Zoo Programs Honored with Two Prestigious Awards at AZA Annual Conference

2007 Education Award

Zoo Atlanta’s Conservation Education Team won the 2007 Education Award with Top Honors in recognition of their outstanding work on the Academy for Conservation Training (ACT). The ACT program began in 2004, when officials from the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens (CAZG) enlisted the talents of Zoo Atlanta educators in creating model conservation education programs for zoo professionals in China. Since the launch of its first training session in 2006, ACT has produced 45 graduates from diverse backgrounds at Chinese zoological institutions. The ultimate goal of ACT is replication of its programs at all 218 accredited zoos in China. As the program expands, it will realize a collective capacity to reach up to 400 million Chinese zoo visitors a year.

Fully funded by The UPS Foundation, ACT is run by Zoo Atlanta’s Conservation Education Team: Dr. Michelle Lakly, Vice President of Education and Conservation Programs; Dr. Jinping Yu, Conservation Biologist; and Laurel Askue, Manager of Conservation Programs, in tandem with the AZA Conservation Education Committee and a nine-member advisory board.

International Conservation Award

Zoo Atlanta’s Dr. Dwight Lawson, Senior Vice President of Collections, Education and Conservation, and scientists from the Fort Worth Zoo, San Diego Zoo, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and the Wildlife Conservation Society were recognized with the International Conservation Award for their work on Asian turtle conservation. These five institutions have made significant contributions of funds, expertise and manpower toward combating the Asian Turtle Crisis. As of spring 2007, the applicant organizations housed a total of 678 Asian chelonians, representing more than half of the turtle taxa currently red-listed as critically endangered by The World Conservation Union. Since 2001, over 500 endangered offspring and more than $500,000 in direct support for in situ conservation programs have resulted from this important collaboration.

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