conservation update - San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation

CONSERVATION
UPDATE
L E A D I N G T H E F I G H T AG A I N S T E X T I N C T I O N
LOOKING
FOR CONDORS
AND FINDING
INSPIRATION
Christopher Tubbs, Ph.D.
Scientist, Reproductive Physiology
There’s a rule in my family on road
trips: my wife drives, I ride shotgun.
Given her propensity for car sickness
and my tendency to focus more on
sightseeing than paying attention to
the road, this arrangement works well
for us. And so it was two Octobers
ago, when I found myself in the
Photo courtesy of Tim Huntington/tim@webnectar.com
passenger seat on our first trip up
SUMMER 2014
the West Coast to explore Big Sur
and the Monterey Peninsula. I had
two jobs on that trip. First, I was to
successfully navigate to Carmel and
back. My second task was a taller
order: to find a free-flying, wild
California condor.
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(Continued on page 2)
SUMMER 2014
On day two of the trip, my wife, my daughter, and I shared a
picnic lunch with the elephant seals of San Simeon, then took
the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) north into Big Sur. Around
every bend views of rocky cliffs appeared, descending into the
restless, blue-green Pacific, with each new one seeming more
impressive than the last. The high marine layer subdued the
colors of the landscape with a grayish tint, making it look as
cool and damp as it actually felt. As we travelled the road along
the coast I eagerly searched for the big birds. I’m not sure what
I was expecting, but I was a little disappointed by the lack of
“birdiness” that day. For 90 miles, I put my binoculars on every
large, black bird, only to confirm they were turkey vultures. That
afternoon we arrived in Carmel, yet I had successfully completed
only half of my goals for the trip.
The following day was spent exploring Big Sur in earnest.
We hiked through redwoods, saw the famous McWay Falls, then
headed down to the water at Partington Cove, where we sat
on the beach and watched waves crash over the shore. It was a
perfect moment, but it was also lunchtime, so we headed back to
our car. By the time we started up PCH toward our picnic spot,
it happened.
Since this is a family friendly publication, I can’t write
exactly what my wife said when a condor surprised us, flying 20
feet from the car. Suffice it to say her description of the bird’s size
will never again lead me to confuse a turkey vulture for a condor.
With race car driver precision, she executed a U-turn and had
us parked back on the side of the road in seconds. I jumped out
with my camera only to miss the shot before he landed on the
cliff, too far for photos but close enough to see “51” on his wing
tag through the binoculars. Then, two more condors joined him
and we sat in awe, happy to just watch them.
Big Sur is one of the few places where condors are
reestablished in the wild—yet they still face significant challenges
from pollution. Specifically, shells of eggs laid by Big Sur
females are extremely thin and prone to breakage, possibly from
contaminants in the carcasses of sea lions and other marine
mammals that wash up on the shore and become meals for these
condors. As I watched #51 and friends, I was inspired to begin
research to solve this problem.
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CONSERVATION UPDATE
COVER: California condor #550, a juvenile female,
makes a low pass over sea lions on her way down to
the beach at Big Sur.
BELOW: Looking north along the Big Sur coast.
Christopher Tubbs, Ph.D.
Condor #470, named Fuego, perches above a
colony of sea lions in search of his next meal.
Back at the Institute, I spoke with Rachel Gerrard, a
research lab technician in our division. In just over a year, she
developed a condor assay, tested over a dozen contaminants
present in the Big Sur food web, and identified those most likely
to cause reproductive harm. Now we can use this information to
ensure future condor reintroductions will be in habitats with low
risk of chemical exposure.
Nearly a year to the day after our first condor sighting,
I was back in Big Sur, following a meeting at the University of
California at Santa Cruz to discuss future condor research plans.
