South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation SAZARCHow many zoos ? The number of zoosin the world is not known actually, thenumber varying according to anindividual's definition of what qualifiesas a zoo. The size, quality and ethicalbehaviour of institutions which keepanimals in captivity for public viewingvaries enormously: size being fromless than half an acre to more than3000 acres; their quality varies fromunconsciousable to excellent and thebehaviour of their operators can rangefrom disreputable to highlyresponsible.

If we limit the description of a zoo to"recognised" or "established" zoo, wehave a better idea of the numberbecause most recognised zoos areconnected to a national or regionalassociation and most "established"zoos are connected to a government.This description is not exact, however,so there is no precisely correct list ornumber even of established zoos.There are an estimated 1000organised zoos in the world, most ofwhich belong to a national or regionalassociation.

Zoo Conservation : Virtually all effectivezoo conservation activities todayinvolves communication, collaborationand coordination at a national, regionalor global or international level. We callthese "C" words the "Three C's ofConservation", as they are soimportant.

There are 16 regional or national zooassociations which are members ofthe World Association of Zoos andAquaria and a few which are notmembers. In WAZA, there are comm-ittees which facilitate the "Three C's ofConservation" including the Committeefor Inter-regional Communication inConservation (CIRCC) of which zooassocations may become members.

In the world today, a zoo is very much ata disadvantage unless it belongs to anactive national or regional associationwhich is involved with the World ZooAssociation. Until 2000, South Asiawas one of the only major regionswithout a zoo association. Now, SouthAsian Zoo Association for RegionalCooperation (SAZARC) is trying to fillthat gap, and this new association heldits 3rd annual meeting in October inDhaka, Bangladesh. The followingReport covers that meeting.

Pre-conferencepanic ! Lastminute details ofthe 3rd SAZARCconference werediscussed at theCurator's office,Dhaka Zoo whereeven the DirectorGeneral, Dept. ofLivestock Ser-vices took somuch interestand discussed allaspects of themeeting so thatall arrangementswent verysmoothly.

SAZARCmembers andresourcepersons seatedtogether at theinauguralfunction from leftto right first row:M.M. Qazi,Karachi Zoo; G.K.Dubey, Bhilai Zoo;Brig H.A.N.T.Perera, ColomboZoo and R. K.Sahu,Ahmedabad Zoo.

Bangladeshofficials andNGO's turned outin good numbersfor the SAZARCinaugural. TheDhaka Zooprovided a veryattractive folderand zoo guide forattendees toperuse whilewaiting for theinauguralfunction to begin.This event was agood publicity forthe Bangladeshzoos.

Many Thanks to our Donors for Sponsorship ofSAZARC meeting and Management Training !

Inaugural Ceremony of the 3rd Annual Meeting and Workshop of SouthAsian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation (SAZARC)October 6-11, 2002The Inaugural ceremony for the 3rd AnnualSAZARC meeting was held in the lavishauditorium of the IDB Bhavan, Sher-E-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. TheCurator, Mr. Omar Faruk opened the functionwith his remarks.

A Welcome Address was given by Md.Nurul Islam, Director GeneralDepartment of Livestock Services,Bangladesh

Assalamu Alaikum

It is a priviledge and great pleasure for me towelcome you all to the 3rd Annual Meetingand Workshop of South Asian ZooAssociation for Regional Cooperation

(SAZARC). I would like to offer my heartfeltgratitude & thanks to our honourableMinister and Chief Guest of the workshopfor sparing some valuable time despite of

his busy state schedule. I heartily welcomeall the Scientists, Resource Persons andParticipants from home and abroad forjoining and enriching the workshop. I alsothank the Zoo Outreach Organisation,Coimbatore, India for their generouscooperation and assistance to organize theworkshop. The Theme of the workshop“Zoo Management for Conservation &Welfare of Wildlife” has been chosen well.

Dhaka Zoo was developed from a smallmenagerie of 1940’s through a series oftransformations. A master plan wasdesigned and approved in 1960’s toestablish a modern zoological garden atMirpur located at the outskirts of Dhaka.Since inception, Dhaka Zoo has been one ofthe main centers of recreation andeducation of people from all walks of life.The Department of Livestock Services,Bangladesh has been entrusted with overallmanagement and welfare of Dhaka Zoo.Besides, under this department there isanother Zoo located at Rangpur. ZoologicalGardens are generally thought to be thecentre for recreation and learning aboutwildlife. But the traditional concepts andideas about objectives of zoos are changinghas been trying to reorient its programmeand activities with the changed worldviewtoward zoos. Dhaka Zoo has successfullypropagated two locally extinct species likecommon peafowl and nilgai, and a goodnumber of threatened species like RoyalBengal Tiger, Rock Python, Sambar, Leopardand Common Langur. Moreover, Dhaka Zoo

has propagated some exotic species likeRhea, Indian Lion, Silver Pheasant, WaterBuck, Baboon and Mandrill.

