#smithsonian conservation biology institute

[rjzimmerman]

Cloned ferret gives birth in Va., making history, U.S. officials say. (Washington Post)

Antonia, a cloned black-footed ferret, gave birth to kits in June. They are seen at 3 weeks old on July 9 at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia. (Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute)

Excerpt from this Washington Post story:

An endangered animal that was created by cloning gave birth to two healthy offspring at a Smithsonian Institution/National Zoo center in Virginia, in what a federal agency called a conservation milestone.

Authorities indicated that techniques used in their work with black-footed ferrets could help preserve other endangered species.

The two ferrets were born in June to a cloned mother at the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service called it an exciting research achievement that broke new ground in efforts to preserve the animals. The work could also help in preserving other endangered species, animal specialists said.

The cloned ferret mother, Antonia, gave birth after mating with a male ferret named Urchin, the federal wildlife agency announced last week. Antonia was born last year, created from preserved genetic material from Willa, a female ferret that died in 1988 without descendants.

Cloning provided the opportunity to bring the genes of an eighth “founder” into the existing ferret population, according to Revive & Restore, one of several organizations involved in the ferret project.

Antonia was described as the first cloned ferret to restore lost genetic variation to its species. One of her kits died, but two survived. Sibert is a female and Red Cloud is a male.

They are “doing well,” said Revive & Restore.

Their birth represented “a critical step forward” in the use of the cloning process to produce greater genetic diversity in conservation, the wildlife agency said.

Genetic diversity is vital to the healthy, long-term recovery of an endangered species, the wildlife agency said, and the cloned ferret mother showed three times the genetic diversity of the current population of endangered ferrets.

[johnnyslittleanimalblog]

National Zoo's Cheetah Cubs Go Outside for the First Time by Smithsonian's National Zoo Via Flickr:

[thedisablednaturalist]

I’m disabled and am thinking about getting into an environmental science outdoorsy field. My joints get injured easily, I have a disease which makes being cold very painful, I’m often sick, and I get tired very quickly. May I ask, what are some of the things you’ve done as a disabled naturalist to continue doing what you want while still taking care of your health? I’m really frustrated that this would 100% be the field for me if it weren’t for my body :(

I wear knee braces and bring TWO walking sticks with me out in the field for support. I keep Tylenol and Dramamine as well as pain creme in my outdoor bag too. Before and after work I use my wheelchair so I save energy that's needed for fieldwork. During my commute I use my TENS machine to relax my muscles and get them ready for the strain (and to recover afterwards). I also always have my coworker with me incase of falls and he's really good about checking up on me. We take frequent breaks and I always make sure to have water and a snack (everyone should do that tbh). Also my fieldwork at most just involves a lot of hiking. Usually we are sitting by the stream filling out assessment forms or looking at bugs. For the cold (which also causes flare ups) I bring electric hand warmers and we use scuba gloves when we need to reach into cold streams.

Outside of work I also have a chiropractor, pain management doctor, and a neurologist who help me find solutions for my pain. Please be careful with chiropractic care as you want to get a licensed doctor, not someone who just has a certificate. Also check their reviews. I'm still in a lot of pain, but not nearly as much as before I pursued treatment.

However if it comes to a point that you can't do fieldwork don't worry, there's a ton of ways to do naturalist stuff indoors! Lots of nature/science organizations need people for data science, which may not seem that exciting but honestly I really enjoy looking through camera trap data. Having office work that involves excel or programming (or even making a PowerPoint) really helps on days I'm too physically exhausted to do fieldwork. There's also of course lab work where you do chemical analysis or look at stuff under microscopes! You would just need to make sure you can sit down in the lab (which most places won't have an issue with). You can also look into stuff like learning arcGIS, analyzing acoustic data, etc. You'd be amazed at all the opportunities that don't require hiking around.

One of my dream jobs is working at Nautilus and doing remote underwater research using an AUV (like in the videos on YouTube). That way I'd be able to sit and be comfortable while still being able to experience doing research and seeing things most people haven't.

If any of my followers have more advice feel free to respond!

[snailkites]

Walnut the Crane dead at 42

White-naped Crane Walnut and her keeper/husband, Chris Crowe, in 2021. (Photo: Roshan Patel via NZCBI)

Internet sensation Walnut the Crane became ill on January 2, 2024 and passed away at age 42 at her home at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) campus in Front Royal, VA. A necropsy revealed the cause of death to be renal failure. Walnut far outlived the average life expectancy for White-naped Cranes in captivity, which is 15 years. She leaves behind her husband, zookeeper Chris Crowe, with whom she had 8 offspring, including two housed at the NZCBI: daughter Brenda, age 18, and a granddaughter, age 1.

