San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Journal May 2022

JOURNAL

MAY/JUNE 2022

Protecting the Unique Ecosystems of the Pacific Islands

Travel with Us to the Galápagos OCTOBER 2023: CLASSIC GALÁPAGOS EXPERIENCE

From blue- and red-footed boobies and Galápagos penguins to sea turtles and giant tortoises, this 10-day adventure will immerse you in nature.

ABOARD THE LUXURY CATAMARAN, PETREL,

travel between the islands of the Galápagos and experience a place brimming with wildlife!

The Galapágos archipelago is one of the most special places on Earth. I am so excited to travel with this group and share all I know about the amazing wildlife here.

—Kim Gray, SDZWA Host and Curator of Herpetology and Ichthyology

For details about this trip and all our Adventures, visit: sdzwa.org/Adventures Photos By: Natural Habitat Adventures

May/June 2022

Vol. 2 No. 3

Journey Through Our Conservation Work This issue of the San Diego Zoo

Wildlife Alliance Journal focuses on the Pacific Islands hub. To learn more about our collaborative conservation programs around the world, including our wildlife care at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, visit sdzwa.org.

Asian Rainforest Tiger

Pacific Islands ‘Alalā

African Forest Gorilla

Oceans

Southwest

Savanna

Amazonia

Australian Forest

Polar Bear & Penguin

Desert Tortoise & Burrowing Owl

Elephant & Rhino

Jaguar

Platypus & Koala

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Contents

2 President/CEO’s Letter 3 By the Numbers 4 Findings 6 Meet Our Team 8 Hot Topics 26 Events 28 Wildlife Explorers Page 29 Last Look

Cover Story 10

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Life on the Edge Living on top of a volcano isn’t the only challenge facing the Galápagos pink iguana. Find out how SDZWA is helping this species maintain balance.

Features 14

Hope Takes Wing

18

Rescue and recovery are the focus of our conservation scientists’ efforts to combat Avian malaria in Hawai'i’s forest birds.

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A Golden Anniversary The San Diego Zoo Safari Park turns 50 this year, and its past—and future—are dedicated to wildlife conservation and connecting the community to nature.

24

Visualize It Take a closer look at how SDZWA is rebuilding sustainable populations of critically endangered wildlife in the Pacific.

On the Cover: Galápagos pink iguana Conolophus marthae. Photo by: Tui De Roy / MINDEN PICTURES

LET TER FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

JOURNAL

MANAGING EDITOR Debra Erickson SENIOR EDITOR Peggy Scott STAFF WRITERS Donna Parham Elyan Shor, Ph.D. Ebone Monet COPY EDITOR Eston Ellis DESIGNER Christine Yetman PHOTOGRAPHERS Ken Bohn Tammy Spratt DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Kim Turner Lisa Bissi Jennifer MacEwen PREPRESS AND PRINTING Quad Graphics

Let's Stay Connected Follow @sandiegozoo & @sdzsafaripark.

Share your #SanDiegoZoo & #SDZSafariPark memories on Twitter & Instagram.

The Zoological Society of San Diego was founded in Octo­ber 1916 by Harry M. Wegeforth, M.D., as a private, nonprofit corporation, which does business as San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

The printed San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Journal (ISSN 2767-7680) (Vol. 2, No. 3) is published bimonthly, in January, March, May, July, September, and November. Publisher is San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, located at 2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego, CA 92101-1646.

Periodicals postage paid at San Diego, California, USA, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, P.O. Box 120271, San Diego, CA 92112-0271.

Copyright© 2022 San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. All rights reserved. All column and program titles are trademarks of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

If your mailing address has changed: Please contact the Membership Department; by mail at P.O. Box 120271, San Diego, CA 92112, or by phone at 619-231-0251 or 1-877-3MEMBER. For information about becoming a member of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, please visit our website at ZooMember.org for a complete list of membership levels, offers, and benefits.

Subscriptions to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Journal are $25 per year, $65 for 3 years. Foreign, including Canada and Mexico, $30 per year, $81 for 3 years. Contact Membership Department for subscription information.

The Safari Park Turns 50 In 2022, SDZWA has many reasons to celebrate all we collectively make possible for wildlife. This month, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and its indelible legacy on our San Diego community and the world. From generation to generation, the Safari Park has given us a unique and innovative place to connect with wildlife and explore the beauty of the natural world, all while creating lifelong memories, together. As we reflect on half a century of global conservation successes, we are grateful to have the steadfast support of our community by our side—including every one of you—as we continue to address the challenges of today and tomorrow. We hope you join us at the Safari Park this month as we celebrate its golden anniversary, and help us usher in the next 50 years of wildlife conservation.

As a global conservation organization, our two “front doors” at the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park help propel our efforts around the globe. We use what we learn about wildlife care here at home and take it with us as we collaborate with our partners. In this issue, we will share some of the transformative work currently underway in our Pacific Islands conservation hub, looking at efforts with the Galápagos pink iguana program and our partnership with the Hawai'i Endangered Bird Conservation Program. With insights from Maggie Reinbold, SDZWA director of community engagement, we explore the role of collaboration and community in creating unity for conservation organizations.

Each page of our Journal edition this month fills me with inspiration and hope for what we can accomplish for wildlife, when we work together, to create a world where all life thrives. Thank you for joining us on our journey and for being an ally for wildlife.

Onward, As part of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s commitment to conservation, this magazine is printed on recycled paper that is at least 10% post-consumer waste, chlorine free, and is Forest Stewardship Council ® (FSC®) certified. FSC® is not responsible for any calculations on saving resources by choosing this paper.

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Paul A. Baribault President and Chief Executive Officer

BY THE NUMBERS

Pacific Islands Island environments—like those found on the Pacific Islands—face a unique challenge. The ecosystems are fragile and easily disturbed by invasive species and diseases, habitat loss, and climate change.

SDZWA strives to help find solutions through our Pacific Islands conservation hub projects; including protection of the Hawaiian ‘alalā, Galápagos pink iguana, and other endangered species.

PHOTOS BY: (TOP LEFT) GIULIANO COLOSIMO, (TOP RIGHT) JAY TOPPING/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS, (BOTTOM RIGHT) DONYANEDOMAM/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS

<300

Number of Galápagos pink iguanas living on Isabela Island.

