2019 ANNUAL REPORT Growing the Impact TABLE OF CONTENTS Snapshot 1 Growing the Impact 2 Measures of Success 3 SAFE’s Global Reach 5 Engaging People 6 Raising Awareness 12 Financial Support 13 A Last Word from Dan Ashe 17 “ For AZA-accredited facilities, conservation and saving species is becoming central to our culture. We created SAFE as a way for AZA members not only to coordinate existing conservation efforts but also to give members a way to become involved in conservation. I am proud AZA members are stepping up, proposing new SAFE species programs, and demonstrating that modern zoological facilities are mission-driven conservation organizations.” Dr. Christopher Kuhar, Executive Director, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Chair, AZA Board of Directors 1 SAFE SNAPSHOT 25 $231,000,000 SAFE SPECIES PROGRAMS SPENT ON FIELD CONSERVATION published 17 program plans CONTINENTS AND COASTAL WATERS 299 PARTNERS SAVING ANIMALS FROM EXTINCTION 54% in and near 8% Americas in Asia 147 AZA Member Partners (including Pacific and 152 Field Partners Atlantic oceans) (including 17 government agencies) 38% in Africa 10–24 76% more members engage in a of U.S. respondents agree zoos and species’ conservation after aquariums help drive awareness for SAFE plan is published conservation efforts around the globe 2 Growing the Impact Throughout 2019, the momentum behind AZA SAFE: Saving Animals skills in conservation planning, through storytelling, and by aligning From Extinction® grew steadily—as did its impact on the Association our community’s resources and organizational cultures toward the of Zoos and Aquariums community’s conservation work. SAFE shared goal of saving animals from extinction. now includes 25 species and taxonomic groups threatened with The impact of SAFE in 2019 exceeded targets and expectations extinction, and engages more than 60 percent of AZA’s membership. because of the support of AZA’s Board of Directors; the leadership Philanthropic support led to the creation of the SAFE granting of the Wildlife Conservation Committee; and the expertise of AZA program. Seventeen programs have published plans that describe what committees, advisory groups, and members. they aim to achieve over three years and how they expect to do it. The 2019 SAFE Annual Report celebrates what the AZA community and All of the programs invite you to join their efforts. its partners accomplished together. The impact of SAFE extends beyond the species programs and includes helping each another do more and better conservation by building “ Our projects would not be successful without the help of our AZA partners. Through the CREATE project and support of Kansas City Zoo and the Orangutan SSP, we have engaged our local communities to be directly involved in conservation efforts benefiting orangutans and the local environment. With the development of the SAFE orangutan program, we look forward to engaging with even more AZA partners to build a resilient forest landscape by restoring important wildlife corridors key to providing a safe and secure forest passageway for the Bornean orangutans and other wildlife species.” Mark Benedict, Project Director, APE Malaysia SAFE Orangutan Program Field Partner 3 Measures of Success OUTPUTS % AZA members Conservation participating in field % AZA members spending # of SAFE species conservation participating in SAFE 2027 Goal $2.5B 50 100% 100% 2019 Actual $231M 25 92% 62% TARGET: $200M TARGET: 18 TARGET: 95% TARGET: 60% 2017 Baseline $216M 14 89% 69% OUTCOMES Conservation Impact on public Favorability of AZA impact perception zoos and aquariums Awareness of zoos and Conservation culture aquariums in conservation within AZA community 4 SAFE SPECIES PROGRAMS AFRICAN LION* BLACK-FOOTED FERRET* NORTH AMERICAN SONGBIRD Program Leader: Denver Zoo Program Leader: Louisville Zoo Co-Program Leader: Smithsonian National Vice Program Leader: Lincoln Park Zoo Zoological Park AFRICAN PENGUIN Co-Program Leader: Columbus Zoo and Program Leader: Unaffiliated CHEETAH Aquarium Program Leader: Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo AFRICAN VULTURE and Aquarium ORANGUTAN* Program Leader: North Carolina Zoo Co-Program Leader: Henry Vilas Zoo Vice Program Leader: Denver Zoo CHIMPANZEE Co-Program Leader: Kansas City Zoo Program Leader: Lion Country Safari AMERICAN RED WOLF* Co-Program Leader: Seneca Park Zoo Program Leader: North Carolina Zoo EASTERN INDIGO SNAKE RADIATED TORTOISE Vice Program Leader: Endangered Wolf Center Program Leader: Central Florida Zoo and Program Leader: Zoo Knoxville Botanic Gardens ANDEAN BEAR SEA TURTLE* Program Leader: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo GIRAFFE Program Leader: Virginia Aquarium and Co-Program Leader: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo ANDEAN HIGHLAND FLAMINGO Marine Science Center Co-Program