Palm Beach Zoo Research & Conservation Programs

On Site Programs

Off Site Programs

The Palm Beach Zoo sponsors conservation projects in numerous parts of the world. The majority of this work deals with species that are represented in the zoo's collection. Because zoo visitors and staff are able to see and work with these species on a daily basis, the level of awareness and the need for conservation are more easily realized and understood.

Region: Central and South America

Region: Africa

Region: United States – Florida

Region: World-Wide

Carnivore Conservation Work in South America

The Palm Beach Zoo became involved in in-situ conservation work in Brazil in 2004 when Keith Lovett, Director of Living Collections, began collaborating with Karen DeMatteo, PhD on a project designed to learn about the basic ecological requirements and the behavior of the bush dog (Speothos venaticus).  Observations of the bush dogs at the Palm Beach Zoo and recordings of their vocalizations allowed for the development of techniques to locate, trap and mark individuals in the wild.
Only five zoos in North America exhibit bush dogs and the Palm Beach Zoo houses three breeding pairs accounting for six of the 21 animals currently residing in North American zoos. In recent years, zookeepers have been called upon to assist researchers by gathering samples from these animals. For example, collected scat samples from pregnant females have provided researchers with critical information about the hormone levels through a bush dog's pregnancy. Collected DNA samples (including hair, scat, and blood) provide scientists with genetic analysis opportunities. In fact, the compiling of enough genetic information could ultimately produce a bush dog "genetic library," allowing for the ability to identify an animal on an individual level.

In 2007, with continued funding from the zoo, the project moved to northern Argentina.  Within the Province of Misiones Argentina, a region that contains the largest remaining tract of interior Atlantic forest, all protected areas are under constant threat from logging and hunting and many are crisscrossed by a large network of highways that expose wildlife to devastating losses by road kills.The current project is focused on defining areas that can be used as corridors through the altered habitat between protected areas and locations that can function as wildlife crossing under/over roadways for wide-ranging landscape species, such as jaguars, that inevitably leave the boundaries of protected areas and cross into modified and fragmented habitat occupied by humans.The study uses three noninvasive techniques (detector dogs, advances in genetic methodologies, GIS technology) to rapidly collect the needed ecological data for carnivores so that applied conservation management strategies can be generated.  Detector dogs are used to find scat samples used to evaluate population densities of jaguars, ocelots, pumas, and bush dogs as well prey availability for the carnivore species.  This was made possible by training the detector dog to find scat of the various species by using samples collected at the zoo.

In July 2009, zoo staff members travelled to Argentina to take part in field conservation work.  During their stay, staff took part in scat sample collection and met with various local conservation organizations to identify ways the Palm Beach Zoo could partner with them to assist with and expand conservation work in Misiones. 

In July of 2010, Palm Beach Zoo staff once again traveled to Argentina to continue the zoo’s jaguar/bush dog conservation work in Misiones, Argentina.  A number of new programs were implemented focusing on conservation education.  Utilizing conservation education packets funded by the Palm Beach Zoo, hundreds of school children in Posadas spent a couple of weeks being taught lessons on habitat preservation, forest ecology, recycling, human/wildlife conflict, animal and plant adaptation, etc. The zoo funded the bus transportation of over three hundred students to El PUMA Ecological Parque (PUMA) to partake in Palm Beach Zoo staff guided facility tours focusing on the native species of Misiones, PUMA’s wildlife rehabilitation program, and discussions of the impact of illegal hunting and pet trade trafficking with emphasis placed on showing the hundreds of confiscated animals residing at PUMA.  While at PUMA, the students were engaged in numerous conservation based games and activities to help further teach important conservation messages. Fifty secondary school students were transported to Uruguayi-i Provincial Park for a weekend of educational activities.  The students, who camped at a local eco-lodge at night, were led on nature hikes through the forests, viewed demonstrations and were able to practice the use of wildlife surveillance and census gathering techniques including animal track reading, GPS, radio collar telemetry, camera traps, and scat gathering detector dog use. 

