One of Zoos SA’s priority conservation program partners is Wild Welfare, dedicated to improving welfare for wild animals living in human care by uniting animal welfare NGOs and captive wildlife facilities, such as zoos, aquariums and sanctuaries around the world.
Wild Welfare Director, Simon Marsh, recently completed a whirlwind two-week tour of Australia, connecting with valued partners and donors from across the vast country. The trip enabled Simon to personally visit organisations that have generously supported Wild Welfare over the past 12 years. While at the iconic Taronga Zoo, Simon also attended the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) 79th annual conference. The conference was the first for WAZA and Wild Welfare since both parties re-signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), reinforcing their partnership and shared vision.
The event also celebrated the awarding of WAZA Animal Welfare Goal certificates for three of Wild Welfare’s partner associations. This key achievement signified a great step towards improving animal welfare standards across many zoos and aquariums in Southeast Asia, Brazil and Japan.
Simon also received a warm welcome when visiting Taronga Zoo, Zoos Victoria, Zoos South Australia, and Perth Zoo, where he had the opportunity to present to each of the facilities’ animal care teams and the wider zoo staff. Simon shared updates on Wild Welfare’s global projects and conducted workshops focused on how the zoo and aquarium community reacts to criticism and failures around animal welfare. “One of the biggest barriers to progress is the default negative perception of failure. I explored with the zoo staff how they can shift behavior and response, moving towards a culture where they can learn from mistakes, finding ways to accept criticism, being aware of their own bias and cognitive dissonance, and using this to embrace opportunities to continue improving animal care and welfare”, explained Simon.
Feedback from participants at all zoos was extremely positive. Mark Smith, Conservation Manager at Zoos South Australia noted, “We were privileged to host Simon Marsh from Wild Welfare, who conducted an insightful workshop with our team on the vital role of incremental improvements in animal welfare. These advancements often stem from the courage to acknowledge past mistakes and the creativity to reimagine solutions. Central to this philosophy is the cultivation of a supportive and accepting culture. The workshop deeply resonated with our team, igniting meaningful discussions that continue to unfold. Ultimately, this approach benefits the animals in our care, but it also enhances human wellbeing by embracing honesty and, at times, a willing vulnerability”.
The generous support of these facilities continues to enable Wild Welfare to offer vital support around the globe, where it is most needed. Through implementing programmes such as our in-person bespoke training to individual zoos and sanctuaries or carrying out an animal welfare audit of a facility, to our freely available online resources, Wild Welfare continues to work towards enabling animal care staff to have the tools and capacity to provide positive changes for animals under their care. “We are incredibly grateful for their ongoing partnership, which allows us to make a significant impact on the lives of captive wildlife worldwide” Simon affirmed.
These key zoo partners across Australia are often leading the way in animal care and welfare, as well as challenging the ways in which zoos are managed and perceived by the public. By focusing native species conservation, working regionally to support wider conservation goals, rescue and rehabilitation programmes, and having a clear vision of which species are appropriate to hold in specific environments, each facility is setting a model example for the wider global zoo and aquarium community to follow.
