Conservation In Action
"Our work to save species and to reconnect our guests with nature has never been more important."
Dr Rebecca Biddle, Chief Conservation Officer
Our Goals
In 2023, we launched our Conservation Strategy, aligning our efforts as a charity into six clearly defined areas of impact. Each goal is designed to maximise our resources and expertise in this area to make the most powerful contribution to wildlife possible.
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Goal One
Supporting zoo animal populations -
Goal Two
Protecting wild species and habitats globally -
Goal Three
Inspiring positive change for wildlife -
Goal Four
Enhancing the value of zoos for society and nature -
Goal Five
Caring for UK ecosystems -
Goal Six
Becoming environmentally sustainable
Our Mission
To lead conservation efforts by protecting endangered species, empowering communities, and fostering a deep connection to wildlife
WHY ZOOS MATTER
At Twycross Zoo, we’ve spent over 60 years working to safeguard some of the world’s rarest species.
Zoos play a vital role in protecting wildlife and inspiring people to care about nature. Across the UK, over 32 million people visit zoos every year. That reach gives us an unmatched opportunity to educate, inspire and ignite action for nature.
We are a registered conservation charity and proud members of BIAZA, EAZA, WAZA and the IUCN. We work alongside leading organisations to deliver conservation that matters.
“In the end we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.”
Baba Dioum
2025 AT-A-GLANCE
threatened with extinction
conservation of wild populations
with visitors
of influence
the species recovery curve
carbon emissions
Goal One
Support zoo animal populations
To care for healthy ex-situ populations of managed species (EEPs), with a focus on threatened primates and species with a direct conservation role.
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![IUCN Red List]()
To achieve greatest conservation impact, we focus our efforts on the species that need our help the most, and in 2025 we increased the number of threatened species (as defined by the IUCN Red List) at Twycross Zoo from 54% in 2024 to 57%, moving toward our 2030 goal of 60%.
In 2025, our Animal Behaviour and Welfare Coordinator, Naomi Frost, completed a welfare assessment for every single animal we care for as part of our comprehensive animal welfare assessment process.
Goal Two
Protecting wild species and habitats globally
Build conservation resources and capacity at Twycross Zoo and in animal range countries to support the preservation of wild populations and their habitats.
Creating a Conservation Generation for Orangutans
This year was the first full year of implementation of our new three-year project with Borneo Nature Foundation. This project aims to create a conservation generation, delivering education, engagement, and outreach activities to communities around the Sebangau National Park to foster a knowledgeable, motivated generation, equipped to make a difference, with a lifelong commitment to conservation.
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![Logo 1 Friends Of Bonobos]()
Bonobo
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![Logo 2 Bornean Orangutan]()
Bornean orangutan
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![Logo 3 Cao Vit Gibbon]()
Cao vit gibbon
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![Logo 4 Ecuadorian Parrot]()
Ecuadorian amazon parrot
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![Logo 5 Spider Monkey]()
Yucatan black howler, Central American spider monkey
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![Logo 6 Sumantran Tiger]()
Anoa, Sumatran Tiger, Babirusa, Banteng
At the end of 2025, we formally agreed a new three-year project with Friends of Bonobos. This will focus on long-term monitoring and protection of the reintroduced bonobos and is particularly important as a new release is planned in 2026.
Our support will help to train and equip bonobo trackers to conduct forest patrols, gather ecological and behavioural data, and engage with other forest users to minimise human-bonobo conflict. This will be an important step in our efforts to 'Reverse the Red' of this species.
Goal Three
Inspiring Positive Change
To deliver conservation education to promote positive behaviour change for wildlife conservation and become a conservation role model for the zoo and wider industry.
A key element of delivering on our goals is communication. From spreading the word about the work that we do, to providing those actionable steps for guests to take in their own lives to protect wildlife.
These interactions are important, and we log these through what we call "meaningful conversations" — defined as one that incorporates themes from across our Conservation Strategy.
We're proud to share that, across 2025, 188,874 meaningful conversations were had between guests and the team. This is a significant increase from 94,702 in 2024, and 57,126 in 2023.
In 2025, we launched our new volunteer programme. With an accessible focus on guest engagement, we wanted to create opportunities for people in our local communities to both support the zoo and our vision, whilst being able to gain experience in a field that can often be deemed hard to break into.
Goal Four
Impacting Society
To enhance the value of zoos for society and wildlife conservation by action, and through influencing relevant regional and national policy.
In 2025 our incredible team held 42 positions of influence and delivered 40 international conference presentations.
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![Team 1 Rebecca Biddle]()
Dr Rebecca Biddle
EAZA Vice Chair -
![Team 2 Lynsey Bugg]()
Lynsey Bugg
EAZA Gibbon Tag Chair -
![Team 3 Yianna Cooling]()
Yianna Cooling
BIAZA Accreditation Screener -
![Team 4 Phillipa Dobbs]()
Phillipa Dobbs
EAZA Veterinary Advisor for the Bush Dog EEP -
![Team 5 Katharine Finch]()
Katherine Finch
BIAZA Mammal Working Group Research Liaison -
![Team 6 Stuart Young]()
Dr Stuart Young
BIAZA Field Conservation Committee Member
Launching Conservation In Action marked a defining moment in Twycross Zoo's journey to amplify its voice and significance in global conservation, using powerful storytelling to signal a new era of impact and ambition.
Activated through a social media campaign, live digital screenings, and a London Film Premiere co-hosted by wildlife filmmaker Lizzie Daly and Chief Conservation Officer Dr Rebecca Biddle.
The launch reached 80,488 people across digital channels and generated 28 pieces of regional, national and specialist press coverage.
Goal Five
Protecting UK Wildlife
Conserve UK native wildlife and habitats on our site and beyond and support key UK environmental initiatives.
Hazel dormice are Britain's rarest rodent. Due to habitat loss and fragmentation, they have disappeared from up to 70% of their range and were locally extinct in Leicestershire.
In 2025, we developed quarantine facilities at the zoo, that enabled us to provide high standards of husbandry and to perform crucial health-checks and disease risk analysis on zoo-bred dormice, before a successful release.
This year we intentionally upscaled opportunities for our guests to be part of our UK species conservation goals, and in 2025 we collected 366 pieces of evidence, of pro-conservation behaviours from our Zoo Crew Champions.
Goal Six
Environmental Sustainability
To become a sustainable organisation and minimise our contribution to global climate change.
2025 Split of Electricity Sources
YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS
Visit with purpose
Every visit helps fund the protection of endangered species both here in the UK and around the world. From our animal care to our wild conservation project, your ticket makes a difference.
Become a Conservation Member
Go behind the scenes of our conservation work. Our new membership gives you exclusive stories from our teams in the UK and overseas, plus invites to special conservation events.
Donate or Fundraise
Support a cause you care about. Whether it’s reintroducing native species, protecting wild habitats, or backing cutting-edge science, your donation helps us act faster and go further.
Partner With Us
We work with like-minded organisations who want to make a real impact for wildlife. From sponsorship to CSR initiatives, we’re open to creative partnerships that support our mission.
Download our full report for more, or sign up to hear more about our work, mission and how you can help.
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