Zoos spend a lot of time and money making sure that their animal habitats are … UK legislation in the form of 1981 Zoo Licensing Act forced zoos to promote ‘public education and awareness in relation to conservation’. Read more about other conservation funding sources. Read more about AZA's Conservation Grants Fund. To assist our accredited … Read about our current projects, and what you can do to at home to save species. Read more about AZA's SAFE granting program. But the new report not only asks for an increase in conservation funding, but also for zoos and aquariums to better educate the public about the plight of the world’s species, to use social media to increase awareness about conservation issues, and to focus on breeding threatened species that actually need a boost in numbers. According to WWF’s 2014 Living Planet Report, global populations of vertebrates (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish) have dropped by a staggering 52 percent from 1970-2010; during the same time the number of humans on the planet grew by nearly 3 billion. Advocates will say zoos … Zoos support a … Now a new report by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) has called on these institutions to raise their ambitions by spending at least 3% of their operational budgets on conservation. A conservation project, Little Fireface, helps protect slow lorises in the wild. According to WAZA, the world’s zoos and aquariums see 700 million visitors every year. “The idea is to make it very clear that the ultimate purpose of zoological institutions is conservation,” said WAZA Executive Director, Gerald Dick. The idea has proven so popular that several zoos in the U.S. have replicated it, putting millions into conservation programmes. This turtle is categorized as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List. LA Zoo Director John Lewis brought in a few baby animals that are endangered to introduce to Jeff Michael and Sharon Tay. A young Eastern lowland gorilla orphaned by poaching has survived thanks to the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education (GRACE) Centre in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Some of the rarest and most unique animals can be seen and even interacted with at the best zoos in the world. “This can be achieved in various ways, and spending money is one important one.”. Read more about AZA's SAFE granting program. This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. The zoo has done extensive work with species that are found in the thick of the fire in the Amazon, like jaguars and pumas. How do we raise money for conservation and habitat preservation if not through zoos? With more than 230 accredited members, AZA continues to build North America's largest wildlife conservation movement. Experts believe around 200 amphibians have gone extinct in modern times. AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction is positioned for continued growth. Conservation … Probably even their biggest critics could agree with this assessment. Read more about other conservation funding sources. But the new report – entitled Committing to Conservation: The World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy – notes that this could be boosted by nearly 200% if all WAZA institutions took on the challenge. The Ueno Zoological Gardens is the oldest zoo in Japan. Conservation is a priority for AZA-accredited institutions and is a key component of their missions. Click the X to close. The project has been supported by a number of zoos. AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums fund over 2500 conservation projects in more than 100 countries and spend on average $160 million on conservation initiatives annually. Large, charismatic animals such as pandas, tigers or elephants draw the crowds. For zoos and aquariums to thrive, they will have to change. Both zoos use the money raised from sales of the paintings for animal conservation. Dick said conservation in zoos “is not new at all” but admits that “[it] possibly has been not enough communicated in the past.”. “You have to start somewhere and remain realistic at the same time,” Dick said of the organisation’s request of 3% for conservation and not more. “Zoos are applying environmental management systems, are taking part in certification schemes and are offering environmentally friendly products in shops and restaurants. These flagship species help to raise the profile and funds for in-situ conservation efforts for the not so well … And, indeed, for most of their history (the first known zoo was over 5,000 years ago in Ancient Egypt), zoos’ sole purpose was to show off exotic animals to the royal, the rich, and the powerful like displaying priceless works of art. Animal Trivia. In 2008, WAZA estimated that the world’s zoos and aquariums were spending around £230 million on conservation efforts every year, including both captive breeding inside the institutions and supporting work in the field. For many of us, zoos will be the only chance we get to see an endangered species, but should zoos do more to protect animals in their wild natural habitat? The best of them have embraced new missions, including scientific research, education for everyone, and, increasingly, conservation. They will have to become bolder when it comes to conservation and more sensitive to shifting public views on animal rights. 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