Zoos in the South East say post-Brexit red tape threatening breeding programmes

Watch: Staff battling with post-Brexit red tape tell ITV News Meridian's Sarah Saunders that some of the rules make breeding programmes 'unworkable'

Zookeepers in the South East say post-Brexit red tape is threatening their work to protect endangered species.

They say importing animals from EU countries has become 'hugely complicated and time consuming' and are being blocked from importing them as breeding partners.

Breeding programmes at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park and Wingham Wildlife Centre are among those that have been affected by changes to the rules.

  • Markus Wilder, the curator of Wingham Wildlife Park

Markus Wilder, the curator of Wingham Wildlife Park in Kent, said: "It has become much more complicated. A lot of European zoos would be more interested in moving animals within Europe because they don't have all those added extras.

"It is just so much more difficult for us to get animals from outside the UK - but obviously within the UK there are only so many animals that can be moved around."

Orangutan brothers Malou and Hadir had to wait twice as long to be brought in from their from small enclosures in Switzerland, Credit: ITV News Meridian

At Port Lympne Wildlife Reserve, staff say orangutan brothers Malou and Hadir had to wait twice as long to be brought in from their from unsuitably small enclosures in Switzerland, because of Brexit red tape.

They added they have been waiting for over a year to bring in some animals for breeding programs.

Sophia Fagan from the reserve's partner charity, The Aspinal Foundation, says some post-Brexit conditions for animals such as rhino are simply unworkable.

She said: "Species like hoofstock are being required to go into a 30-day quarantine, which basically involves an animal being locked into a room that not even a bug has access to."

Staff say some post-Brexit conditions for animals such as rhino are simply unworkable. Credit: ITV News Meridian

Sophia added: "You can imagine with things like giraffe and rhino, it is hugely detrimental to their welfare."

According to the British and Irish Association of Zoos, there were around 1,400 animal transfers between zoos in the UK and the EU before Brexit. Last year there were around 271 animal transfers.

A Defra spokesperson said: “We are clear that the movement of zoo animals between the UK and EU should continue, and are engaging with them to agree a pragmatic resolution.”

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