Join The Sussex Bird Club in-person in the library or online for a presentation by Steve Sarro on his study of African Penguin conservation. As a zoo curator, Steve was responsible for the animal collection, animal welfare and husbandry, and the animal keepers that care for the animals daily.  Additionally, curators work closely with the medical staff to address preventative as well active medical needs. Most of the zoo’s animals are in collaborative breeding programs and the African Penguin is one of those species. Even though the African Penguin does very well in captivity, there are over 1300 in zoos in North America, the species became endangered in 2010 and recently was upgraded to critically endangered. Part of the conservation efforts have been to provide support in the range countries to stem the decline of this Penguin species that once numbered in the millions.  

Steven Sarro was born in eastern Pennsylvania and his family moved to a home in the woods in Delaware. Dogs, cats, ferrets, rabbits, fish, birds, and various reptiles and amphibians were part of Steve’s early years. After getting a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Delaware, Steve started to volunteer to get hands-on animal care skills at Tristate Bird Rescue and Research and then to an entry position at The Brandywine Zoo in Wilmington, DE. From there, Steve was hired at the Baltimore Zoo (AKA The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore) and worked in several positions including animal keeper, senior keeper, and curator of birds and mammals over the next 20 years. At the Baltimore Zoo, Steve also started the Spectacled Owl Studbook and Species Survival Plan as well as the African Penguin Species Survival Plan. From Baltimore, Steve moved on to the Salisbury Zoo and then to The National Aviary in Pittsburgh as the director of animal programs. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute hired Steve into a curator position where he was managing the Small Mammal House as well as being the acting curator for Asia Trail/Pandas, American Trail, Reptile Discovery Center and Great Apes as needed. Steve retired from the Smithsonian in winter 2023 with the title of Curator Emeritus yet keeps his fingers in the animal world as an advisor to many programs, an accreditation inspector and coach with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and volunteers for the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge and Tristate Bird Rescue and Rehabilitation.  

The Sussex Bird Club's primary objective is to promote the knowledge and enjoyment of wild birds through guided field trips and monthly meetings about various aspects of birding. Meetings are open to all and beginning birders are always welcome.

NOTE: this session is available to attend in-person or through Zoom. You MUST REGISTER and indicate which you prefer.

If you need assistance with registration or getting your Zoom invitation, please email the library.

Basic written instructions for using Zoom may be found here and a brief video tutorial may be found here. Closed captioning is available for all our sessions. Information on enabling closed captioning in Zoom may be found here.