Fostering Empathy

Empathy is a powerful emotion that drives our connection with those around us. Humans have an intrinsic ability to empathize with each other and with animals. We start developing our empathy skills as children, and we can strengthen these skills with practice throughout our lives. Empathy is also an important driver for positive social change as it can motivate us to engage in caring actions towards animals and nature. Research also shows that empathy is an important social emotional ability that serves as a strong indicator for pro-conservation behaviors. Here at Woodland Park Zoo, we believe that fostering empathy for animals is a powerful tool for empowering our guests and the community to make conservation a priority in their lives.

 

 

 

Empathy in Action

We integrate empathy practices into our programming. Whether onsite or virtual, we strive to use empathy practices to inspire connection with wildlife and conservation action. To understand our approach to integrating empathy into Woodland Park Zoo’s programming and messaging, explore our resources at the bottom of this page.

 

Advancing Conservation through Empathy for Wildlife (ACE for Wildlife) Network

Founded and led by Woodland Park Zoo, the ACE for Wildlife Network facilitates the sharing of knowledge, experiences, and data to drive conservation change through fostering empathy for animals and the environment that sustains them. The Network began in January 2019 with the Creating Change Symposium: How Empathy Can Advance Your Mission and has grown to include 27 Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited Partner Organizations and over 500 participants across the country and beyond. The ACE for Wildlife Network provides many benefits, from support and training for professional growth, to a national platform that allows staff and volunteers at zoos and aquariums of all sizes to influence their field through the innovative work that they are piloting. For more information or questions, email empathy@zoo.org.

Learn more about the ACE for Wildlife Network and discover how we can help you make a difference in conservation.

If you have lingering questions about the ACE for Wildlife Network, check out our primer! This resource tells you all you need to know about the ACE for Wildlife Network, the case for empathy, and what tools you can use to effectively infuse this work into your organization.

 

Advancing Empathy Grant Program

Woodland Park Zoo facilitates a grant program to support the 19 AZA-accredited organizations in a seven-state region in their efforts to plan, build, expand and/or reflect on programs aimed at advancing empathy for animals and wildlife. The purpose of this grant program is to increase the impacts of effective empathy-based programming to advance and sustain empathy adoption at grantee organizations.

For more information or questions, email empathygrants@zoo.org.

If you represent an AZA-accredited zoo or aquarium in Alaska, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Washington or Wisconsin, we encourage you to explore the Advancing Empathy Grant Program. The Funding Opportunity Guidelines and Application are now available for review. Applications will be accepted through December 15, 2024. To learn more or submit your application, please visit our application portal. Successful applicants will be notified by mid-February 2025.

Previous Grant Award Announcements

Learn more about projects in the first round of funding

Learn more about projects in the second round of funding

Learn more about projects in the third round of funding

Learn more about projects in the fourth round of funding

 

 

• Woodland Park Zoo’s Empathy Wheel for Audience Engagement
• ACE for Wildlife Network’s Introduction to Empathy Practices and the Network
• Measuring Empathy: Collaborative Assessment Project with 6 Empathy Measurement Tools
• Best Practices in Developing Empathy toward Wildlife Brief
• The Case for Empathy

 

To cite Woodland Park Zoo’s Empathy Wheel for Audience Engagement document written by Woodland Park Zoo staff in 2023 or ACE for Wildlife’s Introduction to Empathy Practices and the Network written in 2024, we recommend you cite them with Woodland Park Zoo as the author and use the current link you accessed them with.

To cite the Best Practices document or tools listed on the MECAP Project Page, please cite the link and authors listed on the MECAP Project Description.

To cite The Case for Empathy, please cite author Kathryn Owen Consulting, 2019 and the current link you accessed it with.