In the late 1980s, the U.S. Navy approached the San Diego Zoo asking for assistance in the recovery of the San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike. This shrike subspecies is found only on the U.S. Navy’s San Clemente Island, a highly valued training site. Numbers had dropped to as low as 14 birds and the Navy wanted help to create a captive
breeding population. In 1991, the first three clutches were pulled from wild nests and brought to the zoo for artificial incubation and hand rearing. Thus began a nearly 30-year collaboration among the zoo, the Navy, and various other conservation partners.

Dr. Susan Farabaugh, who now manages the zoo’s shrike recovery program and the Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program, joined the zoo in 1997. But before then, Susan’s ornithological path took her far afield—Panama, Venezuela, Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand. This vast experience makes her uniquely suited to discuss what has been learned about successful conservation breeding and how the release of conservation birds has affected the wild.

This story reflects both challenges and cautions. However, it’s the successes with this small but fierce songbird that will leave you most inspired. Join us on February 17. You won’t want to miss it.