Zoo New England

Field Conservation Blog


News from the Field


Welcome to Zoo New England’s Field Conservation blog! Here, we share some of the amazing work going on “beyond the zoo” at a variety of field sites around New England. Expect tales from the field, interesting nature facts, and the occasional guest post from one of our local – or international! – community partners.

A marbled salamander, its back dark gray with wide white bands, sits on wet fallen leaves and peers skyward, facing left.
Amphibians | Local Conservation

Marbled Salamanders Have Returned!

Regular readers may recall the exciting news from this past spring: baby marbled salamanders were found for the first time at the Middlesex fells since 1932, a strong indication that Zoo New England’s reintroduction program was succeeding. Due to the … Continued

A pale-skinned hand holds a small black turtle in the palm. The turtle is the size of a silver dollar with a skinny tail sticking out behind.
Local Conservation | Turtles

A Big Win for H.A.T.C.H!

Zoo New England is proud to announce that our Hatchling And Turtle Conservation through Headstarting program (also known as H.A.T.C.H.) won Top Honors for the AZA North American Conservation Award! The AZA (Association of Zoos & Aquariums) is the foremost … Continued

The large, dark shell of a turtle on a clipboard with paper data sheet including the turtle's weight and other measurements. Only the shell is visible as the turtle has withdrawn inside.
Local Conservation | Turtles

A Summer Blanding’s Bonanza

All of our headstarting efforts with native turtles share the ultimate goal of restoring populations in need. Our oldest such project with the Blanding’s turtles at Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge has always served as a model for others, and … Continued

Covered in a thin layer of soil, a hognose snake curves its head back along its body to scoop a mass of loose dirt with its nose against a backdrop of turned earth and grass,
Local Conservation

Hognose Happenings

Have you ever heard of the eastern hog-nosed snake? Without the venomous bite of timber rattlesnakes and copperheads or the ubiquity of garter and water snakes, these interesting serpents often go overlooked. That’s a real shame, in our opinion, because … Continued

Meet the Field Conservation Team!