British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums

The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) (formerly the Federation of Zoological Gardens of Great Britain and Ireland) is a registered charity and the professional body representing over 100 zoos and aquariums in Britain and Ireland.[1][2][3][4][5]

British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums
PredecessorThe Federation of Zoological Gardens of Great Britain and Ireland
Founded1966
Websitewww.biaza.org.uk 

BIAZA members must comply with BIAZA codes of practice, as well as undertaking significant work in the field of animal welfare, conservation, education and research.

Key objectives

Conservation

BIAZA members support over 700 field conservation projects contributing over £11 million per year. Members supply skills, staff and equipment for wildlife conservation, and essential materials for education and awareness programmes in developing countries. They also play an important role in conservation awareness-raising in the UK, support conservation campaigns and facilitate career development of young conservationists.[6]

Education

More than 25 million people visit BIAZA collections every year including 1.3 million children on organised education trips.[6] BIAZA encourages its members to develop an effective education system aiming to conserve the natural world in a number of ways by motivating people to change their habits, inspiring people to get involved with conservation and encouraging people to donate to particular conservation programmes.

Research

Research in BIAZA zoos and aquariums aims to gather knowledge that benefits the conservation of threatened species. BIAZA collections assist over 800 research projects to raise awareness and increase knowledge about wildlife and global issues.[6]

A significant number of zoo animals housed within the UK are part of European breeding programmes (EEPs) which aim to preserve threatened species for the future by pairing compatible individuals.

Awards

An annual event is held at which awards are given out for a variety of achievements, known as the "Zoo Oscars". Awards categories include: Animal Breeding, Care and Welfare; Conservation; Education; Exhibits; Horticulture; PR, Marketing, Digital and Events; Research; Sustainability. There are also awards for individuals and collections that make outstanding contributions.[7][8]

See also

References
  1. "British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums". biaza.org.uk. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  2. "Members : WAZA : World Association of Zoos and Aquariums". waza.org. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  3. "British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums". nationalfamilyweek.co.uk. Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  4. "Specialist Wildlife Services - Information". specialistwildlifeservices.org. Archived from the original on 27 October 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  5. "Top awards for Jersey Zoo". Bailiwick Express. 27 May 2017.
  6. "The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA)". Zoo Federation. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  7. "BIAZA Awards 2016: Submissions are Open!". BIAZA. 2 December 2015.
  8. "ZSL London Zoo takes Oscar gold at BIAZA". ZSL London Zoo. 22 November 2013.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.