Woodland Park Zoological Society

COMBINING RESEARCH WITH PRACTICAL MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES TO RESTORE NATIVE PRAIRIES AND RECOVER THE OREGON SILVERSPOT BUTTERFLY

"IN RESPONSE TO A COMMUNITY-IDENTIFIED NEED TO PREVENT CONFLICTS BETWEEN HUMANS AND CARNIVORES, THE WOODLAND PARK ZOO WILL DEVELOP NEW STRATEGIES TO FACILITATE COMMUNITY-DRIVEN LEARNING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING. THE ZOO WILL ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY-BASED SCIENCE EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION MODEL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT OF ISSAQUAH. THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE A MIDDLE SCHOOL INQUIRY-BASED SCIENCE PROGRAM FOR 6TH GRADE STUDENTS THAT WILL BEGIN WITH TEACHER ORIENTATIONS, FOLLOWED BY INTRODUCING PROGRAM ELEMENTS TO STUDENTS, AND CULMINATING IN A COMMUNITY EVENT AT EACH SCHOOL FEATURING STUDENT PRESENTATIONS. A THREE-PHASE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM WILL BEGIN WITH A RESIDENT SURVEY ON CARNIVORES IN THE COMMUNITY AND AN OPEN HOUSE LAUNCH EVENT. A SERIES OF COMMUNITY EVENTS AND FORMATION OF LEARNING TEAMS FOR FURTHER DIALOGUE AND FOR PROBLEM SOLVING WILL RESULT IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIES DEVELOPED BY THE TEAMS. THE FRAMEWORK PRODUCED BY THE PROJECT WILL BE APPLICABLE TO OTHER COMMUNITIES ATTEMPTING TO BALANCE URBAN EXPANSION WITH WILDLIFE CONSERVATION."

THE WOODLAND PARK ZOO WILL CARRY OUT A GUEST INCLUSION PROGRAM TO EMPOWER STAFF TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT OFFERS MEANINGFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR GUESTS WITH DISABILITIES AND ALLOWS THEM TO ENGAGE WITH CONSERVATION THROUGH THE ZOO. THE ZOO WILL PARTNER WITH AN EXPERT CONSULTANT IN UNIVERSAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES TO PROVIDE SPECIALIZED BEST PRACTICES TRAINING FOR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. STAFF WILL DESIGN AN INCLUSIVE SUITE OF PROGRAMS THAT REMOVES LEARNING ACCESS BARRIERS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. THE NEW PROGRAMS WILL MAKE CONSERVATION MORE ACCESSIBLE AND RELATABLE TO ALL GUESTS AND HOPEFULLY INSPIRE THEM TO TAKE CONSERVATION ACTIONS.

THE WOODLAND PARK ZOO WILL EXPAND ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH REFUGEE WOMEN’S ALLIANCE (REWA) TO PROVIDE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE NATURE-BASED PROGRAMMING FOR PUGET SOUND-REGION CHILDREN FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS. THE PARTNERS WILL CO-DESIGN, DELIVER, AND EVALUATE A SUITE OF INCLUSIVE, FLEXIBLE LEARNING ACTIVITIES ALIGNED WITH CURRICULA USED AT REWA’S EARLY LEARNING CENTERS (ELCS) AS WELL AS OTHER REGIONAL ELCS AND PRESCHOOLS. THEY WILL CREATE COMPLEMENTARY RESOURCES IN FOUR LANGUAGES (ENGLISH, CHINESE, VIETNAMESE, AND SPANISH) TO HELP PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS SUPPORT CHILDREN’S NATURE PLAY AT HOME OR IN OUTDOOR SPACES IN WAYS THAT FEEL COMFORTABLE FOR THEIR FAMILIES. THEY WILL DISSEMINATE A TOOLKIT AND TRAINING RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMMING’S USE BY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS ACROSS THE REGION. THROUGH THIS PROJECT, REWA WILL LEVERAGE THE ZOO’S RESOURCES WHILE ENSURING THE CULTURAL IDENTITIES OF ITS YOUNGEST LEARNERS AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE WELCOMED, RESPECTED, AND SUSTAINED.

