Learn about endangered species and conservation efforts at Riverbanks Zoo

What do the Amur Leopard, the Javan Rhinoceros, the Cross River Gorilla, the Hawksbill Turtle, the South China Tiger, the Sumatran Elephant and the Saola, which resembles an antelope, have in common? According to the World Wildlife Fund, each of these species is considered critically endangered. In other words, there’s a very good chance that these animals, and others, face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Add African penguins, cheetahs, sharks, whooping cranes, the Western Pond Turtle and the porpoise-like Vaquita, focus species of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Saving Animals From Extinction program, and you’ve got an ark-worth of animals that need our help.

The good news is that we’re making progress. Between 2005 and 2015, China’s wild panda population increased by 17%. In November, Australia banned dumping in the Great Barrier Reef. In the last two years, zero rhinos have been poached in Nepal.

Want to learn more? Friday, May 20 is Endangered Species Day at Riverbanks Zoo. From 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., zoo guests will be able to participate in fun and educational adventures—crafts, games, a scavenger hunt, animal talks and play stations — focusing on wildlife conservation. The program is free with paid zoo admission. For more information, visit riverbanks.org.

Katie McElveen, Special to The State