The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the global alliance of regional associations, national federations, and institutions, has revealed the winners of the WAZA Conservation Award, Environment Sustainability Award and Heini Hediger Award.
The Association announced the award recipients at the 79th WAZA Annual Conference, which celebrated the achievements of its members in conservation, sustainability, and individual professional excellence.
See also: WAZA: a global force for conservation, animal welfare, and sustainability
WAZA Heini Hediger Award
Dr Jenny Gray, CEO of Zoos Victoria (pictured), received the respected Heini Hediger Award. Gray’s expertise in management, transportation, engineering, and ethics gives her a unique skill set to lead the transformation of Zoos Victoria’s three locations: Melbourne Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary, and Werribee Open Range Zoo.
Gray was previously CEO of Johannesburg Zoo, and served as WAZA President from 2016 until 2019. She has pioneered advancements in animal ethics, welfare, and conservation, was instrumental in launching Reverse the Red, and is a staunch supporter of the role that zoos and aquariums can play in inspiring people to take activities that benefit wildlife.
The Heini Hediger Award is the highest recognition of outstanding professional achievement and is named after Heini Hediger, the pioneering Swiss zoo biologist. It highlights the accomplishments of an individual who is deeply committed to animal welfare, conservation, environmental sustainability, and education, and actively promotes these causes inside their zoo or aquarium and in the worldwide community.
WAZA Conservation Award
The WAZA Conservation Award was presented to The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) for its programme titled Reintroduction of the Eurasian Beaver to Scotland. With this Programme, RZSS has spearheaded the reintroduction of the species, which is now well-established throughout Britain.
The Programme’s scientific rigour, local conservation focus, and positive impact on legislation, research, education, and policy exemplify effective conservation. To accomplish this milestone, RZSS and the Scottish Wildlife Trust collaborated with government partners and a diverse range of stakeholders over the course of a decade. RZSS has taken the lead in fieldwork, scientific research, animal care and handling, stakeholder involvement, and political lobbying.
The Sarasota Dolphin Research Program (SDRP) at Brookfield Zoo Chicago and the Red Panda Conservation Breeding and Augmentation Programme at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in Singalila National Park and Neora Valley National Park in West Bengal were also finalists for the WAZA Conservation Award. This accolade recognises an exceptional conservation initiative that demonstrates clear aims and outstanding outcomes.
WAZA Environmental Sustainability Award
The Mandai Wildlife Group was honoured with The WAZA Environmental Sustainability Award. The institution promotes sustainable solutions to Singapore’s public and corporate community, and is the first zoological organisation to have its Net-Zero science-based targets validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).
The Mandai Wildlife Group is dedicated to purchasing products responsibly, using defined standards for over 20 product categories such as RSPO (palm oil) and MSC/ASC (seafood). It collaborates with its supply chain to guarantee sustainable products, local sourcing, and less packing for delivery. As a founding member of the Singapore Alliance on Sustainable Palm Oil (SASPO), the institution promotes a national and industry-wide shift towards sustainable palm oil.
The other finalists for this coveted award were Columbus Zoo & Aquarium and Toronto Zoo.
The WAZA Environmental Sustainability Award is presented to an organisation in recognition of its exceptional, all-encompassing environmental sustainability programmes that enhance its efforts towards and dedication to environmental sustainability.
Last month, WAZA announced that it would represent the international zoo and aquarium community at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Conference of the Parties (COP).
