Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo will mark Endangered Species Day and the 50th Anniversary of the Endangered Species Act with speakers and the first presentation of the Zoo’s newly created Achievements in Conservation Award.
Beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the Adventure Amphitheater at the Zoo, the hour-long event includes:
· Welcome and remarks from Zoo Director Gregg Dancho
· Thoughts on the Endangered Species Act by Senator Richard Blumenthal
· A reprisal of the successes of the Act with emphasis on how it has saved species and ecosystems in Connecticut by Stephanie Kurose, Senior Endangered Species Policy Specialist for the Center for Biological Diversity
· Presentation of the first Achievements in Conservation Award
· Coffee and morning refreshments
This year, the 18th annual Endangered Species Day also marks the 50th Anniversary of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), a landmark piece of legislation that institutionalized our national commitment to the conservation of fish, plants and wildlife and the places they call home.
The Achievements in Conservation Award was created by the Zoo for the 50th anniversary of the ESA and is designed to honor individuals who advance the cause of conservation through activities that lead to the protection of the natural world. The Zoo wishes to recognize individual efforts to work for restoration of a fragile world beset by climate change, risk of extinction for plants and animals, resource depletion, and other environmental issues.
Whether globally or locally, the award honors those who dedicate their time and talent to world conservation problems through research, education, and wildlife protection. The intent is to celebrate leadership in conservation, and to promote optimism that by working together, we can solve the environmental challenges facing us. The award includes a trophy and a $250 grant to the recipient’s cause of choice.
“Every year on the third Friday in May, the world comes together to celebrate successes in conservation and to bring awareness to action required to save threatened and endangered species,” said Zoo Director Gregg Dancho. “We created the Achievements in Conservation Award to be presented annually, to shine a light on the importance of protecting our biodiversity for future generations.”
Many of Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo’s animals are endangered or threatened in their natural habitats, including the Andean bear, red and Mexican Wolves, Brazilian ocelot, Amur tigers and leopards, golden lion tamarins and others.
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