BedildaSue
Well-Known Member
Does anyone know if the new AZA friend membership would allow me to download husbandry manuals, or does one have to work for a zoological institution to have access to those?
AZA Friend Membership
- Thread starter BedildaSue
- Start date
Im not sure anyone will just share their account because all of their personal info is attached to the account including the credit card number used to join.
I had one last year. Just wait until July and spring for it. It will only be for $15 and even though it says is for 6 months by the time the realize your not about to pay them again you really get 9 months. Why pay full price for just 3 more months? Dont get their magazine for the extra money. Its completely professional oriented. 90% adds for zoo products and services. A couple articles on ongoing research which I usually found way about my head. And outdated birth announcements sometimes out by several months and not for all species just a handful. I wouldnt make the mistake of ordering it again.
There arent a ton of husbandry manuals available online though. I think there's like 15 of them spanning maybe 25 species. Some are online for free already. I know the Red Panda one is definitely. I think Lions are. You would just have to try a general search. You may get lucky.
I dont know what your after but sometimes the TAGs and SSPs have additional info on keeping the species. There are increasingly recommended mixed species info. Last year started with none and by March when I got cut off there were maybe 8 TAGs that had something. Not always full things but some are quite involved.
If you can wait the month out definitely get a membership yourself. It is very interesting. And really what other form of entertainment can you think of that costs just $15 for 9 months of fun. Although I probably got more enjoyment out of it then a sane person should.
I had one last year. Just wait until July and spring for it. It will only be for $15 and even though it says is for 6 months by the time the realize your not about to pay them again you really get 9 months. Why pay full price for just 3 more months? Dont get their magazine for the extra money. Its completely professional oriented. 90% adds for zoo products and services. A couple articles on ongoing research which I usually found way about my head. And outdated birth announcements sometimes out by several months and not for all species just a handful. I wouldnt make the mistake of ordering it again.
There arent a ton of husbandry manuals available online though. I think there's like 15 of them spanning maybe 25 species. Some are online for free already. I know the Red Panda one is definitely. I think Lions are. You would just have to try a general search. You may get lucky.
I dont know what your after but sometimes the TAGs and SSPs have additional info on keeping the species. There are increasingly recommended mixed species info. Last year started with none and by March when I got cut off there were maybe 8 TAGs that had something. Not always full things but some are quite involved.
If you can wait the month out definitely get a membership yourself. It is very interesting. And really what other form of entertainment can you think of that costs just $15 for 9 months of fun. Although I probably got more enjoyment out of it then a sane person should.
I think you misunderstood the original question. There is a new (2013) category of membership called the Friend Membership, which allows private non-zoo individuals (i.e. any average person who is not employed or involved with an AZA facility) to become a member.
You are right. I did misread. I will chalk it up to a late night reading. Sorry about that.
You do get access to the limited care manuals available. It appears that more will be coming online eventually. You get access to all of the studbooks, SSPs, TAGs, and some mixed species compatiblity studies too. Well that is all dependant on the books having been uploaded. There are things that haven't been uploaded yet or are really out of date (the 2002 Cattle Tag stands out in my mind). But it has to be a lot of work to gather up the info and upload it, yet it is constantly being done. Every month there seems to be new SSPs and studbooks in particular being updated.
Even for just the person who is casually interested in all that the AZA has to offer its well worth the membership. Especially come July because at this point buying for full price you have already lost the first 4 and a half months of a full year membership.
You do get access to the limited care manuals available. It appears that more will be coming online eventually. You get access to all of the studbooks, SSPs, TAGs, and some mixed species compatiblity studies too. Well that is all dependant on the books having been uploaded. There are things that haven't been uploaded yet or are really out of date (the 2002 Cattle Tag stands out in my mind). But it has to be a lot of work to gather up the info and upload it, yet it is constantly being done. Every month there seems to be new SSPs and studbooks in particular being updated.
Even for just the person who is casually interested in all that the AZA has to offer its well worth the membership. Especially come July because at this point buying for full price you have already lost the first 4 and a half months of a full year membership.