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Fellows of the Zoological Society of London signalled their dismay at
plans to turn London Zoo into an animal theme park with an overwhelming
vote of no confidence in the zoo’s management earlier this week.

The society’s treasurer, Peter Holwell, promised the meeting that
he would conduct a radical appraisal of the zoo’s senior management. Colin
Tudge, one of the prime movers behind the no-confidence motion, said that
the fellows had ‘seized the moral high ground’.

In August last year, after the government had refused to inject any
more cash into the zoo, its director, David Jones, put forward three options:
a £50 million plan to turn the zoo into a theme park; a more modest
£15 million scheme, described as the cheapest option for keeping a
zoo in Regent’s Park as well as Whipsnade; or outright closure. On Monday,
the council of London Zoo put forward a revised plan to save the zoo.

The council’s plan is a compromise, based on the £15 million scheme.
It provides a mixture of educational exhibits and ‘themes’. But it also
expands the zoo’s breeding programme for endangered species. Its cost has
been pared down from £15 million to £9 million.

Placated by the increased emphasis on conservation work, the fellows
voted against sacking all the officers and the council. But they only narrowly
rejected a call for restructuring the executive, with the dismissal of Jones.

The zoo revealed that the environment minister, David Trippier, has
said he is pleased with the zoo’s progress in making economies. Holwell
said he was encouraged by the minister’s remarks and that following ‘a vigorous
debate we have achieved a common way forward for the society and the two
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Tudge said that the zoo had been ‘kicked into changes by an extremely
angry fellowship. There was a ground swell of opposition.’ He continued:
‘we have the option to recall the special general meeting if we haven’t
seen any action, if the zoo slides back into complacency’.