Conservation
Conservation
AT BEALE PARK
Introduction
Many animals and the habitats in which they live are in danger of disappearing, principally due to pressures put on them by human activities including hunting, and the clearance of land for building and agriculture. These factors are compounded by natural environmental pressures and increasing recent concern over pollution and global changes in climate.
Beale Park is committed to the conservation of rare and endangered species and believes that the protection of these animals, plants and ecosystems is vitally important. By caring for and supporting conservation initiatives we are able to contribute to species and habitat survival.
The Park currently manages six main projects and supports others, each of which falls into a different category or type of conservation initiative. These categories are listed below:
1) Breeding – the breeding of animals to preserve the species for the future and for their re-introduction back into the wild if and when suitable conditions allow.
2) Gene pool (studbook) – acting as hosts to animals from other collections to assist in their breeding initiatives, designed to maintain or increase numbers of rare and endangered species.
3) Sponsorship – donations made by the Park in support of initiatives by other conservation organisations.
4) Practical Support – the loan or provision of Beale Park resources - either manpower or equipment in support of conservation initiatives.
Conversation Projects at Beale Park
Beale Park's Animal Department, as well as managing the various projects described, also works closely with other external bodies in support of their initiatives, making donations to various organisations such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the Pink Pigeon Project in Mauritius and the Mountain Peacock Pheasant Project in Malaysia.
In 2009, the Park supported three additional projects via our "Feed For Conservation" (Project 6). These included: the Barn Owl Project, run by the World Owl Trust, based in the Lake District; a vulture recovery programme, managed by The Hawk Conservancy Trust in Andover and the British Trust Ornithology (BTO) bird ringing programme, which operates throughout the UK.
Our main projects are listed below and additional information regarding the animals and plants can be found on their enclosures. Look out for our conservation logo to help you identify conservation at Beale Park.
Project 1) Bali Starlings (gene pool)
The Bali Starling is close to extinction in the wild with as few as 12 birds left on the Island of Bali. Beale Park is involved in the UK conservation initiative run by the Zoo Federation (BIAZA). We currently hold three males which are available to other zoos for breeding purposes.
Project 2) British Trust Ornithology (BTO) Ringing Programme (manpower/equipment)
The Park became a ringing station as part of the BTO's national scheme in 1999 and has successfully ringed more than 5,000 birds. Ringing enables the tracking and monitoring of bird movement and migration. A list of the birds ringed at Beale Park is displayed in the Bird Hide at the end of Pampas Walk.
Project 3) Green Peafowl (breeding and sponsorship)
Beale Park has had a long association with Green Peafowl for more than 20 years and achieved success in the mid 90's when two breeding birds were sent back to Malaysia as part of a release scheme. The Park continues to support this work and has financed the transportation of birds to Malaysia for release into the wild, with funds raised by our "Feed for Conservation" bird feeder initiative.
Project 4) Mountain Peacock Pheasant (breeding and sponsorship)
The Australasian walk-through aviary is home to a pair of Mountain Peacock Pheasants which are a part of a breeding programme managed by an international Studbook. A bird was successfully released back into the wild in Malaysia in 2006, as part of a release programme run by the Malaysian Government. This bird has been tracked with a radio collar funded by our "Feed for Conservation" bird feeder initiative.
Project 5) Feed for Conservation (donations to external initiatives)
Located around the Park are a number of "Feed For Conservation" bird feeders which, for 20p, enable visitors to feed our waterfowl. Each 20p is a donation towards our "Feed For Conservation" projects.
Project 6) World Land Trust
New for 2010, Beale Park has donated funds to the World Land Trust's (WLT) "BIAZA Reserve", through our "Feed for Conservation" project.
Money from Beale Park will be added to other donations from BIAZA members for the purchase of the "BIAZA Reserve", which will protect nearly 1,700 acres of threatened Atlantic rainforest in Brazil.
The "BIAZA Reserve" will be protected and managed by WLT project partners REGUA. REGUA land is home to sloths, armadillos, howler monkeys, coatis and pumas. REGUA conservation activities include habitat restoration, reintroductions, wardens, education and research.
Project 7) Wildflower Meadow
The project was started in October 2007 when the two old piggery paddocks were cultivated and sown with wild flower seeds. The meadow begins to flower in late spring, introducing a colourful array of wild flowers and grasses to the Park. The meadow will have an important story of ecology to tell – as the flowers attract insects, which are important in a plants lifecycle, they, in turn, are a source of food for birds and other animals.