After 37 years of dedicated service, Alyn Cairns officially retired from his role as Zoo Manager at Belfast Zoo on 30 June 2025.
Alyn joined the Zoo in 1987 and played a vital role in its development over nearly four decades, serving as a Zookeeper then Curator before becoming Zoo Manager in 2017. He oversaw many major projects, including the Kingdom of the Barbary Lion habitat, which opened in 2023 and led the Zoo’s work in conservation and education.
While Alyn has stepped down from his full-time role, Alyn will continue to provide advise and will continue to bring his experience and insight into the next exciting chapter of Belfast Zoo.
Julie Bryans, Commercial Support Officer at Belfast Zoo, said:
“Alyn isn’t just part of the Zoo’s history - he’s part of its heart. His leadership and kindness have left a mark on us all.”
During a special staff celebration, long-time colleague and friend Fintan Grant shared this heartfelt tribute:
For thirty-eight years, you walked the ground,
Where wild hearts beat and wild calls sound.
From dawn’s first light to closing gates,
You shaped the Zoo, you shaped its fate.
The elephants knew the steady hand,
The chimps, the quiet where you’d stand.
Colobus danced in black and white,
The meerkats watched with sharp delight.
You gave them care, you gave them time,
You kept their lives in careful line.
Not just a keeper, not just a name
Alyn Cairns, you lit the flame.
The trails you’ve walked, the bonds you’ve made,
The lives you’ve touched, they will not fade.
Though now you step beyond the walls,
The zoo still echoes with your calls.
So here’s to you, to all you’ve done,
To every challenge, every run.
May your days ahead be calm and wide,
As the savannah’s endless stride.
From elephant trumpets to meerkat eyes,
Alyn, your work lives on beneath Belfast skies.
- By Fintan Grant, Work Colleague and Friend