Zoos lead fight to save endangered species

We are the inheritors of a wondrous, spectacular, awesome world. Our world is like nothing else in the universe: it’s a place that calls to us, a place beautiful, luminous, dynamic and alive. Earth, which we have the privilege of calling our home, is defined by its incredible biodiversity, which transforms our planet from a barren rock into a rich tapestry whose fragile threads combine to form a fabric of astonishing beauty and resiliency.

Today’s zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums have accepted a leadership role in preserving Earth’s tapestry for today and for future generations. And that leadership challenge is not a burden. It is a joy.

The purpose of a zoological facility in the 21st Century must be to benefit both animals and humans, and a great zoo or aquarium must create a better future for all. A zoo or aquarium should be a servant to animals, enriching the lives of those who live within its borders and sustaining those outside. That requires extraordinary commitment to — and capability in — animal welfare and species conservation, both core values of modern zoos and aquariums. This week, thousands of zoological professionals will be in Indianapolis to exchange ideas and advance these core values.

Nature has become an increasingly abstract concept to many Americans, and we need to make it relevant again. That’s where AZA and its members successfully step to the forefront. AZA is a community of more than 230 facilities employing thousands of experts in the US and overseas, advancing conservation, education, science and recreation.

AZA members have stepped forward to create new bridges between humans and the natural world, providing committed and expert leadership on species sustainability, and building a collective movement strong enough to turn the tide against a massive wave of animal extinctions. Nobody can do the impossible, but we have done what is improbable: black-footed ferrets, California condors, golden lion tamarin and many more species are still around due to the expertise and talents of zoological professionals.

One of our latest quests is to save vaquita porpoises from almost certain extinction.  The smallest cetacean in the world, there are only around 30 vaquita left on our planet, all in Mexico’s Gulf of California. Working with the Mexican government, AZA members have made extensive commitments of funds, supplies and expertise in a carefully planned mission to prevent yet another species from disappearing from our world forever. While the challenge is immense and the odds are long, we accept the task because saving species is why we exist.

Each year, AZA facilities touch the lives of more than 196 million visitors and are part of the very fabric of our communities. Zoos create personal experiences that build and enhance our sense of being part of this unique planet. Zoos strive to be relevant, effective, and values-driven with the power to transform people, empowering connections with the natural world and developing the next generation of conservationists.

Programs like the Indianapolis Prize, recognized as the world’s leading award for animal conservation, showcase the power of established partnerships between zoological facilities and conservationists working in the field to save species. These relationships are vital to advancing both scientific knowledge and long-term species sustainability. These relationships also recognize, reward and provide a platform for some of the greatest, and often unsung, heroes of this era…champion conservationists who are, in many ways, actually defining the world that our children and grandchildren will inherit.

We live in a critical time, when the International Union for Conservation of  Nature lists nearly 20,000 species as  threatened with extinction.  Those potential extinctions not only impact wildlife, but also the survival of the ecosystems that sustain our own lives.  AZA-accredited, 21st century zoos and aquariums are engaging the public by showcasing the wonders of the wild world, enlightening them to the challenges and opportunities, and empowering people and communities to help sustain our wondrous, spectacular, awesome world for generations to come.

Crowther is the president and CEO of the Indianapolis Zoological Society, Inc. and the Indianapolis Prize, the world’s leading award for animal conservation. Ashe is the president and CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the former director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.