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Jesús Fernández: “Without zoos the Biodiversity crisis would be much worse”

A few years ago there were only 1,200giant pandasleft and this species was one of the most threatened in the planet. Currently, their population has reached 2,000 individuals. Out of the five differentrhinospecies on Earth, the white rhino has the largest popullation, concentrated mainly in the south of Africa, and reaching over 20,000 indivuduals. These are only two projects in which theParques Reunidos Foundationis activily collaboration in order to protect and preserve species which would otherwise be sentenced to extinction.

“Maybe one of the most important problems that humanity is currently facing is the loss of biodiversity, and we area all allies in protecting it. In an increasingly urban world which is loosing its connection with nature, zoos are key social actors in preserving biodiversity”

Jesús Fernández – President, Parques Reunidos Foundation

Such were Jesús Fernández’s words during the first Biodiversity & Species Conservation Experts Focus Group meeting, lauched by this very Foundation topromote a greater collaboration between different institutions, as well as tofoster and strengthen the role of zoosas key actors in the biodiversity effort. Fernández has a Ph.D. in Veterinary Sciences from the UAB and is the President of the Parques Reunidos Foundation.

Թ FOUNDATION’S COMMITMENT TOWARDS CONSERVATION

It’s not without its reasons that ecosystem conservation and the protection of threatened species are at the center of Parques Reunidos Foundation’s activities. In fact, without the work performed at zoos, the current biodiversity crisis would be much worse. Fernández reminds us that zoos collaborate very actively in a variety of animal conservation initiatives, both in situ and ex situ, and with projects such as the Mediterranean Monk Seal program or the Giant Panda reproduction program. Their role is to provide with technical and human support, an to contribute in preserving nature, forests and other protected areas where these species live.

The President of the Parques Reunidos Foundation also pointed out theexceptional atmosphere during the first Expert Focus Group meeting, which will continue its work during the next few months. Its objective, he stated, is to develop a critical and accurate opinion from the outside “knowing what people think of us and how we can improve”, strengthening the Foundation’s commitment with society and with the environment in line with the “Parques Reunidos’ Spirit. “We are commited and decided to take the commitment further”.

For this reason, Fernándezis sorry to see the role of zoos undermined by other debates related to the environment and to animal exploitation. “Zoos share a social concern about conservation of biodiversity and we want to collaborate in the most active and efficient way with all other institutions, in order to work together for the same goal”, claims the President of the Parques Reunidos Foundation.

BIODIVERSITY EXPERTS FOCUS GROUP

The Biodiversity Experts Focus Group is formed by:

  • Enrique Alonso, Permanent Member of Spanish State Council;Chair on Spatial Design and the Environment; Honorary Researcher at theand the Monterey International Institute of California;
  • Alberto Díez,ǰDz;
  • Pablo Fernández de Larrinoa, Director of theMediterranean Monk Seal Conservation Program;
  • Jesús Fernández, President of the;
  • Luis Mariano González, head of Conservation Action at the General Sub-directorate on Biodiversity and Natural Environment,Ministry for Ecological Transition;
  • Pedro Lorenzo, Dean of the;
  • Xavier Manteca, Professor, Animal and Food Science Department,, and the group’s moderator;
  • Odile Rodríguez de la Fuente, General Director and President of theFundación Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente;
  • Julián Santiago, Research Professor at the;
  • Andrea Torres, biologist for InfoZoos;
  • Felipe Vilas, President of the.

At the international level, theEuropean Unionhas pointed out that the knowledge about biodiversity must be a starting point to establish policies that would foster its protection. Within the framework of theStrategy for Biodiversity until 2020, the EU recognizes that the loss of biodiversity entails -along with climate change- the greatest environmental threat that we face today. For this reason, the EU has set a main goal in this strategy, which isto stop the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystems within the European Union, as well as increasing the EU contribution to fighting global biodiversity loss.