Canada's Wildlife Cryobank
Your Toronto Zoo is home to the most diverse wildlife biobank in Canada—preserving the building blocks of life to protect species for generations to come.
Canada's Wildlife Cryobank is a national hub for cryogenic preservation, housing frozen reproductive cells and tissues from more than 100 species. This living library of genetic material supports pioneering research, enhances recovery programs for threatened and endangered wildlife, and strengthens biodiversity conservation across Canada and beyond.
Through science, innovation, and collaboration, the Cryobank is helping to secure wild futures—one cell at a time.
Canada's Wildlife Cryobank
Your Toronto Zoo is home to the most diverse wildlife biobank in Canada—preserving the building blocks of life to protect species for generations to come.
Canada's Wildlife Cryobank is a national hub for cryogenic preservation, housing frozen reproductive cells and tissues from more than 100 species. This living library of genetic material supports pioneering research, enhances recovery programs for threatened and endangered wildlife, and strengthens biodiversity conservation across Canada and beyond.
Through science, innovation, and collaboration, the Cryobank is helping to secure wild futures—one cell at a time.
Background
Your Toronto Zoo has long been a leader in wildlife reproductive science. As the only zoo in Canada with a full-time reproductive physiologist and specialized reproductive labs, the Zoo plays a critical role in advancing conservation through science.
Through its Endocrinology and Gamete Biology labs, the Zoo studies reproductive function in wildlife species and applies techniques such as artificial insemination, hormone monitoring, embryo transfer, and cryogenic preservation of live cells. This unique capacity laid the foundation for the creation of Canada's Wildlife Cryobank—a national biorepository dedicated to preserving the genetic diversity of threatened and endangered species.
With this infrastructure in place, and in collaboration with academic and conservation partners, your Toronto Zoo is uniquely positioned to lead Canada’s efforts in wildlife biobanking and reproductive innovation.
Why?
Wildlife faces increasing threats—from climate change and habitat loss to emerging diseases and shrinking gene pools. Genetic diversity is key to survival, but once it's lost, it can't be recovered.
The Cryobank helps prevent that loss by preserving reproductive material, such as sperm, eggs, embryos, tissues, and DNA, under cryogenic conditions. These “frozen assets” can one day be used to:
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Support breeding programs with science-based genetic planning
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Assist reproduction and reintroduction efforts for endangered species
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Enable genetic rescue for small or isolated populations
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Advance scientific research in genetics, conservation biology, and animal health
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Collaborate globally through Species Survival Plan® Programs
By freezing time today, we’re opening doors to tomorrow.
Quick Facts
With your support, Canada's Wildlife Cryobank will continue to lead the way in safeguarding genetic diversity and protecting species for future generations.
- State-of-the-art cryogenic storage: Specialized equipment and secure freezers store reproductive materials like sperm, eggs, embryos, and tissues in long-term frozen conditions to preserve viability for future use in conservation breeding and research.
- Largest wildlife biobank in Canada: With over 100 wildlife species represented—and growing—the Cryobank is the most diverse national wildlife genetic repository in the country, supporting both Canadian and global conservation goals.
- National centre of reproductive science expertise: Your Toronto Zoo is the only zoo in Canada with a full-time reproductive physiologist and dedicated labs for endocrinology and gamete biology, enabling innovative work in assisted reproduction and cryopreservation.
- Supports Species Survival Plan® programs: Genetic material stored in the Cryobank contributes to the long-term health and sustainability of wildlife populations, helping zoos across North America manage genetic diversity through strategic breeding plans.
- Vital resource for research and innovation: The Cryobank supports academic partnerships, PhD research, and groundbreaking studies in wildlife reproductive health, population recovery, and conservation genetics.
Contact Us
Where hope meets action:
As we confront the dual challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, we are fuelled by a profound sense of optimism, confident in the Zoo’s expertise and ability to drive meaningful, lasting change.
Contact us to learn more:
Alison Kenn, Campaign Manager
416-392-5983
akenn@torontozoo.ca