Every third Friday of May, people around the world celebrate Endangered Species Day. Founded in 2006 by the Endangered Species Coalition and author David Robinson, this day fosters endangered species conservation efforts and education programs.
Wildlife conservation is the protection and preservation of animals, plants, and their environments and is vital to the Sacramento Zoo’s mission. Over the past decade, the Sacramento Zoo has donated more than $1 million to critical conservation efforts around the globe. The World Wildlife Fund found that an average of 68% of global wildlife populations have decreased between 1970 and 2016. There are many stressors contributing to this decline, including habitat loss, climate change, illegal wildlife trade, and more. All these factors make wildlife conservation more important by the day. When species go extinct, it creates a ripple effect that directly impacts the entire ecosystem’s food, water, environment, and more. Wildlife and species conservation help ensure that ecosystems remain healthy and balanced.
Thirty-four endangered and critically endangered species call the Sacramento Zoo home, as seen in the list below.
|
Common Name |
Scientific Name | Status |
| California Tiger Salamander | Ambystoma californiense | Endangered |
| Axolotl | Ambystoma mexicanum | Critically Endangered |
| Golden Mantella | Mantella aurantiaca | Endangered |
| Green Mantella | Mantella viridis | Endangered |
| Desert Tortoise | Gopherus agassizii | Critically Endangered |
| African Pancake Tortoise | Malacocherus tornieri | Critically Endangered |
| Madagascar Spider Tortoise | Pyxis arachnoides | Critically Endangered |
| Madagascar Flat-tailed Tortoise | Pyxis planicauda | Critically Endangered |
| African Spur-thighed Tortoise | Centrochelys sulcate | Endangered |
| Galapagos Tortoise. | Waiting for genetic testing results | Endangered or Critically Endangered- Depends on what species/subspecies they end up being. Waiting on genetic testing results |
| Chinese Three-striped box Turtle | Cuora trifasciata | Critically Endangered |
| Hamiliton’s Pond Turtle | Geoclemys hamiltonii | Endangered |
| Chinese Stripe-necked Turtle | Mauremys sinensis | Critically Endangered |
| Madagascar Big-headed Turtle | Erymnochelys madagascariensis | Critically Endangered |
| Rhinoceros Iguana | Cyclura cornuta | Endangered |
| Chinese Crocodile Lizard | Shinisaurus crocodilurus | Endangered |
| Puerto Rican Boa | Epicrates inornatus | Endangered |
| Catalina Rattlesnake | Crotalus catalinensis | Critically Endangered |
| Himalayan Monal | Lophophorus impejanus | Endangered |
| Black Crowned Crane | Balearica pavonine | Endangered |
| Bateleur Eagle | Terathopius ecaudatus | Endangered |
| Thick-billed Parrot | Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha | Endangered |
| Mongoose Lemur | Eulemur mongoz | Critically Endangered |
| Black and White Ruffed Lemur | Varecia variegata | Critically Endangered |
| White-handed Gibbon | Hylobates lar | Endangered |
| Chimpanzee | Pan troglodytes | Endangered |
| Sumatran Orangutan | Pongo abelii | Critically Endangered |
| Cheetah | Acinonyx jubatus | Endangered |
| Jaguar | Panthera onca | Endangered |
| Snow Leopard | Panthera unica | Endangered |
| Red Panda | Ailurus fulgens | Endangered |
| Grevy’s Zebra | Equus grevyi | Endangered |
| Okapi | Okapia johnstoni | Endangered |
| Bongo | Tragelaphus eurycerus |
Critically Endangered |
Education is key in long-term, sustained conservation efforts. Dr. Eric Jensen, a specialist in science engagement and communication, found that 53% of school children that visited the ZSL London Zoo “had a positive change in conservation-related knowledge areas, personal concern for endangered species or new empowerment to participate in conservation efforts. The study shows that their trip around the zoo provided a statistically significant increase in scientific learning about animals and habitats.”
Just in this year alone, over 12,500 students visited the Sac Zoo on field trips. Thus far in the 2021-2022 school year, our ZooMobile, a program that brings Animal Ambassadors into the community, visited 2,100 students in classrooms and 700 students virtually. All 15,300 of these children had the unique opportunity to learn about endangered species. Engaging children with meaningful, conservation experiences provide the best hope for a bright future for today’s endangered animals.
Want to learn more about the Sacramento Zoo’s conservation efforts? Learn all about the Employee Conservation Program!
Take action! Find ways that you can have an impact on wildlife conservation in your day-to-day life!
Want to help the Sac Zoo make a difference? Consider joining our Sustainer’s Circle and becoming a recurring donor!