Conservation & Research

Conservation

The Isle of Wight Zoo is dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity on a global scale. Our large collection of endangered species aims to conserve genetic diversity by maintaining larger populations of species than can be supported in the wild. Our public and schools education programmes ensure that our visitors can learn about conservation and why it is both necessary and important. Through ex-situ fundraising we are able to support in-situ conservation projects that direct help where it is most needed. We have concentrated our resources in to two main areas of conservation, focusing on two groups of animals: Tigers and Lemurs.

Lemurs of Madagascar

We have been caring for lemurs for over 15 years, in 1999 members of our team travelled to Madagascar (home of the lemur). Their experiences of the majestic island of Madagascar were only tainted by the reality of a major conservation problem of international proportions. Deforestation has caused the red laterite soils of Madagascar to be eroded and washed into the surrounding blue oceans creating the illusion that the island is bleeding. With all the 35 remaining species of Lemur being classified endangered, we aim to raise awareness of the wider issues through this very special group of animals. We have selected to support two very different organisations through fund raising here in the UK. To find out more about lemurs or Madagascar please go to our Primates section.

Madagascar Fauna Group (MFG)

The Isle of Wight Zoo is a founder member of the MFG, which is an international collaboration of zoos aiming to conserve Madagascars' precious fauna and flora. Our collective resources help to maintain reserves where in-situ breeding programmes of rare species, such as the radiated tortoise, can be conducted. Project Betampona is a groundbreaking venture started in 1997 and aims to preserve the Black and White Ruffed Lemur in the wild by releasing captive bred animals back into the park.

The Andrew Lees Trust (ALT)

The ALT is a charity dedicated to conservation through supporting the local population of Madagascar. The ALT funds a range of community projects to raise the quality of peoples' lives with the long term aim of protecting the natural environment. Poverty, lack of education and healthcare in Madagascar limits the options of the locals to care for their own environment. The ALT's activities include Project Radio; aiming to improve communications and education through broadcasting, Project FAKO; a waste clearance initiative and Project Energie. Project Energie empowers people to manage their natural resources in a sustainable manner by training people to produce and maintain simple stoves. The Toko Mitsitsy stove is a primitive device that effectively reduces the amount of firewood used and the time spent cooking. This has the effect of reducing the rate of deforestation, minimising expenditure of money for firewood and reduces the amount of time spent cooking enabling women to pursue other activities.

Kanha National Park (N.P)

The Isle of Wight Zoo has been dedicated to promoting the survival of tigers for over 25 years. Wild tiger populations have be reduced by 95% within the last 100 years alone. Across Asia tigers are facing an uncertain future. Out of the 14 countries where tigers naturally occur, India boasts the greatest number of these top predators. Thankfully, viable tiger populations continue to survive in India but they are in need of more help if we are to rely on them to produce future generations of this species.

Zoo staff have recently spent time at a tiger reserve, in central India, called Kanha National Park. During their time at the park, they have been working on the development of a tiger conservation project which will support current initiatives already being implemented within the park. Kanha N.P. is one of the world's flagship tiger reserves and is home to approximately 130 tigers. In the late 1970's, Kanha N.P. began to receive financial support from India's Project Tiger which is a federal government project specifically designed to administer funding for tiger conservation. Eco-tourism now brings in extra monies but supplementary funds are required.

As a national park, Kanha has adopted a core-buffer management strategy. This means that the core area is exclusively set aside for the wildlife with a mixed usage buffer zone enveloping around the core. Local villages are located mainly within the buffer zone. As visiting members of the Isle of Wight Zoo team discovered, the local people are a vital resource of the park and it is of paramount importance that their intricate knowledge of the forest and its animals is utilised. The Isle of Wight Zoo aims to set up an independent trust fund which will be used in Kanha to employ a local workforce to help preserve tigers.

The zoo's Tiger Sanctuary now features a tiger exhibit which has been modelled on the landscape found within Kanha N.P. In addition to being a much improved facility for the tigers that inhabit it, this exhibit is acting as a powerful tool for raising public awareness of Kanha N.P.

Research

The Isle of Wight Zoo is dedicated to assisting with and partaking in research projects that increase our understanding of species, enhance the environment and welfare of captive animals and aid conservation. Research projects are conducted either by zoo staff or independent researchers utilising our facilities and animal collection. Some examples of the types of research conducted here are listed below.

Internal, onsite projects conducted by members of the zoos' staff.

Behavioural study of the effects of enclosure translocation on captive Indian tigers (Panthera tigris tigris).

Aim: To identify both positive and negative changes in behaviour before and after relocating a pair of captive born Indian tigers into a new enclosure.

To assess the effectiveness of naturalistic enclosure design in facilitating the expression of natural behaviours.

Environmental and behavioural enrichment programme.

Aim: To continually develop enrichment techniques and enclosure designs which enhance the physical and psychological well being of the animals in our care.

To monitor the behaviour of the animals in our care.

External, onsite projects conducted by external researchers.

The role of 2-acetylpyrroline in tiger communication.

Research conducted as part of a university PhD project.

An evaluation of the causal factors of felid group living with a specific study into the effects of the social housing conditions of captive tigers (Panthera tigris).

Research conducted as part of a university MSc project.

External offsite projects supported by the zoo in other locations.

Madagascar Fauna Group

Through fundraising we enable research to be conducted into animals, plants and ecosystems in Madagascar.

University of Scotland

We donate any deceased big cats to the University of Scotland to be utilised in research as there are very few specimens available to scientists.

If you would like to utilise our animal collection in a research project please contact the Animal Manager, giving as much detail as possible about your proposed study. Although we make every effort to enable research please be aware that not all studies can be assisted by us.

Recent studies include the incidence and control of hemosiderosis (iron storage) in Lemur species, the role of different chemicals in feline communication, capuchin enclosure design and behavioural enrichment.