Who is WEN?

WEN stands for the Wildlife Exhibitors Network. WEN was originally incorporated on the 8th of December 2017 (Incorporation Number IA57408) to represent the needs of the Owner/Operator in the Wildlife Exhibition sector in Australia. In 2023 members participated in a vote to amend our name to Wildlife Exhibitors Network Inc. (Australasia) to include new members from New Zealand and also to clarify what part of the world in which we operate. 

 

The Objects of WEN as an incorporated association are :

(a) Promote and advance the conservation of wildlife and the preservation of their natural environments.

(b) Foster broader community awareness and understanding of wildlife by providing information and educational opportunities.

(c) Advocate responsible stewardship and ethical zoological management practices to wildlife exhibitors

(d) Support the advancement of zoological science through collaborative research, veterinary and industry partnerships.

(e) Provide quality services, support and social opportunities to our members and their institutions.

(f) Provide a united voice to government and relevant entities on issues surrounding wildlife exhibition.

The WEN Committee consists of:

Ben Bawden - President

Ben and his partner Hannah own and operate D'Aguilar Wildlife in the Moreton Bay hinterland, they offer private wildlife experiences, as well as trained animals for film and television productions. Ben has a particular interest in legislation at both a state and federal level, and has developed strong working connections with many levels of government. Ben (and WEN) was the driving force behind the Disallowance Motion of the Exhibited Animals Regulation in Queensland, and through our hard work saw the removal of fees for exhibitors in Queensland, avoiding fee increases of more than 2700% across some aspects of the regulation. Ben and Hannah like to explore and expand on the various dietary opportunities they provide to captive animals and work closely with a number of specialist vets to design modern, science based diets. Ben's favourite animal is the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo. 

Jenny James - Secretary 

Jenny and her husband Darren own and operate Amazement Farm & Fun Park, Central Coast Zoo, Get Wild Animal Experiences and Kindifarm on the Central Coast of New South Wales. Jenny and her team manages a large collection of species and operates both a static facility for exhibition as well as mobile exhibition across New South Wales. Jenny's favourite animal is the Hyacinth Macaw. 

Euan Edwards - Treasurer

Euan has been lucky enough to work in the exhibition and wildlife sectors in many different countries and currently calls the Gold Coast home, he has a particular interest in Elapids and small native mammals and has a very expanded skill set, including both environmental work and fauna handling courses. He currently operates both Night Creatures to You and Elapid Environmental.  Euan's experience around the world provides a unique insight into the ways species may be housed, and how enclosures can be adapted for different species in a variety of regions. Euan's favourite animal is the Siberian Tiger. 

 Jackie Hasling - Mobile Exhibitor Representative 

Jackie and her husband Dan own operate Hands on Wildlife in Townsville in North Queensland, they are one of the larger mobile exhibitors in the state and take great pride in quality displays as well as their venomous snake handling courses. Jackie has been a large part WEN from the beginning, and is a driving force behind unifying our industry, she has worked in Zoos and Wildlife Parks both in Australia and the US and has a strong interest in training principals for all species. Jackie's favourite animal is the Californian Sealion. 

Chad Staples - Fixed Exhibitor Representative 

Chad is the Director of Featherdale Wildlife Park, Mogo Wildlife Park and Hunter Valley Wildlife Park which are located in various locations across New South Wales. Chad is lucky enough to look after the largest private collection of animals in Australia, with well over 2200 animals under his care. Chad's favourite animal is the Western Lowland Gorilla. 

Steve Robinson  - General Committee & Import/Export Liaison Point of Contact 

Steve and his wife Stephanie own and operate Darling Downs Zoo, one of the largest and most progressive Zoos in Queensland. They are regular contributors to legislative review and are one of the few permit holders in the country who has operated in all sectors of exhibition.  Darling Downs Zoo and Steve are responsible for a number of the new exotic species in our region, and the continuing support of others through new genetics, some notable examples include Zebra, Caracal, Aldabra Giant Tortoise, Brazilian Agouti and Red-Handed Tamarin. For this reason Steve is also the Exotic Animal Import Representative for WEN. Steve's favourite animal is the African Lion. 

Our WEN Constitution can be found here.