Key Partnership

The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium works closely with Polar Bears International, the world’s leading polar bear conservation group, to serve as an Arctic Ambassador Center.

Polar Bears International is the only organization dedicated to wild polar bears and Arctic sea ice. We are part of a coalition that includes zoos, aquariums, and wildlife parks that share a commitment to polar bear conservation. This group collaborates on research, education, and action programs that address the challenges polar bears face in a warming Arctic.

The Climate Alliance Program brings together like-minded partners to help direct policy, build coalitions, and engage in public outreach to protect polar bears and advance climate solutions around the world.

As Arctic Ambassador Center, the Zoo participates in research programs that would be impossible to conduct with wild polar bears. Bears in human care can be repeatedly observed over long periods—allowing sample size and replication not possible in the wild.

What You Can Do

Every time you visit or donate to the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, you help us take care of our resident animals and their counterparts in the wild. You can also check our food and enrichment item wish list for our resident animals.