ZSL scoops three top awards from BIAZA
Tuesday 6 December 2005
ZSL received three of the top awards from the zoo world following a prestigious awards ceremony held at Dudley Zoo in the West Midlands and attended by the zoo world elite.
The award for Best PR went to ZSL in recognition of its pioneering PR campaign A new zoo for London; Best New Zoo Enclosure was awarded for ZSL’s innovative Komodo: Island of Dragons enclosure; and an Outstanding Achievement Award was presented to ZSL’s Nick Lindsay for his exceptional achievements in service to the zoo community.
The certificates were presented to ZSL by Dr Miranda Stevenson, the Director of BIAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums).
These awards particularly highlight the Zoo’s efforts in emphasising the importance of the role of the modern zoo and demonstrate how modern zoos can be a powerful force for conservation, tackling issues such as species extinction in the wild.
The Zoo was one of ten winners chosen from 83 entries. Held annually for over a decade, the BIAZA awards recognise outstanding contributions and achievements in the fields of wildlife conservation, advances in animal welfare and husbandry, sustained breeding programmes, marketing, PR, education, research, enclosure design, veterinary medicine and individual outstanding achievement.
ZSL was highly commended in six other categories, including Significant advances in husbandry and welfare for pre- and post-partum care of an Asian elephant calf, and Best Marketing Project for the launch of Meet the Monkeys.
Simon Rayner, Head of Communications at ZSL added:
'We are delighted to accept these awards which highlight the changes taking place at London Zoo and ZSL’s desire to link its conservation work with the visitor experience at its living collections.'
BIAZA is a conservation education and scientific wildlife charity, which acts as the principal professional zoo body representing the responsible zoo community in the UK. With over 70 members, its role is to develop and spread best practice within the UK and international zoo community, combining lobbying and campaigning with the development of policy in collaboration with the government and scientific organisations.
Over the last decade, BIAZA has supported more than 177 projects in 62 countries, by providing financial support in excess of £6 million, by supplying skills, staff and equipment for conservation programmes worldwide.
