At the Zoo
Low-cost Health Screening for Amphibians in Zoo Collections
Wildlife Disease Laboratories at the San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research are pleased to be able to offer low-cost testing for the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Ranaviruses in zoo collections.
Local Conservation Science Education Reaches Beyond Lab
Our Conservation Education Program seeks to inspire community members to value and conserve biodiversity by enhancing basic scientific literacy.
Is She or Isn’t She? Early Pregnancy Detection in Endangered Mammals
Hot topic: Thermography as a non-invasive imaging detection for pregnancy.
Innovative Reproductive Technologies Aid Conservation
We are working to identify proteins either expressed or stimulated by the embryo which may be utilized to diagnose early pregnancy and can be detected in the maternal serum or urine.
Toxic Reproductive Shock
Chemicals that disrupt endocrine function (EDC’s) can severely impact wildlife reproduction, development and metabolism.
Listening for Clues in Sensory Ecology
Developing new techniques to examine animal vocalizations, we can obtain a better understanding of how animals perceive their surroundings and one another.
Infectious Disease Control and Bioresource Banking for Amphibians.
Implementing a multi-prong approach to battling the unprecedented extinction rate of amphibians around the world.
Conquering Virus Transmission in Zoo Ruminants
Viruses can cross-infect species and cause a variety of clinical signs in different hosts. We are working to identify carrier animals, their viruses, and identify risk factors associated with disease.
Computer Models Help Manage Deadly Disease
The outcome of this study is expected to benefit the health of the captive ruminants at the San Diego Zoo and other zoos.
Characterization of Helicobacter Infections in Captive Wildlife
Helicobacters are widespread, pathogenic bacteria that infect the stomach, intestine, and liver, that can cause significant morbidity and mortality.
Healthy Conservation Projects
Nutritional studies are underway at the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park to maximize animal health and establish more appropriate feeding guidelines for small, browsing ruminants.
Chromosomes and Genetic Fitness
Chromosomal differences can be critical in identifying species and subspecies for conservation management, detecting potentially incompatible parents, and pinpointing individuals at risk for genetic diseases.
Conservation and DNA Barcoding
DNA barcoding is an emerging technology that provides a method for identifying species from unrecognizable samples of blood, bone, meat, hair, feathers, or feces. It is also recognized as a valuable basic research tool for refining our understanding of biodiversity.
Detection and Isolation of Viruses
Newly established “biosecure laboratory” at the Zoo will help us understand more about disease, transmission and ultimately, disease control.
Preserving Genetic Lines for Conservation
Diversity on Ice: We are creating genetically valuable offspring using thawed gametes in assisted reproduction.
Sexing Eggs in Endangered Baskets
The Reproductive Physiology division of the San Diego Zoo’s Conservation Research arm is developing a technique to remove minute blood samples from bird eggs. These blood samples are used to genetically determine the gender of the bird embryo using a gene copy machine.
Helping Captive Birds Reach Their Full Reproductive Potential
Understanding the reproductive physiology and behavior of avian species that do not reproduce well in captivity will guide management decisions leading to successful pairing and breeding.
Healthy Hearts and Hearty Meals for Gorillas
Cardiovascular disease risk is a major cause of illness and mortality in captive great apes populations, and questions remain regarding the influence of diet, although such an association is well documented in humans.
Rescue and Reproduction of Rare Rabbits
Not all species of rabbits reproduce like, uh, rabbits. Two species in particular - pygmy rabbits and volcano rabbits - are highly endangered and San Diego Conservation Research scientists need more than carrots to help these animals survive.
New Tools for Understanding Elephant Diseases
Three diseases (tuberculosis, herpes viruses, arthritis) are contributing to increased morbidity and mortality among captive elephants, and scientists at San Diego Zoo Conservation Research are collaborating with other organizations to correct that.
Lend an Ear to our Elephant Research Programs
A wide variety of elephant research programs are underway at the zoo with the goal of improving captive management techniques.
Koala Management, Education, and Conservation
Our Koala Education & Conservation Program reaches a global public through exhibition, education, and research and generates significant funds to support field conservation and research, including contraception investigations, vegetation mapping, planned community development, and studies designed to better describe koala behavior and ecology.
Dynamic Science in the Somali Wild Ass
The goal of this project is to provide a scientific framework for understanding factors influencing differential reproductive success among individuals of Somali wild ass by conducting a detailed study of social behavior and hormone concentrations.
Enhancing Reproduction in White Rhinos
The objective of this collaborative research project is to determine the root causes of failed reproduction of white rhinos and to make recommendations for improved management of the captive population.
Wild Horses Can’t Drag You Away from this Project
Ancient DNA studies support conservation and reintroduction of the Przewalski’s horse, following the controversy surrounding the appropriate genetic management of this endangered species.
Do You Hear What I Hear: Conservation Bioacoustics in Cheetahs
This research project is investigating the role of bioacoustics in the reproduction of cheetahs.
Understanding the Virulence and Transmission of Avian Mycobacteriosis
The many manifestations of mycobacteria, pose grave threats to endangered birds, among other species.
Outrunning Viral Infections in Hoofstock
The Rhadinoviruses, which include malignant catarrhal fever (MCF), are rapidly emerging as a group of widespread viruses with importance to veterinary medicine and zoo animal husbandry.
Spotting Solutions for Feline Herpes Infection in Cheetahs
Feline herpesvirus (FHV), a viral infection endemic to North American captive cheetahs Acinonyx jubatus, and causes upper-respiratory disease and debilitating cutaneous ulcers, thus putting captive breeding efforts at risk. San Diego Zoo Conservation Research scientists are working to arrest this problem.
Bare it all: Conservation of the Andean Bear
The Andean bear is a species at high risk of extinction in the wild due to habitat degradation and fragmentation, and human-wildlife conflict.
Collecting and Preserving African Elephant Semen
In August 2003, seven African elephants Loxodonta africana africana came from Swaziland to the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park in an attempt to improve conservation efforts in Swaziland and launch a reproductive program at the Wild Animal Park to benefit the demographics and genetic structure of the current captive population of African elephants in North America. The goal of this project is to preserve African elephant sperm reliably for future use.
Chill Out: Frozen Zoo® Aiding Conservation Projects
Our mission is to help preserve the legacy of life on Earth for future generations by establishing and maintaining genetic resources in support of worldwide efforts in research and conservation.
Check back regularly for additional conservation projects!
