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Conserving
San Diego's Habitats
NAME:
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precious and en
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On the cover: Coast horned lizard
Conserving San Diego's Habitats
San Diego’s Habitats
3
Coast
5
Estuaries and Wetlands
7
Coastal Sage Scrub
9
Chaparral
11
Streamsides
13
Woodlands and Forests
15
Desert
17
Conservation and You
18
1
Californi
a Popp
The California
poppy is a welco y
me sight throu
out San Diego
ghCounty. Califo
rnia’s state flo
also popular in
w
er
is
Europe, where
cultivated vari
range in color
eties
from white to d
ark red.
rance
S u r v iv a l A. Alslans u
Pessier checks on an
Institute Scientist Dr
ives
rance colony--re presentat
amphibian survival assu
t
amphibian species brough
of critically endangered
ping.
into captivity for safekee
2
San Diego's Habitats
What is a habitat?
A habitat is a place where plants and animals live.
Different types of habitats exist all over the world—
desert, rainforest, tundra, conifer forest, swampland,
tall grass prairie, woodland, and taiga are just a
few examples. Habitats are defined by the amount
of water available to them, the landscape, and the
average daily temperature range. For instance,
rainforests receive—and process—much more water
than deserts, and mountainous conifer forests have
an average daily temperature that is much lower
than low-lying swamplands. Plants and animals
have evolved to fill the different niches available
to them in these habitats, and they are as diverse
as the habitats themselves. The edges where two
types of habitat meet are particularly diverse,
because they can support wildlife from both types
of habitats, as well as life forms that prefer the
unique overlapping regions.
Why are habitats important?
Habitats provide food, water, and shelter for the
diverse communities of plants and animals that call
them home. Each organism is intricately tied to every
other organism that shares its habitat, creating a
complex web of life. If habitats are damaged or
changed in some way, say, by logging, pollution, or
human encroachment, their ability to provide for
their wild “citizens” is impacted.
The Wild World of San Diego County
San Diego’s diverse wild lands are a rich tapestry of
life woven from many different habitats. You can
move from one of the richest coastlines in the world,
through mountains and ancient forests, to rugged
desert wilderness in just one day. This incredible
diversity is unique—more plant and bird species live
in San Diego County than any other county in the
United States! In fact, over 260 different bird
species reside here for at least part of each year.
The great diversity of habitats in San Diego
County means that we are lucky to have a tremendous diversity of plants and animals, as well. But as
our natural habitats shrink, the species they support
Mountain Li
on
The majestic mou
ntain lion requires
isolated
wilderness. Avoid
dangerous encoun
ters with
this predator by hi
king in groups.
disappear. As a result, San Diego County has more
threatened and endangered species than any other
county in the continental U.S. But, San Diego still
has hundreds of miles of healthy, thriving wild lands,
too. Through conservation planning, wise development practices, and increased public awareness,
these lands can remain healthy and wild for generations to come.
San Diego Zoo Global consists of the San Diego
Zoo, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and the San
Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research.
Together, these entities work to conserve wildlife
and their habitats around the world, including here
in San Diego County. We are proud to share our
efforts with you.
3
HARBOR SEAL
The
ocean reveals few
secrets, but one is
harbor seal. Wat
the elusive
ch the coastal rock
s
for harbor seals
as they “haul out”
atop the rocks to
catch some sun.
erns
least t lifora
i
n
r
r n g, adult Califtohe coast of Ceasand.
e
T
t
L e an sarrival in sporlionnies all alornagpe” nests in th
Upo in small c ld tiny “sc
i
gather reed and bu
b
nia to
San Clemen
te Island
Located 70 mil
es nor
thwest of San D
Island is the sou
iego, San Clem
thernmost of th
ente
e eight Californ
Islands and is
ia Channel
home to a uniq
ue su
head shrike. W
e coordinate a lo bspecies of the loggerng-term projec
Navy to bring
t with the
this severely en
dangered bird ba
the brink of ex
ck from
tinction.
4
San Diego's Coast
When people think of San Diego, they tend
to think of warm, sandy beaches. And beaches
are a huge part of our coastal habitat. But San
Diego County’s coast also includes a mosaic
of other habitats: dunes, bays, estuaries, rocky
shores, and tidepools, as well as islands and
open ocean.
