After 128 years, the iconic Denver Zoo is rebranding itself as the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance (DZCA).
The change comes as a result of the DZCA’s long-term involvement in conservation initiatives over the last 30 years, including the funding and staffing of over 600 conservation initiatives in 62 countries.
“Our new identity as Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance honors our past efforts to connect people with wildlife and protect threatened species and habitats and will guide us into the future where our work will only become increasingly important,” says Brian Aucone, chief conservation officer at the DZCA.
The DZCA recently launched initiatives to help protect highly endangered species such as Asian elephants, Sumatran orangutans, and mountain gorillas. These initiatives will take place in Africa and Southeast Asia.
The rebrand to the Denver Conservation Alliance helps to reaffirm the DZCA’s commitment to areas such as research, sustainability, wildlife breeding and release, and rescue and rehabilitation.
“The key word in our new name is ‘alliance’ because conservation means collaboration, and we need our community of guests, members, donors, staff, volunteers, neighbors, and partners to join us in fulfilling our mission. Together, we are more than our individual actions, and we can work in partnership to create a world where wildlife thrives,” Bert Vescolani, president and CEO of DZCA, says in a statement.
One collaborative effort is the Community Science Crew, in which volunteers have the chance to join the Boreal Toad Conservation Team or the Colorado Pika Project and perform tasks such as data collection, swabbing, and hiking.
The DZCA currently has over 2,500 animals in its care, including the critically endangered Western lowland gorilla, Sumatran orangutan, and red-ruffed lemur.
In May 2024, the DZCA opened their two acre Australia-inspired Down Under exhibition, which boasts animals such as wallabies, kangaroos, and cassowaries to name a few.
The Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance is a nonprofit organization and relies on donations, memberships, and community involvement to stay in operation.
More information can be found on the DZCA’s official website.
