Round Up for Conservation

Do you care deeply about the decline of wild animals and natural places, but aren't sure you have the time or resources to make a difference? The OKC Zoo connects you to conservation projects around the world and enables you to help save species and their habitats when you donate to its grassroots program. 

Saving Species One Penny at a Time

What is Round Up for Conservation? It is a program created to help wildlife and wild places! Zoo guests are encouraged to become everyday conservationists by simply rounding up their purchases to the next dollar amount when visiting the Zoo. For example, if a guest’s total purchase is $10.73, one of our Zoo team members will ask if they'd like to round up to the nearest dollar. If the answer to the above question is YES, 27 cents will then be donated to the Zoo’s overall conservation initiatives. It’s really that easy! 

Opportunities to "Round Up" are available all throughout the Zoo, this includes general admission and gift shop purchases. During your visit, you’ll find Zoo team members wearing their “Round Up for Conservation” buttons, which feature a newly designed logo to help promote the program. 

Lancer Hospitality, the Zoo’s food and beverage partner, is also involved with the Zoo’s conservation initiatives – now encouraging guests to donate 50 cents or a dollar with their purchase at the Lakeside Café, Canopy Restaurant, Safari Café or Big Rivers Café.

In 2020, funding from Round Up made it possible for the Zoo to partner with conservation programs in Oklahoma and around the world. This includes:

• Sutton Avian Research Center (Oklahoma)
• The Nature Conservancy (Oklahoma)
• Oklahoma Department of Wildlife (ODWC) Partnership
• Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Rwanda
• Turtle Survival Alliance
• Foundation for the Conservation of Endangered Species of Guatemala
• International Elephant Foundation
• Giraffe Conservation Foundation
• Bushfire Emergency Wildlife Relief – Contributed funds to Zoos Victoria which is working cooperatively with other accredited Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA) facilities in Australia to rescue and rehabilitate affected wildlife.

Since its inception in 2011, Round Up for Conservation has raised $738,954. In 2020 alone, Round Up raised nearly $90,000.