What do these places have in common?

The International Zoo Keepers Conference - WE HOPE!

As most of you know in September 2009, Seattle ’s Woodland Park Zoo and the Puget Sound Chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers will host the 3 rd International Congress on Zookeeping/36 th American Association of Zookeepers National Conference. This combined ICZ/AAZK conference represents the first time these two professional zoo keeper organizations have joined to bring together animal care professionals from around the world to the United States .

It is of vital importance to the success of the meeting to have international participants.

We believe that a common conference for zoo keepers from around the world will not only improve the levels of communication between keepers internationally, but will serve as a basis for supporting the development of zoo keeping as a profession in regions where professional keeper associations do not currently exist.

You can be that vital link in the success of this exchange. We have numerous requests for assistance right now but have very limited funds. To give you an idea of who you would be helping, here are just two of the many possible attendees;

“Adriana Giron from Colombia has been able to attend the last two conferences due to support from our chapter and has been so inspired that she is in the process of organizing a Latin American Keeper Association and I believe she’ll be able to pull it off!”

“Then there is the gorilla keeper from the Mysore Zoo. We have heard a lot about the lone gorilla at Mysore , and its probable fate of always remaining alone. This keeper is highly regarded and he has already shown great enthusiasm and pride in his job as this animal’s caretaker. We would like to encourage him to continue his zoo keeping career and give him the tools to do so.”

These are only two of the many candidates that are ready and willing to attend if they are only able. Average cost to fully sponsor a foreign keeper is $2,500, but any amount is a help!

Can you help us make the conference a success for keepers all over the world by helping to bring them together? This is a rare opportunity. It’s easy to do. You can make a donation by giving your check, made out to PSAAZK, to one of the officers listed on our Website or you can add a donation to your registration at the same link.

You can find more information on how candidates are chosen and the conference in general by following the conference link at:

http://www.pugetsoundaazk.org/

Thank you for your time and consideration. If you have further questions, do not hesitate to contact any AAZK member or officer.