Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Thursday, November 14, 2013

Official Report 874KB pdf

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Edinburgh Zoo

The next item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-07752, in the name of Colin Keir, on 100 years of conservation, research and education at Edinburgh zoo. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament commemorates the centenary of Edinburgh Zoo, which was opened by Thomas Gillespie, founder of The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) in July 1913 and which remains the only zoological park in the UK to have a Royal Charter; notes what it considers the varied programme of events planned to commemorate the centenary year, including exhibitions, lectures and interactive events for children and adults; considers that the legacy of Thomas Gillespie has been continued into the 21st century, with Edinburgh Zoo a world-recognised centre of conservation for threatened domestic and international species, undertaking projects such as the Scottish Beaver Trial, the Pantanal Conservation and Research Initiative, the Cairngorm Wildcat Project Nyungwe Ecology Project, African Wild Dog Conservation, Water Vole Conservation, the Budongo Conservation Field Station and the Henderson Island Restoration Project; commends the in-the-field research and what is considered the highly significant international conservation work that the RZSS undertakes, most notably, the China/UK Giant Panda Project, a world-first research project to reintroduce giant pandas into the wild; considers that Edinburgh Zoo has a particular focus on education and has, as such, garnered an international reputation for excellence in the study of animals and their environments both in captivity and in the wild, with teams of experts working at the vanguard of scientific research to further investigate applied conservation genetics, population management, veterinary science, animal behaviour, ecology and nutrition, and understands that the design of the animal enclosures, which were originally based on the idea of the open zoo at Hamburg designed by Carl Hagenbeck, are constantly evolving in line with the continually expanding knowledge of physical and psychological animal welfare.

12:33

I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to introduce this debate.

For 100 years, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland has maintained a park to the west of the city of Edinburgh, in Corstorphine. The vision for a new zoological park in Edinburgh came from Thomas Gillespie, who was an Edinburgh lawyer. In 1908, after a number of years of thought, Gillespie was inspired to take forward his dream by two events. He read an article that described the fine new animal park at Stellingen, near Hamburg, which was run by Carl Hagenbeck, and then the highly successful Scottish national exhibition of industry, science and art was held at Saughton park, which is in the west of the city, not far from where the zoo is now. That seemed to be the proof that Gillespie required at the time. He said:

“people here would patronise a place of open-air resort if it were presented to them on attractive lines.”

With the formation of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland in 1909, Gillespie had the mechanism to persevere with his vision, but it was not always plain sailing. Public subscription was slow to pick up, and help had to be provided by Edinburgh Town Council and others. After an extensive list of possible locations had been drawn up, the estate of Corstorphine hill house was offered to the society for the princely sum of £17,000.

I am sorry to interrupt, Mr Keir, but I must ask the guests in the public gallery to please desist from conversations as they leave.

The society did not have the sole purpose of being a zoo. Its purposes included advancing research and education, which has remained as a driving force today.

Although some animals had been acquired, others were loaned out by the owner of a private collection of animals, Mr G H Tyrwhitt-Drake of Maidstone—a fine name, I must say. Stories about the arrival of the animals at Corstorphine railway station are rather funny and I encourage everyone to read the story of Edinburgh zoo by Thomas Gillespie, in which he describes the movement of the animals from the railway trucks to the zoo. The zoo was opened as the Scottish national zoological park to the general public on 22 July 1913.

The zoo has many wonderful stories from the past century, including how it survived two world wars, the depression, the granting of a royal charter, and Luftwaffe bombing. The zoo has had many famous residents: Wojtek, the Polish army bear; Mercedes, the polar bear; king penguin Sir Nils Olav, who is the colonel-in-chief of the Royal Norwegian Guard; and the very famous Tian Tian and Yang Guang, the giant pandas from China. Theirs are great stories, one and all. However, there is so much more to the zoo and the zoological society.