This new area of conservation andconservation breeding needs cooperationand collaboration among countries andagencies. Eminent experts from SAZARCwill address this area in the next sessions.I firmly believe that Dhaka Zoo and zooexperts will be benefited from sharingexperiences with a group of learnedprofessionals. Besides GovernmentZoological Gardens, private organizationsand persons run some zoos. We deeplyfeel the need of legislation and standardsetting for zoo management. Introduction oflegislation and standard setting will help thestate owned and private zoological gardensto improve their situation.

Here I would like to inform you that“Bangladesh Zoo Association (BZA)” hasalready been formed with the repre-sentatives of all zoos in Bangladesh. It isreally a milestone for better cooperation andco-ordination among zoos of the country.

Dhaka Zoo, in addition to its management ofcaptive animals is an excellent site forseasonal habitat of migratory birds. DhakaZoo is trying to develop a temporarysanctuary of migratory birds. We have totake concerted efforts and exchange ofideas regarding safety and welfare of theseinvaluable treasures of the globe.I once again thank you all for joining us from

Curator, Mr. Omar Faruk

Md. Nurul Islam, Director GeneralDepartment of Livestock Services

The officials and dignitaries on the dias at the inaugural function.

home and abroad. I am particularly thankfulto SAZARC and Ms. Sally Walker for hertechnical support to hold the workshop. Ithank our honourable Secretary andChairman of the session for his constantinspiration and guidance. I would like toexpress my sincere gratitude to ourHonourable Minister and Mayor of DhakaCity Corporation for his keen interest inholding the workshop. It is really a greatpleasure for all us and we have been verymuch delighted and encouraged by yourkind presence. I wish you all a pleasant timeat the workshop and outside the venue.I offer my best wishes to all for asuccessful and productive gathering atDhaka Zoo. I wish the workshop a grandsuccess.Allah Hafez.

The Inaugural Address was givenby Chief Guest Sadeque Hossain KhokaM.P. Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Fisheries &Livestock, Government of the People’sRepublic of Bangladesh and Mayor, DhakaCity Corporation.

Assalamu Alaikum,

I take it as an honour for me to be with thislearned audience here today at theSAZARC conference. I welcome you alland extend my heartfelt thanks to theorganizers of this meet of great importanceand particular relevance to the globalconcern for conservation of nature and bio-diversity.

The countries of the South Asian regiontake a justifiable pride in their richness inwildlife, and abundance that is attributablemainly to a favourable climate and a caringpopulation. The variety and richness ofwildlife habitat in South Asia for long havebeen attracting the attention of

conservationists and environmentalists theworld over.

South Asia now faces the threat of adiminished glory in this respect. Populationboom and the consequent pressure on landand natural resources, the gradual rise ofsea levels and many other factors havebeen contributing to the depletion ofwildlife in the region.

The focus on the expected role of zooshas therefore shifted, over the recentyears, from the conventional practice ofanimal keeping for public exhibition to amore challenging task of wildlifeconservation.

It is in this context that the conference weare attending now is of enormoussignificance. The government in Bangla-desh, in its commitment to protect nature,save the ecosystem and conserve bio-diversity, has launched vigorous and well-meant programs covering the whole gamutof the sector.

Conservation of bio-diversity, as all of usknow, is integral to protection of nature andenvironment. The role of Zoos inconserving the endangered species ofwildlife is vital for a true accomplishment ofthe job.

The present SAZARC conference, I amsure, would broaden the scope of sharedideals and help guide the professionals, inthe sector to better management andgreater successes in their noble mission.

Technical cooperation among Zoos in SouthAsia is very important as the countries inthe region share identical experiences andface identical problems and threats, bothnatural and otherwise.

I once again thank the organizers to giveme an opportunity to be among you forsome time. I wish you a nice stay at Dhaka.I declare the workshop open. Thank you all.Allah Hafez.Dr. Zahurul Karim, Secretary, Ministry of

Sadeque Hossain Khoka M.P. Hon.Minister, Fisheries & Livestock

Dr. Zahurul Karim, Secretary, Ministryof Fisheries & Livestock

Fisheries & Livestock, also gave an excellentspeech about the importance of zoos andthe crying need for environmental alertness,which is not reproduced here.

