Taronga Zoo and Taronga Western Plains Zoo have become the first zoos in NSW to be powered by renewable energy.
Chief Executive of Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Cameron Kerr said the switch meant the equipment that the Wildlife Hospitals teams used to treat injured wildlife, the pump that reuses water for seal enrichment and the heat lamps that many primates like to bask in, were all now powered by renewable electricity.
“But more importantly, clean energy is a step towards helping secure a future for all animals,” Mr Kerr said.
“Taronga Conservation Society Australia’s landmark switch to renewable electricity from Red Energy means that every year from now on, approximately 7,000 tonnes CO2 are no longer being released into the atmosphere,” he said.
“The emissions saved every year is the weight equivalent of about 300 humpback whales.”
Mr Kerr said Taronga had set its target to be powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity before 2030 – and the switch marked the organisation achieving its goal seven years early.
He said more than 1,900 species in Australia were on the brink of extinction and climate change was accelerating this process.
“However, renewable energy sources such as solar and wind emit little to no greenhouse gas, which is the biggest contributor to climate change,” the Chief Executive said.
“As a conservation organisation, we are dedicated to safeguarding our planet and securing a future for wildlife,” he said.
“Intrinsic within that is a commitment to act with leadership in environmental sustainability and climate change action, and this is a significant milestone in our sustainability journey.”