During this trip, zoo staff also worked directly with the staff at PUMA to develop a husbandry and outreach training program as well as renovating many of the enclosures to allow the animals to behave in species-appropriate ways.  Zoo staff worked with PUMA staff on the development of an in-house conservation education interpretation program to enhance the educational offerings to guests of the Parque. 

The Palm Beach Zoo will continue to work directly with PUMA staff to assist in the development of the animal care facilities, staff professional knowledge, and the implementation of a comprehensive in-house conservation education program. Zoo staff will also continue to census the jaguar, puma, ocelot, tigrina, and bush dog populations in Misiones and to study the movement pattern of carnivores in and between the parks and bio-reserves of Misiones to aid the development of biological corridors and safe wildlife passage tunnels under the paved roads of the park system.

Research and Conservation of Endangered Sea Turtles in Venezuela – WIDECAST Program (Venezuelan CAP)

Five species of sea turtles can be found in the coastal waters of Venezuela, including the critically endangered leatherbacks (Demochelys coriacea), and researchers are taking action to protect nesting sites. The Palm Beach Zoo has been financially supporting this project, the goal of which is to prevent the extinction and promote the recovery of sea turtles that nest and forage in Venezuela through integrated research, technical training, and environmental education, since 2001. Local assistants are trained to work in the field to identify females and locate nests. Educational materials are distributed and workshops are conducted to educate community members, teachers, students, and tourism providers to increase awareness and conservation action. To date, 855 adult female sea turtles have been tagged and over 73 thousand hatchlings have been released. The Palm Beach Zoo will continue to provide support to ensure the future of this successful project and urges you to get involved by adopting a turtle, nest, or hatchery. To learn more about these opportunities, go to www.tortuadoption.com.

Mexico Pronghorn Project

Desert pronghorn are on the critically endangered list.  With less than 200 individuals left in 1995, a recovery program was initiated in the single area in central Baja, Mexico to restore their numbers. Working with multiple AZA zoos and the staff of the El Vizcaino Desert World Heritage site, a breeding program was established that resulted in over 300 animals.  Since little was known about the health and veterinary care of these animals, work to gather data to protect their health and safely trans-locate them to other areas has been a major goal of the program.  Translocations and releases into historical range occurred in 2005, and twice in 2009, with over 330 animals moved in total.  Work is ongoing to monitor the wild herd, establish a database of information on their health, protect the habit, and educate local communities.

Wild Howler Monkey Health Evaluation Project

A new project has been initiated in collaboration with veterinary researchers at the University of Mexico City to study the health of wild howler monkey populations.  The focus is on using field-ready diagnostic kits to look for the presence of tuberculosis and other diseases on these populations. This study will help determine the impact of human-wildlife interactions and environmental changes.  Supported by Chembio Diagnostics Systems, Inc.

Black Rhino Translocation and Anesthetic Evaluation – Namibia

The black rhinoceros is critically endangered in southern Africa; recent estimates put its total population at just over 4,000 animals. Range countries actively manage their rhinoceros populations in order to conserve them.

Unfortunately many procedures that are crucial to such management require capture and anesthesia. Capture techniques in the black rhinoceros are well established, yet unacceptable losses continue, particularly from capture-related respiratory and muscle disorders. This study will evaluate different techniques on respiratory values to help reduce the adverse effects, including death, associated with future rhinoceros capture operations.

The results of this work may be adopted by field veterinarians in range countries and minimize losses of these highly endangered mammals.

This study is supported by a grant from the Morris Animal Foundation.

The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) Study Report »

White rhino translocation, anesthetic evaluation and comparative blood value study – South Africa, USA

Similar to the black rhino, management of white rhinos in southern Africa requires capture, anesthesia, and often holding in facilities to allow adaptation. White rhinos are notorious for having difficulties adapting after capture. This study, supported by a grant from the International Rhino Foundation and ABAXIS, will evaluate the factors that may be correlated with maladaptation to aid veterinarians and managers in minimizing the complications associated with these procedures. In addition, blood values from free-ranging rhinos will be used for comparison with values in captive zoo rhinos to determine if differences exist and the reasons behind them.