San Diego’s coast supports an abundance of
wildlife. Willets, sandpipers, and other shore
birds scurry along, probing the sandy beaches
for buried treasure in the form of ghost shrimp,
mole crabs, lugworms, and other animals. Notice
the length and shape of the birds’ bills: each is
adapted for reaching to a particular depth for
the specific type of food source found there.
California least terns and western snowy
plovers are two coastal species that we are
actively involved in conserving. Using Global
Positioning System (GPS) mapping techniques,
our researchers document, monitor, and protect
nesting sites. Our records are combined with
those kept by the California Department of Fish
and Game to keep up-to-date on the status and
trends of these delicate and endangered birds.
Our local Channel Islands are considered
coastal habitat, too. The San Clemente Island
loggerhead shrike is another species that our
researchers are working to protect. In the nearly
20 years we have worked on this project, in collaboration with the Navy, we have successfully
grown the wild population from as few as 14
birds to as many as 50 breeding pairs. Our goal
is to reach the “carrying capacity” of loggerhead
shrikes on the island, which means growing the
wild population as robust as it can be and still be
supported naturally by its island habitat. San
Clemente Island is the only place in the world
where this subspecies of bird exists!
Rocky seaside cliffs provide a beautiful
vantage point, not only for San Diegans watching gorgeous sunsets, but also for animals like
the bald eagle, who rely on the sea to make its
living. Once at risk of extinction due to poisoning from the pesticide DDT, the eagle and other
an
B r o w n P e leic
brown pelican dipped
The population of th
of DDT. Banning of
precipitously as a result
e has led to a dramatic
this once popular pesticid
pulation.
recovery of the pelican po
birds like the brown pelican and peregrine
falcon are thriving once again because the fish
they rely on for food are no longer absorbing
toxins from agricultural run-off into the sea.
Most of San Diego’s tide pools lie in the
middle inter-tidal zone, alternately exposed and
submerged with each day’s tides. At low tide,
small pools dot large, flat areas of sandstone
and boulders and mussel beds cover the rocks.
Feather boa kelp—named for its long, narrow,
fringed fronds—grows among a tangle of luxuriant brown sargassum and other seaweed.
These algae provide food and shelter for many
sea creatures. Green sea anemones, shrimp,
small fishes, octopuses, and other animals find
refuge in the pools until the tide rises again.
5
Clapper
The Tijuana R R a i l
iver estuary is
home to one o
most elusive bir
f California’s
ds,
encroachment, the clapper rail. Threatened w
it
this species is
a focus of a co h habitat
project betwee
operative
n the Safari P
ark, SeaWorld
and the Chula
San Diego,
Vista Nature C
enter.
Biomimicry is th
e science of look
ing to nature—
its systems, proc
esses, and elemen
ts—to solve
the design proble
ms of humans in
a sustainable
way. Nature has
been inventing an
d designing
for nearly 4 billi
on years—failure
s are fossils and
what works is st
ill around, filling
th
e habitats that
surround us. Mot
her Nature uses
free energy,
recycles everythi
ng, and takes on
ly
what she
needs to do busin
ess. Humans wou
ld do well
to follow her exam
ple!
H e r ohynpopulations of
e
u
l
B
G r e a therons depend on healt erefore are important
th
Great blue d invertebrates and onment.
n
vir
a
small fish cies for a healthy en
spe
indicator
6
Estuaries and Wetlands
Estuaries are found where fresh rivers meet the
salty ocean, and they are heavily influenced by
the influx of the ocean tides--salt water rushing
in at high tide, and fresh water rushing out when
the tide ebbs. Lagoons are shallow bodies of water
usually separated from the ocean by a sand bar or
coral reef, and typically contain brackish water,
which is a diluted mix of fresh and salt water. San
Diego’s Batiquitos and San Elijo lagoons are rich
coastal habitats, vital to many different species of
flora and fauna. Coastal salt marshes and mudflats
are distinguished by flooding from seawater at
high tide and then the drainage of that water and
exposure to the sun at low tide. These rich habitats are home to both land and water dwellers.
Plants and animals living here are able to tolerate
high levels of salt in the water and soil by excreting their excess salt or processing it in other ways.
Vernal pools are an extremely scarce wetland
habitat occurring inland and only under
extremely specific conditions. Late summer
through early winter, vernal pools look like dry,
dusty depressions without much of anything
growing around them. But in late winter, a
spectacular transformation occurs! As these
depressions fill with rainwater, high numbers
of endangered, rare, and sensitive species of
plants and animals appear in and around the
pools, many of which are found only in this
delicate, ephemeral system.
