Living Desert accepted into International Union for the Conservation of Nature
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert has been accepted into the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the zoo announced Tuesday.
According to the Living Desert, the IUCN “determines the status of species such as vulnerable, threatened, endangered or critically endangered.” The non-profit organization is described as “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 Living Desert is now one of only 9 accredited zoos and aquariums in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to have been accepted. There are 236 accredited zoos and aquariums in AZA.
According to the IUCN’s website, the non-profit organization has over 1,300 members in over 170 countries.
“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,” said Dr. James Danoff-Burg, the Living Desert’s director of conservation. “This gives us the opportunity to be an even bigger leader in global conservation projects.”
Danoff-Burg was also accepted into the IUCN’s ‘Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group,’ a global expert network that provides “credible technical advice on sustainable use and livelihoods to conservation projects globally.”
Danoff-Burg says the application process included a look at the Living Desert’s efforts on the grounds and in the wild. The Living Desert is currently involved in 33 field conservation projects in 11 countries.
The zoo is also a part of numerous AZA Species Survival Programs dedicated to the conservation of endangered wildlife, including over 50 SSP species that are represented at the zoo. The Living Desert actively participates in the Saving Animals From Extinction 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 visit LivingDesert.org.
