Dartmoor Zoo achieves mark of excellence
As of 17/03/2026, Dartmoor Zoo achieved a mark of excellence in zoos and aquariums, attaining BIAZA Accredited status. This accreditation demonstrates reaching the world class standards set by the body for the best zoos and aquariums in the UK and Ireland, confirming that Dartmoor Zoo ranks among the top zoos and aquariums in the country.
Dartmoor Zoo is among the first to be accredited in the new scheme which has been launched by BIAZA. The comprehensive accreditation process includes screenings by industry experts, questionnaires and plenty of documented evidence. The process goes above and beyond the UK/Ireland’s zoo licensing inspection and marks the extra efforts of good zoos and aquariums in providing the very best in animal care and recognises their work to create a better planet for animals and people.
CEO Dr David Gibson commented: “As CEO I am delighted and proud that Dartmoor Zoo has been awarded Accredited Status by BIAZA. This is due recognition for the highly professional way that our zoo is run and managed and places Dartmoor Zoo among the very best Zoo’s in the country. The accreditation process was rigorous and left no stone un-turned, examining every aspect of the way the Zoo is operated and how we care for the welfare of the animals in our care. The report highlighted our outstanding Education, Research and Conservation work as well as the focus we have placed on assessing the welfare and health of our animals including the training regime we have in place to ensure veterinary procedures, such as annual vaccinations, are carried out. The membership standards required by BIAZA gone above and beyond those of the Zoo Licencing Act and are amongst the strictest standards for Zoo’s globally.”
- The birth of Zeya: 1 of only 15 Critically Engaged Amur Leopards born globally in 2025!
- The implementation of animal training: Bringing practices such as vaccinations internally. Not only does this raise the skillset of our keeper team but results in better animal welfare by avoiding potentially negative experiences and instead, offers being with a familiar team and receiving positive reinforcements.
In 2023, BIAZA zoos and aquariums collectively welcomed 32 million visitors, whose visits supported 1650 conservation projects, 1.2 million educational sessions and 1,346 research projects. These ranged from conserving elephants in Nigeria to reintroducing harvest mice here in the UK and providing schools with camera traps to explore our native wildlife.