How can we help you?
Feel like you’re lost in the jungle? We’re here to answer your questions and hear your thoughts.
Wondering how to watch our latest wildlife adventures? Check out episodes of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild and classic episodes of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom.
For all other questions, send us a message below.
All fields required
Thanks for contacting Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom!
We’ve logged your message in our expedition journal and are setting off on a journey to track down an answer. While you wait for one of our team members to get back to you, explore the latest Wild Kingdom adventures.
There was a problem submitting your request, please try again later.
Close
Session
array:1 [ "_token" => "JabeYp4ydE7ARXGtYhCPy1yvH5YNTqdVosKCaM3n" ]
Data
array:11 [ "cdn" => "cdncat.mutualofomaha.com" "config" => array:4 [ "allowed_trackers" => array:1 [ "blogstest" => false ] "basePath" => "wild-kingdom" "fullPrefix" => "wild-kingdom/contact" "prefix" => "contact" ] "content" => array:11 [ "browserTitle" => "Contact Us" "carousels" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "id" => "recentPosts" "slug" => "recent-posts" ] ] "footer" => array:8 [ "about" => array:2 [ "links" => array:5 [ 0 => array:2 [ "title" => "Meet Our Hosts" "url" => "/wild-kingdom/meet-our-hosts" ] 1 => array:2 [ "title" => "Awards and Recognition" "url" => "/wild-kingdom/awards-and-recognition" ] 2 => array:2 [ "title" => "History" "url" => "/wild-kingdom/history" ] 3 => array:2 [ "title" => "Collaborators" "url" => "/wild-kingdom/collaborators" ] 4 => array:2 [ "title" => "Contact Us" "url" => "/wild-kingdom/contact" ] ] "title" => "ABOUT US" ] "explore" => array:2 [ "links" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "title" => "Explore" "url" => "/wild-kingdom/all-posts" ] ] "title" => "EXPLORE CONTENT" ] "icons" => array:4 [ 0 => array:3 [ "alt" => "youtube" "link" => "https://www.youtube.com/wildkingdom" "src" => "//cdn.mutualofomaha.com/wildkingdom/v3/icons/footer-icons/youtube.svg" ] 1 => array:3 [ "alt" => "facebook" "link" => "//www.facebook.com/wildkingdomtv" "src" => "//cdn.mutualofomaha.com/wildkingdom/v3/icons/footer-icons/facebook.svg" ] 2 => array:3 [ "alt" => "instagram" "link" => "//www.instagram.com/wildkingdomtv/" "src" => "//cdn.mutualofomaha.com/wildkingdom/v3/icons/footer-icons/instagram.svg" ] 3 => array:3 [ "alt" => "tiktok" "link" => "//www.tiktok.com/@wildkingdomtv/" "src" => "//cdn.mutualofomaha.com/wildkingdom/v3/icons/footer-icons/tiktok.svg" ] ] "learn" => array:2 [ "link" => array:3 [ "newTab" => true "title" => "Mutual of Omaha" "url" => "/?src=wk-footer" ] "title" => "LEARN MORE" ] "legalLinks" => array:8 [ 0 => array:2 [ "title" => "Terms of Use" "url" => "/wild-kingdom/terms" ] 1 => array:2 [ "title" => "Privacy Policy" "url" => "/legal-services" ] 2 => array:3 [ "tid" => "CaliforniaPrivacy-Link" "title" => "California Privacy Notice" "url" => "https://www.mutualofomaha.com/legal-services/california-residents-only" ] 3 => array:4 [ "class" => "CpraIconLink" "tid" => "CaliforniaChoices-Link" "title" => "Your California Privacy Choices" "url" => "https://www.mutualofomaha.com/legal-services/california-residents-only#Opt-Out" ] 4 => array:3 [ "tid" => "WashingtonPrivacy-Link" "title" => "Washington Privacy Notice" "url" => "https://www.mutualofomaha.com/legal-services/washington-privacy-notice" ] 5 => array:5 [ "class" => "ot-sdk-show-settings" "id" => "Cookie-management" "style" => "display: none!important" "title" => "Manage Cookie Preferences" "url" => "#" ] 6 => array:2 [ "title" => "Accessibility Services" "url" => "/wild-kingdom/accessibility" ] 7 => array:2 [ "title" => "Community Guidelines" "url" => "/wild-kingdom/social-media-guidelines" ] ] "logo" => array:3 [ "alt" => "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Logo" "link" => "/wild-kingdom" "src" => "https://cdn.mutualofomaha.com/wildkingdom/images/logos/wild-kingdom-stacked-white.svg" ] "shop" => array:2 [ "links" => array:1 [ 0 => array:3 [ "newTab" => true "title" => "Shop" "url" => "https://store.ideal-images.com/moo_wild_kingdom/shop/home" ] ] "title" => "SHOP" ] "shows" => array:2 [ "links" => array:3 [ 0 => array:2 [ "title" => "Protecting the Wild" "url" => "/wild-kingdom/protecting-the-wild" ] 1 => array:2 [ "title" => "Wild Kingdom" "url" => "/wild-kingdom/classic-episodes" ] 2 => array:2 [ "title" => "Podcast" "url" => "/wild-kingdom/the-podcast" ] ] "title" => "SHOWS" ] ] "main" => array:1 [ "components" => array:3 [ 0 => array:2 [ "content" => array:4 [ "description" => "Feel like you’re lost in the jungle? We’re here to answer your questions and hear your thoughts." "mailDescription" => "Wondering how to watch our latest wildlife adventures? Check out episodes of <a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/protecting-the-wild">Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild</a> and classic episodes of <a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/classic-episodes">Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom</a>.<br/><br/>For all other questions, send us a message below.<br/><br/><i>All fields required</i>" "message" => array:2 [ "failure" => "There was a problem submitting your request, please try again later." "success" => "<h2>Thanks for contacting Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom!</h2><br/><p>We’ve logged your message in our expedition journal and are setting off on a journey to track down an answer. While you wait for one of our team members to get back to you, <a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/all-posts">explore the latest Wild Kingdom adventures</a>.</p>" ] "title" => "How can we help you?" ] "name" => "contactUsBlock" ] 1 => array:2 [ "content" => array:2 [ "carousel" => array:20 [ "attachments" => [] "author" => array:8 [ …8] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => "" "custom_fields" => array:5 [ …5] "date" => "2023-09-06 08:39:40" "excerpt" => "" "id" => 2430 "modified" => "2026-04-27 12:20:05" "screenreader_text" => null "slug" => "recent-posts" "status" => "publish" "tags" => [] "title" => "Recent posts" "title_plain" => "Recent posts" "type" => "carousel" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/carousel/recent-posts/" ] "slides" => array:18 [ 0 => array:20 [ …20] 1 => array:20 [ …20] 10 => array:20 [ …20] 11 => array:20 [ …20] 12 => array:20 [ …20] 13 => array:20 [ …20] 14 => array:21 [ …21] 15 => array:20 [ …20] 16 => array:20 [ …20] 17 => array:20 [ …20] 2 => array:23 [ …23] 3 => array:20 [ …20] 4 => array:21 [ …21] 5 => array:20 [ …20] 6 => array:20 [ …20] 7 => array:21 [ …21] 8 => array:20 [ …20] 9 => array:21 [ …21] ] ] "name" => "horizontalCarousel" ] 2 => array:2 [ "content" => array:8 [ "background" => "pykGreen" "cta" => array:4 [ "link" => "https://www.mutualofomaha.com/?src=wk-contact" "newTab" => true "styles" => "Button Button--secondary" "text" => "VISIT MUTUAL OF OMAHA" ] "description" => "<p>From Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom to your kingdom, we help protect what matters most.</p>" "gridFlow" => array:2 [ "content" => "Right" "media" => "Left" ] "layout" => "Grid" "logo" => array:2 [ "alt" => "Mutual of Omaha Protect Your Kingdom Logo" "src" => "//cdn.mutualofomaha.com/wildkingdom/v3/logos/pyk-reversed.svg" ] "media" => array:2 [ "image" => array:3 [ …3] "type" => "image" ] "title" => "Protect what you love fiercely" ] "name" => "promo" ] ] ] "mdata" => array:2 [ "page_category" => "wild-kingdom" "page_section" => "about-us" ] "metaDescription" => "Have a question for Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom? Learn how to get in touch with the team to inquire and share your thoughts." "metaKeywords" => "wild kingdom" "newsletterForm" => array:9 [ "body" => "Sign up for exclusive Wild Kingdom content including a download of our Wild Kingdom digital calendar and much more." "cta" => "Subscribe Now" "emailErrorPrompt" => "Please enter a valid Email." "emailPrompt" => "Email Address" "incompleteErrorPrompt" => "Please complete all required fields before trying to submit." "newsletterCloseText" => "NO THANKS" "thankYou" => "<h3>You're all set!</h3><p>Thanks for signing up to receive Wild Kingdom news straight to your inbox. Be sure to check your email for a free gift, just for you.</p>" "thankYouCloseText" => "Return To Wild Kingdom Site" "tryLaterError" => "There was a problem submitting your request. Please try again later." ] "openGraph" => array:4 [ "description" => "Have a question for Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom? Learn how to get in touch with the team to inquire and share your thoughts." "image" => array:2 [ "alt" => "Contact Us Image" "url" => "https://cdn.mutualofomaha.com/wildkingdom/v3/images/new-series/hosts-desktop.jpg" ] "title" => "Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom | Contact Us" "twitterImage" => "summary" ] "recentPosts" => array:2 [ "carousel" => array:20 [ "attachments" => [] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "Joshua" "id" => 188 "last_name" => "Hutson" "name" => "req80562" "nickname" => "Joshua" "slug" => "req80562" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => "" "custom_fields" => array:5 [ "carousel_icon" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "carousel_order" => array:1 [ 0 => "a:18:{i:0;s:4:"4757";i:1;s:4:"3706";i:2;s:4:"4751";i:3;s:4:"4741";i:4;s:3:"144";i:5;s:4:"4720";i:6;s:4:"4658";i:7;s:4:"2981";i:8;s:4:"3500";i:9;s:4:"1993";i:10;s:4:"4629";i:11;s:4:"4619";i:12;s:4:"4600";i:13;s:4:"4708";i:14;s:3:"508";i:15;s:4:"4703";i:16;s:4:"4678";i:17;s:4:"4650";}" ] "carousel_search_path" => array:1 [ 0 => "/wild-kingdom/all-posts" ] "featured_image" => null "screen_reader_only_text" => array:1 [ 0 => "This is a carousel with slides displaying the most recent posts. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. The Next button is disabled on the last slide, and the Previous button is disabled on the first slide." ] ] "date" => "2023-09-06 08:39:40" "excerpt" => "" "id" => 2430 "modified" => "2026-04-27 12:20:05" "screenreader_text" => null "slug" => "recent-posts" "status" => "publish" "tags" => [] "title" => "Recent posts" "title_plain" => "Recent posts" "type" => "carousel" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/carousel/recent-posts/" ] "slides" => array:18 [ 0 => array:20 [ "attachments" => array:1 [ 0 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4758 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4757 "slug" => "wlk_317_smallsurvivors_pr_stills_3" "title" => "WLK_317_SmallSurvivors_PR_Stills_3" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/WLK_317_SmallSurvivors_PR_Stills_3.jpg" ] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "Kristy" "id" => 1902 "last_name" => "Jaixen Krupa" "name" => "req76576" "nickname" => "Kristy" "slug" => "req76576" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => """ <p><span data-contrast="auto">Peter and Dr. Rae encounter nature’s most vulnerable survivors — orphaned animals given a second chance through expert care and unwavering dedication to wildlife conservation. In Queensland, Australia, Peter joins passionate volunteers providing critical animal protection for rescued koalas, while he and Dr. Rae witness the delicate rehabilitation of rare tree kangaroos, including a tiny orphan named Pixie. Back in the United States at a zoo in Brownsville, Texas, Dr. Rae provides care to rescued baby spider monkeys.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">Learn more about </span><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/how-aussies-are-saving-koalas"><span data-contrast="none">koala conservation</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">. Then, watch “</span><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/rescue-down-under"><span data-contrast="none">Rescue Down Under</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">,” “</span><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/macropod-mania"><span data-contrast="none">Macropod Mania</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">” and “</span><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/adventure-south"><span data-contrast="none">Adventure South</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">” to get an in-depth look at koalas, kangaroos and spider monkeys.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">Watch <a href="https://www.nbc.com/mutual-of-omahas-wild-kingdom-protecting-the-wild/video/small-survivors/9000457416" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Small Survivors” on NBC.com</a> or the NBC app.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n """ "custom_fields" => array:19 [ "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ 0 => "default" ] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "featured_image" => array:24 [ "ID" => 4758 "alt" => "A close-up of a young tree kangaroo cradled in a blue cloth, with a caregiver’s hands visible and soft greenery blurred in the background." "author" => "1902" "caption" => "" "date" => "2026-04-24 16:06:17" "description" => "" "filename" => "WLK_317_SmallSurvivors_PR_Stills_3.jpg" "filesize" => 548190 "height" => 1080 "icon" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/wp-includes/images/media/default.png" "id" => 4758 "link" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/video/small-survivors/wlk_317_smallsurvivors_pr_stills_3/" "menu_order" => 0 "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "modified" => "2026-04-24 16:10:49" "name" => "wlk_317_smallsurvivors_pr_stills_3" "sizes" => array:18 [ …18] "status" => "inherit" "subtype" => "jpeg" "title" => "WLK_317_SmallSurvivors_PR_Stills_3" "type" => "image" "uploaded_to" => 4757 "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/WLK_317_SmallSurvivors_PR_Stills_3.jpg" "width" => 1920 ] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ 0 => "wild kingdom, mutual of omaha's wild kingdom, protecting the wild, jim fowler, peter gros, dr. rae wynn-grant, wildlife show, wildlife tv show, marlin perkins, Mutual of Omaha show, wild kingdom host, mutual of Omaha wild kingdom, season 1, season 2, season 3, wildlife conservation, young animals, baby animals, koalas, tree kangaroos, spider monkeys, orphaned animals" ] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ 0 => "See how orphaned koalas, tree kangaroos and spider monkeys are given a second chance through extraordinary rehabilitation in Australia and Texas. " ] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/WLK_317_SmallSurvivors_PR_Stills_3.jpg" ] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ 0 => "A close-up of a young tree kangaroo cradled in a blue cloth, with a caregiver’s hands visible and soft greenery blurred in the background." ] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ 0 => "Small Survivors | Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild " ] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "summary" ] "open_graph_meta_video_url" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/small-survivors" ] "page_category" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_name" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_section" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_type" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "transcript" => array:1 [ 0 => """ 0:04\r\n Koalas, Australia's beloved iconic marsupials, are known for their fluffy ears, large noses and tree dwelling lifestyle.\r\n \r\n 0:12\r\n Tragically, koalas today are endangered in the coastal forest where they make their treetop homes.\r\n \r\n 0:20\r\n But across Queens and Australia, community groups and wildlife veterinarians have teamed up to rescue sick and injured koalas.\r\n \r\n 0:29\r\n A baby koala is called a Joey.\r\n \r\n 0:31\r\n When a member of the public finds an orphan Joey, the first call is to a place like Pine Rivers Koala Care Association in Strathpine.\r\n \r\n 0:40\r\n Hello.\r\n \r\n 0:41\r\n You must be Cash.\r\n \r\n 0:42\r\n Hi, Petey.\r\n \r\n 0:43\r\n It's very nice to meet you.\r\n \r\n 0:45\r\n Nice to meet you too.\r\n \r\n 0:46\r\n Welcome to Strathpine.\r\n \r\n 0:48\r\n Everyone at Pine Rivers is a volunteer that's passionate about rescuing koalas.\r\n \r\n 0:54\r\n Joanne Bain has been a volunteer here for 33 years.\r\n \r\n 0:58\r\n So I understand you've been caring for cause for a very long time.\r\n \r\n 1:02\r\n Yes, yes, quite a quite a while.\r\n \r\n 1:07\r\n And it's time for her to feed an orphan Joey named Rusty.\r\n \r\n 1:10\r\n The first time he's actually been outside and he's waiting for his milk.\r\n \r\n 1:14\r\n Aren't you?\r\n \r\n 1:15\r\n Are you going to cooperate today?\r\n \r\n 1:17\r\n There he goes.\r\n \r\n 1:19\r\n What?\r\n \r\n 1:20\r\n What are you feeding it now?\r\n \r\n 1:21\r\n It's a special formula.\r\n \r\n 1:22\r\n Does it help when you sort of support his head like that?\r\n \r\n 1:25\r\n Yeah, well, it's just that he's probably wanting to look around a bit.\r\n \r\n 1:27\r\n You know, they’re in the pouch when they're feeding, so it's dark.\r\n \r\n 1:31\r\n Koalas are marsupials, part of a group of animals that include Kangaroos, wombats and possums.\r\n \r\n 1:38\r\n Marsupials are born prematurely and complete their development inside a special pouch on their mother's abdomen.\r\n \r\n 1:45\r\n Rusty would have been drinking milk in the darkness of his mother's pouch if he had not been orphaned.\r\n \r\n 1:51\r\n Yeah, he was in the hospital because his mum was very sick and she hadn't been feeding him.\r\n \r\n 1:58\r\n This one's little chicken.\r\n \r\n 1:59\r\n Oh, look at that.\r\n \r\n 2:02\r\n Oh, how old, anyway?\r\n \r\n 2:04\r\n Four to five.\r\n \r\n 2:05\r\n Yeah, months.\r\n \r\n 2:06\r\n She was a trauma and had a fall, so she was on a lot of medication.\r\n \r\n 2:11\r\n Surprisingly made it through.\r\n \r\n 2:12\r\n We didn't think she was going to.\r\n \r\n 2:14\r\n She was definitely a fighter.\r\n \r\n 2:16\r\n She's still on milk and will be for quite a while.\r\n \r\n 2:19\r\n Can you tell us about that?\r\n \r\n 2:20\r\n Before they can eat leaf, they've got to get the gut flora.\r\n \r\n 2:24\r\n The gut flora, The gut flora.\r\n \r\n 2:26\r\n They get that from Mum.\r\n \r\n 2:27\r\n Where does that come from?\r\n \r\n 2:28\r\n From Mum.\r\n \r\n 2:29\r\n Well, it's mashed up droppings.\r\n \r\n 2:32\r\n Mum feeds it to him and then they can start eating the leaf.\r\n \r\n 2:36\r\n Koalas feed almost exclusively on the toxic leaves of eucalyptus trees, also known as gum trees.\r\n \r\n 2:43\r\n Koalas are able to eat eucalyptus thanks to their unique digestive system.\r\n \r\n 2:49\r\n As Wild Kingdom, first profiled over 50 years ago, these forests provide an excellent habitat for an abundance of wild creatures.\r\n \r\n 2:58\r\n The koala, however, is the only one who spends his entire life there, since the only food he ever eats is the foliage of gum trees.\r\n \r\n 3:09\r\n After Rusty, a little chick in her hand, raised on milk and eucalyptus, conditioned and outdoor enclosures to develop natural behaviors and then health checked, they'll be released back to the wild lands around Queensland in about 12 to 18 months.\r\n \r\n 3:24\r\n You raise them from the time they're tiny and then you have to let them go, yes.\r\n \r\n 3:30\r\n What is that like?\r\n \r\n 3:31\r\n It's good.\r\n \r\n 3:32\r\n It is a bit sad sometimes, you know, but a lot of the time it's good to see them go.\r\n \r\n 3:36\r\n You've given them a second chance.\r\n \r\n 3:38\r\n That's the whole reason we do it.\r\n \r\n 3:39\r\n We do it because we want to conserve the koalas for future generations to enjoy.\r\n """ ] "updated_date" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "video_url" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://www.youtube.com/embed/oCyJrHBXtjU" ] ] "date" => "2026-04-25 12:00:06" "excerpt" => "<p>Peter and Dr. Rae encounter nature’s most vulnerable survivors — orphaned animals given a second chance through expert care and unwavering dedication to wildlife conservation. In Queensland, Australia, Peter joins passionate volunteers providing critical animal protection for rescued koalas, while he and Dr. Rae witness the delicate rehabilitation of rare tree kangaroos, including a tiny orphan named […]</p>\n" "id" => 4757 "modified" => "2026-04-27 12:21:13" "screenreader_text" => null "slug" => "small-survivors" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:4 [ 0 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72147 "post_count" => 78 "slug" => "animal-facts" "title" => "Animal Facts" ] 1 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72124 "post_count" => 175 "slug" => "animals" "title" => "Animals" ] 2 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72149 "post_count" => 68 "slug" => "episode-clips" "title" => "Episode Clips" ] 3 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72113 "post_count" => 145 "slug" => "protecting-the-wild-show" "title" => "Protecting the Wild Show" ] ] "title" => "Small Survivors" "title_plain" => "Small Survivors" "type" => "video" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/video/small-survivors/" ] 1 => array:20 [ "attachments" => array:2 [ 0 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 3707 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 3706 "slug" => "african-penguin-facebook" "title" => "african-penguin-facebook" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/12/african-penguin-facebook.jpg" ] 1 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 3708 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 3706 "slug" => "african-penguin-hero" "title" => "african-penguin-hero" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/12/african-penguin-hero.jpg" ] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "" "id" => 4532 "last_name" => "" "name" => "req100870" "nickname" => "Katelyn" "slug" => "req100870" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => """ <p><small><em>By The Florida Aquarium</em></small></p>\n <p>Meet the African penguins at The Florida Aquarium, a species native to the coasts of Namibia and South Africa. These beloved birds are facing the alarming prospect of functional extinction by 2035. Yet, against the odds, biologists and conservation organizations worldwide are gaining critical insights into their biology and behaviors to support wild populations. Under human care, the penguins at The Florida Aquarium receive world-class veterinary attention, ensuring good health and well-being as the team works to secure their future.</p>\n <p>But why should this matter to you? The survival of African penguins is deeply interconnected with the health of our global ecosystems. When they struggle in the wild to find fish for their next meal, it’s a warning of broader environmental issues that could impact us all. By working together — through initiatives like the global Penguin Waddle and other conservation efforts — we can build stronger connections between people and wildlife and create a future where African penguins and our ecosystems not only survive but thrive.</p>\n <p>To learn more about The Florida Aquarium’s conservation programs and priorities, visit <a href="http://FLaquarium.org/conservation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FLaquarium.org/conservation</a>.</p>\n <h2>African penguin fun facts</h2>\n <p>African penguins are one of 18 penguin species worldwide and are thought to be one of the first discovered by humans. Discover more African penguin facts.</p>\n <ul>\n <li>They swallow fish whole! Their diet includes small fish, such as capelin, Peruvian smelt, anchovies, herring and sardines.</li>\n <li>Each penguin has a unique pattern of black spotting on their chest and belly.</li>\n <li>Predators include cape fur seals, sharks and toothed whales.</li>\n <li>They can swim up to 12 mph.</li>\n <li>African penguins molt once per year, meaning they lose all their feathers and grow a new set.</li>\n <li>They pair-bond for life.</li>\n <li>African penguins have pink glands above their eyes to which they send blood, acting as a cooling system. Thus, the hotter the penguin, the pinker the glands!</li>\n </ul>\n <p>The Florida Aquarium and other Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) facilities are helping protect African penguins through the AZA’s Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) program. This program brings together AZA members to share resources and develop ways to help save these animals from extinction. <a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/zoos-and-aquariums-key-to-conservation-success">Learn more about SAFE programs</a>.</p>\n <p>For more penguin fun, check out this <a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/learn-about-penguins-wild-kingdom-and-wonders-of-wildlife">video of gentoo penguins</a> with Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild Co-Host Peter Gros.</p>\n """ "custom_fields" => array:19 [ "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ 0 => "default" ] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "featured_image" => array:24 [ "ID" => 3708 "alt" => "Two African penguins standing on a rock as waves from the ocean splash up behind them." "author" => "4532" "caption" => "" "date" => "2024-12-09 18:49:12" "description" => "" "filename" => "african-penguin-hero.jpg" "filesize" => 231581 "height" => 990 "icon" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/wp-includes/images/media/default.png" "id" => 3708 "link" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/video/florida-aquarium-penguin-conservation/african-penguin-hero/" "menu_order" => 0 "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "modified" => "2024-12-09 18:49:15" "name" => "african-penguin-hero" "sizes" => array:18 [ …18] "status" => "inherit" "subtype" => "jpeg" "title" => "african-penguin-hero" "type" => "image" "uploaded_to" => 3706 "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/12/african-penguin-hero.jpg" "width" => 1800 ] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ 0 => "african penguin, penguins, wildlife, conservation, animals, florida, aquarium, zoo, endangered" ] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ 0 => "As African penguins face the prospect of functional extinction, The Florida Aquarium's conservation mission helps protect this endangered species." ] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/12/african-penguin-facebook.jpg" ] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ 0 => "Two African penguins standing on a rock as waves from the ocean splash up behind them." ] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ 0 => "How African Penguins are Protected by The Florida Aquarium" ] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "summary" ] "open_graph_meta_video_url" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/florida-aquarium-penguin-conservation" ] "page_category" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_name" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_section" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_type" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "transcript" => array:1 [ 0 => """ 0:09\r\n Florida Aquarium has four pillars of focus for conservation, one of which is to safeguard imperiled species.\r\n \r\n 0:16\r\n And there are few species here in the Florida Aquarium that are more imperiled than the African Penguin.