2022 Board of Trustees OFFICERS Javade Chaudhri, Chair Steven S. Simpson, Vice Chair Richard B. Gulley, Treasurer Steven G. Tappan, Secretary TRUSTEES Rolf Benirschke Kathleen Cain Carrithers Clifford W. Hague Robert B. Horsman Gary E. Knell Linda J. Lowenstine, DVM, Ph.D. Judith A. Wheatley ‘Aulani Wilhelm

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Of the approximately 330 Fiji Islands, Fijian iguanas are found on only about 30 of them.

7 million

The estimated number of people inhabiting the Pacific Islands region.

110+

TRUSTEES EMERITI Berit N. Durler Thompson Fetter George L. Gildred Yvonne W. Larsen John M. Thornton A. Eugene Trepte Betty Jo F. Williams

Executive Team Paul A. Baribault

President and Chief Executive Officer

Shawn Dixon

Chief Operating Officer

David Franco Chief Financial Officer

Erika Kohler Executive Director, San Diego Zoo

Number of ‘alalā (Hawaiian crows) living in managed care in Hawai’i; up from fewer than 20 in the late 1990s.

Lisa Peterson Executive Director, San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Nadine Lamberski, DVM, DACZM, DECZM (ZHM) Chief Conservation and Wildlife Health Officer

Wendy Bulger

General Counsel

3+?

Different species of Fijian banded iguanas.

Diversity in their DNA suggests there may be even more.

David Gillig

Chief Philanthropy Officer

Aida Rosa

Chief Human Resources Officer

David Miller Chief Marketing Officer SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE / SDZWA.ORG / 3

FINDINGS

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) protects and restores nature in eight conservation hubs on six continents. Below are recent discoveries and progress from around the world.

BOOSTING THE AGA POPULATION

Fewer than 150 aga (Mariana crows) Corvus kubaryi remain in the world, and the last population of this critically endangered bird is found on Rota, Mariana Islands. SDZWA’s Recovery Ecology team and our partners are attempting to boost this population by bringing eggs and chicks from wild nests into a managed care facility on Rota, rearing them, and reintroducing them to the Rota forests as two-year-olds, at which point they are more likely to survive in the native habitat. We recently completed the annual recovery of eggs and chicks: 14 fledglings were successfully reared, and we also continue to care for the 12 birds reared in the fall of 2020 (to be reintroduced later this year). Since 2016, we have reintroduced 35 birds, a critical effort in saving this species from extinction.

TORREY PINES RESTORATIONS CONTINUE

As part of an ongoing restoration project, SDZWA’s Plant Conservation team planted 244 more Torrey pine Pinus torreyana seedlings at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve in January 2022. This brings the total number of seedlings planted to 364 since we started the project in 2020. Additionally, our team planted 580 individuals of various other maritime scrub species.

This enhances the number of drought-tolerant plants in the habitat, which is currently at risk of decline due to increasing heat and drought.

The State Parks staff will help care for the plants through October 2022, and our Plant Conservation team plans to follow their growth through at least 2026.

In July 2021, SDZWA’s Hariyo T. Wibisono, Ph.D., and his team in Sumatra supported a provincial nature conservation agency in relocating a young female tiger from an oil palm plantation to an adjacent forest. The relocation was necessary to avoid potential human-tiger conflict. Monitoring the tiger post-relocation has continued with trail cameras and intensive surveys by teams on foot. Since last July, there has not been any evidence of further conflict, indicating the success of the relocation. The teams have also held a series of workshops for villagers about tiger conflict mitigation and established two community-based patrol teams to equip the villagers with necessary techniques in human-wildlife coexistence.

AUSTRALIAN WILDLIFE MONITORING PROJECT COMPLETED

Following Australia’s devastating 2019–2020 wildfires, SDZWA’s Australian partner Science for Wildlife collaborated with government agencies, rescue groups, and volunteers to place food and water stations for wildlife in burned areas. These stations were positioned near the edges of burned zones, both in trees and on the ground, so that a variety of species—including koalas, gliders, kangaroos, and wombats—could access them. The stations were also monitored with trail cameras. Today, all the photos from 80 trail cameras have been identified through Zooniverse (a citizen science initiative), providing conservationists with vital information about the status, health, and needs of wildlife populations affected by the fires.

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Photos by: (Top left) Phil Hannon . (Middle right) SDZWA/SINTAS/BKSDA Sumatrera Barat,

COEXISTING WITH TIGERS IN SUMATRA

Sip, Snack, Save Species Stay fueled up by enjoying a delicious treat at one of our specialty snack stands on your next visit. The San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park thank our partners for their continued support!

MEET OUR TEAM

Q

I have been with the organization for 31 years.

I started as a veterinary resident in zoological medicine. As the director of veterinary services for the Zoo, I have the honor of leading a team of over 25 employees who are passionate about providing the best care for our wildlife.

Q

What is the coolest thing about your job?

Lots! The variety of wildlife we care for, and appreciating the biodiversity they represent—and the challenges that come with solving wildlife health issues.

And seeing team members succeed in providing the best possible care.

Q

public to understand why conservation is necessary and how their daily activities impact the wildlife on our planet.

Briefly describe your job with SDZWA.

Q Meg Sutherland-Smith, DVM As director of veterinary services for the San Diego Zoo, Dr. Meg Sutherland-Smith helps ensure the health and well-being of more than 3,000 animals representing 800+ species.

I appreciate having witnessed the organization evolve over the past 30 years. And a major part of that evolution has been the increasing commitment to conservation.

Q

What book or film influenced you or made a strong impression?

What do you see as the future of wildlife conservation?

“

I am continually in awe of the natural beauty and complexity of the ecosystems surrounding us.

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”

Q

What is your favorite animal? Why?

A healthy animal is my favorite animal.

ILLUSTRATION/PHOBTO CREDIT HERE

The future of wildlife conservation is dependent on a web of interconnected factors. To name just a few: dedication, hard work, funding, and engaging the

What was a turning point or defining moment in a project or program you’ve worked on?

The birth of the giant panda Hua Mei, on August 21, 1999.

