EAZA News 58-9 - European Association of Zoos and Aquaria

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eaza news 58 2007 conservation 24 Hyalinobatrachium lemur Facilities for AArk populations must offer high levels of biosecurity and automated husbandry in order to keep and breed amphibians that as closely resemble the ‘natural state’ as possible. Keeping animals in ‘permanent quarantine’ for years on end is a rather new concept to most animal managers and will require a shift in keeping theory and practice. However, facilities need not be large or expensive. Of course, some zoos are already making valuable contributions to amphibian conservation. Some are constructing dedicated facilities within their own grounds (e.g., Antwerp Zoo, Belgium and Cologne Zoo, Germany) and some are helping to develop facilities in other regions of the world (e.g., Zurich Zoo, Switzerland at Cali Zoo in Colombia and London Zoo, Chester Zoo and Durrel [Jersey], United Kingdom, in Dominica). Furthermore, there are now several zoo-led courses designed to develop husbandry expertise, including Durrell’s Amphibian Biodiversity and Conservation Course. Further husbandry-related courses and on-the-job- EAZA Amphibian Ark Steering Committee Importantly, EAZA has taken a world lead on trying to tackle this global amphibian extinction crisis. The commitment and support of the EEP Committee, the EAZA Executive Office and numerous other institutions and individuals within the EAZA community, has set an example for the rest of the world's regional zoo associations to follow. This was clearly acknowledged on several occasions at the inaugural AArk meeting in Atlanta in February 2007. The plenary session in Madrid, the decision to organise the EAZA Amphibian Campaign 2007/8 and the EEP Committee’s training opportunities will become available through EAZA in the coming months. The first of these include trial husbandry workshops in Plock, Poland in April 2007 and Jersey, United Kingdom in August 2007. Essential contribution to nature conservation Addressing the amphibian extinction crisis represents the greatest species conservation challenge in the history of humanity. A third of the world’s 6,000 amphibian species are threatened with extinction. The status of many more is unknown but believed to be imperilled, bringing the percentage of threatened species potentially as high as 50%. This is significantly more than any other group of threat-assessed organisms. In comparison, just 12% of bird species and 23% of mammal species are considered threatened. Recent amphibian extinctions exceed 120 species and one entire family is already lost. Without immediate captive management as a stopgap component of an integrated conservation effort, hundreds of species will become extinct. This is an opportunity for every zoo and aquarium, regardless of size, to make a vital conservation contribution, and for our community to be broadly acknowledged as a credible conservation partner. Supporting this call to action is clearly within the financial capacity of all zoos and aquariums, and engages the diverse expertise found within all institutions. If zoos and aquaria do not respond immediately and on an unprecedented scale, much of an entire vertebrate class will be lost, and they will have failed in its most basic conservation mission as defined in the World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy (WAZA, 2005). • Through the AArk initiative, many amphibian species can be saved that would otherwise be lost forever, and it will be demonstrated to the world that zoos and aquaria are essential contributors to nature conservation. For more information, please visit www.AmphibianArk.org EAZA Amphibian Ark; progress since EAZA Annual Conference 2006 Although for many people it may seem to have been rather quiet since the plenary session on the global amphibian extinction crisis in Madrid last year, many things have in fact happened. endorsement and support of the EAZA Amphibian Ark, are just three examples of how EAZA is demonstrating the importance it places in it’s membership supporting amphibian conservation. For updates on the selection process of priority species for the AArk initiative, workshops and several other projects that have been initiated, the EAZA Amphibian Ark refers you to the ‘Conservation’ section of the EAZA website. Updates will also be published in the next issues of EAZA News. •
Martin Wehrle, Goldau Zoo, Switzerland Bearded vulture EEP For twenty years now, bearded vultures have however been reintroduced into the Alps via a project supported by almost thirty zoological institutions. The Bearded vulture EEP, one of the first EEPs, was established in 1986, and mainly focuses on the conservation of bearded vultures in the wild. For a long time breeding bearded vultures in captivity seemed almost impossible. One of the main problems was the difficulty in distinguishing males from females by external features, which hampered the formation of pairs. New techniques have made sex determination much easier. In January 2006, the Bearded vulture EEP counted 66.60.1 birds. That same year 19 eggs hatched, of which 16 chicks were raised successfully by their parents or foster parents. Ten chicks have been released in Austria, Italy and for the first time in Spain (Sierra de Cazorla). Since the establishment of the Bearded vulture EEP, 144 juveniles have been released into the wild. Successful rearing at Goldau Zoo Goldau Zoo in Switzerland is also involved in the bearded vulture reintroduction project. Several zoos keep this species, but each year, only a few captive pairs breed. Goldau Zoo has been trying to breed with the species since 1995. The zoo built two additional breeding aviaries in 1998, so a total of three pairs of bearded vultures could be kept. The first egg hatched in 2000. The zoo opened a new exhibit in 2005, informing the visitors about the bearded vulture, its biology, its extinction and the reintroduction project. Last year was very successful; due to the great devotion of the zoo staff, three bearded vultures were successfully raised. The staff had to deal with several problems during the rearing period and one of the offspring was transported to the Vienna Breeding Unit to be reared by foster parents. Two of these three bearded vultures have now been released (one in Martelltal and one in Hohe Tauern) and the third one went to another breeding centre. Late February 2007, another two chicks hatched. One of the chicks died due to a goitre infection. The other chick is developing well and will be reintroduced in the Swiss National Park in June. conservation Reintroduction of the bearded vulture photo michael knollseisen For a long time the bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) was hunted fiercely, due to the superstition that, besides slaughtering lambs in its wild dives, this gigantic bird would not even shy from stealing children.... This lack of knowledge led to the noticeable disappearance of the bearded vultures in the Alps. Bearded vultures on the move The success of this project shows the importance of zoo cooperation and support in conservation of European flagship species. As many as eight young vultures could be released at four sites in the Alps during successful project years. Since 1997, 33 offspring have hatched in the wild and the once extinct vulture has a new and growing natural population. The project ‘Bearded vulture on the move’ began in 2004. Released single young bearded vultures are marked with satellite transmitters, allowing a broad public to continuously follow each single bird on the internet. The marked birds are located with the help of satellites which circle the earth in the north-south axis at a height of 850 km. This interesting information helps to fascinate people about the bearded vulture and its alpine habitat. Futhermore, the technology provides basic data to study spatial behaviour. photo goldau zoo Testing transmitters Before the project began, the fixation of the satellite transmitters was tested on bearded vultures of Goldau Zoo. Two systems proved to be successful; the affixation of a transmitter onto a tail feather and the affixation with an elastic band which lies around the hips (like a climber’s belt). Consequently, two vultures were released and could be monitored in 2005 and 2006. Currently, the use of satellite transmitters with GPS modules is being evaluated. This would enable more accurate location data in the future. The position of the vultures can still be observed via the internet through www.bartgeier.ch/unterwegs • eaza news 58 2007 25
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EAZA News 58-9 - European Association of Zoos and Aquaria

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