Endangered wildlife are New Orleans bound

Some of the worlds most endangered animals are coming to New Orleans to roam and hopefully repopulate on the Westbank of the Mississippi River. Two of the top zoos in the nation are joining up on a project to help boost the endangered species. The Audubon Institute and the San Diego Global Wildlife Conservancy will be attempting to save more than a dozen hoofed species that are being threatened. Dr. Bob Wiese is the chief life sciences officer from San Diego. We asked how these mammals got into trouble?

''Basically due to encroachment by human population, it's just moved many of these Antelope species to smaller and smaller areas,'' said Wiese.

Listen to Dr. Bob Wiese:

Dr. Wiese said some of these mammals are incredibly rare like the Mountain Bongo.

''It's a forest Antelope and it's a reddish brown with white stripes and there are only about a hundred or so left on the slopes of Mount Kenya,'' said Dr. Wiese.

They will also include rare birds and cranes. The Alliance for Sustainable Wildlife will use most of the 1,400 acres of the Audubon Species Survival Center on New Orleans' Westbank near the Mississippi River. Audubon Nature Institute president Ron Forman says construction should start this year and continue into 2018, with the first animals moving into enclosures next year.

Endangered wildlife are New Orleans bound

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