John Muir, the Scots-born naturalist, once said:

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”

As a leader in science-based conservation, the society works here in Scotland and internationally to support local communities so that they have the chance to live and learn alongside nature. There are flagship international projects such as the Budongo conservation project in Uganda, which deals with forest conservation and primate research. One of the stories from that project is absolutely wonderful. More than 100 ex-hunters have been given breeding goats as an alternative to snaring animals. Work is also being done in the Brazilian Pantanal, the largest freshwater wetland in the world, which is being threatened by development and change in land management practices. Much of that work is helping conservationists to trace numbers and gain knowledge of the little-known and threatened giant armadillo.

The society and the zoo do not just work internationally. There is also the initiative known as the Caledonian ark, which has the mission of preserving our native species. In Scotland, the society runs the Highland wildlife park, and much of the work that is being done there is part of the nationwide programme to save the Scottish wildcat.

The society is implementing a series of projects that combine the potential for public education and breeding of, reintroduction of and research into native species that have been or are under threat. Among the other highlights, the society is the lead partner in the Scottish beaver trial at Knapdale in Argyll. That was the first licensed mammal reintroduction programme ever to take place in the United Kingdom. The project consists of four beaver families, and its purpose is to assess how reintroduction affects the local environment and tourism. Education programmes are being run alongside the trial with an education officer on site to provide guided tours. As far as I can gather, monitoring of the project will end next May, the Scottish Government will collate the research results, and the results will be known in 2015.

Those are just the highlights of what is happening right now, but there must be ambitions, particularly in education. The creation of a multifaceted nature discovery centre that provides a 21st century visitor experience is the way forward. The society’s chief executive officer, Chris West, has had to leave the public gallery but some of his colleagues are still there. He said:

“The discovery centre will be a combination of science centre, mini-zoo, early-learning centre, exhibition space and tropical house, focused upon connecting people with conservation and action.”

I wonder what Thomas Gillespie would think of Edinburgh zoo and the society. It is not just a patch of land on Corstorphine hill: it is way beyond that. It is a zoo that is globally respected for its research, conservation and education, and it is second only to Edinburgh castle as a tourist attraction, providing many millions of pounds to the Scottish economy, particularly the Edinburgh economy.

From an Edwardian vision, through some tough times, we have what we have today. The zoo has a great century behind it and many more years ahead of it. What we require is more education and more conservation, especially if mankind continues to pressurise the natural environment.

The zoo and the society are global institutions—international in outlook with an eye to the local. Their work here in Scotland is every bit as important as their international work. I wish the society team led by chairman Jeremy Peat and chief executive officer Chris West, the staff and members my congratulations. I hope that they have many more successful years ahead.

Thank you very much, Mr Keir. Once again, I apologise for the interruption to your speech.

12:40

I thank Colin Keir for bringing to the chamber the motion to celebrate 100 years of conservation, research and education at Edinburgh zoo. Edinburgh zoo has much to be proud of and its centenary is only one of its many accomplishments. I am proud to rise today in support of the motion to honour 100 years of conservation, research and education at the zoo because of how important its work is to conservation efforts in Scotland and around the world.

When the zoo was opened in 1913 by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s founder, Thomas Gillespie, the RZSS was only four years old, but the zoo’s reputation and prestige grew over time to make it a prime tourist destination for Edinburgh and Scotland.

In addition to being the only zoological park in the United Kingdom to have a royal charter, Edinburgh zoo prides itself on its size, popularity and leadership in the conservation community. Furthermore, the RZSS uses the zoo’s centre of conservation for threatened domestic and international species as a platform for its various wildlife protection programmes.

One of those programmes is the Pantanal conservation and research initiative, which focuses on preserving the Pantanal wetlands—the world’s largest freshwater wetlands—which are located in Brazil and parts of Bolivia. The zoo attaches importance to that project due to the rich biodiversity that is threatened by development programmes and changes in land management practices. However, the lessons learnt in conservation practices from the Pantanal wetlands are not isolated to that ecosystem—in fact, they are principles of wildlife preservation internationally.

