Marking the biggest single Government grant ever given to a UK zoo, the state-of-the-art facility will be dedicated to advancing global conservation solutions, from the heart of the UK.
The £25 million Global Conservation Centre is being developed at Twycross Zoo, in partnership with the Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council, and a number of the UK’s leading Universities. It will not only act as a hub for the zoo’s expanding global conservation work, cutting-edge scientific research, and education programmes; but also, a community space to inspire, train and facilitate the next generation of conservation leaders under one roof.
Alongside the development of the Global Conservation Centre, Twycross Zoo has announced it will be creating a brand new Indonesian themed land, joining directly into the conservation campus.
This brand-new land will include a new, world-class Bornean Orangutan habitat, as well as new habitats for several other threatened Indonesian species which the zoo will begin to care for as part of its ex-situ conservation work.
Engaging the zoo’s 700,000 yearly visitors with the wonders of Indonesia – one of our planet’s biodiversity hotspots, that is sadly being depleted due to human action, as part of this experience the zoo will launch a new education offering to highlight these very wonders, but also the threats faced by Indonesia’s wildlife.
Showcasing how behaviour change, even here in the UK, can have an impact to protect this globally valuable ecosystem. Additionally, the zoo has pledged to expand its existing conservation projects in Indonesia, in partnership with Borneo Nature Foundation, and Action Indonesia.
The development of the Global Conservation Centre at Twycross Zoo forms part of the charity’s ambitious future vision and commitment to tackling the biodiversity crisis; having published its first-ever public facing conservation strategy in 2023. Within this 2030 strategy, the zoo pledged to scale up its actions and maximise its resource as a charity to fight the biodiversity crisis that our planet currently faces. Within this, it has committed to reversing the IUCN Red List status of 15 species, including the four great ape species it currently cares for – chimpanzee, orangutan, gorilla and bonobo.
The centre's facilities will create a base for international scientists, conservationists and animal welfare experts to collaborate and create impactful solutions for protecting endangered species.
Key features of the Global Conservation Centre include:
· A 200-seat lecture theatre overlooking a new world-class Bornean orangutan habitat.
· Research & Teaching Spaces – 3 indoor classrooms with adjacent wildlife gardens, and a cutting-edge science lab for both current and future conservation leaders to learn and work.
· Accommodation for visiting experts and students – 24 bedrooms to welcome professionals and students from around the world.
· Leading Academic Partnerships – The Global Conservation Centre will be home to a number of research and education partnerships between Twycross Zoo and 8 of the country’s leading universities, to facilitate an expanded programme of applied conservation higher education opportunities.
· A new world-class Bornean orangutan habitat and themed area of the zoo
Alongside, boosting the charity’s conservation impact, the Global Conservation Centre promises to have a tangible benefit to the surrounding local area.
The successful Government bid, backed by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council and Dr Luke Evans (MP for Hinckley and Bosworth) will help to sustain Twycross Zoo as an important education and tourism asset in the area, generating 90 gross direct jobs and £3.9m GVA per annum.
The provision of these world-leading facilities will enable new lines of academic research with international importance, as well as strengthening pathways to research and educational facilities for schools and communities within the region.
Construction is due to start in late June 2025, with the Global Conservation Centre campus planned to open in late-2026, marking a bold chapter in Midlands-based charity’s journey.
Dr Rebecca Biddle, Chief Conservation Officer at Twycross Zoo and Vice Chair of EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) said: “The unrelenting pressure that we face from the dual climate and biodiversity loss crises, pose a serious threat to the survival of our planet. Our conservation efforts need to be bigger, bolder and more united. Zoos are being called on to do more in this mission, and the Global Conservation Centre is our answer to that call.
“Uniquely designed and positioned to allow international conservationists to work in connection with the natural world, we believe that being alongside the species we are working to save will offer unrivalled opportunities to study, learn and develop real-world solutions for endangered wildlife.
“We are truly grateful to Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council and our local MP, Dr Luke Evans, for their continued backing of this project, supporting us for the last few years to secure this staggering £18million of Government funding for our charity.
“Twycross Zoo has been a pioneering organisation since it opened its gates in 1963, but we know that we cannot solve the biodiversity crisis by ourselves. The Global Conservation Centre will facilitate collaboration to accelerate innovation, multidisciplinary research and applied conservation action for the species who need it most.”
This ambitious announcement from the charity, comes off the back of its launch of ‘Conservation in Action’ – a 70-page publication, and micro-documentary, highlighting the zoo’s work towards its 2030 goals, which are directly linked to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Highlights from the publication include:
· Caring for healthy ex-situ populations of 45 threatened species as part of EAZA Ex-situ Programmes
· Supporting the rehabilitation and release of endangered howler monkeys into the wild in Belize’s Northeastern Biological Corridor
· Providing 312 hours of technical support to field partners conserving wild populations, including chimpanzees in West Africa, and orangutans in Indonesia
· Protecting 10% of the zoo’s land for UK wildlife through its wetland reserve
· Launching 12 new innovative research projects across animal welfare and artificial intelligence
· Completing 36 animal transfers across the UK and EU to support conservation programmes
“Saving species is critical to the future of all life on earth, and the work that zoos do to conserve species is now more important than ever.
“The work highlighted in this publication, showcases not just the work of Twycross Zoo, but that of many collaborators and leading conservation zoos globally. Through working together, and with the support of our visitors and donors, we can create a better outcome for wildlife on this planet.”