Connecting Animals & People
“This is a critical time for wildlife and our community, and we have the resources, expertise and vision to be a part of the solution. It’s our opportunity to define what a modern zoo can be and to show what we can accomplish when we work together.”
Dwight Scott, Dana Brown President & CEO
Connecting Animals & People
▶ The challenges facing our community, our planet, and the beauty and diversity of life on Earth are significant.
▶ Because of you, we are hopeful.
▶ You connect people to animals and inspire them to take action.
▶ You partner with us to create stronger communities and lasting solutions.
▶ You conserve animals and their habitats, here and around the globe.
▶ Because of you, the Saint Louis Zoo is a global leader in animal care and conservation and is poised to make an even greater impact.
▶ Together, we can build a Better Wild, Better World.
You are part of the Saint Louis Zoo’s story, and it is a part of yours.
Perhaps you remember the first time you visited or had an awe-inspiring encounter with an animal—seeing a sea lion glide through the water, feeding a giraffe, or hearing an elephant trumpeting. Like you, millions of people have treasured memories at the Zoo and want to make sure it is here for future generations.
You helped build the Zoo, and together, we build community. The citizens of St. Louis founded the Zoo in 1910 and voted to approve a tax to support it in 1916. As one of three free zoos in the country, our Zoo welcomes nearly 3 million guests each year, bringing people together from all backgrounds and from around the world to St. Louis.
“ As a jewel of our community, the Saint Louis Zoo is a memorable piece of everyone’s experience, who live in and visit St. Louis, and is essential to the fabric of our city.”
Larry Thomas, Chair, St. Louis Zoological Park Subdistrict Commission
As you have grown and changed, the Zoo has too. Years ago, the Saint Louis Zoo was world-famous for its animal attractions. Today, it is a world leader in education, recreation, animal care and conservation. Voted “America’s Best Zoo” in 2018, the Zoo remains one of the most visited attractions in the St. Louis region.We care for animals and their well-being, and they improve ours.
As we encounter animals at the Zoo, we may feel awe, delight, wonder or curiosity. Caring for and learning about animals increases our connection to the world around us and instills empathy for protecting animals and wild spaces.
Thanks to you, we are making a difference locally and globally. At the Saint Louis Zoo, we prioritize the care and well-being of animals. Around the world, the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute’s centers work collaboratively to conserve animal species and ensure their sustainability both in human care and in the wild.
We need a healthy planet, and the health of the planet depends on us. Animals help sustain us, pollinate our food and maintain healthy ecosystems. When habitats are destroyed, we lose biodiversity and important fauna and flora that help stabilize the climate. Human activity poses threats to animal populations and the places where they thrive, and it is up to us to find solutions.
Because of your passionate support, the Saint Louis Zoo is a powerful force for good in our community and around the world. But with species disappearing each day, we must act now.
The acquisition of 425 acres for Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park and the passing of Proposition Z to secure additional tax support opened the door to new possibilities. Working with key stakeholders and community leaders, we developed a strategic plan for the future.
Together, we defined our priorities to connect people to animals in profound ways, to create treasured experiences for our community, and to expand our efforts to conserve species locally and globally.
The Zoo’s strategic plan laid the foundation for an even bigger and bolder vision. In 2021, the Saint Louis Zoo launched the Better Wild, Better World campaign, an initiative to develop Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park, reimagine habitats at the Saint Louis Zoo and strengthen our endowment. More than $320 million in total investment, including $160 million in philanthropic support, will expand our conservation efforts and strengthen our community through one-of-a-kind animal encounters and experiences.
Our campaign to build a Better Wild, Better World includes the following priorities:
Inspire Future Conservationists
“ Through The Bellwether Foundation, we support innovative programs that improve the quality of life for all people in St. Louis. We are grateful to partner with the Zoo as this campaign will transform St. Louis and make a difference for wildlife conservation around the world.”
