Recent News

BZS just misses out on award recognising use of drone technology
Monday, November 07, 2022

An island charity was shortlisted for an international award for its use of drone programming.

The Bermuda Zoological Society was nominated for a Drone Deploy Award for its use of Drone Deploy, an internet-based drone mapping programme.


BAMZ interns get hands-on experience in range of roles
Friday, October 21, 2022

Over the summer the Bermuda Zoological Society (BZS) had the privilege of affording a multitude of student summer positions at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo (BAMZ), through internship programme placements and volunteer opportunities. Within these roles the students were able to gain industry experience, explore the different areas of the facility, gain volunteer hours for their academic year, and acquire mentorships for their future within the industry of environmental studies and conservation.


Event to give young people a say in Blue Prosperity Plan
Friday, October 21, 2022

Young people were invited to provide input on how Bermuda can mitigate long-term threats such as climate change as part of a consultation on The Draft Blue Prosperity Plan.


We cannot give up hope, says turtle advocate
Friday, October 14, 2022

One of the highlights of the year for Gaëlle Roth is the Bermuda Turtle Project’s annual turtle round-up.

For two-weeks every August, D Roth, director of the project, scientists and conservation students, come together to capture, weigh, measure, examine, tag and release turtles in local waters.

 


Work of Bermuda scientists to be highlighted at New York event
Saturday, October 08, 2022

The Atlantic Conservation Partnership, a sister organisation to the Bermuda Zoological Society, in partnership with The Explorers Club NYC, will host Heart of the Sargasso Sea: Bermuda's Marine Conservation on October 13 at The Explorers Club headquarters.



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Dr Burnie given fitting ocean sendoff
Royal Gazette
Sunday, November 16, 2014

By Sarah Lagan
Published Nov 16, 2014 at 1:25 pm (Updated Nov 17, 2014 at 12:06 am)

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Dr Neil Burnie's funeral at Western Blue Cut (Photo by Sarah Lagan)

Dr Neil Burnie has been laid to rest, with his body placed in the water 600 fathoms deep at Western Blue Cut yesterday afternoon.

More than 100 boats gathered too see the much loved veterinarian and ocean activist “return to the sea”.

A plane circled the sea burial, dropping streams of flowers into the water as mourners threw wreaths and bouquets of flowers overboard.

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The Burnie funeral procession to Dockyard (Photo by Sarah Lagan)

Boat horns sounded in celebration of his life and his friends from the Ocean Vet team hurled his trusted harmonica into the sea to great applause.

Taking off from Albuoys Point just after 10am, the procession made its way to Grays Bridge for a ceremony. Opening with bagpipes by Davey Armstrong, Dr Burnie’s brother, Jonathan, took to the microphone aboard The Explorer where the coffin lay.

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Burnie’s boat with shark logo and Ocean Vet team (Photo by Sarah Lagan)

He described their family life and Dr Burnie’s love of animals from a very early age, leading him into a prestigious career as a veterinarian. He described his brother as a master fisherman, a musician, an actor, doctor and motorbike enthusiast. “That’s where his need for speed came from,” he said.

Dr Burnie’s son, Oscar Deuss, spoke of Neil as “a father, role model, mentor, best friend and my hero”.

He said the time they spent filming the Ocean Vet series with Dr Burnie at the helm was the one of the best experiences of his life.

Graham Pewter, a band member with Bones, for whom Dr Burnie sang and played saxophone, recalled how Dr Burnie once told him he was difficult to live with. But Mr Pewter said: “It will be more difficult to live without him.”

He described Dr Burnie’s best characteristics. “He was brutally honest, fearless, demanding, abrasive, an irresistible force,” he said. “Bye bye, my blues brother.”

Dr Burnie’s sister, Judith Sweetman, was officiating for her brother and recalled his mischievous nature and love of nature.

The procession made its way to Western Blue Cut, a favourite snorkel spot for the family, then a plane flew overhead and rained down flowers on the burial site.

Dr Neil Burnie leaves his wife Katrin, children Oscar and Kim and siblings Jonathan and Judith.