The Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Saving Animals from Extinction (AZA SAFE) Monarch conservation program and the Monarch Joint Venture have worked together closely for several years, but we’re pleased to announce the advancement of that partnership as SAFE Monarch officially joins the Monarch Joint Venture partner network.
SAFE is AZA’s flagship conservation program, aiming to protect species of extinction, from a five-ton African elephant to the monarch butterfly, weighing just half a gram. When the monarch was added to the program in 2020, it was the only insect on the list, but is now joined by the Prairie Butterfly and the American Burying Beetle.
The SAFE Monarch program doesn’t mean that most zoos and aquariums are hosting butterfly collections on exhibit, but rather establishing gardens and habitat to provide educational opportunities for visitors to see conservation in action. Over 100 AZA institutions, along with external partners and advisors, have joined forces to use their voices and influence to install high-quality, pesticide-free monarch habitat and inspire audiences across the monarch’s range.
People across North America are learning about the monarchs’ magnificent migratory routes and establishing conservation corridors along these routes, and this includes zoos and aquariums. The SAFE Monarch program aims to be a part of that continuing process beyond the establishment of habitat, knowing the roles that zoos and aquariums can play in educating the public about conservation. These institutions reach people beyond their gates, giving them the opportunity to bring conservation of monarchs and other species to people throughout each of their individual communities.
The Monarch Joint Venture supports this program through AZA SAFE Monarch Program Coordinator Alyssa Taylor, who works to build and support relationships across numerous partners and stakeholders. It’s our pleasure to officially welcome AZA SAFE Monarch to the MJV partnership, and we’re looking forward to continued collaboration.
For more information about AZA SAFE Monarch, please check out the AZA SAFE Monarch program plan by visiting https://www.aza.org/assets/2332/sf2024-2029namfpp_updated_6182024.pdf
The Monarch Joint Venture is a 501c3 nonprofit organization and a national partner network of federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations, businesses, and academic programs working together to conserve the monarch butterfly migration. The content in this article does not necessarily reflect the positions of all Monarch Joint Venture partners. Photos courtesy of AZA SAFE Monarch, Elmwood Park Zoo, John Ball Zoo, Mesker Park Zoo, and North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke.