become a Zoo member make a donation become a Zoo volunteer be an educated voter make your purchase count travel with the Zoo
	Get "Green" Pesticide-free grass means a "greener" lawn for you and for wildlife. Pesticides and herbicides are lethal killers of more than just grubs and dandelions. Many wildlife species, especially birds and amphibians, also succumb to the approximately 70 million pounds of pesticides used annually to maintain America's lawns. Roadside vegetation is also routinely treated with herbicide to eliminate weeds and overgrowth. This practice destroys or severely degrades habitat used by birds and small mammals for nesting and raising young, and puts animals exposed to contaminated habitat at risk for illness and predation. Pesticides and herbicides are not only hazardous to wildlife and the environment; they can also be hazardous to humans and to children, in particular. In addition to protecting wildlife, protect yourself and your family by reducing or discontinuing use of these chemicals. One way to eliminate the need for lawn pesticides is to eliminate your lawn and replace it with native plants and flowers. A less extreme measure would be to employ natural lawn care techniques for controlling weeds and bugs such as leaving grass clippings on the lawn after mowing and keeping your grass between 3-4 inches high.
	Pick and Choose Local farms provide the best of both worlds; healthy foods that are also wildlife-friendly. Many farms offer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs that help to develop partnerships between farmers and their customers and are also beneficial to wildlife. CSA members receive a rich assortment of fresh, high quality local fruits, vegetables and other farm products that have been organically produced without the use of pesticides or antibiotics that generate chemical run-off that pollutes habitat and waterways. Supporting local farms and local economies by joining a CSA not only provides farmers with a valuable source of income, it also creates a steady demand for healthy foods and demonstrates a commitment to sustainable land use practices that preserve natural resources and the environment. Sustainable agriculture farms are frequently predator-friendly as well. When you can't get to a farm, the Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce, a handy wallet card that lists the twelve fresh fruits and vegetables consistently the most contaminated with pesticides, will help you decide which produce items are an organic must!
	Vote to Save Them Human-wildlife conflict is taking a toll on the world's great cats and rare canines. As habitat becomes scarce, people around the world are sharing closer quarters with wildlife; accelerating the rate of direct conflict between humans and predators. The Great Cats and Rare Canids Act of 2005 (H.R. 1707) lists seven feline and six canine endangered and vulnerable species including, lions, leopards, jaguars, African wild dogs and maned wolves, all of which are negatively impacted by increasing interaction with human populations. Funding available through the Great Cats and Rare Canids Act is distributed under the umbrella of the Multinational Species Conservation Fund and is intended to provide support to international conservation projects like the Laikipia Predator Project that are working to resolve conflicts between humans and these declining predators. By asking your member of Congress to cosponsor the Great Cats and Rare Canids Act you will be helping to protect lions and the other magnificent creatures listed by the Act. You can also help to increase funds allocated to the Multinational Species Conservation Fund for the protection of tigers, great apes and other wildlife species by signing an online petition on the Philadelphia Zoo's website. Signatures will be collected by the Zoo and submitted to Congress in the fall of 2006.
	Visit Laikipia Take a trip to Africa that will leave it better than you found it. Lions frequently wander beyond the boundaries of national parks, highlighting the critical need to protect them in unprotected areas. The issue of wildlife protection outside of national parks however, is less a matter of legality than one of socioeconomics; long-term conservation plans can only succeed when the needs of local communities are met and the presence of wildlife is valued. One way to combine these two objectives is through ecotourism. The Laikipia Wildlife Forum Ltd., established by private and communal landowners working together on multiple conservation fronts, has fostered a long list of "community-owned tourism projects." All of the project hosts are members of the Forum, sharing a common goal to protect Laikipia's amazing biodiversity through sustainable land use and wildlife management. You'll support and encourage these initiatives which in turn, go a long way towards protecting the future of lions throughout Africa, when you book your accommodations at an "eco-lodge" in Laikipia; where the "Big 5" (rhino, elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo) are often seen and wildlife population densities are said to rival those of the Maasai Mara. The Philadelphia Zoo Travel Program also offers eco-friendly trips to Africa and many other popular wildlife viewing destinations.

Join the Club If you're a kid that likes animals, or you know one, this is for you. Discovering wildlife has never been so much fun! The Philadelphia Zoo's newly created Zoo Kids Club (ZKC) is designed to educate, engage and inspire kids by bringing them closer to nature. Just as conservationists working in the field build support for wildlife by raising awareness within local communities, the ZKC has been developed with the hope that the more Club members learn about animals, the more they'll care - and share with others! Fun and interactive games, VIP invitations to special events and behind-the-scenes opportunities to get up close and personal with animals at the Philadelphia Zoo are just a few ZKC member benefits. Through interaction with Zoo staff, field researchers and each other, kids who join the ZKC will be able to brainstorm ways to make a difference and grow the Club with their own ideas. Big cats including jaguars, lions and pumas are back in Bank of America Big Cat Falls. Join the Zoo Kids Club today and be among the first to meet them!

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