Tokyo Zoological Park Society Wildlife Conservation Fund

Fund overview 助成金申請　 Request for donations

List of eligible activities

When the fund was first established, from fiscal 2012 to fiscal 2018, it provided grants for four activities per year. In fiscal 2018, the system was expanded, and from fiscal 2019 onwards, the grant limit was raised to 1 million yen per project, and to approximately 10 projects per year. From fiscal 2021, the Tokyo Zoological Park Society Conservation Partner Division was established. From fiscal 2022, a division for junior and senior high school students will also be added, and the fund is actively engaged in grant activities.

Additionally, since fiscal 2014, we have been holding presentations to publicize the results of the grant-funded activities.

FY2025 Grant Eligible Activities [General Category]

(Total grant amount: 6,947,390 yen)

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Department	Grant recipient
Elucidating the factors that hinder the habitat of Daito flying foxes - especially the sudden increase in electric shock accidents and countermeasures	Conservation activities	Daito Islands Biota Research Group
Search for proteins related to Asian Elephant breeding conservation 3 - Examination of protein behavior - (continued)	Research	Yoko Sato
Establishing a method to understand the physiological and psychological state of penguins during egg incubation without harming them	Research	Ayaka Saito (National Institute of Polar Research)
Elucidation of the habitat status and population structure of the Ryukyu black-breasted forest turtle, an endemic species of the Ryukyu Islands	Research	Takaki Kurita and Takahide Sasai (Chiba Prefectural Museum and Institute, Okinawa Churashima Foundation)
How is Amami rabbit milk produced? -An intestinal approach-	Research	Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Milk Research Group
Continued introduction of founders for the brown shrike and consideration of methods for reintroducing them into the wild (ongoing)	Conservation activities	Nagano Brown Shrike Conservation Research Group
Collecting information to support the reintroduction of Japanese Crested Ibis ibises and storks into the wild	Research	Su Yunshan

FY2025 Grant-Eligible Activities [Junior and Senior High School Student Division]

(Total grant amount: 2,285,760 yen)

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Department	Grant recipient
Ecological survey of sticklebacks at Shimizu Pond in Tsuya district, Nanno-cho, Kaizu city, Gifu prefecture	Research	Gifu Prefectural Ogaki Higashi High School
Allometry of the Japanese grass lizard	Research	Ikeda Gakuen Ikeda Junior and Senior High School
Conservation biology research and educational activities on the Japanese wood Japanese Wood Pigeon a natural monument	Research	Tokyo Metropolitan Kokubunji High School
Community-based research based on 27 years of conservation efforts for the Japanese rose bitterling	Research	Seifu Junior and Senior High School
Finding the optimal solution for conserving the habitat of the Tohoku salamander	Research	Sendai Jonan High School

FY2025 Grant-Eligible Activities [Tokyo Zoological Park Society Conservation Partner Category]

(Total grant amount: 4,500,000 yen)

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Grant recipient
Research into testicular function analysis and testicular cell preservation methods that contribute to ex situ conservation of rare mammals (ongoing)	Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Veterinary Physiology Laboratory
Acquiring captive breeding techniques for ex situ conservation of the Ogasawara Greenfinch to prevent its extinction (continued)	Islands Care General Incorporated Association
Supporting the creation of an ex situ conservation population of Pale-bellied Herons using captive breeding techniques developed in Japanese zoos and aquariums	White-bellied Heron Conservation Team

FY2024 Grant-Eligible Activities [General Category]

(Total grant amount: 6,986,000 yen)

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Department	Grant recipient
Research on methods for assessing physical stress and psychological well-being in wild animals (II) (continued)	Research	Osamu Yamato
Searching for proteins related to Asian Elephant reproduction conservation 2 - Focusing on phosphorylated proteins - (continued)	Research	Yoko Sato
When, where, and how do wild medaka fish breed? Exploring the secrets through video recording and DNA analysis (continued)	Research	Yuuki Kondo
Elucidation of the species boundary maintenance mechanism in three toad species	Research	Nishikawa Completed
Alleviating conflict between wild primates and local residents in Ghana: A sustainable, community-led approach to combating crop damage	Conservation activities	Maho Hanzawa
Introduction of founders of the rare Japanese wild shrike and technical studies for its reintroduction into the wild (ongoing)	Conservation activities	Nagano Brown Shrike Conservation Research Group
Research into hatching and rearing of Grey Heron to establish captive breeding techniques for the endangered bird, the white-bellied heron	Research	White-bellied Heron Conservation Team

