Oakland Zoo in California has launched a conservation plan focusing on issues like species and habitat protection, and wildlife trade mitigation.
Per a press release, many species across the world are declining and need human intervention to tackle the threats they face.
By defining a clear plan, Oakland Zoo can organise its resources and energy to make a difference, it said.
The strategic plan outlines the zoo’s conservation goals for the next three years. Oakland Zoo will focus on three pillars, which are:
- Species and habitat protection
- Wildlife trade mitigation
- Human-wildlife coexistence
In the first year of the three-year plan, the zoo will prioritise human-wildlife coexistence.
Zoo to focus on human-wildlife coexistence
It aims to increase wildlife’s ability to move between landscapes, expand recovery programmes, invest in habitat restoration efforts, and participate in legislative initiatives.
“Now is the time for bold, transformative action in conservation, both here in the San Francisco Bay Area and across the nation and world,” said Nik Dehejia, the zoo’s CEO.
He added, “As climate change accelerates, human populations grow, and environmental crises escalate, hesitation is no longer an option.
“We must act decisively, innovate relentlessly, value local knowledge, and refocus our efforts before irreversible damage is done.”
Oakland Zoo started integrating conservation into its work in 1986 by educating the public on elephants, tackling the ivory trade, and supporting conservation programs in Kenya.
Its later local conservation highlights include helping to rescue mountain lions, reintroducing native frogs to their natural habitats, and increasing the North American bison population.
Global conservation highlights include helping to protect chimpanzees in Uganda, and assisting with victims of the wildlife pet trade.
Oakland Zoo to organise resources
“With decades of commitment to wildlife, communities, and the environment, along with our extensive experience, we have built a strong foundation to launch this strategic plan,” said Amy Gotliffe, VP of conservation at the zoo.
Images courtesy of Oakland Zoo
