Posts Tagged ‘Endangered’

Jun
07

The Houston Zoo is Seeking Ways to Save Animals in Madagascar

Posted by in Africa,community-based conservation,Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Staff assisting wildlife protection in the wild,Travel

The Houston Zoo’s conservation purpose is to further the Houston Zoo’s mission of “fostering appreciation, knowledge, and care for the natural world” by connecting the public to our efforts to save species in the wild.  Through our wildlife conservation projects and partnerships, which work to conserve the wild counterparts of our ambassador animals at the Zoo, we will inspire all people to respect value and conserve wildlife and wild places.

We have many animals from the weird and wonderful island of Madagascar in Africa.  If you have visited the Zoo in the past few months you may have had the pleasure of watching our baby sifaka and ring-tailed lemurs grow and mature.  And, guests always enjoy the antics of our fascinating fossa and are dazzled by our beautiful Madagascar love birds.  You may have also heard that the Houston Zoo was the first zoo in history to have Madagascar big-headed turtle babies two years ago.     The Houston Zoo has a deep appreciation and admiration for Madagascar and we want to do everything we can to save the species that live there.

Jonah Ratsimbazafy at the Houston Zoo

Last year, The Houston Zoo invited lemur biologist/conservationist, Jonah Ratsimbazafy to be a part of our Wildlife Speaker Series.  Jonah was born and raised in Madagascar and has dedicated his life to wildlife conservation.  Our Zoo community got to see his commitment to saving all Madagascar wildlife from extinction.  This June, Houston Zoo conservation  staff will be visiting Jonah in Madagascar to seek ways we can most effectively assist his conservation efforts.  We will do our best to bring you along on this expedition by attempting to keep you informed and updated as frequently as Africa’s internet connection allows.

Did you know that every time you purchase a ticket to come to the Zoo you help animals in the wild?  A portion of your admission ticket goes to efforts to save animals from extinction.  The Houston Zoo deeply cares for the animals we house on Zoo grounds and seeks to support and participate in the best conservation efforts to save them in the wild. We currently support over 20 conservation projects in over 10 different countries.  Our Zoo’s conservation department serves the Zoo by selecting, monitoring and evaluating each program to guarantee the effectiveness and long-term success. To learn more about and help us with our conservation efforts, please visit our website. To keep up-to-date on wildlife conservation in the field, make sure to follow our Houston Zoo blogs and Facebook pages!

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Jun
03

Backstage Passes to Yellowstone Wildlife on the Houston Zoo Yellowstone Trip

Posted by in Birds,Carnivores,Conservation,Field Research,Travel

Did you know you can come with the Houston Zoo into the wild?  Last week the Houston Zoo Spring Yellowstone travelers had the adventure of a lifetime in Yellowstone!  The Houston Zoo partners with Wildlife Expeditions Teton Science School to provide the best possible wildlife focused experience in Yellowstone.

Wildlife Expeditions biologists escort us to wildlife veiwing opportunities that feel so special it is like we are priviledged backstage pass holders for the rock star wildlife of Yellowstone.

All of the beautiful photos in this post were taken by Keith Kilson, a traveler who captured these beautiful shots on last week’s Houston Zoo Yellowstone trip.  And, here are a few highlights from another Houston Zoo traveler about last week’s trip:

  • Seeing the two large grizzly bears helping themselves to the carcass of an animal with the wolf standing in between them, waiting for his turn to eat!
  • Climbing up the van’s hatch roof to watch Grizzly Bear “Scarface” cross the road in front of our vans completely indifferent to our presence, yet majestic in his movements
  • Seeing the bears (grizzly and black) with the cubs
  • Seeing the mother bison wandering around in search for her calf (probably killed by a wolf or a bear)
  • Seeing Grand Teton (the highest peak of the Tetons) with the Snake River running in front of it (on our final trip back to Jackson Hole)
  • Listening to Wolf Biologist, Rick McIntyre talk about the wolves of Yellowstone

If you love wildlife and have an adventurous heart join the Houston Zoo for our next Yellowstone adventure September 7-11.  Click here for more information on traveling with the Zoo and how to reserve your spot.

