2025
In 2025, the generosity of Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy donors helped advance critical conservation work in Canada and around the world — protecting at-risk and endangered species, enhancing animal well-being, and inspiring the next generation to care for our planet.
Together, we achieved real, measurable progress. Through the Blanding's Turtle Headstarting Program, 50 turtles were released into the Rouge National Urban Park this year, bringing the total to nearly 800. We advanced vital caribou conservation research in partnership with Indigenous communities, where scientific expertise and traditional knowledge come together to protect species and ecosystems for generations to come.
We made significant advancement on the construction of the new Community Conservation Centre — a transformative space that will bring Canadian wildlife and conservation programs to the forefront of the Toronto Zoo while connecting students of all ages to hands-on learning. This centre will inspire future conservation leaders, equipping them to turn knowledge into action.
Your impact is also felt every day at the Zoo. From planning a new habitat for red pandas, to upgraded Life Support Systems for the polar bear habitat, and expanded behavioural enrichment programs, your support is helping to advance animal care and welfare standards. We are especially proud that this work helped earn the Toronto Zoo's Welfare Science team the first-ever World Association of Zoos & Aquariums Animal Welfare Award.
In the past year, the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy has also worked to improve our communication with you. We have upgraded our website, re-imagined our monthly newsletter, added meaningful engagement opportunities, and launched our Guardians Circle to celebrate all those who have made their bequest intentions known.
None of this would be possible without you. The impact outlined in this report is your impact. Together, we look forward to achieving even more in the year ahead.
Chair, Board of Directors
Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy
Executive Director
Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy
Toronto Zoo Community Conservation Centre
From enrichment experiences to life-saving medical equipment, donor support ensures every animal at the Toronto Zoo receives world-class care. In 2025, your generosity raised over $300,000 — helping the Zoo set a global standard for animal welfare, every single day.
Throughout the year, the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy raises funds to support ongoing enrichment initiatives at the Toronto Zoo. Through onsite programs like the Donations at Till program, as well as targeted campaigns such as the annual Enrichment Giving Tree, nearly $100,000 was raised in 2025 to provide new enrichment items and experiences that enhance the well-being of the animals under the Toronto Zoo's care.
Behavioural enrichment is an essential part of the daily care every animal receives at the Toronto Zoo. This commitment was recognized last year when the Zoo received the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) first ever Animal Welfare Award—reinforcing the Zoo’s role as a global leader in animal welfare.
Enrichment encourages animals to interact with their environment and with one another in ways that reflect their natural behaviours. It stimulates their minds while providing physical activity and mental engagement, helping to support overall health and well-being.
World-class animal care is at the heart of the Toronto Zoo's conservation efforts, and donor support plays a vital role in making advanced treatment possible.
Thanks to our donors and a matching gift, the 2025 GivingTuesday campaign raised $210,000 to support advanced veterinary care and essential medical equipment at the Toronto Zoo.
The Wildlife Health & Science Centre at the Toronto Zoo spans more than 50,000 square feet and was purpose-built to support excellence in animal care, research, and conservation. Thoughtfully designed, the facility balances functionality, sustainability, and the unique needs of wildlife.
State-of-the-art treatment, surgical, and laboratory spaces enhance the Zoo's ability to care for animals of all sizes. The Centre is equipped with advanced imaging technologies, including digital X-ray and ultrasound, as well as specialized equipment such as a new anesthesia machine — made possible through the generous support of a donor.
"Donors like Stefania make such an amazing difference to the quality of care we can provide. And this anesthesia machine will be used for decades at your Toronto Zoo."
— Justin Rosenberg, Toronto Zoo Manager of Wildlife ScienceWith new and innovative cutting-edge science and strategic conservation efforts, the Toronto Zoo is safeguarding the future of our planet's ecosystems and ensuring their resilience for generations to come.
Established in 2022, the Wilding Endangered Species Preservation Fund was created to
support the Toronto Zoo’s global initiatives to protect species in the wild through funding and
boots on the ground partnerships with Pan Eco, Ape Action Africa, the International Rhino
Foundation, SANCCOB, and the Red Panda Network, safeguarding at-risk species in their natural
habitats.
These partnerships further extend the Toronto Zoo’s critical role in global
wildlife conservation through its participation in the Species Survival Plan® (SSP), Saving
Animals from Extinction program and, complement the Zoo’s efforts to care for at-risk species
under the Zoo’s care by creating world-class habitats that support animal well-being.
The Toronto Zoo is partnering with Indigenous communities across the country to better understand the pressures facing wild caribou herds and to develop effective methods for collecting genetic samples to help safeguard genetic diversity as herds become geographically isolated. As part of this work, members of the Zoo team traveled to Hudson Bay to join one of these communities for knowledge sharing and sample collection. Read more here.
These partnerships are an essential part of the effort, offering valuable insight into the local challenges these herds face. By working directly with Indigenous communities, the Toronto Zoo can help ensure conservation strategies are tailored to the needs of each population, improving the likelihood of long-term success.
So far, samples have been collected from 49 individuals across Canada, enabling the Zoo's reproductive science team to catalogue each caribou's unique ecotype, sex, and genetic relationships. With this information, the goal is to establish a reference database that can be used to match genetic material with wild populations, ensuring that the species has the best chance for long-term survival.
The Toronto Zoo is home to Canada's Wildlife Cryobank, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to the cryogenic preservation of genetic material from threatened species, like caribou. By safeguarding genetic diversity, the Cryobank acts as nature's insurance policy.
The Toronto Zoo's conservation breeding programs give threatened species the lifeline they need
to survive. By raising animals in carefully managed care and preparing them for life in the
wild, the Zoo has helped recover species across Canada — from the black-footed ferret to the
Blanding's turtle — with the goal of ensuring healthy, self-sustaining populations for
generations to come.
The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake is one of Canada's most misunderstood, yet ecologically important, reptile species. As Ontario's only venomous snake, the massasauga plays a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems by helping to regulate rodent populations. Sadly, this species is listed as threatened in Canada, facing growing pressures from habitat loss, road mortality, and poaching.
Since 1989, the Toronto Zoo has been actively involved in the conservation and protection of the Eastern massasauga rattlesnake through participation in the AZA Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake SSP®, as well as through public education initiatives for Zoo guests, and communities where massasaugas can be found. These programs help foster greater understanding of the species and promote coexistence between people and wildlife.
In 2025, the Toronto Zoo marked an important milestone in the conservation journey of the endangered black-footed ferret, as the Zoo's role in the species' breeding program came to a close.
Once thought to be extinct in the wild, the black-footed ferret has made an inspiring recovery through the collaborative efforts of conservation organizations across North America, including the Toronto Zoo. We are proud to have contributed to this remarkable success story.
As the program concluded at the Toronto Zoo in 2025, the 18 kits born that year — along with the breeding adults — were transferred to the Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center. While some will continue to contribute to the breeding program, most will undergo pre-release training before returning to their natural habitat, ensuring the next chapter in the species' recovery continues.
One of only six mammals endemic
to Canada, the Vancouver Island marmot is among the country's most critically endangered
species, with wild populations found only on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
The Toronto Zoo plays a key role
in conservation efforts for this species, through captive breeding, reintroduction, and habitat
recovery efforts, helping the wild population rebound from fewer than 30 individuals to more
than 200.
In 2025, ten Vancouver Island
marmot pups born at the Toronto Zoo departed for the Tony Barrett Mount Washington Marmot
Recovery Centre — the first step in their journey toward reintroduction.
In 2012, as few as 10 Blanding's turtles remained in what is now the Rouge National Urban Park, placing this freshwater species on the brink of disappearing from the region entirely – one of the many reasons the Toronto Zoo's Blanding's Turtle Headstarting Program is a critical conservation initiative worth supporting.
For the 12th year, supporters were invited to play a direct and meaningful role in conservation efforts to save this globally endangered species through our Adopt an Animal program. A portion of funds raised through turtle adoptions directly supported the program, helping to purchase essential field equipment such as transmitters, chest waders, and measurement tools used to monitor and protect turtles after release.
Conservation starts with community. Through events, fundraisers, and new spaces for learning, the Toronto Zoo is bringing people closer to wildlife — and to the action.
Construction of the new Community Conservation Centre progressed steadily throughout 2025, with several significant milestones achieved along the way. As the building began to take shape, it became easier to envision the important role this space will soon play in connecting our community with conservation.
One of those milestones was the arrival of the mass timber columns and beams — an important step forward in the Toronto Zoo's journey toward net-zero emissions. Mass timber offers significant sustainability benefits, helping to reduce the Zoo's carbon footprint while creating a space that reflects the organization's commitment to conservation each and every day.
This incredible Centre will be
the future home for hands-on learning, Indigenous knowledge sharing, and deeper connections with
wildlife. Visitors will be able to experience an immersive new habitat for our five North
American river otters and learn about the vital work of our Blanding’s Turtle Headstarting
Program, creating meaningful connections to Ontario’s native wildlife and conservation
efforts.
The 11th annual Move Your Paws for the Polar Bear Cause brought our community together in support of the Toronto Zoo's Polar Bear Life Support System (LSS) Project, raising more than $29,000. This project included upgrades to the existing polar bear habitat that will help create a more natural and enriching space for the Zoo's four polar bears, supporting both their overall well-being and quality of care.
Our community joined us again for the Oasis ZooRun, raising more than $102,000 — the highest total in the event's history. Funds raised supported the new North American river otter habitat in the Toronto Zoo Community Conservation Centre, a dynamic new gateway to conservation.
Our annual silent auction was a standout success, generating more than $40,900 — its strongest performance to date — thanks to the generosity of our donors and a unique selection of experiences that celebrate animals, conservation, and connection.
What began as a modest fundraiser in 2020, raising approximately $1,800, has grown steadily over the past five years — reflecting increasing community support and donor enthusiasm for creative, mission-aligned auction experiences.
The Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy is proud to work alongside companies that share our vision.
Whether through volunteering, sponsorship, or creative collaborations, our corporate partners
help make world-class animal care and conservation possible.
Year after year, Symcor employees and their families show up with enthusiasm and spent the day volunteering at the Toronto Zoo — donating and planting thousands of native plants to support local biodiversity and enhance the Zoo's natural spaces.
Corporate volunteering is just one of the many ways companies can support the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy. From sponsorships and workplace giving to employee matching and in-kind support, our corporate partners play a vital role in helping protect wildlife and wild spaces for future generations.
Learn MoreThe Toronto Zoo partnered with Peace Collective to create a nostalgic tribute to childhood memories, school trips, and summer days spent exploring one of the city's most beloved landmarks. This collection brought back the joy of growing up in Toronto.
After overcoming significant challenges early in life, the Toronto Zoo celebrated an important milestone for Poppy the red panda — turning one. For red panda cubs, reaching their first birthday is a real achievement, as the species faces numerous challenges both in the wild and under human care.
In celebration of Poppy's first birthday, NFL Canada partnered with the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy in support of the new red panda habitat — helping advance plans for an expanded home built for their health and well-being for years to come.
2025 was one of our most impactful years yet. With a dedicated community of over 6,000 donors — individuals, corporations, foundations, grants and bequests — we made a real impact for the animals under the Toronto Zoo's care and in the wild, connecting people with nature and inspiring the next generation of conservationists.
In-person experiences — such as our donor appreciation event, Adopt an Animal Parent's Day, or our Red Panda Day event — continue to play a vital role in fostering transparency, trust, and a shared sense of purpose as we work together to protect wildlife and inspire future generations.
We value our donors and look for unique and meaningful ways to connect, show our appreciation, and share the incredible impact of your support. Thank you.
The Berwick Family, King City
The Consecon Foundation
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Stefania & Juan, Michimu & Blue Speck
Kenneth M. Molson Foundation
RBC Foundation
TD Bank Group
Andree Rheaume & Robert Fitzhenry Family Foundation
Parks Canada – Rouge National Urban Park
Mona Adams
Deborah Allan
Canada Running Series Inc.
Dolf DeJong
Robert J. Gorman
The Jan Rush Foundation
Mary & John Kot
Gary Levy
Claire Lindsay
Melita Sjouwerman
Symcor Inc.
Benjie & Sonia Thomas
Dr. Nancy J. Vivian
Emma Archer
Matthew Dawson
Brian & Stephanie D'Costa
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Jeff Horbal
Jeanne Edwards Fund
Kathy Koch & Joseph Howarth
Patricia Koval
Miller Memorial Foundation
Lesley Orr
Donald & Bonnie Poole
Susan Hope Walsh & Gordon Arich
Andrea Williams
The Chandaria Family
Adetayo Akinyemi
William Allen
Stephanie Altman
Anonymous Fund at Calgary Foundation
Anthony and Rosemary Nichols Foundation
Derrick Araneda
Shari & Allan Baker
Gerard Baribeau
Peter Bartz
Ingrid Beacom
Donald Beard
Kim Beno
Bethune College
Nelson Borges
Ann Buller
Neil & Amanda Carpino
Janet Caverly
Chidiac Animal Hospital
Troudy Clark
Becky Corken
Rochelle DeClute
Tania Del Rizzo
Paul Doyle
Denielle Duncan
Josef Ebner
Susan Eckenwalder
Carolyn Eckertt
Rasha El Sissi
Enbridge Consumers Gas
Russell Finch
Paul & Caroline Frazer
Alicia Gallone
John Giles
Susan E. Gunton
Harold Durnford Fund at The United Church of Canada Foundation
Sharron Hatton
Alexandra Hawkins
Kim Huskilson
Ingredion Canada Inc.
Lenie Joseph
Angela Kernoghan
Mel Kestenberg
Tammy Klein
Martin Kuhn
Kuperman Family Foundation
Mazen Kurdi
Lane Four
Andrew Lentini
Liberty Village Animal Hospital
Living and Learning in Retirement
David Lyons
Thomas Martin
Sara Martinez
Catherine McCallum
Sheila McDougall
Katherine McGuire & Peter Keilhofer
Kyle McLean
Dr. Kay & Peter Mehren
Monika Merz
Microsoft Canada
Barbara Mitton
Music Marketing Inc
Krystina Newbury
Miriam Newhouse
NFL Canada
Margaret Nowitski
Silvia Palm-Leis
Natasha Pateman
William Pauli
Isabel Pinheiro
Powis Family Foundation
Private Giving Foundation
ProAction Cops & Kids
Probus Club of North York
The Regional Municipality of York
RHG Family Charitable Account
Angela Sadegursky
Debra Searay-Gaston
Chris Sharp
Simplicity Car Care
Maggie Sin
Sirisenthuran Sivananthan
Six Nations of the Grand River
Harold Snow
Elisabeth Stadnik
Kim Stefaniuk
Debbie Steiss
Dr. Gabriel Stern
Thomas Sutton
Man Tam
Toronto Zoo
Pamela Toulouse
Daniel Vandersluis
Sri Vemuri
Louise Venne
John Wells
Doreen Williams
David Wright
Marion Zimmer
The Estate of Cicely Blackstock
The Estate of Marilynn Ekelund
The Estate of Nenagh Tralee Leigh
The Estate of Mary Jane Phillips
The Estate of Margaret Tipping
The Estate of William Taylor Wilding
Dolf DeJong
Jean Fanaken
Mike Finos
Jane Givens
Christine Griffith
Murray Hebblethwaite
Tricia Hopf
Lyn Jones
Angela Kernoghan
Mary Lea
