A gift to the annual fund supports:

Formal and informal education—
for individuals, school groups, and outreach
The Zoo’s education programs are designed for students of all ages and for families. Offered at the Zoo, schools, and other locations around central Ohio, these programs provide unique experiences that are guided by the Ohio Department of Education Academic Content Standards. In 2006, 65,775 Franklin County residents and 52,797 non-county residents attended formal Zoo education programs.  Get more information about the Zoo's education programs.

Animal care to enrich the lives and habitat of more than
6,000 Zoo animals
Today the Zoo houses more than 700 species and 6,000 specimens, many of them threatened or endangered. Our Zoo staff strives to improve the life experiences of animals and promote natural behaviors with specialized activities. We continue to exceed the rigorous professional standards established by the American Zoological Association (AZA) in the fields of collection care, conservation and research.  Get more information about the Zoo's animals.

Global field conservation projects
During 2006, more than 70 wildlife conservation projects in 34 countries benefited from program support awarded by the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Click here for more information about conservation projects. Get more information about the Zoo's conservation programs.  

Animal and conservation research
Conservation programs touch most of the Zoo's inhabitants and provide up-to-the-minute education for our visitors. For example, cooperative rehabilitation and research with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Program has provided Zoo visitors prime interaction with seven of these remarkable mammals; all housed, rehabilitated and released from Manatee Coast since 1999 . As part of this project, an extensive research initiative on a virus that afflicts captive manatees has also been launched. Get more information about the Zoo's animal and conservation research.