In the Spring of 2021, the Orangutan SAFE education team was invited to participate in a SAFE PACT pilot program. SAFE "PACT", which stands for "People Advancing Conservation Together" focuses on intentional, collaborative work between SAFE programs and
supporters that amplify the capabilities of conservation projects. Working with Asian Hornbill SAFE and a social scientist, the goal of the pilot team has been to develop an effective and unified conservation action that helps both Asian hornbills and orangutans. The pilot is a real-world example of ways to incorporate the human dimension of conservation initiatives into existing SAFE programs to improve conservation outcomes. Working with both a diverse group from across the country and a social scientist has helped the team develop conservation actions that are effective and relevant to our target audience: zoo and aquarium employees and volunteers in all AZA institutions.
The team is still hard at work, currently developing a toolkit to implement soon with concrete action items to help save Asian hornbills and orangutans right here in North America. We are excited for the future of this project, so stay tuned for updates!
More information on SAFE PACT can be accessed here.