Zoo Atlanta

The animal collection & work with endangered species: animal highlights in 2022 included the births of a schmidt's guenon and angolan colobus monkey infants. A critically endangered bog turtle hatched in may and represented one of the rarest species in the united states, as it only lives in the eastern u.s., including northwest Georgia. Zoo Atlanta is part of the aza safe (saving animals from extinction) american turtles program, which joins together animal care experts, wildlife agencies, universities, non-governmental organizations, and law enforcement in working to battle the illegal trade of american turtles.

Education & conservation:in 2022, the Zoo's public, school and family education programs served 595,640 individuals. Education programs create fun and engaging experiences to connect Zoo visitors with wildlife, provide and support science curricula to improve students' understanding of the natural world and empower individuals to take action. The quarters for conservation program donates 25 cents of every Zoo admission ticket to conservation projects for wildlife and wild places around the world. The mabel dorn reeder conservation endowment fund awarded five grants totaling $49,876 in 2022.

Environmental responsibilities & diversity efforts:the Zoo incorporates environmental considerations into its business by reducing impact through pollution prevention, waste reduction, and conservation of resources. The green team monitors the Zoo's environmental efforts and maintains a sustainable workplace. The Zoo's board and team members are composed of talented individuals from various professional, religious, ethnic, socio-economic, civic, and political backgrounds reflective of the diverse community. Through the supplier diversity program, the Zoo conducted business with 119 minority-owned businesses in 2022.

The visitor experience: from well-known native wildlife to critically endangered species on the brink of extinction, Zoo Atlanta offers memorable close encounters with more than 1,000 animals from around the world. These exclusive hands-on experiences use the Zoo's living population to create connections between guests and the natural world. Zoo Atlanta has been internationally recognized for its science, conservation, education, and behavioral research programs. Keeper talks, interactive wildlife shows, education programs and special events run year-round. In 2022, Zoo Atlanta welcomed 869,153 visitors. With a continually growing social media following, the Zoo attracted 573,200 followers on its facebook, twitter, instagram, tiktok, pinterest, and youtube platforms by the end of 2022.community access programs: as part of Zoo Atlanta's ongoing commitment to being a Zoo for all, it made enhancements in 2022 to help connect guests who are deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired to animals and the broader conservation mission of the Zoo. New interpretive elements at the african savanna opened in march 2022 and create an immersive experience that promotes accessibility. The Zoo completed the project with the support of the ups foundation and in collaboration with the Georgia center of the deaf and hard of hearing and the center for the visually impaired. In 2022, Zoo Atlanta provided 61,761 youth and adults with free admission to the Zoo through numerous community access programs, including the sponsored admissions program, wild walks program, family library pass program, camp best friends, arts in community, and Zoo access program. Cox enterprises also sponsored 50 summer safari camp scholarships for title i youth in Atlanta. These programs allow Zoo Atlanta to broaden its reach and impact within diverse and unserved communities across the state. Conservation initiatives: Zoo Atlanta is directly involved in field conservation programs for wildlife and wild places around the globe, including work in africa, asia, central and south america, and Georgia. The Zoo's contributions range from funding for other established conservation organizations who share its mission, enabling a greater total impact in the field than might be achievable by a single organization, to projects in which its own staff are personally engaged in field work, community outreach programs, research and education programs on continents around the globe.conservation is at the heart of Zoo Atlanta's mission, and the Zoo announced a commitment of support in 2022 for five conservation programs protecting wildlife in nepal, cambodia, and multiple locations in africa. Projects for red pandas, clouded leopards, drill monkeys, west african slender-snouted crocodiles, and western lowland gorillas are the 2023 beneficiaries of the Zoo's mabel dorn reeder conservation endowment fund. In 2022, the Zoo announced a considerable new commitment to a second major conservation partner, the golden lion tamarin association in brazil, in continuation of a decades-long partnership to protect the endangered icons of brazil's atlantic coastal forest. Additionally, since 2016, Zoo Atlanta also contributed 25 cents of every general admission ticket to programs for wildlife through its quarters for conservation program. This initiative is currently focused on supporting partners dedicated to helping angolan colobus monkeys, western lowland gorillas, and african vultures.conservation efforts for native species include a collaboration to rear and reintroduce eastern indigo snakes to Alabama's conecuh national forest and an ongoing commitment to rearing diamondback terrapins for release into the wild through support of the Georgia sea turtle center's jekyll island causeway conservation program. Zoo Atlanta also partners on efforts to restore the critically endangered mountain bog ecosystem of the southern appalachian region and is home to a safeguarding site for the critically endangered michaux's sumac, a plant species found only in the southeastern u.s.research initiatives: research helps Zoo Atlanta better understand and provide stewardship for the animals in its care, and it provides the Zoo with valuable insights that enable it to protect their counterparts in the wild. Basic research also contributes to overall knowledge of life on earth. Scientists at Zoo Atlanta lead research efforts involving animals housed at the Zoo as well as animals in the wild. The Zoo's scientists collaborate with scientists around the world. The Zoo's scientific staff hold faculty appointments at Georgia state university, Georgia tech, and the university of Georgia. Zoo team members have published the results of their research in such journals as science, behaviour, conservation biology, and proceedings of the national academy of sciences, as well as featured by media such as national geographic, wired, and the new york times. Research programs help Zoo team members better understand and care for the animals in the Zoo's population and enable the protection of species' counterparts in the wild. Topics explored by our staff scientists include management of small populations of endangered species both in zoos and in the wild; many aspects of animal behavior and cognition; reproductive physiology; animal health and well-being; biomechanics; and biodiversity studies.

Public events & fundraisers: Zoo Atlanta's attendance is boosted from established signature events such as boo at the Zoo, brew at the Zoo, and sippin' safari as well as expanded accessibility initiatives. Beastly feast, Zoo Atlanta's signature black-tie gala, is one of the southeast's most unique philanthropic events. The ford motor company fund was the presenting sponsor for the 37th consecutive year of generous support. Zoo Atlanta continues to expand its reputation for offering special events for people of all ages and interests.volunteers:as a nonprofit organization, Zoo Atlanta counts on volunteers to be an integral part of its workforce. In 2022, volunteers contributed 32,433 hours to Zoo Atlanta, which is valued at nearly $972,000. There were 155 adult volunteers, 480 group volunteers, 44 volunteens, 38 interns and externs, 63 docents, 30 event volunteers, and 54 joey volunteers who gave their time to the Zoo in 2022.