Your Toronto Zoo and the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy commit $500,000 over 10 years to support Great Ape conservation in the wild!

Toronto, ON, Monday, June 27, 2022 – Your Toronto Zoo and the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy are committing to long-term partnerships with Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP), Ape Action Africa (AAA) and Gorilla Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE). With funds provided by the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy, the Toronto Zoo will provide $250,000 over 10 years to support orangutan conservation in the wild, and another $250,000 over the same period to support gorilla Conservation efforts. Each year, zoos accredited through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums contribute more than $5.5 million to gorilla conservation, and your Toronto Zoo is proud to do our part for a brighter future for these incredible animals. 

Commitment to Orangutan Conservation Efforts

In 2017, the conservation status of Sumatran orangutans was changed from Endangered to Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation and Nature (IUCN). Today, fewer than 15,000 Sumatran orangutans can be found in the wild. Approximately 95% of these orangutans live in the Greater Leuser Ecosystem on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, and your Toronto Zoo actively supports conservation work for orangutans and other species in this fragile habitat.

“We’re so grateful to be working with amazing partners like the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme to help save this critically endangered species” says Dolf DeJong, CEO, Toronto Zoo. “The world has lost an estimated 120,000 orangutans in the past decade, primarily due to habitat loss. Our mission at your Toronto Zoo is to connect people, animals and conservation science to fight extinction, and this partnership is a wonderful example of our commitment to help fight extinction”. 

Commitment to Orangutan Conservation 

The Board of Directors of the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy approved a commitment of $250,000 over ten years to support situ conservation organizations working to save and protect orangutans. 

PanEco Foundations’ Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) been selected as the recipient of these funds and will receive $25,000 a year for the next ten years. 

“We are delighted to be providing this funding commitment to support orangutan conservation”, says Beth Gilhespy, Executive Director of the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy. “The Toronto Zoo and the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy play an important role in primate survival, both at the Zoo and in the wild”, added Gilhespy. “Our 2020 Wildlife Conservation Awareness report showed us how important the Toronto Zoo is for creating awareness of the impacts of palm oil production on orangutan survival. This funding will extend the Toronto Zoo’s impact to direct actions in the field. And the long term nature of the funding will help provide certainty and sustainability for conservation partners who are committed to survival of wild orangutan populations.” 

Foundations’ Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) 

PanEco is a Swiss-based Foundation that for more than 20 years has worked in partnership to protect and conserve orangutans in Sumatra and their rainforest habitat, through the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP); a collaborative initiative run by Indonesian NGO Yayasan Ekosistem Lestari (YEL) and the Indonesian Nature Conservation Authorities.   

"Long-term support like this from Toronto Zoo is invaluable in preventing the extinction of Critically Endangered species such as orangutans here in Sumatra” says Dr. Ian Singleton, OBE, Director, Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme. “Knowing that we have funds coming in year after year allows us to better plan our conservation activities to be much more effective and impactful, to react promptly to new challenges when they arise, and new opportunities too, knowing we have the resources available." 

PanEco’s mission is to ensure that nature is preserved in its diversity, that we, as humans, take a responsible and mindful approach to nature, and that the causes of climate change are tackled. The SOCP works through science‐based conservation to establish new wild populations deliver landscape‐level protection, sustainable livelihood development, and environmental education and awareness building.  

Some of the orangutans being cared for at the SOCP Quarantine Centre cannot be released to the wild for health or disability reasons. A new project under development, the Orangutan Haven, is the solution for these individuals. At the Haven they will be able to live out their days in optimal welfare conditions on large naturalistic islands and serve as natural ambassadors for their wild counterparts. 

With their first installment of $25,000, this year’s funds will support: 

- Care of the unreleasable orangutans at the Orangutan Haven. Orangutan care consists of food, medical treatment and medical supplies, enrichment, and care staff costs; 

-  A team of dedicated security personnel for the orangutans at the Orangutan Haven; 

- Maintenance and upkeep of the orangutan islands at the Orangutan Haven. The islands provide long‐term homes for unreleasable orangutans. Up‐keep and maintenance will consist of ensuring the water systems and moats surrounding the islands are functioning at the optimal level, replacement of bamboo, ropes, and other similar equipment, plus maintenance of enclosures and other infrastructure 

The Toronto Zoo is also a program partner for the Orangutan SAFE program with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums which aims to protect and restore the wild orangutan population and their habitats through public engagement, funding, and field work. 