Of course, the most popular venture by the RZSS is the China-UK giant panda project—a partnership with the Wolong panda breeding centre in Sichuan province, China, with the goal of reintroducing pandas into the wild. In the collective efforts to preserve, protect and rebuild panda habitats in the area, the RZSS remains active in Sichuan province following the 8.0 magnitude earthquake that hit the area in 2008. In return, China has loaned two giant pandas to the UK—one of only three pairs in all of Europe—which the RZSS can study and research, all with the goal of protecting this wildly endangered species. The project is particularly popular among the 600,000 annual visitors to Edinburgh zoo who flock to see the increasingly rare giant pandas.

Although the RZSS focuses its conservation efforts abroad, it is also concerned with wildlife preservation here in Scotland. One significant project is the Cairngorms wildcat project, which runs in partnership with the RZSS and several other Scottish organisations and seeks to protect and preserve the Scottish wildcat. The Scottish wildcat, which is often called the Highland tiger, is an endangered species for a variety of reasons. Interactions with domestic and feral cats have been devastating to the Scottish wildcat. Activities that are occurring as part of the project include increasing the number of vaccinations and neuterings that are being performed in areas surrounding the Cairngorms national park and working with land managers to ensure that predator control is wildcat friendly.

The RZSS’s Scottish beaver trial programme is another conservation effort that is being housed at Edinburgh zoo. The project’s aim is to decide whether beavers should be reintroduced into Scotland since being hunted to extinction in the 16th century. Beavers are a keystone species, which means that their presence is an indicator of other kinds of life in their environment. Because of their feeding and damming practices, they are able to create ponds and wetlands that attract other species, develop biodiversity and even improve water quality. However, reintroducing beavers without properly monitoring the process could also be harmful to the environment, so it is important to study the issue carefully.

In order to be closer to wildcats, beavers and many other species of animal that roam the Scottish Highlands, the RZSS opened the Highland wildlife park at Kingussie, right in the middle of the Cairngorm national park. The Highland wildlife park serves as a tourist destination for Highland visitors and an educational institution for schoolchildren of all ages. Lessons range from tours for pre-schoolers to research days and full-on lectures for secondary school pupils and older.

Through various hands-on workshops, such as its touch-and-feel session with the skins and skulls of animals, the park works with students who have assisted learning needs. The Highland wildlife park’s emphasis on education is a testament to the mission of the RZSS, which is:

“To inspire and excite our visitors with the wonder of living animals, and so to promote the conservation of threatened species and habitats.”

Edinburgh zoo and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland have a lot to be proud of. From research and education initiatives to active engagement in worldwide conservation efforts, it is impossible not to see the RZSS’s impact in the past century. Happy birthday to Edinburgh zoo and here’s to the next 100 years.

12:45

I thank Colin Keir for bringing this subject to Parliament for debate.

When we consider its origins, it is hard to envisage Edinburgh zoo and its associated conservation projects without the drive and vision of Thomas Gillespie, of whom we have just heard. It is only right that, when celebrating the success of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, we record our gratitude and appreciation for his efforts. His determination in setting up the society is quite inspiring, especially when we bear in mind that an earlier zoo that was set up in Edinburgh had failed.

I was interested to note that one of the biggest barriers back then to establishing a zoo was the inclement weather, which was

“considered unsuitable for exotic beasts.”

As a not-so-exotic beast who also struggles slightly with the weather, I have some sympathy with their plight. Joking aside, the continued success and scale of work that is done by the zoo is great testament to Thomas Gillespie’s efforts.

It strikes me that this 100-year celebration is an opportunity to raise the profile of the Royal Zoological Society and the scale and breadth of the conservation and research work that it carries out. Some of the projects and research that are going on are fascinating and I am sure that they would be of interest to a lot of people. I refer in particular to the strides that are being made in veterinary science.

