Adopt-An-Animal
Posted at 4:01 pm November 29, 2005 by Rachael Shay
It has been one year now since we launched the new and improved Adopt-An-Animal program at the San Diego Zoo and what a success it has been! We have had over 575 adoptions since we launched on December 1, 2004. We started our program with just the cheetah, panda, orangutan, and koala available for adoption and we have since added the flamingo, gorilla, stork, tiger, polar bear, lion, mandrill, crocodile, hippo, rhinoceros, giraffe, and elephant. Our Web Team has designed unique themed adoption certificates for each species available for adoption. If the animal that you want to adopt is not an option, we also have a multi-animal themed adoption certificate that has several animals on it and you get to fill in the animal of your choice.
The Adopt-An-Animal program benefits the animals housed at the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park. One of the questions I get asked the most is, “Where does the money go?” The money is spent on “toys,” enclosure renovation, and camera systems for the animals.
You may have seen some of the items provided by Adopt-An-Animal in the animal exhibits at the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park like hard plastic Boomer balls, Kongs, and chew toys. These items are fun enrichment for the animals. The program has also purchased DVD movies for the primates (children’s movies such as Madagascar, Snow Dogs, and Lion King and a documentary called Microcosms, a time-lapse of plants and bugs, are very popular with the apes!) We also just purchased a new camera system for the Lion Camp bedrooms to observe the lions and in the future we will be able to observe a mom with her cubs without disturbing her.
The keepers and animals are having a great time with all of their new items. Thanks to all of you who have supported the program.
Rachael Shay is a special events coordinator for the Zoological Society of San Diego.
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December 1st, 2005 at 5:12 am
I would like to adopt an animal, but I have a question. Are the funds distributed amongst all the animals, or just to the ones that are specifically adopted? I would hate to think that the more popular animals get all the enrichment. Is there an animal you would recommend I adopt?
December 1st, 2005 at 2:59 pm
We agree that we need to help all of the animals so to keep it fair, we release the money made in the Adopt-An-Animal program twice a year. Half of the donations go to the Zoo animals and the other half to the Wild Animal Park animals. We meet with the keeper staff and they submit what they need and then together we priortize the items needed most. Thank you so much for thinking about the underdogs.
December 1st, 2005 at 3:52 pm
Thank you, Rachael. I feel better about my adoption now. I’m glad everyone gets to play!