- 02
- 07
- 2024
- Category:
- Service & Advocacy
Inspirational Relationship with the San Diego Zoo and Wildlife Alliance
by David Evans Shaw
It’s an honor to serve as an advisor to the world-renowned San Diego Zoo and Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) led by my friend Paul Baribault. Since its inception in 1916, this non-profit organization has been a leader in its field, reportedly with the world’s largest zoological society membership. In the 1970s this organization, then known as San Diego Zoo Global, opened a “second front door” with the creation of its vast safari park in Escondido, California.
Recently, with the arrival of CEO Paul Baribault, the organization’s rebranding as SDZWA reflects an expansion of mission to become a powerful global force in wildlife conservation. This vision of amplifying its impact through partnerships and alliances comes at a momentous time in the natural world as we face biodiversity loss, invasive species, habitat degradation, human-wildlife conflicts, wildlife trafficking, emerging diseases and other challenges. SDZWA is responding to these initiatives in many ways including the creation of 8 global conservation hubs to share knowledge and resources to safeguard the future of our planet.
Just one example of the organization’s leadership is the announcement last month of an agreement with China Wildlife Conservation Association to bring two pandas to San Diego, the first such agreement in more than 20 years.
I had the good fortune of visiting the renowned panda reserve in Chengdu, China several years ago enroute to trekking in Tibet, and am happy to share this video clip:
My interest in SDZWA stems from a career that has included the creation of leading animal health companies, and activism for the global conservation of nature via the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and other organizations. Reflecting those interests, I share these video clips from recent meetings at SDZWA with the hope that they will inspire passion for its important mission: