Articles
Explore conservation articles related to our Action initiatives.
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January 19, 2023
Flexing for Mussels in Illinois
Insectarium Keeper Robert ‘Grey’ Andre discusses a recent survey of freshwater mussels in Illinois.January 09, 2023
Does Absence Make the Heart Grow Fonder?
Saint Louis Zoo Animal Welfare Scientist Ashley Edes reflects on how Zoo animals responded to guests returning after COVID-19 closure.December 28, 2022
¿Cuánto vale la vida de un delfín?
La directora del Instituto de Medicina de la Conservación del Zoológico de Saint Louis, Sharon Deem, reflexiona sobre una misión de rescate de delfines de río en Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.December 28, 2022
What’s a Dolphin’s Life Worth?
Director of the Saint Louis Zoo Institute for Conservation Medicine Sharon Deem reflects on a river dolphin rescue mission in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.April 20, 2022
Foxes, Coyotes, Bobcats, Oh My! A New Conservation Initiative
The Saint Louis Zoo is leading a new Missouri-based project called the Canid Conservation Initiative. This is a collaborative program between the Zoo, Washington University (Living Earth Collaborative) and the Endangered Wolf Center located in Eureka, Missouri.January 24, 2022
The Health of Ambassador Animals
Have you ever visited the Zoo and enjoyed a close-up encounter with an animal? If so, you likely interacted with one of the Zoo’s many animal ambassadors. Animal ambassadors are individual animals that help educate the public about their species. Currently, the Saint Louis Zoo does not have these animals interacting with guests.December 26, 2021
Swim Like Nobody’s Watching: How Guests May Impact Behavior in Zoo Penguins
If you have visited the Saint Louis Zoo, then chances are you’ve been splashed with icy cold water from frolicking penguins at the always-chilly Lichtenstein Penguin Cove at Penguin & Puffin Coast. In the wild, these natural swimmers spend much of their lives in the ocean hunting for food.December 16, 2021
Embracing Elderly Elephant Care
I’m Becky Heisler, a keeper in the River’s Edge of the Saint Louis Zoo. My passion for elephants began in graduate school, where I studied with an elephant reproductive specialist. From there, I began my career at the Zoo as a River’s Edge keeper and have been in this position ever since.December 14, 2021
Conservation Notes From the Field in Armenia
The Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for Conservation in Western Asia has been conducting field research in the country of Armenia for over a decade. In September 2021, herpetology staff at the Zoo traveled to Armenia to conduct field research on endangered reptiles. Keeper Justin Elden documented the trip, and readers are invited to learn more about this international conservation effort in Elden’s own words.December 08, 2021
Mourning the Loss of Southern Rockhopper Penguin Enrique
On Friday, December 3, the animal care and veterinary teams humanely euthanized southern rockhopper penguin Enrique, who was almost 30 years old. The median life expectancy for a male southern rockhopper penguin is 25 years. As Enrique aged, he began showing signs of advanced arthritis and age-related changes in his eyes, resulting in decreased vision.November 23, 2021
Dedicated to Animal Care Series: Humboldt Penguin Roundup
One way the Zoo is dedicated to animal care is through regular animal check-ups. The "Humboldt Penguin Roundup" is a yearly examination and an important part of our penguins' preventive care at the Zoo. It includes a physical evaluation by a veterinarian of the animals' eyes, mouth and body weight.September 30, 2021
Dedicated to Animal Care Series: Preventive Care
On Sept. 29, 2021, adult male chimpanzee "Jimiyu" was the first animal at our Zoo to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Over the next few months, we plan to administer the two-dose COVID-19 vaccine in a staged roll-out to almost 100 primates, big cats, river otters, painted dogs and bat-eared foxes, all of which carry a potential risk of being infected by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.September 20, 2021
Conversations About Climate Change Should Be Hopeful
Hannah Phillips is the Manager of Docents and Interpreters at the Saint Louis Zoo. She is passionate about meeting people "where they are at" to inspire curiosity, empathy and action for the natural world. When I learned the Saint Louis Zoo was joining The National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation network (NNOCCI), I was excited.September 15, 2021
Hellbenders Returning Home
Over 800 Ozark and eastern hellbenders raised from eggs at the Saint Louis Zoo were released into their native Missouri Ozark rivers in summer 2021 by Missouri Department of Conservation, the Zoo and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Since 2008, 9,476 Saint Louis Zoo-raised endangered hellbenders (8,599 Ozark and 877 eastern) have been reintroduced to the wild in Missouri.August 31, 2021
An Empty Lab Filled with Active Science
Over the past months, research interns again became a familiar sight in the Endangered Species Research Hospital. Their presence is a welcome change from last year, when many students abruptly ended their internships to return home due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing safety precautions and university shutdowns.June 16, 2021
Secret Science at the Zoo
Author: David Powell, Director of Research, Saint Louis ZooApril 26, 2021
Turtle Dogs
Turtle dogs! Saint Louis Zoo scientists have partnered with some very special assistants: seven turtle-detecting spaniels. The Boykin spaniels helped us track and retrieve box turtles – their strong sense of smell allows them to find hidden turtles our researchers might miss. (And they're faster than us, too!)April 02, 2021
Amur Tiger Kalista
It is with a heavy heart that we share the sad news about our beloved Amur tiger, Kalista, who passed away at her Big Cat Country habitat on March 27, 2021, at 19 years and 10 months old.February 24, 2021