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

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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. worked with closely to progress the association, especially In early 2013, EAZA signed an MoU with AZA to during times of difficult discussion. My thanks also go to Bert develop closer ties over a number of issues and new staff de Boer, my ‘first’ Chairman, whose support was invaluable members were hired to work for us in Brussels as was our in that initial year, and to my ‘last’ Chairman, Simon first ever full-time population biologist to help support our Tonge. Over the five years that we have worked together as coordinators throughout the membership. We continued in Chairman and Director I have frequently been in awe at the the development of encouraging collaboration and support way Simon has handled the most challenging discussions, between institutions, TAGs and the Specialist Groups of the where tempers could be frayed, and all with a deep honesty IUCN, our ‘Building Bridges’ project. and determination to do the right thing for the greater good. By 2014 we had voted to change our financial year and, I have learnt so much from him that I will take forward into thanks to the generosity of Claudio Segré and the continued my future career and I also, happily, take his friendship forged support of the Fondation Segré, were able to expand it over the years. further, adding a dedicated Israeli Academy in 2013 and Thank you all for an amazing past six years and I am a new Animal Welfare Training Officer in 2014. The new sure you join me in wishing Myfanwy our best wishes and EAZA Conservation Database will be launched in 2014 at confidence as she steps into her new role as Executive the annual conference in Budapest, as will the new website. Director. Expanding our partnerships further we were delighted to sign a joint MoU with the European Association of Science Centres (ECSITE) and Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). In September the office of the Chair of the SSC, Dr Simon Stuart, appointed a partnership officer, to strengthen the linkages between zoos, aquariums and Specialist Groups, arising out of the positive relationship built over the years with EAZA. Dr Lesley Dickie So In September 2014 where do we stand? Our association Executive Director, EAZA has a well structured executive office with skilled, expert, enthusiastic staff. We have never been in a stronger, more healthy, financial position. We have a strong conservation reputation with the IUCN that simply did not exist before. The Academy goes from strength to strength. We have our own research journal. Population management has been strengthened by the appointment of a population biologist, as has our representation in Brussels with the appointment of an EU Policy Manager. We have cyclical accreditation. We have clear policies and procedures and we have a clear strategic plan. Our partnerships are strong and there are many exciting developments on the horizon. There will be some challenging 5 ANNOUNCEMENTS

NEWS NEW FACES

right) and she is originally from Berlin, Germany where she worked at the zoo as a temporary keeper during holidays. She completed her studies at Van Hall University of applied Science in The Netherlands with a Master’s degree in Zoo Conservation Biology from Plymouth University (UK). During her EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR with us, including the development of studies Katharina did internships in After six eventful years at the helm of EAZA’s European Parliamentary election different zoos (Harderwijk, Munster and EAZA, Dr Lesley Dickie is leaving the manifesto, funding proposals and strong Taronga), field work in Uganda and an Association. Lesley’s dedication and connections with some of the most internship at the species management energy in the role of ‘herding cats’, as important legislators in the field of the department of our colleagues in ZAA Chairman Simon Tonge put it, helped environment, conservation, and animal (Zoo and Aquarium Association, develop ‘the capacity of the EAZA office welfare. Sophie hands over the reins to Australia). She has recently finalised her to deliver… in ways, and at a speed, that Daniel Nuijten, a Dutch national who thesis project at San Diego Animal Park we had not imagined possible.’ Lesley has lived and worked in Brussels for in the United States. Katharina will be hands over the Executive Directorship of several years. Daniel has extensive the TAG liaison for a variety of mammal the Association, now in its strongest experience in the field of international TAGs including (among others) primates financial and organisational position development and youth engagement, and carnivores. ever, to Myfanwy Griffith (above), having held positions with the formerly EAZA Academy Manager on 1 development consortium CONCORD, OFFICE MANAGER October. Myfanwy (pronounced Miff-an- and the European Youth Forum. Daniel After eight years at the EAZA office, we!) has developed the EAZA Academy will help EAZA continue to build its Fleur Kist will also be leaving the from its inception three years ago to a profile and contacts with the European Association at the end of September. world-class professional education Parliament and Commission, helping Fleur has been a key member of the facility for zoos and aquariums. She the Association to be included and team, taking on many roles and tasks previously worked as a lecturer in animal consulted by legislators. Daniel will also during her time with us, and ensuring behaviour and management, and as a serve as liaison to the Legislation the smooth running of the office and its keeper and presenter at EAZA member Committee. reach to the 41 countries in which we Chester Zoo. are present. Lillian Stammeshaus will EXECUTIVE COORDINATOR, take over the role on 22 September EU POLICY MANAGER COLLECTION COORDINATION 2014. Lillian will be familiar to many Sophie Dorémus, EAZA’s first EU Policy AND CONSERVATION members as the office manager during Manager, left the Association in July EAZA has appointed a new Executive Fleur’s maternity leave in 2011, and her after nearly a year in the position. Sophie Coordinator to replace Christina Henke, experience in the role will allow the was instrumental in developing the role, who left the office during the summer. office to continue to run smoothly and and achieved much during her time Her name is Katharina Herrmann (above, responsively. Budapest Conference welcomes delegates and speakers The EAZA Annual Conference, being hosted by Budapest Zoo, starts September 23rd and runs until September 27th. As well as the TAG and Committee meetings, which will help define the direction of the Association’s conservation, education and research programmes, the Conference will also be the first to feature a meeting of two new committees agreed by the attendees at May’s Directors Days in Doué La Fontaine: the Communications Committee and the National Associations Committee. Plenaries will feature speakers including Anna Omedes, Director of the Barcelona Museum of Natural Sciences and a key figure in Ecsite, as well as experts in communications, conservation, veterinary science, and 6 addresses by Dr. Miklós Persányi, Director of Budapest Zoo, the Mayor of Budapest, EAZA Chair Simon Tonge, and Executive Director Lesley Dickie. NEWS

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON 10 SEPTEMBER 10, EAZA signed a gardens. BGCI have unparalleled Memorandum of Understanding with experience in the fields of botanical two sister organisations that will help conservation, research and education identify areas of common interest and and will be instrumental in helping the cooperation. partnership build a complete approach Ecsite, the network of European to ecosystems and their protection. The Science Centres, includes some of the Memorandum, which covers best known museums – including collaboration on biodiversity natural history museums – on the campaigning and communication, will continent, and their members are mean that for the first time, the leading AB Aqua Medic GmbH (www.aqua-medic.de) highly active in research, education and members of all three types of institution AQUA-TEKNIK A/S (www.aqua-teknik.com) biodiversity work. Ecsite member in Europe will be speaking with a united Base Structures Ltd (www.basestructures.com) collections also ensure a wealth of voice and providing a comprehensive Billings Productions (www.billingsproductions.com) historical reference materials, and their approach to preserving biodiversity Brogaarden (www.brogaarden.eu) experience of science communication across the continent. The Memorandum CelsiusPro AG (www.celsiuspro.com) will help set the context for our joint also points the way to even greater Claxitalia (www.claxitalia.com) work. support for IUCN’s One Plan approach, Doublecheck Oy (www.doublezoo.com) Botanical Gardens Conservation bringing in scientists from across the Dowman Soft Touch (www.dowman.com) International is the membership disciplines to assist with systems-level EKIPA (www.ekipa.nl) organisation for the world’s botanical planning. Fachjan Project Plants (www.fachjan.nl) HMJ Design (www.hmj-design.dk) INTRODUCING THE IMPROVED EAZA Instituto Bioclon (www.bioclon.com.mx) CONSERVATION DATABASE Jardine Lloyd Thompson Leisure (www.jltgroup.com) Kiezebrink International (www.kiezebrink.eu) Mapcards (www.mapcards.net) Marchegay Technologies (www.marchegay.com) Marine Nutrition (www.marinenutrition.com) Mazuri Zoo Foods (www.mazuri.eu) Pangea Rocks (www.pangea.dk) pricetag (www.pricetag.nl) Ralf Nature (www.ralfnature.com) Rasbach Architekten (www.rasbacharchitekten.de) Ravensden Plc (www.ravensden.co.uk) ray hole architects (www.rayhole-architects.com) St. Laurent (www.st-laurent.fr) Triumph Gate Ltd (www.triumphgate.org) Wildlife Trading Company (www.wctnm.com) Zoolife s.l (www.zoologicaladviser.com) ZOOPROFIS (www.zooprofis.de) ZooTrend (www.zootrend.com) Zoos Online Services (www.zoos.pro)

ARE YOU CURIOUS about the type of the membership with a further institute, conservation contacts have support given to the conservation of improved information tool. Currently received an account and will be certain European species by EAZA more than 1,000 projects are available approached to add information online, members? Do you know what to browse through and, over time, the with support from EAZA. conservation activities EAZA database will create an overview on All EAZA member institution colleagues in France or the Czech conservation contributions that gives a employees can request access to the Republic are supporting? Would your more complete reflection of the database for browsing. You will find the institution like to support a project breadth and extensive conservation database is easy to use with new focused on species X or Y but you are work handled by our membership. features and options being added all looking for some inspiration? The new Of course, the success of this new the time. and improved online EAZA online EAZA Conservation Database is The EAZA Conservation Database Conservation Database (www. dependent upon the input of our eagerly awaits your visit at www. eazaconservation.org) aims to provide members. Within each EAZA member eazaconservation.org. 7 ANNOUNCEMENTS

BIRTHS AND HATCHINGS CAPERCAILLIE SUCCESS BERNE ANIMAL PARK DÄHLHÖLZLI, in aviary is 10m wide, where two hens live. Switzerland, has kept that fantastic To the left and right live two cocks, each in grouse, the capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus a 5m-wide aviary. The aviaries are major), since 1971. Initially, the park took connected by holes of 17cm diameter – in injured birds from the wild, as well as too small for the cocks – so the hens may purchasing birds from private keepers. decide which cock they want to visit The first chick hatched at the park in the during courtship. The floor substrate is 1970s died after 10 days, and those that sand; the planting consists of pine, spruce followed did not live much longer. By the and elm in which the birds can sit. 1980s, the breeding success had started For the first two weeks the chicks receive to improve, and since 2000 Berne raised four feeds a day, which is reduced to three 63 chicks. The most recent were in June per day in the third week. Antibiotics are this year, when a clutch of nine eggs also provided via the water supply during hatched. Three chicks did not survive, but the first month. For the first few days, the the remaining three cocks and three hens chicks are kept on absorbent paper, with are in good health and developing well. regular changes; over the course of the The incubation process is as follows: next few days, birch branches, moss and clutches of eggs are put into the incubator fruit bushes are introduced into the (T = 37.8°C) and the eggs are automatically enclosure, and in the fourth week, the turned twice a day. After hatching, and birds are transferred to an outdoor once they are dry, the chicks are brought enclosure on sand with constant heating into a brooding-box made of plywood from a lamp. From day 30, the lamp is only with a grating floor covered with filter on during bad weather and at night. paper. A 250W infrared lamp about 40cm Capercaillies are currently being held in above the floor ensures a suitable 18 EAZA institutions. They are sensitive to temperature, and a damp cloth under the stress, and transport by air freight is lamp provides sufficient humidity. therefore a great risk. Experience shows The birds are kept in three aviaries of that capercaillie are best transported by 8m depth and 2.5m in height; the middle car, preferably by the new holder. CAT TALES

LE PARC DES FÉLINS, located 50km east of Paris, was established in a woodland estate of 71 hectares (175 acres) to display to the public and breed many species of felines in huge natural enclosures. With 150 specimens from 26 species out of the 36 or 37 described in the wild (including 15 EEPs and 4 ESBs), the park is an important centre for breeding with 24 species having bred over the past 15 years. Le Parc des Félins has had particular success over the last two years with the northern subspecies of European lynx (Lynx lynx lynx) and the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris). A litter of two male and one female lynx was born in May 2013, with the loss of one of the male cubs, apparently due to a fight with its brother. This behaviour has been recognised in the literature on the species, and fights to the death between male litter-mates are well known in the wild, despite recorded attempts by the mother to separate cubs. Both surviving cubs are in good health and growing well, having been transferred to Rome Zoo as part of the ESB. A litter of 5 European wildcats (four male, one female) was born in April 2014, which is an abnormally large litter. After attempts to find facilities to take two of the males were unsuccessful, the Parc made the difficult decision to euthanise the animals, as large litters can cause problems and jeopardise the welfare and survival of young wildcats. The litter of two 8 EUROPEAN LYNX males and one female are thriving and growing well. BIRTHS AND HATCHINGS WOLVERINE: THE EUROPEAN SUPERHERO

