Another zoo has released a big new masterplan - Rotterdam Zoo has now announced its plans leading up to 2050. The zoo will be divided up into eight zones that reflect different conservation projects, with ten main focus species (plus others kept nearby). The eight zones are:
1. African Plains - Focus species: Ruppell's griffon vulture. Other animals mentioned include zebra, giraffe, black rhinoceros, spotted hyena and gelada. The main conservation aims here are to reintroduce vultures and trial anti-poaching technology on the zoo's rhinos before it is used in Africa.
2. African Jungle - Focus species: pygmy hippopotamus. Other animals mentioned include white-naped mangabey, slender-snouted crocodile, bongo, okapi and possibly gorillas, with a tropical dome also being included. The main conservation aim here is to work on improving sustainability and creating pop-up stores that recycle materials sourced from the African rainforest.
3. Asian Corridors - Focus species: Asian elephant. Other animals mentioned include Sumatran tiger, Asiatic lion, otters and possibly Eurasian wolf. The main conservation aim here is to create wildlife corridors in both India and the Netherlands.
4. Himalayan Peaks - Focus species: Red panda. Other animals mentioned include Indian rhinoceros and tufted deer. The main conservation aim here is to replant a million trees in the Himalayas, and release at least 10 red pandas into the wild by 2030.
5. Caribbean Coast - Focus species: Lesser Antillean iguana and surgeonfishes. Other animals mentioned include cownose ray, other reef fishes, green sea turtle and American kestrel. A big conservation aim for this section is the captive breeding of reef fish, especially surgeonfish.
6. Sustainable North Sea - Focus species: Flapper skate. Other animals mentioned include puffins and seahorses. The skates themselves may not actually be kept, as they may be too large for the oceanarium tanks - instead they would be shown via virtual reality. The main conservation aims here are to carry out research into North Sea sharks and rays, and reduce the impacts of wind farms on nature.
7. Nature Nearby - Focus species: Dalmatian pelican. Other animals mentioned include reindeer and fire salamander. The main conservation aim here is to have a trial release of Dalmatian pelicans in the Netherlands by 2030, with a sustainable wild population by 2050.
8. Last Resort - Focus species: Annam leaf turtle and Rwandan pygmy water lily. Other animals mentioned include Visayan warty pig and Philippine spotted deer. This section, divided into two different parts of the zoo, will be exclusively home to species with fewer than 1,000 individuals remaining in the wild.
Because of these plans, the animals currently kept in the zoo will change considerably - all the Australian animals currently in the zoo will leave to be replaced by the
Nature Nearby section, while all the North and South American animals (including polar bears, bison and vicunas) will be replaced with the African Jungle section.
The masterplan has its own website, which can be viewed here:
1. African Plains - Focus species: Ruppell's griffon vulture. Other animals mentioned include zebra, giraffe, black rhinoceros, spotted hyena and gelada. The main conservation aims here are to reintroduce vultures and trial anti-poaching technology on the zoo's rhinos before it is used in Africa.
2. African Jungle - Focus species: pygmy hippopotamus. Other animals mentioned include white-naped mangabey, slender-snouted crocodile, bongo, okapi and possibly gorillas, with a tropical dome also being included. The main conservation aim here is to work on improving sustainability and creating pop-up stores that recycle materials sourced from the African rainforest.
3. Asian Corridors - Focus species: Asian elephant. Other animals mentioned include Sumatran tiger, Asiatic lion, otters and possibly Eurasian wolf. The main conservation aim here is to create wildlife corridors in both India and the Netherlands.
4. Himalayan Peaks - Focus species: Red panda. Other animals mentioned include Indian rhinoceros and tufted deer. The main conservation aim here is to replant a million trees in the Himalayas, and release at least 10 red pandas into the wild by 2030.
5. Caribbean Coast - Focus species: Lesser Antillean iguana and surgeonfishes. Other animals mentioned include cownose ray, other reef fishes, green sea turtle and American kestrel. A big conservation aim for this section is the captive breeding of reef fish, especially surgeonfish.
6. Sustainable North Sea - Focus species: Flapper skate. Other animals mentioned include puffins and seahorses. The skates themselves may not actually be kept, as they may be too large for the oceanarium tanks - instead they would be shown via virtual reality. The main conservation aims here are to carry out research into North Sea sharks and rays, and reduce the impacts of wind farms on nature.
7. Nature Nearby - Focus species: Dalmatian pelican. Other animals mentioned include reindeer and fire salamander. The main conservation aim here is to have a trial release of Dalmatian pelicans in the Netherlands by 2030, with a sustainable wild population by 2050.
8. Last Resort - Focus species: Annam leaf turtle and Rwandan pygmy water lily. Other animals mentioned include Visayan warty pig and Philippine spotted deer. This section, divided into two different parts of the zoo, will be exclusively home to species with fewer than 1,000 individuals remaining in the wild.
Because of these plans, the animals currently kept in the zoo will change considerably - all the Australian animals currently in the zoo will leave to be replaced by the
Nature Nearby section, while all the North and South American animals (including polar bears, bison and vicunas) will be replaced with the African Jungle section.
The masterplan has its own website, which can be viewed here:
