Your Toronto Zoo joins Illegal Plant Coalition 🌿

At your Toronto Zoo, our mission is to connect people, animals, conservation science, and traditional knowledge to fight extinction. That’s why in 2024 we proudly joined the Illegal Plant Trade Coalition (IPTC) as a Keystone Partner, and we are proud to share this partnership with you today. Coordinated by the Botanic Gardens Conservation International - BGCI, the Coalition brings together botanic gardens and other partners, including conservation organizations, policy and advocacy bodies, enforcement agencies, researchers, and community groups for combined action to address, understand, and mitigate the illegal plant trade. Your Toronto Zoo is currently the only zoo in the world involved in this global effort. Our participation as a Keystone Partner reflects the leadership of our horticulture team, and positions the Zoo as a global voice in plant conservation. Being a leader in global conservation is of utmost importance and stands at the centre of the Zoo’s new Guardians of Wild 2025-2027 Strategic Plan 🌱🌿 This partnership is a reflection of the Zoo’s vision: a world where people, wildlife, and wild spaces thrive. By supporting the Coalition’s #ThinkTwiceTradeRight campaign, which raises awareness, reduces demand for illegally traded plants, and promotes sustainable alternatives. Are you aware? The global illegal plant trade is one of the least talked-about biodiversity crises. Rare and threatened species are disappearing from their natural habitats, fuelling criminal markets and undermining conservation efforts. Why does it matter? Thousands of threatened plants are illegally harvested every year. This trade threatens ecosystems, local livelihoods, and cultural heritage. Plants are the backbone of biodiversity and their loss affects us all. 🌿 Add your voice. Be part of the solution. 🌿 Learn more at: https://bit.ly/4nEDoDL