Copenhagen Zoo: Southeast Asia Biodiversity Programme

The Southeast Asia Programme of Copenhagen Zoo, which began in 1998, provides capacity building to Malaysia's Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) concerning Captive Breeding Management. Since then, the Zoo has worked in close collaboration with DWNP in research on conservation of Malayan tapir, flat-headed cats, elephants and other species. In addition, the Zoo provides support to local University students with small research grants, if they are keen to further their studies at home or abroad.

In 2005, the Zoo began to explore the opportunity to engage the palm oil sector in landscape-based conservation initiative and has since forged many positive working relationships with stakeholders in the sector. The Zoo also continues to support the further development of the Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and other stakeholders in pursuit of the same goals.

The Zoo is also active in Indonesia where we work with and support biodiversity and wildlife research at the University of Andalas, Padang. We also work with the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry, Division of PHKA, in restoring the unique ecology of Baluran National Park (East Java).

The Southeast Asia programme is the Zoo's largest foreign conservation programme with a team consisting of four Malaysians, an Australian, two Indonesians and a Dane. The programme continues to be involved in original applied research about wildlife ecology, management and conservation, as well as provide advice and support specifically in capacity building to local universities, students and policy makers in the region.