The Quarters for Conservation program started by the Friends of the Charles Paddock Zoo in November of 2018. Each year, three non-profit organizations are chosen by zoo's staff based on need, location of work, species of focus and other criteria. During your visit to the zoo, you may opt to purchase one or more tokens for only one quarter each. You then have an opportunity to choose which organization you wish to donate your quater to. In 2019, over 3000 dollars were raised for conservation - one quarter at a time! The three projects listed below are the ones we are currently collecting donations for.
Kangaroo Island is well known for its thriving koala population. However, over 150000 hectares have been lost due to the recent events, affecting the koala population dramatically.
Donated funds will be used to help with veterinary costs, koala milk and supplements, extra holding/rehabilitation enclosures, as well as setting up a building to hold supplies to treat, not only koalas, but all injured native species.
Across the national bushfire-affected areas, it is extimated that as many as 500 million animals - including critically endangered species - have perished in the bushfires, with the full impact impossible to determine.
Donations will fund: emergency veterinary care and scientific intervention (such as supplementary feeding for the animals who have survived, but whose habitats have been destroyed by the bushfires).
The Australian Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA) is coordinating a collaborative response to the emerging rescue and rehabilitation needs of affected wildlife.
The effects of this crisis on wildlife and their destroyed habitats is going to require a long-term approach, so the ZAA fire and drought response will also consider what's needed in years ahead to rehabilitate the surviving native wildlife and ensure that they can return to livable habitats.