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May
30

The Houston Zoo’s Attwater’s Prairie Chickens are getting ready to go back to the wild!

Posted by in Attwater's Prairie Chicken,Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Sending animals back to the wild,Series,Texas

We still have Attwater’s prairie chicken eggs in incubators here at the Zoo, but the oldest chicks are now 45 days old.   Because these birds are being reintroduced into the wild our staff is focused on encouraging as much natural behavior as possible to prepare them for prairie life.

  

The oldest chicks are now getting more vegetation in their diet, so that they recognize their wild diet.    And, their outdoor enclosures are filled with branches and bushes to encourage their instinct to hide and protect themselves from predators that threaten their survival in the wild.    

We will start reintroducing Attwater’s prairie chickens in June and July.  In the meantime, we will keep everyone posted on their development here at the Zoo, so stay tuned!

If you are interested in helping us save this species from extinction click here.

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May
27

6 sea turtles in the Houston Zoo vet clinic on Memorial Day

Posted by in Conservation,Endangered Species,Sea Turtles,Sending animals back to the wild,Series,Texas

Kemps Ridley with hook in its mouth

Six sea turtles were brought in to the Houston Zoo vet clinic this afternoon for examinations.   There were 4 Kemp’s ridleys, 1 green and 1 loggerhead sea turtle.  All of them had been injured or stranded on the Texas coast, and were in need of veterinary treatment.

Hook removed from the throat of this sea turtle

Two of the Kemp’s ridleys had swallowed hooks, and the vet staff was able to retrieve and extract the fishing hooks from inside the throat and mouth of the turtles.

 

Sea turtle with fishing hook in its throat.

 

After treatment all of the sea turtles were taken to the NOAA Sea Turtle Barn in Galveston to recover.

Same turtle as above with hook removed!

If you want to learn more about how the Houston Zoo is protecting sea turtles in the wild and how you can help, click here.  Stay tuned for more sea turtle rescues at the Houston Zoo!

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May
27

Houston Toad Release Success!

Posted by in amphibians,Conservation,Endangered Species,Featured,Field Research,Sending animals back to the wild,Texas

Houston toad egg strands

Last week, we transferred 6 total egg strands (~20,000 eggs) to our collaborators at Texas State. We had the opportunity to assist a TSU graduate student in placing the eggs inside protective wire cages in an area outside Bastrop State Park. We were able to check on the eggs transferred the previous week and found very large Houston toad tadpoles, indicating that our first round of released eggs had survived. 

There were also three toadlets that would be the appropriate age to be the offspring of the first set of adult toads that were released from our facility (and subsequently laid eggs) at the same pond back in March.  

In summary this spring we have released:

139 adult Bastrop county toads

631 adult Leon county toads

~36,000 Bastrop county toad eggs

For more on this fabulous program and how you can help the Houston toad click here .

 Check back for more about how the Houston Zoo is helping to save animals in the wild!

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May
15

The Houston Zoo is releasing more toads!

Posted by in amphibians,Conservation,Endangered Species,Sending animals back to the wild,Series,Texas

The Houston Zoo has released over 20,000 Houston toads into the wild since we began our reintroduction program in 2007.   We are determined to protect the Houston Toad from extinction!

Four Houston toad egg strands (~12,000+ eggs) that were produced here at the Houston Zoo were released by Texas State this week.

 

Houston toad egg strands

Three of the strands are going to a private landowner and one strand will be headed to the state park. Each egg strand is being placed into a special wire cage to protect the eggs from predation.

Check back for more on how the Houston Zoo helps save animals in the wild! 

For more about this program and to find out how you can help click here .

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May
08

Attwater’s prairie chickens are increasing in numbers at the Houston Zoo

Posted by in Attwater's Prairie Chicken,Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Sending animals back to the wild,Series,Texas

Houston Zoo incubators full of Attwater’s prairie chicken eggs

The incubators at the Houston Zoo are full of Attwater’s prairie chicken eggs collected and carefully transported from our facility at the Johnson Space Center. 

The chick nursery is full of peeping Attwater’s chicks!  The first group of the oldest chicks are already old enough to move to their outside accommodations.  They are growing up before our eyes!