I had the privilege of being involved with our giant panda program upon the arrival of Bai Yun and Shi Shi in 1996.

The collaborative work of many individuals was realized with the birth of Hua Mei, and continued through the births of five additional giant panda cubs. The opportunity to travel to China and collaborate with colleagues from SDZWA, the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas, as well as other zoos, provided a tremendous growth opportunity. Our giant panda program unraveled many of the mysteries of giant pandas.

I am proud to have been part of this effort.

I saw the Charlton Heston flick Soylent Green as a young adolescent, and while I likely missed some of the underlying plot, my takehome message was how important the natural world was for myself and humanity.

Q

What has surprised you about working with SDZWA?

WE’RE TAKING CARE TO NEW HEIGHTS.

SCHOoL FRiENDLY!

NO MILK NO EGGS NO NUTS NO SESAME NO SOY NO PEA PROTEIN

In partnersHip wiTh:

HOT TOPICS

In the Field: Leimomi “Momi” Wheeler, outreach and program coordinator for the organization Huliauapa’a, makes observations and records data in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park as part of the Hawai'i Teacher Workshop’s conservation inquiry project.

In Service to Gratitude Maggie Reinbold, director of community engagement for SDZWA, describes how we strengthen our efforts to enlist local and global community members in saving wildlife.

“I ola ‘oe, i ola makou nei”—“You live, so we may live”

T

his is one of the very first (and most inspirational) Hawaiian phrases our team ever learned, taught to us years ago by a valued community partner as we worked to restore habitat on the slopes of Mauna Kea. With each delicate seedling we

placed in the ground, we offered this humble and heartfelt phrase, acknowledging our connection to, and dependence on, the natural world. We were also introduced to the lived Hawaiian value of kuleana, which acknowledges and celebrates not so much our responsibility, but our privilege to care

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for the plants, animals, and ecosystems around us. Learning these values from our partners on Hawai’i has deepened our connection to nature, redefined our understanding of the importance of native biodiversity, and solidified our dedication to meaningful conservation education.

We are deeply grateful for these lessons, and in return, are honored to be of service and support to our hardworking teacher partners and their students on campuses across the island through our award-winning ‘Alalā Reintroduction Community Inquiry Program. The program was co-designed with teachers on Hawai’i, in recognition of the essential role that communities play in native wildlife recovery. As dedicated efforts continue to re-establish wild populations of the critically endangered ‘alalā, strong support and understanding among local communities is more crucial than ever to ensure the long-term success of this ecologically and culturally significant species.

The ‘Alalā Reintroduction Community Inquiry Program engages teachers with curricular activities designed to enhance students’ critical thinking skills, increase interest in careers related to species recovery, and foster students’ appreciation of their unique natural heritage. The program first builds community connections with formal classroom teachers and informal science educators through participation in our annual Hawai’i Teacher Workshop in Conservation Science. During the workshop, teacher partners explore the value of biodiversity, on-island conservation efforts, and the importance of place, meeting ‘alalā face-to-face at our Keauhou Bird Conservation Center (KBCC) and planting seedlings in support of native wildlife. Teacher partners also work to hone their observation skills, develop comparative questions, explore testing methods, analyze data, and communicate their findings to their peers, returning to campus with new pedagogical techniques to engage their students The program in the full process of conservation inquiry. The was co-designed workshop is free to participating teachers. They can earn credit for attending, and thereafter with teachers on have full access to our ‘Alalā Spatial Ecology Hawai’i in recognition mobile science kit. of the essential role Our teacher partners also bring their students to meet ‘alalā in the safe and supportcommunities play ive environment of KBCC, where they engage in in native wildlife meaningful discussions about the ‘alalā’s ecologition action that supports both wildlife and recovery. cal and cultural significance alongside dedicated community, much like our team did years ago SDZWA staff members. The program provides support on the slopes of Mauna Kea. We’re excited to be for students to design and conduct growing experiments working with partners to debut the program on Hawai’i’s with native seeds back on their home campuses, comparing native neighbor island, in preparation for the upcoming reintroduction fruit seeds that have passed through ‘alalā digestive tracts with of ‘alalā to the beautiful forests of Maui. seeds harvested directly from collected fruit. In this way, students are empowered to ask original questions and construct experiments for answering them, all in the context of Hawaiian culture The ‘Alalā Reintroduction Community Inquiry Program has and biodiversity. By engaging in scientific investigations focused been made possible by generous support from the Hawai’i Comon the ‘alalā, we hope that students will discover for themselves its munity Foundation’s Career Connected Learning Program, The multifaceted importance and be inclined to act in environmentally G.A. Foster Legacy Foundation, and other friends of San Diego Zoo responsible ways on its behalf, and go on to share their findings Wildlife Alliance. and relevance with the broader community. The student experience culminates with the opportunity to put their nurtured native seedlings in the ground with hope and gratitude on campus or in their home neighborhoods, thereby modeling positive conservaSAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE / SDZWA.ORG / 9

Life on the Edge

Photo by: Giuliano Colosimo

Galápagos pink iguanas live on the rim of an active volcano and on the verge of extinction.

G

By Glenn Gerber, Ph.D. , and Giuliano Colosimo, Ph.D.

alápagos pink iguanas are inarguably remarkable.

For starters, they were only described to science in 2009. This is incredible for a four-foot-long, pink-and-black lizard that lives in the Galápagos Islands—the inspiration for much of Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection, and one of the most studied archipelagos in the world.

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5,610 The elevation, in feet, of Wolf Volcano, which is also known as Mount Whiton.

Photo by: Giuliano Colosimo

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Laying the groundwork: Researchers and park rangers on the rim of Wolf Volcano after installing the satellite gateway that allows transmission of iguana location data back to a server at the University of Rome Tor Vergata.

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their extremely small population size, lack of recruitment, and existence as a single population on the rim of a volcano that regularly erupts qualifies pink iguanas as Critically Endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

Collaborative Conservation

Even as an endangered species, there is hope for a brighter future for pink iguanas. This species is long-lived, which buys us some time to implement conservation measures. We began working on the conservation of pink iguanas five years ago in close collaboration with Gabriele Gentile, Ph.D., the researcher at the University of Rome Tor Vergata who first described the species, and who had been studying their biology for over a decade in association with the Galápagos National Park Directorate, among others. Our involvement was made possible by a generous donation from the Kenneth and Anne Griffin Foundation.

