British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Predecessor | The Federation of Zoological Gardens of Great Britain and Ireland |
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Founded | 1966 |
The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) (formerly the Federation of Zoological Gardens of Great Britain and Ireland) is the professional body representing over 100 zoos and aquariums in Britain and Ireland.[1][2][3][4]
BIAZA members must comply with BIAZA codes of practice, as well as undertaking significant work in the field of animal welfare, conservation, education and research.
Conservation
BIAZA members support over 700 field conservation projects contributing over £11 million per year. Members supply skills, staff and equipment for wildlife conservation, and essential materials for education and awareness programmes in developing countries. They also play an important role in conservation awareness-raising in the UK, support conservation campaigns and facilitate career development of young conservationists.
Education
More than 22 million people visit BIAZA collections every year including 1.5 million children on organised education trips. BIAZA encourages its members to develop an effective education system aiming to conserve the natural world in a number of ways by:
- Motivating people to change their habits.
- Inspiring people to get involved with conservation.
- Encouraging people to donate to particular conservation programmes.
BIAZA collections complete over 800 research projects per year to raise awareness and increase knowledge about wildlife and global issues.
Research
Research in BIAZA zoos and aquariums aims to gather knowledge that benefits the conservation of threatened species.
A significant number of zoo animals housed within the UK are part of European breeding programmes (EEPs) which aim to preserve threatened species for the future by pairing compatible individuals.
BIAZA are members of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).
References
- ↑ "British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums". biaza.org.uk. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
- ↑ "Members : WAZA : World Association of Zoos and Aquariums". waza.org. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
- ↑ "British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums". nationalfamilyweek.co.uk. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
- ↑ "Specialist Wildlife Services - Information". specialistwildlifeservices.org. Retrieved 7 March 2014.