Species Conservation Programs and Committees
Species Survival Plans and Taxon Advisory Groups
Lion Country Safari works with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to help save animals from extinction. One of these ways is involvement in the AZA Species Survival Plan® (SSP) programs, which are conservation and breeding programs for threatened species that helps to ensure the long-term survival of a healthy, sustainable population of threatened species in human care. By working cooperatively with other facilities in the SSP, Lion Country Safari helps to contribute to field conservation, species recovery, veterinary care for wildlife disease issues, establishment of assurance populations, and many other species-focused conservation efforts. Lion Country Safari is a participant in 35 different Species Survival Plan programs. Lion Country Safari has also hosted SSP workshops for chimpanzees and maned wolves.
Lion Country Safari staff members sit on AZA committees for SSP and other animal programs:
- Dr. Beth, Senior Veterinarian – Maned Wolf Veterinarian Advisor, Rhino Research Council Health Co-Advisor
- Ashleigh, Wildlife Curator- Wild Equid TAG Vice Chair; Rhinoceros TAG Steering Committee
For more information, please go to the AZA’s website: www.aza.org/species-survival-plan-programs
AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction
SAFE programs focus the collective expertise of AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums and leverages their audiences to work together to save species. Lion Country Safari is proud to be a partner facility for several SAFE programs, including:
- Chimpanzee
- Giraffe
- North American Songbirds
- Monarch
- Lion
For more information, please go to the AZA’s website: www.aza.org/aza-safe
Conservation Committee
The Lion Country Safari Conservation Committee [LCSCC] was implemented in 2015 and consists of contributing members from our Wildlife, Marketing, Education and Retail departments. The committee was formed to assist any LCS employee in the design, production, and execution of any conservation-related project, fundraising event, or park-wide change. The mission of the Conservation Committee is to implement conservation actions and ideas that will preserve wildlife and their natural habitats. We strive to endow communities with the necessary tools to sustain and care for the natural environment through education and outreach.
Retail Round Up & Animal Art sales
Lion Country Safari participates in several fundraising efforts coordinated through retail operations. Retail Round Up efforts collect small monetary donations that amass to larger sums in support of conservation projects and organizations. This is achieved by providing guests with the opportunity to round their retail purchase total up to the next whole dollar. Lion Country Safari has been able to provide numerous organizations with monetary support using this system and a rotating monthly calendar of recipient organizations.
Lion Country Safari also sells unique, one-of-a-kind art pieces created by animal artists as part of their enrichment program. Art works produced by giraffe, macaws and chimps as well as paw and other paint prints from lions and rhinos have been sold, with 50% of the proceeds from these sales supporting conservation organizations including the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, World Parrot Trust, Tonkolili Chimpanzee Project, Lion Recovery Fund and the International Rhino Foundation.
Green Practices
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle is an important concept for everyone to embrace.
- Lion Country Safari has installed energy savers throughout the park, including timed thermostats, motion sensors on light switches, LED lights, electric tour boat and control-release paper dispensers. Lion Country Safari’s water sources are metered, and water usage is recorded as part of a water conservation plan.
- Each office has a container for paper recycling, and aluminum/plastic recycling containers are stationed throughout the park for staff and guests to use.
- Old cell phones, printer ink cartridges, and toners are collected and recycled. During Lion Country Safari’s annual Christmas with the Chimps event, guests who bring in a used cell phone to recycle received an animal feeding coupon to use at one of the animal encounters at Lion Country Safari.
- Animal enrichment items often include reused and recycled materials such as: used uniforms or other clothing items, linens, towels, shredded paper, receipt rolls, paper towel tubes, fire hose, tires, cardboard boxes, and trimmed vegetation.
- Park-generated hay and feces is collected for composting by a local soil company. http://www.odumspottingsoilandsod.com/
- Lion Country Safari includes recycled materials and innovative lumber in the construction of ramps, displays, railings, benches, picnic tables, and roofing.
- In an effort to lessen the amount of chemicals entering our waterways, Lion Country Safari has installed aeration systems in our chimpanzee moat and Lake Shanalee.
- Straw Ban: Lion Country Safari is committed to reducing plastic pollution and waste by no longer providing plastic drinking straws at the park. In an effort to keep the animals in human care at Lion Country Safari safe from rogue straws, as well as combat pollution and marine debris, the item will no longer be offered with beverages. Although a small change, millions of drinking straws are used throughout the United States every day and most end up as hazards in habitats. Marine debris is an issue of rising concern, with straws firmly placed as one of the top ten reported items collected during beach and marine clean up events.
Partners of Preservation (POP) Art
POP Art [Partners of Preservation] is a recently developed, annual fundraiser based out of central Florida that helps raise money to assist in bird preservation efforts across the globe. Staff have enthusiastically donated numerous art pieces to the cause; all funds raised are donated to reputable facilities that work to save endangered birds.