News from Zoos
Great Ape Conservation Act
In a press release dated November 3, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association
(AZA) praised the U.S. Congress and President Clinton for passing and signing
into law HR 4320, the "Great Ape Conservation Act." "America's
zoos and aquariums are passionately committed to conserving the world's wild
creatures and their habitat. We are proud to be part of the powerful partnership
that has achieved passage of this bill," said Syd Butler, executive director
of AZA. HR 4320 authorizes the appropriation of $5 million a year for the
Department of the Interior to grant to organizations involved in the conservation
of great apeschimpanzees, bonobos, gibbons, orangutans and gorillas.
These grants will provide financial resources for the conservation programs
of countries within the range of great apes and projects of persons with demonstrated
expertise in the conservation of great apes. Unfortunately, no funds have
been appropriated for these grants for fiscal year 2001 as the Great Ape Conservation
Act was signed into law
after the passage of the FY 2001 Interior Department Appropriations bill.
AZA is working diligently to secure some measure of funding for these important
grants for the upcoming fiscal year. AZA has supported HR 4320 from its inception
on April 13, when it was introduced by Congressman George Miller (D-CA). Senator
James Jeffords (R-VT) had introduced similar legislation in the Senate on
11 May 1999. AZA President
Richard Lattis testified on behalf of AZA in support of HR 4320 during a June
20 hearing held by the House Committee on Resources. "For many years,
the AZA Species Survival Plans (SSPs) have provided protection both in our
care and in the wild, for endangered species from Partula snails to great
apes," commented Lattis. "This bill was a logical next step in addressing
the plight of the great apes." Chief among the threats to great apes
are habitat destruction, civil wars which drive humans into great ape habitat
and the devastating increase in the illegal commercial hunting of forest animals
for their meat, known as the "bushmeat" trade. In 1999, 133 million
people visited AZA's 188 accredited zoos and aquariums, and members daily
educate visitors about the devastating effects of the loss of vital species
habitat, as well as the illegal trade in endangered species parts and products.
AZA facilities go far beyond the daily care and husbandry of animalsin
1999-2000, they supported nearly 1300 conservation and research projects in
80 countries. "And while AZA zoos and aquariums have become the last
stronghold for some species, we realize we cannot save them by zoo propagation
alone," concluded Lattis in his testimony. "AZA and its member institutions
will continue to work with Congress, Federal agencies, conservation organizations
and the private sector world-wide to conserve these magnificent animals."
Banggai Cardinalfish Conservation Program
The Banggai cardinalfish project, which includes an exhibit featured in the
Indo-Pacific segment of Conservation, Outreach and Observation Lab (COOL)
at the New Jersey State Aquarium, is the culmination of three years of successful
research and captive breeding under the direction of the aquarium's Manager
of Science and Conservation,
Alejandro Vagelli. The New Jersey State Aquarium is the only facility in the
world where this species' life history has been studied. It is the research
lab's goal to develop techniques for the reproduction and rearing of aquatic
species; in particular, marine
tropical fishes, and to use this as a tool to further understand and describe
their basic biology. The Banggai cardinalfish inhabits a small triangular
area of Banggai and other nearby islands in Indonesia. Due to this species'
vulnerability to exploitation for the pet trade, coupled with low levels of
productivity, the continued survival of the cardinalfish is in question just
five years after its rediscovery by science. The program will provide the
first scientific evaluation of the Banggai cardinalfish population status
and will yield
essential data on its reproductive ecology in the wild. In addition, the aquarium
will establish a breeding program with the Indonesian Institute of Sciences
and local collectors in an effort to develop a specific methodology for the
captive breeding
and care of the Banggai cardinalfish. The American Zoo and Aquarium Association's
Conservation Endowment Fund provided funding for the Banggai project.
Information for News from Zoos is provided by Joseph Lankard
of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association.