Santa Barbara Zoo, UCSB to release nine snowy plovers as part of rehabilitation program

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Nine snowy plovers will be released back into the wild on September 20 as part of a collaborative rehabilitation program on Friday.

The Santa Barbara Zoo, UCSB and U.S. Fish and Wildlife will release the snowy plovers at 9 a.m.

The snowy plovers were rescued by UCSB biologists who monitor the snowy plovers and their nests at Coal Oil Point Preserve. They say when a nest is found, the biologists track the nest and monitor if the nest has been abandoned or not. If the nest is abandoned, the team has special federal permits to gather the eggs and deliver them to the Santa Barbara zoo to be incubated, reared and then released back into the wild.

“UCSB is thrilled to be working with the Santa Barbara Zoo and the USFWS to recover the Western Snowy Plovers,” shared ​​Cristina Sandoval, Reserve Director, Coal Oil Point Reserve Nature Center. “Each agency brings unique expertise to save the plovers, with research, education, rehabilitation, management, and policies all being part of a comprehensive strategy. The recovery of the Snowy Plover is a success story, thanks to these collaborations.”

The Western snowy plovers are federally threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

The zoo says new data suggest an upward trend in the western snowy plover population in recent years, with 737 birds documented in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties during the 2021 nesting season, which makes up about 30 percent of the range-wide population.  

“Conservation is driven and powered by people, and our mission to recover rare wildlife is best achieved in partnership with our local communities,” said David Sherer, a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Ventura.  “Western snowy plovers act as an umbrella species for dune and beach habitats, and for all species that rely on coastal habitats to survive. By helping plovers, you’re helping an entire ecosystem. We’re grateful for the Santa Barbara Zoo’s work to rear and release these birds to give them the best chance of survival in the wild.” 

Back in 2016, Monterey Bay Aquarium approached the Santa Barbara Zoo to participate in the rehabilitation of Western snowy plovers. The aquarium was looking for a local organization to be a part of their program.

The aquarium had been running a rehabilitation program for over 10 years at the time, often receiving eggs and chicks from the Central Coast. With the expertise and equipment, the Zoo’s Bird Curator at the time, Rachel Ritchason, now the Zoo’s Director of Animal Care, received support to implement the program locally in Santa Barbara.

In the first year, they retrieved only a few eggs and released two chicks.

Since then, they have released 72 birds in 5 years with eggs from as far south as Malibu and as far north as Vandenberg.  

In 2020, no birds were rehabilitated due to COVID.

To support the Santa Barbara Zoo rehabilitation efforts, click here.