Chester Zoo Science
@chesterzoosci.bsky.social
470 followers 910 following 250 posts
Science and global conservation news from Chester Zoo's Science and Field Programmes departments. Happy to link up with conservationists, vets, keepers, ecologists, academics and animal-lovers. Journo requests to [email protected].
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chesterzoosci.bsky.social
Hello world!

This is the account for Chester Zoo's Science and Field Programmes departments. We share science and global conservation news here.

Happy to link up with conservationists, ecologists, academics and animal-lovers.

Journo requests to [email protected], please. No DMs, thanks! 🐘🌏
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chesterzoosci.bsky.social
...to highlight the critical role zoos play in protecting animals, plants, and habitats.

iucncongress2025.org

🤝 Meet us at booth 135 in the Exhibition Hall from 12:00 on 9 October to 18:00 on 13 October. We'd love to connect!

🌏2/2 #IUCNcongress #IUCN2025
A graphic saying 'come and say hello' with logos for Chester Zoo and the IUCN. There is a photo of a golden mantella tree frog in the background
chesterzoosci.bsky.social
🌍 We're heading to Abu Dhabi for the IUCN World Conservation Congress - one of the most significant events in global conservation.

From 9-15 October, key representatives from our education, science, and policy teams will be there...

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#IUCNcongress #IUCN2025
A graphic showing a rhino with Chester Zoo and IUCN logos.  Text: 

Chester Zoo at the IUCN Congress 2025 
Meet our delegates: 

A graphic saying: Chester Zoo delegation: 

Simon Dowell
Charlotte Smith
Sue Walker
Rob Comley
Sean Dick
Jane Absalom

The names are accompanied with small face cards Our delegates will also appear on the following panels:

📍 Partnership for Species Survival: Building a Model of Collaboration for Conservation in the 21st Century
Panel including Simon Dowell, Senior Advisor: Conservation Strategy at Chester Zoo
9 October, 16:00 - 16:45 in the IUCN Africa Pavilion
 
📍 Accelerating the Recovery of Life on Earth
Panel including Simon Dowell, Senior Advisor: Conservation Strategy at Chester Zoo
10 October, 16:00 – 17:45 in the Reverse the Red Pavilion
 
📍 Establishing National Frameworks for Environmental Learning
Panel including Charlotte Smith, Director of Conservation Education and Engagement at Chester Zoo
10 October, 16:00 – 17:00 in the Canada Pavilion
 
📍 Pathways to Conservation Careers: Experiences from Across IUCN Member Organizations
Panel including Jane Absalom, Lead Zoo Ranger at Chester Zoo
13 October, 15:00 - 16:00 in the IUCN Youth Pavilion Join us for talks and workshops in the Nature-based Education Pavilion on 12 October
 
📌 11:00 – 12:00 Exploring the collective power of nature based education in zoos, aquaria and botanic gardens | IUCN World Conservation Congress.
 
📌 12:00 – 13:00 Inspiring conservation action in communities through collaborative nature based education | IUCN World Conservation Congress
 
📌 13:00 – 14:00 Reaching out: Nature based education within ex situ and in situ collaborations | IUCN World Conservation Congress
 
📌 14:00 – 15:00 From nature based education initiatives to global targets for conservation. | IUCN World Conservation Congress
 
📌 15:00 – 16:00 Moving audiences to conservation action: behaviour change through ex situ and civil society organisations | IUCN World Conservation Congress
 
📌 17:30 – 18:00 Inclusive and authentic conservation storytelling | IUCN World Conservation Congress

We hope to see you there!
chesterzoosci.bsky.social
It's such a problem for young elephants and the species as a whole. Sorry to hear about Fitz.

Hopefully, the vaccine will reduce the risk of looses like these.
chesterzoosci.bsky.social
HUGE news: after a successful trial, we can tell the world we helped develop the world's first 🐘 EEHV vaccine!

www.chesterzoo.org/news/we-ve-d...

This is massive for #elephant conservation and we reached this point thanks to our partners and you, our supporters. Now on to the next stage...

🌏🧪🦇
We’ve developed the world’s first elephant virus vaccine | Chester Zoo
www.chesterzoo.org
chesterzoosci.bsky.social
That's the humans' loss. Stingrays are awesome.
chesterzoosci.bsky.social
Hello world!

