Conservation at Roger Williams Park Zoo
Conservation at Roger Williams Park Zoo
Conservation and environmental stewardship are at the core of our mission here at Roger Williams Park Zoo. The Zoo has been the recipient of numerous awards for conservation work done both locally and around the globe, and we maintain a reputation as a leader in conservation efforts undertaken by a zoo of our size.
What We're Doing
Much of our conservation work is invisible to Zoo visitors but the impact is literally worldwide. We dedicate our staff to care for and breed species that, without human intervention, would face certain extinction. We do this work in partnership with 200 other zoos active in the Species Survival Plan Program administered by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. In addition, numerous hands-on conservation projects have recently taken our staff, partners and volunteers to sites in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Wyoming, Canada, and Panama. Our commitment to contributing significantly to conservation science will continue.
Read more about our conservation work >
What You Can Do
We seek to engage our visitors in such a way that they become aware of the connection between human actions and the state of the environment on which healthy, diverse wildlife populations depend. We provide ways for citizens to directly engage in having a positive impact on these concerns.
See what you can do >
Conservation Grants
Since 1989 we have provided financial support through the Sophie Danforth Conservation Biology Fund to conservation biologists working around the world to protect wildlife.
Learn about funded projects and how to apply >
Achievements
2010
AZA’s Significant Achievement Award for North American Conservation for the Karner Blue Butterfly Conservation Program
AZA’s Outstanding Achievement Award for our contributions to the FrogWatch USA program
2009
Senator John H. Chaffee Outstanding Conservation Program Award for work done by the RWP Zoo chapter of the national FrogWatch USA program
2008
AZA’s Significant Achievement Award for International Conservation, given to RWP Zoo in conjunction with 8 other AZA zoos, for support of the Tarangire Elephant Project in Tanzania, Africa
2007
AZA’s North American Conservation Award for contributions to the Red Wolf Recovery Program
2006
Edward H. Bean Award granted to the American Burying Beetle Conservation Program, in recognition of outstanding contributions in helping achieve AZA’s vision of building North America’s largest wildlife conservation movement
AZA lists the American Burying Beetle Conservation Program as “one of the top 10 conservation success stories of 2006”