\r\n \r\n 0:21\r\n So for us, this is a natural fit to make sure we're doing our best to help protect the species.\r\n \r\n 0:29\r\n African Penguin is an endangered species that can only be found in South Africa and Namibia and their population has been dwindling year after year after year.\r\n \r\n 0:39\r\n One of the most challenging things of of of saving an animal from extinction is trying to figure out what caused it to get to that point to begin with.\r\n \r\n 0:47\r\n Sometimes it's it's natural causes, in many cases of their man made causes, African Penguins, their their populations are, are being impacted by pollution, by overfishing, those things that those are economic drivers and to be able to correct that will probably not be likely.\r\n \r\n 1:03\r\n So working with these animals in human care and then being able to help in the field in the wild with with our partners that are actually doing the boots on the ground work is critically important.\r\n \r\n 1:14\r\n We also know a lot about Penguins being managed in human care because we know what they do, We know what they eat, they get regular checkups, we how old they are, what kind of a health history they have.\r\n \r\n 1:24\r\n And we can take that information and helps us understand wild populations a little bit better.\r\n \r\n 1:33\r\n Teams that manage animals like this, that work with them day in and day out, they know the birds inside and out.\r\n \r\n 1:38\r\n It's just amazing to see those relationships develop.\r\n \r\n 1:40\r\n Wild animals often mask symptoms, stillnesses, So the animals that are being cared for by the professional staff here at the aquarium know the idiosyncrasies of the birds.\r\n \r\n 1:49\r\n And oftentimes they'll think a bird is getting I'll before they even show outward signs of, of an illness.\r\n \r\n 1:55\r\n They give regular exams are looked at every each and every day.\r\n \r\n 1:58\r\n Their feet are examined, their body condition is, is looked at on an annual basis.\r\n \r\n 2:02\r\n They're going to go through a full health exam just like you would do with your dog at at the vet.\r\n \r\n 2:07\r\n The blood panels will be taken, blood work will be taken.\r\n \r\n 2:09\r\n Their eyes will be observed when the animals are healthy.\r\n \r\n 2:12\r\n So when they do start to have problems, we have something to compare against.\r\n \r\n 2:21\r\n Why should people in Florida care about what's happening to species in Africa or across the world?\r\n \r\n 2:26\r\n It matters because we really live in one planet, one world.\r\n \r\n 2:30\r\n And So what affects one species ultimately affects the ecosystems, including our own.\r\n \r\n 2:35\r\n Here.\r\n \r\n 2:36\r\n Penguins are out there fishing for their food, right?\r\n \r\n 2:38\r\n Like we do for our food across the globe.\r\n \r\n 2:40\r\n They can't find their food right now, which is a indicator of a bigger problem, and it's a problem that affects all of us across the globe.\r\n \r\n 2:51\r\n So one of the most important things we can do today is to form relationships with partners.\r\n \r\n 2:55\r\n Collaborative conservation is the only way we're going to address the issues that we face in today's world.\r\n \r\n 3:01\r\n So last year we hosted a Penguin waddle and the Florida Aquarium coordinated this international waddle with our partners in South Africa and Namibia.\r\n \r\n 3:09\r\n And we had dozens of countries that participated in the waddle on the same day.\r\n \r\n 3:15\r\n And the ask was for the public to send letters to the Minister of the Environment in South Africa to continue protecting the waterways where the South African Penguin fishes for its food.\r\n \r\n 3:25\r\n And what we can do here is not only work in country, but we can also work with our audiences.\r\n \r\n 3:30\r\n We've had more than a million visitors at the Florida Aquarium last year, and they get the unique opportunity to see Penguins close up and to learn about what's affecting them and take actions to help us move forward with conservation efforts for the species. """ ] "updated_date" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "video_url" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://www.youtube.com/embed/Yqf2g-FwVGk" ] ] "date" => "2024-12-09 12:49:24" "excerpt" => "<p>By The Florida Aquarium Meet the African penguins at The Florida Aquarium, a species native to the coasts of Namibia and South Africa. These beloved birds are facing the alarming prospect of functional extinction by 2035. Yet, against the odds, biologists and conservation organizations worldwide are gaining critical insights into their biology and behaviors to […]</p>\n" "id" => 3706 "modified" => "2026-04-24 10:55:30" "screenreader_text" => null "slug" => "florida-aquarium-penguin-conservation" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:4 [ 0 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72124 "post_count" => 175 "slug" => "animals" "title" => "Animals" ] 1 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72117 "post_count" => 110 "slug" => "conservation" "title" => "Conservation" ] 2 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72148 "post_count" => 45 "slug" => "endangered-species" "title" => "Endangered Species" ] 3 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 71871 "post_count" => 76 "slug" => "zoos-and-aquariums" "title" => "Zoos and Aquariums" ] ] "title" => "How the Florida Aquarium Leads Penguin Conservation" "title_plain" => "How the Florida Aquarium Leads Penguin Conservation" "type" => "video" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/video/florida-aquarium-penguin-conservation/" ] 10 => array:20 [ "attachments" => array:2 [ 0 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4630 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4629 "slug" => "ep311-fb" "title" => "EP311-fb" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/EP311-fb.jpg" ] 1 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4631 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4629 "slug" => "ep311-hero" "title" => "EP311-hero" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/EP311-hero.jpg" ] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "" "id" => 4532 "last_name" => "" "name" => "req100870" "nickname" => "Katelyn" "slug" => "req100870" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => """ <p>In Mexico and Panama, communities of conservationists are working together to protect beloved native species.</p>\n <p>Dr. Rae and Peter travel to southeastern Mexico to observe spider monkeys in the wild at a refuge in the Yucatan Peninsula where Mayan people have protected them and other native wildlife for generations. Then, they journey to the nearby coast where they work with conservationists to corral a flourishing flamboyance of American flamingos and fit them with advanced technology to track their health and migration patterns. Finally, Dr. Rae heads further South to a one-of-a-kind conservation center working to save Panama’s national animal — the extinct in the wild Panamanian golden frog.</p>\n <p>Get a behind-the-scenes look at filming <a id="menur153e" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/protecting-the-wild-in-california-mexico-and-more" href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/protecting-the-wild-in-california-mexico-and-more" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link flamingos, spider monkeys">flamingos, spider monkeys</a> and <a id="menur153g" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/wild-kingdom-films-new-episodes-in-panama" href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/wild-kingdom-films-new-episodes-in-panama" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link Panamanian golden frogs">Panamanian golden frogs</a>. Then learn about <a id="menur153i" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/andean-highland-flamingos-conserved-by-safe-program" href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/andean-highland-flamingos-conserved-by-safe-program" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link flamingo conservation in South America">flamingo conservation in South America</a> and the <a id="menur153k" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/saving-the-panamanian-golden-frog" href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/saving-the-panamanian-golden-frog" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link future of golden frogs">future of golden frogs</a>.</p>\n <p><a href="https://www.nbc.com/mutual-of-omahas-wild-kingdom-protecting-the-wild/video/adventure-south/9000457404" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch “Adventure South” on NBC.com or the NBC app.</a></p>\n """ "custom_fields" => array:20 [ "custom_related_post_list" => array:1 [ 0 => "a:3:{i:0;s:4:"4619";i:1;s:4:"4311";i:2;s:4:"3549";}" ] "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ 0 => "custom" ] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "featured_image" => array:24 [ "ID" => 4631 "alt" => "A yellow and black panamanian golden frog on a rock." "author" => "4532" "caption" => "" "date" => "2026-01-13 18:06:41" "description" => "" "filename" => "EP311-hero.jpg" "filesize" => 96261 "height" => 990 "icon" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/wp-includes/images/media/default.png" "id" => 4631 "link" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/video/adventure-south/ep311-hero/" "menu_order" => 0 "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "modified" => "2026-01-13 18:07:20" "name" => "ep311-hero" "sizes" => array:18 [ …18] "status" => "inherit" "subtype" => "jpeg" "title" => "EP311-hero" "type" => "image" "uploaded_to" => 4629 "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/EP311-hero.jpg" "width" => 1800 ] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ 0 => "flamingo, mexico, panama, wild kingdom, mutual of omaha's wild kingdom, protecting the wild, jim fowler, peter gros, dr. rae wynn-grant, wildlife show, wildlife tv show, marlin perkins, Mutual of Omaha show, wild kingdom host, mutual of Omaha wild kingdom, season 1, season 2, season 3, florida, spider monkey, panamanian golden frog, south america" ] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ 0 => "See how Mexican and Panamanian conservationists protect three beloved species: the spider monkey, the American flamingo and the Panamanian golden frog." ] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/EP311-fb.jpg" ] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ 0 => "A yellow and black panamanian golden frog on a rock." ] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ 0 => "Adventure South | Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild" ] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "summary" ] "open_graph_meta_video_url" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/adventure-south" ] "page_category" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_name" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_section" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_type" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "transcript" => array:1 [ 0 => """ 0:06\r\n We're far from home.\r\n \r\n 0:07\r\n We are all the way in the iconic Yucatan Peninsula in eastern Mexico.\r\n \r\n 0:12\r\n We're here for a special reason and I'm so excited that we are on a monkey journey today.\r\n \r\n 0:18\r\n A monkey journey to a very rare and endangered monkey.\r\n \r\n 0:22\r\n The spider monkey people seem to be the problem when it comes to spider monkey conservation, right?\r\n \r\n 0:26\r\n Cutting down the forest, engaging in the illegal pet trade.\r\n \r\n 0:30\r\n But luckily, we're going to have the chance to meet some people who are part of the solution, right?\r\n \r\n 0:34\r\n Scientists who are studying them, local people living here who are protecting them.\r\n \r\n 0:39\r\n We're going to learn about all the good things.\r\n \r\n 0:41\r\n Seven species of endangered spider monkeys and habit jungles throughout Mexico and Central America.\r\n \r\n 0:47\r\n They require large, intact old growth forests for movement, foraging and social interactions.\r\n \r\n 0:54\r\n Tragically, the towering trees they've called home for generations are vanishing.\r\n \r\n 1:00\r\n But in a special protected area here in the center of the Yucatan Peninsula, they're thriving.\r\n \r\n 1:06\r\n We met up with ethologist Filippo Arelli and Mayan local Elohio Apon, the world's foremost experts on the species that live here.\r\n \r\n 1:15\r\n This is one of the best place here in the Yucatan Peninsula to see them and it's a place that where I've been study for a very long time.\r\n \r\n 1:22\r\n But the best part of this one that's been conserved for a very long time thanks to the local community.\r\n \r\n 1:27\r\n Longio has been spending more hours following spider monkeys than anybody else.\r\n \r\n 1:31\r\n Well, thank you for showing us around.\r\n \r\n 1:33\r\n That's a big honor.\r\n \r\n 1:34\r\n Well, I think we're ready to do what you do all the time, immerse ourselves in this beautiful forest and maybe see some spider monkeys.\r\n \r\n 1:40\r\n Is it right?\r\n \r\n 1:41\r\n Time of the day is the the monkeys are coming closer in the area, so I think we have a good chance to go and see them.\r\n \r\n 1:47\r\n Perfect.\r\n \r\n 1:48\r\n Let's go.\r\n \r\n 1:50\r\n In Mayan.\r\n \r\n 1:50\r\n The locals call this reserve Ottok Maya Yatelku, which translates to home of the spider monkey and the Puma.\r\n \r\n 2:00\r\n The reserve is named for monkeys and Pumas.\r\n \r\n 2:03\r\n So are there also Pumas here?\r\n \r\n 2:05\r\n What do you think?\r\n \r\n 2:06\r\n There are Pumas here in the other side of the lagoon.\r\n \r\n 2:11\r\n Puma, Jaguar, Puma and Jaguar.\r\n \r\n 2:15\r\n About 150 Mayan people live here in Lojo's grandfather was the first person to recognize this forest importance, and he kept this land informally protected.\r\n \r\n 2:26\r\n In 2002, the local community, in collaboration with nonprofits and researchers, launched a successful initiative to gain official protection by the Mexican government.\r\n \r\n 2:37\r\n Suddenly so much cooler.\r\n \r\n 2:38\r\n You know, I can hear something crashing through.\r\n \r\n 2:46\r\n Oh, we found them.\r\n \r\n 2:47\r\n We found them.\r\n \r\n 2:49\r\n Look at this.\r\n \r\n 2:51\r\n Yeah.\r\n \r\n 2:51\r\n Baby.\r\n \r\n 2:52\r\n Yeah, yeah, yeah.\r\n \r\n 2:53\r\n The first monkey we've seen has a baby.\r\n \r\n 2:56\r\n This is just a great indication of how well they're doing.\r\n \r\n 3:01\r\n How are the monkeys over there?\r\n \r\n 3:03\r\n And they're even howler monkeys, really.\r\n \r\n 3:05\r\n We have howler monkeys on the left, spider monkeys on the right.\r\n \r\n 3:11\r\n Suddenly we're surrounded.\r\n \r\n 3:13\r\n Will they ever come over and share the same tree, or are they territorial?\r\n \r\n 3:16\r\n The spider monkeys displace the howler monkeys.\r\n \r\n 3:19\r\n So if they want to be in a place, the spider monkeys go where they want to and the howlers need to move away.\r\n \r\n 3:26\r\n How many spider monkeys might live in this forest?\r\n \r\n 3:29\r\n We don't know.\r\n \r\n 3:31\r\n We don't know.\r\n \r\n 3:31\r\n It's not easy to come there, but we know that in this area there are about 40-50 individuals.\r\n \r\n 3:36\r\n The spider monkeys are highly frugivorous, meaning that they eat mostly fruits.\r\n \r\n 3:42\r\n They live in large groups, but they split in subgroups.\r\n \r\n 3:46\r\n But every now and then they meet again and they reshuffle the composition so they're not fixed groups.\r\n \r\n 3:51\r\n And sometimes they greet one another with an embrace.\r\n \r\n 3:53\r\n Oh, really?\r\n \r\n 3:55\r\n Really.\r\n \r\n 3:55\r\n Must be so interesting.\r\n \r\n 3:56\r\n We're so fascinated by these animals, and it's possible they're really fascinated with us, too.\r\n \r\n 4:01\r\n I hope so.\r\n \r\n 4:02\r\n This is something we're sort of intraspecies communication going on.\r\n \r\n 4:05\r\n I think you're right.\r\n \r\n 4:07\r\n Although there are no monkeys or primates native to the United States, Mexico has three species, spider monkeys and two types of howler, named for obvious reasons.\r\n \r\n 4:19\r\n Right here is crashing through these trees, a really robust mom, and she's carrying her little baby.\r\n \r\n 4:26\r\n It's precious, and it's also really meaningful when we're talk about the conservation of this species, They're doing well here.\r\n \r\n 4:33\r\n We need more places like this to exist and to maintain and to survive so that this species can keep doing exactly this.\r\n \r\n 4:41\r\n Elohio and the local Mayan people not only protect this forest but also offer paid tours, a lifeline for both the village and the spider monkeys.\r\n \r\n 4:51\r\n This preserve is a proud model for what ecotourism and conservation can accomplish together. """ ] "updated_date" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "video_url" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://www.youtube.com/embed/jO8url8ACwc" ] ] "date" => "2026-01-17 12:05:42" "excerpt" => "<p>In Mexico and Panama, communities of conservationists are working together to protect beloved native species. Dr. Rae and Peter travel to southeastern Mexico to observe spider monkeys in the wild at a refuge in the Yucatan Peninsula where Mayan people have protected them and other native wildlife for generations. Then, they journey to the nearby […]</p>\n" "id" => 4629 "modified" => "2026-01-20 08:46:44" "screenreader_text" => null "slug" => "adventure-south" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:4 [ 0 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72124 "post_count" => 175 "slug" => "animals" "title" => "Animals" ] 1 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72149 "post_count" => 68 "slug" => "episode-clips" "title" => "Episode Clips" ] 2 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72139 "post_count" => 107 "slug" => "hosts" "title" => "Hosts" ] 3 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72113 "post_count" => 145 "slug" => "protecting-the-wild-show" "title" => "Protecting the Wild Show" ] ] "title" => "Adventure South" "title_plain" => "Adventure South" "type" => "video" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/video/adventure-south/" ] 11 => array:20 [ "attachments" => array:1 [ 0 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4620 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4619 "slug" => "wlk_310_flamingos_pr_stills_16" "title" => "WLK_310_Flamingos_PR_STILLS_16" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2025/12/WLK_310_Flamingos_PR_STILLS_16.jpg" ] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "Kristy" "id" => 1902 "last_name" => "Jaixen Krupa" "name" => "req76576" "nickname" => "Kristy" "slug" => "req76576" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => """ <p>Discover how conservationists are tracking American flamingos to learn about their migration patterns.</p>\n <p>Is the American flamingo making a comeback? Join Dr. Rae and Peter on an incredible journey to Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula where they work with conservationists to corral a flourishing flamboyance of birds and fit them with advanced technology to track their health and migration patterns. Then, Peter returns stateside in search of a rare wild flock blown in by a surprising source and learns how local organizations are passionately preserving this fabulous species in Florida.</p>\n <p><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/protecting-the-wild-in-california-mexico-and-more">Learn what it was like to film the episode</a>. Then, check out <a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/andean-highland-flamingos-conserved-by-safe-program">how the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is saving flamingos</a>.</p>\n <p>Watch <a href="https://www.nbc.com/mutual-of-omahas-wild-kingdom-protecting-the-wild/video/the-flamingos-flamboyant-return/9000457402" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The Flamingos’ Flamboyant Return” on nbc.com</a> or the NBC app.</p>\n """ "custom_fields" => array:19 [ "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ 0 => "default" ] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "featured_image" => array:24 [ "ID" => 4620 "alt" => "A single bright pink flamingo standing in shallow water near the shore, with a calm sea and distant horizon under a partly cloudy sky." "author" => "1902" "caption" => "" "date" => "2025-12-19 19:55:37" "description" => "" "filename" => "WLK_310_Flamingos_PR_STILLS_16.jpg" "filesize" => 572130 "height" => 1080 "icon" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/wp-includes/images/media/default.png" "id" => 4620 "link" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/video/the-flamingos-flamboyant-return/wlk_310_flamingos_pr_stills_16/" "menu_order" => 0 "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "modified" => "2025-12-19 20:00:30" "name" => "wlk_310_flamingos_pr_stills_16" "sizes" => array:18 [ …18] "status" => "inherit" "subtype" => "jpeg" "title" => "WLK_310_Flamingos_PR_STILLS_16" "type" => "image" "uploaded_to" => 4619 "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2025/12/WLK_310_Flamingos_PR_STILLS_16.jpg" "width" => 1920 ] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ 0 => "flamingo, mexico, wild kingdom, mutual of omaha's wild kingdom, protecting the wild, jim fowler, peter gros, dr. rae wynn-grant, wildlife show, wildlife tv show, marlin perkins, Mutual of Omaha show, wild kingdom host, mutual of Omaha wild kingdom, season 1, season 2, season 3" ] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ 0 => "In Mexico, Dr. Rae and Peter fit flamingos with technology to track their health and migration. And in Florida, Peter learns how organizations are saving them." ] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2025/12/WLK_310_Flamingos_PR_STILLS_16.jpg" ] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ 0 => "A single bright pink flamingo standing in shallow water near the shore, with a calm sea and distant horizon under a partly cloudy sky." ] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ 0 => "The Flamingos' Flamboyant Return | Protecting the Wild" ] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "summary" ] "open_graph_meta_video_url" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/the-flamingos-flamboyant-return" ] "page_category" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_name" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_section" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_type" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "transcript" => array:1 [ 0 => """ 0:00\r\n Peter and I are heading to Mexico's Rio Legartos Biosphere Reserve on the Yucatan Peninsula, home to as many as 40,000 American flamingos, one of the largest concentrations of this particular species.\r\n \r\n 0:14\r\n I can see flamingos like all clustered together over there.\r\n \r\n 0:19\r\n Our guide is Doctor Frank, originally from Zoo Miami.\r\n \r\n 0:22\r\n He specializes in studying wild flamingos and the habitats that they love, and what he's found is surprising.\r\n \r\n 0:31\r\n So this is an actually man-made feature and they harvest salt.\r\n \r\n 0:35\r\n Rio de Cartos is a salty sanctuary, a protected biosphere reserve and a traditional salt harvesting site where sustainable methods keep flamingos safe and the salt flowing.\r\n \r\n 0:47\r\n This is a very special place.\r\n \r\n 0:49\r\n The water will evaporate and creates a hyper saline kind of lagoon, so super salty so it actually alters the life in that water.\r\n \r\n 0:58\r\n And flamingos love hyper saline pond.\r\n \r\n 1:03\r\n What brings them here?\r\n \r\n 1:04\r\n Two big things, food, lots of food.\r\n \r\n 1:07\r\n And very special mud so they can make their Nets.\r\n \r\n 1:10\r\n They have a huge variety of things that they'll eat.\r\n \r\n 1:12\r\n Small crustaceans, little plankton because they're filter feeders.\r\n \r\n 1:16\r\n Is that true?\r\n \r\n 1:17\r\n That's where they get their color.\r\n \r\n 1:18\r\n Why flamingos are pink?\r\n \r\n 1:19\r\n Yeah.\r\n \r\n 1:20\r\n So if they didn't have all the special food out here with all the pigments in it, these flamingos would be white.\r\n \r\n 1:27\r\n Flamingos have a built in filter system.\r\n \r\n 1:30\r\n They're upside down.\r\n \r\n 1:31\r\n Beaks sweep through the muck and water slurping up algae, brine shrimp and beta carotene that give them their iconic color.\r\n \r\n 1:40\r\n This dazzling pink is why a flock of flamingos is called a flamboyance.\r\n \r\n 1:46\r\n They exploit areas like this where super salty, where a lot of animals just avoid because they can't tolerate the conditions well.\r\n \r\n 1:53\r\n They can go in there and eat the special food that only grows in them.\r\n \r\n 1:57\r\n Wild flamingos are thriving here in Mexico, but stateside, it's a different story.\r\n \r\n 2:04\r\n 200 years ago, huge colonies of flamingos thrived along the Florida Bay and the Keys.\r\n \r\n 2:10\r\n But in the 1800s, they were 100, almost to extinction for their meat and bright pink feathers.\r\n \r\n 2:17\r\n Since then, they've mostly vanished from Florida except for a few migrating flocks.\r\n \r\n 2:24\r\n They used to nest in dozens of sites across the Caribbean and now they're narrowed down to like 4 major sites.\r\n \r\n 2:33\r\n And that makes them very vulnerable.\r\n \r\n 2:35\r\n And each one of those sites have their own problems.\r\n \r\n 2:37\r\n It could be invasive species; it could be land development.\r\n \r\n 2:40\r\n So reestablishing them on the mainland of the United States adds to the resiliency of this species.\r\n \r\n 2:48\r\n To better understand and preserve the American Flamingo, we're joining a team of research experts from the Biosphere Reserve.\r\n \r\n 2:56\r\n Aura lo estamos haciendo some programas de conservacion ESO ESO radio transmissor que Nos ba deir donde este flamenco como este flamenco vasorita tenemos bastantes flamencos pero pueste Nos poemos A caba muira pios sinos cuidamos sinos protechemos sevana Aqua.\r\n \r\n 3:20\r\n There's that mud.\r\n \r\n 3:23\r\n First we need to wade across a slimy monkey obstacle course.\r\n \r\n 3:28\r\n It's not easy to move through here.\r\n \r\n 3:31\r\n Oh, it's getting deep, though.\r\n \r\n 3:35\r\n Our goal is to carefully catch a Flamingo and attach a small GPS tracker.\r\n \r\n 3:41\r\n Our guides know just what to do.\r\n \r\n 3:50\r\n The GPS tracker will tell us if the tagged Flamingo ever migrates near Florida and more importantly, if it nests there.\r\n \r\n 3:58\r\n It's a delicate mission with the trap set; we keep out of sight from the flock and hope for a pink payoff.\r\n \r\n 4:05\r\n Have to be really quiet because around this little island is the Flamingo team, and they're actually hurting flamingos closer to us.\r\n \r\n 4:15\r\n Oh, yes, I see it.\r\n \r\n 4:15\r\n This is walking really slow.\r\n \r\n 4:20\r\n So this is so cool.\r\n \r\n 4:28\r\n So far.\r\n \r\n 4:29\r\n They go nowhere here.\r\n \r\n 4:31\r\n Yeah.\r\n \r\n 4:31\r\n Very alert, though.\r\n \r\n 4:33\r\n Right now, if you just have one nervous one, they all take off.\r\n \r\n 4:38\r\n Yeah, he looks like he's gone.