Zoo Logic

The Fort Worth Zoo has been focused on preserving threatened and endangered iguana species in their native ranges for many years. Recently, they announced the successful hatching of 2 endangered Grand Cayman iguanas as part of a multi-institutional cooperative effort to boost healthy and genetically diverse populations of these animals, both in human care and in restored habitats. Remarkably, fewer than 10 of these individuals remained in the wild 20 years ago. Today, thanks to the work of zoological and conservation organizations there are more than 700.

Fort Worth Zoo's conservation biologist and co-chair of the IUCN Iguana Specialist Group, Dr. Stesha Pasachnik explains some of the challenges facing larger vertebrate island species like the Grand Cayman iguana.

That Sounds Wild: gator snort

Animal Care Software

Zoo Logic

To learn more about iguana conservation:

https://www.iguanafoundation.org/

According to their press release, a new report published in recent weeks by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) calls for a broader, more integrated approach to the conservation of small cetaceans, particularly dolphins and porpoises. Many species and populations that are only found close to human activities are quickly declining due to known but unsolved problems – primarily accidental drowning in fishing gillnets. The report recommends urgent actions for several species and subspecies at risk of extinction, including Atlantic humpback dolphins, Yangtze finless porpoises, Franciscana dolphins, and Indus and Ganges river dolphins, and development of integrated conservation plans with explicit consideration of all measures and strategies that might be needed to save these and other threatened dolphin and porpoise species.

Director of Life Sciences for the Seattle Aquarium, Grant Abel, returns to describe a "seminal" 2018 workshop in Nuremberg, Germany prompted by the realization that more tools were needed to prevent further extinctions of dolphins and porpoises following the recent extinction of the Yangtze River dolphin in China and the catastrophic decline of the vaquita porpoise in Mexico. A plan had been developed to save the Yangtze river dolphin by temporarily moving animals into protected areas until the threats to their survival had been addressed. Similar actions to conserve the critically endangered vaquita were attempted. In both cases, these efforts to protect the species came too late to succeed, as there were too few animals left.

At this workshop, a scientific working group made up of conservation biologists, veterinarians, and marine mammal population experts discussed novel approaches to dolphin and porpoise conservation that are routinely used for terrestrial species. The working group consisted of experts from 14 countries.

The resulting workshop report recommends that marine mammal conservationists around the world work together and act with urgency to consider critically needed conservation measures both in wild environments within the species' geographic range (in situ) and in protected or modified environments within or outside that range (ex situ). This holistic framework for species conservation planning is known as the One Plan approach. People frequently associate the term "ex situ conservation" with captive breeding of individuals in zoos and aquariums. In reality, ex situ approaches comprise a variety of actions including safeguarding animals in protected environments such as semi-natural reserves to prevent species extinction; initiating research programs to fill gaps in our understanding of a species' biology and threats to its survival; rescue and release of stranded or otherwise incapacitated individuals; and public engagement programs to promote understanding and support of species conservation. The One Plan approach, developed by the IUCN Species Survival Commission's Conservation Planning Specialist Group, features direct involvement of many stakeholders – conservation scientists, NGO representatives, government wildlife managers, local community leaders and industry representatives – combined with science-based decision making to improve species conservation planning.

That Sounds Wild: Siamang. Wildlife World Zoo Aquarium & Safari Park

Animal Care Software

Zoo Logic

IUCN Report

American Humane's new groundbreaking documentary, Escape from Extinction, narrated by Academy Award winner Helen Mirren, showcases the critical efforts certified zoos and aquariums are undertaking to preserve millions of species on the verge of disappearing forever. As the first pro-zoo-and-aquarium documentary of its kind, the film takes viewers on a dramatic trip around the world and through time to explore the roots of the wholesale disappearance of species in our forests and oceans, described by scientists and journalists as a "Sixth Mass Extinction."

