DEDICATED TO PROFESSIONAL ANIMAL CARE ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM Volume 1, Number 2 December, 1974 WORLD WILDLIFE FUND APPROVES CONSERVATION GRANTS OF $237,000 Among the re'ci pi ents of the funds were the Phoenix Zoo ($5,000) for the development of a facility to maintain and propagate 20 species of rare and endangered fish native to the Southwest United States, and the Wild Canid Survival and Research Center ($2,000) for costs of publishing the discussion and papers of the Symposium on North American Threatened and Endangered Species, held in Washington, D.C. this June. HEY! CALIFORNIA...! Those of you living in the Great State of California may want to take a look at the state legislation setting up authority concerning standards of care for exotic animals. It's Senate Bill 1766 and the Mammal Standards will be based on the Federal Animal Welfare Act. (AAZPA UmbtoXtan.) A LOSS TO THE PROFESSION . We are sorry to learn of. the death of Michael Quinn, a Keeper at the Bronx Zoo. Mr. Quinn died at the age of 59 on September 25th. He had worked for the Zoo for 40 years. (AAZPA MemleXteA) MERRY CHRISTMAS! This second issue of "Animal Keepers' Forum" is a complimentary copy. We have sent newsletters to as many keepers as is feasible. Still, it is certain that many professional keepers will not receive this newsletter. If you know of someone at your zoo who would be interested, please lend them your copy of AKF, or write for additional copies to be distributed at your zoo or aquarium. AKF is a monthly newsletter dedicated to professional animal keeping. We hope to include articles on keeper education* docent programs* keeper participation in zoo operations* and other varied topics. Our most urgent need is news items and articles. Your observations and exper- iences are of vital importance to other keepers. Send news items and articles to AKF Editorial Staff* c/o Topeka Zoological Park* 635 Gage Blvd.* Topeka* , Kansas 66606 FROM THE AKF STAFF We would like to thank Bela Demeter and all the great keepers at the National Zoo for their moral support and sug- gestions for journalistic improvements. ARTICLES PRINTED MAY NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE AKF STAFF. PAGE TWO MORE ZOO LEGISLATION... On August 19, 1974, a bill was introduced into the House of Representatives calling for a Federal Zoo Accreditation Board. H.R. 16458 is designed to insure that zoos and other animal display facilities maintain minimum standards of care for animal inventories The 26 page bill also provides for technical and financial assistance to zoos and provides for other purposes. The following points of the bill are worth noting... Under Title I, the Accreditation Board is to consist of ten members, appointed by the President, with Senate consent. Each member is to have had practical or professional experience in the care and handling of animals in captivity. The Board will consist of the following persons: 1. One officer or employee of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the USDA. 2. One officer or employee of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- tion of the U.S. Department of Commerce. 3. One officer or employee of the Fish and Wildlife Service of the USDI. 4. Two representatives of animal welfare organizations. 5. One 200 director. 6. One aquarium director. 7. One oceanarium director. 8. One representative of AAZPA. 9. One representative of AAZV. Provisions are made for an advisory committee on Veterinary Science, appointed by the Board Chairman and consisting of the following persons: 1. Three veterinarians in private practice. 2. Three veterinarians employed by private zoos. 3. Three veterinarians employed by public zoos. 4. Three animal behaviorists experienced in the training of terrestrial and aquatic animals. The text under Title II of the bill defines zoos, suggests categories of zoos and suggests four aspects of zoo operation where operating standards are to be set. However, the bill does not restrict the Board to only these four standards; 1. Minimum space and accommodations for species. 2. Minimum professional and non-professional staff. 3. Minimum educational and training requirements for professional and non- professional personnel. 