FY2024 Grant-Eligible Activities [Junior and Senior High School Student Division]

(Total grant amount: 2,294,480 yen)

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Department	Grant recipient
Ecology and habitat survey of Genji Firefly firefly (Lamium cruciata) in Amakusa using DNA analysis	Research	Kumamoto Prefectural Amakusa High School
Aquatic life survey focusing on stagnant water areas in the downstream of the Kinokawa River (continued)	Research	Wakayama Prefectural Koyo High School
Distribution survey of the stag beetle, molecular phylogenetic analysis, and species conservation through ecological niche modeling	Research	Hyogo Prefectural Ono High School
Research into the rearing of swallows in Ikoma City, Nara Prefecture (ongoing)	Research	Nara Women's University Secondary Education School
Research on creating fish habitats in urban canal areas - Focusing on the feeding habits of fish -	Research	Tokyo Metropolitan Harumi Comprehensive High School

FY2024 Grant-Eligible Activities [Tokyo Zoological Park Society Conservation Partner Category]

(Total grant amount: 3,000,000 yen)

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Grant recipient
Research into testicular function analysis and testicular cell preservation methods that contribute to ex situ conservation of rare mammals	Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Veterinary Physiology Laboratory
Acquiring breeding techniques for the Ogasawara Greenfinch and conducting in-situ surveys (continued from FY2023)	Islands Care General Incorporated Association

FY2023 Grant-Eligible Activities [General Category]

(Total grant amount: 6,690,810 yen)

Lecture report (abstract published): Held on December 14, 2024

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Department	Grant recipient
Development of a method to identify stable fly activity areas tailored to the environmental conditions of zoos	Research	Ibaraki University Zoology Research Center Project Team (Animal Welfare Management Laboratory, College of Agriculture, Ibaraki University)
Survey of lead contamination in wild birds and animals living in Japan	Research	Nana Ushino
Understanding the current state of seabird bycatch in gillnet fishing - Aiming to conserve Common Murre and tufted Tufted Puffin-	Research	General incorporated association BirdLife International Tokyo
Basic research aimed at ex-situ conservation of Okinawa spiny rats and long-wool rats (ongoing)	Research	Nonprofit organization Animal Hospital Okinawa
Introduction of founders to establish ex-situ conservation of the rare Japanese wild animal and plant species, the brown shrike	Conservation activities	Nagano Brown Shrike Conservation Research Group
When, where, and how do wild medaka fish breed? Exploring the secrets through video recording and DNA analysis	Research	Yuuki Kondo
Searching for proteins related to Asian Elephant reproduction conservation	Research	Yoko Sato

FY2023 Grant-Eligible Activities [Junior and Senior High School Student Division]

(Total grant amount: 1,392,516 yen)

Lecture report (abstract published): Held on December 14, 2024

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Department	Grant recipient
Research on ecosystems in stagnant water areas downstream of the Kinokawa River	Research	Wakayama Prefectural Koyo High School
Research into swallow rearing in Ikoma City, Nara Prefecture	Research	Nara Women's University Secondary Education School
Impact of airborne microplastics revealed by wild bird excrement survey	Research	Tokyo Metropolitan High School of Science and Technology

FY2023 Grant-Eligible Activities [Tokyo Zoological Park Society Conservation Partner Category]

(Total grant amount: 3,000,000 yen)

Lecture report (abstract published): Held on December 14, 2024

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Grant recipient
Acquiring breeding techniques for the Ogasawara Greenfinch and conducting in-situ research activities	Islands Care General Incorporated Association
Elucidating the reproductive physiology and ecology of rare bird species to promote ex situ conservation: focusing on Rock Ptarmigan and Shoebill (continued from FY2021 final year) Click here for the 3-year activity report*(PDF)	Gifu University Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences Laboratory of Animal Therapy (Zoo Biology Research Center)