Importantly, however, the film also shows people that there is hope as animal experts, conservationists, animal scientists, veterinarians, bioethicists and others at leading zoological organizations across the globe work feverishly to pull endangered and disappearing species back from the brink. The making of this 90-minute film took many years, passion, and tens of thousands of miles of travel.

From the producers:

About American Humane

Founded in 1877, American Humane is the country's first national humane organization. For 142 years, the nonprofit has pioneered many of the humane protections we have come to take for granted and today works to save, shelter, feed, and improve the lives of some one billion animals around the world. With 91 cents of every dollar spent going directly to programs, American Humane has earned Charity Navigator's highest "Four-Star Rating," has been named a "Top-Rated Charity" with an "A" rating by both the American Institute of Philanthropy's CharityWatch and Great Nonprofits, and was awarded the gold level seal from GuideStar USA. The organization has also earned the Independent Charities Seal of Excellence, was awarded inclusion on Better Business Bureau's prestigious Wise Giving Alliance Accredited Charities list and was designated as a "Best Charity" by Consumer Reports. For more information about American Humane's lifesaving work, please visit www.AmericanHumane.org.

About MRB Productions

MRB Productions brings inventive stories and inspired imagery to media platforms around the world. Whether producing a commercial, a feature film, television, digital, live sports or an award show, MRB evolves to embrace a project's specific needs. We are passionate about what we do and committed to being exceptional. MRB's most recent feature, All I Wish, with Sharon Stone, Tony Goldwyn & Ellen Burstyn, is currently streaming. Our documentary, Back to Life, premiered on ABC and is currently on Amazon Prime. MRB's latest films, all festival darlings, are available on streaming platforms. These include The Night Stalker with Lou Diamond Phillips, The Truth About Emanuel with Jessica Biel, & Grassroots with Jason Biggs. In Television, MRB has a decade of experience producing the pre-taped segments and VIP program for ESPN's ESPY Awards, in addition to producing the Hero Dog Awards for the Hallmark Channel. Additional TV projects include two seasons of the mockumentary comedy show Free Radio on VH1 and Comedy Central and the Webby award-winning series, The Confession, starring Kiefer Sutherland. MRB is also known for sports programming for the Longhorn Network. MRB's commercial repertoire includes a longstanding relationship with Mattel and collaborations with Periera & O'Dell, Saatchi & Saatchi, and Publicis, for clients such as McDonald's, Pepsi, Mattel, Lay's, Foot Locker, Samsung, Nerf, NHL, Smirnoff, Wal-Mart, and University of Phoenix. In the video game space, MRB partners with Ubisoft to produce the Just Dance Kids series. For more information, please visit www.mrbproductions.com.

That Sounds Wild: African Pied crow (sort of)

Animal care Software

ZOOmility

Zoo Logic

The San Diego Zoo Global's Institute for Conservation Research maintains what is called the frozen zoo. For decades, carefully collected and prepared cell samples from over 1000 species, many of them listed as threatened or endangered and nearing extinction, have been stored almost indefinitely in ultra cold freezers. Recently, the frozen zoo played an instrumental role in the successful cloning of an endangered Przewalski's Horse by providing the genetic material from a long deceased yet underrepresented stallion.

SDZG's Dr. Oliver Ryder has spent his career working to preserve the Przewalski's Horse and many other species through scientifically managed breeding programs and husbandry in human care. However, when the number of individuals in a rare population is very small the natural loss of genetic diversity can't be met or prevented by managed breeding methods alone. Thus, Dr. Oliver describes how increasing the number of species and individuals from which cells are collected and stored would provide future generations with the option of whether and to what extent assisted reproductive techniques should be used to increase species biodiversity.