THE WOODLAND PARK ZOO WILL PROVIDE SPECIALIZED TRAINING FOR ZOO STAFF AND VOLUNTEER MENTORS TO DESIGN AN INCLUSIVE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AND REMOVE ACCESS BARRIERS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. THE ZOO WILL WORK WITH AN ADVISORY COUNCIL COMPOSED OF DISABILITY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO PROVIDE EXPERT GUIDANCE ON THE CREATION OF AN ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT, THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TRAINING MANUAL, MODIFICATIONS TO INSTITUTIONAL VOLUNTEER POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, AND THE RECRUITMENT OF VOLUNTEERS. A NEWLY HIRED INCLUSION COORDINATOR WILL DEVELOP AND CONDUCT A SERIES OF TRAININGS FOR ZOO STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. THE SUSTAINABLE INCLUSIVE TRAINING MODEL CREATED THROUGH THIS PROJECT WILL BE APPLICABLE TO OTHER CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS ATTEMPTING TO REDUCE BARRIERS FOR PARTICIPATION FOR ALL AUDIENCES AND EXPAND THEIR VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS.

WOODLAND PARK ZOO WILL CONDUCT A PILOT PARTNERSHIP WITH BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF PUGET SOUND (BBBSPS) TO PROVIDE SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION, PERSONAL CONNECTIONS TO PEERS AND MENTORS, AND OPPORTUNITIES TO PRACTICE ENVIRONMENTALISM AMONG DIVERSE KING COUNTY YOUTH. BBBSPS WILL PROMOTE THE PROGRAM AND RECRUIT MENTOR AND YOUTH PARTICIPANTS. THE ZOO WILL FACILITATE THREE CONSERVATION CHALLENGES EACH YEAR FOR MENTORS AND YOUTH AND WILL HOST AN ANNUAL BIG NIGHT OUT ON ZOO GROUNDS TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO MENTORS. THE PROJECT WILL ALLOW YOUTH AGES 9 TO 14 TO LEARN ABOUT SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, AND TO SEE THEMSELVES AS CONTRIBUTING TO CONSERVATION AND THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY AS FUTURE SCIENTISTS, STEWARDS, AND POLICYMAKERS.

