HOUSTON – There are thousands of endangered species all over the world, and some are on the brink of extinction.
The list is daunting, and can seem to be too big of a problem for any person to try to take on. But that hasn't stopped Renee Bumpus, the senior director of wildlife conservation programs at the Houston Zoo, from trying.
"I'm here to connect the zoo to the wild,” Bumpus said.
Part of the Houston Zoo’s mission is to support programs that help the zoo animals' counterparts in their natural habitats, wherever in the world they might be.
"The zoo is ensuring that these animals will not go extinct by supporting these projects in other parts of the world," Bumpus said.
Bumpus work has taken her all over the world, where she has seen the real-life effects of conservation efforts.
"I actually saw species come back from the brink of extinction, which really inspired me, because I saw the impossible could happen," she said.
Bumpus traveled to Madagascar in 2017 with the Houston Zoo and KPRC Channel 2 News to help locals understand and protect valuable wildlife unique to their island.
Watch KPRC2's 'Saving Madagascar' special
"Saving animals will save us, because we know they are critical in the ecosystem, which means we are all connected. So if we lose species, we will also start to lose our health and well-being," she said.
To learn more about the Houston Zoo’s conservation efforts around the globe and here in Texas, click the link to visit its website.