BORÅS ZOO IN SWEDEN was delighted Zoo was suggested. In early May 2012 the to welcome a litter of three wolverine transfer was completed and new pairs pups (Gulo gulo gulo) at the beginning of were formed. Although the usually quite 2013 and this year has brought even noisy mating was never heard (or seen) more success. This is a major turnaround this transfer was an immediate success. in the fortunes for breeding at the Zoo, After the delayed implantation typical of after 26 years without any result. this species, the first litter (two males and Reconstruction of the enclosure to one female) was born in February 2013. increase its size and provide access to a During rearing the male stayed with the hillside, changes in husbandry, tests to female and pups without any reported separate the pair close to likely birth problem. dates, the arrival of new animals, and That could have been the end of that, steady development of enrichment were as the plan was to have only one litter all tried, but nothing seemed to be able from this pair, but this year brought to reverse the negative trend. success, too. Another two pups were Disturbances or suspected complications born on Valentine’s Day 2014 – naturally around the time of mating were the young male and female were named investigated and also minimised, but Valle and Tina. It might also be added that years went by without any success. this was not the end of the tale: Nordens In 2006 a couple of wolverine litters were Ark also succeeded with Tjokko and found in two different Sami villages, another three pups were born there at where mothers had been killed during the same time. Our male was recently legal hunting. From these litters one male returned and we hope that his positive (Tjokko) and one female (Pessina) were experience at Nordens Ark will take effect placed at Borås Zoo after an application when he is reintroduced to his old from the Swedish Association of Zoos partner! and Aquaria. The global population of wolverines is The youngsters were introduced, but of Least Concern according to IUCN Red again nothing happened. In fact the List, although in Sweden the animal is CAT TALES healthy young wolverines were more locally regarded on the national Red List interested in playing with each other as Vulnerable, due to illegal hunting in Straightforward husbandry and ease than in mating when they came of age. the past as well as today. A breeding of breeding combined with a natural After discussion with the species programme for the wolverine was adaptation to the climate mean that coordinator Leif Blomqvist, an exchange established in 1994 and today it contains both species do very well in European of males between Nordens Ark and Borås 51.15 animals in 40 institutions. zoos. However, like many species kept in human care, the major problem to overcome is finding new homes for offspring. Long lifespans of sometimes more than 20 years and low demand in zoo collection plans limit the possibilities of transfer and the Parc prevented breeding for some years by separating the male and female wildcats and using temporary contraceptive implants on the lynxes. Culling is occasionally employed and with great caution, and is usually carried out when young litter sizes are large (above two or three kittens or cubs) and therefore potentially problematic. Le Parc des Félins encourages more institutions to make room for these wonderful species in their collection plans, and is happy to make the young wildcats available to interested curators this winter. 9 EUROPEAN INTRODUCTION Walking the walk BARBARY MACAQUE EAZA AND THE ROLE WE CAN PLAY IN EUROPEAN CONSERVATION

Angela Glatston, Rotterdam Zoo, The Netherlands

Part of EAZA’s mission, as we The highest proportion of know, is to facilitate co-operation threatened species can be found within the European zoo and around the Mediterranean. This aquarium community with the aim is not surprising as that region is of contributing to the conservation a recognised global hotspot for of global biodiversity. We all biodiversity and home to a large consider nature conservation to be number and variety of species. an important aspect of our work but Spain, Portugal and Greece host the all too often we, EAZA members, highest proportion of species that are interpret this to refer to exotic threatened with extinction at the endangered species rather than European level. More than 20% of LESSER KESTREL our own indigenous fauna. This the species assessed in Spain, 15% in means that, although many EAZA Portugal and 14% in Greece fall into members are indeed involved in the this category. conservation of local species, they do While effective conservation action not seem to communicate or promote in the Mediterranean is needed these activities in the same way or urgently, other European nations are to the same extent as they do for not exempt; all countries need to exotic species. For example, very few take adequate measures to reverse the European projects are listed in our current population declines if we are Conservation Database, published to prevent species from going extinct. in Zooquaria or discussed during our Considerable conservation investment A further benefit is the way we are annual meeting. is needed to achieve this and to ensure perceived in those countries outside To help members reconsider this long-term improvement in the status Europe where we are also active; state of affairs, this issue of Zooquaria of European species. Zoos could and it surely is much better to teach is dedicated to European species should play a central role in raising others through example rather than conservation within EAZA, and public awareness of the problem and instruction: ie we need to ‘walk the with this introduction, I hope to stimulating appropriate action. walk’ not just ‘talk the talk’. persuade you to regard your European conservation activities as being on a 2. Goodwill for EAZA 3. More inclusivity for our members par with those you support outside of Taking a more prominent role in Many of our colleagues who work Europe and to encourage you to report European conservation will also in smaller institutions only have on them to your colleagues. serve to further promote EAZA with limited possibilities for donating cash So why is European conservation EU institutions, European-based to projects, let alone for setting up important? There are four ways of conservation organisations and, their own projects abroad and then answering that question. last but not least, the public. Our monitoring their progress. Projects in efforts in this area will become much Europe are much more accessible for 1. Europe has conservation problems clearer to all these parties and our them, and zoos can very easily become The IUCN recently carried out successes will be far more tangible. involved in local projects through a national analysis of data for At Rotterdam Zoo, we believe that breeding and release activities and/or the European Red List. They local conservation is of much greater education programmes. The interest assessed the status of around 6,000 interest to our visitors than similar of these zoos in local conservation European species (mammals, projects on the other side of the world was clearly demonstrated in the reptiles, amphibians, freshwater and we are making a greater effort European Carnivore Campaign in fishes, butterflies, dragonflies and to make our visitors more aware of which regional participation moved selected groups of beetles, molluscs, local issues. Local projects have the away from the ‘traditional’, large, and vascular plants) and their data added advantage of demonstrating supporting zoos in western Europe show alarming declines in Europe’s to the public that conservation is to other institutions. At that time, biodiversity. It will require increased not merely the preserve of large, rich members representing smaller conservation efforts throughout organisations but something where institutions expressed considerable Europe if the EU 2020 Biodiversity they, as individuals, can also make a satisfaction at the fact that there was a Strategy is to be achieved. meaningful contribution. ‘local’ campaign. 10 MARAN TIIT MINK: DRUNEN; VAN GERARD WOLF: VASSEN; FRANK KESTREL: BROWN BEAR IMPERIAL EAGLE

IBERIAN WOLF EUROPEAN MINK

4. We are Europeans for individual zoos or regional zoo amongst the membership and we We are all European and so it is our organisations to take the lead. Each can all sign up to the Pole to Pole responsibility to ensure that our own zoo has its own opportunities for Campaign and Pull the Plug. home is kept in order. If we so choose, action and we should easily be able to 4. Don’t forget your zoo site and EAZA members could have a major find potential partner organisations grounds can and do provide impact on conservation both locally as there are any number of local and valuable habitat for native species and within Europe in general. We not regional conservation NGOs who (particularly relevant for city zoos). only have members in those biological would welcome the chance to partner We could do more to study and hotspots of the Mediterranean but with their local zoos if only for our publicise this fact. we also have visitors who holiday fundraising and communication 5. We can encourage, educate and in that region so there’s plenty of potential. As a community we facilitate visitors to participate in our opportunity to make a difference. should encourage each other’s local local conservation projects. A good Furthermore, in Europe we have the conservation initiatives. This can easily example is the young conservation good fortune that conservation is be achieved by making some simple volunteers in Woodland Park Zoo, not generally a question of money. changes to our existing structures. Here Seattle, who help zoo staff with The structures of government are in are some ideas: breeding programmes for local place and the budget is accessible to 1. Inform your colleagues of your species. Citizen science is a buzz support conservation within Europe; European conservation work by phrase in the USA and perhaps we the problem is the will to take action. writing articles for Zooquaria, giving should also cash in on this model. Zoos are well placed to encourage presentations at our annual meeting Personally I would like to see a conservation action from the and/or at the conservation forum. significant percentage of our EAZA authorities through communication We need to make more effort to Conservation Campaigns either and lobbying. This means we can be showcase our existing European devoted to European issues or, at active at home and still be financially conservation efforts in this way. the very least, have a European capable of being active abroad with 2. We could ensure that we list component. In the long term, this other projects. our European efforts on the approach may naturally lead into Conservation Database. a partnership between EAZA and HOW TO PROCEED 3. Local conservation can easily be one or more of the larger NGOs European conservation should not linked to the issue of sustainability. with a European remit thereby fully be an EAZA initiative in the first EAZA should do more to encourage integrating EAZA into European instance; it is probably much better sustainable business practices conservation as should be the case. 11 LEGISLATION Directive directions AN EXAMINATION OF THE CONSERVATION LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK AT EUROPEAN LEVEL

Sophie Dorémus, EAZA EU policy manager

Conservation of the environment is an EGYPTIAN VULTURE features Special Areas of Conservation important mission that the European (SAC) designated by Member States Union has set itself. It is therefore under the Habitats Directive, and also a crucial factor in the development incorporates Special Protection Areas of policy and legislation to that end. (SPAs) designated under the Birds Many pieces of legislation have been Directive. progressively introduced, and two key As regards ex situ conservation, the directives adopted in relation to wildlife European Union adopted in 1999 the and nature conservation. Directive 1999/22/EC on the keeping of The Directive 2009/147/EC on wild animals in zoos (Zoos Directive). the Conservation of Wild Birds With the aim of reinforcing the (Birds Directive) created a scheme conservation role of zoos, the Directive of protection for all wild bird species requests Member States to deliver naturally occurring in the Union, licences to zoos provided they fulfil identifying 194 species and sub-species certain obligations such as: particularly threatened. It was adopted • participating in research whose results unanimously by the Member States in benefit the preservation of species 1979 as a response to increasing concern and/or exchange of information on about the declines in Europe’s wild bird education and disseminating general the conservation of species, populations resulting from pollution, information on the need to conserve • educating and raising public loss of habitats and unsustainable use. species and habitats. A regular awareness on the conservation of It was also recognition that wild birds, monitoring of the implementation of biodiversity, keeping animals in a many of which are migratory, are a the Convention is ensured through manner that meets their biological shared heritage of the Member States various tools such as reports and a case- needs and ensures the preservation of and that their effective conservation file system. different species, requires international cooperation. In 1992, the European Union adopted • preventing certain animals from According to that Directive, Member the Habitats Directive (Directive escaping and preventing intrusion of States are required to designate Special 92/43/EEC) on the conservation of outside pests, and Protection Areas (SPAs) for particularly natural habitats and of wild fauna • keeping up-to-date records of the threatened species and all migratory and flora. Amended in 1997, its main animals kept in the establishment bird species. Activities that directly aim is to promote the maintenance appropriate to the species record. threaten birds are also banned, such as of biodiversity, taking account of Further relevant legislation includes their deliberate killing or capture, or the economic, social, cultural and regional Directive 92/43/EEC (Water Framework destruction of their nests and taking of requirements. Directive), under which Member States their eggs. Finally, a number of rules that It ensures the conservation of a wide are required to protect and improve limit the number of bird species that can range of rare, threatened or endemic their inland and coastal waters, and be hunted and the periods during which species, including around 450 animals Directive 2008/56/EC (Marine Strategy this can happen were introduced. and 500 plants, and provides for a Framework Directive) to achieve good At the same time, the Council of ban on the downgrading of breeding environmental status in their marine Europe (the leading human rights and resting places for certain strictly environment by 2020. organisation in Europe) adopted a protected animal species. The EU’s environmental legislation Convention on the conservation of These two Directives are the is complemented by a variety of other European wildlife and natural habitats backbone of the protection of non-binding policy instruments such (the Bern convention) which aims animal and plant species of European as strategies, programmes and action at ensuring conservation of wild flora importance and the habitats which plans. By these means, the EU also aims and fauna species and their habitats in support them, and are built around to fulfil its international commitments Europe. two pillars: a strict system of species under the UN Convention on The parties at the Bern Convention protection, and an ecological network Biological Diversity. must take a series of actions such as of protected areas, called Natura 2000. It is up to the Member States to apply promoting national policies for the The latter was established under the the environmental legislation and to conservation of wild flora and fauna, 1992 Habitats Directive and aims the European Commission and national considering the conservation of wild to ensure the long-term survival of judges to make sure that it is respected. flora and fauna in their planning and Europe’s most valuable and threatened If not, a series of legal actions is at their 12 development policies, promoting species and habitats. To this end, it disposal. INTERVIEW Stefan Leiner HEAD OF THE NATURE UNIT, EUROPEAN COMMISSION