Dr. Miranda Stevenson conveyed herpleasure toparticipate in theconference andher feelingsabout theimportance ofsuch gatheringsand training forthe future ofwildlife and thequality of zoos.

Sally Walkerspoke about the difficulties of running ascientific institution which keeps delicatewild animals,hopes to breedthem forconservation butemploys illiterateworkers to dothe mostimporant jobsand also allowsthe public toenter and seethe animals daily.She asked if aspace station ormedicallaboratory could be run under suchcircumstances ? She also commented on thefact that accidents of the type whichoccurred in Dhaka Zoo just before theconference, take place everywhere wildanimals are kept in captivity. Accidents alsooccur on the road, she said, but there is nooutcry to set up inquiry commission andtransfer PWD officials ! She hoped theregional meeting and training would give akick start to national zoo legislation inBangladesh.

fter the inaugural, a lavish tea was served to all attendees. Officials and foreign delegates spokewith the press about SAZARC and various zoo issues in theregion. After tea, participants and a few inaugural inviteesreturned to the inaugural hall where each participantintroduced himself by name, profession and place. Aninteractive discussion was held in which participants wereinvited to tell what they expected from the workshop either bywriting their feelings on a piece of paper or sharing it aloudwith the group. Some of the expections follow :

Ms. Uzma Khan, Education Officer, Zoological GardensLahore, Pakistan-- I expect that along with the exchange of animals, Zoos canjust give their animals on loan to handle the problem ofinbreeding and also because sometimes zoos only haveone specimen of the species.-- Surplus, hybrid & inbred animals are also quiteproblematic, therefore, contraception of zoo animals needsto highlighted especially for the felids (tigers & lions).-- I also expect to play an effective role in bringing aboutchange in zoos in Pakistan by bringing together people toformulate a zoo legislation & association.

Md. Monwar Hussain, Assistant Professor, Department ofZoology, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh-- Spread up cooperation among zoo people, researchers,organization people and University teachers/researchers toprepare and formulate a very potential measure for themaximum benefit from SAZARC to this country.

M. A. Razzadul, Former Director-General, Department ofLivestock Services, Dhaka, Bangladesh-- exchange of zoo personnel for better vision & sharingknowledge.-- formulate strategy for strengthing of 3 C’s-- exchange of zoo animals among the regional zoos to avoidinbreeding hazards-- attract the donors to help financially to develop zoo’s of theregion since environmental aspects is taken care ofconservation & educational to children about wildlife in veryconcerning the environmentalists.

Dr. M. Mujaffar Hussain, Professor, Department of AnimalScience, Bangladesh Agricultural University, B.A.U.,Mymensingh, Bangladesh-- To know the role of modern zoo for conservation of wildlife-- Wildlife education at school, college and university levels-- Constraints of zoo management-- Regional and international cooperation of wild animalresource persons and institution-- Execution of wild animal conservation Act.

Dr. Reza Khan, Head of Zoo section, Dubai Zoo, UAESAZARC should address:-- right of animals in Bangladesh zoos-- strict safety measures and protocols needed for these-- to develop a zoo management policy

M. Anisuzzaman Khan, Head, Biodiversity ConservationUnit, IUCN-Bangladesh-- How the zoos could play more effective role in materializ-ing the global zoo conservation strategy at national level?-- Guiding tools for linking ex situ & in situ programme atpolicy & project level.-- Enhancement of local capacity in re-organization towardsintegration of recreation & awareness for animal well-being.

Ali Akbar, Engr. , Dhaka Zoo-- How the structure of zoo is maintained in the SAZARCRegion-- Whether they have any annual budget provision tomaintained their cages?-- if there remain any engineering set-up in those zoos?It is a fact that Dhaka Zoo is lagging behind those.

R. K. Sahu, Kamala Nehru Zoo, Ahmedabad, India-- Exchange of techniques/technologies, ideas &cooperation of different countries of South Asian Zoos.

Dr. A.N.M. Aminoor Rahman, Assistant Professor (Vet.Med.), Bangladesh Open University, Bangladesh-- How we can improve/regional cooperation among thezoos in South Asia?-- How we can improve the condition of Dhaka zoo towards aconservation and wildlife breeding culture?

A

Director General, Department of LivestockServices relates his expectations

Adit Pal, Resource Person, Landscape Architecttalks about his hopes for the workshop

-- How we can educate general people about the role ofmodern zoo as a conservation education centre?

