Toronto Zoo receives $1-million donation to help it preserve genetic material belonging to endangered species

Cyrobank tanks seen here at the Toronto Zoo

The Toronto Zoo’s efforts to preserve genetic material belonging to endangered species received a boost on Earth Day with a $1-million donation for its cryobank program.

The donation comes from the Consecon Foundation, a private Canadian charity focused on environmental protection.

The funding will support the Toronto Zoo’s cryobank, which currently houses frozen reproductive cells and tissues from more than 100 species.

cryobanking initiatives “that safeguard threatened and endangered species for generations to come.”The Toronto Zoo says that the money will help it to further

A cryobank is a specialized long-term storage facility that preserves genetic material such as sperm, eggs and embryos at temperatures often below -190 C.

When stored in cryobanks, cells can survive for decades, allowing conservationists to support future breeding programs by maintaining or restoring genetic diversity.

The wood bison, once considered endangered, was downgraded to threatened following conservation efforts involving the Toronto Zoo and its cryobanking initiatives.

“Cryobanking is an innovative and increasingly essential tool for conservation today. By preserving living cells from endangered and at-risk species, we can help protect their genetic diversity for the future,” Dr. Gabriela Mastromonaco, chief science officer at the Toronto Zoo, said in a news release.

“It is essential for accredited zoos to plan ahead, ensuring these genetic resources are available when they are needed to support species survival.”