Zoo lands award for conservation

From thisissouthdevon.co.uk

A SOUTH DEVON zoo has been commended for its work with critically endangered species.

Shaldon Wildlife Trust was honoured in the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquaria award ceremony for redesigning an enclosure housing the primates.

A certificate was presented to education and research officer Julie Matthews at the ceremony in Knowsley Hall, Merseyside.

Tracey Moore, Shaldon Wildlife Trust director, said: “Our three staff and numerous volunteers did all the work and we have been rewarded by the birth of twin Pied tamarins in October last year and in July.

“The zoo trust specialises in smaller endangered primates and had held a pair of pied tamarins for several years.

“Often quoted as the rarest primate in the Amazon today, we were particularly keen to breed this species and have also supported in-situ projects for them in Brazil since 2004.

“As well as reviewing and altering our husbandry practices with the objective of breeding this critically endangered primate, we completely rebuilt both their inside and outside enclosure.

“This gave us the opportunity to use taller plants, still supplying cover for the tamarins at higher levels, a denser mid-level planting where they can feel secure, and ground cover where they can forage and find interest.”

The zoo was one of 21 to receive a commendation at the annual awards which recognise outstanding contributions and achievements in the fields of wildlife conservation, animal welfare and husbandry, veterinary medicine, education and research.

Dr Miranda Stevenson, the director of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquaria, said: “The award-winning programmes under the spotlight demonstrate the huge investment of energy and resources made by our leading zoos to support habitat and species conservation.

“Conservation within zoos and aquariums is a vital part of the work to protect threatened species.

“These awards recognise and celebrate the vital contributions which our members are making to conservation, environmental education and raising public awareness.

“Equally, they are standard bearers for excellence in animal husbandry and welfare.”

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