Talking Conservation …
2016 Programme – February to July
We have some really great talks lined up for you in 2016 and hope you’ll find them interesting and
enjoyable. Our talks are planned to bring you up to date with the work your membership supports so if
there’s something you want to hear about, let us know. Just drop Kate a line with your ideas.
Wednesday 17th February at 7:30 pm
Celebrating 50 Years of Boris!
To celebrate 50 years of Boris the chimpanzee, we have a wonderful evening lined up for you to enjoy.
Claire Parry will kick off with a talk about Boris and his history at the Zoo and then Stuart Nixon, who
presented a great members’ talk in October 2015, will give an up to date report on our Gashaka Gumpti
programme where he will have spent the previous six weeks. We’ll also be auctioning some lovely Ape
art work and there will be a raffle and a fun ‘Guess the weight of the Giant Cuddly Chimp!’ Other
primate merchandise may be available too and, of course, this is a celebration so you’ll be able to
mingle at the end and chat with speakers, staff, fellow members and chimp enthusiasts over party food
and drink!
Claire Parry is the Assistant Team Manager on our Primate Section
Stuart Nixon is our Field Programme Coordinator
Other members of our Primate Team will be joining us for this special evening
Wednesday 2nd March at 7:30 pm
Get Connected!
Wildlife Connections is the theme of the zoo’s new campaign for UK Wildlife. We’re aiming to create a
network of skilled people and wildlife action to help reverse declines in UK wildlife, focusing on local
areas and community groups in Cheshire and North Wales. With a collection of familiar and charismatic
species to stimulate interest and training in wildlife recording and simple habitat actions, we hope the
campaign will create new connections between people and wildlife, and build links between existing
wildlife sites in the region. Through activities and displays in the zoo, free online resources, and
partnerships with other conservation organisations it promises to be a really exciting venture. Come
along to find out how you can be a part of it.
Sarah Bird is our Biodiversity Officer
Chris Sainsbury is the zoo’s Community Conservation Manager
Wednesday 20th April at 7:30 pm
The Silent Kingdom: An overview of Chester Zoo species
and programmes
Gerardo Garcia
Sometimes forgotten, sometimes thought of as dull, the Lower Vertebrate and Invertebrate kingdom is
one of the most fascinating and encompasses some of the most critically endangered species. We
might think of them as ‘little brown jobs’ but Gerardo Garcia will show you that they really are superstars
and that they all need a backbone to withstand the dangers that face them. The zoo supports a
number of projects and Gerardo will give you an update on these as well as introducing you to the zoo’s
own weird but wonderful superstars.
Gerardo Garcia is the zoo’s Curator of Lower Vertebrates and Invertebrates
Thursday 19th May at 7:30 pm
Madagascar Expedition
The Madagascar Expedition Team
In January 2016 a team of 12 staff from Chester Zoo travelled to Madagascar to a remote forest which
is home to the only remaining population of the Golden mantella frog (Mantella aurantiaca) – a
Critically Endangered species, measuring just 20 mm long. The team, made up of experts in amphibian
conservation, including our Director General, our Curator of Lower Vertebrates and Invertebrates and
members of our herpetology team, worked to survey and assess the situation for the frogs in the wild.
They worked to restore habitats, in particular the all-important breeding ponds being destroyed by local
mining activities.
As lemurs are endemic to Madagascar, members of the zoo’s primate team also joined the expedition,
running some of the first camera trap studies on the nine species of lemur believed to be present in the
forest, including the iconic Indri (Indri indri) and the more elusive and nocturnal Aye aye (Daubentonia
madagascariensis).
A member of our bird team worked to create the first bird list for this little studied, newly protected forest
and a member of our discovery and learning team visited local communities promoting the
local biodiversity of Madagascar and raising awareness of conservation issues both locally and
globally. This is the first time such an expedition has travelled to this area and the results will contribute
to the conservation and future action plans for these species, providing a sound basis for the
continuation of protection of this highly diverse forest.
Thursday 16th June at 7:30 pm
Islands and Beyond
Simon Mann
Now that Islands is completed, Simon will be bringing an evaluation of the project to you, looking at
what worked and what didn’t from the perspectives of visitors, project teams and Chester Zoo. He’ll
also be updating you with what’s happening next in Islands.
Simon will also be sharing the zoo’s masterplan development with you: what’s coming up, strategic
objectives, approach and challenges, our ultimate vision and timeframe for delivery. It’s all exciting
stuff.
Simon Mann is the zoo’s Development Director
Tuesday 12th July at 7:30 pm
The Return of the Native: the pine marten recovery
project
Dr Jenny MacPherson and David Bavin of the Vincent Wildlife Trust
The Vincent Wildlife Trust is currently carrying out a 2 year pilot to bring pine martens back to Wales
and Chester Zoo is a major partner in this initiative. This talk describes the progress to date and
discusses some of the challenges faced by the project, the first large scale carnivore restoration in the
UK.
Dr Jenny MacPherson is a zoologist with a background in research on the ecology and behaviour of a
range of mammal species including pine marten, dormice, red squirrel, hedgehog, water vole and mink.
She has been involved with species reintroduction programmes in the UK and Tanzania and joined the
Vincent Wildlife Trust in 2011. In 2014, Jenny became the Trust’s Pine Marten Project Manager and
now manages the Pine Marten Recovery Project in England and Wales.
David Bavin became involved with conservation ecology projects in Scotland, predominantly with
carnivores, after completion of a BSc in Zoology and MSc in Wildlife Biology. He joined the Vincent
Wildlife Trust in 2012 carrying out extensive survey work to detect the incredibly elusive pine marten,
advocating habitat assessment and improvement and promoting pine marten conservation in Wales. In
2014, David became project officer for the Pine Marten Recovery Project.
Members’ Talks, held in the Geraldine Russell Lecture Theatre (near the Zoo’s Main Entrance off the
A41), start at 7:30 pm and:
 are free to members (please bring your membership card and welcome letter)
 we offer a special rate of £2.00 to Adopters
 members of the public and guests are welcome (£3.50 for non-members)
 our Lecture Theatre seats up to 170
 post-talk refreshments give you the opportunity to have an informal chat with speakers, Zoo
staff and fellow members
Interested in attending? Please call Kate in Education on 01244 389444 or email
k.brankin@chesterzoo.org to book.