Information Page
About AAZK
AAZK (American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc) supports the promotion and implementation of zookeeper education and strives to make the general public aware of our concern for all valid and deserving conservation projects and the need for the preservation of our natural resources and animals.
The Nashville chapter of AAZK, which is made up of keepers and associates of the Nashville Zoo, but operates independently of the zoo, is involved in many conservation projects such as the Woodpecker Project, the International Elephant Foundation, the Clouded Leopard project, Wildlife Direct-Africa, Island Conservation, and other worthy animal and habitat conservation associations. The chapter has also helped locally by volunteering with Tennessee Greenways and starting the Jr. Zookeeper program at the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. For more information on AAZK, Inc. go to www.aazk.org or visit us on Facebook by searching for Nashville AAZK.
About the Australian Rainforest Foundation
The Australian Rainforest Foundation’s goal is to protect Australia’s rainforests, to extend those rainforests through tree planting programs, and to assist in the recovery of rare, threatened and endangered species essential to the survival of the rainforests. Under the working banner ’Operation Big Bird’ the Foundation plans to create a 250km wildlife corridor along Australia’s Wet Tropical Rainforest coast in the State of Queensland.
Through educating audiences of all ages from all over the world, the Australian Rainforest Foundation aims to instill in future generations the respect and recognition rainforests deserve. Rainforest is the most diverse ecosystem on Earth yet it only covers 6% of the world's surface. A valuable resource for cultivated plants, many foods, raw materials and medicines, still each year over 20 million hectares are destroyed worldwide, logged for timber and cleared to plant crops and graze cattle. If this vital ecosystem is to survive, remaining areas of rainforest must be protected.
In one of the most ambitious conservation plans in Australia’s history, the Australian Rainforest Foundation will bring together all levels of government, community groups, scientists, and private citizens from around the world to work cooperatively to save the endangered Southern Cassowary. Cassowaries are ratites, flightless birds closely related to the emu, ostrich, and kiwi. Scientists believe only 1,200-1,500 cassowaries survive in the wild in Australia. Cassowaries are a keystone species; they are vital for seed dispersal in the rainforest. Over 150 rainforest plants rely on them, especially for dispersing the seeds of large-fruit species.
The Foundation also encourages and supports biodiscovery research. Our rainforests are amongst the world’s oldest living laboratories and hold much promise for the development of life-saving medicines. The Foundation is proud to be a partner in the fight to find cures for chronic diseases such as cancer and AIDS.
Learn more about ARF at www.arf.net/au