Annual Report 2009

We are very pleased to report on the diverse and global conservation activities of the Frankfurt Zoological Society of 1858 e. V. and our “Hilfe für die bedrohte Tierwelt” Foundation in 2009 and to offer a preview of what is in store for the coming year. Everyone is talking about the financial crisis, but we have for the most part been able to sustain our ambitious conservation programme at the projected level – thanks to you, our members and supporters. As always, we’ve done our best to invest your generous contributions in effective, long-term conservation projects in key areas around the world.

Recently, four school children – Tim (age 9), Miriam (12), Marc (10) and Annika (12) – participated in a FZS-supervised project to collect donations and create a small work- book dedicated to preserving the rainforest and protecting orangutans. The booklet is full of hope: «Everyone can make a difference», «I will have a green planet», “Together we are strong”, “Nature means life – protect it!”. The ideas of these four young nature conservationists are an inspiration for us all.

Working as intermediaries between FZS projects and visitors to the Frankfurt Zoo, our conservation ambassadors are making sure that ideas like these reach as many people as possible. With the zoo animals representing their relatives in the wild, the volunteers are enthusiastic promoters of conservation who are able to pass on the excitement of nature conservation. It’s a wonderful project that has received wide attention and won the support of two generous benefactors, the Allianz Environmental Foundation and the Stiftung Polytechnische Gesellschaft Frankfurt am Main.

I would like to extend my thanks to all of our partners and donors who supported our work in 2009 and whom we have listed at the end of this report. In light of cur- rent market trends, which continue to affect the revenues produced by our foundation, we will be depending even more on the contributions of our partners and third-party funding in the coming year.

On behalf of the Board and the Council of the “Hilfe für die bedrohte Tierwelt” Foundation, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all of our members, sponsors, donors and friends, particularly those who made donations to mark a special personal occasion. The same goes for our staff and partner organisations around the world, who are often working under very difficult conditions on the ground.

Please continue to lend us your support. The preservation of the world’s biodiversity is a vital undertaking that requires our continued attention and commitment.

Gerhard Kittscher
President of the Frankfurt Zoological Society