Dr. G.K. Dubey, Bhilai Zoo, India-- strengthening regional cooperation (ways & means)-- exchange the view on various managemental topics-- progressive rules and regulation help in wildlife or zoomanagement.-- conservation education programme in SAZARC countries.

Dr. A.K.M. Fazlul Huque, Professor, Department of MedicineFaculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh AgriculturalUniversity, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.-- Experience: Have been teaching zoo animal medicine(theory and practical) to the students of veterinary scienceleading to the degree of DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine).Badly needed and desire for special training in the field ofZoo Management, Education and Research for Conservationand Welfare of Zoo and Wild Animals for quality teaching toveterinary students the future personnel’s of zoo

Dr. Kazi Towsid Ali , P.S.O., L’R’, Muhakhali, Dhaka.I hope SAZARC’s 3rd annual meeting & workshop on zoomanagement for conservation & welfare of wildlife

inaugurated on 6th Oct 2002 in IBD Bangladesh will be verymuch effective for a educating us for proper management ofzoo animal for preserving wildlife for saving wildlife forsaving environment.A Zoo is not only essential for keen recreation for thepersons of all ages but it is required for scientific research &biodiversification.From the speech of Sally Walker & Dr. Miranda & from thediscussion of the participants it is clear that some legislationmay come in force & some other points will be made.

Brig. H.A.N.T. Perera, Director, National Zoological Gardens,Sri Lanka.-- The SAZARC presently is behind the other national andregional zoo associations; should catch up with thedeveloping world. Comparing to other regions the SAZARCcountries are rich in natural resources. Hence I wish that the3rd Annual meeting will enhance the bonding and cooper-ation between our Zoos.-- Help each other to improve the areas where we lack.-- Arrange good exchange programmes with the resourcesavailable.-- To arrange some keeper training exchange programmes(to see the feasibility of this aspect)-- Touch upon the techniques in the reintroductionprogrammes; main ingredients is a reintroduction set up

Muhammad Mansoor Qazi, Director, Karachi Zoo andSafari Park, Pakistan-- Modern tools and techniques for captive populationmanagement.-- Training of zoo personnel in different fields of zoomanagement.

Md. Shamsur Rahman-- to learn how the threatened species can be brought backto Nature after captive breeding. It means reintroduction ofanimals.

Shrinia Khatur, DCF, Forest Department, Bangladesh-- Private zoo & its management, Its merits & demerits.Control of Government over private zoo.-- Role of zoos to develop economy of the country-- Need of co-ordination or relationship between rules &regulation if different organisation for ensuring wildlife.-- Role of zoos to develop private Wildlife Farms.

R.K. Shrestha, Director, Central Zoo, NepalInterested to strengthen-- Regional cooperation & understanding-- Understanding issues (if any) and solutions-- How to sustain SAZARC

Jayanthi Alahakoon, Veterinary Officer, NationalZoological Gardens, Sri Lanka-- to learn more on what should be introduced with regard toanimal welfare for the zoo exhibits-- ethics/policies/legislation supply to minimise thevandalism-- strengthen the SAZARC for it to continue successfully-- exchange of excess stock-- to share the experience

Dammika Malsinghe, Asst. Director, National ZoologicalGardens, Sri LankaEach country has its own legislation on animals. Whenregional cooperation is established, how it could affectlegislation of each country especially animal exchangeprogrammes.

Sally Walker, Zoo Outreach Organisation, Coimbatore,India-- I hope SAZARC members would grow closer and becomemore aware of what they individually can do to forward theassociation. A mechanism for communication already existswith a Newsletter, email, etc. I hope after this third meetingour members would avail what is already available andmake it work for themselves and the association.-- I hope to get a good President this year who will keep hiscommitments, really work for the association, and takeSAZARC to the next level towards independence.

Inaugural LectureDr. Miranda Stevenson, Principle Trainer, is a long timemember of the zoo community of Great Britain and even theglobal zoo community. Dr. Stevenson started her career as azookeeper at Marwell Zoo, having graduated from TrinityCollege, Dublin, Ireland, with a degree in Natural Sciences.Miranda's career in zoos progress straight up to Curator andDirector as she earned a Masters and Ph.D. in biologicalsciences and then an MBA simultaneously. Miranda hasserved on numerous prestigeous committees in the zoo,wildlife, and welfare community, including various legislativeand inspection committees. Miranda promoted collectionplanning and species coordination many years ago, wellbefore it was an accepted management strategy.Miranda began her teaching with an introductory talk ‘ZooManagement for Conservation and Welfare’. This wasintended as an overview to the areas that would be covered

in the conference, e.g., reference to the World ZooConservation Strategy and the evolution of zoos frommenageries to conservation centres. She explained that it isessential that one takes nothing for granted in descriptionsand is clear about what is unacceptable accommodation.Thus it is essential to make it clear that in the "livingmuseum" type environment where the animals weredisplayed in small unsuitable cages as curiosities with theemphasis being on quantity of species displayed rather thanquality of life. She explained that this was now simply notacceptable in today's zoo scenario.