Spadefoot toads lie dormant in the pools'
dusty crevices until the sound of rain signals
breeding time. San Diego fairy shrimp lay their
eggs in the pools, which then wait out the dry
summer, hatching when the rains return. As the
water begins to evaporate, colorful blossoms fill
these seemingly insignificant indentations in the
landscape. And then, as summer rolls in, these
temporary wetlands dry out completely until
the cycle of life begins again with the onset of
winter rains.
A tiny crustacean with a truly unique adaptation is found in the vernal pools of San Diego’s
foothills. The fairy shrimp lays eggs that can
completely desiccate, or dry out, without dying,
enabling them to survive in a dry environment
until winter rains come.
Sp ad ef oo t to ad
The spadefoot toad burrows underground and lives,
sometimes for years, in suspended animation, waiting
for nourishing rains to come so it can surface to
breed and lay its eggs.
al pools,
found around vern
ies
ec
sp
y
tin
r
he
ot
An
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water bear, can liv
the tardigrade, or
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ght by filling its ce
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7
P h a c e l ia
ring
m tight spirals on a flowe
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we
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mb
me
all
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th
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Roadrunn
er
Clocked at 1
5 miles per
hou
needs more
than speed to r, the roadrunner
escape the u
encroachme
rban
nt that threa
tens its exis
tence.
8
Coastal Sage Scrub
From seashore to mountains, San Diego County
is a land of sage and chaparral. California sagebrush, coyote brush, black sage, bush monkey
flower, laurel sumac, lemonade berry, and other
shrubs once carpeted most of Southern California. The coastal sage scrub community covers
much of the county from the coast to the foothills
around 1,500 feet in elevation, and deep inland
valleys, where coastal fog moderates the climate.
Along the county's north coast, atop sandstone
cliffs bordering the beach, lies a special strip of
coastal sage scrub that is home to one of the rarest
evergreen trees in the country: the Torrey pine.
B IO D IV E R S IT Y M O N
IT O R IN G
Institute scientists regularly
monitor populations of
key coastal sage scr ub wildli
fe populations to ensure
that they remain healthy ove
r time.
Ro sy Bo a
This attractive and extremely docile sna
ke has
become a favorite of snake keepers. Hab
itat loss,
compounded by its popularity as a pet,
has placed
the rosy boa in danger.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park and the San
Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research
are both located just outside Escondido, California in the heart of coastal sage scrub habitat.
In fact, about half of the Park’s 1,800 acres are
set aside for habitat preservation, and a number
of conservation projects are in progress within
its boundaries.
San Diego County’s coastal sage habitat has
dwindled by 75% of its original range. Without
concerted conservation efforts, many native
plant species will decline or disappear within our
lifetime, which means the communities and
animals that rely on them will also disappear.
Much like our Institute’s Frozen Zoo™ , our
Native Seed Bank will provide vital insurance
against species extinction by conserving plant
germplasm, or seeds, for research and restoration. Stored seed resources can buffer native
populations against natural catastrophes and
protect against the erosion of genetic diversity
by land development and habitat fragmentation.
The Institute’s plant ecologists are working in
partnership with Kew Royal Botanical Gardens
to collect and bank a collection of 400 native
plant species in San Diego County over the
next few years. Currently, we have collected
and stored seeds from 170 species, and are
nearly halfway to our goal. Half of the seeds
remain here at the Seed Bank, while the others
are sent to Kew for storage.
9
Coast horned L
iz a r d
When threatened, the co
ast horned lizard can sh
oot
a stream of blood from
its eyes, distracting poten
tial
predators and allowing
the lizard to escape to sa
fety.
F r a g il e f u.tDeubrra eShier and her research
Institute scientist Dr
ns’ kangaroo rats from
team are moving Stephe
to
atened by development
sites where they are thre
protected areas.
10
10
Chaparral Communities
The denser chaparral community takes over
from the coastal sage scrub at elevations of
1,000 to 4,500 feet, inland in the higher, drier
foothills. Coyote brush, scrub oak, manzanita, wild lilac, chamise, and ribbonwood
are the most common plants here, growing
together in dense thickets. As in the coastal
sage community, the leaves of many of these
plants contain oils to hold in moisture. Besides
being fragrant, these oils are also flammable,
and fires often sweep through the chaparral.
These fires are important to the health of the
chaparral. Periodic fires help clear away old,
dead growth and leave a rich bed of ashes
from which new growth can spring.