Name of the grant-eligible activity

Grant recipient

Acquiring breeding techniques for the Ogasawara Greenfinch and conducting in-situ research activities

Islands Care General Incorporated Association

Elucidating the reproductive physiology and ecology of rare bird species to promote ex situ conservation: focusing on Rock Ptarmigan and Shoebill (continued from FY2021 *final year)

Click here for the 3-year activity report(PDF)

Gifu University Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences
Laboratory of Animal Therapy (Zoo Biology Research Center)

FY2022 Grant-eligible Activities [General Category]

(Total grant amount: 5,072,080 yen)

Lecture report (abstract published): Held on February 10, 2024

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Department	Grant recipient
Survey of lead contamination in wild birds living in Japan	Research	Nana Ushino
Research on methods for assessing physical stress and psychological well-being in wild animals	Research	Osamu Yamato
Studies on the reproductive ecology of Eurasian Least Shrew	Research	Jun Kawahara
Understanding the current state of seabird bycatch in gillnet fishing - Aiming to conserve Common Murre and tufted Tufted Puffin-	Research	General incorporated association BirdLife International Tokyo
Basic research aimed at ex-situ conservation of Okinawa spiny rats and long-wool rats (ongoing)	Research	Nonprofit organization Animal Hospital Okinawa
Conservation ecological study of the Yaeyama spotted frog using age structure and genome-wide SNP analysis	Research	Dai Togane, Kosuke Akita, and Kazuho Anan

FY2022 Grant-Eligible Activities [Junior and Senior High School Student Division]

(Subsidy amount: 293,970 yen)

Lecture report (abstract published): Held on February 10, 2024

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Department	Grant recipient
Research into swallow rearing at Green Hill Ikoma in Nara	Research	Nara Women's University Secondary Education School

FY2022 Grant-Eligible Activities [Tokyo Zoological Park Society Conservation Partner Category]

(Subsidy amount: 1,000,000 yen)

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Grant recipient
Elucidating the reproductive physiology and ecology of rare bird species to promote ex situ conservation: focusing on Rock Ptarmigan and Shoebill (continued from FY2021)	Gifu University Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences Laboratory of Animal Therapy (Zoo Biology Research Center)

FY2021 Grant-Eligible Activities [General Category]

(Total grant amount: 9,101,500 yen)

Online results presentation (video released): April 29, 2023

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Department	Grant recipient
Conservation of wild bonobos in the Luau Academic Reserve and surrounding areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo	Conservation activities	Nonprofit organization Bilia (Bonobo) Conservation Support Group
Age structure of the Yaeyama spotted frog and consideration of conservation priorities for regional populations based on genetic information	Research	Dai Togane, Kosuke Akita, and Kazuho Anan
Studies on the reproductive ecology of Eurasian Least Shrew	Research	Jun Kawahara
Elucidating the impact of the recent increase in record-breaking heavy rains on the rare Daito Scops Owl subspecies	Research	Daito Scops Owl Conservation Research Group
Mitigating conflict between fishing cats and local residents in northeastern Eurasian Moorhen	Conservation activities	Ai Suzuki
Camera census survey to prevent the extinction of the Ogasawara Greenfinch, Japan's most endangered bird	Research	General incorporated association Islands care
A study on changes in the breeding and distribution of wild Oriental White Storks after the effects of feeding have disappeared	Research	Mina Izaki
Learn about the turtles of Mobara Park	Public awareness	Chiba Prefectural Chosei High School
Basic research aimed at ex situ conservation of the Okinawa spiny rat and the long-wool rat	Research	Nonprofit organization Animal Hospital Okinawa
Understanding the current state of seabird bycatch in gillnet fishing - Aiming to conserve Common Murre and tufted Tufted Puffin-	Research	General incorporated association BirdLife International Tokyo

FY2021 Grant-Eligible Activities [Tokyo Zoological Park Society Conservation Partner Category]

(Subsidy amount: 1,500,000 yen)

