Zoos Take a Walk on the Wild Side

In 1977, the Jersey Zoo in the English Channel Islands was boasting some new and exotic residents: Pink Pigeons. The bird had dwindled in its native Mauritius, thanks to habitat fragmentation and predation by invasive species; by 1984, only 15 remained in the wild. But the birds flourished in captivity, and ultimately, the zoo’s breed-and-release program put over 400 Pink Pigeons back in the wild.

Jersey Zoo—now known as the Durrell Wildlife Park—was among the first zoos to breed and release critically endangered birds, a practice that’s gaining traction. Over 1,300 bird species are now considered threatened, and for some of them, zoos represent a last chance for survival in the wild. Here are four examples of programs that are helping avians make a comeback.

Taronga Zoo: Regent Honeyeaters

This handsome bird, with its gold- and white-fringed feathers, is considered a “flagship” species in Australia. It’s listed as critically endangered in New South Wales, with as few as 300 individuals left in the wild. Once prevalent, the honeyeater’s numbers dipped after it lost 80 percent of its native ironbark forest. (Ironbark is a kind of eucalyptus tree with nectar-filled flowers that the honeyeater feeds on and pollinates.)

Now, the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, is trying to bring the birds back. Since 1995, the institution has been breeding these birds in captivity and releasing them in flocks. They’re monitored with tracking devices upon reintroduction. Recently, 77 of the birds were set free from the zoo—a dramatic number, considering the small size of the wild population. The zoo is also planting swathes of ironbark trees in New South Wales and Victoria so the honeyeaters can find a home once they’re released.

Zoological Society of London: Asian vultures

In India and Nepal, species of vultures have been threatened by diclofenac—a veterinary drug administered to cows—for decades. When the scavengers eat cow carcasses, the potent chemical poisons them. As a result, two species of native vultures, the Oriental White-back Vulture and the Long-billed Vulture, are now globally listed as critically endangered.

The Zoological Society of London, which is linked to the London Zoo, first joined forces with other conservation organizations in 1999 to help set up captive breeding centers for vultures in India and Nepal. Today, it continues to provide technical training to groups that run those breeding programs. It has even opened vulture “restaurants”—safe spaces where the birds can dine on uncontaminated meat. The commercial sale of diclofenac in India was officially banned in 2006, but it continues to be used in parts of the country. The ZSL hopes to release the captive-bred birds once the environment is nearly free of the toxin.

Brevard Zoo: Florida Scrub-Jays

The Florida Scrub-Jay is a very specialized bird that depends on scrubland—patches of dwarf oak that grow in sandy soil. But encroaching development and agriculture are carving up this habitat, and increased fire suppression tactics in the region are preventing the scrub from regenerating. Since Florida Scrub-Jays don’t migrate, they need help relocating to more suitable habitats. That’s where Florida’s Brevard Zoo comes in. The organization has been partnering with federal agencies, including the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, since 2008 to move several Florida Scrub-Jays to lusher habitat. So far, the zoo has placed 42 birds in protected scrubland. Most recently, a family of four was taken from a small sliver of land in Florida’s Port St. John region and placed in an expansive stretch of scrub in the Buck Lake Conservation Area. The birds live in groups, so it’s important that they’re relocated together. Until they reach reproductive age, young jays will often help rear and protect their little siblings.

Smithsonian National Zoo: Micronesian Kingfisher

These jewel-like birds were once abundant on the Micronesian island of Guam, but like several other species, the population was almost destroyed when the invasive brown tree snake was accidentally introduced. The serpents feasted on the kingfishers and their eggs, until only 29 wild birds remained. Conservationists gathered the survivors and placed them in captive breeding programs around the world—including the Smithsonian National Zoo in D.C. The bird is officially extinct in the wild, but the zoo is part of an ongoing effort to breed these kingfishers so they can one day be returned to their native Micronesia. 

This is no small task, of course. The species struggles to reproduce and survive in captivity: Some males and females refuse to pair up, and parents aren’t always adept at raising their young. But gradually, zoos are stocking up. In 2004, there were just 65 of these captive birds. Just last year, a new hatchling was born at the Smithsonian, bringing the total global population up to 129. Now, conservationists are scoping out territory on Guam and another Micronesian island, Pohnpei, for the birds to be restored to.