Making an Impact: Zoo Works to End Wildlife Extinction

Community enjoying the Zoo during Hiland Dollar Day. Photo Credit: Karen Caster

LITTLE ROCK (October 3, 2024) - The Little Rock Zoo is a treasure to our community. Although our zoo is one of the largest tourist attractions in the state, it plays an even more important role as a conservation organization. Our zoo saves animals from extinction and inspires the next generation to value and conserve our natural world.

Zoo conservation programs are critical to conserving animals in the wild. So much so that the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), one of the world’s foremost authorities on species conservation, states “Zoos, aquariums and botanic gardens are critical conservation partners, and their role should not be under-valued, under-recognized or misunderstood.”

IUCN goes on to further state that many species would be extinct in the wild would it not be for the actions and expertise of zoos. Species such as the California condor and the black-footed ferret would be extinct if not for the successful breeding and reintroduction programs of zoos, and those are just a few examples.

Zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) provided more than $200 million in direct support for conservation projects around the world last year. Accredited zoos like the Little Rock Zoo use high standards for animal care and welfare focused on how to improve the lives of animals. Our zoos use knowledge, experience and research to create best practices and monitor if our animals are thriving.

Animals are given homes crafted around their natural history, and zoo staff work daily to provide enriching environments that elicit natural behaviors. Animals are monitored and data is collected so that adjustments can be made to daily routines and environments to ensure the well-being of animals. We don’t “guess” if an animal is happy or sad based on an anthropomorphic judgment, but assess wellness based on qualified experience and observational data. This leads to a better quality of life for all our animals and conservation success for the organization.

The Little Rock Zoo has partnered with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the University of Arkansas, and others to help save the eastern collared lizard, a reptile indigenous to the Ozark glades. Our zoo breeds this animal for release and also works on glade restoration. More than four dozen lizards were released last year as part of this conservation project. The Little Rock Zoo also sends staff abroad through our Zoo Foundation to assist the work of conservation organizations working in the field to save wildlife. The expertise of our staff has been called on to assist cheetahs in Namibia, African penguins in South Africa, Malayan tigers in Thailand and sloth bears in India and Indonesia.

As our world becomes more fragile and wild places become even more vulnerable, zoos are becoming more and more critical in the fight to save species. Through our education programs and our critical conservation efforts, the Little Rock Zoo is making an impact. Investing in the Little Rock Zoo is an investment in a conservation organization working to end wildlife extinction and inspire the next generation of biologists, researchers and conservationists.

Consider making a donation to the Little Rock Zoo today. Your support helps us continue our vital conservation efforts and ensures a future where wildlife thrives for generations to come.

About the author

Susan Altrui

Susan Altrui, Director of the Little Rock Zoo