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Intro...
Since 1997, the Blank Park Zoo Conservation Committee has raised funds for a variety of conservation projects around the world. The primary projects are focused on protecting animals or their natural ecosystems and have a tie to the Blank Park Zoo. Monies are raised through face painting, coin drop, raffles at special events, an inkjet/cell phone recycling program with AAA Environmental, photos and photo greeting card sales, and a conservation calendar. Staff members from the Great Ape Trust also sit on the Committee.
Projects...
The 2007 projects are still under discussion. We do know we will be sponsoring the International Snow Leopard for our eighth year and the Hornbill Research Project for our fourth year.
The Committee has chosen a local project – interested individuals who can knit or crochet make nests to be used by wildlife rehabilitators in caring for baby animals. BPZCC is helping to spread the word, will collect the nests, and then coordinate their distribution to the rehabilitators.
Stay tuned for more information about our 2007 projects…..
In 2006, the Conservation Committee elected four projects.
For the first time in our seven years of sponsorship, the International Snow Leopard Trust did not have a specific project for our funds to support. The ISLT has a wide variety of programs across Asia that assists the local people and helps to protect the snow leopards. Our funds will be put where they are most needed.
Once again, we continued our support of the hornbill project in Thailand. Local people are hired to protect the nesting sites of the hornbills and collect data about the birds during their nesting period. The people are able to support their families by protecting the hornbills, rather than by poaching them. Poaching is down to almost zero in the areas surrounding this project – a great success story!
In honor of Dr. Ben Beck of the Great Ape Trust, the Conservation Committee elected to sponsor the Golden Lion Tamarin reintroduction project in Brazil. These brilliant-colored monkeys were almost extinct in the wild, and Dr. Beck has been involved in the longest running primate reintroduction project in the world – over 20 years!
If you've visited the Water Lab of the Zoo's Discovery Center, you've probably seen the Panamanian Golden Frogs exhibit. These frogs are highly endangered and the Conservation Committee is helping to sponsor a reintroduction program to release captive-bred Golden Frogs back into the wild in Panama. The Blank Park Zoo is currently learning to breed this endangered species with the hope that one day we will become a certified breeding facility for animals to be released to the wild.
Past programs have included:
- Rainforest Parking Meter – Funds go to a parking meter in Guatemala
- Black/White Ruffed Lemur reintroduction – Madagascar
- International Snow Leopard Trust – 2007 is our 8th year
- Flamingo Census – Andes Mountains, South America
- ISU Rehabilitation Center
- African Wildlife Foundation
- Hornbill Research Foundation
- Rodriguez Fruit Bat Education Program – Rodriguez
- International Wolf Center
- Coral Reef National Park – Palau
- Penguin Project – Patagonia
- Green Gully Project – Australia
The Blank Park Zoo's Conservation Committee would like to thank you for your outstanding support. We had a record-setting year in 2006 for our fundraising efforts. We look forward to your continued support of our conservation efforts!
If you'd like to become a member of the Blank Park Zoo Conservation Committee, or have questions about our recycling program, call (515) 323-8383.
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