THE ISLAND MARBLE BUTTERFLY (EUCHLOE AUSONIDES INSULANUS) IS A SUBSPECIES OF THE LARGE MARBLE BUTTERFLY (E.AUSONIDES). IT WAS HISTORICALLY KNOWN FROM VANCOUVER ISLAND, CANADA, AND WAS NOT OBSERVED BETWEEN 1908 AND 1998 WHEN IT WAS REDISCOVERED ON SAN JUAN ISLAND, WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES. ON APRIL 12, 2018, THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE (USFWS) PUBLISHED A PROPOSED RULE IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER (FR 83 FR 15900) TO LIST THE ISLAND MARBLE BUTTERFLY (IMB) AS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES AND TO DESIGNATE CRITICAL HABITAT.THE CURRENT POPULATION OF 200-500 BUTTERFLIES IS RELIANT ON LOCAL CAPTIVE REARING EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT A SUBSETOF WILD EGGS LAID IN ONE SEASON SURVIVE TO EMERGE AS BREEDING ADULTS THE FOLLOWING SEASON. ISLAND MARBLEBUTTERFLIES ARE COLLECTED BY BIOLOGISTS FROM THE WILD IN THEIR EGG AND CATERPILLAR LIFE STAGES, REARED IN HUMANCARE IN A LAB FOR PUPATION AND OVERWINTERING, AND THEN RELEASED AS BREEDING ADULTS THE FOLLOWING SPRING. THECAPTIVE REARING EFFORTS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AT PRODUCING A LIMITED NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS TO AUGMENT THEPOPULATION AT SAN JUAN ISLAND NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK (SJINHP) TO PREVENT EXTINCTION DRIVEN BY PREDATION, HOSTPLANT HABITAT LOSS, AND CLIMATE CHANGE. HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN AN ANNUAL, LABOR-INTENSIVE PROCESS WITH LIMITEDOUTPUT DUE TO A VARIETY OF REASONS, AND THE PROGRAM REQUIRES A SHIFT TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO SUPPORTREARING EFFORTS AND PREVENT IMB EXTINCTION.IN THE SHORT-TERM, ISLAND MARBLE BUTTERFLY RECOVERY HINGES ON SUPPORTING THE SINGLE-KNOWN POPULATION THROUGHCAPTIVE REARING AND ON FUTURE PRODUCTION OF BUTTERFLIES AND SUITABLE HABITAT AT A SCALE THAT REESTABLISHESPOPULATIONS ACROSS THE SPECIES HISTORIC RANGE. A SHIFT FROM ANNUAL EFFORTS TO A SUSTAINABLE, LONG-TERM CAPTIVEREARING PROGRAM IS A NEED IDENTIFIED BY IMB PARTNERS TO SUPPORT THE RECOVERY OF THIS BUTTERFLY.THE PERILOUS STATUS OF THE ENDANGERED ISLAND MARBLE BUTTERFLY, THE NEED TO TRANSITION FROM ANNUAL EFFORTS TO ASUSTAINABLE CAPTIVE REARING PROGRAM, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH EXPERT CAPACITY OF WOODLAND PARK ZOOSTAFF ARE THE FOCUS OF THIS INFLATION REDUCTION ACT PROJECT TO RECOVER THE ISLAND MARBLE BUTTERFLY.THIS PROJECT WITH WOODLAND PARK ZOO INCLUDES THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF:A CAPTIVE REARING PARTNER WORKSHOP IN 2024.A SUSTAINABLE CAPTIVE REARING PROGRAM FOR ISLAND MARBLE BUTTERFLY.ACTIVITIES TO CAPTIVELY REAR COHORTS OF ISLAND MARBLE BUTTERFLIES ( 125 ANNUALLY) FOR RELEASE IN SUPPORT OFRECOVERY ACTIVITIES.THE USFWS ANTICIPATES THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SUSTAINABLE CAPTIVE REARING PROGRAMFOR ISLAND MARBLE BUTTERFLIES, WITH MULTIPLE COHORTS OF RELEASABLE ADULT BUTTERFLIES TO AUGMENT THE POPULATION ONSAN JUAN ISLAND AND ACTIVITIES TO PREPARE THE PARTNERS AND PROGRAM FOR ADDITIONAL RECOVERY ACTIONS TO SUPPORTTHIS ENDANGERED SPECIES.

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

THE WOODLAND PARK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY WILL PARTNER WITH THE KING COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND PARKS, THE PACIFIC SCIENCE CENTER, THE SEATTLE AQUARIUM, AND SEVERAL OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO SUPPORT AND ENGAGE YOUTH TO DEVELOP LOCAL ACTION PLANS ON CLIMATE. THIS PROJECT BUILDS UPON A PILOT PARTNERSHIP THAT EMPOWERED TEENS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE AND GENERATED INTEREST FROM A DIVERSE SET OF STAKEHOLDERS FROM OUTSIDE THE MUSEUM. UTILIZING THE COLLECTIVE CONNECTIONS AND KNOWLEDGE OF THIS GROUP, THE PROJECT TEAM WILL USE COMMUNITY MAPPING TO IDENTIFY OTHER POTENTIAL PARTNERS TO INVITE TO THE PROJECT, MAP COMMUNITY ASSETS AND NEEDS, AND DESIGN PROJECT ACTIVITIES TO ALIGN WITH THE DATA THAT THEY GATHER. THE TOOLKIT AND RESULTS OF THE PROJECT WILL BE SHARED WIDELY WITH MUSEUMS, LIBRARIES, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS INTERESTED IN FORMING SIMILAR NETWORKS IN OTHER REGIONS.

