Endangered Species Justice Fund

The Oregon Zoo's Endangered Species Justice Fund takes money from criminals who violate wildlife statutes and puts it to work protecting endangered and threatened species. The fund is a partnership between the Oregon Zoo, the U.S. Attorney's Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The fund was created as a recipient and steward of fines that defendants are required to pay as part of their criminal sentences when convicted for wildlife crimes in federal court.

The fund will make grants to programs working to protect and support endangered and threatened species, as well as programs working to combat illegal trafficking and sale of endangered and threatened species. The fund will work to ensure that funds are spent to address the type of environmental harms caused by wildlife crimes prosecuted in Oregon. Since crimes prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office involve animals from all over the world, the fund will support both programs that help Northwest species and efforts abroad.

The Endangered Species Justice Fund will work as a part of the zoo's Future for Wildlife fund. The FFW has a long history of success in international conservation efforts through programs to conserve elephants, rhinos, penguins, cheetahs, leopards, snow leopards and chimpanzees in Africa, Asia and South America. The FFW has a proven track record locally, helping to fund regional conservation efforts on behalf of the Oregon silverspot butterfly, the Washington pygmy rabbit and the California condor.

Representatives of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been invited to join the FFW fund committee, which decides how all FFW funds are spent, including money from the Endangered Species Justice Fund.

In accordance with federal law, money distributed by the Endangered Species Justice Fund will not in any way be used for political or lobbying activities.