Because Wolf Volcano is so remote, and because researchers are required to be accompanied by Galápagos National Park rangers, opportunities for fieldwork are few and far between—and always of short duration. However, we needed to collect long-term movement data to discover where and when females lay their eggs, so that we could establish a headstart program to bolster population recruitment. Headstarting consists of gathering hatchlings as they emerge from nests (before they fall prey to introduced predators), transporting them to a rearing facility where they can be kept until

PHOTO BY: GREG LEWBART

Far Away—and Few

Pink land iguanas live in a remote, high-elevation area on top of Wolf Volcano—at over a mile above sea level, the highest spot in the Galápagos. The entire population inhabits a range of just a few square miles, on the northern rim of the volcano’s caldera (an enormous depression in the volcano’s center) and downslope flanks, from an elevation of 5,600 to 2,000 feet. Wolf Volcano is one of six volcanos that make up Isla Isabela, the largest island in the Galápagos. Isabela is mostly uninhabited, difficult to access, and rarely visited by people, including scientists.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, pink iguanas are extremely rare, with the entire world population numbering around 300 individuals.

We have never observed juvenile pink iguanas—almost certainly because of the presence of feral cats, which were introduced by early settlers to the Galápagos. Feral cats are known to prey on hatchlings and juveniles of other island iguana species. Like most other island iguanas, pink iguanas evolved without mammalian predators and thus have no natural defense against them. Predation of juveniles by cats means that very few—if any—young pink iguanas survive to adulthood. This results in a lack of population recruitment (the replacement of old adults with younger animals), and obviously is not sustainable. Compounding the situation is the fact that Wolf is an active volcano, last erupting in January 2022. Fortunately, recent eruptions have been relatively minor, outside the caldera on the southern side of Wolf Volcano, and have not directly impacted pink iguanas or their habitat on the volcano’s northern side. Nonetheless,

large enough to survive in habitats with these predators present, and then returning them to their range, so that they can join the breeding population and perpetuate the species. Headstarting is a stopgap measure—something we do to bolster recruitment of endangered island reptiles until feral predators can be controlled. It has been used extensively in the Caribbean, where we work with endangered rock iguana species, and has proven very effective.

DID YOU KNOW? Lacking skin pigment, pink iguanas get their color from their blood vessels.

Getting on Track

To gather the movement data we needed, we collaborated with engineers at the University of Rome Tor Vergata to produce a custom GPS tracking system that could remotely collect and transmit back to us time-stamped position data. This took some time, but in 2019 we began attaching solar-powered GPS tracking devices to pink iguanas and accumulating movement data. We discovered a seasonal migration of animals from the rim of the volcano at 5,600 feet down to 2,000 feet and back, in response to seasonal changes in rainfall and vegetation. (Iguanas are herbivorous). In 2021, we discovered female iguanas migrating into Wolf’s caldera—to a shelf located 1,700 feet down, or halfway to the caldera’s floor—and then back to the volcano’s rim. Their movements, from late April through early June, aligned with the season when females are typically constructing underground nest chambers in which to lay their eggs. This year, we will put GPS tracking devices on more females, and we plan to follow them into the caldera to study, mark, and protect their nesting sites, so that we can start bringing in hatchlings for headstarting by the Galápagos National Park Directorate and other project partners.

Improving the Odds

PHOTOS BY: (TOP) GABRIELE GENTILE, (BOTTOM) GIULIANO COLOSIMO

Also in 2022, our partners at the Jocotoco Foundation and Island Conservation, with support from Re:wild, will be initiating a program to control feral cats on Wolf Volcano. If effective, these measures should increase the survival rate of iguana hatchlings emerging from nests. That, combined with headstarting, should ensure the long-term survival of pink iguanas on Wolf Volcano, providing that control measures are maintained, and that there are no massive volcanic eruptions that impact the pink iguana population and its habitat.

To address the risk of extinction due to volcanic eruption, we are working with the Galápagos National Park Directorate and other project partners to establish a second population of pink iguanas on another island. Exactly which island is yet to be determined, but it will be one that is free of feral predators and that has habitat suitable for pink iguanas. To avoid removing breeding adults from Wolf Volcano for this translocation, we intend to use subadult pink iguanas from the headstart program to establish this second population, as an additional hedge against extinction.

Through a combination of key conservation measures, including control of introduced predators, headstarting, and establishment of a second population, we hope to ensure a bright future for pink iguanas, which have become an important flagship species for conservation in the Galápagos.

Glenn Gerber, Ph.D., is a population sustainability scientist for SDZWA; Giuliano Colosimo, Ph.D., is a researcher at University of Rome Tor Vergata.

Keeping track: Some iguanas were temporarily fitted with a custom-designed, solar-powered GPS tracking device at the base of their tails. This allowed researchers to study their migration patterns and other behaviors.

SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE / SDZWA.ORG / 13

Hope Takes Avian malaria presents significant conservation challenges for forest bird populations in Hawai‘i. Conservation scientists are working on rescue and recovery.

BY BRYCE MASUDA AND PATRICIA GAFFNEY, DVM, MPVM, PH.D. | PHOTOS BY KEN BOHN/SDZWA

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DID YOU KNOW?

The ‘akikiki is also called the Kaua‘i creeper.

Preflight check: Senior veterinarian Dr. Deena Brenner and research coordinator Jennifer Pribble take a moment to check on a single wild ‘akikiki secured and transported by helicopter from a remote wilderness preserve on Kaua‘i, following a rapid population decline in the wild.

Following this drastic—and rapid—population decline, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) and our partners, Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project and Pacific Bird Conservation, embarked on a search and rescue mission in December 2021. The goal was to bring the remaining four birds into protective care at SDZWA’s Maui Bird Conservation Center, where they would join a breeding population of 42 ‘akikiki.

