AZA, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, has awarded almost $165,000 to eight projects selected for the 2024 Conservation Grants Fund (CGF). These initiatives advance efforts to save some of the most at-risk species from extinction.
20 bids totalling more than $417,000 were submitted. Of these, eight projects from various taxonomic groups and geographical areas were chosen by the CGF Scientific Advisory Committee, following thorough consideration. The selected projects will be carried out by staff from AZA member facilities of all sizes, as well as individual AZA members linked with non-profit organisations, government agencies, and universities.
Dan Ashe, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, says: “Saving wildlife and wild places is a responsibility that we all share.
“The Conservation Grants Fund is not only a powerful tool for turning innovative ideas into conservation action, but it also unites experts from AZA-accredited facilities, conservation organizations, research institutions and local communities. This year’s projects demonstrate the amplified impact collaboration can have across the world.”
2024 CGF grantees
The selected projects fit with AZA’s core conservation initiative, SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction, which identifies at-risk species as the priority for the community’s work and resources. AZA remains committed to promoting collaborative conservation among its members in order to guarantee that SAFE species initiatives achieve their objectives.
In support of these efforts, the CGF Scientific Advisory Committee met online in June to assess and offer recommendations on the funding allocation for the 2024 CGF awards.
The 2024 CGF recipients are:
A SAFE Landing for Midsouth Monarchs. Steve Reichling, PhD, and Gail Karr, Memphis Zoo, Tennessee; Fields Falcone, Overton Park Conservancy, Memphis, Tennessee.
AZA SAFE African Lion: Growing Partners and Measuring Impact. Lily Maynard, PhD, Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, Ohio; Christine Eckles, Blank Park Zoo, Des Moines, Iowa; Chelsea Mihalick, Roosevelt Park Zoo, Minot, North Dakota.
Establishing Sperm Cryopreservation Protocols to Support Genetic Management of the Whooping Crane (Grus Americana). Nucharin Songsasen, DVM, PhD, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, D.C.; Kim Boardman, International Crane Foundation, Baraboo, Wisconsin.
Project PRAIRIE Conservation Institute. Alexandra Burris, PhD, Mitchell Magdich, and Rowan Schuelke, Toledo Zoo and Aquarium, Toledo, Ohio.
Protecting the Vultures of Northern Tanzania. Corinne Kendall, PhD, Vainess Laizer, and Claire Bracebridge, PhD, North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro, North Carolina.
Saving Critical Overwintering Habitat for the Migratory Monarch Butterfly in Central Mexico. Shiran Hershcovich and Rich Reading, PhD, Butterfly Pavilion, Westminster, Colorado.
Sunflower Sea Star eDNA Development. Ashley Kidd, Sunflower Star Laboratory, Monterey Bay, California; Zachary Gold, PhD, NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle, Washington; Michael Dawson, PhD, University of California, Merced, California.
The Use of Automated Penguin Monitoring Systems as a Tool to Monitor Resource Competition and Other At-sea Threats around African Penguin Breeding Colonies in South Africa. Eleanor Weideman and Alistair McInnes, PhD, BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg.
Since it was established, the CGF has been a key component of AZA’s efforts to support collaborative conservation initiatives with its members and partners. Between 1991 and 2023, the CGF donated more than $9 million to 483 projects around the world.
The CGF is made possible through the generous support of private donors, as well as revenue generated through marketing and licensing agreements. These funds allow AZA to support a variety of programmes including the eight projects awarded in 2024. The Association remains dedicated to furthering its efforts and invites ongoing support from donors and partners to ensure the success of future initiatives.
Last September, more than 2,300 zoo and aquarium professionals gathered in Calgary, Canada for the AZA Annual Conference. As part of the conference, 33 new facilities were accredited by AZA. The event also included a trade show floor with over 150 exhibitors and a programme of engaging events, including an icebreaker at Heritage Park and a Zoo Day at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, Canada’s most-visited zoo.