Robert Smith, Chairman, Bellwether Foundation and Immediate Past President of the Saint Louis Zoo Association
For more than 50 years, our Children’s Zoo served as a dedicated space for children and families to encounter animals up close and develop care and concern for them. The former Emerson Children’s Zoo is being reimagined to include state-of-the-art experiences where children and their families can interact with animals and their caretakers underground, up high and up close. A two-story addition to The Living World will provide space to expand our preschool, camp and education programs.
Save Endangered Species
Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park will dramatically increase our capacity to conserve animals and engage the public in our mission. Breeding will focus on highly endangered species, including some that may be reintroduced into the wild, bolstering their numbers and safeguarding their survival. Guests will interact with animals in new and exciting
ways through safari excursions, glamping and much more. WildCare Park will more than quadruple the Zoo’s footprint in St. Louis and is estimated to host over 420,000 guests annually.
Provide for Animals Always
With the addition of WildCare Park, our animal care, education and conservation efforts are expanding. Building the Saint Louis Zoo Endowment will help strengthen and sustain this critical work. Looking to the future, we are developing a master plan to update some of the oldest areas at the east end of the Zoo.
The Henry A. Jubel Foundation Destination Discovery is designed with the youngest guests in mind, emphasizing close-up encounters with animals in an immersive and hands-on learning environment for guests of all abilities. Connecting with animals and nature is an important part of a healthy, active childhood, and the future of wildlife and wild places depends on the next generation caring for and conserving them. As 80% of the U.S. population now live in urban areas, the experiences that zoos provide are more important than ever.
“ The Children’s Zoo was one of our family’s favorite places to visit at the Zoo. We are grateful to be a part of bringing this space back to life in a new and exciting way for our community.”
Melissa Markwort, Executive Director of the
Henry A. Jubel Foundation
A Reimagined Experience
Closure during the pandemic allowed us to reimagine the space and make it even more engaging, immersive and accessible to all guests.
▶ Within the 2.8-acre footprint, Destination Discovery will provide expanded and immersive exhibits that will create opportunities to get up close to animals and burrow, climb and splash alongside them.
▶ Beloved animals like the North American river otter and new animals like babydoll sheep will find a home within five new habitats.
▶ Children of all abilities will have the opportunity to interact with animals as accessibility and the latest in child development have been carefully woven into the project plans.
▶ A variety of indoor and outdoor experiences and seasonal activities will make visits different each time and captivating year-round.
Expanding Educational Programming
Beyond a Zoo visit, educational opportunities for children, teens and adults cultivate an even deeper understanding and appreciation for animals. The Living World will be expanded with a new two-story addition featuring a discovery center and additional classrooms.
▶ Families will be able to engage in interactive animal encounters and activities in the new Nature Nook discovery center on the first level of the education building.
▶ Classroom spaces will be updated and expanded to provide room for our growing education programs which on average serve nearly 500,000 students and families each year.
▶ With the additional space, our preschool will be able to provide full-day options for the first time, making this popular, nature-based program available to more families.
For decades, the Saint Louis Zoo has been a global leader in species conservation. From Ozark hellbenders in Missouri to Guereza colobus monkeys in central Africa, we partner with organizations around the globe to help build sustainable populations in zoos and in the wild. To do more, especially for the care and conservation of larger animals, we simply need more space. Now as one institution with two guest-serving campuses, we have the opportunity to deepen our commitment to conservation.
“ The Saint Louis Zoo is not just one of the finest zoos in the world, it is a world leader in conservation. My family is proud to help expand its impact in St. Louis and across the world.”
Create One-of-a-Kind Experiences
At urban zoos, such as our campus in Forest Park, animals are surrounded by people. At WildCare Park, people will be surrounded by animals. As guests see animals in new and exciting ways, they will become more engaged in our mission.
▶ On safari excursions, guests may see a large herd of giraffes, a crash of white rhinos and a variety of ungulate species.
