Toronto Zoo scientist up for 'Nobel Prize of Animal Conservation'

A wildlife scientist who works with many different species at the Toronto Zoo is up for an award billed as the "Nobel Prize of Animal Conservation."

The Indianapolis Prize is awarded every two years by the Indianapolis Zoo to "an animal conservationist who has achieved major victories in advancing the sustainability of an animal species or group of species."

Nominee for 2025, Gabriela Mastromonaco, is a reproductive scientist and the Toronto Zoo's senior director of wildlife science.

She told CBC Toronto she's thrilled to have the nomination shine a light on her work. 

"Reproductive science is one of the foundations of species sustainability," Mastromonaco said. "If they don't reproduce, then we don't have the next generation of the animals here to do the conservation with."

Mastromonaco works with more than 50 species a year, but the focus of her keystone projects is with the Toronto Zoo's wood bison, a near-threatened species. Her work involves finding and developing tools to support both natural and assisted breeding.

Some of her professional accolades include facilitating the first birth of wood bison calves from sperm that was frozen for 35 years and overseeing Canada's most diverse living cell bank for wildlife species.

If she wins the Indianapolis Prize she'll be awarded $250,000 US for her work. Five finalists and an "Emerging Conservationist" will also be awarded $50,000 US each, when the winner is announced in September 2025. 

Mastromonaco ensuring a future for wildlife

Toronto Zoo CEO, Dolf DeJong, praised Mastromonaco's work, telling CBC Toronto she's helping to ensure a positive future for a wide range of wildlife. 

"She's one of those unsung conservation heroes that really we're so, so proud ... to be able to work with every day," he said. 

The nomination is a chance to celebrate all of the advancements that Mastromonaco has brought to the field, DeJong said. 

"[She's] literally adding tools to the toolbox that we never knew we would need and creating these insurance policies for animals that unfortunately are becoming more and more important."

But Mastromonaco is quick to share the credit.

"I always say that I stand on the shoulders of giants, which is my team and the Toronto Zoo. There's so many people involved in the work that I do and, and I have to thank all of them," she said. 

Conservation is a team sport 

She also expressed gratitude for everyone following a career in conservation, saying they don't often get the recognition they deserve. 

"We've given up on other lucrative things. We're not working for profit. We're not in it for other rewards," Mastromonaco said. "I think conservation heroes are very quiet heroes." 

In addition to her own nomination, she's happy the Indianapolis Prize brings attention to work being done all across the conservation field. 

Forty-three other conservationists from all over the world are also up for the award.