Field Research
Many of SCBI's studies, like those of migratory birds and sea turtles, have focused on animals that migrate vast distances. The results of these studies have demonstrated how interconnected today's world is and the urgent need to solve conservation problems through international collaboration.
Long-term field studies abroad have also been a hallmark of SCBI research. A lengthy study of howler monkeys in the Llanos of Venezuela has provided unique insights into the intricacies of tropical ecology. This information is critical to decision makers who must address serious conservation issues.
Animals such as Eld's deer in Burma and jaguars in Mexico are also the subjects of SCBI research. The disposition of these animals, known as "keystone species," has a profound effect on other wildlife species sharing their ecosystem. "Flagship species," those that attract public attention and support, are also high on SCBI's priority list. SCBI scientists understand that the information they gather on species like Asian elephants and green sea turtles could have far-reaching advantages. When policy makers care about flagship species, they tend to instigate conservation policies that are good for both wildlife and people.
SCBI scientists have made timely discoveries of several species of critically endangered birds, such as the Guam rail, Bali mynah, and Micronesian kingfisher, and pulled them back from the brink of extinction. These field explorations have resulted in captive breeding programs which have brought back species that were all but extinct in the wild.
