Did you know that the Polar Bears Foundation is able to help polar bears in the wild thanks in part to AquaZoo?

Polar bears in the wild are struggling. There are now only 26,000 polar bears living worldwide. This number is expected to decline rapidly in the coming years as climate change reduces the size of their habitat, allowing them to find less food. AquaZoo is committed to polar bear conservation in three ways: by contributing to management programs, by raising public awareness through education and by supporting conservation projects.

Management Program

To ensure that the polar bear will not go extinct, AquaZoo participates in the European management programme. This programme owns the animals. Polar bears are therefore not owned by the zoos, nor can they be sold. The aim of this programme is to ensure healthy zoo populations of wild vulnerable or endangered species. If possible, animals from this programme can also be released into the wild. The coordinator of the polar bear management programme decides, together with a committee and with the help of a computer programme, where the polar bears will be placed and which polar bear can have cubs with which other polar bear. In this, AquaZoo has the task of taking in older polar bears and giving them a good old age.

Education

Also, through education and outreach, we hope to tell visitors more about the conditions of polar bears in the wild. We hope this will make them more aware of the need to protect the polar bear and its natural habitat - by taking measures that can combat climate change, for example.

Nature Conservation

AquaZoo is also committed to protecting polar bears in the wild. One of the ways we do this is by supporting Stichting Wildlife. This foundation is committed to various conservation projects, including Polar Bears International. This Canadian project focuses, among other things, on research into the living habits of polar bears and changes in the ice on which they live. In addition, Polar Bears International focuses on education about the polar bear and the climate, as the changing climate is one of the greatest threats to the polar bear.

Helping yourself

We also try to save as much energy as possible ourselves to combat climate change. Since 2017, Aquazoo has had the "Green Key" certificate; a seal of approval for sustainable businesses. You too can do something to help polar bears! For example, you yourself can try to use as little energy as possible. Ride your bike instead of your car, lower your heating and travel less, for example. You can also use sustainable energy such as solar panels.

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