Biologists to the Rescue

Wing I

n the center of the island of Kaua‘i, the Hawaiian forest is eerily quiet. Just a few years ago, this rainforest was a thriving and bustling community of ‘akikiki Oreomystis bairdi, with over 30 pairs actively flitting in the trees searching and foraging for insects in this remote wilderness preserve. But over a few short years, all ‘akikiki except for one family have disappeared, likely due to avian malaria.

After camping in the forest for 12 days and braving an intense rainstorm, the team of biologists were able to secure only a single bird, a juvenile that hatched earlier in 2021. The bird was initially cared for in the field, then flown by helicopter from Kaua‘i to Maui, where it was received by care staff and a veterinary team. After a physical examination to confirm the bird was in good health, the bird was cared for in a quarantine aviary, where it received anti-malarial medication in its food for 30 days. The bird has now joined the rest of the conservation breeding flock.

Why such heroic efforts to save a single bird? Why was remaining in its native habitat considered such a risk to the ‘akikiki that we’d attempt this rescue? Avian malaria is an introduced and infectious disease that has caused the decline of many Hawaiian forest bird populations, on multiple islands. Malaria is a disease that affects the blood of birds.

It is what we call a “vector-borne” disease: it is transmitted by the bite of an insect (the vector), in this case, a mosquito.

The bite of the mosquito introduces Plasmodium, the parasite that causes malaria, into the body of the bird. As part of the life cycle of the parasite, it infects and damages the bird’s blood and organs. One of the most significant parts of the body damaged are red blood cells. These cells are crucial to life, as they carry oxygen throughout the body. When red blood cells are damaged by malaria, a bird’s health can decline rapidly, and the infection may result in death.

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Examining blood samples under a microscope allows SDZWA scientists to identify the parasite responsible for a bird’s infection.

Screening and Treatment

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Planning for the Future

But hope is on the horizon. A multi-agency partnership called “Birds, not Mosquitoes” is developing and preparing to conduct landscape-scale mosquito control to reduce the number of mosquitoes in the forests of Hawai‘i, which in turn will reduce the threat of avian malaria to ‘akikiki and other Hawaiian honeycreepers. Building on recent research used to control mosquitoes to protect human health, the partnership is now working to use similar technology to control mosquitoes to save Hawaiian birds from extinction.

And there is still more to learn. Some birds native to Hawai‘i, for example the ‘alalā, become infected with malaria and survive.

We have more to learn about why this may be and what lessons we can learn from ‘alalā that could help birds such as the ‘akikiki.

In the meantime, SDZWA and its partners at two conservation breeding centers in Hawai‘i continue to prepare ‘akikiki for future reintroduction back into their forest home as soon as the threat of malaria is reduced.

Bryce Masuda, M.S., is a conservation program manager for SDZWA’s Hawai‘i Endangered Bird Conservation Program.

Patricia Gaffney, D.V.M., M.P.V.M., Ph.D., Diplomate A.C.V.P., is SDZWA’s director of disease investigations.

PHOTOS BY: (BOTTOM LEFT) NECHAEV-KON/ISTOCK /GETTY IMAGES PLUS

By examining blood samples under a microscope to look for the characteristic parasite, experts in our Clinical Veterinary Laboratory screen the endangered birds we care for at the two SDZWA facilities in Hawai‘i. The SDZWA Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory confirms the identity of the parasite with a special test that looks for the genetic material unique to the parasite. This test is known as a polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A bird positive for the parasite can be treated.

But not all birds survive infection, even if treated. More than 50 species of Hawaiian honeycreepers, renowned for their diverse array of feather colors and bill shapes, were once found throughout the forests across the archipelago. Today, only 17 species remain, and populations like those of the ‘akikiki are rapidly declining as mosquitoes continue to spread avian malaria.

The mosquitoes that spread this disease are invasive and were introduced to Hawai‘i in the early 1800s, likely inadvertently transported by whaling ships that arrived from around the world. Since the vector carrying the malaria parasite is newer to Hawai‘i than the birds, most Hawaiian honeycreepers likely have not developed an effective way to manage the infection. In addition, as a result of global climate change, the altitude at which mosquito populations survive and reproduce in large numbers is rising. Birds that live at elevations not previously home to mosquitos are now exposed and vulnerable.

JUNE 3–SEPTEMBER 5 Things get even wilder at the Zoo after dark! Join us, beat the heat, and celebrate summer during Nighttime Zoo at the San Diego Zoo. Come “rock and roar” this season with live music and other amazing entertainment experiences. Extend your adventure—stay with us for all of the fun and excitement that awaits!

A Golden Anniversary for the

SAFARI PARK

50 YEARS of Conservation, Community, and Connection to Wildlife

BY PEGGY SCOTT | PHOTOS BY SDZWA

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ighteen-hundred acres of land in the San Pasqual Valley and a vision of what wildlife conservation could become. That’s what Dr. Charles Schroeder had back in 1969 when we broke ground for the Wild Animal Park, Dr. Schroeder’s “zoo of the future.” As executive director of the Zoological Society of San Diego, Dr. Schroeder had big plans for his “natural environment zoo,” with its expansive, multispecies savanna habitats and revolutionary approach to wildlife management that would forever change what zoos would look like.

1981

“Thor” is the first elephant birth at the Safari Park.

1972

1969

Zoological Society of San Diego President Anderson Borthwick signs agreement with San Diego Mayor Frank Curran to establish a wildlife preserve.

On May 10, the 1,800acre preserve opens to the public.

1972

1970s 1971

Southern white rhinos arrive at the Wild Animal Park (now known as the San Diego Zoo Safari Park).

1970

Dr. Charles Schroeder lays out the route for Wgasa Bush Line Railway.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park, as it is now known, opened to the public on March 10, 1972, and took the industry-leading wildlife care program that made the San Diego Zoo world famous and expanded upon it, rewriting what was thought to be possible for the fields of wildlife health and conservation. The Safari Park was started on inspiration, and that foresight continues to this day.

The Early Years When the Safari Park opened in 1972, some 3,000 visitors attended the grand opening, and they marveled at the unique opportunity to experience wildlife offered by the Wgasa Bush Line Railway. The Wgasa monorail system took passengers into the Safari Park’s savanna habitats, offering a safe, up-close way to view

The first white rhino calf, “Zibulo,” is born at the Park.

