About
Browse Poster was founded by Louise who has worked as an animal professional since 1999 in both the agricultural industry and in mainstream zoos.
She discovered that one very common issue for keepers caring for leaf-eating animals was identifying plants, and more importantly, knowing if they are safe to feed.
It all started in 2014, when Louise moved to another collection; a number of new keepers had recently started and didn't have experience with identifying plants.
She created a poster showing the main type of plants that was used at the collection and a quick-reference feeding guide for the section’s animals as not all the browse supplied could be fed to all of the animals.
The poster was hung up in the service yard where the section’s browse is stored.
Having received a lot of great feedback from other sections and also the horticultural department, Louise decided to make the concept of the poster, specifically aimed at Hoofstock, available to other animal keepers against donations for animal conservation. The poster was greatly received in the zookeeper community.
Soon, requests for posters aimed at other types of animals followed. In September 2016, as demand increased, Louise started the initiative Browse Poster.
Booklet versions of the posters were added to the growing product list and the website was created.
In March 2017, the booklets and posters were certified by BIAZA (British & Irish Association of Zoos & Aquariums) which vastly improved the credibility and the first sponsors came on board as well.
A huge milestone was achieved in May 2018 when Browse Poster was approved and registered as a charity in England & Wales.
Supporting Animal Conservation and Charities
Profits from the sales of booklets and posters go towards a number of charities and animal conservation projects. During the years the sales of booklets and posters have generated the following donations:
Donations 2023 - 2024
This year, we have focused on the British wildlife and chosen organisations working to preserve some of the most threatened mammals.
Red Squirrel Survival Trust received £250.
Bat Conservation Trust received £250.
Hertfordshire & Middlesex Wildlife Trust (earmarked to water vole conservation work) received £250.
Donations 2022 - 2023
Our social media followers have again nominated conservation projects and organisations to receive a donation. Due to limited sales this year, we were only able to donate to one organisation. The winner was:
Selamatkan Yaki received £250.
Donations 2021 - 2022
Due to last year’s success, we decided to ask our social media followers again to nominate conservation projects and organisations to receive donations.
The four winners were:
Geoffroy’s Cat Working Group received £250.
UK Wild Otter Trust received £250.
Saving Africa’s Vultures (VulPro) received £250.
West African Primate Conservation Action received £250.
Donations 2020 - 2021
This time round, Browse Poster decided to ask our followers to nominate conservation projects and organisations to receive donations. A shortlist of 10 organisations was created and sent out for a vote. The four organisations with the most votes will each receive £250.
As this approach proved very popular, we will do this again for future donations.
This year's four winners were:
Mountain Marmoset Conservation Program received £250.
Pan African Sanctuary Alliance received £250.
Sumatran Rhino Survival Alliance received £250.
Dogs 4 Wildlife received £250.
Donations 2019 - 2020
Due to low sales, high production costs and the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, Browse Poster has unfortunately not been able to send off any donations to conservation projects this year.
Instead, the Chair will take part in the World Giraffe Day Virtual 5k to help raise money for Giraffe Conservation Foundation. You can see the fundraiser here: https://runsignup.com/browseposter
Donations 2018 - 2019
Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) received £800 for their Twiga Tracker project which is the largest giraffe GPS satellite tracking programme ever in Africa.
Woodland Trust UK received £500 to support their Ben Shieldaig Appeal; a mountain in the Scottish Highlands recently purchased by Woodland Trust and an entire ecosystem which needs restoring to old strength.
Asian Turtle Program received £300 for their Swinhoe’s Softshell Turtle Project; a critically endangered turtle with only four animals known in existence at the time of donation.
EAZA’s Silent Forest Campaign received £200 for the work on Treasure Island; an uninhabited island which is home for the last remaining population of the Critically Endangered Nias Hill Myna.
Donations 2017 - 2018
Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) received £300 for their Operation Twiga III which is a translocation project of giraffe in Uganda.
British Chelonia Group received £200 for their 2018 Appeal which supports a release programme of Sulcata tortoises in Senegal.
The Parrot Society UK received £200 which they will forward to a conservation project of Scarlet Macaws in Costa Rica.
Woodland Trust UK received £150 for their Heartwood Forest appeal which is working to create the largest new native forest in England.
World Land Trust received £150 for the Plant A Tree scheme in Brazil.
Bat Conservation Trust received £50.
Donations 2016 - 2017
Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) received £262.
Dja Conservation Complex received £121.
The Tortoise Table received £208.
British Chelonia Group received £73.