The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) has announced its support for the "Extinction Prevention Act of 2019" introduced by U.S. Representative Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) in celebration of International Biodiversity Day. This bill will create dedicated funds to conserve butterflies in North America, plants in the Pacific Islands, freshwater mussels in the United States, and desert fish in the Southwest United States.

The legislation will also make research institutions and non-profit organizations such as AZA-accredited facilities eligible for federal funding to continue vital conservation work while providing financial resources for on-the-ground projects to conserve species, protect habitats, and address several kinds of threats to species' survival.

Between 2013 and 2017, AZA-accredited facilities spent over $1.2 million to protect monarch butterflies, and in 2017, such organizations collectively dedicated $220 million to field conservation efforts benefitting over 800 species, including 281protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Click HERE to read the full legislation text.