1980s

1974

The Center for the Reproduction of Endangered Species (CRES) is established at the San Diego Zoo; relocates to the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center for Conservation Research in 2004.

an array of wildlife—including some of the Safari Park’s first residents: six African savanna elephants (two more would soon join them); sable antelope, greater kudu, and gemsbok; as well as a group of 18 southern white rhinos, among them 8 that were born at the San Diego Zoo. The first white rhino calf was soon born at their new home—a male named “Zibulo” on October 11 of that year. The Safari Park’s Nairobi Village was designed to complement the monorail experience, recreating a little bit of Africa right here in San Diego County.

The Safari Park experienced many firsts in its early years; quickly receiving two Bean Awards from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums for its work with North African and Abyssinian ground hornbills. The first Przewalski’s horses arrived in 1973, and the

first wapiti the next year. In 1974, an expansion took place that would guide the Zoo and Safari Park—and the organization that we now call San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance—for the decades to come: the establishment of the Center for the Reproduction of Endangered Species (CRES) at the San Diego Zoo by physician and mammalian cytogenetics pioneer Dr. Kurt Benirschke, and then-San Zoo Diego Director Chuck Bieler. The foresight of our scientists back then resonates to this day.

“Fifty years ago, Dr. Kurt Benirschke began storing cells from animals in the Frozen Zoo® for purposes not yet understood,” explains Dr. Nadine Lamberski, SDZWA’s Chief Conservation and Wildlife Health Officer. “But he knew they would be a valuable resource one day. Today, we have increased the genetic diversity of

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1996

Mombasa Lagoon opens.

2003

The Safari Park becomes home to seven African elephants from Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). One member of the herd, Ndulamitsi, gave birth six months later to Vus’musi, and we’ve welcomed 13 more calves in subsequent years.

1990

The Nativescapes Garden, Old World Succulent Garden, and Water Wise Garden open.

1990s

2000s 2000

Condor Ridge opens.

1994

Lorikeet Landing opens at the Safari Park.

2004

Lion Camp opens.

1999

two endangered species, the Przewalski’s horse and black-footed ferret, by using biomaterials stored decades ago. What is more amazing than that?”

Success in the Skies To see one of the Safari Park’s earliest conservation success stories, you have to look up. Once ranging from British Columbia to northern Baja California, Mexico, condor populations dipped as low as 22 individuals in the 1980s. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service brought the remaining birds into managed care at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and the Los Angeles Zoo. Through careful breeding at the Park and by our partners, enough chicks hatched to allow the first reintroductions of

California condors in 1992. By 2001, 100 California condor chicks had hatched at the Safari Park. In 2012, California condors Sisquoc and Shatash had become the first pair that the public could view incubating an egg. Condor Cam, set up in their habitat and nesting areas at the Safari Park, gave viewers an up-close look at their daily life. Saticoy, their offspring, hatched for a live worldwide audience on March 10, 2012. Today, more than 330 California condors soar the skies of their native ranges.

Advances in Conservation Science As it was becoming clear that the world was losing its wildlife and habitats, the scientists at CRES focused on research to improve wildlife

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population numbers via Species Survival Plans (SSPs) and breeding programs. And if there is a species that embodies the importance of maintaining a Wildlife Biodiversity Bank, it’s hard to look beyond the northern white rhinoceros. While the world’s living population now stands at just two survivors of this subspecies, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Wildlife Biodiversity Bank contains genetic material from 12 northern white rhinos. An innovative in vitro fertilization/surrogacy project at the Nikita Kahn Rhino Rescue Center at the Safari Park resulted in the birth of a healthy male southern white rhino calf, named Edward, in 2019. With his big feet and wiggly ears, Edward was more than just an adorable addition to the crash. He proved

PHOTO BY: (CACTUS, TOP LEFT) 26ISO/E+/GETTY IMAGES

1992

Conservation program-bred California condors are reintroduced to their native ranges.

SDZWA opens the US’s largest off-habitat bird reproduction complex near the Safari Park.

2007

“Journey Into Africa”—featuring biodiesel vehicles— replaces the Wgasa Bush Line Railway.

2018

Walkabout Australia opens.

2010s

LOOKING AHEAD Elephant Valley

2010

The Wild Animal Park becomes the “San Diego Zoo Safari Park,” better representing the expanding array of experiences offered.

2014

Tull Family Tiger Trail opens.

that the scientific process, including IVF and surrogacy, works. He is a living, breathing symbol of hope for the future genetic recovery of the northern white rhino.

Expanding to Share the World The initial inspiration behind the Safari Park has continued to fuel its growth through new projects and expansion. Each new experience built upon the goal of creating the most naturalistic, state-of-the-art habitats possible.

The Tull Family Tiger Trail, which opened in 2014, presented a whole new way to see—and hear—tigers. Walkabout Australia, debuting in 2018, brought with it the chance to see the only two platypuses outside Australia; as well

as a walk-through, open-access area inhabited by kangaroos. The Safari Park’s vision and dedication to detail did not go unnoticed, as both Tiger Trail and Walkabout Australia received the prestigious “Exhibit of the Year” award from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Even with all its accomplishments and contributions to wildlife conservation, the Safari Park—and its wildlife care experts—weren’t about to rest on their laurels. There was—and is—more to come.

Looking Ahead As the Safari Park enters its sixth decade— and beyond—we are planning for our next immersive wildlife experience, Elephant Valley. Exemplifying the Safari Park’s dedication

to connecting people to wildlife and nature, the vast, 11-acre Elephant Valley is as much a place of community as it is a habitat for the largest land mammal on Earth. Elephant Valley takes guests into the heart of the African savanna, where they will be surrounded by our family of elephants, offering the incredible opportunity to create a powerful connection that will last a lifetime. Elephant Valley is an innovative expansion of the idea of what is possible in the world of wildlife conservation.

And as a place where science and biotechnology work seamlessly with groundbreaking wildlife care, along with empathy and the desire for a world where all life thrives, the outlook for Dr. Schroeder’s “zoo of the future” couldn’t be brighter.

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Each Friday brings a new episode. Here’s a list of what you can listen to now:

LISTEN UP! Amazing Wildlife: A San Diego Zoo Podcast Is Here San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has teamed up with iHeart Media to present our new weekly podcast series, Amazing Wildlife.

