What is the role of the studbook in zoo and aquarium research?
Abstract In zoos and aquariums globally, studbooks provide a format by which threatened or important species populations can be carefully managed. These documents can be used to answer complex questions about animal population demographics, animal husbandry, breeding success and mortality. Given the time-intensive nature of studbook collation, only a subset of all animal species held […]
Zoos and a century of change
Over the last 100 years changes in life-style expectations of the human population have brought about unprecedented demands on the Earth’s resources. Over the same period responsible zoos have developed from menageries to satisfy the curiosity of the masses to conservation organizations with a greater sensitivity to the welfare of animals and an improved knowledge […]
Long term vs. short term impact of founder relatedness on gene diversity and inbreeding within the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) of the red panda (Ailurus f. fulgens)
Traditionally, studbooks have been used as the major tool for the scientific management of ex-situ populations organised in breeding programmes. Well documented pedigree information enables managers to sufficiently monitor population size, demographic stability and the level of genetic diversity. However, breeding programes can only maintain the genetic information which is brought into captivity by wild […]