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Zoo New England‘s Franklin Park Zoo in Boston has recently partnered with the renowned artist duo SNIK to raise awareness about the zoo’s One Health-focused work and conservation initiatives.
The collaboration, named “Handle With Care,” involves creating location-specific murals along the walls of Franklin Park Zoo’s Tropical Forest Pavilion. It represents a thematic expansion of the common thread in SNIK’s pieces—the fragile relationship between humanity and the natural world and an ecosystem reliant on global education and understanding.
These murals, created by SNIK over two weeks, feature intricate hand-cut multilayered stencils and spray paint. They highlight the diverse plant and animal life found within the Zoo, focusing on species with important conservation narratives, such as the western lowland gorilla, clouded leopard, black and white ruffed lemur, and Panamanian golden frog.
Image Credit Liam Keown
This creative partnership is part of the Zoo’s mission to connect visitors to our planet’s incredible biodiversity and raise awareness about the delicate balance between humanity and the natural world.
Image Credit Liam Keown
John Linehan, Zoo New England (ZNE) President and CEO, emphasizes that conservation and education are at the core of the organization’s mission.
“Conservation and education are the cornerstones of our mission, and this new mural is another way to connect our visitors to the incredible biodiversity of our planet, By providing opportunities for people to more deeply understand the natural world and all of its inhabitants, we aim to build empathy, empower people to take an active role in preserving healthy ecosystems, and create a better world for people, animals and wild places – now, and in the future.”
John Linehan
Zoo New England is committed to saving species from extinction and serving as a centre of education, conservation, and important research. Through cutting-edge science and partnerships with organisations like the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Zoo New England’s conservation field work extends from rare and threatened species in eastern Massachusetts to snow leopards in Mongolia, cross-river gorillas in Nigeria, amphibians in Panama, and One Health-focused work in Madagascar. ZNE is actively working to save animals from extinction.
Image Credit Liam Keown
SNIK’s collaboration with the Franklin Park Zoo aims to draw attention to essential conservation work on local and global levels, benefiting communities, animals, and environments worldwide. By working collaboratively with local communities, the project seeks to preserve and protect biodiversity, restore healthy habitats, and positively impact overall health for people, animals, and habitats.
“Our modern-day, single-use society rarely allows time for reflection on our role within the natural world. Looking from a macro level to see the bigger picture is hugely important to the animals we share a planet with, and human health cannot be separated from that of the ecosystems
on which we depend,” said SNIK, adding, “Art – public art particularly, acts as a means of sharing a message, and we have a responsibility to use our platform to amplify ZNE’s efforts. Art
should ultimately be a vehicle for change, and initiatives like this will hopefully create a blueprint for others going forward.”
The initiative also highlights Zoo New England’s One Health Program, which brings together experts from around the world to study linkages between animal health, human health, and the health of our planet. The program’s efforts in Madagascar focus on addressing the needs of the local communities while advancing lemur conservation, showcasing the zoo’s commitment to the longevity of species’ survival worldwide.
Image Credit Liam Keown
The collaboration between SNIK and the Franklin Park Zoo signifies the significance of cross-disciplinary collaboration and the role of arts and culture in amplifying environmental awareness. Through this project, a broad range of animals native to the Americas, Africa, and Asia are represented, emphasising the interconnectedness of human health with the health of ecosystems and wildlife.
Image Credit Liam Keown
Zoo New England & the One Health Programme
Zoo New England manages both the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston and Stone Zoo in Stoneham, both accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Their mission is to inspire people to protect and sustain the natural world for future generations by creating engaging wildlife experiences and promoting conservation programs, research, and education.
Image Credit Liam Keown
Zoo New England’s One Health Program is a collaborative effort involving experts from around the world to study the connections between animal health, human health, and the health of the planet. The program’s genomics scientists, in partnership with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, conduct pioneering research to better understand and compare the genes that cause disease in both humans and animals.
Image Credit Liam Keown
For example, their Healthy Forests, Healthy People initiative in Madagascar works with local communities to address their needs while advancing lemur conservation. Zoo New England also actively participates in the Gorilla Species Survival Plan to ensure the survival of gorillas in zoos and aquariums while also contributing to conservation efforts in the wild.
Image Credit Liam Keown
Additionally, the organisation is involved in collaborative cross-border projects to benefit critically endangered species like the Western Lowland Gorilla and the black-white ruffed lemur. Their work aims to demonstrate how arts and culture can raise environmental awareness through cross-disciplinary collaboration involving animals from different continents.
Image Credit Liam Keown
The creation of this incredible mural was made possible thanks to the generous support of various project partners and sponsors: The Arel Family, Mirrione, Shaugnessy & Uitti, LLC, Sevigney-Lyons, Insurcomm, CertaPro Painters Andover, Johnson Paint, Blue Frog Bakery, Bank United, Avidia Bank, Adam Quenneville Roofing, RowCal Management and Performance Landscape, highlighting the community’s involvement in promoting conservation and environmental awareness.
Image Credit Liam Keown
