natural Areas Change.pdf Executive Summary: The Next Generation of Conservation Practice Standards www.nrcs.usda.gov/pdf Cerro Colorado Mountains, Pima County AZ. Photo credit BJDP 6 Back to top FIELD REPORTS - LOCAL SPECIES CONSERVATION LOCAL SPECIES CONSERVATION Arthur L. “Bud” And Elaine V. Johnson Native Species Conservation Updates THE ARTHUR L. “BUD” AND ELAINE V. JOHNSON FOUNDATION Native Species Conservation Center Black-footed ferret Mustela nigripes It has been an eventful summer and fall for the black-footed ferret recovery program. The year 2011 marked three important milestones: • The 30th anniversary of the rediscovery of the once thought extinct little predator; • The 20th anniversary of the Phoenix Zoo’s involvement in the breeding program to recover the species; • The 15th anniversary of the ferrets’ return to the wild in Arizona with the first release in northern Arizona in 1996. Celebrations and ceremonies were held at the original rediscovery site in Meteetse, Wyoming, as well as many of the 19 current release sites and at the Zoos that house breeding programs. The 2011 annual conference of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums paid special recognition to the black-footed ferret recovery program. In just 30 years, using the last remaining 18 wild animals, the recovery team has developed a successful breeding program that has produced over 7500 animals. Nearly 300 animals are released to the wild each year, and about 1000 black-footed ferrets are believed to exist in the wild today. In early September of 2011, we transported ferrets born here to the National Black-footed Ferret Breeding Center in Carr, Colorado. These ferrets will be released to “preconditioning enclosures,” where they will learn how to live in the ground and hunt their primary food source, prairie dogs, before being released to the wild. We returned with 13 new ferrets including 10 breeders, bringing our current number to 29. On September 26, 2011, the actual anniversary of the rediscovery, the Arizona Game and Fish Department hosted a media event at the Phoenix Zoo to highlight the successes of the overall program and the Arizona contribution in particular. Representatives from Arizona Game & Fish, US Fish and Wildlife, the Phoenix Zoo, the Navajo Nation and others gathered to praise the spirit of cooperation between all the stakeholders, which has been the hallmark of the Arizona program and brought such success in such a short time. Arizona’s release site in the Aubrey Valley near Seligman in northern Arizona also has much to celebrate. The two large spotlighting events in March and October of Left Photo: Black-footed ferret number 400 at 27 days. Photo credit T. Sprankle Right Photo: Mom and her group of four BFF kits born at the ferret breeding center. Photo credit T. Sprankle this year documented a minimum population of 112 ferrets spread out over the entire Valley. The population is likely even higher since not all ferrets seen during spotlighting are captured. The Aubrey Valley site is rated as one of only four “successful” black-footed ferret reintroduction sites For the first time in several years, additional ferrets were released into the Aubrey Valley on October 13, 2011. Arizona Game and Fish, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Phoenix Zoo personnel released 23 ferrets to augment the genetic diversity of the population. Among those released were four male juveniles who were born at the Phoenix Zoo’s black-footed ferret breeding center in 2011. Springsnail Pyrgulopsis spp. During the summer, in addition to maintaining our refuge population of Page springsnails (P. morrisoni), we acquired two populations of Three Forks springsnails (P. trivialis) to protect a portion of the populations from the effects of the Wallow fire, which had burned through their habitat. The US Fish and Wildlife Service approached us with a request to provide refuge for the springsnail populations until they could assess the effect of the scouring and erosion on their stream habitats caused by the reduced ground cover due to the fire. The Three Forks springsnails at the Conservation Center are doing well and we expect to hold them until the habitat assessment has been completed and they are cleared for their return. We were concerned about a sudden populaton decline that began in September. However, after reviewing our records from the 2008 population housed at the Conservation Center, we found that a similar pattern of decline had occurred beginning in late August to early September. This appears to be a naturally occurring die-off, since a field survey completed by USFWS and AZGD biologists at the end of 7 Left Photo: : Three Forks Springsnails on feeder. Photo credit S. Wells Right Photo: Page Springsnail egg. Photo credit S. Wells September recorded a drastically reduced number of snails observed in the streams compared to a survey conducted in June in the same area. Back to top FIELD REPORTS - LOCAL SPECIES CONSERVATION Chiricahua leopard frog Lithobates chiricahuensis This spring we received egg masses from high number, as a typical year produces both the northern and southern populafive to seven egg masses. We believe tions in the Chiricahua leopard that the increased number of frogs (CLF) range. After an egg masses was related to a oddly