WWT does California. Flamingo stylee

12 October 2014

Lesser flamingos in the sunshine in San Diego. The 3rd International Flamingo Symposium was hosted by SeaWorld San Diego in October of this year.

This last week has seen Baz Hughes and me travel to the west coast of the USA to participate in the third International Flamingo Symposium hosted by SeaWorld in San Diego. This was an opportunity to meet with around one hundred other flamingo biologists, keepers and conservation scientists to discuss future plans for both in situ (wild) and ex situ (captive) birds, and to forge ahead with the IUCN's (the world nature conservation union) "One Plan" approach for conservation. An approach that manages the whole population of species together, regardless of whether they are in the wild or in captivity. "One Plan" is new for flamingos and WWT were again part of something ground-breaking.

Part of the huge greater flamingo flock at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. See next photo for the sheer scale of the exhibit...

Big hey? The greater flamingo flock at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The keepers there were very interested in WWT Slimbridge's greater flamingo enclosure because of the comparison in size and number of birds.

The lesser flamingo has been the focus of much conservation attention. Baz lead several discussions and workshops on the future priorities for flamingo conservation, with the specific aim of updating the lesser flamingo action plan. This is the set of guidelines that are followed to ensure a successful future for species in the wild. WWT has been working with lesser flamingo populations out in Africa for over twenty years and this species, and its plight, are no stranger to members of the Species Conservation Unit. Here's hoping this new found impetus and desire to actively manage both wild and captive flocks of this species will continue to pay dividends in the long run.

As well as the science, there was also time to explore several of the amazing animal collections in the area, including the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. In fact if you know me in a personal capacity, you're probably sick to your back teeth of me wittering on about how amazing these collections are. The SeaWorld flamingos were a star turn at the conference finale and a photographic exhibition highlighting the rare upland flamingos from South America was provided in one of the lunch breaks. The two San Diego collection between the house four species; greater, lesser, Chilean and Caribbean. All kept in slightly different ways and in slightly different enclosures. I can bore people with many photos if they are interested!

Chilean flamingo flock at the San Diego Zoo. Housed with coscoroba swans and a range of ducks, in a similar manner to the collections at WWT.

The meeters and greeters at the San Diego Zoo. Caribbean flamingos prominently displayed right in the entrance area. Did they get that from Slimbridge I wonder? ;-) — The "meeters and greeters" at the San Diego Zoo. Caribbean flamingos prominently displayed right in the entrance area. Did they get that from Slimbridge I wonder? ;-)

One for the avics... two WWT favourites together. The ambassador flamingos at SeaWorld (those birds used for training and not in the breeding colony) share their space with nenes.

I'm sure Baz will agree with me when I say that it was a very enjoyable, very enlightening and very useful event to have participated in. Just make sure that the videos of the post-conference dancing remain off the internet, Dr Hughes :-)

Baz's new pals. Meeting the SeaWorld Caribbean flock was a real treat!

So with all of this excitement surrounding lesser flamingos, and with WWT helping to forge the way with lesser flamingo conservation in the wild, it's a good time to announce some exciting news from the Slimbridge flock of this tiniest of flamingos... stay tuned for more info in my next post!