Zoo InternQuest is a career exploration program for high school students. For more information see the Zoo InternQuest Journals. For more photos see the Zoo InternQuest Photo Journal.

Last week we got a scientist’s perspective on one of the most important aspects of the San Diego Zoo’s mission- the conservation of endangered species. Dr. Chris Tubbs showed us how scientists use the level of progesterone, a reproductive hormone, in an animal’s body to determine when an animal is cycling or is pregnant. Toxins from an animal’s environment can sometimes cause hormone levels to change, and even stress has been known to be a factor in hormone regulation. Of course, reproduction is a key part in the survival of a species, so when an animal does not cycle, this can cause major problems for breeding success.

We also assisted in the Frozen Zoo cryopreservation program. Samples of gametes, or reproductive cells, of many species at the Zoo and Wild Animal Park are frozen in liquid nitrogen, preserving them for future uses, such as artificial insemination and studies on many essential species. Extensive measures are taken to ensure the viability of the samples, both before and after freezing them. We were guided in the process of evaluating these cells after thaw and running several tests under a microscope. Some criteria for a good sample include an intact outer membrane and a certain degree of motility to the cells. Saving the sperm of species that may shortly become extinct may give the Zoo a way to bring them back to flourish in the future, with the many technological advances occurring all over the world as well as in the United States.

Wendy, Conservation Team

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