of the 70th Annual ConferenceZoos & Aquariums Making a Difference in Conservation and Animal Welfare – 80 Years of Zoo & Aquarium Leadership

Al Ain, UAE | 11–15 October 2015

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Editor: Gerald Dick, WAZA Executive Office IUCN Conservation Centre Rue Mauverney 28 CH-1196 Gland Switzerland

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Layout &Typesetting: michal@sky.cz Cover photo: The picturesque Al Jahili Fort in Al Ain is one of the UAE’s most historic buildings. It was erected in 1891 to defend the city and protect precious palm groves. The former headquar-ters of the Oman Trucial Scouts, the force that protected the mountain passes and kept inter-tribal peace, it also served as a resi-dence for the local governor, it now houses a permanent exhibition of the work of British adventurer Sir Wilfred Thesiger (whom the locals affectionately refer to as ‘Mubarak Bin London’) and his 1940s crossings of the Rub Al Khali (The Empty Quarter) desert. © Dr. Norbert Heldenbluth

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In order to make wise use of natural resources, it has been decided to offer the proceedings of WAZA Conferences online only. This saves paper resources and expensive postage costs, thus CO2 emissions. WAZA thanks for your understanding.

www.waza.org (members’ area). ISSN: 2073-6576

Proceedings of the 70th Annual Conference

Hosted by Al Ain Zoo, UAE 11–15 October 2015

WAZA Technical C

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Proceedings of the

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Editorial

Gerald Dick, WAZA Executive Director

Dear WAZA Members and Friends!

For the first time in WAZA’s history an annual conference was held in the Middle East region. Additionally, the 70th Annual conference took place in the city where the Arabian Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZAA) was born just a few years prior to the WAZA conference. And of course: the year 2015 signifies the 80th Anniver-sary of WAZA. With so many jubilees the scene was set for an extraordinary conference.

Conservation and Animal Welfare as the themes for this year’s conference were chosen for a very good reason: after years of preparation two landmark documents could be finalized just before the conference and launched during the meeting. Both global strategies are meant to guide members in our core foci – in wildlife conservation and animal welfare. Committing to Conservation and Caring for Wildlife aim to build our collective effectiveness for the future.

I wish to thank the three keynote speakers for their excellent introduction to the themes: Ste-ve Burns for talking about how to become the greatest force in conservation, Heather Bacon for addressing animal welfare as a cornerstone of successful conservation and Tom de Meulen-aer for informing about international trade and how WAZA (members) can support CITES.

After our high level technical congress partici-pants enjoyed a lot the new focus on workshops within our conference. This year the topics were crisis communication, trends in zoo design, the future of aquariums, living by conservation and the cooperation with IUCN and the IUCN Specialists Groups.

I wish to thank our host, Al Ain zoo, for the ex-traordinary hospitality and the staff and volun-teers for their restless support throughout the conference. The warm atmosphere and oriental charm made the conference a very special and memorable one.

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Conference Documents

DOC Documents submitted prior to the Conference, like Committee reports, Association reports.

INF Documents presented at the conference without previous documentation, made available after the Conference

MEM Presentations of new members

ADM Administrative sessions

COM Committee meetings at the Conference

WS Workshop results

RES Resolution

Example

DOC 70.20

Type of document

Number of Annual Conference

Number of document

The contents of reports are within the responsibility of the authors.

Legend

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Table of Contents

Welcome Address .............................................1Welcome Address by the Host ..........................2Welcome Address by the WAZA President........3

Keynote Addresses .............................. 4How to Become the Greatest Force for Conservation in the World? .........................5Zoo Animal Welfare: The Cornerstone of Successful Conservation .............................. 9Wildlife trade: How WAZA can support CITES .......................................... 15

WAZA Congress Papers Abstracts ........21Table of contents ............................................22Poster Presentations ...................................... 34

Full Congress Contributions .................37Dubai Zoo’s Sustained Efforts to Integrate its Captive-Bred Animals with Nature ....................................................38The Role of Zoos in Compassionate Conservation .....................42Extinction Shadows Over Persian Leopards Due to Human Animal Confilict .................................................47

Resolutions ........................................55Resolution RES 70.1 Animal Interactions ........................................56Resolution RES 70.2 World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy .................................... 57

Participants ....................................... 58Group Photo of Participants ...........................59

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Welcome addresses

Welcome Address

H.H Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan

• Mr. Lee Ehmke, President of WAZA• H. E. Ghanim Al Hajeri,

Director General Al Ain Zoo• Our host, The Al Ain Zoo• Distinguished guests• Delegates of this the 70th World Association

of Zoos and Aquariums Annual Conference

Welcome to Al Ain and the United Arab Emirates.

It is my honor to welcome you all here today to the opening of the 70th WAZA Conference and to celebrate 80 years since the formation of this World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

During these years our Zoo leaders have gath-ered in every area of the world but never here in the Arab world. It is therefore fitting that we all meet here in Al Ain, the birth place of our country’s founding father and first President, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to celebrate this great occasion.

He established Al Ain Zoo in 1968 and was one of the first leaders of a nation to value conserva-tion as a single driving force to steer its people. A conservation legacy that lives with us today and one that is imbedded in the conference them of

Zoos and Aquariums making a difference in Con‑servation and Animal Welfare – 80 years of Zoo and Aquarium Leadership

This is a great responsibility but one that is shared by over 700 million visitors a year that visit our Zoos and Aquariums worldwide. This potential, untapped resource to drive conserva-tion change in a world where species and habi-tats are under great pressure, is enormous.

There is an opportunity to make a change, in people’s minds and in their actions. To make a difference for positive conservation and educa-tion change.

Al Ain Zoo is very proud to host the 70th Con-ference of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums and I wish you great success over the next four days.

Thank you.

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Welcome Address by the Host

Mr. Ghanim Al Hajeri – Director General, Al Ain Zoo

• Your Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Tahoon Al Nahyan

• Mr. Lee Ehmke, President of WAZA• Mr. Gerald Dick, Executive Director of WAZA• Council Members of WAZA• Delegates of this the 70th World Assocation

of Zoos and Aquariums

Welcome!

It is a very special day today. We are all gathered together here under one roof as leaders of the global zoo and aquarium network, representing conservation and animal welfare organizations across every part of the world. Representing the 700 million visitors that pass through our gates every year and in many ways representing the biodiversity that we have been empowered to hold in trust.

This is a huge responsibility … but this my col-leagues is also a great opportunity.

An opportunity to engage, debate, discuss, communicate and commit to providing betters ways of doing what we are already good at. Our theme for this the 70th WAZA Conference is

Zoos and Aquariums making a difference in Con‑servation and Animal Welfare – 80 years of Zoo and Aquarium Leadership

Zoo and Aquarium Leadership … a big state-ment. So let us demonstrate our commitment as leaders with not only reflecting on where we have come from but also where we are going.

80 years is a long time and much progress has been made with our WAZA members moving from menageries of animals in concrete cages to dramatic ecosystems where animals almost roam free.

However there is still much more we can do despite the challenges facing the natural world. The threat of climate change, the loss of natural habitat and the threat of extinction. What was once a theory, a prediction or a possibility is now a reality in our time.

So what can we do?

We can come together, as we are today. A col-lective energy and focus that is shared by all with the determination of everyone. Problems as great as those facing the natural world today will not be solved overnight, within a year or a generation but the foundations of our commit-ment to make a difference can be laid. This can happen now at this conference and we can all be ambassadors for change.

Over the next four days there will be opportu-nity to discuss, listen and share this conserva-tion commitment. The program we have will, hopefully not only engage and empower us all, but will also make us reflect and debate. These are the tools we have as leaders and that I know will help us make the right decisions to progress further our conservation and animal welfare programs.

We also have an opportunity to celebrate our country, our people, our zoo and our Arabian hospitality.

A full program has been developed that will take you on a journey of engagement with our community and our land. Through our tour guides, Al Ain Zoo staff and local people, our way of life will be shared with you all.

You will visit the Sheik Zayed Desert Learning Centre and experience an interactive interpreta-tion of the land, sea, people and natural world of the UAE. Our Emirati tour guides will take you through our UAE World Deserts were the conservation of Arabian species and focus on the display and preservation of arid Land spe-cies is a priority.

We will also take you as the first guests into our 54 hectare African Safari. A place where the boundaries of Zoo and the wild is blurred.

Last year in Delhi I invited you here to Al Ain to share our traditional Arabian hospitality. To not only focus on our core WAZA values of conser-vation, education, animal welfare, communica-tion and partnerships but also on our land, our people and our culture. This we will do.

Today you have arrived and as leaders of con-servation and animal welfare we will together make a difference over the next four days.

Thank you.

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Welcome Address by the WAZA President

Lee Ehmke – Houston Zoo

Your Excellency Sheikh Al Nahyan, Your Excellency Ghanim Al Hajeri, Dear Mark Craig and the Al Ain Zoo team, Dear WAZA members and honored guests;

Ladies and gentlemen:

On behalf of WAZA Council, I would like to thank our gracious hosts for such a warm and colorful welcome to Al Ain. The spectacular event last night at the Sheikh Zyed Desert Learning Centre and the fantastic dinner provided for us and our CBSG colleagues were an auspicious prelude to our Conference. We are delighted to be here in this stunning desert landscape, and are looking forward to a very interesting programme of presentations, discussions, workshops and social events. I am particularly excited about the opportunity to partake in the marvelous history and culture of this region.

In an increasingly interconnected world, the goals and objectives of zoos and aquariums around the globe are converging as well. I note that the Vision of our host institution the Al Ain Zoo is:

To become the pride of our community by provid‑ing sustainable, world‑class destinations, where cultures, people and wildlife live in harmony and mutual respect. This will be achieved through innovative ideas, operational excellence and strategic partnerships.

The very same principles – innovation, excel-lence and strategic partnerships – underlie the work of WAZA and are expressed in the new Strategies Plan for our organization that will be highlighted throughout this conference.

Our colleagues from the Al Ain Zoo have been active participants the international zoo and aquarium community for some time now, as members of WAZA and EAZA, and as founders of the new Arabian Zoo Association. The im-pressive programme of development underway here is being conducted with some of the most innovative and influential partners in our indus-try, notably including San Diego Zoo Global. The institutional growth of Al Ain has been noted and admired in our community for quite some time now; it is exciting for me and many others time to experience this first hand.

I am sure this will be a great opportunity to learn from each other, and to advance WAZA’s mission of harmonizing and fostering collabora-tion among the many regional and national zoo and aquarium associations represented here.

The theme of this Conference is Making a Difference in Conservation and Animal Welfare – 80 Years of Zoo and Aquarium Leadership.

On the occasion of our 80th anniversary, we will be launching two important strategic docu-ments that in combination exemplify the full breadth of WAZA’s role as the voice of a global zoo and aquarium community and a catalyst for their joint conservation action. Committing to Conservation: The World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy powerfully re-states the primacy of conservation as our reason for being – that we exist to save wildlife. Accompa-nying and supporting this strategy is Caring for Wildlife: the World Zoo and Aquarium Animal Welfare Strategy. It is no coincidence that these two “bookend” documents are debuting simultaneously; the well-being of the individual animals in our care cannot be separated from efforts to protect and enhance the future of wildlife populations – we must strive to con-tinuously improve on all fronts. We hope these well-written and beautifully designed docu-ments, the result of a remarkable collabora-tion of WAZA members and staff, will help to advance the understanding, the perception and the success of our vital work.

I look forward to a stimulating and productive Conference. I am pleased to see so many of you that have traveled so far to be here today. I am equally pleased to welcome and thank the many colleagues who are joining us from the United Arab Emirates and other nations in the region. My very best wishes to everyone for a successful and enjoyable week.

Thank you.

It is now my distinct pleasure to welcome to the podium Susan Hunt, CEO of the Perth Zoo and the incoming Chair of WAZA, who will introduce our distinguished keynote speakers.

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Keynote Addresses

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How to Become the Greatest Force for Conservation in the World?

Steve Burns – Zoo Boise, USA, Chair of the Board, AZA

Thank you. What an honor to have the chance to speak with you today about the future of zoos and aquariums. Thank you for inviting me to speak. While I am here in my capacity as the Chairman of the Board of the AZA, I would also like to address you in my capacity as the Director of Zoo Boise. Zoo Boise is a small zoo located in Idaho in the United States. Between the Zoo and the Friends of Zoo Boise, we have a combined budget of $3 million. We have about 30 year round staff. We are 5 hectares or 11 acres in size and each year host about 350,000 visitors. Eight years ago, we decided that we wanted to do more for wildlife conservation because we thought it was the right thing to do. In the last eight years, we have generated $1.8 million to support wildlife conservation in the US and around the world. We currently spend about 10% of our budget on wildlife conserva-tion. It isn’t easy. But, what we’ve discovered is that our new conservation mission turned out to be a good business decision. Today, I want to give you my thoughts about the role that zoos and aquariums can play in wildlife conservation. Some of what I will present to you today is fact. Some of it is my opinion. Maybe you will agree

with me, maybe you won’t. But ultimately, what I hope to do today is bring up some points to start a very serious conversation about the future of zoos and aquariums and what we will need to do in order to remain relevant in a rapidly changing world.

I want to start with my premise about our future. Here it is: The need for zoos and aquari‑ums to become involved in wildlife conservation in a very meaningful way goes beyond a love for animals. If we hope to remain relevant in a rap‑idly changing world, then becoming the greatest source of wildlife conservation funding on earth is a sound business decision. What we can do with that funding.

For the rest of my talk today, I want to spend time explaining the Why? What? And How? behind my premise.

Let’s start with the Why? Or to be more spe-cific, why do zoos and aquariums need to do something?

I think it is fair to say that one of the biggest reasons why we became zoo and aquarium pro-fessionals is because we love animals. It is also the main reason why our visitors visit. While the animals in our collections may be doing fine, their wild counterparts are not. I am sure you are all aware of this, but let me give you some facts that back up my statement:

One quarter of all mammal species face extinc-tion in 30 years. (United Nations, http://news.bbc.co.uk)

For every person in the world to reach present U. S. levels of consumption we would need 4 more planet Earths. (Wilson, p. 23)

Humans currently consume 50% of the Earth’s available freshwater, leaving what’s left over for all other species. (World Wildlife Fund, http://www.panda.org)

Humans currently consume 40% of all organic matter produced by photosynthesis on Earth, leaving what’s left over for all other species. (Wilson, p. 33)

Every species of great ape on the Earth (gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, and bonobos) is in imminent danger of extinction. (United Nations, http://news.bbc.co.uk)

Every species of tiger on Earth is in imminent danger of extinction. (World Wildlife Fund, http://web.archive.org)

The number of lions left in Africa has fallen 90% in 20 years -- there are now only 20,000 remain-ing. (BBC, http://news.bbc.co.uk)

90 percent of all large fishes have disappeared from the world’s oceans in the past half century. (Nature Magazine, http://www.cnn.com)

Human population is expected to increase by at least 50% over the next 75 years. (United Nations)

At the same time that we are going through the sixth great extinction, there seems to be a lack of understanding about biology, ecology and conservation by many people in the United States. It seems that many people can under-stand and relate to the plight of one individual animal, but cannot grasp the plight of a species. This makes our jobs harder and the jobs of ani-mal rights groups easier.

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Animal rights groups in many parts of the world seem to be gaining in popularity. They are be-coming increasingly more vocal. Their messages are in the media with greater frequency. Unfor-tunately, they have made zoos and aquariums their target. Whether we like it or not, they are having an impact on us. Zoos and aquariums are very attractive targets that help these groups earn many supporters and donations. So, we shouldn’t expect them to stop their as-saults anytime soon. In preparation for this talk, I googled “bad zoo and aquarium headlines.” I spent 2 minutes looking at the results and pulled these seven headlines. The publications are not radical. They are mainstream publica-tions. And these types of headlines seem to be appearing more and more often.

For the last 8 years, the AZA has conducted polling to gage public support of zoos and aquariums. Seven years ago, zoos in the US enjoyed an 88% favorable rating. 59% of the respondents said they had a “very favorable” rating. These numbers were incredible. Nobody has numbers like that. But in just seven years, those numbers have dropped to 75% and 41% respectively. 13 and 18 point drops.

Aquariums are in a similar situation. Support for aquariums has dropped but not quite as much as zoos. Many people have fish tanks at home, so the idea of fish in bigger tanks in aquariums most likely accounts for the less dramatic drop.

Jim Maddy of the AZA gave the AZA board a presentation this summer. In his talk, he showed us what a straight line trend would look like if support for zoos keeps falling at the cur-rent rate. While I know this isn’t accurate math, it gives you an idea of what our future might look like in ten years. Overall favorability of a little more than 60% and very favorable at 20%.

For aquariums, the numbers are a little better, but not by much. What happened? We didn’t change. We still have animals, lots of new exhibits. We still offer educational programs. We are still great places to bring your families. We didn’t change. It turns that it may be our problem. We might not have changed, but the world around us did.

Again from Jim Maddy’s presentation, this is a timeline that plots major social change in the United States. It goes from 1787 to the present. During that time, the United States has dealt with many social changes, including the ending of slavery, providing voting rights to women, providing civil rights to all citizens, and most recently the issue of gay marriage. As you can see, the pace of change keeps getting faster. For example, it took 180 years for interracial marriage to become legal everywhere in the U. S. It only took 15 years for gay marriage. Now, with a connected world, the pace of change will only get faster.

This is a graph showing the per capita use of cigarettes in the United States. From 1900 to the early 1960’s the per capita sales continued to go up. But the year I want you to focus on is 1957. That is the year in which the Surgeon General of the U. S. gave his first warning that cigarette smoking is bad for you. Now, look at the next seven or eight years after that warn-ing. Cigarette sales continued to go up. Social change had started with the Surgeon General warning, but behavior hadn’t caught up. When enough social change had occurred. When enough people agreed with the Surgeon Gener-al, sales suddenly began to fall. When sales fell, it became easier to sue the tobacco companies. It became easier for the government to impose new taxes and regulate the industry even more.

The question we have to ask ourselves is “are we now in the seven or eight year period?” “Has our surgeon general’s warning already took place?” Some zoos are having record attend-ance, raising record donations. But, will support for zoos and aquariums drop low enough that behavior change will follow?

Our business model is as follows: We raise funds, both public and private, and build new exhibits. New exhibits then attract more visitors which lead to additional memberships, gift shop sales, food sales, rentals, etc. On the left are examples of our business model at work. On the right are examples of the human pressures happening in a rapidly changing world. The current refugee crisis that is affecting Europe right now and extreme poverty that affects many parts of the globe.

Competing for scarce resources with the two exhibits on the left are the need to provide food and water to a rapidly changing world. To provide an education to all children. To deal with diseases that can spread quickly across the globe.