That Sounds Wild: African elephant

Animal Care Software

Zoo Logic

ZOOmility

Recently, historic news of the successful birth of an endangered Przewalski's Horse foal conceived through cloning technology was announced. Remarkably, the nuclear material used for the purpose of expanding the genetic diversity of this managed species was from a genetically underrepresented stallion that has been deceased for many years. The stallion's DNA had been preserved at what is colloquially called the Frozen Zoo located at the San Diego Zoo Global's Institute for Conservation Research. Ryan Phelan, co-founder of Revive & Restore and lead scientist Ben Novak discuss the use and future promise of technology to increase biodiversity of vulnerable populations in what they deem "genetic rescue."

That Sounds Wild: African Crested Porcupine tail

Animal Care Software

Zoo Logic Page

ZOOmility

Long time journalist for the popular environmental news website Mongabay.com, Jeremy Hance has a new book entitled, Baggage: Confessions of a Globe Trotting Hypochondriac. In it, he openly and sometimes humorously describes his own struggles with mental illness including anxiety and depression as a child and how his later in life diagnosis of OCD affected and informed his work as a world traveling environmental journalist. Despite the challenges and opportunities his condition presents, Jeremy relishes his time interviewing field researchers in some of the most remote and biodiverse locations in the world.

That Sounds Wild: Asian Elephants.

Animal Care Software

Zoo Logic Podcast

Dr. Isabella Clegg is an ethologist researching animal welfare, particularly in cetaceans, and developing species assessments in zoological settings. David Kleven is a zoo animal professional and founder of Animal Care Software. Together, they developed a new animal welfare assessment software module that caregivers can use other mobile devices in the field and in real time. The goal is to have customized data collection and analysis to better understand the welfare needs of animals at the species and individual levels. Dr. Clegg also gives a quick update on two beluga whales transferred from China to an ocean sea pen in Iceland last year.

That Sounds Wild: Swamp wallaby joey. Frank Buck Zoo

Animal care Software

Zoo Logic

Researchers at UC Davis published a paper recently describing through computational methods the relative risk of COVID-19 infection to over 400 species examined. Nearly half of the species studied are listed as threatened or endangered. Some of the animals found to be most at risk were not too surprising, such as endangered Old World apes. Still others, particularly reptiles and birds, represent a lower risk. Our guests, Dr. Yvonne Nadler from the USDA funded ZAHP Fusion Center and Dr. Dominic Travis, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine discuss how this research will help the zoological and veterinary health community set conservation and husbandry priorities and funding for developing best practices to safeguard the most vulnerable species both in human care and in the wild, as well as humans.

That Sounds Wild: African Lion Cub

COVID-19 hub for information on nonhuman primates

Animal Care Software

Zoo Logic FB page

For information on our training workshops, consulting and book ZOOmility

It's part two of our conversation about the future with zoo and aquarium thought leaders from the Denver Zoo, Indianapolis Zoo, Dolphin Discovery, and Karen Pryor Clicker Training. Coinciding with the news that at least 1 major aquarium has decided to close public operations temporarily to reassess its business model in a COVID-19 reality, our panel looks at revenue streams and the need for greater creativity going forward. They also stress the need for organizations to put trade association differences aside and work together, lest all facilities (and as a result, possibly animal welfare) suffer during these troubling public health, travel industry, and economic times.

That Sounds Wild: Lory parrots. Wildlife World

Animal Care Software

Zoo Logic

Indianapolis Zoo

Denver Zoo

The Dolphin Company

Karen Pryor Clicker Training

Following our conversation with futurist Bob Johansen last week, we assembled a panel of zoo and aquarium thought leaders with diverse backgrounds, interests and organizations, to get their views on what the future may hold for zoological facilities and professionals. Topics include: sharing how they adapted their guest experience, infrastructure, and staffing roles to address the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic upon reopening; the re-focus on smaller, personal interactions among animals, staff, and guests versus large audience events and attractions; and the implications for budgets and revenues now and forever.

Denver Zoo

Indianapolis Zoo

The Dolphin Company (Dolphin Discovery)

Karen Pryor Clicker Training

That Sounds Wild: Smooth-sided toad. Kemah Aquarium.

Animal Care Software

KONG ZOO