Conservation Breeding and Reintroduction Program

At the Toronto Zoo, black-footed ferrets, Blanding’s turtles and eastern loggerhead shrikes are bred and cared for under strict animal care protocols until they can be relocated into suitable habitats in the wild. The breeding and reintroduction facilities at the Toronto Zoo are in need of upgraded equipment and increased space so that we are better able to monitor and care for the animals until they are able to be released. Increasing our capacity at the Zoo means an increase in population of these endangered animals in the wild.

Click here to learn more about the Toronto Zoo's Conservation Breeding and Reintroduction Program

The Toronto Zoo's Conservation Breeding and Reintroduction Program





The Toronto Zoo participates in many captive breeding and re-introduction programs, which involve breeding rare and endangered species in human-controlled settings and, if possible, releasing these animals back into their natural habitats. The breeding and reintroduction programs:

  • Increase the genetic diversity of endangered animals
  • Include research that helps us understand the genetic and disease issues these animals face, and enabling us to find solutions to improve their health and sustainability in the wild
  • Enable outreach programs to educate the public, in schools and around the community, about the serious issues facing endangered animals
  • And, ultimately, these conservation programs are increasing the number of endangered animals in the wild
  • Click here to learn more about each animal within the program

    Please join our fight against extinction and donate today to support our endangered animal conservation programs – for our ferrets, turtles and shrikes, and all the other endangered animals at the Zoo.



    As important as they are for endangered species survival, these conservation programs depend almost entirely on donations and grants for their funding. Your support for the Toronto Zoo’s endangered animal conservation programs – for our ferrets, turtles and shrikes, and all the other endangered animals at the Zoo – means you are a partner in the fight against extinction.

    Please donate today to support Toronto Zoo programs to protect, conserve and increase the populations of endangered species worldwide.


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