My second day of Zoo InternQuest was literally a walk in the park. Zoo educator guide, Rachelle Marcon, took us on a tour of the animals she interacts with on a daily basis. While visiting the koalas, Rachelle educated us on such things as their specialized environment, behavior, and eating habits. But the most intriguing fact was that the San Diego Zoo houses the largest collection of koalas in the world, outside of Australia of course! Koalas are endangered in the wild due to factors such as habitat destruction; therefore, the San Diego Zoo’s large group of koalas contributes to the preservation of the overall species.

Along our tour, we learned of other unique conservation efforts. One has to do with a special bird called the Guam rail. Native to the island of Guam, this species is now extinct in the wild, but scientists are looking to relocate it to neighboring islands. In the meantime, there is one specimen at the San Diego Zoo, and they must make sure it is paired up perfectly through managed breeding programs. Another species at the zoo in need of protection is the Koa tree. It is native to Hawaii and has been extensively logged in the wild. This is because Hawaiians use the trees to craft several objects, such as tables, bowls, and ukuleles. The tree is also threatened due to invasive wasps from Asia. The wasps lay their eggs on the leaves of the tree, causing a functional deformation that eventually leads to the death of tree. In order to preserve this endangered plant species, the San Diego Zoo is propagating a large colony at the Zoo’s Hawaiian Native Plant Garden.

Well, that’s it for this week. Check back next week for more exciting news on my adventures at the San Diego Zoo!

Caitlin, Conservation Team

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