“Walnut was a unique individual with a vivacious personality,” Crowe said. “She was always confident in expressing herself, an eager and excellent dancer, and stoic in the face of life’s challenges. I’ll always be grateful for her bond with me. Walnut’s extraordinary story has helped bring attention to her vulnerable species’ plight.” (x)

White-naped Cranes are native to Mongolia, northeast China and southeast Russia, wintering in the Korean DMZ, Japan, and China. Habitat loss to agriculture, development, and ongoing droughts are factors in their decline, leaving them classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Walnut was an important contributor to efforts to restore the species.

Edit: for those unaware, I refer to the zookeeper as her husband because Walnut was imprinted on humans, meaning she considered him her mate and performed displays and courtship for him. As a zookeeper he was responsible for artificially inseminating the bird. This and more was the source of her viral fame.

[reasonsforhope]

"Black-footed ferrets are North America’s only native ferret species and were thought to be extinct in 1979.

When the species was miraculously rediscovered in 1981 in Wyoming, these long, quirky mammals quickly rose to become the center of dedicated conservation efforts.

At that time, the Wyoming Game Department and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services brought 18 ferrets into human care to begin cooperative breeding programs, like the one at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia.

Between captive breeding, wildlife reintroductions, habitat restoration, and even genetic cloning, one of the continent's most endangered mammals is now seeing a comeback.

Perhaps the cutest manifestation of this conservation work is a new litter, born at the NZCBI on May 11. 

Since 1989, 1,218 black-footed ferret kits have been born at NZCBI, with 750 reintroduced to the wild. Currently, 48 ferrets live at NZCBI, including one-year-old female Aristides, who gave birth to the new litter of six kits last week. 

Last breeding season, NZCBI raised 51 ferret kits. Now with 2024’s season underway, animal care staff are closely monitoring the ferrets’ behavior through the institute’s Black-Footed Ferret Cam (a temporary live webcam the public can also view on the NZCBI website)...

Right now, the kits are still tiny, weighing less than 10 grams, with a thin layer of white fur covering their bodies. Their well-known mask-like markings and namesake dark feet will appear in the next few weeks. Then, they’ll start venturing out of their den and exploring the burrows of their habitat, akin to the tunnels they’d find in the wild."

-via GoodGoodGood, May 21, 2024

[the-birth-of-art]

The Smithsonian has made over 4,000,000 images in its archive open source.

An example:

Fishing Cat, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Photo by Mehgan Murphy.

[noxhawthorne]

Abaia

Imagine, if you will, that you’ve gone on a quiet vacation to the islands of Fiji. Feel the sand under your toes, the sun on your skin, the smell of saltwater. You take an excursion, and find a beautiful, deep lake, surrounded by lush greenery. It’s a sweltering day, and the lake looks so inviting.

You walk into the lake, the cool water stinging pleasantly as you go deeper. Eventually you’re floating, unable to feel the ground beneath you. It’s calm, soothing. The local birds sing, the breeze rustles the leaves… you’re relaxed enough to let your eyes close and just drift…

Your feet touch a slippery rock, slick with grime from centuries of being submerged. You pay it no mind… until you notice the layer of grime is thick enough to give, making the rock feel almost squishy. You open your eyes. The birds have stopped singing.

You realize that you aren’t touching the rocking. It’s touching you.

The Abaia. A massive eel of Melanesian mythology, said to live at the bottom of freshwater lakes. The legend comes from the Fiji, Vanuatu, and Solomon Islands, though the exact location varies. There’s not really a specific size given, but, for an idea of what we’re talking about, the average American Eel is 16-33 inches long and about 2.5 pounds. So… bigger than that. Much bigger.

The legend of the Abaia poses it as the guardian of the lake it dwells in, protecting the inhabitants from humans looking to harm them. If a fisherman were to try and get his daily catch from the lake, or if an ignorant tourist were to throw their trash in it, the Abaia will unleash its wrath. Thrashing and twisting, it causes impressive waves that will claim the life of the perpetrator, dragging them down to the depths to remain with the great eel.

