ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA

Education, conservation & community engagement programming: driven by a passion for promoting action that supports wildlife conservation, the zoo offers a broad portfolio of dynamic educational programs. As the region's largest living classroom, the zoo offers hands-on, curriculum-connected and mission-focused animal experiences to thousands of school children each year. Through these programs, the zoo helps to grow the next generation of environmental stewards, giving young people the opportunity to share their new wildlife and conservation knowledge with their communities. (see sched o).field tripsnot only are field trips fun, but they also immerse students in the world's wildlife, building empathy and encouraging them to make small changes in their everyday life that can have an impact on animals. A field trip to the zoo is an experience that will last a lifetime.community access program (cap)in partnership with individual, corporate, and foundation donors throughout our region, the zoo provides free visits and engaging learning opportunities to k-12 students from title i schools annually. By committing to providing access to the zoo in economically distressed communities, the zoo has made free zoo visits possible for hundreds of thousands of students from around the region.the unless contestthe albert m. Greenfield unless contest challenges students from k through 12 to develop creative solutions to problems that impact wildlife. Students are presented with a challenge to address, and they work to obtain a solution through advocacy. Since the start of unless, the contest has engaged thousands of students from more than 400 schools across the region, and their campaigns are estimated to have reached millions.philly zoo to youphilly zoo to you is a web-based suite of cross-curricular opportunities that connect teachers and students to science, nature, and conservation. These virtual science learning options k-4 grade students are offered at no cost to families and teachers.wild connectionswild connections a component of philly zoo to you, is a 45-minute curricular-focused program that features live animals along with zoo experts. Each live program directly connects philadelphia school district classroom teachers and their students with zoo educators, while learning core science concepts that introduce or reinforce state and national science standards.neighborhood membership programthe neighborhood membership program is a free membership to the zoo at the family plus ($200) level for residents of mantua, east parkside, belmont, and brewerytown. This membership level includes unlimited free admission for two adults and up to four children. The goal is to contribute to the civic life of our region and our neighboring communities by amplifying the zoo's impact on quality of life, conservation and sustainability, and lifelong learning that begins in early childhood.community nightcommunity night at the zoo started in december of 2020 with the zoo closing for an evening exclusive for neighborhood residents to attend. With the first of the community nights welcoming approximately 400 children and families, community night has now become a seasonal tradition, with 3-4 nights held per year. Each of those nights now average 2,000 visitors. Not only do guests enjoy a free night at the zoo, but they also benefit from the resource tables and experiences present throughout campus for those evenings. West philadelphia zoo scholarslaunched in 2022, the zoo recruits up to 75 west philadelphia area students from grades 10 through 12 for an immersive educational experience in the zoological sciences. Through academic and experiential learning opportunities at the zoo, the program will prepare students for a wide range of careers including zoological and animal sciences with an emphasis on zookeeping, wildlife conservation, and veterinary sciences. Upon high school graduation, students pursuing post-secondary education in stem disciplines will continue receiving guidance and support from the program including paid internships. Once students graduate college, they will have met the national standard for entry-level zoological positions: a degree in zoological or animal sciences, and two years of work experience.through a series of focused efforts, the zoo has defined its role as a conservation organization working to significantly deepen positive impact on wildlife and the environment. The greatest opportunity to achieve conservation impact is through partnering with the millions of day-to-day guests that visit onsite or online; the thousands of schoolchildren inspired each year through visits and outreach; and by leveraging access to a diverse group of local and international stakeholders who share commitment to making the world a better place for people and wildlife.the zoo has adopted an action-oriented vision for our conservation and education efforts, dedicating resources to implementing programming to engage our onsite audiences and our community in direct conservation action. Our program is designed around a theory of change. Our change framework leverages the empathetic connection guests make with animals at the zoo and by sharing tools that empower everyone to take action in their daily lives, people who connect with the zoo will make a world of difference by becoming conservation-minded, civically engaged advocates for wildlife and habitat.philadelphia zoo works to engage visitors about the positive correlation between reducing carbon dioxide emissions and conserving the planet's wildlife population. Energy use and forest loss are the leading global sources of carbon emissions which are already changing the climate and threatening the survival of many endangered species. Migratory patterns of birds and pollinators like butterflies and bees are disrupted, rainfall changes are impacting the moist conditions necessary for species like frogs to breed, rising ocean temperatures are jeopardizing entire food chains and continued loss of forest could lead to orangutan extinction by 2050.the zoo is committed to reducing the impacts of a changing climate on wildlife here and around the world. Everyday choices around saving electricity, conserving water, and recycling, along with advocating for the protection of natural resources like forests, can help wildlife and the environment. Every connection with the zoo is an opportunity for guests to connect with wildlife and be inspired to conservation action.zoo staff and volunteers engage in conservation activities in the following areas:endangered species breeding programs: national and international science-based cooperative zoo breeding programs, some led by philadelphia zoo staff, serve as a safety net for species threatened with extinction in the wild.educational programming: zoo staff deploys a broad range of educational programs and interpretation to promote discovery, understanding, and stewardship of the natural world.international conservation: the zoo supports, develops, and conducts projects that protect wildlife and wild places.local conservation: staff work with organizations and agencies to exchange expertise and resources, implement conservation projects, provide training and field experience, and communicate information to the public through education programs and public relations activities.green practices: the zoo is increasingly focused on reducing its environmental footprint through sustainable operating practices. Kidzoou was designed to incorporate 'green' elements such as geothermal wells for heating and cooling, daylighting, and roof rainwater collection for use as gray water to flush the public toilets. Rain gardens reduce water runoff into storm drains. Stables for domestic livestock feature green roofs and are built with recovered wood. Moving forward each new or refurbished exhibit will incorporate green elements in its building and maintenance and utilize sustainable operating practices.