Omaha Zoological Society Inc

TO INSPIRE, EDUCATE, AND ENGAGE PEOPLE TO SERVE AS LIFE-LONG STEWARDS FOR ANIMALS, THEIR HABITATS, AND THEIR CONSERVATION.

OMAHA ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OPERATES AND MAINTAINS OMAHA'S HENRY DOORLY ZOO AND AQUARIUM. THE ZOO SITS ON 160 ACRES AND HOUSES APPROXIMATELY 990 ANIMAL SPECIES INCLUDING MAMMALS, BIRDS, REPTILES, AMPHIBIANS, FISH, AND INVERTEBRATES. IT BOASTS NATURAL, IMMERSIVE EXHIBIT SPACES, INCLUDING ASIAN HIGHLANDS, ADVENTURE TRAILS, AFRICAN GRASSLAND, AN AQUARIUM, THE WORLD'S LARGEST INDOOR DESERT COVERED BY A TRANSPARENT GLAZED GEODESIC DOME, AMERICA'S LARGEST INDOOR RAINFOREST, THE WORLD'S LARGEST NOCTURNAL EXHIBIT, AND GORILLA AND ORANGUTAN HABITATS. DURING 2023, 81,676 MEMBERSHIPS WERE SOLD, AND 1,529,520 PEOPLE VISITED THE PARK.

OMAHA'S HENRY DOORLY ZOO AND AQUARIUM'S CENTER FOR CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH CONDUCTS VALUABLE CONSERVATION SCIENCE RESEARCH IN THE AREAS OF VETERINARY MEDICINE, REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES, GENETICS, NUTRITION, AND BEHAVIORAL HUSBANDRY AND WELFARE. THE SCIENTIFIC TEAMS CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN 2023 INCLUDED FIVE VETERINARIANS, EIGHT PH.D. SCIENTISTS AND POST-DOCS, THREE MASTER'S LEVEL RESEARCHERS AND EIGHT ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL STAFF. THESE TEAMS WERE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN MULTIPLE RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT LED TO THE PUBLICATION OF MANUSCRIPTS IN PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS. IN ADDITION, OUR RESEARCHERS PRESENTED AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AND SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS, AND GAVE INVITED TALKS AND LECTURES AT UNIVERSITIES, SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES, AND INDUSTRY MEETINGS. OMAHA'S HENRY DOORLY ZOO AND AQUARIUM SUPPORTED 35 IN-SITU CONSERVATION PROJECTS FOCUSING ON NORTH AMERICA, SOUTH AMERICA, ASIA, MADAGASCAR, MAINLAND AFRICA, AND THE OCEANS. SUPPORT NOT ONLY INCLUDED FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROJECTS BUT STAFF EXPERTISE AND TIME WITH DIRECT PARTICIPATION AND LEADERSHIP IN CONSERVATION EFFORTS FOR THE RESCUE, PROPAGATION AND RESTORATION OF CORAL REEFS THROUGH SECORE, BREEDING AND RELEASE OF SALT CREEK TIGER BEETLES IN NEBRASKA, BREEDING AND RELEASE OF AMPHIBIANS IN NORTH AMERICA AND PUERTO RICO, AND HABITAT REFORESTATION EFFORTS AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION IN MADAGASCAR. STAFF ALSO PROVIDE EXTENSIVE LEADERSHIP AND EXPERTISE IN MORE THAN 59 KEY SERVICES ROLES ON SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS THROUGH THE ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS AS ADVISORS, SPECIES SURVIVAL PLAN PROGRAM LEADERS, STUDBOOK KEEPERS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, PROJECT COORDINATORS, INSTRUCTORS, AND TAXON ADVISORY GROUP CHAIRS, AND STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

OMAHA ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY'S EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES ARE LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONALLY FOCUSED. MORE THAN 1,750 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WERE CONDUCTED IN 2023. THIS PROGRAMMING, WHICH INCLUDED DAY CAMPS, CLASSES, DISTANCE LEARNING CLASSES, CAMPOUTS, AND ON-GROUNDS PROGRAMMING REACHED 78,869 INDIVIDUALS. THE ZOO ALSO HAS CONSERVATION-ORIENTED EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN VETERINARY MEDICINE, REPRODUCTIVE PHYSIOLOGY, MOLECULAR GENETICS, NUTRITION, AND ANIMAL MANAGEMENT AND HUSBANDRY IN THE GREWCOCK CENTER FOR CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH. IN 2023, PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND CAREER SHADOWING WAS PROVIDED AT THE ZOO TO 13 UNDERGRADUATE, GRADUATE, AND PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS. IN ADDITION, THE ZOO'S PROFESSIONAL STAFF PARTICIPATES IN A RANGE OF OFFSITE EDUCATION PROGRAMS WHICH COVER A BROAD SPECTRUM FROM LECTURES AT UNIVERSITIES TO LONGER DURATION PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS IN SPECIFIC SCIENTIFIC OR CONSERVATION TECHNIQUES, AS WELL AS SUPPORTING PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL CONSERVATION EDUCATION PROGRAMS.