by Susan Glon As wildlife and habitats continue to disappear, zoos have become the last sanctuary for many species. In an attempt to preserve the genetic diversity of captive populations, animal transfers between institutions have become routine. However, laws affecting zoos and animal transport require an overwhelming amount of paperwork and a considerable investment of time. Accurate recordkeeping is essential to captive management, starting with LPZ's internal recordkeeping. Keepers at each house maintain a daily log in which they record births and deaths, medical problems and tests done, reproductive behavior (cycling, breeding, or any social interaction), dietary changes or a change in appetite, and anything else of interest. A copy of the daily log is sent to each of the collection managers (Sue Maher, Steve Mathews, Diane Mulkerin, and Alan Varsik) and to the hospital. Primate House Lead Keeper Bonnie Jacobs also keeps a file on each individual animal in which information from the daily logs is recorded. Each animal in our collection has a medical record file that contains an LC (Lincoln Chicago) identification number and information about the animal's birth, offspring, and medical history. A computerized system, MEDARKS (Medical Animal Record Keeping System), also organizes our records and facilitates communication between zoos regarding medical problems. Two other computerized systems aid in animal management and monitoring animals on breeding loans. ISIS (International Species Inventory System), based at the Minnesota State Zoo, maintains a national inventory with a detailed history and location of each individual animal in its database. Zoos send monthly reports to ISIS on acquisitions, loans, and reproduction. LPZ Registrar Joanne Earnhardt also uses ARKS (Animal Record Keeping System) to enter data on each animal's birth date, sex, parents, whether it was captive or wild born, and its reproductive history. Historical information has been added on selected species, such as the western lowland gorilla and the snow leopard. ARKS is currently used by 165 zoos worldwide, which helps make ISIS possible. When an animal is shipped from LPZ, the required documentation varies, depending on whether the transfer is interstate or international; whether the species is managed by an SSP; or whether the transfer is a breeding loan. Documentation is the same for birds, mammals, and reptiles. Collection Managers Maher and Varsik and Assistant Collection Managers Mathews and Mulkerin are responsible for overseeing the completion of documents for their respective areas. As part of their new roles, area supervisors now have greater responsibility for paperwork. Tang and Jin, two female snow leopards born in 1994, were recently transferred to the Franklin Park (MA) Zoo. Since this is an AZA-accredited zoo, an in-house Animal Transaction Form, designating the species, number of animals, and their sex, had to be signed by both institutions. In such a transfer, the recipient must agree to the following terms: the animal and any offspring must be maintained in a manner that will ensure their health and well-being; the animal and any offspring will not be sold, traded, exchanged, or donated to an exotic animal auction, a retail pet store, or any facility for the purpose of sport hunting, and cannot be used in stressful or terminal research; the recipient is responsible for purchasing the necessary licenses and permits and agrees to maintain complete records of this and any subsequent transaction; the recipient is responsible for transport charges. The same form is used for sales, donations, and breeding loans. ...continued in column at right =>

...continued from column at left The receiving institution receives copies of the animal's internal medical records, its ARKS record, and a health certificate certifying that the animal has been examined by a vet and that any required tests were done. For example, zoos may require a tuberculosis test when transporting a hoofed animal or a primate. In addition, state vets have specific (and different) requirements, as do recipient institutions. We are required to supply a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) form, which lists LPZ's license number (the USDA licenses zoos). The recipient signs the form and returns it to us when the transfer is completed. An Animal Data Transfer Form, which details keeper-to-keeper management, is also sent to the recipient. It includes the animal's diet (favorite foods and feeding procedures), reproductive record (introduction techniques and behavior toward young), medical history (response to medicine and recurring physical problems), physical condition, exhibit description, exhibit mates, and any unusual behavior. Coordinating this pile of papers is an "Attention! Animal Shipment!" form, a checklist that is circulated throughout the zoo and indicates who is responsible for completing the various documents. It must be completed and on file prior to shipment. If the recipient is a non-AZA accredited facility or an international zoo, a Recipient Profile is required. This is a lengthy questionnaire designed to determine the kind of licenses and permits the recipient holds, as well as their animal management principles, recordkeeping, and philosophy of animal management. The recipient must also supply references, which require time to check. For example, it took two weeks to check the references of the non-AZA accredited zoo in Mississippi to which black howler monkey Alexander is being sent. The completed profile is reviewed by the Animal Management Committee and, if approved, the procedure continues as above. International transfers also require import and export permits from various agencies. Export permits are issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). If the animal is not shipped by the stated date, we must reapply for the permits. Sometimes, the U.S. government requires documentation from the receiving country before it will begin to process ours. The USDA form is mandatory for an international shipment. For an animal listed on CITES I or II, a permit is required from the USFWS. The documentation accompanying Adelor, our African lion, included import and export permits; an invoice, because fees were involved (the recipient usually pays for the transport); a health certificate stating that he had tested negative for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) and FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus); a CITES permit; and an Exchange Control Declaration (an additional export permit required by South Africa). Species Survival Plans (SSPs) are cooperative breeding programs designed to maintain genetic diversity within a captive population. SSPs manage the individuals of a selected species as a single population, regardless of who owns them and where they reside. A studbook keeper is responsible for maintaining the inventory and breeding records of all individuals, using a computer program, SPARKS (Single Population Animal Record Keeping System). The SSP species coordinator and the propagation group develop a master plan and recommend reproductive pairings of specific animals. When the SSP recommends a move, LPZ receives a letter from the coordinator explaining why the animal is to be moved. If an SSP animal is being shipped out of the United States, the species coordinator sends a letter of justification to the USFWS stating that the move has been evaluated and is supported and recommended by the propagation group. The recommendation is then reviewed by the USFWS. If an SSP animal is to be traded or sold, permits are required because of the animal's endangered status. The Wild Canid Survival and Research Center in St. Louis, a non-AZA accredited facility, was interested in acquiring maned wolves from LPZ. Only after Maned Wolf SSP requirements were met and a team visited the facility and approved it, was LPZ comfortable sending animals there. SSP approval also expedites a Recipient Profile. The goal of a breeding loan is to place an animal in the best possible captive situation to ensure long-term captive propagation. A loan allows us to retain ownership and management of animals that we do not have room to exhibit or maintain. Earnhardt is responsible for drawing up the loan agreement that is kept on record at both zoos. The agreement identifies potential breeding partners, the length of the loan, and the ownership of any offspring. The two-way standard agreement designates LPZ as the owner of the first female, the recipient as the owner of the first male, and then offspring are alternated. The three-way standard designates the owner of the female to receive the first offspring, the owner of the male the second, and the holding institution the third. Loans are reviewed annually to determine the health of the animal and its reproductive status. Animal transfers can become quite complicated. Delays are usually caused by medical testing requirements. The time frame for the completion of the documentation depends on the animal's destination. In-state transfers are the fastest. When Mukah, our young orangutan, was sent to Brookfield Zoo, the paperwork took only one to two weeks to complete. Interstate transfers take about the same time, with delays due to the time required to send the signed forms back and forth. For an international shipment, the federal agency process takes longer: three to four months. Acquiring our male white-cheeked gibbons from the Duisberg Zoo in Germany took about one year. According to Earnhardt, the more restrictions involved, the longer it takes.