Human Zoo - Exhibit biogs

Simon Spiro, 19, New Malden, Surrey
Simon is a second year veterinary student at Pembroke College, Cambridge. He is fascinated by animals, the need to conserve them and the threats they face. Simon hopes our ‘Human Zoo’ will attract people to London Zoo and inspire the public to take an interest in animal conservation and natural history. In addition, Simon is a real ‘outdoorsy’ person, who can’t wait to spend a weekend in the rain getting back to nature!

Brendan Carr, 25, Aylesbury, Bucks
Brendan’s motto is ‘dream like you’ll live forever, live like you’ll die today’. He is a professional actor and model as well as a fight choreographer, screen fighter, musician and fitness fanatic, holding International kick boxing and kungfu titles and if that’s not enough, Brendan also has a seven year old daughter called Aaliyah! He has a long list of TV and film appearances, with the most recent being ‘Love Struck’, which won Best Film Award at the Portobello Film Festival. Brendan played the lead role of Taz. Brendan applied to be in ‘Human Zoo’ because….’I’m funky like a monkey and as cool as a cat, talk more than a parrot, up all night like a bat. I got a laugh like a hyena but get the hump like a camel so cover me in fig leaves as I’m the ultimate mammal’

Anna Westbury, 27, London
Anna is just about to complete her Msc in Wild Animal Biology at the Institute of Zoology (run by ZSL) and the Royal Veterinary College, London, specialising in gorillas. She describes herself as ‘zoo obsessed’ and is taking part in the ‘Human Zoo’ because she wants to find out what it’s like for the animals who live in them. She is also interested in the history of zoos. As she says, people have not been exhibited in zoos for over 100 years and Anna feels London Zoo’s ‘Human Zoo’ will give her the opportunity to be part of zoo history.

Thomas Mahoney, 26, Cambridge
Tom is a rugby playing chemist who gained his degree from Bangor in Wales. One day he would like to run his own brewery, but until then he will remain at the small speciality chemical company in Cambridge, where he currently works. Tom applied to be part of ‘Human Zoo’ because as ‘a fully domesticated house human’ he feels it’s a great opportunity to get back to nature. He believes our exhibit will be a once in a lifetime experience for him, and one that will educate the public and increase their knowledge of the extensive work London Zoo undertakes towards the conservation of endangered species.

Notes to editors

• London Zoo’s ‘Human Zoo’ exhibit will run from 26th – 29th August.

• There will be a clear view of the humans, but a zoom lens will be necessary.

• There are approximately 6,350,000,000 humans worldwide.

• More humans are born everyday than there are gorillas and chimpanzees in the world.

• Worldwide diets vary but humans generally eat meat, fish, animal products, grains, fruit and vegetables.

• Founded in 1826, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is an international scientific, conservation and educational charity: our key role is the conservation of animals and their habitats. ZSL operates London Zoo and Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, carries out scientific research in the Institute of Zoology and is actively involved in worldwide conservation efforts

Press Contact

Nathalie Golden 020 7449 6280