Every December the Delaware Zoological Society’s Conservation Grant program (DZSCG) awards funding to multiple organizations or projects aligned with the zoo’s mission, conservation goals, and habitats and species represented in our collection. These funds are split between Regional Conservation Initiatives (taking place in Delaware, the Delaware Valley, or the Mid-Atlantic region) and Signature Projects (multi-year projects that take place in regions identified as primary conservation focus for the zoo which include Madagascar, South America, and the Northeastern United States.)

2025 Signature Projects:

Alley-Cropping Reforestation Pilot Project
Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership (MBP) & Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium

The DZSCG has provided support for this pilot re-forestation project in Kianjavato, Madagascar since 2020. MBP has planted more than 7 million trees in Madagascar (as of October 2024) to restore important habitat for lemurs and countless other species unique to Madagascar. This project’s goal is to use alley-cropping agricultural techniques to plant rows of important native trees that benefit lemurs between rows of plants for harvest, leading to increased biodiversity while engaging local community members and stimulating economic growth. Reports are provided to the zoo on an annual basis to provide project updates directly from the project leads in Kianjavato. You can learn more about MBP here: https://madagascarpartnership.org/

Project Selva
Center for Conservation & Research, San Antonio Zoo

Project Selva works directly with mestizo indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon to conserve biodiversity and habitat in the Amazon Basin through development of a co-op that approaches rainforest conservation from the perspective of the people living there. The project aims to establish educational opportunities for children, develop skill sets and resources for Peruvian artists to provide regular income stream for necessities like medicine, establish a rainforest preserve, and promote wildlife conservation. This co-op focuses on relationship building with indigenous leaders to create community-led projects as opposed to thrusting western approaches to conservation on indigenous communities. This co-op solicits artisan items such as traditional bracelets, necklaces, carvings, paintings, and more that are then exported to the zoo for zoo gift shop sales, which go back into maintaining the program to provide revenue stream to artists. This region also supports numerous resident and migratory bird species familiar to Delaware residents including purple martins, night hawks, black crowned night herons and various species of vireo, flycatcher, and warbler.

Zoo Conservation Outreach Group (ZCOG)

ZCOG is a nonprofit coalition of zoos, aquariums, and related partners dedicated to promoting wildlife and habitat conservation throughout the Americas. The group accomplishes its core mission by developing conservation leadership capacity in Latin American zoological institutions and providing direct technical, material, and financial support to collaborative, zoo and aquarium-based conservation programs. They are also associated with AZA, and this strengthens our connection with AZA. Three of their primary conservation species are Andean condor, Chilean flamingo and giant anteater which are currently in or planned to come into our collection. They also work in range countries with pudu and jaguar. You can learn more about ZCOG here: https://www.zcog.org/

2025 Regional Conservation Initiatives:

Hillary Taylor
Delaware Council of Wildlife Rehabilitators and Educators

Hillary Taylor is a local wildlife rehabilitator associated with the Delaware Council of Wildlife Rehabilitators and Educators that has worked closely with the zoo for many years. You can learn more about the DE Council of Wildlife Rehabilitators here: https://www.dewildliferescue.com/