Zoo BI 1,2,3 top priority cards Flashcards
What is the mission (statement) of the SF Zoo?
“To connect people with wildlife, inspire caring for nature, and advance conservation action.”
Primary mission: conservation, and being an ambassador therefor.
How does the SF Zoo support and advance the welfare of their collection?
By providing quality animal care and enrichment.
The Zoo’s Wellness and Conservation Center looks at developing techniques and implementing practices that ensure the animals are thriving.
The welfare of the collection is one of the Zoo’s main priorities.
Describe the AZA and what they do
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Founded in 1924.
Organization responsible for establishing high standards of practice and care for all facilities that fall under their jurisdiction.
Every 5 years, zoos go through accreditation process, including inspection.
Name some AZA programs
TAGs - Taxon Advisory Groups
SSP - Species Survival Plans
Studbooks
SAFE - Saving Animals From Extinction
SSP - Species Survival Plans
Cooperative management and conservation programs for endangered species.
Manages breeding to maintain healthy, genetically diverse, demographically stable, self-sustaining population: keeps a studbook, determines which animals should be mated.
Develops long-term research and management strategies for the species.
There are currently almost 300 species in SSP programs.
Created in 1981.
TAGs - Taxon Advisory Groups
Management programs for entire taxa (larger groups of animals such as marine mammals) that examine conservation needs and develop recommendations for population management and conservation.
SAFE - Saving Animals From Extinction
AZA member institutions collaborating on global conservation initiatives to save species from extinction.
Mission: to combine the power of zoo and aquarium visitors with the resources and collective expertise of AZA members and partners to save animals from extinction.
Vision: save the most vulnerable wildlife species from extinction and protect them for future generations.
Key goal: To increase public participation and public awareness of the need for conservation efforts and engage the public in those efforts.
What is the IUCN?
IUCN - International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
Maintains the Red List of Threatened Species (used for guiding conservation action and policy decisions).
Supports work to save wildlife on both the national and international levels.
What is the Red List of Threatened Species?
The world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species.
Serves as an important tool in the management of wildlife.
Frequently updated.
Provides a comprehensive list of animals, their conservation status, distribution, population and habitat information as well as current and proposed conservation measures.
Defines the severity and specific causes of a species’ threat of extinction.
Establishes a baseline from which to monitor the change in status of species.
Provides a global context for the establishment of conservation priorities at the local level.
Describe CITES
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
International agreement between governments.
Aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
Provides framework for participation by governments in regulating trade in wildlife specimens and conservation efforts.
Governments adopt their own laws at national level enforcing conservation.
Monitors international trade of certain species.
Also provides controls on trade for selected species considered endangered.
Maintains lists of animals in 3 categories (Appendices) based on threat and CITES controls that apply.
Three main purposes/goals of zoos vs. public’s perception of these priorities
Goals: Conservation, environmental education, and entertainment.
Public perception of priorities: Entertainment, education, and conservation, in that order.
How do zoos support and promote conservation?
Inspire concern for animals.
Preserve endangered species (via, e.g., captive breeding programs like SSPs).
Educate public about environment. (Personalize and widen a person’s view of nature. Provide an understanding of interdependence in ecosystems.)
What is the job/mission of a zoo docent?
Educate the general public, and especially the next generation, as to the importance of conservation, and actions they can take to help.
Be a conduit between the animal and the public.
Raise public awareness by communicating the need for conservation of species, preservation of habitat, captive breeding, ongoing research, and the reintroduction of endangered animals to the wild when possible.
What is a key goal of the SF Zoo staff in taking care of the animals?
Promote positive environments for the animals so that they can thrive. Enrichment. (more detail on different flashcard)
What is enrichment and why is it important? (note: specific approaches to enrichment are on a separate flashcard)
Improving or enhancing zoo animal environments and care within the context of their inhabitants’ behavioral biology and natural history.
An enriched captive environment
-is interesting,
-allows animals to perform natural behaviors,
-permits animals to be more active, and
-provides animals with additional choices, which increases the animals’ control over their environment leading to an improvement in the animal’s mental state.
-Reduces stress.
Other key points:
-Like physical health, mental health is important.
-Captive breeding has not removed natural, wild instincts.
-Since everything is provided for them – food, water, shelter, and safety – enrichment provides psychological and physical challenges to keep them active and interested in their surroundings.
(approaches to enrichment are a separate flashcard)
