News and Stories

The Cincinnati skyline seemed to stretch a little farther this past spring when the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden welcomed six international conservationists to the city for a week of professional development and collaboration. Stories and expertise from the tea estates of India, the agricultural landscapes of South Africa and Thailand, the forests of Congo, and the shorelines of Oregon bridged thousands of miles to form a shared vision of coexistence right in the heart of Cincinnati.

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s Coexistence Impact Fellowship Program is a dynamic initiative that contributes to wildlife conservation, supports emerging conservationists, prioritizes local voices in conservation decision-making, and uplifts the Zoo’s connection to its global conservation efforts and local communities. Through the Coexistence Impact Fellowship Program, the Zoo provides resources, salaries, and professional development opportunities that empower conservationists embedded in their own communities to engage in projects and research that help both people and wildlife to thrive.

While most of the fellowship occurs remotely with ongoing support and mentorship from Zoo staff, participants are invited to Cincinnati for a week of in-person coaching, support, and relationship-building with staff from departments across the Zoo. Three new and three returning Fellows joined us for our third annual “Fellows Week,” a whirlwind of presentations, discussions, workshops—and, of course, plenty of behind-the-scenes Zoo fun!  

Throughout the week, the Fellows presented introductions and updates to their research areas and worked on developing methodologies to guide their projects. Along with receiving one-on-one support and coaching from the Conservation Impact Team, Fellows were able to introduce themselves and their projects to Zoo staff, which created an opportunity to learn from one other and facilitated a closer connection to coexistence-driven conservation work happening around the globe.  

Many folks at the Zoo, regardless of what department they’re in, choose to work here because they care about people and wildlife. Staff are eager to lend their diverse skillsets to further our conservation mission, and strategic sessions hosted throughout Fellows Week gave them a chance to do just that. In one particularly impactful session, Joshua Vandament of the Zoo’s Maintenance Team connected with Parvathi Prasad, a first-year Fellow working on coexistence between farmers and Asian elephants in India. After Parvathi shared that part of her work involves ensuring farmers can see where they walk at night, Joshua used his familiarity with maintaining solar light batteries to brainstorm ideas for improving safety and efficiency of lighting on the tea estates, after which emails and WhatsApp numbers were exchanged to determine how the Zoo’s Maintenance Team can continue supporting Parvathi’s work from abroad.   

“In addition to being [in Cincinnati], meeting people and developing all the skills that I need, [the Fellowship] has given me the opportunity and the freedom to do the kind of research and conservation that I want to do in my landscape.” – Parvathi Prasad

Fellows also got a taste of Cincinnati—quite literally when it came to trying Skyline Chili and Graeter’s Ice Cream—with evening activities throughout the week. Between cheering on an FC Cincinnati win, some friendly competition at MadTree trivia, catching a foul ball at a Red’s game, shimmying at Salsa on the Square, birding at Bowyer Farm, and canoeing the Little Miami River, our Fellows were able to truly experience the Queen City at its best: welcoming, diverse, and full of life.  

Zoo staff will continue mentoring and supporting the work of our Fellows as they lead their research projects back in their communities. While having the time to connect in-person during Fellows Week is invaluable for strengthening relationships and building capacity, the true spirit of collaborative conservation crosses borders and time zones. Our Coexistence Impact Fellowship Program aims to make the world of conservation a little less lonely for these future leaders, reaffirming that the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is here to cheer them on—one cheesy hot dog and beloved hippo at a time. 

“Mo and Kie returned to Kui Buri full of excitement and enthusiasm after their trip to [Cincinnati]. Their renewed passion for their projects is contagious, and has given a boost to our entire team.” – Ave Owen, Bring the Elephant Home (Thailand)