David Hancocks on Elephants......

Auckland Zoo
08-07-2006

I have asked the Auckland zoo what is the current state of affairs re their ideas of breeding elephants .
I am still awaiting a response . But previous experience with emailing that zoo usually results in an answer , even if it is slow in coming .

I think we can currently assume that until I hear anything to the contrary , we will assume that their last response still stands ; ie they hope to try AI on the younger elephant .
However , I do agree that they had better start soon and get a move on !

When I hear news from them , I will let you all know .

08-07-2006

Mark,

You mention this import ban. Surely, there is a regional collection plan (RCP)in place? I would figure that Australian zoos should focus their attention on collective imports of those species they intend to maintain for an ascertained 90/100% genetic diversity in their collections.

The RCP current inventory should assist in determining what species in Australia have a sound genetic base for population management purposes. The latter should be the policy document on which to base which species need to be imported. Only in that manner will it be possible to have a strong negotiating base with vet. animal management authorities, I guess.

Personally, I think a blanket ban on imports of all birds and hoofstock is a senseless and politically difficult arguement to defend. What with ex situ conservation breeding and in situ conservation projects. F.i. bongo in Australia need new blood! Where will one get it if no imports may be made. It is simply a recipe for local extinctions over time. And I was of the impression that zoos have an important role in showing wild animals in their near natural habitat in an enclosed environment for as many people as is possible to see. What with the conservation message? And what with animal welfare (surely springbock are not going to be happy on their own in a zoo, they need a herd structure to prosper).

What is your opinion? Or any of the other regulars here?

Jelle

08-07-2006

the ban is very easy to defend

well jelle, as a man from the land, i have to say these bans are for thebetter of the country, as our economy relies heavily on agriculture, any possibility of disease is diasterous, and our economy will crumble. we nned to preseve australia, as its the only true large island nation, free of many diseases that plauge the western world

i mean i would love to see new animals, and there has to be ways around it, as if something effects us, the economy falls, and we wont have any zoos at all.

08-07-2006

I totally agree with Zoo Boy's comments on the import restrictions - without them, we run the risk of bringing diseases into the country, that we have so far managed to avoid.

08-07-2006

We do have an off shore quartine station way of the western Aust coast on the cocas Keeling Islands where the new Elephants are due to go, we have alreadly brought in Black rhino through there from Africa so maybe we can make more use of this?, With the high tech blood testing we can do these days some of these tests can take a matter of hours instead of days or weeks like they used to and lets not forget zoos are also quartine stations as well, so with an animal bred in a zoo and then transfered to another zoo both of them are doing blood tests before animals leave and when they arrive.

08-07-2006

Hi Zoo Boy,

In Europe zoos have to observe strict quarantaine regulations and testing procedures for infectious agents before animals are allowed to enter or be exported within the zoo community. However, the administrative obstacles put in place have become so cumbersome that sometimes it is almost impossible to im- or export an animal species (f.i. lesser mouse deer for fear of .... FMD). Zoos (particularly those within the EEC) are not exempt and thus find it hard to set up overseas animal exchange programmes (even if these are required by the need to preserve the genetics in individual wild animal populations in EEP zoos). So, the situation is in someways similar to the Australian experience. However, we have many more zoos and populations of individual EEP programmes are generally large enough to be able to maintain them for a considerable time without outside gene pooling.

The veterinary regulations for wildlife are in strictest contrast to those for domestic stock. These may be im- and exported ad libitum (since they are considered disease free). However, no vaccination .. nor other vet health measures are taken and thus ... pandemics become a potential threat. Exactly, for these reasons wildlife im- and exports are regulated and vet health testing for wild animals exists, yet for domestic stocks they are not.

I concur that both should be regulated and only then can we best protect the interests of wildlife conservation and secure the economics of domestic rural farming communities. Preventative vaccination, transparant import and export quarantaine, strict transport regulations and restrictions on the proximity of farms to oneanother are an effective means of combatting any potential vet health risks (long before these occurred eventually) for both wildlife and domestics. All must play their part. If you then transpose this set up to the Australian situation you have a pretty watertight vet health system (MARK already suggested to that effect).

I hope you do not take this to personally, it is just a matter of opinion.


Cheers,

Jelle

09-07-2006

well jelle, our agricultural industry, i say is worth much much more than yours, and we carnt loose, it, as in its worth 50 billion $$$$$$$ , even with so much we carnt risk it

09-07-2006

i totally understand why we have such strict regulations and believe they vitally important.

however, whilst our zoos have always managed to get by with virtually no exotic birds, i wonder what the impact of this total ban on cloven-hoofed mammals will have in the log run?

some animals will die out very soon, like pygmy hippo, bongo and kudu.

hippopotamus, eland, waterbuck, guanaco....all banned from import.

even giraffes, those star zoo attractions, who managed to survive decades in australian zoos with just one or two founders, will eventually suffer from inbreeding.

i wonder how our open range zoos will look in the future with only zebra and rhino on the african plains?

surely there will be attempts by our zoos to create special exemptions from the ban. as mark said, FMD can be tested. we have quarrentine facilities at zoos. i would have thought zoo-imports are particuarly low-risk...

09-07-2006

well i see that nz are allowed some, why carnt they get them, then import to aus, we can only get giraffes off them. so why carnt somebody build a centre over there, import stock, raise for a yr, send to aus? i no this would cost heaps, which is basically wht this whiole argument is money, we carnt afford to build super quarrintine facilities.

plus or cocos island quraintine is greta, but its the stress to many ungulates that makes them uneaasy to travel and be loaded unloaded multiple times

10-07-2006

Yep pat,

From that perspective I think it is madness on zoos. I really think ARAZPA zoos should be much more actively canvassing the government for exemption. Surely, if the arguement is explained properly to them and the proper quarantining facilities and vet health regs are in place that it can go forward fairly quickly.

Also, I think the NZ connection suggestion is also an interesting one. I am sure that if ARAZPA approach our EEP for Rothschildt's giraffe that they would be more than willing to offer some of our genetically surplus individuals for relocation to ARAZPA zoos (in this I am thinking of say 10-15 in one go here!!!!).

Any good this?

Jelle

10-07-2006

Guys,

Whilst this is an interesting discussion to say the least, I wonder what happened to the original purpose the elephant import issue.

Does anyone have any news concerning when these imports are now likely to happen? Or is that the devil and the deep blue see ..........

Jelle

10-07-2006

Looks like it could be November now Jelle. And what is the point of having a Goverment run Quantine Station along way off the coast if we cant use it to import animals from overseas zoos (which) ARE in themselves Quantine stations, is this not go enough??.

13-07-2006

Michelle,

A response to your outcry for financial support. This is what the US Asian Elephant Fund did in Thailand to support elephant conservation for 2005.

Follow the link: http://www:fws.gov/international/pdf...ries/05AsE.pdf

One particular project is building a safe corridor for 2 elephant reserves in Thailand. Another is strengthening management of another elephant reserve.

Travel the internet and you will find more of these linkages. So, financial support is there. Or if you are not convinced, you might want to put in a bid for your project too.

Jelle

01-08-2006

Jelle,
Thanks for you info but I am aware of the financial support that is out there. My point was that zoos dont give enough financial support in situ and when they do give money it is mostly to wild ele projects. But when they want eles it is not the wild eles they take from the range countries its the domestic eles so why not support people who are doing good work to help the domestic eles in situ. And I mean people who are breeding in situ because these projects are what will ensure the survival of the species.