Document Type

Graduate Project

Date of Degree Completion

Spring 2021

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Primate Behavior

Committee Chair

Mary Radeke

Second Committee Member

Lori Sheeran

Third Committee Member

Stephanie Stein

Fourth Committee Member

Brian Kutsch

Abstract

Orangutans are critically endangered and if action is not taken, their extinction is imminent. Zoological institutions worldwide serve as an educational means to engage the broader public in conservation awareness and action behaviors. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) created the Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) initiative to provide zoos with a platform to expand conservation efforts beyond their institutions. In collaboration with the Orangutan SAFE (OSAFE) education committee, the No Ape Left Behind: Orangutan Conservation Education Project develops educational activity resources that provide information about orangutan behavior and ecology as well as action items that individuals can take to assist conservation efforts. These materials are made available to zoo educators, parents, teachers, students, and community members through the OSAFE “I Heart Orangutans” toolkit distributed around International Orangutan Day, which takes place annually on August 19. Partnering with AZA institutions allows for broad outreach and potentially significant impact on the survival of orangutans.

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