Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire, England has appointed construction company Henry Brothers for its new £25 million Global Conservation Centre.
The state-of-the-art facility will contribute to the fight against global extinction by advancing global conservation solutions through scientific research and education programmes.
It is being developed by Twycross Zoo, in partnership with Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council and several of the UK’s leading universities.
Ian Taylor, managing director of Henry Brothers Construction, said the new centre is “a truly pioneering and innovative scheme which will have global implications for wildlife, biodiversity and conservation”.
He added, “Henry Brothers is thrilled to have been appointed on this project and is looking forward to working with our partners to deliver such a world-class development.”
Key features of the conservation centre include a two-storey building with a 200-seat lecture theatre overlooking a new Bornean or orangutan habitat, and a cutting-edge science lab.
Building work to begin this month
Also, the centre will provide three classrooms with adjacent wildlife gardens, as well as a residential facility for visiting experts and students.
Construction on the facility is due to begin this month, with an opening planned for late 2026.
Rebecca Biddle, chief conservation officer at Twycross Zoo, said: “The unrelenting pressure that we face from the dual climate and biodiversity loss crises pose a serious threat to the survival of our planet.
“Our conservation efforts need to be bigger, bolder and more united. Zoos are being called on to do more in this mission, and the Global Conservation Centre is our answer to that call.”
The centre, she added, is “uniquely designed and positioned to allow international conservationists to work in connection with the natural world“.
Twycross Zoo is developing the centre with an £18m investment from the UK government, the most significant government grant awarded to a zoo in the UK.
Images courtesy of Twycross Zoo