We have to ask ourselves, “will the people who decide how to spend public money continue to fund the exhibits on the left when they are faced with the realities of the people-based is-sues on the right?” “Will the private foundations and individuals who support our exhibits contin-ue their support when the needs of an increas-ing human population are so pressing?” I don’t know the answer, but I have to ask the question. Maybe we need to change the reason why we build exhibits. Maybe we need to change the reason why we have zoos and aquariums.

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The next question I want to address is What? As in What do we do? And What do we Be-come?

One of the most common answers that we give when asked what do we become is, “zoos and aquariums need to be incredible places to bring your family. We need be tourist destinations. We need to be places where the community can come together. We are places that employ a lot of people and provide volunteer opportunities for thousands of people.” To that I would say,

“you’re right.” We do need to be those things. But, I hope we can all come to an agreement that those things are not enough. I say that because for decades we have already been great places to bring your family. We’ve been tourist attrac-tions. We’ve employed thousands and thousands of people. But in the meantime, the extinction crisis races on. The animal rights groups continue to get louder. Society keeps changing their views. Support for zoos and aquariums continues to fall.

Another common answer to the question of “what do we become?” is we need to be great places to educate people, particularly children, about animals, nature and conservation. Again, that is very important. People are increasingly disconnected from nature and many people don’t seem to understand the extinction crisis. However, we have been educational institutions for generations. We have been teaching chil-dren about nature, wildlife and conservation but these education programs are not enough. Our efforts to inspire people to take conservation action are important but they are not enough. We can teach people to turn off the water while they are brushing their teeth, but it is too far removed from saving a tiger in the Russian Far East. We can inspire people to recycle, but that won’t help keep elephants from being poached. We need to do more.

So what do we do? Let’s start by taking a look at what our visitors want. The AZA did a survey and asked participants to say how about a big new conservation program the AZA was launch-ing—SAFE. Participants were asked how they felt about zoos and aquariums and to fit how they felt into one of these three categories.

But before they answered, half the participants were read this paragraph.

Now let’s take a look at the results for the millenials. As you can see, millenials that were told about our conservation efforts responded significantly better towards how they felt about zoos and aquariums. The reason I focus on Millennials is because they are our customers. They are the young families that make up the majority of our visitors. And they are raising the next generation of visitors, so at this point their opinion counts more than older generations. It turns out that millennials feel better about us when they know we are making a significant contribution to wildlife conservation.

So what’s a significant contribution? Given the number of institutions we are talking about. Given the size of our budgets and the number of visitors, I would say that every year, zoos and aquariums should generate $1 billion (US) for wildlife conservation. One billion additional good reasons to have zoos and aquariums.

So how do we do that? How do we become what we need to become. There is no magic, no physics or calculus involved. In fact, there are 7 steps. The same seven steps outlined in the new WAZA Committing to Conservation Strategy.

Step 1. Your governing authority. I know we all have different governing authorities. For some of us, it is a non‑profit board of directors. For others, it is the Mayor and City Council. For others, it is a for‑profit board of directors. Let’s say you go to your governing authority and tell them you want to build a new exhibit. They will understand that. Now let’s say you tell them you need to hire 3 more zookeepers. This will make sense. Finally, let’s say you tell them that your zoo needs to send $200,000 to Uganda. My guess is you will get some strange looks. If you haven’t educated your board about the need to do wildlife conservation, they won’t be support-ive of your last request. Now think about who is on your governing authority. It might be the mayor. It is most likely business people, lawyers, donors. In most cases, it won’t be biologists or field conservationists, which means you have to REALLY educate them.

I recently asked the directors of four institu-tions to tell me the occupations of their board members. Out of the 79 board members, not a single one was a biologist or field conservation-ist. Many were lawyers.

Step 2. Assess. Figure out how much of your budget you currently spend on field conserva-tion. Use the Definition of Field Conservation found on the AZA website to determine what should be counted. Once you figure out what percentage of your budget you currently spend on field conservation, come up with a multi‑year plan to raise it. Determine if you can get to at least 5%.

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Step 3. Mission. If your mission statement doesn’t already include a commitment to wildlife conservation, it will probably need to be modified. This will definitely take some educa-tion of your governing authority. This was one of the most hotly debated things we did at Zoo Boise.

Our mission statement turned out to be “Zoo Boise connects our visitors with animals to inspire and involve our community in the conservation of wildlife worldwide.”

Step 4. Revenue. Some zoos and aquariums simply build their support for wildlife conser-vation into their budget as a line item. I am a big believer that you should create dedicated streams of revenue for conservation. There are several reasons for this. One, if you need to cut your budget it is less tempting to just cut your conservation budget first. Second, it helps visitors understand exactly what their money is going for. Third, it makes it harder to spend the money generated for conservation on some-thing else—like a new fire truck.

Step 5. Partners. It is important to pick good partners. If you fund a group that isn’t reputable, it can damage your reputation and perhaps kill your conservation program. Remember, this is a partnership. Both sides should benefit. However, you will be more successful if you decide to give first and then receive later.

Step 6. Collaboration. In the last AZA ARCS sur-vey, AZA institutions listed that they currently support 736 different species. It is very difficult when your conservation dollars are spread that thin. If you are starting a conservation program, or increasing your commitment, determine if you can partner with other zoos and aquariums to make more of an impact. We will be more effectively if we work together to save fewer species than trying to save everything ourselves. We can’t save everything.

Step 7. Communication. Your conservation program should help your zoo or aquarium. It should mean that more people like your institu-tion. It should mean that you have more visitors and receive more donations. Therefore, it is important to tell your community what you are doing. It is important to let visitors know how their support is making a difference in the conservation of wildlife. It is important to turn the act of visiting the zoo or aquarium into a conservation action.

I want to take the last few minutes of my talk today to provide you with an example of how a conservation program can also be good for business. It involves my zoo, Zoo Boise and Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. Here are a few basics facts about Zoo Boise. [slides]

• Here is some information about Gorongosa• This is the basic points of our relationship.• This is how Zoo Boise is helping Gorongosa.• Other ways Zoo Boise is helping Gorongosa• This is how Gorongosa is helping Zoo Boise• More on how Gorongosa is helping Zoo Boise• Great media• Continued great media

Next steps in the relationship Of course, we need to be involved with wildlife conservation because we love animals. Because we don’t want to see animals go extinct. But wildlife conservation is also how we connect with the people. The people who live in and around the areas of high biodiversity. The people who are visiting our institutions. The people who will de-cide if we continue to be relevant in the future. Here is one last story to show you what I mean. Fernandinho story. [slide]

The world is changing and we need to change with it. If we hope to remain relevant then we have to exist for a higher purpose – to work with people like Fernandinho and Paola to save animals in the wild. Not only do we have the obligation to become the greatest force for wildlife conservation in the world, we have the opportunity. I look forward to working with all of you as we change the reason why we have zoos and aquariums. Thank you.

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Zoo Animal Welfare: The Cornerstone of Successful Conservation

Dr Heather J. Bacon – Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education, University of Edinburgh

Zoos have an important role to play in the promotion of good animal welfare. But animal welfare remains a controversial topic in the zoological community. This presentation aims to challenge your preconceptions about what animal welfare is, and generate discussion on this, a topic which we often shy away from.

Recent NGO campaigns have placed pressure on zoos and policy-makers, making animal welfare an increasingly topical issue. I’d like you start by thinking to yourself ‘What can I do to improve welfare in my zoo?’ and remember is important to be proactive not reactive. Tradi-tionally zoos have taken a remedial approach to animal welfare issues meaning that suffering has to occur before it can be addressed. A pro-active approach is essential for safeguarding good animal welfare.

I’d like to start by considering the relationship between animal welfare and conservation. Conservation prioritises the preservation of the species whilst animal welfare prioritises the wellbeing of the individual. Traditionally these paradigms were considered to be mutually ex-clusive – but are they? I hope to show that good animal welfare supports effective conservation, public conservation education and zoological research.

So, why should we care about animal welfare?

The first reason is an ethical one – recognising that animals are sentient confers a responsibili-ty upon us to ensure that the animals we choose to manage under human care do not suffer. The European Union has officially recognised animals to be ‘Sentient Beings’ for many years (Lisbon treaty, 1997). Sentience implies that animals:

• Are aware of their own surroundings• Have an emotional dimension• Are aware of what is happening to them• Have the ability to learn from experience• Are aware of bodily sensations – pain, hunger,

heat, cold etc.• Are aware of their relationships with other

animals• Have the ability to choose between different

animals, objects and situations

Additionally in 2012 a group of leading neurosci-entists discussed the concept of consciousness in animals, and signed what is now known as the Cambridge declaration on Consciousness which states that: “non‑human animals have the neuroanatomical, neurochemical, and neuro‑physiological substrates of conscious states along with the capacity to exhibit intentional behav‑iours.“

This lends further weight to the evidence that non-human animals are capable of a wide range of physiological and psychological experiences, including the experience of emotional or affec-tive states.

When we talk about emotional states or ‘feel-ings’ in animals, there is often concern about anthropomorphism. Anthropomorphism is ‘The attribution of human characteristics or behaviour to a god, animal, or object.’

So in order to define anthropomorphism we first have to decide – what is a uniquely hu-man characteristic? When Jane Goodall first described tool making and use in chimps, man was defined as the ‘toolmaker’. Her mentor Professor Leakey famously stated that this dis-covery meant we had to “Now we must redefine tool, redefine Man, or accept chimpanzees as humans”. And since that time ongoing research into the capacities of animals has led to increas-ing evidence of the commonalities between humans and non-human animals, leading to the acceptance that characteristics that were once considered ‘human’ to now be known to be present amongst both humans and non-human animals.

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Because the pace of scientific research in this area is developing quickly, it may well be that as we continue to move forward, more and more characteristics previously considered to be

‘human’, are discovered to be shared across spe-cies. So with the learning experience of history behind us, should we be afraid of anthropomor-phism, or should we simply accept the direction that evidence is leading us in, and if in doubt, give our animals ‘the benefit of the doubt’.

Certainly if there is the potential for an animal to suffer, but we do not yet have evidence of that suffering, I believe that we should consider the benefit of the doubt. A good example of this is the progress made in pain research.

Is pain a human characteristic?

Pain has emotional as well as physiological com-ponents – are animals able to experience pain? Or only nociception (the unconscious response to an aversive stimulus). Interestingly, less than thirty years ago it was considered that neonatal human babies did not have the mental capacity to experience pain. Human babies show pain in very different ways to adult humans and chal-lenges in interpreting pain behaviour have often led to the assumption that pain is not experi-enced. In fact until 1987 it was common for heart surgeries to performed on preterm babies with no anaesthesia or analgesia. The babies were simply paralysed with a neuromuscular blocker, preventing them from moving during surgery, but no pain control except nitrous oxide was administered. Let’s just consider that for a mo-ment. Less than thirty years ago, because babies were not given ‘the benefit of the doubt’, those requiring surgery were paralysed and surgery performed with only nitrous oxide analgesia and no anaesthesia (Anand et al., 1987).

It was only in 1987 when Dr KJS Anand and col-leagues at the Univeristy of Oxford published a study demonstrating the benefits of fentanyl anaesthesia during surgery in preterm babies that the evidence of suffering was strong enough for anaesthesia to be routinely admin-istered to these babies. In this case, the benefit of the doubt may have prevented many welfare problems.

Similarly there is an increasing body of evidence supporting the capacity of different species to experience a range of physiological and psycho-logical experiences. If we accept that animals are sentient, we accept that they experience both positive and negative emotional (affec-tive) states, but we don’t know exactly what this means for the experience of an individual animal. Research evidence has demonstrated, pain, fear, and even anxiety type behaviour in a range of species including non-vertebrate species such as crustaceans (Mellor et al., 2000, Fossat et al., 2014, Braithwaite, 2010). We don’t know that these experiences in animals are the same as we would describe them in humans. But similarly we don’t know that the experience of these states is the same in another human as it is in ourselves – we give other humans the benefit of the doubt. In order to ensure good animal wel-fare, there may also be some situations where we need to give animals the benefit of the doubt.

It is important to remember that how we man-age animals will affect how they feel and how an animal feels will influence its welfare and that welfare is all about the individual experience. Individual animals may cope better than others with the challenges of the captive environment, depending on their individual experiences, envi-ronment and temperament. Temperament tests

have been developed for some zoo species and these may be useful in identifying characteristics that allow animals to cope better within the zoo environment. For example Polar bears with tem-peraments that demonstrate more ‘interest’ in novel objects were found to engage in less pac-ing behaviour, and have lower levels of cortisol (stress hormone). Within the zoo environment, giving our animals the benefit of the doubt, taking a proactive approach to supporting good animal welfare and understanding the needs of the individual and all necessary parts of ensur-ing a positive welfare experience for the animals that we manage.

What is animal welfare?

Animal welfare is a scientific concept describing a measurable state of an animal’s quality of life at a particular time. More recently the concepts of animal feelings and cognition including emotions and empathy as an important part of animal welfare have become widely accepted.

Animal welfare embraces a continuum from negative or poor welfare to positive or good welfare.

Animal welfare is not the same as animal rights, which we’’ talk more about later, and it is not just ‘bunny hugging’ or being nice to animals. When we consider animal welfare we have to consider not just the animal’s physical health, but also its mental or psychological health, and also its behavioural needs. These three compo-nents are equally important and good animal welfare cannot be experienced if any of these three areas are compromised.

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We have to remember that when we evaluate animal welfare we are looking at that animal’s welfare state at a particular time, and the animal’s welfare state may change over time on a continuum of negative to positive welfare. We might consider a positive welfare state to be one where all of the animal’s physical, behavioural and psychological needs are met, it is not experiencing any negative physiologi-cal or psychological experiences, and in fact is experiencing positive experiences such as interest, contentment or comfort. A negative welfare state would be one where the physical, behavioural and psychological needs are not met resulting in negative experiences such as stress, frustration, fear or pain.

A neutral welfare state may be described as one where an animal’s experience is neither posi-tive nor negative, and it is suggested that death fulfils these criteria. A dead animal can experi-ence nothing – no pain, fear or suffering, and also no pleasure or contentment, thus its state is neutral. The manner of death may indeed create welfare problems if not performed in a humane manner, but once and animal is dead it is unable to experience anything.

Planning for good welfare

When we’re considering animal welfare in the zoo environment, it is important that we con-sider the evolutionary and behavioural needs of the species that we keep. Wild animals have evolved specific skills and behaviours to survive in the wild. If the zoo environment does not allow these natural behaviours to be expressed then zoo animals may experience negative welfare experiences such as frustration. If zoo animals are kept in environments that are very different to the environment the animal has evolved in, the animal may not have the neces-sary behaviour or physiology to cope with these challenges and become stressed. Ideally the zoo environment should offer environmental choices that allow the animal to perform its normal evolutionary behaviours, and so we need to consider the animal’s evolutionary and behavioural needs when planning its captive environment and husbandry.

Challenges to providing good welfare that may be experienced by wild animals in the captive environment include:

• Neonatal isolation/maternal separation• Trauma (trade, entertainment industry,

poaching)• Suboptimal environment

(low quality zoo, trade)• Poor human-animal relationships

(handraising, trade, low quality zoo)• Development of behavioural abnormalities

through chronic stress or frustration, reduced coping abilities

Factors which may support good welfare include:

• Appropriate social contact and maternal relationships

• Veterinary care and appropriate nutrition• A benign and enriching environment• Positive human-animal-relationships

(with contact driven by the animal)• Cognitive, social and environment opportuni-

ties and choices (including the choice to hide)

Why is good welfare important to zoos?

Good animal welfare supports animals that display natural and normal behaviours, thus improving the visitor experience and demon-strating the normal behaviours of a particular species.Good keeper-animal relationships are necessary for good animal welfare, thus sup-porting good animal welfare also accommo-dates behavioural husbandry strategies such as operant conditioning that can facilitate animal husbandry regimes.

Good animal welfare strategies such as strategic enrichment programmes have been demon-strated to support reintroduction success:

“Strategic enrichment programs targeted toward developing specific skills important for survival in the wild promise to improve reintroduction success by providing individuals with opportuni‑ties to develop and improve behavioral skills, such as avoiding predation, foraging (especially for predators and primates), interacting in social groups, courtship and mating, habitat selection, and learning movement and migration routes. Enrichment also improves the physical condition of most individuals, which should also increase reintroduction success” (Reading et al., 2013)

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Providing choice is a key component of good animal welfare, and can also support ex situ breeding projects:

“Mate choice can affect multiple parameters of reproductive success, including mating success, offspring production, offspring survival, and off‑spring fecundity” (Martin and Shepherdson, 2012)

Good animal husbandry which considers strate-gies such as choice, enrichment and behavioural opportunities also support ex situ breeding success:

“The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) breed‑ing center in Wolong, China, has experienced a recent dramatic increase in reproduction, with the population nearly tripling in the past 7 years. Much of this success comes from the develop‑ment of behavioral management strategies…” (Zhang et al., 2004)

Good animal welfare is a public and professional expectation as described in documents pro-duced by zoological associations such as WAZA, EAZA, ZAA and AZA.

Animal welfare Vs ethics

What are Ethics? A moral philosophy or frame-work that applies value judgements to the way we treat animals. Ethical standpoints will vary depending on whether you believe animals have intrinsic value (their own value) or only extrinsic value (value dependent on what they provide for humans).

Animal welfare is an animal-centred approach which considers the subjective experience and wellbeing of the animal. Ethics focuses on the people‑centred moral and value‑judgements that we make.

Welfare and Ethics – Is this a welfare problem?

To best appreciate the welfare impacts of the decisions that we make for our animals we have to set aside our own moral judgements and consider the impact that our decisions have on the animals that we care for. For example humanely killed carcass feeding of carnivores may be perceived as distasteful or upsetting if we focus on the people‑centred value judge-ment as to what is appropriate, but if we focus on the welfare benefits to carnivores we can understand that this is an important method of providing holistic nutrition, natural social opportunities (in group‑housed animals) and feeding enrichment. The welfare issues for the

‘carcass’ animal should be no different than that of any other humanely-killed meat-source.

Conversely if we look at some ‘natural’ en-richments such as live-feeding of chickens to large cats such as tigers, we can see that this generates both ethical and welfare problems for humans, prey and even predators. We have to consider how these live prey animals are housed, their access to food, social and behav-ioural opportunities, their manner of death and how quickly or humanely it may occur. In terms of the predators, we should think about what behavioural opportunities the presentation of live prey actually presents – how does it meet the predators needs in terms of stimulating food-seeking and stalking behaviours? Does it present a cognitive or physical challenge? Is this challenge significantly more than a humanely-killed carcass? Is it actually enrich-ing? Are enough prey items offered to reduce competition or aggression in socially-housed animals? If these predators are to be considered for reintroduction to the wild are we potentially confusing them or training them to predate domestic animals by offering inappropriate prey animals? And for human observers, are we offering a realistic educational experience that demonstrates natural behaviours and allows appropriate interpretation of those behaviours? Or are we offering a voyeuristic opportunity, or habituating our audience to poorly-developed husbandry practices that may impact negatively on their own empathy for animals?