You have a very wide remit that of the animals. European citizens are includes everything from zoos to sensitive to animal suffering, which protection of Europe’s wildest areas. explains why there is intense social How can these diverse elements and political pressure for progress on become a cohesive strategy for the animal welfare issues within the EU. natural future of Europe? Where actions such as euthanasia may The most important task of my unit is be required, this should be carried to support the full implementation of out in ways that have full regard to the EU nature legislation (the so-called these sensitivities. As the public are Habitats and Birds Directives) so that the major supporters of many zoos and objective of halting and reversing the aquariums it goes without saying that loss of biodiversity and the degradation there is a constant need to educate and of ecosystem services in the EU by 2020 communicate with them in relation to sought to engage Member States and is being achieved. The EU biodiversity conservation management strategies, key stakeholder groups, including EAZA, strategy, which also includes, for especially those that may involve control in the exercise from the outset. We have example, work on invasive alien species of animal populations. also provided the different stakeholders and global action, is our overarching with an opportunity to participate in a framework of action. The Zoos Directive In situ conservation in Europe dedicated workshop where the draft is part of, and plays an important role in is highly challenging due to the guidelines were discussed as well as to support of, this strategy. continent’s crowdedness and the provide written input to the process. economic imperative. How do you Stakeholders have quite different and How central to the EU’s strategies are convince governments struggling sometimes strongly held views on this zoos and aquariums, and how do you with economic pressure to come to subject and the Commission has had see their future? the aid of nature? regard to each of these views, while Combined with their role in public Despite the fact that we live in one of the ultimately focusing on the objective of education, zoos and aquariums are most crowded parts of this planet there providing guidance on the provisions of critical centres for ex situ conservation is still a great deal of nature to enjoy and the directive. A key aim of the exercise and research programmes as they conserve in Europe. Our primary focus has also been to promote good practice have a very important role to play in in the EU is on conservation of nature in different Member States, including overall biodiversity strategies, both in in the wild, especially in ensuring the examples from different zoos that are in the EU and more globally. The EU Zoos effective management of the Natura the EAZA family. Directive aims to promote this role in 2000 areas of high biodiversity value. the conservation of biodiversity and, in There is also increased action for nature How do you imagine zoos and this context, there has been EU funding in the wider countryside, reflected in aquariums will look in 20 years? And support for conservation projects land- and water-use policies throughout how do you imagine the future of involving zoos, mainly within the the EU and our objective to establish Europe’s wild spaces? framework of the EU LIFE programme. a thriving ‘Green Infrastructure’. The I hope that the contribution of zoos to However, it is for each Member State financial crisis has certainly not made it conservation programmes in Europe of the EU to put in place the necessary easier in recent years to secure resources and more globally will be strengthened. systems, including financial resources for nature but there is also growing I also hope that the extraordinary to ensure that zoos and aquariums fulfil understanding that a healthy economy potential of zoos and aquariums in their role. needs to be underpinned by healthy raising awareness and education nature, which delivers many essential about nature is fully realised. Many Zoos and aquariums are under services for people. European zoos have still to complete the increased scrutiny from legislators evolutionary transition from the ancient and the public due to recent We have recently seen the new ‘passive’ image they often portrayed to management euthanasia cases. Do guidance document for the become truly dynamic education and you worry that negative reactions implementation of the Zoos research centres of excellence. This will may hinder your work to preserve Directive. Can you tell us more about need to be combined with effective biodiversity? how the document was formulated? action for nature in the wild, both within The primary goal of the Zoos Directive The Commission guidelines respond to Natura 2000 protected areas and more is to promote the role of zoos and a need to promote good practice in the generally in the wider landscape, based aquariums in the conservation of implementation of the Zoos Directive on a greater respect for nature and biodiversity. However, to achieve this, across the EU. The Commission has been recognition of our interdependence there is a requirement in the Directive assisted by experts in preparing this with other species that share this planet to ensure appropriate accommodation work but most importantly it has also with us. 13 BREEDING PROGRAMMES The value of European species A CLOSER FOCUS ON BREEDING PROGRAMMES FOR EUROPEAN SPECIES CAN HAVE MANY BENEFITS

William van Lint, Assistant Manager, Collection Coordination and Conservation, EAZA

Around 30 (8%) of our breeding great value for the establishment of a European mink is Critically Endangered programmes focus on European captive population for Iberian lynx, while and more action is needed to safeguard species, or at least species with a partial waldrapp ibises born in captivity have the future of this species. Captive-bred distribution in Europe. These include been used to fine-tune release techniques. minks have been introduced onto the programmes for charismatic species In the case of species such as Baltic islands of Hiumaa and Saremaa in such as European bison, brown bear and European bison, bearded and European an attempt to reestablish them in Estonia bearded vulture but also programmes black vultures there was a clear request in suitable habitat free of American for less well-known species such as for individuals that could be and still mink. This project has been funded wolverine, lesser kestrel and short- can be released to start new populations by EAZA members and the Darwin snouted seahorse. Some of these species or strengthen existing remnants of Initiative as well as by an EU Life grant. are threatened on a global or European populations. The existence of breeding At the beginning of the 21st level while others are not, but these programmes has greatly contributed century programmes were established species have great educational value and in producing healthy and genetically for European lynx, Egyptian vulture, function as ambassadors. valuable animals. The growth of some griffon vulture, grey seal and forest of the populations shows that our reindeer. If you take a closer look at the PROGRAMME RATIONALE contributions are paying off. It should rationale behind proposing a studbook The educational value of species can also be clear that we, in most cases, are for European lynx for example (2002), be an important reason for EAZA only one piece of the puzzle as these you can see that at that time almost member zoos to initiate a breeding successes are realized as part of overall 50% of the captive population was of programme. These species can function action plans and contributed by many unknown origin, and that although as ambassador species for the habitat or more partners. the species was not threatened it was ecosystem and pass on a conservation locally threatened in some areas, which message to the 140 million public DEVELOPMENT OVER TIME is an important justification for an ESB. visiting EAZA member zoos annually. If you take a closer look at the EEP and Today, more than 10 years later, the These captive populations can be used ESB programmes for European species it population of the prioritised subspecies to inform the public about threats is interesting to see the developments. is growing, and although there are (fragmentation, habitat loss, hunting, Some of the programmes such as difficulties in tracing background poisoning, disturbance, etc), European for European bison, European otter, of certain individuals and due to Red Lists and, in for example the bearded vulture, European black vulture taxonomic discussion within the felid case of great carnivores, about the and waldrapp ibis, were established world, the population of lynxes with an human-predator conflicts and potential back in the 1980s, when the first EEP unknown background is decreasing. solutions so they are aware what is going programmes were initiated. All had a More recently, programmes for sharks, on in their ‘back yard’. Earlier EAZA high conservation need at that time and seahorses, lesser kestrel and marbled conservation campaigns for amphibians as such most of these programmes have polecat have been established, reflecting and European carnivores greatly contributed to release projects. the actual conservation needs of our supported these efforts. These programmes were accompanied oceans and rural areas. For other species we as a zoo by programmes in the 1990s for, Overall, most of the official community have to do our homework amongst others, Dalmatian pelican, programmes for European species focus given the lack of attention, urgency or black stork, white-tailed sea eagle, on the larger species. Elsewhere in this knowledge in the past, to make sure we brown bear, Iberian wolf, wolverine issue you can read about the many have a valuable back-up population. and European mink. These were species EAZA members who are also involved So, for species such as lynx, European with a conservation need at that time, in programmes for locally threatened, brown bear or Egyptian vulture the but which mainly functioned as flagship smaller species. This is in line with one creation of breeding programmes has species to communicate and promote of the conclusions in the IUCN Red greatly contributed in dividing different the concepts of undisturbed wetlands, List for European mammals (2007) subspecies, hybrids and unknowns intact (original) forest systems and the which stated that mammals in Europe to make sure we only breed with importance of the Natura2000 concept require greater action to improve their (prioritised) pure (sub) species and (the ecological network within Europe). status, and that while many species phase out the hybrids and species with The need for a breeding programme already receive some conservation an unknown background. for the European mink has a slightly attention, others do not. Research on the captive population different background as this species in Given our responsibility for Europe, has also proven to be of great value; the wild was and is still out-competed EAZA members have to continue husbandry experiences with felids and by escaped American mink, clearly focusing on the European species in 14 especially European lynx have been of flagging the risk of invasive species. The need of help, to safeguard our heritage! CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: SHORT-SNOUTED SEAHORSE © LAURA CASTELLANO; WHITE-TAILED SEA EAGLE © LINDA MARTIN; LESSER KESTREL © FRANK VASSEN; EUROPEAN OTTER; DALMATIAN PELICAN © SEBASTIAN BUGARIU; MUSK OX © FRANK RØNSHOLT; GREY SEAL

15 BREEDING PROGRAMMES

Wisent additions SUPPORT FOR EUROPEAN BISON REINTRODUCTION INTO ROMANIA IS THE LATEST CHAPTER IN AN OLD CONSERVATION STORY

Douglas Richardson, European Bison EEP Coordinator, Head of Living Collections, RZSS, Highland Wildlife Park (Kingussie)

