Immediate Release July 20, 2005

For More Information Contact: Cynthia Shipley, Toronto Zoo Supervisor, Public Relations (416) 392-5938

Toronto Zoo Host for Conservation Meetings for North America's Most Endangered Animal
2005 Most Successful Year for Captive Breeding of the Vancouver Island marmot

Toronto, Ontario, July 20, 2005: Toronto Zoo today announced it is hosting the 2005 Annual meeting of Conservation specialists from across Canada for North America's most endangered species, the Vancouver Island marmot. The meetings are being held July 22-23, 2005 with representatives from Canadian facilities on the recovery team: Toronto Zoo, Mount Washington Breeding Facility, Mountainview Conservation Centre and the Calgary Zoo.

The Vancouver Island marmot Captive Management Recovery team had its most successful captive breeding season to date in 2005 with a total of forty-four pups born in the four facilities. Toronto Zoo, the first zoo to establish a captive breeding program in 1998 with six marmots, has produced 33 pups to date or 24% of the world's population. Since marmots don't sexually mature until four years of age and in the wild reproduce only every other year, marmot reproduction presents some problems. Toronto Zoo reproductive physiologists developed several techniques to gain an understanding of the female marmot's reproductive cycle resulting in successful captive breeding.

"We are very excited to once again have a great year breeding Vancouver Island marmots and to have such a direct impact on the survival of North America's most endangered species" commented Maria Franke, Curator of Mammals, Toronto Zoo. "The Toronto Zoo is heavily involved in native species conservation and the Vancouver Island marmot program is an example of the great work that is happening behind the scenes at the Zoo."

Currently twenty six marmots have been released back into their native habitat on Vancouver Island. A number of captive bred animals are scheduled for release later this year.

There are less than thirty Vancouver Island marmots remaining in the wild. Members of the squirrel family, marmots are distinguished by their rich chocolate brown fur with contrasting white patches. Their rapid decline is due to forestry which has concentrated them in small areas making them more vulnerable to predators, disease and changes in climate and vegetation.