LEO Zoological Conservation Center

Adult Rothschild's giraffe

The Lionshare Educational Organization (LEO) Zoological Conservation Center is a private, nonprofit wildlife reserve and breeding facility in Greenwich and Stamford, Connecticut.

Ideology

Mission: To save the animals of today for the people of tomorrow

Philosophy: To share our animal world so that learning is a joyful experience, caring is a genuine concern, and acting on their behalf becomes a priority for us all. Learn...Care...Act

Vision: LEO Zoological Conservation Center will directly and indirectly increase the number of at risk animals saved throughout the world by becoming a global conservation leader, locally supported preservation center, and educational resource providing the most innovative, advanced knowledge, and practical experience to the world's current and future conservationists. [1]

About

LEO Zoological Conservation Center is located on Lionshare Farm, a property of about 90 to 100 acres (36 to 40 ha) owned by Marcella and Peter Leone. Marcella Leone established the LEO Conservation Center in 2009 to house and breed threatened and endangered animals, particularly species at risk of extinction.[2] Most of the financing for the center's operation comes from her own money, and she serves as its director.[3] She says she has spent "many, many, many millions" of dollars on the facility and that the large expenditures are "not always popular" within her family.[2]

As of March 2013, the facility housed about 200 individual animals, including camels, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, giraffes, orangutans and other primates, and penguins.[2] Unlike a traditional zoo, it is not open to the public. However, visits can be arranged for large donors and educational groups.[2] Conservation biologists say that breeding facilities, such as LEO, that do not exhibit animals play an important role in maintaining healthy populations of endangered animal species.[2]

Animal births at the center have included a kangaroo, and a white-faced saki monkey.[4] In February 2013, the center announced the birth of an eastern mountain bongo, an antelope indigenous to Kenya that is close to extinction in the wild.[2][5] The following month, a Rothschild giraffe was born at the facility.[2][4][6] Photos and video of the baby giraffe, which belongs to a very endangered subspecies of giraffe, attracted extensive media attention.[2] The center announced a public contest to choose a name for the baby; in response, over 6,000 suggestions were submitted on the center's website.[2][7] The winning name was to be announced on the NBC Today show on April 1, 2013.[2]

Lionshare Farm was formerly a golf course.[3] Another part of the property is used for an equestrian operation run by Peter Leone.[2]

References

  1. ↑ www.LEOzoo.org http://leozoo.org/center/philosophy/. Retrieved 2014-01-07. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 Kristin Hussey (March 31, 2013). "Baby Giraffe Draws Attention to Sanctuary". New York Times.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "History and Director". LEO Zoological Conservation Center. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Allison Terry (March 25, 2013). "Rare giraffe born at Connecticut refuge. It's a girl, and she needs a name". Christian Science Monitor.
  5. ↑ "Critically Endangered Eastern Mountain Bongo Born!". LEO Zoological Conservation Center. February 7, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Endangered Rothschild Giraffe". LEO Zoological Conservation Center. March 23, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  7. ↑ Scott Stump (March 26, 2013). "Help name a rare baby giraffe born in Connecticut". Today.com (Today show website).

External links