officialturtlebackzoo

We are in a biodiversity crisis. The average decline of wildlife populations in the past 50 years (1970-2020) was 73%. One of the most noticeable effects is coral reef bleaching, which is where corals get stressed by factors such as warming ocean temperatures, and expel the symbiotic zooxanthellae (algae) that provide them with color and food. Without the zooxanthellae, the corals are vulnerable to starvation and disease. The term "bleaching" comes from the fact that the zooxanthellae also are what give the corals color, so corals turn white once the algae is gone. More than 80% of reefs in over half the world have been bleached and without immediate action will likely lead to corals being functionally extinct by 2050. The death of corals is the beginning of a domino effect, leading to the collapse of the entire reef ecosystem, which provides critical habitat for other marine life.

On Remembrance Day for Lost Species, we want to note a few species at Essex County Turtle Back Zoo that are all critically endangered and also may go extinct in our lifetime.
✨Amur Leopards - African Penguins - Eastern Bongos - Northern White-Cheeked Gibbons - Pancake Tortoises - Rote Island Snake-Necked Turtles - Vietnamese Pond Turtles✨

AZA Zoos do what we can to conserve species both in their natural habitats and in zoos and aquariums around the world, but there must be a global effort to help all species and our climate. The next time you come to the zoo, spend an extra few minutes with our critically endangered species. We hope that none of these species will join the ones that are to be remembered on this day.

officialturtlebackzoo

Happy International Jaguar Day from Rosa the Jaguar! Jaguars are the only extant species from the genus Panthera that live in the Americas. Their closest relatives are lions, tigers, leopards, and snow leopards, all of which make up the "big cats". Did you know that panthers are not a unique species of cat? The common name "panther" typically refers to big cats in the genus Panthera that exhibit melanism, often jaguars or leopards.

Jaguars are currently listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN, with deforestation as the biggest threat to their survival throughout the Southern United States and Central and South America. Between the years 1900 and 2000, estimates of their range in the wild shrank by more than 50% due to overproduction in their habitats. Another issue that jaguars face is hunting and poaching, though it is now illegal to hunt, capture, or sell them in almost all countries they are found. Unfortunately, they are already considered locally extinct in El Salvador and Uruguay.

Jaguars do not typically stay in one area which makes it difficult to protect jaguars in reserves. However, there are 51 ranges called Jaguar Conservation Units, each spanning from a few hundred to about 20,000 square miles. There are even some JCUs with wildlife corridor passages between them, allowing the jaguar populations to mix and avoid risk of bottlenecking the genes of each population. While these JCUs do not fully make up for the habitat ranges that jaguars have lost due to deforestation, they are working well to protect the jaguars that remain.

officialturtlebackzoo

We are having a blast celebrating this Thanksgiving with a birthday party for our 31-year-old tawny frogmouth Pablo! Don`t let his grumpy face fool you, superworms are his favorite treat. Pablo is a retired animal and lives off exhibit in the Berson Education Center where he is spoiled daily, not just on his birthday.

🍂 From the staff at Essex County Turtle Back Zoo (and Pablo) we hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and get to enjoy some of your favorite holiday treats (plus or minus on the worms).