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Phoenix Zoo Grant Program Supports Conservation Efforts Globally

Zoo Awards More Than $40, 000 in International Conservation Grants

PHOENIX (February 15, 2011) – The Phoenix Zoo announced today the recipients of more than $40, 000 in grant funding for international conservation projects as part of the Phoenix Zoo’s Conservation & Science Grants Program. The Phoenix Zoo has a legacy of conservation dating back to the 1960s with their participation in Operation Oryx, an international effort to save the Arabian Oryx from going extinct.

2011 marks the second year of the Zoo’s Conservation and Science Grants Program, which demonstrates the Zoo’s commitment to give back to the animals and habitats that are highlighted on Zoo grounds. “Through these awards we provide essential funding for projects and organizations that share the Zoo’s conservation missions: Support for field conservation efforts with an emphasis on local community involvement and capacity building, ” says Phoenix Zoo CEO and President Bert Castro.

“There is a growing need for grant programs such as ours, ” says Stuart Wells, Director of Conservation and Science for the Phoenix Zoo. “This year, 46 proposals were submitted and reviewed totaling almost $130, 000 in requests, which is up from only 18 applications received last year.” Thanks to an increase in the budget for this program, the Zoo was able to award 15 grants for a total of $41, 865 in project support this year, more than doubling both the numbers of projects and amount awarded last year. Funded projects span 10 countries and four continents and range from field monitoring to lab science, to community conservation education. Zoo staff and volunteers share stories from these field projects with guests visiting the Zoo, helping raise awareness about challenges facing animals in the wild, and building excitement about our conservation commitment in our local community. Our goal is to continue to increase the funds available for the grants program through increased allocation and public support.

Congratulations to the 2011 recipients:

Andean Condor Species Survival Plan® Reintroduction
Steve Shurter, White Oak Conservation Center

Borneo Carnivore Survey Program
Peter Riger, Houston Zoo
Andrew Hearn, University of Oxford, UK, Wildlife Conservation Research Unit
Dr. Benoit Goossens, Cardiff University, UK

Conservation Education Outreach Program with Community Self-help Component in Kisumu, Kenya – Using Existing Framework of Otter Clubs and Hippo Focus Group – Completing Construction of Patrol Boat and Roving Library Creation
Janice Reed-Smith, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Mark Origa, Kisumu Science Teachers Lake Victoria Otter and Wetlands Conservation Group

Continuing to Resolve Conflict through Communication: Using DVD Shows to Help Reduce Human-Carnivore Conflict around Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
Dr. Amy Dickman, University of Oxford, UK, Wildlife Conservation Research Unit

Determining Biological Factors That Influence Mate Choice in the Endangered Black-footed Ferret
Dr. Michelle L. Rafacz, Davee Center for Epidemiology and Endocrinology, Lincoln Park Zoo
Dr. Rachel M. Santymire, Davee Center for Epidemiology and Endocrinology, Lincoln Park Zoo.

Ecology and Conservation of the Endangered Rothschild’s Giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi
Zoe Muller, University of Bristol, UK; Giraffe Conservation Foundation

Hornbill Research and Conservation: Nest Adoption Project and Budo Hornbill Conservation & Education Center, Tapoh Village, Narathiwat Province, Thailand
Dr. Pilai Poonswad, Hornbill Research Foundation

Improving the Conservation Status of the Endangered African Wild Dog in the Zimbabwean Part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area
Dr. Rosemary Joy Groom, African Wildlife Conservation Fund

In situ Conservation of the Greater Bamboo Lemur, Prolemur simus Using Non-Invasive Genetic Techniques
Dr. Cynthia Frasier, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo
Dr. Edward E. Louis, Jr., Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo
Jean-Freddy Ranaivorason, University of Antananarivo Faculty of Sciences

Pathogen Transmission Among Wild and Domestic Ungulates in Central Kenya
Kimberly VanderWaal, University of California – Davis
Dr. Lynne Isbell, University of California – Davis
Dr. Brenda McCowan, University of California – Davis

Population Survey of Cotton-top Tamarins in Northern Colombia
Rosamira Guillen, Fundación Proyecto Tití
Dr. Anne Savage, Proyecto Tití, Inc.
Luis Soto, Fundación Proyecto Tití

Providing an Alternative to Bushmeat in the Eastern DRC: Development and Implementation of a Rabbit Husbandry Workshop for a Rabbit Cooperative Managed by Women in the Local Community
Dr.Tammie Bettinger, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Dr. Alison Grand, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Luitzen Santman, Jane Goodall Institute

Saving the Orangutan of Indonesian Borneo: Building New Relationships Between Local Populations and the Forest at the Policy Level, on the Ground, and in the Hearts and Minds of the Bornean People
Dr. Cheryl Knott, Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Program

Support of Ongoing Training for Local Staff in Sumatran Elephant Conservation
April Yoder, Little Rock Zoo; Elephant Managers Association
Shawn Finnell, Oklahoma City Zoo; Elephant Managers Association

Support to Orang-utan Conservation Through Research in the Lower Kinabatangan, Sabah, Malaysia
Dr. Marc Ancrenaz, HUTAN – Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Project

About the Phoenix Zoo
The Phoenix Zoo is a non-profit zoological park that serves 1.5 million guests annually. Home to more than 1, 300 animals and many endangered and threatened species, the Zoo is dedicated to providing experiences that inspire people and motivate them to care for the natural world. For more information about the Zoo’s upcoming events and conservation efforts visit phoenixzoo.org.