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PHOTOS BY KEN BOHN/SDZWA

mazing Wildlife provides you with a behind-thescenes look inside the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, offering insights on rare species and exploring the ongoing conservation efforts to save endangered wildlife, no matter how big or small. Join us as your hosts Rick Schwartz and Ebone Monet also transport you

around the globe to highlight San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s collaborative efforts with local communities to drive positive change for the future of animals and plants. Through one-of-a-kind stories, you’ll hear what it takes to create a healthy next chapter for not only wildlife, but also for the people who share their habitats.

It’s Easy to Listen

To listen to Amazing Wildlife, download the iHeartRadio App or go to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite

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shows. And because we want you to join us in our conservation efforts, you can even participate in the podcast! If you have a question for Amazing Wildlife, you can record it and send your audio file to wildlife@iheartmedia.com for your chance to hear it on the show.

Scan now to start listening!

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Episode 1: Elephants: Who’s Leading the Herd?

Episode 2: Polar Bears: Rulers of the Arctic Episode 3: Koalas: Braving the Australian Bushfires

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Episode 4: Tigers: Exploring the Six Subspecies Episode 5: Pacific Pocket Mouse: Little Creatures, Big Impact Episode 6: Komodo Dragon: The Deadly Bite Episode 7: Gorillas: Gentle Giants Episode 8: ‘Alalā: The Disappearance of the Hawaiian Crow Episode 9: Giraffes: Hello Up There!

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Episode 10: Penguins: Tuxedo-clad Seabirds Episode 11: Leopards: Solitary, Cryptic, and Out of Sight Episode 12: Black Rhinos: Touting Their Horns Episode 13: Black-footed Ferrets: Road to Recovery Episode 14: Thick-billed Parrots: A Colorful Conservation Saga Episode 15: Naked Mole-rats: Think Pink Episode 16: Bees: Busy Pollinators

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Episode 17: Burrowing Owls: Small Wonders

PHOTO CREDIT

Episode 18: Butterflies: Nature’s Transformation Episode 19: April Fools: Masters of Deception Episode 20: African Forest Elephants: Elusive Pachyderms Stay tuned; more episodes are on the way!

Perseverance

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VISUALIZE IT

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in the Pacific

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Island ecosystems are unique—and fragile.

Wildlife face threats that include introduced species and diseases, habitat loss, and the cascading impacts of climate change.

Here are some insights into how SDZWA is rebuilding sustainable populations of critically endangered wildlife in the Pacific.

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By Donna Parham | Illustration by Amy Blandford

ÅGA

LEGEND

Mariana crow Corvus kubaryi

Extinct in the Wild Critically Endangered Endangered

Extirpated from Guam by the invasive brown tree snake and with a population of only about 130, the åga survives only on the 33-square-mile, snake-free island of Rota, in the Mariana Islands. We are helping headstart chicks before reintroducing them into the jungles of Rota, where they integrate with the rest of the population.

Status Unknown

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PALAU ORCHIDS

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Dienia volkensii | Dipodium freycinetioides Palau’s rich diversity of orchids includes more than 30 endemic species. Many are at risk of disappearing due to wildlife trafficking and habitat loss. We are collaborating to reduce the demand for wild-collected specimens by propagating the orchids locally and creating a sustainable supply.

SDZWA funded a micropropagation lab, and Zoo horticulturists traveled to Palau to help build a plant nursery and to conduct workshops on seed collection and propagation techniques.

VOKAI

Fijian iguanas Brachylophus spp.

Fijian iguanas inhabit only about 30 of Fiji’s 300 islands, and most populations are in decline. Significant genetic diversity among populations suggests there may be several species—raising questions about the appropriate conservation units for the iguanas. We support our collaborators in Fiji in educational outreach, habitat restoration, and wildlife care expertise.

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‘ALALĀ

Hawaiian crow Corvus hawaiiensis

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cabbage-on-a-stick Brighamia insignis

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Reintroducing the culturally important ‘alalā to its native habitat on the island of Hawai’i comes with challenges— such as understanding how ‘alalā co-exist with their natural predator the ‘io (Hawaiian hawk). From fewer than 20 birds in the 1990s, we have grown the population to a maximum of 143.

Future releases of ‘alalā into native forest on the island of Hawai‘i, as well as Maui Nui, are the next exciting milestones for species recovery.

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What happens when a pollinator goes extinct?

The ālula’s pollinator was the presumed-extinct Hawaiian hawkmoth; today, horticulturists must handpollinate its yellow flowers.

Botanic gardens are working together to preserve genetic diversity in the ālula by using a worldwide “metacollection” approach.

The Zoo’s Hawaiian Native Plant Garden is a safe haven for these unusual plants, which once grew on Kaua’i and Ni’ihau.

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PALILA

Loxioides bailleui

‘AKIKIKI

Oreomystis bairdi

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In our conservation breeding centers, founding individuals reared from eggs collected from wild nests are now producing their own offspring. Read more about our efforts on page 14.

The palila is the last surviving member of 16 species of finch-billed, seedeating birds in the main Hawaiian Islands. Invasive, non-native species extirpated populations on Kaua‘i and O‘ahu. In the future, we hope to bolster the only remaining population in its native habitat—high on the slopes of Mauna Kea on the island of Hawai‘i.

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IGUANA ROSADA

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The entire population of pink iguanas—less than 300 adults—lives in an area of just a few square miles, on the north slopes of the active Wolf Volcano on Isabela Island. Our conservation team will be following females into the caldera to locate and protect their nests. Headstarting hatchlings until they are old enough to defend themselves will bolster this population until feral predators can be removed. Read more about our work with these unique lizards on page 10.

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Galápagos pink iguana Conolophus marthae

Map not to scale

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EVENTS

May & June SAN DIEGO ZOO

May and June Hours San Diego Zoo* May 1–June 2

9 a.m.–6 p.m.

June 3–30

9 a.m.–8 p.m.

San Diego Zoo Safari Park* May 1–31

9 a.m.–6 p.m.

June 1–16

9 a.m.–6 p.m.

June 17–30

9 a.m.–7 p.m.

