Daily Conservation Voting

This spring Zoo Boise announced a new conservation initiative aiming to significantly increase the zoo’s conservation efforts and the help the Treasure Valley community raise $1 million every 4 years for wildlife conservation worldwide. In addition to the conservation fee included in daily admissions and Annual Passes, currently $.35 and $3.00 respectively, proceeds from the new Zoo Farm, Conservation Cruise and Giraffe Encounter all help the zoo to reach this goal.

Proceeds from the Conservation Cruise are supporting various wildlife conservation programs through monthly grants of $1,000 to the winner on the Daily Conservation Voting. When you visit Zoo Boise now, everyone in your group will be given a conservation token. These tokens may then be used to vote at the Conservation Station for your favorite species or program. Each month features 3 separate programs and the winner receives a $1,000 grant. Next time you come to Zoo Boise, don’t forget to vote!

Here is who you’ve helped support this year:

April 2010 Winner – Red Panda Network

The Red Panda Network works to save wild red pandas and preserve their natural habitat through the empowerment of local communities. In Nepal, they have worked with villagers to monitor their community forests and educate people about red pandas and their habitat. The Red Panda Network has supported livestock management and reforestation programs that help the local communities to support themselves while simultaneously protecting red pandas. For more information you may visit www.redpandanetwork.org.

May 2010 Winner – Ape TAG Conservation Initiative

Working with AZA accredited zoos across the country the Ape TAG’s (Taxon Advisory Group) goal is to help secure long-term populations of apes in their natural habitats. Their Conservation Initiative is a new program pooling money from various zoos to support 8 projects around the world working to save apes. The $1,000 grant will support the gorilla programs. For more information you may visit www.apetag.org.

June 2010 Winner – Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program

The Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program, in conjunction with Woodland Park Zoo, fosters wildlife and habitat conservation and supports local community livelihoods in Papua New Guinea to save the endangered tree kangaroo. The have worked with the Papua New Guinea government to create a conservation area that protects 180,000 acres of the tree kangaroo’s habitat from hunting, mining and other resource extraction. For more information you may visit www.zoo.org/Page.aspx?pid=1309.