Zoo Accepted Into Nature Conservation Union

PALM DESERT/INDIAN WELLS, CA – The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens was recently accepted into the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), according to a news release.

The Living Desert is one of only nine accredited zoos and aquariums in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to have been accepted.

The IUCN is the world’s leading body on determining the conservation status of species, crafting legislation to support their conservation, and bringing together the leaders of conservation to care for the planet. The IUCN determines the status of species such as vulnerable, threatened, endangered or critically endangered.

“Being a part of the IUCN allows us to voice our opinion on major resolutions that often are the inspiration for wildlife laws in many countries around the world,” The Living Desert’s Director of Conservation Dr. James Danoff-Burg said in a prepared statement. “This gives us the opportunity to be an even bigger leader in global conservation projects.”

Danoff-Burg also has been accepted as part of the Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group, a global expert network formed by the IUCN to provide credible technical advice on sustainable use and livelihoods to conservation projects globally.

“Conservation has been at the core of The Living Desert since it was founded in 1970. Acceptance into the IUCN and their programs is a true honor and testament to the hard work and dedication of staff throughout the years,” Allen Monroe, President/CEO of The Living Desert., said in a prepared statement.  “I’m very proud of them and appreciative of our dedicated members and donors who help make it possible.”

According to Danoff-Burg, the application process included summarizing the zoo and garden’s many efforts on the grounds and in the wild. As a leader in conservation, The Living Desert actively participates in 33 field conservation projects in 11 countries around the world. In addition, The Living Desert is a part of many AZA Species Survival Programs (SSP) that are dedicated to the conservation of endangered wildlife, including the more than 50 SSP species that are represented at the zoo. The Living Desert actively participates in the Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) program for the cheetah and giraffe programs, and leads the vaquita SAFE initiative on behalf of AZA member institutions.

For more information about The Living Desert call (760) 346-5694 or click here.