Watch, too for alligator lizards, skinks, or
beautiful orange-throated whiptail lizards as
they bask on the trail or scurry off as you
approach. Gray foxes and bobcats prowl
through the underbrush, while striped skunks
search for insects and bird eggs. Coast horned
lizards lie low, usually staying half buried in
the loose soil. When threatened, they can
shoot blood out of their eyes or puff up their
bodies making them difficult to swallow.
Researchers at the Institute have studied the
effects of habitat disturbance on the ecology
and behavior of the coast horned lizard, in
hopes of protecting this species. This native
reptile is threatened by the introduction of
the nonnative Argentine ant, which often
displaces native ant species that the horned
lizard feeds on.
One of our long-term objectives is to aid
in the recovery of the critically endangered
Pacific pocket mouse and the Stephens’ kangaroo rat, which is listed as endangered on
both federal and state levels. The conservation
project will establish several new viable populations on protected lands via translocation
and conservation breeding and reintroduction.
The plan is to begin a conservation breeding
program for pocket mice at the Safari Park to
produce individuals for eventual reintroduc-
tion onto Camp Pendleton and possibly other
locations in their historic range.
County Habitat Conservation Agency and
reserve managers work to remove exotic
grasses from kangaroo rat habitat on the
reserves. Partnerships are vitally important to
our conservation efforts, bringing with them
vast resources in terms of expertise, access,
and passion that assist the Zoo’s conservation
projects and goals.
Bobcat
ies
initiated field stud
r
fu
’s
at
bc
bo
e
th
r
and
High value fo
pulation dynamics
po
t’s
ca
is
th
e
in
rm
bcat
to dete
lations allow the bo
gu
re
ng
lti
su
Re
s.
habitat need
a.
lations in Californi
to reach stable popu
11
D e c l in in g P o p u l
a t io n
Institute researchers Je
ff Lemm and Frank Sa
ntana
were the the first to succe
ssfully breed mountain
yellowlegged frogs in captivity
and release hatchlings in
to
their mountain stream
habitat.
n
ccoon
C o m m otontheRAamericas, the easily recognizaneds.raccoo
ith hum
Native only
e association w
os
cl
pulations
in
lf
se
it
llow raccoon po
a
often finds
to
ed
gn
si
de
ans are
habitat.
Management pl
the remaining
h
it
w
ce
n
la
ba
to stay in
12
Streamside Homes
In the days before cities and suburbs, many
streams wound their way down canyons and
valleys throughout San Diego County. Along
their sides ran ribbons of lush, green vegetation. Refreshingly different from the surrounding dry lands, streamsides offer cool
shade and abundant water. The San Diego,
San Louis Rey, and Santa Margarita rivers
provide cool, moist habitat to an abundance
of plants and animals that are found nowhere
else. Thickets of water-loving shrubs and
trees grow here. In the fall, the leaves of
sycamores, cottonwoods, and maples change
colors. The trees provide homes for birds and
other animals. Belted kingfishers sit on overhanging branches, watching for fish in the
waters below. Woodpeckers hammer on tree
trunks looking for insects or drilling holes in
which to store their acorns. Brightly-colored
orange and black orioles flit through the treetops, while flycatchers venture out from their
perches to snap up flying insects. Hawks soar
overhead. At night, the call of a great horned
owl echoes through the woods.
Mule deer live here as well. They come out
to forage at dawn and at dusk, then bed down
during the day. Smaller animals like mice,
foxes, raccoons, and bobcats hide and hunt
among the underbrush.
The moist streamsides make ideal habitat
for frogs, toads, and salamanders, as well as
lizards and some types of snakes. Scientists at
the Institute are working to save the critically
endangered mountain yellow-legged frog
from extinction. We maintain the only captive
breeding colony of this species in the world,
and our top priority is to reintroduce healthy
specimens back into the streamside habitats
they once called home. We are working
closely with the primary government agencies
overseeing the project, and have recently
released eggs and tadpoles into streams the
frogs once inhabited.
The International Union for Conservation of
d p e c k e res communally
A c o r n We oaco
orn woodpecker liv
es,
The remarkabl
ng males and femal
di
ee
br
of
d
se
po
m
dpeckers
in groups co
helpers. Acorn woo
ng
di
ee
br
nno
as
l
as wel
tion.
ar the next genera
work together to re
Nature (IUCN) Global Amphibian
Assessment estimated that one-third of all
amphibian species are threatened with extinction, due primarily to the infectious fungal
disease chytridiomycosis, also called chytrid.
