The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland has won ten awards this summer for its work in science, conservation, animal care and education both in Scotland and all over the world.
Staff at the wildlife conservation charity started off their summer of success by taking home the People’s Choice Award at the Scottish Charity Awards in June, voted for by members of the public. This was followed by the Forth Visitor Attraction Award for Edinburgh Zoo at the Forth Awards later that month.
Most recently, at the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquarium (BIAZA) awards, RZSS was awarded five gold, one silver and two bronze awards
David Field, RZSS CEO, said: “It is truly wonderful to be recognised by both the public and zoo community for our charity’s dedication and cutting-edge work at the recent award ceremonies.
“Our teams have an incredible breadth of expertise, from our work protecting species in Scotland and around the world, to making Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park wonderful places where people can visit to learn about and connect with nature.”
RZSS won awards for their work with the Scottish Beavers Reinforcement Project, conservation genetics capacity building in Cambodia and conservation research for the Saving Wildcats partnership project.
Being recognised for their outstanding work in animal care, the RZSS vet team received an award for their innovative work monitoring diabetes in one of Edinburgh Zoo’s giant anteaters, while the hoofstock team at Highland Wildlife Park for their work with the park’s herd of endangered Przewalski’s horses.
Edinburgh Zoo’s gardens team also won an award for their exceptional planting and horticultural work in the zoo’s new sloth enclosure which opened in September 2021.
The charity’s education team were awarded gold for their ‘Zoo to You’ programme which ran over lockdown, bringing conservation and species education into the home. Also taking home gold was RZSS’s ‘Your Zoo Needs You’ campaign, which won the BIAZA PR, marketing, digital and events category.
David added, “Together we are one RZSS family, but winning individual awards across teams really highlights our vast and varied knowledge and shows how when we work together, we can create a world where nature is protected, valued and loved.”
Scottish Charity Awards
- RZSS People’s Choice Award
Forth Awards 2022
- Forth Visitor Attraction Award – Edinburgh Zoo
BIAZA Gold
- PR, marketing, digital and events – RZSS Your Zoo Needs You
- Field conservation – Scottish Beavers Reinforcement Project
- Professional capacity building – RZSS WildGenes conservation genetics capacity building in Cambodia
- Education – Zoo to You
- Horticulture – Sloth and armadillo enclosure planting
BIAZA Silver
- Research – Saving Wildcats
BIAZA Bronze
- BIAZA Animal husbandry, care and breeding – Equine ethology at Highland Wildlife Park
- Animal husbandry, care and breeding – Monitoring diabetes in Edinburgh Zoo’s female giant anteater
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