Photo Credit: Inge Johnson, Canada Running Series

TORONTO, ON, Thursday, March 7, 2024:  On Saturday, February 24th, the 10th edition of Move Your Paws for the Polar Bear Cause 5K & 1K was hosted at your Toronto Zoo. Despite the cold weather, 1000 participants showed up to support one of the world's most vulnerable species and raised over $31,300.00 for the cause. The polar bears seemed to have brought the weather themselves!

“It was fantastic to see so many Move Your Paws participants on a cold, windy day. A perfect day for our polar bears!”, says Alison Kenn, Fundraising Campaign Manager of the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy. “We are so grateful to those who fundraised or donated towards an individual fundraising goal, and for our top fundraisers and their continued support. Participants and donors have once again shown how much people care about polar bears and their arctic homes, and how that can be translated into direct action to protect them.”

Since the first Move Your Paws for the Polar Bear Cause in 2014, the event has raised over $220,000 to support your Toronto Zoo’s conservation, education, and research efforts to save polar bears. Funds raised from this year’s event will continue to support these efforts to increase the population of this nationally threatened species and inspire people to live in ways that promote the well-being of the natural world.

“Canada Running Series was thrilled to be back at the Toronto Zoo for the 10th edition of Move Your Paws! With record high participant turnout and fundraising achievements, it was truly a celebration,” says Erin Roza, Canada Running Series Senior Manager of Resource Management.  “We are incredibly grateful to all those who continue to participate and support the event year after year. We value this unique partnership with the Toronto Zoo and Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy and are thankful to all their staff for making this banner year such a success.”

Photo Credit: Inge Johnson, Canada Running Series

Photo Credit: Inge Johnson, Canada Running Series

Currently, polar bears are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to climate change and the melting of sea ice. If things don’t change, their status could quickly be escalated to endangered. For polar bears, sea ice is crucial for their reproduction, hunting, and migration. Without it, their chances of survival are dramatically lowered, putting them at risk for extinction.

“Our vision is a world where wildlife and wild spaces thrive, and events, like Move Your Paws, help us achieve that vision," says Dolf DeJong, Chief Executive Officer of the Toronto Zoo. “As a conservation science organization committed to climate action and research to protect Arctic wildlife, we are sincerely grateful for your support in our fight against extinction."

The Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy, Toronto Zoo and Canada Running Series look forward to hosting Oasis ZooRun participants at the Zoo on September 14, 2024 to raise awareness and funds for white rhinos. White rhinos are listed as "Near Threatened" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, with fewer than 16,000 remaining in the wild.

About the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy: 

The Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy is a dedicated partner with the Toronto Zoo in the fight against extinction, established in 2019 to secure increased financial resources and support for the wildlife conservation work being done by the Toronto Zoo. Extinction is forever, and the Zoo’s work in fighting extinction – through research, public engagement, and education, breeding and reintroduction programs – is vital to wildlife, to us, and to our world. 

You can donate to the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy anytime at wildlifeconservancy.ca or over the phone at 416-392-5984.