There are few species as iconic as the African lion which have become synonymous with strength, power, and resilience. Even in nature, lions have no natural predators. Why, then, have African lion populations decreased by approximately 50% in the last 25 years? Lions are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation Nature (IUCN), with approximately 23,000 individuals left in the wild. African lion habitats once stretched across most of Africa through parts of Asia and Europe. Today,...Read More

One cannot enter the Sacramento Zoo without being greeted by our flock of thick-billed parrots. From their aviary across from the American alligators, these rambunctious, vociferous birds are a conservation highlight. Thick-billed parrots are classified as Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). At one time, the thick-billed parrots’ range extended northwards to southern Arizona and New Mexico and south to Venezuela. Today, the birds are only found in higher elevations of the Sierra Madre Occidental...Read More