JMZ Accepted as a Participant in the Wildlife Conservation Network

The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo was recently accepted as a Participating Facility in the Wildlife Confiscations Network (“Network”).

The Network was established through a cooperative agreement between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to ensure care and placement of wildlife confiscated from the illegal trade. It is the first-of-its-kind, designed as a pilot initiative in 2023 in Southern California to support law enforcement efforts against wildlife trafficking by providing a coordinated system to ensure the proper care and welfare of confiscated live wildlife. The Network is managed through Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Wildlife Trafficking Alliance, a coalition of more than 100 partners dedicated to ending wildlife trafficking worldwide. 

When live wildlife is seized at U.S. ports of entry or exit, time is of the essence; it is essential that animals receive the highest standard of care without delay. The Network brings together vetted zoos, aquariums, non-governmental organizations, universities, botanical gardens, and certified facilities of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries as partners to ensure the highest standards of care and management for confiscated wildlife. All participating facilities undergo a rigorous vetting process to ensure they can meet the health and welfare needs of the animals, as well as the standards set by USFWS and other wildlife law enforcement agencies. 

Since the AZA’s Wildlife Confiscation’s Network launched in 2023, the Network has assisted law enforcement with the placement of thousands of individual confiscated animals. 

How You Can Help

Wildlife trafficking is a conservation crisis, with countless animals and plants being pushed toward extinction from the illegal harvest of and trade in live plants and animals, and products made from them. When wildlife is removed from their natural habitats in large numbers, populations cannot recover. 

Below are a couple of ways you can help combat wildlife trafficking: