Support The ICC

International Conservation Center

The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is building an International Conservation Center (ICC) to care for and breed threatened and endangered species, beginning with African elephants. The ICC takes the Zoo's commitment to a new level to help ensure a future for elephants. We need your support to make it a reality and to help the elephants.

Already a national leader in African elephant conservation efforts, the Zoo has completed the first of two elephant barns at the ICC, in rural Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and the first resident, our African elephant bull, Jackson, moved in on December 17, 2008. Eventually, he was joined by two female African elephants from Philadelphia on July 7, 2009.

The ICC is the first such center run by an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited zoo, addressing the need for breeding African elephants in North America and training managers and keepers to provide care for these animals. Eventully, the Center will also expand the Zoo's work in breeding other endangered species such as cheetahs, rhinoceros, African painted dogs, and Grevy's zebras.

Meet Bette and Kallie, the first two female African Elephants to join Jackson at the ICC. July 27, 2009, was the first day they were acclimated to the wooded area of their yard and you can see that they very much enjoyed it!

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Did You Know?
Many companies gladly match employee contributions to non-profit organizations. To see if your employer has a matching gift program, check with your Human Resources office.