Conservation Partners

Lion Recovery Fund

In the past 25 years, the global population of lions has decreased by half. Only about 20,000 individuals remain from a population of 200,000 a century ago.

The Wildlife Conservation Network’s Lion Recovery Fund aims to address this issue by providing financial resources for on-the-grounds conservation efforts throughout Africa. The Lion Recovery Fund invests in projects that 1) protect lions from intentional poaching, incidental capture in snares, retaliatory killings, and other threats; 2) protect habitats from destruction by unsustainable development practices, such as farming, mining, logging, charcoal production, etc.; 3) protect prey from poaching for bushmeat, excessive competition with domestic livestock, destruction of migratory pathways, and other threats. The Wildlife Conservation hopes to double the number of lions in Africa to approximately 40,000 individuals by 2050.

In 2025, the Virginia Zoo donated $10,000 to support the Lion Recovery Fund’s community guardians. Visit the Lion Recovery Fund’s website here to learn more.

Action for Cheetahs in Kenya

According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), cheetahs are vulnerable to extinction. Less than 7,000 individual cheetahs remain in the wild, and there are fewer than 1,400 living in Kenya.

Action for Cheetahs in Kenya (ACK) aims to promote the conservation of cheetahs through research, awareness, and community participation in Kenya. This organization currently has three ongoing conservation projects – Scat Dogs, Ginger’s Hope, and Cheetah Outreach Optimizing Livelihoods (COOL) Crafts. ACK’s Scat Dog program uses dogs to locate cheetah scat conduct non-invasive research on these animals’ DNA, prey preferences, and overall health. COOL Crafts is a community-based program that empowers local artisans by helping them create and market their beadwork, textiles, and eco-friendly crafts. Ginger’s Hope is a rabies campaign that aims to reduce the spread of rabies among domestic dogs, humans, and wildlife in Kenya’s Samburu County. COOL Crafts strengthens ACK’s conservation efforts by building relationships with locals and offering an alternative livelihood to reduce human-wildlife conflict.

In 2025, the Virginia Zoo donated $17,500 to support ACK’s important conservation work!

Giraffe Conservation Foundation

Giraffes are currently in the midst of a silent extinction. While their populations have decreased by nearly 30% in the past 35 years, many people don’t know that giraffe species are threatened with extinction. In fact, in regions once considered to be prime habitats for giraffes, their populations have decreased by up to 95%, and nearly 90% of their historical range is no longer suitable habitat.

The Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) is the only non-governmental organization (NGO) in the world that focuses only on the conservation and management of giraffes in the wild throughout Africa. The GCF supports population surveys, translocations, veterinary medicine projects and more across 21 African countries. Click this link to learn more about GCF’s diverse conservation initiatives!

In 2025, the Virginia Zoo donated $10,000 to support GCF’s important conservation work! In 2025, the Virginia Zoo Conservation and Research Grant also funded Africa Keeper Tiffany’s trip to Namibia to assist with giraffe population studies.

Nature Conservation Foundation

There are 62 species of hornbills around the world – 32 in Asia and 30 in Africa. Currently, 26 of the 62 species are considered threatened or near threatened with extinction. While the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists other species as being of least concern, many of these species are poorly known.

The Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) aims to address this knowledge gap by researching hornbill biology, frugivory, and seed dispersal as well as tree phenology (timing) and ecological restoration in the Eastern Himalaya region of India. One way the NCF supports hornbills is through their Hornbill Nest Adoption Program (HNAP)! The HNAP monitors oriental pied, wreathed, and Rufous-necked hornbill nests to study these birds’ breeding timing and chick rearing success.

In 2025, the Virginia Zoo donated $5,500 towards the NCF’s HNAP. We also donated $1,430 to send one of the NCF’s lead scientists to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) mid-year meeting. Furthermore, we initiated our Round-Up for Conservation program in fall 2025. Hornbills were the first species chosen to receive donations through this program!

SAFE North American Monarch

Monarch butterfly populations across North America have declined drastically in recent decades. Eastern overwintering populations (east of the Rocky Mountains) have decreased by about 80% and western populations (west of the Rocky Mountains) have decreased by over 90%.

Zoos and aquariums are in a unique position to reach beyond their gates to bring awareness, reduce threats, and model best practices for monarch butterfly conservation. By participating in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) North American Monarch program, the Virginia Zoo commits to amplifying evidence-based partner recommendations; creating and preserving quality monarch habitat; developing and expanding meaningful collaborations; and inspiring and empowering audiences to take action.

In 2025, the Virginia Zoo donated $16,500 to the AZA’s SAFE North American Monarchs program. Our donations even helped establish a grant program encouraging habitat creation for monarchs!

Monarch Mile

For the past two years, the Virginia Zoo has hosted our Monarch Mile event!

Every Every spring, monarch butterflies east of the Rocky Mountains migrate from Mexico to their summer breeding grounds in the United States and Canada. In the fall, they journey nearly 3,000 miles back down south to weather the winter. This migration is becoming increasingly difficult due to habitat loss in their breeding and overwintering grounds, increased pesticide use, climate change, and other factors. By joining the Monarch Mile, you commit to running, walking or fluttering as many miles as you can through the Zoo. Your miles will be added with those of other participants to create as many monarch migrations as we can.

