Chester Zoo fears for future of wildlife

The Director General at Chester Zoo, Dr Mark Pilgrim, has warned that the predicted doubling of the human population of the next 40 years could have catastrophic effects on wildlife.

The zoo has just unveiled that it has a new pack of endangered Painted dogs (also known as African Hunting dogs) in an African-themed area and Dr Pilgrim believes that these are one of the species that could be under threat.

It’s the demand for space that Dr Pilgrim is most concerned about. He said that “The more we encroach into animal territory… the greater and more devastating the effects on the world’s biodiversity will be”.

Whilst he finds the whole situation “sad”, he believes that it lies with zoos to protect wildlife. He said that Chester Zoo could come into its own by enabling endangered species to thrive and making investments into the wild.

The introduction of the Painted dogs to the zoo means that Chester Zoo can now educate people about the important role these animals play in the wild and let more people gain an understanding and sympathy for the natural world. The seven dogs who are in the zoo’s exhibit will be protected from the threats in their home environments including diseases spread by domestic dogs, road traffic accidents and loss of suitable habitats.