There is another version of this legend that claims the Abaia holds control over the weather via magic. The story goes that a fisherman discovered a bountiful lake, full of critters and creatures to sate his village’s hunger. He led the village to this lake, and has them help plunder it of life. The Abaia, upon seeing this, causes a torrential rainstorm, wiping out the village and drowning everyone who had harmed the creatures. The Abaia is often depicted as a motherly being to the inhabitants that share its home.

As someone who knows the basics about various eels, I have to wonder if there is some electrical aspect to this creature. Perhaps its ability to cause storms is caused by a powerful electrical charge. According to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, the Electric Eel has three organs — the main organ, the Sach’s organ, and the Hunter’s organ — that produce electric impulses used for defense, communication, navigation, and hunting. At 6-8 feet long, this eel can generate up to 800 volts of electricity. Is the Abaia electric? Being so massive in size, could its electrical shock cause a storm? It’s unlikely, yes, but an interesting thought to consider.

[herpsandbirds]

Japanese Giant Salamander (Andrias japonicus), young adult, family Cryptobranchidae, endemic to Japan

One of the largest amphibians in the world, this huge salamander grows up to a length of ~5 ft.

Photographs via: Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

[saritawolff]

In the Animal News today; Walnut the White-naped Crane has passed naturally of old age. She contributed eight chicks to her species’ survival.

I hope Chris Crowe will recover from losing his crane wife with time

[schonheit-ist-in-alles]

Also the hunting for their skin and others!

It's January 31st, 🦓 International Zebra Day. Zebras live in 🌍 Africa in many different habitats, including savannas, mountains, woodlands, and hills. As you undoubtedly suspected, Zebras are members of the 🐴 Horse family, the genus Equus. There are three species of Zebra - Plain’s Zebra, Mountain Zebra, and Grevy’s Zebra. Each has a distinct pattern of alternating black and white stripes.

Why do Zebras have stripes? Believe it or not, scientists still aren't sure. Many theories exist, though. Stripes might provide camouflage in tall grass, especially at night. The stripes on a herd of Zebras might also confuse 🦁 predators because it can be difficult to tell where one Zebra ends and another begins. Or Zebras may use their stripes to identify each other as, like with human fingerprints, each Zebra's stripe pattern is unique. In addition, it's been proven that the alternating black and white pattern of Zebra stripes helps control 🌡️ body temperature, plus deters 🦟 biting flies from landing. It could very well be that all of these factors play a part in the natural selection of stripes for Zebras.

Are Zebras black with white stripes, or white with black stripes? In its mother's womb, each Zebra starts out black, and the white coloration develops there, while still in the womb.

There've been many attempts to tame Zebras, but their unpredictable nature makes this difficult. However, in 1907, Kenyan Doctor Rosendo Ribeiro regularly rode his tame Zebra to his patients' homes.

The populations of all three Zebra species are declining. The most threatened is Grevy's Zebra, whose population has decreased 54% over the past 30 years. The main culprits in this case do not include the usual suspect, climate change, but are habitat loss, poaching (for their pelts), and hunting (for bushmeat). The 🗽 Smithsonian Institution's 🐼 National Zoo and 🟩 Conservation Biology Institute founded International Zebra Day to help raise awareness of the Zebras' plight and help encourage efforts to preserve and protect them and their habitats. ☮️Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

[typhlonectes]

Adorable but Deadly Fluff Balls, Better Known as Pygmy Slow Lorises, Born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo

The two babies are part of an endangered species whose unbearable cuteness has made them a target for wildlife traffickers

Small mammal caretakers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) were in for a surprise late last month when they arrived at work. Naga, a 3-year-old pygmy slow loris, had two newborn babies holding on to her. They’re the first of their endangered species born at the zoo, according to an announcement. Zookeepers had suspected that Naga was pregnant—she’d started gaining weight after being introduced to a 2-year-old male named Pabu in September—but they didn’t know for sure because her thick fur made it difficult to obtain an ultrasound image. So on March 21, when Kara Ingraham spotted Naga hanging out on a high branch at a time of day when she’s normally sleeping, she knew she needed to take a closer look...

Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/first-endangered-pygmy-slow-lorises-born-at-smithsonians-national-zoo-and-conservation-biology-institute-180984112/

[fenrislorsrai]

Extremely Rare Guam Rails Hatch at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo by Smithsonian's National Zoo Via Flickr: Photo Credit: Jim and Pam Jenkins, FONZ Photo Club As Washington, D.C.’s unseasonably warm winter turns into spring, a baby boom is underway at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Two Guam rail (Gallirallus owstoni) chicks hatched March 3 and 4; they join six others in the Zoo’s collection—three of which live at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va. This brings the total population of these small, flightless birds to 162 individuals. Each hatching is significant—the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists these birds as extinct in the wild. In about six weeks, keepers will separate the chicks from their parents, and Zoo veterinarians will perform a routine medical exam and take feather samples to determine their sexes. To date, 82 chicks have hatched at the Zoo and SCBI, and each provides scientists with the opportunity to learn about the growth, reproduction, health and behavior of the species. The Zoo sent 29 Guam rails to the government of Guam for release and breeding, and an additional 25 birds have gone to other institutions to breed. Guam rails flourished in Guam’s limestone forests and coconut plantations until the arrival of the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis), an invasive species that stowed away in military equipment shipped from New Guinea after World War II. Because these reptiles had no natural predators on Guam, their numbers grew and they spread across the island quickly. Within three decades, they hunted Guam rails and eight other bird species to the brink of extinction. In 1986, Guam’s Department of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources captured the country’s remaining 21 Guam rails and sent them to zoological institutions around the globe—including the National Zoo—as a hedge against extinction. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums created a Species Survival Plan for the birds. The SSP pairs males and females in order to maintain a genetically diverse and self-sustaining population. Today, 118 Guam rails are thriving on two islands near the mainland: Rota and Cocos. The availability of release sites continues to shrink, however, due to deforestation and human expansion. Controlling the brown snake population remains a significant challenge as well, though researchers have made progress in developing a variety of barriers, traps and toxicants. Forty-four birds reside in zoos and other facilities in North America. Visitors to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo can see these birds on exhibit in the Bird House. In stark contrast to their brown-and-white-plumaged parents, Guam rail chicks sport black downy feathers. nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Birds/

[rjzimmerman]

A mare named Wespe is released from a transport box at the Alibi reintroduction centre in the Altyn Dala area of Kazakhstan on June 6, 2024. Václav Šilha / Prague Zoo.

Excerpt from this story from EcoWatch:

The endangered Przewalski’s horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) is the last wild horse species on Earth, meaning a type of wild horse that is not a descendent of domesticated horses. But in the 1960s, this horse became extinct in the wild. Now, through a managed breeding and care program by the Prague Zoo, Przewalski’s horse has been returned to Kazakhstan’s Golden Steppe for the first time in at least two centuries.

In early June 2024, two Czech Army CASA aircrafts carried a total of seven Przewalski’s horses to Golden Steppe, an area of open grasslands. The first aircraft with three horses landed on June 4, according to a press release from the Prague Zoo.

On June 6, the remaining four horses were transferred to the grasslands. But the project did not go as smoothly as hoped, as eight horses in total were originally planned for the trip. But in the first batch of horses, one horse named Pelle kept sitting in his crate, which the zoo noted could be dangerous for him during the long journey. Some technical difficulties also led to delays, but overall, the horses were transported safely, marking a successful project.

“This is an event of historical import: the seven ‘Przewalski’s’ that we transported here by two CASA planes represent the first individuals of this species in central Kazakhstan in hundreds of years,” Bobek said in an update. “With this double transport, we have taken a major step towards returning the last wild horse to another area where it was found in the past. Our goal is to slowly transport at least forty individuals here, so that a viable population can be set up. Hardly anything could be a better demonstration of the purpose of modern zoos than the Return of the Wild Horses.”

The horses will roam in an area spanning 80 hectares and will be closely monitored by researchers, EuroNews reported.

Przewalski’s horses were once abundant across Europe and Asia, but environmental changes and competition with livestock and humans led their habitat to shrink, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute reported. Eventually, they became extinct in the wild. But reintroduction projects, like those led by Prague Zoo, have helped return the species to the wild at sites in Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China.

[slipstreamborne]

We've lost an icon and a legend :(

WASHINGTON -- One of the great interspecies love stories of our time has come to an end.

Walnut, a white-naped crane and internet celebrity, has passed away at age 42. She is survived by eight chicks, the loving staff at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, and by Chris Crowe, a human zookeeper whom Walnut regarded as her mate for nearly 20 years.

“Walnut was a unique individual with a vivacious personality,” Crowe said, in a statement released by the National Zoo. “I’ll always be grateful for her bond with me.”

... “She was always confident in expressing herself, an eager and excellent dancer, and stoic in the face of life’s challenges," Crowe said. "Walnut’s extraordinary story has helped bring attention to her vulnerable species’ plight. I hope that everyone who was touched by her story understands that her species’ survival depends on our ability and desire to protect wetland habitats."