In preparation for this debate, I read all about minimal invasive surgery on wildlife, which is perhaps more familiarly known as keyhole surgery. It is a significant, ground-breaking area of research. Quite simply, the less invasive the surgery, the easier the recovery and the lower the chance of post-surgical complications. The same applies to humans. That work has led to, among other things, keyhole surgery to remove the gall bladders of Asiatic black bears in south-east Asia. That is all quite extraordinary when we consider that it was not that long ago that keyhole surgery on humans was pretty cutting edge.

Of course, not all of the work that is done by the RZSS is so far flung and exotic. One of the most familiar projects, which we have just heard about, is the Scottish beaver trial, which is an interesting example of how research can be used. Given that beavers tend to adapt their surroundings, there is the potential to attract more species and provide food sources for other animals. Accordingly, the implications of the trial and what it means for other species and the environment are significant. It also goes to show that the benefits of the RZSS are not limited to Edinburgh or to the species that the project is specifically designed to study. The beaver project will undoubtedly bring tourists and, with them, opportunities for local businesses, all of which I am sure will be very welcome.

All those projects contribute to the Royal Zoological Society’s overall mission of raising awareness of conservation—that is what is so important about zoos—and encouraging an interest in rare and endangered animals and an appreciation of wildlife. As members have noted, one of the key success stories in that regard has been the zoo’s work with pandas. Why did Edinburgh zoo get the pandas? It was because it was so successful. Many of us are now familiar—perhaps overly so—with the mating rituals of those wonderful creatures. Indeed, Edinburgh zoo’s pandas are the only celebrity couple in whose sex life it is acceptable to take a keen interest.

One of the key reasons why the zoo was able to attract the pandas was its reputation in veterinary science. Accordingly, I hope that the Royal Zoological Society continues to capture the interest of the public and encourage a future generation of vets, conservationists and naturalists to come forward. Furthermore, I hope that this debate and the attention that these 100th birthday celebrations bring will deliver some of the recognition that Thomas Gillespie deserves for his incredible contribution to the city of Edinburgh and conservation worldwide.

12:49

I congratulate Colin Keir on securing the debate and declare from the outset that my speech will be a completely panda-free zone.

I lived just over the hill from the zoo—note that it is “I lived” and not “I am”—and so I was a frequent visitor there in my youth. I commend it for the transition from holding big animals in captivity—the polar bear and so on—to conservation. The Victorian and Edwardian concept of a zoo as a collection—as if animals were non-sentient objects—has gone, at least from Edinburgh zoo. Perhaps only the colony of penguins, which seem to be as happy as Larry, is a highly visible legacy of that past and of the great whalers who brought penguins to the zoo and who sailed with Christian Salvesen. Indeed, like the penguins, the Salvesen family, which might not thank me for the comparison, still has strong connections with the zoo.

I have connections of an entirely different kind with the zoo. Here is my zoo story, so bear with me. In around 2000, I was a member of the zoo, so when my mother died and my brother Tony and I were commissioned by the family to find a venue for her funeral tea, we bypassed the usual hotels and halls and plumped for the mansion house—the members’ house—which is slap bang in the middle of the zoo. My mother’s whole life had been devoted to family—children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren—and we thought that the zoo was an appropriate choice for her funeral tea.

The funeral itself, as you would expect, was very hard going, with many tears. To compound that, it was a beautiful and warm late April day, with clear blue skies and blossom everywhere. After the service, to mourners’ surprise, we asked them to assemble in the zoo car park and then to go on to the members’ gate at the top. There, I announced to the attendant that we were the funeral party. He skimmed his eyes over this troop draped in black and said “I think I worked that out,” which broke through the gloom.

Hearts lightened, we sashayed past the meerkats, who took a good look at us, as did the usual tourists, and we then had a grand buffet in the mansion house, with its splendid view over Edinburgh to the Pentlands. When the children had had enough, their parents took them on a tour of the zoo. “Some funeral party!” I thought; it was inspired and a real tribute to mum’s endless kindness, especially to children.

