Chester Zoo Science

@chesterzoosci

Science and global conservation news from Chester Zoo's Science and Field Programmes departments. Happy to link up with conservationists, vets, keepers, ecologists, academics and animal-lovers. Journo requests to r.waller@chesterzoo.org.

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Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· 15d

The Terai region of India, a vital home for tigers, stretches roughly 5,000km². However, only around 1,800km² is currently protected, leaving tigers vulnerable. We're challenging supporters to work together and collectively cover 5,000km, a distance inspired by this landscape. 1/2 🐅 🌏

Photo shows two adult tigers nuzzling each other. They both have orange/brown fur and black stripes.

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· 17d

Are you watching Force for Nature on ITV? 🐆 These stories and images are an urgent call for action. 🔥 www.itv.com/watch/force-...

Image shows a snow leopard staring intently at the camera

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· 28d

Enter the world of conservation endocrinology - otherwise known as poop science! Find out: 🦓 How hormone testing helps endangered animals 🐅 Which species 'contribute' samples 🐘 And what we do with the smelly stuff 💩 Read on here: www.chesterzoo.org/news/fighting-extinction-through-endocrinology 🧪

Photo shows small plastic baggies of brown, dried animal dung. The packets are labelled 'zebra'

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jul 14

Annabel's work is the first time oestrogen analysis has been used to monitor follicular activity (a stage in the development of eggs) in Goodfellow's tree kangaroos. Armed with this data, we may be able to reverse the species’ decline – and support more births of joeys like Walter. 🦘 4/4 🧪

A very cute photo of a female adult tree kangaroo stretching up agaist a branch as her baby pokes out of a pouch. Tree kangaroos are buff and orange-brown animals with pointed faces and big claws

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jul 14

Previous Tree Kangaroo fertility research concentrated only on progesterone. Annabel is broadening the focus to include oestrogen in females and male androgen patterns. In the long term, she’s also looking at how diet affects tree kangaroo health and fertility by testing faecal samples. 🧪💩 🦘 3/4

Photo shows a woman with long blonde hair tied back and wearing a blue Chester Zoo branded science coat. She is looking at a sample in a test tube

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jul 14

Our scientist Annabel Walker is trying to boost Tree Kangaroo numbers. She presented part of her project, "Investigating the reproductive physiology of female and male Goodfellow's tree kangaroos" at the recent British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums research conference... 🦘 2/2

Photo shows Annabel, a lady with shoulder length hair, standing in smart clothes in front of a red curtain. She is standing next to a BIAZA research conference sign

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jul 14

It's #TestTubeTuesday, and you know what that means! 🧪 Walter the Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo captured visitor’s hearts when he emerged from his pouch this year, but his species is declining in the wild, and very few are being born in European zoos. Our scientists want to change that... 🦘 1/4

Photo shows a tiny tree kangaroo, a brown and buff animal with a pointed face, nibbling on an orange vegetable. His mother is leaning over him. They are on a wooden platform

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jul 9

You can learn all about golden mantella conservation here: www.madagasikara-voakajy.org ☀️ If you are in the UK, you can find many golden mantella in Chester Zoo’s Tropical Realm! - Francia Lauréa SAMOELAH, comms officer for Madagasikara Voakajy, Chester Zoo’s Malagasy conservation partners. 4/4 🌍

Photo shows a close up of a golden mantella frog. It is staring intensely toward the left. It is yellow-orange and its skin is translucent, so it seems to glow a bit

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jul 9

We were delighted when the golden mantella was downlisted from Critically Endangered to Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Chester Zoo supports us (Madagasikara Voakajy) by funding the Mangabe Protected area, which is the main stronghold for this species, and through sharing technical skills. 🌍 3/4

Photo shows a tiny, yellow-orange frog lying on its back on a weighing scales. It doesn't look particularly happy, but it is unharmed.

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jul 9

📉 In 2004, fewer than 100 golden mantella were thought to remain in the wild, placing the species on the brink of extinction. 📈 But thanks to dedicated conservation efforts led by MV and supported by partners like Chester Zoo, its population has increased to more than 1,000. 🌍 2/4

A close up photo of a golden mantella frog. The frog is about as big as a thumbnail and is sitting on a leaf. It is a vivid yellow-orange colour and has big black eyes

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jul 9

🐸 For today’s #MalagasySpeciesSpotlight, I’d like to introduce one of Madagascar’s most colourful conservation success stories: the golden mantella frog. 🌿 Found only in eastern Madagascar, they tend to live in wet and swampy areas where aquatic plants provide essential shelter. 1/4 🌍

Photo shows a woman in a peaked cap standing beside a terrarium. There are lots of little golden frogs inside.

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jul 8

Perrier’s baobab is the most threatened and is listed as Critically Endangered due to its very limited distribution and population. Before 2013, only 99 were known to remain in northern Madagascar, putting this remarkable species at risk of extinction. 🌍 2/4 (Pic by Darren Hughes - CC license)

Picture shows a squat tree with a thick, rounded trunk and branches growing from low on the trunk

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jul 8

It's day three of our #MalagasySpeciesSpotlight with me, Laurea Samoelah, comms officer for Chester Zoo's Malagasy conservation partner Madagasikara Voakajy. 🌱 When you think of Madagascar, what comes to mind? For many people, it’s the majestic baobab. Six species occur only in Madagascar. 🌍 1/4

Photo shows a woman in a peaked hat and pink top. She is standing in front of a moulded baobab, which is two or three times human height

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jul 7

Today’s #MalagasySpeciesSpotlight is all about lemurs! 🐒 Did you know that lemurs are found only in Madagascar? Roughly 100 species have been identified across the island, making them one of Madagascar’s most iconic groups of animals. 🌍 1/3

Photo shows a woman in a white hat, Chester Zoo branded top and jeans. She's crouching by a gang of ring tail lemurs in the Chester Zoo lemur walkthrough.

