The BIOPARCS, recognized for their commitment to conservation and environmental education, will have a prominent role with the participation of professionals from their three parks: Valencia, Fuengirola and Gijón.
Today marks the beginning of the long-awaited Annual Congress of the Iberian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AIZA) at Laboral City of Culture of Gijón. Javier Almunia, president of AIZA, officially opened the doors of the event, accompanied by Alejandro Beneit, director of BIOPARC Acuario de Gijón, and Fernando González Sitges, director of the BIOPARC Foundation.
Javier Almunia, president of AIZA, expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and call success, also pointed out the relevance of bringing together experts from across the Iberian Peninsula, emphasizing the presence of Portugal, to address challenges and opportunities shared in this area. For his part, Alejandro Beneit explained his enthusiasm for collaboration and wealth of knowledge which will be discussed in the next three days.
Being a reference in conservation and environmental education, BIOPARC, with its three parks in Valencia, Fuengirola and the Gijón Aquarium, will have a prominent presence at the congress. Several of their professionals attend to share some of their successful practices and learn from the experiences of others.
Fernando González Sitges, Director of the BIOPARC Foundation, has emphasized the importance of this meeting: < >. In fact, in the inaugural lecture, he urged the audience to reflect on “The Necessity of the Wild,” underscoring the importance of preserving and reconnecting with nature in an increasingly urbanized world.
Throughout the days there will be other interventions by BIOPARC specialists; The Valencia team, composed of Amparo Mora and María Aparisi from the Department of Education and the aquarist and diver Natalia Abasolo, will present a case titled “Synergies in the Zoo”, highlighting the collaboration between the technical and informative departments.
Susana Acle, head of veterinary and research at BIOPARC Gijón Aquarium, will present the experience with the BIOPARC CRAMA, a seal and sea turtle recovery center, which has been open for less than a year and is evidence of the commitment to marine conservation.
Also BIOPARC Gijón Aquarium They will be Ester Alonso, curator, who will explore the consequences of the use of different life support systems (filtration) in animals as delicate as invertebrates. And the head aquarist, Jorge R. Maderal, will offer an interesting insight into the management of Atlantic salmon populations and the challenges faced by this species.
AIZA Annual Congress 2024.
El AIZA Annual Congress has a comprehensive program that addresses key issues for the sector and during these three days there will be held talks, workshops and presentations that will address topics such as conservation, veterinary medicine, aquariums, education and marketing. Meetings that will offer a valuable space for exchange of knowledge and collaboration between professionals in the sector.
Beyond the academic sessions, the meeting will offer other activities to strengthen connections between participants, in short, a few days that will contribute significantly to the advancement of the zoological and aquarist community in the Iberian Peninsula.