4. Record-keeping and data collection requirements regarding animal inventory. The accredited zoo will be expected to permit an authorized Board representative to enter and inspect the zoo at reasonable times, without advance notice. Also, the zoo must file with the Board information relating to the care and disposition of its animals as the Board requires it. The accredited zoo must also pay an annual fee, not to exceed $500. The bill allows the assessment of civil penalties for violations of accreditation standards and provides for criminal penalties of a zoo that engages in certain commerce while it is not accredited. Private citizens may petition the Board for a review of any zoo's accreditation if the citizen has evidence which it feels is cause for revocation. PAGE THREE Title III of the bill provides for assistance programs to qualified zoos or persons. Technical assistance may be in the form of consultation from experts in the area in question and is designed to aid the zoo in maintaining or complying with accreditation standards. Financial aid may be granted to those institutions or persons engaged in training personnel or conducting research regarding welfare of animals in regulated zoos or regarding procedures of operations. Financial grants applied to training or research may exceed 75% of the total cost of the project. Grants may be made for project assistance* to carry out projects designed to help the zoo meet or maintain the operating standards. Such grants may not exceed 50% of the project cost. Other grants may be let for projects to implement a pilot program of zoo operations or installations, or to establish a survival center for endangered species. The last part of Title III provides loan guarantees to zoos. Title IV establishes funding for the Board. . .$600,000 for administrative costs and $3,000,000 for technical and project assistance. Complete copies of the House Bill No. 16458 may be secured by writing to the House Document Room, U.S. Congress, Washington, D.C. 20515. The staff of the AKF urges each of you to study this bill carefully (we did not find it too technical) and forward your comments to your congressman, AKF or AAZPA. ■*■•*■*■ "ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM" is a nonprofit, independent, nonpolitical, professional newsletter with no affiliation to any organization. Subscription rate is five dollars ($5.00) per year. The "AKF" is compiled and edited in Topeka. Kansas. It is printed in and mailed from St, Paul. Minnesota. Subscription is open to anyone interested in zoos or animals. To subscribe, send check or a money order to Animal Keepers' Forum. 8415 Bacardi AVo W.. Inver Grove Hts.» Minnesota 55075, Please enclose a current address... * * * PRACTICAL HUSBANDRY, MEDICINE AND SURGERY OF CAPTIVE REPTILES is a two-day course to be offered on 8 and 9 March, 1975, at the American Museum of Natural History. It is designed for veterinarians, keeper staff, herpetologists, academic persons, and advanced amateurs. Conducting the course will be Fredric L. Frye, D.V.M. The cost is $60; for American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists it is $50. Information and applications may be obtained from Nathan W. Cohen, University Extension, 2223 Fulton St., Berkeley, California 94720. (Cope-la) AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR Beginning with the January, 1975 issue, "AKF" will go to sub- scribers only (the freebies are over...). However, the New Year will bring a regular veterinary section, dates of upcoming conferences and seminars, more suggested reading, addresses of animal -oriented organizations that every pro keeper should consider joining guest editorials, news and updates on zoo legislation. For $5.00, it can't be heart! SUGGESTED READING Smithsonian, Vol . 5, No. 8, Nov. 1974, pp. 100-107, Estes, Richard D., "Zebras offer ij), Way Wild Horses Once Lived." An excellent piece on zebra behavior. Scientific American, Vol. 231, No. 5, Nov. 1974, pp. 96-105, Warren, James W., "The : Physiology of the Giraffe." An interesting article written in laymen's terms. PAGE FOUR ZOO AND AQUARIUM CAREERS is a pamphlet recently published by the American Assoc- iation of Zoological Parks and AquariUms. The brochure is loaded with good informa- tion on various opportunities in the zoo field. It focuses on some provocative statistics about zoos and the people behind them. "Zoo and Aquarium Careers" should be mandatory for anyone seeking zoo or aquarium employment. Copies may be obtained by writing "AAZPA", Oglebay Park, Wheeling, West Virginia 26003. The cost is lOi each or 5^ each for one hundred or more. NSTITUTJQN LI 3 9088 0 ■1 ES 062 567 MEET THE ARTIST who did such a fine job on our symbolic drawings— the keeper caring, hand with zebras and the wheel representing the animals for which we care. He's Perry LaBelTe, a student at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, a part of the prestigious Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts. Perry became inter- ested in animals and animal care while on a Neighborhood Youth Corps project at St. Paul's Como Zoo. A fine artist, who does work for several local zoological organ- izations, Perry has been kind enough to offer his talents to AKF also. ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM DEDICATED TO PROFESSIONAL ANIMAL CARE. 5 am. U. ST. VMOL, m* V&mT HO. 4766