“The reality for many species is simple: out of sight, out of mind, off the planet. Climate change and biodiversity loss are accelerating, and we must act now. This plan strengthens our ability to deliver real conservation impact while continuing to connect people with nature in meaningful ways.”
- Dolf DeJong, CEO, Toronto Zoo.
Your Toronto Zoo is proud to announce the launch of Guardians of Wild 2025-2027, a transformative new strategic plan that redefines our role as a conservation organization operating a world-class zoo. This shift moves us from a guest-funded zoo with conservation programs to a community-funded conservation organization, reinforcing our commitment to wildlife protection and biodiversity preservation.
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Accredited zoos like your Toronto Zoo are a critical part of ensuring a better future for wildlife and wild spaces. That said, we must evolve and change as maintaining the status quo is simply not good enough in our fight against extinction. Our commitment is to challenge assumptions and learn every day. The goal is to know better and do better in service to wildlife. We are living in a period of significant disruption, and we will continue to push boundaries and challenge the existing parameters, figuring out how to do things in fundamentally different ways. Significantly expanding our Zoo conservation science efforts and connections to Indigenous communities are critical to this journey.
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“Collaboration is key to conservation,” says Dr. Gabriela Mastromonaco, Senior Director of Wildlife Science, Toronto Zoo. “By bringing together global leaders in biobanking and conservation science, we will develop international accreditation standards that safeguard species for generations to come.”
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Over the next three years, Your Toronto Zoo will focus on five key initiatives:
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Save Canadian species by braiding traditional knowledge and conservation science to deliver biobanking, conservation breeding and translocation programs.
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Establish international standards and Canadian priorities for the biobanking initiative.
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Make the Zoo a must-see destination, delivering customized experiences and facilities resulting in increased attendance and community engagement.
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Connect every student in Toronto, York and Durham, with a Zoo visit enabling them to discover conservation science experiences and make memories that last a lifetime.
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Embrace an innovation culture to build the most technologically advanced Zoo in the world.
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The Guardians of Wild 2025-2027 plan builds on the 2020 Strategic Plan and existing community connections. This plan focusses our efforts to expand our effectiveness and move onto the global conservation stage in service to wildlife and communities. We will assemble champions from across the world to ensure responsible and equitable international biobanking standards. Our goal is to save species for generations to come and protect them from zoonotic disease, while establishing our reputation as expert collaborators, bridging literal and philosophical oceans to save animals.
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Belonging
We are more than a place to visit, volunteer or work. We are a place where people gather, connect with nature, share iconic experiences, and build memories that last a lifetime. This is a place where you are welcomed for who you are, are part of the story as an active participant, and contribute to a better future for wildlife.
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Nature's Insurance Policy
We are in the midst of the greatest extinction since the loss of the dinosaurs, and we must take action to protect species for future generations. We will challenge colonial conservation perspectives and embrace an inclusive approach, bringing together contemporary science and traditional knowledge. We will rethink how we set priorities and protect species in a rapidly changing world.
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Wildlife Advocates
It is a privilege to have animals and plants in our care and we embrace the responsibility to be a voice for their wellbeing. Success means individuals and populations that are thriving, and we will evolve and improve our standards of care while pushing for higher standards across the country. We will bring groups together to challenge current approaches and evaluate our effectiveness, while also growing community involvement and action to effect conservation.
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Wow for Good
One size fits no one, and we will strive to deliver highly personalized experiences, every time. We will scar people in positive ways, challenge perceptions and make unforgettable memories. People will be called to act for wildlife and the natural world, equipped with knowledge and perspectives to engage in meaningful conservation action.
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These aren’t just plans - they’re bold steps that challenge existing conditions, push boundaries, and fuel our mission to protect wildlife and ignite meaningful change at your Toronto Zoo.
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As part of Guardians of Wild 2025-2027, a critical component to our success will be reaffirming our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation by deepening our relationships with Indigenous communities fostering opportunities for education, conservation, employment, and storytelling with First Nations, Inuit, and Metis partners.
We know science alone cannot stop biodiversity loss and climate change. If we are to achieve our vision of a world where people, wildlife and wild spaces thrive, we need to deepen our connections with the natural world, and our past, to ensure the future we all dream of. This is a critical component of creating real change, and our missions statement has evolved to reflect this commitment.
Starting today, our Toronto Zoo mission is to connect people, animals, conservation science and traditional knowledge to fight extinction.
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Accredited zoos play a critical role in protecting wildlife and wild spaces, but the fight against extinction demands continuous innovation. Through this new strategic plan, Your Toronto Zoo is embracing bold new approaches, forging deeper connections, and taking action to secure a future where people and wildlife thrive, and we are asking people to join us as Guardians of Wild.
The Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy is the dedicated fundraising partner supporting vital conservation efforts led by the Toronto Zoo. With the help of generous donors, we support animal well-being, essential conservation science programs, and experiential learning opportunities connecting people with nature.
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The Toronto Zoo’s mission is to connect people, animals, conservation science, and traditional knowledge to fight extinction and our vision is a world where people, wildlife, and wild spaces thrive.
An iconic tourist attraction and Conservation organization, the Toronto Zoo boasts a number of leading programs for helping wildlife and their natural habitats – from species reintroduction to reproductive research. A world-class educational centre for people of all ages, the Toronto Zoo is open every day including December 25 and attracts approximately 1.2 million guests each year.
Toronto Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The Zoo has also achieved the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) Certificate of Good Animal Practice® and is inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
Toronto Zoo, 361A Old Finch Ave, Toronto ON, M1B 5K7
View Toronto Zoo’s Privacy Statement
We acknowledge the land we are on is the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit and the Williams Treaty signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands.
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