Over the past years, Micke Grove Zoo (MGZ) has played an integral role in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) organized by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) - for example the zoo's golden lion tamarin SSP partnership increased their regional captive population by 10%. The zoos breeding track record has also been immensely successful with other threatened exotic wildlife such as the northern bald ibises, marbled teal ducks, southern pudu, western pond turtles. MGZ is seeking to expand its conservation goals to include an in-situ conservation program that will to conserve threatened monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus ssp. plexippus and valley oak trees, Quercus lobata which are locally threatened.

Goals Pollinator Garden project

• To conserve threatened migratory monarch butterflies by providing them with pollinator garden habitatsthroughout the zoo, where they can breed, feed, and rest - a monarch waystation
• To conduct education programs on threatened migratory monarch butterflies for local communities to motivate them to start pollinator gardens in their backyards for monarchs
• To train students and volunteers to gain experience in planting a pollinator garden aimed at conserving monarch butterflies
• To practice water-wise gardening techniques and to plant native drought-resistant plants and wildflowers to provide feeding and breeding habitats for other threatened native insects

 

Narrow leaf milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis

The Monarch Waystation Project was launched in the fall of 2023 by breaking ground for the pollinatorgarden. An area near the Zoo entrance was selected. At least three types of native milkweed species and 10 types drought resistant California native wildflower species that provide feeding and breeding habitats for monarchs. The area was measured and mapped, and a drift map and planting list were created.

The following CA native pollinator plants were sourced from Las Pilitas nursery:

Salvia apiana x clevelandii Salvia clevelandii Zauschneria californica Penstemon pseudospectabilis

Asclepias fascicularis Asclepias eriocarpa Asclepias speciosa Sambucus spp

Apart from these plants, seedballs, and guerrilla droppings of the following CA native wildflower species were bought from Seedballs.com:

Gaillardia pulchella Eschschlozia californica Helianthus annuus Rudbeckia hirta Echinacea purpurea

Helenium autumnale Achillea millefolium Asclepias fascicularis Asclepias eriocarpa Asclepias speciosa

MGZ volunteers were involved in the project execution and were instrumental in: 1) measuring and mapping the area, 2) preparing the area for planting, 3) gridding the area according to drift map plant locations, 4) Preparing pits for plants and broadcasting the seedballs. 5) Younger volunteers were trained to crush and scatter guerrilla droppings in specific drift locations. 6) placing large stone pebbles around native plants to promote growth