Leader: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Co-Program Leader: Reid Park Zoo SHARK AND RAY Co-Program Leader: Zoo Conservation GORILLA* Program Leader: North Carolina Aquarium at Outreach Group Program Leader: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Fort Fisher Vice Program Leader: Bronx Zoo – Wildlife ASIAN ELEPHANT* Conservation Society VAQUITA MARINA* Program Leader: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Program Leader: The Living Desert Zoo and Vice Program Leader: White Oak Conservation JAGUAR Botanical Gardens Center Program Leader: Albuquerque Biological Park Vice Program Leader: Aquarium of the Pacific ATLANTIC ACROPORA CORAL* MONARCH WESTERN POND TURTLE* Program Leader: Steinhart Aquarium, Program Leader: Disney’s Animals, Science, Program Leader: San Francisco Zoological California Academy of Science and Environment Society Vice Program Leader: San Diego Zoo Global BLACK RHINOCEROS WHOOPING CRANE* Program Leader: Buffalo Zoo Program Leader: San Diego Zoo Global Vice Program Leader: Houston Zoo, Inc. *denotes SAFE species programs whose program plans were published in 2019. 5 SAFE’S GLOBAL REACH 7 2 1 9 1 3 2 TOP THREATS TO SAFE SPECIES 23 NUMBER OF SAFE PROGRAMS 12 8 8 HABITAT LOSS/ WILDLIFE DISEASE CLIMATE DEGRADATION TRAFFICKING CHANGE 6 Engaging People – AZA Members In addition to the interdisciplinary approach of the SAFE program plans, SAFE provides AZA members with tools and support to increase their conservation engagement and impact. Through collaborations with AZA’s commercial members, partnerships for professional development, and fostering cooperation across departments within each member organization, SAFE is helping align resources toward shared conservation goals. In 2019, the Conservation Culture Task Force was created specifically to help members increase integration of conservation into their cultures, helping staff and volunteers at AZA zoos and aquariums connect to their conservation missions. This one-year task force is developing tools and approaches for members that will help them reveal and strengthen their conservation culture. “ We believe the more AZA members engage in conservation, the more their conservation missions come to life. Evidence suggests conservation outcomes include increased funding, guest engagement, and social change. Some members use these elements—a mission-driven culture around conservation, guest engagement, and social change—to reinforce one another. AZA wants to help members reveal and foster those elements. A one-year, Board-approved task force is continuing work of the 2018 Executive Leadership Development Program to help members increase integration and activation of their conservation missions and cultures. Through research, an outcomes-based logic model, tools and resources, and baseline measurements, this task force is strengthening the power of the AZA community to make a difference for wildlife, wild places, and people.” Dr. Jackie Ogden, Conservation Culture Task Force Leader 7 “ We are thrilled to be working with the AZA and supporting SAFE. Our entire team is excited about the idea of giving something back to a great cause. We hope to develop a suite of wines that are the perfect complement for people who care about saving endangered species and supporting conservation efforts around the world.” Howard Jackowitz, Co-Founder of Wines That Rock AZA Commercial Member WILDLIFE WINE CLUB Research shows consumers are interested in purchasing products they know will help save species. AZA created strategic partnerships so that consumers can help support SAFE species programs. Partnering with AZA’s commercial member, Wines That Rock, LLC, was a way to accomplish this goal. Together, AZA and Wines That Rock formed the Wildlife Wine Club. AZA members are offering the wine for sale in their gift shops and showcasing the wine at their events. Consumers can buy the wines online at: www.WildlifeWineClub.org. Each bottle of wine sold helps save species, as AZA’s net proceeds support the SAFE granting program. BUILDING CAPACITY FOR STRONGER CONSERVATION PLANNING Success for SAFE also means helping program leaders and teams build their skills in conservation planning and program management. AZA has partnered with the International Union for Conservation of Nature Conservation Planning Specialist Group to host a specialized offering of their Facilitating Species Conservation Planning Workshop. In 2019, nearly 30 AZA members completed this blended (online and in-person) training to prepare them to facilitate their species’ conservation planning and on- going meetings. 8 CONSERVATION ENGAGEMENT AND ACTION 115 MILES of shoreline cleaned 1,350 ACRES 4,100+ of habitat cleaned or restored FAMILIES VOLUNTEERED 50,000+ 16,000+ seeds, plants, and HOURS trees planted 9 Engaging People – Visitors and Communities Engaging zoo and aquarium visitors