NOTES FROM THE FIELD | 2026 | No. 1

Whether at home in snowdrifts or sunbeams, bears of all kinds are instantly recognizable and endlessly fascinating. Interestingly, the Ursidae family includes just eight species, but each one has adapted to live in vastly different ecosystems. Polar bears thrive atop Arctic sea ice while half a world away, sloth bears flourish in South Asia’s dry, hot forests and grasslands. Brown bears are widespread, spanning three continents. In stark contrast, Andean bears are South America’s sole species.

Bear species have both distinctive and shared characteristics, much like the threats they face. For instance, climate instability, along with habitat loss and fragmentation, are challenges for every species yet the illegal wildlife trade tends to impact certain ones, such as Asiatic black bears and sun bears.

With your support, we’re bridging knowledge gaps and shaping conservation strategies for the world’s bears through our eight Conservation Hubs. Together we can safeguard the future for these charismatic mammals. Claw your way in and find out how we’re helping them here in San Diego and across the globe.

SPOT THIS PLOT TWIST

Did you know? There are more genetic differences between giraffe species than there are between brown bears and polar bears. It’s true—what we once thought was one giraffe species is actually four. Learn more about this fascinating discovery and see if you can tell them apart.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

This new year marks the 110th anniversary of our organization and our commitment to save, protect, and care for wildlife worldwide. Throughout the decades, our veterinary practices have advanced right alongside modern technology. Explore how this transformation is reinforcing our role as a global leader in wildlife health.

RENEWED HOPE

Fiji iguanas blend perfectly into the treetops. Unfortunately, their brilliant green scales can’t hide them from threats including the illegal wildlife trade. When eight critically endangered iguanas were rescued, we jumped into action to give them a safe haven at the San Diego Zoo. Take a look inside their inspiring journey and promising future.

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San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is an international conservation nonprofit and a registered
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With more than 100 years of wildlife care expertise and partnerships around the globe, we are saving, protecting, and caring for species worldwide.

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