Once again, my wife spotted a condor. I knelt on the shoulder of
PCH, pressed tightly against the guardrail while supporting my
camera. Twenty-five feet away, #470, named Fuego, was perched
on a rock high above a barking colony of sea lions. After what
Christopher Tubbs, Ph.D.
seemed like an hour—but was really more like 15 minutes—he
hopped off the rock, extended his huge wings, and soared out
over the ocean, circling back to make a slow pass over the sea
lions before disappearing over the cliff. I couldn’t ask for a more
perfect conclusion to any day.
SUMMER 2014
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FROM RIDGE TO REEF:
COMMUNITY-BASED
CONSERVATION
IN BAJA CALIFORNIA
STORY BY SAMANTHA YOUNG, SENIOR RESEARCH TECHNICIAN, CONSERVATION EDUCATION
ILLUSTRATIONS COURTESY OF
UKO GORTER
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CONSERVATION UPDATE
Traditional gill nets can trap vaquitas.
Have you ever thought
about what happens
when this planet loses
a species?
Sometimes it goes unnoticed by us, but it is always keenly felt
throughout the ecosystems affected by that animal or plant.
We are in the midst of the Earth’s sixth and greatest extinction
event. One species that is on the verge of extinction is the
vaquita marina, or “calf of the ocean,” a porpoise native to Baja
California’s Gulf of California. With fewer than 250 individuals
in the wild population, it is the most endangered marine mammal
in the world. It is also the smallest whale, and one of the most
appealing, with its stylish black “eyeliner” and “lipstick.” The
vaquita is also a top tier predator of smaller marine creatures,
keeping their populations in check and the ecosystem in balance.
We know teachers and their students are immensely creative in
finding conservation solutions: they are often motivators within
their community. That’s why we now work with Mexican teachers
on a curriculum titled From the Ridge to the Reef in San
Felipe, Baja California, which also includes California
condors, bighorn sheep, and giant cardon cacti. Teachers
use a learning approach enabling students to engage family
and friends to find a possible solution to a conservation
problem, then present the idea to their community.
Antonella Wilby
Antonella Wilby
In the Gulf of California, fisheries are extremely important to the
local and international economy: the U.S. is the most important
market for Mexican seafood. If shrimp fishing continues as it is,
we may lose a species that we love so much and on which a large
part of Mexico’s economy depends. So how do we reconcile the
stability of the local economy and international demand with
its negative effects on the ecosystem? How can we persuade the
fishing industry to choose the alternative vaquita-safe net that is
now available?
Samantha (third from left) with a school group in San Felipe.
But we need your help! Many of our day-to-day actions
can have a positive environmental impact, such as
purchasing shrimp caught in vaquita-safe nets. Each
of us can help species on the brink of extinction. With
only a few hundred of these beautiful, mysterious, and
ecologically important porpoises remaining in the wild,
urgent action is needed now. Culturally conscious, grass
roots, community-based conservation—whether local
or international—is one way we’re making a stand to
protect vulnerable species.
SUMMER 2014
5
MEET A CONSERVATION RESEARCHER
rachel gerrard
Rachel Gerrard has gravitated to zoos ever since her high
school days in Arkansas. When her grandmother treated her
to a trip as a graduation gift, Rachel chose the San Diego Zoo.
While attending Missouri State University and majoring in
biology, Rachel worked as an assistant zoo keeper at Dickerson Park Zoo. “I was always interested in zoos and the work
they do,” she said. Her work there, paired with reproductive
physiology courses at college, sparked her interest in conservation research, specifically in reproductive physiology. Many
scientists in that field start out wanting to be veterinarians,
and Rachel was no exception. In high school, she worked at
a veterinary clinic, and the owner, Niki Lungsford, D.V.M.,
remains one of her most inspirational influences. “She was in
charge and ran every aspect of the veterinary business,” said
Rachel. “She was a positive, good mentor for me.”
Daring to dream big, Rachel later landed a summer fellow
position doing research in the Reproductive Physiology lab
at the Institute and then earned her master’s degree in animal
science this year. “I wanted to work with animals at first, but
now I love working with hormones!”
