Return of the Natives a Special Issue on Europe’S Own Wildlife
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QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND AQUARIA AUTUMNZ 2014OO QUARIAISSUE 87 RETURN OF THE NATIVES A SPECIAL ISSUE ON EUROPE’S OWN WILDLIFE Meet the neighbours A NEW EXHIBIT CONTRASTS INVASIVE WITH RETURNING NATIVE SPECIES 1 1 Puffins’ plight THE THREATS FACED BY THE SEABIRDS OF NORTHERN EUROPE Contents Zooquaria Autumn 2014 26 30 14 28 This special European species issue of Zooquaria is guest-edited by Dr Angela Glatston, Conservation Coordinator with Rotterdam Zoo and GSMP Convener for red pandas. Angela is a highly valued long-term contributor to EAZA conservation programmes, and the Association and the editors are honoured that she agreed to both set the direction of the issue, and provide articles outlining this important and sometimes overlooked aspect of EAZA’s work. 4 From the Director’s chair 18 Photo story Lesley Dickie reviews the achievements of the Case studies of European conservation past six years 22 European species 6 Announcements A look at three species outside the breeding A round-up of news from EAZA programmes: the greater Capricorn beetle, meadow viper and white-clawed crayfish 8 Births and hatchings A selection of important new arrivals 26 Exhibit design A new exhibit showcases native wildlife 10 European introduction alongside invasive species EAZA’s role in European conservation 28 Zoos and society 12 Legislation How zoos can help Rewilding Europe bring Conservation legislation at European level wildlife and people closer together 13 Interview 30 Endangered animals Meet the head of the Nature Unit of the Europe’s big carnivores, seabirds and the fire European Commission, Stefan Leiner salamander 14 Breeding programmes 34 Moving forward The benefits of breeding programmes for A lot needs to be done, but a good start has European species, plus a close look at the bison been made Zooquaria EDITORIAL BOARD: EAZA Executive Office, PO Box 20164, 1000 HD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Executive Director Lesley Dickie ([email protected]) Email: [email protected] ISSN 2210-3392 Managing Editor David Williams-Mitchell ([email protected]) Cover image: European Mink (Mustela lutreola) © Tiit Maran Editor Malcolm Tait ([email protected]) For information on print subscriptions to Zooquaria visit: http://tinyurl.com/zooquaria. Editorial Staff Danny de Man, William van Lint The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of EAZA. Designer Louise Tait Printed using vegetable inks on paper containing 50% recycled waste and 50% Zooquaria is the quarterly magazine of the sustainably sourced virgin fibre; bleached using an Elemental Chlorine Free process. European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). Printed by Drukkerij Valkenstadt 3 FROM THE DIRECTOR’S CHAIR So, here it is. My final Director’s page. I thought about reflected in the standing ovation he received at plenary for what to write to reflect the past six years of my tenure as his work. But we were delighted he was followed by Simon Executive Director, the ups and the downs, the great things Tonge to continue the good foundations laid by Bert’s tenure. that happened and the not so great things. Ultimately I Spring 2010 brought with it the first voluntary re- have decided to write about the ups. We can all think of the accreditation by Hagenbeck’s in Hamburg, who volunteered areas of contention, the plans that didn’t work in the end. to fly the flag for this process. The Sanctions document was But I believe that we need to remind ourselves just how far approved, bringing in more clear responsibilities for what we have come as an encouragement to go even further. The was acceptable and not acceptable conduct for members, following does not just reflect my work, but the team at the in conjunction with the revised Ethics Policy, and what EAZA Office over the years, the work of the committees, the the consequences would be of non-compliance. A tough Executive Committee, the Council and so many members discussion, but an important one. By the Verona annual who acted as true members – contributing enthusiastically conference we were able to report significant surplus on the to the association with positive contributions and precious annual accounts to speed up the rebuilding of the reserves. time, not just paying a fee and expecting someone else to do We also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the real work. I have looked back through various documents Fondation Segré, who funded the initial development of the to jog my memory, and certainly there are many more events EAZA Academy, an idea discussed for years but that had and pieces of work that could have been highlighted, but here not yet come to fruition. Within a few months we were able are just a few. Somewhat in the style of Billy Joel singing ‘We to hire a young woman called Myfanwy Griffith to lead the didn’t start the fire’ (though we did start a few), here we go. development of the Academy as it took off in great style. It began in 2008 when I was presented with a pile of notes The EAZA Conservation Education Strategy was approved from the Kristiansand 2007 strategic planning meeting in my in the same year. We also started working with Grayling, first week as Director and asked to prepare a strategy for my professional consultants in Brussels to help us navigate first Council meeting at the annual conference in Antwerp. the EU. In exactly six weeks time. The strategy was completed By spring 2011 the EAZA Academy was up and running and first draft discussed at Council. The 2009-2012 EAZA and would go on to develop rapidly throughout the year Strategy would be formally approved soon after, giving us a and beyond. The Socio-Economic Impact Assessment, plan to work towards. funded by the voluntary Development Fund, was completed By the next council meeting in Spring 2009 we had begun and demonstrated the enormous conservation and social developing position statements, had restructured the EAZA contributions made by EAZA members in Europe and Executive Office, and laid out far more clear budgets for the globally. The EAZA Communications Strategy was formally financial security of the association. The first draft of the approved and, perhaps the most important development Fundraising Strategy was also presented and approved in this year, full and cyclical accreditation of all members was 2009. By the annual conference, that year in Copenhagen, a approved by Council. It would also be approved by a full comfortable surplus had been made financially to begin the electronic vote of the membership later in the year. We rebuilding of the reserves of EAZA, which had been declining hired our first full time ‘EAZA Accreditation Officer’ soon in recent years. Voluntary donations would also be asked of after. The annual conference in Montpellier once again saw the membership to help create an EAZA Development Fund the return of a strong financial performance in the annual to help implement the new strategic plan. A fee increase was accounts. We heard about the first progress in the EAZA proposed to allow EAZA to develop representation in the Accreditation Programme, the EAZA/IUCN SSC Southeast EU arena at Brussels and Strasbourg, positively accepted by Asia Campaign was launched and we updated our important the membership. In conjunction a new Lobbying strategy was MoU with EAZWV. The Council also unanimously approved approved. EAZA also now had, for the first time, a dedicated the EAZA Euthanasia Policy. communications manager and a new website was launched. The spring 2012 Directors meeting was a special one Simon Stuart of the IUCN SSC was a speaker and for the as it was devoted to planning the new strategy for EAZA. first time as a community we heard in great detail about the This time around, instead of being a council process, we overarching conservation crisis in Southeast Asia. Thus opened up the facilitated strategic planning meeting to the began the planning between EAZA and SSC of what would full membership to participate and two days of productive become the joint Southeast Asia campaign. We were sad meetings followed. By the Innsbruck annual conference we 4 to see Bert de Boer step down as the Chairman of EAZA, had an approved strategy for 2013-2016 (with a foreword by the Director General of the IUCN) and once again a clear policy discussions in the future, but surely an association that direction for progress. This strategy then took precedence has accomplished all the above in the last six years can handle over all other strategies bar the special development of those discussions with bravery and an eye on the progressive a dedicated EAZA Plant strategy. Council this year also and ethical way forward. approved guidelines for the conduct of zoos in relation to I would like to end by thanking wholeheartedly all the staff invasive species that had been developed in conjunction with at the office that I have worked with over the years. They the Invasive Species Specialist Group of the IUCN, once have been wonderful and their work has been tremendous – I again demonstrating the growing collaboration between the will miss working with them very much. I would like to thank IUCN SSC and EAZA. After a monumental effort by many the progressive members of the zoo and aquarium community people, the EAZA Population Management Manual was both in EAZA and globally who have provided support approved. The new Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research, and many enjoyable discussions over the years. I would also EAZA’s own scientific journal, was launched, a professional like to thank the various EAZA board members who I have editor appointed and it was soon accepting submissions.