This section will share ways to get involved in conservation ... feel free to also visit the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund for a list of organizations you might enjoy supporting through time or gifts.

1) Seek out information about conservation issues.
Action steps for children:

• Watch wildlife shows on television.
• Read a book about your favorite animal and learn all you can about it.

• Contact local chapters of conservation groups to find out what they're doing in your area.
• Find out what plants and animals are endangered in your area by contacting your local Department of Environmental Protection or U.S Fish and Wildlife Service.

2) Spread the word to others about the value of wildlife.
Action steps for children:

• Encourage your family, friends, and neighbors to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
• Speak up for wildlife. Let your friends and family know how much you care about animals.

• Teach children to respect nature and the environment.
• Take children camping, hiking, or on zoo and aquarium trips.

3) Look for and purchase products that are friendly to the environment.
Action steps for children:

• Take a thermos for lunch instead a juice box to save on packaging.
• Shop for school supplies that are friendly to the environment, such as notebooks made with recycled paper.

• Reduce your purchases of fertilizers and pesticides.
• Don't buy products, such as Styrofoam, that are hazardous to the environment or that are manufactured at the expense of important habitats, such as rainforests.

4) Create habitats for wildlife in your backyard.
Action steps for children:

• Hang a bird feeder, put out a birdbath, or help your family build a bat box. Click here to learn more about bats, including directions to make your own bat box.
• Plant a small tree in your backyard or a wildlife garden with flowers that butterflies like.

• Create a small pond in your backyard for aquatic wildlife and plant native species that require little upkeep and will reduce lawn space.
• Help children discover the many wonders of their backyard, like the tiny world of insects.

5) Reduce, reuse, recycle, and replenish.
Action steps for children:

• Recycle everything you can! Many communities recycle newspapers, glass, plastic milk and soda bottles and aluminum cans. Be creative! For instance plastic milk jugs make great bird feeders. And click here to learn how to recycle your old jeans into a cool purse!
• Click here to learn how you can recycle and replenish your garden by composting.

• Use cold water in the washer whenever possible.
• Reuse or recycle your old cell phone. Take unwanted, reusable items to charitable organizations or thrift shops.

6) Choose your pets wisely.
Action steps for children:

• Observe wildlife in your backyard but leave those animals where you find them. They are best left in the wild.
• Learn everything about the pet you want. Some pets have a very long lifespan -- a tortoise or parrot may live over 50 years!

• Know where your pet was born. Be sure the pet you choose was not taken from the wild.
• Some animals have special care needs; be sure you research these and can provide the care and veterinary costs that are required.

7) Support conservation organizations through contributions and volunteerism.
Action steps for children:

• Join a beach or river clean-up.
• Visit a zoo, nature park, or national wildlife refuge, where your visit will support wildlife.

• Volunteer at your local zoo or nature center.
• Contribute money to conservation programs such as Disney's Wildlife Conservation Fund.