Chessington Zoo joins our Conservation Network

Chessington Zoo – home to over 1,000 animals including lions, tigers and gorillas – has taken a significant step forward in their efforts to conserve threatened species by partnering with Nature’s SAFE. Our charity works to Save Animals From Extinction by collaborating with zoos, wildlife parks, and wildlife rescue centres to preserve the genetic diversity of declining animal populations before it’s too late.

Human activities have pushed thousands of species to the brink of extinction. As animal populations dwindle, they reach a critical point where the genetic diversity essential for their survival is lost. Nature’s SAFE acts as an insurance policy against extinction by using cutting-edge scientific techniques to freeze cells and tissues from threatened wildlife species in a living state and develop genetic rescue approaches for conservation breeding programs.

Chessington Zoo, which opened its doors to the public in 1931, has supported wildlife conservation over the years through involvement in a number of conservation breeding programmes and by supporting conservation efforts in the UK and abroad. In 2011, the zoo launched the Chessington Conservation Fund to raise money and support conservation efforts, protecting the future of nature and wildlife.

This new partnership with Nature’s SAFE marks a significant milestone for the zoo, showing recognition of the crucial role of advanced reproductive technologies in combating the extinction crisis. Adam Douglass, Manager of Chessington Zoo, commented on the partnership:

“We’re delighted to collaborate with Nature’s SAFE on helping to safeguard species from extinction. By cryopreserving reproductive tissues Nature’s SAFE’s groundbreaking work allows us to significantly expand our capacity for species conservation.

Chessington Zoo actively contributes to 34 formal conservation breeding programmes (known as EAZA Ex-situ Programmes (EEP’s) and EAZA Studbooks (ESB’s)). Through our membership of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA), Chessington Zoo is proud to coordinate EEP’s for the blesbok, undulate ray, black-tipped reef shark, banggai cardinalfish and long-snouted seahorse.”

Through our partnership with Nature’s SAFE, we are able to take a huge step forward in maximising our conservation potential, by utilising the latest scientific techniques to achieve our shared aim of saving species from extinction.”

This collaboration between Chessington Zoo and Nature’s SAFE showcases how modern zoos and researchers can work together to incorporate innovative conservation technologies into conservation work, safeguarding biodiversity for future generations.