The concept of "C.A.R.E.R." (the five pillars on which themodern zoo stands: Conservation, Animal Welfare,Recreation, Education and Research) was introduced.

Conservation

Animal WelfareRecreation

Education

Research

This was a major theme of the conference and attractivebanners displaying the acronym had been prepared. Themeaning of the five terms was briefly described. Theconcept of managed breeding programmes and their role inthe ex situ conservation role of zoos was explained, using asimple diagram to explain self-supporting captivepopulations. The three Cs of Conservation (Cooperation,Communication and Coordination, a theme often used bySally) were also introduced, in terms of managedcooperative breeding programmes.

The fact that animal welfare and conservation wereinextricably linked was emphasised throughout thepresentation. After this presentation and discussion, withpeople from the floor making interesting contributions, weset out for the Zoo tour.

Miranda began her teaching with the theme presentation'Zoo Management for Conservation and Welfare’.

The Zoo Tour

The participants were treated then to avisit to the Dhaka Zoo, which had beengiven a sprucing up in preparation forthe conference, with fresh paint andplantings, a new guidebook and otherfittings.

The first event in the tour was to taketea with Mr. Omar Faruk, Dhaka ZooCurator in his office, at which time Brig,H.A.N.T. Perera, Director of the NationalZoological Gardens, Sri Lankapresented a beautiful ornamentalelephant ankus to the Curator and hisimmediate peers and staff. This giftwas much appreciated and was hungin state above the desk of the curator.

Participants were then taken aroundthe zoo for the whole of the afternoon.They were shown all enclosures, oldand new, and told about the history andplans for the future of the Dhaka Zoo.

The foreign delegates very muchappreciated the potential of the DhakaZoo with its lush vegetation, generoussize, convenient location andenormous visitation.

A visit to the zoo was just the righttouch to kick off the remainder of theconference, which consisted of zoopresentations from each and every zoorepresentative, technical presentationsby invited resource persons, meetingsof SAZARC with committee reports anddiscussions of SAZARC business andspecial working groups in subjectareas of importance to the zoos ofSouth Asia.

Director, National Zoo, Sri Lanka presents ornamental Ankus toCurator, Dhaka Zoo

Zoo tour

Foreign Participants

IndiaDr. Ganesh Kumar DubeyVeterinary Officer, Maitri Baag Zoo7A, South Park Avenue, Sector 9Bhilai 490 006

Dr. R.K. SahuZoo SuperintendentKamala Nehru Zoological GardenKankaria, Ahmedabad 380 008

Dr. N.V.K. Ashraf, Coordinator-Wild RescueWildlife Trust of IndiaC-644, II Floor, New Friends ColonyNew Delhi 110 065

Ms. Sally Walker, Founder/Hon. DirectorZoo Outreach Organisation29/1, First Cross, Bharathi ColonyP.Box 1683, Peelamedu, Coimbatore 641 004

Mr. Sanjay Molur, Deputy DirectorZoo Outreach Organisation29/1, First Cross, Bharathi ColonyP.Box 1683, Peelamedu, Coimbatore 641 004

Mr. Adit Pal, Landscape architect92, Nilgiri ApartmentsNew Delhi 110019

Dr. B.A. Daniel, ScientistZoo Outreach Organisation29/1, Bharathi ColonyP.Box 1683, Peelamedu, Coimbatore 641 004

NepalMr. R.K. Shreshta, DirectorKMTC/Central Zoo, Jawalakhel,P.O. Box 3712Kathmandu

PakistanMr. Mansoor QaziDirector, Karachi Zoo and Safari ParkA-71 Block – 3, Gulshan-E-IqbalKarachi

Ms. Uzma KhanEducation OfficerZoological Gardens LahoreShahrah-e-Quaid-e-AzamLahore 54000

Sri LankaBrig H.A.N.T. PereraDirector, National Zoological GardensDehiwala, Colombo

Dr. Jayanthi AlahakoonDeputy Director & Vety. Officer of NationalZoological GardensDehiwala, Colombo

Mrs. Dammika MalsingheAssistant Director (General) of NationalZoological GardensDehiwala, Colombo

United Arab EmiratesDr. Reza KhanDirector, Dubai ZooDubai, United Arab Emirates

United KingdomMiranda Stevenson, Retd DirectorZoo ConsultantAshlea, DeanLaneBishops Waltham SO32 1X, U.K.