slow development study being conducted to year, a total of 2,084 determine the effectivefroglets and tadpoles ness of using recordings were released to the wild of CLF calls to find in 2011. This brings our frogs in the wild. grand total to 13,738 We believe the extra calls over-stimulated CLF released since our our resident frogs and program began 1995. resulted in the extra Our resident populaegg masses. Another tion was very prolific indication of this is that this year. We had 13 egg a high percentage of the masses deposited by our The first CLF egg-masses of the season laid three resident females. in our newly renovated Lower Anuran Con- egg masses deposited proved to be infertile. This is an unusually servation Center. Photo credit T. Sprankle. Casey Allen and Luke McRoberts tending leopard frog tadpoles. Photo credit S.Wells Chiricauha leopard frog pond in the newly constructed Herpetology Center. Photo credit S. Wells Desert pupfish Cyprinodon macularius It has been another successful year of reproduction in our two groups of desert pupfish. We allow them to reproduce at will for use in reintroductions to bolster existing populations or to help start new ones around the state. In September, Arizona Game and Fish Biologist Clay Crowder and staff collected 400 pupfish from the two ponds at the Zoo as part of a larger stocking effort at the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area near Sierra Vista. The pupfish will be heading into their winter aestivation soon, burrowing into the mud in the bottom of the pond during the colder winter months, but will become active in the spring when temperatures increase. We have two desert pupfish populations located at the zoo. One is located in the Arizona Trail, while the other is located near the Giraffe Encounter. Narrow-headed gartersnake Thamnophis rufipunctatus Despite successful pairings this summer with our two oldest females, we have yet to have offspring born. Recent ultrasound of the largest female has revealed follicle shaped structures about three and a half months after the last breeding. We will continue to monitor her condition and development of these possible offspring. The third female narrow-headed gartersnake (NHGS) is approaching reproductive age and should be ready for pairing by next breeding season. We have completed a new outdoor enclosure for NHGS. We hope that allowing the snakes to live in an outdoor setting may stimulate behaviors that are conducive for breeding. We should have the enclosure up and running by the spring. Our goal is to move NHGS into this enclosure well before the breeding season, which occurs in July. Newly completed outdoor narrow-headed gartersnake enclosure. Photo credit S. Wells 8 NHGS. Photo credit T. Sprankle Back to top FIELD REPORTS - LOCAL SPECIES CONSERVATION Gila topminnow Poeciliopsis o. occidentalis The Gila topminnow is a small fish species native to Arizona and New Mexico. They are one of two subspecies of the Sonoran topminnow (Poeciliopsis occidentalis), the other being the Yaqui topminnow. They do not deposit eggs, but bear live young after about a 22-day gestation period. Females are able to store sperm and reproduce several broods months after being isolated from a male. Brood size is from 1-31, depending on the size of the female. The males are generally smaller than the females reaching a size of 22-25 mm SL — nose tip to tail tip, after about four months. During breeding season males, obtain a black coloration, while females do not change in coloration. Gila topminnow were listed as endangered in 1967 under the Endangered Species Act, and a recovery plan was adopted for them in 1984, and revised in 1994. Causes for their decline were habitat destruction and introduction of non-native fish, such as mosquito fish. This subspecies currently resides within 14 locales in the Gila River basin. Efforts for recovery focus on raising their status from ”Endangered‘ to “Threatened.” The Phoenix Zoo began housing a refuge population of Gila topminnow in 1995, but at that time we were not participating in a propagation and release program. This year we entered into an agreement with Arizona Game and Fish and US Fish and Wildlife to establish a breeding population of Gila topminnow at the Phoenix Zoo’s Conservation and Science Center. On December 7, we received 598 Gila topminnow into our fish propagation area. We plan to allow these fish to breed in hopes of producing surplus topminnow that can be released to the wild as part of the recovery plan for this sub-species. Mount Graham red squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis Mount Graham has suffered two standfinally on June 27, another juvenile female replacing fires in the last decade, as well as was captured after her mother had been pest infestation of portions of the remaining predated. There was concern that she would forest. This summer, extremely dry condibe too young to survive on her own but she tions and the threat of lightning strikes on began eating solid food soon after she arrived Mount Graham prompted the US Fish and at the Conservation Center. Wildlife Service (USFWS) to implement an The squirrels have adapted well to their emergency action to collect two male enclosures, and are getting used to and two female Mount Graham red their new routines. We