Today the Annual Congress of the Iberian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AIZA) began at Laboral Ciudad de la Cultura in Gijón. Javier Almunia, president of AIZA, officially opened the doors of the event, accompanied by Alejandro Beneit, director of the BIOPARC Aquarium of Gijón, and Fernando González Sitges, director of the BIOPARC Foundation.

Javier Almunia, president of AIZA, expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and the success of the call, and also pointed out the relevance of bringing together experts from across the Iberian Peninsula, emphasizing the presence of Portugal, to address shared challenges and opportunities in this area. For his part, Alejandro Beneit explained his enthusiasm for the collaboration and the wealth of knowledge that will be discussed over 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, emphasizes 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 Acuario de Gijón, will present the experience with the CRAMA BIOPARC, a recovery center for seals and sea turtles, which has been open for less than a year and is evidence of the commitment to marine conservation.

Also from BIOPARC Gijón Aquarium 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.

The AIZA Annual Congress has a comprehensive program that addresses key issues for the sector and during these three days there will be 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 the 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 aquarium community in the Iberian Peninsula.

For more information: mariana.balboa@acuariodegijon.es

Phone: 690 291 866