Proceedings of the 67th Annual Conference

Melbourne 7–11 October 2012

Fighting

Extinction

WAZAPresentations Technical Congress only Imprint

Editor: Gerald Dick, WAZA Executive Office IUCN Conservation Centre Rue Mauverney 28 CH-1196 Gland Switzerland phone: +41 22 999 07 90 (WAZA Executive Office)

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ISSN: 2073-6576 October 2012 | Melbourne 1

Fighting Extinction

Proceedings of the 67th Annual Conference 7–11 October 2012 Hosted by ZoosVictoria

WAZAPresentations Technical Congress only 2 Proceedings of 67th Annual Conference Editorial

Dear WAZA Members and Friends!

I would like to start with a big thank Many positive examples and suc- Legend: you to our host, Zoos Victoria! Ad- cess stories were presented and Conference Documents ditionally, I wish to congratulate at the important link to the decade on the occasion of their 150th Anniver- biodiversity was underlined by many DOC Documents submitted sary – a nice coincidence with WAZA’s speakers. Fruitful discussions took prior to the Conference, 77th Anniversary. place on the cooperation between as- like Committee reports, sociations, animal welfare and global Association reports. Our conference was a big success species management plans. Welfare and the focus on “fighting extinction” and population management as well INF Documents presented covered a wide array of topics, rang- as associated strategic developments at the conference without ing from conservation, education to have been identified as focus of work previous documentation, collection sustainability and popu- for the coming years. Finally, two made available after lation management. The keynote resolutions, one on endorsing the the Conference presenters underlined the important new IUCN reintroduction guidelines

role of zoos and aquariums and the and one on CO2 compensation while MEM Presentations responsibility of our community highlighting ocean acidification were of new members in the interaction with about 700 mil- adopted. lion visitors to zoo and aquarium ADM Administrative sessions facilities worldwide. Thanks again for this highlight in WAZA’s jubilee year and thanks to COM Committee meetings all members for the ongoing support at the Conference and active involvement in the global zoo and aquarium community!! WS Workshop results

Gerald Dick RES Resolution Executive Director

Example

Number of Annual Conference

DOC 65.20

Type of document Number of document

The contents of reports are within the responsibility of the authors. October 2012 | Melbourne 3 Table of Contents

Welcome Address by the Host...... 5 Special Session on Population Welcome Address by the Minister Management and Ocean for Environment and Climate Change, Conservation...... 73 Victoria, Australia...... 7 Future Proofing Programs – Welcome to Our Region...... 9 an Australasian approach...... 74 Welcome Address Mission of Mermaids (film screening) and by the WAZA President...... 11 Introduction to Ocean Acidification...... 79 Keynote Addresses...... 13 List of Participants...... 83 The Environmental Crisis – A Question of Leadership...... 14 A New Model for Conservation...... 17 WAZA Congress Papers Abstracts...... 19 Received Full WAZA Congress Contributions...... 29 Love your Locals...... 30 Release to the Wild of Charismatic Mega Fauna: the Risks and Successes...... 33 Current Conservation Efforts Supported by the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums...... 37 Breeding and reintroduction of Ural owls (Strix uralensis)...... 39 The Big C – A Discussion on the Allocation of Scarce Resources for Zoo and Aquarium Conservations...... 40 Conservation of Swedish Amphibians – A Success Story?...... 43 Zoos FIGHTING extinction & Zoos FACILITATING extinction...... 45 Facts and Figures from The Granby Zoo: Increasing Revenues as a Major Player in Social Economy...... 47 Conservation Efforts for the Endangered Ozark Hellbender...... 52 Managing Toucans and Flamingos at the Parque das Aves, Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná State, Brazil...... 54 Panama’s Noah’s Ark...... 56 Conservation Medicine: An Approach to Fight the Extinction of All Species...... 58 Temaikèn’s Natural Reserve in Misiones, Argentina: Join Us!...... 62 Conserving Madagascar’s Biodiversity, Building Local Capacity and Raising Environmental Awareness of Youth: The cooperative work of zoos for Madagascar – The Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group...... 64 Unraveling a Mystery!...... 66 Community Conservation – A Peri‑Urban Case Study in Fighting Extinction...... 68 58 Proceedings of 67th Annual Conference Conservation Medicine: An Approach to Fight the Extinction of All Species

