Chester Zoo is dismayed by today’s announcement that the “reintroduction of species is not a priority for the Government”
Given the scale and urgency of the biodiversity crisis we face, with nearly 2,000 species facing extinction right across the UK, we are now one of the most nature depleted countries on the planet and this latest admission shows an alarming lack of ambition. It also reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of the important role that reintroducing native animals and plants has in restoring wildlife across the UK and beyond.
Conservation zoos like us are at the very forefront of reversing the shocking decline in UK nature. Understandably it’s often large, charismatic animals that capture the public imagination and this is an important part of the picture. However, the focus also needs to be on the wider range of animals and plants needed to effectively restore habitats and ecosystems.
Our work with partners to bring the Large Heath Butterfly back to the North West of England is just one example. Numbers had declined by 43% since the 1970s but, thanks to careful conservation breeding at the zoo, and specialist habitat management to restore peat bogs, this crucial player in UK biodiversity was successfully reintroduced in 2020 and work is ongoing to further boost the population. This year we have also worked alongside The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) and its partners to help release almost 20 Scottish Wildcats, which were bred as part of a lifeline conservation breeding programme, back to the wild in Scotland’s largest national park.
What is clear is that a piecemeal approach to nature restoration will not work. We need a coordinated and strategic approach that includes a heightened effort by the government, which is why their response today is so disappointing. Species reintroductions are an important part of rebuilding the UK’s lost biodiversity and, with strong government leadership and urgent action, we could see our wildlife thriving once again. It should not be solely up to charity zoos like Chester Zoo, and other wildlife organisations, to reverse the loss of biodiversity across the country. It’s time for politicians to step up as well, before it’s too late.
Jamie Christon
Chief Executive Officer