Local ParticipantsDr. Muhammad Salehaddin Khan,Deputy Director,Central Poultry farm, Mirpur, Dhaka

Dr. Feroz Md. Shafiqul IslamDeputy CuratorZoological Servey, Mirpur, Dhaka

Dhaka Zoo PersonnelA.K.M. Omar FaruqCurator, Dhaka Zoo

Dr. Jatindra Nath DasDeputy Curator

Dr. Khudesta Akter BegumU.L.O. Shibaloy, Deputation Zoo

Dr. Md. Salim IqbalVeterinary Surgeon

Mr. Md. Waliur Rahman Akand,Zoo Officer

Mr. Mohd. Liaquat Ali,Officer In Charge, Museum

Mr. Md. Abu Syed Md. Kamal,Publicity Officer

Mr. Md. Rafiqul Islam,Zoo Officer

Mr. Ratan Kumar Mondal,Zoo Officer

Dr. Ahmed Ziaur RahmanScientific Officer

Mr. Ali AkbarAssistant Engineer

Mr. A.K.M Lutfur Rahman Siddique,Fisheries Officer

Other Bangladesh ZoosDr. Arabinda Kumar Saha,Deputy Curator,Rangpur Zoo, Rangpur

Capt. Prakash Chadra DasJahanabad Cantonment ZooJahanabad Cantonment, Khulna

Dr. A.K.M. Saifuddin, Associate ProfessorChittagong Govt. Veterinary College.ChittagongMr. A.T.S. Fazleh Elahi, Zoo Supervisor,

Kurmitola Golf Club Mini Zoo.Dhaka Cantonment, Dhaka.

Mr. S.M. Morshed, SecretaryDistrict CouncilComilla Zoo, Comilla

Mr. Sheikh Abdul Gaffer (ADC)Chief Revenue OfficerRajshahi Zoo, Rajshahi

Dr. Mrinal Kanti MitraDistrict Veterinary OfficerDistrict Veterinary Hospital(Rep. of Jahanabad cant- Zoo.)

Dr. Anisuzzaman Khan, Pgm Off.IUCN Bangladesh Country OfficeHouse -11, Road -138Gulshan 1, Dhaka -1212.

Md. Abdul Baset, Asstt. Professor.Government Veterinary College.Tilagor, Sylhet.

Ms. Begum Shirina KhatunAssistant Conservator of Forest (wildlife)Department of ForestBon Vaban, Mohakhali, Dhaka.

Mr. Enam-ul Haque,President, Bangladesh Birds Club.M.D. GQ Group of Company331/2 Tajuddin RoadBara Mogbazar, Dhaka 1217.

Dr. A.N.M Aminoor Rahman, Asstt.Professor, SARD, Bangladesh OpenUniversity, Gajipur, 1705.

Dr. A.K.M. Fazlul HoqueDepartment of MedicineFaculty of Veterinary Medicine.BAU. Mymensingh.

Prof. Dr. M. Mujaffar HossainDept, of Animal ScienceFaculty of Animal HusbandryBAU.Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Md. Samsur Rahman, DirectorNational Botanical GardenMirpur, Dhaka

Md. Abdul Mannan. Asstt. Director, D.L.S.Deputation-Chittagong Zoo, Chittagong

Dr. M. Motiur Rahman, DirectorNational Herbarium, Mirpur, Dhaka

Dr. Anwarul Islam, ProfessorDepartment of Zoology,Dhaka, University.

