Actions speak louder than words and the overall response of Government and administration to zoos and the non profit sector for sectoral financial support has been totally underwhelming. The Zoo Fund has been proven to be a vile ineffectual policy that deserves not the paper it had been written on.
Carrie Symonds hired by Aspinall Foundation
- Thread starter Gavialis
- Start date
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
Dont be in too much of a hurry to come to (un-informed?) conclusions, unless you have 'inside' knowledge from those who are actively involved with, and influencing, legislation.
Tim Brown and others have highlighted some of the ways (larger?) zoos spend their money, so there is certainly support for (some?) of your opinion here...
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
A link to the list was published on here...
A reply to a Parliamentary question to the Minister.
It answered the question and no more, so was just a list of names, with no amounts and no mention of failed applications...
Last edited:
Looks like Carrie's first project is "rewilding" captive born cheetahs (from Canada!). To say I'm not a fan of this is an understatement.
Carrie Symonds' first project in new role revealed - rewilding cheetahs to Zimbabwe
Carrie Symonds' first project in new role revealed - rewilding cheetahs to Zimbabwe
I must read up about the Imire CA - a rhino conservation farm - and what the current situation with Southern cheetah is in this part of Zimbabwe. In principle, I am not adverse to a cheetah rewilding project, I just want to know the full facts as a conservation minded professional.
It would appear Ms Symonds new employer is now being investigated by the Charity Commission!
Your source for this?
cliffxdavis
Well-Known Member
Interesting Article, photo of Damian kissing a cheetah on the face, with Carrie alongside him, with another Cheetah a few feet behind. You really can not begin this "Rewilding Process" too soon it would seem.
Also are they going to be released into the "Wild" or into a much bigger enclosure?
Also are they going to be released into the "Wild" or into a much bigger enclosure?
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
The real and meaningful conservation work they do is in projects like the greater bamboo lemur in Madagascar not this "rewilding" business with cheetahs.
I don't know why they do not make more of the lemur programe that I mentioned or rather I do because ultimately "rewilding cheetahs" appeals in a populist sense to emotion and the lowest common denominator audience on social media.
I don't know why they do not make more of the lemur programe that I mentioned or rather I do because ultimately "rewilding cheetahs" appeals in a populist sense to emotion and the lowest common denominator audience on social media.
Last edited:
I'm a bit confused by this. For years, other Zoochatters have said that zoos must have ABC animals that are not part of reintroduction programmes. Supposedly, the money people pay to see ABC animals helps pay for XYZ animals that most people aren't interested in. I admit that I am in the minority, as I prefer seeing greater bamboo lemurs, rather than cheetahs. Is it possible that some of the money being obtained from people interested in the cheetah rewilding programme may be used to help greater bamboo lemurs in Madagascar?
Cheetah reintroduction and wild dog reintroduction have been staple diet for a good few years now in Southern Africa (e.g. De Wildt Breeding Center, South Africa) and wild dogs have been reintroduced in Tanzania (Mkomazi has a special breeding center). There is no novelty factor there.
My criticism is that they use out-of-range captive cheetahs born and bred in Canada and not locally sourced wild to wild or some of the cheetah in breeding centers with no option for release.
I agree, it would be far more useful if Aspinall Foundation / Port Lympne would assist with Asiatic cheetah in situ and captive-breeding work and move it forward with their experience ex situ to set up a breeding for release center in Iran. Those plans are now well advanced in Iran proper.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Maybe some of that money is going to the greater bamboo lemur, but there is no question between the two about what is the genuine conservation action is there really ?
Personally I think that programe in Madagascar with its emphasis on long-term community based conservation needs to be showcased and highlighted over this sort of bulls*** with cuddly cheetahs.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I agree with you about a more meaningful action being conservation of the Asiatic cheetah but the obstacle there would be the situation on the ground in Iran and all the politics.
I agree, OC. I've been going on about that for years. A friend gave me a signed copy of Gerald Durrell's 'The Aye-aye and I". Durrell saved animals that would have possibly perished due to deforestation in an area of Madagascar. Conservationists should behave similarly and negotiate with governments to help conserve species before their habitat is destroyed?
I would prefer zoos to concentrate on saving more species, rather than having thousands of some species, which are bred, so that their young can be sent to other zoos, where they will face a lifetime of captivity, while occupying space previously used to house less popular species that could be saved from extinction.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Totally agree with you about zoos and the emphasis that needs to change.
Regarding the Aspinall parks I just don't think that the cheetah thing carries the same weight as what they are doing long-term in Madagascar with the greater bamboo lemur which seems like a far more relevant / pertinent and comprehensive programe.
Just the scale of the biodiversity loss in Madagascar and what is stacked against the persistence of lemurs in the wild and that species in particular makes me think they need to be showcasing that battle of theirs over the more cuddly stories.
I would add that if and when successful conservation breeding for endangered species has taken place zoos should not stall breeding programs, but rather invest in putting resources into publicly financed reintroduction and relocation programs to in situ as well as Global Species programs with both ex situ and in situ components (WAZA policy line). Examples plenty, particularly in hoofstock (Grevy's zebra, various pure-bred giraffe species (mainly Europe of course), various other species like pygmy hippo, eastern mountain bongo et cetera.
I agree, OC. Unfortunately, various conservation organisations seem to be stuck in the 1960s and seem to think that most people are only interested in popular cuddly and charismatic animals. This is despite the fact that many animal programmes and books for children include lesser-known species. There is also a thing called the 'internet', where people can find out about unusual species. For example, there are many species of lemurs, not just the ring-tailed lemur.
I agree, Kifanu Bwana. There are so many zoos preserving large carnivores, while paying less interest in some endangered species of herbivores. If carnivores are reintroduced into the wild, they will need something to eat. Reintroduction programmes will not be popular if the carnivores eat people and their livestock.