San Diego Zoo Safari Park San Diego Zoo Safari Park News 2025

A few more updates from the Park so far this morning!

-The greater kudu and Soemmerring’s gazelles in the old giant eland exhibit are off exhibit for construction.

-The ambassador capybaras are now sometimes visiting the old bird exhibit between the gerenuk and okapi exhibits in African Woods for enrichment.

-There are only three southern white rhinos left at the Nikita Kahn Rhino Rescue Center.

-1.0 Masai giraffe “Raymie” has officially been introduced to the rest of the herd in the South Africa field exhibit.

-A big male Nubian ibex and a few more females have been introduced to their new exhibit along the Africa Tram.
 
Are they winding down the work of the rhino center? What is the status of the northern white rhino resuscitation project?
That’s the rumor. Rumor has it the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is pulling out of the Northern White Rhino Project, and that money is going to be reallocated to other conservation projects — hopefully projects with broader applications and impacts that will actually benefit living animals and environments in need of funding and protection and not just one functionally extinct subspecies and fancy and expensive scientific technology for show...
 
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That’s the rumor. Rumor has it the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is pulling out of the Northern White Rhino Project, and that money is going to be reallocated to other conservation projects — hopefully projects with broader applications and impacts that will actually benefit living animals and environments in need of funding and protection and not just one functionally extinct subspecies and fancy and expensive scientific technology for show...

A bit sad given their connection to the species, but at least there are other groups still working on the project. I can't help wondering if the decision was partially influenced by the rise of Colossal, whether by seeing less need or trying to avoid association.
 
That’s the rumor. Rumor has it the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is pulling out of the Northern White Rhino Project, and that money is going to be reallocated to other conservation projects — hopefully projects with broader applications and impacts that will actually benefit living animals and environments in need of funding and protection and not just one functionally extinct subspecies and fancy and expensive scientific technology for show...
If this means they're looking into black rhinos once more I'm 100% here for it. They contributed a ton to the project as is, and reallocating those funds to more pertinent matters is a good move already.
 
A bit sad given their connection to the species, but at least there are other groups still working on the project. I can't help wondering if the decision was partially influenced by the rise of Colossal, whether by seeing less need or trying to avoid association.

Sorry to ask, but for those of us not in the loop, what is “colossal”?
 
Sorry to ask, but for those of us not in the loop, what is “colossal”?
Colossal Biosciences is a biotechnology company that uses genomic sequencing, CRISPR gene editing, and AI-driven technology to pursue de-extinction and conservation efforts, aiming to restore species like the woolly mammoth and dodo bird to help rebalance ecosystems. Founded by Dr. George Church and Ben Lamm, Colossal develops and applies advanced conservation biotechnology, seeking to not only bring back extinct species but also to create tools for preserving currently endangered ones, with spin-offs for other markets.

They been talks regarding mammoths, dodos, dire wolves, moas, and thylainces with this company.
 
The youngest calf, 1.0 “Neville”, remains for now with two adult females. All of the others have shipped.
What do you mean? All calves produced at the Conservaton Center have moved to different institutions across the US? Or have also the adult cows gone from the place except for the 2 unnamed females?
 
The biotech company that claimed they created "dire wolves" and are now working on "moas" and "mammoths".

Our Species - Colossal
I do not think there are any suggestions that this company is in any way connected to the northern white rhino project, .... (correct me if I am wrong). I assume that the San Diego Zoo management has other things on their mind to - perhaps - renege on a project they co-sponsorred.

Personally, I find the northern white rhino project deserves more credit than it is given and that it is actually worthwhile to try and invest some effort into functionally extinct species ... They may be evolutionary naturally extinct by human impacts, just as long as we have living individuals of the species as well as biological specimens in Frozen Zoo or whatever medium and capacity it is still useful to make that effort.

That is not to say I am in favour of Colossal and their projects with fully extinct species..... I put a big questionmark over these and with "dire wolf" (not even close to the original) and "mammoth" I do think they are overstepping the mark.
 
Both - the center previously held a large group of adult females plus their offspring.
So, as @Thomas already enquired ... who, oh ... who has any idea how, what and where to the white rhinos in the Nikita Kahn Rhino Rescue Center have gone out to?


The herd within this complex consisted of the individuals listed below.

Females imported/held especially for the NWR-gene transfer project at the Center:
0.1 Amani - status?
0.1 Wallis - status?
0.1 Nikita - status?
0.1 Victoria - status?
0.1 Helene - probably still here and with her 2,5 year old calf Neville
0.1 Livia - status?

Calves produced over time:
1.0 Edward (U x Victoria - b. 2019) - shipped out to ???
0.1 Future (U x Amani - b. 2019) - shipped out to ???
1.0 Neville (U x Livia - b. 2022)

I assume the 3 individuals left may be calf Neville (b. 2022), his mum Livia and ????? (guestimarks). However this doesl beg the question where all the others have moved on and off to!!!


NOTA BENE: Mind you we are not talking of small change ... these are large mammals and one wonders how they could have all just left the building unnoticed ...!!!
 
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