Ann-Katrine Garn

Ann-Katrine Garn first joined Copenhagen Zoo in 2007. She has served the institution as a zoologist and a conservation manager, before being appointed director of conservation in 2024.

Copenhagen Zoo aims to set new standards in animal care through collaborative initiatives, including the breeding of endangered animals, research and communication, and nature conservation.

In her current role, Garn works with threatened species and protected area management and conservation planning, and facilitates cross-regional cooperation and knowledge sharing both in Denmark and globally. She has a specific interest in insects and particular pollinators.

Garn has over 25 years of experience in conservation. She began her career at Zoological Society of London (ZSL), where she held various roles, including project coordinator for its conservation programmes.

She then joined the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) as a project consultant.

Garn is chair of the IUCN National Committee of Denmark, a position which she has held since 2013. As chair, she has spearheaded many conservation projects that align Danish conservation initiatives with global standards, including the application of IUCN Protected Area Management Categories to Danish conservation areas. She is also a member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission and IUCN WCPA.

In her work with IUCN, Garn “passionately forms a bridge for the zoo and aquarium community to access and appreciate the resources and assume a role in IUCN’s conservation work,” says one nominator.

She also sits on the board of directors for the Red Panda Network (RPN) and has been president of the RPN European Chapter since 2024.

RPN is a world leader in efforts to save red pandas and their habitat, and its conservation programmes extend to over one million acres of forest and half of Nepal’s red panda range. The organisation uses a holistic approach to protect pandas through the education and empowerment of local communities.