Backyard Conservationist

Conservation doesn’t stop because we’re stuck at home. Join us and take action for wildlife from your home, balcony, or backyard.

Food and California Native Plant Garden

VIDEO - Create a Pollinator Puddle

VIDEO - Planting Your Vegetable Garden

VIDEO - Growing Sage from Grocery Store Cuttings

Click here to find out more about taking action for wildlife by creating Pathways for Pollinators.

Creating Wildlife Homes

Build a Toad Abode

Build a Bat Box

Spare a Spider. While at home with time on your hands, you may encounter a spider in your home. These arachnids are most often good for the planet, and our own health, as they keep mosquito and other insect populations under controlled. You can leave that spider be or carefully escort them out with a glass and piece of cardboard.

Keep it Clean

Pack It In, Pack It Out

As people are spending more time on trails to get exercise, unfortunately, we’ve started seeing more trash. Remember to always pack in and out your trash while maintaining social distance. 

Take the extra step and, using gloves and a bag, pick up that plastic and litter that you see, and prevent it from ending up in our water systems. The whales and sea otters will thank you. 

Watch this VIDEO and find out more here.

Reduce

Reduce Food Waste! Learn how to store your food and keep from forgetting about it here. Get inspiration here for new dishes based on what you have available.

Composting for Conservation. Get the most out of your food scraps by incorporating compost into your gardening routine. Click here to find out all you need to know about compost.

Say #NotoPlastic

Recycle

Set up a Home Recycling Center with tubs for Landfill, Recycling and Compost. Find out what can be recycled here.

Reuse

Upcycle your plastic. Saying no to plastic isn’t always an option right now. If you must use plastic, find a creative way to re-use it. Share your best upcycle projects and tag us on social media at @oakzoo.

Get inspired by Washed Ashore curriculum.

Share the Love

Bank on a Future for Wildlife by making a mini Quarters for Conservation station that features one of our conservation partners. Pop in change you might find around your home, and ask other family members to contribute. 

Decorate a coffee can with cut up magazines, do your own drawings, designate an old piggy bank, follow the instructions below to create a coin bank of one of the animals benefiting from our conservation partners. Get creative! 

New Nature Project - Chimpanzee

Bay Area Puma Project - Cougar

ARCAS Guatemala - Macaw

When the Oakland Zoo opens, bring in your creation and donate to these worthy wildlife organizations.

‍Give Some Positivity to your favorite wildlife organizations on their Facebook page. Your cheerful support will help them get through these challenging times and continue to save wolves, bears, chimps, elephants, pumas and more.

Here are some of ours:

New Nature Foundation, Bay Area Puma Project, ARCAS, Kaminando Jaguar Project, Ventana Wildlife Society, Amboseli Trust for Elephants

‍Heal People and the Planet Together. Show your neighborhood that you the Earth’s number one fan, and that we are all in this together! Print and color Oakland Zoo’s Earth Day Coloring Page and hang your masterpiece in your window for all to see. 

One page not enough? Enjoy Oakland Zoo’s Earth Day Coloring Book.

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Click here for more Information on how you can take action for wildlife.