BIAZA Newsletter | Winter 2017 | Issue 13

from our member zoos and aquariums

WAZA conservation award for Durrell Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust has been presented with the first ever Conservation Award from the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). Lee Durrell, Honorary Director of the Trust, said: ‘I am overjoyed with the news that Durrell has won the WAZA Conservation Award and so proud that we are the first ever recipient. It validates the efforts begun by Gerald Durrell so long ago to prove that zoos could become agents of species survival, and his firm belief that all zoos should strive towards this goal. Now more and more zoos and aquariums tackle conservation issues proactively and engage their visiting public in what needs to be done and why. I hope the award heralds an era of even greater commitment to conservation by our community.”

Rob became involved and engaged with various zoo committees and activities over the years and was a key player in the International Zoo Educators association (IZE). Through his passion and dedication he has helped to inspire and encourage a generation of educators and zoo professionals. On his retirement at the start of 2004 Rob was awarded the MBE in recognition of his contribution to education. He was also author of the popular book ‘Penguin Parade’ and wrote many papers on zoo education. Nathalie Evans died on 9 September aged 98, and was one half of an enduring partnership that created Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire. She and her lifetime business partner, Molly Badham, were pioneers in their field and instrumental in creating the modern zoo. Born on June 12, 1918, Nathalie discovered her love for animals breeding dachshunds and this experience led her to finance her next business venture, a pet shop in Sutton Coldfield. The rival pet shop in the town was run by Molly, and it was in the window of Nathalie’s shop in 1949 that Molly saw her first monkey. This encounter led to a unique partnership and their joint and enduring passion for primates led to the formation of Hints Zoological Gardens and their involvement in the famous Brooke Bond Tea TV ads. The long-running success of these adverts enabled them to realise their ambitions - to finance a programme of conservation projects and the creation of the gibbon and chimpanzee studbooks which guided the safe breeding of both species in captivity.

Photo: Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

Durrell’s CEO Leslie Dickie receives WAZA’s Conservation Award

A fond farewell In 2016 we sadly lost a couple of big names in the world of zoos and aquariums: Rob Ollason passed away on 10 October and is widely considered to be one of the great zoo educators of the 20th century. Born in the Shetland Islands, Rob graduated from Edinburgh College of Art in 1961 and after some years teaching art and design in Edinburgh and Shetland, he then spent five years in Kenya. At the end of 1976 he took up the post of Education Officer and then became Head of Education at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh Zoo, a post he held until his retirement 27 years later.

Photo: Twycross Zoo

Nathalie Evans (left) with Molly Badham (right)

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BIAZA News • Winter issue 13