Nutritional analyses and comparisons in free-ranging and captive elephants – South Africa and US

Nutrition is an important part of wellness in captive and wild animals.

In order to evaluate “normal values” and the effect of habitat changes on wild elephants, a small support grant is provided by Disney and ABAXIS to establish this database.

It will be used for comparison with captive elephant values in order to improve the health and welfare of zoo animals.

Perdido Key Beach Mouse Captive Breeding and Reintroduction Program

Beach mice are small nocturnal rodents who spend daylight hours in burrows they create in sand dunes and are dependent on undisturbed beaches for their survival.  Due to habitat loss and mortality due to feral animals, Perdido Key beach mice (PKBM) were declared an endangered species in 1983.  The beach mouse population at Perdido Key, a small strip of land that straddles the Alabama-Florida border, was nearly wiped out in the mid-1990's when hurricanes Erin and Opal ravaged Perdido Key’s beaches. In September 2004, as Hurricane Ivan was approaching the Florida-Alabama coast, staff from the Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC) removed eight PKBM from the wild, including a pregnant female.  These animals became the founders of the current captive population in the event that wild mice disappeared altogether.  Numbering less than 40 after the storms, the population has increased, with current population estimates near 500. While individual populations appear to be growing, the Perdido Key beach mouse will probably never make it off the endangered species list because of continued habitat loss and degradation as well as predation by feral animals.

The Palm Beach Zoo became involved with these endangered mice in 2007 when a captive zoo breeding program was established in the hopes of one day being able to reintroduce PKBM to their natural habitat. This collaboration currently involves the Palm Beach Zoo, Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, and the Santa Fe Teaching Zoo in Gainesville, as well as the FWC, The US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Florida State Parks Service, and the Alabama Fish and Game.  In October of 2009, the Palm Beach Zoo’s first offspring were confirmed. In the months that have followed, seven out of the zoo’s nine breeding pairs have successfully reproduced with over 80 offspring reaching maturity.

On March 27, 2010, staff from the zoo’s animal care and research departments traveled to Perdido Key with 16 of the offspring to take part in the first ever release of captive PKBM into the wild. Personnel from USFWS, FWC, Brevard Zoo, Santa Fe Teaching Zoo, independent researchers, and the Palm Beach Zoo worked together to individually mark each mice using small metal ear tags and placed radio collars on more than half of the mice being released.  Once all mice were individually identified, they were transported to the release site, just over the Alabama border on Perdido Key.  Mice from Brevard Zoo and Palm Beach Zoo were release in even ratios in three separate sites each containing four release pens. 

The mice’s movements were tracked for two weeks after release using radio collars.  Regular trapping of the mice continued to provide us with information on how the population wass both moving and growing.  Three months after being released, a number of the females were found to be pregnant and over a dozen offspring were also identified.  The mice were also found in areas of Perdido Key where the species has not been seen in over a decade, strong evidence that this new population is thriving.

Six months after the initial release, Palm Beach Zoo staff assisted with setting and checking close to 400 traps for two nights to assess current population numbers and distribution.  The population has tripled and continues to grow as five of the trapped mice were pregnant females, including several second wild generation individuals.  The mice have spread out evenly over their range and no ill effects have been seen thus far from the oil spill in the Gulf.  The Palm Beach Zoo will continue their captive breeding efforts in conjunction with other Florida AZA institutions and will coordinate with the USFWS and FWC on future releases. 

This is the first reintroduction program of captive PKBM to be implemented and Palm Beach Zoo staff members are proud to be able to take part in this important work.