On June 24 2014, six female European of support that the serious zoo story of the bison, and there had been bison that were born in Fota Wildlife community has provided for this a gradual reduction in interest in the Park, Howletts Wild Animal Park, species starting in the early 20th species. In part, this may have been Port Lympne Wild Animal Park and century. down to the belief that the species Highland Wildlife Park, full EAZA When I started in zoos in the has been saved and that there is no members all, were released from 1970s, the story of the saving of longer the need for a large, intensively their acclimatisation enclosure into the European bison was part of the managed, captive population. the forest of the Vanatori Neamt captive conservation trinity, along According to the last edition of the Nature Park in Romania. The nature with Przewalski’s horse and Arabian pedigree book, the global population park already had a small number of oryx, which one recited in any of European bison is about 5,000: bison and the point of the additional discussion that required a defence of 3,100 in the wild, 300 living as semi- females from the British Isles was to the conservation role of zoos. All are free herds and a captive population of augment the numerical and genetic classic examples of species that had about 1,600, of which about 350 make potential of their herd. In another become extinct in the wild and would up the EEP population. Two thirds part of the Romanian Carpathian have disappeared entirely were it not of the wild population, about 2,200, Mountains, a larger group of bison for the managed captive populations. are found in 12 sites in Poland and arrived, including animals from EAZA The bison, or wisent, was the first neighbouring Belarus. member institutions Kolmården Zoo non-domestic animal to be the A wild population of over 3,000 (see box), Parco Natura Viva, Reserve subject of a studbook, the European would seem to give the species a d’Animaux Sauvages and Bern Zoo, Bison Pedigree Book which was first level of protection against extinction and non-member EEP participants published in 1932. In recent years, in the wild that they have not had Springe and Hirschfeld. Both of these what has become apparent is that for at least a few hundred years, but high profile bison reintroductions many coming into our community are they still face a variety of potentially into Romania are part of a continuum unaware of the classic conservation significant threats and we cannot 16 EUROPE REWILDING afford to become complacent. The largest and oldest wild populations WELCOME RELEASE Mats Höggren, the Zoological Director of Kolmården Wildlife Park in are those on either side of the Sweden, describes the background to the Carpathian bison release. international border that splits the On 17 May 2014 it finally happened: three European bison from Kolmården Bialowieza Forest and a disease was Wildlife Park, along with another 14 bison from across several European first discovered there in the 1980s that zoos, set hoof on Romanian soil. The southern Carpathians was once the last causes inflammation and infection stronghold of the European bison in Romania, and after some 200 years of of the penis; to date the cause is absence, this major reintroduction event is anticipated to mark the beginning still unknown. Some reintroduced of a long-term and holistic approach towards applied conservation biology in herds have become extinct or modern Europe. markedly reduced by poaching in the About six months prior to the reintroduction, Kolmården received a request moderately recent past during periods to contribute with animals from Rewilding Europe (www.rewildingeurope. of political disruption, and we need com). After consulting with EEP coordinator Douglas Richardson, even though neither a genetic and demographic management plan, nor a to be aware of the current political population and habitat viability analysis (PHVA), were yet in place, Kolmården unrest in Ukraine, which had a wild and the EEP eventually agreed to supply the animals. As the target for the and semi-free population totalling 250 south Carpathian bison population is a herd of 500 heads by 2025, this goal as of the end of 2012; there were 664 is merely a matter of population size rather than a strict maximal retention of wild bison in Ukraine in 1994. The the founder genomes – a fact that could and should be debated. However, global population stems from a mere considering the overall favourable conditions and weighing up the pros and 12 founders and the majority of the cons, Kolmården decided to be part of this quite remarkable species- and reintroduced herds can only be traced landscape-restoration initiative. back to seven of them. Wild-living A comprehensive transport protocol covering the entire operation was pure-bred bison in the Caucasus are created and distributed by Rewilding Europe´s project coordinator, and took at risk of genetic contamination from into account the fairly complicated logistics, as well as animal welfare and veterinary requirements. Two state-of-the-art trucks with trailer units carried expanding wild herds of American x out the transportation from western Europe. Kolmården´s bison (one male, European bison hybrids. two female) travelled with a group from Avesta Bison Park, with each animal I am not trying to paint an overly in a separate compartment. negative picture of European bison Initially, the bison were released in a restricted enclosure of 15ha, and conservation issues, or to detract subsequently let into an adjoining ‘rewilding zone’ of 160ha. In September from the tangible contributions that 2014 they are finally being released into the wild. From then on they will be are being made by EAZA member left alone but monitored as an integrated mega-herbivore component of collections in partnership with other their Carpathian ecosystem. conservation NGOs and regional The actual release site is in a mixed landscape of forested hills and open wildlife authorities. What I am trying meadows in the Tarcu Mountains Natura 2000 reserve. At this end of the to underline is that an intensively Carpathians, the mission is to create one of Europe’s largest wilderness areas, covering over 10,000 km2 of protected land. The region comprises managed captive population of unique biodiversity values with a great potential for ecotourism and European bison is as important now related economic benefits for local communities, landowners and official as it has ever been and although we stakeholders. Species reintroductions are a costly and multifaceted have much work to do to get the endeavour, and involve various practical challenges. Rewilding Europe and programme functioning at the desired its partner WWF-Romania are sponsored by the Dutch and Swedish Postcode level, the EEP is the main mechanism Lotteries and the Liberty Wildlife Fund, while transport costs for Kolmården´s we have that can ensure both a animals were covered by the SAZA Conservation Fund. healthy safety-net population, and This bison reintroduction is just a start. Local people have already been act as an important source of known trained to act as bison rangers and the first official bison guides. From the origin animals for reintroduction into very beginning, even in the rewilding zones, the bison serve as an important new sites or to support existing small regional tourism attraction, to help enhance local livelihood. A Bison Visitor Centre will be established, from which several nature-related activities will be wild herds. organised. Bison safaris are already being marketed by UK-based operators and Kolmården Conservation Foundation plans to play an active part in the near future. Rewilding Europe and WWF-Romania have been working closely with the local community and entrepreneurs, forestry services, hunting and tourism organisations at local, regional and national levels. Further steps include assistance in developing business plans based on biodiversity values, such as wildlife-watching tourism, and efforts to halt poaching and poisoning, which might make possible the return of the griffon vulture to the region. Rewilding Europe is working to establish in total at least three new populations of some 100 individuals each, in other suitable areas across continental Europe. Part of Rewilding Europe’s strategy is to establish more efficient coordination between supply and demand for European bison by setting up the European Wildlife Bank. The future seems promising. 17 PHOTO STORY Outside the programme EAZA is well known for its EEP and ESB breeding programmes, and as highlighted on page 14 a fair share of our EEPs and ESBs are for European species. However, several EAZA members take responsibility for the species in ‘their own back yard’ and are involved in different types of activities for them. These species are mostly endangered or threatened on regional or national level. The projects themselves vary from providing animals bred in EAZA member collections for release (eg ferruginous duck, chough), hatch-starting eggs taken from the wild and release of the successfully raised juveniles back to the wild (eg water spider, amphibians), and projects that require more long-term commitment (eg corncrake, European hamster, Iberian lynx). It is important that these projects are in close cooperation with local stakeholders and conservation partners, and that they provide the right platform for education, especially for local visitors, to raise awareness and involve local communities in the conservation message. In the coming pages we highlight a few of these projects to show the diversity in projects in which EAZA members take responsibility for and show commitment to the conservation of native fauna.

CHOUGH CHICKS BEING HAND FED; INSET: CHOUGHS AT LIBERTY RETURN TO THE AVIARY

RED-BILLED CHOUGH programme in 2010 in collaboration adults gradually became accustomed Red-billed choughs (Pyrrhocorax with Paradise Park, Cornwall, to to life in the wild. They have been pyrrhocorax) are once again flying produce birds for release. For various target-trained to respond to a whistle high in the skies of Jersey, Channel reasons there has been no successful for supplementary feed and land on Islands, thanks to a re-introduction parent-rearing at the park to date. weighing scales enabling post-release project managed by Durrell Wildlife This year, however, staff took eggs for general health checks. Conservation Trust. artificial incubation and successfully Durrell’s chicks have now been Choughs had once been considered hand-reared four chicks. The chicks joined by six parent-reared chicks a common sight across the Channel were moved a week before fledging to a from Paradise Park. Once they have Islands, but were deemed locally purpose-built release aviary on Jersey’s undergone their training and pre- extinct by the 1930s. Changes in north coast. Here they could socialise release health checks they will begin coastal land-use was without doubt with six adult choughs living in the their soft-release journey. By the the driving force behind the choughs’ wild since their release in spring this end of the year Jersey will hopefully demise. year. have a wild chough population of 16 Durrell began a captive breeding Using a soft-release technique the individuals. There are more releases 1818 CORRY E planned over the next few years with CORNCRAKE NEST the aim of a sustainable breeding population by 2020. The chough is the flagship species for the Birds On The Edge project, a joint initiative between Durrell, the National Trust for Jersey, and the States of Jersey Department for the Environment which aims to safeguard threatened bird species by restoring areas of Jersey’s coastal and farmland habitats. For further information go to www.birdsontheedge.org and www. durrell.org/conservation.

CORNCRAKE Corncrakes spend the winter in central Africa and migrate to Britain and Europe for the summer to breed, writes Laura Gardner, ZSL. They are a target of 30 calling males. If the to be extinct in Austria. Then, in extremely secretive, inhabiting areas reintroduction at the Nene Washes 1992, Josef Wanzenböck from the of long grass and hay meadows. The is successful, future reintroductions at University of Vienna rediscovered a males sing to attract mates with a other sites may be used to facilitate the small, but viable population. Today, loud, repetitive, rasping call, often re-colonisation of the corncrake across the area where the population was continuing throughout the night. suitable habitat in the UK. found – the Danube floodplain in the However, the introduction of east of Vienna – is part of the Danube mechanised grass-cutting led to the EUROPEAN MUDMINNOW National Park and the surviving wholesale destruction of corncrake The European mudminnow (Umbra population enjoys special protection nests and chicks. Throughout the last krameri) occurs in the lowlands of the and is considered to be stable. century, this revolution in grass-cutting Danube drainage, from Vienna to the However, this population represents effectively restricted populations of Black Sea, and in the lower reaches of the only relevant one in Austria corncrakes to pockets on the Western the Dniester drainage. Due to its ability – a risky situation for a vulnerable Isles of Scotland. to breathe atmospheric air, it can deal species. In 2012, Vienna Zoo and the In 2001, a joint project involving with low oxygen levels and can adapt Danube National Park decided to Natural England, the RSPB, the to very harsh conditions. Thanks to develop a back-up plan and started Zoological Society of London (ZSL) this adaptability, the small, brownish a joint conservation project. The and later Pensthorpe Conservation fish was the first species that became zoo received 50 individuals from Trust (PCT) was initiated to re- popular as aquarium fish in Austria in the national park to establish an ex establish a population of corncrakes in the early 20th century. situ breeding population, and in the England using the reintroduction of Following massive river regulation, backstage areas the zoo managed to captive-bred birds. U. krameri, slowly and almost raise 150 individuals over the past The project sees corncrake chicks unnoticed, disappeared from its natural two years. Even more importantly, the being bred at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo habitats and when ichthyologists zoo was able to confront its visitors and Pensthorpe reintroduced to a eventually started to pay attention it with an inconspicuous, native species protected area at the Nene Washes, 60 seemed it may be too late: for more that – though once popular and quite miles away. The dedicated bird teams than 20 years U. krameri was thought common – was almost lost for good. at ZSL and PCT manage the breeding and genetic health of the captive EUROPEAN MUDMINNOW population and use their husbandry knowledge and expertise to handrear strong and healthy chicks for release. The first releases of captive bred birds took place in 2002. The numbers released has steadily increased during the years and these birds are known to have successfully migrated to Africa and returned to breed. The offspring of released birds are now also breeding at the Nene. The aim of the project is to establish a self-sustaining population of corncrakes in Eastern England with TOP: JAMIE GRAHAM ZSL; BARBARA NICCA BARBARA ZSL; GRAHAM JAMIE TOP: 1919 ‘Steinhuder Meer’. The project is run by BirdLife Lower Saxony and the Ecological Station Steinhuder Meer, and various zoological institutions in Germany provide them with offspring for releasing. Cooperation with the zoos is coordinated by the Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Centre Sachsenhagen (WRCC). Before the first releases in 2012 WRCC also carried out a genetical screening of the ferruginous duck population in the cooperating zoos to avoid the release of hybrids. No signs REARING FEN RAFT SPIDERS of hybridisation could be detected. Scientists are monitoring the ducks FEN RAFT SPIDER reared in individual test tubes. This at the release site and to gain further As part of the UK Biodiversity reduces cannibalism between siblings information about the migration of the Action Plan (BAP) for the fen raft as well as any threat from predators, birds all ducks are marked with colour- spider (Dolomedes plantarius) it was ultimately allowing more spiders to be rings and rings from the Institute recommended that the number of released back into the wild. We have of Avian Research (Vogelwarte sites sustaining the spider in the UK had fantastic results this year with 98% Helgoland). By summer 2014, 174 be increased from three to 12 by 2020 of the spiderlings released in October. ducks had been released. (UK BAP, 2005). Captive breeding, The future of this project is looking For further information, contact rearing and translocation from the bright at the moment, with three new Dr Florian Brandes, Wildlife Rescue existing sites have been the key actions populations being established in just and Conservation Centre, at florian. over the past three years. Rearing of four years. With this success in mind it [email protected] or visit the spider is down to the combined is hoped that the project will go from www.wildtierstation.de. efforts of 11 invertebrate collections strength to strength and reach its target across the UK. Under Natural England of releasing 12 populations by 2020. EUROPEAN HAMSTER guidance, the Disease Risk Analysis The European hamster was once widely and Health Surveillance team was FERRUGINOUS DUCK spread across Europe and into Asia. Its asked to formulate a disease risk- Many zoos keep ferruginous ducks range extends from Belgium and Alsace management protocol for the ZSL (Aythya nyroca) but, unfortunately, in the west, to Romania in the south London Zoo fen raft spider quarantine without special care or attention. and through to Russia and beyond to unit (FeRSQ). It is expected that Nevertheless, the species is Critically the east. It is typically found in low- quarantine protocols will be developed Endangered in Germany, so the lying farmland with soft loam soils. for all 11 rearing collections. Ministry of Environment of Lower However, with changes in agriculture, More than 12 months ago, 186 Saxony involved the species in the its numbers have declined across most fen raft spiders were taken from a programme ‘Ark Lower Saxony’ of its range. The hamster has become bio-secure unit at Chester Zoo to to try reestablishing a population locally extinct and its population at the RSPB’s mid-Yare reserve to help of ferruginous ducks at the lake the western end of its range is severely establish a new wild population of fen FERRUGINOUS DUCK RELEASE raft spiders. In all 2,437 spiders were released and the team kept everything crossed to see what the outcome would be. Fast forward a year and the team was delighted to see a pregnant female at the same release site; spiders were not expected to breed until 2014 so this was a particularly welcome discovery. This good news was mirrored at the original release site, a Suffolk Wildlife Trust nature reserve, where more than 90 nursery webs were observed. Again this year, Chester Zoo took part in the fen raft spider translocation programme. For the first three months of the spiders’ lives they are hand- 20 BRANDES F EUROPEAN HAMSTER IBERIAN LYNX

