Why Partner with a Zoo or Garden? Selected Lessons from Seventy Years of Regional Conservation Partnerships at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Zoos and botanical gardens (ZBGs) are proven versatile partners in regional conservation, as demonstrated by the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum's 70-year history. These institutions effectively manage ex situ populations of rare species, advocate for protected areas—such as the Gulf of California islands—and convene stakeholders for large-scale initiatives like the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. They also contribute long-term field research, including a 40-year phenology database and efforts to designate the Ironwood Forest National Monument. However, sustaining such conservation work poses challenges, highlighting the need for strategic partnerships and resource management.

Colodner, D., Franklin, K., Ivanyi, C., Wiens, J. F., & Poulin, S. (2022). Why Partner with a Zoo or Garden? Selected Lessons from Seventy Years of Regional Conservation Partnerships at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens, 3(4), 725–737. https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg3040054