\r\n """ ] "updated_date" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "video_url" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://www.youtube.com/embed/mbKi7kJbl5w" ] ] "date" => "2025-12-20 11:45:02" "excerpt" => "<p>Discover how conservationists are tracking American flamingos to learn about their migration patterns. Is the American flamingo making a comeback? Join Dr. Rae and Peter on an incredible journey to Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula where they work with conservationists to corral a flourishing flamboyance of birds and fit them with advanced technology to track their health […]</p>\n" "id" => 4619 "modified" => "2025-12-22 13:41:53" "screenreader_text" => null "slug" => "the-flamingos-flamboyant-return" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:4 [ 0 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72124 "post_count" => 175 "slug" => "animals" "title" => "Animals" ] 1 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72149 "post_count" => 68 "slug" => "episode-clips" "title" => "Episode Clips" ] 2 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72139 "post_count" => 107 "slug" => "hosts" "title" => "Hosts" ] 3 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72113 "post_count" => 145 "slug" => "protecting-the-wild-show" "title" => "Protecting the Wild Show" ] ] "title" => "The Flamingos’ Flamboyant Return" "title_plain" => "The Flamingos’ Flamboyant Return" "type" => "video" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/video/the-flamingos-flamboyant-return/" ] 12 => array:20 [ "attachments" => array:1 [ 0 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4601 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4600 "slug" => "wlk_309_spidermonkeys_pr_stills_3" "title" => "WLK_309_SpiderMonkeys_PR_STILLS_3" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2025/12/WLK_309_SpiderMonkeys_PR_STILLS_3.jpg" ] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "Kristy" "id" => 1902 "last_name" => "Jaixen Krupa" "name" => "req76576" "nickname" => "Kristy" "slug" => "req76576" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => """ <p>See how spider monkeys are getting a second lease at life because of caring conservationists in Mexico and the U.S.</p>\n <p>Dr. Rae and Peter travel to southeastern Mexico to encounter endangered spider monkeys and the brave conservationists fighting to save them from the threats of vanishing old growth forests and the illegal pet trade. First, they observe spider monkeys in the wild at a refuge in the Yucatan Peninsula where Mayan people have protected them and other native wildlife for generations. Next, Peter gets up close and personal with monkeys who were abandoned but have found a second chance at life at The Jungle Place sanctuary. And further north at the U.S. border, Dr. Rae finds healing hands at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas, where she assists in the rehabilitation of rescued baby spider monkeys.</p>\n <p><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/protecting-the-wild-in-california-mexico-and-more">Get a behind the scenes look at the episode</a>.</p>\n <p>Watch <a href="https://www.nbc.com/mutual-of-omahas-wild-kingdom-protecting-the-wild/video/second-chance-spider-monkeys/9000457400" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Second Chance Spider Monkeys” on nbc.com</a> or the NBC app.</p>\n """ "custom_fields" => array:19 [ "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ 0 => "default" ] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "featured_image" => array:24 [ "ID" => 4601 "alt" => "Two spider monkeys sitting on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves. One monkey has its arm extended upward, holding onto a branch, while the other is positioned close beside it. Sunlight filters through the foliage, creating a mix of light and shadow on the monkeys and the tree." "author" => "1902" "caption" => "" "date" => "2025-12-12 23:25:34" "description" => "" "filename" => "WLK_309_SpiderMonkeys_PR_STILLS_3.jpg" "filesize" => 829268 "height" => 1080 "icon" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/wp-includes/images/media/default.png" "id" => 4601 "link" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/video/second-chance-spider-monkeys/wlk_309_spidermonkeys_pr_stills_3/" "menu_order" => 0 "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "modified" => "2025-12-12 23:35:26" "name" => "wlk_309_spidermonkeys_pr_stills_3" "sizes" => array:18 [ …18] "status" => "inherit" "subtype" => "jpeg" "title" => "WLK_309_SpiderMonkeys_PR_STILLS_3" "type" => "image" "uploaded_to" => 4600 "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2025/12/WLK_309_SpiderMonkeys_PR_STILLS_3.jpg" "width" => 1920 ] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ 0 => "wild kingdom, mutual of omaha's wild kingdom, protecting the wild, jim fowler, peter gros, dr. rae wynn-grant, wildlife show, wildlife tv show, marlin perkins, Mutual of Omaha show, wild kingdom host, mutual of Omaha wild kingdom, season 1, season 2, season 3, spider monkeys, mexico" ] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ 0 => "In Mexico, Peter and Dr. Rae learn how endangered spider monkeys are being saved from threats of vanishing old growth forests and the illegal pet trade." ] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2025/12/WLK_309_SpiderMonkeys_PR_STILLS_3.jpg" ] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ 0 => "Two spider monkeys sitting on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves. One monkey has its arm extended upward, holding onto a branch, while the other is positioned close beside it. Sunlight filters through the foliage, creating a mix of light and shadow on the monkeys and the tree." ] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ 0 => "Second Chance Spider Monkeys | Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild" ] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "summary" ] "open_graph_meta_video_url" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/second-chance-spider-monkeys" ] "page_category" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_name" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_section" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_type" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "transcript" => array:1 [ 0 => """ 0:05\r\n We're far from home.\r\n \r\n 0:06\r\n We are all the way in the iconic Yucatan Peninsula in eastern Mexico.\r\n \r\n 0:11\r\n We're here for a special reason and I'm so excited that we are on a monkey journey today.\r\n \r\n 0:17\r\n A monkey journey to a very rare and endangered monkey.\r\n \r\n 0:21\r\n The spider monkey people seem to be the problem when it comes to spider monkey conservation, right?\r\n \r\n 0:26\r\n Cutting down the forest, engaging in the illegal pet trade.\r\n \r\n 0:29\r\n But luckily, we're going to have the chance to meet some people who are part of the solution, right?\r\n \r\n 0:33\r\n Scientists who are studying them, local people living here who are protecting them.\r\n \r\n 0:38\r\n We're going to learn about all the good things.\r\n \r\n 0:41\r\n 7 species of endangered spider monkeys and habit jungles throughout Mexico and Central America.\r\n \r\n 0:47\r\n They require large, intact old growth forests for movement, foraging, and social interactions.\r\n \r\n 0:53\r\n Tragically, the towering trees they've called home for generations are vanishing.\r\n \r\n 0:59\r\n But in a special protected area here in the center of the Yucatan Peninsula, they're thriving.\r\n \r\n 1:05\r\n We met up with ethologist Filippo Arelli and Mayan Local and Lohio Apon, the world's foremost experts on the species that live here.\r\n \r\n 1:14\r\n This is one of the best places here in the Yucatan Peninsula to see them and it's a place that we've been study for a very long time.\r\n \r\n 1:21\r\n But the best part of this one that's been conserved for a very long time thanks to the local community.\r\n \r\n 1:27\r\n Longio has been spending more hours following spider monkeys than anybody else.\r\n \r\n 1:30\r\n Well, thank you for showing us around.\r\n \r\n 1:32\r\n That's a big honor.\r\n \r\n 1:33\r\n Well, I think we're ready to do what you do all the time, immerse ourselves in this beautiful forest and maybe see some spider monkeys.\r\n \r\n 1:39\r\n Is it right?\r\n \r\n 1:40\r\n Time of the day is the monkeys are coming closer in the area, so I think we have a good chance to go and see them.\r\n \r\n 1:46\r\n Perfect.\r\n \r\n 1:47\r\n Let's go.\r\n \r\n 1:49\r\n In Mayan.\r\n \r\n 1:50\r\n The locals call this reserve Ottok Maya Yatelku, which translates to home of the spider monkey and the Puma.\r\n \r\n 1:59\r\n The reserve is named for monkeys and Pumas.\r\n \r\n 2:02\r\n So are there also Pumas here?\r\n \r\n 2:05\r\n What do you think?\r\n \r\n 2:06\r\n There are Pumas here in the other side of the lagoon.\r\n \r\n 2:10\r\n Puma, Jaguar, Puma and Jaguar.\r\n \r\n 2:14\r\n About 150 Mayan people live here in Lojo's grandfather was the first person to recognize this forest importance, and he kept this land informally protected.\r\n \r\n 2:25\r\n In 2002, the local community, in collaboration with nonprofits and researchers, launched a successful initiative to gain official protection by the Mexican government.\r\n \r\n 2:36\r\n Suddenly so much cooler.\r\n \r\n 2:38\r\n You know, I can hear something crashing through.\r\n \r\n 2:45\r\n Oh, we found him.\r\n \r\n 2:46\r\n We found Robert.\r\n \r\n 2:48\r\n Look at this.\r\n \r\n 2:50\r\n Yeah.\r\n \r\n 2:50\r\n Baby.\r\n \r\n 2:51\r\n Yeah, yeah, yeah.\r\n \r\n 2:52\r\n The first monkey we've seen has a baby.\r\n \r\n 2:55\r\n This is just a great indication of how well they're doing.\r\n \r\n 3:02\r\n How are the monkeys over there?\r\n \r\n 3:04\r\n And they're even howler monkeys, really.\r\n \r\n 3:06\r\n We have howler monkeys on the left, spider monkeys on the right.\r\n \r\n 3:12\r\n Suddenly we're surrounded.\r\n \r\n 3:14\r\n Will they ever come over and share the same tree, or are they territorial?\r\n \r\n 3:18\r\n The spider monkeys displace the howler monkeys.\r\n \r\n 3:20\r\n So if they want to be in a place, the spider monkeys go where they want to, and the howlers need to move away.\r\n \r\n 3:27\r\n How many spider monkeys might live in this forest?\r\n \r\n 3:31\r\n We don't know.\r\n \r\n 3:32\r\n Oh, you don't know.\r\n \r\n 3:32\r\n It's not easy to come there.\r\n \r\n 3:34\r\n But we know that in this area there are about 4050 individuals.\r\n \r\n 3:38\r\n Spider monkeys are highly progivorous, meaning that they eat mostly fruits.\r\n \r\n 3:44\r\n They live in large groups, but they split in subgroups.\r\n \r\n 3:47\r\n But every now and then they meet again and they reshuffle the composition so they're not fixed groups.\r\n \r\n 3:52\r\n And sometimes they greet one another with an embrace.\r\n \r\n 3:55\r\n Oh, really?\r\n \r\n 3:56\r\n Really.\r\n \r\n 3:57\r\n Must be so interesting.\r\n \r\n 3:58\r\n We're so fascinated by these animals, and it's possible they're really fascinated with us, too.\r\n \r\n 4:02\r\n I hope so.\r\n \r\n 4:03\r\n This is something we're sort of intraspecies communication.\r\n \r\n 4:06\r\n I think you're right.\r\n \r\n 4:08\r\n Although there are no monkeys or primates native to the United States, Mexico has three species, spider monkeys and two types of howlers, named for obvious reasons.\r\n \r\n 4:20\r\n Right here is crashing through these trees, a really robust mom, and she's carrying her little baby.\r\n \r\n 4:28\r\n It's precious, and it's also really meaningful.\r\n \r\n 4:30\r\n When we talk about the conservation of the species, they’re doing well here.\r\n \r\n 4:34\r\n We need more places like this to exist and to maintain and to survive so that this species can keep doing exactly this.\r\n \r\n 4:42\r\n Elohio and the local Mayan people not only protect this forest but also offer paid tours, a lifeline for both the village and the spider monkeys.\r\n \r\n 4:53\r\n This preserve is a proud model for what ecotourism and conservation can accomplish together.\r\n """ ] "updated_date" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "video_url" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://www.youtube.com/embed/Yek-2mxx7zo" ] ] "date" => "2025-12-13 11:45:43" "excerpt" => "<p>See how spider monkeys are getting a second lease at life because of caring conservationists in Mexico and the U.S. Dr. Rae and Peter travel to southeastern Mexico to encounter endangered spider monkeys and the brave conservationists fighting to save them from the threats of vanishing old growth forests and the illegal pet trade. First, […]</p>\n" "id" => 4600 "modified" => "2025-12-19 13:22:49" "screenreader_text" => null "slug" => "second-chance-spider-monkeys" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:4 [ 0 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72124 "post_count" => 175 "slug" => "animals" "title" => "Animals" ] 1 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72149 "post_count" => 68 "slug" => "episode-clips" "title" => "Episode Clips" ] 2 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72139 "post_count" => 107 "slug" => "hosts" "title" => "Hosts" ] 3 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72113 "post_count" => 145 "slug" => "protecting-the-wild-show" "title" => "Protecting the Wild Show" ] ] "title" => "Second Chance Spider Monkeys" "title_plain" => "Second Chance Spider Monkeys" "type" => "video" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/video/second-chance-spider-monkeys/" ] 13 => array:20 [ "attachments" => array:5 [ 0 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4709 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4708 "slug" => "645487_wk_media_wallaby1" "title" => "645487_WK_Media_Wallaby1" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby1.jpg" ] 1 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4711 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4708 "slug" => "645487_wk_media_wallaby3" "title" => "645487_WK_Media_Wallaby3" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby3.jpg" ] 2 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4712 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4708 "slug" => "645487_wk_media_wallaby4" "title" => "645487_WK_Media_Wallaby4" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby4.jpg" ] 3 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4713 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4708 "slug" => "645487_wk_media_wallaby5" "title" => "645487_WK_Media_Wallaby5" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby5.jpg" ] 4 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4714 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4708 "slug" => "645487_wk_media_wallaby6" "title" => "645487_WK_Media_Wallaby6" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby6.jpg" ] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "Kristy" "id" => 1902 "last_name" => "Jaixen Krupa" "name" => "req76576" "nickname" => "Kristy" "slug" => "req76576" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => """ <p>Macropods may be symbols of Australia, but their future lies in the dedicated efforts of conservationists worldwide. Learn how <a href="https://www.blankparkzoo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blank Park Zoo</a> in Des Moines, Iowa, as well as conservation centers in Queensland, Australia, help save wallabies and other macropods.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-4712 size-full" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby4-scaled.jpg" alt="Adult wallaby with a joey peeking out from its pouch" width="2560" height="1003" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby4-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby4-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby4-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby4-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby4-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby4-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby4-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p>\n <h2>What’s a macropod?</h2>\n <p>Wallabies belong to a larger group of marsupials known as macropods. Australia is home to 50 species of macropods, including wallabies, kangaroos, wallaroos, quokkas and pademelons. The name “macropod” literally means “big foot” in Greek, a nod to the powerful hind limbs these animals use for hopping.</p>\n <p>A group of macropods is known as a mob. Their young, called joeys, are born after a very short gestation and emerge roughly the size of a jellybean. At birth, the joey is furless, blind and only minimally developed. Guided by instinct, it makes the journey on its own, climbing up its mother’s fur and into her pouch, where it latches onto a teat and continues its development.</p>\n <p>Macropods also possess a remarkable reproductive strategy known as arrested diapause, or delayed implantation. This allows a female to pause the development of an embryo until conditions are favorable, ensuring that reproduction is carefully timed with environmental resources and the needs of the existing joey.</p>\n <h2>Wallaby conservation programs</h2>\n <p>In the U.S., zoos are conserving wallabies as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan program (SSP). Blank Park Zoo oversees breeding programs for Bennett’s and tammar wallabies. These programs will help shape the future of these species for years to come.</p>\n <p>The AZA’s SSPs use this data to manage animal populations across accredited zoos and aquariums. SSPs are led by expert coordinators who work collaboratively with institutions to maximize genetic diversity, balance population demographics and ensure long-term sustainability.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-4711 size-full" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby3-scaled.jpg" alt="Wallaby standing on a leafy forest path" width="2560" height="1003" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby3-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby3-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby3-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby3-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby3-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby3-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby3-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p>\n <h3>Blank Park Zoo’s wallaby legacy</h3>\n <p>Blank Park Zoo first acquired wallabies in 1982, starting with a small breeding mob. Just two years later, the zoo celebrated its first joeys. Since then, the program has grown into one of the most significant wallaby efforts in the United States.</p>\n <p>Over the past four decades, approximately 180 joeys have been born at Blank Park Zoo. That accounts for nearly one out of every 10 joeys born in the U.S. since 1984. In recent years, the zoo has managed the largest mob of tammar wallabies outside of Australia, as well as one of the largest populations of Bennett’s wallabies in North America. At its peak, the zoo housed more than 30 wallabies at one time.</p>\n <p>The zoo’s wallaby area includes two separate mob areas, multiple pens of varying sizes and specialized spaces for medical care, isolation and breeding management. This thoughtful design allows animal care staff to meet the complex social and health needs of wallabies while supporting SSP goals.</p>\n <p>Guests experience this success firsthand in the zoo’s large walk-through Australia exhibit, where wallabies can be observed up close. In a barrier-free environment, wallabies are free to roam as they choose, while visitors remain on designated paths. These immersive encounters foster a deeper understanding of the animals while reinforcing the zoo’s role as a leader in animal welfare and management.</p>\n <h3>Australian wallaby conservation</h3>\n <p>Due to growing urbanization, Australia’s beloved macropods, including wallabies, are losing habitat. Thankfully, Aussie conservationists are looking out for macropods’ well-being with rescue and rehabilitation centers throughout the country.</p>\n <p>While filming Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild, Co-Host Peter Gros visited one such place, Lumholtz Lodge in Queensland. The lodge is a private wildlife preserve owned by a former zookeeper who takes in orphaned animals. Because macropods are marsupials, they rely on their mother’s pouch during the first part of their lives. And if they become orphans, they need extra care.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-4713 size-full" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby5-scaled.jpg" alt="Peter Gros and a woman hand-feeding wallabies in an outdoor enclosure" width="2560" height="1003" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby5-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby5-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby5-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby5-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby5-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby5-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby5-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p>\n <p>Most wild animals receiving rehabilitation have extremely limited human contact. This helps them better survive in the wild upon release. But at Lumholtz Lodge, adapting to the wild is a completely different method.</p>\n <p>“Her program is called a soft release where literally the doors are open to her house,” Peter said. “So, if a tree kangaroo or wallaby that’s been released to the adjacent forest can’t find food, can’t survive, they come bouncing right back into her living room. It’s the most unique rehabilitation center I’ve ever seen.”</p>\n <p>Eventually, the macropods adapt and can feed themselves in the wild. But in the early stages, close contact is essential as it recreates the mother’s pouch.</p>\n <p>Watch “<a href="mailto:https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/macropod-mania">Macropod Mania</a>” on Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild to see wallaby conservation in action.</p>\n <h2>Wallaby facts</h2>\n <p>Today, there are about 30 wallaby species living in Australia. Although they look like mini kangaroos, they have some key differences. Wallabies are smaller than kangaroos and have different ear shapes. Kangaroos and wallabies also live in different areas, with kangaroos enjoying life in open grasslands and wallabies living in the forest.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-4714 size-full" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby6-scaled.jpg" alt="Group of wallabies grazing in an open grassy field" width="2560" height="1003" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby6-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby6-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby6-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby6-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby6-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby6-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby6-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p>\n <h3>Get to know wallabies at Blank Park Zoo</h3>\n <p>Blank Park Zoo is home to two wallaby species — the tammar wallaby and the Bennett’s wallaby.</p>\n <p>The tammar wallaby is one of the smallest macropods, standing roughly knee-high. It’s also known by several other names, including the dama wallaby, scrub wallaby and Kangaroo Island wallaby.</p>\n <p>Despite its small stature, the tammar wallaby boasts some remarkable adaptations. It’s believed to be the only land mammal capable of surviving for extended periods on seawater alone — an extraordinary physiological feat. Females can also produce two different types of milk simultaneously, allowing them to nourish joeys at different developmental stages.</p>\n <p>In the wild, tammar wallabies are primarily nocturnal, but in zoos they often become more active during the day. Classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they serve as an excellent ambassador, helping guests learn about marsupials while supporting broader conservation efforts.</p>\n <p>The Bennett’s wallaby (Notamacropus rufogriseus) is a medium-sized wallaby native to the more temperate and fertile regions of eastern and southeastern Australia and Tasmania. It’s also known as the red-necked wallaby or King Island wallaby.</p>\n <p>Visit Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, Iowa, to see these wallabies and learn more about the <a href="https://www.aza.org/species-survival-plan-programs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AZA’s Species Survival Plan program</a>.