Seth Stapleton

The Poweshiek skipperling Oarisma poweshiek (Parker, 1870) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) is an endangered prairie obligate butterfly native to the north central United States and southern Canada. Conservation efforts for this species rely on ex situ approaches for population augmentation and reintroductions. As such, improving our understanding of the behaviors of Poweshiek skipperlings and maximizing their reproductive output in an ex situ setting are critical for the success of associated conservation initiatives. In this study, we examined the frequency of breeding behaviors exhibited by Poweshiek skipperlings in relation to various environmental factors: sunlight intensity (measured in lux), ambient temperature, and age. Sunlight intensity was a significant predictor of breeding behavior frequency, but we did not detect an effect of ambient temperature on breeding behavior. We also documented a generally negative relationship between age and breeding behavior frequency for both sexes. The results of our study underscore the importance of natural sunlight in encouraging breeding behaviors in an ex situ conservation environment. Ex situ observations also can help identify environmental conditions that promote high levels of Poweshiek skipperling activity, which could be used to optimize the timing of in situ population surveys.

Population viability analysis (PVA) can be a useful decision‐support tool to leverage uncertainty to avoid conservation hesitancy and paralysis. We developed a novel PVA model to help evaluate the effectiveness of a range of ex situ management options for the Critically Endangered Poweshiek skipperling butterfly. The PVA indicated that the last three known United States populations face high likelihoods of extinction in the absence of supportive ex situ management, particularly when population sizes and in situ survival rates are low. Modelling indicated that a headstarting program initiated in 2017 to reinforce these populations was only likely delaying extirpation. Persistence probabilities fell once the program was concluded, regardless of population size or survival rate. An alternative ex situ breeding program provided significant boosts to the persistence of all populations by producing significantly more individuals available for releases than a headstarting program reliant on in situ population sizes could provide. Withholding individuals to establish a large ex situ breeding population did not impose a notable penalty on wild populations and improved persistence. Persistence was boosted further when an ex situ breeding program was combined with headstarting to reinforce populations. Based on these model outcomes, we elected to pivot management strategies from headstarting to reinforcement via an ex situ breeding programme. Effective PVAs are contingent on the incorporation of as much information as possible, acknowledgement of uncertainty, and flexibility. PVAs provide research opportunities and have been under‐utilised in insect conservation. Our model is likely the first to link ex situ management to in situ dynamics for an invertebrate.

The field of wildlife conservation is comprised of a variety of players with different contexts and approaches. Zoos and aquariums, historically largely focused on public entertainment, are shifting more towards conservation-minded missions and can play a unique role in wildlife conservation by leveraging their distinct assets. The Minnesota Zoo is an AZA-accredited institution and an agency of the State of Minnesota that has been conducting wildlife conservation for over 40 years. Here, we review our current portfolio of local field projects, including initiatives targeting pollinators, native mussels, turtles, and bison, using several considerations to structure and better understand how our unique context has shaped our work. Our designation as a state agency has impacted our initiatives by necessitating a focus on local efforts and has facilitated many partnerships with other government agencies. Indeed, partnerships have been vital to our success and have shaped our programs significantly since their inception. All of the Zoo’s conservation initiatives are built on a bedrock of sound science, and we continue to contribute to the field through research, utilizing the expertise of department staff. In addition, the various funding streams that support our programs have dramatically shaped our work and have created some siloing of staff within the department. However, grant funding can serve as a buffer against the impacts of economic uncertainty, as evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lastly, our programs have expanded and our objectives have pivoted over the years in response to changing needs and opportunities; such flexibility—and increased flexibility for our staff—is imperative to the future success of these efforts. The Minnesota Zoo’s narrative is unique and helps us understand how we can continue to most effectively carry out local conservation efforts. As we work to protect habitats and save species from extinction, it is important to utilize the distinct assets that each organization can contribute in order to have the greatest collective impact.

Vector-borne disease prevalence is increasing at a time when surveillance capacity in the United States is decreasing. One way to address this surveillance deficiency is to utilize established infrastructure, such as zoological parks, to investigate animal disease outbreaks and improve our epidemiological understanding of vector-borne pathogens. During fall 2020, an outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) at the Minnesota Zoo resulted in morbidity and seroconversion of several collection animals. In response to this outbreak, insect surveillance was conducted, and the collected insects were tested for the presence of epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) by RT-qPCR to better understand the local transmitting vector populations responsible for the outbreak. Six pools of Culicoides biting midges were positive for EHDV, including three pools of Culicoides sonorensis, two pools of Culicoides variipennis, and a pool of degraded C. variipennis complex midges. All three endemic serotypes of EHDV (1, 2, and 6) were detected in both animals and midge pools from the premises. Despite this outbreak, no EHDV cases had been reported in wild animals near the zoo. This highlights the importance and utility of using animal holding facilities, such as zoos, as sentinels to better understand the spatio-temporal dynamics of pathogen transmission.