Animals were on the prowl Wednesday night at the World Wildlife Fund’s Jungle Boogie party, a three-year-old event organized by the fund’s Young Partners in Conservation.

Guests staked out their territory early in the evening at the TriBeCa Rooftop, ready to pounce on the dance floor and, after several drinks, one another.

Actually, the atmosphere was far from a jungle. It was a group of tame and cheerful appreciators of wildlife, dressed in tuxedos, ball gowns, and safari gear.

Marc Lewinstein, for example, paired a safari jacket with a dark pink button-down – and black tie. He has worn the jacket in Tanzania, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

“I would like to be a professional explorer,” he said. “Right now I’m a law student.”

Nelson Hitchcock elaborated sartorially on the panda theme of the event, and of the World Wildlife Fund’s logo, by carrying a bamboo stick. And he looked as cute as a panda.

Queried about their favorite animals, guests showed a commanding knowledge of the animal kingdom.

Deirdre Lally likes giraffes. “I just think they have such beautiful, graceful necks and long eyelashes,” Ms. Lally said.

Carrie Fowler, daughter of the naturalist Jim Fowler, admires the cheetah. “They’re so sleek and beautiful and they have beautiful faces,” Ms. Fowler said. She saw one a couple of years ago in Kenya and another last year in New York City, in the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria, at the Explorers Club’s annual dinner.

The big cats were popular with most of the female guests, but Denelle O’Connor was unimpressed. “They’re thinking about their favorite furs. I’m talking about animals,” Ms. O’Connor said. “I like to watch monkeys – the little ones,” she said.

Sapna Chaudha also likes monkeys, because “they’re the cutest things in the world.”

Josiah Hornblower and Melissa Rollins like elephants. “They’re so sweet, they have great ears,” Ms. Rollins said.

The communications chairwoman of the event, Jessica Zaganczyk, likes lions. Her date, Sam Caspersen, likes polar bears.

Small creatures, too, made the cut. Juan Pablo Rossi likes hummingbirds because “they’re high-energy and short-lived.” Doug Stowe likes the red-tailed hawk “for all the obvious reasons.” Maren Lau is fond of the Hawaiian sea turtle. Jason Wishnow said he likes cockroaches, although he was probably joking. Mr. Wishnow is the writer and director of an eight minute film version of “Oedipus” performed by vegetables. Oedipus is a potato. (The film will be screened June 4 in TriBeCa.)

Theodore Boesky was more interested in domestic than wild animals. “I like dogs,” he said, “I want a Wheaten terrier. Someday when I get married, that’s the first thing I’ll buy.”

The World Wildlife Fund is a nonprofit conservation group based in Washington. More than 1.2 million members in America support work in 100 countries to save endangered species, protect endangered habitats, and address such environmental threats as toxic pollution, overfishing, and climate change.

A new president takes office July 1. Carter Roberts, 44, has served as the fund’s chief conservation officer since last year. Before entering the conservation field, the Harvard M.B.A. worked at Procter & Gamble and Gillette.

The Young Partners in Conservation gathers professionals in their 20s and 30s for fund-raising events. The New York chairwoman is Katherine Eckert, and members of the steering committee include Melissa Berkelhammer, Abby Field, and Rahul Vinnakota.