#captive-breeding

#captive-breeding

On a grey day in early June, a commercial plane landed at Norfolk Island Airport in the South Pacific. Onboard was precious cargo ferried some 1,700km from Sydney: four blue plastic crates with LIVE ANIMALS signs affixed to the outside. Inside were thumbnail-sized snails, hundreds of them, with delicate, keeled shells. The molluscs' arrival was the culmination of an ambitious plan five years in the making: to bring a critically endangered species back from the brink.

Despite half a century of international protection, TRAFFIC's findings showed that tiger trafficking is accelerating and increasingly targeting whole animals, living or dead. Experts say the shift appears linked to captive-breeding operations, but may also reflect tigers being seized shortly after poaching or before being dismembered for their parts. Additionally, it could be driven by a rise in exotic pet ownership or demand for taxidermy, they say.

In recent decades, zoos across the United States have expanded their roles from mere wildlife exhibitors to essential conservation havens with a mission to prevent extinction. Through ingenious breeding programs, innovative habitats, and groundbreaking research, these institutions have played a pivotal role in rescuing several species teetering on the brink of extinction. Here, we explore 13 remarkable U.S. zoos that have significantly contributed to these efforts, underscoring the critical role they play in global conservation initiatives.