Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), Lincoln park Zoo (U.S.A.) - © Rolf Veenhuizen
ICZ represents a resource of over 6,000 keepers worldwide. Zookeepers have a large range of specialized skills and knowledge that can be harnessed for conservation work not only involving conservation breeding of threatened species in zoos and wildlife parks but which can extend into work in the field.
These talents include good observation and identification skills, intimate knowledge of animal behavior, animal handling skills, recording of scientific information and good physical fitness for undertaking strenuous work in the field.
The ICZ Conservation Committee would like to create a database for animal keepers involved in any Conservation Project anywhere in the world. Conservation is very important for ICZ and we would like to share information from these projects as widely as possible.
Our plan is to compile information on all of these projects and encourage the involvement of other zookeeper, or better still maybe some will start new ones of their own. Many conservation projects are run, managed or helped by animal keepers.
Please download our ICZ Keeper Conservation Committee flyer for more information about our work.
ICZ Volunteer Grant
The ICZ is proud to announce our new ICZ Volunteer Grant for zoo professionals who aim to get involved with in-situ conservation. This grant has a value of 1.000 US dollars and is intended to support zoo professionals who want to offer time and labour to a conservation project on a voluntary basis.
Please download more information here and email your application before July 31st 2024 to conservation@iczoo.org.
We would like to thank Aratag for sponsoring the ICZ Volunteer Grant 2024.
Aratag
ICZ Keeper Conservation Grant
The ICZ offers an annual $1,000USD grant for projects aiming to protect wildlife and their habitats. You can download an overview and some more information about the past grant recipients here.
We would like to ask you to please consider supporting these grants. Any contribution would be beneficial for zookeepers and conservation initiatives worldwide.
Please contact us at info@iczoo.org for more information, to discuss support arrangements and to become a sponsor.
Winner Grant 2024
The ICZ are pleased to announce the recipient project for the “ICZ Keeper Conservation Grant 2024” ($US 1,000) is “Eastern Sarus Crane (Grus Antigone sharpii) Conservation Support in Cambodia“.
This grant will go a long way in supporting the work done by Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB) to protect the Sarus crane, which is the largest species within the crane family, and the tallest flying bird in the world. Once widely distributed throughout South and Southeast Asia, these incredible birds are now confined to only a handful of subpopulations, with the largest endemic to Australia and India. The last remaining stronghold in Southeast Asia resides in Cambodia, where the Eastern Sarus Crane (Grus Antigone sharpii), is in serious decline due to habitat loss and largescale land conversion for commercial farming practices.
Thank you to everyone who submitted an application. All the projects were of a very high standard and the panel of judges had a difficult time in scoring the submissions.
Congratulations!!
We will keep you updated about the work carried out by all the projects.
We would like to thank the sponsors for the ICZ Keeper Conservation Grant 2024:
Fundació Lluís Coromina
St Laurent
Zoological Adviser