Surviving the century: a key species debate

This event has taken place

A Wellcome Collection and ZSL Collaboration

Amphibians or plankton? Elephants or bees? Pest controllers, climate regulators, seed dispersers, pollinators... like canaries in the coal mine, the welfare of some species is also a key indicator of planetary and, therefore, human health. Why should we care about the health and welfare of the animals with which we share our planet? How dependent is human health on the health of the animal populations around us? Are there ‘key’ species whose ecological roles are critical to our own success and well-being? Put simply, is our welfare directly linked to theirs? Join us for an impassioned debate on the nature of our dependency on the animal world and on which species we simply cannot survive without.

Speakers

Dr Susan Canney - Director, Mali Elephant Project for The WILD Foundation, and Research Associate of the Dept of Zoology, Oxford University - Elephants (4.1 MB)

Helen Meredith - PhD Candidate, Institute of Zoology (Zoological Society of London) & Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (University of Kent) - Amphibians (5.7 MB)

Martha Kearney - BBC journalist, beekeeping enthusiast, presenter BBC 4’s investigative documentary Who Killed the Honeybee? - Bees (4.3 MB)

Dr Richard Kirby - Marine Institute Research Fellow, Plymouth University - Plankton (5.8 MB)

Human health and animal populations - discussion (2.0 MB)

Summing up and vote (5.4 MB)

This event was chaired by Vivienne Parry: zoologist, writer and broadcaster

ZSL Science and Conservation Events: An essential part of ZSL's work is to communicate relevant, high-quality zoological and conservation science. The integrated ZSL Science and Conservation Events programme includes Symposia, and the new 'Wildlife Conservation' and 'Communicating Science' series. Topics cover a wide variety of zoological and conservation themes, and international experts present and discuss their research.

Further Information: please contact Megan Orpwood-Russell, Scientific Meetings Coordinator, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY.
Tel:+44 (0)20 7449 6227. Fax: +44 (0)20 7449 6411. E-mail: megan.orpwood-russell@zsl.org.

ZSL Science and Conservation Events: An essential part of ZSL's work is to communicate relevant, high-quality zoological and conservation science. The integrated ZSL Science and Conservation Events programme includes Symposia, and the new 'Wildlife Conservation' and 'Communicating Science' series. Topics cover a wide variety of zoological and conservation themes, and international experts present and discuss their research.

Related links
Wellcome Collection website
ZSL Science and Conservation Events
Map showing ZSL Meeting Rooms
Directions to ZSL London Zoo