Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo hires conservation officer role

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Whereas rising up in Calgary, Dr. Gráinne Michelle McCabe admires the Calgary Zoo and its conservation work. Now McCabe is becoming a member of the group in a brand new conservation position supposed to assist with the zoo’s international enlargement ambitions.

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The newly appointed Chief Conservation Officer on the Wilder Institute and the Calgary Zoo mentioned she is proud to hitch the group and proceed to increase its international attain.

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“This position will assist deliver conservation to the pinnacle of the desk in a a lot larger method, and focus the Wilder Institute and Calgary Zoo as extra of a conservation group that additionally operates a zoo. That is the best way loads of progressive zoos are transferring now,” McCabe mentioned.

After rising up in Calgary, McCabe acquired a grasp’s diploma in organic anthropology from the College of Calgary and studied ecological anthropology on the College of Texas in San Antonio, Texas, the place she earned a PhD.

She labored for 9 years as head of discipline conservation and science at Bristol Zoological Society, the place she directed numerous conservation applications in Tanzania, Madagascar, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Costa Rica, the Philippines, South Africa and the UK.

“I’ve labored significantly with conservation applications targeted on primates, so monkeys and apes, but additionally different species like giraffes and hippos,” McCabe mentioned. “That zoo has a really comparable ethos to the Wilder Institute and Calgary Zoo, so I am actually excited to come back right here.”

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She additionally joined the Worldwide Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Job Drive on Biodiversity and Household Planning, serving to to enhance outcomes for ladies’s schooling, native economies and conservation.

McCabe started the brand new position in Could, which suggests she supplies management to the Division of Conservation and Science and supplies strategic route for all conservation efforts throughout the six nations the place the Wilder Institute operates. She is going to lead strategic improvement for conservation translocations and neighborhood conservation initiatives, whereas coordinating analysis on a wide range of worldwide applications supposed to save lots of endangered species.

Dr. Clement Lanthier, president and CEO of the Wilder Institute and Calgary Zoo, mentioned the zoo is worked up so as to add McCabe.

“This position was created to assist strategically information the Wilder Institute by our bold enlargement of conservation applications by 2030,” mentioned Lanthier.

“Together with her 15 years of worldwide expertise in main transformations, relocation and neighborhood conservation, we’re assured that Dr. McCabe will assist construct the Wilder Institute’s nationwide and international popularity as a frontrunner in wildlife conservation.”

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McCabe mentioned the primary few weeks on the job can be wanted to stand up to hurry on the entire Wilder Institute’s applications, however there’s a direct concentrate on increasing into the Canadian biodiversity discipline.

“Not simply working right here in Alberta — clearly we’ll have a giant focus in Alberta — but additionally increasing our attain to affect different Canadian species in another provinces,” she mentioned.

This type of conservation work is important as there’s a globally acknowledged ecological emergency, McCabe mentioned.

“Hundreds of thousands of species all over the world are threatened with extinction,” she mentioned.

The work just isn’t just for the wildlife that wants biodiversity conservation, but additionally for the good thing about individuals who reside with wildlife.

“We need to be certain that we’ve a wholesome surroundings for each individuals and animals,” McCabe mentioned.

sbabych@postmedia.com