 In a few months time all of these chicks will be out in the wild again!

Stay tuned for more on how the Houston Zoo is saving animals in the wild!

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May
08

Hundreds of Houston Zoo Houston toads go back to the wild

Posted by in amphibians,community-based conservation,Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Sending animals back to the wild,Series,Texas

Toads on their way to the wild!

We have great news to share with you from the Houston toad program! Last month we successfully transferred 634 adult toads to our collaborators at Texas State University. Texas State kept the toads in a large, outdoor holding area for a few days to re-acclimate to natural conditions, then over the course of a week, they were released at a pond at Bastrop State Park.

Hooray! We are in the wild! We will save our species!

We are at the tail-end of Houston toad breeding season, so hopefully these individuals will have an opportunity to “do their thing” at the pond!

Stay tuned for more updates on our efforts to save local species from extinction!

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May
02

5 sea turtles in the Houston Zoo vet clinic for treatment this week!

Posted by in community-based conservation,Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Sea Turtles,Sending animals back to the wild,Series,Texas,Travel

Tuesday morning 1 Green and 4 Kemp’s ridley sea turtles were brought into the Houston Zoo’s vet clinic this week.  The 4 Kemp’s ridley sea turtles were found stranded on the Texas coast and brought in to have physical examinations by our clinic staff. 

This was the second visit for the one Green sea turtle.  He was found in a fresh water pond last year and has been rehabilitating at NOAA’s  Sea Turtle barn in Galveston.  All the turtles were returned to the Sea Turtle Barn in Galveston after their check ups and will be released into the wild when they have fully recovered.

If you would like to help us save sea turtles click here.

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Apr
26

A penny saved is a penny earned to save lions!

Posted by in Africa,community-based conservation,Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Texas,Travel

If you’ve ever had any doubts about the old saying that a penny saved is a penny earned, spend just a few minutes with Lamar Consolidated ISD kindergarten teacher Sharon Baldwin.  The Velasquez Elementary school teacher and her kindergarten class know all about the power of spare change.

On Wednesday, April 17 Ms. Baldwin and her dedicated kindergarten students visited the Houston Zoo to present a check for $1,000 dollars to the Houston Zoo’s Conservation Department, the school’s latest contribution to Cash for Cats, a big cat conservation project. 

 “This year, Velazquez Elementary School students were asked to bring in spare change over a two week period,” said Baldwin.  “My kindergarten class raised the most for this year’s Cash for Cats project and was invited by the Zoo to enjoy a VIP Lion Fun Day celebration,” she added.

 

 

 

The winning Velasquez Elementary School kindergarten students’ got to experience Lion Fun Day crafts and games modeled after Lion Fun Day activities for children in Mozambique.

 

 

 

The kids enjoyed participating in a ‘mango-in-a-spoon’(in Houston we had to use a Cutie orange) race.   The kids in Mozambique were overjoyed with the gift of the spoon for completing the race.  The kids in Houston had no interest in another spoon, but enjoyed the other prizes we provided.

 

 

 

 

The kids in both countries loved making and keeping the beaded necklaces they created!

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

And, the kids from both countries love to be creative and get messy finger painting  murals!

The Childern in Mozambique occational glimse lions in the wild, but the Velasquez Elementary School kindergarten students’ got a special experience that is not avaiable to the childern in Mozambique.   They got to gather at the Zoo’s Lion Training Window for a fun and educational Meet the Keeper Talk with lion keepers and a ‘meet and greet’ with the Zoo’s 4 African lions.

Created by Velazquez Elementary School music teacher Donna Fletcher, Cash for Cats has raised $6,000 dollars for the conservation of wild cats. Over the last two years, proceeds from the fund raiser have benefited the Niassa Lion Project. 

The Niassa Lion Project serves to secure and conserve lions and other large carnivores in the Niassa National Reserve in northern Mozambique by promoting the coexistence between carnivores and people and directly mitigating threats.  For more information about the Houston Zoo’s Lion Conservation Campaign and how you can help save lions in the wild, visit the Zoo online at http://www.houstonzoo.org/lionssp/.

By Brian Hill, Houston Zoo’s Director of Public Affairs

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