Colwyn Bay zoo renamed the National Zoo of Wales

Dec 4 2008 by Richard Evans, North Wales Weekly News

COLWYN Bay’s Welsh Mountain Zoo has been made the National Zoo of Wales.

It is hoped the new status will heighten the zoo’s profile and comes with the backing of the Assembly, leading zoological societies and the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

The zoo’s former title was the Zoological Society of Wales and the change in the name of the charitable trust which owns and runs the zoo has been approved by both Companies House and the Charity Commission. The title of Welsh Mountain Zoo will remain.

Peter Gibson is chairman of the trustees and believed the new status would help the zoo establish itself as a centre of conservation and a tourist attraction.

“Having a high-profile national institution based in North Wales is not only an important recognition of the work carried out at the Welsh Mountain Zoo, but also a significant coup for the region. As well as being the focus for much important work in the fields of conservation and education, the Welsh Mountain Zoo is a flagship tourist attraction with huge potential for the future,” he said.

The zoo has several external projects hoping to safeguard the future of protected species in the wild, including a condor project in Ecuador as well as looking after British wildlife including red squirrels in Anglesey and the rehabilitation of grey and common seals.

Zoological director Nick Jackson explained the zoo was already a very important centre for the future protection of endangered species and hoped the new status would help the good work to continue.

“The Welsh Mountain Zoo works in cooperation with British, European and world zoos through managed breeding programmes for threatened and endangered species,” he said.

“The zoo also collaborates with Government and non-governmental agencies in supporting conservation initiatives in the wild.”

The achievement coincides with the launch of the bilingual website which can be viewed at www.welshmountainzoo.org