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RZSS - Edinburgh Zoo

RZSS - Edinburgh Zoo 134 Corstorphine Road Edinburgh EH12 6TS


Set in 82 acres of sloping parkland, Edinburgh Zoo is home to over 1000 rare and endangered animals. You can experience a busy programme of educational events and activities - ranging from keeper talks through to hands-on animal encounters - and a wide-range of eating experiences, several play areas, a fantastic gift shop, free hilltop safari rides. Edinburgh Zoo opened in 1913 and is owned by The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS). The…

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Spotted on Site 1st Jan, 2024
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Michael Moore appointed new president of The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland 17th Jun 2026 Former secretary of state for Scotland Michael Moore has been appointed as the new president of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS). …
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BIAZA Awards 2026 - The Winners! 15th Jun 2026 Each year, we recognise the achievements of BIAZA member zoos and aquariums across a wide range of categories in the BIAZA Annual Awards. Compiled below…
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The moth-er lode: Conservationists flutter to Cairngorms for bumper egg release 13th May 2026 4,000 dark bordered beauty moth eggs have been released in the Cairngorms National Park in a bid to establish a new population…
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Unique genetic lines discovered: New penguin study shows importance of DNA research in conservation 2nd May 2026 Geneticists at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) have concluded that Northern rockhopper…
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New Edinburgh Zoo partnership aims to boost inclusive employment in Scotland 20th Mar 2026 The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has announced a partnership with Down’s Syndrome Scotland to create new employment…
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Over 500 people visit Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park to celebrate Kinship Care Week 17th Mar 2026 Over 120 families visited Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park this week to celebrate the final day of Kinship Care Week.  The special day out offered children…
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Children with serious illnesses experience Edinburgh Zoo through groundbreaking remote-access technology 24th Nov 2025 The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has partnered with UK charity SpecialEffect to deliver an innovative pilot experience that allowed two…
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Thousands of rare snails released in Pentland Hills as part of conservation efforts 10th Nov 2025 Thousands of rare pond mud snails have been released into wetlands around the Pentland Hills as part of a conservation project run by the Royal Zoological…
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The Great British Wildlife Restoration 2026 - the shortlist! 27th Oct 2025 Twenty-six zoos and aquariums have been shortlisted for the Great British Wildlife Restoration competition, a prestigious scheme that recognises the incredible…
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Zoos urge Defra to tackle red tape preventing rare animal transfers 26th Sep 2025 The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is joining zoo conservationists from across the UK and Europe in calling for urgent change to legislation…
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50,000 visitors access zoos using universal credit scheme 21st Aug 2025 Over 50,000 people have visited Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park, thanks to a discounted ticket offer for anyone receiving universal credit. …
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Penguin chick makes remarkable recovery after life-saving surgery at Edinburgh Zoo 7th Aug 2025 A Northern rockhopper penguin chick at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo has made a remarkable recovery after undergoing…
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Edinburgh Zoo welcomes Scotland’s only sloth bear 9th Jul 2025 Edinburgh Zoo has welcomed Scotland’s only sloth bear, Cipísek, from Zlin Zoo in the Czech Republic.  The Royal Zoological Society of…
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BIAZA Awards 2025 - The Winners! 27th Jun 2025 Each year, we recognise the achievements of BIAZA member zoos and aquariums across a wide range of categories in the BIAZA Annual Awards. Compiled below…
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“We’re going to the Zoo!”: Young carers enjoy a break this Carers Week 12th Jun 2025 Young carers from across Scotland will enjoy a well-deserved day out at Edinburgh Zoo on Wednesday 12 June, thanks to a partnership between Carers Trust…
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BIAZA Photo Competition 2025 - the winners! 7th May 2025 Secret lives in zoos and aquariums have revealed in BIAZA's annual photography competition.  A playful rhino and a penguin optical illusion –…
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Once thought lost, a rare snail returns 28th Mar 2025 A rare species of Polynesian tree snail once declared Extinct in the Wild has officially been downlisted, thanks to a decades-long conservation programme…
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Three captured lynx thriving at Edinburgh Zoo 14th Feb 2025 Three lynx illegally released in the Cairngorms are doing well, having completed their 30 day quarantine at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s…
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Rescue mission to save one of the world’s rarest plants wins prestigious Great British Wildlife Restoration prize 27th Jan 2025 Chester Zoo’s milestone Welsh restoration project won against 22 other native species projects for the coveted Great British Wildlife Restoration…
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Blog: If you follow your dreams and stay true to yourself, good things will happen. 19th Nov 2024 This International Men's Day, Jamie Norris from Edinburgh Zoo writes about staying true to his beliefs, and the unexpected fulfilments of…
