Category 1 in Licensed Zoos

Working with the most demanding species

Working with Category 1 hazardous animals is a privilege, and it is also an area where there is simply no room for improvisation. This lioness, photographed at a licensed UK collection, represents the most demanding end of our practice.

At this level, everything is systems and discipline. Protected-contact protocols, double-gated access, secure barrier specifications, lock and key control, containment planning, firearms and immobilisation arrangements, escape-response procedures rehearsed until they are second nature. Every element is documented, tested and aligned with zoo licensing requirements and the Standards of Modern Zoo Practice, ready for inspection at any time.

Yet the single greatest safety factor is never the ironmongery — it is the team. Confident, well-drilled staff who understand why a procedure exists will follow it correctly on a wet Tuesday in February when nobody is watching. So a great deal of our work here is training, mentoring and quiet culture-building: making sure that challenge is welcomed, near-misses are reported openly, and complacency never gets a foothold.

We also help collections prepare for licensing inspections without the usual last-minute panic. Honest gap analysis, practical prioritisation and clear evidence trails make the process far calmer for everyone concerned.

This work is demanding, exacting and deeply rewarding, and we approach it with enormous respect — for the animals, for the keepers who care for them, and for the public who come to be inspired.

If you hold Category 1 species and want a fresh, experienced and supportive review, we would be glad to assist.