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| European Association of Zoos and Aquaria Annual Conference | |
|---|---|
| Name | European Association of Zoos and Aquaria Annual Conference |
| Organizer | European Association of Zoos and Aquaria |
| Frequency | Annual |
European Association of Zoos and Aquaria Annual Conference is the yearly professional gathering organized by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), bringing together representatives from zoological institutions, conservation organizations, regulatory bodies, and academic partners. The conference combines programmatic sessions, workshops, committee meetings, and exhibitor forums to address ex situ and in situ conservation, animal welfare, and biodiversity policy, drawing delegates from across Europe and partner regions.
The conference functions as a nexus for stakeholders including Zoological Society of London, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Austrian Zoo Association, Leeuwarden Zoo, Madrid Zoo Aquarium, Berlin Zoological Garden and representatives of international bodies such as World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, IUCN, CITES, UNESCO and European Commission. Typical activities feature plenary lectures, parallel scientific sessions, poster presentations, and working group meetings involving institutions like Lisbon Zoo, Prague Zoo, Warsaw Zoo, Vienna Zoo, Hamburg Zoo, Helsinki Zoo and Dublin Zoo. Exhibitors and sponsors often include partners such as WWF, BirdLife International, Zoological Society of San Diego, Smithsonian Institution, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Fauna & Flora International.
Origins link to early cooperative efforts among Rotterdam Zoo, Cologne Zoo, London Zoo, Edinburgh Zoo and other institutions that preceded formal association-level events; subsequent milestones involved formalization under the umbrella of the European Zoo and Aquarium Association and later name changes that aligned with evolving mandates involving Brussels policy frameworks and Bern Convention obligations. The conference evolved through interactions with landmark meetings such as World Conservation Strategy forums, sessions tied to Convention on Biological Diversity milestones, and collaborations with research centers like Max Planck Society, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, ETH Zurich and CNRS.
Governance structures reflect EAZA's committee system with oversight by the EAZA Council of Trustees, program direction from advisory groups that include members from Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), European Commission Directorate-General for Environment, NatureServe, European Federation of Zoos and Aquaria and conservation programs coordinated alongside institutions such as Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Zoological Society of Leicester. Rotating host committees often include municipal partners (e.g., Barcelona, Amsterdam, Stockholm) and academic partners such as University of Copenhagen, University of Barcelona and University of Milan.
Each year’s agenda aligns to contemporary priorities reflected in thematic strands referencing initiatives like European Green Deal, Biodiversity Strategy 2030, European Red List assessments, and species recovery plans for taxa emphasized by groups such as IUCN SSC and Rewilding Europe. Sessions frequently cover population management using tools influenced by practices from Species360, genetic conservation frameworks from European Molecular Biology Laboratory, epidemiology panels drawing on expertise from European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and animal welfare discussions referencing standards from OIE and research hubs like Karolinska Institutet. Workshops have been organized in collaboration with laboratories and projects linked to Horizon Europe, LIFE Programme, INTERREG and philanthropic partners such as Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Attendance commonly includes directors, curators, veterinarians, keepers, conservation scientists, policy advisors and educators representing organizations including Aalborg Zoo, Bristol Zoo Gardens, Pairi Daiza, Safari de Peaugres, Bioparc Valencia, Lisbon University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and NGOs like The Nature Conservancy. Delegates often include representatives from funding agencies such as European Investment Bank and research funders like Wellcome Trust and Royal Society, as well as media from outlets like BBC, Deutsche Welle and Euronews. Professional networks present at the conference encompass groups such as EAZWV, EAZA Ex situ Programme (EEP), IUCN SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group and regional associations including Nordic Association of Zoos and Aquaria.
The conference yields peer-reviewed presentations, position statements, husbandry guidelines, and policy recommendations that inform conservation programs such as coordinated breeding for species like European bison, Iberian lynx, Przewalski's horse, Scimitar-horned oryx and amphibian recovery initiatives tied to Amphibian Ark. Outcomes include updates to population management plans overseen by EEP, technical standards influenced by veterinary research from institutions like Royal Veterinary College and collaborative research outputs with universities such as University of Zurich and Ghent University. Cross-institutional projects emerging from conference interactions have linked to initiatives under Horizon 2020, Nature Restoration Law dialogues, and conservation finance mechanisms explored with entities like Global Environment Facility.
Past highlights include thematic conferences held alongside municipal hosts such as Amsterdam's meetings that foregrounded urban biodiversity, Barcelona sessions emphasizing Mediterranean conservation, and Prague gatherings focused on captive breeding science. Noteworthy presentations have involved collaborations with researchers from Imperial College London, ETH Zurich, Sorbonne University, University of Göttingen and policy panels featuring speakers affiliated with European Parliament committees, Council of Europe delegations, and representatives from CITES Secretariat. Special sessions have showcased partnerships with zoos like Chester Zoo, ZooParc de Beauval, Tierpark Berlin and research outputs that later informed international assessments by IUCN Red List and action plans supported by LIFE Programme.
Category:Conservation conferences