OUR MISSION
Our mission is to foster an appreciation for wildlife and the environment that will inspire active participation in conservation. The zoo participates in programs and initiatives that help save wildlife, and it teaches others how they can help prevent species extinction and resource depletion.
PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
Animal Management Programs
Elmwood Park Zoo works with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to ensure the survival of critically endangered species.
AZA species survival plan (ssp)
The mission of this program is to manage the specific species populations within AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums. The species being managed are often either threatened or endangered and must be conserved in order to ensure their survival. In addition to breeding plans, the SSP ensures that the zoo is coordinating with other AZA facilities to maintain a healthy and diverse animal population.
Animals managed by the SSP
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- African Straw-Colored Fruit Bat
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- Burrowing Owl
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- Chacoan Peccary
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- Giraffe
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- Golden Lion Tamarin
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- Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra
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- Jaguar
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- Nene
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- North American Porcupine
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- North American River Otter
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- Ocelot
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- Panamanian Golden Frog
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- Pancake Tortoise
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- Prehensile-Tailed Skink
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- Red Panda
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- Snowy Owl
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- White-Faced Saki Monkey
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- Wood Turtle
Conservation Projects
The zoo supports both national and international organizations whose work benefits wildlife and their natural habitats.
Red Panda Network
The Red Panda Network is committed to saving wild red pandas and preserving their habitat through the empowerment of local communities by community-based research, education and carbon mitigation. The network’s community-based monitoring program, Project Punde Kundo, trains locals of Eastern Nepal as professional forest stewards or “forest guardians.” These guardians organize workshops that provide educational training about the importance of red pandas and the fragility of the Eastern Himalayan ecosystem.
American Bird Conservancy
Established in 1994, the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is dedicated to achieving conservation results for birds of the Americas. By addressing many of the factors that threaten birds, such as free roaming cats, window strikes and the use of pesticides, the ABC aims to eliminate the impact of these threats and improve habitat conditions for migratory and resident birds on the U.S. WatchList. Their efforts protect a large number of bird species as well as help safeguard rare and endangered species from extinction.
El Centro Chaqueño para la conservación e investigación
CCCI began in 1985 with a goal of starting research and captive breeding programs for the Taguå (Chacoan Peccary) due to their alarming decline. In 2010, The Taguå Project became CCCI, a non-governmental organization that continues to expand the work of captive breeding, conservation, health, and sustainable development with an emphasis on the Chaco region of Paraguay. CCCI's has a number of ongoing projects that align with their mission to act as a center for research of national and international information and to strengthen and improve the system of monitoring and management of protected areas, both public and private.
Northern Jaguar Project
Uniting organizations on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, the Northern Jaguar Project strives to preserve essential jaguar habitats through the establishment, care, and expansion of a safe-haven sanctuary in northern Mexico. They aspire to restore habitats suitable for jaguars and other threatened and endangered species, to support wildlife research and educational programs, and to reduce conflicts between carnivores and humans.AZA ACCREDITATION
Elmwood Park Zoo is proud to be one of only 230 institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. Elmwood Park Zoo’s accreditation was renewed in September of 2022.
PARTNERS
