Colchester: Conservation counting on zoo numbers (From Gazette)

Colchester: Conservation counting on zoo numbers

10:40am Monday 12th January 2009 in News By Lynne Milford

NOAH’S animals came in two by two, but Colchester Zoo’s collection is slightly less regimented.

Keepers at the tourist attraction are starting one of the biggest jobs of the year – counting every animal in the collection.

The hefty task of the annual stock-take is carried out every January to comply with zoo legislation and confirm precise records of every birth, death, arrival and departure among the zoo’s residents.

The data is submitted to the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the national professional body offering advice and guidance on all aspects of zoo management and animal welfare.

The records are also available for scrutiny by local authorities who issue and renew the licences for zoos and aquariums.

The list of animals will also be sent to an international database called the International Species Information System (Isis), which gathers information about animals held in zoological institutions around the world.