reduced and fragmented with only small enclaves surviving in eastern France, southeast Holland, central and eastern Belgium and several German Federal States. However, according to the IUCN Red List it is still classified as Least Concern because the species remains abundant in some areas in the eastern part of its range. Nevertheless, the EU has legislated to prevent the extinction of this species in member states and has used these powers to take action against states which fail to protect the species adequately. For example, in 2011 Since the start of the programme, Andalusia, one in Extremadura and the European Court of Justice ruled Rotterdam Zoo has bred more than one in Portugal. that France had failed to protect the 700 hamsters of which around 600 The programme operates within hamster and that if it did not adjust its have been returned to the wild in six the frame of the National Strategy for agricultural and urbanisation policies different locations. This is just the the Conservation of Iberian lynx and sufficiently to protect the species, the start; it has become clear that the in close cooperation with the Life+ government would be subject to very hamster populations in Belgium and Iberlince project for the conservation large fines. Westphalia, Germany need support of the remnant populations and for the In order to avoid similar legal if they are to survive. This means reintroduction of the Iberian lynx in its issues, the Dutch government funded that the hamster programme will be former range. Rotterdam Zoo together with other expanding to include these areas. In The first litter in captivity was born partners to establish a breeding and the future, Rotterdam Zoo and our in 2005 in El Acebuche centre in reintroduction programme to save hamster-breeding partner Gaia Zoo Doñana national Park. Since then the species within its borders. This will be breeding hamsters which will the population has increased steadily programme was founded in 1999 when later be sent to locations outside of the and currently includes 136 individuals the last 14 animals still surviving in Netherlands. We are also looking to within the four breeding centres and the wild were caught and brought to develop this into a Life+ programme in Jerez Zoo as an associated centre. two captive breeding centres. These the future. In December 2010, two females founders were related to each other were released in Andalusia, leaving so, to increase genetic diversity in IBERIAN LYNX their large adaptation pens for the the founder base, new hamsters from This programme started in 2002 when wild in February 2011. After some Belgium and Germany were introduced the Iberian lynx was in a critical improvements in the training of the into the breeding programme. Most state with no more than 100 animals captive-born litters it is no longer recently two males from Zülpich left worldwide in two populations in necessary to use this system and now (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany) Andalusia. all lynxes are released directly in the were successfully added to the Dutch Zoobotánico Jerez was involved wild with a high survival rate. In total breeding program. in the programme’s implementation 71 lynxes have been released from the The first captive born hamsters, from the beginning, coordinating it conservation breeding programme into together with their transponders, for some years. The first cubs taken the wild. were released in 2002. The release from the wild to be founders of the The situation of the species has sites in south Limburg were located programme were raised at Jerez Zoo and improved quite a lot in recent years on farms which had agreed to adopt soon a network of exclusive breeding with more than 300 animals now living hamster-friendly agricultural practices. centres was created, including two in in the wild in six populations. 21 EUROPEAN SPECIES Saving the greater Capricorn beetle A BREEDING PROGRAMME COULD BE THE SOLUTION FOR A SPECTACULAR SWEDISH BEETLE

Jimmy Helgesson, Zookeeper, and Christer Larsson, Project Leader, Nordens Ark

With permits from Polish authorities for collecting 15 pairs once a year, for three years, the beetles are brought back to Nordens Ark, where each pair is kept in boxes containing two pieces of fresh oakwood with the bark still on. The mating occurs at dusk and during the night, and after copulation the female is very active looking for suitable bark cracks to lay her eggs. This procedure occurs multiple times, every night, until the beetles die. The eggs are easy to find as they are about the size and shape of a sesame seed, and after about one week they hatch into larvae. A newly hatched individual weighs about 0.004 grams and has to be handled very delicately. Each larva is placed in its own petri dish containing food substrate. For some insect species it’s essential to have the host plant present for the larva to start eating. With its big, pitch-black body and long The habitat of this beetle has The C.cerdo larvae are therefore given slender antennae the greater Capricorn decreased enormously in Sweden a mixture of oak shavings, powder for beetle (Cerambyx cerdo) is a spectacular during the last 200 years. Larval breeding drosophila and water, a recipe insect. Listed as Critically Endangered development takes place in sun- that has been developed and refined in Sweden and on the brink of exposed living old oaks that are during the project. extinction, this species is in need of weakened or damaged, and are In the wild, larva development attention. Over a three-year period standing in grazed areas, but thousands lasts for about four years in southern Nordens Ark has managed to develop a of old oaks have been cut down, Sweden, but is probably faster in method for reproducing the species in mainly during the 19th century. These the Polish population. However, the captivity which will be used in a future woodlands are no longer grazed and project found that most larvae turn reintroduction. have turned into forests while others into pupae during late summer of have been cut and replaced with their second year when given a more SPECIES BACKGROUND plantations. The Swedish Action Plan nutritious diet. Cerambyx cerdo is predominantly a for protection of the species proposes, After less than a month the pupa European species and threatened among other things, development of a skin breaks and a golden white beetle in most parts of the continent. The breeding programme in controlled lab emerges. But this is not the final step; species is listed in both the habitats conditions. To achieve this, Nordens the project believes that the beetles directive of the European Union Ark and the County Administration hatch in autumn and then stay deep (Annex II and IV) and in the IUCN of Kalmar have started a very unique inside the oak wood during winter Red List of threatened species for 2009. breeding trial to learn how to produce waiting for the next summer. So, In Sweden C. cerdo is protected by law fertile offspring. after hibernating as a hatched beetle, and classified as Critically Endangered the adult life begins and the circle is on the Swedish Red List. Once, the REARING TECHNIQUES completed. This method is now being species was found in five provinces in Since the species population is very tested with good results. The aim of the southernmost part of the Swedish fragile in Sweden, breeding material the project is to use the method in a mainland, but now there is only one had to be collected in Poland, outside large-scale breeding and reintroduction remaining population, in the nature the town of Rogalin. The area is a vast programme to ensure the long-term reserve of Halltorp on the island of flooded grassland with several hundred- survival of the greater Capricorn beetle 22 Öland. year old oaks, where C.cerdo thrives. in Sweden. Venomous, yet exposed

THE FIGHT IS ON TO SAVE THE RARE AND ELUSIVE HUNGARIAN MEADOW VIPER

Endre Sós, Zoo Health Management, Budapest Zoo and Bálint Halpern, MME BirdLife Hungary

Current taxonomy differentiates 1,700 individuals have bred in the 25 Eurasian viper species and many HMVCC, and since 2008, when more subspecies in the Viperinae the first captive-raised individuals subfamily. The two venomous snake started breeding, the number of species of Hungary both belong to offspring has increased significantly. this group, which are the patchily The mortality rate of the young distributed European adder (Vipera snakes was close to 10% when berus) and the strictly protected, the programme started and the Endangered Hungarian meadow viper animals overwintered inside at (HMV, Vipera ursinii rakosiensis). individual terraria. This rate is By the end of the 20th century the close to 20% now, but the vipers HMV was almost extinct and is still are kept in a more natural way considered to be the most endangered at the protected outside terraria, Hungarian vertebrate (recent spending their first winter amongst population estimates judge the size natural circumstances so that they of the wild population to be between become much better candidates 500 and 1,000 individuals). Its for the releases which started in critical state has also been recognised As a result and in order to stop the March 2010 (30 adult snakes into a internationally, as it is included in the rapid loss of the species, MME BirdLife reconstructed habitat in Kiskunság Bern Convention Appendix II, it is Hungary together with national parks National Park). listed in the CITES Annex I. and the and Budapest Zoo started a complex All releases must be followed up to IUCN has categorised the species as conservation project which was co- gain further knowledge about the fate ‘threatened’. funded by the European Commission’s of the individuals and the success of The remaining populations occur on LIFE and subsequent LIFE+ funds. The our work. In order to develop a remote diverse grasslands in two national parks actions concentrated on four major tracking method, pre-programmed (10 populations in the Kiskunság and areas: VHF radio-tags with a detection two in the Hanság). Moreover, there 1. captive breeding and reintroduction range of 200-300m, developed by the has been the good news of the species’ at a later stage (creation and Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, rediscovery in Transylvania, where it operation of the Hungarian Meadow University of Veterinary Medicine was thought to be extinct. Viper Conservation Centre, Vienna (FIWI), were implanted The declining trend had been clearly HMVCC) surgically into the coelomic cavity of recognised by conservationists: ‘old’ 2. habitat reconstruction 21 vipers. These tags also operate as viper collectors have been telling 3. monitoring of the species and temperature loggers, recording data stories from the 1970s when they used its habitats at the remaining every five minutes for a year-long to be able to find 50 vipers in one day populations, located in the Kiskunság operation period. Further specimens at on some sites where systematic search and Hanság National Parks the HMVCC were implanted only with by the researchers only managed to 4. public awareness campaign. temperature loggers. These technical find one viper in 50 days by the end Budapest Zoo joined these efforts from devices delivered extremely important of the 1990s. The main reason for this the very beginning to contribute the information about the life history and rapid decline was continuous habitat operation of the HMVCC (providing especially the dispersal and survival of loss, caused by a change in agricultural captive-bred crickets for the vipers) the released individuals. management from the 1950s. and the veterinarian management Finally, the public awareness In 2001 Budapest Zoo organised of it. The former means a weekly campaign is also crucial for the survival and hosted a Population and Habitat consumption of 3-4,000 crickets of this species. There are live exhibits Viability Assessment, led by the IUCN (Acheta domesticus, Gryllus bimaculatus) in Budapest and Schönbrunn and Conservation Breeding Specialist from April until September. Szeged Zoo will display the species Group. The event was conducted by For conservation breeding purposes soon. Moreover, information points in the late Dr Ulysses S Seal and Dr Phil 10 individuals were caught in the wild all Hungarian zoos have been erected. Miller, and the gathering of well- in 2004, and a further six specimens As a conclusion we can clearly known international experts convinced were collected in 2006/2007. These say that the conservation effort is on the Hungarian stakeholders and ‘founders’ were collected from six the right track, but it is still too soon authorities that the time had come for different populations due to genetic to conclude that we have saved the coordinated action. reasons. Up until this year almost Hungarian meadow viper! 23 EUROPEAN SPECIES Clawing it back A TEAM EFFORT IS ATTEMPTING TO SAVE THE NATIVE WHITE- CLAWED CRAYFISH FROM THE THREAT OF INVASIVE SPECIES

