UK Conservation Work

The Aspinall Foundation's Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks are well known within the UK and Europe for their high standards of animal welfare and captive breeding success. The wild animal parks at Howletts and Port Lympne have an outstanding record in preserving endangered species and wherever possible these animals are displayed to the public. However, our policy of not exhibiting certain species or individuals to the public has almost certainly also had a positive effect with regards to breeding successes.

Through the work at our parks, and via partnerships with zoological institutions such as the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), we maintain an active role in captive breeding programmes and collaborate with zoos throughout the world.

Breeding successes

The Aspinall Foundation's Wild Animal Parks have the largest collection of critically endangered western lowland gorillas and Eastern black rhinoceros in the world.

We are one of the world's most successful breeders of fishing cats, Port Lympne is the only UK zoo currently breeding rusty spotted cats and brown hyenas. Within the UK we are the largest breeders of clouded leopards.
The African elephant herd at Howletts is the largest in Britain and has had more births than all other British zoos combined. Within Europe we also hold the largest group of Malayan tapirs and also house the largest group of Margay cats in Europe. We were the first UK zoo to keep Barbary lions (extinct in the wild) and we are the most successful UK zoo breeding de brazza's monkeys.

Howletts is the only zoological collection outside of their native country to house grizzled leaf monkeys and is world leader in breeding the critically endangered moloch gibbon. It is also the only park outside of Indonesia to house Heck's macaques and, in November 2009, the first offspring was born to this pair. Port Lympne is one of only a very small number of collections worldwide to house the critically endangered greater bamboo lemur and also house the UK's only breeding group of Drill monkeys, one of Africa's most endangered primates.

Howletts and Port Lympne have taken over the captive breeding recommendations (studbooks) for three species; clouded leopards, bush dogs and Scottish wild cats.

Reintroduction

In addition to our success with captive breeding of many species, The Aspinall Foundation has been involved with a number of reintroduction projects. To date The Aspinall Foundation has successfully reintroduced western lowland gorilla, black rhino and Przewalski horses to protected areas in the wild and future projects include Indonesian primate conservation projects and protecting critically endangered greater bamboo lemurs in Madagascar.

Veterinary care
Due to the specialist nature of the work and with such a wide variety of animals it is essential to have the dedication of an on-site experienced veterinarian at the parks. Over the last six years there have been significant advances in both the facilities and standard of veterinary care available.

Veterinary staff work directly with the keepers in maintaining a programme of routine testing for the general health of the animals, preventative treatments such as worming and vaccinations, treating sick animals and moving animals when necessary - a process which may involve sedation. A large proportion of laboratory work such as parasitology and blood sample analysis is performed on site, which is not only cost-effective but also enables improved therapy and care for the animals. There is a strict practice and procedure for recording all work and maintaining up to date medical records for each animal.

Veterinary facilities
Dedicated veterinary site facilities at both parks are a key factor in the evolution and development of veterinary services at the parks. In 2006 a new facility was constructed at Port Lympne. This is a modular unit housing all working facilities in one; office, drug storage, a laboratory and an operating theatre large enough to enable surgery on larger animals. The veterinary room at Howletts is smaller but equipment can be transported between the two parks and animals from Howletts may be transferred to the new unit at Port Lympne when necessary.

Education centres
Our ongoing aim is to improve our education facilities in a manner and with materials, which will appeal to as large and inclusive an audience as possible. By providing the necessary materials to consolidate visitors learning experience with us, alongside ease of access, we will be able to appeal to and encourage participation with a greater audience, including schoolchildren, disabled and special educational needs groups.