conservation Archives - Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens

Enriching Our Communities and Restoring Habitat

Digging Deeper into the Oak Woodland Restoration and Career Pathways Project By: Cortney Vargas A quiet hillside on the edge of the Los Angeles Zoo is about to tell a new story: one of ecological restoration, community partnership, and a shared vision for the future. Once used for equipment storage and long overlooked, this patch of land within Zoo grounds is being transformed into a vibrant native oak woodland through the Oak Woodland Restoration and

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Honk, Honk: Meet Webby and Dewey

Trumpeter swans are the largest waterfowl in North America. The name of these iconic swans comes from the deep “trumpet” tones they can make when they forcefully exhale.

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Two white swans with long necks and black bills glide toward each other in a dark pond.

Celebrated CA Condor Keepers Leaving the Nest

Storied L.A. Zoo California condor keepers Mike Clark and Chandra David are retiring after a life-changing and world-changing career. We’re catching up and saying goodbye with an epic recap of all the helicopters, climbing gear, cutting-edge science, and Advil it takes to save a species. Plus, discover the sounds, sights, sacrifices they will never forget and the eleventh-hour “hail Mary” that may help keep the condor program moving forward even as these two stalwarts are taking a well-deserved rest. Heads up: It’s going to be a literal cliffhanger.

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A woman in face mask tends to a newly hatched chick while a man in a face mask works nearby

Career Highlights from “Rock Star” Reptile Curator

Curator of Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish Ian Recchio grew up around snakes. It was a family pastime that ultimately led to a 30-year career at the Zoo, culminating in his role as curator, which is coming to a close as he retires from the Zoo in August.

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