are still squirrels (MGRS) and place them awaiting approval of a pilot temporarily at the Phoenix Zoo captive breeding program, Conservation Center. These which we hope will result squirrels would serve as a in our being able to supplerefugium population in the ment the number of squirevent that a wildfire occurred rels in the wild and help and devastated a large portion maintain the wild populaof the habitat and / or the tion as the habitat begins to MGRS population on Mount recover from the effects of The Conservation Center will house Mount Graham red squirGraham. wildfire and disease. In the On June 18, after intensive rels until threat of wildfire has meantime the Conservation passed. Photo credit T. Sprankle. trapping by USFWS biologists, Center staff have developed we received the first MGRS, which was a husbandry techniques designed to maintain male. Two days later we received what we be- the squirrel in as natural a condition as lieved to be a young female, obviously born possible, while providing critical nutrients this year and probably just ready to leave the and sensory stimuli, essential for their nest. We received another male after her, and well-being. Stuart Wells transferring a newly arrived MGRS to its enclosure. Photo credit M. Alanen The first MGRS arrived at the Conservation Center in late June. Photo credit T. Sprankle. USFWS Biologists transferred four Mount Graham red squirrels from the wild to the Conservation Center to protect them from potential wildfire. Photo credit S.Wells Nuttal fire smoke plums. Courtesy of USFWS 9 Back to top FIELD REPORTS - INTERNATIONAL Conservation Programs INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION PROGRAMS In situ conservation of the greater bamboo lemur using non-invasive genetics techniques Report from Dr. Cynthia Foster, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo Nebraska The Phoenix Zoo Conservation & Science Grant enabled Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo (OHDZ), to purchase RNAlater, collection bottles, and tongue depressors. This interesting combination of items was used to assemble ”Ultimate Poo Collecting Kits‘. These kits were critical in maximizing OHDZ’s sample collection capacity for a non-invasive genetic study on Madagascar’s critically endangered greater bamboo lemur, Prolemur simus. Greater bamboo lemurs were once the most widely spread and numerous lemurs in Madagascar’s forests based on sub fossil evidence. Despite their initial numbers, they were thought extinct by the 1970s due mostly to habitat loss and hunting. Hope for this species was revitalized when they were rediscovered in 1986 in two locations in southeastern Madagascar. Since then, reports have been trickling in on populations in isolated pockets throughout Madagascar’s humid eastern forest. The non-invasive genetic study launched by OHDZ aims to quantify overall genetic diversity, identify any possible subspecific taxa, and estimate gene flow between populations. This information will be used to guide the development of in situ conservation efforts. One of OHDZ’s goals is to share the preliminary genetic results in September 2012 at the next Prolemur simus workshop. Here, this information can be applied to developing conservation strategies with other organizations dedicated to preserving greater bamboo lemurs. Greater bamboo lemurs were thought to be extinct in the 1970s. Photo credit C. Foster Information gained from the genetics study can be applied to developing conservation strategies for the species. Photo credit C. Foster Research team picture. Photo credit C. Foster 10 Back to top FIELD REPORTS - INTERNATIONAL Conservation Programs Condor releases Report from White Oak Conservation Center all important factors in creating excellent candidates for the release program in South America,” said Mike Taylor, avian collection manager at WOCC. Conservation Centers In December 2010, the largest bird of play an important role in reintroduction the Americas took flight aboard a plane projects providing socially and physically bound from Miami to Bogotá, Colombia conditioned animals as excellent in a project organized, by White release candidates. This species Oak Conservation Center. Two of vulture is found throughjuvenile Andean condors out the Andes Mountains spread their 10-foot wing from Colombia to Tierra span and soared as part of del Fuego, Argentina. a successful international Primarily, the Andean collaborative program that condor lives in high has been reintroducing mountainous regions this endangered species and open grasslands for two decades. One and feeds on carrion. bird hatched at the San The Andean condor is Diego Zoo Safari Park, threatened in its northern the other at the Denver range and has become Zoo. The pair was being Two Andean condors ready for travel to Colombia for release to the wild. rare in Venezuela and prepared for their release Photo credit WOCC Colombia. These two into the wild while at countries developed the WOCC. After their arrival reintroduction program with AZA instituin Colombia, the birds will spend a short tions to release captive-bred birds from period in an acclimation aviary before their North American conservation organizations release into a wilderness area 50 miles back to the wild. northeast of Bogotá. “For the past two