Dead Oak Tree Finds New Life As Wildlife Habitat At San Diego Zoo

SAN DIEGO, CA — A dead oak tree at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance's Samagatuma Ranch has been repurposed to provide habitat and enrichment for wildlife across the organization.

Branches from the tree are being used as perches in the California condor habitat, while other pieces provide enrichment for common ravens, Nicobar pigeons and other birds.

For aardvarks, logs and deadfall offer natural surfaces for digging and foraging and can harbor insects such as termites. The materials are also being used with tamanduas, echidnas and other wildlife.

Even smaller pieces of the tree are being put to use. Oak duff and decaying wood provide habitat for insects and other small animals, while pieces have been added to millipede enclosures at the Insect Propagation Center and invertebrate habitats at the Spineless Marvels Invertebrate House.

"It's a fun example of how a single natural resource can continue benefiting wildlife long after its life as a tree has ended, with teams across San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance finding creative ways to reuse natural materials throughout the organization," San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance spokesperson Meghan Breen told Patch.