E.C. John Lindsay
Amy Lloyd
Jean McKeever
Laureen Nelson-Boutet
Rudolf Noll
Marilyn Shickluna
Deborah Shortill
Carolyn Swadron
Rosemarie Taylor
Donna Wagar
Bill Whitbread
Doreen Williams
Karen Aiken
Adetayo Akinyemi
Deborah Allan
Mohamed Ally
Robert Amerongen
Arundhathi Arivajiagane
Monica Baczuk
Shari & Allan Baker
Peter Bartz
Linda Beatty
Alim Beenally
David Behm
Kim Beno
Danielle Bergevin
Mary Suzanne Betcke
Barbara Blaney
Melanie Boscariol
Gloria Bradey
Joanne Brown
Yichen Cao
Denise Cargill
Neil & Amanda Carpino
Simon Chambers
Anne Cheesman
Michael Cheetham
Rui Li Chen
Arvind Cheniveerappan & Bhumika Arvind
Peter Chernoff
Yurii Chernyshov
Vivian Chong
Terry Clark
Anne Claveau
Suzanne Cocomello
Kimberly Colombe
Brian Cooke
Harriet Cooper
Robert Corbett
Becky Corken
Shelagh Cowie
Nancy Cox
Jessie Cunnington
Kim Currie
Margaret Daly
Darryl D'cunha
Dolf DeJong
Erin Diaz Fernandez
Bailey Dobbin
Nick Dodds
Jane Doyle
Terry Doyle
Eileen Duignan
Amina Elaouni
David Elsner
Barbara Evans
Jean Faber
Barbara Fairbanks
Sarah Rosaria Filippi
Mary Jane Flann
Herb Fleury
Paul Foster
Gerda Francis
Barbara Galbraith
Chang Ge
Sue Geddis
Brigitte Gee
Robert Gorman
Jessica Gowers
Andrew Gray
Joanne Gray
Bernard Green
Dan Gregory
Regina Gudelis
Susan Gunton
Dudley Hamilton
Marilyn Harrington
Ann Heathcote
Jennifer Helin
V. Hemsley
Paula Henry
Laura Heslin-Piper
Dorine Hochman
Thomas Ianniello
Karen Irwin-Carey
Emily Jardine
Claire Jones
Danielle & Scott Judges
Paula Kelly
Angela Kernoghan
Diane Kerr
Jimmy & Gina Kim
Michelle Klemchuck
Mark Knapp
Kathy Koch & Joseph Howarth
Arnd Koechlin
Phani Kolavennu
Ludmila Koushnir
Patricia Koval
Laura Kulchyckyj
Ka Lai Lau
Britney Lawrence
Lisa Lee
Pui Ying Liu
Elizabeth Long
Rita Lovegrove
Benita & Brian Lynch
David Lyons
Kathryn MacKenzie
Ekaterina Makarova
Rahgull Manoragavan
Gerda Marz
Angela Maxwell
Marie Mazzucco
Kerri McCracken
Mary McDonough
Heather McDorman
Jace McFarlane
Marilyn McGrath
Kyle McLean
Kathryn McLellan
Elizabeth McNair
Katherine McQuiggin
Dr. Kay & Peter Mehren
Doris Meier
Ed Melo
Jonathan Midanik
Katalin Murray
Lenore Nadeau
Rachel Ng
Skyler Nguyen
Margaret Nowitski
Pamela Oakley
Melissa Oliphant
Doris Page
Ryley Palmateer
Natasha Pateman
Caitlin Penny
Annelies Peskett
Jessica Petrie
Cheliz Posadas
Laura Powell
Genevieve Prevost
Philip Price
Priti Pun
Rade Radonjic
Guy Raffaele
Lea Ray
Reship Razdan
Patricia Regan
Sara Rego
Debbie Reid
Jan Robinow
Derek Rutherford
Mitzuko Sada
Donalda Scott
Chris Sharp
Margaret Sheridan
Mike Sheridan
Marilyn Shickluna
Claire Marie Simpson
Angad Singh
Sirisenthuran Sivananthan
Carol Smith
Harry Lawrence & Dora DiRocco
J. Francien Solitar
Elisabeth Stadnik
Stephanie Steele
Kim Stefaniuk
Sonia Stramaglia
Monica Szabo
Barbara Taggart
Brad Thornborrow
Suzanne Truchon
Vaidyaraj Vaidyaraj
Christina Varga
Virgo Communication Services
Ann Vosburgh
John & Peggy Walker
Winnie Wallace
Carl Walshe
Hannah Wells
Bill Whitbread
William Wray
Lucy Wright
Gregory Zalusky
Ian Zamojc
Doug Zuber
Gordon Hornett & Christina Wyatt
1OakLeather
Art Gallery of Ontario
Assiniboine Park Zoo