The Shinkansen bullet trains of Japan are a beautiful example of biomimicry. When a train traveling
at 300km per hour enters a tunnel, it compresses
the cushion of air ahead of it. The compressed air
waves create a loud sonic boom when the trains exit
the tunnel. Engineers looked to nature to solve the
problem, and they honed in on a local species, the
kingfisher, which can enter water silently without
making so much as a splash. The engineers generated computer models and found that modifying the
nose of the bullet train to mimic the kingfisher’s bill
would reduce the tunnel boom. New generations
of bullet trains sporting the kingfisher look are
quieter, faster, and use 15% less electricity.
13
TorRey Pin
es
Thou
sands of years
ago, forests of
pines grew all
Torrey
along the Pacifi
c
Coast.
As the climate
grew drier, the
great forests
began to shrin
k.
arrot
ligent,
T h ic k -b il leceiesd, thPick
-billed parrots are intel
They
Like other parrot sp
together in large flocks.
g
in
liv
s,
rd
bi
l
cia
so
d
curious, an
northern
ns in the pine forests of
tio
va
ele
gh
hi
at
d
un
fo
er
are
introduced to their form
re
be
y
da
e
on
ay
m
d
Mexico, an
n United States.
home in the southwester
14
Woodlands and Forests
Beginning in the foothills, scrubby chaparral
gives way to woodlands and forests. Open oak
woodlands carpeted with grasses, wildflowers,
and patches of chaparral line canyons and the
lower slopes. Higher up, generally above 4,500
feet, denser forests of pine, cedar, fir, spruce, and
other conifers cover the mountainsides. Ground
squirrels and woodrats scurry among the oaks,
foraging for nuts and seeds, while mule deer
browse among the bushes. A wonderful place to
experience this habitat is Cuyamaca State Park. During the wet season, salamanders prowl for
insects among the moist leaf litter on the woodland floor. The raucous cries of scrub jays and
the soft cooing of band-tailed pigeons sound
from the treetops. It is hard to miss the colonies
of acorn woodpeckers that nest in hollow trees.
Their distinctive laughing calls make them easy
to find. They are unmistakable in flight—bright
flashes of black, red, and white. In summer, they
feast on insects and acorns while drilling perfectly sized holes in the tree trunks to store a
surplus of acorns to see them through the winter.
Life changes on higher slopes among the pine
forests. Here, you’ll find pine cones, not acorns,
on the ground. A thick cushion of pine needles
helps muffle sounds, creating a hushed silence.
Trees grow closer together, their intermingling
branches blocking the sun and keeping the
forest floor in deep shade. Though the needles
and shade limit plant life on the ground, some
plants have adapted to the conditions. The
Laguna aster—found only in the Laguna mountains—is one of the most unique and beautiful
of the 43 sensitive plants in our forests. Birds
are less conspicuous here. Darker blue than
their scrub jay cousins, and sporting black
crests, Steller’s jays move among the branches
in small groups. Coveys of quail hunt and peck
their way across the forest floor. Hawks and
golden eagles soar high overhead. Great horned
and pygmy owls are usually heard, not seen, as
they call into the night.
Much of our wooded land is protected within
the Cleveland National Forest. Outside the
national forest, smaller pockets of woodlands
and forest dot hillsides and mountains across
the county.
The thick-billed parrot is a high elevation
forest species that once frequented the southwest, but hasn’t been seen in the U.S. since
the 1930s. Zoo veterinarian Dr. Nadine
Lamberski is collaborating with a team of
Mexican biologists to evaluate the health of
the wild population in northern Mexico in
hopes of protecting what is left of the parrots'
native habitat and better understanding the
causes of population decline.
Dusky
The dusk - F o o t e d
y
Woodr
of the fo -footed woodrat
at
od cycle
is an im
in woodl
portant
managem
part
ands
e
between nt of this habita and forests. Pro
predator
t
p
and prey maintains bala er
nce
species.
