Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Abstract The trade in the ball python (Python regius) has reduced wild populations significantly, but many of the animals traded and kept as pets are now selectively bred colour and pattern morphs (hereafter just ‘morph’). This switch from wild caught to captive-bred morphs is not cost-free, however: some morphs experience significant welfare issues, and not all individuals within a clutch exhibit the desired phenotype, resulting in excess stock. We used online classified advertisements to investigate the trade dynamics of ball pythons within the UK. Specifically, we compared advertisement content of morphs and those of wild-types with a focus on price, whether equipment was included, and whether they represented single or multiple animals. Further, for morphs we looked at website and temporal variation in the most common morph terms. Significant variation was observed with wild-types exhibiting lower prices, being more commonly advertised alone, with equipment, illustrating different sales dynamics compared with morphs. The most common morphs were consistent over time and between sites. In the absence of transparent data from other sale routes, these patterns represent an insight into the dynamics and challenges in the breeding, trade and regulation of one of the most kept pet species in the UK.

Assessing the welfare of zoo-housed great apes is essential to ensure high standards of care, maintain zoos' ethical and educational credibility, and support their conservation roles. However, welfare assessment remains challenging due to the complex cognitive, social, and behavioural needs of great apes and the limitations of existing evaluation methods. Many zoos rely on resource-based measures, which are easy to collect but lack the specificity needed to assess welfare accurately. In this study, we developed and tested a new standardized, evidence-based approach that integrated resource-based data with ecological and behavioural insights. This Ape Welfare Assessment, Resources and Ecology (AWARE) Tool was developed through collaboration with the Great Ape Welfare group (GAWg) and aimed to: (1) collect a holistic suite of resource and husbandry data that measures the constraints on the apes opportunities to express key naturalistic behaviours, (2) contextualize results within species-specific research on wild and captive great ape behavioural ecology and welfare, and (3) extend beyond existing zoo accreditation standards to support zoos aspirations for higher levels of welfare. Using data from zoo-housed chimpanzees, we tested whether this approach enhanced the validity of resource-based welfare assessments. Results demonstrate that the approach strengthens welfare evaluations and provides a more nuanced understanding of captive great ape wellbeing. We also propose a new validation framework for holistic welfare assessment tools such as this, where validating all individual indicators is neither feasible nor informative. Ultimately, we aim for the AWARE Tool to serve as a web-based resource for independent zoo use and formal welfare assessments. Future research will expand its application to gorillas and orangutans. This study represents a major leap towards establishing robust, species-informed and validated welfare assessment methodologies for zoo-housed great apes.

Management of zoo animals relies on effective and reliable contraception. Deslorelin acetate implants (Suprelorin®) are routinely used as a contraceptive tool, therapy for reproductive disease, and to mitigate hormonally-based undesirable behaviors. Because this product was developed for use in dogs, the minimal effective dose and duration of action must be extrapolated to other species. Current dose recommendations from the Association of Zoo and Aquariums Reproductive Management Center are based on accumulated data from use in various taxa. The authors developed a novel liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay to measure deslorelin in serum; the method was validated for linearity, limits of detection and quantitation, precision, and specificity. This pilot study then evaluated the pharmacokinetics of deslorelin implants in vivo, using female domestic goats (Capra hircus; n = 3) each with a single 9.4-mg subcutaneous implant. Serum samples were analyzed at baseline and 31 designated time points (15 min-360 d) following placement. The average maximum serum concentration (Cmax) for deslorelin was 83 ng/ml, time to Cmax (Tmax) was 1.3 h, and a plateau phase extended from 30 to 360 d. Fecal estrogen and progestagen reflected anovulatory status following deslorelin placement in all three goats. This study demonstrates that the novel assay is able to successfully measure deslorelin acetate in serum, even to a sensitivity of 0.03 ng/ml. This study lays the foundation for future research regarding dosage recommendations for deslorelin implants in other species.

Soon after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, almost all Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) facilities closed to the public. Resulting cost-saving and safety measures led some facilities to temporarily cease or reduce animal breeding and/or transfers. We surveyed AZA facilities and Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Coordinators for AZA's cooperative population management programs to evaluate how widespread these decisions were, if impacts varied by taxa, and how the AZA community navigated related challenges during the pandemic. We found that 60% of responding facilities did not suspend breeding and 22% did not suspend transfers. About 50% of responding zoos increased their reliance on ground transportation to move animals, while aquariums reported no change to transportation methods. SSP Coordinators reported the main reason why breeding decreased, regardless of taxa, was due to canceled or delayed transfers. The reasons transfers decreased differed by taxa, such as limited financial resources and lack of access to air transportation. The majority of respondents for both surveys stated transfers were the greatest challenge they faced. To address this, facilities utilized alternative transportation methods and worked closely with nearby zoos and aquariums for the movement of animals, while SSP Coordinators issued alternative transfer recommendations. If another pandemic or other widespread facility closure occurs, our research highlights the importance of communication, collaboration, and flexibility to fulfill breeding and transfer recommendations to maintain sustainable zoo and aquarium populations.

Since the 1980s, animals in accredited zoos and aquariums have been managed as populations through cooperative breeding, with a goal of maintaining ex situ populations that are as demographically viable and genetically diverse as possible. Here, we provide what we believe to be the first large‐scale assessment of whether cooperative breeding programs are achieving this goal over time. Using a comprehensive dataset spanning nearly 20 years and encompassing more than 400 ex situ vertebrate populations, we applied Bayesian hierarchical modeling to quantify changes in seven population metrics over time. Instead of the general declines expected for small and often closed populations like those in zoos and aquariums, we found no change in the demographic and genetic characteristics of the majority of these populations. Our results indicate that while some zoo and aquarium populations are currently unsustainable, cooperative management is helping to slow or prevent declines in the health of many ex situ populations.