Invitation to Zoo Survey Capacity Building Workshop in Malaysia

[Guest guest]

INVITATION TO ZOO SURVEY CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP IN MALAYSIA

 

Across Malaysia, thousands of animals languish in substandard and often

appalling conditions in zoos. Standards often fall far short of the basic SEAZA

(South East Asian Zoos Association) guidelines.

 

Malaysia has over 40 zoos, and there is an urgent need for many of them to make

improvements to the welfare of the animals they house to alleviate animal

suffering.

 

Zoo Survey work is an area of animal welfare work that has generally been

overlooked. However, as poor welfare is affecting so many captive wild animals,

day after day, a concerted effort needs to be made to urgently to address the

problem.

 

Ideally, these efforts should be spearheaded by animal welfare organisations

within Malaysia itself. As such, ACRES, together with the World Society for the

Protection of Animals (WSPA) is organising a second capacity-building workshop

(conducted in English) in Malaysia for local NGOs interested in addressing the

problem of poor captive animal welfare and starting their own Zoo Survey work,

whether on a small or large scale. The first such workshop was held in June

2009.

 

We would like to invite representatives from Malaysian animal protection

organisations to join us at this Zoo Survey workshop, to learn more about Zoo

Survey work and how your organisation can become actively involved in efforts to

improve captive animal welfare in Malaysia.

 

The workshop details are as follows:

22nd – 27th March 2010.

Venue: The Federal Kuala Lumpur: 35 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur,

Malaysia.

Time: 9am – 5pm daily.

 

Topics covered in the workshop include:

 

History of zoos.

The welfare and needs of animals in captivity.

Introduction to abnormal and stereotypic behaviours.

How to conduct a Zoo Survey.

How to conduct a scientific behavioural study.

Developing a campaign to improve the welfare of captive animals.

The captive dolphin industry.

There will also be a field trip to conduct an actual Zoo Survey.

 

On days five and six (26th and 27th March), there will be presentations by

organisations who joined us at the last workshop, to share what they have been

working on and achievements in the past eight months. We will also discuss

collaborations and how we can move forward, working together, to improve the

welfare of captive animals in Malaysia.

 

The workshop is sponsored by WSPA and there are no registration fees. Lunch and

two tea breaks will be provided daily. For participants not based in Kuala

Lumpur, your accommodation will provided (checking in 21st March and checking

out 28th March) and your return bus fare will also be sponsored.

 

If you or any representatives from your organisation would like to attend please

contact me at amy for more details.

 

 

Best wishes,

Amy

 

Amy Corrigan (BSc) of Education of Cruelty-Free Living Campaigns

ACRES (Animal Concerns Research and Education Society)

www.acres.org.sg

 

91 Jalan Lekar

Singapore 698917

(O): +65 6892 9821

(F): +65 6892 9721

(HP): +65 8168 4355

[Guest guest]

Hi Amy

 

We ran a Zoo Review campaign here in Australia taking into account

many of the issues you listed. Be prepared for years of work. It will

not happen overnight. We also have finally got the Australian govt to

now work on the first enforceable national standards. I am part of

that committee. We won't get everything we want but it is hoped these

standards will see the worse abuses end.

 

We found most of our surveys were rejected until we got a professional

zoologist to do the reports. This does cost but he certainly uncovered

problems that non professionals would not uncover. It is also harder

for the zoos to argue with another zoologist. The professional help

was worth every cent. He had a honours degree in zoology and did

training at Gerald Durrells. The primatologist we used was very good

also. They were not dismissed as animal rights activists so my advice

is pay for professionals. It certainly helps.

 

Lynette

 

 

 

On Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 1:59 PM, Amy Corrigan <amycorrigan77 wrote:

> INVITATION TO ZOO SURVEY CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP IN MALAYSIA

>

> Across Malaysia, thousands of animals languish in substandard and often

appalling conditions in zoos. Standards often fall far short of the basic SEAZA

(South East Asian Zoos Association) guidelines.

>

> Malaysia has over 40 zoos, and there is an urgent need for many of them to

make improvements to the welfare of the animals they house to alleviate animal

suffering.

>

> Zoo Survey work is an area of animal welfare work that has generally been

overlooked. However, as poor welfare is affecting so many captive wild animals,

day after day, a concerted effort needs to be made to urgently to address the

problem.

>

> Ideally, these efforts should be spearheaded by animal welfare organisations

within Malaysia itself. As such, ACRES, together with the World Society for the

Protection of Animals (WSPA) is organising a second capacity-building workshop

(conducted in English) in Malaysia for local NGOs interested in addressing the

problem of poor captive animal welfare and starting their own Zoo Survey work,

whether on a small or large scale. The first such workshop was held in June

2009.

>

> We would like to invite representatives from Malaysian animal protection

organisations to join us at this Zoo Survey workshop, to learn more about Zoo

Survey work and how your organisation can become actively involved in efforts to

improve captive animal welfare in Malaysia.

>

> The workshop details are as follows:

> 22nd – 27th March 2010.

> Venue: The Federal Kuala Lumpur: 35 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur,

Malaysia.

> Time: 9am – 5pm daily.

>

> Topics covered in the workshop include:

>

> History of zoos.

> The welfare and needs of animals in captivity.

> Introduction to abnormal and stereotypic behaviours.

> How to conduct a Zoo Survey.

> How to conduct a scientific behavioural study.

> Developing a campaign to improve the welfare of captive animals.

> The captive dolphin industry.

> There will also be a field trip to conduct an actual Zoo Survey.

>

> On days five and six (26th and 27th March), there will be presentations by

organisations who joined us at the last workshop, to share what they have been

working on and achievements in the past eight months.  We will also discuss

collaborations and how we can move forward, working together, to improve the

welfare of captive animals in Malaysia.

>

> The workshop is sponsored by WSPA and there are no registration fees. Lunch

and two tea breaks will be provided daily. For participants not based in Kuala

Lumpur, your accommodation will provided (checking in 21st March and checking

out 28th March) and your return bus fare will also be sponsored.

>

> If you or any representatives from your organisation would like to attend

please contact me at amy for more details.

>

>

> Best wishes,

> Amy