Conservation projects we support
Complementing our native species conservation efforts and field conservation research, the Phoenix Zoo proudly supports conservation efforts around the world.
The mission of the Arizona Center for Nature Conservation (ACNC)/Phoenix Zoo’s Conservation and Science Department is to provide zoo-based support for conservation in the field. Through our native species conservation and research efforts based at the Phoenix Zoo and our grants programs, we proudly participate in and support meaningful field conservation projects throughout our region and across the globe. Our Conservation & Science Grants Program has helped advance the conservation and research efforts of well over a hundred projects around the world.
Acronyms of note: Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) Species Survival Plan (SSP)
Conservation projects supported by the phoenix zoo:
AFRICAN PAINTED DOG
Through the AZA's SAFE African Painted Dog program, the Phoenix Zoo supports the Cheetah Conservation Initiative's efforts to track and census West Africa's last population of African painted dogs in Senegal's Niokolo-Koba National Park. We also support a range-wide conservation planning process for African painted dogs.
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AMUR LEOPARD
Through WildCats Conservation Alliance, the Phoenix Zoo supports the Wildlife Conservation Society's work to monitor and protect the roughly 100 or fewer wild Amur leopards that remain in northeastern China and the Southwest Primorskii Krai region.
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ANDEAN BEAR
The Phoenix Zoo supports the AZA's SAFE Andean Bear program, which has two priority projects. The range-wide conservation project works with numerous partners to map and prioritize key Andean bear conservation areas across the species' range. Another project works with the Colombian National Natural Park System to identify the best sites for targeted Andean bear habitat restoration and to develop tools to monitor the success of restoration efforts.
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ANDEAN HIGHLAND FLAMINGOS
The Phoenix Zoo supports the AZA's SAFE Andean Highland Flamingo program, which supports the recovery and conservation of Andean, Chilean and Puna flamingos. Currently the program focuses on flamingos in the Andean highlands of northern Chile - conducting research, engaging with the public and assisting with identification, prioritization and designation of critical flamingo habitat.
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ASIAN ELEPHANT
The Phoenix Zoo supports HUTAN and Seratu Aatai's efforts in Malaysia's Kinabatangan region to better understand elephant ecology in agricultural landscapes and to design resilient landscapes for people and elephants to co-exist peacefully.
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ASIAN HORNBILLS
As part of our commitment to AZA's SAFE Asian Hornbill program, the Phoenix Zoo supports Gaia's work to protect and preserve wrinkled hornbills as well as nine other species of hornbills that occur throughout Malaysia. Phoenix Zoo funds are supporting field staff who are installing artificial nest cavities, conducting surveys of natural cavities, documenting breeding behaviours and determining the current distribution of hornbills in Malaysia.
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BLACK-FOOTED FERRET
In addition to serving as one of only six facilities in the world that breeds black-footed ferrets for release to the wild, the Phoenix Zoo supports efforts at release sites to combat disease. Both black-footed ferrets and the prairie dogs they rely on for prey are highly threatened by outbreaks of sylvatic plague - an introduced disease. We have provided funds to Prairie Wildlife Research and Arizona Game and Fish Department to respond to and prevent plague.
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BLUE-BILLED CURASSOW
Phoenix Zoo's Senior Birds Keeper, Kyle Waites, leads Proyecto Paujil - a project that works closely with local coffee farmers in northern Colombia to conduct conservation research on the critically endangered blue-billed curassow. This species has suffered tremendous habitat loss, resulting in the fragmentation of remaining populations. Proyecto Paujil works to understand the status of these populations by directly incorporating local community members in its research. The project also conducts community outreach to increase awareness about the importance of conserving the blue-billed curassow.
BORNEAN ORANGUTAN
The Phoenix Zoo supports ASRI's work with communities and local partners to protect Bornean orangutan habitat in Gunung Palung National Park, Indonesia. Specifically, our funds support the Chainsaw Buyback program that helps transition illegal loggers to alternative livelihoods and youth conservation education efforts that incorporate conservation curriculum at schools, lead national park field trips for youth, and facilitate youth planetary health campaigns.
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CALIFORNIA CONDOR
The Phoenix Zoo supports The Peregrine Fund's work to address the primary threat to California condors - lead poisoning. Specifically, this project conducts trapping, testing and treatment of lead poisoning for condors in Arizona and Utah. Additionally, condors are monitored for highly pathogenic avian influenza and treated if this pathogen is detected.
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CHACOAN PECCARY
The Phoenix Zoo supports the Centro Chaqueño para Conservación e Investigación (CCCI) in the Gran Chaco region of Paraguay. This is the only center in the world exclusively dedicated to the conservation and breeding of the endangered Chacoan peccary. We have collaborated on animal health, veterinary care and scientific research of the Chacoan peccary at the Center. We plan to evaluate potential suitable habitat in the Gran Chaco that could be re-populated with animals from the successful breeding program at the Center and continue other scientific studies that may benefit the amazing biodiversity of the region.
