he Virginia Zoo Research and Conservation Fund, established in 2001, is funded by the Education Department of the Virginia Zoo and donations. A portion of each registration fee for all family and school programs is appropriated to this fund. The purpose of this fund is to further conservation efforts currently being done to preserve and protect wildlife species, both native and non-native. Your help, in the form of donations to this fund, is greatly appreciated and will be used towards one of the most important missions of our zoo...conserving wildlife in its natural habitat.

Make an online contribution to the Virginia Zoo's Research and Conservation Fund.

Project proposals are submitted to the Education Director throughout the fiscal year. Bi-annually a final project is voted upon and the funds allocated to that conservation project. To date, this fund has sponsored four initiatives.

The first, a proposal submitted by Mike Wahop, the Zoo's Senior Reptile Keeper, was to acquire four endangered Sungazer lizards (Cordylus giganteus), native to South Africa. The purpose of acquiring these animals was to encourage a breeding program. From this program offspring could be transferred to other zoo's participating in a breeding program of this species. This would establish a viable captive population that might one day be utilized to re-establish wild populations. These animals arrived in August of 2001. All four lizards are healthy and have been relocated to a new outdoor exhibit at the Zoo.

The second initiative was completed in December 2001 through funds sent to the Zoo Conservation Outreach Group (ZCOG). ZCOG is a non-profit coalition of North American zoological facilities, corporate partners, and individuals dedicated to assisting Latin American zoos and aquariums in their regional wildlife and habitat conservation efforts. Our funds were allocated to their Scarlet Macaw Conservation Initiative in South America. This project is a captive breeding and selective reintroduction project designed to help restore endangered Scarlet macaw populations to parts of their former geographic range within Costa Rica. We helped finance the design, printing and distribution of educational materials to children attending schools surrounding the national park where the macaws are being released. The materials cover the biology, behavioral ecology, and conservation status of Costa Rica's Scarlet Macaws, and provide messages about the negative affects of hunting and wildlife trafficking on Costa Rica's native bird populations.

The third initiative was to become partners in the Butterfly Conservation Initiative (BFCI). This program was started to bring together non-governmental organizations and government agencies to aid in the recovery of imperiled butterflies in North America and involve the public in outreach, education and community conservation activities. BFCI is managed by AZA in cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Xerces Society.

The forth initiative will be to purchase a Rainforest Conservation Parking Meter, through the Center for Ecosystem Survival (CES), which will be placed within the zoo. This meter program successfully combines educational information about conservation with the opportunity for individual action. Funds collected from the meter will be collected on a quarterly basis and distributed to CES.

For more information or to donate money to the Conservation and Research Fund, please contact the Education Department at education@virginiazoo.org