years Generous support of the Andean Condor the two condors have been living in a large Release was provided by the Phoenix Zoo’s flight enclosure, receiving natural prey, and Conservation & Science Grants Program. were isolated from contact with people, Andean Condor at White Oak Conservation Center. Photo credit WOCC Condor captured for release to the wild in Colombia. Photo credit WOCC White Oak Conservation Center researcher in Columbia. He was there to train the condor observers, shown in the background. Photo credit WOCC 11 Back to top NEWS UPDATES Internships and Apprenticeships ZOOTEEN CONSERVATION TEAM (ZTCT) The ZooTeen Conservation Team (ZTCT) is a new component of the Phoenix Zoo’s “ZooTeens” program that will be dedicated to Conservation efforts. The ZTCT members will work with the Conservation and Science department staff to learn about the Conservation Center animal husbandry requirements and the conservation initiatives in place for them, conduct outreach programs for zoo guests, and participate in on grounds conservation efforts. Members will also be required to develop one conservation project each year as a team. ZTCT members may be able to participate in field conservation efforts that occur in conjunction with the C&S Native Species Recovery Programs. Examples of field conservation efforts are Chiricahua leopard frog releases, narrow-headed gartersnake surveys, black-footed ferret spotlighting, desert pupfish and Gila topminnow releases and springsnail surveys. Recently members of the team assisted in preparing the new Chiricahua leopard frog pond for receiving frogs. The group helped to add topsoil so that the area could be planted with aquatic and land based plants. Thanks and welcome aboard ZTCT members. ZTCT group working on new Herp Center. Photo credit M. Nelson Rachel Burmeister—Conservation Research Apprentice Photo credit S. Wells Rachel Burmeister, a recent graduate of Arizona State University with a Conservation Biology degree, has begun a six-month program designed to provide her with important experimental design and research report writing experience. Rachel will also focus on learning all aspects of black-footed ferret breeding management. This will include learning how we assess the males and females for reproductive readiness, how we pair them up for breeding, and how we determine if we had a potentially successful breeding. 12 We look forward working with Rachel over the next six-months. Welcome aboard Rachel. Back to top GET INVOLVED Letter from the EVP—Ruth Allard Ruth Allard—Executive Vice President, Phoenix Zoo Zoo Participation in Global Conservation ab di tT .S pra nkle g sin lea Ruth Allard re The Zoo is not alone in demonstrating its commitment. As a whole, facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums As regular readers of this Quarterly (AZA; the Zoo is a member in good standknow, the Phoenix Zoo has a long ing) reported over $110 million in track record of supporting contributions to 1735 different conservation projects conservation projects across worldwide. Stuart men116 countries in 2010. tions a few in his feature In addition to this article in this issue institutional support, and we’ve highlighted the AZA Conservation many others over the Endowment Fund has years this publication provided $5.3 million has been in circulation. in awards to conservaIn 2010, 3.78% of the tion, research, and Zoo’s operating budget environmental education lac went to support conservak-f cre projects since its inception in oo to 1991. We are proud to be a part tion efforts, boosted in part o ted h ferret to the wild. P by our construction of the new of an industry that truly ”walks the Johnson Foundation Black-footed Ferret talk,” supporting the wildlife and habitats that Breeding Center last year. inspire our exhibits and fuel our passions. Volunteer outdoors www.voaz.org Contact Us Produced by: STUART WELLS Director of Conservation and Science Production Support JEFF WILLIAMSON Senior Conservationist RUTH ALLARD Executive Vice President Conservation and Visitor Experiences The Phoenix Zoo Conservation and Science Newsletter TARA SPRANKLE 455 N. Galvin Parkway Phoenix, AZ 85008 Phone: 602-273-1341 SHARON BIGGS Conservation Manager We value your feedback about this publication and about our conservation programs. Please submit comments to [email protected] Subscribe to Conservation & Science Quarterly Join us on Facebook! Conservation Center Conservation Technician President/CEO of Phoenix Zoo LUKE MCROBERTS NORBERTO J. (BERT) CASTRO Conservation Technician Designed by MikeRDzign Graphic Design 2012 As I write this letter, the Zoo’s Conservation Grants Committee is preparing for our annual review meeting where we determine which conservation projects we will fund for the 2011-12 fiscal year. We received 62 completed proposals from around the world this year, as well as six applications from Zoo staff looking to apply their skills and expertise to conservation projects in the field. At the end of the meeting we will have allocated an additional $50,000 in Zoo funds to projects and people that will help us learn more, engage more, and protect more of the world’s wildlife and wild places. We look forward to sharing their stories in future issues of the Conservation Quarterly. 13 SUPPORT CONSERVATION Back to top