Quarters for Conservation

American bison, or buffalo, shape the North American prairie, a landscape heavily degraded over the past century. Conservation efforts saved the American bison from extinction, yet fewer than 20,000 truly wild bison remain. Oakland Zoo partners with Indigenous communities to restore ancestral bison to their homelands. The Zoo breeds bison onsite to strengthen genetic diversity, then relocates their calves to Montana tribal lands. With these ongoing efforts, over 40 bison have been raised and released to the care of the Blackfeet Nation.

Riparian Brush Rabbits are an endangered, native species restricted to the remaining river watersheds in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Their numbers have fallen sharply because human development and flood control projects have destroyed much of the shrub habitat they depend on. The species also faces Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease, a fast-moving virus that has devastated populations.Oakland Zoo supports state and federal recovery partners with field operations in the wild. Zoo staff have given more than 1,500 vaccinations to wild rabbits, providing critical on-the-ground support to help keep this species from disappearing.

As wide-ranging carnivores, jaguars play a vital role in Central America’s ecology and culture. Unfortunately, these big cats face multiple threats to their habitat. Deforestation and expanding human infrastructure have caused forest fragmentation and isolated jaguar populations. Climate change also damages their habitat and reduces prey availability. Oakland Zoo helps jaguars by supporting protected wildlife corridors where they can roam safely. By integrating traditional ecological knowledge with scientific methods and inspiring local stewardship of the natural world, we can envision a healthy future path for jaguars.