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Oceans of Fun has joined in partnership with the Chicago Zoological Society in studying the populations of South American sea lions and the endangered South American fur seals in the Punta San Juan (PSJ) Marine Protected Area.  Both facilities are committed to the development of veterinary field projects, conservation programs, and education programs.

Established as a Guano reserve, PSJ has been a protected site for nearly 100 years. In 2010, a new network of marine protected areas was created to encompass PSJ and other sites in the Guano Reserve System.  These reserves are now managed by the protected areas service allowing for enhanced species and ecosystem protection.  The PSJ reserve located near San Juan de Marcona, protects key populations of many endangered and threatened species. The reserve is home to nearly half of the endangered Humboldt penguins in Peru and is a key rookery for the South American sea lion and endangered Peruvian fur seal, both of which have seen severe declines in their population sizes. This region continues to witness industrial growth, particularly the expansion of copper and iron mines, and it has now become more important than ever to monitor the health of the local pinniped population for disease and exposure to environmental contaminants. As a top predator, seals and sea lions provide indicators as to environmental conditions and the overall health of our oceans.

For the past 5 years, the Chicago Zoological Society veterinary staff has developed multiple research projects with the Saint Louis Zoo and Peruvian colleagues at the Center for Environmental Sustainability at Cayetano Heredia University. The program  aims to evaluate the population health of the wildlife and to develop cohesive conservation strategies. Since 2007, they have evaluated and collected samples from over 700 penguins, 150 seabirds, and 130 pinnipeds. Projects are focused on disease and toxicant exposure, reproductive success, population stability, population genetics, and overall population resilience to external threats. Oceans of Fun recognized the value and significance in this unique conservation project and in 2012 joined in partnership to assist financially as well as physically in studying the Punta San Juan pinnipeds.

This month Oceans of Fun president, Shelley Ballmann will join the Chicago Zoological Society as a team of 9 biologists and veterinarians travel to the Punta San Juan Reserve to conduct field projects to evaluate the health of the pinniped and penguin populations inhabiting the preserve. Our goal will be to collect and provide health assessments on numerous animals over a 12 day period of time gaining insight into the health of these critical populations.

Follow along next week as Oceans of Fun president, Shelley Ballmann journals about her travels and provides updates on the pinniped conservation project of Punta San Juan!