James Preddy
Conservation Breeding Aviculturist
Contact details
About me
I have been interested in wildlife conservation from an early age. Growing up on the small island of Jersey, I was lucky enough to volunteer for the bird department at my local zoo, the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. It was here that my passion for avian conservation grew. Further placement experiences working within a conservation project in Malawi and an internship at Chester Zoo, gained during my studies for a Zoo Biology degree, cemented my wish to work within wildlife conservation. After completing my degree and a brief spell of more volunteering, I joined WWT team as a Conservation Breeding Aviculturist in 2021.
My role
As a conservation breeding aviculturist, my work consists of caring for the captive birds housed at the Conservation Breeding Unit (CBU), behind the scenes at Slimbridge. My time is mostly spent with the captive population of spoon-billed sandpipers, making sure that the daily and seasonal needs for this species are met.
When not working with the spoonies, my work consists of caring for the other species we have at CBU including black-tailed godwits and Baer’s pochards. These birds help us trial new methods of breeding, rearing and release which can provide vital information for current and future conservation projects.
Experience and interests
- Animal husbandry
- Captive breeding
- Bird handling
- Hand rearing
- Teamwork