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Balancing ethics and welfare

These challenges are not unique to the zoo community, wild animal sanctuaries also need to consider their ethics and how they deliver good welfare. Good intentions do not always result in good outcomes whether a facility is a zoo, sanctuary or a different kind of wild animal facility, so it doesn’t matter how we label our-selves – what matters is the animal’s experience

An example of that is the bias we show in demonstrations or performances – these terms cover a wide variety of experiences with a range of different species. For example years ago the handraising of apes for use in perfor-mances would have been acceptable, now it is much less so, but in many countries we still use animals like dolphins or parrots extensively in performance-type displays – how do we decide what is acceptable? When we consider these species we can see that apes, dolphins and par-rots are all sentient, intelligent, socially complex, wide-ranging individuals, so we have to ask why might we feel differently towards each of them?

Humans are often not rational decision-makers: Phylogenetic distance, familiarity, culture and gender may all affect our attitudes towards how we perceive sentience in different animal species. Aesthetics is an important determinant in perceptions of endangered species and can influence conservation decisions, and the role of a species is also important in determining our attitude towards it e. g. Pet rat, Vs wild rat. But animals don’t care about our genetic relation-ship, how they look to us, or their role in our society – the animal’s experience is what mat-ters to the animal, and that is what we have to consider when we think of animal welfare.

Our judgements and actions change over time – they are not always reliable: Looking back, Ota Benga, a Congolese native, was brought from Africa to the United States and eventually displayed in the Bronx Zoo monkey house in 1906 – of course we would all now consider this unacceptable, but at the time it was tolerated because human ethics are influenced by our cul-ture, religion, experiences, and upbringing, and we make ethical decisions on what is acceptable based on our own perspectives. So it is impor-tant to remember that “The power to question is the basis of all human progress” (Indira Gandhi). Understanding the difference between our ethi-cal viewpoints and animal welfare can help us to make better decisions, and using evidence and scientific objectivity to evaluate animal welfare can give us more information about what our animals actually need.

Assessment of wellbeing in captivity

Assessing the welfare of animals in zoos is chal-lenging. For many species we have a limited understanding of their behavioural and physi-ological needs, and unless we know what they need, we cannot provide good welfare. Many zoo husbandry practices are based on tradi-tion rather than evidence (Melfi, 2009), which means that providing good welfare can be challenging. However useful frameworks to help support general principles of good welfare have been developed. The Australian Zoo and Aquarium Association and the World Associa-tion of Zoos and Aquaria have adopted the Five Domains (Mellor and Reid, 1994) as a frame-work to support good animal welfare. The Five Domains are:

1. Nutrition: e. g. appropriate consumption of nutritious foods is a pleasurable experience

2. Environmental: e. g. benign conditions offer adaptive choices and variety

3. Health: e. g. physically sound (uninjured, disease‑free) animals enjoy good health

4. Behaviour: e. g. environment-focused and inter-animal activities are satisfying and engaging

5. Mental or Affective State: e. g. animals experience comfort, pleasure, interest and confidence

Applying this framework to zoo animal hus-bandry can provide useful guidance, and allow consideration of opportunities for good animal welfare. Additional resources include the EU Zoos Directive Good Practice Guidance (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/pdf/EU_Zoos_Directive_Good_Practices.pdf) and technical resources available from zoo associa-tions such as WAZA, EAZA and AZA.

Zoos can play an important role in being part of the solution to welfare problems and modern zoos recognise that good animal welfare is the cornerstone of success, supporting conserva-tion, education and research activities.

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Summary

Increasing research in the field of animal wel-fare science has given us greater understanding of the welfare needs of zoo animals, but there are still many gaps. Frameworks such as the Five Domains offer useful general guidance on the promotion of positive welfare states until we can better research and understand the spe-cific welfare needs of the species we manage.

It is important to remember that absence of evi-dence is not equivalent to evidence of absence, and a lack of scientific evidence of specific welfare needs should not be used as a reason to not provide husbandry which supports general principles of good animal welfare.

The precautionary principle is applied to conservation situations and states that a lack of evidence should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent serious environmental degradation. In a similar way, a lack of evidence should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent serious welfare problems, as in most cases general principles of good practice may be applied, until sufficient evidence is accrued to determine specific welfare needs.

References

• Anand, K. J. S., Sippell, W. G. & Green, A. A. 1987. Randomised trial of fentanyl anaesthe-sia in preterm babies undergoing surgery: effects on the stress response. The Lancet, 329, 243–248.

• Braithwaite, V. 2010. Do fish feel pain?, Oxford university press.

• Fossat, P., Bacqué-Cazenave, J., De Deur-waerdère, P., Delbecque, J.-P. & Cattaert, D. 2014. Anxiety‑like behavior in crayfish is con-trolled by serotonin. Science, 344, 1293–1297.

• Martin, M. S. & Shepherdson, D. J. 2012. Role of Familiarity and Preference in Reproductive Success in Ex situ Breeding Programs

• Papel de la Familiaridad y la Preferencia en el Éxito Reproductivo en Programas de Re-producción Ex situ. Conservation Biology, 26, 649–656.

• Melfi, V. A. 2009. There are big gaps in our knowledge, and thus approach, to zoo animal welfare: a case for evidence-based zoo animal management. Zoo Biology, 28, 574–588.

• Mellor, D., Cook, C. & Stafford, K. 2000. Quan-tifying some responses to pain as a stressor. The Biology of Animal Stress: Basic Principles and Implications for Welfare, 171–98.

• Mellor, D. & Reid, C. 1994. Concepts of animal well-being and predicting the impact of proce-dures on experimental animals. Improving the Well‑being of Animals in the Research Environ‑ment, 3–18.

• Reading, R. P., Miller, B. & Shepherdson, D. 2013. The Value of Enrichment to Reintroduc-tion Success. Zoo Biology, 32, 332–341.

• Zhang, G., Swaisgood, R. R. & Zhang, H. 2004. Evaluation of behavioral factors influencing re-productive success and failure in captive giant pandas. Zoo Biology, 23, 15–31.

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Wildlife trade: How WAZA can support CITES

Tom De Meulenaer – Chief, Scientific Support Team, CITES Secretariat

Distinguished guests, friends and colleagues, Good morning to you all.

We are most grateful to WAZA for having invited the CITES Secretariat to its 70th annual conference and technical congress – happy birthday! – and to the extremely generous host of this splendid venue in Al Ain.

CITES and WAZA formalized their long-stand-ing collaboration in support of the implementa-tion of CITES by concluding a Memorandum of Understanding in 2011. We have since that time seen increased contributions from WAZA in our meetings, workshops, decision-making pro-cesses and communications, and our presence here underscores that the CITES Convention would like to lend further support to WAZA and its overall conservation objectives.

I have some slides to show that should tell you a bit more about CITES; about CITES and the zoos and aquariums community; and about CITES and WAZA.

What is CITES?

CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement with 182 member States. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants is legal, sustainable and traceable, and does not put their survival at risk. CITES is both a trade-related and a conservation convention. CITES uses trade-related measures to achieve its conservation objective, which is to ensure that wildlife, both animals and plants, is not unsustainably exploited through international trade.

CITES is regarded as one of the most success-ful of all international environment-related agreements, noting that the Convention is not only seen as an important tool in support of species conservation, but also increasingly being recognized in the context of sustainable development.

CITES was conceived in a spirit of collaboration because the trade in wild animals and plants crosses borders between countries, requiring international cooperation to safeguard certain species from over-exploitation. The Conven-tion regulates commercial and non-commercial international trade in over 35,000 species of animals and plants, including their parts and derivatives, to which it accords varying degrees of protection.

CITES regulations touch upon a wide range of operations, businesses and industries that rely on, or trade in CITES-regulated species. Exam-ples include housing and furniture (timber from valuable, rare trees such as mahogany, ramin, African teak,…), pharmaceuticals (many me-dicinal plants), cosmetic (herbal wax and oils), food (caviar, several fish species, wild meat,..), leather, clothing and fashion (reptile and mam-mal skins, furs, fibres from wild animals,…), pets (parrots, tortoises and turtles, many snakes,..), ornamental plants (orchids, carnivorous plants, cacti,..), hunting and falconry, and public dis-plays (zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens,…).

How CITES works

Let me take a few moments to briefly describe how CITES works.

The nature of the various trade measures utilized by CITES to regulate trade in the 35,000 species of animals and plants depends primarily upon the biological status of the species.

For certain species, commercial international trade in wild-taken specimens is prohibited. These species are included in Appendix I of the Convention and they are categorized as threat-ened with extinction. This prohibition includes commercial trade in for example elephant ivory, rhino horn, great apes, marine turtles and tigers. Appendix I includes some 700 species of fauna and 1,000 of flora. Luckily, this represents only some 3% of all CITES-listed species – most wild-life is not in such a dire state that the species needs to be listed in Appendix I!

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For the very large majority of the CITES‑listed species, commercial international trade is allowed, be it subject to strict regulation to be sure it is legal, sustainable and traceable. These species are included in Appendix II of the Convention. They are not yet necessarily threat-ened with extinction but they could become so if trade is not strictly regulated. Appendix II also includes a large number of so-called “look-alike” species, which resemble others that are of conservation concern and are included to ease the work of enforcement officers. In addition to 30,000 plants, Appendix II includes some 500 mammals, 1,200 birds, 700 reptiles, 150 am-phibians, 100 fish and 2,100 invertebrates.

When a State decides to trade in a CITES-listed species, the Convention sets out three require-ments that must be met, namely the need to:

• make a legal acquisition finding – being a cer-tification that the specimens have been taken in accordance with national law;

• make a non‑detriment finding – being a science‑based biological sustainability finding that takes account of the role of the species in the in its ecosystem; and

• issue the appropriate permit/certificate and report the trade – being the formal authoriza-tion and report of the trade transaction to the CITES Secretariat.

While different species of animals and plants are included in different Appendices, the Con-vention does not draw any distinction between charismatic and lesser-known species, although the attention paid to different species, of ani-mals in particular, varies considerably. In that sense, one could say that while all animals are equal under CITES, in the court of public opinion

“some animals are more equal than others.”

CITES – an evolving Convention

The world has changed a lot since 1975 when CITES entered into force. Looking at popula-tion figures alone, the world’s population has grown from 4 to over 7 billion people – and that is an additional 3 billion potential consum-ers of wildlife and wildlife products. Yet, CITES has remained as relevant today as when it first entered into force. This is because CITES is and has remained a focused, action-orientated and vibrant convention.

The Convention has continued to evolve over time in response to changing conditions in many ways, including through developing compliance procedures, bringing new marine and timber species under CITES trade controls, making the best use of emerging technologies and strengthening cooperative implementation and enforcement efforts. This evolution will continue. One of the main reasons why CITES is such a unique instrument, is because it includes the ability for its Standing Committee to take certain compliance measures in relation to unsustainable levels of trade, a failure to submit annual reports, inadequate legislation, and a persistent failure to implement the Conven-tion effectively. This considerably enhances the respect of CITES-requirements and regulations.

Amongst the most challenging is to make sure that Parties ensure that levels of commercial exports of Appendix-II listed species is non-det-rimental for the survival of the species in the wild. The compliance mechanism in support of this requirement CITES continually reviews the levels of international trade in CITES-listed spe-cies through its Review of Significant Trade. This is conducted by the CITES Animals and Plants Committees, which can ask exporting Parties

questions about the levels of trade, including about their non‑detriment finding, and make rec-ommendations to the Party. If recommendations are not adequately implemented, the Stand-ing Committee can take compliance measures, which can, as a last resort, result in a recommen-dation to suspend trade in the affected species.

CITES and sustainable development

Legal and sustainable trade can have benefits for both wildlife and people, which has been for-mally recognized by CITES. The economic value of the CITES-regulated trade is not well known, but runs in the billions of USD per year. Trade of meat of queen conch, for example, generates some 60 million USD/year in the Caribbean; southeast Asia’s python skin trade is valued at 1 billion USD/year; bigleaf mahogany generated 33 million USD/year in Latin America; etc.

The enduring relevance of CITES was perhaps most powerfully expressed through the agreed outcomes of the UN Conference on Sustain-able Development or Rio+20 in 2012, which recognized the important role of CITES as “an international agreement that stands at the intersection between trade, the environment and development.”

This outcome has reinforced the links between CITES implementation and sustainable de-velopment, which has taken on even greater significance with the UN General Assembly adopting the first specific resolution on Tackling Illicit Wildlife Trafficking in 2015 and with UNGA adopting the Sustainable Development Goals in September of the same year. CITES implemen-tation will contribute in many ways to achieving these Goals and related targets.

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CITES and illegal trade in wildlife – when international trade is illegal

CITES regulates international trade in CITES-listed wildlife, and, as mentioned earlier, this involves addressing both legal and illegal trade. For domestic or international trade in wildlife to be described as illegal or as ‘illicit wildlife trafficking’, which is often used to refer to illegal trade, it must contravene either do-mestic or international law (or both).

CITES obliges States that are Party to the Con-vention to (inter alia) not to trade in listed species other than in accordance with the Convention, to take appropriate measures to enforce the Con-vention and to prohibit trade in violation thereof, including measures to penalize such trade.

Consequently, illegal trade, or ‘illicit wildlife trafficking’, under CITES includes trading com-mercially in wild-taken specimens of Appendix I listed species and failing to obtain, or to follow the conditions within, the necessary permits or certificates to trade in Appendix I, II or III listed species, as well as the illegal possession of speci-mens illegally imported or otherwise acquired.

Leaving aside timber and marine products, it is estimated that the annual value of wildlife crime is up to USD 20 billion a year ranking it amongst other serious transnational crimes such as the trafficking in people and arms. While combatting illicit wildlife trafficking presents major challenges, the positive news is that there is a global collective effort underway to combat it and we are witnessing encourag-ing progress both at national and international level in response to the changing dynamic of these highly destructive crimes, some aspects of which I will highlight.

CITES and animal welfare and animal rights

The issues of animal welfare and animal rights can generate a lot of the media attention, espe-cially regarding charismatic CITES-listed animals, both through traditional and social media. It is a focus of attention for the present confer-ence, and we are well aware that this is an area of great relevance to WAZA, as shown through the adoption of its new animal welfare strategy. Most recently, this was illustrated by the global media attention surrounding the killing of a male African lion in Zimbabwe that was given the name Cecil, and the export of a number of young African elephants from Zimbabwe to a zoo in China. This is one area where national, rather than international law, sets most of the rules and as such it varies considerably from one State to another – noting that the issue of animal rights is related – yet distinct from – animal welfare.

The animal welfare provisions under CITES are limited, specific and targeted. They are limited to the international transport of live animals so as to minimize the risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment; and in very specific circumstances to ensure the suitability of places destined to receive live animals, including res-cue centres (for the disposal of confiscated live specimens). Guidance on meeting these CITES obligations have been provided by the Parties in some instances, such as through the guidelines on the transport of live specimens.

CITES was the first, and possibly remains the only, global legal instrument to address animal welfare, while noting some issues have been considered by the World Organization for Ani-mal Health (OIE) and that several other con-ventions have adopted certain resolutions that relate to aspects of animal welfare.

However, most animal welfare issues are addressed through domestic law rather than international law and there is currently no global treaty governing either animal welfare or animal rights, although efforts have been made by some, including WAZA through its Animal Welfare Strategy, in this regard. It is perhaps partly for this reason that CITES has been used as a forum for the expression of a wide range of differing and passionately held views on in-ternational trade in wild animals, from “use it or lose it” to radical animal rights stances against any trade, whether all of the actions sought by various actors fall under the current mandate of CITES or not.

CITES is possibly the only global forum where experts and advocacy groups from such a wide range of perspectives – conservation and sustainable use, traders, wildlife-users com-munities, development, animal welfare/rights – come together to discuss, and contribute to making decisions on international trade in, and use of, wildlife. This is a great strength of CITES.

CITES and zoos and aquariums

There are over 15,000,000,000 recorded author-ized trade transactions in the CITES trade data base. Many thousands of these concern trans-actions involving zoos and aquariums. Zoos and aquariums are indeed important ‘clients’ of CITES, not in the least because they keep, breed, exchange and trade in a wide variety of CITES-listed species. The following provides an overview of trade in CITES-listed animals for zoological purposes (purpose code ‘Z’) and for circuses or travelling exhibitions (purpose code

‘Q’), over the most recent 10 years for which data are available, 2004–2013.

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Data includes all direct exports in live animals reported in number, for all sources other than source ‘I’ (seized/confiscated), as reported by exporters (unless specified otherwise). The analysis was produced by UNEP-WCMC on the basis of data extracted from the CITES Trade Database.

In numbers of live animals, 0.07% (~30,000 out of ~43.6 million) were traded for zoological purposes, while 0.02% were traded for circuses/travelling exhibitions (see Figure 1). In transac-tions of live animals, 1% (~8,000 out of 890,000) were for zoological purposes, while 0.3% were for circuses/travelling exhibitions. Zoological purposes were the third most common purpose for transactions of live animals.

The number of live animals traded over time for zoological purposes appears to have increased until 2010 according to data reported by import-ing Parties, while exporters reported a gradual increase throughout the decade. (see figure 2).

The top five taxa traded live for zoological purposes, circuses and travelling exhibitions for 2004–2013 are shown in the table below, noting that the vast majority of the transactions involv-ing the Tanzanian endemic, Appendix-I listed Kihansi spray toad (Nectophrynoides asperginis) took place in 2012 and 2013 in the context of a zoo-led conservation breeding and reintroduc-tion programme.

An overview of sources of live animals traded for zoological purposes, circuses and travelling ex-hibitions in 2004–2013, as indicated in Figure 3, shows that some 20% of the animals traded by zoos came from the wild, and the remainder mostly from the wild.

CITES source codes: • C bred in captivity• W wild• F born in captivity• R ranched animal• D captive-bred animal• I confiscated or seized• U unknown• O pre-convention

Figure 1: Transactions of live animals, by purpose, 2004–2013 (N=978,130)

Table 1. Sources of live animals

Purpose Z

Taxon No.

Nectophrynoides asperginis

5200

Testudo graeca 1200

Phoenicopterus ruber 913

Panthera leo 904

Lemur catta 631

Purpose Q

Taxon No.

