ATLANTA — Zoo Atlanta announced it was committing itself to seven different international conservation programs thanks to funding from the Zoo’s Mabel Dorn Reeder Conservation Endowment Fund.
Heading into 2025, the zoo will be partnering with different programs focused on red pandas, orangutans, Panamanian golden frogs, drill monkeys, clouded leopards, gorillas, chimpanzees and radiated tortoises.
Each year, the Mabel Dorn Reeder Conservation Endowment Fund provides grants that help Zoo Atlanta amp up its global conservation impact, according to zoo officials.
The projects chosen are proposed by members of the Zoo Atlanta team and chosen after review by a committee. The committee approves programs for inclusion based on how they tie into the zoo’s mission, the conservation status and needs of the species, the conservation significance and the inclusion of both community outreach and education.
“Partnerships are a key aspect of the big-picture strategy that is essential to the long-term success and viability of any conservation effort,” Raymond B. King, President and CEO, said in a statement. “We are excited that in the year to come, our Mabel Dorn Reeder Conservation Endowment Fund will support seven projects, each championed by Zoo Atlanta team members with a passion for making a difference for wildlife.”
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Here are the programs Zoo Atlanta will take part in, and where they’re from:
- Red Panda Network – Nepal
- Funding from Zoo Atlanta will support construction of a greenhouse and shade house, each with the capacity to produce and nurture more than 22,000 native seedlings. The trees will contribute to reforestation of wild red panda habitat and sustainable incomes for local communities. The project was championed by Kenn Harwood, Curator of Mammals.
- Borneo Orangutan Survival USA – Borneo
- For more than 30 years, Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) has been a leader in rehabilitating orphaned orangutans through its Forest School, with more than 520 individuals successfully returned to the wild and monitored in protected rainforest habitats. The project was championed by Lynn Yakubinis, Lead Keeper of Primates.
- El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center (EVACC) Foundation – Panama
- Based in El Valle de Antón, Panama, the EVAAC Foundation focuses on the conservation of the Panamanian golden frog – a species which is extinct in the wild and currently housed only in assurance populations within human care, including Zoo Atlanta – and other Panamanian amphibians through research, breeding, protection, reintroduction, and local education. The project was championed by Evan Hoiland, Herpetology Keeper.
- Pan African Sanctuary Alliance – Cameroon
- The Pan African Sanctuary Alliance’s Green Project is a collaborative effort that incentivizes long-term, sustainable community engagement in conservation to protect the biodiverse habitat of Mt. Cameroon National Park, home to a fragile population of endangered drill monkeys. The project was championed by Pam Miller, Primate Keeper.
- Wildlife Alliance Veal Pi Ranger Station – Cambodia
- Wildlife Alliance aims to implement an anti-poaching program to address clouded leopard mortality due to poachers’ snares in the Cardamom Rainforest, an area crucial for the survival of this and other species. The program assists in law enforcement patrolling and snare removal. The project was championed by Michelle Elliott, Mammal Keeper.
- Goualougo Triangle Ape Project – Republic of Congo
- The Goualougo Triangle Ape Project works to mitigate threats to gorillas, chimpanzees, and their habitats. Through research, training, and local partnerships, the effort seeks to facilitate sustainable coexistence and to enhance and strengthen conservation policies across the Congo Basin. The project was championed by Jodi Carrigan, Curator of Primates.
- Turtle Survival Alliance – Madagascar
- Funding from Zoo Atlanta will support health diagnostics, supplies, and veterinary students for health screening of radiated tortoises confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade prior to rewilding the animals. The project was championed by Kate Leach, DVM, Senior Veterinarian.
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