1966 marked the Zoo’s 50th anniversary, the Golden Jubilee. The Zoo hosted an international wildlife conservation conference that year, and international flags adorned the front entrance. The American Zoo and Aquarium Association also held their national conference in San Diego, where the Zoo awarded its first Conservation Medals. For Dr. Schroeder, conservation was a very important emphasis for the celebration, and for the Zoo. He and other zoo directors were very aware of the increasing problem of species becoming endangered, and it was an important theme of the San Diego Zoo's 50th anniversary.