Charity welcomes biggest changes in zoo regulations in decades

• New standards released by Defra set out updated licensing requirements for zoos, aquariums and safari parks in Britain. 
• The new standards have been welcomed as the biggest changes in legal requirements for the zoo sector in decades by the national association representing zoos and aquariums who say that Britain now leads the world in zoo regulation.  
• Standards set out increased requirements on animal welfare, conservation and education.  
• The new standards sets clearer expectations for touch pools in aquariums.
• However, the charity warns Defra that steps must be taken to ensure these new standards can be properly enforced, including resourcing Local Authorities.  
• BIAZA also warns that other areas of animal welfare regulation now fall behind Britain’s zoo sector.  

Government has set out new standards to improve the regulation of zoos in Britain, which has been welcomed by the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) - a charity representing British and Irish zoos. 110 pages of detailed regulations set the standards against which zoos are inspected to achieve their license to operate.  

Dr Jo Judge, CEO of BIAZA said: “These new regulations are the most advanced in the world and will mean that Government, the British public and the zoo sector can all be rightly proud of our animal welfare, conservation and education.” 

Data released by charity shows that: 

• Over the past five years, BIAZA zoos and aquariums have spent £153 million on field conservation.  
• In 2024 they undertook 1236 conservation projects and 1280 research projects.  
• In 2024 BIAZA zoos and aquariums delivered 1.13 million education visits – in addition to the education on offer during the regular visitor experience.  
• BIAZA members welcomed 30 million visits in 2024.  

BIAZA played an important historic role in improving the sector by driving through the original 1981 zoo licensing legislation. The charity now undertakes an accreditation programme which supports its members in meeting the highest possible standards as set out by BIAZA. This means that many zoos and aquariums are already achieving the vast majority of the new standards set out by government today. 

“These new standards are a step-up compared to the previous version published in 2012. Clearer expectations on activities such as touch-pools and conservation will be really welcomed by the sector. Similarly, clarity on facilities for elephants will unlock investment which has been held back by delays by successive governments.” 

Defra’s new regulations include more details on how zoos and aquariums should act as centres of conservation and education. Conservation is at the heart of modern zoos and aquariums, just some of the 1236 conservation projects being carried out by BIAZA members include:  

Colchester Zoological Society supporting the UmPhafa Reserve in South Africa – a haven for wild giraffes, wild dogs and others. 

• Research into Gambia’s crocodiles by Crocodiles Of The World.  
• Shaldon Zoo’s support for the Little Fireface project to which aims to save the rare slow loris via research, education and empowerment in Java. 
• Blackpool Zoo’s funding for the Southern Thailand Elephant Foundation – providing veterinary care, education and health monitoring for endangered Asian Elephants.  
• Nearly 100,000 native species logged and reported by zoos and aquariums as part of BIAZA’s Spotted on Site campaign in partnership with iNaturalist.  
• Project Oceanic Whitetip – a project to protect critically endangered sharks from over-exploitation, supported by The Deep aquarium in Hull.  
• Keepers from both London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo have reared extinct-in-the-wild Guam kingfisher chicks that have since been reintroduced to the wild. 

However, BIAZA warned that Defra must go further and argues that local authorities must be properly resourced to be able to implement the new standards. 

“We hope the government will further demonstrate their commitment to improving animal welfare in zoos by allocating sufficient resources for the training of Defra and local authority zoo Inspectors and proper enforcement of the standards” continued Judge.

Additionally, BIAZA is concerned that these new standards emphasise the continuing lack of regulation in other animal sectors. The charity calls on Defra to review in other areas including Dangerous Wild Animals Licensing, and animal activities, as standards for these sectors are now outdated and significantly behind the regulation set out for zoos.