Wolfgang Kiessling, founder and president of the Loro Parque Company, has recently received the Champion of Conservation award from the American Humane organization (USA) in recognition of his leadership in projects for the conservation of species.
Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane, said, “Loro Parque is one of the most respected zoological institutions in the world for its beauty, the excellence of its facilities and its incredible conservation work. In addition, she highlighted that the Park is home to the largest and most diverse reserve of parrots in the world and has saved 10 species from extinction thanks to the efforts of the Loro Parque Fundación in collaboration with other associations.
As for Kiessling, Ganzert said that his impact on global conservation efforts is truly remarkable, especially since parrots remain one of the most threatened species of all bird families. “I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this award,” she said.
For his part, the president of Loro Parque wanted to emphasize the role of zoos in species conservation: “Modern zoos are essential to counteract the dramatic impact of the current environmental crisis. In Loro Parque, our aim is to create sympathy, love and respect for wild animals and their ecosystems”. And he thanked the recognition: “I am proud to lead global conservation efforts for the incredible animals on Earth, and I am grateful to receive this award from American Humane.”
A success story
Loro Parque has received a large number of awards worldwide, which reward its commitment to excellence and its absolute concern for animal welfare. In its more than 47 years of history and after having received almost 50 million visitors in its facilities, the Park has been awarded the Plaque and Gold Medal for Tourist Merit by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism; the Gold Medal of the Canary Islands Government, of the city of Puerto de la Cruz and of the Island Council of Tenerife, among other awards. Loro Parque is also the only company in the Canary Islands that has managed to be recognized with the Prince Felipe Award for Business Excellence, as well as the only zoo in Europe that has the “American Certified” Animal Welfare Certification from American Humane.
Along the same lines, the Park has been recognized this year as the best zoo in the world by the newspaper Periodista Digital, which awarded it the Travellers Award 2020 in a ceremony held in January in Madrid.