</p>\n """ "custom_fields" => array:18 [ "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ 0 => "default" ] "descriptiveTextForScreenreaders" => array:1 [ 0 => "Wallaby standing alert among plants and fallen leaves" ] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "featured_image" => array:24 [ "ID" => 4709 "alt" => "Wallaby standing alert among plants and fallen leaves" "author" => "1902" "caption" => "" "date" => "2026-03-20 15:54:57" "description" => "" "filename" => "645487_WK_Media_Wallaby1-scaled.jpg" "filesize" => 752324 "height" => 1408 "icon" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/wp-includes/images/media/default.png" "id" => 4709 "link" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/article/how-iowa-zoo-and-australia-conserve-wallabies/645487_wk_media_wallaby1/" "menu_order" => 0 "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "modified" => "2026-03-20 16:18:51" "name" => "645487_wk_media_wallaby1" "sizes" => array:18 [ …18] "status" => "inherit" "subtype" => "jpeg" "title" => "645487_WK_Media_Wallaby1" "type" => "image" "uploaded_to" => 4708 "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby1-scaled.jpg" "width" => 2560 ] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ 0 => "Wallabies, Blank Park Zoo, Lumholtz Lodge, Australia, wild kingdom, mutual of omaha's wild kingdom, protecting the wild, jim fowler, peter gros, dr. rae wynn-grant, wildlife show, wildlife tv show, marlin perkins, Mutual of Omaha show, wild kingdom host, mutual of Omaha wild kingdom, season 1, season 2, season 3, wildlife conservation" ] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ 0 => "Wallaby conservation goes beyond the borders of Australia. In Iowa, Blank Park Zoo has conserved wallabies for decades. Learn how wallabies are being protected." ] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645487_WK_Media_Wallaby2.jpg" ] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ 0 => "Wallaby standing alert among plants and fallen leaves" ] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ 0 => "Saving Wallabies | Blank Park Zoo | Lumholtz Lodge | Wild Kingdom" ] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "summary" ] "page_category" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_name" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_section" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_type" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "updated_date" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "word_count" => 1017 ] "date" => "2026-03-20 11:18:51" "excerpt" => "<p>Macropods may be symbols of Australia, but their future lies in the dedicated efforts of conservationists worldwide. Learn how Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, Iowa, as well as conservation centers in Queensland, Australia, help save wallabies and other macropods. What’s a macropod? Wallabies belong to a larger group of marsupials known as macropods. Australia […]</p>\n" "id" => 4708 "modified" => "2026-03-20 11:18:51" "screenreader_text" => "Wallaby standing alert among plants and fallen leaves" "slug" => "how-iowa-zoo-and-australia-conserve-wallabies" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:4 [ 0 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72147 "post_count" => 78 "slug" => "animal-facts" "title" => "Animal Facts" ] 1 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72124 "post_count" => 175 "slug" => "animals" "title" => "Animals" ] 2 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72117 "post_count" => 110 "slug" => "conservation" "title" => "Conservation" ] 3 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 71871 "post_count" => 76 "slug" => "zoos-and-aquariums" "title" => "Zoos and Aquariums" ] ] "title" => "How Iowa Zoo and Australia Conserve Wallabies" "title_plain" => "How Iowa Zoo and Australia Conserve Wallabies" "type" => "article" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/article/how-iowa-zoo-and-australia-conserve-wallabies/" ] 14 => array:21 [ "attachments" => array:9 [ 0 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 511 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 508 "slug" => "fontenelleforest2" "title" => "FontenelleForest2" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest2.jpg" ] 1 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 512 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 508 "slug" => "fontenelleforest3" "title" => "FontenelleForest3" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest3.jpg" ] 2 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 513 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 508 "slug" => "fontenelleforest4" "title" => "FontenelleForest4" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest4.jpg" ] 3 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 514 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 508 "slug" => "fontenelleforest5" "title" => "FontenelleForest5" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest5.jpg" ] 4 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 515 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/png" "parent" => 508 "slug" => "fontenelleforest6" "title" => "FontenelleForest6" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest6.png" ] 5 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 516 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 508 "slug" => "natureapp" "title" => "NatureApp" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/NatureApp.jpg" ] 6 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 517 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 508 "slug" => "outdoorvolunteering" "title" => "OutdoorVolunteering" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/OutdoorVolunteering.jpg" ] 7 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 518 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 508 "slug" => "outdoorguide" "title" => "OutdoorGuide" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/OutdoorGuide.jpg" ] 8 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 2126 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 508 "slug" => "fontenelleforest1_051123_1800x893" "title" => "FontenelleForest1_051123_1800x893" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2023/05/FontenelleForest1_051123_1800x893.jpg" ] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "" "id" => 4532 "last_name" => "" "name" => "req100870" "nickname" => "Katelyn" "slug" => "req100870" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => """ <p><em>Guest Writer: Fontenelle Forest</em></p>\n <p>If you’re lucky enough to have a nature center or conservation area near you, one way you can show your support is by planning a visit. At <a href="https://fontenelleforest.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fontenelle Forest</a>, we believe green spaces are a valuable community wellness resource that provide a place where people can escape and recharge.</p>\n <p>Here are a few ways you can best experience your local nature preserve.</p>\n <h2>Exploring Local Nature</h2>\n <h3>Hike the trails</h3>\n <p>There is no better way to learn about an ecosystem than to spend time exploring it on a hike. Pay attention to how the landscape changes while you walk. Observe your local wildlife and their habitats. Take time to learn which wildflowers are native to your area and when they bloom. Remember: It’s important to stay on the trails. Hiking trails provide an opportunity to experience nature without disturbing it.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-515" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest6-1024x593.png" alt="group hiking nature trail" width="1024" height="593" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest6-1024x593.png 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest6-150x87.png 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest6-300x174.png 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest6-768x445.png 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest6.png 1520w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <h3>Explore the trails during different seasons</h3>\n <p>Find a nature center that is open year-round and make a point to explore the same location during different times of the year. Take note of how different it looks during the changing seasons. Experiencing your favorite trail draped in an umbrella of golden leaves, or coated with a sea of white snow, provides a completely different experience than a spring or summer hike. Added bonus: it is not as hot and there are fewer bugs! Some nature centers even provide different tools to aid guests in exploring the trails in the winter. For instance, at Fontenelle Forest, we rent snowshoes!</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-511" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest2-1024x593.jpg" alt="family enjoying nature" width="1024" height="593" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest2-1024x593.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest2-150x87.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest2-300x174.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest2-768x445.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest2.jpg 1520w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <h3>Sign up for events or programs</h3>\n <p>Check out your nature center’s events calendar. Programs and summer camps provide the perfect opportunity to teach kids how to engage with nature in new ways. Look for classes geared towards adults and seniors too! Explore trails you haven’t yet ventured on by signing up for a guided hike or expand your knowledge of nature and local history through a lecture series.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-512" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest3-1024x593.jpg" alt="children nature program owl" width="1024" height="593" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest3-1024x593.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest3-150x87.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest3-300x174.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest3-768x445.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest3.jpg 1520w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <h3>Let your little ones explore</h3>\n <p>Spending time in nature has been proven to provide a variety of positive benefits for children. Spending time outdoors improves mental health, reduces stress, develops social skills, and results in better academic performance and overall happiness. Discover the joy of sharing nature with your child by going on outdoor adventures at your local nature center. Teach them to explore the different elements of nature by using their basic senses: look, listen, smell and touch (when safe to do so).</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-513" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest4-1024x593.jpg" alt="kids running fontenelle forest" width="1024" height="593" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest4-1024x593.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest4-150x87.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest4-300x174.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest4-768x445.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest4.jpg 1520w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <h3>Volunteer your time</h3>\n <p>Volunteers are a vital part of many successful conservation areas. Help your local nature center by giving your time to support their efforts. From conservation and land management to education and administrative work, your time can make an impact not only for today but for generations to come.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-517" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/OutdoorVolunteering-1024x721.jpg" alt="planting trees volunteer outside" width="1024" height="721" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/OutdoorVolunteering-1024x721.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/OutdoorVolunteering-150x106.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/OutdoorVolunteering-300x211.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/OutdoorVolunteering-768x541.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/OutdoorVolunteering.jpg 1250w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <h3>Utilize identification apps</h3>\n <p>You don’t have to be a master naturalist to know what plants, animals and insects live in your local ecosystems. Try out free apps like <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seek by iNaturalist</a> or <a href="https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Merlin Bird ID</a> to start learning about the interesting things you see while enjoying your time outside.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-516" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/NatureApp-1024x721.jpg" alt="couple using nature app hiking" width="1024" height="721" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/NatureApp-1024x721.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/NatureApp-150x106.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/NatureApp-300x211.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/NatureApp-768x541.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/NatureApp.jpg 1250w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <h3>Learn from your local experts</h3>\n <p>If your local nature center has staff available, don’t hesitate to ask questions! Whether you are curious about the plants and animals found in your area or want to better understand your nature center’s conservation efforts, seeking answers to your questions will only deepen your appreciation for the environment. Our staff is passionate about our work and we love the opportunity to share this with our members and guests.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-518" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/OutdoorGuide-1024x593.jpg" alt="outdoor guide hiking" width="1024" height="593" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/OutdoorGuide-1024x593.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/OutdoorGuide-150x87.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/OutdoorGuide-300x174.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/OutdoorGuide-768x445.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/OutdoorGuide.jpg 1520w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <h3>Ask what unique experiences your local nature center provides</h3>\n <p>Every nature center and conservation area offer their own unique experiences. We encourage you to visit your local green space today, learn about the local flora and fauna, and enjoy the outdoors in whatever way is meaningful to you!</p>\n <p>To learn more about the various experiences available at Fontenelle Forest visit <a href="https://fontenelleforest.org/">FontenelleForest.org</a> today! Located in Bellevue, Nebraska, just minutes from downtown Omaha and Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, the Forest is open daily, year-round.</p>\n <p>Check out these <a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/media-center/article/celebrating-national-get-outdoors-day-year-round">favorite national hiking spots</a> from Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom host Peter Gros. You might also like <a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/media-center/article/peter-gros-tips-for-experiencing-nature">this article about what to pack on your next nature hike</a>.</p>\n <p> </p>\n <p><small><i>Article and photos courtesy of Fontenelle Forest.</i></small></p>\n """ "custom_fields" => array:18 [ "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ 0 => "default" ] "descriptiveTextForScreenreaders" => array:1 [ 0 => "fontenelle forest couple hiking" ] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "featured_image" => array:24 [ "ID" => 2126 "alt" => "" "author" => "4633" "caption" => "" "date" => "2023-05-11 18:50:00" "description" => "" "filename" => "FontenelleForest1_051123_1800x893.jpg" "filesize" => 374083 "height" => 893 "icon" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/wp-includes/images/media/default.png" "id" => 2126 "link" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/article/discovering-nature-in-your-community/fontenelleforest1_051123_1800x893/" "menu_order" => 0 "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "modified" => "2023-05-11 18:50:28" "name" => "fontenelleforest1_051123_1800x893" "sizes" => array:18 [ …18] "status" => "inherit" "subtype" => "jpeg" "title" => "FontenelleForest1_051123_1800x893" "type" => "image" "uploaded_to" => 508 "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2023/05/FontenelleForest1_051123_1800x893.jpg" "width" => 1800 ] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ 0 => "hiking, fontenelle forest, nature, community, trails, volunteering" ] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ 0 => "Get outdoors with tips from Fontenelle Forest. Explore trails, attend events, volunteer and learn about the environment from local experts. " ] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2022/08/FontenelleForest1-facebook.jpg" ] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ 0 => "fontenelle forest couple hiking" ] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ 0 => "Tips for Discovering Nature in Your Community" ] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "summary" ] "page_category" => array:1 [ 0 => "wild-kingdom" ] "page_name" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_section" => array:1 [ 0 => "posts" ] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_type" => array:1 [ 0 => "articles" ] "updated_date" => array:1 [ 0 => "2026-03-17 00:00:00" ] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "word_count" => 696 ] "date" => "2022-08-30 10:00:32" "excerpt" => "<p>Guest Writer: Fontenelle Forest If you’re lucky enough to have a nature center or conservation area near you, one way you can show your support is by planning a visit. At Fontenelle Forest, we believe green spaces are a valuable community wellness resource that provide a place where people can escape and recharge. Here are […]</p>\n" "id" => 508 "modified" => "2026-03-17 13:55:09" "screenreader_text" => "fontenelle forest couple hiking" "slug" => "discovering-nature-in-your-community" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:2 [ 0 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72125 "post_count" => 86 "slug" => "experts" "title" => "Experts" ] 1 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 71261 "post_count" => 24 "slug" => "outdoors" "title" => "Outdoors" ] ] "title" => "Discovering Nature in Your Community" "title_plain" => "Discovering Nature in Your Community" "type" => "article" "updated_date" => "2026-03-17 00:00:00" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/article/discovering-nature-in-your-community/" ] 15 => array:20 [ "attachments" => array:4 [ 0 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4700 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4703 "slug" => "645490_wk_media_monkey3" "title" => "645490_WK_Media_MONKEY3" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY3.jpg" ] 1 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4701 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4703 "slug" => "645490_wk_media_monkey4" "title" => "645490_WK_Media_MONKEY4" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY4.jpg" ] 2 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4702 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4703 "slug" => "645490_wk_media_monkey5" "title" => "645490_WK_Media_MONKEY5" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY5.jpg" ] 3 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4705 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4703 "slug" => "645490_wk_media_monkey" "title" => "645490_WK_Media_MONKEY" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY.jpg" ] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "Kristy" "id" => 1902 "last_name" => "Jaixen Krupa" "name" => "req76576" "nickname" => "Kristy" "slug" => "req76576" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => """ <p><em>By Lisa Kraft-Gould, The Nosara Monkey Bridge Project</em></p>\n <p> </p>\n <p>At sunrise in Nosara, Costa Rica, the jungle comes alive with a deep, echoing roar. The unmistakable call of the howler monkey rolls across the treetops — a sound that has defined this region for generations.</p>\n <p>But today, those voices face a growing threat.</p>\n <p>As development expands and forests are cleared, the natural canopy pathways monkeys depend on are disappearing. Without tree-to-tree connections, howler monkeys — now endangered — are forced to travel along power lines to reach food, water and their families. Tragically, these journeys often end in electrocution. While Costa Rica has strong wildlife protection laws, they’re not always consistently enforced, leaving many animals vulnerable as development grows.</p>\n <p>Seeing this happen again and again was heartbreaking. I knew we had to find a way to help.</p>\n <h2>How bridges reconnect monkey habitat</h2>\n <p>The idea for the monkey bridges was simple: if monkeys need trees to travel, maybe we could build bridges to reconnect their world.</p>\n <p>What began as a small idea quickly grew into something much bigger than I ever imagined. Wildlife rescuers stepped in, neighbors offered support and the Nosara Monkey Bridge Project was born.</p>\n <p>From the beginning, this work has never been just mine. It has become a true collaboration with the incredible team at Sibu Sanctuary, along with countless community members who care deeply about protecting wildlife and have donated resources to make this work possible.</p>\n <p>Together, we began installing aerial wildlife bridges across roads and power corridors, and cleared land. These rope bridges allow monkeys to move safely through the canopy without ever touching electrical wires.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4702" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY5-scaled.jpg" alt="A person stands in front of a green mesh backdrop holding thick green and blue ropes used for constructing a wildlife bridge." width="2560" height="1003" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY5-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY5-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY5-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY5-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY5-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY5-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY5-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p>\n <p>Today, more than 145 monkey bridges connect fragmented habitat across Nosara.</p>\n <p><em>Just as monkeys benefit from bridges in Costa Rica, cougars are benefitting from wildlife crossings in Florida and California. </em><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/saving-the-florida-panther"><em>Read this story to learn how building bridges helps cougars</em></a><em>.</em></p>\n <h3>Why monkey bridges matter</h3>\n <p>Howler monkeys live almost entirely in the treetops. Their survival depends on safe access to:</p>\n <ul>\n <li>Food</li>\n <li>Water</li>\n <li>Shelter</li>\n <li>Social groups</li>\n <li>Genetic diversity between troops</li>\n </ul>\n <p>When canopy pathways disappear, monkey families become isolated. They risk electrocution and dangerous falls. If monkeys are forced to travel on the ground, they face additional threats from vehicles and predators. Entire troops can be lost in a single tragic moment.</p>\n <p>A single bridge can reconnect habitat in a matter of hours — and save lives for years.</p>\n <p>One of the most powerful moments for me is watching a troop discover a new bridge. Sometimes it takes hours, days or even weeks — but eventually, curiosity wins. Seeing a mother carry her baby across a rope bridge instead of a power line never stops being emotional.</p>\n <p>It’s a reminder that simple solutions can make enormous differences.</p>\n <h3>Powered by community</h3>\n <p>This project exists because of community support. Local residents, visitors and businesses help fund bridge installations. Volunteers help us build and monitor them. Property owners generously allow bridges to cross their land. And our wildlife partners at Sibu Sanctuary help care for injured monkeys.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4700" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY3-scaled.jpg" alt="A group of people stands outdoors on a gravel path holding a bright green sign that reads “Monkey Bridge #100!!! Thank you to SIBU & ALL who have sponsored!”" width="2560" height="1003" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY3-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY3-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY3-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY3-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY3-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY3-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY3-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p>\n <p>Every bridge represents a community choosing coexistence.</p>\n <h2>A wildlife-friendly future for Costa Rica</h2>\n <p>While we’ve made meaningful progress, the need continues to grow as development expands across Costa Rica’s coastal regions.</p>\n <p>Our hope is to make wildlife-friendly infrastructure part of the conversation everywhere development happens — not just in Nosara.</p>\n <p>Because protecting wildlife doesn’t always require massive change. Sometimes, it starts with something as simple as building a bridge.</p>\n <p><em>For another monkey conservation story, watch “</em><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/second-chance-spider-monkeys"><em>Second Chance Spider Monkeys</em></a><em>” on Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild.</em></p>\n <h2>How you can help wildlife</h2>\n <p>Wildlife conservation belongs to all of us. Supporting conservation organizations, protecting trees and sharing awareness can all help create safer spaces for animals.</p>\n <p>You can be part of the conservation effort by supporting the Nosara Monkey Bridge Project through Sibu Sanctuary. Learn more at <a href="http://sibusanctuary.org/build-a-bridge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sibusanctuary.org</a> and follow Sibu Sanctuary on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SibuWildlifeSanctuary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sibu_wildlife_sanctuary/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> to stay connected and help protect Costa Rica’s wildlife.</p>\n <p>In Nosara, we’re building bridges between forests — and between people and wildlife.</p>\n <p>And thanks to the community that made this possible, the howlers are still roaring.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4701" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY4-scaled.jpg" alt="Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant and Peter Gros stand with a colleague outdoors in a wooded setting, wearing Wild Kingdom–branded shirts." width="2560" height="1003" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY4-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY4-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY4-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY4-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY4-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY4-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY4-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p>\n <p><em>Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom visited Costa Rica for an upcoming episode of Protecting the Wild. After seeing the benefits of the monkey bridges, Wild Kingdom is funding three new bridges to help save more howler monkeys for years to come. Stay tuned for the episode!