Brooklands Zoo

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Conservation and Biodiversity

Brooklands Zoo is a full institutional member of ARAZPA (The Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria). 

What does ARAZPA do?

ARAZPA links over 70 zoos and aquariums across New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific in a network for wildlife conservation, environmental education and wildlife research. 
 
ARAZPA’s mission is: "To harness the collective resource of zoos and aquariums to help conserve biodiversity in the natural environment”.
 
Zoos and aquariums in Australasia cannot work alone; so operate as part of a cooperative network, particularly in the selection and management of specific species to promote sustainability and contribute to species conservation.  
 
A lot of work is involved in ensuring that ARAZPA is kept up to date on each of Brooklands Zoo’s exotic animals.  Every animal is issued a specific house name and identification number (along with many of our animals also being micro chipped or tattooed).

ARAZPA requires daily records kept for each exotic animal. This includes animal observations, sickness, treatments, matings, interactions, containment issues and enrichment.  Keepers enter this information onto a specialised ‘animal record keeping’ computer programme.    
 
Brooklands Zoo works closely with fully qualified veterinarians for health and dietary advice on our animals and to help maintain regular health checks. Part of a Keepers’ daily duties involve checking the health of each individual animal throughout the day.  Preventative health practices are also followed such as regularly worming animals etc.   
 
ARAZPA also require best practice standards are followed for the care of animals housed in their approved facilities.  

Breeding programmes

Even though we are classified as a small facility we are an important part of ARAZPA and contribute primarily as a ‘holding facility’ for exotic animals that are part of breeding programmes. 

Our ring tailed lemurs, red panda, cotton top tamarins and some bird species are part of these programmes and are cared for here until suitable partners are available for our animals to breed with. This enables a healthy gene pool within the Australasian region.  We also take part in animal transfers if and when they are needed to be sent to other facilities for breeding purposes. 

Brooklands Zoo is also actively involved in on-site breeding programmes with our Asian clawed otters and capuchin monkeys (in 2008 we took part in animal transfers to and from Australia and within other New Zealand facilities to help maintain healthy gene pools with these species).  
 
ARAZPA provides coordinated management and planning recommendations for species residing in their member institutions (i.e. us!).  Records are kept on each individual animal and their family history which avoids inbreeding issues. Any offspring produced are also taken into consideration so facilities have time to plan for additional animals or to transfer them to other facilities. 

MAF approved

Brooklands Zoo is also a MAF (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry) approved facility. We get audited from MAF on a regular basis and keep them updated on what’s happening within the zoo for our exotic animals. This also involves complying with their set regulations and procedures for our facility.

What you can do to help

One quarter of all the world's known species of wildlife are currently threatened with extinction in the wild.  Zoos and aquariums are playing an important role in protecting our wildlife for the future.

We are always looking for new ways to enrich the lives of the animals at the zoo.  If you would like to donate any of the following items, please contact us.

• Blankets, towels or sheets (in good condition).
• Burlap material or sacks.
• Large cardboard tubes or boxes (staple free).
• Parrot, dog or cat toys.
• Plastic buckets.
• Plastic sandpits.
• Baby or toddler toys (in good condition).
• Aquariums.
• Untreated wood (for making enrichment items/toys for the animals).
• Natural rope of varying sizes and lengths e.g.sisal rope.

 

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