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Chlidonias

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here's an article about Lord Howe Stick Insect eggs, which arrived at the zoo from Melbourne Zoo "last weekend": Insect Once Thought Extinct Bred at Zoo | NBC 7 San Diego
It may not be Jurassic Park, but the San Diego Zoo entomology department received 300 eggs last weekend from a critically endangered stick insect.

The Lord Howe Island stick insect or tree lobster, thought extinct for over 80 years, was rediscovered in 2001 on an eroded remnant of a volcano called Ball’s Pyramid just off the coast of Australia.

The eggs arrived from Australia’s Melbourne Zoo and placed in 16-ounce containers filled with vermiculite, a soil additive that provides appropriate moisture for the egg’s development. The eggs will be kept in an off-exhibit area to hatch at a precise temperature and humidity.

"The rearing facility at the zoo is a very clean space," said "The animals are restricted to that area because we want to make sure we have all best practices and that means no fear of cross-contamination with the other invertebrates in our collection. It's very hot, it's very humid, it's very much like Lord Howe Island."

The entomology department successfully hatched the insect in 2012, but the group didn’t thrive. A review by the animal care staff and horticulture team decided the insects needed special plants that were used the Melbourne Zoo programs, which were unavailable in North America at the time. Plans to hatch more eggs were put on hold until the zoo was able to raise enough of this plant to feed the insects.

Horticulture supervisor Seth Menser traveled to Australia in 2012 to bring back 100 cuttings of Melaleuca howeana, a shrub native only to Lord Howe Island and Ball’s Pyramid. The zoo now has over 150 plants growing in six different plots. This is expected to be the insects’ primary food source.

The eggs are expected to hatch in two weeks and are expected to grow to seven inches long.

Since the rediscovery of the insects, the Melbourne Zoo has had great success in their efforts to breed them.
Click to expand...
 
It would be wonderful if they could eventually share some of the plant cuttings- with or without stick insects, with other Zoos and Botanical Gardens. Does anyone know if any of the plants will eventually be planted in a public bed as well?
 
The Reptile House seems to be going through a minor renovation,about half of the exhibits were closed yesterday at the time I visited. Does anyone have anymore info on that? I'd personally hoped for a more drastic renovation. I believe reptiles are the only area in which Los Angeles bests San Diego.
 
I don't really have a lot of info but I know that lots of species are being shifted throughout. I do know that Amethystine Python is one new addition.
 
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That's awesome news... hopefully this little guy is apart of saving the species :) Can't wait to see what comes of it!
 
At least three red river hogs were born a while ago and they made their public debut on Thursday.
 
A 2.5 year old Indian rhinoceros named Jiyu is now sharing the habitat in Urban Jungle with 3 year old Jeezan. Jeezan has been there since around December, and I think he came from The Wilds in Ohio. Jiyu is very new, and I have no clue where he came from.
 
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