</em></p>\n """ "custom_fields" => array:18 [ "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ 0 => "default" ] "descriptiveTextForScreenreaders" => array:1 [ 0 => "A black howler monkey walks across a green rope bridge surrounded by dense tropical foliage." ] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "featured_image" => array:24 [ "ID" => 4705 "alt" => "A black howler monkey walks across a green rope bridge surrounded by dense tropical foliage." "author" => "1902" "caption" => "" "date" => "2026-03-10 20:01:49" "description" => "" "filename" => "645490_WK_Media_MONKEY.jpg" "filesize" => 842918 "height" => 990 "icon" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/wp-includes/images/media/default.png" "id" => 4705 "link" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/article/building-bridges-to-save-costa-rica-howler-monkeys/645490_wk_media_monkey/" "menu_order" => 0 "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "modified" => "2026-03-10 20:12:12" "name" => "645490_wk_media_monkey" "sizes" => array:18 [ …18] "status" => "inherit" "subtype" => "jpeg" "title" => "645490_WK_Media_MONKEY" "type" => "image" "uploaded_to" => 4703 "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY.jpg" "width" => 1800 ] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ 0 => "Costa Rica, monkey bridge, Nosara howler monkeys, monkeys, bridge, wild kingdom, mutual of omaha's wild kingdom, protecting the wild, jim fowler, peter gros, dr. rae wynn-grant, wildlife show, wildlife tv show, marlin perkins, Mutual of Omaha show, wild kingdom host, mutual of Omaha wild kingdom, season 1, season 2, season 3, wildlife conservation" ] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ 0 => "In Costa Rica, the Monkey Bridge Project is saving Nosara howler monkeys by reconnecting fragmented habitat through a simple solution — rope bridges." ] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/03/645490_WK_Media_MONKEY2.jpg" ] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ 0 => "A black howler monkey walks across a green rope bridge surrounded by dense tropical foliage." ] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ 0 => "Building Bridges to Save Howler Monkeys | Wild Kingdom" ] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "summary" ] "page_category" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_name" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_section" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_type" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "updated_date" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "word_count" => 725 ] "date" => "2026-03-10 15:20:51" "excerpt" => "<p>By Lisa Kraft-Gould, The Nosara Monkey Bridge Project At sunrise in Nosara, Costa Rica, the jungle comes alive with a deep, echoing roar. The unmistakable call of the howler monkey rolls across the treetops — a sound that has defined this region for generations. But today, those voices face a growing threat. As development […]</p>\n" "id" => 4703 "modified" => "2026-03-10 15:26:42" "screenreader_text" => "A black howler monkey walks across a green rope bridge surrounded by dense tropical foliage." "slug" => "building-bridges-to-save-costa-rica-howler-monkeys" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:4 [ 0 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72124 "post_count" => 175 "slug" => "animals" "title" => "Animals" ] 1 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72117 "post_count" => 110 "slug" => "conservation" "title" => "Conservation" ] 2 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72148 "post_count" => 45 "slug" => "endangered-species" "title" => "Endangered Species" ] 3 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72113 "post_count" => 145 "slug" => "protecting-the-wild-show" "title" => "Protecting the Wild Show" ] ] "title" => "Building Bridges to Save Costa Rica Howler Monkeys" "title_plain" => "Building Bridges to Save Costa Rica Howler Monkeys" "type" => "article" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/article/building-bridges-to-save-costa-rica-howler-monkeys/" ] 16 => array:20 [ "attachments" => array:10 [ 0 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4679 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4678 "slug" => "645479_feb2026_wk_article_7" "title" => "645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_7" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_7.jpg" ] 1 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4680 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4678 "slug" => "645479_feb2026_wk_article_8" "title" => "645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_8" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_8.jpg" ] 2 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4681 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4678 "slug" => "645479_feb2026_wk_article_9" "title" => "645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_9" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_9.jpg" ] 3 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4682 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4678 "slug" => "645479_feb2026_wk_article_10" "title" => "645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_10" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_10.jpg" ] 4 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4683 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4678 "slug" => "645479_feb2026_wk_article_5" "title" => "645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_5" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_5.jpg" ] 5 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4684 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4678 "slug" => "645479_feb2026_wk_article_3" "title" => "645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_3" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_3.jpg" ] 6 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4685 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4678 "slug" => "645479_feb2026_wk_article_6" "title" => "645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_6" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_6.jpg" ] 7 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4686 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4678 "slug" => "645479_feb2026_wk_article_4" "title" => "645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_4" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_4.jpg" ] 8 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4687 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4678 "slug" => "645479_feb2026_wk_article_1" "title" => "645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_1" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_1.jpg" ] 9 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4688 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4678 "slug" => "645479_feb2026_wk_article_2" "title" => "645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_2" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_2.jpg" ] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "" "id" => 4532 "last_name" => "" "name" => "req100870" "nickname" => "Katelyn" "slug" => "req100870" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => """ <p><em><small>By Zoo Miami</small></em></p>\n <p>Today, the wetlands of the Southeastern United States are lush, green landscapes filled with life. These habitats support an incredible variety of wildlife and draw visitors from all around the world. Wading birds thrive here, living in freshwater, brackish and saltwater environments. If you’re lucky, you might spot a quick splash of magenta as a roseate spoonbill flies overhead or feeds in shallow water. But these wetlands didn’t always look the way they do now.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4679" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_7-1024x401.jpg" alt="A plan graphic with a grey background and orange and white type that says "Did you know? In addition to flamingos, wading birds include herons, storks, egrets and spoonbills." " width="1024" height="401" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_7-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_7-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_7-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_7-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_7-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_7-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <p>Centuries ago, Indigenous people, European colonizers and later settlers in the 18th and 19th centuries witnessed something even more striking — large, noisy flocks painted in shades of pink and bright orange. The American flamingo, also known as the Caribbean flamingo outside the United States, once lived in the wetlands of the Southeastern U.S., filling them with vibrant color and glorious sounds.</p>\n <p>In the early 1800s, naturalists reported seeing flocks of flamingos along the southeastern U.S. coast, from Alabama to North Carolina. John James Audubon wrote in 1832 about traveling to Florida to study and paint the American flamingo, saying, “… my voyage to the Floridas was undertaken in a great measure for the purpose of studying these lovely birds in their own beautiful islands.” Back then, flamingos weren’t as rare as they are today, and it was widely known that they naturally lived in Florida.</p>\n <p><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/the-flamingos-flamboyant-return">Are flamingos flocking back to Florida? Watch the Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild Season 3 episode “The Flamingos’ Flamboyant Return” on nbc.com.</a></p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-4683 size-large" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_5-1024x401.jpg" alt="A flock of flamingos flying above a lake as a person in a canoe admires them." width="1024" height="401" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_5-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_5-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_5-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_5-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_5-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_5-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <h2>Protecting flamingos and other wading birds</h2>\n <p>The Everglades became unsafe for flamingos in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Wading birds were hunted for their feathers, which adorned hats and accessories and pushed many species to the brink of extinction. The trade slowed in the U.S. after the Lacey Act of 1900 and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, but the demand didn’t disappear. Interest instead shifted south to the Caribbean and Central and South America, continuing to threaten these stunning birds.</p>\n <p>In an effort to protect flamingos and other wading birds, the U.S. government created programs to restore the wetlands, monitor populations and establish state and national parks as well as wildlife refuges. It also funded recovery programs to help protect nesting sites and control predators. These conservation efforts sparked remarkable recoveries for many wading bird species, but not for the American flamingo.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4680" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_8-1024x401.jpg" alt="A plan graphic with a grey background and orange and white type that says "Did you know? Flamingos can live up to 30 years in the wild and some have lived as long as 50 years in captivity."" width="1024" height="401" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_8-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_8-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_8-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_8-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_8-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_8-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <p>The American flamingo kept declining across its historic range well into the 1950s. By then, the population had dropped to around 20,000 birds, and nesting sites had fallen from dozens to just four. Early naturalists also reported flamingos nesting in Florida, and fossil evidence shows they lived in the state as far back as the early Pliocene, about 5 to 4.5 million years ago.</p>\n <p><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/andean-highland-flamingos-conserved-by-safe-program">Discover the world’s rarest flamingo species — the Andean Highland flamingo — and how organizations in South America and the U.S. are joining forces to protect this exquisite bird.</a></p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4686" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_4-1024x401.jpg" alt="A flamingo standing over a muddy, brown nest with a baby flamingo in it. The adult flamingo is bright coral and pink and the chick is white in color." width="1024" height="401" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_4-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_4-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_4-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_4-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_4-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_4-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <h3>Are flamingos making a comeback?</h3>\n <p>The pan-Caribbean flamingo population has made a remarkable comeback, now topping a quarter of a million birds. Flamingos are once again returning to wetlands across much of their former range. However, their nesting options remain extremely limited — just four or five major sites. Each site faces significant challenges, from environmental stress to the risk of complete nesting failure.</p>\n <p>Because of this, flamingos remain vulnerable to climate change, wetland and coastal development, invasive species and other pressures. Flamingos have also been returning to Florida in growing numbers and larger flocks. While many now stay year-round, there’s still no clear evidence they’re nesting anywhere on the peninsula.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4681" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_9-1024x401.jpg" alt="A plan graphic with a grey background and orange and white type that says, Did you know? To protect their eggs from floodwaters, flamingos build nests from mud that stand up to a foot tall." width="1024" height="401" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_9-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_9-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_9-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_9-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_9-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_9-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <h3>Working to raise awareness and help flamingos recover</h3>\n <p>In recent years, a renewed awareness has focused on the challenges facing the American flamingo in Florida. In 2012, staff at Zoo Miami and biologists from Everglades National Park began uncovering the bird’s history in the state and working to better understand its current status. Their efforts included satellite tracking, banding wild flamingos and investigating historical records and community science bird reports.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4684" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_3-1024x401.jpg" alt="A group of conservationists from Zoo Miami work together to put a tracker on a flamingo before its released back to the wild." width="1024" height="401" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_3-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_3-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_3-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_3-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_3-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_3-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <p>Additionally, groups such as Audubon Florida, the South Florida Water Management District and members of the Florida Legislature have begun to recognize the flamingo’s situation and push for its recovery. There’s even a movement to name the flamingo Florida’s official state bird, with the hope this recognition would strengthen protections for the species.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4682" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_10-1024x401.jpg" alt="A plan graphic with a grey background and orange and white type that says, "Did you know? The flamingo is a highly social species that often lives in large colonies with thousands of other birds."" width="1024" height="401" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_10-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_10-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_10-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_10-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_10-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_10-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <p>Flamingos are woven into the very fabric of Florida. They appear in business logos, on state lottery tickets, on lawn decorations and on nearly every tourism poster and guide. The hope is that the flamingo’s return could inspire responsible ecotourism or restore the simple joy of having these quirky, coral-colored creatures become a common sight in Florida once again.</p>\n <p><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/classic-episodes/flamingos-of-lake-nakuru">Join Co-Host Marlin Perkins for a fascinating look inside the life of flamingos in faraway Kenya in this classic Wild Kingdom episode from 1973, “Flamingos of Lake Nakuru.”</a></p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4685" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_6-1024x401.jpg" alt="Marlin Perkins in the studio from a classic episode of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. He's standing in front of a bookcase and holding on book that says, "Flamingos of Lake Nakuru."" width="1024" height="401" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_6-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_6-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_6-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_6-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_6-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_6-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n """ "custom_fields" => array:18 [ "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ 0 => "default" ] "descriptiveTextForScreenreaders" => array:1 [ 0 => "Two flamingos flying in a cloudy sky. The flamingos are pink and white in color with black on the tips of their wing feathers and they have long necks. " ] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "featured_image" => array:24 [ "ID" => 4687 "alt" => "Two flamingos flying in a cloudy sky. The flamingos are pink and white in color with black on the tips of their wing feathers and they have long necks." "author" => "4532" "caption" => "" "date" => "2026-02-18 17:45:11" "description" => "" "filename" => "645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_1-scaled.jpg" "filesize" => 209567 "height" => 1408 "icon" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/wp-includes/images/media/default.png" "id" => 4687 "link" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/article/floridas-fabulous-flamingos-are-coming-home/645479_feb2026_wk_article_1/" "menu_order" => 0 "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "modified" => "2026-02-18 17:45:18" "name" => "645479_feb2026_wk_article_1" "sizes" => array:18 [ …18] "status" => "inherit" "subtype" => "jpeg" "title" => "645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_1" "type" => "image" "uploaded_to" => 4678 "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_1-scaled.jpg" "width" => 2560 ] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ 0 => "flamingos, everglades, florida, wild kingdom, mutual of omaha's wild kingdom, zoo miami, wildlife, animals, conservation, wading birds, wetlands, united states, south america, herons, storks, egret, spoonbill, andean highland flamingo" ] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ 0 => "Thanks to an epic restoration of the Everglades, and renewed conservation efforts, the fabulous flamingo has begun its colorful return to the Florida sunshine. " ] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/02/645479_Feb2026_WK_Article_2.jpg" ] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ 0 => "Two flamingos flying in a cloudy sky. The flamingos are pink and white in color with black on the tips of their wing feathers and they have long necks. " ] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ 0 => "Return of the Fabulous Flamingos | Zoo Miami | Wild Kingdom" ] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "summary" ] "page_category" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_name" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_section" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_type" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "updated_date" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "word_count" => 809 ] "date" => "2026-02-18 11:48:19" "excerpt" => "<p>By Zoo Miami Today, the wetlands of the Southeastern United States are lush, green landscapes filled with life. These habitats support an incredible variety of wildlife and draw visitors from all around the world. Wading birds thrive here, living in freshwater, brackish and saltwater environments. If you’re lucky, you might spot a quick splash of […]</p>\n" "id" => 4678 "modified" => "2026-02-18 11:48:31" "screenreader_text" => "Two flamingos flying in a cloudy sky. The flamingos are pink and white in color with black on the tips of their wing feathers and they have long necks. " "slug" => "floridas-fabulous-flamingos-are-coming-home" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:4 [ 0 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72147 "post_count" => 78 "slug" => "animal-facts" "title" => "Animal Facts" ] 1 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72124 "post_count" => 175 "slug" => "animals" "title" => "Animals" ] 2 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72125 "post_count" => 86 "slug" => "experts" "title" => "Experts" ] 3 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 71871 "post_count" => 76 "slug" => "zoos-and-aquariums" "title" => "Zoos and Aquariums" ] ] "title" => "Florida’s Fabulous Flamingos Are Coming Home" "title_plain" => "Florida’s Fabulous Flamingos Are Coming Home" "type" => "article" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/article/floridas-fabulous-flamingos-are-coming-home/" ] 17 => array:20 [ "attachments" => array:6 [ 0 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4651 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4650 "slug" => "639674_wk_wolverines_1200x630" "title" => "639674_WK_wolverines_1200x630" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1200x630.jpg" ] 1 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4652 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4650 "slug" => "639674_wk_wolverines_1800x990" "title" => "639674_WK_wolverines_1800x990" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1800x990.jpg" ] 2 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4653 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4650 "slug" => "639674_wk_wolverines_1140x564" "title" => "639674_WK_wolverines_1140x564" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x564.jpg" ] 3 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4654 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4650 "slug" => "639674_wk_wolverines_1140x5642" "title" => "639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5642" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5642.jpg" ] 4 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4655 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4650 "slug" => "639674_wk_wolverines_1140x5643" "title" => "639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5643" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5643.jpg" ] 5 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4656 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4650 "slug" => "639674_wk_wolverines_1140x5644" "title" => "639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5644" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5644.jpg" ] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "" "id" => 4532 "last_name" => "" "name" => "req100870" "nickname" => "Katelyn" "slug" => "req100870" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => """ <p><i><small>By ZooMontana</small></i></p>\n <p>Picture your bucket list. Maybe it includes skydiving, swimming with sharks or seeing the aurora borealis dance across the sky. For many outdoor and wildlife enthusiasts in the Northern Rockies, however, seeing a wolverine in the wild leads their list. Stocky and bear-like, wolverines remain one of North America’s most elusive mammals. But the question remains: How does an animal of this size move through its habitat virtually unseen, even by those who spend a lifetime exploring wolverine country?</p>\n <p>Wolverines are members of the weasel, or mustelidae, group of animals. With relatives such as the pine marten, badgers, minks and otters, wolverines tip the scale as the heaviest member of the family. Weighing around 30 pounds, wolverines are characterized by their incredibly large paws and tireless, bounding strides.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4653" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x564-1024x401.jpg" alt="Two small wolverines laying down, facing each other with their mouths open and teeth showing as if they are playing." width="1024" height="401" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x564-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x564-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x564-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x564-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x564-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x564-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <h2>The life of a wolverine</h2>\n <p>A wolverine’s ideal habitat comprises terrain most people wouldn’t dare navigate: ice-covered lakes, deep snowpack and a silence so complete you can hear a snowflake hit the ground. This is the world the wolverine was built for. With paws that act like snowshoes and claws that function like crampons, wolverines float across snowdrifts, patrolling up to 500 square miles of home territory in search of food or conspecifics.</p>\n <p>Wolverines are medium-sized carnivores whose diets largely consist of meat scavenged from frozen carcasses. With an exceptional sense of smell, they can detect food buried beneath many feet of snowpack. Powerful claws allow them to dig down to their find, while a uniquely adapted rear molar enables wolverines to crush frozen meat and bone with remarkable force.</p>\n <p>Like all scavengers, wolverines play a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. By using cold weather as a natural freezer, they may cache and feed on a carcass over an entire season, sustaining themselves while helping remove remains that could otherwise spread disease once the snow begins to melt.</p>\n <p>The wolverine’s range includes parts of Europe and Asia, as well as the high-altitude boreal forests of Alaska, Canada and the western United States, including Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming and Montana. Although their elusive nature makes population data difficult to collect, Montana is believed to support the highest density of wolverines in the lower 48 states. One of those populations can be found at <a href="https://www.zoomontana.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ZooMontana</a>.</p>\n <p>Watch as co-hosts Peter Gros and Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant immerse themselves in the world of the wolverine in this Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild episode, <a href="https://www.nbc.com/mutual-of-omahas-wild-kingdom-protecting-the-wild/video/trailing-wolverines/9000457396">“Trailing Wolverines”</a></p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4654" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5642-1024x401.jpg" alt="A close up of mom wolverine sleeping in its den with a small wolverine baby laying near her. The wolverine has its eyes closed still and bright white fur." width="1024" height="401" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5642-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5642-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5642-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5642-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5642-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5642-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <h2>ZooMontana to the rescue</h2>\n <p>Located in Billings, Montana, ZooMontana is one of the few <a href="https://www.aza.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) </a>accredited organizations where this incredible species resides. Since 2017, ZooMontana has been home to two wolverines, Sid and Ahmari. Each arrived as part of a collaborative effort between the AZA and the European AZA (EAZA). Launched in 2015, this joint initiative addressed a critical shortage of unrelated wolverines in North American breeding populations.