PRESS ROOM

ROYAL OAK, Mich., 

Taken with turtles? Mad about mudpuppies? Eager for beavers? The Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) is offering the opportunity to participate with animal care staff in field conservation work for two of the three species. The experiences will be offered in two 52-card raffles at the DZS’s inaugural Wildlife Conservation Gala, presented by Gage Products Company, on Saturday, March 18, 2017.

Held at the Detroit Zoo’s Wildlife Interpretive Gallery, the 21-and-older, black-tie optional gala will feature hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and a sit-down dinner. Themed “Making a Difference”, the event will highlight the DZS’s world-renowned conservation efforts to save species locally and around the globe.

The winner of the first raffle and a guest will accompany DZS staff on an all-day field experience in June to release endangered Blanding’s turtles at the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) near Saginaw, Mich. The winner of the second raffle and a guest will participate in a half-day field project in the fall on Belle Isle, choosing between conducting a catch-and-release survey of Detroit River mudpuppies or checking trail camera images for beavers.

In 2011, conservationists noticed a decrease in the population of young Blanding’s turtles at the Shiawassee NWR due to predation by raccoons. In response, the DZS and its partners initiated a “head start” program whereby eggs collected from the turtles’ nests are hatched at the Detroit Zoo. The young turtles are raised at the Zoo until they are old enough to be less susceptible to predation and released back into the wild. More than 100 Blanding’s turtles have been released since 2012.

Since 2006, the DZS has monitored mudpuppies in the Detroit River to track and better understand the size and health of local populations. The aquatic salamanders are briefly captured, then measured, weighed and implanted with small computer chips for identification before returning to the river. The water chemistry is also tested and logged. The data gathered in the surveys provides a valuable baseline for monitoring the health of the Detroit River ecosystem.

American beavers returned to Detroit in 2008 after being absent for more than 150 years, primarily because they were overhunted for their fur. Their comeback was first noticed at Conner Creek just upstream from Belle Isle. By 2012, the beavers had returned to the island, which is now home to at least two active lodges. The DZS has used trail cameras since 2016 to learn more about this population and as a first step in documenting the return of beavers to Detroit.

Tickets for the Wildlife Conservation Gala start at $450 for individual admission. All proceeds will benefit the DZS’s wildlife conservation programs. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://detroitzoo.org/events/zoo-events/conservation-gala/.