Our mission
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is a wildlife conservation charity with a bold vision: a world where nature is protected, valued and loved.
Our mission is to save wildlife and empower people in Scotland and around the world to protect, value and love nature. But we cannot achieve this alone, our vision needs an inspired and empowered worldwide community to join together and help us to achieve our pledges.
Read our 2024 impact report
Reverse the decline of at least 50 species
By 2030, working in Scotland and across the world, RZSS will reverse the decline of at least 50 species – from pine hoverflies and wildcats in the Cairngorms National Park to chimpanzees in Uganda, giant anteaters in Brazil and many more.
Our work with beavers, pine hoverflies and wildcats is just the beginning for native wildlife, and our longstanding collaboration with the Budongo Conservation Field Station in Uganda is a prime example of our global conservation work.
In our conservation genetics lab, RZSS WildGenes, our team of experts use genetic data to generate conservation action for threatened species across the globe. By working collaboratively and sharing valuable genetic tools and data, we aim to provide long-term conservation management.
How we will evidence the species recovery processCreate stronger connections with nature for more than a million people
Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park are our gateways to the natural world through which people can experience nature. They can learn about the challenges facing wildlife and discover how we use our expertise in conservation science and animal care to save species from extinction.
Our zoos will be the cornerstones of this pledge, with hundreds of thousands of people visiting both the zoo and the wildlife park. Each visit is an opportunity to create stronger bonds between people and nature.
It is crucial to make nature more accessible because people protect and value what they love and understand. Through our zoos, they can learn about the challenges facing wildlife and how they can support us in saving species from extinction.
Enable more than 100 communities to better protect nature
Stronger communities have a greater capacity to care for wildlife – and through our zoos and our global reach we can help people realise the mental and physical health and wellbeing benefits of being close to nature.
Volunteering allows people to connect to their community and make it an even better place. Our volunteers play an integral part in engaging visitors with our zoos and connecting them with nature. The volunteer programme helps to support volunteers through different points in their lives – enhancing their life and employability skills as well as health and wellbeing.
Everything we achieve is due to the unique strength of the RZSS family – our teams, supporters and partners
Now is the time to work more collaboratively than ever before, to ensure everyone recognises the true value of nature and its crucial role in our health, wellbeing and happiness.
Now is the time to inspire and empower people and communities to love and protect nature for today, tomorrow and generations to come.
Thank you for all that you do for wildlife and nature.
Read our 2030 strategy in full