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Paige Howorth is the San Diego Zoo's curator of entomology, and she and her staff care for a collection of more than 50 species of insects and arachnids. Some are on exhibit in the Insect House at the Children's Zoo, but most are off exhibit, watched over with dedication. Here, Paige is checking in on a tarantula in the area known as the Arachnid Rescue Center—which takes in spiders and scorpions that are confiscated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Customs.
A key conservation project for the Entomology Department, in conjunction with the Horticulture Department, is to help save the Lord Howe Island stick insect from extinction.
A bee house was built for the Zoo's Pollinator Garden, which provides different sizes of holes for native bee species, which are particularly being affected by pesticide use, as a safe haven for nesting. It also serves as an educational opportunity for guests and school groups, to show what people can do to help bees.
The Zoo's Pollinator Garden is a peaceful respite for bees, butterflies, and even birds as they travel through, with nectar-producing plants to provide food. It's a great spot for people to learn more about our dependence on pollinators for our own needs, as well.

2012

End Extinction 2007 - 2016

In 2012, San Diego Zoo Global added the first new animal department since the Zoo started: the Entomology Department.

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