A comprehensive investigation by the Born Free Foundation into the licensing and performance of zoos across the EU has revealed a systematic failure by governments, competent authorities and enforcement agencies to ensure that Europe's zoos are meeting their legal obligations to species conservation, public education and animal welfare. As a result, thousands of animals in hundred of zoos are being kept in poor to appalling living conditions.

The European Commission today welcomed the work of the Born Free Foundation and announced that it was to prepare a code of best practice for zoos across Europe.

ALDE MEP Chris Davies (Liberal Democrats, UK), who tabled an oral question in the Environment Committee in response to the EU Zoo Inquiry on what steps the Commission is taking to ensure a more effective implementation of the EU Zoo Directive, said:

"We have many excellent zoos but also hundreds that make no contribution towards the protection of species and where animals are kept in miserable conditions.  The problem stems more from ignorance than cruelty.

"No one wants to see animals that are suffering.  The Born Free Foundation has identified the extent of the failures and we must now work to ensure that standards in zoos everywhere are raised to match those of the best."

"The three year intensive research by the Born Free Foundation has shown the urgent need to raise the standards of many of our zoos not only in terms of improved living conditions for animals but also with regard to education and conservation. There is a real case for facilitating the exchange of best practices across Europe and for modernising the law."
 
Daniel Turner, spokesperson for the EU Zoo Inquiry, said:

“We have been very clear that The EU Zoo Inquiry is the first step towards positive change. We hope to secure the support of Member State Governments, together with that of the European Commission, to ensure enforcement agencies have the means to effectively enforce the law. Many animals in European zoos are suffering needlessly, and without assistance from the European Community the shameful problems we have found are likely to continue.”

ENDS

Note to editors:

The Born Free Foundation has conducted comparative studies of 200 zoos in 20 EU Member States to see how these countries have implemented the 2005 EU Zoo Directive and how they ensure that animal welfare, public education and conservation of biodiversity rules are properly enforced. The overall findings and recommendations of their report comparing the performance of each Member State have been published this week and can be found alongside individual country reports here:

http://www.bornfree.org.uk/campaigns/zoo-check/zoos/eu-zoo-inquiry/

ALDE MEP Bill Newton-Dunn (Liberal Democrats, UK), who is currently hosting the EU Zoo Inquiry Exhibition in the European Parliament, added: