The Tulsa Zoo will host the fourth annual Conservation on Tap from 6:30-9 p.m. on Friday, April 29. Conservation on Tap will feature more than 25 local breweries, distributors and home brewers. All proceeds will benefit the Wild Nature Institute, which is a conservation effort supported by the Tulsa Zoo.
“Conservation on Tap allows the Tulsa Zoo to support conservation efforts across the world. This year, we chose to support the largest giraffe demography project in history. The Wild Nature Institute is tracking more than 2,100 giraffes to better understand population decline and the unique threats facing giraffe populations in Tanzania.”
– Richard Kotarsky, Curator of Conservation & Scientific Advancement
The Wild Nature Institute uses non-invasive photographic mark-recapture methods, with the goals of first, understanding the population dynamics of giraffes in a fragmented landscape in order to successfully conserve the species and its savanna habitat; and second, to raise awareness of population declines and threats to the national animal of Tanzania. This is the largest giraffe demography project and one of the biggest large-mammal demography studies in history.
Giraffe populations throughout Africa are in trouble from habitat loss and overhunting. This conservation work examines the effects of humans, natural predation, and disease on giraffe populations. The Tulsa Zoo is excited to be supporting this organization and its conservation projects.
Find out more about The Wild Nature Institute.