PRESS ROOM

ROYAL OAK, Mich., 

The Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) is mourning the loss of Curator of Amphibians Marcy Sieggreen, who died July 26 of cancer.  She was 43.

“Our hearts are heavy as we say good bye to an incredible friend and colleague,” said Ron Kagan, DZS executive director and CEO.  “Marcy was a gift to us all.  Our thoughts and prayers are with her family at this difficult time.”

Marcy had been with the DZS since 2008.  She was responsible for overseeing all programs and operations at the Detroit Zoo’s National Amphibian Conservation Center, including animal care, breeding, conservation programs, guest experiences and research.

“Marcy was an extraordinary individual whose passion for amphibians and their conservation was unmatched,” said Kagan.  “Not only did she lead our extensive amphibian work for nearly a decade, but she emerged as a major national and international leader in amphibian conservation.”

Marcy led the DZS’s cooperative breeding efforts for many endangered amphibian species, helping to restore populations in wild habitats.  She served on the board of the international Amphibian Survival Alliance and on several Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) committees.  She led the Amazonian component of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Amphibian Red List Assessment.

Since 2010, Marcy led the DZS’s involvement in an assessment of amphibian populations in the Peruvian Amazon.  The project includes field surveys to document species living in several sites along the Amazon and Napo rivers and testing for chytridiomycosis, an amphibian disease that is wiping out amphibian populations throughout South America and other parts of the world.

Marcy was working toward a Ph.D. in Environmental Science through New England’s Antioch University.  She earned a master’s degree in Biological Science from Wayne State University and bachelor’s degrees in Earth Science, Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems and Geography from Eastern Michigan University.

“Marcy was a star within the DZS and contributed so much to the culture of this organization,” said Kagan.  “Her positive energy, ever-present happiness and infectious enthusiasm will truly be missed.”