Dublin Zoo
Description
Dublin Zoo is a registered charity which aims to save wildlife and inspire a passion for nature, creating a place where our visitors can become active conservationists, helping us achieve our vision of a world where people live in harmony with nature. Dublin Zoo’s dedicated staff currently care for over 400 animals of more than 70 species. More than half of these species are part of internationally managed conservation breeding programmes, which aim to maintain genetically and demographically healthy reserve populations that can function as reservoirs for restocking of declining wild populations where required. The diverse expertise of our staff in wild animal husbandry, combined with our state-of-the-art veterinary hospital, ensure we can provide the highest possible standards of animal care. Dublin Zoo is also home to the Centre for Species Survival: Ireland, an official partnership between the Zoo and the IUCN Species Survival Commission. This centre, one of less than 20 around the world, allows us to directly contribute to native species conservation efforts in Ireland, providing dedicated staff for species conservation assessments and conservation planning, while also uniting stakeholders and catalysing action for native Irish species. Central to the success of the Centre for Species Survival is the IUCN Conservation Planning Specialist Group’s ‘One Plan’ approach. This approach encourages integrated species conservation planning, and brings together the zoo community and the field conservation community. Dublin Zoo is also the most-visited family attraction on the island of Ireland, and over the last 190 years has welcomed over 60 million visitors. Our Discovery and Learning Department reaches approximately 60,000 learners every year through formal and informal educational programmes. Providing a gateway for people, particularly in urban areas, to engage with nature and wildlife.
Role
The contribution of Dublin Zoo to this project could cover several crucial objectives. The organization’s mission combines conservation and education, among other aspects, and has recently been reinforced with the inauguration of the National Centre for Species Survival by the IUCN. This centre will serve as a meeting point for professionals and organisations dedicated to the conservation of native wildlife, potentially becoming a hub for meetings, discussions, presentations, etc., for this project.
Our contribution to disseminating information about the project takes various forms, ranging from formal education through our education department to specific activities such as events, seminars, or talks targeting specialised audiences or the general public. Our global audience is expanded through social media, allowing us to reach beyond our visitors. We have a solid presence on different platforms that helps us connect with various groups and individuals. Additionally, our science department is very active in publishing and collaborating on research projects, so we will be well-prepared to work on the development of scientific and outreach publications.
Furthermore, with accumulated experience in breeding various species, including specialized aspects such as artificial incubation and rearing of bird species, Dublin Zoo can serve as a breeding centre for designated species whose populations require reinforcement through these techniques. The available facilities at Dublin Zoo make it possible to establish an immediate incubation and rearing unit for various wader species.
Finally, Dublin Zoo is part of professional associations, networks, and forums of various kinds that can provide valuable access to knowledge and expertise when managing processes related to this project. The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) stands out as the most progressive, extensive, and advanced organization of zoos globally. The available resources and professionals are highly relevant and will be fully at the disposal of the various project stakeholders. The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) is our immediate network of contacts and professional collaboration, with numerous professional contacts, resources, and expertise to support this initiative. Outside of these networks, there are also numerous collaborators and institutions of various kinds (research institutes, breeding centers, specialists in different areas of knowledge) that will be available to provide the necessary support.