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jul 6

Did you know: Chester Zoo's conservation partners sometimes come to the zoo in person? My name is Lauréa Samoelah, and I’m from Madagascar, one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, where over 85% of wildlife and plants are found nowhere else on Earth. 🌍 1/4

Photo shows Laurea, a woman in a blue jumper and black and white patterned scarf, standing next to a sign showing a Malagasy lemur. The sign reads: Madagascar is a nature hotspot

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jun 30

Let's talk about the stinky stuff this #TestTubeTuesday. Since 2021 we have processed over 10,000 Asian elephant faecal samples from eight different institutions, enabling us to confirm 13 pregnancies. Our endocrine diagnostic lab supports elephant insurance populations all across Europe! 🌍🧪

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jun 24

Introducing lioncam: 🦁 Our scientists constantly carry out animal welfare monitoring to supplement our keepers' expert observations. 📹 We capture thousands of hours of footage to evaluate how habitat design, enrichment activities, background sounds and zoo events impact the animals in our care.

Photo shows a woman with long dark hair looking at a computer screen. The screen shows a video of two lions lying together on the ground

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jun 19

#Womblemania is still taking place at the zoo - but did you know we have recorded wild aardvarks in the field? 🌍 Aardvarks are widespread in rocky ranges across much of Africa. 📷 They pop up on our camera trap footage in our species monitoring projects. 1/2

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jun 15

It's #MicroscopeMonday - and this week, we're looking at gametes. Our science and vet teams evaluate the concentration, health and movement of sperm - just like in a fertility clinic for humans. Like our endocrinology testing, this is all to support our conservation breeding work. 🌍🧪

Photo shows a scientist looking into a microscope. The scientist is wearing a white Chester Zoo branded lab coat and has her long brown hair tied back in a ponytail

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jun 2

🐃 'Dung donors' include endangered species like anoas. ✉️ We also test samples sent from other European zoos. 📈 Our scientists look at hormone levels for various reasons, including checking fertility, confirming pregnancies and monitoring general reproductive health of endangered animals. 🌍 2/2

A small buffalo calf with very dark fur and big brown eyes. She has a leaf in her mouth.

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jun 2

Welcome to the inaugural 🧪#TestTubeTuesday🧪 updates from our Science Centre labs. It's June - and that means a sample surge! 💩 In the first week of every month, roughly 400 faecal samples a month, all recovered from animals living at Chester Zoo, are gathered for analysis. 🌍 1/2

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jun 1

Our experts and MBP rangers analysed the pictures. They show a mature male, a young male and a young female bongo. We support the Mountain Bongo Project rangers working hard every day to patrol and monitor this vital habitat. Unlike the Aberdares, Maasai Mau is not legally protected. 🌍 3/4

Picture shows a night scene. A horned antelope appears pale against a darker leafy background. The image is date stamped for mid May

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jun 1

👍 The good news! We can share evidence that these incredibly rare bongo antelopes have been seen in the forests of Maasai Mau for the first time in more than half a decade. The Maasai Mau region sits about 200km from Aberdares protected area and the pics spark new hope for conservationists. 🌍 2/4

Picture shows a colour photograph of a young female bongo (a brown antelope with cream stripes) exploring a forested area

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· Jun 1

Did you catch the #bongos news yesterday? Here's the background: 👎 The bad news: our AI-powered cameras detected only 28 individuals in their Aberdares mountain stronghold last year (highly experienced Mountain Bongo Project rangers confirmed there are likely fewer than 40). 1/4 🌍

Photo shows a horned antelope on a trail cam image at night. The background is dark. The antelope's face and shoulders are pale.

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· May 29

We also prepared the article on Uganda's pangolins, which we were well placed to do as we worked with UWA to undertake the largest camera trapping project focused on giant pangolins, and have gathered previously unknown data on this elusive species. 📸 4/4

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· May 29

Our conservation experts working in Uganda contributed data on more than 60 mammal species taken from 1500 sampling locations across six protected areas, and from camera trap data that together adds up to over 800 years (in camera trap days). 🐆 3/4

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· May 29

Uganda is in the top 10 most biodiverse countries in the world and is home to 7.5% of all mammal species and 10.2% of birds. But Ugandan wildlife faces serious threats from climate change, land use change and poaching. Conservation cannot be accurately evaluated without robust baseline data. 1/4 🦒

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· May 27

🐅🐂🐃🐗 *FREE SEMINAR* Conservationists, scientists and zoo professionals! Join the Collaboration Is Key seminar (Tuesday 9th June) on the conservation of Critically Endangered anoas, banteng, babirusas and Sumatran tigers. Register: chesterzoo-org.zoom.us/meeting/regi... #ActionIndonesia 🌏🦇

Photo shows a ginger bovine with short horns beside two calves

Photo shows a dark brown bovine with short horns beside a small calf

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· May 26

Us, when the sun comes out. ☀️ (Pictured: Silvery gibbon (Hylobates moloch), found on Java. Conservation status: Endangered)

A gibbon sitting atop a poll. The gibbon's arms are outstretched and they are making a face at the sky.

Chester Zoo Science@chesterzoosci· May 19

If you are fortunate enough to be attending the #ChelseaFlowerShow over the next few days, drop by the Missing Collector Garden. Created by @plantheritage.bsky.social, it is designed to inspire the next generation of National Plant Collection Holders. And, soon, it's coming to Chester Zoo!