Welsh Mountain Zoo celebrates World Endangered Species Day

A key event in the World wildlife calendar on May 17 that raises vital awareness of the importance of conservation, and the imminent threat of extinction to certain species.

A conservation zoo since inception, the Welsh Mountain Zoo is part of a number of international and national projects including the Wildcats Conservations Alliance and the Red Panda Network, amongst many more.

The Zoo is also home to a wonderful array of plants and shrubs, from sources spanning the globe, within its stunning gardens. The Zoo has very recently been gifted an extinct in the wild (Wales and Britain) plant species ‘Saxifraga rosacea’, which can be seen in the alpine bed below the Penguin café. The Zoo has also been gifted a Menai Strait whitebeam, which has Critically Endangered status. There are only around 30 of these plants in the wild in the world, all on the Menai Strait.

Ring-tailed Lemur. Photo: M K Rimmer

Kim Wood, Director of Living Collections at the Welsh Mountain Zoo, explained: “Conservation ultimately sits at the heart of everything we do here at the Zoo. We collaborate with Zoo’s and organisations across the globe, supporting various projects, also taking part in breeding and environmental programmes.

“Our commitment to conservation traverses beyond our animals and are gardens play a huge role in our efforts. Very recent donations of exceptionally rare and endangered plant species is an important development for us here as we strive to support the conservation of plants as well as animals.”

The Zoo also provides a home to a number of endangered and critically endangered species such as the Blue-Crowned Laughing Thrush, Przewalski’s Horse, Red Panda, Sumatran Tiger, Western Chimpanzee, Ring-tailed Lemur, Lar Gibbon and Cotton Top Tamarin.

Chimpanzee. Photo: M K Rimmer

During the awareness day, the Zoo will be highlighting endangered and critically endangered species, through thought provoking keeper talks and events.

Kim added: “Days such as Endangered Species Day are incredibly important in continuing to raise awareness of the vital conservation messages we must communicate.

"We’d encourage anyone interested in these issues to join us on the day and meet with our expert keepers first hand who can provide insight and information.”