Howdy all! 

My name is John and I usually work as the laboratory technician as part of the Science team at Chester Zoo. My majority of my work tends to focus around monitoring hormones to help support breeding programmes of endangered species both at Chester Zoo and other zoos around Europe. Like many people around the UK I am currently on furlough leave but I wanted to help support the zoo in this challenging time. 

Our visitor income is critical to us; it makes up about 97% of our income! It costs us a MASSIVE £465,000 a month simply to look after the animals and plants and since lock down we have not been able to welcome visitors to the zoo.  

I am extremely passionate about the work I do and the work that zoos do to help prevent extinction. This is why I want to support the zoo, my friends and colleagues during these strange times as they continue to provide the very highest standards of animal welfare. 

So the gates may be closed, but Chester Zoo is still doing all it can to prevent extinction. From conservation at the zoo with over 35,000 animals, to helping wildlife organisations across the world to manage the impact of this global crisis, Chester Zoo is determined not to let covid-19 stand in the way of its vital mission. 

Together, we can act for wildlife!

So my challenge is to cycle 1000 km by the end of May 2020 (that works out about 40km a day!) I will be doing this from my flat on a spin bike to ensure I am staying at home and staying safe! 

Wish me luck and all support would be greatly appreciated - stay tuned for updates 

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I have now completed my 1000km goal for May! Thank you everyone so much for your support and for supporting the zoo. 

Since I started the Save Our Zoo appeal has been launched.  

We REFUSE to cut corners when it comes to the animals.

We REFUSE to give up on our fight to prevent extinction.

And because of that, we have now reached the point where we desperately NEED YOUR HELP.

We need you to SAVE OUR ZOO.

www.chesterzoo.org/saveourzoo

Thank you