Attwater¿s Prairie Chicken Captive Breeding

The Attwater¿s prairie chicken (APC) is a critically endangered grouse found in the coastal prairie of Texas. Currently, about 100 birds exist in the wild. Efforts to propagate and release APCs into the wild have been ongoing since 1992 and 1996, respectively. This program is necessary to provide a long-tern source of APCs to supplement critically small wild populations and preserve remaining genetic variability. The long-term goal of the APC captive breeding program is to boost wild populations to viable levels and reestablish physically and behaviorally healthy birds to their former range by: 1) maintaining 90 percent of the original gene diversity with a minimum of 200 birds in the captive flock and 2) produce enough chicks annually to release at multiple sites. Several facilities have been established to preclude a catastrophic disease outbreak event that could potentially wipe out the species. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) intends to award Houston Zoo, Inc. a single source award in accordance with Department policy. The USFWS has been working in partnership with the Houston Zoo almost since the establishment of the APC captive breeding program.