Flamingo Land has been a member of BIAZA, the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and EAZA, its European counterpart, for many years.

BIAZA and EAZA are professional accreditation bodies that represent only the best zoos in Britain, Ireland and Europe. Although all zoos must comply with strict government regulations, to be a member of an accreditation body requires compliance with even more stringent codes of practice, as well as significant contributions to the fields of animal welfare, research, conservation and education. Accreditation body membership brings a number of benefits, including training sessions and conferences for zoo staff. BIAZA and EAZA zoos also have very close relationships with one another, collaborating on conservation projects and coordinating animal moves to ensure the success of breeding programmes for endangered species.

However, breeding programmes and conservation projects are by no means limited to Europe, and many require worldwide collaboration. A great example can be seen with our critically endangered Sumatran tigers. With only 500 individuals remaining in the wild, maintaining genetic diversity in captive populations is of paramount importance. The father of our female, Surya, was brought over from Adelaide zoo in Australia – a move that would have been impossible without strong worldwide links. These are coordinated by WAZA, the World Association of Zoos and Aquaria. With around 250 members worldwide, WAZA represents only truly world-class zoos, and so Flamingo Land is pleased to announce that we have recently been accepted as an institutional member. We look forward to the international opportunities that our membership will bring!