Our Speaker, Dr. Clément Lanthier

Posted by Craig Henderson on Jul 17, 2018
 
Our Speaker, Clément Lanthier
 
 
Maxine Morrison introduced our speaker Dr. Clément Lanthier, President and CEO of the Calgary Zoo. Dr. Lanthier's presentation focused on the zoo's initiatives in the areas of wildlife conservation and the reintroduction of endangered species. However, before launching into the main part of his presentation, he took a moment to acknowledge the many contributions of club member Murray Young to the zoo and its board.
 
The zoo's importance to the city can be easily seen by considering a few key statistics. Total visitation to the zoo in 2017 was 1.2 million, with approximatly 600,000 of these coming from out of town. Although it receives an $8 million annual grant from the City of Calgary, 86 per cent of its operating budget is self-funded. The zoo employs a staff of 600, which represents a considerable contribution to the city's economy.
 
Dr. Lanthier emphasized the importance of acting locally. Noting that through the efforts of the zoo, local ranchers, and the Department of National Defence (DND), swift foxes and burrowing owls have been reintroduced in Alberta. Internationally, the conservation status of the giant panda was changed in 2016 from "endangered" to "vulnerable". All of this illustrates the important role that zoos play in wildlife conservation.
 
Bill Andrew Thanks Our Speaker
 
The Calgary Zoo is an active participant in several elements of the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan (SSP) program, which the association started in 1981 to help ensure the survival of selected species in zoos and aquariums.
 
The Calgary has been a significant contributor to a number of successful international conservation initiatives. These successes include the establishment of the Wechia Community Hippo Sanctuary (WCHS), and initive that won the 2008 UN Equator Prize, which is awared in recognition of outstanding community efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
 
Building on it successes in Wechia (Ghana), in addition to its efforts in Alberta and British Columbia, the zoo is now contributing to efforts in Madagascar to help conserve one of the world's most endangerered primates, the lemur.
 
The Calgary Zoo's mandate rests on three pillars:
  1. Animal Welfare, the primary element of the zoo's mandate, which can be considered its "license to operate".
  2. Wildlife Conservation is so important that Dr. Lanthier described it as the "zoo's DNA".
  3. Visitor Experience provides the resources to support the other pillars.
 
After a lively Q&A session, Bill Andrew thanked our speaker.