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Double win for the LVI team at Paignton Zoo

The Lower Vertebrate and Invertebrate team at Paignton Zoo have been awarded not just one, but two, prestigious SILVER awards at this year’s BIAZA Awards.

The first of these was for the first successful zoo breeding of the critically Endangered Nguru pygmy chameleon, with the second being awarded to Paignton Zoo’s innovative invertebrate house, ‘Bugs at Home’.

BIAZA is an organisation that represents the UK’s best zoos and aquariums and their annual awards highlight and celebrate the innovations and successes of the past year. We’re thrilled that in amongst the challenges and set backs of the past year and a half, the great work of our staff has been recognised at a national level.

Steve Nash; Curator of Birds, Lower Vertebrates, and Invertebrates said: “The last year and a half have been exceptionally difficult for everyone, so we’re extremely pleased to receive these awards as they highlight two great achievements by our staff here at Paignton Zoo.  Our award for breeding the chameleons illustrates the incredible expertise and dedication of our team. As a result of this success, we can now say that we have a much better understanding of how this critically endangered species lives and breeds; information we can put to good use to inform future conservation efforts in their native range.“

As well as providing fantastic welfare for our invertebrates, Bugs at Home has also proven itself a huge success with our guests. It’s only a small building, but it’s a beautiful, engaging space that delivers a clear message on why conservation is something we can all get involved with, allowing visitors to see spiders, stick insects, ants and more in a whole new light. Creating the exhibit was a real team effort, and this award is a huge credit to everyone involved.