In Memoriam: Radoslaw Ratajszczak
EAZA extends its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Radosław Ratajszczak.
Remembering Radoslaw Ratajszczak
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Radosław Ratajszczak on 28 October 2026. A distinguished zoologist and passionate conservationist, he was a former Director of Wrocław Zoo (Poland) and a highly valued member of our community.
EAZA Chair Christoph Schwitzer remembers his friend and colleague:
“Radosław was a great friend, conservationist and fellow zoo enthusiast. He was also one of the best and most knowledgeable zoologists I've had the privilege to know.
I first met him in the early 1990s at Poznań Zoo, where he was a curator at the time. He proudly showed us the Visayan warty pigs, a species that he had then just brought into Europe for the first time and that owes its now sustainable ex situ population to his foresight and perseverance.
At Wrocław Zoo, he was instrumental in a complete redevelopment of many of the exhibits, including the concept and construction of the landmark Afrykarium. He was also incredibly active in EAZA and widely respected as an ambassador for rare species and populations.
Radosław's passing leaves a sizeable gap in the zoo community. May he rest in peace."
Radosław made an important contribution to EAZA and to strengthening cooperation among European zoos. He represented Poland on the EAZA Council and served on the EEP, Conservation and Technical Assistance Committees. He regularly volunteered as a screener for the EAZA Accreditation Programme and mentored prospective EAZA Members, always keen to support zoos and aquariums in achieving higher standards in animal welfare, conservation and zoo management.
He always saw in-person meetings of fellow professionals as an opportunity to exchange knowledge, build trust and forge friendships that made international cooperation possible. He loved bringing the community together: he hosted two EAZA Annual Conferences, in Poznań in 1995 and Wrocław in 2015. He remained an enthusiastic participant in EAZA gatherings even after leaving Wrocław, most recently sharing his expertise on the history of European rewilding at our 2025 Annual Conference in Łódź.
His lifelong passion for wildlife extended far beyond Europe. He supported numerous conservation initiatives in South-East Asia, where his expeditions to Vietnam produced the first known photographs of living Cat Ba langurs (Trachypithecus poliocephalus), Delacour's langurs (Trachypithecus delacouri) and Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus avunculus). In 2022, after leaving Wrocław Zoo, he returned to Vietnam to lead the Endangered Primate Rescue Center in Cúc Phương National Park.
Radosław also served two terms on the WAZA Council. His contributions to the international zoo and conservation community were recognised in 2022 with both the EAZA Lifetime Achievement Award and the WAZA Heini Hediger Award.
Radosław leaves a lasting legacy, not only in the institutions he helped transform, but also in the people he supported, the partnerships he helped build and the conservation work he inspired. We are deeply grateful for his many years of dedication to EAZA and to our shared mission of saving species.
Our heartfelt condolences go to his family, friends and colleagues.
Text by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria. Quote from Christoph Schwitzer; published on 29 October 2026
Pictures © Wrocław Zoo