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Edinburgh Zoo welcomes Haggis the Endangered pygmy hippo calf 5th Nov 2024 A tiny Endangered pygmy hippo calf has been born at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo to parents Otto and Gloria. The…
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Over 6,000 ‘extinct’ snails return to the wild, with a re-established wild species now confirmed 26th Sep 2024 A global conservation effort to reintroduce a tiny snail to the wild is celebrating a momentous milestone, as for the first time in 40 years, conservationists…
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Blog: Celebrating #PangolinPride! 28th Jun 2024 Pride Month continues with nature educator and podcaster Jack on sharing the voices of the BIAZA LGBTQ+ community...   Hello and Happy…
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Endangered penguin chicks hatch at Edinburgh Zoo 14th May 2024 The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has shared images of the first tiny penguin chicks to have hatched this breeding season at Edinburgh…
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Zoo conservation saves extinct in the wild antelope 12th Dec 2023 The Scimitar-Horned Oryx has had its risk of extinction downgraded thanks to conservation efforts spearheaded by zoos and Governments. The antelope,…
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Final chance to see Edinburgh Zoo's giant pandas 17th Nov 2023 Panda enthusiasts have just two more weeks to say goodbye to Britain’s only giant pandas. From Thursday 30 November, the Royal Zoological Society…
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Blog: Why we brought a tiger to political party conferences 7th Nov 2023 Cameron Stephenson, Public Affairs Advisor at Chester Zoo, writes about why zoos and aquariums belong at the heart of politics… “Why is a…
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First ever Henkel’s leaf-tailed geckos hatch at Edinburgh Zoo 21st Oct 2023 A rare species of gecko has been bred at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo for the very first time, just in time for…
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Precious Escargot: Extinct snails head back to the wild 14th Sep 2023 Thousands of Extinct-in-the-Wild tropical tree snails bred at British conservation zoos have been flown more than 15,000km, accompanied by a Whipsnade…
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International recognition for RZSS Chief Exec 11th Sep 2023 The Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), David Field, has been elected as Vice President of the World Association…
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The BIAZA Annual Awards 2023 - The Full List of Winners 31st Aug 2023 Each year, we recognise the achievements of BIAZA member zoos and aquariums across a wide range of categories in the BIAZA Annual Awards. Having featured…
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PICA (Pallas’s cat International Conservation Alliance) 6th Jul 2023 The Pallas’s cat, or manul, is a small and elusive cat that occurs throughout the mountain steppes and grasslands of Central Asia. Despite its wide…
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Historic milestone reached as Critically Endangered wildcats released into the Cairngorms National Park 15th Jun 2023 After years of extensive preparations by the Saving Wildcats conservation partnership project, the release of 22 wildcats into the Cairngorms National…
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‘Extinct’ snails return to the wild 27th Apr 2023 Zookeepers have returned more than 5,000 Extinct-in-the-Wild and Critically Endangered tropical snails bred at conservation zoos across the world to their…
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Major milestone for conservation of the rare pond mud snail 16th Apr 2023 After a mammoth five-year search, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS)’s conservation breeding programme to boost numbers of the rare…
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Genetic research boosts conservation efforts for critically endangered antelope 13th Apr 2023 Scientists at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) have undertaken the first global assessment of genetic diversity for a critically endangered…
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Royal Zoological Society of Scotland partners with Scottish Autism to improve access at Edinburgh Zoo 31st Mar 2023 The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has partnered with Scottish Autism to develop a more accessible and inclusive experience for autistic…
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Conservationists mark 3 year anniversary of Brexit calling for an end to red tape swamp 31st Jan 2023   On the 3-year anniversary of Brexit, zoos and aquariums across Great Britain have called on Government to end the endless red tape preventing conservation…
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Giant farewell plans for panda pair at Edinburgh Zoo 4th Jan 2023 The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has announced plans to give giant pandas Yang Guang and Tian Tian a ‘giant farewell’ from…
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Genetic Research to support the Scottish wildcat 17th Nov 2022 In the wild, wildcats crossbreed (hybridise) with domestic cats causing a major threat to the last remaining wildcats in the UK. The Royal Zoological…
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The Scottish Beavers Reinforcement Project 17th Nov 2022 The Scottish Beaver Trial at Knapdale ended in 2014, with nine animals known to be present. In 2016, Scottish Ministers took the landmark decision to…
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The BIAZA Annual Awards 2022 - The Full List of Winners 31st Aug 2022 Each year, we recognise the achievements of BIAZA member zoos and aquariums across a wide range of categories in the BIAZA Annual Awards. Having featured…
Project
Developing Cambodia's first conservation genetics lab 1st Jul 2022 The RZSS WildGenes laboratory are working with Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) to develop the first…
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Blog: a bright future for Himalaya's wolves? 16th May 2022 Alex Ball, Wildgenes programme manager from The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) updates us on the conservation work with the Himalayan…