Love Your Zoo 2014: Celebrating Wildlife and Conservation"

A very wet and miserable afternoon on the train station in Newark could have dampened our spirits but with hats, pens, badges and cameras we set off to spread the word “LOVE YOUR ZOO”

LOVE YOUR ZOO

I was never 100% comfortable with the concept of zoos and it is only with the benefit of meeting zoo curators, keepers and volunteers that I began to really understand the role zoos play in the 21st century.

The dedication and commitment of BIAZA to improve the standards in modern day zoos and aquariums is just phenomenal.

What I didn’t realise is that today’s zoos focus of recruiting, nurturing, teaching and funding not endangered species but  ‘people’, yes ‘people’ who travel worldwide with the expert knowledge to make a difference to many endangered species in their natural habitat.

Through specialist training and the ability to study and observe many different birds, mammals and insects, understanding how they adapt to situations and their increasing vulnerability in their changing environment in the wild, zoos are able to play a huge part in supporting global conservation.

The most amazing opportunity for Haith’s is to work with zoos to ensure the diets we provide are both nutritionally correct and yet provide optimum palatability.

This LOVE YOUR ZOO tour has left all the Haith’s Team with an overwhelming sense of admiration for staff and volunteers who spend so much time and effort in ensuring we all have the opportunity not only to educate ourselves but also following generations to the important roles zoos play, and will continue to play in the global conservation of the beautiful planet.  Tireless fund raising campaigns to support the preservation and safeguarding of natural habitat, helpwith the training and education of many individuals and organisations who devote time and effort every year to projects; all made possible because of the support of zoos.

So we say LOVE YOUR ZOO

Written by Rosie Haith