Panthera tigris 840

Ursus arctos 741

Panthera leo 631

Euphyllia ancora 352

Python bivittatus 289

Figure 2: Trade in live animals (number) for zoological purposes 2004–2013

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CITES and WAZA

WAZA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CITES in December 2011 to facilitate access to expertise for the care of confiscated live ani-mals, the provision of training and raising public awareness in the implementation of CITES.

The main purpose of this collaboration is to facilitate the use of the expertise available in the WAZA network to assist CITES Parties in implementing the Convention, and to support the activities of the CITES Secretariat for the benefit of the conservation and sustainable use of species of wild fauna and flora. Major fields of cooperation include: care and placement of confiscated live animals; gathering information about current wildlife trade issues; transport of live animals, whether it be for commercial trade, breeding, research or conservation purposes; research and science; communication and awareness; training; and capacity building.

Lets look at each of the areas of cooperation in turn.

Trade in live animals: Firstly, WAZA can and should ensure that all of its members trade specimens of their CITES-listed species in full compliance with CITES provisions. Secondly, it is well recognised that WAZA members have specific know‑how about transportation of live animals. WAZA can assist in keeping CITES transport guidance pertinent and up to date by participating in their regular reviews by the CITES Standing Committee, and sharing their expertise. Thirdly, the zoo and aquarium community can act as the eyes and ears on the ground concerning live-animal trade that may be questionable or unusual, e. g. by sharing up‑to‑date information about offers, prices, and trade developments. An example that oc-curred in recent years concerned offers to zoos of ‘captive bred’ great apes from a country that was known not to be breeding these species. Alerting the broader CITES community for such dubious business proposals can help investigat-ing and prevent illegal transactions.

Confiscated animals: In many countries, zoos and aquaria are, or could become, important rescue centers. This role could be expanded, and WAZA members could advise on suitable solutions for confiscated live animals, and share relevant information. CITES is currently discussing improvements to its guidance in this regard by undertaking a revision of CITES Resolutions and provisions for the disposal of confiscated specimen for discussion at the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES in Johannesburg, South Africa, in Sep-tember 2016(CoP17). WAZA could and should play a leading role with regard to advice for the disposal of live animals.

Figure 3: Trade in live animals (number) for zoological purposes (left) and for circuses and travelling exhibitions (right) (2004–2013) by source (N=7,656)

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Another hands-on example where WAZA expertise in this area would be highly welcome is the CITES review of illegal trade in Cheetahs 2014–16. The most recent population estimate is fewer than 10,000, mostly in the savannahs of Eastern and Southern Africa, with a very small Asiatic population in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Wild cheetah populations are declining. Cheetahs face a variety of pressures to their existence in the wild, including habitat loss, bush‑meat hunting of their prey base, conflict with livestock owners, and illegal trade in live animals as pets. Eastern Africa is the region with the highest recorded levels of illegal trade in live cheetahs, and where this trade is likely to generate the most significant negative impact on wild populations. The primary destination of live cheetahs from this region, are the Gulf States. The known outcomes of incidents where confiscations were made in Somalia and Ethio-pia suggest that there is a high mortality rate of up to 70% amongst the animals illegally traded. Trade in captive bred live cheetahs from South Africa occurs, which requires strict national oversight of captive breeding and export of live cheetahs, to ensure that all animals in trade are of legal origin.

The challenges to address illegal trade in live an-imals include (a) how to reduce the illegal offer of, and demand for illegal cheetah specimens; (b) how to combat illegal trade in cheetahs and improve international cooperation along the trade chain in source, transit and destination countries, principally from Eastern Africa to the Gulf States; and (c) how to handle and dispose of confiscated live cheetahs to prevent mortali-ty and enhance positive conservation outcomes. In each of these areas, WAZA members can play an important role and provide assistance.

Research and science: The WAZA network can liaise with CITES scientists and research-ers, and with national CITES Scientific and Management Authorities to provide assistance in the collection of data and information on the status of wild species (e. g. for the mak-ing of Non‑Detriment Findings), and in areas of identification, taxonomy, marking and forensic sciences. WAZA’s new conservation strategy can enrich the ongoing discussion in CITES on the relationship between in situ and ex situ conservation actions. There are many opportunities for WAZA to share its expertise. CITES is for example undertaking a review of the trade in live Asian elephants, which should be reported on at CoP17. What can the WAZA membership share about best marking prac-tices for Asian elephants in captivity, and how to monitor movements of captive animals? How to keep studbooks? What are good husbandry standards? Another are that is being examined is the development of guidance for inspecting commercial captive breeding facilities. Again, WAZA seems ideally placed for providing very pertinent practical examples.

Capacity building: WAZA and CITES could col-laborate in specific CITES training activities re-garding care and placement of confiscated live animals, transport of live animals, and any other relevant matter. There may be scope for sharing online courses on the CITES Virtual College, and creating joint training opportunities.

Outreach/communication: Raising awareness about trade in wild species seems a natural role of WAZA‑affiliated institutions. Could we develop joint WAZA‑CITES information and education campaigns? Collaboration exists already in the context of e. g. World Wildlife Day, and the UN Decade on Biodiversity 2011–2010.

Conclusions

CITES is an international agreement that con-nects international commitments with national action. It is also a Convention that attracts a diverse range of stakeholders and generates a lively and passionate debate around trade, devel-opment, environment, livelihoods, animal wel-fare and animal rights, with some issues falling under the mandate of CITES and others remain-ing exclusively in the domain of national law.

The success of CITES relies upon the contribu-tions and ongoing commitment of, and col-laboration between, multiple organizations and people coming from a wide range of disciplines and perspectives and the Convention benefits from the rich and diverse level of interest in the Convention.

WAZA Members have expertise in animal breeding and care, marking and tracing animals, transport of live animals, in situ and ex situ con-servation, sustainable use, education, training and research, all of which are particularly per-tinent to CITES. There is clearly great potential for WAZA to help strengthen CITES through practical assistance, sharing know-how and capacity-building.

The new WAZA strategies lay out Visions and Recommendations that touch upon each of these areas, and will hopefully provide practical guidance to both WAZA and CITES for the years to come.

WAZA Congress Papers Abstracts

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Table of contentsAbstracts

1. Jenny Gray | Compassionate Conservation2. Markus Gusset | Zoo And Aquarium

Leadership In Conservation Welfare3. Greg Vicino | From Prevention Of Cruelty

To Optimizing Welfare: Opportunities To Thrive

4. Rachel Lowry | Strategic Zoo-Based Research – Securing Our Social License

5. Miklós Persány | Make Your Zoo An Indispensable Partner In The Conservation And Animal Welfare Community – A 20 Year Experiment In Budapest Zoo

6. Miquel Trepat‑Celis | Barcelona Zoo Foundation: Focused On Conservation And Animal Welfare

7. Damián Pallandini | How To Attract More Visitors With Conservation Messages And Not Die In The Attempt

8. Rob Hilsenroth | Zoo And Wildlife Veterinary Organisations

9. Stephanie Sanderson | Avian Influenza: A Global Threat To Zoological Collections

10. Eric Miller | Quarantine And Animal Contact Policies In Zoos

11. Peter Hellyer | The UAE – Conservation and Development

12. Leila Abdulatif | Zoos, Aquaria And Their Role In Species Conservation

13. Ghanim Al Hajeri | Zoo Leadership – The Impacts of Zoos on the Economy and Why this Makes them Relevant

14. Mark Craig | The Future Role Of Conservation And Animal Welfare Leadership In Al Ain Zoo

15. Mohammad Khan | Dubai Zoo’s Sustained Efforts To Integrate Its Captive‑Bred Animal With Nature

16. Inder Dhamija | Best Practices For Integrating Conservation Activities In Zoos

17. Ryan Walsh | Urban Prairie Habitat Creation At The Toledo Zoo

18. Judy Mann | The African Penguin – Conservation In Action In South Africa

19. Iman Memariam | Extinction shadows over Persian Leopards (Panthera pardus spp. saxicolor) due to human animal confilict

20. Priptal Soorae | The Interface Between Wildlife Conservation and Animal Welfare in Reintroduction Projects

21. Justin Chuven | Capture, Restraint and Translocation of Scimitar-horned Oryx and other Ungulates both within the UAE and Internationally

22. Cromwell Purchase | Introduction And The Associated Implications For Conservation And Animal Welfare

23. Patrick Quatember | Project Batagur baska: Conservation efforts for the Northern River Terrapin

24. Meyer De Kock | Arabian Tahr Conservation Introduction in the UAE – Animal Welfare Overview

WAZA Congress Papers Abstracts

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1 | Compassionate Conservation

Jenny Gray

Environmental ethics is complex in both its scope and its practical implications. Environ-mental ethics asks us to pause and consider how dramatically humans are impacting on all life on earth. It challenges humans to turn our attention away from the interests of individual humans to the interests of all living creatures, to strive for a fairer and more just allocation of resources. Such a change will allow for a future that includes the amazing biodiversity and beauty of all creatures. A failure to change is to risk losing many important and worthy biotic communities.

Zoos have many important contributions to add to the conservation cause, in particular the unique ability to interact with millions of visitors and the capacity to hold, breed and rehabilitate animals. Yet often the gains for the species are at a cost to individual animals.

The emerging field of compassionate conserva-tion demands the goal of delivering conserva-tion outcomes that simultaneously meet the interests of individual animals. For zoos this goal is possible but requires changes in practic-es and most importantly changes in philosophy to link compassion for individual animals with conservation outcomes. Zoos must decide will we embrace and advance the goals and cause of compassionate conservation or will we continue to advocate that the ends justify the means.

2 | Zoo and Aquarium Leadership in Conservation Welfare

Markus Gusset

It is increasingly important to recognise the relevance of animal welfare when dealing with problems of wildlife conservation. The same human activities driving the current biodiversity crisis are compromising animals’ welfare and these interlinked concerns attend the work of zoos and aquariums on conservation and sav-ing wildlife species. Conservation welfare is a concept that integrates the goal of promoting positive animal welfare states with achieving conservation objectives. Conservation welfare acknowledges that any human activity that intentionally or unintentionally impacts on ani-mals in their wild or natural environments has the potential to cause animal welfare compro-mise. For example, intentionally intervening in the lives of wildlife species for conservation pur-poses, such as capturing, handling or transport-ing animals, can have impacts on the welfare of the individual animals concerned. Similarly, reintroductions are interventions that highlight, within the animal welfare–conservation nexus, a duty of care for the individual animals to be reintroduced as well as for the population to be restored. Importantly, seeking to improve the welfare of wildlife does not necessarily conflict with conservation aims, because measures taken to enhance animal welfare may, by improving survival and reproductive prospects, enhance the conservation value of the whole endeavour. Good conservation practices can and should be implemented with close con-sideration of the welfare of individual animals. Zoos and aquariums have all the competency, expertise and knowledge required to assume leadership in conservation welfare.

3 | From Prevention of Cruelty to Optimising Welfare: Opportunities to thrive

Greg Vicino

Historically, animal welfare was evaluated in terms of negative states (e. g., hunger or thirst) as evidenced by the five freedoms. As the field continues to expand in both technique (e. g., technological advances, multimodal assess-ment tools, etc.) and understanding, many of the traditional frameworks no longer provide the detail and direction to take full advantage of our shared knowledge. As we shift our meth-ods to examine positive states of welfare (e. g., behavioral diversity) in addition to negative measures we also find that our focus must be detailed enough to account for the interplay be-tween the two. If we are to consider an animal’s welfare on a continuum from poor to thriving, we are pressed to develop a lens with which we can assess opportunities for animals (inputs) and evaluate their impacts (outputs). The con-cept of assessing welfare framed by providing animals with ‘opportunities to thrive’ allows us to adapt to the changing needs of animals within a specific context. Utilizing opportuni-ties to thrive should not replace measurement of output variables but provide a framework to develop an animal welfare management program to optimize welfare for animals under human care.

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4 | Strategic Zoo-based Research: Securing our Social License

Rachel Lowry

Zoos claim to be many things to many people and many species. But do we really live up to our promises? This is a question that is asked by those that challenge the merit of zoos and aquariums, as well as those that value our contribution to society, and it’s a question we should be able to answer with data supporting a strong narrative.

In 2011, Zoos Victoria introduced research crite-ria to ensure that our conservation investment ultimately answered the following questions:

1. Are we managing threatened species insur-ance populations effectively?

2. Are we influencing conservation sensitive at-titudes, knowledge and behaviours?

3. Are the animals entrusted in our care living in predominately positive welfare states?

4. Are we saving species in the wild?5. In seeking answers to these questions, Zoos

Victoria’s staff has had to focus our research attention directly towards our true north. We have gained many surprising insights, some of which have challenged our assumptions and forced a cycle of continuous improve-ment. Our research exposes our strengths and weaknesses, and affirms that fighting extinction is not easy, but for many spe-cies, it cannot be achieved without zoos and aquariums.

5 | Make Your Zoo an Indispensable Partner in the Conservation and Animal Welfare Community: A 20 Year Experiment in Budapest Zoo

Miklós Persány

The key to success in conservation and animal welfare (C+AW) for zoos is to play active role in C+AW networks. One of the main goals of the strategic plan of Budapest Zoo developed in 1993 was to become a most important centre in conservation of Hungary. During the last two decades the zoo has built close ties and a long series of joint programs with NGOs, national parks, scientific institutions and, in some cases, with specialized government agencies. The systematic building of partnerships with C+AW organisations resulted in a situation now that the zoo is considered by both the conservation and welfare community and also by the media in Hungary as one of the most important player in both C+AW issues. There were several stages of this process: initiation of honest dialogue, provide opportunities and services for future partners, enter joint actions, work hard to-gether, build and maintain mutual respect and credibility.

The forms of partnerships include e. g. joint in situ projects, animal rescue, regular joint events and media actions, participation in scientific activities and bodies, environmental education. The role of the zoo is to provide human resources, expertize, funds and venues, and also to create public window, opportunity for C+W people to meet the public, build their constituency, collect membership and money. As a result, both C+AW people and media have been contributing to the business success of the zoo. The paper overviews the means, methods and outputs of zoo partnerships in C+AW.

6 | Barcelona Zoo Foundation: Focused on Conservation and Animal Welfare

Miquel Trepat‑Celis

The Barcelona Zoo Foundation, created in 2011 by the Barcelona City Council, was established to promote and develop the Barcelona Zoo and to promote research, education and awareness of the need to preserve biodiversity and to con-serve and protect natural ecosystems.

To achieve this objective, and in line with the role assumed by modern zoos following the Global Strategy of Zoos and Aquariums for Con-servation of WAZA in 2005, the Barcelona Zoo Foundation works in conjunction with govern-ment and scientific research institutions, univer-sities, professional associations and NGOs. Of particular significance has been the collabora-tion between the Barcelona Zoo Foundation and the Zoo Animal Welfare Education Centre (ZAWEC) at the School of Veterinary Science of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) on a number of joint projects involving Universi-ty staff as well as Barcelona Zoo’s veterinarians, curators and keepers.

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One of the Foundation’s key aims is to promote the highest level of welfare for zoo animals and to this end, and with the valued support of the School of Veterinary Science of the UAB, we have decided, among other actions, to promote a specific web page of ZAWEC to share and pro-vide summarized and easily accessible scientific information on the welfare of zoo animals and the publication of a series of seven books that approach in an integrated way the knowledge available on this subject. The first one is “Zoo Animal Welfare: concepts and indicators”, of Dr. Manteca.

The oral paper is aimed at explain our experi-ence. We hope this work is well received and becomes a useful reference tool for the interna-tional zoo community.

7 | How To Attract More Visitors with Conservation Messages and Not Die in the Attempt

Damián Pallandini

It is well known that most zoos and aquariums around the world need to attract more visitors. To do so, the strategy is to exhibit new animals (as charismatic as possible) so that the novelty raises the attendance. During our last winter holidays, with the excuse of a new attraction, we focused our marketing campaign not only on attracting more visitors but also on deliv-ering the conservation message that not all animals are pets.

A group of Black howler monkeys that came from animal trafficking were the stars of that campaign. The communications included a TV commercial, radio and print media. It contin-ued in our exhibition where our visitors could not only watch the 5 monkeys but also learn the importance of not having them as pets. We invited the audience to help us to “re-monkey” these animals, giving them back the traits that are characteristic of the species and showing them that human-like behaviors are not in their nature. Unfortunately, these monkeys can be easily bought in our country.

The campaign was a big hit, not only from the marketing point of view. Regarding conserva-tion and animal welfare, we raised awareness on this important issue and also received 17 monkeys from our visitors, which were kept as pets, to be rehabilitated. We have also wel-comed other animals such as toucans, turtles and macaws because the owners understood that in Temaikèn they could fulfill their mission rather than being pets.

8 | Zoo and Wildlife Veterinary Organisations

Rob Hilsenroth

Organizations of zoo and wildlife veterinarians offer a forum for discussion of animal health issues and overall management issues as they relate to the health and wellbeing of the ani-mals in our care. Two of these organizations are the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV) and the European Association of Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarians (EAZWV) – both of which are members of WAZA. Similar groups also exist in Japan, Australia and a newly form-ing group in Latin America.

Both the AAZV and the EAZWV have made the Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine (JZWM) their official journal, as has WAZA with its sup-port. The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) also support it. With a circulation of nearly 1500, it is one of the lead-ing, international, peer‑reviewed journals on the diagnosis, treatment and preventive medicine of zoo animals and free-ranging wildlife. Its authorship is truly international, and markedly discounted subscriptions are offered to zoo and wildlife veterinarians in developing nations.

Additional publications include Infectious Disease Notebooks from both the EAZWV and AAZV. These texts are continually updated and offer quick references for information about diseases that affect zoo animals and wildlife.

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In addition to the Journal, both AAZV and EAZWV hold annual continuing education conferences. EAZWV partners with the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in producing their conference. Veterinarians from around the world attend both of these confer-ences. AAZV offers scholarships to bring veteri-narians (usually 6–8) from Developing Nations to its conferences. Both conferences provide workshops and didactic lectures that provide up to the minute, cutting edge medical knowledge to the attendees.

Another function of the EAZWV and AAZV is advocating for appropriate animal care and wel-fare regulations before governmental and zoo organizations, agencies, e. g., the EU and EAZA in Europe, the USDA and AZA in the USA. Such has been the case with recent efforts to monitor and regulate avian influenza in the USA.

Both EAZWV and AAZV realize the importance of two-way communications with EAZA, AZA and WAZA. To that end, we hope that we will be able to continue dialogue that improves that ability for all of us to make a better world for the animals in our care.

9 | Avian Influenza: A Global Threat to Zoological Collections

Stephanie Sanderson

Avian influenza (AI) should be of major concern to zoological collections worldwide.