</p>\n <p>For many other breeding programs, decades of research on a species’ wild counterparts deepen our understanding of breeding and parenting behaviors, which help guide the zoo and aquarium professionals providing care. For wolverines, however, gathering this kind of data is extraordinarily difficult.</p>\n <p>Wolverines give birth in late winter to early spring, using the terrain to their advantage. Nestled deep within the snowpack, a mother gives birth in a den made entirely of snow. Born pure white, wolverine kits blend seamlessly into the frozen world their mother has created for them. As the seasons shift, so do the wolverines’ coats. When the snow melts and the den disappears, the kits gradually transition to the species’ signature brown coloration, allowing them to remain camouflaged against the damp earth of spring.</p>\n <p><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/life-as-a-zookeeper">Learn more about ZooMontana and their animal caretaker team.</a></p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4655" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5643-1024x401.jpg" alt="Three wolverine pups in the arms of a zookeeper at ZooMontana. Young wolverines have ligher brown and grey fur with dark drown faces and small ears." width="1024" height="401" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5643-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5643-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5643-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5643-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5643-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5643-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <h3>Captive breeding — a story of success</h3>\n <p>Given their elusive nature, wolverines are especially sensitive to human disturbance, a reality that makes breeding within a human-centered facility particularly challenging. For ZooMontana, this meant the animal care team had to strike a careful balance: providing exceptional care and meaningful education while ensuring Ahmari and Sid had the space, privacy and security needed to feel comfortable enough to breed.</p>\n <p>It wasn’t until 2023, six years after Sid and Ahmari were introduced, that ZooMontana celebrated the first litter of wolverine kits. Much to the staff’s surprise, on Jan. 30, 2023, two small white, wiggling bodies were seen with Ahmari inside a hollowed log in the center of their habitat — directly within guest view. Side by side, the staff and guests of ZooMontana were able to watch the rare and remarkable experience of wolverine kits growing up before their eyes.</p>\n <p>Once the two kits reached an age of independence, it was time for them to leave mom. Just as they would in the wild, both kits departed ZooMontana for new homes at zoos in San Francisco and Minnesota, bringing their newly introduced genes into the wolverine breeding program.</p>\n <p>The following year, Sid and Ahmari welcomed a single kit, the first female wolverine born at ZooMontana. Most recently, the pair celebrated their final litter of three healthy kits. In a span of only three years, six wolverines were born at ZooMontana, bolstering the North American zoo breeding population only eight years after the zoo began housing the species.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4656" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5644-1024x401.jpg" alt="Three young wolverines in the arms of a zookeeper at ZooMontana. " width="1024" height="401" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5644-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5644-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5644-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5644-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5644-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1140x5644-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <h3>The future of wolverines</h3>\n <p>To prevent a genetic bottleneck and support the long-term health of the population, Ahmari and Sid will next be paired with new, unrelated mates. This will allow ZooMontana to continue contributing to the wolverine breeding program. Maintaining this diversity ensures zoo and aquarium populations can serve as a vital backup should wild populations decline. For biologists, this protective measure took on added importance in 2023, when wolverines were officially listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.</p>\n <p>In order for an animal to be listed as a threatened species, there must be external pressures that could one day push it toward endangerment or extinction. For wolverines, survival is closely tied to reliable snowpack and the preservation of truly wild landscapes with minimal human disturbance. As climate patterns shift and human encroachment expands, ensuring the long-term future of these remarkable animals becomes more important than ever.</p>\n <p>Today, it’s estimated that fewer than 350 wolverines remain in the lower 48 states. Even so, an inspiring network of organizations and research teams is working to better understand this elusive species through innovative, noninvasive research methods. At ZooMontana, efforts extend beyond breeding and guest education. ZooMontana is raising awareness about how individuals can support and contribute to the continuation of this critical research, helping secure a future for wolverines in the wild.</p>\n <p>ZooMontana launched its Quarters for Conservation program to directly support organizations dedicated to saving species in the wild. Through this initiative, guests can round up any purchase to the nearest quarter, with proceeds benefiting the featured conservation organization of the month. To celebrate wolverine kit season, ZooMontana has dedicated the month of February for the past three years to organizations focused on wolverine conservation. Groups such as <a href="https://wolverinefoundation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wolverine Foundation</a>, <a href="https://www.swanvalleyconnections.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Swan Valley</a> <a href="https://www.swanvalleyconnections.org/">Connections</a> and <a href="https://y2y.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yellowstone to Yukon</a> have all been recipients of Quarters for Conservation support. By sharing the missions and visions of organizations like these, ZooMontana helps guests learn how they can make a difference for wolverines, starting right from their own backyard.</p>\n <p> </p>\n <h2>How you can help protect wolverines</h2>\n <p>Wondering what steps you can take to support the preservation of this incredible species?</p>\n <ul>\n <li><strong>Reduce your climate impact:</strong> Wolverines depend on persistent snowpack for survival and reproduction. Lowering your carbon footprint and supporting clean energy solutions helps safeguard the cold, high-elevation habitats they rely on.</li>\n <li><strong>Recreate responsibly:</strong> When enjoying winter recreation, respect seasonal closures and stay on designated trails. These actions reduce disturbance near sensitive wolverine denning areas.</li>\n <li><strong>Talk to people:</strong> Sharing the story of the wolverine is a powerful first step in becoming an advocate. After all, it’s difficult to care about something we don’t yet understand.</li>\n <li><strong>Support AZA-accredited facilities:</strong> Institutions like ZooMontana play an important role in preserving threatened and endangered species like the wolverine. These organizations also provide safe and sustainable ways to observe wild animals without disturbing their habitats.</li>\n </ul>\n """ "custom_fields" => array:18 [ "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ 0 => "default" ] "descriptiveTextForScreenreaders" => array:1 [ 0 => "A wolverine standing up on some rocks with grass growing through them, looking off to the right. A wolverine is a small mustelid with short brown hair, small bear-like ears, a long fluffy tail and long nails." ] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "featured_image" => array:24 [ "ID" => 4652 "alt" => "A wolverine standing up on some rocks with grass growing through them, looking off to the right. A wolverine is a small mustelid with short brown hair, small bear-like ears, a long fluffy tail and long nails." "author" => "4532" "caption" => "" "date" => "2026-01-15 17:32:54" "description" => "" "filename" => "639674_WK_wolverines_1800x990-scaled.jpg" "filesize" => 483992 "height" => 1408 "icon" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/wp-includes/images/media/default.png" "id" => 4652 "link" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/article/new-hope-for-the-elusive-wolverine/639674_wk_wolverines_1800x990/" "menu_order" => 0 "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "modified" => "2026-01-15 17:32:59" "name" => "639674_wk_wolverines_1800x990" "sizes" => array:18 [ …18] "status" => "inherit" "subtype" => "jpeg" "title" => "639674_WK_wolverines_1800x990" "type" => "image" "uploaded_to" => 4650 "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1800x990-scaled.jpg" "width" => 2560 ] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ 0 => "wolverine, wolverines, wildlife, nature, animal, wild kingdom, mutual of omaha's wild kingdom, zoomontana, montana, zoo, peter gros, rae wynn-grant, conservation, wildlife conservation" ] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ 0 => "Fewer than 350 wolverines remain in the U.S. But thanks to breeding programs at ZooMontana and other wildlife organizations, numbers have begun to rebound." ] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/01/639674_WK_wolverines_1200x630.jpg" ] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ 0 => "A wolverine standing up on some rocks with grass growing through them, looking off to the right. A wolverine is a small mustelid with short brown hair, small bear-like ears, a long fluffy tail and long nails." ] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ 0 => "Saving the Elusive Wolverine | ZooMontana | Wild Kingdom" ] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "summary" ] "page_category" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_name" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_section" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_type" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "updated_date" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "word_count" => 1336 ] "date" => "2026-01-15 11:40:02" "excerpt" => "<p>By ZooMontana Picture your bucket list. Maybe it includes skydiving, swimming with sharks or seeing the aurora borealis dance across the sky. For many outdoor and wildlife enthusiasts in the Northern Rockies, however, seeing a wolverine in the wild leads their list. Stocky and bear-like, wolverines remain one of North America’s most elusive mammals. But […]</p>\n" "id" => 4650 "modified" => "2026-01-15 11:40:02" "screenreader_text" => "A wolverine standing up on some rocks with grass growing through them, looking off to the right. A wolverine is a small mustelid with short brown hair, small bear-like ears, a long fluffy tail and long nails." "slug" => "new-hope-for-the-elusive-wolverine" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:5 [ 0 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72147 "post_count" => 78 "slug" => "animal-facts" "title" => "Animal Facts" ] 1 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72124 "post_count" => 175 "slug" => "animals" "title" => "Animals" ] 2 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72125 "post_count" => 86 "slug" => "experts" "title" => "Experts" ] 3 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72113 "post_count" => 145 "slug" => "protecting-the-wild-show" "title" => "Protecting the Wild Show" ] 4 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 71871 "post_count" => 76 "slug" => "zoos-and-aquariums" "title" => "Zoos and Aquariums" ] ] "title" => "New Hope for the Elusive Wolverine" "title_plain" => "New Hope for the Elusive Wolverine" "type" => "article" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/article/new-hope-for-the-elusive-wolverine/" ] 2 => array:23 [ "attachments" => array:1 [ 0 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4748 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4751 "slug" => "wlk_316_whalewatch_pr_stills_10" "title" => "WLK_316_WhaleWatch_PR_Stills_10" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/WLK_316_WhaleWatch_PR_Stills_10.jpg" ] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "Kristy" "id" => 1902 "last_name" => "Jaixen Krupa" "name" => "req76576" "nickname" => "Kristy" "slug" => "req76576" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => """ <p><span data-contrast="auto">Even the world’s largest animals need help from conservationists.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">Peter and Dr. Rae share an inspiring tale of resilience and renewal among two of the ocean’s greatest giants. In the Puget Sound, Peter witnesses firsthand the urgent struggle of resident orcas — one of Earth’s most formidable predators — facing a critical threat to survival. Later, the journey continues in a remote lagoon in Mexico’s coastal desert, where gray whales, once driven to near extinction by whaling, have staged an extraordinary comeback. Here, in a wild nursery, mothers and calves offer a rare and heartwarming glimpse of trust as they interact with humans.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/wild-kingdom-films-in-northwest-u-s-canada"><span data-contrast="none">Learn what it was like to film orcas</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">. Then, check out more whale tales by watching “</span><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/following-the-whale-trail"><span data-contrast="none">Following the Whale Trail</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">” and “</span><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/art-science-to-save-the-sea"><span data-contrast="none">Art & Science to Save the Sea</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">”</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">Stream <a href="https://www.nbc.com/mutual-of-omahas-wild-kingdom-protecting-the-wild/video/whale-watch/9000457414" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Whale Watch” on NBC.com</a> or the NBC app.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n """ "custom_fields" => array:19 [ "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ 0 => "default" ] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "featured_image" => array:24 [ "ID" => 4748 "alt" => "A whale surfaces beside a small boat as Dr. Rae Wynn‑Grant gently touches its back in the open ocean." "author" => "1902" "caption" => "" "date" => "2026-04-17 19:24:22" "description" => "" "filename" => "WLK_316_WhaleWatch_PR_Stills_10.jpg" "filesize" => 758723 "height" => 1080 "icon" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/wp-includes/images/media/default.png" "id" => 4748 "link" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/video/whale-watch/wlk_316_whalewatch_pr_stills_10/" "menu_order" => 0 "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "modified" => "2026-04-17 19:37:23" "name" => "wlk_316_whalewatch_pr_stills_10" "sizes" => array:18 [ …18] "status" => "inherit" "subtype" => "jpeg" "title" => "WLK_316_WhaleWatch_PR_Stills_10" "type" => "image" "uploaded_to" => 4751 "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/WLK_316_WhaleWatch_PR_Stills_10.jpg" "width" => 1920 ] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ 0 => "wild kingdom, mutual of omaha's wild kingdom, protecting the wild, jim fowler, peter gros, dr. rae wynn-grant, wildlife show, wildlife tv show, marlin perkins, Mutual of Omaha show, wild kingdom host, mutual of Omaha wild kingdom, season 1, season 2, season 3, wildlife conservation, whale, grey whale, gray whale" ] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ 0 => "Peter and Dr. Rae follow the stories of orcas and gray whales in Washington and Mexico to learn the whales' history of resilience and renewal. " ] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/WLK_316_WhaleWatch_PR_Stills_10.jpg" ] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ 0 => "A whale surfaces beside a small boat as Dr. Rae Wynn‑Grant gently touches its back in the open ocean." ] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ 0 => "Whale Watch | Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild " ] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ 0 => "summary" ] "open_graph_meta_video_url" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/whale-watch" ] "page_category" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_name" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_section" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "page_type" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "transcript" => array:1 [ 0 => """ 0:04\r\n The Baja California peninsula in Mexico, a land of dramatic contrasts where rugged desert spills into the turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean.\r\n \r\n 0:14\r\n This is a pretty cool way to see this part of Mexico.\r\n \r\n 0:19\r\n We're flying into the El Biscayeno Biosphere Reserve, the largest Wildlife Refuge in Latin America.\r\n \r\n 0:26\r\n We're getting pretty close in this tiny little plane, and I think within like a couple of hours, you and me will be on a boat looking for some baby whales.\r\n \r\n 0:37\r\n That's right, baby whales.\r\n \r\n 0:40\r\n Just beyond this dusty landing strip is a unique lagoon, a critical habitat for a diverse array of marine mammals, sea turtles and birds, and one of only three places on Earth where eastern Pacific Gray whales come to give birth.\r\n \r\n 0:58\r\n We are in the San Ignacio Lagoon in Baja California, Sir, Mexico, and we traveled here, but we're looking for gray whales who traveled here from even further of a distance all the way from Alaska down through the Pacific right to this lagoon in order to give birth to their calves.\r\n \r\n 1:16\r\n The main feature that we believe is the most attractive to the whales is the fact they're protected waters into the lagoons, guarded by barrier and sand islands, which cut down on the surf and the currents and also keeps the predators out.\r\n \r\n 1:27\r\n Their number one predator of the orca is right outside, but they rarely come into the lagoons.\r\n \r\n 1:32\r\n We boarded small boats called Panga alongside Carlos Ghana, a wildlife videographer who works with the gray whale researchers here at the reserve.\r\n \r\n 1:43\r\n How far do we have to travel to get to the whales?\r\n \r\n 1:46\r\n It's about 25 minutes from here to the observation area.\r\n \r\n 1:50\r\n This whole place is a biosphere and there's only a designated area where you can interact with the whales if they choose us to engage.\r\n \r\n 1:59\r\n Do you think the whales have learned this is a protected area?\r\n \r\n 2:03\r\n I'd like to think so.\r\n \r\n 2:04\r\n You'll see they come to you on their own accord.\r\n \r\n 2:07\r\n All right, Carlos.\r\n \r\n 2:09\r\n So I'm really curious if they bring their babies, their newborn babies to oh, right as interrupted by the whale.\r\n \r\n 2:23\r\n Look at the size of this whale, a spy hop, spy hop right there, right there, right there.\r\n \r\n 2:29\r\n He's staying up.\r\n \r\n 2:30\r\n He's just holding himself in place.\r\n \r\n 2:34\r\n Spy hop means when they break the water surface and look around or nearly as they're migrating up the coast and back, they use it for location to see where they are.\r\n \r\n 2:42\r\n All on the coast, right?\r\n \r\n 2:44\r\n The eastern Pacific Gray whale was haunted nearly to extinction from the mid 1800s to early 1900s, but today they are no longer endangered.\r\n \r\n 2:54\r\n Whales were haunted primarily for their oil.\r\n \r\n 2:57\r\n This is pre petroleum civilization.\r\n \r\n 3:00\r\n The oil was used for lighting, was used for making candles, was used for industrial purposes due to the discovery of petroleum which made whale oil less useful, protection by international whaling bands and the conservation of sanctuaries like this one.\r\n \r\n 3:16\r\n This resilient species has made an incredible recovery.\r\n \r\n 3:20\r\n There's no one chasing them, there's no one harassing them, so the boats are not a threat.\r\n \r\n 3:23\r\n The last time whales were killed here by commercial whalers was over 100 years ago, and they don't live to be that long.\r\n \r\n 3:29\r\n So we think we have a generation of whales here that are not intimidated by small boats.\r\n \r\n 3:35\r\n We're just floating here.\r\n \r\n 3:37\r\n And when a whale decides there's one right there.\r\n \r\n 3:41\r\n If that whale decides, you know what, I want to go hang out with them, it's going to be line to us.\r\n \r\n 3:46\r\n Right.\r\n \r\n 3:46\r\n And let us engage.\r\n \r\n 3:47\r\n Yeah.\r\n \r\n 3:48\r\n We're not chasing.\r\n \r\n 3:49\r\n I call it being kind of right here.\r\n \r\n 3:53\r\n Look at this one.\r\n \r\n 4:02\r\n Wow, look at that.\r\n \r\n 4:06\r\n Look at that.\r\n \r\n 4:07\r\n Oh, hello, nice to meet you.\r\n \r\n 4:08\r\n Wow, we just had a face fall.\r\n \r\n 4:13\r\n Wow, what an experience.\r\n \r\n 4:15\r\n My gosh, No way.\r\n \r\n 4:19\r\n It was soft.\r\n \r\n 4:20\r\n It was a little slick, a little, and it came and pushed back up.\r\n \r\n 4:25\r\n We've been near other species of whales before where it's important not to touch.\r\n \r\n 4:30\r\n But this species of gray whales, and in this lagoon, research says that it's actually totally fine as long as they come to you and rise up next to into your hand.\r\n \r\n 4:40\r\n I mean, that tells me they want to do it.\r\n """ ] "updated_date" => array:1 [ 0 => "" ] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "video_url" => array:1 [ 0 => "https://www.youtube.com/embed/rvcVKtezKRc" ] ] "date" => "2026-04-18 12:00:28" "excerpt" => "<p>Even the world’s largest animals need help from conservationists. Peter and Dr. Rae share an inspiring tale of resilience and renewal among two of the ocean’s greatest giants. In the Puget Sound, Peter witnesses firsthand the urgent struggle of resident orcas — one of Earth’s most formidable predators — facing a critical threat to survival. Later, the journey continues in a remote […]</p>\n" "id" => 4751 "modified" => "2026-04-20 15:59:16" "screenreader_text" => null "slug" => "whale-watch" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:5 [ 0 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72124 "post_count" => 175 "slug" => "animals" "title" => "Animals" ] 1 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72149 "post_count" => 68 "slug" => "episode-clips" "title" => "Episode Clips" ] 2 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72125 "post_count" => 86 "slug" => "experts" "title" => "Experts" ] 3 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72139 "post_count" => 107 "slug" => "hosts" "title" => "Hosts" ] 4 => array:5 [ "description" => "" "id" => 72113 "post_count" => 145 "slug" => "protecting-the-wild-show" "title" => "Protecting the Wild Show" ] ] "thumbnail" => null "thumbnail_images" => [] "thumbnail_size" => "thumbnail" "title" => "Whale Watch" "title_plain" => "Whale Watch" "type" => "video" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/video/whale-watch/" ] 3 => array:20 [ "attachments" => array:4 [ 0 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4742 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4741 "slug" => "645494_wk_nwfarticle_social_page_1" "title" => "645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_1" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_1.jpg" ] 1 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4744 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4741 "slug" => "645494_wk_nwfarticle_social_page_3" "title" => "645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_3" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_3.jpg" ] 2 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4745 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4741 "slug" => "645494_wk_nwfarticle_social_page_4" "title" => "645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_4" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_4.jpg" ] 3 => array:9 [ "caption" => "" "description" => "" "id" => 4746 "images" => [] "mime_type" => "image/jpeg" "parent" => 4741 "slug" => "645494_wk_nwfarticle_social_page_5" "title" => "645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_5" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_5.jpg" ] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "Kristy" "id" => 1902 "last_name" => "Jaixen Krupa" "name" => "req76576" "nickname" => "Kristy" "slug" => "req76576" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => """ <p><span data-contrast="auto">It takes a community to protect wildlife, something Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and </span><a href="https://nwf.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span data-contrast="none">National Wildlife Federation</span></a><span data-contrast="auto"> know well. The two teamed up once again for the 2025 </span><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/wild-kingdom-college-and-university-grant-program"><span data-contrast="none">EcoLeaders® college and university grants</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">, which support the next generation of conservationists who are working to help protect and/or restore wildlife and/or their habitats.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">2025’s recipients built bat and bird boxes, identified habitat for endangered species, removed invasive plants, monitored wildlife activity and released animals back to the wild. In the process they helped little brown bats, Eastern blue birds, San Joaquin kit foxes, brown-headed nuthatches, red-headed woodpeckers, Eastern rat snakes, gopher tortoises and freshwater mussels.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">Wild Kingdom and National Wildlife Federation’s grant supported the following seven colleges and universities for 2025:</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <ul>\n <li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="8" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Allegheny College in Pennsylvania</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li>\n </ul>\n <ul>\n <li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="9" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">California State University Bakersfield</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li>\n </ul>\n <ul>\n <li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="10" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Georgia State University Perimeter College</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li>\n </ul>\n <ul>\n <li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="11" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Kentucky State University</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li>\n </ul>\n <ul>\n <li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="12" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Smith College in Massachusetts</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li>\n </ul>\n <ul>\n <li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="13" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">University of South Florida</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li>\n </ul>\n <ul>\n <li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="14" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">University of Tennessee</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li>\n </ul>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">Learn more about how each school helped protect wildlife through their projects.