In 2025, all proceeds from ticket sales were donated to monarch conservation – totaling over $1,700!

Orangutan SAFE

There are only three species of orangutan in the world — Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli. All three species are considered to be critically endangered according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. In fact, the Tapanuli orangutan, which was only identified as a distinct species in 2017, is widely considered to be the most endangered great ape; there are less than 800 Tapanuli orangutans remaining in the wild.

The Orangutan SAFE program aims to protect and restore the wild orangutan population and their habitats through public engagement, funding, and field work. Orangutan SAFE projects fall under one of six categories: habitat restoration, community-based conservation programs, outreach and education, anti-poaching and tracking prevention, orangutan rehabilitation, and fundraising. Click this link to learn more about Orangutan SAFE’s conservation projects and their impact.

In 2025, the Virginia Zoo donates $1,500 to support Orangutan SAFE’s programs!

Tiger Conservation Campaign

Historically, there were nine subspecies of tigers, but three (Bali, Caspian, and Javan) have already gone extinct. All six remaining tiger subspecies (Bengal, Sumatran, South China, Amur/Siberian, Indochinese, and Malayan) are considered endangered.

The Tiger Conservation Campaign, an initiative through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)’s Tiger Species Survival Plan (SSP), works to study wild tigers and their needs, prevent poaching, raise awareness of threats to tigers, help locals live peacefully near these cats, and create laws to protect tigers and their habitat.

In 2025, the Virginia Zoo donated $5,000 in emergency funding to the Tiger Conservation Campaign. This vital funding supported partners in the field whose government funding had been revoked!

Turtle Survival Alliance

According to the Turtle Survival Alliance, over half of the world’s modern-day tortoise and freshwater turtle species (201 of 364) are currently threatened with extinction. Plus, 53.8% of these species are classified as Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The Turtle Survival Alliance’s mission is to protect and restore wild populations of turtles through science-based conservation, global leadership, and local stewardship.

The Virginia Zoo has been a long-time supporter of the Turtle Survival Alliance. In January 2025, the Turtle Survival Alliance experienced devastating flood damage from Tropical Cyclone Dikeledi. Soon after, the Virginia Zoo donated $5,000 to support emergency tortoise care, staff and community assistance, and rebuilding the Lavavolo Tortoise Center. In August 2025, we donated another $10,000 to the Turtle Survival Alliance to support their general conservation efforts.

SAFE Red Panda

According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), red pandas are endangered with extinction. It is estimated that there are less than 10,000 and as few as 2,500 red pandas remaining in the wild.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)’s Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) Red Panda Program’s mission is to create long term support for wild red panda populations by creating partnerships among zoological organizations to empower conservation collaborations. Utilizing zoos’ expertise and skills with conservation science, husbandry, animal health and behavior, and education, SAFE Red Panda aims to provide leadership and expertise to help address the threats facing these incredible animals in the wild. Click this link to learn more about the AZA SAFE Red Panda Program Plan.

In 2025, the Virginia Zoo donated $1,500 to the AZA’s SAFE Red Panda program! You can further support this program by purchasing official SAFE Red Panda merchandise here.

Red Panda Network

According to the Red Panda Network (RPN), habitat loss is the biggest threat to red pandas. In Nepal specifically, red panda habitat is fragmented into 400 small forest patches which include unprotected Community Forests or private land. These forest patches are becoming increasingly fragmented as they are converted into farmland, settlements for people, or unsustainable livestock grazing areas. Resource harvest by local communities also threatens red panda habitat.

The RPN aims to plant 1 million trees in Nepal by 2026 to combat this habitat loss. As of March 2026, the RPN has planted 913,854 trees, supported 26 forest conservation nurseries, grown 500,000 native plant saplings in forest conservation nurseries, and restored 1,773 acres of red panda habitat. Visit the RPN’s Habitat Restoration page here to learn more or donate today!

In 2025, the Virginia Zoo donated $10,000 towards the RPN’s Home for Habre Campaign to fund tree plantings and habitat creation. In 2025, the Virginia Zoo Conservation and Research Grant also funded Asia Keeper Kristin’s trip to Nepal to participate in red panda tracking and related conservation projects with the RPN.

International Rhino Foundation

At the beginning of the 20th century, 500,000 rhinos roamed Africa and Asia, but they have since undergone drastic declines. By 1970, rhinos numbered just 70,000 and today, only 27,000 rhinos remain in the wild!

The International Rhino Foundation’s (IRF) mission is to ensure the survival of rhinos through strategic partnerships, targeted protection, and scientifically sound interventions. For example, the IRF supports initiatives to improve rhino protection, law enforcement of wildlife crimes, and investigation efforts to prosecute poachers. The IRF also aims to expand rhino habitats by restoring connectivity between usable patches of habitat and restoring degraded ecosystems. Click this link to learn more about the IRF’s conservation work!

In 2025, the Virginia Zoo donated $10,000 to the IRF as a general conservation support donation. In 2025, the Virginia Zoo Conservation and Research Grant also funded Curator of Africa Emily’s trip to South Africa to help dehorn rhinos on Selati Game Reserve. Dehorning is an important conservation strategy, because the process does not harm the rhinos, but exponentially reduces their value to potential poachers.