J U N E 3 –S E P T E M B E R 5

Nighttime Zoo sdzwa.org

619-231-1515

*Exceptions apply.

Please check our website daily for the latest updates on opening and closing times and requirements for visiting.

(Z) = San Diego Zoo (P) = Safari Park

Things get even wilder at the Zoo after dark! Join us, beat the heat, and celebrate summer during Nighttime Zoo at the San Diego Zoo. Come “rock and roar” this season with live music and other amazing entertainment experiences. Extend your adventure—stay with us for all of the fun and excitement that awaits! (Z) M AY 2 0 ; J U N E 1 2 , 1 7

JUNE 18

Plant Day and Orchid Odyssey

Rendezvous In The Zoo (R*I*T*Z)

On these special days, guests can take a rare look inside the Zoo’s Orchid House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., check out the Carnivorous Plant Greenhouse from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and learn about the Zoo’s botanical collection from Horticulture staff on the Botanical Bus Tour at 11 a.m. (Z)

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“Elefantastic” is the theme for this year’s black-tie gala fundraiser at the San Diego Zoo, with proceeds benefitting Elephant Valley at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Participants will enjoy dining and dancing under the stars, as well as a silent auction, encounters with wildlife,

and live entertainment.

Make reservations today at ritz.sandiegozoo.org. (Z) JUNE 21

World Giraffe Day

Join us for tall fun from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. around Urban Jungle as we celebrate the world’s tallest mammal with entertainment, wildlife care talks, giraffe conservation talks, horticulture talks, and an activity for youths. (Z) O F F E R E D DA I LY

Discovery Cart Tours

Sit back in the comfort of an expedition cart, and enjoy a 60-minute guided tour of the Zoo, led by one of our knowledgeable guides. Book online or call 619-718-3000. (Z)

SAFARI PARK T H R O U G H M AY 8

Spring Safari featuring Butterfly Jungle proudly supported by Wheelhouse Credit Union

Spring brings the perfect chance to get outdoors, spend time with family, and experience the sights, sounds, and tastes of the season! From special entertainment and culinary creations to amazing wildlife encounters like Butterfly Jungle Safari (additional ticket required), come make spring memories to last a lifetime!

For full details, visit sdzsafaripark.org. (P) M AY A N D J U N E , S E L E C T E D DAT E S

Supreme Roar & Snore Safari

OFF TO A GREAT START: By the mid-1970s, the Wild Animal Park (now called the San Diego Zoo Safari Park) was already playing a major role in connecting people with wildlife conservation.

The new Supreme Roar & Snore Safari—available on All Ages and Adults Only sleepovers—offers a whole new level of adventure at the Safari Park! You’ll soar into camp on the Flightline Safari zip line, take a Night Vision Safari to view wildlife through night vision binoculars, and later settle in for the evening in your own private tent. The next morning, enjoy reserved VIP viewing of a cheetah running at top speed, then take a Wildlife Safari through savanna habitats for an up-close view of wildlife. Call 619-718-3000. (P) O F F E R E D DA I LY

Cart Safaris

Safari Park 50th Anniversary

Did you know that 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park? Come celebrate with us as we enter our second half-century, and make memories that will last a lifetime! (P)

Sit back in the comfort of your own Safari cart, as you enjoy a 60-minute guided tour of the Safari Park’s spacious African or Asian savanna habitats, led by one of our knowledgeable guides. Book online or call 619718-3000. (P)

SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE / SDZWA.ORG / 27

Visit the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Explorers website to find out about these and other animals, plus videos, crafts, stories, games, and more! sdzwildlifeexplorers.org

Fits the Bill A bird’s beak—also called a bill—is very important. The shape and size play a role in self-defense, finding a mate, building a nest, and regulating body temperature. But perhaps the top function of a bird’s most notable facial feature is the fact that a bird’s bill determines what and how the bird eats! Here’s a look at some unique— and busy—beaks. See if you can match the bird beaks below to the food source they best fit.

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2. FRUITS OF THEIR LABOR The large, curved beak of this frugivore (fruit eater) allows the bird to pluck figs and other fruits off trees, and to hold them steady before typically swallowing them whole.

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3. GO FISH! With a narrow, long beak, it’s easy to dip beneath the water with very little noise or rippling, so that a swimming snack never suspects a thing.

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4. HERE’S THE SCOOP When hunting in shallow water, this beak is best for sweeping through the water to slurp up shrimp, crustaceans, and other small creatures.

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5. LET’S EAT MEAT! Carnivorous (meat-eating) birds use their beaks with sharp edges and a pointed hook, which together act like a fork and knife to tear up their prey.

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Answers: 1. I’iwi 2. Blyth’s hornbill 3. Collared kingfisher 4. Royal spoonbill 5. ‘Io 6. Large ground finch

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6. SHORT AND SWEET In a nutshell, a short, thick, and strong beak will help a bird crack the toughest and hardest seeds and shells.

Photos by: (Clockwise from the top left) Ken Bohn/SDZWA, RUJITOP/iStock/Getty Images Plus, Nancy Strohm/iStock /Getty Images Plus, Manakin/iStock/Getty Images Plus, Imogen Warren/iStock /Getty Images Plus, Design Pics Inc / Alamy Stock Photo

1. FLOWER POWER In order to sip from the curved petals, you need a beak that’s ship “shape.”

Native to the deserts and semi-deserts of northern Africa, the fennec fox has the largest ears, relative to body size, of any canid. Those enormous ears (four to six inches in length) not only give the little carnivore the exceptional hearing needed to locate underground prey; they also help dissipate heat. Photographed by Ken Bohn, SDZWA photographer, at the Zoo’s new Wildlife Explorers Basecamp.

LAST LOOK

SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE / SDZWA.ORG / 29

JOURNAL

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance P.O. Box 120551, San Diego, CA 92112

Wildlife Heroes Change the World.

As a Wildlife Hero, your monthly gift will rescue and protect vulnerable wildlife, care for countless animals and plants in San Diego County and around the globe, and offer hope to the world’s most extraordinary wildlife relying on us to thrive—and survive—each and every day.

Your monthly gift will make a world of difference for wildlife.

Become a Wildlife Hero today at sdzwa.org/hero.