Your Access to World-Class Conservationists—Here in Naples

by Tim L. Tetzlaff,
Director of Conservation, Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

Twenty years ago, I was sitting in a conference presentation far from Florida listening to a young National Geographic conservationist named Dr. Luke Dollar.

After the talk, I introduced myself. Nothing dramatic. Just a simple conversation. Yet that moment changed the direction of my work and, eventually, Naples Zoo’s global reach.

That handshake was the bedrock that led to us funding six of his conservation staff in Madagascar who reduce destructive fires in Ankarafantsika National Park and sustain the longest running research on Madagascar’s top predator. We also built two rural schools to give students alternatives to subsistence farming. And every year when Luke visits Naples to inspire 3,500 Collier County fourth graders, I’m inspired by the questions and spark in their eyes — the kind that makes you wonder which one might become the next National Geographic scientist.

While I had to fly to meet such a person, you don’t need to. Because of relationships built over years in the field, you can meet conservationists of that caliber in Naples. These aren’t paid speakers. They’re people I’ve walked alongside in places from Brazil to Tanzania, and right here in Big Cypress.

Take Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld, a National Geographic Explorer, TED speaker, award-winning conservationist, and one of Africa’s leading voices in human-wildlife coexistence that Luke introduced me to over ten years ago and we’ve all been in the field together. Laly now co-hosts safaris with me giving travelers experiences simply not possible even on high-end private safaris. Naples Zoo funds eleven of her staff across six Tanzanian landscapes. I brought Laly out to Big Cypress to meet biologist Matthew McCollister and my longtime colleague Lisa Andrews, connecting people who spend their days on different continents but share the same mission from managing invasive species to protecting rare cats, from African lions to Florida panthers.

Then there’s Dr. Arnaud Desbiez, whose research on giant armadillos and anteaters earned one of conservation’s highest honors, the Kiessling Prize for Species Conservation. I was honored to join him at the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C. as he received this award. Arnaud has also been to Naples many times, and despite all the international accolades, we typically find ourselves far from Fifth Avenue bistros for a poolside table at Harold’s Place for his favorite bacon cheeseburger. I’ve also ended up at his favorite pizza place in Campo Grande in Mato Grosso do Sul. What can I say? We’re guys on a budget.

This season, you’ll meet these extraordinary leaders. And on one of those evenings, before I fly to Africa for several weeks, I’ll be presenting on our decades-long work in Madagascar. Later in the spring, I’ll share updates from our collaboration in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where Naples Zoo has invested nearly half a million dollars to help rangers recover the population of critically endangered black rhinos.

The Conservation Lecture Series runs just once or twice a month during season, but each evening offers something rare: a chance to meet the people doing some of the most important conservation work on the planet, without leaving Naples. You’ll hear their stories, ask your questions, and see for yourself why long-term relationships matter.

And for those who think about the legacy they want their giving to leave, these evenings offer a unique opportunity: direct access to the people doing the work, and a clear view of how support from Naples residents travels straight into the field. And you might even see one of them with me at Harold’s…

To see the full schedule, visit NaplesZoo.org/speakers
Contact me at tim@napleszoo.org

To learn more or support these efforts, visit NaplesZoo.org/conserve

Together, we can create a brighter, more resilient future for people and wildlife

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit entrusted with educating families and caring for rare species in a century old historic garden. Since 2014, Naples Zoo has invested over $3.5 million saving plants and animals in the wild and fully funds the annual salary of 27 field staff in 7 countries including three wildlife veterinarians.

To learn more about how you can invest in a better future for people and wildlife, email tim@napleszoo.org.