Well, whisky flowed and though one or two people drifted off, the hard core of the family dallied late into the afternoon, finally straggling down the hill past the somewhat startled flamingos. It was, indeed, very quiet except for the sounds of the animals and birds, but for some reason—perhaps it was the whisky—we did not notice. Then a chap flew past us on his bike, almost a blur apart from his checked breeks. We thought nothing of it and dallied even longer in the late sun, admiring the animals on our casual descent. Man on bike reappeared breathless, having pedalled furiously back up the hill. “Are you the funeral party?” he asked. Well, we were used to this and smiled and confirmed, “Yes, we are the funeral party.” “Well, I’m the cook,” he said, “and you’re locked in the zoo. It’s closed.” Of course, he fetched some keys from somewhere, but I like to think to this day that it would have confirmed to mum what a daft bunch of folk she had raised.

So, you see, Colin Keir: in the list of events and attractions that you said the zoo offers, funeral teas—and the whisky and consequences thereof—were omitted.

12:55

“Follow that”, as they say. Christine Grahame’s speech illustrates the extent to which the zoo is very much part of Edinburgh life and culture. It goes well beyond conservation in its functions.

I am sorry that there is not a larger gathering of members in the chamber to hear the speeches, because they were very interesting. I thank Colin Keir for bringing the subject for debate.

Edinburgh zoo is a fantastic asset for Scotland and it plays a very important role in conservation, which I hope to expand on. First, however, I should wish the zoo a happy anniversary on its 100th year of operation. The zoo is operated by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and is one of Scotland’s most successful and beloved visitor attractions, as members have said. Many generations of Scots have enjoyed visits to the zoo in the 100 years since it opened; I count myself and my son among them. No doubt many members of the public in the gallery have also attended the zoo.

The zoo now welcomes more than 600,000 visitors each year and has more than 1,000 animals in its collection, including many rare and endangered species. However, Edinburgh zoo is much more than a successful visitor attraction; it is a leading centre in Europe for conservation, education and research, and has been at the forefront of new approaches that have focused on improving the welfare of the animals in its care. It works collectively with many other zoos and conservation agencies in the UK, Europe and around the world in co-ordinated conservation programmes, to help to ensure the survival of many species that are under threat.

Because Edinburgh zoo’s work is low profile and does not generate headlines, many people will be unaware of its quality and importance, which is why this debate is so important. Last year, for example, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland received an award from the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums for its breeding and conservation work with the critically endangered Polynesian tree snail, which I was not aware of, I must confess. The snail, many species of which are sadly extinct in the wild, is being reintroduced to Tahiti. That demonstrates the zoo’s international role in helping other societies deal with biodiversity issues.

The RZSS was also highly commended for its groundbreaking work on and advances in zoo and wildlife medicine—including the surgery that Cameron Buchanan touched on—which demonstrate the welfare advantages of keyhole surgery to assess and treat gall bladder and liver disease in Asiatic black bears, which result from the illegal bile-farming trade in Cambodia and Vietnam.

Edinburgh zoo and the Highland wildlife park, which is also operated by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, are part of a European network of zoos under the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria. With 345 member institutions across 41 countries, the association operates a two-tier breeding programme, a European studbook and a programme for endangered species. Staff at the zoo and the wildlife park manage no fewer than 12 studbooks under those programmes, covering species such as the gentoo penguin and the west African crowned crane.

The zoo supports a wide range of targeted research projects over six key areas: conservation genetics, ecology, nutrition, population management, behavioural research and veterinary research. For example, it carries out applied research and collaboration projects on various aspects of zoo animal nutrition.

My colleague Alex Salmond, the First Minister, recently met Professor Chris West and Professor Jeremy Peat, respectively the chief executive and chair of the board of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. At that meeting, the First Minister conveyed the Scottish Government’s support for the society’s work—in particular, its contribution to global giant panda conservation.

