Mission
The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium and the International Conservation Center share a mission: to connect people to wildlife and inspire our communities to conserve nature for future generations.
The International Conservation Center was opened in 2006 by the Zoological Society of Pittsburgh, which also owns and operates the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium. This 724-acre research and conservation facility was initially dedicated to the African elephant. Over the past 20 years, the Conservation Center has evolved, with the most recent decade seeing a revitalization that has welcomed additional species including bison and Bactrian camels, as well as a refreshed connection to the general public.
Members of the public are welcome to visit the Conservation Center during special events, with a variety of activities offered every month, ranging from venue tours, calming adults-only retreats and high-end dinners, engaging summer camps for children, family-friendly overnight camps, and parties and educational programming for all ages. Our expert educators staff share their excitement for animal care and conservation with all our guests, both on-site and with the community at popular regional events and outreach programming.
Our Animals
For our resident animals, African elephants, bison, and Bactrian camels, the Conservation Center provides the perfect landscape to focus on conservation science, wildlife management and recovery, and education. The animals that live here contribute to the preservation of their wild counterparts and help tell the story of hope and survival into the future. Over half of our grounds footprint is left untouched to allow native wildlife, grasses, and wildflowers to thrive amid our residents.
The Conservation Center’s elephant breeding herd plays an essential role in the preservation of the species. Our contributions to breeding have had a major positive impact on the North American population – our male, Jackson, is tied to nearly 50% of the births over the past decade.
Similarly, the goal of the bison program is to see successful breeding animals that can be introduced to indigenous territories across the United States and provide training opportunities for animal care managers across zoological institutions and our Native American partners. Our resident animals will contribute to the preservation and awareness of their wild counterparts and help tell the story of hope and survival well into the future.
Partners in Conservation
Our long-standing partnership with the International Elephant Foundation (IEF), allows for an effective process to receive and fund elephant-focused projects which directly impact elephants in the wild, as well as in human care.
We have also partnered with Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust in Zimbabwe to help protect a variety of species. We have helped collar African elephants for research tracking, developed programs to protect vultures and to reduce the spread of deadly disease through training and education.
We work with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE) programs both at the Zoo and the Conservation Center.
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