▶ A multi-story observation tower will offer spectacular views of WildCare Park, the MissouriMississippi Rivers confluence and the Gateway Arch.
▶ At the interactive zoo museum, the latest interactive technology will help guests experience animals’ incredible adaptations and abilities and the power of being unique.
▶ Guest amenities will include “glamping”, or glamorous camping, a restaurant, and an event center with opportunities to feed giraffes.
Build Community
We are committed to ongoing engagement and partnership with our community, and especially our neighbors in north St. Louis County, to design and develop WildCare Park.
▶ Admission will be free to all St. Louis County residents, and the park is projected to draw over 420,000 local and out-of-town guests each year.
▶ Through 2034, the economic impact of WildCare Park in our region is estimated at over $660 million, including $346.5 million in direct spending impact and $183.8 million in off-site spending.
▶ WildCare Park will create new employment and educational opportunities for St. Louis residents and is estimated to create an average of 384 jobs on grounds and in the region.
▶ This property is part of over $1 billion in planned developments to be invested in the nearby surrounding area.
▶ North County is a natural asset of St. Louis, and WildCare Park will help to enrich this neighborhood and provide an economic impact that will ripple throughout the community.
Expand Conservation Efforts
At the Kent Family Conservation and Animal Science Center, endangered species will receive optimal care and enjoy large open spaces. As our herds breed and grow, We hope they will help strengthen declining populations in the wild.
▶ Breeding and recovery efforts will focus on large hoofed species that are endangered or critically endangered and may one day be needed for reintroduction to the wild.
▶ Facilities are designed to be flexible and adapt to ever-evolving conservation priorities so that the Zoo can be responsive to the care and recovery of species for years to come.
In 2004, the Saint Louis Zoo established a permanent endowment where both outright and legacy gifts grow to produce yearly harvests, ensuring a strong and financially independent Zoo. Since then, thousands of donors have made legacy gifts to the Zoo Endowment, many establishing named endowed funds and positions, often to honor loved ones.
A Strengthened Endowment for Today and Tomorrow
As we realize our vision for a Better Wild, Better World and deepen our commitment to conservation and the community, the Zoo Endowment is essential to sustaining the strength, quality and success of our work. Building the Zoo Endowment creates an everlasting reservoir for the future while providing a reliable stream of income each year.
▶ Unrestricted funds give the Zoo the greatest flexibility to meet challenges, respond to needs and seize opportunities.
▶ Funds directed to key areas at the Zoo help support important aspects of our mission, including:
• Animal care, conservation and research
• Education programs, preschool and camp scholarships, and school partnerships
• Operations, including staff, volunteers, and guest experiences
• Facilities and grounds improvement and maintenance
“ As the Zoo makes a greater impact locally and globally, it’s important to build the Zoo Endowment to sustain and strengthen our efforts, today and tomorrow.”
Cindy Brinkley, Campaign Co-Chair, Better Wild, Better World Campaign
The need for conservation is greater than ever, with one vertebrate species disappearing from the Earth every day. But because of you, we have hope for the future.
You have helped make the Zoo what it is today: a community treasure and a world leader in animal care and conservation.
Wonder-filled animal encounters, cherished memories and conservation successes are possible because of you and your gifts of time, talent and treasure.
Through this bold vision, we can help create amazing one-of-a-kind experiences, inspire future conservationists and save animal species. By reinvesting in St. Louis, we will strengthen this region, making our community and the world a better place.
We are grateful for your support of the Saint Louis Zoo, and we invite you to join us in building a better wild, and a better world.
Cindy Brinkley Co-Chair
Alicia McDonnell Co-Chair
Jerry Kent Honorary Chair
Connecting Animals & People
Our Mission
The mission of the Saint Louis Zoo is to conserve animals and their habitats through animal management, research, recreation, and educational programs that encourage the support and enrich the experience of the public.
For more information about this monumental effort, please contact the Development Office at BWBW@stlzoo.org or (314) 646-4691.