Funding supports communities working to save rhinos, giraffes and carnivores
Rhinos, lions, giraffes and other African wildlife got a boost from Oregon this month as the zoo announced $180,000 in support for three community conservation partners over the next three years. Funds will aid the International Rhino Foundation, Somali Giraffe Project and Niassa Carnivore Project in their work for wildlife and communities in four countries throughout Africa.
“We’re well known for our work with native species in the Pacific Northwest, like northwestern pond turtles and silverspot butterflies,” said Melanie Sorensen, the zoo’s education and conservation director. “But we also have a global conservation impact that spans three continents, and we’re thrilled to deepen that commitment with these new partnerships.”
Over the past eight months, the zoo’s conservation and animal care teams connected with community organizations that serve the people and wildlife in Mozambique, Kenya, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Using funds from zoo admissions and a conservation endowment from the Oregon Zoo Foundation, partnerships were established with the following organizations: International Rhino Foundation, Somali Giraffe Project and the Niassa Carnivore Project.
Although these efforts focus mainly on well-known animals like rhinos and lions, Sorensen says the habitat restoration and community education work has far-reaching benefits.
“These conservation efforts provide jobs and resources for community members, and they have a positive impact on countless other species,” Sorensen said. “In fact, 36 different species here at the Oregon Zoo — from naked mole rats to the giant African millipede — represent wildlife that benefits from our partners’ work.”
Sorensen says the collaboration is off to a great start. Members from the Somali Giraffe Project recently stayed up late in Kenya to attend a virtual Oregon Zoo staff meeting, and reports indicate the zoo’s support in Mozambique is already making a difference.
“This partnership with the Oregon Zoo reminds us of what’s possible when organizations work together across the globe, and conservation benefits flow to the wildlife and people who need them most,” said Dr. Colleen Begg, director of the Niassa Carnivore Project. “Our planet needs us, wildlife needs us, and we as a community are tackling these challenges together.”
As part of Metro, the Oregon Zoo helps make greater Portland a great place to call home. Committed to conservation, the zoo acts globally on behalf of species from pikas to polar bears. Over the past 30 years, it has prevented extinctions, expanded populations, advanced conservation science and formed powerful communities to protect wildlife in the Northwest and around the world.
Support from the Oregon Zoo Foundation enhances and expands the zoo’s efforts in species recovery, conservation education and animal well-being. Members, donors and corporate and foundation partners help the zoo make a difference across the region and around the world. To contribute, go to oregonzoo.org/give.
To plan your trip, go to oregonzoo.org/visit. For more information on getting to the zoo, visit Explore Washington Park.