Conservation Projects

Madagascar Fauna Group: The Zoo is continuing to support the Madagascar Fauna Group and Parc Ivoloina

Snow Leopard Conservancy: SLC engages local people in a discussion of their needs and ideas on how to live harmoniously with snow leopards. SLC builds upon traditional beliefs and empowers communities to benefit economically by maintaining a balanced ecosystem for the snow leopard. Employment, education and alternative-income projects, such as tourist homestay lodging, are the cornerstone of SLC's success.

Conservation Strategy Fund: Teaches environmental organizations how to use economic s and strategic analysis to conserve nature. Over a 1000 graduates and 88 countries have participated in the training course “Economic Tools for Conservation” at Stanford. The Zoo funds one scholarship.

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges. It supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world and brings governments, non-government organizations, United Nations agencies, companies and local communities together to develop and implement policy, laws and best practice. The IUCN Red List is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species.

Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF): In partnership with the AZA Ratite Taxon Advisory Group, SCF has developed an Adopt-an-Ostrich Program to support the acquisition, care and feeding of pure-bred Saharan ostrich in Niger, to help maintain the ostrich facilities, and to improve capacity for ostrich management. $500 will cover the care of one ostrich in Niger for a year. The San Francisco Zoo adopted two ostrich in 2011.

The World Parrot Trust (WPT): As a leader in parrot conservation and welfare, the World Parrot Trust works with parrot enthusiasts, researchers, local communities and government leaders to encourage effective solutions that protect parrots. To do this, they focus on conducting and supporting field conservation projects, working to eliminate the international trade in wild caught parrots and increasing awareness of the plight of parrots, in the wild and in captivity. The Zoo partnered with WPT in 2011.

Jane Goodall Institute: A colorful, educational wishing well kiosk is located in the Zoo’s Wildlife Connection gift shop and supports the institute’s work. All the coins collected support chimpanzee habitat preservation and conservation.

Madagascar Wildlife Research: Supporting SF Zoo veterinarian Graham Crawford, the Zoo will be directly assisting the wildlife of Madagascar through important veterinary research and disease prevention. The Madagascar donation box is located on the boardwalk of the Lipman Lemur Forest.

Lions of Laikipia: Lions in Africa are in severe decline. In response, the Zoo is sponsoring a lion guardian program in Laikipia District of Kenya which is transforming young Massai men from lion killers into lion protectors. This project is coordinated through the Laikipia Predator Project. The Laikipia Predator Project donation box is located at the South Savanna overlook in the Leanne Roberts African Savanna.

Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund: The Zoo is partnered with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund to provide scholarships for conservation students working in their communities in Africa. The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund donation box is located in the Jones Family Gorilla Preserve.

San Francisco Garter Snake Project: Provides funds for the Zoo’s collaborative efforts on behalf of the garter snake, includes captive breeding, habitat restoration, education and outreach, and support of local, state and federal agencies. The San Francisco garter snake project donation box is located at the Koret Animal Resource Center in the Children’s Zoo.

“What a Dollar Can Do” Program: Visitors can donate an extra dollar at admissions to go toward conservation projects the Zoo supports.

Greenie’s Conservation Corner: A demonstration garden highlighting energy conservation, sustainable practices, and water conservation. Besides raised bed gardens growing food for Zoo animals, the garden includes flowers for plant pollinators, active bee hives, a solar powered garden fountain, wind generator, bat houses, and a rain harvesting system using the roof of a repurposed 1906 earthquake refugee shack.

Coastal Dune Plant Restoration:The Zoo’s horticulture team and volunteers are restoring portions of the Zoo’s native sand dunes with locally native plants.

Lake Merced Habitat Restoration:The Zoo Crew, a group of middle school youth volunteers, are the site stewards of the south end of Lake Merced. The Zoo Crew removes trash, pulls invasive plants, plants natives, monitors water quality, and does biodiversity surveys. The Zoo is a member of the Lake Merced Task Force, which supports the management and restoration of Lake Merced.

Western Pond Turtle (WTP) Project:: This project is a partnership between the San Francisco Zoo, the Oakland Zoo, and Sonoma State University. The project goals are to determine the critical temperature and timing of sex determination in WPT in order to optimize male-female sex ratios for ex-situ incubation and to establish a WPT head starting program at San Francisco Zoo and Oakland Zoo. These two goals are essential to the immediate conservation and ultimate recovery of the turtle. This project received an Association of Zoos and Aquariums Conservation Endowment Fund grant in 2008.

