2008-09 ZOOS VICTORIA ANNUAL REPORT

Chairman’s
MESSAGE
The 2008/09 financial year has been a watershed
for Zoos Victoria as we reassessed our direction
and developed a new vision to be the world’s
leading zoo-based conservation organisation
by 2029.
While the next financial year will
be the first year of the transition
towards our 20-year strategic
plan, 2008/09 has been one of
reassessment and regeneration.
The commitment from Zoos
Victoria staff and the leadership
and guidance of the Executive
Team and my fellow directors on
the Zoos Victoria Board has been
invaluable in this year of review
and renewal.
Our collective effort will go towards
inspiring and empowering each
and every one of the 1.5 million
people who annually visit one of
our zoos to join us in a call-toaction
to save wildlife and natural
habitats here and abroad.
We’ll do this by focusing on five
key action areas to take us forward
– conservation; animals; visitors;
people and financial sustainability.
Spearheading this new strategic
approach is new Zoos Victoria
Chief Executive Officer, Jenny
Gray, who was appointed in
February 2009. Jenny brings to
this position an inspiring sense
of enthusiasm and commitment,
along with a proven track record in
executive roles, including Director
of Werribee Open Range Zoo,
Director of Johannesburg Zoo and
other executive positions in the
public and private sector.
Her passion for the wild places
in the world and the pressures
they’re under will help drive our
conservation effort so we can
make a positive difference to a
world under growing threat.
Embedding this ethos across our
operations has seen two other
key appointments. Kevin Tanner
was appointed as Director of
Melbourne Zoo in January 2009
and Sally Lewis was appointed
Director of Werribee in June.
With our new leadership across the
three campuses, a new strategic
plan, and a corporate plan for the
next five years, we have the people
and the planning in place to make
the transformation to become
the world’s best zoo-based
conservation organisation.
Despite the global economic
downturn, our partnerships have
never been stronger. Our fundraising
arm, the Zoos Victoria
Foundation, raised $2.5 million
in 2008/09 to support our
conservation goals - $1 million
more than its target - and there
was a 52% increase in the number
of individuals donating in the
financial year.
Through its Devil’s Advocates
campaign, the Foundation raised
$500,000 for a breeding facility
at Healesville Sanctuary on top
of a $212,000 contribution by
FOTZ, to bolster the numbers of
the Tasmanian Devils. Females in
the group are now successfully
carrying pouch-young.
In a time of climate change and
increasing global habitat loss, this
is the kind of critical on-site project
that will help Zoos Victoria deliver
valuable, tangible and measurable
conservation outcomes.
I extend my thanks to all of the
staff at Zoos Victoria, to the Zoos
Victoria Board, Friends of the
Zoos and to all of our visitors and
partners who are responding to
our world’s increasing habitat
loss and rightly expect us to
take a greater responsibility for
conservation outcomes.
Andrew Fairley
Chairman
Zoos Victoria Board
ZOOS VICTORIA ANNUAL REPORT 2008/09