Hawksbill Sea Turtle Program

The Palm Beach Zoo is now sponsoring a new program that is focused on the study of Florida’s endangered Hawksbill sea turtles that encourages and facilitates marine research and the conservation of Florida’s coral reef habitats. Sea turtles have become icons of marine conservation all around the world. Florida is a very important place for sea turtles, and has served as a worldwide ‘hub’ for sea turtle research for decades. However, of the five species of sea turtles that frequent Florida, hawksbills are the least studied, and as a result, the least understood. They are not known to nest with any regularity on Florida’s beaches (thus escaping the attention of most Florida researchers), but are frequently seen on the coral reefs that line our coast. As a recreational SCUBA diver, Larry Wood, conservation biologist at the zoo, was intrigued by the abundance and behavior of the hawksbill turtles he encountered off the shores of Palm Beach County. As a result, he initiated the state’s first and only study to focus on this species, which is very closely associated to Florida’s fragile coral reefs. Hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are a small to medium-sized species of marine turtle (100-200 lbs.) found in tropical and sub-tropical waters around the world. Hawksbills, as suggested by their name, are most commonly characterized by a markedly pointed, beak-like upper jaw that resembles that of an eagle or hawk. They are unique among marine turtles in that the scales of the shell overlap one another on each trailing edge, much like roof shingles, and, on smaller individuals, the scutes (shell scales) at the rear of the turtle are sharply pointed, giving a ‘jagged’ look to the rear of the shell. Of note are the beautiful shells of hawksbill turtles. Though they prey on a variety of marine organisms, hawksbills eat primarily sponges, and are therefore closely associated with coral reef habitats.

The hawksbill is listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and is listed in Appendix 1of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. It is also listed as endangered throughout its range under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. As such, specific actions are required to facilitate the recovery of the species. The most recent status review of the species in the United States recognized that numerous threats still exist for United States populations, recommended that the hawksbill remain listed as endangered throughout its range, and encouraged continued recovery efforts. iwww.floridahawksbills.com

Thanks to : Jim Abernethy’s Scuba Adventures dive crew, Dr. Anne Meylan of the Florida Marine Research Institute, Dr. Peter Meylan of Eckert College (DNA), Kay Tennant and all dive assistants. Special thanks to the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary and the Taras Oceanographic Foundation for logistical support.  Major funding for this project has also been generously provided by National Save the Sea Turtle Foundation, www.savetheseaturtles.org, the Bay and Paul Foundations, the Philanthropic Cooperative, and Ms. Charlot Taylor.

Special note: Hawksbill turtles are protected by State and Federal law. Do not pursue, touch, or harass these animals in the wild. If you encounter tagged hawksbills while diving, please record the tag number only if it can be read without disturbing the turtle.

Native Wildlife Rehabilitation Program

The Palm Beach Zoo strives to assist all incapacitated native animals through an active role in native wildlife rehabilitation. By caring for both injured and orphaned animals, the Palm Beach Zoo serves as a depot for the public to deliver injured native wildlife, as well as a resource for local rehabilitators as a site for "soft" release of rehabilitated animals.

Jaguar Species Survival Plan Web Site

The Palm Beach Zoo has completely funded the software, programming, registration and hosting of the Jaguar SSP Web site. The Jaguar SSP houses over 100 cats with the participation of over forty (40) zoos. This Web site will expand public awareness of the jaguar's ecology, and historic and cultural importance. This Web site will also serve to build a cooperative network of zoological institutions and biologists who are collectively working to conserve the species. Website address: www.jaguarssp.org.

Development & Validation of Multi-species Field Test for Screening for TB in Wildlife - Mexico & Brazil

The Palm Beach Zoo, working in collaboration with partners at the University of Mexico and zoos/private institutions in Brazil, is developing a program to evaluate the impact of tuberculosis on wildlife.

Currently, species that are being evaluated include wild and captive spider monkeys, howler monkeys, jaguars, and a variety of other species of concern. Tuberculosis often occurs in confiscated animals that have been in contact with humans or domestic animals.

Determining the extent of this infection is critical to preventing introduction into wild populations. Using low-technology diagnostic tests in the field, as well as in zoos and other collections, researchers will determine the initial extent of the problem.

Species Survival Plans (SSP) at the Palm Beach Zoo