Marcel Stawinoga

Marcel Stawinoga is communications manager and species conservation coordinator at Zoo Dortmund, where he works across public communication and conservation projects. He is also known as Der Zoolotse (The Zoo Guide), using social media and other platforms to explain zoo work, conservation and biodiversity.

Stawinoga founded Plumploris e.V. in 2018 and remains its chairman. The organisation works to protect slow lorises and operates rehabilitation projects in Bangladesh, where Stawinoga has participated directly in the rehabilitation and release of animals. In 2026, he was among the authors of a study published in Global Ecology and Conservation examining the survival of released Bengal slow lorises. He has also worked on EAZA’s Vietnamazing campaign, contributing to communications around the initiative’s conservation work in Vietnam.

Stawinoga regularly speaks about zoos, conservation and communication and has published research on the role of social media in communicating about zoos. His work combines conservation fieldwork with public engagement, including through Zoo Dortmund’s Zoohören podcast, which explores conservation, animal welfare and the role of modern zoos.