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <h2><span data-contrast="auto">2025 grant recipient projects</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h2>\n <h3><span data-contrast="auto">Little brown bat, Eastern bluebird</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h3>\n <h4><span data-contrast="auto">Allegheny College</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h4>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">Songbirds in Pennsylvania, rejoice! Allegheny College built and installed 20 pine bird boxes across its campus to attract at least four native cavity-nesting songbirds: black-capped chickadees, Eastern bluebirds, house wrens and tree swallows. The team also installed boxes to protect habitat for endangered Northern long-eared bats and threatened little brown bats.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">In addition, the team created a perennial native flower landscape which provides habitat and shows a sustainable alternative to a typical lawn. They planted three species of live plants, one species of bare root plant and 14 species of seeded plants.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <h3><span data-contrast="auto">San Joaquin kit fox</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h3>\n <h4><span data-contrast="auto">California State University Bakersfield</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h4>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">Protecting habitat is a critical part of protecting species. San Joaquin kit foxes are endangered, so the team at California State University Bakersfield conducted research to figure out the fox’s habitat. First, they collected 221 scat samples and extracted DNA to help identify which mammals the scat belonged to. Through this research, the team found five hot spot sites for the foxes.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">This data was then used for a campus habitat conservation plan to preserve denning and hunting grounds for the foxes. This noninvasive plan was proposed to the City of Bakersfield to help protect the foxes and other endangered species.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <h3><span data-contrast="auto">Brown-headed nuthatch</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h3>\n <h4><span data-contrast="auto">Georgia State University Perimeter College</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h4>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">As a species of concern, the brown-headed nuthatch needs help from conservationists. The team at Georgia State University Perimeter College answered the call by building and installing 130 nest boxes across the campus as well as partner sites in the area. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">The team also created 30 educational signs and engaged students in hands-on lab and field activities. This spring, the team will begin data collection during the bird’s nesting season.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4745" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_4.jpg" alt="A group poses near a sign recognizing 25 years of wildlife protection, with an inset image showing a nest with young birds resting inside." width="1500" height="588" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_4.jpg 1500w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_4-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_4-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_4-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_4-768x301.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></p>\n <h3><span data-contrast="auto">Red-headed woodpecker</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h3>\n <h4><span data-contrast="auto">Kentucky State University</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h4>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">Supporting the red-headed woodpecker (a species of conservation concern) started with building and installing three nest boxes, but the project didn’t end there. Kentucky State University’s students and staff also removed invasive shrubs and sprayed invasive wineberry. These steps are key to habitat management and restoration.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">Finally, the team hosted invasive species removal days called Woodland Wednesdays and community nest box building workshops with KSU’s Environmental Education and Research Center. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <h3><span data-contrast="auto">Eastern rat snake</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h3>\n <h4><span data-contrast="auto">Smith College</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h4>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">As a tree snake, the Eastern rat snake needs woody habitat to survive. Smith College’s project focused on habitat restoration through invasive plant species removal. The team removed five acres of invasive vegetation. They then planted over 100 native trees and shrubs and spread native grassland seed over two acres.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">Finally, the team built a snake hibernaculum, or refuge to help both Eastern rat and other snake species. The techniques used in this project were documented to be applied for future restoration efforts in the area.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4744" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_3.jpg" alt="A person kneels outdoors while planting vegetation, alongside a close-up inset of hands tying a labeled tag to a newly planted sapling." width="1860" height="729" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_3.jpg 1860w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_3-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_3-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_3-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_3-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_3-1536x602.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1860px) 100vw, 1860px" /></p>\n <h3><span data-contrast="auto">Gopher tortoise</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h3>\n <h4><span data-contrast="auto">University of South Florida</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h4>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">As the Bull’s Nature Trail Boardwalk is being built in Florida, the team at University of South Florida is ensuring its construction doesn’t impact gopher tortoise habitat. To do this, they installed four trail cameras which showed how the area is a corridor for many animals, but not the gopher tortoise. This is great news because it confirms the trail placement won’t harm tortoise habitat.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">The team also used a positioning tool to map out existing gopher tortoise burrows to ensure the boardwalk project won’t have any impact on the gopher tortoise. A preliminary report was taken and the team continues to monitor it today.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <h3><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4746" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_5-scaled.jpg" alt="A trail camera image shows a deer in green woodland vegetation, next to a photo of two field researchers standing on a dirt path with surveying equipment in a natural area." width="2560" height="1003" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_5-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_5-300x118.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_5-1024x401.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_5-150x59.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_5-768x301.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_5-1536x602.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2026/04/645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_5-2048x802.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></h3>\n <h3><span data-contrast="auto">Freshwater mussels</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h3>\n <h4><span data-contrast="auto">University of Tennessee</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h4>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">As the freshwater mussel population is affected by human activity in Tennessee, conservationists are actively trying to restore this native species. University of Tennessee students and staff fit 80 propagated freshwater mussels with VHF radio transmitters. These transmitters help the team track and monitor mussel activity to inform conservation action.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><span data-contrast="auto">The team released the mussels into the river and then monitored mussel activity. As of January 2026, all mussels have survived and will continue to be tracked for six months. The team also created an identification guide for community awareness and held a workshop about mussel conservation.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n <p><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/wild-kingdom-grant-helps-colleges-protect-wildlife"><span data-contrast="none">Discover the 2024 EcoLeaders® grant recipients</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>\n """ "custom_fields" => array:18 [ "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ 0 => "default" ] "descriptiveTextForScreenreaders" => array:1 [ 0 => "Conservation workers use a powered auger to dig into brush and soil in a wooded area, with smaller inset photos showing field equipment, workshop activity, and hands-on conservation work." ] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ 0 => "0" ] "featured_image" => array:24 [ "ID" => 4742 "alt" => "Conservation workers use a powered auger to dig into brush and soil in a wooded area, with smaller inset photos showing field equipment, workshop activity, and hands-on conservation work." "author" => "1902" "caption" => "" "date" => "2026-04-15 21:43:07" "description" => "" "filename" => "645494_WK_NWFArticle_social_Page_1-scaled.jpg" "filesize" => 846635 …16 ] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ …1] "page_category" => array:1 [ …1] "page_name" => array:1 [ …1] "page_section" => array:1 [ …1] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ …1] "page_type" => array:1 [ …1] "updated_date" => array:1 [ …1] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ …1] "word_count" => 835 ] "date" => "2026-04-15 17:00:13" "excerpt" => "<p>It takes a community to protect wildlife, something Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and National Wildlife Federation know well. The two teamed up once again for the 2025 EcoLeaders® college and university grants, which support the next generation of conservationists who are working to help protect and/or restore wildlife and/or their habitats. 2025’s recipients built bat and bird boxes, identified habitat for endangered species, removed invasive plants, monitored wildlife activity and released […]</p>\n" "id" => 4741 "modified" => "2026-04-15 17:00:13" "screenreader_text" => "Conservation workers use a powered auger to dig into brush and soil in a wooded area, with smaller inset photos showing field equipment, workshop activity, and hands-on conservation work." "slug" => "colleges-help-wildlife-through-wild-kingdom-grant" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:4 [ 0 => array:5 [ …5] 1 => array:5 [ …5] 2 => array:5 [ …5] 3 => array:5 [ …5] ] "title" => "Colleges Help Wildlife Through Wild Kingdom Grant" "title_plain" => "Colleges Help Wildlife Through Wild Kingdom Grant" "type" => "article" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/article/colleges-help-wildlife-through-wild-kingdom-grant/" ] 4 => array:21 [ "attachments" => array:1 [ 0 => array:9 [ …9] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "Ryan" "id" => 4302 "last_name" => "Pugh" "name" => "req97759" "nickname" => "Ryan" "slug" => "req97759" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => "<p>Happy birthday to Jim Fowler! The Wild Kingdom co-host would be celebrating his 94th birthday on April 9. Watch this video from co-host Peter Gros, to join in on the celebration.</p>\n" "custom_fields" => array:21 [ "callout_label" => array:1 [ …1] "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ …1] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ …1] "featured_image" => array:24 [ …24] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaURL" => array:1 [ …1] "open_graph_meta_video_url" => array:1 [ …1] "page_category" => array:1 [ …1] "page_name" => array:1 [ …1] "page_section" => array:1 [ …1] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ …1] "page_type" => array:1 [ …1] "transcript" => array:1 [ …1] "updated_date" => array:1 [ …1] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ …1] "video_url" => array:1 [ …1] ] "date" => "2022-03-22 19:28:16" "excerpt" => "<p>Happy birthday to Jim Fowler! The Wild Kingdom co-host would be celebrating his 94th birthday on April 9. Watch this video from co-host Peter Gros, to join in on the celebration.</p>\n" "id" => 144 "modified" => "2026-04-09 11:46:07" "screenreader_text" => null "slug" => "celebrating-jim-fowler" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:2 [ 0 => array:5 [ …5] 1 => array:5 [ …5] ] "title" => "Celebrating Jim Fowler" "title_plain" => "Celebrating Jim Fowler" "type" => "video" "updated_date" => "2026-04-09 00:00:00" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/video/celebrating-jim-fowler/" ] 5 => array:20 [ "attachments" => array:1 [ 0 => array:9 [ …9] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "Kristy" "id" => 1902 "last_name" => "Jaixen Krupa" "name" => "req76576" "nickname" => "Kristy" "slug" => "req76576" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => """ <p>While it’s impossible to choose a favorite animal, we think we can all agree on a favorite kind of animal — a baby! Cute, small and full of life, baby animals are a fan favorite. Enjoy these photos of the youngest wildlife featured on Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild. Keep reading for a fact on each animal.</p>\n <h2>9 baby animal facts</h2>\n <ol>\n <li>Sea turtles</li>\n </ol>\n <p>Sea turtle hatchlings wait till nightfall to emerge from their nests.</p>\n <p><em>Watch “</em><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/sea-creatures-of-the-florida-coast-clip"><em>Sea Creatures of the Florida Coast</em></a><em>.”</em></p>\n <ol start="2">\n <li>Puffins</li>\n </ol>\n <p>Sometimes pufflings need a bit of help in their first flight. In Iceland, rescue organizations help guide them to sea.</p>\n <p><em>Watch “</em><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/puffin-island-clip"><em>Puffin Island</em></a><em>.”</em></p>\n <ol start="3">\n <li>Desert tortoise</li>\n </ol>\n <p>Desert tortoises are just over 1.5 inches at birth. Later, they’ll grow up to 15 inches long.</p>\n <p><em>Watch “</em><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/desert-dwelling-tortoises-clip"><em>Desert-Dwelling Tortoises</em></a><em>.”</em></p>\n <ol start="4">\n <li>Black bears</li>\n </ol>\n <p>All black bear cubs are born around January, when mama bear is in hibernation.</p>\n <p><em>Watch “</em><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/into-the-bears-den"><em>Into the Bear’s Den</em></a><em>.”</em></p>\n <ol start="5">\n <li>Ocelots</li>\n </ol>\n <p>Ocelot kittens are born with blue eyes that’ll turn brown at three months old.</p>\n <p><em>Watch “</em><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/the-hidden-world-of-ocelots"><em>The Hidden World of Ocelots</em></a><em>.”</em></p>\n <ol start="6">\n <li>Sloths</li>\n </ol>\n <p>Baby sloths start hanging upside down on their own after just 20 days on Earth.</p>\n <p><em>Watch “</em><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/rescuing-the-sloths-of-panama"><em>Rescuing the Sloths of Panama</em></a><em>.”</em></p>\n <ol start="7">\n <li>Koalas</li>\n </ol>\n <p>Koala joeys are born up in eucalyptus trees.</p>\n <p><em>Watch “</em><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/rescue-down-under"><em>Rescue Down Under</em></a><em>.”</em></p>\n <ol start="8">\n <li>Tree kangaroos</li>\n </ol>\n <p>Tree kangaroo joeys first leave mom’s pouch at 9 months.</p>\n <p><em>Watch “</em><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/macropod-mania"><em>Macropod Mania</em></a><em>!”</em></p>\n <ol start="9">\n <li>Spider monkeys</li>\n </ol>\n <p>Young spider monkeys travel on mom’s chest until they’re old enough to climb on her back.</p>\n <p><em>Watch “</em><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/second-chance-spider-monkeys"><em>Second Chance Spider Monkeys</em></a><em>.”</em></p>\n <h2>Baby animal episodes of Protecting the Wild</h2>\n <p>Check out these special episodes of Protecting the Wild that focus on the littlest members of the wild kingdom!</p>\n <p>Watch Season 1, Episode 10, “<a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/baby-animals-clip">Baby Animals</a>” for sea turtles, puffins and desert tortoises.</p>\n <p>Watch Season 2, Episode 9, “<a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/wild-beginnings">Wild Beginnings</a>” for black bears, ocelots and sloths.</p>\n <p>And stay tuned for a special baby animal episode coming soon in Season 3!</p>\n """ "custom_fields" => array:17 [ "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ …1] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ …1] "featured_image" => array:24 [ …24] "gallery_images" => array:9 [ …9] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ …1] "page_category" => array:1 [ …1] "page_name" => array:1 [ …1] "page_section" => array:1 [ …1] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ …1] "page_type" => array:1 [ …1] "updated_date" => array:1 [ …1] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ …1] ] "date" => "2026-04-07 16:11:57" "excerpt" => "<p>While it’s impossible to choose a favorite animal, we think we can all agree on a favorite kind of animal — a baby! Cute, small and full of life, baby animals are a fan favorite. Enjoy these photos of the youngest wildlife featured on Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild. Keep reading for […]</p>\n" "id" => 4720 "modified" => "2026-04-07 16:13:18" "screenreader_text" => null "slug" => "meet-the-baby-animals-on-protecting-the-wild" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:4 [ 0 => array:5 [ …5] 1 => array:5 [ …5] 2 => array:5 [ …5] 3 => array:5 [ …5] ] "title" => "Meet the Baby Animals on Protecting the Wild" "title_plain" => "Meet the Baby Animals on Protecting the Wild" "type" => "gallery" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/gallery/meet-the-baby-animals-on-protecting-the-wild/" ] 6 => array:20 [ "attachments" => array:2 [ 0 => array:9 [ …9] 1 => array:9 [ …9] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "" "id" => 4532 "last_name" => "" "name" => "req100870" "nickname" => "Katelyn" "slug" => "req100870" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => """ <p>Ready for a koala-ty episode? You won’t want to miss these adorable marsupials in action!</p>\n <p>Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild journeys to Queensland, Australia, to meet the heroes on the front lines of koala conservation. Peter and Dr. Rae delve into the world of wildlife rescue, where sick and injured koalas are nursed back to health by dedicated veterinarians. They witness the tender care given to orphaned joeys by passionate volunteers, a crucial step in preparing these fragile babies for the wild. They join a team of innovative scientists using drones and infrared technology to pinpoint the location of koalas to save them from the relentless threat of wildfires. And the adventure culminates in a moment of pure hope, as Dr. Rae helps release a fully recovered koala back into her ancestral home.</p>\n <p><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/how-aussies-are-saving-koalas">See how Wild Kingdom has told the koala’s story on the classic and current series</a>.</p>\n <p><a href="https://www.nbc.com/mutual-of-omahas-wild-kingdom-protecting-the-wild/video/rescue-down-under/9000457406" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch “Rescue Down Under” on NBC.com or the NBC app</a>.</p>\n """ "custom_fields" => array:19 [ "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ …1] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ …1] "featured_image" => array:24 [ …24] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ …1] "open_graph_meta_video_url" => array:1 [ …1] "page_category" => array:1 [ …1] "page_name" => array:1 [ …1] "page_section" => array:1 [ …1] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ …1] "page_type" => array:1 [ …1] "transcript" => array:1 [ …1] "updated_date" => array:1 [ …1] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ …1] "video_url" => array:1 [ …1] ] "date" => "2026-01-24 12:05:29" "excerpt" => "<p>Ready for a koala-ty episode? You won’t want to miss these adorable marsupials in action! Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild journeys to Queensland, Australia, to meet the heroes on the front lines of koala conservation. Peter and Dr. Rae delve into the world of wildlife rescue, where sick and injured koalas are […]</p>\n" "id" => 4658 "modified" => "2026-01-26 08:47:25" "screenreader_text" => null "slug" => "rescue-down-under" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:4 [ 0 => array:5 [ …5] 1 => array:5 [ …5] 2 => array:5 [ …5] 3 => array:5 [ …5] ] "title" => "Rescue Down Under" "title_plain" => "Rescue Down Under" "type" => "video" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/video/rescue-down-under/" ] 7 => array:21 [ "attachments" => array:5 [ 0 => array:9 [ …9] 1 => array:9 [ …9] 2 => array:9 [ …9] 3 => array:9 [ …9] 4 => array:9 [ …9] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "" "id" => 4532 "last_name" => "" "name" => "req100870" "nickname" => "Katelyn" "slug" => "req100870" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => """ <p><small><em>By </em><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/lgbtqia-representation-in-conservation"><em>David Mizejewski</em></a><em>, naturalist, National Wildlife Federation</em></small></p>\n <p>There’s an easy way each of us can help wildlife, starting right outside our own door: We can <a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/building-a-wildlife-garden">plant a wildlife habitat garden</a>! Habitat gardens help all sorts of wildlife, from birds and butterflies to bees and other pollinators. It’s one of the simplest and most rewarding ways to think globally and act locally.</p>\n <p>Creating natural gardens is a fast-growing trend, but it’s one that has a long history. Over 50 years ago, the National Wildlife Federation kicked off the <a href="https://www.nwf.org/garden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Garden for Wildlife movement</a>, inspiring people to help wildlife on the local level. The idea is to restore natural habitats where people live and connect cities, towns and neighborhoods back to the local ecosystem. The wildlife benefit, but people do too by having access to the beauty of nature all around.</p>\n <p>Scroll to the end of this article to get an exclusive code for Garden for Wildlife curated plants!</p>\n <div id="attachment_2985" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2985" class="size-large wp-image-2985" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/yellow_butterfly_RANDY-STREUFERT-1-1024x508.jpg" alt="A yellow butterfly sitting on a bright purple flower with an orange center." width="1024" height="508" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/yellow_butterfly_RANDY-STREUFERT-1-1024x508.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/yellow_butterfly_RANDY-STREUFERT-1-300x149.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/yellow_butterfly_RANDY-STREUFERT-1-150x74.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/yellow_butterfly_RANDY-STREUFERT-1-768x381.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/yellow_butterfly_RANDY-STREUFERT-1-1536x761.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/yellow_butterfly_RANDY-STREUFERT-1.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><p id="caption-attachment-2985" class="wp-caption-text">Credit | Randy Streufert</p></div>\n <h2>What’s in a wildlife habitat garden?</h2>\n <p>Wildlife habitat gardens provide four things: food, water, cover and places to raise young. It all starts with your plants, as what plant and how you plant it has a huge impact on wildlife.</p>\n <p>For example, many lawns are made up of nonnative grasses and offer no habitat for most species. They typically require pesticides, fertilizer and watering to maintain them. Additionally, pollutive mowers and trimmers are often used.</p>\n <p>In contrast, a landscape made up of <a href="https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-Wildlife/About/Native-Plants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">native trees, shrubs and beds of wildflowers</a> requires much less maintenance and gives nectar to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, as well as host plants for caterpillars. It supplies seeds, nuts and berries for songbirds to eat, places to nest and insects they need to feed their babies. It also provides the cover wildlife needs to hide, sleep safely and move about without being seen by people and predators. Add a birdbath or a garden pond to provide water, and supplement with a birdhouse or a feeder, and you’ll instantly have a living landscape teeming with wildlife for you to enjoy.</p>\n <div id="attachment_2984" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2984" class="size-large wp-image-2984" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/Cardinal-flower-_Lobelia-cardinalis_hummingbird_Zhixia-Shi-1-1024x508.jpg" alt="A hummingbird drawing nectar from red flowers that are on a long, skinny stock. " width="1024" height="508" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/Cardinal-flower-_Lobelia-cardinalis_hummingbird_Zhixia-Shi-1-1024x508.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/Cardinal-flower-_Lobelia-cardinalis_hummingbird_Zhixia-Shi-1-300x149.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/Cardinal-flower-_Lobelia-cardinalis_hummingbird_Zhixia-Shi-1-150x74.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/Cardinal-flower-_Lobelia-cardinalis_hummingbird_Zhixia-Shi-1-768x381.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/Cardinal-flower-_Lobelia-cardinalis_hummingbird_Zhixia-Shi-1-1536x761.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/Cardinal-flower-_Lobelia-cardinalis_hummingbird_Zhixia-Shi-1.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><p id="caption-attachment-2984" class="wp-caption-text">Credit | Zhixia Shi</p></div>\n <h2>Joining the Garden for Wildlife movement</h2>\n <p>The beauty of this concept of food, water, cover and places to raise young is that there are infinite ways you can provide each habitat component. It doesn’t matter where you live or even how much space you have. You can choose a formal design or a more naturalistic design.