Disclaimer: This webpage is under renovation. Information listed here may not be up-to-date or complete at this time.

In 2025, the Virginia Zoo donated more than $162,000 to conservation partners around the world. Click on the type of animal or the plus sign (+) next to each initiative to learn more about the species and habitats we support.

Lion Recovery Fund

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!

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

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Big Cats

The Virginia Zoo provides funding for cheetah and lion conservation in Africa and tigers in Malaysia.  These programs include creating awareness in local communities in base countries to value and safeguard their wildlife and wildlife habitats, supporting anti-poaching patrols and land management. The Virginia Zoo supports the following groups: Action for Cheetahs, Cheetah Conservation Fund, AZA Tiger SSP Tiger Conservation Campaign, Pride Lion Conservation Alliance.

Frogs

There are approximately 6,000 frog species found worldwide. The Virginia Zoo helps support efforts to combat the primary cause of amphibian extinctions which include pollution, loss of habitat, climate change, invasive species, road mortality, and infectious disease spread by human activity. The Virginia Zoo supports a chapter of Frog Watch, a citizen science initiative mapping frog populations in the United States.

Primates

Destruction of tropical rain forests, due to illegal logging, the creation of palm oil plantations and mining are these animals’ biggest threats. The Virginia Zoo works with the AZA Ape TAG Conservation Initiative and Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation to help conserve wild populations of great apes. The Ape TAG Conservation Initiative helps orangutans and other great apes by increasing support for ape conservation from zoos around the country. This support can help fund projects with local community education and conservation, such as projects designed for getting local people involved in planting seedlings that will eventually grow into habitats for great apes and other species. The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation helps orangutans in Borneo by working closely with local communities on orangutan and habitat conservation. Their efforts also include rescue, rehabilitation and reintroduction to the wild of orphaned or injured orangutans, as well as support of researchers working directly in the field.

Rhinos

There are an estimated 20,000 white rhinos are left in the wild. They’re particularly vulnerable to poaching because they live in herds in more open habitats, where they are easier to target. The Virginia Zoo supports the International Rhino Foundation with donations that provide support for land protection, the translocation of rhinos to more suitable habitats, and work being done to end the trade in rhino horns.

Turtles and Tortoises

The Zoo supports the science-based centers for rare turtle breeding and recovery programs that are saving these dwindling populations. The Virginia Zoo assists efforts by the Turtle Survival Alliance with building, programming, horticulture education and donations to expand global outreach and impact. Virginia Zoo and our partners are committed to zero turtle extinctions.

Virginia Waterways

Healthy rivers, inlets and bays thrive as healthy ecosystems for countless species, including our local fish, crabs, seahorses, otters, plants and other aquatic friends. The Virginia Zoo supports the Elizabeth River Project and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

New Nature Foundation

The New Nature Foundation and Virginia Zoo partnered together to apply for the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) Nature Connect Grant. This $15,000 grant, along with an additional $10,000 donated by the Zoo, supports new projects at the Fort Portal Science Center in Uganda that enhance the connection of kids and their families to the natural world.