Though the majority of influenza viruses cause minimal disease in birds both H5 and H7 subtypes have the ability to evolve into highly pathogenic forms (HPAI) and cause fatal systemic infection in birds and some mammals (e. g. some cat and pig species). Since 2003, over 100 million domestic birds have been destroyed or died during outbreaks. Large numbers of wild birds have also died and a number of zoological collections have been affected.

AI is of major concern to government health agencies not only because it has caused bil-lions of dollars’ worth of damage to the global agricultural economy but also because of the virus’s potential to mutate or to recombine with circulating human influenza strains such that the resulting strain that can lead to human pan-demic disease. Both the 1957 and 1968 human influenza pandemics were derived from circulat-ing AI strains and together they are estimated to have contributed to between 2–6million human deaths worldwide.

This presentation will outline the key threats that AI poses to zoological collections including:

6. Threat to the health and welfare of the collection from:

a. clinical outbreaks in the bird and mammal collection

b. widespread culling of stock imposed as a government control

1. Indirect threat to conservation breeding programmes

a. through loss of key genetic stockb. as a result of national and/or international

movement bans3. Direct and indirect threats to business

continuitya. as a result of enforced closure and/or

culling of large quantities of stockb. due to visitors staying away due

to perceived or confirmed threat to human health

c. due to lack of staff available for work should the strain become infectious to humans

We will discuss what measures zoological col-lections can put in place to protect themselves from AI and also how they can develop partner-ships with government agencies not only to reduce the impact of national disease control measures but actually to assist with disease sur-veillance and early warning systems. Examples will be given from both European and North American initiatives. DOC 70.3

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10 | Quarantine and Animal Contact Policies in Zoos

Eric Miller

Quarantine is a vital procedure in managing animal health and population sustainability. Quarantine comes from the Italian word “quar-anta” for 40 –for in the 1400s, the sea-trading Venetians realized the wisdom in holding ships in the harbour for 40 days. If Black Death did not break out among the passengers, then they were safe to disembark. For zoo animals, quar-antine is critical to prevent the spread of nu-merous diseases that can affect the long term viability of populations, for example, tuberculo-sis in many mammalian species, cystocercosis in primates, and many more. Quarantine should ideally separate animal air contact via fluids, air, fomites (cleaning utensils, food dishes, etc.).

Quarantine protocols have been designed for various taxa as they may represent different disease threats. Some quarantine protocols can be quite detailed, e. g., the procedures enforced by the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC) for the importation of primates into the USA. Animal contact guidelines are vital for safe han-dling when the public comes into contact with zoo species. Many consider animal contact with appropriate species vital to increasing human/animal interaction and increased appreciation for the animal kingdom. However, risks are in-volved, but if carefully managed, these are risks be effectively controlled. Examples include the spread of virulent strains of E. coli from farm animals to children in petting zoos.

The importance of designing both quarantine and animal contact guidelines is to adopt a

“reasonable risk” (rather than a “zero risk”) ap-proach that is based on rationale evaluation.

11 | The UAE – Conservation and Development

Peter Hellyer

It was once said of the founding father of the United Arab Emirates, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, that he was “a conservation-ist before it became fashionable.”

Fifty years ago, recognising that uncontrolled hunting was pushing the Arabian Oryx towards extinction, he arranged for the capture of two pairs from the desert and began a captive breed-ing programme. A few years later, he set aside an area of land close to Al Ain as the country’s first zoo: it was then, and still is today, the larg-est zoo in the Middle East in terms of its area.

In the years that have passed, the concept of Conservation has become a central part of Gov-ernment planning. In a country better known for its rapid population growth and urban and industrial development, that is remarkable.

At the same time, the UAE has come to recog-nise that Conservation is something that cannot be pursued in a single country: it is a global chal-lenge that requires a global response. For that, global partnerships need to be created – and there too the UAE has made its mark.

There have been difficulties along the way, problems that, with wiser counsels, need not have occurred. The commitment of the coun-try’s leaders, coupled with the decision to seek overseas partnerships and expertise, has meant that today the UAE can claim to be a world leader in conservation.

For a small and arid country, that is no small achievement.

12 | Zoos, Aquaria And Their Role In Species Conservation

Leila Abdulatif

This speech will highlight the need for increased conservation measures on a global scale, and discusses WWF’s position on the role of zoos and aquaria in conservation of species in the wild.

One key point that jumps out when reading the WWF’s Living Planet Report 2014, which meas-ures more than 10,000 representative popula-tions of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, is that the population size of vertebrate species has declined by 52 per cent since 1970.

These stats and other evidence that our wildlife is declining is devastating and worrying, and it may seem difficult to feel positive about the future. Difficult, certainly, but not impossible – because it is in ourselves, who have caused the problem, that we can find the solution.

The good news is that there is a lot we can do, to improve the situation and WWF believes that zoos and aquaria can and must play a more positive role in conservation.

Some zoos are already demonstrating a positive impact through sound conservation pro-grammes, it is however, important that ambi-tious conservation programmes are present and monitored in all zoos and aquaria.

Such conservation programmes should:• be beneficial to the species in the wild, and

enhance their conservation, using carefully monitored science based programmes for re-moval of wild specimens only when necessary for controlled breeding, conservation research, or educational purposes.

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• be open to the public for purposes of pro-viding accessible, meaningful and accurate education about the species, its habitat and conservation threats, and are used to increase support for the actions necessary to save spe-cies in the wild; and

• provide significant funding, technical exper-tise, or other support to range states of the species concerned, to benefit the conservation of the species in the wild

As a principle, WWF favours sourcing from captive breed stock. Wild specimens should only be taken when captive specimens are not available, when there is a strong conservation related and education justification for keeping them, and when the level of off‑take involved does not pose a threat to the viability of the wild populations. In this regard, we believe that no further cetaceans should be taken from the wild for captive facilities, as there have been cases of high mortality rates and short survival times after capture; additionally, live capture of cetaceans is a threat in regions where little is known about their status of populations.

While we are not an animal welfare organisa-tion, we expect any animals kept in a zoo or aquaria are cared for according to the highest husbandry standards. High rates of premature mortality because of poor keeping leads to increased demand for replacements. It is there-fore important that zoos and aquaria under-stands the resources necessary for the wellbe-ing of the species before acquiring them.

We are all connected – and collectively, we have the potential to create the solutions that will safeguard the future of the beautiful wildlife we share the planet with.

13 | Zoo Leadership – The Impact of Zoos on the Economy and Why This Makes Them Relevant

Ghanim Al Hajeri

The Zoo has traditionally become an integral part of any local community. In many places it still remains a favorite for a day out with the family to relax, enjoy the discovery of exotic animals and allow visitors, particularly children to have some fun. Many continue this tradition while providing a centre for conservation, edu-cation and research programs. There are many examples of the positive impact Zoos have on its visitors and why they remain so relevant but we must also look at the future zoo and its collective leadership on the impact it has on the economy.

Opportunities now exist, such as the Sheik Zayed Desert Learning Centre for investment in the zoo industry and why this can be a signifi-cant factor in a city’s economy. To become a Centre for economic and human investment.

This paper will explore the opportunities for investing in a Zoo that will add economic value to the business of running a City.

14 | The Future Role of Conservation and Animal Welfare Leadership

Mark Craig

Al Ain Zoo was established in 1967 and became members of WAZA in 2006. During this period the Zoo developed in parallel with many zoos around the world with a drive towards conser-vation, education, research, animal welfare and habitat displays. Today a million visitors a year are connected with wildlife while learning about our conservation initiatives and land wildlife. There is also a responsibility of encouraging our community to change attitudes, think sustain-able and appreciate the natural world. To do this we must become leaders in our specialist fields. To provide an experience that is both memorable and attitude changing. Our role as conservation and animal welfare leaders will be demonstrated from Sheik Zayed Desert Learn-ing Centre to the 52 hectare African Safari.

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15 | Dubai Zoo’s Sustained Efforts to Integrate its Captive-bred Animal with Nature

Mohammad Khan

Dubai Zoo, a member of WAZA since 1994, is one of the smallest city-centre zoos in the world, encompassing a total of 1.7 hectares or 5 acres of land, housing about1000 animals ranging over 120 species. Since the early1990s, the zoo has been breeding indigenous spe-cies and releasing them back to nature with great success. It is the first zoo in the world to have housed, bred and released back to nature Vulnerable Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigricollis since 1992. It is also the first zoo to have successfully bred and released back to nature Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber, since 2006. In addition, almost all the indig-enous reptile specimens handed over to the zoo by various authorities have been released back to nature in due course. In all, Dubai Zoo has released little over 200 Socotra Cormorants and 16 Flamingos in the suitable habitats around Dubai. By October-November this year the zoo will release a batch of 35 Socotra Cormorants as a part of its continuous process of enrichment of nature with zoo bred animals.

This paper highlights the Dubai Zoo’s conserva-tion efforts in the face of space and other limita-tions, and showcases its success stories against tremendous odds.

16 | Best Practices for Integrating Conservation Activities in Zoos

Inder Dhajima

India has a rich tradition of living in harmony with nature and compassion for all wild ani-mals. As the forest disappears and urbanization grows the feeling of co-existence with nature is gradually being lost. The Central Zoo Authority has been quite keen on maintaining a nature immersing environment in the zoo.

Emerging challenges of climate change have increased the awareness to remedy the malady of carbon foot printing and pollution by way of recycling and reuse of biodegradable waste, reducing water consumption and power con-sumption and keeping the area of the zoo green by planting suitable species. The Central Zoo Authority, therefore, has made it mandatory for the zoos to take up the above measures to make serious and time bound endeavours to achieve these goals. A provision to this effect has also been incorporated in the master plans of various zoos. The zoos in the country have been asked to follow the best practices to achieve animal conservation and management. Such practices includes; linkages between ex situ conservation and in situ conservations, conservation of ex situ areas in zoos, rain water harvesting, recycling the solid wastes, creation of fodder bank within zoo campus, rearing of live food to feed the captive inmates, conserva-tion of free ranging flora and fauna at the zoos. The zoos have been asked to adhere with the following guideline:

1. That no zoo should have more than 30% of their total area under animal enclosures. At least 30% area should be under natural veg-etation/ green belt.

2. All the enclosures should be surrounded by a green buffer comprising of suitable tree and shrub species.

3. All enclosures should be kept as natural as possible by covering the hard exteriors of the enclosures with suitable vegetative cover.

4. Every animal enclosure should have suffi-cient environmental and behavioural enrich-ment.

The viewing area should be so designed and lo-cated that the enclosures appear totally nature immersing.

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17 | Urban Prairie Habitat Creation at the Toledo Zoo

Ryan Walsh

Through the Wild Toledo initiative, Toledo Zoo is engaging community [partners to help pre-serve the regions local biodiversity. Wild Toledo biologists have created prairie habitat both on zoo grounds and in the abandoned lots in urban Toledo. The creation of prairies in urban loca-tions are a way for zoos to reclaim brownfields, create refugia for urban wildlife, food resources for animals, and aesthetically-pleasing natural landscapes for inner-city residents – all while providing a unique opportunity for education of a large audience on non-point source pollu-tion and ecosystem restoration. Prairie plants manage rain and runoff better than turf grass, require less maintenance than turf grass, and convert a high carbon expenditure are to one that is carbon neutral or negative.

In addition to the community benefits of prairie creation, Toledo Zoo biologists conduct scien-tific research on the urban prairies, contributing valuable information to the newly emerging field of urban habitat restoration. Butterfly, reptile, amphibian, pollinator, vegetation and small mammal research on prairies all provide data on the use of urban habitats by declining species and guide future restoration efforts.

Community engagement is accomplished through partnerships, on-site educational opportunities and public speaking engage-ments. Through the prairie creation process we have engaged local municipalities, businesses, non‑profit organisations and schools to provide land, seed materials and participate in hands-on learning experiences. We have engages young children in the habitat creation process by build-ing “living lab” pollinator gardens on school sites including three preschools which serve underprivileged children.

18 | The African Penguin: Conservation in Action in South Africa

Judy Mann

The conservation role of a zoo or aquarium could be considered twofold – contributions to the practical conservation of a species in the field, and reaching visitors with a powerful message to facilitate the changes in personal behaviour necessary to decrease human impact on the environment. African Penguins are iconic birds, charismatic and appealing, and endan-gered. Many facilities in South Africa house penguins and PAAZA has an active studbook for the species. In 2010 the South African government produced a penguin Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP). Since then PAAZA has been working with various government and non-government agencies to ensure that in situ and ex situ conservation efforts are synergistic. PAAZA facilities have an important role to play in the future of the species, as the potential for the release of captive bred birds becomes increasingly likely.

In 2011 a behaviour change campaign entitled ‘Penguin Promises’ was initiated by uShaka Sea World. Visitors to the facility were invited to make a written behaviour change promise to the penguins on a post card. Three to six months later the participants were requested to com-plete a detailed email survey, which aimed to determine if participants had kept their promise and included comprehensive environmental orientation questions and demographic details.

The presentation will share lessons learnt from trying to integrate in situ and ex situ African Penguin conservation. It will also provide some valuable insights for the design of future conser-vation orientated behaviour change campaigns.

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19 | Extinction shadows over Persian Leopards (Panthera pardus spp. saxicolor) due to human animal confilict

Iman Memarian

Memarian I1, Dehghan Mm2, Molazem M2, Pedram Ms2, Rostami A3, Vali Y2, Farzad S2, Zehtabvar O4, Shahrdari Ar5, Hamidi Ahk6, Abdolmalekiyan N7

In our case report, we demonstrate the direct impact of human‑wildlife conflicts in case of an 8-year-old male Persian leopard (Panthera pardus spp. saxicolor), located near Tonekabon, Mazandaran providence of Iran. The animal was found incapable of moving its hind limbs, and therefore not able to escape when the local people were throwing stones at it. For capture and transfer to Tehran, the leopard was anaes-thetised. When the rescue team reached the Pardisan rehabilitation center, the animal was further transferred to the faculty of veterinary medicine of the University of Tehran for imag-ing examinations. Radiography revealed one bullet shaped metallic foreign body, located at

spinal canal at the level of L6. This injury was identified as the most critical, and was sus-pected to be the reason for the observed clinical sings. In 3D reconstruction, a hole in the right lateral pedicle of the L5 was detected, which indicated the channel of the bullet found at L6, in spinal canal. In both hind limbs, there were no signs of deep pain sensation and propriocep-tion was negative. Due to poor prognosis, the vet team eventually decided to euthanise this endangered and genetically very valuable ani-mal from Alborz range. Before performing eu-thanasia, sperm and stem cells were collected from this huge male (100 kg) for further studies. Post mortem findings confirmed the severe and irreversible trauma of the spinal cord.

20 | The interface between wildlife conservation and animal welfare in re‑introduction projects

Pritpal Soorae

In re‑introduction projects there are many issues which need to be met to ensure the suc-cess of a project. These could be activities in the feasibility, planning and implementation stages. There are a myriad of issues that need to be resolved and animal welfare may not be at the top of the priority list. A review of existing re-introduction projects was done to try and assess the types of animal welfare activities or actions that were undertaken during re-introduction projects and how these affected the outcome of these re‑introduction projects.

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1 Wildlife Veterinarian, Chief Veterinarian of Tehran Zoo and Pardisan Rehabilitation Centre, 1484613111 Tehran, Iran; Zoo.vet@tehraneramzoo.ir

2 University of Tehran, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Dept. of Radiology and Surgery, 141556453 Tehran, Iran3 University of Tehran, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Dept. of Zoo and Wildlife, 141556453 Tehran, Iran4 University of Tehran, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Dept. of Basic Science, 141556453 Tehran, Iran5 Wildlife photographer and veterinary assistant, Tehran Zoo, 141556453 Tehran, Iran6 Conservationist, Persain Wildlife Heritage Foundation and Pardisan Rehabilitation Centre, 1484613111 Tehran, Iran7 DVM, Volunteer at Pardisan Rehabilitation Centre, 1484613111 Tehran, Iran

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21 | Capture, Restraint And Translocation Of Scimitar Horned Oryx And Other Ungulates Both Within The United Arab Emirates And Internationally

Justin Chuven

In the last few years the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) has translocated a variety of ungulates within the UAE, the region and internationally. These translocations have been part of reintroduction initiatives or importa-tions in order to increase the genetic diversity in the source population of our most endangered species. In 2015 alone EAD has acquired animals from a total of 16 different collections. The ani-mals originated from a diverse set of local and international facilities, including: zoos in Europe and the UK, AZA and private institutions within the US, and several collections within the UAE. By establishing a diverse founder population the goal is to increase the chances of a success-ful reintroduction by increasing the resiliency of the reintroduced population. Adhering to the highest animal welfare standards always takes a precedent in our operations therefore the details of every movement are carefully planned out. Always taking into account the extreme temperatures possible in the UAE, a variety of capture, restraint, and transportation techniques have been developed and modified dependent on the species and the facilities at the origin location.

22 | Introduction and the Associated Implications for Conservation and Animal Welfare

Cromwell Purchase & Abdi Arif

The feasibility of reintroducing captive bred animals into their wild habitats is a hot topic. There have been projects with varying levels of success and failure. What have we learned from these projects? What other research can we draw on to help streamline the protocols to in-crease success? What rules and regulations can be setup to limit organizations from performing

“bad science” releases that give the whole zoo-logical conservation world a bad name? How do we monitor projects externally to ensure good husbandry and welfare of these animals?

Conservation is the preservation, protection, or restoration of the natural environment, natural ecosystems, vegetation, and wildlife. When combining conservation with reintroduction of species, the implication become even bigger not only is your project expected to do all the conservation requirements in the definition but requires intensive captive husbandry, moni-toring impacts on the environment, getting community support, solving all the issues that caused the demise of the population as well as maintaining a sustainable captive population to continue a long term project of constantly feed-ing the wild population. Then comes the moni-toring of the population and the environment post release to ensure that the new impact is sustainable, and working well with the environ-ment, while still ensuring none of the extinction issues reappear.

There are 2 main reintroduction project types: species extinct in the wild and those with remnant populations, using different strategies, but what about the decision to make a species extinct in the wild by capture till the threat is removed? With these decisions comes respon-sibility. One of the best ways to ensure groups stick to their plans and goals is media coverage. Reintroduction projects tend to get more media coverage, making them good potential for positive publicity, however when they go wrong the publicity can seriously wound the industry. These projects should not be taken lightly; they require serious long term funding, dedication and commitment to the end. But where is the end?

Which species should be chosen for reintroduc-tion, and which should be left for dead? Who makes those decisions and how does that impact the world we live in? Does that mean mostly the “sexy species” get protected while the less noticeable fade away? What are the potential impacts on the environment if we don’t balance out the species recovery plans to incorporate “famous” and “invisible” species?