Sharon L Deem, Saint Louis Zoo, Institute for Conservation Medicine and Eric Miller, Saint Louis Zoo, Director WildCare Institute

Abstract Introduction

In 2011 the Saint Louis Zoo launched It is estimated that since 1970 global As accredited zoos have become the Institute for Conservation population sizes of wildlife spe- increasingly appreciated for their Medicine (ICM) to further the Zoo’s cies have decreased by 30% (World conservation initiatives, it has also mission to conserve animals and their Wildlife Fund, 2010). If one looks at become evident that the leadership habitats. The ICM takes a holistic decline by animal taxa, the numbers role of zoos in species’ conservation approach to research on wildlife, threatened with extinction are 12% was concurrent with advancements public health, and sustainable eco- of birds, 21% of mammals, 32% of in health care that is important for systems to ensure healthy animals amphibians, and 27% of reef‑building population viability (e.g., fitness and and healthy people. This research corals (Marton‑Lèfevre, 2010). Even reproductive success). Previously includes 1) studies on diseases of though the number of species en- overlooked as instrumental in the conservation concern; 2) health care dangered with extinction grows daily, role of zoos in the conservation of for the sustainability of biodiversity; outside the conservation community, species, veterinary sciences are now 3) zoo animals as sentinels of disease little time, money, or energy has seen as imperative for conservation in urban environments; 4) disease been directed towards the conserva- efforts and the long‑term survival of surveillance at the interface of wild- tion of biodiversity. However, within populations both in zoo collections life, domestic animals and humans; the conservation community, accred- and for free‑living populations (Miller, 5) comparative medicine; and 6) the ited zoological institutions are now 1992; Deem, 2007). In fact, one of the exploration of the diversity of life. key reasons that zoos are successful In this paper we describe the sig- fully recognized as organizations conservation organizations is related nificance of these roles and provide dedicated to the conservation of ani- to the veterinary care provided both concrete examples of zoos working mal species. (In this paper, the word animals in our collections, as well in conservation medicine to show accredited will refer to the 218 zoos as field based health studies that how this approach helps to fight the accredited by the Association of improve conservation efforts and extinction of all species. Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since the provide comparative health data authors are most familiar with AZA.) between free‑living and collection Unlike many of the other conserva- populations. Today, with the push tion organizations, zoos are the for AZA‑accredited zoos to dedicate “species people” and are dedicated to 3% of their revenue to conserva- the long‑term conservation of wildlife tion (and other organizations making species. For example, of the 68 spe- similar commitments) the time is cies whose IUCN threat level was re- right for these zoos to include con- duced, 17 (25%) had captive breeding servation medicine initiatives in their at zoological institutions play a role in “toolbox” if we are to strive for the the threat level reductions (Conde et conservation of all species. al., 2011). So what is conservation medicine? This approach was first coined in the 1990s and may be defined as a trans‑disciplinary field that studies the relationship between human, animal, and ecosystem health to ensure the conservation of biodiver- sity, including Homo sapiens (Koch, 1996; Deem et al., 2000; Aguirre et al., 2002). Although there are a num- ber of definitions for conservation medicine the heart of the approach is October 2012 | Melbourne 59

