Brookfield Zoo Chicago Announces Chicago Board of Trade Endangered Species Fund Grant Recipients
Funding supports​ 19 pioneering conservation and veterinary science research projects across the globe
 

Brookfield, IL—Brookfield Zoo Chicago announced nearly $140,000 in grants have been awarded by the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) Endangered Species Fund to 19 pioneering conservation and veterinary science research programs. This critical seed funding administered by Brookfield Zoo Chicago supports projects dedicated to species conservation, wildlife health and field research across the globe. 

The CBOT Endangered Species Fund plays a unique role in advancing global conservation by providing crucial early-stage funding to support research led by Brookfield Zoo Chicago staff and affiliates as well as individuals and researchers at conservation organizations, universities and zoos. 

“We’re proud to support these groundbreaking efforts that advance the field of conservation science,” said Jerry Manne, Brookfield Zoo Chicago trustee. “These grants enable researchers to explore new frontiers in veterinary medicine, wildlife health and species recovery efforts that have the potential to create lasting impact.” 

This year’s recipients include researchers at Bornean Orangutan Rescue Alliance, Brookfield Zoo Chicago, Comunidad Inti Ware Yassi, Duke University, Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders, MarAlliance, Mbeya University of Science and Technology, Memphis Zoo, National Aviary, Nova Southeastern University, Punta San Juan Program, University of Lomé, University of Washington Center for One Health Research as well as an individual researcher. Grants will fund innovative global initiatives, including: 

•      ▪   A feasibility study exploring new methods to predict and diagnose chronic health conditions in wild animals 
       ▪   Research on long-term blood storage techniques for various species requiring transfusions 
       ▪   Veterinary and pathology teaching workshops in collaboration with conservation partners in Kenya 
       ▪   Mitigation efforts to reduce both human-elephant and human-lion conflicts in Tanzania 
       ▪   Conservation strategies aimed at protecting and recovering greater prairie chickens in the Midwest region of the United States 
   

The CBOT Endangered Species Fund was founded in 1988 by Manne and his then CBOT colleagues. Since its inception, approximately $2.4 million has been awarded to more than 550 projects focused on conservation and research of specific threatened, vulnerable or endangered species or a specific habitat that is of high biological value or substantially threatened according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.  

Approximately 150 grant applications are received each year and reviewed by an advisory committee led by Manne. Brookfield Zoo Chicago administers the grants on behalf of the Fund. More information is available at brookfieldzoo.org/CBOT.

Media Note: B-roll and photos are available for download here for media use only. Journalists interested in additional information and interviews should contact Zoo PR Director Julianne Olivo at julianne.olivo@brookfieldzoo.org.

About Brookfield Zoo Chicago: Connect. Care. Conserve.

Since 1934, Brookfield Zoo Chicago has been a global leader in animal well-being and conservation, inspiring conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. The Zoo is a private nonprofit organization that operates on 235 acres of land owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County and is home to more than 3,500 animals representing over 500 species—including many of Earth’s most endangered. Brookfield Zoo Chicago was the first zoo in the world to be Humane Certified™ by the American Humane Society for the care and welfare of its animals, and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums, and ArbNet. For more information, visit www.brookfieldzoo.org or follow @BrookfieldZoo on Instagram, Facebook and Threads.