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Los Angeles Zoo Unveils 5-Year Plan To Further Conservation Efforts

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The Los Angeles Zoo unveiled a new five-year conservation plan Thursday.

The plan will guide the zoo's efforts through 2026 as it works to change the landscape of conservation by leveraging its knowledge, expertise, partnerships and engagement with communities.

LA Zoo reopening
(credit: Jamie Pham/LA Zoo)

"Our zoo is the city's treasured resource for connecting Angelenos with wildlife and nature, and we are doubling down on that promise with this comprehensive strategy that includes every person in our community in the action to save wildlife. It is important to recognize that conservation has historically failed the communities most affected by the degradation of our environment," The zoo's director and CEO Denise Verret said.

"This is our city. This is our world. It will take all of us working together to preserve it. Whether it is working locally with LAUSD school groups or abroad in villages in Costa Rica, engagement and empowerment are essential for this plan to succeed."

By 2026, the zoo hopes to:

  • remove barriers and increase accessibility to achieve lasting conservation success;
  • use wildlife technology, virtual volunteers and range country partners to create innovative solutions for conservation efforts;
  • leverage the zoo's expert resources and partnerships to combat the illegal wildlife trade;
  • promote human-wildlife co-existence; and
  • create evidence-based solutions to conservation strategies.

The zoo's partners include the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; the Peninsular Pronghorn Recovery Project in Baja California, Mexico; and Wildlife Trust of India, in India. The zoo also works closely with stakeholders involved with Griffith Park to advance conservation efforts locally.

People can learn more about the plan at lazoo.org/save-wildlife.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)

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