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| 6.00pm | April - Sept. |
| 5.00pm | Oct. & March |
| 4.30pm | Nov. - Feb. |
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Zoo News
Response to Land Sale Decision
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is extremely disappointed in the outcome of the Special Meeting of the Planning Committee held last night to discuss the Edinburgh City Local Plan.
The RZSS Council will consider the implications of this decision and will seek the earliest possible meetings with the City of Edinburgh Council. The RZSS has initiated a multi million pound development plan to create a world class zoo and visitor destination.
Iain Valentine, Head of Animals, Education and Conservation said “The decision not to support the Masterplan for future development of Edinburgh Zoo puts in question our entire conservation, research and education programme.”
Given the encouragement that we have received from the City of Edinburgh Council and that the
officers recommended to the planning committee to promote the release of land for residential
development, this decision is surprising.
Ends
Editor’s Notes
• A feasibility study revealed that the land to the west of the Zoo was surplus to the animal needs of the proposed new collection and was in contravention of the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) due to its steep gradient making it an area visitors could not use.
• Any profit made from housing developments would be channelled back into the Zoo to
help it realise its aim of becoming a world class visitor attraction with the potential to bring in
an estimated £1billion to the economy of Edinburgh & Lothian over the next 20 years.
• It is estimated that Edinburgh Zoo’s Masterplan would cost approximately £72
million.
• The Masterplan will see the Zoo split into four separate biomes; Tropical Forests,
Woodlands, Grasslands and Oceans & Wetlands. The species housed in these biomes will reflect
these habitats:
Tropical Forests: chimpanzee, monkeys, orang-utan, rainbow lorikeet
Woodlands: koala, Amur tiger, Asiatic lion
Grasslands: giraffe, Indian rhino, cheetah
Oceans & Wetlands: manatees, penguins, sea otters
• We would give our visitors an exciting and inspirational experience explaining the key
messages about the impact of global warming and loss of biodiversity. We would do this by linking
the endangered species that we care for in Edinburgh with the conservation that we carry out in
their natural habitats around the world.
• We would continue to support and enable serious research to be undertaken both in the
wild and at Edinburgh Zoo, thus promoting the conservation of rare species throughout the
world.
• The new exhibits will not only create innovative and natural environments for our
animals, but will also provide high standards of visitor interpretation and interactivity.
• Edinburgh Zoo welcomes over 650,000 visitors a year, and is the second top paid
tourist attraction in Scotland.
• Edinburgh Zoo extends over 82 acres of sloping parkland, three miles from Edinburgh
Zoo city centre; the site was bought in 1911, with help from the local council for the sum of
£17,000.
• Edinburgh Zoo is a registered charity no. SC 004064
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