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CHEETAH
Through the AZA Cheetah SAFE program, the Phoenix Zoo supports efforts to bring cheetah conservationists and range country officials together to plan cheetah conservation strategies.
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GIANT ANTEATER
The Phoenix Zoo supports the Anteaters & Highways Project in Brazil, which is working to understand and mitigate the threats that highways pose to giant anteaters. This project also monitors the release of orphaned giant anteater pups to evaluate best practices for reintroductions.
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GIANT ARMADILLO
The Phoenix Zoo supports the Giant Armadillo Conservation Program's work in Brazil to prevent the extinction of giant armadillos by conducting research, managing habitat, lobbying, conducting environmental education activities, addressing human-wildlife conflicts, raising awareness and promoting the species as a flagship species.
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GREY CROWNED CRANE
The Phoenix Zoo supports the Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association's (RWCA's) efforts to conserve grey crowned cranes. RWCA works to end the illegal trade of crowned cranes in Rwanda, rehabilitate and reintroduce privately held captive cranes to the wil and monitor reintroduced cranes. This project also works with communities to protect cranes while providing benefits to community members.
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GREATER ONE-HORNED RHINOCEROS
The Phoenix Zoo supports the International Rhino Foundation's work with local partner Aaranyak and community members near Manas National Park in India to restore rhino habitat in the park, including removing invasive plants that choke out native rhino food plants and have taken over important rhino areas.
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GREVY’S ZEBRA
The Phoenix Zoo supports Grevy's Zebra Trust's "Grevy's Zebra Warrior Program," for which local Samburu warriors monitor wild Grevy's zebra populations in northern Kenya and work with local communities to support them to effectively manage their grass and water resources to benefit people, livestock and wildlife—including zebras.
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HIROLA AND SOMALI GIRAFFE
The Phoenix Zoo supports the Hirola Conservation Program's efforts to conserve the critically endangered hirola antelope as well as Somali giraffe in Kenya. By partnering with local schools, engaging students in conservation activities, training conservation educators and providing educational materials to schools, these efforts are helping raise awareness about hirola and giraffe conservation and cultivate a conservation-conscious generation.
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HYACINTH MACAW
The Phoenix Zoo supports the work of World Parrot Trust and Conservación Loros Bolivianos to conserve hyacinth macaws in the Bolivian Pantanal. Deforestation and fires in this region have greatly reduced the number of nest cavities available for these macaws. This project will train park rangers to install and monitor artificial nest boxes for hyacinth macaws in the San Matias Protected Area.
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KOMODO DRAGON
Through the Komodo SSP's Conservation Fund, the Phoenix Zoo supports efforts in Indonesia to assess annual changes in population density for wild Komodo dragon populations, estimate prey abundance across different Komodo dragon sites, and provide field training and support to Komodo National Park technical and ranger staff to undertake camera trap monitoring activities.
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LION
The Phoenix Zoo supports Lion Landscapes' work to conserve lions and reduce human-lion conflict in Tanzania by supporting the establishment and continuation of wildlife clubs in schools, as well as a teacher training program for these clubs. Students in these wildlife clubs learn about human-wildlife conflict as well as the national parks and wildlife near their communities. They also participate in conservation activities and field trips that allow them to view wildlife in a non-threatening environment.
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LOUISIANA PINE SNAKE
The Phoenix Zoo supports the Memphis Zoo's research to to detect and identify the potential presence of pathogenic protozoan parasites among snakes living in habitat occupied by the imperiled Louisiana pinesnake. The results will inform recommendations for health assessment and screening protocols for zoo-bred Louisiana pinesnakes being released to the wild.
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MANED WOLF
Through the AZA SAFE Maned Wolf program, The Phoenix Zoo supports maned wolf protection and recovery efforts in Argentina. SAFE contributions like ours are being used to support conservation planning efforts as well as GPS-collar tracking of maned wolves that have been rescued, rehabilitated, and released back to the wild.
MARIANA FRUIT DOVE
The Phoenix Zoo supports Pacific Bird Conservation's efforts to provide birds of the Mariana archipelago (including the Mariana fruit dove) with the best possible chances of survival by preserving, maintaining, and establishing self-sustaining populations of native birds secure from threats posed by the invasive brown tree snake.
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MASAI GIRAFFE
The Phoenix Zoo supports the Giraffe Conservation Foundation's work to assess the conservation status of Masai giraffes in Saadani National Park, Tanzania, through intensive photographic mark-recapture surveys. Results will inform local and national giraffe management efforts and aid updates of the overall conservation status of Masai giraffes.