15
Prongho
During the latt r n
er half of the
19th century, n
99% due to hu
umb
nting and loss
of habitat to ag ers were reduced by
and fencing tra
riculture, settle
cts
ment,
Mexican agenci of land. We are working with
several state a
es to reintrodu
nd
ce this species
to its native ra
nge.
or
C a l if o r n iaappeCaroednfrodm San Diego habitats many
California condors dis
organizaer vation efforts by many
ns
co
e
siv
es
gr
Ag
o.
ag
e for
s
year
obal, may make it possibl
Gl
o
Zo
o
eg
Di
n
Sa
g
din
tions, inclu
ty again.
skies of San Diego Coun
e
th
in
ar
pe
ap
to
or
nd
co
the
16
Desert Trails
Inland from the coastal hills, away from ocean
and its temperature-regulating fog, desert
covers the eastern quarter of San Diego
County, and much of the Southwest. Most of
San Diego County’s desert lies protected
within the 600,000-acre Anza-Borrego Desert
State Park. Lands of legend and myth, deserts
seem stark and forbidding to those who don’t
know them. With water scarce and the climate
sun-baked and severe, these dry lands present
special challenges to plants and animals alike.
But wildlife has adapted to meet those challenges and deserts teem with an amazing
diversity of life. There is more to this habitat
than just the sandy desert: the wild lands of
the Anza-Borrego range from rugged, rocky
peaks to salty, sea level dry lake beds, called
playas. Between them lie a variety of habitats
ranging from rocky canyons, rich oases filled
with palm trees, and winding streams lined
with sycamore.
Depending on winter rains, spring finds the
desert floor bursting with a carpet of colorful
wildflowers in all colors of the rainbow. Scattered
among them grow the rare elephant tree and
Borrego asters. Here and there, palm oases lie
nestled in protected canyons. Rare sources of
water in the arid land, they support communities
of life found nowhere else in the desert. Animals,
including bighorn sheep and pronghorn, come
here from miles around to drink.
Since March 2009, the Institute has managed
the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center in
Las Vegas, Nevada, in partnership with U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service. Current operations
include providing care for lost and unwanted
pet tortoises, and tortoises removed from
development areas. Other facets to the project
include research, headstarting hatchlings,
disease testing, and translocation.
In partnership with a handful of other institutions, we are involved with the breeding and
relocation of pronghorn in both the Sonoran
and Vizcaino deserts. In 2002, the Arizona
Beaver
The beaver t a i l C a c t u
tail
s
Southern C cactus is common in
the desert o
alifornia. I
f
tp
in spring a
nd summer. roduces lavender flow
e
r
A
s
small, they
lt
can be quit hough its spines are
e irr
as the origin
al “itching itating and were used
powder.”
population dropped to only 21 individuals,
but through careful breeding, radio collaring,
monitoring, and selective relocation, this population is healthy and growing.
Some 240 species of birds live in the desert.
Roadrunners hunt for lizards, snakes, and
insects along the desert floor, then speed away
when danger threatens. Listen for the hoarse
rattling croak of ravens sounding from
branches and rocky perches and the highpitched trills of black-throated sparrows on
desert slopes.
17
San Diego Zoo Global
Conservation and You
Today, habitat destruction is the greatest
threat to wildlife in Southern California and
throughout the world. In each habitat, natural
communities live in an ever-shifting balance.
Plants and animals interact in myriad ways.
Sun, rainfall, soil type, and terrain all influence the inhabitants of a habitat. Tug on one
thread, and you move the entire web.
Institute’s Director of
Dr. Bryan Endress, the
n
focuses on the restoratio
Applied Plant Ecology,
,
ies
ment of at-risk spec
and sustainable manage
tems.
communities, and ecosys
Along with providing wildlife-related education and recreation, the conservation of our
natural world stands as one of three cornerstones to the mission of San Diego Zoo
Global, and we have enjoyed tremendous
success in our conservation efforts in more
than 35 countries around the world.
Much of the Zoo’s conservation effort is
focused right here in our own backyard.
In addition to our science-based efforts, we
are making a critical contribution to local con18
servation through our community outreach
and education efforts. The Zoo education
department’s Go Green outreach program
reaches 5,600 elementary school students
each year. Students are introduced to simple
conservation and recycling concepts that
empower their thinking and helps them make
a positive contribution to conservation. In
2010, a new exhibit called “Supporting
Species, Helping Habitats” opened at the
Safari Park. Sponsored by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, the 22-foot high, walkthrough tree snag exhibit focuses on desert
bighorn sheep, California condors, San
Clemente Island loggerhead shrikes, and
desert tortoises—all endangered species found
right here in the southwest.
