Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS)

Home
United Kingdom
Edinburgh
Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS)

Welcome to the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), the wildlife conservation charity 🐾
(272)

20/08/2026

WAZA’s Flash Newsletter- An exclusive interview with our Chief Executive Officer and President of WAZA, David Field

In this interview David reflects on leadership, integrity, conservation impact, animal welfare, population management and the evolving role of WAZA in an increasingly complex global landscape.

Across every topic discussed — from conservation and animal welfare to population management and community building — one message remains consistent: progressive zoos and aquariums achieve more when they work together. The most important point is that the animals remain at the heart of everything the community does. They are the inspiration behind the work, the reason for the ambition and the motivation to continue striving for a thriving future for species worldwide.

🔗Read the full article here (Issue #2) - https://www.waza.org/publications/

17/08/2026

A sneak peek at the amazing work our partners at Instituto de Conservação de Animais Silvestres - ICAS do! 🌿 Their team tracks wild giant anteaters to better understand and conserve these incredible animals.

One such anteater is Sandy, who, after months on the move, has now completed her dispersal and settled into a promising new area with great habitat. Now all fingers are crossed for the exciting possibility of a little pup on her back in the months ahead 💚

Find out more about giant anteater conservation here 🔗 rzss.org.uk/giant-anteater

16/08/2026

What does our part in saving a species from extinction look like? A lot of dedicated labwork! 🧬🔬

The RZSS WildGenes lab team works tirelessly on DNA extractions, including those needed to support the incredible reintroduction of scimitar-horned oryx into Chad.

And the results are something to celebrate: the reintroduced herd has now grown to 650 individuals 🦌🎉

Happy Scimitar-Horned Oryx Day 💚

Find out more about how we work with partners to support scimitar-horned oryx conservation in our blog 🔗 https://tinyurl.com/2s4anjsv

13/08/2026

It’s World Armadillo Day!

We are proud to support Instituto de Conservação de Animais Silvestres - ICAS and their work in protecting Brazilian biodiversity including the giant armadillo. ICAS use camera traps, radio transmitters, and biological material to learn more about the behaviours and health of these elusive animals.

The giant armadillo is the largest living species of armadillo and is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. ICAS has surveyed and mapped the distribution of three-banded armadillos across Brazil's Center-West region to support the development of a detailed conservation action plan for the species.

You can see five Southern three-banded armadillos at Edinburgh Zoo, with money from your ticket helping to support the work of ICAS to protect Brazilian biodiversity! 💚

🔗Learn more about their work here - https://www.rzss.org.uk/news/roll-roll-its-world-armadillo-day

12/08/2026

Happy World Youth Day! 🦁

Young people have the power to shape the future of our planet, and at RZSS we’re passionate about helping them discover their voices, develop new skills and become the conservationists of tomorrow 💚

From our Science Summer School and CAT programmes to our partnership with Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity, school visits, learning programmes and work experience, there are so many ways for young people to connect with wildlife and conservation at Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park.

Whether they’re learning about endangered species, getting hands-on with conservation, exploring careers in STEM or simply discovering a passion for nature, we’re proud to support the next generation of conservationists 🌿

Today, we’re celebrating all the young people who are already making a difference, and those who will help protect our planet in the years to come 🌍

11/08/2026

🐾 Excellent news from Saving Wildcats! 🐾

We’re celebrating new births at the Breeding for Release Centre and, in what could be a world first, we’ve also captured a wildcat giving birth on camera 🎥✨

This remarkable footage is more than just cute. It's an incredible resource, helping us learn more about these elusive cats and supporting vital conservation efforts.

None of this would be possible without the incredible support of our partners and funders. Thank you for helping make this important work possible 💚

10/08/2026

Calling all teachers! 🌿

Looking to boost your confidence in outdoor learning?

Join us for a free CLPL event and spend a half-day with our specialist conservation education team, with the chance to explore our sites independently in the afternoon🐾

Find out more about the day and book your free place:
🔗Edinburgh Zoo - https://shorturl.at/RXXj1
🔗Highland Wildlife Park - https://shorturl.at/SPUKk

07/08/2026

We recently had the pleasure of hosting Choir 21 at Edinburgh Zoo 🎵

Our friends from Down's Syndrome Scotland delivered an outstanding performance, ensuring that people with Down’s syndrome across Scotland are seen, heard, included, and celebrated 💛

We are very proud to be working together, and look forward to seeing where Choir 21 go next!

03/08/2026

Dreaming about having the keys to Edinburgh Zoo or Highland Wildlife Park for the day? 👀

With our adorable pygmy hippo calf born just a few days ago there’s never been a better time to visit! 🦛🥹

One lucky winner and three guests will spend a whole day behind the scenes meeting animals, enjoying lunch, staying overnight and taking home a year’s family membership✨

Every £5 entry helps support our vital wildlife conservation projects both here in Scotland and around the world 💚

🔗 www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/dream-animal-prize
Entries close at noon on Monday 31 August!

27/07/2026

Good news from the Pentlands! 🐌

Our first post-release monitoring survey found pond mud snails at all three of our selected sites following the release of around 3,700 individuals last October. As the species wasn't present in these ponds prior to this, we're confident they are from the reintroduced population 🎉

We'll continue monitoring the sites to track their progress and hope to see them thrive. A huge thanks to our partners and donors Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust, Scottish Wildlife Trust, NatureScot Nature Restoration Fund as well as Clive Walton, project ecologist, for their support that made it all possible!

Address

134 Corstorphine Road
Edinburgh
EH126TS

Telephone

+441313349171

Website

http://www.rzss.org.uk/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your organisation to be the top-listed Non Profit Organisation in Edinburgh?