Woodland Park Zoo Press Release

What:
Join 2006 Chevron Conservation Award Winner, Dr. Pilai Poonswad, of the Hornbill Research Foundation, at Woodland Park Zoo for a slide-illustrated lecture, "Hornbill Research, Conservation and Education in Thailand." Hornbills are a keystone species in tropical forests. Learn about the efforts of the Hornbill Research Foundation and Woodland Park Zoo to save and protect habitat for these magnificent birds.

photo by Tim Laman

When:
Sunday, October 8, 7:30 p.m.

Where:
Woodland Park Zoo’s Education Center near the zoo’s South Entrance at N. 50th St. & Fremont Ave. N. Parking is free.

Cost:
Free to the public; donations gratefully accepted. (All proceeds go directly to the Hornbill Research Foundation.)

Info:
The survival of Thailand’s forests and wildlife depends upon people understanding the importance of the forests to their lives, and experiencing an urgent need to conserve them. To develop this interest the Hornbill Research Foundation (HRF) began the Hornbill Nest Adoption Project, initiated by Poonswad, which provides local villagers with cash for protecting nests and birds instead of poaching them. One hundred percent of the funds collected through nest “adoptions” go to these guardians, who also collect valuable information for researchers. To date, Woodland Park Zoo, zoo members, and friends have adopted 162 nests since 1999.

An offshoot of this program was the establishment of the Budo Hornbill Conservation & Education Center in Tapoh village. Today this Center, partly supported by the Woodland Park Conservation Department, is used by school groups to learn more about the local flora and fauna in their backyard.

For more information on the lecture, call 206.684.4800 or 684.4026 (TDD) or visit the zoo’s Web site at www.zoo.org. For information on how to adopt a nest, email eric.kowalczyk@zoo.org.

Accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, award-winning Woodland Park Zoo is famed for pioneering naturalistic exhibits and setting a standard for zoos all over the world. With conservation, education and excellent animal care at the core of the zoo’s mission, the zoo is helping to save endangered species in Washington state and around the world including tree kangaroos, snow leopards, red-crowned cranes, African wild dogs, western pond turtles and Oregon silverspot butterflies. By inspiring visitors and others to care and act, Woodland Park Zoo is making a difference in our planet’s future.