In the end; saving a species, means saving its environment and as such should mean saving all the species around your selected “champion”. This is an important concept and should be promoted and publicized more. My institutions flagship project involves the controversial Spix’s macaw. We will cover a few historical projects and the Spix’s macaw project to try answering many of the questions posed.

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23 | Project Batagur baska: Conservation efforts for the Northern River Terrapin

Patrick Quatember, Anton Weissenbacher & Dagmar Schratter

Five years ago an ex situ breeding event in the Vienna Zoo Schönbrunn marked the starting point for an enormously successful conservation project of the critically endangered Northern River Terrapin (Batagur baska). Former popula-tions of the species occupied rivers and estuaries of South Asia (India, Bangladesh and Myanmar), but today the species is extirpated as result from extensive exploitation of its flesh and eggs, as well as habitat destruction that degraded nesting areas and feeding habitats. The cooperative Pro-ject Batagur baska was initiated by Vienna Zoo in 2010 together with Turtle experts Peter and Rein-er Praschag, the Turtle Survival Alliance, IUCN Bangladesh and the local Forest Department and was aided by numerous supporters. A conserva-tion breeding program was established in the Bhawal National Park with terrapins purchased from markets and private owners. Today the amazing achievement of 145 hatchlings from four breeding seasons offers reason for optimism and the potential for reintroduction. Monthly measurements of three generations provide comparisons on growth rate and weight gain of juveniles and for the first time allow insight in the natural history of the species. In the past five years we were able to 1) implement pedigree breeding based on genetic microsatellite analysis, 2) establish a second breeding facility in the Sundarbans and 3) during a survey discovered wild juveniles. The sustainable reintroduction of in situ bred B. baska however still requires finding and protecting habitats and nesting beaches and tracing migration routes of wild individuals. We discuss future project actions incl. field surveys, satellite tracking and conservation breeding.

24 | Arabian Tahr Conservation in the UAE – Animal Welfare Overview

Meyer de Kock

As a result of a successful breeding programme of Arabian tahr (Arabitragus jayakari) on Al Bustan Zoological Centre (ABZC), excess ani-mals were available for a re-introduction plan. During that time there was no formal regional or national collection plan for the species and ground work was done to identify the best op-tion for the individual animals. Regional stake holders comprising of Environmental Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Re‑introduction specialist Group, Barari Forest Management (BFM), Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) – Sir Bani Yas Island and ABZC held a re-introduction workshop to discuss the possibility of a conservation introduction of the species on Sir Bani Yas Island (SBY).

The two possible release sites within the histori-cal range of the Arabian tahr with in the UAE, the WWF, Wadi Wurayah (Fujairah) protected area and Jebel Hafeet (Al Ain), did not meet the standards for a re-introduction plan due to unsolved threats for the species, such as feral goats, predation from feral dogs and encroach-ment, human wildlife conflict and development.

A five stage strategy was formulated for conser-vation introduction of Arabian tahr at SBY. First stage aims to breed the species under ex situ conditions (ABZC & SBY). The selected ABZC animals would be sent to SBY where they will undergo a dedicated re-wilding program. Stag-es 2, 3 & 4 (at SBY) would be: Initial orientation in a small camp, release in a 11 ha and then to 55 ha camp simulating the natural environment; where they will adapt to natural conditions. At stage 5, the animals would be reintroduced in their historical range.

Currently, BFM at SBY is managing a small population of A. tahr (stage 3) where the ani-mals are trained to survive in natural ecological conditions by mimicking the conditions animals will face in their historical range.

When taken in consideration the welfare of the re-introduced individuals attention was given to the following:

One of the objectives was to share all lessons learned in the process regardless if they were positive or negative. This was done via free publications that focused on the reintroduction process and outcomes. In January 2015 ABZC hosted the National Forum for the Arabian tahr in Abu Dhabi. During this stakeholder workshop a national forum committee was appointed to look into a list of actions and goals regard-ing the regional collection plan of the species. National government and stakeholders was ac-tively involved in this process to make this spe-cies strategy an integrated National approach.

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Poster Presentations

1. Monika Fiby | 15 years www.zoolex.org2. Ana Pérez de Vargas | Research in zoological

parks as a tool for evaluating disease pro-cesses in the wild: diagnosis of paratubercu-losis in non-domestic ungulates in Al Ain Zoo collection

3. Ana Pérez de Vargas | The importance of research for collection management, how can it help? Serosurveillance of Toxoplasmo-sis in non-domestic ruminants in Al ain Zoo collection

4. Yoshitaka Abe | World of Johmon, new de-velopment of the Aquamarine Fukushima

5. Dalia Conde | Zoos key role on supporting biodiversity Knowledge

6. Anne-Lise Chaber | Unexpected transmis-sion of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia to an endangered species of the hippotragi-nae family, the Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx)

1 | 15 Years www.zoolex.org

Monika Fiby

ZooLex is an online publication of zoo design for zoo professionals. The ZooLex website was created in 2000 by Monika Fiby, to provide a solution for a common problem in zoo design. The design process of zoo exhibits often did not profit from experiences others had already gained with similar or even the same type of ex-hibit. Presenting animal exhibits in an attractive and accessible way has been useful for 15 years. The website has become a reliable resource for zoo professionals. Today, we are counting a monthly average of 30,000 visits and 1,000,000 hits to the ZooLex website.

In the ZooLex Gallery, presentations of over 200 animal exhibits from more than 100 zoos from around the world offer easy access to stand-ardized exhibit information. The information includes a general description of the exhibit’s purpose, layout and special features, descrip-tions of the management of the exhibit, and of features dedicated to its animals, keepers and visitors. Site plans and up to 25 photos illustrate the presentations. Presentations submitted to ZooLex are sent to the ZooLex editorial board for approval before being published with the zoo’s permission.

The ZooLex Gallery relies on submissions from zoos and aquariums for exhibit presentations. We therefore would like to invite you to present your animal exhibits in ZooLex, whether they are small or large, simple or expensive.

ZooLex Zoo Design is a non profit organisation.

2 | Research in zoological parks as a tool for evaluating disease processes in the wild: diagnosis of paratuberculosis in non-domestic ungulates in Al Ain Zoo collection

Ana Pérez de Vargas

A zoological collection is a closed community, with controlled animal movements and under constant veterinary supervision. This configura-tion provides a model for studying and evalu-ating certain disease processes in the wild, in species non-easily accesible and in some cases, critically endangered.

Paratuberculosis (Johne’s disease) is a chronic enteritis of ruminants caused by Mycobac-terium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. The diagnosis of paratuberculosis is essential for the control of the disease at zoological collections; because of the insidious and chronic nature of the disease a correct diagnosis is key to prevent the release of possible subclinically infected animals in the wild in translocations, reintroduc-tions or exchanges between different animal collections.

The aim of our research is to compare the effica-cy of different diagnostic techniques available in non-domestic ruminants where the disease can be underestimated and assess if the diagnostic methods available for domestic species can be used in non-domestic wild ungulates with similar results. At the same time, we try to de-termine which is the best sample and the most accurate available technique in those species.

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3 | The importance of research for collection management, how can it help? Serosurveillance of Toxoplasmosis in non-domestic ruminants in Al ain Zoo collection

Ana Pérez de Vargas

Veterinary research must be used as a key tool for collection management, because it can provide useful information not only about the health status of the collection per se, but of other important and relevant factors that can influence the collection health and sanitary status.

A zoo collection is theoretically a closed com-munity, with controlled animal movements and under constant veterinary supervision. Periodi-cally, screenings are done to prevent disease and the veterinarinary team always do the best for keeping the good health of the animals and try to have risk zero.

Inside this frame, we selected one pathogen Toxoplasma gondii (obligate intracellular para-site) with the objective of assessing the poten-tial impact of feral animals (cats, dogs, rats) in our collection as carriers of important zoonotic pathogens, evidenced by the exposure to the parasite.

Despite Toxoplasmosis have never been clini-cally or post-mortem diagnosed in ungulates in Al Ain Zoo, after testing more than 300 rumi-nants from our collection we have found a low but significant prevalence (5–6%).

Further research need to be conducted to deter-mine if the feral animals, the soil or even the water can be the source of a pathogen never diagnosed before in the collection.

4 | World of Johmon, New Development of the Aquamarine Fukushima

Yoshitaka Abe

The Aquamarine Fukushima has constructed in the outward part, an aquacape of nature of the Johmon period 3000 years ago. We are challenging to reproduce of the natural environ-ments of the Johmon period of the Abukuma Mountain area of Fukushima Prefecture. The people look in the scene of the Johmon pe-riod from windows (Kamachi) of box Calvert of all-weather type. Environment of Johmon period in 1 hectare is never reproduction of the human’s environment, but reproduction of natural environments of 3,000 years ago before the innocence.

It will be the heaven for Japanese River Otter which became extinct 1990s.

Eurasia River Otter acts as the substitute by cooperation of EEP.

The evens on the Johmon period will be spread out in the whole existing outward area of the Aquamarine Fukushima.

Then. Aquamarine Fukushima will escape from the bonds of the building called the “Aquarium”.

Satoyama* Mountain village in Japanese.

Johmon** Johmon period 3000–20000 years ago in Japan.

5 | Zoos key role on supporting biodiversity Knowledge

Dalia Conde

Zoos have a wealth of data on species life histories that can provide key information to slow down species extinction rates. Extinc-tion is in essence a demographic process; the result of changes in fertility and mortality that lead to population declines. Therefore, good demographic knowledge is key to forecast and manage species. Despite its importance, it is perhaps surprising that up to date our demo-graphic knowledge for most species is woefully deficient. Moreover for many species captive data, or data of unknown origin is being used to develop PVAs. We developed a “Demo-graphic Index of Species Knowledge (DISKo)” that assess for all described mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles the knowledge on demographic variables across 27 databases that are available to the public. The results show the lack of knowledge on demographic variables for all the groups. However, we explored the role of zoos on filling Knowledge gaps and the World Zoos members of ISIS have a promising role to support biodiversity knowledge for the develop-ment of species management plans.

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6 | Unexpected transmission of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia to an endangered species of the hippotraginae family, the Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx)

Anne-Lise Chaber

Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) is an infectious respiratory disease mainly affect-ing domestic goats. As CCPP has never been documented in the hippotraginae, this family was not considered susceptible. We describe here a fatal case of CCPP in an Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx) infected by neighbouring sand gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa marica).

Received Full WAZA Congress Contributions

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Dubai Zoo’s Sustained Efforts to Integrate its Captive-Bred Animals with Nature

Mohammad Ali Reza Khan – Wildlife and Zoo Management, Dubai Municipality

Abstract

Dubai Zoo, a member of WAZA since 1994, is one of the smallest city-centre zoos in the world, encompassing a total of 1.7 hectares or 5 acres of land, housing about1000 animals ranging over 120 species. Since the early1990s, the zoo has been breeding indigenous species and re-leasing them back to nature with great success. It is the first zoo in the world to have housed, bred and released back to nature IUCN Red List-ed Vulnerable Socotra Cormorant Phalacroco-rax nigrogularis since 1992. It is also the first zoo to have successfully bred and released back to nature Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus, since 2006. In addition, almost all the indig-enous reptile specimens handed over to the zoo by varius authorities have been released back

to nature in due course. In all, Dubai Zoo has released little over 200 Socotra Cormorants and 16 Flamingos in the suitable habitats around Dubai. By October-November this year the zoo will release a batch of 35 Socotra Cormorants as a part of its continuous process of enrichment of nature with zoo bred animals.

This paper highlights the Dubai Zoo’s conserva-tion efforts in the face of space and other limita-tions, and showcases its success stories against tremendous odds.

Introduction

Dubai is one of the most bustling business hub and very rapidly evolving city of the world. Its Jumeirah area is the most posh residential area and the Dubai Zoo sits at the heart of it. So, it is nearly impossible to expand the zoo anyway other than skyward that the tiny zoo has also done in the past.

Dubai Zoo, formerly called Dubai Municipality Zoo and Aquarium, is one of the smallest zoos of world and the oldest in the UAE and 2nd old-est in the Middle East began its journey in 1967 when the then Ruler of Dubai HH Sheikh Rashid Bin Maktoum donated a piece of land in Jumei-rah to an Austrian Engineer Otto J Bulart to start a zoo there, and he did so.

Dubai Zoo-bred Greater Flamingo after release in DubaiCreek | © Reza Khan

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It is the 1st zoo of Arabia and Middle East to be-come a member of WAZA from 1994(95). Dubai Zoo is a founder and active member of the Arabian Zoo and Aquarium Association-AZAA.

In its 1.75 hectares or just 5 acres of land it sup-ports 1000 to 1200 animals belonging to ±35 spe-cies of mammals, ±40 species of birds and ±25 species of reptiles at the current time. Dubai Zoo has 15 animal keepers, 1 veterinarian and another 12 as management and support staffs.

The Zoo has been successful in breeding IUCN Red Listed Bengal Tiger, Endangered Arabian Oryx and Scimitar-horned Oryx, Vulnerable Bar-bary Sheep, Socotra Cormorant, Giraffe, Lion, Leopard, Jaguar, Arabian and European Wolves, Arabian Goitered Gazelle, most primates, small carnivores, Kinkajou, cockatoos and parakeets, lovebirds, storks, ibises, African spoonbill, herons, seagulls, Nile crocodile, Iguana, several species of tortoises and turtles.

The zoo has exchanged or donated animals to Sri Lankan Zoo, most zoos in the GCC, Syrian Zoo and Iranian Zoo.

Dubai Zoo works as the custodian of confiscat-ed animals of the CITES authority and the Minis-try of Water and Environment in the UAE. Also it receives animas from the members of the public. As a result it has only purchased 3 Ca-racals from a centre in Taif Saudi Arabia where these were confiscated from the local Bedouins during the past 26 years I am with this zoo.

Present paper concerns the Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus and Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis. Flamingo is cosmo-politan, occurring in Europe, Asia and Africa when cormorant is restricted to the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Aden (del Hoyo et al. 1992a, 1992b, Khan 2008, Orta et al. 2014).

Study Sites

Dubai Zoo has 77 exhibits. Flamingo occupies the first one having an area of 11 m × 9.20 m with 2.15 metres high fence overlaid by date palm leaf and its front segment is barrier free. There are four trees, 1.5 m long 50 cm deep pool and a 1 × 6 metre little elevated bed for nest building. Just a metre high and of the same width vegetation separates the visitors from the flamingoes. Total area is about 200 m2.

There were 24 flamingoes and one Lesser Fla-mingo in the flamingo enclosure from the 1990s. They are all free flying and are fed daily twice with flamingo breeder pellets and a zoo recipe of cooked spaghetti as soup and topped with shrimps and grated carrots.

The Socotra aviary is separated from the main footway by just a metre high barrier fence. It is rectangular in the lower half that measures 15.25 m by 18.36 m with the sides up to 6 m. The upper half is domed in to a pyramid with its peak reaching a height of 9.70 m. The centre of the aviary is occupied by a cemented pool, 12 m by 12 m with maximum depth of 90 cm. The total area of the aviary is around 350 m2.

The aviary is made up of galvanized iron pipes and is completely covered by two square inch nylon‑coated chain‑link fence. The floor of it, minus the pool, is sandy, that became compact-ed by the addition of water and bird droppings followed by the movement of heavy birds like the pelicans.

Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) breeding a chick in Dubai zoo | © Reza Khan

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There are 3 Mesquite trees Prosopis juliflora, 1 Manila Tamarind Pithecellobium dulce, 1 Chaste Tree Vitex castus and 1 Goldmohar Delonix regia along the inside boundaries. There are two piles of dead branches and twigs at the far ends for providing additional shelter to the birds. In ad-dition to water kept in the pool there are several plastic tubs to provide clean drinking water.

The Socotras shared the aviary with White Pelican, Pelecanus onocrotalus (total number 4, now 1), Sacred Ibis, Threskiornis aethiopicus (28), African Spoonbill, Platalea alba (7, now 25), Cas-pian Gull, Larus cachinnans (5), Sooty Gull, Larus hempricii (5), Black‑headed Gull, Larus ridibundus (4) and Western Reef Heron, Egretta gularis (4).

Results and conclusion

I use direct observation as the sites are within 100 metres of my zoo office and my residence inside the zoo. I followed standard procedures of measuring the eggs.

Socotra Cormorant started breeding from 1994 and Greater Flamingo from 2006. Cormorants nest was nothing more than a shallow depres-sion made on hardened sand compacted into soil by scraping it with hind legs and polished by belly movement. Bill length of each nest-holder worked as effective distance between two nests. From mere 3 nests in 1994 they build 12 nests in 2015. On an average each female laid 2 eggs per clutch (range 1 to 3). Incubation is by females alone when the males remained on guard by them. The incubation period, calculating from

the day of last egg laid, varied from 24 days to 32 days with an average of 27.33 days. ‘The incubation period is unknown, but thought to be around 28 days’ (Hill 1995). Hatching success is little over 66%. Cormorant chicks at birth are featherless, blind and incapable of move-ment. Their eyes open in one week and body gets down feathers by two weeks. During this period both parents brought food for the chicks and brooded them. At one month of age they started following parents for getting food and became independent by about 80 days when they are fully feathered but brownish in colour. The adult plumage is attained by 5 to 6 months.

Dubai Zoo had just with 7 juveniles between 1989 and 1994 and at the current time there are 91 of them in the zoo. In addition, over 200 adult cormorants have so far been released back to nature. Of these, 50 were tagged with specially made rings imported from Poland.

This is the first zoo in the world to have done this.

There were just 12 Greater Flamingoes in the zoo in 1989 when I joined. This number slowly went up to 24 over a 10-year period as the zoo received rescued immature birds from nature. Proper breeding pellets and adding muddy soil to the breeding pen the flamingoes first bred in 2006.

It builds a kind of mound with a concave topped nest formed of muddy soil. Like cormorants, its nest distance is equal to the bill distance of the neighbouring birds. Highest, 13 females built nest in 2011. Flamingoes lay only one egg. Incu-bation was alone by the female that lasted for 28 days on an average with a range of 27 to 29 days. This period has been mentioned as 27 to 31 days in del Hoyo et al. 1992a. Average of this and the

Dubai zoo is the only Zoo to keep and breed Socotra Cormorant from 1995 | © Reza Khan

Socotra Cormorant. | © Reza Khan

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present study are 29 and 28 days respectively. All eggs hatched before and by sunrise. The chicks hatched with down feathers and being fed by parents from the first hour of hatching. They remained on the nest for the first 2–3 days.

