International Conservation | North Carolina Zoo

The North Carolina Zoo is committed to protecting wildlife populations and their natural habitats. Just like the animals under our care at the Zoo, our conservation programs span the globe. Our animals at the Zoo are ambassadors for the conservation efforts we make abroad. The Zoo works to protect habitat, understand the needs of endangered species through research, and to thwart the widespread threat of poaching and wildlife trade. We work closely with local protected area staff, communities, and other leading conservation organizations. Through our long-term commitment to action on the ground in the field, we are able to make a difference in saving animals from extinction.

A pair of hands holding a device that looks like a cellphone. Another person, visible from the waist down, wearing black pants, is standing next to them.

Developing SMART Technology to Defend Wildlife

The North Carolina Zoo is helping to develop a software package that empowers law enforcement officials in the fight against the illegal wildlife trade.

Close-up of a large black gorilla's head and chest emerging from a dense background of bright green foliage.

Saving Gorillas Across Africa

Our park is helping to save wild gorillas by equipping ranges with tools to track and reduce threats, and to count the gorillas themselves.

A group of five African White-backed Vultures, are gathered on a low dirt mound in an open grassland. One individual on the right has a pink, featherless neck and face, indicating it is likely a Lappet-faced Vulture or similar species, interacting with the others. The background is a soft, hazy landscape.

Helping Tanzania’s Vultures Thrive

The North Carolina Zoo is helping to save African vultures in the wild by tracking their movements, monitoring populations, and mitigating threats.

A person with dark skin and a shaved head stands smiling in a sunny, lush green garden. They are wearing a bright yellow t-shirt and a tan skirt. To their left, large, leafy green plants are growing in rows in some light-colored sacks that have been repurposed for gardening. Tall trees and various green plants fill the background, suggesting a tropical environment.

Helping Teachers Protect Uganda’s Forests

Through our UNITE for the Environment program, the North Carolina Zoo is training Ugandan teachers to be better environmental educators and stewards of the natural world.

Three Elephants kicking up dust in a large, open savanna with trees sprinkled in the foreground and background. The orange glow suggests that it is sunset.

Our Long-Term Commitment to Elephant Conservation

The North Carolina Zoo participates in multiple efforts to protect wild elephants in West Africa from poaching and conflict with local farmers.

A large grey rhino stands alone, nibbling on grass in the middle of a wide plain that is sprinkled with trees and patches of tall grass as the sun sets in the background.

Protecting Rhinoceros in the Wild

The North Carolina Zoo participates in multiple efforts to safeguard rhinos living in the wild.

Two African Lion cubs lying together on the dusty ground in a vast field. There are trees around them and in the background.

Saving Africa’s Big Cats

The North Carolina Zoo is working in Nigeria and across Southern Africa on halting the declines of large carnivores like lions and leopards.

A medium-sized Chimpanzee leaning over onto a branch, looking down at the viewer from the tops of the trees, surrounded by lush green leaves.

Protecting Chimpanzees from Snares

The North Carolina Zoo is working with anti-poaching teams in Uganda to ensure that Kibale National Park can be a safe haven for chimpanzees.

A giraffe is walking through tall, dry grassland. The giraffe has a light coat with brown, irregular patches. The background shows more grassland and some blurred trees under a bright sky.

Protecting Tanzania’s Gentle Giants

The North Carolina Zoo is helping to protect giraffes in southern Tanzania by assessing their population health, reducing poaching, and investigating a mysterious skin disease.

A close-up of a brown, warty toad with large eyes sitting in dark water surrounded by bright green artificial or plastic leafy plants. A large clump of gelatinous toad eggs (spawn), appearing as a mass of small black spheres, is visible in the water near the toad.

Conserving Endangered Caribbean Reptiles and Amphibians

The North Carolina Zoo is helping to save several endangered amphibians and reptiles across the Caribbean through captive breeding and reintroduction efforts to supplement existing wild populations.

Red Colobus Monkey sitting on a branch in a dense forest, with its shaggy brown and grey fur and red tuft on its small head.

Conserving Red Colobus - Africa’s Most Threatened Monkey Group

The North Carolina Zoo supports efforts to save red colobus monkeys across Africa.

A vibrant White-Collared Kingfisher, with iridescent blue wings and a white belly, is perched on a mossy tree branch. Its dark beak points to the left. The background is a soft blur of bright green foliage.

Creating Safe Havens for Endangered Pacific Birds

The North Carolina Zoo participates in a multi-year effort to translocate birds endemic to the Marianas Islands that are threatened by invasive snakes to areas where they can thrive.