For the first time, five ‘alalā or Hawaiian crows were released into the wild, in the forests of Maui, Hawaii. The birds were bred and prepared for reintroduction at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance at Keauhou Bird Conservation Center in Volcano and Maui Bird Conservation Center in Makawao.

The species went extinct in the wild in 2002 due to habitat loss, predation and disease. Captive breeding and reintroductions are key components of the conservation strategy for the species.

An International Centre for Zoo Science has just opened at Chester Zoo, featuring Europe’s largest wildlife endocrinology lab, diagnostic tools and a biobank for threatened species. This centre has three main focus areas: Animal health and wellbeing, population sustainability, and human dimensions of conservation.

The Caldwell Zoo released twenty zoo-reared Attwater's prairie chickens into a wildlife refuge within their native range in Texas, USA. A critically endangered subspecies of the Greater prairie chicken, the Attwater's prairie chicken is threatened by habitat loss and overhunting, and the zoo has been involved in its conservation for over 20 years.

Species population data from Species360's Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) has been added to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

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Over 1,300 zoos, aquariums and other wildlife and conservation organisations contribute data to the ZIMS global database. These data can now be more easily integrated into conservation plans and actions for threatened species, substantially advancing the One Plan Approach to conservation.

Great news from Western Australia, with Perth Zoo's successful breeding of the Hairy Marron, a critically endangered crayfish species endemic to the Margaret River. Over 50 craylings were reared under the zoo's Native Species Breeding Program.

The zoo and partners have been working for two years to improve conservation breeding practices for this species, with the ultimate goal of releasing animals into their natural habitat and increase the wild population!