CALGARY - If you were in Calgary’s downtown core Thursday night, you couldn’t miss the larger-than-life endangered species projected onto Calgary’s most recognizable landmark! The spectacular showing - in support of the global launch of the Wilder Institute - featured a photo projection on the Calgary Tower from 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. with stunning images from Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark that saw people across Canada tuning in virtually, driving down and walking up to see the once-in-a-lifetime show. In addition, buildings in downtown Calgary, including the Calgary Tower, Arts Commons, and Olympic Plaza, turned green to mark the momentous occasion in the zoo’s history. You can watch the global launch party at
The Wilder Institute is the rebranded Calgary Zoo Foundation and oversees the Calgary Zoo’s conservation portfolio which includes community conservation and conservation translocation/ reintroduction programs saving species such as: hippos, lemurs, mountain bongo, sitatunga, Vancouver Island marmot, burrowing owl, whooping crane, fisher, half-moon hairstreak butterfly, northern leopard frog, greater sage-grouse, swift fox, black-tailed prairie dog and black-footed ferret, sihek (Guam kingfisher) and Carolinian forest species.
For more than 30-years, the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo has led critical wildlife conservation work through the Calgary Zoo, its rural Wildlife Conservation Breeding Centre, as well as across Canada and around the world. The journey to become Canada’s leader in wildlife conservation, now includes the Wilder Institute. 
“As one of Canada's leading conservation charities, we have a tremendous opportunity to inspire and educate our community on how each of us can make a difference for wildlife here in Canada and around the world,” said Dr. Clément Lanthier, President & CEO of Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo. “We don’t believe in inevitability. We believe in taking action. The Wilder Institute is the next step in our journey to restore balance and secure a future for all living things.”
As part of an ambitious 10-year plan, the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo will be deepening its global conservation efforts by:
- Promoting their conservation work and engaging communities, ramping up conservation efforts nationally and internationally – this means more projects and more species they will actively be involved in not only saving but returning to the wild;
- Growing their community of generous supporters by engaging more Canadians to take action to save wildlife; and
- Deepening relationships with current conservation partners and looking for further partners to do meaningful conservation work around the world to rebalance wildlife and human life, together.
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