Askham Bryan Wildlife and Conservation Park wins gold award for capacity building by British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA)

Askham Bryan Wildlife and Conservation Park has won a gold award granted by the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA). These awards are known as the ‘Oscars of the Zoo World’ and celebrate the incredible efforts the best zoos and aquariums are putting into creating a wilder world and a better planet.

The Wildlife Parks Conservation Skills Conference hosted in August 2024 saw the gathering of conservation partners from across the world to world, working together to plan conservation projects for endangered species. This skills based training conference detailed the welcomed new zoo standards stance on conservation, disease risk analysis, panel discussions, exciting case studies and more.

Each year industry judges assess hundreds of entries covering activities including the reintroduction of tiny harvest mice, tracking of wild pangolins and caring for elderly elephants and medicating endangered frogs.

Animal Sciences and Conservation Manager Lauren Lane of Askham Bryan College and University Centre welcomed the award: “We are thrilled to win a gold award for this outstanding event. We are in a biodiversity crisis and conservation is now more than ever everyone’s responsibility. This conference gave the skills for anyone to be able to tackle conservation issues in their own remit.”

BIAZA member zoos and aquariums such as Askham Bryan Wildlife and Conservation Park have contributed over £150 million to conservation over the past five years. Annually they welcome 30 million visits and deliver 1.15 million structured education sessions. BIAZA members have helped save species such as scimitar-horned oryx, Socorro dove and partula snails from extinction.

CEO of BIAZA Dr Jo Judge said: “This is an incredible achievement reflecting the very best in the zoo and aquarium community. We are at the very forefront of the fightback for nature, which needs all our help. As leaders we are absolutely committed to the very highest levels of animal welfare, conservation, education and research – all while offering brilliant days out for the family.”