The American Burying Beetle, Nicrophorus americanus, was listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services as an endangered species in 1989.  In 2006 it was named the FIRST 1st insect to be managed under AZA’s Species Survival Plan. There are 14 other Nicrophorus species in North America with American burying beetles being the only species to experience a dramatic decline in numbers and range. 
View the Distribution Map
Many attribute the causes for the decline of the beetle to habitat fragmentation and human alteration of the food chain.  Years ago, the top station of the food chain in New England was reserved by wolves, bears, and predatory cats.  As hunting and human expansion began to wipe out the top tier of these predators, the second tier, made up of scavenger predators like foxes, raccoons, and skunks, was no longer in fear of being hunted by the greater predators, and began to multiply in great numbers. 
Around the turn of the century, at the time the decline of the beetle was noticed, there was also a serious decline and in turn extinction of species such as the passenger pigeon; a species that scientist feel was very imporant to the beetle's survival. The problem for the beetles is that they now have greater competition for their carrion resource. Other factors may include night time lighting, bug zappers, and pesticides.

Why is this important?
Known as nature's most efficient and fascinating recyclers, American Burying Beetles (Nicrophorus americanus) are important scavengers that are responsible for recycling decaying animals back into the ecosystem. All Nicrophorus species require a vertebrate carcass to rear their brood. 


The American Burying Beetle, just as all species, have their own important role in the ecosystem. When a species are lost, the fragile balance is disrupted, sometimes permanently. From their recycling role, Carrion beetles (like the American Burying Beetle) return nutrients to the earth, which stimulates the growth of foliage. By removing carcases from the ecosystem, the ABB helps keep fly and ant numbers from reaching epidemic preportions.   Also, this beetle, and other inverterbrates, serves as an “indicator species,” to alert scientist about the health of the environment. Likewise, if the tenacious insect cannot survive, it is a sign that there is something very wrong with the habitat.

Link to beetle fact Sheet.

Recovery Initiative; Conservation Collaboration:

By contributing a breeding facility, expert keeper staff, breeding data, and field support, the zoo has become a vital part of the American Burying Beetle recovery program. 

Zoos across the nation have been steadily evolved in the past decade from simply animal refuges to large-scale animal conservation centers, preserving endangered species world-wide. One of the ways Zoos contribute is by captive rearing and reintroduction programs. This involves breeding populations that can be reintroducedinto the wild in an attempt to reestabilish lost populations and augment existing populations. Roger Williams Park Zoo is one of the many zoos across the country that has taken the initiative to save an endangered species with a captive-breeding program. Since 1994, the Zoo has been breeding the American Burying Beetle and releasing them in the wild, hoping to repair a vital link in the ecosystem chain.

Since attaining endangered species status the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service drafted a recovery plan for this species. Conservation strageties called for by the recovery plan includes: monitoring and management of the existing populations, maintaining captive populations, conducting a pilot reintroduction effort on Penikese Island, MA, prioritizing areas and conducting surveys for additional wild populations, and conducting additional reintroductions (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1991).

At RWPZ, American Burying Beetles are raised throughout the year. The husbandry and breeding techniques used at the Zoo were developed by Andrea Kozol, of Boston University.  To breed beetles in captivity, the Zoo provides a pair of beetles their own brood buckets and carrion animal (usually a small bird).  The beetles will prepare the carcasses just as they do in the wild, and larvae will develope inside the buckets that will be allowed to pupatate into adults.

Reintroduction Projects:

One of the recovery goals of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife, besides protecting the already existing populations, is to establish new populations.

From 1990 to 1993, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) began a pilot reintroduction study (letting a small group of captive beetles that had been reared at Boston University back into the wild) on Penikese Island, Massachusetts.  Annual monitoring from 1991 to 2001 confirmed that the beetles were continuing to survive on the island.  The success of the beetle populations on Penikese Island, MA lead to a much larger reintroduction project.  In 1994, USFWS approached Roger Williams Park Zoo to rear beetles for this up scaled initiative to join forces to reintroduce the beetles to their historic habitat on Nantucket Island, MA.  This was seen as a great opportunity to participate in a local endangered species conservation initiative, RWPZ was honored to become involved.  Since the beetle’s life span is about one year, it is vital that they successfully raise young each year.

In the summer of 2005, the zoo provided 190 pairs of beetles for the annual U.S. Fish and Wildlife release on Nantucket Island, MA. There were two release sites on Nantucket, one on the west side of the island on Nantucket Conservation Foundation property, and the other on the east side of the island on Massachusetts Audubon Society Land. Wild beetles were also trapped, paired and provisioned with carrion.

Since 1995, the RWPZ has been the sole breeding facility for the American burying beetle recovery program. Currently, in addition to RWPZ, ABB’s are being housed and reproduced at the Ohio State University and the St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis, Missouri, for an ongoing reintroduction effort in Ohio.

Nantucket Island Project

Pioneering Progress for the American Burying Beetle:

Research is still being conducted by members of the RWPZ, Maria Mitchell Association, and USFW to determine if a self-sustaining population has been established through the reintroduction efforts. 

The American Burying Beetle Project has been a great success in many ways.  First, it has provided a great outlet for Roger Williams Park Zoo to contribute to the conservation of a local endangered species. Many animal specialists employed by the Zoo were given great responsibilities in terms of caring for the beetles as well as overseeing the breeding process.  Their great knowledge and expertise regarding animal care was vital to the Project. In addition, by giving its support, the Zoo staff has gained valuable hands-on experience in breeding these beetles and the opportunity to participate in fieldwork and research, and to learn more about reintroduction methods.  Armed with more knowledge and experience, this has lead the Zoo into other local, endnagered inverterbrate conservation iniatitives making a greater impact on future of inverterbrates and the habitats that they live in.

The collaboration between RWPZ, USFWS, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) and the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife have been a major factor in the successful conservation efforts for this species.  Strong working partnerships can serve as a model for zoos and governmental agencies working jointly on conservation projects, and will show the public that the modern day zoo has become much, much more than just a wildlife park.

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Read an update from the American Burying Beetle Species Coordinator