Hatching success was 100% but chick survival was 66.02% in 6 years that was 56.69% con-sidering 7 seasons because in one year flamin-goes bred twice. Out of 43 flamingoes bred, 16 ringed flamingoes were released back to nature during November 2011. A few were exchanged/donated to local breeders. Rest is in the zoo.

This is the first time any zoo in world has ever released back to nature zoo-bred Greater Fla-mingoes.

Conclusion

In spite of the fact that Dubai Zoo is an old fashioned concrete and walled up zoo of the 1960s it did its part of nature conservation by releasing back all locally donated UAE animals, mostly snakes and lizards, mongoose, fox and gazelle have been returned back to nature in addition to releasing zoo-bred cormorants and flamingoes to lend support for the sustainable management of the UAE nature.

I hope this trend would continue much more vigorously in the near finishing state of the art wildlife conservation centre, named as DUBAI SAFARI that will absorb the animals of the pre-sent Dubai Zoo.

Acknowledgements

I am thankful to WAZA an ALAIN ZOO for allow-ing me to present this paper and to the authori-ties of the Dubai Municipality for permitting me to attend this 70th annual conference of WAZA held under the sponsorship of Al Ain Zoo.

Bibliography

• del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. and Sargatal, J. 1992a. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

• del Hoyo, J., Collar, N. and Garcia, E. F. J. 1992b.. Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D. A. & de Juana, E. (eds.) 2014. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved fromhttp://www.hbw.com/node/467129 on 25 November 2015).

• Hill, M. 1995. Cormorant Colony Camp. Ara‑bian Wildlife. 2(3): 8–10. Available at: http://www.arabianwildlife.com/archive/vol2.3/frnt5.htm

• Khan, M. A. R. 2008. Birds of Dubai‑ a pictorial guide. Dubai Municipality, Dubai, UAE. Pp. 304.

• Orta, J., Christie, D. A., Jutglar, F., Garcia, E. F. J. and Kirwan, G. M. 2014. Socotra Cormorant (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D. A. & de Juana, E. (eds.) (2014). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/52632 on 25 November 2015).

Figure 1 Summary of breeding activities of the Greater Flamingo in Dubai Zoo from 2006 to 2011

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The Role of Zoos in Compassionate Con-servation

Jenny Gray – Zoos Victoria, Australia

Background

Increasingly we are seeing species pushed towards extinction. In 2010 the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity 1 assessed the state of the environment and ascertained that

‘the principal pressures leading to biodiversity loss are not just constant but are, in some cases, intensifying.’ Species which have been assessed over time were shown to be, on average, moving closer to extinction, with the worst declines in amphibians and corals. The main threats to spe-cies survival are the actions of humans.

Every day thousands of people visit zoos. They visit because the love animals and they want to share that love with their children, family and friends. With each visitor, zoos have an op-portunity to engage and share the challenges for conserving the world’s most endangered species. Zoos have the unique opportunity to inspire change in their community, but we seem to lack the framework, the will or the expertise to capture the power of zoos in the fight against extinction.

1 Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity; Global Biodiversity Outlook 3; 2010; Montreal.

I believe one of the greatest barriers to ad-equately considering animals is the lack of a uni-fying ethics to help steer our actions. The ethics that have enabled humans to live together and to thrive, have excluded all other animals. Capi-talism and democracy fail to protect the most important interests of animals in the light of even trivial interests of humans. While human ethics have been debated for over 2000 years, environmental ethics is a relatively new field.

The place to begin exploring environmental and ecosystem ethics is with the Land Ethic by Aldo Leopold. In A Sand Country Almanac,2 published in 1949, Leopold established the twin principles that dominate environmental ethics, namely that nature’s value is not limited to its value to humans and that the biotic community is the centre of value. For Leopold, animals are impor-tant in proportion to their contribution to the good of the larger biotic community.

Numerous other philosophers have expanded on this premise through expanding moral con-cern, or seeking rights for animals. Yet all theo-ries lead to conflicting rights with humans and the unpalatable consequences that this brings.

Compassionate Conservation

An emerging environmental ethics is that of Compassionate Conservation. It provides a platform for zoos to reconsider their role and the valuable work undertaken in zoos. More importantly it provides a framework to improve the operations of zoos, while providing a moral defense for zoos committed to saving threat-ened species.

2 Leopold Aldo; A Sand County Almanac; Oxford University Press; 1949; Oxford; pg 200.

A Compassionate Conservation Symposium held in Oxford in 2010,3 proposed the thinking that conservation and animal welfare should be con-sidered jointly. The symposium brought together scientists and practitioners from a range of disci-plines to examine topics such as animal welfare in field conservation, captive animal welfare and conservation, international trade in live animals and the conservation impacts of wildlife rescue rehabilitation and release. The papers make for interesting reading and flag areas of concern or potential risk for all conservation organisations. As well as areas of great opportunity.

In 2013 the centre for Compassionate Conserva-tion was established at the University of Tech-nology Sydney. The centre explicitly focuses on improving the welfare of wild animals, starting with considerations of the over-abundance of kangaroos in Australia.4

Compassionate conservation calls for the consideration of sentient beings and the harms inflicted on them in delivering conservation outcomes. The need to cull animals may be war-ranted to address issues of over-abundance, but the actual killing should be done in ways that are consistent with scientific understanding of sentience and suffering.

Excitingly, early work identifies the potential to align individual welfare and species recovery, for example where supplementary feeding has increased wild populations or where released captive bred animals thrive, gaining weight and fitness.5

3 http://compassionateconservation.net/about/flag-ship-symposium

4 http://thinkkangaroos.uts.edu.au/compassionate-con-servation

5 http://www.bornfree.org.uk/comp/Presentation%20-%20David%20Macdonald.pdf

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At this stage compassionate conservation is anti-zoo. In the opening address of the sympo-sium in 2010 Will Travers states ‘By rejecting the zoo concept, a model that, with few exceptions, wastes money, effort, time, intelligence and, ulti-mately lives – by rejecting the conservation claim of a multi-billion dollar global industry – as Born Free still does today – it was incumbent on us to identify the alternative. The answer is conserva-tion in the wild – a far more complex, far harder but ultimately more rewarding prospect.’6

Zoos need to address the criticisms and change their practices, rather than believing that the im-pending crisis will forgive practices which inflict cruelty and suffering. In 2014 an animal welfare conference held at the Detroit Zoo dedicated nu-merous sessions to compassionate conservation.

At first glance the ability of zoos to respect and care for individual animals seems to be in sharp contrast to the actions required to save ecosys-tems, killing pest species, culling over-abundant animals and placing animals bred in captivity into high risk wild environments. However, I be-lieve that compassionate conservation warrants more investigation and attention. It is certainly feasible for zoos to step up to the challenge of becoming compassionate, conservation zoos.

6 http://www.bornfree.org.uk/comp/Presentation%20-%20Will%20Travers.pdf

What is Compassion?

‘Virtue is an acquired disposition to do what is good.’7 Virtue theory is interested in the char-acter of people.8 Unlike environmental ethics virtue ethics is very old and can be found in Aris-totle’s writing.9 Each virtue is a characteristic or way for life though to be desirable and bounded by vices of too much or too little.

Compassion is considered one of the great vir-tues, arguably the greatest virtue due to a num-ber of important and interesting characteristics. Most significant is that the opposite of compas-sion is the greatest evil, namely cruelty. Com-passion acts at the level of an individual and a collective. Compassion compels the virtuous person to take actions to help others, either in relieving their suffering or promoting their en-joyment. This dual nature of compassion makes it more powerful that pity which only considers suffering, and does not compel action. Compas-sion is a unique virtue in that it crosses species boundaries. While it is meaningless to talk of a duty to be honest with your dog, it is meaning-ful to talk of owing you dog compassion. Final compassion prevents bastardry. While some vir-tues may live alongside bastardry, like bravery and generosity, it is impossible to be a compas-sionate bastard.

When we hold a position of dominance over others, creating a relationship of vulnerability and dependence, it is incumbent on the virtu-ous to exercise great compassion. Many would argue that only extraordinary circumstances should warrant the domination of others. Yet

7 Comte-Sponville Andre; A Small Treatise on the Great Virtues; pg 3.

8 Pence, Greg in Singer Peter; A Companion to Ethics; Blackwell Publishing; 1991; Malden MA; pg 255.

9 Aristotle; Nicomachean Ethics.

life is not a balanced playing field, not all are equal and hence the identification of compas-sion as a virtue to guide behaviour in unbal-anced relationships.

Zoos provide an environment where positive or correct emotional responses in children, linked to rational principles, will lead to virtuous rela-tions with animals. For example if animals are mistreated in a zoo and children respond with unhappiness they are displaying the correct response to abuse of animals. In contrast when zoos allow children to touch an animal, we say

“be gentle” and see the joy in a child experienc-ing a respectful, compassionate interaction. We reprimand children that would hit an animal or throw stones, reminding them that animals can feel pain.

An encounter with an animal that has the choice to participate or to leave is a powerful opportunity to learn respect for others. Feed-ing the giraffes at Werribee Open Range Zoo requires patience and slow movements, any sudden movement will scare the giraffe and they simply move away. It is rewarding to see children stand still and move quietly, displaying great respect for these huge, gentle creatures, only to be rewarded by the attention of an autonomous being, bending down to receive a carrot from a shaking arm.

Well run zoos show compassion for the animals in their care. They strive to improve facilities and practices based on the needs and the desires of each species. Well run zoos employ compassionate people and dismiss staff that display cruelty. Good staff reflect great com-passion, they stay after hours to nurture sick animals, they hand rear orphans and they strive at all times to improve the life of the animals in their care. But over-caring is a vice related to

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compassion, the sin of too much. Thus keepers and vets must be careful of keeping animals alive too long or treating aliments that are reducing the quality of life due to their own af-fection for the animals.

At times too much care for animals runs a risk of becoming bad for the animals; they are denied their nature and become substitute humans. At extremes people collect and hoard animals, in conditions that are abusive. Domestic animals often bear the brunt of over care, through over feeding and inappropriate treatment.

Zoos and conservation

‘If zoos did not exist, then any sensible con-servation policy would lead inevitably to their creation.’10

Zoos enhance people’s appreciation and understanding of the beauty of animals and their habitats. By bringing animals into the sphere of concern of humans, zoos increase the likelihood of humans taking action to protect and preserve animals and their environments. Further, zoos act directly to hold endangered species and participate in recovery programs. Zoos contribute millions of dollars annually to field projects, protecting habitat and reducing threats to species.11

10 Tudge Colin; Last Animals at the Zoo; pg 24311 M.Gusset & G. Dick (2010): The global reach of zoos and

aquariums in visitor numbers and conservation expendi‑tures

Zoos promote conservation and work tire-lessly to secure wild places and habitat for wild animals. Yet it is widely held that zoos have the potential to do more. Zoos need to outgrow their past, based in awareness and entertain-ment, and become real conservation organisa-tions that demonstrate compassion for all living beings. As Stephen Keller observes ‘zoos are contested, unsure of what they are and unable to live up to their full potential.’12

In modern times the conservation thrust of zoos has become stronger, with zoos participating in the preservation of species and breeding endan-gered species for release. Direct contributions of skills and resources into conservation pro-jects further justify the existence of zoos. While there are many benefits from zoos and zoos are able to make a meaningful contribution to conservation, there may be better ways, with lower costs to individual animals, to achieve the same outcomes.

With changes to the climate and the wide scale destruction of habitats numerous species are being pushed to the edge of extinction. In the biblical ark Noah was able to save every species of animal. Modern efforts at conservation are hampered by the stark reality of the scale of the problems and the sheer number of species that are endangered. The argument on the moral worth of zoos needs to identify the tough choices to be made on which animals should be saved and which can be allowed to go extinct.

12 Kellert Stephen and Farnham Timothy (2002); The Good in Nature and Humanity; Island Press; Washington.

Zoos participate in the preservation of species by breeding species that are on the brink of extinction. The choice of the species to save is a difficult decision based on a lack of resources and an inability to save all species. When eco-nomics dictates which species to save, big and charismatic animals are able to secure funds and attention despite the cost and inefficiency in saving them, while small and unattractive animals may be allowed to pass without any concern. As will be discussed further a compas-sionate, conservation zoo should consider more than economic return in identifying which spe-cies to save.

The challenges facing zoos are the exact ones identified in reconciling the interests of individu-als and the interests of ecosystems, the chal-lenges of compassionate conservation. As zoos tend to work with individuals the impacts are at an individual level, but the benefits accrue to the species or future generations. Preserving spe-cies is similar to the proverbial ark, zoos acting to hold populations or to maintain populations of an endangered species. The next level of contribution is to breed individuals for release, supplementing wild populations. Finally, zoos are able to bring people into contact with animals in profound ways, leading to changes in policy or actions, aimed to reduce threatening processes.

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Case Studies in Compassionate Conservation in Zoos

The focus of zoos on both the wellbeing of indi-vidual animals and the ongoing success of spe-cies, mean that zoos conservation projects are well placed to provide pragmatic examples of Compassionate Conservation. Three examples from the work of Zoos Victoria in preventing the extinction of Victoria’s most vulnerable, terres-trial vertebrates show how a zoo can increase conservation outcomes by embracing compas-sionate conservation.

The Helmeted Honey Eater

The Helmeted Honey Eater is a small bird which lives in lowland forests in central Victoria. De-spite a long term breeding program which regu-larly released birds into the wild, the population continued to decline, such that by 2011 the number of Helmeted Honey Eater in the wild were down to 50 individuals. It was decided that an intervention, which focused on the success of each individual was needed. Supplementary feeding was instigated to address deteriorat-ing habitat and threats to released birds were investigated through a tracking program. It was found that the main threat was predation by Goshawks leading to the first year survival rate of only 40% for released birds. A systematic program of predator awareness and training has been implemented, prior to release, over the last two years.

The training events took place when the birds were in a group aviary. Each training event in-cluded exposure to predator stimulus paired with a negative stimulus. The negative stimulus was a piece of shade cloth pulled rapidly across the roof of the enclosure along with a series of three loud bangs on the aviary wall. This created a sud-den loud noise with a dark shadow that rapidly moved across the roof of the enclosure. Four training events took place, two goshawk training event and two playback training events. The gos-hawk trail involved the goshawk trainer (out of site of the Helmeted Honeyeaters) releasing the goshawk from her crate in the enclosure next to the assessment aviary. The goshawk was trained to fly out to the perch in view of the birds in the assessment aviary, sit on the perch for a few sec-onds, and then return to the crate out of view. As soon as the goshawk was in view of the birds the negative stimulus started. The audio playback trail involved the placing speakers in the aviary at least 20 minutes prior to the trial, and playing back on alarm call. The negative stimulus started straight after the call was played back.

While it is too early to provide a definitive find-ing the results are positive. The last two cohorts released have shown survival of 90% after one year. The wild population of Helmeted Honey Eaters have increased to 150 individuals in 2015. Based on this early success the husbandry of the birds is being changed to allow for im-proved success of releases.

Tasmanian Devils

Tasmanian devils are suffering from a lethal facial tumour. The infections, cancerous tumour passes from one devil to the next, consigning the animal to a slow and painful death. While scientists search for possible cures to this ter-rible disease, Australian zoos are holding disease free populations, as insurance against the loss of devils in the wild. While the strategy of holding a disease free population is effective, it is expen-sive and already we are seeing signs of changed behaviours and physiology in captive care.

The next step in the assurance program is to hold large free ranging populations isolated from the diseased populations. Large islands and peninsulas have been identified for this purpose. Many of the target sites are occupied by humans in the form of campers and day visi-tors. It was thus considered important to screen devils for suitability prior to release. Devils need to be curious and brave to be able to secure food, but not aggressive or over confident in approaching people. A set of tests were devised and captive animals tested.

The results were successful with the tested animals avoiding humans and going on to breed and establish a free ranging population on Maria Island. The Zoos Victoria Tasmanian devil keepers have used the information from the testing, to change husbandry practices to further strengthen the behaviours that are de-sirable in wild devils. In the near future we will be exploring automatic feeders to remove an association between humans and food.

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Eastern Barred Bandicoots

The Eastern Barred Bandicoot (EBB) is listed as extinct in the wild. Zoos Victoria has held captive Eastern Barred Bandicoot for 25 years, successfully producing many generation of cap-tive animals. The major threat to these animals are introduced foxes. Eastern Barred Bandicoot evolved to avoid aerial predation but have no defence for ground dwelling predators. The introduction of foxes combined with vastly re-duced habitat all but extinguished this species. However the story is changing. Zoos Victoria has set the rather ambitious goal of develop-ing and supporting at least 3 viable populations consisting of over 2,500 individuals. The strat-egy includes a combination of tried conserva-tion strategies and bold innovative options.

To date the only successful options are the fencing of large areas and maintaining those fox free. This is both expensive and creates a significant impact on other wildlife. So the new strategy include two new options – islands and guardian dogs. Just off the coast of Victoria are islands which are fox free. Churchill Island, attached to Philip Island, is fox free to secure a large colony of Fairy Penguins. In a collabo-ration with Philip Island Nature Parks and Mt Rothwell Conservation centre 16 Eastern Barred Bandicoot have been released on Churchill Island. Half the animals released are captive bred and half from the Mt Rothwell free ranging population. The research from this project will inform future releases and identify any differ-ences between the wild to wild relocations and the release of captive animals. Initial research indicates that the captive animals lost weight in the first week awhile the wild animals gained weight. Small numbers and detailed observa-tions allow this project to embody the principles of compassionate conservation.

A new and innovative approach for the protec-tion of Eastern Barred Bandicoots, without resorting to large scale predator removal or expensive fence construction and maintenance, is the introduction of guardian dogs. Success-fully used in Victoria to protect penguins at Middle Island, Zoos Victoria is pioneering the use of guardian dogs to act as apex predator and defend habitat from foxes. This will benefit both sheep and Eastern Barred Bandicoots and provide private land owners with an affordable way of creating new habitat for Eastern Barred Bandicoot while maintaining farming practices. It is too early to talk about the project in detail, but the principles of compassionate conserva-tion, care for the individuals and care for the species will be a large part of the program going forward.

Conclusion

Zoos bring people and animals into contact. They allow us to look into the eyes of tigers and gorillas, and confront us with some of the moral and ethical questions of our age: like, what makes for a good life and how should we treat animals and their environments?

Compassionate Conservation provides a cohe-sive and compelling framework for answering this question. As professionals that choose to hold animals in a relationship of vulnerability and dependence we have a duty and an obliga-tion to ensure that the animals are well cared for, that they do not suffer and that they can thrive.

