Richard Gibson
Head of Animal Care and Conservation
Auckland Zoo
Richard Gibson is a globally recognised conservation leader with more than three decades of experience in animal care, species recovery, and conservation planning.
As head of animal care & conservation at Auckland Zoo, he oversees animal care teams, veterinary services and conservation programmes, integrating zoo expertise with field-based conservation across Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific.
Through partnerships with Māori iwi, government agencies, researchers and community organisations, he has helped advance threatened species recovery, translocations and disease management.
Gibson has made significant contributions to international zoo conservation. A pioneer in herpetofauna husbandry and breeding, he helped establish Amphibian Ark and was an early Taxon Officer, co-leading the development and global application of its Amphibian Conservation Needs Assessment process.
He has also co-chaired the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria’s Amphibian and Reptile Taxon Advisory Groups, helping shape conservation priorities and practice internationally.
At Auckland Zoo, Gibson has championed the Underlizards programme, which has supported more than 30 threatened reptile species over 14 years through research, conservation breeding and recovery planning.
He also led the zoo’s wētāpunga recovery programme and initiated intensive management for the tara iti (New Zealand fairy tern), one of the country’s most threatened breeding birds.
Through his conservation leadership and involvement in projects such as the television series Wild Heroes, Gibson continues to demonstrate how modern zoos can combine animal care, scientific research, public engagement and practical conservation to protect threatened wildlife.
One nominator said: "What distinguishes Richard as an influencer is his ability to inspire both conservation action and conservation thinking. He consistently advocates that the long-term future of wildlife depends not only on saving species from extinction today but on changing humanity's relationship with nature.
"Through his leadership, scientific contributions, conservation successes and public advocacy, Richard continues to influence the role of modern zoos in delivering lasting benefits for both wildlife and people."
