|
Zoo
Outreach Organisation is like a "Friends of the Zoo" for
South Asian Zoos. Z.O.O. is also like a sort of paramedical squad for
zoos to supply them with up-to-date "first aid" materials
which are not so easy to obtain in South Asia due to the dreaded red
tape, foreign currency inequities and import obstacles! Z.O.O. is a
communications service to fill the gaps in information and to provide
a liaison between different agencies and institutions that have
comparable and compatible interests with zoos, such as universities,
wildlife agencies etc.
Activities
:-
1. Z.O.O. publishes two monthly magazines called ZOOS' PRINT and ZOO ZEN.
These are primarily for zoo and wildlife professionals but people
really fascinated by wildlife, captive breeding and conservation
education also are members and subscribers.
2. Z.O.O. used to conduct Status and Management Surveys of different
species of wildlife in captivity in Indian zoos to determine the
parameters of care so that all the zoos could adopt the practices that
work best.
If
we found, as a result of our survey, that something was badly needed
for managing a species better, we tried to obtain it for the zoos.
Often, information is all that is required. Sometimes, tools,
equipment or medicine is required.
e.g.
we arranged donations of ear tags and marking tools for deer, feline
distemper vaccine for lesser cats and software for studbooks and
animal record keeping and many other items as a result of our surveys.
Some
species which have been surveyed are Lesser Pandas, Vultures, Musk
Deer, Lesser cats, Barasingha and Bengal Tiger. Now we no longer do
these surveys because Central Zoo Authority is there to do all these
things better and, more efficiently than us. We have some reports of
the surveys we conducted however, if anyone is interested. Most of
them were brought out as an issue of ZOO ZEN, so look in that index.
3. Z.O.O. conducts promotional campaigns for better visitor behaviour and
for highly endangered species using special national and international
events as a focus. Funding permitting, during Wildlife week we supply
brochures, stickers, t-shirts, stamps and booklets to dozens of zoos
for their celebrations.
For
Animal Welfare Fortnightly we supply zoos with stickers, t-shirts,
booklets, Do Not Tease or Feed Animals boards for their enclosures and
other items to help them conduct a function for a school class or the
public. We raise funds from zoos and animal welfare organisations to
do these activities.
4. Z.O.O. maintains contact with virtually hundreds of organisations and
institutions around the world which need to know about the good work
in Indian Zoos.
Z.O.O.
will arrange sponsorship, scholarships and air travel for Indian zoo
and wildlife personnel to training courses and symposia all over the
world.
5.
ZOO supports several networks, such as the Conservation Breeding
Specialist Group's Indian Regional Network, a network of Indian (and
now South Asian) amphibian researchers, invertebrate researchers, an
Indian Zoo and Natural History History Society and an Asian Regional
Network for Zoo Educators.
6.
ZOO is a partner of some
other organisations which support subject or species activities in
India.
5.
ZOO is a partner of a wonderful new biological park coming up in
Coimbatore called the Nilgiri Biosphere Conservation Park. |