Rob Mortensen
Ninety-three percent of bird species that are now extinct were island endemics—those found only on their native island. Island species are particularly vulnerable to extinction. The Guam Micronesian Kingfisher was nearly wiped out by the invasive brown tree snake in the 1940s.
The Guam Department of Aquatic Wildlife Resources and several other institutions collected the remaining birds in Guam, and a breeding program and survival plan for the species were established in 1984. There are now about 130 birds at about twenty-five AZA institutions.
In this lecture, Rob Mortensen, the Aquarium’s assistant curator of birds and mammals, will discuss the Micronesian Kingfisher and explain how the Aquarium is involved in its species survival plan. Mortensen previously served as a zookeeper at the Santa Barbara Zoo, a senior aquarist at the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, and an attack helicopter crew chief for the U.S. Army. He earned his bachelor’s degree in zoology and geology from Western Illinois University.
| Event Information | |
|---|---|
| When |
Tuesday, Oct 25, 2011 | 7:00 PM–8:30 PM
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| Cost | $5 for public; FREE for Aquarium members, teachers, and students with valid ID and advanced reservations. |
| Tickets | |
| RSVP | (562) 590-3100, ext. 0 |
| Links | View past lecture videos |
| Category | |
| SPONSORS | |
