‘There are many zoos I would like to see closed’: Zoo chief plans shake up

He has loved zoos all his life, but would close many of them down if he could.

David Field, who this month became head of the world’s zoo industry group, said of zoos that treat animals badly: “It makes me feel desperate. I’ve probably in my life tried to close down more zoos than open them.” MPs call for release of 15 penguins ‘trapped’ at London aquarium Read more

He’s taken up the mantle of keeping the world’s zoos in check at an interesting time, when their role in modern society is the subject of heated debate, with rows about lonely gorillas or penguins kept in a basement seem to erupt every week. Keeping wild animals solely for entertainment purposes was socially acceptable some decades ago, but there are now far more concerns for their welfare and the conservation objective