Sign to nowhere

At the Phoenix Zoo we are dedicating a portion of our efforts to a sanctuary for animals that need our help because they have no other place to live. The animals you'll see in Sanctuary include White Rhinos, Asian Elephants, Mexican gray wolf, Cheetahs, Arabian oryx, and a host of other animals. These animals are part of Sanctuary for various reasons. Some of the animals are threatened with extinction and in need of captive-breeding programs. They will live here and produce offspring that will go on to restore wild populations. Our three Asian elephants and other animals that have behavioral problems will get a chance for a better life through the special attention given in Sanctuary. Animals retired from breeding programs and animals that are not needed for breeding programs get lifelong quality care. Sanctuary also includes animals that are being rehabilitated for return to the wild or animals that have an illness or injury that keeps them from ever living a normal life if returned to the wild.

There are Sanctuary animals located throughout the zoo; however we have decided to create specific space within the zoo for a large portion of the Sanctuary animals. The back loop of the Zoo, from Desert Lives to the Crossroads Snack bar, is dedicated to our Sanctuary animals.

Sanctuary – Not your ordinary zoo.
The traditional zoo is very visitor-centered and animal friendly. We choose to exhibit animals that we know will be engaging and interesting to our visitors and that can also help us relay important educational and conservational messages. The exhibits are designed to balance the needs of the animals and the ability for visitors to view the animals.

Sanctuary is different from the traditional zoo model. The sanctuary model is very animal-centered. The animals in sanctuary have very special needs so the exhibits are designed to ensure that the animals are as comfortable as possible and the exhibits are not as focused on visitors viewing.

The Future of Sanctuary
A future goal of Sanctuary is to provide people opportunities to discover what makes each individual animal unique through personalized tours and up-close and personal visits with some of the Sanctuary's special residents. There will be volunteer care-giving teams that care for animals as diverse as frogs, black-footed ferrets, and white rhinoceroses! There will be chances for people to participate in conservation projects that directly support the health of the wilderness, such as releasing captive-raised frogs back to the wild or helping state biologists perform night-time surveys for black-footed ferrets.

Sanctuary is supported largely through philanthropic gifts and we need your help to make our vision a reality. Donations to help care for the animals are graciously accepted and opportunities for organizations to fund raise for the Sanctuary abound. If you're interested, contact the Zoo's Development Department and let them know you want to help support the zoo's Sanctuary!

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