CUMBERLAND – The Wilds is bustling with excitement as 23 babies were born from mid-March to the end of April. The babies are contributing to the future of two at-risk species − the Sichuan takin and Père David’s deer, which is listed as extinct in the wild.
Between March 11 and April 13, nine takin kids were welcomed to experienced mothers, who were also born at The Wilds. This conservation center and safari park is home to the largest breeding herd of Sichuan takin in North America and is the only zoological facility to manage a large herd in natural breeding groups.
Throughout the facility’s history, more than 125 takin kids were born with more than 30 having been moved to other zoological facilities as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP). The SSP program is designed to maintain a sustainable population and genetic diversity of threatened and endangered species in human care.
With a large herd consisting of more than 50 individuals able to roam in a wide area, The Wilds offers the perfect place to observe takin for comparative studies. The organization significantly contributes valuable knowledge about this species, which is challenging to study in its remote native range. Sichuan takin are native to the same region of China as the giant panda and areas along the eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau. Known as goat-antelopes, the Sichuan takin is listed as vulnerable by the International Union For Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species due to threats, including overhunting and habitat loss.
The Wilds has also helped to protect this species through support of field work in China. This work included developing field anesthesia protocols, testing tracking collar designs and curating a video catalog of takin behavior. Wilds staff members were also involved in placing satellite collars on seven takin in China. The information from these collars has since been used to help researchers learn more about how these animals move and use their native habitat. This collaborative project included the Wildlife Conservation Society, Smithsonian and various partners in China.
Additionally, from March 23 through April 23, 16 fawns were welcomed into the Père David’s deer herd. The Wilds has the largest Père David’s deer breeding herd in any North American zoological facility and each birth is extremely important for this species. The facility has welcomed more than 200 fawns.
Named after French missionary Father Armand David, who was the first Westerner to identify them, Père (the French word for father) David’s deer are good swimmers and native to low-lying grasslands and reed beds in China. Due to overhunting and habitat loss, the population rapidly declined and was almost extinct by the early 1900s. An English noble founded a herd on his estate with the remaining deer and all of the Père David’s deer alive today are descendants of this herd.
Thanks to breeding efforts at zoological facilities and other conservation organizations, two herds (consisting of fewer than 100 animals) were re-introduced to China in the 1980s. Today, there are more than 7,000 Père David’s deer living in one reserve in China and an estimated 600 deer living totally in the wild. The IUCN continues to list the species as extinct in the wild until the re-introduced population has proven to be sustainable. Including The Wilds, Père David’s deer can only be found in 8 AZA-accredited zoological facilities.
“We are extremely proud of our successful breeding programs and the positive impact they are making for these extremely rare species. As part of our mission of empowering people and saving wildlife, we are also dedicated to sharing important information about Sichuan takin and Père David’s deer with our guests so they are aware of these species, inspired by their conservation success stories and engaged in taking action to help protect these animals’ future,” said Dr. Joe Smith, Vice President of The Wilds.
Currently, all of the babies are in The Wilds’ pasture with their herds and may be spotted during tours. The facility officially opened for the summer season on May 1. For more information, go to TheWilds.org and follow The Wilds’ social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
Information and photos submitted by The Wilds.
