Dublin ZOONOOZ | 28th June 2025

From: Christoph Schwitzer
To: All Dublin Zoo Team Members
Date: 28th June 2025

Dear colleagues,
The summer season is well underway, and our Zoorassic Trail has taken over the Zoo once again. The prehistoric giants continue to instil wonder and excitement in our visitors, more than 300,000 of whom have already visited the exhibition. The combination of life-sized dinosaur models and real-life conservation stories is a powerful way to link past and present, reminding visitors that extinction is still a pressing issue, not just an ancient one.

We were delighted to welcome two special guests this week – Don Lessem, better known as “Dino Don”, and his wife Val, who run Dino Don Inc., the company that we are renting half of our dinosaur models from. As a leading dinosaur expert and advisor on major film projects, including Jurassic Park, Don’s visit was a highlight for both staff and guests. In addition to his participation in a panel discussion as part of our Zoorassic Trail Takeover evening events, Don met with colleagues across the Zoo and spent time on the trail, praising our interpretation efforts and the educational value of the exhibition. His enthusiasm was contagious, and it was a brilliant opportunity to see our
work through the eyes of someone so closely connected to the science and storytelling behind the dinosaurs.
In parallel, the Conservation Education Team recently wrapped up a successful community outreach project. Over five weeks, local families in Tallaght explored nature and conservation topics while building enrichment items for our big cats. On 23rd June, the families visited the Zoo to see their creations in use, with Max the Amur tiger, Tashi the snow leopard, and Kushanu the Asian lion all engaging with the cardboard models. It was a joyful and rewarding end to a meaningful pilot programme, and you can read more about it in Roseanne’s piece below.
Finally, a huge thank you to all who supported the DEAI Working Group’s Pride Month bake sale, which raised €256.50 for Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre!

Have a great weekend,
Christoph Schwitzer
Director

News from Dublin Zoo:

Community outreach enrichment project
From the middle of May, the Conservation Education Team has been working with a group of families in Tallaght over five weeks. The families had children between 3 and 10 years of age, and the programme helped families to work together in an informal setting. Over the five sessions, they discovered biofacts, explored habitats, learned about adaptions and behaviour and discussed conservation and sustainability. We covered these topics in the context of Dublin Zoo and its role in global conservation and our leadership in animal welfare. As well as this, the group got the opportunity to build cardboard enrichment pieces for some species at Dublin Zoo.

After consultation with Julie Bevins from the Enrichment Committee, who provided a list of objects and materials safe for our big cats, the families worked together to prepare an enrichment piece for the Zoo. Children and their parents worked together to design, make and build the objects from cardboard, paper and flour glue. It was an amazing process to see the pieces develop every week, and on the 23rd of June, it was time for the group to visit the Zoo and see how the cats reacted to the cardboard characters, which included a white giraffe and chicken jockey from Minecraft.
After a tour of the African Plains, Julie and Geena from the Animal Care Team were ready to give the first object to Max, our Amur tiger. The group were so excited to see the first piece at work, and in a few seconds, Max had sniffed out his meat. Tashi the snow leopard was next, and she gracefully took her time, using the scent enrichment to the maximum. Many of the families had never seen a snow leopard before, and they were thrilled to see her predation skills at work. Lastly, Kushanu the Asian lion got cardboard models of a giraffe and an ostrich, and after he had sniffed out his meal, Julie and Geena kindly came out to speak to the families and answer some of their animal and career questions.

This was a great pilot programme for all involved, and it has made a difference to the families who have made lifelong memories working together. A big Thank You to the Enrichment Committee, the Animal Care Team, especially Julie Bevins and Geena Grey, and to Visitor Ops and Stores for keeping recyclable materials.
Roseanne Leddy
Conservation Education

Bake sale for Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre
The DEAI Working Group hosted a bake sale on Friday, 27th June, to celebrate Pride Month and raise funds for the Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre. Outhouse is a space for LGBTQ+ people to connect with one another, with their community, and with themselves. They advocate for and amplify community voices, working to strengthen the movement, and promote equity and justice for all LGBTQ+ people. The centre is
based on Capel Street and open to all from Tuesday to Saturday.

The Study Room in Society House was also open to all staff for LGBTQ+ themed mindful colouring, and this proved to be a big hit!
Together, we raised an amazing €256.50! Thank you to everyone who baked and attended the event, plus a big thank you to everyone who donated.
Amy Horace
DEAI Working Group