[animal-video-analysis]

We have lots of wonderful accounts that do a great job of telling if the animal video is cute or not, but it's important for everyone to exercise critical thinking skills and learn how to analyze them too! Here's an infographic with some basics on animal science that can help you decide what to look for.

Key questions for analyzing videos:

Are all of the animals and people in the video (including the filmer) safe? 

Is the animal choosing to participate?

What behavior or activity is being shown - is it a natural and positive behavior for the animal, is it enriching? Or may it be a negative behavior? You can search ‘animal’ ‘behavior’ online - like “gorilla picking itself” - for a quick check!

What’s the purpose of the video - is the situation created for the animal, or for viewers?

Is it sensible that the animal is there, doing what it is doing? 

Overall - figure out what you can see, and what you need to find out/double check, and then search that! Add it all up and you should be able to draw your own conclusions too.

Please check out some of our other posts for examples on how to think through videos you may see!

Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. (2022, May 25). Animal Enrichment. Smithsonian's National Zoo. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/animal-enrichment 

Bielawski, J. (2017, January 5). Beware what you share! "Cute" videos are often cruel. Animal Help Now. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://ahnow.org/blog/2017/01/05/beware-what-you-share-cute-videos-are-often-cruel/ 

Goldstein, H. (2022, April 13). What to do when you see animal cruelty on Social Media. What to Do When You See Animal Cruelty on Social Media. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://www.worldanimalprotection.us/blogs/what-do-when-you-see-animal-cruelty-social-media 

American Veterinary Medical Association. (n.d.). Animal welfare: What is it? Animal Health Welfare. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://www.avma.org/resources/animal-health-welfare/animal-welfare-what-it Colchester Zoo. (2022, February 11). Environmental enrichment. Colchester Zoo. Retrieved April 3, 2023, from https://www.colchester-zoo.com/about-us/environmental-enrichment/

[reasonsforhope]

"There are now more golden lion tamarins bounding between branches in the Brazilian rainforest than at any time since efforts to save the species started in the 1970s, a new survey reveals.

Once on the brink of extinction, with only about 200 animals in the wild, the population has rebounded to around 4,800, according to a study released Tuesday by the Brazilian science and conservation nonprofit Golden Lion Tamarin Association.

“We are celebrating, but always keeping one eye on other threats, because life’s not easy,” said the nonprofit’s president, Luís Paulo Ferraz.

Golden lion tamarins are small monkeys with long tails and copper-colored fur that live in family groups led by a mated pair. Usually, they give birth annually to twins, which all family members help to raise by bringing them food and carrying them on their backs.

The monkeys, which live only in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, are still considered endangered.

The population survey was conducted over roughly a year. Researchers went to specific locations and checked whether monkeys responded to recordings of the tamarins’ long call, which basically means “I’m here. Are you there?” said James Dietz, a biologist and vice president of the U.S.-based nonprofit Save the Golden Lion Tamarin.

The new population figures are notable because the species had experienced a sharp decline from a yellow fever outbreak. In 2019, there were 2,500 monkeys, down from 3,700 in a 2014 survey.

Scientists intervened by vaccinating more than 370 monkeys against yellow fever, using shots adapted from a formula for humans — a fairly novel approach for conservation.

Scientists “cannot pinpoint a single exact cause for the recovery,” but believe several factors may be at play, said Carlos R. Ruiz-Miranda, a State University of Northern Rio de Janeiro biologist who advised on the population study.

Firstly, the yellow fever outbreak has subsided, perhaps due to a combination of the virus’ natural cycle and the vaccination campaign.

The animals may also be benefiting from an increase in forest habitat, said Dietz, who is also a research associate at the Smithsonian Institution’s Conservation Biology Institute. Between 2014 and 2022, the amount of connected forest habitat increased 16%, mostly through forests regrown on converted cattle pasture, he said.

Currently about three dozen farmers and ranchers in the Atlantic Forest region participate in such reforestation programs.

“It makes me so happy to see the tamarins playing free on my farm. They don’t only live in protected areas,” said Ayrton Violento, a farmer and entrepreneur in the small city of Silva Jardim. His family’s Fazenda dos Cordeiros has planted native fruit trees and also manages a tree nursery for native Atlantic Forest seedlings to plant on other farms.

“Recently, every year I see more tamarin families, more frequently,” he said."

-via AP News, August 1, 2023