Critically Endangered Skinks Moved to Predator-Free Reserve

November 27, 2021

Back in 2018, Auckland Zoo received 50 wild Kapitia skinks, after 40% of their habitat was destroyed by a cyclone. Not only were these animals looked after at the zoo, they also bred there, increasing the population. A predator-free new reserve was created by the New Zealand government for this species, and 42 of the temporarily zoo-housed skinks have been sent there this week. There are still juveniles and gravid females at the zoo, who will also be reintroduced in the future.

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This species is listed as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with fewer than 300 individuals left in the wild.

Texas Kangaroo Rats Born at a Zoo: a First for the Species

November 24, 2021

Three Texas kangaroo rats were born at Fort Worth Zoo - first known breeding of this species under human care! This project is a partnership with other institutions, with the aim to create an insurance population for this species and contribute to research and reintroduction efforts!

Captive-Bred Harvest Mice Reintroduced in West London

November 21, 2021

Fifty captive-bred harvest mice were reintroduced in the wild, in west London, UK. The captive breeding programme for this species is run by Battersea Park Children's Zoo and its sister site The New Forest Wildlife Park. Populations of this species have been declining in the UK, and conservation projects like this one are vital to protect the country's increasingly-threatened biodiversity.

UK's Native Crayfish Population Gets Boost with Release of Zoo-Bred Individuals

November 17, 2021

The United Kingdom's white-clawed crayfish population got a boost with the release of 64 captive-bred individuals. Bred at Bristol Zoo Gardens, these crayfish were reintroduced in safe locations, part of the South West Crayfish Partnership - a collaborative conservation initiative.

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The white-clawed crayfish is listed as "Endangered" in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, threatened by the invasive American signal crayfish, and it is the only native freshwater crayfish species in the UK.

Endangered Red-Billed Curassows Hatch at Chester Zoo

November 14, 2021

Houston Zoo's successful hatching of blue-billed curassows (see previous post) was not the only good news we are sharing today... Chester Zoo has hatched TWO red-billed curassows!

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Same genus as the blue-billed curassow (Crax), the red-billed curassow is native to Brazil, and listed as "Endangered" in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with under 200 individuals left in the wild. Chester Zoo's new hatchlings are therefore a significant boost to the captive (insurance) population of this species.