Blog: Pink birds in Parliament? The impact of animals in your care

Dr Paul Rose, WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, on the impacts of one flamingo's life and legacy: 

Animals are at the heart of each and every zoological institution in the BIAZA family. Yes, zoos may display non-animal exhibits, but there is no zoo without the living creatures that make up its heart. The animals are most important, and they are to be cherished. They educate, engage, and inspire in a way that no picture or model ever could. And in doing so, they create a ripple of interest that spreads well beyond the boundaries of their enclosure. Recently, I have been reminded of the power of this ripple, and the impact our zoo animals really have.

I feel very privileged to have worked with and for some incredible animals, getting close-up glimpses into their lives that others will not have seen. An earliest memory of mine is visiting WWT Slimbridge as a small child in the 1980s, and in the years that followed I have continued to be inspired, personally and professionally, by WWT and its animals. I am sure it comes as no surprise to those reading this who know me that I was captivated by the Slimbridge flamingos from this young age. Several birds in particular stood out and remained a source of fascination for me over the next decades.

From the mid-1960s until February of this year, Slimbridge was the only place in the world to exhibit all six species of flamingo. The two species from the high Andes, the Andean and James’s (or puna) flamingos have always been hard to find in zoological collections. Fast-forward to 2012 and me as a wet-behind-the-ears PhD student just starting his doctorate, one of these James’s flamingo remained at Slimbridge. He fondly became known as Mr James. When I started my research, I asked permission to write a “flamingo diary” about my work and about the birds themselves, who after all, are more interesting and more exciting than I am. Sharing why these birds are fantastic has been my way of making that ripple of awe and wonder spread further.    

When Mr James died in early February 2024, and the news was posted on social media, my colleagues and I were astonished and heartened by outpouring at his story. This was a bird, of an unusual species, that could be overlooked as any other flamingo, that touched the lives of many. He was recognised, remembered, and actively sought out by those who visited in person and those who followed social media. All those that did guided tours made a point of highlighting who he was. Condolences and commiserations came from all over the world, and not just from zoo professionals – from all who knew what it means to feel that another living being is somehow special and to be treasured.  

Yet Mr James did not engage directly with his visitors. He would not come over to people to “say hello”. He did not know his name. In fact, it’s probably fair to say that he ignored those who were watching him. Even sleeping right next to his enclosure’s boundary without wobbling on one leg when a crowd appeared. And yet, despite this ambivalence, he was adored. A few weeks before he died, Mr James was pointed out to a Ministerial delegation visiting Slimbridge on World Wetlands Day. During a subsequent Climate Change and Biodiversity Debate in the House of Commons, he is recorded in official Parliamentary minutes as “the most marvellous Mr James” in the context of how zoo animals make a lasting impression on those who see them. A fitting tribute to an animal that spent neatly seven decades in human care illuminating the wonders of nature to one and all.  

We must always remember that any and all of our animals can touch the lives of those who work directly with them, and that they have a wider impact too – across society more broadly. This impact is overwhelmingly positive. It is a unique feature of zoological establishments and one of the best reasons for their continued relevance into the 21st century. As our animals inspire us, so they inspire our visitors, and so this ripple grows until more and more are washed with the same love and gratitude for the natural world.  

Mr James was the last of his kind in the UK. His flamingo species is best conserved out in the wild. Flamingo fans now need to travel to Zoo Berlin, or slightly further to Bolivia, to see his cousins and relatives. Yet his spirit will live on, in how our animals continue to focus our attention, and how we turn such attention into action - in our efforts at striving for care and welfare, or enhanced conservation outcomes, or how we provide greater advocacy of their amazing lives and incredible habitats.

Dr Paul Rose, Research Associate / Animal Welfare & Ethics Committee Management, WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre.

All blogs reflect the views of their author and are not necessarily a reflection of BIAZA's positions.