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CONSERVATION UPDATE
Photo courtesy of Samantha Young
Research Lab Technician, Reproductive Physiology
By Karyl Carmignani, Staff Writer, Publications Department
Samantha Young
SENIOR Research Technician, Conservation Education
By Karyl Carmignani, Staff Writer, Publications Department
For almost three years Samantha Young has worked for the
Conservation Education Division. “It’s the perfect job for
me,” Sam said. “I could not have dreamed up a better job that
combines research, working with people, and teaching about
the things I love: life science and conservation.” Her work
in Peru with communities that live adjacent to Andean bear
habitat has broadened her worldview: “It is a rich culture with
so much biodiversity and wildlife,” she said.
At Los Angeles Valley Community College, Sam was drawn
to biology. Transferring to the University of California at San
Diego as a biological anthropology major, she says that “my
interest in evolution, human origins, and different cultures
was piqued.” Next, Sam worked at the Safari Park, where
she realized she wanted to work with people and teach in
a research setting. Going to San Diego State University for
her master’s degree in evolutionary biology was an incredible
learning environment: “It was focused on master’s students
and had the mentorship and resources that made it an invaluable experience.” Sam planned to become a biology professor,
but then she heard about the summer student fellowship program at the Institute. Happily, she was hired at the end of the
fellowship. “My co-workers are brilliant, fun, and hardworking people—it’s a pleasure to work with them,” she said.
CONSERVATION RESEARCH GIFTS & GRANTS
A gift in memory of Florence “Sis” H. Andrews will provide
needed equipment for the Paul Harter Veterinary Medical
Center. The Annenberg Foundation continued their multiyear
commitment to enable students from Los Angeles County to
participate in hands-on science lessons in the Conservation
Education Lab as well as for general operating funds for the
Institute for Conservation Research. An anonymous donor
made multiple donations to support conservation programs for
mountain yellow-legged frogs and golden eagles as well as to
purchase needed equipment for the Reproductive Physiology
lab. An anonymous donor made a gift to support Conservation Education outreach programs in Asia. A grant from the
Arcus Foundation will help to conserve biodiversity in Nigeria
and in Cameroon’s Ebo Forest. Richard and Sarah Aten made
a donation to purchase bioacoustic monitoring equipment
in support of cheetah conservation studies. A grant from The
Bailey Wildlife Foundation advances efforts in California condor conservation research and wind energy impact mitigation.
A grant from the S. D. Bechtel Foundation will allow San
Francisco Bay area teachers to participate in Summer Teacher
Workshops in Conservation Science. The Beckman Coulter
Foundation will bring students from Fullerton High School to
the Conservation Education Lab for hands-on science modules.
A STEM education program on spatial ecology will be made
possible through a grant from the Broadcom Foundation. The
Butcher Fund gave a grant in support of endangered species
field conservation through the Applied Animal Ecology Division. A gift made by Lisa and Frank Chapman will provide
scholarships for the Summer Teacher Workshops in Conservation Science. Gifts from Carolyn and Robert Condon will
support education programs and research at Cocha Cashu
Biological Station in the Amazon as well as Andean bear
conservation in Peru. A grant from the Conservation, Food
and Health Foundation will fund a study of plant and animal
interactions in Peru’s forests. A gift from Georgia Griffiths and
Colleen Kendall supported the California Condor Reintroduction Program in Baja California, Mexico. A grant from the
County Supervisor’s Office of Dave Roberts will provide
Conservation Education Lab students with the use of digital
field notebooks. The International Iguana Foundation gave
a grant for Anegada iguana translocations and genetic studies.
The Llagas Foundation gave a grant to make possible an Avian
Incubation Workshop through the Reproductive Physiology
Division. A grant to study loss of vertebrate species in tropical
forests was awarded by the National Geographic Society.
