CAZA is proud to recognize Safari Niagara as the 2025 recipient of the Eleanore Oakes Award (Large Institution). This award honours exceptional achievement in conservation education program design, highlighting projects that inspire learning, build conservation awareness, and engage the next generation of environmental stewards.

Safari Niagara earned this distinction for its forward-thinking redesign of the Junior Zookeeper Program. What began as a traditional behind-the-scenes experience has evolved into a comprehensive, research-informed learning program that benefits both youth participants and staff facilitators.

A Transformative Learning Program for Young Conservationists

The redesigned Junior Zookeeper Program empowers adolescent participants with the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to understand wildlife care and conservation. Through hands-on, guided activities, participants learn:

• Foundational animal husbandry practices

• Observation and data collection techniques

• Testing and environmental assessment skills

• Sustainable habits and environmental stewardship

By linking practical skills with conservation values, the program encourages youth to explore green careers and develop a lifelong connection to the natural world.

Supporting Staff Development and Continuous Improvement

In addition to its impact on youth, the program also supports professional development for seasonal staff and team members outside the education department. Daily reflections, group discussions, and structured feedback cycles allow facilitators to grow their leadership and teaching skills.

Regular pilot testing and iterative redesign have strengthened the program’s delivery and created a culture of continuous improvement. This collaborative, research-driven approach ensures that the program remains relevant, engaging, and effective.

A Scalable Model for Conservation Education Excellence

Safari Niagara’s commitment to innovation, cross-departmental collaboration, and measurable educational outcomes demonstrates what’s possible when institutions invest in impactful learning experiences. The Junior Zookeeper Program now stands as a scalable, repeatable model for conservation education across CAZA-accredited organizations.

CAZA congratulates Safari Niagara on this outstanding achievement and its leadership in empowering future conservation advocates.

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CAZA is proud to honour the Montréal Biodôme as the 2025 recipient of the Peter Karsten Award (Large Institution). This award recognizes exceptional achievement in in-situ conservation, celebrating programs that protect threatened species through research, habitat protection, and long-term recovery strategies.

The Biodôme is recognized for more than 15 years of leadership in the recovery of Quebec’s endangered Western Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseriata). This small amphibian has faced severe declines across Montérégie and Outaouais due to habitat loss, climate change, and environmental pressures. The Biodôme’s work has been essential in safeguarding the species and restoring its remaining populations.

A Long-Term Commitment to Species Recovery

The Montréal Biodôme has developed one of Canada’s most comprehensive amphibian recovery programs. Working closely with provincial and federal partners, the team has:

• Established a secure insurance population

• Achieved Canada’s first successful ex-situ breeding of the Western Chorus Frog

• Reintroduced thousands of froglets, tadpoles, and adults into protected wetlands

• Released more than 9,600 individuals across three recovery sites since 2016

These efforts have strengthened vulnerable populations and supported the species’ return to portions of its historical range.

Science, Collaboration, and Innovation

The Biodôme continues to advance conservation science through:

• Head-start programs that improve survival rates

• Experimental mesocosms that test and refine habitat restoration methods

• Collaborative field research that guides adaptive management strategies

This scientific approach ensures the program responds effectively to emerging threats and supports long-term population stability.

Protecting Wetlands and Engaging Communities

Beyond research and breeding, the Biodôme plays a key role in community outreach and education. By raising awareness about wetland conservation, habitat loss, and amphibian ecology, the team is helping build public support for the species and its fragile ecosystem.

Their dedication highlights how in-situ conservation can strengthen biodiversity, protect critical habitats, and inspire meaningful environmental action.

CAZA congratulates the Montréal Biodôme on this remarkable achievement and its ongoing leadership in species recovery efforts.

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CAZA is proud to present the Thomas R. Baines Award for Excellence in Habitat Design and Development (Large Institution) to Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada for its groundbreaking exhibit, Dragons: Myths Made Real. This award celebrates innovative habitat design that enhances animal care, inspires learning, and strengthens public connection to wildlife.

Blending Myth and Science to Inspire Curiosity

Dragons: Myths Made Real is an immersive experience that brings the legends of dragons to life through real animals. Visitors meet “living dragons” such as dwarf caimans, monitor lizards, pythons, and geckos. By linking global folklore with scientific facts, the exhibit shows how these species’ remarkable adaptations inspired myths from around the world.

This approach helps visitors appreciate biodiversity while discovering the connections between storytelling, culture, and conservation.

Accessible, Interactive, and Designed for All Visitors

Created in collaboration with Little Rays Nature Centre, the exhibit features:

• Dynamic, naturalistic habitats

• Life-size dragon models

• Clear and engaging educational panels

The exhibit also launched The Phoebe Project, the first initiative to create tactile sculptures for every live species on display. This makes the exhibit more accessible for guests who are blind or have low vision, allowing them to explore the animals’ forms through touch.

Pushing Creative Boundaries in Habitat Design

Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada reimagined existing gallery spaces to deliver an immersive and visually striking experience. Highlights include:

• A freshwater caiman habitat complete with a waterfall

• Dramatic thematic elements, including a large dragon sculpture

• Interactive storytelling woven throughout each display

The result is a space that combines scientific accuracy with creative flair, encouraging visitors to explore, learn, and reflect.

Setting a New Standard for Conservation Education

Dragons: Myths Made Real goes beyond exhibit design. It fosters environmental stewardship by helping visitors understand how human cultures have long been shaped by the natural world. Its accessible design ensures that people of all ages and abilities can engage meaningfully with conservation stories.

CAZA congratulates Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada on this outstanding achievement and its leadership in innovative, inclusive habitat design.

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CAZA is proud to recognize the Greater Vancouver Zoo as the 2025 recipient of the Eleanore Oakes Award (Small Institution). This award honours exceptional achievement in conservation education program design, celebrating initiatives that deepen public understanding of biodiversity and inspire meaningful conservation action.

The Zoo earned this accolade for its innovative program Ghosts of the Animal Kingdom, a creative educational experience that harnessed the cultural relevance of Halloween to share powerful stories about extinction and human impact on wildlife.

Ghosts of the Animal Kingdom: A Creative Approach to Conservation Awareness

Designed to engage visitors of all ages, Ghosts of the Animal Kingdom highlighted 13 species lost to extinction due to human activities. Through immersive and thought-provoking elements, the program encouraged reflection, empathy, and hope:

• Illustrated tombstones representing extinct species

• QR-linked educational videos offering deeper learning on each animal’s history

• Story-driven content that connected past extinctions with present-day conservation challenges

• Thoughtful pairings of extinct species with modern relatives, helping visitors understand the ongoing risks many living species still face

By meeting audiences where their interests already lie—seasonal traditions and storytelling—the program successfully captured attention and transformed curiosity into conservation awareness.

Collaboration, Engagement, and Lasting Impact

This award-winning initiative was developed collaboratively by the Zoo’s Education and Marketing teams, exemplifying how cross-departmental creativity can elevate conservation education. The program reached thousands of visitors, demonstrating measurable engagement, strong emotional resonance, and scalable potential for future growth.

With plans to further expand content, refine storytelling, and deepen conservation messaging, Ghosts of the Animal Kingdom is poised to become a long-term cornerstone of the Zoo’s educational programming.

CAZA congratulates the entire Greater Vancouver Zoo team on this remarkable achievement and their continued leadership in conservation education.

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CAZA is proud to honour Assiniboine Park Conservancy (APC), home of Assiniboine Park Zoo, as the 2025 recipient of the Colonel G.D. Dailley Award. This prestigious award celebrates outstanding excellence in ex-situ conservation, recognizing programs that advance the long-term survival of endangered species through innovative propagation, research, and management.

APC received this recognition for its groundbreaking Grassland Butterfly Conservation Program, a multi-year initiative that has played a pivotal role in the recovery of the critically endangered Poweshiek Skipperling. Once widespread across the tallgrass prairies of North America, this small butterfly now exists in only two known wild populations—making conservation efforts both urgent and essential.

A Science-Driven Approach to Saving a Species

Assiniboine Park Conservancy’s conservation team, working closely with Canadian and international partners, has achieved remarkable milestones that set a new standard for species recovery initiatives:

• Released more than 700 Poweshiek Skipperlings into native prairie habitats

• Completed the first-ever reintroduction of the species at a previously extirpated site

• Improved egg-to-adult survival rates more than twenty-fold, dramatically increasing the program’s impact

• Advanced genetic research to strengthen population resilience and ensure long-term sustainability

• Shared conservation knowledge across borders, strengthening collaborative efforts to protect grassland biodiversity

These accomplishments reflect the power of coordinated, science-based conservation and highlight the essential role of CAZA-accredited institutions in protecting Canada’s biodiversity.

A Model for Future Species Recovery Efforts

The success of the Grassland Butterfly Conservation Program demonstrates what is possible when research, teamwork, and innovation come together with a shared commitment to conservation. APC’s leadership in species recovery provides a model for other organizations working to protect threatened wildlife, particularly those facing rapid declines due to habitat loss and environmental change.

CAZA extends its warmest congratulations to the entire Assiniboine Park Conservancy team. Their dedication and accomplishments highlight the critical importance of ex-situ conservation in supporting species survival and restoring wildlife populations across Canada.

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