San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Circle of trust 🐘 Elephants have the unique ability to feel sounds through their feet and formed what is known as an "alert circle" during the 5.2 magnitude earthquake that shook Southern California Monday morning. This behavior, demonstrated here by Ndlula, Zuli, Mkhaya, Umngani, and Khosi, is a natural response to perceived threats that helps protect younger elephants and the herd as a whole. After the shake up, the eles returned to business as usual and are safe along with the rest of the crew at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. #earthquake #elephants #sandiegozoowildlifealliance

Koality care 🐨 San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s team of experts always go the extra mile to ensure the well-being of the wildlife they are working with, and Omeo is no exception. After his mom passed away due to an illness when he was only five months old, wildlife care specialists stepped in to help the little pouch potato grow strong. Omeo is thriving today and continues to receive routine check-ups, including non-invasive ultrasounds to monitor a mass in his liver. Though he may not be out of the woods yet, Omeo is the definition of resilience thanks to his hardworking wildlife care and veterinary teams. #sandiegozoo #koala #savingspecies

Hope on the range 🦌 When a pronghorn fawn was found orphaned and injured in New Mexico, quick action by a local landowner set a remarkable rescue in motion. Wildlife partners at New Mexico Wildlife Center ensured the fawn’s immediate safety, and determined he needed specialized care for long-term survival. That’s when the San Diego Zoo Safari Park joined the effort, bringing the expertise of our care specialists to guide recovery and provide a safe space for the young pronghorn, who is now thriving thanks to their dedication. This successful rescue is a testament to the power of collaboration and shared knowledge in safeguarding vulnerable wildlife. Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/4eNN7UX #savingspecies #collaborativeconservation #sdzwa

Banking hope for the future 🌳 San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is celebrating another incredible conservation milestone after introducing the first-ever plant contributions to the Frozen Zoo® this year. Eighteen samples of the endangered Nuttall’s scrub oak tree are now safely cryopreserved in the largest, most diverse large scale biological bank of it kind, marking a groundbreaking step forward for the future of the species. Learn more about this exciting achievement: https://lnkd.in/gnbpec94 #frozenzoo50th #oaktree #savingspecies

The plight of the Przewalski's horse 🐴 San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has been working alongside international partners to help protect Przewalski’s horses for decades, collaborating on scientific research, reproductive technology, and reintroduction efforts for the species. Central to this work is the Frozen Zoo, which safeguards the genetic legacy of over 400 Przewalski's horses—a collection that scientists have used to bring two magnificent clones to life, now thriving at the Safari Park. These remarkable horses are helping restore genetic diversity to their species, serving as living symbols of possibility and hope for endangered species. #przewalskishorse #frozenzoo50th #sdzsafaripark

Even the tallest species on the savanna needs a helping hand 🦒 Enter Twiga Walinzi, a community-led conservation program developed alongside our partners that is dedicated to conserving reticulated giraffes across Kenya by conducting field research, monitoring native populations, and supporting coexistence between people and nature. Through our Savanna Conservation Hub, these efforts have been incredibly successful and are reducing the frequency of illegal giraffe poaching around the country. Thanks to the dedication of the giraffe guards, this iconic species has a hopeful chance for the future. #worldgiraffeday #collaborativeconservation #sdzwa

Protecting endangered parrots 🦜 San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has been working with partners in Mexico to help conserve thick-billed parrots, a vibrant species currently under threat due to habitat loss, logging, and the negative impacts of climate change. Wildfires have been especially detrimental to the region this year, sparking a blaze that put key nesting areas at risk in the Sierra Madre Occidental range. Thanks to innovative satellite imagery and the quick action of our teammates at the Organización Vida Silvestre (OVIS) and Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, firefighters were provided with valuable insights to help prevent the flames from spreading to old-growth trees that are vital to sustaining parrot populations. #worldparrotday #savingspecies

Buzzing with excitement to share that San Diego, the largest Bee City USA in the nation, celebrated World Bee Day with the unveiling of its new Bee City USA sign at the San Diego Zoo 🐝 This milestone emphasizes our city’s dedication to pollinator conservation, and reflects the power of collaboration across San Diego’s environmental and academic communities. Amid growing challenges to biodiversity, this initiative inspires us with the meaningful difference we can make together in building a sustainable future for pollinators and ecosystems. The new sign will soon reside in one of our native gardens, serving as a daily reminder of the vital role pollinators play and our shared responsibility to protect them. We’re grateful for the incredible partners who made this possible, including: 🌼UC San Diego 🌼San Diego Bird Alliance 🌼California Native Plant Society 🌼Sierra Club San Diego Chapter 🌼The City of San Diego 🌼San Diego Pollinator Alliance 🌼San Diego Beekeeping Society

The Frozen Zoo® at 50: A Blueprint for Global Conservation 🌍 This year marks the 50th anniversary of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance's Frozen Zoo®, an innovative institution dedicated to safeguarding endangered species around the world by sustaining living cells to combat the biodiversity crisis facing our planet. The Frozen Zoo is the largest collection of its kind and is home to over 11,500 genetic samples from 1,337 species including Przewalski's horses, orangutans, Sumatran tigers, and more. With your support, SDZWA is committed to leading biodiversity banking around the world, with a goal of preserving all endangered species by 2075. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4jW0809 #frozenzoo50th #facesofthefrozenzoo #endangeredspeciesday #sdzwa

Every pachy in the pool 🐘 Besides being an absolute blast, regular pool parties are an excellent way for the elephant herd to bond while getting some exercise. When one pachy takes a dunk, the others typically follow and this particular dip lasted for over 30 minutes. In case you missed it: a 5.2 magnitude earthquake rocked Southern California a few weeks ago and the pachys at the Safari Park knew just what to do. After forming an "alert circle" in order to protect the youngest and most vulnerable in the family, the elephants went back to business after the perceived threat had passed. #pachypoolparty #splishsplash #elephants #sdzsafaripark