Support for Dambari Duiker & Black Rhino Conservation Program
The Gladys Porter Zoo has been a long-term financial supporter of the Dambari Field Station in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The Zoo's former Director, Don D. Farst, D.V.M. is a board member for the Marwell Zimbabwe Trust, which runs the station. In-situ conservation and rescue work for rhinos are coordinated through this field station, that also serves as a breeding and research institute for duikers and other small antelope.

Duikers are secretive animals, and most are forest dwellers. Studying them in the wild is difficult, and very little is known about them. As forest dwellers, most duikers are under some degree of threat from habitat destruction. But perhaps a more imminent threat for many species is the bushmeat trade - duikers account for over 60% of animals taken to be eaten by local people.

As human populations throughout Africa continue to grow, conservation breeding will have an increasingly important role in the survival of these animals. Currently, duikers tend not to do well in captivity, so more information is needed to improve husbandry practices. Research done at this facility, as well as at the Gladys Porter Zoo contributes significantly to the conservation of these animals.