San Francisco Garter Snake Project: In 2005, the Zoo and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) embarked on the San Francisco garter snake recovery plan. Live garter snakes are used to educate the Bay Area community about the threats to the snake and its habitat, while a triage and quarantine facility has been set up at the Zoo to treat injured wild snakes.

Mori Point Habitat Restoration: Youth volunteers and Zoo staff participate in habitat restoration efforts in collaboration with Golden Gate National Recreation Area to benefit San Francisco garters snakes and the threatened California red-legged frog.

Yellow Legged Frog: Following the request of AZA for each AZA facility to adopt an endangered amphibian species, the San Francisco Zoo has decided to become amphibian champions for the severely endangered Sierra Yellow Legged Frog. Partnering with San Francisco State University and the National Parks Service the Zoo will began displaying rescued Yellow Legged Frogs. We are hoping to set up a breeding population in the future.

Pacific Chorus Frog Project: The aim of this project is to restore this native frog to the wetlands around the Zoo. Over 600 tadpoles were raised and released in 2007 and in 2008 twenty additional “froglets” were released into the Lurie Education Center wetland pond. In 2009 additional tadpoles and egg masses were released into the pond and an educational exhibit was set up at the wetland pond for additional metamorphs.

California Condors: Zoo staff volunteered to help rebuild California condor holding facilities in Big Sur for the Ventana Wildlife Society’s Condor Reintroduction Program after a fire destroyed the facility. In addition, the Zoo’s veterinary staff is working with biologists to provide a triage space at the Zoo for injured condors.

Eagle Breeding Program: From 1985-2007, the Zoo operated the largest and most successful bald eagle conservation effort by breeding, hatching and releasing 103 eagle chick on the Channel Islands of California. With bald eagle numbers soaring and our work in Southern California winding down, the Zoo has refocused the program to benefit the conservation of the world’s other great eagles through the global Eagle Conservation Alliance.

Great Backyard Bird Count: Sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, this nationwide bird count provides insight into what kinds of birds inhabit different areas and gives an indication of how bird populations are affected in different environments. The count is every February and Zoo staff and volunteers participate by counting birds on Zoo grounds.

Christmas Bird Count: Golden Gate Audubon Society utilizes Zoo grounds as part of the annual Christmas Bird Count. This yearly event is an important estimate of the health of local bird populations and migratory bird health.

Earthwatch Program: SF Zoological Society Board of Directors, past and present, donate funds annually to support staff participation in Earthwatch expeditions. 2010 marks the 20th year of this support from our Board for this empowering professional development program.

Earthwatch Program: The Zoo’s teen volunteers are nominated annually by staff for the Teen Challenge grant through Earthwatch Institute. So far four teens have participated in climate change studies from Canada to New Jersey.

Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN): WCN fosters the entrepreneurial spirit in the field of conservation by partnering with independent, community-based conservationists around the world and provide them with the capital and tools they need to develop solutions for human-wildlife coexistence. A number of Zoo staff volunteer regularly for this local organization and WCN has partnered with the Zoo to raise awareness and funds for snow leopard research, Andean mountain cat conservation, and volunteer recognition.

Science Saturdays: The Zoo’s science lecture series brings renowned conservation experts from around the world to share stories and photographs as they talk about important conservation projects and discoveries. The lectures are free to Zoo guests, staff and volunteers.

AZA Programs: Zoo animal care staff are active in conservation programs for endangered species within the Zoo community. The Zoo is presently participating in 27 Specie Survival Programs (SSP), participates in 76 studbooks and currently facilitates 5 studbooks, participates in 45 Population Management Plans (PMPs), and has staff institutional representatives for 33 Taxon Advisory Groups (TAGs).

Vet Programs: The Zoo’s veterinarians and technicians work closely with outside agencies to prepare zoo and wildlife agencies for potential zoonotic diseases and potential human health issues. For example, the Zoo participated in planning the state’s response to Avian Flu and participates in West Nile Virus monitoring. The hospital also actively trains interns and externs from veterinary programs around the world.

Advancing Bear Care 09’ Conference: Hosted by the San Francisco Zoo in November 2009, close to 75 bear researchers, veterinarians, and animal care staff from around the world came to the bay area and the San Francisco Zoo for this important three day conference.

Research Project Support: The Zoo’s animal departments and vet hospital are actively assisting researchers around the world by supplying tissue, blood and fecal samples, monitoring behavior and breeding cycles, participating in hormone and birth control studies, and facilitating other research requests submitted by zoo and academic researchers. In addition, the Zoo has an extensive DNA Bank that can be used for research in the future at the Zoo and for researchers around the world.