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ZOO and WILD |
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work together with other institutions and individuals to link zoos, rescue centers, AND botanic gardens with organizations that work with wildlife in the wild for the purpose of education, research, animal welfare and conservation action. |
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ZOO & WILD networks and associates |
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Networks |
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Associates |
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SAZARC |
The South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation (SAZARC) |
The South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation (SAZARC) was formed on 4 August 2000 at the First Meeting of south Asian Zoos, held at Central Zoo, Kathmandu, Nepal, initiated by the Zoo Outreach Organisation / CBSG, South Asia and Central Zoo. Directors, Veterinarians and other senior technical staff attended the meeting and, after giving "state of the zoos" reports for their country and individual zoo reports, agreed that there was a crying need for a zoo association for the region. It was given a name at this meeting: South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Association or SAZARC. The Zoo Outreach Organisation, an NGO started in 1985 to assist zoos, organized this meeting, and become the Administrative Office for the new association for 3-5 years, or until the association could find its feet. South Asia, with its often unstable climatic, geological, economic, bureaucratic and political scenario, is not an easy region in which to run zoos, which are sensitive institutions. At the same time, the potential for zoos is enormous South Asian countries are high in biodiversity and in human population, thus the potential for education is vast. Zoos can also play a role in conservation of biodiversity in South Asia, but there is much work to be done for all the countries' zoos before this can come about. Therefore, involvement of CBSG, South Asia (IUCN SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group's representative in South Asia) is proving very useful.
Objectives
A major objectives of SAZARC was to become a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquaria and take its place in the world zoo community. This objective was realized last year (2004) when SAZARC was granted membership in WAZA, elected by a majority of the WAZA Council.
The purpose of the regional and national associations is noble it is to improve communication and cooperation between zoos within the country, between zoos of the region and internationally as well as to set up standards for animal care, organize training in zoo management, etc.
SAZARC has conducted a meeting every year since its inception ... in 2000 we met at Central Zoo, Nepal; in 2001 we could not meet in South Asia but met along with the South East Asian Zoo Association in Malaysia; in 2002 we met at Dhaka Zoo, Bangladesh; in 2003 it was National Zoo, Sri Lanka; in 2004 we met at Lahore, Pakistan. This coming year we will meet in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
Every year SAZARC conducts training in some aspect of zoo management -- zoo education, zoo conservation, zoo population management, ... this year we are having training in zoo data management and primate taxonomy.
SAZARC also conducts training during the year at time. Last year in 2004 we conducted a training on zoo managment in Pakistan in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad.
SAZARC, Zoo Outreach Organisation and CBSG, South Asia work together with WAZA and the other zoos of the world to raise awareness of good zoo management, good zoo ethics and good animal welfare.
SAZARC collaborated with WAZA and other national and regional associations in writing the World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy, which was just released in May 2005. Zoo Outreach Organisation raised funds and printed a South Asian edition of the strategy, posters and stickers of the cover and summaries in six languages.
SAZARC is still a baby zoo organisation and has much to learn and a long way to develop. But every year our members are more astute and dedicated and we are building strong bonds between zoos of different countries in this region.
To See the report of our meetings Click on the following link
First Annual Conference of "The South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation" held at Nepal in 2000
Second Annual Conference of "The South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation" held at Malaysia in 2001
Third Annual Conference of "The South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation" held at Bangladesh in 2002
Fourth Annual Conference of "The South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation" held at Sri Lanka in 2003
Fifth Annual Conference of "The South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation" held at Pakistan in 2004
SAZARC is a wonderful fellowship of zoo folks !
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| ©2005 Zoo Outreach Organisation |
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Report of the 5th SAZARC Conference, Lahore, Pakistan