Animal Fact Sheets - Index - San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library: What's New

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SDZWA Animal Fact Sheet Alerts is an occasional e-mail notification service that announces new Animal Fact Sheets published by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

These fact sheets—commonly used by SDZWA team members and also freely available online—summarize information on an animal species or closely related group. Sources include peer-reviewed journals, scholarly books, authoritative reports and databases, as well as scientific and husbandry experts.

On this page, learn about new fact sheets and important updates.

Some types of news and updates you'll find here are:

• New Fact Sheet: An Animal Fact Sheet that is new to the collection. Thanks for helping us spread the word about these!
• Science Update: A published fact sheet that has been updated with substantial revisions to its science and conservation information. We commonly collaborate with expert reviewers—scientists and animal care specialists with knowledge of that animal—to bring these fact sheets up to date.
• Content Update: Revisions to a specific type of fact in the collection—for example, changes to the global conservation status (IUCN Red List assessments) of several species.

We focus on sharing notable fact sheet news and do not announce minor changes or all new research. Minor updates are reported in the "About This Fact Sheet" box on each fact sheet's Summary page.

Content Update: The IUCN Green Status of Species

The IUCN Green Status of Species measures species recovery and the impacts of conservation action. Assessments from this developing tool now appear alongside IUCN Red List information (see "Conservation Status" on Population & Conservation pages).

For Animal Fact Sheets, only assessments for African Penguin and American Bison are currently available, with more expected in October 2024.

What is The IUCN Green Status of Species?

Content Update: Life Expectancies

Median life expectancies were updated to reflect revised statistics reported in the AZA's Survival Statistics Table (released in January 2024).

For more information, review the AZA's Species Survival Statistics report website.

Science Update: Polar Bear

The Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) Fact Sheet now includes 15 years of new science (2009 to 2023), notably expanded habitat, diet and feeding, and conservation information.

Three polar bear biologists helped review the fact sheet content for accuracy. Thank you, reviewers!

Plunge into polar bear facts.