Dr. M.M. Feeroz, Associate Professor,Department of Zoology.Jahangirnagar UniversityDhaka

Participants of the 3rd SAZARC Meeting

The South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperationwas founded, with the help and support of the Zoo OutreachOrganisation and CBSG, South Asia, for the purpose ofenhancing communication, cooperation and coordinationbetween the zoos of South Asia, both within their respectivecountries and in the region. The countries that comprise theSouth Asian region, as far as zoos are concerned, are India,Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Bangladesh. Thefirst meeting of SAZARC was held in Kathmandu Zoo, Nepalin 2000. By holding each meeting in a different country anopportunity is provided to have as many attendees from zoosin the host country as possible along with representativesfrom universities, NGOs, IUCN and the relevant governmentdepartments

It is generally agreed throughout the world that zoos have animportant conservation role. Zoos of the western world arenow progressing as genuine conservation bodies and agreat deal of this progress is due to communication andcooperation, much of it facilitated through national andregional zoo associations. However, in the countries ofparticularly high biodiversity, zoos have a multiplicity ofadministrative, economic, political and technical problems.South Asia is a particularly complex region to work in andmodern zoo management strategy is made even moredifficult to communicate and implement due to the fact thathigh level zoo personnel are transferred frequently and newdirectors, veterinarians and curators start from thebeginning, with little knowledge base, every few years. Thisis the result of most of the zoos in the region coming undernational or state governments.

Therefore the zoos of the region have much in common andmany of the difficulties can be addressed by meeting anddiscussing how each institution and country has addressedtheir problems and enhanced their potential. Only India, ofall the South Asian countries, has an administrative policyand mechanism to develop its zoos along modern lines,including strong zoo legislation, and a Central Zoo Authority(CZA) to administer and coordinate inspections, funding andtraining. Whatever the set-up, due to a variety of difficulties,the zoos of South Asia find it difficult to make significantcontributions to conservation breeding, research oreducation.

Another side-effect of the zoo structure in the region is that,with the exception of the Kathmandu Zoo which is run by acharitable trust, the zoos have scant funds or decision-making powers for attending or sending staff to meetings orto support meetings. Thus, funds for the SAZARC meetingsare being raised on an annual basis by Zoo OutreachOrganisation from foreign zoos. This is being done for alimited period to give the South Asian zoos a chance toexperience and to demonstrate to their governments thepositive effect of a regional association including meetingtheir colleagues and taking advantage of the trainingmodules provided. It is envisioned that South Asian zoodirectors will come to set up their own infrastructure for theassociation which will enable them to be self supporting

The Third Meeting of the South Asian Zoo Association for RegionalCooperation, Dhaka October 6th–11th 2002 - ReportMiranda F. Stevenson*

enabling them to organise and fund their own meetings incourse of time. This will involve changing the mind-set ofsome of the bodies that control the region's zoos.

Other than India, Bangladesh and Pakistan have the mostzoos; Bangladesh has six zoos (Dhaka, Rangpur,Chittagong, Comilla, Kurmitola and Rajshahi), of theseDhaka is by far the largest (187 acres) with the highestnumber of species and individuals; the other five range insize from 1-22 acres. The Dhaka zoo is administered by theDepartment of Livestock Services, Bangladesh. The DirectorGeneral, Md. Nurul Islam, is in charge of the zoo with the dayto day running and administration coming under the remit ofthe Curator, A.K.M. Omar Faruq. Mr. Faruq had only been inpost for five months, his predecessor, Dr. MuhammadSalehuddin Khan, was now the Deputy Director of theCentral Poultry Farm (which also comes under theDepartment of Livestock Services), but remained veryinvolved in the conference and participated in all thesessions. Last year, SAZARC met with the South East AsianZoo Association in Perak, Malaysia where Saluddin Khanrepresented Bangladesh. This enabled him approach hisgovernment and obtain permission to organise the meeting,which he did with his team in an exemplary manner.

As a result of SAZARC and SEAZA, the Bangladeshi zoosfounded their own association, the Bangladesh ZooAssociation (BZA) which was launched at the Dhakameeting. This is a significant step for the zoos of the countryand it was therefore very appropriate that the 2002 meetingwas held in Dhaka. The recent meeting was gearedspecifically to help the zoos of Bangladesh a training themefor the conference was chosen, that of “zoo management forconservation and welfare”.

The Dhaka zoo experienced a tragic incident on the Mondaybefore the meeting when one of the keepers had been killedby a bear. The zoo had received a large amount of hostilepress and adverse public opinion as a result of the incident.Participants were appreciative of how the staff managed tocope both with the repercussions of this incident andrunning the conference and Dhaka Zoo personnelappreciated the presence of other zoo personnel who couldconfirm that many other zoos and circuses in the world hadhad similar accidents, normally as a result of human error.

