Zoos stave off extinction for many reptiles and amphibians

A frog that doesn’t croak, the largest living lizard, and a tortoise that can live up to 100 years are just some of the species staving off extinction thanks to the help of zoos, according to a new report.

The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), which promotes the values of good zoos and aquariums, has compiled a list of the top 10 reptiles and amphibians benefitting from the aid of its members in the UK and Ireland.

Dr Andrew Marshall from BIAZA’s Field Programmes Committee co-ordinated the compilation of the list with input from conservation experts based at BIAZA collections.

He said: “Zoos are part of a global conservation community. Last year, BIAZA published a report on the top 10 mammals most reliant on zoos, which highlighted the work being done to help safeguard their future. This year, we have focused on 10 prevailing examples of reptiles and amphibians.

Continued ...

Bill Oddie to support the Love Your Zoo campaign

Wildlife expert and TV personality, Bill Oddie has joined British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ campaign to inspire kids about the natural world. The former Springwatch presenter will be taking part in Love Your Zoo Week, a campaign launched by BIAZA to teach people about the important role of zoos.

Bill said: “Good zoos play an important role in conservation. This seems to be the case for BIAZA zoos; good zoos know it’s no longer acceptable to just say “here’s some animals...come along and wonder at them. At the same time, they are raising funds for captive breeding programmes for endangered species and reintroducing them to the wild. Let’s also not forget that zoos offer people what could be their first contact with animals. Go on...love your zoo!”

Love Your Zoo Week was launched in 2011 to encourage people to visit their local BIAZA zoos, aquariums and wildlife centres and not only have a fun day out, but also learn just how much they do for conservation, education and research.

Continued

British zoos are not up to scratch says report

November 2013: The British zoo licensing and inspection system is failing to guarantee essential animal welfare standards in zoos says new report.

A study carried out by researchers from the University of Bristol and the Born Free Foundation has found that only 22 out of 136 zoos were assessed as meeting all the animal welfare standards at consecutive inspections and one or more of the same criteria remained substandard at consecutive inspections in more than one-third of zoos (35%).

The report also found Zoos that were members of a professional association (BIAZA, the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums) did not significantly out-perform non-members but were more likely to be assessed as remaining compliant between inspections. The type of zoo also had a significant effect on animal welfare performance, with bird parks and farm parks performing least well.

Continued