The Riverbanks Zoo and Garden Chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers (Riverbanks AAZK) is one of many chapters that makes up a national organization. All of the chapters are unique in that they can define what is important to their individual members, but they all come together for certain causes. One of the biggest examples of that right now is the national Bowling For Rhinos events that every chapter contributes to. Because of each individual chapter, in the 27 years that this cause has been supported, $7 million dollars has been raised for rhino conservation. Every year the amount grows, with over $600,000 of that raised in 2017 alone!

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While all of our chapter's members work for Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, we are not all zoo keepers (our title is a little misleading). AAZK began as a way to connect professionals across the field through professional development opportunities and ways to support conservation causes that we care about as animal professionals. It has grown and changed over the years, and as it has grown, more zoo professionals have been drawn to the organization for the same reason as the founders.  Today, we are an organization that supports many local and global organizations, and we have been able to annually send members to training courses and conferences. To learn more about what we have accomplished please visit the "updates" tab of the website.

 

To learn more about either Riverbanks Zoo and Garden or AAZK as a national movement, please click the buttons below next to their respective logos.