American chestnut trees, once a dominant species across eastern North America before being wiped out by blight over a century ago, are making a rare comeback at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo. The trees, now functionally extinct in the wild, are being reintroduced as part of a conservation effort to restore their ecological role. This marks the first time since their near-total disappearance that they have been planted in the zoo’s grounds. The initiative highlights ongoing efforts to revive native species and their habitats through scientific breeding and reforestation.
American Chestnut Trees, Functionally Extinct in the Wild, Return to the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo for the First Time in More Than a Century WCS Newsroom
