LEO Zoological Conservation Center facts for kids
| Date opened | 2009 |
|---|---|
| Date closed | February 9, 2019 |
| Location | Greenwich and Stamford, Connecticut |
| Land area | 90 to 100 acres (36 to 40 ha) |
| No. of species | 50 |
The Lionshare Educational Organization (LEO) Zoological Conservation Center was a special place that helped protect wildlife. It was a private wildlife reserve and breeding center located in Greenwich and Stamford, Connecticut. Unlike a regular zoo, it was not open to everyone.
The LEO Conservation Center was part of Lionshare Farm, a large property of about 90 to 100 acres. Marcella Leone started the center in 2009. Her goal was to care for and breed animals that were threatened or endangered. These are animals at risk of disappearing forever. The center announced it was closing on February 9, 2019.
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Animals at LEO Conservation Center
In July 2015, the center was home to about 50 different kinds of animals. These included camels, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, giraffes, orangutans, other primates, and penguins.
Since it was not a public zoo, people could not just visit. However, special "Private Safari Tours" could be arranged for a donation. The center also welcomed groups from schools and other educational places. Experts who study animals and conservation say that breeding centers like LEO are very important. They help keep animal populations healthy, especially for endangered species.
In February 2013, the center shared exciting news: an eastern mountain bongo was born! This type of antelope comes from Kenya and is very close to extinction in the wild. The next month, a Rothschild giraffe calf was born at the center. This baby giraffe belonged to a very endangered group of giraffes. Photos and videos of the baby giraffe became very popular in the news. The center held a contest for the public to name the baby. Over 6,000 name ideas were sent in! The winning name, Sandy Hope, was announced on the NBC Today show on April 1, 2013.
Animal Births and Stories
The LEO Conservation Center was known for its success in helping endangered animals have babies. Here are some of their special stories:
Adaeze and Odie: Cheetah Ambassadors
Adaeze, whose name means "daughter of a king," was one of eight cheetah cubs born to Mona Lisa. Mona Lisa was the only king cheetah in North and South America. King cheetahs are incredibly rare, with only about 30 left in the wild. This was the largest litter of cheetah cubs ever recorded! The keepers at LEOZCC realized Mona Lisa could not care for all eight cubs. So, three cubs were hand-raised by humans. Two of these cubs were planned to go back to Africa. This would help spread their rare genes to wild cheetah populations.
Adaeze was raised with a companion animal, Odie, an Australian Shepherd dog. They became "Animal Ambassadors." They helped teach people about cheetah conservation. Adaeze and Odie traveled to many events. These included the Museum of Natural History Annual Family Party and the Today show on NBC.
Artie the Orangutan: A Special Birth
In the spring of 2014, baby Artie the orangutan was born. This was a very special event because Artie was the first orangutan born using artificial reproductive technology. This was the first step in the center's "Wild Cycling" program. Marcella Leone, the founder, created this program. It aims to expand the genes of animals both inside zoos and in wild populations. The main goal of Wild Cycling is to keep and increase the different genes within a species. This helps ensure a strong future for orangutans.
Rothschild's Giraffe: Sandy Hope
There are fewer than 700 Rothschild's giraffes left in the wild. LEOZCC was happy to welcome several births of this endangered species. The first Rothschild giraffe was born at the center in 2013. A public contest was held to name the baby. The giraffe was named Sandy Hope. This name honored the victims of the tragic elementary school shooting in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, in 2012.
Giant Anteater Babies
In 2013, two giant anteater babies were born at the center. Male anteaters sometimes harm their newborns. So, the father was moved out of the enclosure before the first baby was born. A few months later, keepers found two babies! Giant anteaters are pregnant for about six months. This meant the mother and father had not been together long enough for a second pregnancy. How the mother got pregnant again remained a mystery. Some thought it might have happened through the fence. Others wondered if it was the first time delayed implantation was seen in this species.
Fennec Fox and The Hound
In 2011, a litter of four North African fennec foxes was born. Their mother could not care for or feed them. So, LEOZCC found a special helper: a surrogate mother. Momma, a lactating American foxhound, was found at a rescue center in North Carolina. LEOZCC and Adopt-a-Dog brought her to the center. She helped care for the newborn fox kits.
Education and Outreach
LEOZCC worked with several local schools and organizations. They wanted to teach people about conservation. Through these partnerships, students of all ages could get close to some of the world's rarest animals.
The center also took their "Animal Ambassadors" to different events. These included school assemblies, the Maritime Aquarium, American Museum of Natural History events, Mount Sinai hospital, and the Woman's Club of Greenwich. They also visited other zoos.
