Despite maintaining federally endangered status for over 50 years, the blunt nosed leopard lizard s population has continued to decline these declines are directly associated with land conversion to…

Despite maintaining federally endangered status for over 50 years, the blunt nosed leopard lizard s population has continued to decline these declines are directly associated with land conversion to irrigated agriculture, in part from the central valley project in particular, the northern populations, which are genetically distinct from southern populations, are rapidly disappearing, with 50 of known northern populations disappearing within the last 30 years the only northern population on federal land occurs on the panoche plateau, and this population has declined rapidly over the last five years despite intensive field efforts in 2020, only nine adult animals were found on the panoche plateau and this number dwindled to five by the end of the reproductive season in response to this rapid collapse, the fresno chaffee ZOO, united states bureau of land management, and fresno state university initiated a collaborative partnership in consultation with partners at the united states fish and wildlife service and california department of fish and wildlife to propagate and reintroduce blunt nosed leopard lizards to the panoche plateau we were granted emergency permission to collect the last five adult animals from the population to serve as founders for captive breeding at fresno chaffee ZOO in july 2020 these animals are currently thriving at fresno chaffee ZOO and are already reproducing our goal is to maintain a colony of 20 breeding pairs and reintroduce animals when they are approximately nine months of age all reintroduced animals will be radio collared and monitored throughout their first season to assess reintroduction success reintroduction will continue until e 50 natural born females reproduce for three consecutive years the fresno chaffee ZOO will partner with the united states fish and wildlife service and the united states bureau of reclamation to construct a conservation facility on the ZOO property this building will be utilized to house the blunt nosed leopard lizard breeding program, in addition, this building will allow our highly qualified care and research staff to provide excellent care for the lizard population this facility will have public viewing windows, provide interpretative information, and video monitors, which will provide an opportunity to connect fresno chaffee ZOO visitors with the conservation efforts and reintroduction process of this endangered species in addition to being vital to the success of the blunt nosed leopard lizard reintroduction program, this new building will support long term conservation efforts within the SAN joaquin valley area, as well as other vital conservation projects far into the future construction of this facility will be anticipated to be completed by december 31, 2023 contracts for construction have not yet been selected, however, fresno chaffee ZOO looks forward to working with many local trades