Zoo foundation's Future for Wildlife grants aim to help region's threatened species
California condors, Oregon spotted frogs, fishers and other species native to the Pacific Northwest got some much-needed help this week as the Oregon Zoo Foundation awarded $25,000 to nine conservation efforts around the region through its Future for Wildlife grant program.
"The Future for Wildlife program is designed to help protect threatened and endangered species and the ecosystems in which they live," said Nadja Wielebnowski, the zoo's conservation and research manager. "For more than 15 years, the Oregon Zoo has been providing grants to help save animals as small as butterflies and as big as elephants. A portion of these funds is dedicated to helping species in our own backyard here in the Pacific Northwest."
Grants were awarded to the following organizations:
- Jane Goodall Environmental Middle School: $2,000 to support field-based conservation biology research.
- Portland State University: $1,960 to investigate the origin of harbor seals and harbor porpoises with documented organochlorine levels of concern stranded on the beaches of Oregon and southern Washington.
- Coastal Raptors: $3,770 to examine the risk of contaminant exposure for the feasibility of California condor re-introduction in the Pacific Northwest.
- Cascadia Wild: $5,000 to support rare high-elevation carnivores such as the red fox, wolverine, Canada lynx and wolf.
- Northwest Trek: $2,000 to support Oregon spotted frog captive-rearing and release.
- Humboldt State University, Department of Wildlife: $3,984 to investigate den-attendance of fishers and potential impacts of the timber harvest on fisher den ecology.
- Portland State University, Department of Biology: $2,286 to microhabitat partitioning of endangered Oregon spotted frogs and invasive American bullfrogs.
- High Desert Museum: $4,000 to assess the shooting of ground squirrels as a vector for lead exposure in scavenging birds of prey.
To learn more about the Future for Wildlife program and how to apply for grants, contact nadja.wielebnowski@oregonzoo.org or david.shepherdson@oregonzoo.org. To learn more about supporting the program, contact the Oregon Zoo Foundation at 503-220-2493.
"Support from our community is helping the zoo make an impact all across our region through the Future for Wildlife program," said Jani Iverson, foundation director. "Given the growing challenges facing our natural world, the need for this community support is greater than ever before."
To make a contribution to the Oregon Zoo's conservation efforts, call 503-220-5738 or visit oregonzoo.org/wildlife-partners.