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DANGERED Many People Think of Zoos and Aquariums Merely As Places Where Wildlife Is Held for Public Enjoyment

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DANGERED Many People Think of Zoos and Aquariums Merely As Places Where Wildlife Is Held for Public Enjoyment U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service DANGERED Many people think of zoos and aquariums merely as places where wildlife is held for public enjoyment. Today's responsible zoos and aquariums, however, have BULLETIN been transformed from the menageries of ancient times May/June 1999 Vol. XXIV No. 3 to refugia or ^drks"for im- periled species. That transfor- L* mation contiinies as more institutions evolve into cen- ters for conservation, re- search, and education. An- other change has been the greater attention given to the amazing variety of wildlife native to North America. These species are not neces- sarily charismatic and do not always draw crowds, and in many cases the work of recov- ery goes on behind the scenes. Wis edition of the Bulletin /bc7/5(?5 not only on lesser known species but also on some of the zoos and aquariums whose efforts deserve to be known better WASHINGTON D.C. OFFICE Washington, n.c. 20240 Jamie Rappaport :iark. Direclor c Nancy Gloman, (.'hicf. Division of HncUmnered Spccies (70.^)358-2171 C"iar>' Frazer, AssisU{nl Directorfor Ecolotiicul Serrices Martin Miller, Aclitii> lk'/>iity Chief. Division of ISndtnigered Species (703)358-217! Kathi Bangert. Chief. liranch oflnformciiion Minictgement (703)358-2390 Jo\" Nicholopoiilos, Chief Branch ofConserviUioti & Classificaiiun (703)358-2105 Charlie Scott, (.'hief. llr/iiich of Recovery & Delisting (703)358-21(X) Rick Sayens, Chief liranch of Consiiltciiion & HCl's (70.^)3 58-2 IOC) REGION ONE Hustside Federal Comple.x. 911 X.E. 11th Are. Portland OR 97232 California. Hinvaii. Idaho. .\'evada. Oregon. Anne Baclgley, Regional Director (503)231-61J 8 Washington. American Samoet. Commomrealth http://\v\v\v.rl.t\v,s.g(n- of the Sortbern Mariatia Islands, (inani and the Pacific I'riisi I'erritories REGION TWO P.O. Bo.x I.i06. Alhu(/iienjue. \M 87103 Arizona. New Mexico. Oklahoma. and'I'e.xas Nancy Kaiifman, Regional Director (505)248-(>282 http://ifw2irm2.irni 1 .ri.l'ws.gov/ REGION THREE l-eileral lildg.. Fl. Snellitig. Tiviii Ciiies ,l/,V 55111 llli)iois. Indictna. lotva. .Michigan. William Hartw ig. Regional Director ((U2)715-5.W1 Minnesota. .Missouri. Ohio, and W'lsconsiti http://\vww. I'ws .g( k/r.-^pao/ REGION FOUR 1875 Cetitniy Blvd.. Snile200. Atlanta. OA 30.i45 Alahanut. Arkansas. Louisiana. Ceorgia. Kentucky. Sam Hamilton, Regional Director (404)679-7086 .Mi.ssi.ssippi. .\orlh Carolina. .South Carolina. Florida, hllp://w\\\\',l\v,s.go\'/r4ea() Tettnessee. Puerto Rico, and the \'irgin Islands REGION FIVE .^OO Westgate Center Drive, ffadley. MA 01035 Conuecticui. Delaivare. Maine. .Maiyland. Ronald H. Lanibert.son, Regional Director (413)25.^-8.V)0 .Ma.'i.'^achusetts. \eu- Hampshire. http://\\w\\-.fws.go\'/rSf\\s \etv Jersey. .\eiv York. Peitnsylvatiia. Rhode Island. \'ermonl. Mrginia. and West \'irgiuia REGION SIX P.O. Bo.x 25486. Denver Federal Center. Denver CO 80225 Colorado. Kansas. Moniaua. Sebraska. Xorth Ralph (). .Morgenweck, Regional Director (303)2.^6-7920 Dakota. South Dakota. I tab. and Wyoming http://\\'WW.r6.rv\N.gov/ REGION SEVEN lOl l F. FudorRd.. Anchorage. AK 99503 Alaska Dave Allen. Regional Director (907)786-3542 t p ://w\vw. r7. fw.s .g< )v/ IN THIS ISSUE DANGERED 4 Partners for Species Recovery ^ On the Side of Life 6 The Tarantula's Tiny Cousin BULLETIN •/ I'/epboiw: ( 70.VJ 5<S'-2J 90 (.'oiitril>iitors laniic Rappaport Clark 8 Recovery of the Puerto Rican liileyiiel: Dr. Sytlncy Biiller R9F\\ i:_DIiS. HSlKofu •.•;.}>( II' l)a\ id I lodge Crested Toad hllp://iiir/i\/irs.gi)i/r9eiitlspp/i'iuls/>ji.hti)i/ liohjohnson Michael Aniaral Hclilor Ming l.ee N. I'rospero Mifhael Bender Bern \\ . I rs on Peterj. lolson 10 One Zoo, Two Islands, and a Beetle Associate lidHar Mitehell L. Magdich Manila Balis-Larsen Terry Seitlel Gary A. ilaase An Director Budtly Fazio Paul I).Johnson l)a\icl Yeargin 12 Bog Turtles, Southern Style Robert S. Butler Brint Speneer Kim 1 )iekerson Ann I laas Mike Denilong 14 Return of a Native l.aRee Brosseau Lisa Arroyo 16 Conserving a Treasure of Diversity On the Cover The American bur\ ing beetle, a highly endangered insect, is being bred by the 18 The Wyoming Toad SSP R( )ger Williams Park Z( )o for reinlrodiiction onto Nantucket Lsland. Photo © M Gillis 20 Pesticides and the Wyoming Toad 22 Beyond Captive Propagation The liiiilaiifierecl Sl>ecies Jltilletiii iivlcoiiies iiiaiiiiscnpts on it ivide rattle of topics related to endaufiered species. IVc are particularly iitlerested in iietis about recoiery. baljilal coiiseria- t ion plans, and coojieratiie rent u res. /ieasecontact the Jiditor he/ore prej>arini> a manitscript. \Vi' cannot t>iiaranteepublication. Departments The Fish and Wildlife Sen-ice distributes the Iliilletin primarily to Federal and State agencies, and official contacts o/the Fndangered Sjiecies Program. It also is reprinted by the I'nifersity 25 Regional News and of .Michigan aspart of iisotrn publication, the Fndangered Species IP! )ATF. 7'o subscribe, ivrite Recovery Updates the Fndangered SjK'cies I PDATF.. School of .