International Women's Day

In recognition of International Women's Day, many organisations held events across the globe to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. In AnimalConcepts, we explore the topics of gender equality and equity, discrimination and female empowerment across all platforms, promoting inclusion and respect for all beings. 

BIAZA held a conference under the theme 'Women in Conservation', with speakers from institutions such as IUCN, Save the Rhino, Chester Zoo, Twycross Zoo, Paradise Wildlife Park and many more conservationists from the field. Max Norman, Animal Welfare and Conservation Coordinator at AnimalConcepts, attended the in-person event at Paradise Wildlife Park in the UK. Despite the cold weather and the surprise of snow here in South-East England, the event saw lovely a turnout of women – and several men! - from all over the country and beyond. 

We heard of the...

“Most people used to say, the Amazon is like the lung of the planet. I say it is like the heart. If you see the Amazon, you can see a heart and all the rivers are like veins. When you clog all these veins, the body is going to collapse. This is happening now."

Let us welcome Dr Fernando Trujillo, a marine biologist who is the Scientific Director of Foundation Omacha, an NGO he established in 1993 to promote the conservation of river species and their ecosystems in South America.

Fernando guides us through his studying history, achieving an MSc in Environmental Sciences (University of Greenwich) and a Doctorate in Zoology (University of Aberdeen) with the ambition of working with marine vertebrates. He was encouraged to work with dolphins in the Amazon. Although nervous, this place became his paradise so built his career around it. Fernando’s PhD allowed him to research Amazon River Dolphin behaviour, and habitat use and develop a technique to count them. From here, he...