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Grant recipient
Elucidating the reproductive physiology and ecology of rare bird species to promote ex situ conservation: focusing on Rock Ptarmigan and Shoebill	Gifu University Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences Laboratory of Animal Therapy (Zoo Biology Research Center)

Activities eligible for the FY2020 grant

(Total grant amount: 9,786,262 yen)

Online results presentation (video released): Released on March 13, 2022

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Department	Grant recipient
Development of a method to estimate the habitat status of cryptic birds living in wet grasslands: Application to breeding herons and wintering rails	Research	Nonprofit organization Osekkarand
Clarification of the diet of Japanese geckos	Research	Takaki Kurita
Survey of wild orangutan density in the Danum Valley Conservation Area, Borneo	Research	Nonprofit organization Japan Orangutan Research Center
Studies on the reproductive ecology of Eurasian Least Shrew	Research	Jun Kawahara
Living with the endangered Japanese giant salamander	Public awareness	Aichi Prefectural Ichinomiya High School Biology Club
Mortality of male offspring and its endocrinological causes in sparrows	Research	Takahiro Kato
Conservation ecological study of the Yaeyama spotted frog from the perspective of age structure and genetic diversity	Research	Dai Togane, Kosuke Akita, and Kazuho Anan
Improving the breeding and release techniques of breeders at a conservation facility for the endangered white-bellied heron in the Kingdom of Bhutan	Conservation activities	White-bellied Heron Conservation Team
Conservation of wild bonobos in the Luau Academic Reserve and surrounding areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo	Conservation activities	Nonprofit organization Bilia (Bonobo) Conservation Support Group
An attempt to clarify the foraging strategy of the rare subspecies Daito Scops Owl by analyzing its habitat	Research	Daito Scops Owl Conservation Research Group
Research toward the ecosystem conservation of the Mikata Five Lakes: From the relationship between the water chestnut cover area and the bluegill population	Research	Fukui Prefectural Wakasa High School SSH biology group

Activities eligible for the 2019 grant

(Total grant amount: 9,785,210 yen)

Report lecture (video released): Held on March 13, 2021

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Department	Grant recipient
Development of a method for estimating the habitat status of rails inhabiting wet grasslands: Evaluation of the influence of vegetation on survey accuracy	Research	Nonprofit organization Osekkarand
Conservation of wild bonobos in the Luau Academic Reserve and surrounding areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo	Conservation activities	Nonprofit organization Bilia (Bonobo) Conservation Support Group
Survey and research on rare aquatic species and invasive alien species in the southern Yamagata Prefecture using environmental DNA	Research	Yamagata Prefectural Yonezawa Kojokan High School
Elucidating the impact of Tsushima deer on food resources for Tsushima Leopard Cat wildcats	Research	Mitsuru Hattori
A top predator coexisting with humans: Elucidating the feeding ecology of the rare Daito scops owl subspecies	Research	Daito Scops Owl Conservation Research Group
Comparative study of living organisms in different habitats in the areas surrounding Wakayama City (village forest, urban areas, and remote islands)	Research	Wakayama Prefectural Koyo Junior High School Science Department
Attempts to estimate population size and identify distribution areas for the conservation of isolated giant Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel populations in Machida City, Tokyo	Research	Machida Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel Conservation Research Group
A comprehensive survey to understand the reproductive physiological status of captive Giraffe populations in Japan	Research	Gifu University, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Animal Reproduction (Animal Conservation Reproduction)
Raising awareness of the Ryukyu Islands' endemic long-wool rat	Public awareness	Long-Wooled Rat Research Group
Acoustic research for the conservation Ryukyu Flying Fox in the Ryukyu Islands	Research	Island Bat Research Group
Basic research on pregnancy, birth and fruit production in female Bornean Orangutan	Research	Kuzeno

FY2018 Grant-Eligible Activities

(Total grant amount: 1,998,800 yen)

Report Lecture Report Lecture (video available): Held on March 13, 2021

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Grant recipient
Evaluation of survey methods for the habitat status of rails inhabiting wet grasslands	Nonprofit organization Osekkarand
Acoustic research for the conservation Ryukyu Flying Fox in the Ryukyu Islands	Island Bat Research Group
Establishment of a non-invasive method for investigating reproductive physiology in Giraffe and elucidation of the age at sexual maturity	Gifu University, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Animal Reproduction (Animal Conservation Reproduction)
Conservation genetics research on the Japanese box turtle	Dai Suzuki

