Oceanarium Bournemouth, achieves mark of excellence

On Tuesday 27 October 2026 Oceanarium, Bournemouth achieved a mark of excellence in zoos and aquariums. Oceanarium has attained BIAZA Accredited status for demonstrating reaching the world class standards set by the body for the best zoos and aquariums in the UK and Ireland, confirming that Oceanarium, Bournemouth ranks among the top zoos and aquariums in the country.

Oceanarium, Bournemouth is among the first to be accredited in the new scheme which has been launched by BIAZA. The comprehensive accreditation process includes screenings by industry experts, questionnaires and plenty of documented evidence. The process goes above and beyond the UK/Ireland’s zoo licensing inspection and marks the extra efforts of good zoos and aquariums in providing the very best in animal care, and recognises their work to create a better planet for animals and people.

Oceanarium Bournemouth is committed to nature and is proud of its many achievements including the money its raised for charity conservation programmes such as Punta San Juan, Shark Trust, Marine Conservation Society, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation and Dorset Wildlife Trust.

The Oceanarium is equally proud of the vital role it plays in providing sanctuary for animals that cannot be released into the wild, while educating the public about marine conservation and the impactful work it does for animal welfare.

Oliver Buttling, Curator said “We are extremely proud to have earned accredited status and are equally as proud of the team for their hard work and dedication to animal welfare and conservation. Conservation, education and animal welfare is imperative to us and we will continue to have the highest standards to ensure every animal in our care thrives in the safe, enriched and healthy environment we have created at the Oceanarium.”  

Dr Jo Judge, the CEO of BIAZA congratulated Oceanarium, Bournemouth on their achievement. She said: “Receiving accredited status is not an easy thing to do. It is testament to the passion and hard work of every member of staff.”

“Our accreditation program means visitors can be sure that BIAZA zoos and aquariums are dedicated to looking after their animals to the highest standard and to inspirational work in conservation and education. We need good aquariums more than ever. We face a nature crisis and we have the power to make a big difference.”

In 2023, BIAZA zoos and aquariums collectively welcomed 32 million visitors, whose visits supported 1650 conservation projects, 1.2 million educational sessions and 1,346 research projects. These ranged from conserving elephants in Nigeria to reintroducing harvest mice here in the UK and providing schools with camera traps to explore our native wildlife.

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For Editors:

The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) is a conservation education and scientific wildlife charity. BIAZA brings together the best zoos and aquariums in Britain and Ireland to create a better future for the planet and its inhabitants.

About accreditation: BIAZA conducts a world-class accreditation scheme, screening zoos and aquariums to advance animal welfare, conservation, education and research. Accredited organisations demonstrate a commitment to ethical practices and continuous improvement, providing assurance to the public and stakeholders

Conservation

Oceanarium Bournemouth aims to incorporate research, education, and sustainability into all aspects of its conservation work, and continues to bring conservation education to the local communities

Oceanarium Bournemouth has been a partner of the Punta San Juan Programme since 2022, raising essential more than £8,000 to support the population of vulnerable penguins in the Punta San Juan in Peru.

The Oceanarium partners with the Marine Conservation Society on its monthly Bournemouth Beach cleans as an ongoing pledge to the look after the local environment. Volunteers are encouraged to sign up online and the cleans take place on the first Sunday of the month. In 2024, the team spent 142 days dedicated to cleaning Bournemouth’s coastline.

The Oceanarium Bournemouth team has a long-standing relationship with Dorset Wildlife Trust and RSPB, regularly fundraising for the two charities.

The Oceanarium Bournemouth supports the Shark Trust and is part of the Big Shark Pledge which helps sharks that are at risk from irresponsible fishing.

Other conservation projects that Bournemouth Oceanarium supports, includes:

o   Two Minute Foundation