the realization that the health of envi- Studies on diseases Health care for the ronments, and animals and people of conservation concern sustainability within, are intimately related and will of biodiversity require multiple disciplines to better Disease in wildlife species have now understand and manage the conser- been documented to impact spe- Accomplishments by accredited vation and disease challenges that cies’ survival with both population zoos that have resulted in bring- impact each. extirpations and even species extinc- ing species back from the brink of tions (Harvell et al., 1999; Daszak extinction were only possible through The Saint Louis Zoo launched the et al., 2000; Pedersen et al., 2007; advances in veterinary care, includ- Institute for Conservation Medicine Palacios et al., 2011). Many of the ing preventive and therapeutic (ICM) in 2011 to further advance our infectious diseases that threaten the medicine to minimize infectious and role in conservation medicine. The long‑term survival of wildlife species, non‑infectious diseases. Similar to establishment of this new Institute including fibropapillomatosis in sea public health programs (e.g., vac- at the Saint Louis Zoo was a natural turtles, chytridiomycosis in amphib- cination and proper nutrition) that progression that built on the decades ians, canine distemper in a number of were instrumental for the human of conservation medicine performed carnivores, and Ebola virus in humans population to grow beyond 7 bil- by zoo personnel both at the zoo and animals (as reviewed in Daszak lion individuals, these veterinary and globally through the WildCare et al. 2000; Deem et al. 2001; Kuiken health care methods are essential Institute and other zoo funded and/ et al. 2005) are studied extensively by for species propagation. Now as wild or led global conservation and health zoological health professionals. Dis- spaces become less so and free‑living projects. For example, the zoo ease‑related conservation challenges wildlife are often little more than has on‑going projects that include are not solely linked to infectious species placed in “large zoos” these research and biomedical surveys of diseases as evident from the near veterinary advancements, many of lemurs in Madagascar, avian health extinction of three Gyps spp. in India which are first developed with zoo studies in the Galapagos Islands, and associated with the use of an anti‑in- collection animals, are being used for studies of Humboldt penguins in flammatory in livestock (Oaks et al., the long term survival of populations Punta San Juan, Peru. Since the start 2004). Whether infectious or non‑in- in the “wild” (Deem, 2007). Lastly, a of the ICM, we have strengthened fectious, these diseases can have number of reintroduction programs long held partnerships while build- impacts that occur on multiple scales, such as those for black‑footed ferrets, ing new ones with other health and / affecting individuals (fitness costs), red wolves and freshwater mussels or conservation organizations as we populations (population size and have resulted in species propagated develop the Midwest Consortium of connection), communities (changes in at AZA accredited institutions to be Conservation Medicine. The mis- species composition), and ecosystems placed back in the wild (www.aza. sion of the ICM is to take a holistic (structure, function, and resilience) org/reintroduction‑programs/). These approach to research on wildlife, (Deem et al. 2008). The epidemiology, programs were successful only when public health, and sustainable eco- pathology, and clinical implications health challenges were appropriately systems to ensure healthy animals of many of these significant disease addressed within the reintroduc- and healthy people. In this paper we challenges are studied extensively by tion plans in conjunction with other discuss the six conservation medi- zoo health professionals, both in situ important components. cine roles identified by the ICM that and ex situ (for examples see Munson accredited zoos should perform and et al., 1999; Rideout et al., 2012). that are essential for the conserva- tion of the wildlife species, as well as Homo sapiens which are dependent on biodiversity for survival (Fig 1).

Six roles of zoos in conservation medicine for the advancement of the conservation of all species (Fig 1)

Figure 1: Role of Zoos in Conservation Medicine 60 Proceedings of 67th Annual Conference

