Page 27 - Bookfield Zoo Chicago Annual Report 2024

Punta San Juan Program Updates

Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s The mission of the Punta San Juan Program —
commitment to conservation a comprehensive field program focused on the
and environmental preservation Punta San Juan marine preserve—is to deepen
has been exemplified through its the understanding of marine-coastal ecosystems
strong partnership with the of the Humboldt Current in Peru and to conserve
Punta San Juan Program, led the ecosystem and its biodiversity. In 2023, highlights
by Peruvian marine biologist of the Program included the following:
Dr. Susana Cárdenas-Alayza from
st
the Center for Environmental Annual Health Evaluation 71 Annual International
Sustainability at Cayetano Herdia of Native Wildlife Conference of the Wildlife
University in Lima, Peru. Brookfield Zoo Chicago sent a Disease Association
team to Punta San Juan to assist Dr. Matt Allender, the Zoo’s director
The Punta San Juan marine
in collecting and analyzing data for of Conservation Medicine and
protected area provides critical
the annual health evaluations of Science, and Dr. Cárdenas-Alayza
habitat for Peru’s largest colony
native wildlife—particularly endan- presented on conservation work
of Humboldt penguins, as well as
gered Humboldt penguins, Peruvian at Punta San Juan. Presentations
critical rookeries for South Ameri-
fur seals, and South American sea focused on the prevalence of
can sea lions and Peruvian fur seals,
lions—to better understand diseas- protozoal diseases in fur seals
which are considered endangered
es impacting the animals so they and sea lions and the devastating
by the Peruvian government.
can be better protected. The El Niño impacts of an avian influenza
The reserve is also home to a
weather patterns have had a outbreak on South American wild
variety of resident seabirds and
major effect on the native penguin bird and pinniped populations,
underwater life. All have been
population and the Avian flu contin- including those at Punta San Juan.
threatened by overfishing, pollution,
ues to greatly impact the population
th
climate change, and guano mining. 11 International Penguin
of birds. Research findings, which
Conference in Vina del Mar, Chile
were published in a scientific
In September, Dr. Michael Adkesson,
journal, are described in
president & CEO of Brookfield Zoo
the bibliography of Dr. Matt Allender performing a physical
Chicago, presented the 15 years
this report. examination on a free-ranging Humboldt
of health-assessment work that penguin at Punta San Juan, Peru, with a
Brookfield Zoo Chicago has sup- Peruvian colleague
ported to better understand the
threats facing the Humboldt
penguin. Dr. Cárdenas-Alayza
and her team members delivered
multiple presentations and scientific
posters on the conservation work
in Peru focused on protecting
Humboldt penguins from threats
HUMBOLDT PENGUINS including the avian influenza.
Punta San Juan, Peru
ANNUAL REPORT 23