Despite a series of threats, the Torrey pine
still stands—a powerful demonstration of
conservation in action. They also serve as a
reminder that in acting to save one species, we
can help preserve the entire community of life
to which they belong. And in preserving intact
natural communities, we are ensuring the survival of many species.
How Can You Help? It’s Easy!
Zookeeper Esther Cheng plants and maintains milkweed near the Children’s Zoo’s
insect house to provide food for migrating
monarch butterflies. She happily shares
information with visitors about butterflyfriendly gardens. Reptile keeper Todd
Schmidt is an organic gardener, limiting his
impact on our local environment by producing food at home without chemicals.
Horticulturist Patrician Ahern has a large
vermi¬composting system at her home. And
Educator Vik Cowan is a beach comber and
cleaner, picking up trash as she looks for
treasures washed up on the shore.
Here are a few things YOU can do at home
to help San Diego County’s unique habitats
and the species that call them home:
The Institu
te’s
Dr. Paula K desert tortoise prog r
a
ahn, rehab
ilitates des m manager,
releases th
ert tortoise
em back to
sa
protected r
Mojave De
elease area nd
sert where
s
in th
th
ey
recovery of
this threate help contribute to th e
e
ned species
.
This reduces the need to log forests, which
protects precious habitat.
Coast
Participate in a beach clean-up. These are
conducted annually through I Love a Clean
San Diego, and are an easy way to get outside
and do something wonderful for your planet.
Wetlands
Avoid hosing sidewalks or dumping chemicals
into storm drains. Keeping coastal waters free
of contaminants and pollution helps wildlife
like the least tern to find fish that aren’t contaminated with chemicals.
Coastal Sage
Compost organic waste to reduce the volume
of garbage sent to landfills. Your garden, and
even your houseplants, receive free organic
fertilizer and fewer species are displaced by
expanding landfills.
Desert
Buy a car that gets good gas mileage (or better
yet, ride a bike!). Better gas mileage produces
less carbon dioxide. High levels of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere contribute to global
climate change, which is threatening habitats
like our deserts.
Visit
For more information on San Diego Zoo
Global’s conservation efforts, visit
www.sandiegozoo.org/conservation.
Green guides
www.sandiegozoo.org/conservation/education/
Chaparral
Reduce your junk mail. Junk mail accounts
for the pulping of 100 million trees each year
and forty-four percent of this mail is never
even opened or read! Recycle what you don’t
use, and check the Internet to learn how to be
removed from mailing lists.
Streamsides
Participate in local conservation projects. Pull
weeds and invasive plants, pick up trash, or
plant trees! The time you volunteer will benefit
species and habitats in your own backyard.
Woodlands
“Pre-cycle” by purchasing products in recycled packaging, or buy recycled paper items.
m state agencies release
Zoo staff and partners fro
original home range in
pronghorn back into their
serve, in Mexico.
El Vizcaino Biosphere Re
19
And at that very moment, we heard a loud whack!
From outside in the fields came a sickening smack
of an axe on a tree. Then we heard the tree fall.
The very last TruffulaTree of them all!
The Lorax said nothing. Just gave me a glance…
just gave me a very sad, sad backward glance…
And all that the Lorax left here in this mess
was a small pile of rocks, with the one word…
"UNLESS."
Whatever that meant, well, I just couldn't guess.
That was long, long ago.
But each day since that day
I've sat here and worried
and worried away.
"But now," says the Once-ler,
"Now that you're here,
the word of the Lorax seems perfectly clear.
UNLESS someone like you
cares a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better.
It's not.
Adapted from The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, 1971
20
CREDITS
DESIGNER
Conserving San Diego’s
Habitats 2010
Barbara Ferguson Design
EDITORS
AUTHORS
Tom Hanscom
Jeff Opdycke
Cindy Spiva
Bill Toone
CONTRIBUTORS
Karen Barnes
Andy Blue
Michael Mace
J.P. Montagne
Danny Simpson
Mike Wallace
COORDINATOR
Deirdre Ballou
Allison Alberts
Karyl Carmignani
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Allison Alberts
Kenneth Bohn
Ron Garrison
Ken Kelley
Jeff Lemm
Craig Racicot
DIGITAL IMAGING
Lisa Bissi
Kim Turner
PRINTING
Churchill Graphics
© San Diego Zoo Global 2010
www.sandiegozoo.org
Printed on recycled paper.
This booklet was made possible through the generosity of
The Hattie Ettinger Conservation Fund
at the San Diego Foundation