Zoo animals as sentinels Disease surveillance Exploration of disease in urban at the interface of of the diversity of life environments wildlife, domestic animals and humans In biodiversity conservation much Often located in urban settings, zoos emphasis is given to the long term sur- with diverse species collections may In 2001, it was estimated that be- vival of vertebrate species with lesser serve as sentinels of emerging dis- tween all the zoos accredited by AZA emphasis on invertebrate conserva- eases. The native and non‑native spe- and World Association of Zoos and tion, and even less on the conservation cies housed at zoological collections Aquariums (WAZA) there were ap- of micro‑organisms. However, species vary in susceptibilities to pathogens. proximately 1,100 field based projects are metagenomic in that they are The most recent and well‑known in 80 countries, with a combined composed of their own gene comple- example of zoo animals serving as effort that allows for a reach of wild ments and those of all their associated sentinels was the detection of West populations for disease surveillance microbes. Each species, in fact each Nile Virus at a zoo in New York State, around the globe (Dick and Gusset, individual is known to have unique alerting human and animal health 2010). These zoo‑funded and zoo‑led “microbiomes”. For example in one communities to the arrival of this in situ conservation projects span the study of the bacterial 16S ribosomal vector‑borne pathogen to the New globe, occurring in both biodiversity RNA gene sequences from a variety World (Lanciotti, 1999; Ludwig et and pandemic pathogen hotpots of zoological animals it was demon- al., 2002). The network of accredited (Deem et al., 2011). The often long strated that host diet and phylogeny zoological parks in America and Eu- term commitments to field con- both influence bacterial diversity (Ley rope now have surveillance programs servation and research from these et al., 2008). Accredited zoos with their for zoonotic pathogens such as avian programs allows zoo staff to perform collections of diverse species and their influenza, tuberculosis, and WNV, health surveillance studies on species outreach across the globe in which linking zoos and effectively covering of conservation interest and sympa- they lead studies on free‑living wildlife continents (Travis et al., 2002; Chosy tric species. These studies invariably populations can and must contribute et al., 2007). Additionally, many also have a human health component to the exploration of the diversity of zoos in North America have surveil- as many of the pathogens of interest life at the microbial level. When we lance programs for urban wildlife on are zoonotic and may spillover from lose one vertebrate species to extinc- and near zoo grounds for zoonotic wild populations to domestic animals tion we must also realize the great loss pathogens such as rabies virus and and / or humans which share the in microbial biodiversity. Bayliascaris procyonis. Lastly, with the habitat (Bronson et al., 2008; Deem sophisticated record keeping capabil- et al., 2004; Junge et al., 2011). ities at these institutions along with Conclusions: importance the careful pathologic evaluations of of conservation medicine deaths of zoo animals, the ability to Comparative medicine practiced by zoo staff to better understand trends in poten- help with the conservation tial non‑infectious health concerns Comparative medicine is a long of all species shared by animals and humans (e.g., established field within both the cancer and toxins) are also explored veterinary and medical professions In this paper we presented the six at zoological institutions. The pa- which is based on comparison and roles identified by the ICM of what ac- thology staff at many of these zoos contrasts of the anatomy, physiol- credited zoos can and must perform have close ties with human medical ogy and pathophysiology of diseases in the area of conservation medicine facilities and thus allow for the shar- between humans and other species. as they continue to serve as leaders ing of comparative findings between For example, advances in human in the conservation of wildlife species. the zoo animals and human patients medicine are largely due to com- Throughout all these roles it must presenting to the hospital (see also parative studies using animal models. also be appreciated that our ability comparative medicine section). Today there is growing application to serve as educators of conserva- of human studies that help with our tion issues is one of the key roles of understanding of diseases of animals accredited zoos in today’s society. (e.g., cancers, arthritis) and the use Education of our visitors must move of sentinel animals and humans for towards one that also embraces the the health of the other (Rabinowitz conservation medicine approach and Conti, 2010). The role zoos play in and informs the public of the inter- the field of comparative medicine has connected nature of the health of been underutilized. However, zoos animals and humans in the context of and the animals for which they care continually changing ecosystems. In are now largely included in compara- conclusion, this short article provides tive medicine studies concurrent with evidence and examples of the signifi- advances in veterinary services that cant conservation medicine roles that are provided to the diverse taxa of accredited zoos have performed for animals during recent decades (Nat- decades and will continue to perform terson‑Horowitz and Bowers, 2012). for many years to come. October 2012 | Melbourne 61

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