To learn more about the OSAFE program click here: www.azaorangutansafe.org 

Commitment to Gorilla Conservation Efforts

“Our vision is a world where wildlife and wild spaces thrive and we are committed to meaningful actions to support wildlife conservation”, says Dolf DeJong, CEO, Toronto Zoo. “The partnership between the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy and Ape Action Africa and Gorilla SAFE is an important step in helping to make this vision a reality. Committing to long-term funding will extend the Toronto Zoo’s impact to direct actions in the field. Our commitment to funding over a 10-year period is a critical step in providing certainty and sustainability for conservation parters who are committed to the survival of wild gorilla populations”.   

Commitment to Gorilla Conservation 

Earlier this year your Toronto Zoo and the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy proudly announced that the Board of Directors of the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy had approved a commitment of $250,000 over ten years to support gorilla conservation and survival in the wild. Funds would be provided to the Toronto Zoo to directly support in situ conservation organizations conducting programs and projects that raise awareness of the impacts of poaching and trafficking and support habitat restoration. The announcement was made to coincide with the 50th birthday celebration for Charles, the Toronto Zoo’s iconic silverback gorilla. 

We are now pleased to share that  Ape Action Africa and Gorilla SAFE have been selected as the recipients of these funds. 

“As funding partners with the Toronto Zoo, we are pleased to be able to significantly increase the impact of the Toronto Zoo on gorilla survival”, says Beth Gilhespy, Executive Director of the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy.  “We already know how important the Toronto Zoo is for raising awareness of the impact of coltan mining on gorilla habitat, through our 2020 Wildlife Conservation Awareness report. Because of the generosity of donors to the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy, we are now able to provide significant, long term funding to Ape Action Africa to directly and positively impact the lives of rescued gorillas and those in the wild.” 

Ape Action Africa 

Established in 1996, Ape Action Africa works to address the immediate threats faced by gorillas and chimps in Africa and partners with local communities to develop long-term solutions to ensure their survival in the wild. They are committed to identifying areas that can be set aside as protected habitat for rescued gorillas and chimpanzees, with the hope of releasing the great apes and monkeys in their care back into the wild. 

Ape Action African provides the rescued apes in their care with around the clock veterinary care and nourishment at their Mefou Primate Sanctuary, where they are joined by an expert team of caregivers, many of whom are local community members that have joined the fight to protect Cameroon's natural heritage. 

“With Toronto Zoo’s support through the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy, we are delighted that we will be able to take significant steps along our Road to Recovery in 2022 and over the next ten years, building a future for our rescued primates while working to protect their cousins in the wild and raise awareness of the plight they still face” says Rachel Hogan, Director, OBE, Ape Action Africa. “Not only will this partnership help us to continue providing for the day-to-day needs of our 286 primates, including purchasing locally produced, nutritious food and delivering exceptional veterinary and individual care, it will also help us to take the first steps towards identifying potential release sites for some of our orphans in the future” she added.    

Ape Action African will receive $200,000 over the next ten years and have already received their first installment of $20,000. This year’s funds will support: 

 - Care of the Western Lowland Gorillas living in Ape Action Africa’s Mefou Primate Sanctuary, located in Cameroon, including food, medical treatment and supplies and dedicated caregiver costs;

- Maintenance and upkeep of the Western lowland gorilla forest enclosures and night houses to ensure water systems and systems infrastructure are functioning at the optimal level.

Gorilla SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) 

The Gorilla Species Survival Plan’s (SSP) Gorilla SAFE program focuses the collective expertise within AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums and leverages their massive audiences to save species. The goal of the Gorilla SAFE program is to secure sustainable populations of all gorilla subspecies, with a targeted emphasis on protecting the fragile Cross River gorilla populations in Cameroon and Nigeria and halting the rapid decline of Grauer’s gorilla populations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Gorilla SAFE supports conservation of wild gorillas through: 

-  On-the-ground protection of gorillas 

-  Research and monitoring 

-  Targeted stakeholder engagement and education 

Gorilla SAFE will receive $50,000 over the next ten years. 

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 416-392-9114