Bank of Montreal
Bell Media/Rogers
Billy Bamboo
Blue Mountain Village
Burgundy Asset Management Ltd
Calgary Zoo
Canadian Tire Pickering (324)
Caribou Gifts
Catherine Button
Centennial College
Christine & Stephen Chometa
City of Toronto – Fleet Services Division
Element Events Canada
Bonnie & Philip Falcone
Farm Boy Company Inc
Four Sweets Cookies
Generation Fertility
Golf Canada Foundation
Green Infrastructure Partners Inc.
Natalie Hnidec
Home Depot Morningside
Ink Entertainment
Jane Goodall Institute of Canada
KIND Healthy Snacks Ulc
LetMeHurtYou (Michelle Nguyen)
Lost Craft Brewery
Lost Vineyards
Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment
Mark's Pizza
Noel McKinstry
Monica McLean
NFL Canada
Niagara River Trading Co
Peace Collective
Pellar Estates
The Play Scape/The Meadowvale Apartment Hotel
Judy Ray
Rona Home & Garden, Scarborough Midland
Royal Ontario Museum
Private Donor – Mauro Scanga
Scarborough Spots
Schleich North America
Second Harvest
Sheridan Nurseries Scarborough
Sheridan Nurseries Whitby
Simplicity Car Care
Someplace Nice
Steam Whistle Brewery
The Strumbellas
The Toronto Zoo
Vandermeer Nursery
Danielle Waters
Wild Republic
Walter Woloschuk
I grew up in Toronto in the 1970s and remember the excitement around the Toronto Zoo opening in 1976. My kids were born in the 2000s and my husband and I took them to the Zoo all the time — we have seen every stage of the Zoo's development since then.
Seeing the Toronto Zoo — a beloved institution — establish a foundation, hire a team, and focus on fundraising inspired me to become a donor. We value the Zoo and want to support it. Truly "our" Toronto Zoo, of which we are proud.
” Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy DonorFor fiscal year ending December 31, 2025
| Financial Results | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Revenue | $11,942,125 |
| Expenditures | $1,360,058 |
| Source | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Planned Giving | $2,689,309 |
| Donations and Grants | $8,114,127 |
| Adopt-an-Animal | $121,222 |
| Events | $192,684 |
| Investments | $801,735 |
| Other Income | $23,048 |
| Total | $11,942,125 |
In 2025, the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy continued to strengthen its fundraising foundation, welcoming major gifts and bequests that furthered our commitment to the Toronto Zoo.
Total donations and other revenue for 2025 reached $11,942,125 — a significant increase over 2024. These vital funds were directed toward supporting the Toronto Zoo's core mission, including conservation science, animal well-being, educational programming, and overall operations of the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy. For every dollar raised this year, 89 cents went directly toward advancing our mission — demonstrating our ongoing commitment to transparency, stewardship, and impact.
For a more detailed review of our financials, please click here to see our financial report.
This year's success would not have been possible without the generosity and dedication of our donors.
Thank you.