THE PLACE

The Bronx Zoo is the flagship park and heart of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), as well as home base for WCS's global conservation mission. In the midst of the "urban jungle," this 265-acre pocket of woodland gives two million annual visitors, many of them local city-dwellers, the chance to connect with wildlife. The zoo's 4,000 animal residents inhabit award-winning exhibits that recreate natural habitats around the globe.

THE CHALLENGE

The Bronx Zoo strives to provide a connection to the wild for many people who have never set foot in wilderness. It is a living classroom that aims to embed all visitors with a sense of responsibility for the environment and our fellow species.

WHAT WCS IS DOING

Across Zoo grounds, new energy-efficient buildings, robust recycling efforts, and a cogeneration facility that produces much of the park's power are helping the city reach its goal of reducing its "carbon footprint" (greenhouse gases produced as a result of human activities) 30 percent by 2030.

Bronx Zoo exhibits like JungleWorld, a giant indoor Asian rainforest, and primate haven Congo Gorilla Forest invite visitors to escape to remote corners of the world where wildlife thrives, but habitat pressure is increasing. Inside these threatened ecosystems, visitors unlock some of the secrets of our planet's most spectacular wildernesses, and how we can ensure their protection.

Through its education department, the Bronx Zoo reaches out to neighboring communities in innovative ways. In a public-private partnership with the non-profit Urban Assembly and the New York City Board of Education, the Zoo is providing resources and training to the local Urban Assembly School for Wildlife Conservation. WCS hopes the program will stimulate students to pursue careers in science, conservation, or zoo professions.

HOW CAN YOU HELP YOURSELF?

Go wild and learn! Here are some ways you can make the most of your visit to the zoo:
  • Join the first annual Wildlife Conservation Society Run for the Wild! Run, walk, hop, waddle or slither to the wildest event of the year. Visit wcsrunforthewild.org to register or make your online pledges.
  • Visit the Zoo's new exhibit, Madagascar!, this summer to see incredible wildlife and an incredible green renovation project: the "recycling" of the historic Lion House into a state-of-the-art eco-friendly exhibit building.
  • Meet endangered species: The Bronx Zoo is one of the only places in the world you can see rare animals like the snow leopard, the western lowland gorilla, or the white-naped crane.
  • Take a trip around the world! Along the zoo trail, you'll traverse wildlife habitats from the windswept coast of Patagonia to the balmy beaches of an Asian jungle. Discover how the residents of these diverse regions are uniquely adapted to life in the trees, desert, grassland, or seashore.
  • Bring your camera! Photos of your friends or family on the Bug Carousel, in the giant turtle shells and birds' nests at the Children's Zoo, or at our photo-op station in front of Lion Island will help you remember your day.
I Want to help. Go!