PRESS RELEASES

TORONTO, ON, April 22, 2026 - Today, the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy celebrated Earth Day (April 22) with the announcement of a transformative $1 million donation from the Consecon Foundation to advance cryobanking initiatives that safeguard threatened and endangered species for generations to come.

This generous investment will support your Toronto Zoo’s wildlife cryobank—the most diverse of its kind in Canada—and significantly advance your Zoo’s mission to connect people, animals, conservation science, and traditional knowledge to fight against extinction.

“We are grateful for supporters like the Consecon Foundation who share in our vision of a world where people, wildlife and wild spaces thrive. With donor support, Canada's Wildlife Cryobank will continue to lead the way in safeguarding genetic diversity – acting as nature’s insurance policy - to protect species at risk for future generations.”

- Kathy Koch, Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy Executive Director

“The Consecon Foundation is proud to be making a major investment in Canada's Wildlife Cryobank at the Toronto Zoo. These technologies will not only save Canadian species from extinction but transform how our country manages its wildlife populations. We're excited to be part of that story!”

- Geoff Burt, Consecon Foundation CEO 

“Cryobanking is an innovative and increasingly essential tool for conservation today. By preserving living cells from endangered and at-risk species, we can help protect their genetic diversity for the future. It is essential for accredited zoos to plan ahead, ensuring these genetic resources are available when they are needed to support species survival.”

- Dr. Gabriela Mastromonaco, Toronto Zoo Chief Science Officer 

What is Canada’s Wildlife Cryobank?
Your Toronto Zoo is a leader in wildlife reproductive science and home to the most diverse living-cell wildlife cryobank in Canada. A cryobank is a specialized, long-term storage facility that preserves genetic materials (like sperm, eggs and embryos) at extremely low temperatures (often below –190°C). The Zoo’s wildlife cryobank currently houses frozen reproductive cells and tissues from more than 100 species.   

When stored in ultra-low temperatures, cells can remain viable for decades, allowing conservationists to support future breeding programs by maintaining or restoring genetic diversity. Unlike sample storage for DNA, live cell cryobanking can be used in assisted reproductive technologies, such as artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization.    

Why is this important?
As our climate changes, natural habitats diminish and species face increasing threats, the cryobank acts as an insurance policy against extinction.     

When properly stored, living cells can offer critical alternatives for the genetic management of at-risk species. The cryobank enables future reproduction using techniques such as artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization. This proactive approach ensures that even if wild populations decline, the genetic blueprint and diversity of a species is preserved for potential reintroduction and recovery.     

Success Story
Your Toronto Zoo has been involved in wood bison conservation since 1977. Since 2009, every wood bison calf born at your Zoo has been the result of assisted reproductive technologies.      

Historically, wood bison could be found across the boreal forests of northwestern Canada and Alaska; however, changes in habitat use have resulted in small, disconnected herds remaining in northern British Columbia and Alberta as well as southern Northwest Territories and Yukon. With support from organizations like your Toronto Zoo, the species was downlisted from “endangered” to “threatened” in 1988. However, ongoing diseases such as tuberculosis and brucellosis continue to pose serious risks to wild populations.      

How to support
Community support is critical to this work. As necessary as your Toronto Zoo’s Species Recovery programs are, they are funded almost entirely by donations and grants.    

By donating today, you can help expand Canada's Wildlife Cryobank at your Toronto Zoo, advance reproductive technologies, and secure a healthy future for at-risk wildlife, particularly Canadian species. For more information or to donate, click below.      

About the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy
The Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy is the charity partner of the Toronto Zoo. With the help of our generous donors, we support animal well-being, essential conservation science programs, and experiential learning opportunities led by the Toronto Zoo. Together, we are building a future where people, wildlife, and wild spaces don’t just survive—they thrive.

About the Consecon Foundation
The Consecon Foundation partners with Canadian charities to accelerate solutions to climate and biodiversity challenges. The Foundation was established by the late Canadian philanthropist William Burt.

About your Toronto Zoo  
Your Toronto Zoo’s mission is to connect people, animals, conservation science and traditional knowledge to fight extinction. The Zoo’s 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 and attracts approximately 1.3 million guests each year.

Toronto Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and 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 Agribusiness (OMAFA).