UK conservation charity Twycross Zoo has announced that it is making a game-changing contribution to the fight against global extinction with the creation of a Global Conservation Centre, thanks to an £18 million investment from the UK Government.
This represents the most significant government grant awarded to a zoo in the UK, and the state-of-the-art facility will focus on promoting global conservation solutions.
Dr Rebecca Biddle, chief conservation officer at the zoo and vice-chair of EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria), says:
“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.
“Uniquely designed and positioned to allow international conservationists to work in connection with the natural world, we believe that being alongside the species we are working to save will offer unrivalled opportunities to study, learn and develop real-world solutions for endangered wildlife.
“We are truly grateful to Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council and our local MP, Dr Luke Evans, for their continued backing of this project, supporting us for the last few years to secure this staggering £18 million of Government funding for our charity.
“Twycross Zoo has been a pioneering organisation since it opened its gates in 1963, but we know that we cannot solve the biodiversity crisis by ourselves. The Global Conservation Centre will facilitate collaboration to accelerate innovation, multidisciplinary research and applied conservation action for the species who need it most.”
Addressing the biodiversity crisis
The £ 25 million Global Conservation Centre is being developed at Twycross Zoo, in partnership with Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council and several leading UK universities. It will serve as a hub for the zoo’s global conservation efforts, scientific research, and education programmes, as well as a community space to inspire and train future conservation leaders.
Twycross Zoo has also announced plans to establish a new Indonesian-themed area, which will be connected directly to the conservation campus as part of the Global Conservation Centre’s development. This will feature a world-class Bornean orangutan habitat, as well as additional habitats for other threatened Indonesian species that the zoo will care for as part of its ex-situ conservation efforts.
The Global Conservation Centre at Twycross Zoo supports the charity’s vision to address the biodiversity crisis, highlighted by its 2030 conservation strategy, which pledges to enhance actions and resources to combat the crisis.
The centre will provide a base for international scientists, conservationists, and animal welfare experts to collaborate on impactful solutions for protecting endangered species.
Construction is set to commence in late June 2025, and the Global Conservation Centre campus is expected to open in late 2026.
Earlier this year, Twycross Zoo marked Valentine’s Day by launching The Bonobo’s Guide to Love. Bonobos are a unique ape, operating in female-led communities. They are known for being caring and affectionate and are quick to resolve conflict. Twycross Zoo is the only zoo in the UK that houses a troop of bonobos.
