Brookfield Zoo Chicago announces Chicago Board of Trade Endangered Species Fund grant recipients
Funding supports 18 pioneering conservation and veterinary science research projects across the globe
Brookfield, IL — Brookfield Zoo Chicago announced nearly $135,000 in grants have been awarded by the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) Endangered Species Fund to support 18 conservation and research projects around the world. This critical seed funding, administered by Brookfield Zoo Chicago, supports initiatives dedicated to species conservation, wildlife health and field research across the globe.
The CBOT Endangered Species Fund plays a unique role in advancing global conservation by providing early-stage funding to researchers at Brookfield Zoo Chicago as well as individuals and teams at conservation organizations, universities and zoological institutions worldwide. Approximately 150 grant applications are received each year and reviewed by an advisory committee led by Brookfield Zoo Chicago trustee Jerry Manne.
“Some of the most important conservation breakthroughs begin with a single opportunity,” said Mark Wanner, interim vice president of animal care and conservation at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. “As a former recipient, I know how transformative a CBOT Endangered Species Fund grant can be. It’s a catalyst to launch critical research, address urgent conservation challenges and gather evidence needed to scale work. By investing in these early-stage projects, we’re helping build a stronger future for wildlife and ecosystems around the world for years to come.”
This year’s recipients include researchers and wildlife conservation groups at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, Species360, National University of Tucumán, Cameroon Association for Research on Crustaceans and Other Aquatic Resources, Cameroon Wildlife Conservation Initiative, NatureHub Collective Community Organization, Punta San Juan Program, Nova Southeastern University, Social Health and Environment Management Organization of Tanzania, and the Illinois Natural History Survey’s Biodiversity and Global Change Lab and Population Community Ecology (PACE) Lab.
Among the funded efforts, a project led by researcher Joey Cannizzaro—formerly a King Conservation Science Scholar at Brookfield Zoo Chicago—will utilize wild reproductive strategies and molecular tools to inform Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) breeding programs for the endangered massasauga rattlesnake, representing a full-circle moment for the program.
Other funded projects support innovative global conservation initiatives, including projects focused on:
Conservation strategies for a Critically Endangered freshwater snail endemic to the Sanaga River in Edea, Cameroon, with a focus on long-term reproductive biology studies
Community-driven research and conservation efforts to protect pangolins and restore ecosystems in Deng Deng National Park, Cameroon
Research revealing predator-prey dynamics of Vulnerable Humboldt penguins in Punta San Juan, Peru
Head-starting and rearing efforts for the Endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly to support wild populations in Illinois
Community engagement initiatives to mitigate human-wild dog conflict in Tanzania
Reintroduction of lowland tapirs to the Aconquija protected landscape in Tucumán, Argentina, including ecological and social impact assessments
The CBOT Endangered Species Fund was founded in 1988 by Manne and his then CBOT colleagues. Since its inception, approximately $2.4 million has been awarded to nearly 570 projects focused on conservation and research of specific threatened, vulnerable or endangered species or a specific habitat that is of high biological value or substantially threatened according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Brookfield Zoo Chicago administers the grants on behalf of the Fund.
The next funding cycle for CBOT Endangered Species Fund grants is now open. Researchers, conservation organizations and zoological institutions interested in applying for support are encouraged to learn more and submit an application by August 31, 2026, at brookfieldzoo.org/CBOT.
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Media Note: Journalists interested in additional information and interviews should contact Zoo PR Director Julianne Olivo at julianne.olivo@brookfieldzoo.org.
About Brookfield Zoo Chicago: Connect. Care. Conserve. Since 1934, Brookfield Zoo Chicago has been a global leader in animal well-being and conservation, inspiring conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. The Zoo is a private nonprofit organization that operates on 235 acres of land owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County and is home to more than 3,500 animals representing over 500 species—including many of Earth’s most endangered. Brookfield Zoo Chicago was the first zoo in the world to be Humane Certified™ by the American Humane Society for the care and welfare of its animals, and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums, and ArbNet. For more information, visit www.brookfieldzoo.org or follow @BrookfieldZoo on Instagram, Facebook and Threads.