Jen Nightingale, UK Conservation Manager, Bristol Zoo Gardens

The white-clawed crayfish site security. Over the past five years, (Austropotamobius pallipes) is one of 15 ark sites have been established with Britain’s largest freshwater invertebrates over 5,000 crayfish moved from nine and our only indigenous crayfish highly threatened wild white-clawed species. In 2010, the IUCN upgraded its crayfish populations. It is estimated status from Vulnerable to Endangered; that the ark sites have increased in situ the white-clawed crayfish is Endangered populations within Southern England not only in the UK but throughout its by approximately 50%. range in mainland Europe. In England, white-clawed crayfish have experienced ‘NEW FACILITY the most extensive decline since the As part of the SWCP’s strategy a 1970s, primarily due to the introduction white-clawed crayfish captive breeding WHITE-CLAWED CRAYFISH of non-indigenous crayfish species, and rearing facility was established at which were introduced into UK farms Bristol Zoo Gardens. The captive-born Running alongside the ark site for the restaurant industry. Of particular juveniles are used as bio-secure, plague- and captive breeding elements is the concern is the threat of the American free brood stock, for research, outreach, South West Crayfish Partnership’s signal crayfish Pacifastacus( leniusculus) ark-site release and supplementation communication strategy, which reaches which can carry crayfish plague. This of wild in situ stocks. Bristol Zoo’s local, national and international disease can eradicate entire white- hatchery achieves a 75% survival rate audiences via publications, outreach clawed crayfish populations within a on average and over 2,000 crayfish have events, newspaper, television, radio few weeks. Signal crayfish are a larger, been reared. Closed-cycle breeding and social media. The white-clawed more aggressive crayfish species and is also achieved, adult females being crayfish display, established within the can out-compete white-clawed crayfish mated within captivity rather than Bristol Zoo aquarium, links to the off- and damage both the morphology and being brought into the zoo already show breeding facility via multimedia ecology of river systems. berried (egg-laden) and Bristol Zoo displays. A key target focus group is now has second generation juveniles. the angling community, highlighting FORMING A PARTNERSHIP In the spring of 2013, in partnership the importance of the Environment The South West Crayfish Partnership with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Agency’s ‘Crayfish Code’; that it is (SWCP) was formed in 2008, with Wildlife Trust, 12 berried white-clawed illegal to trap, move, or use as bait, any the Avon Wildlife Trust, Bristol Zoo, females were brought in to Bristol Zoo, species of crayfish without a licence. Buglife and the Environment Agency from the last remaining population Establishing a flagship fishery at a local, forming the steering committee. It is in Hampshire, in an attempt to boost popular fishing club near Bristol was reliant upon external funders including the wild stock. It is estimated that pivotal to the success of the campaign. Natural England, BBC Wildlife Fund, the Hampshire population is down to A restaurant campaign encourages the Environment Agency, Biffa Award, approximately 2,000 animals and the sustainable sourcing of crayfish and Bristol Water, the Heritage Lottery entire population is only present in one schoolchildren are educated through Fund, The Mohammed Bin Zayed river catchment. Over 400 youngsters Bristol Zoo’s conservation sessions and Species Conservation Fund and the hatched at Bristol Zoo last summer and through the development of a crayfish Centre for Environment, Fisheries 200 were released into an unpopulated roadshow. All communication elements and Aquaculture Science. The SWCP stretch of river, upstream from the tie in closely with the Department for implements landscape scale, strategic resident population, in spring 2014, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ conservation for white-clawed crayfish with the aim of eventually linking (DEFRA) ‘Check Clean and Dry’ and by establishing ark ‘refuge’ sites, in an the existing wild population with the ‘Be Plant Wise’ initiatives, attempting attempt to safeguard the future of this captive-born supplementation. to reduce the spread of invasive species. species. Extensive desk-top mapping A further 16 berried females from the The South West Crayfish Partnership and field surveys identified and assessed River Itchen were brought into Bristol is the largest strategic partnership all remaining white-clawed crayfish Zoo this year, all the eggs hatched, and project for white-clawed crayfish populations within the southwest. the juveniles are being reared on for conservation. The ark site selection is very rigorous, release in subsequent years. The release factoring in elements such as the effect site will be closely monitored over Further information can be found at http:// on existing species, plus habitat and several years and its genetic integrity www.bcsf.org.uk/bcsf/crayfish-in-crisis- water quality suitability and long-term researched. project. 24 TRUST WILDLIFE WIGHT OF ISLE AND HAMPSHIRE THE 8th European Zoo Nutrition Conference Royal Burgers’ Zoo in Arnhem, 22-25 January 2015

Register and send in your abstracts now for the TRACHYPITHECUS DELACOUR 8th European Zoo Nutrition Conference hosted by © TILO NADLER Royal Burgers’ Zoo in Arnhem The Netherlands! The conference is jointly organised by the EAZA Nutrition Group and VHL University of Applied Sciences together with our host.

EAZA Academy workshop 22 January 0900-1730: Aspects of Zoo Nutrition: Primates and Herbivorous Reptiles.

This practical workshop preceding the conference will focus on providing an overview of essential information and skills related to nutritional management of the subject species. There will also be a possibility to get acquainted with the new Fauna™ nutrition software.

Conference programme The central theme of the conference is Feeding zoo animals for health, welfare and conservation. As usual we welcome contributions on any zoo animal nutrition related topic. Specific topics will be on fish nutrition, primate nutrition and bird nutrition. Accommodation Oral presentations: 10 or 20 minutes and 5 minutes We have made conference reservations in three questions/discussion hotels in Arnhem with rooms in a 69-119 euro price range: Posters presentations BEST WESTERN PLUS Hotel Haarhuis Q/A-sessions: participants can send their questions Stationsplein 1, 6811 KG Arnhem, and cases to the organizing committee in advance in www.hotelhaarhuis.nl. PowerPoint format. Photos can contribute to a lively Van der Valk Hotel Arnhem discussion. Amsterdamseweg 505, 6816 VK Arnhem, www.hotelarnhem.nl. Demonstrations (zoo visit): During the zoo visit nutrition Holiday Inn Express related topics will be demonstrated such as: body condition Nieuwe Oeverstraat 50, 6811 JB Arnhem, scoring, measuring UV-B, quality of food items etc. www.hiex.nl.

Submission deadlines* Please visit www.eaza.net/activities/Pages/ Oral presentations/poster abstracts: 15 October 2014 Nutrition.aspx for more information about the Questions for Q/A-sessions: 2 January 2015 conference * Email to [email protected]

Registration fees Until 31 Oct. 2014 From 1 Nov. 2014 Full Conference € 250 € 300 Daily Conference € 90 € 110 EAZA Academy Workshop EAZA Member € 100 Non EAZA Member € 125 25 EXHIBIT DESIGN

Strange birds and returning carnivores INVASIVE AND ENDEMIC SPECIES ARE NEIGHBOURS IN A NEW DUTCH PROJECT AIMED AT SHOWING VISITORS HOW HUMANS AFFECT ANIMAL DISTRIBUTION

Tjerk ter Meulen Curator, and Hanneke de Boer, Education and Communication, Gaia Zoo

Up until 2013, GaiaZOO housed with the mesh wire and wood being now roam the 2,200m2 valley, which Iberian wolves and Bochara deer in the reused for the new fences. Over 20 trees consists of shrubs, sandstone, a grassy taiga part of the zoo. Their enclosures were cut down but used as landscape area, various trees and water. Visitors needed refreshing, however, and the elements or climbing structures for can walk around the valley, while an design team came up with a complete the animals. Four existing stables and underground tunnel leads them through rethink, themed around human prominent visitor shelters were kept. the enclosure, providing a striking influence on the distribution of animal A huge walk-through aviary – 9m opportunity to see the wolves walking species and nature, in which grey by 18m by 40m – was built, with eight around them. Emerging from the wolves and invasive species would be 12m high steel pylons carrying an tunnel on the other side of Wolf Valley, neighbours. Although two EEP species immense stainless steel net, which uses visitors walk through an aviary for three had be removed for the project, we felt 122km of wire. Known as the Strange indigenous Dutch bird species: raven, that the educational theme of this new Birds Aviary, it houses 13 different Eurasian eagle owl and black stork. This area was very important for our visitors. invasive bird and turtle species, aviary is built around a church tower, In January 2014, GaiaZOO started the including ring-necked parakeet, monk from which visitors have an exciting building project, which covered more parakeet, mandarin duck, sacred ibis view of the birds. than 6,000m2, and six months later and red-eared slider. For two invasive The fifth enclosure is a small, secret the complete new area was opened carnivores, the raccoon and the striped aviary called Parakeet Paradise, made for the first time. It was the largest skunk from North America, a separate of European oak in the typical Limburg building project since the zoo opened enclosure was built. Visitors can timber-framed construction style. in 2005, and visitors can now enjoy experience the natural behaviours of The sides and roof are lined with fine 25 new species and five amazing new these animals, seeing them climbing or steel mesh wire. In Parakeet Paradise, enclosures. sleeping high up in the trees, pottering six different Australian bird species around while turning stones or (including grass parakeets, zebra finches AVIARIES AND VALLEY scratching the ground and swimming in and diamond doves) fly around the GaiaZOO believes in sustainability the water basin. visitors, twittering and chirping all day and recycling, so all the fences from Alongside the Strange Birds Aviary long. The intimate character of this the previous enclosures were carefully and the raccoon enclosure, a spacious small aviary was especially chosen for 26 removed before the new project began, Wolf Valley was landscaped. Six wolves children, so that they can experience Europe, but at the end of the 20th century wolves started to reappear in some parts of their original range. In 1996, Polish wolves crossed the German border and, by 2012, at least 12 packs roamed the country, moving further westwards every year. In 2014, the first lonely wolf in 150 years wandered through the Netherlands for two days. It will only be a matter of time before wolves will settle in our country again. Every citizen should get used to the WOLF VALLEY idea of living close to wolves again, which might be difficult after such RING-NECKED PARAKEET a long period of absence, but the respectful way in which GaiaZOO houses grey wolves helps to teach visitors that we can live in harmony with this social large carnivore without having to be afraid of them. As long as we respect them and leave them alone, fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood need not scare us any more. The grey wolf is not the only animal to be persecuted by humans. The meat-eating eagle owl and raven were on the edge of extinction in the Netherlands because farmers loathed them for they thought that the birds ate their young livestock. They poisoned Tjerk ter Meulen Curator, and Hanneke de Boer, Education and Communication, Gaia Zoo them, leaving none behind. Thanks to the efforts of conservationists, ravens these beloved pet birds in a more and for people in large cities, while were reintroduced to our country in the natural setting. North American red-eared sliders 1970s and now over 100 pairs live here, are competing for resources with the enlarging their range. The number STRANGE BIRDS endangered European pond turtle in of eagle owls in the Netherlands has In Europe there are thousands of several European countries. Meanwhile, similarly risen thanks to efforts of species that actually come from other the opportunistic raccoon feeds on nature lovers. countries or continents. They are the nestlings and eggs of rare birds. known as ‘invasive species’ – we also GaiaZOO takes it as its duty to inform HUMAN INFLUENCE call them ‘strange birds’. Humans took visitors about everybody’s personal The new area of GaiaZOO shows them from their natural surroundings role in the problems with invasive visitors the various ways in which we and brought them to other parts of species, and to open their eyes to the influence nature. On the one hand the world – either deliberately or by consequences of invasive species in our we bring new species into our own accident. Many small animals, bacteria own backyard. backyard, often without realising or plant seeds unintentionally travel To help spread these messages, a the possible (negative) impacts. On with us in our clothes or on animals’ mascot called Willie Wasbeer (Ricky the other, we do everything we can paws, while other species have been Raccoon) has been created. Via signage, to help threatened species return to deliberately introduced for exhibition, and character actors, he informs visitors their original habitats. In both the hunting, fur farming or as pets. Every so about invasive species and the role we walkthrough aviaries and Wolf Valley, often these exotic animals escape from as humans have in this problem. visitors are immersed in birds of all captivity, or are deliberately set free, kinds and able to come close to the and their presence can have negative RETURNING CARNIVORES animals. This way they feel more consequences on the native species Grey wolves once roamed all over connected to them and are astonished in their new country. They can make Europe, but as we humans were afraid by their beauty. This is a good indigenous species ill, compete with of those large carnivores, we eradicated opportunity to provide information them for resources or even become a them from our surroundings. In the about everybody’s responsibility in the plague. Just to give a few examples; Netherlands the last grey wolf was shot distribution of these animals and the ring-necked parakeets are starting in the mid-19th century. The same way our lives contribute to this, both to become a burden for fruit farmers happened in other parts of western positive and negative. 27 ZOOS AND SOCIETY Back to the wild REWILDING EUROPE BELIEVES THERE IS A CHANCE TO RECONNECT WILD NATURE WITH MODERN SOCIETY, AND THAT ZOOS COULD BE IMPORTANT PARTNERS IN SUPPORTING THIS PROCESS

