Fota’s Objective
Zoos and wildlife parks care for a number of animal species which are in danger of extinction. Through breeding programmes that are run cooperatively between institutions they help to restore the population. Fota Wildlife Park participates in the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP) for several different species in which the captive populations might make a difference to the species' survival. However, no amount of effort within the wildlife park is worth it if it does not help the survival of wildlife in the wild.
The animals in Fota Wildlife Park represent all of Earth's continents and ecosystems. Through these ‘ambassadors’ we explain the way they live, why they are special, and the threats to their native habitats. Because conservation is something that anyone can contribute to, we feel that visitors to Fota Wildlife Park can help us in our broader aims.
Fota Wildlife Park also works with University College Cork on research projects that involve conservation.
The video above is courtesy of UCC. Professor John O'Halloran, Head of the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES) in University College Cork, talks about the incredible opportunities for research at UCC in conjunction with the park.
