The San Diego Zoo is perhaps the most well known icon of our city. A favorite attraction amongst locals and tourists alike, it has the largest membership of any zoo worldwide with over half a million members. The Zoo draws people from all over the county, state, nation and even the world to marvel at its wide variety of animals and natural habitats. Its stellar reputation is well deserved, boasting over 4,000 rare and endangered animals, 700,000 exotic plants and numerous honors and awards. (http://www.sandiegozoo.org/disclaimers/aboutus.html)

For most people, thoughts of the Zoo may conjure up images of small children with ice-cream cones and cotton candy gawking at chimps monkeying around or elephants on parade. However, the Zoo provides much more than simple recreation and entertainment when Aunt Millie comes to town with her flock of rugrats in tow. The purpose of the Zoo is to inspire public appreciation of the natural world, by giving a glimpse into the exotic which would otherwise be inaccessible to the average citizen. Exhibits expose visitors to fascinating organisms, and educate them about animal behaviors, societies and cooperation both amongst and between species. This rekindles a connection with nature that has become so far removed from day to day life in the modern era. By providing insight and fostering appreciation for mother nature's miracles, the San Diego Zoo inspires visitors to value the environment and treat it with respect.

The San Diego Zoo is wholeheartedly dedicated to this goal of public education and conservation. Behind the scenes this commitment is even more pronounced. In 1975 the San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research was founded with the purpose of “generating, sharing and applying scientific knowledge vital to the conservation of animals, plants and habitats worldwide.” This organization conducts research projects on plants and animals in captivity, as well as populations in the wild, in order to better understand their physiology, genetics, reproduction, behavior and ecology. The information is then used to identify and address current conservation issues and challenges. These include projects to repopulate endangered species and to protect, conserve and promote the healthy growth of existing ecosystems to prevent this necessity in the future. Some well known success stories include reintroduction of the California Condor and reproduction of Giant Pandas in captivity. Ongoing research efforts are numerous and varied, ranging from studies of endangered species such as the Cheetah and White Rhino, to the creation of a world-wide seed bank. (To learn more, explore their site at: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/conservation/)

In order to effectively and successfully address this goal, the San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research has teamed with other zoos and research centers around the world, and has become the largest zoo-based multidisciplinary research effort in the world, with more than 150 researchers involved in over 35 different countries. Recently, the Institute has initiated collaborations with private and non-profit institutions that share these ideals. One of the newest of these partnerships, circa 2008, is with the Biomimicry Institute, a Montana based organization whose mission “to nurture and grow a global community of people who are learning from, emulating, and conserving life's genius to create a healthier, more sustainable planet” fits well with the Zoo's conservation philosophy. (See last week's article on biomimicry on MySDScience- http://mysdscience.com/article.php?article_id=69). Visiting speakers from the Biomimicry Institute have introduced Zoo staff to the potential and application of biomimicry, and the enthusiasm is starting to spread to the greater San Diego community. Paula Brock, Chief Financial Officer of The San Diego Zoo, says of the partnership, “the lessons to be learned from nature are vast and the idea is compelling to many, so it is inspiring collaboration among numerous organizations (including), UCSD, San Diego State University, Point Loma Nazarene University and the City of San Diego itself.” The Zoo expects the growth of this collaboration to snowball, and envisions San Diego as the worldwide hub for biomimicry in the near future.

A number of features make San Diego the ideal site for such a movement. World-class universities and science institutions in the surrounding area set the stage for research required in the early phases of development. As a biotech hub, and quickly developing clean tech hub, the concentration of businesses dedicated to the application of such research will help to fuel the process. And of course, the San Diego Zoo, which initiated the collaboration in the first place, will continue to play an integral role. “The Zoo's incredible collection of plants and animals, conservation research and veterinary facilities and expertise on staff, as well as global presence via field projects being conducted to save endangered species, effectively make the San Diego Zoo the ideal place to share biomimicry with the world,” says Brock.

While the match has been lit, more work needs to be done to fuel the fire. Brock indicates that the San Diego Zoo is ready for action: “There is a lot of networking that is needed to get from here to there. Everyone is not aware of its potential. We want to continue to bring in more and more of the education and business community and watch the network grow.” In order to facilitate this process, the Zoo in collaboration with the Biomimicry Institute, will be hosting the Biomimicry Symposium on October 1 and 2. (http://www.sandiegozoo.org/conservation/biomimicry/conferences) Guest speakers will include Janine Benyus, the president and founder of the Biomimicry Institute and so-called “face of biomimicry”, as well as experts in research, development, business, and marketing. By bringing together people of various backgrounds with expertise in various disciplines, the Symposium will promote the collaborations necessary to drive the field forward. Brock explains: “There is a tidal wave of clean, sustainable innovation waiting to happen as products, processes, materials and designs are rethought as innovators begin to look to nature for inspiration. Why now? The world needs innovative, sustainable solutions and nature provides efficient, creative and beautiful solutions. The faster we can transition these sustainable solutions, the better it could be for the economy and the environment.”

Registration for the Biomimicry Symposium is open to the public, and encouraged to promote public awareness of and support for this revolutionary movement.

September 28, 2009                  By Shannon Weiman, PhD                 MySDScience Writing Staff