Wouter Helmer, Rewilding Director, and Staffan Widstrand, Director of Marketing and Communications, Rewilding Europe, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Europe is changing, and changing communities. Such a process needs wildlife is involved. very fast. Young people are moving time and Rewilding Europe has given Biodiversity in Europe is highly to the cities and coastal areas and, itself 10 years to take the first steps dependent upon processes connected each year, almost a million hectares in building these real life showcases to wildlife. Tens of thousands of plant of low-productive farmland is being as examples for rewilding in similar and animal species find their habitat in abandoned. This is a tragedy in many habitats elsewhere. the open and half-open landscapes that ways, but it does at least give nature a To reach this goal, Rewilding originate from the impact of natural chance to start coming back. Europe not only puts its energy into grazing by large herbivores. The way Sadly, however, that doesn’t always encouraging the return of natural herbivores use the landscape or choose happen and natural landscapes in processes, but also in communicating to avoid certain places is to a large Europe are too often like theatres to a wide audience about the wild extent influenced by large carnivores without the actors. Rewilding Europe wonders of Europe and establishing like wolf, bear and lynx. In the case believes there is a chance here to rewilding enterprises to create the of beetles, we know that at least 750 reconnect wild nature with modern business case for nature’s comeback. species forage on carcasses, as do many society, for the benefit of man and It’s a new strategy that could also help other insects, birds and small mammals. nature alike. Wildlife is absolutely key European governments reach their So a single attack of a wolf on a red to that philosophy, and we believe goals within Natura 2000, Europe’s deer starts a story involving more than that zoos could be important partners ambitious protected area network, but thousand species! Vultures wouldn’t in supporting the necessary wildlife for which much funding is still lacking. have existed in Europe without this comeback. ‘Rewilding’ is much more about the process. Tortoises and many butterflies process (making Europe wilder) than wouldn’t have survived and developed REWILDING EUROPE about end results. It is very much about into a multitude of species over For the first time in centuries, large ‘learning by doing’, as there is no single millions of years, without huge areas parts of our continent are experiencing ‘wild’ area left in Europe that can serve heavily influenced by large numbers of shrinking human populations and, as a as a full reference. Even the wildest herbivores on this continent. result, a decreasing human impact on parts of our continent are missing key However, it is not only for their nature. What in many ways can be seen natural processes, wildlife species or ecological role that Rewilding Europe as a socio-economic disaster can also wildlife in natural numbers. Due to puts so much emphasis on wildlife. We be regarded as a unique opportunity to the continuing changes of our social are very much aware of the fact that bring back spectacular nature and at environment, the climate and nature for many people the support for nature the same time build new rural business itself, the reference for Rewilding and conservation starts with a close and economic development around Europe is therefore in the future, rather identification with one of those living those ‘wild values’. Reconnecting than in the past. Rewilding Europe actors in nature, preferably a large modern society with a wilder nature is uses the latest scientific insights on mammal or bird species. In addition the core activity of Rewilding Europe, natural processes to give nature back its the rewilding economy is to a high founded in 2011 as a new initiative to own tools. If we act – for example by level connected to wildlife and the grasp this opportunity. bringing back keystone species – it’s in chance of watching it. So if we talk One of the main goals of Rewilding order to act less in the future and give about reconnecting people with wild Europe is to identify and develop nature the chance to do its own job. nature, wildlife plays a crucial role. rewilding in 10 large areas, each of Using this role in a constructive way at least 100,000ha, spread across THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF WILDLIFE means much more than just releasing Europe, where natural processes are Having natural processes back in the animals. This is particularly true of more allowed to shape the landscapes, lead does not just mean the recovery large carnivores, but is also the case where people earn a fair living from of free flowing rivers or undisturbed when we talk about the natural role the wild and where rewilding is highly forest growth. It also means the return of wild living horses and bovines; appreciated and supported by local of key ecological processes in which psychology and communications

28 EUROPE WIDSTRAND/REWILDING STAFFAN EUROPE; OF WONDERS WILD / LENIEWSKI GRZEGORZ & UNTHERTHINER STEFANO WOLF FARMING WITH DONKEY

are perhaps even more important exciting future. Actually, the wildlife viable populations of the key species disciplines than ecology. Zoos can help comeback we face these days, with in different parts of Europe. For some us with all three. wolves recolonising Western Europe, species, like red deer and beaver, plus exploding numbers of beavers, or wolf and bear, the main solution HISTORICAL OPPORTUNITY white-tailed eagles, cranes, deer and will come by stopping poaching and Europe’s natural landscapes lack much many other charismatic species, is a poisoning in the field, and changing of their natural variety and quantity. clear manifestation of this changing forestry and hunting management. As In fact our huge numbers of domestic relation. many of these animals are kept in zoos, livestock resemble the real mammal However, wildlife numbers are still active communication about their production potential of the European extremely low, even up to 100 times role in nature will help to improve landscape. We have forgotten about lower than their natural densities. the public acceptance of more natural the wild red deer, fallow deer, roe deer, This means that the wildlife comeback numbers of these species. aurochs, wild horse, chamois, water could be improved and increased by Other species, like chamois, ibex, buffalo, ibex, bison, wolf, bear, lynx a conscious rewilding policy. Using European lynx, kulan, European and wildcat that once roamed these the growing interest in wildlife, water buffalo, European bison or landscapes. We had them exterminated substantiated by scientific arguments vultures are extinct over large parts (wild horse and aurochs), domesticated concerning its ecological importance, of their original natural ranges. (horse, cattle, water buffalo, goat, Rewilding Europe is working with land EAZA members could help here with dog, cat) and decimated (all of them) managers, forest managers, hunting careful and well-managed breeding to avoid them competing with our organisations and local communities programmes and adaptation of animals businesses. Because we have been doing to create ‘no-take-zones’, to restore to the natural habitats in which they this in Europe for so long, we have also natural processes and bring back are to be released. Connecting zoo lost the true picture of Europe’s natural missing species, creating an enabling visitors not only to the animals, but landscape and its original, native environment for a new, more nature- also to the areas in which they are to inhabitants. based, rural economy. be released, could stimulate the local However, times are changing. economy of those areas, as visitors Food production is now being EAZA AND REWILDING might decide to explore these areas concentrated within the best soils. In order to restore the natural role themselves. A strong communication People are leaving the marginal rural of wildlife, the numbers of animals with zoo audiences will also help landscapes in large numbers and have to be stimulated as well as public to raise funds, both for the breeding urbanisation is widespread. With acceptance of those higher numbers. programmes as well as the successful more people in cities, no longer Zoos could play an important role in releases of the animals into the wild. struggling to produce food on every both cases. The complementary infrastructure square metre, the relation between As we talk about hundreds of and skills of EAZA members and nature and people is slowly relaxing. thousands hectares of core rewilding of Rewilding Europe, around the With millions of hectares already areas and millions of hectares in the practice of reintroductions as well as abandoned, there is new space to give surrounding bufferzones, large numbers communications, could be seen as a this more relaxed relationship an of wildlife are needed to rebuild perfect match.

29 ENDANGERED ANIMALS Call of the wild IN ORDER FOR EUROPE’S LARGE CARNIVORES – THE ‘BIG FIVE’ – TO HAVE A CHANCE OF SURVIVAL, WE NEED TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE ISSUES OF COEXISTENCE

David Williams-Mitchell, Communications and Membership Manager, EAZA

Europeans have been reshaping the landscape to suit their As Europe continues its march toward urbanisation, people needs for over a thousand years, during which time human are losing their connection to animals such as the lynx and populations have grown enormously, as has our knowledge wolverine. ‘Introducing people to some of the techniques used of techniques to intensify agriculture and modify the to maintain an equilibrium is important, even if it can be environment. Inevitably, we humans have regarded our own difficult for people to accept the need for, for example, culling interest as paramount, and have viewed some of our natural of bears and other charismatic animals,’ says Dr. Boitani. neighbours as little more than an impediment to progress. The most problematic of these animals, particularly for INTEGRATED APPROACH livestock farmers, are large carnivores, of which five species LCIE notes that there are two main options available for exist naturally in Europe: the brown bear (Ursus arctos), the European conservation efforts: to concentrate large numbers wolf (Canis lupus), the wolverine (Gulo gulo), the Eurasian of carnivores in small and highly protected ecosystems, or lynx (Lynx lynx) and the Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus). to try to integrate smaller populations as far as possible into However, as awareness grows across Europe of the importance a wider and more populated (from a human point of view) of biodiversity, and the role that these species can play in area that covers much of the continent. LCIE is not alone in both ecotourism and ecosystem management, conservationists these considerations: this June, the European Commission and legislators have been working to overcome the conflict officially established a platform on Coexistence between between predators and humans and ensure a place for People and Large Carnivores, and the LCIE has recently carnivores on our crowded continent. signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Rewilding ‘There are no universal models for managing and mitigating Europe to assist on the integration of the big five into areas the conflict between humans and carnivores,’ says Dr Luigi they are reclaiming for conservation. The Government of Boitani, Chair of IUCN’s Large Carnivore Initiative in Europe the Netherlands has been working on a strategy to allow (LCIE), which has been working on the conservation of the accommodation of a population of wild wolves in the these species since the mid 1990s. ‘Every situation is different, country, and there have been some discussions about the and determining the local context is key to finding a good possibility of reintroducing wolves to Scotland. As the compromise that allows people and animals to find a balance.’ Initiative’s John Linnell notes in his blog (http://lcie.nina.no/ Indeed, Dr Boitani notes that one of the largest challenges Blog/TabId/4630/ArtMID/6987/ArticleID/58/Dutch-prepare- faced by LCIE is the tendency of people to look for a one- for-wolf-comeback-.aspx), approaching the problem of size-fits-all solution, especially the old human fallback human/predator conflict before the species has even become of searching for modern technologies to help. Successful established is precisely the kind of forward thinking that is solutions in particular areas range from the oldest of all needed to make a viable space available to large carnivores. predator deterrents – the guard dog – to modern electric There have been, and will continue to be, successes in the fencing. In most cases, however, LCIE conservationists have field and with the support of EAZA institutions. As noted found that a combination of measures designed to mirror the elsewhere in this issue, the Iberian lynx, while remaining local circumstances can bring a measure of harmony to the Critically Endangered, now has a strong chance for recovery, relationship. Money helps too, in the form of compensation provided that prey species become more widespread. Brown for farmers – the earliest such scheme dates back to Italy bears roam across Northern and South-eastern Europe, and in the 1970s – however, compensation merely provides wolverine numbers are on the increase in the two main restitution, and cannot help shape the attitudes needed that population centres. Dr Boitani, recently returned to Italy after will allow large predators to live more or less free in Europe. the SSC meeting in Tallinn, also notes with glee that two For that to happen, awareness of the challenges and their size jackals were recently spotted in Estonia, right at the very edge needs to grow not just among those whose livelihoods depend of their traditional range. EAZA’s 2008 campaign focused on good management of large carnivores, but also among the on carnivores in Europe, and awareness of wolves, lynx and public. bears in particular is relatively high on the continent, even if understanding of tension and its causes lags somewhat behind. RAISING AWARENESS The relationship between humans and large carnivores ‘That’s where EAZA institutions can really make a difference,’ is unlikely to become easy, however much effort is put into says Dr. Boitani. ‘Carnivore populations in Europe are working with farmers and increasing awareness among other generally quite genetically diverse, so there’s no real pressure members of society. Nonetheless, as John Linnell notes: to provide animals from breeding programmes to supplement ‘For almost the entirety of human history we have been at a the wild populations. Where EAZA can help is in providing state of war with these species. We are now trying to find a the educational context that will help Europeans understand way to coexist with them, although nobody knows how this better the tensions, and sometimes conflicts, that exist coexistence is going to look in the end. Who could resist 30 between people and large carnivores.’ being a part of such a process?’ BROWN BEAR

WOLVERINE

31 ENDANGERED ANIMALS

Puffins under pressure A COMBINATION OF FISHING AND GLOBAL WARMING IS PLAYING HAVOC WITH POPULATIONS OF NORTHERN HEMISPHERE SEABIRDS SUCH AS PUFFINS

Flemming Nielsen, Curator, Copenhagen Zoo

During the construction of Most of the breeding pairs arrive at the which are wreaking havoc with fish Copenhagen Zoo’s Arctic Ring exhibit colonies in poor condition, and even and plankton populations and causing in 2011, it was decided to create a bird- if they manage to lay one egg they them to move outside of the range cliff with representative seabird species, very often abandon the attempt after where they can be caught by puffins including auks. Murres and razorbills a few weeks’ incubation. If the eggs and other seabirds. An increase in the were sourced by the Zoo from captive do hatch the adults leave the chick to number and intensity of storms has bred populations or rehabilitation starve after a few days. They simply also been suggested as a reason for the centres, but the puffins were a different can’t supply themselves as well their disruption of breeding patterns, and the matter. The species is bred in very chick with sufficient food for all to subsequent collapse of seabird numbers. low numbers in bird centres, so to survive. introduce new genetic lines, and ensure A GLOOMY FUTURE a healthy future for the species at the THE THEORY This situation repeats itself right acroos Zoo, Copenhagen chose to bring in The Atlantic tuna has decreased the range of the Alcids in the Atlantic eggs collected from the wild to hatch dramatically thanks to overfishing region, while all other species of and rear artificially. The Faroe Islands and, as a result, the main predator seabirds seem to face similar problems. autonomous region remains part of the of mackerel has gone. As sea Fieldwork done in Norway on the Kingdom of Denmark so this was the temperatures have increased by 2° due Island of Røst from the late 1970s until region chosen to seek permits for the to global warming the mackerel has 2011 shows a clear decline of 7% per collection of eggs. expanded its distribution into Faroe year in the puffin population, which It was then that the crisis emerged. waters, where they predate upon small has been shown to have decreased from During the preparation and trip to fish like sandeels, capelin and sprats – 1.5 million 35 years ago to 392,000 collect the eggs, we became aware food that is important for puffins. In pairs in 2011. When the last of the of the fact that the whole region’s addition, these small fish species feed old breeding birds start to die off in seabird population is under heavy on phytoplankton and the amount of 15 years’ time and no new generations pressure which threatens a collapse plankton has dropped dramatically are available for recruitment, the time on a scale not seen since the time of since 1997, reaching an all-time low of the big impressive bird-cliffs will be the passenger pigeon. We learned that in 2011. over, never to return. out of the presumed 500,000 pairs, As a result, the apex predator in For further information, please visit not a single puffin chick had fledged the North Atlantic is under intense Marine Research Institute, Iceland (http:// in the last previous seven years and, pressure. Other factors caused by www.hafro.is), or ‘Havstovan’ Faroe during the egg-collection itself, we global warming are fluctuations in Marine Research Institute (http://www. found eggs in only 10% of the burrows. the acidity and salinity of the ocean, hav.fo). 32 NIELSEN FLEMMING JELGER HERDER Under fire skin disease and rapid mortality in skin diseaseand rapidmortalityin salamanders. This chytridcauseserosive and rapidmortalityobservedin infected refers totheextensiveskindestruction means: ‘salamander-devouring’, which salamandrivorans. ‘Salamandrivorans’ was namedBatrachochytrium dendrobatidis. a differentnichecomparedwithB. pathogenic chytridfungusthatoccupies and characterisedasecond,highly results. Instead,wefound,isolated, B. dendrobatidis,yieldednegative amphibian infectiousagents,including 2012. Attemptstoidentifyknown between NovemberandDecember death of49%thecaptiveanimals compromised bytheunexplained the remainingfiresalamanderswas conservation programmefor39of of fivedeadanimalsinthefield. rapid declinecoincidedwiththefinding the populationremainingin2013.This species hasdeclined,withonly4%of in TheNetherlands.Since2010,the salamanders (Salamandrasalamandra) was recentlyreportedamongfire its speciestotheedgeofextinction, mortality event,whichhasbrought losses. Adramaticandenigmatic several recentamphibianpopulation cause amphibiandeclinefailtoexplain dendrobatidis andotherfactorsknownto parasitise vertebratehosts.However, B. chytridiomycete taxonknownto dendrobatidis, untilrecentlytheonly single speciesoffungus,Batrachochytrium currently believedtobecausedbya North America.Chytridiomycosisis losses acrossEurope,Australia,and Central America,aswellwidespread 40% ofamphibianspeciesinareas resulted intheextirpationofmorethan infectious driversinvolved.Ithas has beenidentifiedasoneofthemajor worldwide, fungalchytridiomycosis are involvedinamphibiandecline and, althoughavarietyoffactors crisis of thecurrentglobalbiodiversity A NEWLY DISCOVERED FUNGUS IS SEVERELY THREATENING FIRE SALAMANDER POPULATIONS Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium andFrankMartel Pasmans, professors ofPathology, at theDepartment andAvian Bacteriology Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary SpitzenAnnemarieke –van derSluijs, manager, seniorproject Reptile, AmphibianandFish Conservation, The An Netherlands; This second chytrid fungus This secondchytridfungus The recentlaunchofanexsitu Amphibians aretruerepresentatives

decline in the number of sightings of decline inthenumberofsightings onwards, therewasanextremelysharp for thefirsttimeand,from2010 findings ofdeadadultswererecorded From 2008onwards,however, repeat assume somethingwouldgowrong. distribution, therewasnoreasonto recently, despite thefragmented several hundredindividuals.Upuntil the wholepopulationcomprised Netherlands. Itwasestimatedthat all threeintheextremesouthof non-nativepopulation, introduced, native populationsandanothersmall, the speciesisonlyknownfromtwo deciduous forestsonhillsides.Currently, are confinedtotheoldgrowthstagesof at theveryedgeoftheirdistributionand In theNetherlands,firesalamanderslive dendrobatidis. thermal preferencecomparedwithB. at 25°Corhigher, amarkedlylower between 10°Cand15°Cdeath as low5°C,withoptimalgrowth salamandrivorans growsattemperatures for temperateclimaticregions:B. making itapotentiallylargethreat temperature rangethanB.dendrobatidis salamandrivorans hasaloweroptimum direct contactorbyinfectedtissue.B. body. Theanimals canbeinfectedby ulcerations intheskinallover multifocal superficialerosionsanddeep The pathologyconsistentlycomprises ofanorexia,apathy,episode andataxia. mostly diewithin14daysafterashort decline event.Infectedfiresalamanders salamanders founddeadduringthe and waspresentinskinlesionsof experimentally infectedfiresalamanders DECLINE OF THE FIRE SALAMANDER facebook.com/SoSvuursalamander. SOSvuursalamander.nl andhttps://www. but closemonitoringcontiues. may bereturnedtotheirnaturalhabitat, a cleartimeframeinwhichtheanimals situation preventstheestablishmentof yet beenstarted,astheunclearfuture programme intheNetherlandshasnot captivity acrossthreezoos.Abreeding fire salamandersand100juvenilesin disease front. this spreadandleadtoancatastrophic maycascade multiple introductions to even282km/year, andhuman-aided spread overlandwithhighspeed,up B. dendrobatidisisknowntobeable salamanders,. Reasoningbyanalogy, Europe, heavilyimpactingonfire The fungusmaybespreadingthrough in twositesBelgiumemphasisethis. and May2014)ofB.salamandrivorans and therecentfindings(December2013 Netherlands isnotanisolatedcountry, urgency infindingthisout.Clearly, the range areunknown,andthereisgreat ofdispersalanditshost origin, mode emerging pathogenicorganism.Its decreased by96%. (1997 –2012)thetotalpopulation during theoverallmonitoringperiod salamanders havebeenfound,and living salamanders.To date25dead For moreonthisproject,visitwww. We currentlyhaveabout30adult Much remainsunclearonthis

MOVING FORWARD Progress so far AS YOU’LL HAVE READ IN THIS ISSUE, A LOT NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR EUROPEAN CONSERVATION… BUT A GOOD START HAS BEEN MADE

Angela Glatston, Rotterdam Zoo, The Netherlands, and William van Lint, Assistant Manager, Collection Coordination and Conservation, EAZA

As we mentioned in the introduction biology of the olm, St Petersburg Zoo is to this special issue of Zooquaria, many involved in the study of the Ladoga EAZA members are already deeply ringed seal, Salzburg Zoo is supporting supportive of local conservation. The in situ work on the European pond problem is that we rarely discuss or turtle and Aquazoo Dusseldorf is publicise this aspect of our work. By involved in surveying for amphibians in keeping it under wraps we are doing the city’s ponds. ourselves a serious disservice, not only Invasive alien species are another in regards to our image with our visitors threat to the survival of European but also with our critics. So let’s change species. Beauval Zoo is taking the lead this and celebrate what we are doing on eliminating the bullfrog from the for own native wildlife and, by doing Sologne area of France while Zagreb so, encourage more and more of our is conducting research on the colleagues to join us in this important reproductive potential of the work. red-eared slider, another persistent The existing interest which many invasive species. EAZA members have for European Education is an integral part of our conservation was clearly demonstrated INTERPRETATION AT role in the conservation of native MULHOUSE ZOO during the European Carnivore species. Zoos holding European species Campaign 2008-2010 which was Captive breeding and reintroduction in their collections naturally educate supported by more than 150 zoos from is not confined to this institution; many their public as part of their normal around 30 countries. In addition to the other zoos are also involved in this kind educational panels or in cooperation traditional support base for such of activity as shown in the photo story, with local conservation NGOs. Some campaigns, the European Carnivore with species as diverse as corncrakes zoos may use special interactive Campaign stimulated interest from (ZSL Whipsnade Zoo), fire-bellied activities to inform visitors about different zoos, particularly those in toads (Copenhagen Zoo), European native species. France and Switzerland as well as those meadow viper (Salzburg Zoo), Many city zoos provide a green oasis located in eastern and southern Europe Sardinian brook salamander (Bioparco in an otherwise urban environment and and Scandinavia, countries that are Rome), Ural owl (Vienna zoo) and as such can provide much-needed home to the species covered by the large heath butterfly (Chester Zoo). habitat for native species. Some zoos campaign. Similarly, the 2012 This is not to forget the successes capitalise even further on this potential Conservation Forum in Vienna also regarding white storks: many zoos have by providing nestboxes for birds and/or received many contributions discussing successfully contributed to the recovery bats or by managing their grounds in a work with local European species. of the population by releasing young, way that encourages pollinating insects. At the extreme there are a few while Planckendael zoo is even more Finally, there are a number of zoos collections which provide shining involved, conducting research on the that manage nature reserves either examples of commitment to European birds’ migratory behaviour. within or outside their zoo boundaries; conservation and clearly demonstrate However, there are a number of other examples include Antwerp, Wroclaw, what EAZA members can achieve ways in which European zoos support Paignton and Marwell. In the UK some when they focus on local species. A local wildlife. This can be through zoos have been designated Sites of particularly good example is Nordens functioning as rescue and rehabilitation Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Ark which has a national responsibility centres, a role particularly embraced by status that brings with it a number of for the rearing and reintroduction of our colleagues in Eastern Europe. Our conservation responsibilities. native species. In fact, since the year support in research and survey work is We hope that from the above you 2000, around 300 mammals and birds also important; the Harderwijk have an impression of the many and and 10,000 amphibians born and Dolphinarium is conducting research diverse ways in which EAZA members hatched at Nordens Ark have been on the harbour porpoise while the can support conservation both released across Europe. These include Zoological Society of Scotland is nationally and locally and that the Eurasian otters in the Netherlands, evaluating the feasibility of examples provided in this issue of European wildcats in Germany, reintroducing beavers to Scotland after Zooquaria will inspire you to take Eurasian lynx in Poland and over 150 an absence of 400 years. Zagreb Zoo is European conservation on board in peregrine falcons in Sweden. part of a team learning about the your zoo as well. 34 LINT VAN WILLIAM 35