RZSS criticises Defra transfer ‘red tape'
Edinburgh Zoo has been unable to complete a rhino transfer due to complicated Defra legislation.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has criticised government rules which it says is ‘significantly complicating’ conservation efforts.
It says that legislation, set out by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), has prevented rhinos, giraffes and bison from participating in global conservation programmes.
The legislation was introduced in 2024, amidst the spread of the Bluetongue virus. As part of these rules, some imported animals must spend 30 days in sealed, insect-proof quarantine facilities.
However RZSS says there was ‘no clear guidance’ on the requirements, with experts warning measures were impractical and inhumane for large animals.
Recently, Edinburgh Zoo sent its last remaining rhino, Qabid, to Eindhoven as part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP).
This would usually be followed by two juvenile rhinos arriving in Edinburgh to live there until adulthood. However RZSS says that Defra’s legislation was ‘significantly complicating’ the process.
Representatives from the UK and European zoo communities have written to Defra to criticise the rules. The letter calls for current rules to be amended, for exemptions to be permitted, and for achievable guidance for quarantine facilities and transport to be provided.
It has been signed by the chief executives of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), and the executive director of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).
In May 2025 it was announced that the UK and EU would work towards a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement, which could ease the movement of live animals. While zoos and aquariums have welcomed the agreement, it is unclear when it will come in to effect and whether it will improve matters.
David Field, CEO of RZSS, said: “We fully support measures to protect the UK from infectious diseases and have a long history of working with the government to ensure biosecurity standards are met. But the rules must work in practice.
“When animals are forced to stay in habitats for longer than they should it can be bad for their welfare. It can also prove very costly and time-consuming for zoos, potentially making it impossible to participate in breeding programmes.
“We want to work with Defra to find solutions that protect conservation programmes and the welfare of animals."
Image © RZSS
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
