Wild Conservation – A Houston Zoo Blog

Gorilla carvings from sustainably harvested trees- Rwanda

While we are chatting about gorilla’s – here is one way you can support conservation in Rwanda and bring home a unique gift at the same time. The Houston Zoo works with non-profits who support trade in local crafts as an economic incentive.

Far from large cities, villagers create works of art while balancing their traditional way of living. These communities are the closest neighbors to some of the world’s most precious wildlife. Their villages have little running water or electricity and the people  have traditionally made their living through subsistence agriculture and ranching but when offered the opportunity, these families develop and design local crafts in order to improve their lives with added earnings that have started to make a difference. The Houston Zoo Conservation Department supports efforts through the sales of these products in the zoo’s gift shop. Products are available from Partners in Conservation and Virunga Artisans-Rwanda, Proyecto Titi-Colombia, Snow Leopard Conservation-Mongolia and African Wild Dog-Zimbabwe.

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