In September this year, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and Edinburgh zoo, the proud custodians of Tian Tian and Yang Guang, also successfully hosted the giant panda research symposium, which was attended by some of the world’s top scientists and researchers. Those experts came together for the first time to discuss and formulate a five-year plan of action for global panda research and breeding. The plan will have significant implications for how giant pandas are cared for in China and in zoos around the world.

As part of the 10-year loan agreement that brought Tian Tian and Yang Guang to Edinburgh zoo, the society is involved in a programme that will enable comprehensive research on and study of giant pandas to be conducted at Edinburgh zoo by dedicated keepers, researchers and others with expertise across a range of fields. The programme will create a series of joint projects with the zoological society and its China Wildlife Conservation Association partners, which will cover vital giant panda research areas such as embryology, immunology and veterinary medicine.

At the meeting, the First Minister also discussed the RZSS’s commitment to Scotland’s native species. The society is a valued member of the national species reintroduction forum, which advises on current and potential reintroduction projects for species that were once part of Scotland’s biodiversity, as well as providing a code of best practice for such reintroductions.

The RZSS and the Scottish Wildlife Trust are important players in the partnership that is running the Scottish beaver trial, which members have mentioned. The trial commenced in 2008 and is a five-year project that is being conducted at a site in Knapdale in Argyll. It aims to examine the suitability of the European beaver for reintroduction, on a national level, to the Scottish landscape, given the various challenges that Colin Keir and others have mentioned. I paid my own visit to the trial site at Easter. I was very impressed with the work that has been done there and—best of all—I was lucky enough to spot a beaver kit swimming in the wild in a Scottish loch. That was quite a thrill for me and for all those who were there to witness it.

The RZSS also provides vital support for the work that is going on in relation to the population of beavers that live in the Tay catchment. The society’s practical experience in animal handling and its veterinary and genetics work are adding greatly to our understanding and knowledge of the Tayside animals, which are from a different genetic line to those in the official Argyll trial.

The Trossachs water vole project, with which the RZSS is also closely involved, also commenced in 2008, in the Aberfoyle area of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs national park. The project has proved to be a great success, with water voles now breeding throughout suitable habitat areas along the Duchray Water and the Kelty Water and colonising many new sites up to 4km from their original release areas

In addition to its involvement in native species reintroduction, the RZSS is, as has been mentioned, also a key partner in the new Scottish wildcat action plan. Much is riding on the plan to safeguard the future of one of our most charismatic native wildlife species, of which we know far too little. The zoo is playing a huge role in helping us to understand it and the RZSS’s involvement has included funding and leading research to monitor Scottish wildcats on estates within the Cairngorms national park, as part of the Cairngorms wildcat project. The project, which is a partnership between a variety of interested organisations, was recognised for its innovation at this year’s prestigious nature of Scotland awards.

Moreover, the RZSS has been delivering, through its education team at the Highland wildlife park, a schools outreach programme featuring species such as the native Scottish wildcat. The park itself is a wonderful place for visitors to see that elusive and iconic creature, which is the only free-living native forest cat in the British isles. I understand that the park welcomed two new additions to its resident wildcat population earlier this year, so congratulate it on what is a particularly significant success, given the important role that Ness and Einich may play in future captive wildcat breeding projects for their reintroduction into the wild.

The Scottish Government would like to take this opportunity, for which I again thank Colin Keir, to recognise the many achievements of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and Edinburgh zoo, in the zoo’s centenary year. I certainly believe that the zoo will continue to meet and, indeed, to exceed its rather modest mission statement, and I hope that it continues to inspire and excite its visitors with the wonder of living animals and—as David Torrance, Colin Keir and Cameron Buchanan all mentioned—to connect people to wildlife and conservation. That is particularly important for children; indeed, I am glad to see so many children in the public gallery for this debate.

Finally, I hope and expect that the zoo will continue its excellent work to promote the conservation of threatened species and habitats both at home and abroad.

13:02 Meeting suspended.

14:00 On resuming—