Conservation Society Of California

INSPIRE RESPECT FOR AND STEWARDSHIP OF THE NATURAL WORLD/PROVIDE QUALITY VISITOR EXPERIENCES

EDUCATION & COMMUNITY:REMOTE LEARNING CONTINUED TO BE THE DEFAULT CHANNEL FOR SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN THE FALL OF 2020 INTO SPRING OF 2021, AND OAKLAND ZOO SUPPORTED REMOTE PROGRAMMING FOR LEARNERS OF ALL AGES. THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH FIRST FIVE ALAMEDA COUNTY, THE ZOO WAS ABLE TO DELIVER VIRTUAL EDUCATION TO 4.5K CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, AS WELL AS CONTINUE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS ON DEMAND FROM LOCAL SCHOOLS. OVER THE SUMMER OF 2021, THE ZOO'S CONSERVATION INTERNSHIP PROGRAM SUPPORTED 16 UNDERSERVED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN MAKING THE PROFESSIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL CONNECTIONS THAT MIGHT NOT NORMALLY BE AVAILABLE TO THEM, TO LAUNCH A SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN CONSERVATION. THE PROGRAM WAS DELIVERED IN A HYBRID FORMAT, WITH VIRTUAL CLASS SESSIONS EACH WEEK, AND IN PERSON FIELD TRIPS TO LOCAL CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE BAY AREA. THE ZOO ALSO CONTINUED ITS THREE-YEAR COLLABORATION WITH TEACHERS AT TITLE 1 SCHOOLS IN OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TO CO-DESIGN A CLIMATE AND CONSERVATION LITERACY CURRICULUM ROOTED IN THE GLORIOUS CALIFORNIA TRAIL. THE TEAM HOSTED WORKSHOPS WITH EDUCATORS, PROTOTYPED CURRICULUM TOOLS BASED ON BISON AND CONDORS, AND TESTED THE PROTOTYPES WITH EDUCATORS AND THEIR STUDENTS ONSITE. THIS CO-DESIGN PROCESS BRINGS TOGETHER THE BEST OF THE ZOO'S LEADERSHIP IN CONSERVATION AND OAKLAND TEACHERS' UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON LOCAL STUDENTS' NEEDS. TOGETHER, THESE PROGRAMS PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE IN CONSERVATION AND FOR STUDENTS. OAKLAND ZOO CONTINUED ITS STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY, PROVIDING OVER 1K FREE FAMILY VOUCHERS TO LOCAL NONPROFITS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AS WELL AS 4.6K FAMILY ADMISSION PASSES VIA OUR ZOO TO COMMUNITY PROGRAM. OUR VOLUNTEER SERVICES DEPARTMENT CONTINUED TO ENGAGE WITH INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES, WITH 54K VOLUNTEER HOURS CONTRIBUTED FROM INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEERS, AND 25 CORPORATE VOLUNTEER GROUPS CONTRIBUTING A COMBINED 1.5K VOLUNTEER HOURS. THE ZOO WAS ALSO PROUD TO HOST FREE VACCINE CLINICS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL HEALTH AGENCIES, PROVIDING 161 COVID-19 VACCINE SHOTS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND PROVIDING FREE FLU SHOTS FOR OUR STAFF. ANIMAL CARE AND WELFARE:SINCE COVID-19 IS TRANSMISSIBLE BETWEEN HUMANS AND ANIMALS, IT WAS VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR OAKLAND ZOO TO PROTECT ITS ANIMALS FROM INFECTION RISK. THE ZOO PARTNERED WITH ZOETIS, A LEADING ANIMAL HEALTH COMPANY, TO VACCINATE OUR MOST VULNERABLE SPECIES FROM COVID-19, PRIORITIZING OUR BIG CATS AND PRIMATES. OVERALL, 106 VACCINE DOSES WERE GIVEN TO ZOO ANIMALS, AN INCREDIBLE COLLABORATION BETWEEN ANIMAL CARE AND VETERINARY HOSPITAL TEAMS. THE VET HOSPITAL TEAM WAS ABLE TO SECURE FUNDING TO PROCURE NEW DENTAL RADIOLOGY EQUIPMENT, ENABLING THE TEAM TO DIAGNOSE AND TREAT PROBLEMATIC DENTAL ISSUES MORE THOROUGHLY. THE NEW EQUIPMENT ALSO ALLOWS THE TEAM TO COMPLETE DENTAL DIAGNOSTICS MORE QUICKLY DURING ROUTINE PREVENTIVE CARE EXAMS FOR ZOO ANIMALS SO THAT THEY CAN REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TIME ANIMALS ARE UNDER ANESTHESIA. PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL GERIATRIC CARE FOR OUR ELDER ANIMALS CONTINUES TO BE A FOCUS FOR THE ZOO'S ANIMAL CARE PROGRAM, WHETHER THROUGH PHYSICAL REHABILITATION, THERAPEUTIC PRACTICES LIKE FOOT BATHS FOR ELEPHANTS, OR ADJUSTING HABITATS AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES TO SUIT CHANGING MOBILITY NEEDS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE ANIMAL CARE TEAM WELCOMED SEVERAL NEW BIRTHS, INCLUDING SEVEN BISON CALVES AS PART OF OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH IINNII INITIATIVE, TWO HAMADRYAS BABOONS, ONE WESTERN POND TURTLE AND ONE SPOTTED TURTLE, AND A NUMBER OF NEW ARRIVALS LIKE TWO RETICULATED GIRAFFE, TWO YELLOW BILLED STORK, TWO SCARLET MACAWS, TWO SOUTHERN PUDU, FIVE GOATS, FOUR ROCK HYRAX AND MORE. CONSERVATION:OAKLAND ZOO RAISED $233K THROUGH QUARTERS FOR CONSERVATION WHICH WHEN COMBINED WITH MONIES RAISED THROUGH SPECIAL EVENTS AND DONATIONS, TOTALED ROUGHLY $395K. THE FEATURED BENEFICIARIES OF QUARTERS FOR CONSERVATION WERE PARTNERS OAKLAND ZOO'S WILDLIFE RESCUE AND RECOVERY, GRIZZLY PROJECT IN GLACIER NATIONAL PARK AND NEW NATURE FOUNDATION. OAKLAND ZOO CONTINUED TO ADVANCE CONSERVATION MEDICINE IN TWO VITAL PROJECTS TO PROTECT TWO NATIVE SPECIES, SIERRA NEVADA YELLOW-LEGGED FROGS AND CALIFORNIA RIPARIAN BRUSH RABBITS. THE ZOO'S BIODIVERSITY LAB PROVIDED CONTINUOUS CARE FOR A YEAR TO INOCULATE AND RAISE THESE LITTLE ONES, AND THEN RELEASED 33 SIERRA NEVADA YELLOW-LEGGED FROGS INTO THEIR NATIVE HABITAT, FOR A TOTAL OF 626 FROGS RELEASED SINCE THE PROJECT BEGAN. THE RIPARIAN OR CALIFORNIAN BRUSH RABBIT FACES POSSIBLE EXTINCTION FROM A VIRUS ORIGINATING IN EUROPE, THE RABBIT HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE VIRUS (RHDV2). THESE COTTONTAIL RABBITS ARE A CRITICAL PART OF THE ECOSYSTEMS THEY INHABIT AS BOTH HERBIVORES THAT MANAGE THE PLANT LIFE AND AS SOURCES OF FOOD FOR PREDATORS. THE ZOO CONTINUED INTO ITS SECOND YEAR OF CAPTURING, VACCINATING, AND THEN RELEASING THE WILD RABBITS, AIMING TO SECURE THE WILD POPULATION AND HALT ITS RAPID DECLINE. BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, THE ZOO HAD VACCINATED 500 RABBITS AGAINST RHDV2.THE ZOO ALSO TREATED INJURED WILD ANIMALS AT THE VET HOSPITAL FOR LATER RELEASE OR PLACEMENT INTO PERMANENT HOMES. EIGHT CALIFORNIA CONDORS WERE TREATED FOR LEAD POISONING WHICH WERE RELEASED BACK TO THE WILD, AND OAKLAND ZOO ALSO RESCUED FOUR MOUNTAIN LIONS. IN 2021 OAKLAND ZOO LAUNCHED A YEAR-LONG CAMPAIGN TO END THE ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE. A PUBLIC PLEDGE WAS DEVELOPED TO SHARE WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACTIONS THEY COULD TAKE TO END THE TRADE THROUGH THEIR PURCHASES, PETS, AND TRAVEL CHOICES. THE ZOO ALSO OPENED A NEW EXHIBIT ON ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE, A 400 SQUARE FOOT SPACE FILLED WITH ENGAGING, EDUCATIONAL CONTENT AND REAL CONTRABAND CONFISCATED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE. GUESTS WERE ABLE TO SEE FIRST-HAND THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF THE TRADE, AND BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLE IN HELPING TO END IT. THE CAMPAIGN CULMINATED WITH AN #ENDTHETRADE DAY, INVITING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO SAFELY AND ANONYMOUSLY DISPOSE OF OBJECTS MADE FROM ANIMAL PARTS, AND DONATE THEM BACK TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE FOR RESEARCH AND TO PREVENT FUTURE CRIMES. OVER 200 OBJECTS WERE TURNED IN ON THAT SINGLE DAY. THE VIRTUAL COCKTAILS + CONSERVATION PROGRAM CONTINUED, WITH 17K VIEWS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.OAKLAND ZOO - CONSERVATION SOCIETY OF CALIFORNIA STRIVES TO EMPOWER OUR GUESTS IN TAKING ACTION FOR WILDLIFE.