</p>\n <p>It’s also a great way to celebrate regional diversity. A wildlife habitat garden in Arizona will look very different from one in Ohio, and both will differ from one in Oregon. It can be done on large rural property, an average suburban backyard or even in containers on a patio or urban rooftop. If you plant native plants, you help wildlife.</p>\n <p>When you provide these four habitat components and commit to maintaining your garden or landscape in a natural way, you can join the movement and the National Wildlife Federation will <a href="https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-Wildlife/Certify">recognize it as a Certified Wildlife Habitat</a>.</p>\n <div id="attachment_2983" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2983" class="size-large wp-image-2983" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/wildlife-habitat-david-mizejewski-1-1024x576.jpg" alt="A "Certified Wildlife Habitat" sign from National Wildlife Federation in front of some greenery. " width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/wildlife-habitat-david-mizejewski-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/wildlife-habitat-david-mizejewski-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/wildlife-habitat-david-mizejewski-1-150x84.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/wildlife-habitat-david-mizejewski-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/wildlife-habitat-david-mizejewski-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/03/wildlife-habitat-david-mizejewski-1.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><p id="caption-attachment-2983" class="wp-caption-text">Credit | David Mizejewski</p></div>\n <h3>5 ways to get started on your wildlife garden</h3>\n <ol>\n <li><strong>Start small: </strong>Don’t feel like you need to completely tear out your existing garden or landscape. <a href="https://www.nwf.org/-/media/PDFs/Garden-for-Wildlife/Certified-Wildlife-Habitat/NWF_Garden-Certification-Checklist.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Use this checklist</a> to assess what habitat you already have. Then, decide what things you’re missing that you’d like to add, and make a plan.</li>\n <li><strong>Plant one thing: </strong>Commit to planting one native tree or shrub or creating one new garden bed for native wildflowers. You’ll be surprised how even a small area of native plants supports wildlife, especially when it replaces barren lawn. You can add more each year. Gardens with 50% to 70% native plants support 50% more wildlife than the surrounding areas with just lawn and ornamental nonnative plants.</li>\n <li><strong>Spring cleaning: </strong>Conventional gardening rules say you need to get rid of all your fallen leaves and prune old flower stalks back to the ground — but that’s all habitat for wildlife. Wait to do cleanup until after temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees, which gives beneficial insects a chance to emerge from winter hideaways in the leaves and stems. <a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/leave-the-leaves">Use fallen leaves</a> year-round as natural mulch and fertilizer where it will also be habitat for insects, amphibians and birds. Don’t cut old flower stalks down to the ground. Leave about a foot standing to be nesting spots for native bees. New spring growth quickly covers the old stems.</li>\n </ol>\n <ol start="5">\n <li><strong>Don’t spray: </strong>Commit to going organic: Don’t spray insecticides, herbicides or other pesticides. Natural gardens rarely have pest problems and there are many tried-and-true <a href="https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-Wildlife/Sustainability/Organic-Practices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">organic gardening techniques</a> that don’t require toxic chemicals. Hiring companies to spray insecticides to kill mosquitoes also kills bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects, even if they use “natural” sprays. There are better <a href="https://blog.nwf.org/2020/09/what-you-need-to-know-before-spraying-for-mosquitoes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ways to prevent mosquito bites</a>.</li>\n <li><strong>Make a place for you: </strong>Habitat gardens are for people too! Be sure to include a seating area where you can just relax and enjoy watching the habitat you’ve created and knowing that you’ve done something good for wildlife.</li>\n </ol>\n <h3>Build your own Garden for Wildlife</h3>\n <p>Start your wildlife garden with plants from the National Wildlife Federation’s Garden for Wildlife native plant collections. These plants are specifically curated for your region to do the greatest good for local wildlife.</p>\n <p>By creating a wildlife garden with regional plants, you’ll enjoy even more visits from wildlife that will use your plants for food and pollination. Garden for Wildlife makes it easy to get started. You’ll receive plants right to your door with all the tips you need for success.</p>\n <p>Sample curated wildlife garden plants by region</p>\n <p>(Collections ship to: AR, CT, DE, DC, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, TN, VT, VA, WV, WI)</p>\n <ul>\n <li>Spring Bee Buffet 6-plant collection. *Limited edition* plants are especially beneficial to bees in early spring. Includes two of each: Golden Alexander, Wild Geranium and Blue Wood Aster. Supports 103 butterfly species, 36 native bee species and 96% of backyard birds.</li>\n <li>Monarch Munchables 12-plant collection: Includes three of each: Orange Butterfly Milkweed, Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Smooth Blue Aster, Grayleaf Goldenrod. Supports 114 butterfly species, 44 native bee species and 96% of backyard birds.</li>\n <li>Pollinator Power 12-plant collection: Includes three of each: Cardinal Flower, Great Blue Lobelia, Beard Tongue Foxglove, Black Eyed Susan. Supports 28 butterfly species, 29 species of native bees and 96% of backyard birds.</li>\n </ul>\n <p>Visit the <a href="https://gardenforwildlife.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Garden for Wildlife website</a> to check out native plants in your area. Use code WILDKINGDOM15 to save on your order.</p>\n <p>For further reading on plants and wildlife, learn why it’s important to <a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/leave-the-leaves">leave the leaves in the fall</a>. Plus, check out these <a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/the-buzz-about-honey-bees">ideas for bee-friendly plants</a>.</p>\n <p> </p>\n <p>#635135</p>\n """ "custom_fields" => array:18 [ "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ …1] "descriptiveTextForScreenreaders" => array:1 [ …1] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ …1] "featured_image" => array:24 [ …24] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ …1] "page_category" => array:1 [ …1] "page_name" => array:1 [ …1] "page_section" => array:1 [ …1] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ …1] "page_type" => array:1 [ …1] "updated_date" => array:1 [ …1] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ …1] "word_count" => 1102 ] "date" => "2024-03-20 15:09:28" "excerpt" => "<p>By David Mizejewski, naturalist, National Wildlife Federation There’s an easy way each of us can help wildlife, starting right outside our own door: We can plant a wildlife habitat garden! Habitat gardens help all sorts of wildlife, from birds and butterflies to bees and other pollinators. It’s one of the simplest and most rewarding ways to […]</p>\n" "id" => 2981 "modified" => "2026-03-31 16:46:00" "screenreader_text" => "Image of a front yard with a lot of native flowering plants next to a mailbox. From left to right, there are yellow flowers, purple coneflowers and red flowers." "slug" => "building-your-garden-for-wildlife" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:2 [ 0 => array:5 [ …5] 1 => array:5 [ …5] ] "title" => "Building Your Garden for Wildlife" "title_plain" => "Building Your Garden for Wildlife" "type" => "article" "updated_date" => "2026-03-31 00:00:00" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/article/building-your-garden-for-wildlife/" ] 8 => array:20 [ "attachments" => array:5 [ 0 => array:9 [ …9] 1 => array:9 [ …9] 2 => array:9 [ …9] 3 => array:9 [ …9] 4 => array:9 [ …9] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "" "id" => 4532 "last_name" => "" "name" => "req100870" "nickname" => "Katelyn" "slug" => "req100870" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => """ <p>One of the best ways to see wildlife is by visiting one of America’s national parks. With 63 national parks and 413 units (e.g., seashores, rivers, monuments and historic parks) there’s likely a <a href="https://www.nps.gov/index.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Park Service</a> site near you.</p>\n <p>Before you head out on your next national park trip, check out these resources for seeing wildlife and ensuring a safe visit. Plus, see some of the Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom episodes that were filmed in national parks!</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3505" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/09/mt-rushmore-1024x563.jpg" alt="A view of Mount Rushmore from the base of the hill. You can see most of the four president's faces surrounded by green trees. The sky above the mountain is blue with white puffy clouds." width="1024" height="563" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/09/mt-rushmore-1024x563.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/09/mt-rushmore-300x165.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/09/mt-rushmore-150x83.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/09/mt-rushmore-768x422.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/09/mt-rushmore-1536x845.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/09/mt-rushmore.jpg 1800w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <h2>10 resources for visiting a national park</h2>\n <ol>\n <li><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/how-to-have-a-fun-and-safe-outdoor-summer-vacation"><strong>Tips for summer visits</strong></a></li>\n </ol>\n <p>Get summer outdoor safety recommendations. Learn how far you should keep your distance from animals and how to safely interact with marine life.<strong> </strong></p>\n <ol start="2">\n <li><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/how-to-enjoy-wildlife-in-the-winter"><strong>Tips for winter visits</strong></a></li>\n </ol>\n <p>See where Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild Co-Host Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant and Peter Gros like to visit in the winter. Plus, get tips for hiking and camping in the cold temperatures.</p>\n <ol start="3">\n <li><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/peters-picks-visiting-national-parks"><strong>Peter’s national park picks</strong></a></li>\n </ol>\n <p>As a wildlife co-host, Peter has visited many amazing wild places around the world. But some of his favorite spots are right here in the U.S. Check out his national park picks and get his expert tips.</p>\n <ol start="4">\n <li><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/your-guide-to-enjoying-nature-this-summer"><strong>How to safely view wildlife</strong></a></li>\n </ol>\n <p>We might be biased, but seeing wildlife is our favorite part of visiting a national park. Learn from Dr. Rae how you can respectfully view wildlife. After all, it’s their home!</p>\n <ol start="5">\n <li><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/tips-to-camp-among-wildlife"><strong>How to camp among wildlife</strong></a></li>\n </ol>\n <p>For a complete immersion, consider camping in a national park. But before you pitch your tent, check out these tips from Peter on how to prepare your campsite, keep your distance and share the joy of wildlife with the whole family.</p>\n <ol start="6">\n <li><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/what-to-pack-for-your-outdoor-excursion"><strong>What to pack for your outdoor excursion</strong></a></li>\n </ol>\n <p>Be prepared for your trip by packing the right gear. The co-hosts share their suggestions for clothes and accessories, hiking and camping gear, and viewing and navigating tools.</p>\n <ol start="7">\n <li><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/peter-gros-tips-for-experiencing-nature"><strong>Make the most of your time outdoors</strong></a></li>\n </ol>\n <p>Take advantage of your time in nature with helpful hints from Peter. Read his tricks so you can have an unforgettable trip.</p>\n <ol start="8">\n <li><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/why-connect-kids-with-nature"><strong>Why you should get the kids involved</strong></a></li>\n </ol>\n <p>It can be a bit stressful to pack up the whole family and head to a national park. But it’s a trip that’ll be remembered for a lifetime. Hear from the National Wildlife Federation why it’s important to connect kids with nature.</p>\n <ol start="9">\n <li><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/discovering-nature-in-your-community"><strong>Find nature in your community</strong></a></li>\n </ol>\n <p>Make the most of your visit by seeking out events and programs in national parks and local nature centers near you. Learn how to get started.</p>\n <ol start="10">\n <li><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/article/what-does-a-conservationist-look-like"><strong>Find your path to conservation</strong></a></li>\n </ol>\n <p>Loved your visit to a national park? Keep the momentum going by learning how you and your family can get involved in conservation efforts — no science degree required!</p>\n <p>Did you know the National Park Service offers free admission to its parks several days throughout the year? <a href="https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/fee-free-parks.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">See the list of dates</a>.</p>\n <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3504" src="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/09/bison-national-park-1024x563.jpg" alt="A large bison looking towards the camera. The bison is in the middle of a grassy prairie with rolling hills and a colorful, pink and blue sky behind it." width="1024" height="563" srcset="https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/09/bison-national-park-1024x563.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/09/bison-national-park-300x165.jpg 300w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/09/bison-national-park-150x83.jpg 150w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/09/bison-national-park-768x422.jpg 768w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/09/bison-national-park-1536x845.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/files/2024/09/bison-national-park.jpg 1800w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>\n <h2>Wild Kingdom episodes filmed in national parks</h2>\n <p>Can’t make it to a national park? Let the Wild Kingdom co-hosts be your guide! Watch some classic and new episodes filmed in national parks.</p>\n <p> </p>\n <h3>Protecting the Wild episodes</h3>\n <p><strong>“</strong><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/the-lost-fox-of-channel-islands-clip"><strong>The Lost Fox of Channel Islands</strong></a><strong>” Season 1, Episode 6</strong></p>\n <p>Our co-hosts sail to California’s Channel Islands National Park to unravel the secrets of one of the smallest foxes on Earth.</p>\n <p><strong>“</strong><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/video/the-pupfish-of-death-valley"><strong>The Pupfish of Death Valley</strong></a><strong>” Season 1, Episode 18</strong></p>\n <p>Peter and Dr. Rae travel to the heart of Death Valley National Park to discover one of the most remarkable and most endangered fish species on Earth — the Devils Hole pupfish.</p>\n <p> </p>\n <h3>Classic Wild Kingdom episodes</h3>\n <p><strong>“</strong><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/classic-episodes/winter-comes-to-yellowstone"><strong>Winter Comes to Yellowstone</strong></a><strong>” Season 3, Episode 15</strong></p>\n <p>All roads are closed, but by helicopter and snow plane Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler travel though the park to uncover a fascinating story of animal life in winter.</p>\n <p><strong>“</strong><a href="https://www.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/classic-episodes/bears-of-the-high-country"><strong>Bears of the High Country</strong></a><strong>” Season 5, Episode 6</strong></p>\n <p>Marlin and Jim follow a pair of black bear cubs in Yellowstone National Park and track a large black bear to tag for future reference.</p>\n """ "custom_fields" => array:18 [ "custom_related_post_list" => array:1 [ …1] "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ …1] "descriptiveTextForScreenreaders" => array:1 [ …1] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ …1] "featured_image" => array:24 [ …24] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ …1] "page_category" => array:1 [ …1] "page_name" => array:1 [ …1] "page_section" => array:1 [ …1] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ …1] "page_type" => array:1 [ …1] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ …1] "word_count" => 647 ] "date" => "2024-09-04 13:52:46" "excerpt" => "<p>One of the best ways to see wildlife is by visiting one of America’s national parks. With 63 national parks and 413 units (e.g., seashores, rivers, monuments and historic parks) there’s likely a National Park Service site near you. Before you head out on your next national park trip, check out these resources for seeing […]</p>\n" "id" => 3500 "modified" => "2025-06-11 10:32:06" "screenreader_text" => "Yellowstone Falls in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone National Park in Montana. A large waterfall that flows into a river in the middle of a large canyon, surrounded by large green trees." "slug" => "wild-kingdoms-guide-to-national-parks" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:3 [ 0 => array:5 [ …5] 1 => array:5 [ …5] 2 => array:5 [ …5] ] "title" => "Wild Kingdom’s Guide to National Parks" "title_plain" => "Wild Kingdom’s Guide to National Parks" "type" => "article" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/article/wild-kingdoms-guide-to-national-parks/" ] 9 => array:21 [ "attachments" => array:3 [ 0 => array:9 [ …9] 1 => array:9 [ …9] 2 => array:9 [ …9] ] "author" => array:8 [ "description" => "" "first_name" => "" "id" => 4532 "last_name" => "" "name" => "req100870" "nickname" => "Katelyn" "slug" => "req100870" "url" => "" ] "categories" => [] "comment_count" => 0 "comment_status" => "closed" "comments" => [] "content" => "<p>Happy birthday [March 28] to the legend himself, Marlin Perkins! Marlin was a pioneer in the nature documentary and conservation space, and we’re honored to have had him as our host. We know the show would not be what is it today without him.</p>\n" "custom_fields" => array:19 [ "customize_related_posts" => array:1 [ …1] "feature_post_indicator" => array:1 [ …1] "featured_image" => array:24 [ …24] "meta_keywords" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaDescription" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaImage" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaImageAlt" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaTitle" => array:1 [ …1] "openGraphMetaTwitterImage" => array:1 [ …1] "open_graph_meta_video_url" => array:1 [ …1] "page_category" => array:1 [ …1] "page_name" => array:1 [ …1] "page_section" => array:1 [ …1] "page_subcategory" => array:1 [ …1] "page_type" => array:1 [ …1] "transcript" => array:1 [ …1] "updated_date" => array:1 [ …1] "use_experimentation" => array:1 [ …1] "video_url" => array:1 [ …1] ] "date" => "2023-03-27 15:21:27" "excerpt" => "<p>Happy birthday [March 28] to the legend himself, Marlin Perkins! Marlin was a pioneer in the nature documentary and conservation space, and we’re honored to have had him as our host. We know the show would not be what is it today without him.</p>\n" "id" => 1993 "modified" => "2026-03-27 11:57:49" "screenreader_text" => null "slug" => "happy-birthday-marlin-perkins" "status" => "publish" "tags" => array:3 [ 0 => array:5 [ …5] 1 => array:5 [ …5] 2 => array:5 [ …5] ] "title" => "Happy Birthday Marlin Perkins" "title_plain" => "Happy Birthday Marlin Perkins" "type" => "video" "updated_date" => "2026-03-27 00:00:00" "url" => "https://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/wknewsroom/video/happy-birthday-marlin-perkins/" ] ] ] "template" => "contact" ] "debug" => true "emailJourneyId" => "APIEvent-0915228a-9b5d-b8bc-68b3-1667d737d130" "globals" => array:15 [ "alertContent" => null "analyticsId" => "UA-12109817-22" "bodyBackgroundColor" => "u-bgWhite" "experimentationId" => "25226340136" "gtmId" => "M2XNHQ" "pageClass" => null "pageTitle" => "Mutual of Omaha" "sectionClass" => null "server" => array:9 [ "canonical" => "https://moocat.mutualofomaha.com/wild-kingdom/contact" "environment" => "cat" "host" => null "hostWithScheme" => null "path" => null "scheme" => null "uri" => null "url" => null "urlWithQuery" => null ] "showZipCodeOverlay" => false "states" => array:53 [ "AK" => "Alaska" "AL" => "Alabama" "AR" => "Arkansas" "AZ" => "Arizona" "CA" => "California" "CO" => "Colorado" "CT" => "Connecticut" "DC" => "District of Columbia" "DE" => "Delaware" "FL" => "Florida" "GA" => "Georgia" "HI" => "Hawaii" "IA" => "Iowa" "ID" => "Idaho" "IL" => "Illinois" "IN" => "Indiana" "KS" => "Kansas" "KY" => "Kentucky" "LA" => "Louisiana" "MA" => "Massachusetts" "MD" => "Maryland" "ME" => "Maine" "MI" => "Michigan" "MN" => "Minnesota" "MO" => "Missouri" "MS" => "Mississippi" "MT" => "Montana" "NC" => "North Carolina" "ND" => "North Dakota" "NE" => "Nebraska" "NH" => "New Hampshire" "NJ" => "New Jersey" "NM" => "New Mexico" "NV" => "Nevada" "NY" => "New York" "OH" => "Ohio" "OK" => "Oklahoma" "OR" => "Oregon" "PA" => "Pennsylvania" "PR" => "Puerto Rico" "RI" => "Rhode Island" "SC" => "South Carolina" "SD" => "South Dakota" "TN" => "Tennessee" "TX" => "Texas" "UT" => "Utah" "VA" => "Virginia" "VI" => "Virgin Islands" "VT" => "Vermont" "WA" => "Washington" "WI" => "Wisconsin" "WV" => "West Virginia" "WY" => "Wyoming" ] "tealiumEnv" => "qa" "twig" => array:2 [ "main" => "design-guide-4" "master" => "design-guide-4" ] "unsupportedBrowser" => false "version" => null ] "package" => array:4 [ "name" => "wild-kingdom" "namespace" => "Mutualofomaha\WildKingdom" "prefix" => "" "vendor" => "mutualofomaha" ] "session" => array:1 [ "_token" => "JabeYp4ydE7ARXGtYhCPy1yvH5YNTqdVosKCaM3n" ] "showCriticalCSS" => "View Page Source for Critical CSS." "template" => "contact" "webpack" => array:2 [ "css" => array:4 [ 0 => array:2 [ "href" => "/wild-kingdom/js/vendor-fontsource-c50f7347-af32beee1669f1bacf70.css" "preload" => false ] 1 => array:2 [ "href" => "/wild-kingdom/js/default-package-wild-kingdom--entry-accessibility-package-wild-kingdom--entry-collaborators-package--1677153d-ca8125b600d77a47fffd.css" "preload" => true ] 2 => array:2 [ "href" => "/wild-kingdom/js/default-package-wild-kingdom--entry-collaborators-package-wild-kingdom--entry-contact-package-wild-k-14667482-6efba139aeb0fa567b1d.css" "preload" => true ] 3 => array:2 [ "href" => "/wild-kingdom/js/package-wild-kingdom--entry-contact-493df0b3-390d0ee40fffef373e84.css" "preload" => true ] ] "js" => array:20 [ 0 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/runtime.df7c742df85f4c7d5104.bundle.js" ] 1 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/moodxd-component-overlay-6d661610.1b31beccaa6a0deedcaf.chunk.js" ] 10 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/vendor-fontsource-c50f7347.fd228d9e3e35a56f07e7.chunk.js" ] 11 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/vendor-process-d9426538.bc9910a0bb89b22e98f0.chunk.js" ] 12 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/vendor-element-closest-3fa9be13.79c45a62bba3cfe076a8.chunk.js" ] 13 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/vendor-webpack-8a209177.132b2a20e39e444efc31.chunk.js" ] 14 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/vendor-swiper-4bbf4a4b.4de45f66594e1fe74ec5.chunk.js" ] 15 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/vendor-swiper-b7a0e11e.2a19cbf513a60fabb206.chunk.js" ] 16 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/vendor-ssr-window-1dcb2c6e.d3b495a602459c137393.chunk.js" ] 17 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/default-package-wild-kingdom--entry-accessibility-package-wild-kingdom--entry-collaborators-package--1677153d.067e1aa06d8d4dcb46c4.chunk.js" ] 18 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/default-package-wild-kingdom--entry-collaborators-package-wild-kingdom--entry-contact-package-wild-k-14667482.296ae2c2cd9e46058156.chunk.js" ] 19 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/package-wild-kingdom--entry-contact-493df0b3.850190c52b5f01f5a681.chunk.js" ] 2 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/moodxd-component-site-navigation-d4b8feb4.d10aedcd07a97812ba8f.chunk.js" ] 3 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/moodxd-jsutil-click-outside-5f7d1b2b.1a324b83933f969ef824.chunk.js" ] 4 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/moodxd-jsutil-openable-e0c263e1.bbb788af370e6963b57f.chunk.js" ] 5 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/moodxd-analytics-track-virtual-pageview-3c0f5931.8d5697f6e9224e40a0c7.chunk.js" ] 6 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/vendor-offline-plugin-8e7a7990.1fe506653443e7f01bb4.chunk.js" ] 7 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/vendor-core-js-1b381f3c.cfb1d20528a6255378eb.chunk.js" ] 8 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/vendor-axios-c5556295.d2b224b4d15c6d049462.chunk.js" ] 9 => array:2 [ "defer" => true "src" => "/wild-kingdom/js/vendor-babel-71d33a51.557c036ba6c55fb3c19d.chunk.js" ] ] ] ]
Close
Sign up for exclusive Wild Kingdom content including a download of our Wild Kingdom digital calendar and much more.
You're all set!
Thanks for signing up to receive Wild Kingdom news straight to your inbox. Be sure to check your email for a free gift, just for you.
There was a problem submitting your request. Please try again later.
Join the herd of Wild Kingdom fans on social media.
Recent posts
Small Survivors
VIDEO
How the Florida Aquarium Leads Penguin Conservation
VIDEO
Whale Watch
VIDEO
Colleges Help Wildlife Through Wild Kingdom Grant
ARTICLE
Celebrating Jim Fowler
VIDEO
Meet the Baby Animals on Protecting the Wild
GALLERY
Rescue Down Under
VIDEO
Building Your Garden for Wildlife
ARTICLE
Wild Kingdom’s Guide to National Parks
ARTICLE
Happy Birthday Marlin Perkins
VIDEO
Adventure South
VIDEO
The Flamingos’ Flamboyant Return
VIDEO
Second Chance Spider Monkeys
VIDEO
How Iowa Zoo and Australia Conserve Wallabies
ARTICLE
Discovering Nature in Your Community
ARTICLE
Building Bridges to Save Costa Rica Howler Monkeys
ARTICLE
Florida’s Fabulous Flamingos Are Coming Home
ARTICLE
New Hope for the Elusive Wolverine
ARTICLE
Protect what you love fiercely
From Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom to your kingdom, we help protect what matters most.
VISIT MUTUAL OF OMAHA