2023: A Year In Review At The Zoo

2023 was a year of growth and development at the zoo, we saw births, new arrivals, new exhibits and work that paves the way for some exciting projects in the new year that we cannot wait to share with you all. 

Let’s take a look back at just a few of the amazing projects of this past year:

• Three critically endangered Bali Starlings hatched at BPCZ, making us one of the most successful zoos within the European breeding programme for the species three years in a row.

• In a first for the zoo, our keeper team hatched a critically endangered pancake tortoise this summer, after an incredible incubation period of 177 days!  

• Our rare breed Bagot goats, registered with the Bagot Goat Society gave birth to two kids on the Spring, another exciting first at the zoo.

• This year our sustainable honeybee apiary in partnership with the London Beekeepers’ Association welcomed hundreds of children. Introducing London school children to the world of honey bees and native pollinators! Our apiary is currently home to two active hives of western honey bees, with beekeeping demonstrations and workshops taking place throughout the spring and summer as well as educational trips alongside the School Food Matters charity.

• BPCZ won our first BIAZA awards! We won a Gold award for our Bali starling breeding success as well as a Bronze award for our educational honeybee apiary! 

• BPCZ was nominated for the Great British Wildlife Award for our educational apiary project. Animal manager, Jamie, will be attending the awards ceremony at the Houses of Parliament in the new year alongside other incredible native species conservation projects. 

• We reintroduced more Eurasian harvest mice back to the wild from our breeding programme in collaboration with our project partners, Ealing Wildlife Group. We’ve now contributed to over 1000 individuals of this threatened species being released into restored habitats in West London. 

• 2023 saw more incredible species of conservation concern join the zoo, including Panther chameleons, Java sparrows, and a new breeding pair of Asian short-clawed as part of the European breeding programme for the species. 

• We hosted the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) fundraisers at the zoo 15 times in 2023, allowing them to secure over 50 new members! These new members help to protect habitats near to us, such as RSPB Rainham Marshes and beyond. 

• We saw a number of exciting births across the zoo, including a kookaburra chick, blue spiny lizards and many many Eurasian harvest mouse babies! 

• In the summer we opened our brand new ‘Zoo Cafe’, a brand new eatery serving delicious drinks, snacks and lunch options to our visitors throughout the year. 

We couldn’t be more excited as we approach 2024 and share the next part of our journey with you. 

THANK YOU again for all of your ongoing support, we wish you all a happy and healthy new year.