Wildcare Institute
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WildCare Institute Saint Louis Zoo Many Centers, One Goal. The WildCare Institute is dedicated to creating a sustainable future for wildlife and for people around the world. WildCare Institute A Remarkable Journey From an Urban Park, Down the Stream, Around the World ...................... 6 The Story Behind the Saint Louis Zoo’s WildCare Institute ........................................................ 8 Some of the Institute’s Top Achievements ................................................................................ 11 Center for American Burying Beetle Conservation ..................................................................... 16 Center for Avian Health in the Galápagos Islands ...................................................................... 18 Center for Cheetah Conservation in Africa ................................................................................. 20 Center for Conservation in Forest Park ...................................................................................... 22 Ron Goellner Center for Hellbender Conservation ..................................................................... 24 Center for Conservation in the Horn of Africa ............................................................................ 26 Center for Conservation of the Horned Guan (Pavon) in Mexico ................................................. 28 Center for Conservation of the Humboldt Penguin in Punta San Juan, Peru ................................ 30 Center for Conservation in Madagascar .................................................................................... 32 Center for Native Pollinator Conservation.................................................................................. 34 Saharan Wildlife Recovery Center ............................................................................................. 36 Center for Conservation in Western Asia ................................................................................... 38 Organizations Supported by the WildCare Institute .................................................................. 40 Partners ................................................................................................................................... 44 Honor Roll ................................................................................................................................ 45 You Can Help ............................................................................................................................ 50 A Remarkable Journey From an Urban Park, Down the Stream, Around the World The Saint Louis Zoo has been By extending our reach beyond Knowledge Transfer Helps involved in saving endangered the Zoo’s fence to places like Animals in the Wild species and their habitats around the forests of Madagascar, the The WildCare Institute also the world for decades and with foothills of Armenia, the vast relies on the expertise of its much success. For example, tracts of the Sahara desert or the Zoo veterinarians, researchers, we have hatched and reared streams of Missouri, the WildCare scientists and animal division over 46 endangered Institute ensures that our work at curators, managers and Micronesian kingfishers since home is intimately connected to keepers: By studying the 1986. Since 1974, 38 cheetah conservation in the wild. health, reproduction, nutrition cubs have been born at our Zoo. We also understand that the and behavior of Zoo animals, Leading the creation of the WildCare Institute, In 2000, we performed the first very future of many of the our scientists can better help Jeffrey P. Bonner, Ph.D, is Dana Brown successful artificial insemination animals both in our care and the animals in the care of our President and CEO of the Saint Louis Zoo. of a piping guan, and in 2004 we in the world can only be conservation centers, where we In April 2002, Dr. Bonner was appointed to sent 13,000 Puerto Rican crested guaranteed through dedicated study range size, seasonal activity the top position at the Zoo, and in 2009, toad tadpoles back to their native research and conservation, and patterns, habitat preferences and his position was endowed by the Dana homeland to ponds that were through collaboration with a demography. With our partners, Brown Charitable Trust. He is past chairman specifically constructed for range of institutions. we also conduct censuses of their recovery. animal populations, investigate of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums In fact, a hallmark of our the causes of a decline of and has recently chaired the Amphibian Ark, However, it was with the 2004 WildCare Institute is our desire a species within its range the International Species Information System, establishment of the Zoo’s to work with others in places and initiate long-term and the Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group. WildCare Institute that we began where animals are threatened protection plans. He has served on the board of the World to devote our efforts to specific by shrinking habitats, poaching Association of Zoos and Aquariums and conservation programs globally and disease. Our conservation This report offers many success currently serves on several boards including and in our own backyard. teams include recognized experts stories that give us hope for the the Conservation Breeding Specialist The WildCare Institute takes a from a range of organizations. future, but we realize science Group. Dr. Bonner received his Ph.D. from holistic—but focused–approach Over the past 10 years, more alone cannot save a species. Columbia University in New York City and is to troubled ecosystems. than 180 zoos, universities, That’s why we work shoulder-to- a Burgess Fellow, Traveling Fellow, Fulbright Rather than try to do too much governmental and non- shoulder with local people to help Scholar, President’s Fellow and a recipient in too many places, we are governmental organizations promote a spirit of cooperation of the National Research Service Award. Dr. more deeply involved in a dozen have been our partners. and self-sufficiency. We realize Bonner is the author of numerous articles and critical initiatives. that conservation is also about books, including “Sailing with Noah, Stories improving their lives so that they from the World of Zoos.” see the benefits of sustainable come and go, but today, almost That’s our mission. We all must practices. We work to identify half of all amphibian species do everything we can to preserve solutions that meet their needs are themselves threatened with life on Earth. It is our sacred to feed themselves and their extinction. Addressing this crisis obligation to ourselves, families in ways that still leave represents the greatest species to one another, to our children room for wildlife. These involve conservation challenge in the and their children. professional and technological history of humanity. But they are Thank you for your interest in training, educational workshops, not alone. The International Union the WildCare Institute and in and professional development for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) the future of saving wildlife and opportunities. Culturally sensitive recently released its Red List wild places. programs that offer opportunities of the world’s most threatened for improvement encourage those plants and animals. They range who live daily with wildlife to from macaques to water buffaloes become engaged in conservation. with habitats stretching from Madagascar to Spain to Canada. According to IUCN, of 63,837 Only Together species assessed, 19,817 are Can We Save Animals threatened with extinction, Dr. Eric Miller, DVM, is Senior Vice President The Institute’s accomplishments including 41 percent of all Sincerely, and Director of Zoological Operations at the highlighted in this report are only amphibians, 33 percent of reef Jeffrey P. Bonner, Ph.D. Saint Louis Zoo. He is also Director of the the most important of many. In building corals, 25 percent of Dana Brown President & CEO Zoo’s WildCare Institute and current chair 2012 alone, we announced some mammals, 13 percent of birds, of the Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group. major milestones—from the first and 30 percent of conifers. Dr. Miller earned his undergraduate and reintroduction of an endangered veterinary degrees from Ohio State University species in the state of Missouri This report shows you what we and in 1981 came to the Saint Louis Zoo, to approval for the creation of a are doing. What you can do to where he worked on his residency through nature reserve in Niger that will be help is to offer support for our a joint Zoo and University of Missouri- the largest in Africa. WildCare Institute and other Columbia program. He has served as conservation organizations so President of American College of Zoological However, while all this sounds that together we can make a Saint Louis Zoo encouraging, we continue to lose Medicine (ACZM), and the American difference. It really isn’t up to zoos Eric Miller, DVM, Dipl, ACAM, the battle as humans destroy wild Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV), or conservation organizations Director, WildCare Institute populations and their habitats and in 2003, received their Dolensek Award alone to preserve the wealth of Senior Vice President, at an ever increasing rate. Take for “exceptional contributions to animals on our Earth. It’s up to Director of Zoological Operations amphibians alone—they play the conservation, care and understanding of all of us. The cumulative effect of Saint Louis Zoo an important