JAZA - new policy for ex situ breeding in Japanese zoos

[Kifaru Bwana]

This implementation plan by JAZA has so far been applied to 50+ species, mostly endangered or threatened taxa. Everything from husbandry, enclosure size, animal management et cetera were looked into leading up to minimum standards for these species. The photos below show Malayan tapir and black rhino as examples. Issues of concern that should be dealt with are animal welfare and social stress et cetera. At the end of 2020 around 90 species should have been reviewed. The policy will be rolled out across the entire 148 zoo/aquaria strong membership of JAZA, especially when renovations and/or new breeding plans are made per zoo(s).

Link: 動物に優しい動物園ってどんな場所？　協会が自主規制へ：朝日新聞デジタル


This item was posted in another in zoo thread. I have now created a new thread to discuss its impact on Japanese zoos with JAZA as there is value in doing so.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

The transcript read:

QUOTE: "
[PR]
Sufficient space, soil ground with less strain on the legs, break room with air conditioning. The environment of animals bred and exhibited in zoos and aquariums will change. From this year, the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA) has decided to establish guidelines to voluntarily regulate the size and structure of breeding facilities. The purpose is to bring it closer to the natural environment and reduce stress on animals.
The staff of JAZA member zoos and aquariums took about two years to first put together a concrete plan of "guidelines for proper breeding facilities" for about 50 species of animals. Determine the area required for each animal, the material of the floor, the size of the aquarium, the appropriate room temperature, etc. for each animal. For animals that live in groups, "one male elephant, three females if possible" and "more than 10 Humboldt penguins".
In the plan, by the end of this year, guidelines will be prepared for about 90 species of animals, mainly rare animals. In the future, we plan to extend it to all breeding and exhibited animals. It is applied when 148 gardens (as of December 2019), which are members of JAZA, renovate breeding facilities or introduce new animals."
UNQOUTE

Feel free to comment!

OR: If you happen to come across more information of this new policy or new species initiatives for threatened and endangered species in JAZA zoos that have bearing on the overall population in Japanese zoos, I would appreciate if you put it in here.

 

[TNT]

Thanks for the update - my dissertation heavily features zoological associations, so it's good to see such information being shared and updated

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

I would be interested in finding out what impact this new policy will have on ex-situ initiatives for native Japanese endangered species in JAZA zoos.

 

[PossumRoach]

I know that this is a late reply but honestly it is sad or even pathetic that a zoo association in a first world country such as Japan had to come up with such rules at the late 2010s, especially after pressure from foreign animal welfare and rights activists. If JAZA members did try to fix things earlier, zoos would have had better breeding populations and animals with better welfare. But they didn’t and many animal populations such as African elephants and Gorillas are compromised or nonexistent in Japan. Most species which cannot be replaced due to health laws, and cites are already on the brink and young zoo and animal enthusiasts in Japan can only see some species on books or by visiting outside the country either to the wild or zoos in another country. Truly disappointing.