\atnral Kesonrces. I'nirersity of .Michigan. Ann Arbor. .\!148109-1115: or call (7.i4j 7(>.i-.iJli. 26 Listing Actions 27 On the Web Printed ivith tvgetable-based ink on recycled and recyclable paper. Ifyoti ilo not keep W jw back i.-isiies. please recycle the paper, pass them along to att interested pen-ioti. or 28 donate them to a local school or library. Box Score Partners for Species by janiie Rappaport Clark Recovery 'itli this issue of tiie Hndangered such admired c|ualities as strength, Specics Bulletin. I am reminded of the bravery, and speed. The effort to help editorial, reprinted on the opposing people Linderstand that toads, freshwa- page, that was written by the American ter clams, insects, and other animals and Zoo and Aquarium Association's plants are also worthy of saving is at Executi\e Director, Syd Ikitler Ihs times a daunting task. reflections on last year's anniversary of But then I think about a species stich the Kndangered Species Act and the as the Wyoming toad, and the many fnture of the Wyoming toad (Bufo friends of this amphibian who are lu'iiiiophrys haxich) speaks quite helping to save it. I take encouragement directly to the focus of this edition of from the knowledge that zoos and the Bulletin. ac|uariLims are undertaking similar The American Zoo and Aquarium efforts all across this nation for ail types .Association and its nearly 200 member of endangered species. As this issue of institutions ha\ e been partners in the the Bulletin will share with you, zoos Jamie Rappaport Clark, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conseivation and reco\ ery of endan- and aciuariums are not just about so- USFWS photo gered species with the fish and Wildlife called • charismatic" animals, nor are .Sen ice for a long time. Some of those they only about creatures from distant partnerships ha\ e been extraordinarily exotic lands. critical. They prcn ided the crticial Zoos and ac]uariums are also on the opportunity to turn species such as the cutting edge in fields such as conserva- California condor (Gynin()f>jp^ tion education. Through state-of-the-art ailifoniiaiiu.s). red wolf fCaiiis mfus). exhibits, hands-on encounters, distance and black-footed ferret (Musteki learning, school programs, and other ui^hpes) from almost certain extinction innovative means, the people who toward recovery. Though these efforts make up this community share their deserve our highest praise and appre- love, enthusiasm, and curiosity about ciation. they are, as Syd points out, only life on this planet with millions of us part of the story. The whole story every year. I extend my thanks and includes the efforts to sa\ e dozens and appreciation to the directors, profes- dozens of smaller, less \\ ell known sional .staff, technicians, volunteers, and species that ha\'e become imperiled by friends of our Nation's zoos and human activities. aquariums in their efforts to breed The choice of the Wyoming toad for endangered sjiecies, conduct research, the cover of the AZA's March f99H issue and rekindle our fascination with the of Coininuniciiie pleased me as well. natural world. When I look at the list of more than 1.100 species of plants and animals Jamie Rappaport Clark is the Direclar protected by the lindangerecl Species of the r.,V. Fi.'ih and Wildlife Service. Act. it is easy to pick out the "popular" species, the ones that mo.st people know, feathered or furred, they are the stars of many nature documentaries and magazine covers. The\' often .symbolize 4 END.WOERKI) SPKCIKS HI I.U: i l\ MAV.JI'NE IW> VOU'MK XXIV NO. On the Side of Life Last year, the Endangered Species Act megavertebrate, but I don't take up celebrated its 25th anniversary. Many of much space in the least populated state its advocates, including the American in the U.S. If I am disposable here, what Zoo and Aquarium Association, took are the prospects for tigers in India, a time to celebrate that event and to country with a billion people? In fact, reflect on the law's past and future. In what chance do any creatures have, March 1998. the following piece was including yourselves, in a world soon to published in the AZA 's publication have 8 billion people?" Communique by its executive director. just about now 1 .start getting discour- Dr. Sydney Butler. We have reprinted it aged. A hundred Wyoming toads left in here because it speaks to the AZA's the least populated state? Three thou- commitment for conserving not Just the sand tigers left in a country with a foreign or e.xotic species of greatest billion people? A world filled with 8.2 popularity but to the work, for species in billion humans by 2().-^()? Just what and our own "backyard." who is really endangered here? Toads? Dr.
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