A grant from the Otay Mesa Grassland Mitigation Fund at
the San Diego Foundation will make possible a burrowing owl
spatial ecology pilot study. The Harriet E. Pfleger Foundation
gave a grant to elephant conservation through the Behavioral
Ecology Division. A gift made by the Slaughter family will
provide scholarships for the Summer Teacher Workshops in
Conservation Science. A grant from the Don and Marie Van
Ness Fund at the San Diego Foundation will help supplement
the Bud Heller Conservation Fellowship. A gift made in honor
of Penny Wilson, a longtime educator, will provide scholarships for Summer Teacher Workshops in Conservation Science.
Tim Huntington/tim@webnectar.com
The Institute for Conservation Research is grateful to the following for their investments in endangered species conservation:
California condors
Fuego and Amigo flying
near Big Sur cliffs.
TECHNOLOGY WITH A CONSERVATION PURPOSE
Now we have technology that helps our research team use computers
to pinpoint where animals like condors and giant pandas roam. The
Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation Spatial Ecology Lab at the
Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center for Conservation Research houses
high-powered computer workstations as well as GPS and GIS devices
that advance conservation of California condors and other endangered
species in their wild habitats. A generous grant from the Scripps Foundation will expand our capabilities in aerial remote tracking, spatial
modeling, and data analysis to bring new insights into animal behaviors
and movements in difficult terrain.
SHARING A PASSION FOR EDUCATION
Cocha Cashu Biological Station in Peru has been called a naturalist’s
dream, drawing scientists from around the world to the Peruvian
Amazon. One couple’s goal to empower student conservationists at the
local level has led to a wonderful gift: the Carolyn and Robert Condon
Tropical Ecology Studies Scholarships. “We only hope and trust that
the students will find their efforts rewarded with life-changing experiences that will spur them to a lifelong dedication to their country, its
irreplaceable resources, and the good they are doing for all mankind. It
is so exciting for us to have our little part in this grand plan.”
– Carolyn and Bob Condon, Virginia
boats to bring
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SUMMER 2014
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ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF SAN DIEGO
Development Department
Post Office Box 120551
San Diego, California 92112
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CONSERVATION
UPDATE
EDITOR
Members of the Reproductive Physiology,
Applied Animal Ecology, and Conservation
Education divisions traveled to India to visit
the Wildlife SOS sloth bear rescue facility in
preparation for a new research and education collaboration.
Staff from the Wildlife Disease Labs began
investigating an alarmingly high rate of malformations and disease in amphibians inhabiting the Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha,
a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Brazil.
In collaboration with the Charles Darwin
Foundation and Galápagos National
Park, we successfully established a captivepropagation facility at the Charles Darwin
Research Station to aid in the recovery of
the critically endangered mangrove finch.
Mary Sekulovich
SPECIAL THANKS TO
CONSERVATION UPDATE
CONTRIBUTORS
In a ceremony attended by the village
population and leaders from Douala, who
have promised to work for the conservation
of biodiversity in Cameroon’s Ebo Forest,
we have launched our third “Clubs des Amis
des Gorilles,” or Friends of Gorillas Clubs.
Banked cells from the Frozen Zoo® are being
used to sequence the genomes of four blackfooted ferrets in an effort to restore valuable
genetic variation to the wild population.
Allison Alberts, Ph.D.
Maggie Aleksic
Karyl Carmignani
Rachel Gerrard
Georgeanne Irvine
Judy Kinsell
James Sheppard, Ph.D.
Christopher Tubbs, Ph.D.
Samantha Young
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Kara Bigelman Eganhouse
PHOTOGRAPHS/
ILLUSTRATIONS
Ken Bohn, SDZG Photographer
Uko Gorter
Tim Huntington
Christopher Tubbs, Ph.D.
Samantha Young
Antonella Wilby
Our Applied Plant Ecology team initiated
experiments to determine how species richness,
functional traits, and soil amendments affect
restoration outcomes for 10 native coastal sage
scrub species at Lake Hodges, San Diego County.
For more information about San Diego Zoo Global’s worldwide conservation efforts
and how you can help, please call us at 760-747-8702, option 2, ext. 5762.
© 2014 Zoological Society of San Diego.
All rights reserved.