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MEXICAN WOLF
The Phoenix Zoo supports the purchase of trail cameras to assist Arizona Game and Fish Department's efforts to monitor Mexican wolf populations, including monitoring den sites to determine reproductive success.
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NARROW-HEADED GARTERSNAKE
The Phoenix Zoo supports efforts by USGS, in partnership with University of Arizona, to use passive PIT tag arrays to monitor wild narrow-headed gartersnakes in Arizona. This threatened fish-eating snake stays close to waterways, where the arrays can be deployed to detect snakes that have been marked with PIT tags. This monitoring system will help us understand the survivorship of zoo-released and wild narrow-headed gartersnakes.
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NAUTILUS
Phoenix Zoo staff collaborates with Save The Nautilus to study threatened nautiluses in the Indo-Pacific. Some nautilus species have suffered population declines due to harvest for their shells, and other species are data deficient. Save The Nautilus works to understand the status of nautiluses by conducting research to learn more about their population demography, genetics, behavior, reproduction, diet and movement patterns.
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PANCAKE TORTOISE
The Phoenix Zoo supports Lewa Wildlife Conservancy's work in northern Kenya to understand and conserve African pancake tortoises through population surveys and community outreach.
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PENINSULAR PRONGHORN
The Phoenix Zoo supports the conservation and management of endangered peninsular pronghorn through the Peninsular Pronghorn Consortium. As part of a strategy to recover this pronghorn subspecies, the Consortium is helping augment populations of peninsular pronghorn in the Baja Peninsula.
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RADIATED TORTOISE
The Phoenix Zoo supports the AZA's SAFE Radiated Tortoise program, which aims to use the collective expertise of the AZA community to support field partners' work to recover critically endangered radiated tortoises in Madagascar. This includes releasing radiated tortoises confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade into high-quality habitat, along with subsequent monitoring of the tortoises. The program also supports engagement with local communities, including constructing and outfitting schools along with facilitating environmental awareness programs.
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RAYS AND SHARKS
The Phoenix Zoo supports the AZA's SAFE Shark and Ray program, which coordinates action across zoos, aquariums, and a global network of conservation partners to influence positive change for sharks and rays. We help fund conservation initiatives such as planning workshops for species of conservation concern, research on shark and ray health, and Shark & Ray Awareness Day activities.
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RUPPELL’S GRIFFON VULTURE
As part of our commitment to AZA's SAFE African Vulture program, the Phoenix Zoo supports The Peregrine Fund's work in Kenya to monitor and conserve African vultures, including Ruppell's griffon vulture. This project seeks to avert the poisoning of scavenging vultures and predators such as lions that occurs when people retaliate against livestock depredation. The project conducts community-based coexistence trainings to raise awareness about the dangers of poisoning and to teach people how to build predator-proof bomas (corrals) for livestock.
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SAN BERNARDINO SPRINGSNAIL
Complementing our own work to conserve San Bernardino springsnails, the Phoenix Zoo supports work by Cuenca Los Ojos to better understand this threatened invertebrate's distribution and ecological requirements in Sonora, Mexico. This project will map and characterize spring sites and identify where San Bernardino springsnails are present.
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SOUTHERN GROUND HORNBILL
The Phoenix Zoo supports the Mabula Ground Hornbill Project's work in South Africa to reverse the decline of the southern ground hornbill. This project is using reintroduction to rebuild the southern ground hornbill's populations in areas where they have been extirpated and is working to reduce threats to this vulnerable species, such as poisoning, persecution, electrocution and trade.
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SHORT-TAILED CHINCHILLA
The Phoenix Zoo supports the AZA's SAFE Chinchilla program, which works with partners in Chile to verify locations of remaining short-tailed chinchilla colonies and use this data to expand and connect protected areas for population recovery. The project also aims to increase technical and scientific knowledge about the short-tailed chinchilla. Efforts include population genetics research, developing and implementing a permanent monitoring program for chinchilla colonies using camera trap and acoustic recording methodologies, and informing species recovery and conservation decisions within the framework of Chile’s National Short-tailed Chinchilla Conservation and Recovery Plan.
SUMATRAN TIGER
Through the Tiger SSP's Tiger Conservation Campaign, the Phoenix Zoo supports WCS-Indonesia's work to conserve Sumatran tigers by responding to and preventing human-tiger conflict in villages surrounding two important tiger landscapes in Sumatra. In these landscapes, we also help fund ranger patrols that combat poaching and habitat encroachment.
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TORTOISE AND TURTLE, VARIOUS SPECIES
The Phoenix Zoo provides general support for Turtle Survival Alliance's work to protect and restore wild populations of tortoises and freshwater turtles around the world.
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