Dr. Phil Ainsley, Chief Executive, Zoos South Australia

Over a working career spanning more than 25 years, Phil has worked with some of the world’s most threatened animal and plant species.  He trained as a Bioengineer receiving degrees at both Flinders and Adelaide University, worked in the forestry industry in New Zealand before returning to Adelaide where he spent over ten years as a senior manager and conservation biologist with the Department of Environment and Water.

Phil joined Zoos South Australia in 2013 as the Conservation Programs Manager working across both Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park, moved into a Curator role overseeing the zoos conservation work, bird, reptile and native species collections, then into the Director role of Adelaide Zoo, and has recently commenced as the 12th Chief Executive of Zoos South Australia.

Highlights from Phil’s time at Zoos South Australia include establishing the Zoos Pygmy Bluetongue conservation program which resulted in the first breeding of a species under human care that had been presumed extinct until 1992, achieving the first breeding of Sumatran Tigers at Adelaide Zoo, and most recently, securing the on-going presence of Giant Pandas at Adelaide Zoo.