How do AZA-accredited zoos contribute to elephant conservation?
The elephant conservation missions of AZA-accredited zoos encompass a wide range of activities, including conservation education, research, development of relevant technologies, professional training, habitat restoration, ecotourism, community-based conservation, the direct support of national parks and equivalent reserves, and fund-raising to support these initiatives. AZA and its accredited zoos are actively involved and or support more than 85 Elephant Conservation Initiatives and were also the driving force behind the creation of the Bushmeat Crisis Task Force (BCTF), a coalition of more than 30 major conservation organizations and zoological parks whose mission is to curb the illegal commercial trade of wildlife meat, including the forest elephants in central and western Africa. AZA – accredited institutions are also the primary supporters of the International Elephant Foundation (IEF), a non-profit organization that provides financial support for a wide variety of elephant conser
