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Successful Breeding
Is Not Left to Chance
White-Cheeked Gibbon Everybody loves zoo babies. If you If you have ever heard of an
female have ever been to Brookfield Zoo addax or an Andean condor, it’s
and seen a young white-cheeked because zoological organizations
gibbon...well, that’s a face to die for. not only set out to protect
But while photo-worthy, that face the genetic diversity of those
represents a considerable amount species from extinction but also
of planning and discussion behind used that diversity to breed
the scenes. Exhibiting a juvenile distinctly unrelated individuals
gibbon or another young animal and ensure the growth and
that is equally endearing is not survival of their populations.
about attracting as many people
to the zoo as possible. Rather, Breeding animals is a proactive
breeding has much more to do with measure, but in some ways, it’s also
concern for species that need some reactive. Along with the animals
help, as well as with animals’ basic mentioned above, Guam kingfishers
biological drive. were once nearly eradicated due to
Institutions accredited by the outside factors, in their case because
Association of Zoos and Aquariums brown tree snakes were introduced
(AZA)—as is Brookfield Zoo—are to their native Guam and decimated
fundamentally banks that safeguard the population of these birds there.
not gold bars or stacks of $100 bills Thankfully, a few of the birds were
but rather the collective group of rescued and their descendants have
genes belonging to a species. To fine- been bred in zoos in North America
tune that definition even further, we and in facilities on the island itself.
work to ensure that species’ genes are Today, efforts are being made to
suitable to promote the best possible reintroduce the species to nearby
health in zoo populations. If white- islands that don’t have brown tree
cheeked gibbons or other species snakes. In other words, as with the
were to go extinct, the world would kingfishers, we proactively breed
be a lot less rich, and “banking” animals because someday we may
healthy genes—meaning genes have to react to a situation in which
from the offspring of parents who a population in managed care can
are demographically distinct—is a aid in reintroduction programs.
way to keep that from happening.
(Inbreeding—when related animals In truth, there actually is one
mate—can lead to defects in reason that we want as many people
descendants that include reduced as possible to see a young animal in
fertility, heart abnormalities, and a zoo: as with kingfishers, we are
even a high death rate in newborns.)
BROOKFIELD ZOO | SUMMER 2017 19