FY2017 Grant-Eligible Activities

(Total grant amount: 1,989,000 yen)

Report lecture: Held on March 24, 2019

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Grant recipient
Strategies for reintroducing wild African grey parrots and preventing poaching	Nonprofit organization Africa-Japan Forum
Northwest Madagascar Prosimian Survey	Japan Aye-aye Fund
Elucidation of physiological states and behavioral patterns of captive Shoebill to determine the optimal pairing timing for breeding	Gifu University, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Animal Reproduction (Animal Conservation Reproduction)
Towards the conservation of Indonesia's Malaysian flying lemurs: Uncovering their mysterious nocturnal behavior	Yamato Tsuji

FY2016 Grant-Eligible Activities

(Total grant amount: 1,498,000 yen)

Report lecture: Held on March 24, 2018

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Grant recipient
Survey of the distribution of prosimians in northern Madagascar, with a focus on Aye-aye	Japan Aye-aye Fund
Development of techniques for reintroducing captive populations of Okinawa Rails into the wild	Nonprofit organization Animal Hospital Okinawa
Towards the conservation of Indonesia's Malaysian flying lemurs: Understanding the environmental factors affecting reproduction and mass mortality	Yamato Tsuji

FY2015 Grant-Eligible Activities

(Total grant amount: 1,992,123 yen)

Report lecture: Held on March 26, 2017

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Grant recipient
Genetic analysis of the highly endangered Shikoku Asian Black Bear Regional Population to identify kinship	Certified nonprofit organization Shikoku Natural History Research Center
Understanding physiological changes in reproduction and molting associated with environmental conditions for ex situ conservation of the Japanese rock Rock Ptarmigan	Gifu University, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Animal Reproduction (Animal Conservation Reproduction)
Elucidating the basic ecology of the rare Malaysian flying lemur in West Java, Indonesia, with a view to conserving it	Yamato Tsuji
Exploring the breeding environment of the near-threatened Nojiko	Nishi Norio

FY2014 Grant-Eligible Activities

(Total grant amount: 1,476,000 yen)

Report lecture: Held on March 20, 2016

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Grant recipient
Research into rearing conditions and endocrine physiology associated with breeding and molting for ex situ conservation of the Japanese rock Rock Ptarmigan	Gifu University, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Animal Reproduction (Animal Conservation Reproduction)
Survey of Ogasawara buzzard habitat on Anijima Island in the Chichijima Islands	Nonprofit organization Ogasawara Wildlife Research Society
Development of artificial insemination techniques for Okinawa rails	Nonprofit organization Animal Hospital Okinawa

FY2013 Grant-Eligible Activities

(Total grant amount: 1,500,000 yen)

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Grant recipient
Research on the reproductive physiology and ecology of Tsushima Leopard Cat wildcat for conservation in and outside its habitat	Gifu University, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Animal Reproduction (Animal Conservation Reproduction)
Improving the breeding environment for the fossa, Madagascar's largest carnivore, at Tsimbazaza Zoo and Botanical Gardens and educating local residents	Tsimbazaza Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Network camera installation to record and observe the breeding behavior of the Okinawa Rail and behavioral data analysis	Nonprofit organization Animal Hospital Okinawa

FY2012 Grant-Eligible Activities

(Total grant amount: 1,887,302 yen)

Name of the grant-eligible activity	Grant recipient
Establishment of a new endocrinological pregnancy diagnostic method to distinguish between pregnancy and pseudopregnancy in carnivores	Gifu University, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Animal Reproduction (Animal Conservation Reproduction)
Restoration of the breeding population of Leach's Storm-petrels on Habomaimoshiri Island, Nemuro City, Hokkaido	Nonprofit organization Tufted Puffin Foundation
Creation of educational panels that include the latest knowledge on the ecology and current status of the Okinawa Rail	Nonprofit organization Animal Hospital Okinawa
Family relationships in Western Lowland Gorilla	Miki Matsubara