After a year as a provisional member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquaria (BAIZA), the Alameda Wildlife Conservation Park (AWCP) has been awarded full Membership of BIAZA.

 

BIAZA is a professional body representing over 100 zoos and aquaria in Britain and Ireland.  Members must comply with specific codes of practice and standards of animal husbandry, as well as undertaking significant work in the field of animal welfare, conservation, education and research.  The AWCP, set in the Gibraltar Botanic Gardens, is one of the smallest zoos in the association.

 

A spokesperson said: "This is a huge milestone for the AWCP, which began humbly as a refuge for animals confiscated by HM Customs Gibraltar in 1994.  BIAZA’s accreditation recognises the park’s incredible journey not only as a refuge for exotic animals, but also as a successful visitor attraction, centre for conservation and educational resource.  The mission for the park and it's staff is to educate and inspire visitors to care about nature and the world around them, and to take action to help preserve species and habitats. Membership of BIAZA signals a new phase in the park’s development and the AWCP will continue to embark on exciting projects including the creation of a local biodiversity education centre, providing information on the rich biodiversity in Gibraltar and the surrounding areas. The future collection plan will focus more on African species including those from Madagascar, a hotspot for conservation."

 

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