Whipsnade Zoo welcomes new rules to increase animal welfare in British zoos and wildlife parks
Whipsnade Zoo has welcomed new regulations to increase welfare standards at zoos, aquariums and wildlife parks in the UK.
The new rules from the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) aim to ensure that all animal parks are run in a way that puts animal welfare first.
Over 100 pages of regulations were published and will set the standards which zoos will be held to in order to get their operating license.
Some of the changes include making elephant enclosures more like their natural habits; banning aquarium pools where visitors can touch fish; better training for staff who work with exotic animals and giving birds of prey large enclosures instead of being tethered.
The businesses will have two years to make the changes.
Kathryn England, Chief Operating Officer for ZSL, the charity behind London and Whipsnade Zoos said: “These standards will help bring the whole sector up to a level the public rightly expects – and that animals everywhere deserve.”
She added: “London and Whipsnade Zoos are conservation powerhouses, delivering world-leading animal care and driving global efforts to protect wildlife. We welcome these new Standards of Modern Zoo Practice and the clarity they bring - every animal in every UK zoo deserves the same high standard of care, and every zoo should be contributing meaningfully to conservation.”
The changes are the first updates to how zoos are operated in over 10 years.
Animal Welfare Minister, Baroness Hayman said: "We are a nation of animal lovers, and our best zoos and aquariums are truly world leaders in setting the standard for how wild animals should be kept.
“We’re making sure all sectors have the tools they need thrive, which is vital in our mission to deliver economic growth and make lives better for people across the country under our Plan for Change.”
Other changes include improving conservation, updating business plans and protecting the public – by putting safety measures in place if they want to keep dangerous animals.
Dr Jo Judge, CEO of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) added: “The new standards are a significant step up in legal requirements and cement Britain’s position as a global leader for zoos and aquariums.”