In late 1992, Dr. Cleaves was invited by Douglas Myers, Executive Director of the Zoological Society of San Diego (ZSSD - San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park) to brief him and his staff of rhinoceros experts about WILDCON's plan to expand its aircraft-centered antipoaching effort in critical parts of southern Africa. Director Myers asked him to prepare a program proposal which the ZSSD would consider sponsoring to the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (AAZPA - now the AZA), the 7,500-member organization that accredits zoos and aquariums in the United States. The AAZPA then invited Dr. Cleaves to address its southeastern section conference in April, 1993. Following that conference, the WILDCON antipoaching proposal was endorsed by the following AAZPA members:

Zoological Society of San Diego (San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park)
Los Angeles Zoo
State of California, Department of Fish and Game
State of Florida, Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission
State of Tennessee, Wildlife Resources Agency
Busch Gardens Zoological Operations
Lowry Park Zoo
The Lubee Foundation, Inc.
St. Louis Zoo
New York Zoological Society
The ZOO, Gulf Breeze
Florida Walt Disney World
Indianapolis Zoo
Gladys Porter Zoo
Cincinnati Zoo

Subsequent to the initial endorsers mentioned above, others have endorsed WILDCON's antipoaching program including, but not limited to:

United States Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service
Government of the Republic of China on Taiwan
National Parks Board of South Africa
KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service (the amalgamated Natal Parks Board and the KwaZulu Department of Nature Conservation)
Zimbabwe Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management

Today, the antipoaching aircraft program has made a major contribution to the effort to reduce wildlife poaching.