The Work Goes On

Governments supposedly project an aura of stability, but the truth is, they can be fickle partners.  That becomes no more apparent than at the time of an administration change, especially between two administrations with such radically different visions of what a country should look like.  While there will doubtlessly be some areas of continuity between a Biden and Trump White House, I feel fairly confident that conservation issues won't fall under that umbrella.  

The federal government, which historically has been the main driver of wildlife conservation in the US, is likely about to take its hands off the wheel.  Assuming it doesn't deliberately drive us into a ditch.

A lot of zoo professionals that I know - especially those that are LGBTQ, or from communities of color, or have basic empathy - are sad and hurt by the events of this week.  I've heard a fair number express dismay that things just don't seem worthwhile now.  The truth is, however, that the work that we do is more important now than ever.  Without the government's support, the job of saving wildlife falls even more so to zoos, aquariums, and other NGOs and nonprofits.  It's up to us not only to raise the funds and do the work of protecting our country's biodiversity - such as leading breeding and reintroduction programs for native species and restoring native habitats - but of using our collective voice, our platform, to help create a country where people care about issues like wildlife, climate change, and habitat preservation.  To this, every member of the zoo and aquarium community has an important role to play, and we all need to step up to the challenge.

It's a damned shame that there's not more support for the cause out there, as Tuesday goes to show.  But the work still needs to go on and somebody has to do it.  Might as well be us.