AFRICAN PENGUIN AMBASSADORS IN ZOOS AND AQUARIA
December 19, 2008 by dyertrust
The 25th Annual Conference of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria was hosted by Antwerp Zoo in Belgium from the 16 to 20 September 2008. The Dyer Island Conservation Trust was invited to address the Penguin group on the wild African Penguins. Wilfred Chivell and Lauren Waller attended the meeting on behalf of the trust and gave a presentation
on the status of African Penguins in the wild and the current threats they face, as well as latest African Penguin research and conservation projects. The talk also highlighted the role that the Dyer Island Conservation Trust is playing in these projects, and discussed the building of partnerships with European zoos and aquaria where their African penguins can act as ambassadors for their wild counterparts. The talk was very well received with the members showing keen interest (and dismay) at the declining African Penguin numbers and a willingness to support conservation and research where they could.
The trip also provided Lauren and Wilfred to meet up with the Head of Research and Curator of Birds from Bristol University who are long time supporters of African Penguin research and conservation and who will be working more closely with the DICT in future with African Penguins.
For more information on EAZA, go to: http://www.eaza.net/ or visit the Bristol Zoo website at: http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/