This is the account for Chester Zoo's Science and Field Programmes departments. We share science and global conservation news here.

Happy to link up with conservationists, ecologists, academics and animal-lovers.

Journo requests to [email protected], please. No DMs, thanks! 🐘🌏
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chesterzoosci.bsky.social
If you haven’t downloaded the palm oil scan app, which helps fight deforestation, you can find it on Google Play and the Apple app store. 

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chesterzoosci.bsky.social
The app then tells you whether the company that produces a scanned item is taking positive action around sourcing sustainable palm oil and preventing deforestation.

The 50k uploads was reached following a big push from the UK app team.

🌴 2/3
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chesterzoosci.bsky.social
Appsolutely amazing: Our PalmOil Scan App, which launched in 2022, has reached a massive landmark: more than 50,000 products are now listed in its UK database.

Shoppers can download the free app and use it to scan barcodes while they shop.

Good for orangutans, good for shoppers!

🌴 1/3
Photo shows a baby orangutan in foliage
chesterzoosci.bsky.social
...the model will help zoos and aquariums achieve the highest possible standard of practice and provide a means of recognising and celebrating achievements.

Find out more about our projects here: www.chesterzoo.org/conservation...

4/4 🌎
International centre for zoo science
www.chesterzoo.org
chesterzoosci.bsky.social
Over the last 15 months, the authors, including Sarah Spooner, and Chester Zoo scientists Sue Walker, Andrew Moss and Simon Dowell, have refined the Zoo Sphere of Influence model. This is not just a theoretical exercise...

3/4 🌏
chesterzoosci.bsky.social
Traditionally, zoos are seen as providing conservation, education, research, and recreation. The sphere reflects a broader range of societal and species factors that zoos can impact upon, such as human wellbeing, indigenous peoples and international conservation policy.

2/4 🌍
chesterzoosci.bsky.social
An update to the Zoo Sphere of Influence model was recently published in the Biological Conservation journal (tinyurl.com/zoosphere)

This model, first conceived in 2023, originally set out to replace the 50-year-old perception of zoos and aquariums...

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Image shows a wheel with colourful wedges. The wedges are marked with words like 'sustainability', 'wellbeing' and 'policy'
chesterzoosci.bsky.social
Calling all zoo professionals: we are running a global survey of zoo and aquarium visitors to better understand nature connection and wellbeing outcomes to visits - and we want you to be involved!

Info: linktr.ee/bridget_sci

#science #research

🦇🧪🌍🌏🌎🧪🦇
A poster outlining a research project to survey zoo visitors about their nature connectedness and how they use zoos.
chesterzoosci.bsky.social
A honey project supported by Chester Zoo has been certified Andean Bear Friendly(TM).

Harvesting honey to protect bears? Winnie the Pooh would approve.

www.chesterzoo.org/news/the-bea...

🌎🦇🐝
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A month in the life of a conservationist!

🌍🧪🦇
countrysidejobs.bsky.social
From indri lemurs and tropical forest seed collections to education pack creation it’s all in a days work for Charles Wheeler, Madagascar Project Manager for @chesterzoo.bsky.social. c-js.uk/3HuEC4X
a person in a blue tshirt and blue gloves holding a frog. Text reads: Frogs, fish and forest regeneration with Charles Wheeler, Madagascar Project Manager for Chester Zoo
chesterzoosci.bsky.social
She can see you...

#Bheri #snowleopard #cub
chesterzoosci.bsky.social
Friday spotlight: Cactus conservation.

We're collaborating on an action plan to protect highly threatened Copiapoa cacti in the Atacama desert.

Find out more here: www.chesterzoo.org/news/a-plan-...

🌵 🌎
A graphic setting out info about the copiapoa action plan. It's a shortened version of the info on the linked web page, placed beside an image of a flowering cactus
chesterzoosci.bsky.social
A fascinating study has been published about snow leopard hunting patterns.

The data collected for "Snow leopard prey selection on the mountain-adapted ibex", by the Snow Leopard Trust (which we support), suggests snow leopards do not hunt like other cats.

snowleopard.org/size-matters...
Size Matters: Study Reveals Snow Leopards Hunt Like No Other Big Cat
Findings from a new study have upended long-held assumptions about snow leopard eating habits. The results? Bigger is (almost) always better.
snowleopard.org