Association of Zoos and Aquariums

RIVERBANKS ZOO HONORED WITH TOP NATIONAL AWARD

CONTACT: Jane Ballentine, (301)562-0777, x 252

CHICAGO, IL, September 18, 2005 – The American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) today honored the Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens with the Edward H. Bean Award for the Malagasy Leaf-tailed Gecko Long-term Propagation and Captive Husbandry Program. Zoo officials accepted the award at the AZA's 81st Annual Conference, meeting here this week.

Since 1992, Malagasy leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus sp.) have been a part of the herpetological collection at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. During that period, seven species of leaf-tailed geckos have been maintained with five of those species having successfully reproduced. A total of 22 U. pietschmanni (spiny leaf-tailed gecko), 31 U. lineatus (lined leaf-tailed gecko), 167 U. fimbriatus (giant leaf-tailed gecko), 376 U. henkeli (Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko), and two U. phantasticus (fantastic leaf-tailed gecko) have been produced.

Uroplatus sikorae (mossy leaf-tailed gecko) and U. ebenaui (spear-point leaf-tailed gecko) have also been maintained at the zoo but have not yet reproduced.

The history of leaf-tailed geckos in captivity has been fraught with difficulties in both the areas of captive husbandry and managed reproduction. Developing taxa appropriate diets, inducing consistent reproduction, overcoming high mortality of newly imported founders, reproductive females, and hatchlings have all been problematic. To make matters even more challenging, there was an almost complete lack of natural history data upon which they could model captive husbandry protocols. Through trial and error, Riverbanks has developed basic captive husbandry and managed reproduction protocols for its leaf-tailed gecko collection that has lead to enormous success with several species.

Each year, AZA presents the Bean Award in recognition of efforts by its member institutions in the long-term captive management and husbandry of various animal species. The Bean Award was established in 1956, honoring Edward H. Bean, the first director of the Brookfield Zoo, Chicago, Illinois.

Note: For more information contact Tommy Stringfellow at 803.779.8717 ext 1103

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