REDUCING DEMAND FOR ILLEGAL WILDLIFE AND PRODUCTS IN THE UNITED STATES: TO COMPLEMENT AND FACILITATE EXISTING EFFORTS TO COMBAT WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING, THE U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE HAS ISSUED THIS NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO DATA-DRIVEN, SMALL-SCALE PROJECTS THAT SEEK TO REDUCE DEMAND FOR ILLEGAL WILDLIFE AND WILDLIFE PRODUCTS IN THE U.S. WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING IS DEFINED IN THE NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR COMBATING WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING AS THE POACHING OR OTHER TAKING OF PROTECTED OR MANAGED SPECIES AND THE ILLEGAL TRADE IN WILDLIFE AND THEIR RELATED PARTS AND PRODUCTS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, THE TERM WILDLIFE INCLUDES TERRESTRIAL AND AQUATIC ANIMAL SPECIES AND PLANT SPECIES SUBJECT TO ILLEGAL TRADE.

THE WOODLAND PARK ZOO WILL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A CONSERVATION LEADERSHIP PROGRAM THAT EQUIPS STAFF WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO APPLY EQUITY, INCLUSION AND ANTIRACIST PRACTICES TO ZOO STRUCTURES, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS. PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE DEVELOPING THE PROGRAM CURRICULUM, HOSTING TWO SIX-MONTH PILOT COURSES, EVALUATING THE PROGRAM, AND SHARING CURRICULUM, RESOURCES, AND RESULTS WITH COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST. LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE CENTERED ON A COHORT OF APPROXIMATELY 28 SUPERVISORS AND PROJECT MANAGERS THROUGHOUT THE ZOO, WHO WILL LEAD STAFF AND VOLUNTEER EFFORTS TO APPLY AN ANTIRACIST LENS TO THE ZOO’S WORK WITH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AUDIENCES. THE PROJECT WILL RESULT IN A CORE GROUP OF STAFF WHO HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, TOOLS AND MOTIVATION TO CHART A MORE INCLUSIVE PATH FORWARD TO ACHIEVE WOODLAND PARK ZOO’S CONSERVATION MISSION.

SUPPORTING SMART PATROLS IN PROJECT HARIMAU SELAMANYA TO IMPROVE PROTECTION OF THE MALAYAN TIGER

WOODLAND PARK ZOO WILL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PAID INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WITH THE CITY OF SEATTLE TO HOST INTERNS PARTICIPATING IN SEATTLE PROMISE, A PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES PUBLIC SCHOOL GRADUATES UP TO TWO YEARS OF FREE TUITION AT ONE OF THREE SEATTLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAMPUSES. THE PROJECT WILL RESULT IN PAID WORK EXPERIENCE FOR YOUTH WHO HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY UNEMPLOYMENT DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC; LIKEWISE, IT WILL STRENGTHEN THE ZOO'S CAPACITY TO DELIVER A PAID INTERNSHIP PROGRAM INTO THE FUTURE. THE PILOT PROJECT WILL PROVIDE EIGHT SEATTLE PROMISE STUDENTS WITH AN 8-WEEK PAID INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE. THE ZOO WILL PROVIDE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ITS STAFF TO PREPARE MEANINGFUL INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND EVALUATE AND ADAPT THE PROGRAM OVER TIME.

THIS PROJECT ENTAILS DEVELOPMENT AND EXECUTION OF A MATERIALS MANAGEMENT OPTIONS EVALUATION FOR THE WOODLAND PARK ZOO. THIS ENTAILS A WASTE AUDIT AN