While compassionate conservation provides a framework to look for the best way forward, there will be cases where all actions have a neg-ative outcome on some sentient being. Virtue ethics is not blind to these problems and calls them ‘tragic dilemmas’. Unlike other ethical frameworks virtue ethics is a harsh task master and does not allow for a simple calculation that the benefits out weight the costs or allow for the clear conscience of acting in accordance with a rule. Rather when all options come at a cost, virtue ethics considers that the virtuous person, while acting at the cost to some, would reflect sadness and regret, perhaps diminishing the virtue of that person.

I believe that this reflects the great sadness many zoo keepers and conservation profession-als feel confronted with the difficult decisions we must take. We see the impact of humans on animals, through neglect, cruelty or igno-rance. We wish that we did not have to act to save Devils or Eastern Barred Bandicoots, but we know we must act even when we know that some animal may be impacted negatively. It is our duty to minimise that harm, while still paus-ing to feel the enormity of the responsibility and burden we have accepted.

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Extinction Shadows Over Persian Leopards Due to Human Animal Confilict

Memarian I1 | Dehghan MM2 | Molazem M2 | Pedram MS2 | Rostami A3 | Vali Y2 | Farzad S2 | Zehtabvar O4 | Shahrdari AR5 | Hamidi AHK6 | Abdolmalekiyan N7

Summary

In our case report, we demonstrate the direct impact of human‑wildlife conflicts in case of an 8-year-old male Persian leopard (Panthera pardus spp. saxicolor), located near Tonekabon, Mazandaran providence of Iran. The animal was found incapable of moving its hind limbs, and therefore not able to escape when the local people were throwing stones at it. For capture and transfer to Tehran, the leopard was anaes-

thetised. When the rescue team reached the Pardisan rehabilitation center, the animal was further transferred to the faculty of veterinary medicine of the University of Tehran for imag-ing examinations. Radiography revealed one bullet shaped metallic foreign body, located at spinal canal at the level of L6. This injury was identified as the most critical, and was sus-pected to be the reason for the observed clinical

sings. In 3D reconstruction, a hole in the right lateral pedicle of the L5 was detected, which indicated the channel of the bullet found at L6, in spinal canal. In both hind limbs, there were no signs of deep pain sensation and propriocep-tion was negative. Due to poor prognosis, the vet team eventually decided to euthanise this endangered and genetically very valuable ani-mal from Alborz range. Before performing eu-thanasia, sperm and stem cells were collected from this huge male (100 kg) for further studies. Post mortem findings confirmed the severe and irreversible trauma of the spinal cord.

1 Wildlife Veterinarian, Chief Veterinarian of Tehran Zoo and Pardisan Rehabilitation Centre, Tehran, Iran; Zoo.vet@tehraneramzoo.ir

2 University of Tehran, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Dept. of Radiology and Surgery, Tehran, Iran3 University of Tehran, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Dept. of Zoo and Wildlife, Tehran, Iran4 University of Tehran, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Dept. of Basic Science, Tehran, Iran5 Wildlife photographer and veterinary assistant, Tehran Zoo, Tehran, Iran6 Conservationist, Persain Wildlife Heritage Foundation and Pardisan Rehabilitation Centre, Tehran, Iran7 DVM, Volunteer at Pardisan Rehabilitation Centre, Tehran, Iran

Figure 1: Distribution of the Persian leopard (Panthera pardus spp. saxicolor) depicted as brown hatched.area in the topographic map of south-western Asia. Image: Ehsan Jannati.

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Introduction

The Persian leopard (Panthera pardus spp. saxicolor), is the largest leopard subspecies. It is native to Iran, eastern Turkey, the Caucasus Mountains, southern Turkmenistan, and parts of western Afghanistan (figure 1). It is considered endangered with a population size of less than 500 mature individuals and a declining popula-tion trend (Ziaie, 2008; Khorozyan, 2008).

Spinal trauma can originate from internal or ex-ternal causes. Injuries to the spinal cord can be classified as either concussive, or compressive and concussive. Common causes of vertebral fractures in animals are injuries from traffic ac-cidents, falling or gunshot (Shores, 1992).

Injuries at the spine caused by gunshot com-monly are thought to be stable fractures. There is, however, a potential for instability if the bullet passes transversely through the spinal canal and fractures pedicles and facets, or when the bullet gets stuck in the spinal canal. Injuries in the thoracic region of the spine are the most common, followed by the thoracolumbar area and the cervical spine (Waters and Sie, 2003).

Figure 2: MRI study consists of sagittal image of the (lumbar) spine utilizing (T1, T2) acquisitions, consequence spinal cord compression between L4 and L5 of a female Persian leopard.

Figure 3: Laminectomy in a 3-years-female Persian leopard with spinal trauma due to gunshot was performed after the MRI shown in figure 2. The injured part of spinal cord is visible in the picture. | © Alireza Shahrdari

Judicious use of conventional radiography can provide valuable information on the condition of the vertebral column, and survey radiography should always be made before advanced imag-ing but mostly they are not enough to lead to a definitive diagnosis and a prediction of progno-sis. Therefore, additional imaging is essential for further investigation of spinal cord and vertebrae. Because of tomographic nature, a CT is superior to radiography for identifying and characterising vertebral fractures and spinal conditions. Due to contraindication of metallic materials with the magnetic field (suspected), gunshot wounds cannot be investigated by magnetic resonance imaging (Thrall, 2012).

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Figure 4+5: The female Persian leopard, which was grabbed in the gin trap. Eventually, the vet team amputated the hand due to gangrene. | © Alireza Shahrdari

Figure 6+7: A juvenile female Persian leopard, which died due to the pulmonary haemorrhage after being hit by a cudgel. | © Alireza Shahrdari

For a long time, the Persian leopard has been widely hunted throughout its range. Nowadays, only fewer than 500 individuals live in west Asia and the majority of this endangered subspe-cies lives in Iran. Over the past 25 years, the leopard was exterminated in many areas of this vast range, and its number was significantly decreased in its other habitats. Surprisingly, the drastic decline of population size has been due to poaching, prey reduction and habitat loss. Lack of any direct actions focusing on conservation of the Persian leopard in Iran has brought this cat to the verge of extinction (Kiabi et al., 2002).

The major conflict between Persian leopards and human is due to traditional way of keeping livestock. The herders in Iran let their livestock graze anywhere, including national parks. In this situation, loss of livestock and herd dogs due to leopard attack is inevitable. Hence, in the absence of any direct supervision from the gov-ernment, herders do what they must, including killing the leopards, to protect their herds.

Extinction shadows over Persian leopards is obvi-ously visible. According to the reports from the Iranian Department of Environment, 20 Persian leopards have been killed in Iran in the past ten months, including two cases of spinal cord trauma due to gunshot, in only two weeks. The

first one was the cited case and the second one is underwent surgery and is still under treatment (figure 2 and 3). Also, recently we had another case of a female Persian leopard trapped in the gin trap, and the vet team eventually decided to amputate the hand due to gangrene (figure 4 and 5). A juvenile female Persian leopard, who died due to the pulmonary haemorrhage after being hit by a cudgel, and a 9-years-old male shot in the abdominal cavity and tied with hand-cuffs, are two of the several examples observed this year (figure 6, 7, 8 and 9). This signifies the severity of the disaster threatening Persian leopards. In total, 63 % of the killing records from this year have been due to poaching or poisoning, and 22 % from road accidents. The provinces of Fars, Golestan and Lorestan have recorded the highest numbers of leopard poaching.

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The case

A huge (100 kg) 8‑year‑old male Persian leopard was found near Tonekabon, in the province of Mazandaran, Iran. When found, the animal was unable to move either of hind limbs. Right metacarpal bones and digits were absent and distortion of carpal bones was remarkable. These problems were probably due to the leopard being trapped in a gin trap. The healing process of the wound indicated that the ampu-tation should have happened at least a month before (figure 10). Anaesthesia was achieved using a combination of Tiletamine, Zolazepam (Zoletil 100, Virbac S.A, Paris, France) 1.5 mg/kg and Medetomidine HCL 20 mg/ml (Kyron Labo-

ratories (Pety) Ltd., Johannesburg, South Africa) 15 µg/kg administered IM in same 1.5 ml dart by blowpipe. This provided effective anaesthesia for capture and transfer of the animal to the faculty of veterinary medicine of the University of Tehran for diagnosis imaging examinations.

Radiographs were taken in several orthogo-nal projections from fore limb, thoracic and abdominal areas. Additonally a CT scan was per-formed with KVp 130, mAs 97 and slice thick-ness 1.0 mm with dual detector Simense CT scan machine, and the results were evaluated in transverse scans and three dimensional recon-struction with implant and bone algorithm.

Result

Radiography revealed that right metacarpal bones and digits were absent and distortion of carpal bones was remarkable. Active laminar periosteal reactions were also detectable in sev-eral region of distal part of the affected limb that seems to be consequence of repeated trauma or infectious process. 10 to 14 days old comminut-ed fracture was visible in right ulna, associated with several metallic foreign bodies (GUNSHOT) and two butterfly segments (figures 11 and 12). Several metallic densities were observed in radiographs (4 foreign bodies at dorsal region of the scapula, one on the right side near the T10, 1 in L6 and one in the silhouette of L5; several

Figure 8+9: The female Persian leopard, which was grabbed in the gin trap. Eventually, the vet team amputated the hand due to gangrene. | © Alireza Shahrdari

Figure 10: Infected wound at the right front paw of a Persian Leopard. Metacarpal bones and digits are missing due to being grabbed in a gin trap. | © Alireza Shahrdari

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around the right humerus; size of the bullet frag-ments were 0.8 × 1 to 1 × 1.3 cm). The metallic foreign body which was located in spinal canal at the level of L6 was identified as the most critical injury, also presumed to be responsible for the observed clinical sings (Figures 13 and 14). Serosal details of abdominal organs were clearly detectable at the examination time. Increased opacity of right lobes of lungs with interstitial pattern were diagnosed as consequence of long time recumbency or pulmonary hemorrhage (figures 15 and 16).

Two main metallic foreign bodies and several small pieces were detected in CT scans as was remarked in radiographs. With this method it was clearly shown that one of them was located in the spinal canal at the level of L6. In 3D reconstruction, a hole in the right lateral pedicle of the L5 was detected which indicates the path way of the gunshot which was found in spinal canal at L6 (figures 17 and 18).

There weren’t any signs of deep pain sensation in neither of hind limbs, and proprioception was negative at the same time. Due to the bad prognosis and assumed suffering of the animal, despit the endangered status of the Persian leopard, the vet team eventually decided for eu-thanasia. Before performing euthanasia, sperm and stem cell samples were collected from this male for any further studies and conservation of the genetic material. The animal was again anaesthetised and then euthanised by using T61 (Intervet S. A., Amsterdam, Netherland) 0.3 ml/kg intravenously. Necroscopy confirmed sever and irreversible trauma of the spinal cord which was depicted before via imaging methods (fig-ures 19, 20 and 21).

Figure 11+12: Lateral view radiograph of right forelimb. An old (10 to 14 days old) comminuted fracture is visible in right ulna associated with several metallic foreign bodies (GUNSHOT) and two butterfly segments.

Figure 13: Lateral view radiograph of the lumbar vertebrae. The bullet which was located in spinal canal at the level of L6 is obviously visible.

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Figure 15: Lateral view radiograph of chest. Several metallic densities are observable in radiograph (4 foreign bodies at dorsal region of the scapula and 1 in right side near the T10).

Figure 16: Dorsoventral view radiograph of chest. Increased opacity of right lobes of lungs with interstitial pattern are diagnose as consequence of long time recumbency or pulmonary haemorrhage.

Figure 14: Dorsoventral view radiograph of the lumbar vertebrae. The bullet which was located in spinal canal at the level of L6 is obviously visible.

Figure 17: A 3-dimensional reconstructions with implant algorithm, showing the gunshot.

Figure 18: A 3-dimensional reconstruction with bone algorithm, showing the gunshot (with ring artefacts) and vertebral injury.

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Conclusion

The presented case shows only one example of the conflict between humans and predatory animals. People in rural areas of Iran have a long history of livestock and range management. They have experienced lots of traditional man-agement system based on their nomadic life. The transformation of rural people’s life style from nomadic to permanent settlement, as well as the change of range management from tribal to government controlled, has eliminated

people’s sense of ownership. As a result, the over usage of natural resources has been raised. In northern forest of Iran, free ranging cattle as well as prey poaching is one the major threats to these vulnerable habitats and its iconic spe-cies, Persian leopard. The locals try to adapt the nature to their cattle farming by reduc-ing predator population, which helps them to reduce their costs. This reported case is also one of the victims of these threats.

Such incidents are also caused by the rural economy. To succeed in the conservation of Persian leopard in this habitat, we need to have a short remedy and a long-term plan to address this issue. A short remedy for controlling the rapid loss of this elusive species is to engage the public and increase their awareness of the existing disaster. Another, less short-term plan, is the implementation of community-based conservation projects. The insurance for the herds attacked by Persian leopards could be another short-term remedy.

Figure 19: Lateral view of vertebral column after preparation. The puncture cause by bullet is visible on L5. | © Alireza Shahrdari

Figure 20: Cranial view of vertebral column. The bullet and injured spinal cord are visible on L6 canal. | © Alireza Shahrdari

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Long-term plan for conservation of Persian leopard in this habitat is to find new solutions for changing cattle rising from traditional meth-ods to methods with more efficiency and less habitat loss. Participatory programs to revive the prey populations in this habitat, which has been, lost at least 80 % of it populations.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Tehran University small animal hospital and all the staff how helps use in this procedure. Furthermore we thank Behzad Naji, Dr. Gholami and Ali Amarlui for editing this paper.

References

• Khorozyan I (2008): Panthera pardus ssp. saxicolor. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2.

• Kiabi BH, Dareshouri BF, Ghaemi RA, Jahanshahi M (2002): Population status of the Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor Pocock, 1927) in Iran. Zoology in the Middle East 26, 41–47.

• Shores A (1992): Spinal trauma. Pathophysi‑ology and management of traumatic spinal injuries, Vet Clin North Am. Small Anim. Pract. 22, 859–867.

• Thrall D (2012): Textbook of Veterinary Diag‑nostic Radiology, Saunders, 6th ed. Saunders, Elsevier, 103.

• Waters RL, Sie IH (2003) Spinal cord injuries from gunshot wounds to the spine. Clin. Orthop. Relat. Res. 408,120–5.

• Ziaie H (2012): A Field Guide to the Mammals of Iran, Fourth edition. Department of the Environment, Tehran, 312–316.

Figure 21: Macroscopic view of injured part of spinal cord and pieces of bullet. | © Alireza Shahrdari

Resolutions

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DOC 70.26

RES 70.1

2nd Administrative Session

Resolution RES 70.1 Animal Interactions

Background

The increasing use of interactive experiences in zoos and aquariums has been informed by the expectation that close proximity between people and animals, and where possible ‘actual contact’, can increase the likelihood, scope and impact of environmental education and com-mitment to conservation actions. However, re-search on this proposition has not yet produced definitive results.

Interactive experiences vary between organisa-tions, ranging from experiences where people are brought into animal exhibits, to ones where animals and people may have hands-on contact. Although the risk is low, any situation where animals and people are in close contact has the potential to result in the spread of disease, including zoonosis.

All interactions between people and zoo ani-mals need to be carefully evaluated to always ensure that the animal’s welfare is not compro-mised. Interactions between zoo‑staff and zoo animals should also be appropriate and properly planned to contribute to a positive welfare out-come. The ultimate aim for any animal-person interaction is that it is a positive and stimulating experience for the person and the animal. It is also important to consider the holistic wel-fare of animals used in these situations i. e. not only during the interactive experiences but also for their time outside of the actual interactions.

Many zoos and aquariums have developed guidelines for interactions with animals and

public demonstrations that are useful guides for individual zoos and aquariums considering or undertaking interactive experiences.

• RECOGNISING the increasing use of interac-tive experiences in zoos and aquariums.

• NOTING WITH GREAT CONCERN misuse of animals in such interactive experiences in some zoos and aquariums.

• APPLAUDING the publication of the World Zoo and Aquarium Animal Welfare Strategy, which contains recommendations on interactions between people and zoo animals.

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RECOMMENDS that WAZA members adopt a policy on interactions between people and zoo animals, and follow the recommendations as published in the World Zoo and Aquarium Animal Welfare Strategy.

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Resolution RES 70.2 World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy

DOC 70.26

RES 70.2

Background

IUDZG as the predecessor of WAZA has pub-lished the first ever conservation strategy for zoos in 1993, as The World Zoo Conservation Strategy. At that time it was stated that nature conservation must be the central theme of zoos in the future, largely building on the strategy Caring for the Earth, jointly published by IUCN, UNEP and WWF in 1991. More than 10 years later it was felt that an update was necessary and in 2005 WAZA published the World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy. This time aquariums were systematically included, as well as new topics like evaluation, marketing and PR, sustainability (green practices) and partnerships.

The 2015 World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy: Committing to Conservation provides compelling examples of best practices and conservation success stories, as well as links to other conservation resources. This updated and revised version incorporates new advances and approaches, such as social media, the One Plan Approach, climate change statistics and impact metrics, that better articulates our vision and commitment to becoming conserva-tion leaders. The primary objective of this 2015 document is to appeal to the leaders of WAZA zoos and aquariums that “committing more resources to saving animals in the wild is not only the right thing to do, but this is what our local and global communities expect of us”. This user friendly edition provides both the tools and incentives for all institutions to increase

their conservation commitment both internally and externally, and to realize the full collective potential of our institutions to help reverse the seemingly inexorable decline of wildlife and habitat loss.

• RECALLING the importance of the 1993 and 2005 Conservation Strategies of WAZA.

• NOTING the significance of providing strategic guidance on effective conservation practices to WAZA members.

• RECOGNISING the increasing need of conser-vation involvement of the zoo and aquarium community to bridge the gap between in situ (field‑based) and ex situ (outside of natural habitat) approaches.

• FURTHER RECOGNISING that an integra-tive approach to save wildlife and habitats and working in partnership with like-minded organizations is the most effective way to achieve positive conservation impact.

• REDEFINING zoos and aquariums as organiza-tions that save populations of species in the wild, as well as providing exceptional care for the animals in their institutions, as well as behaviour changing experiences for their 700 million annual guests.

• APPLAUDING the publication of the 2015 World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy: Committing to Conservation.

• ACKNOWLEDGING the support and collabo-ration of the WAZA members and the global conservation community in drafting this strategy

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• RECOMMENDS that WAZA members strengthen the support and involvement in conservation endeavours to increase our com-munity’s focus on creating positive conserva-tion outcomes.

• STRONGLY ADVISES that WAZA members follow the recommendations as published in the 2015 World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy: Committing to Conservation.

Participants

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© Al Ain Zoo, UAE

Group Photo of Participants