Established in 1826, the Zoological Society of London has been at the forefront of zoological research and conservation, and today runs both London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo.

Having never visited places in the world where these animals would live in the wild, it felt like such a privilege to see them so close but it isn’t without a sense of great sadness at their incarceration and the inability to live freely in the wild.

There is a growing debate over the existence of zoos and the their history is a conflicted one. Some Zoos focus on conservation, education and inspiring and people to care for animals with high animal welfare standards. Others serve purely as entertainment, and only offer the most basic of animal habitats.

Whilst it is such a joy to photograph these animals, my hope would be that eventually they are no longer there to photograph at all, and instead living in their natural habitats. If they have to remain through conservation programs, I hope these photographs help to raise awareness for their continued protection and conservation.