CURRENTLY, THERE IS ONLY ONE KNOWN POPULATION OF ISLAND MARBLE BUTTERFLY (IMB), A SPECIES FEDERALLY LISTED AS ENDANGERED IN MAY 2020. THIS SINGLE POPULATION IS MADE UP OF APPROXIMATELY 200-500 INDIVIDUALS AT SAN JUAN ISLAND NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK IN WASHINGTON STATE. PRESENTLY, THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE LEADS REARING EFFORTS FOR ISLAND MARBLE BUTTERFLY BY COLLECTING WILD BUTTERFLY IN THEIR EGG AND CATERPILLAR LIFE STAGES, REARING THEM IN THE LAB FOR PUPATION, AND THEN RELEASING THEM AS ADULTS. ISLAND MARBLE CAPTIVE REARING IS THOUGHT TO HAVE BRIDGED A SHORT-TERM, CRUCIAL GAP TO PREVENT THE EXTINCTION OF THIS SPECIES AND HAS CONTINUED AS AN ANNUAL EFFORT TO SUPPORT THE AUGMENTATION OF THE SINGLE KNOWN POPULATION OF BUTTERFLIES. WHILE SUCCESSFUL AT STABILIZING THE ISLAND MARBLE POPULATION TO FEND OFF IMMEDIATE EXTINCTION, THE CAPTIVE REARING EFFORTS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE HAVE BEEN LABOR-INTENSIVE WITH LIMITED OUTPUT. ISLAND MARBLE BUTTERFLY RECOVERY HINGES ON AUGMENTING THE SINGLE KNOWN POPULATION AND PRODUCING BUTTERFLIES AND SUITABLE HABITAT AT A SCALE THAT REESTABLISHES POPULATIONS ACROSS THE BUTTERFLYS HISTORIC RANGE. THE CURRENT PROCESS IS MISSING KEY PROGRAM ELEMENTS TO PROVIDE CONTINUITY OF PRACTICE, INFORMATION TRANSFER, AND POTENTIAL FOR SCALABILITY BASED ON THE BUTTERFLYS RECOVERY NEEDS. A SHIFT FROM ANNUAL EFFORTS TO A SUSTAINABLE, LONG-TERM CAPTIVE REARING PROGRAM IS A NEED IDENTIFIED BY IMB PARTNERS TO SUPPORT THE RECOVERY OF THIS BUTTERFLY. THE FIRST STEP TOWARD THIS SHIFT IN ESTABLISHING A LONG-TERM CAPTIVE REARING PROGRAM IS TO COALESCE CURRENT INFORMATION ON THE HUSBANDRY OF THE SPECIES AND PRODUCE A COMPREHENSIVE HUSBANDRY MANUAL AS A FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENT FOR THE ONGOING RECOVERY OF THESE SPECIES. WPZ STAFF ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED WITH NECESSARY BUTTERFLY HUSBANDRY BACKGROUND AND EXPERTISE THROUGH THEIR LONG-STANDING EXPERTISE IN THE CAPTIVE REARING AND RELEASE OF THE OREGON SILVERSPOT BUTTERFLY AND ROLE AS A CONSULTANT FOR IMB EFFORTS. THIS PROJECT WOULD ADDRESS SEVERAL PRIORITY 1 AND PRIORITY 2 OBJECTIVES IDENTIFIED IN THE SPECIES DRAFT RECOVERY PLAN AND RECOVERY IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY, INCLUDING: OBJECTIVE 4.1 DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING EXISTING FACILITY AND INCREASING REARING OPERATIONAL CAPACITY. OBJECTIVE 4.4 DETERMINE AND DOCUMENT BEST METHODOLOGY FOR REINTRODUCTIONS, TRANSLOCATIONS, AND EMERGENCY TRANSLOCATIONS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LAB AND FIELD TRIGGERS, TO ESTABLISH A NEW POPULATION(S) OR AUGMENT THE POPULATION(S). OBJECTIVE 6.1 IDENTIFY KNOWLEDGE GAPS AND IF GAPS CAN BE ADDRESSED THROUGH ANALYSIS OF EXISTING DATA AND OR NEW RESEARCH. OBJECTIVE 6.4 IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR APPLICATION OF RESEARCH RESULTS TO RECOVERY ACTIONS AND ACTIVITIES. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL PRODUCE THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES: THE PUBLICATION OF AN IMB REARING HUSBANDRY MANUAL, A DATABASE FOR RECORD KEEPING, AND A SUGGESTED TIMELINE FOR FUTURE REVISIONS AND UPDATES, ALL IN COORDINATION WITH THE USFWS. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL BENEFIT THE ONLY KNOWN, ENDANGERED IMB POPULATION, AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE AND OTHER IMB PARTNERS.