Zoo Management for the Conservation and welfare ofWildlife - InauguralThe inaugural meeting was held in the IDB Auditorium, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. It was attended by severaldignitaries and many members of the press. After arecitation from the Quran an address of welcome was givenby Mr. Sadeque Hossain Khoka M.P. Minister for Fisheriesand Livestock and Mayor of Dhaka City Corporation.Addresses were also given by Dr. Zahurul Karim, theSecretary Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Nr. Md. Nurul

* Zoo Consultant, Winchester, United Kingdom

Islam the Director General Department of Livestock Servicesand A.K.M. Omar Faruq, the Curator (and person in -harge)of the zoo. I intimated how pleased and honoured I was toattend the meeting and share my experiences of working inzoos; Sally said how much she enjoyed helping andfacilitating the zoos of the region and how this meeting wasa another step in this direction. She also referred to the bearincident and how the people must not allow it to affect thepotential work of the zoo. It was refreshing to that theMinister referred directly to the changing role of zoos in hisspeech. He endorsed the commitment of the government ofBangladesh to nature conservation and the vital role of zoosin this work.

The inaugural demonstrated the acknowledgement of thegovernment to the changing role of zoos and the need for thezoos of the region to communicate more and to cooperate inorder to establish their conservation role. Both the Ministerand the Secretary attended a dinner with the group throughthe week and spoke to delegates from the region about theneed from change and how this might be accomplished.The inaugural also attracted positive media coverage, bothpress and TV. This was especially useful for the Dhaka zoo,in the light of the bear incident, and we were able to informthe press, that tragic though the incident had been,accidents happen in every profession and in every region.

MeetingAfter the lunch break the meeting proper started, with myintroductory talk ‘Zoo Management for Conservation andWelfare’. This was intended as an overview to the areas thatwe would be covering in the conference namely: Referenceto the World Zoo Conservation Strategy and the evolution ofzoos from menageries to conservation centres. It isessential that one takes nothing for granted in descriptionsand is clear about what is unacceptable accommodation.Thus it was essential to make it clear that in the livingmuseum type environment the animals were displayed insmall unsuitable cages as curiosities with the emphasisbeing on quantity of species displayed rather than quality oflife and that this was now simply not acceptable. Most zoosare currently at the Zoological Park stage with animals

displayed in naturalistic environments with enrichedenvironments and natural groupings of animals.The concept of CARER (the five pillars on which the modernzoo stands: Conservation, Animal Welfare, Recreation,Education and Research) was introduced. This was a majortheme of the conference and attractive banners displayingthe acronym had been prepared. The meaning of the fiveterms was briefly described. The concept of managedbreeding programmes and their role in the ex situconservation role of zoos was explained, using a simplediagram to explain self-supporting captive populations. Thethree Cs of Conservation (Cooperation, Communication andCoordination, a theme often used by Sally) were alsointroduced, in terms of managed cooperative breedingprogrammes.

The fact that animal welfare and conservation wereinextricably linked was emphasised throughout thepresentation. After this presentation and discussion, withpeople from the floor making interesting contributions, weset out for the Zoo tour.

Dhaka ZooThe Dhaka zoo was built in the 1970s, in Mirpur, a suburb ofDhaka. It is a 250 acre site, very attractive with many treesand lakes, the latter which attract significant numbers ofmigratory birds. The site has enormous potential and manyof the enclosures are spacious. Unfortunately the zoodemonstrates many of the mistakes also made in westernzoos, with too much concrete and use of steel, (which is asignificant problem in a climate which guarantees instantrusting of steel) with unsuitable substrates for most speciesand little enclosure furnishings and no enrichment. The tourstarted with tea and welcome in the curator’s office and thecontingent from Sri Lanka presented the curator with anornamental ankus. After the zoo visit the Dhaka zoocuratorial staff treated us to an excellent meal out which theMinister and the Secretary attended.

Meeting in the National Botanical GardensThe second day we met at the National Herbarium situatedin the Botanic Gardens adjacent to the zoo. We allregistered, and received our smart conference bags andpolo shirts. A really excellent briefing book had beenprepared, containing not only all the information necessaryfor the meeting, but also a wealth of additional material thatwould continue to be of use to delegates long after themeeting was over.

My first presentation was ‘No Zoo is an Island’, the theme ofwhich centred around the three Cs of conservation with afocus on how national and regional associations could helpin this:

No zoo is an island; it cannot afford to work in isolationbecause no single zoo can save a species by itself andneeds to cooperate in managing breeding programmes,sharing expertise and resources and forming conservationpartnerships. Examples of the UK (which has its ownnational association) being part of the European ZooAssociation, compared with individual countries in SAZARCbeing part of their own country organisation (where thatexists) and under the umbrella of the wider regionalDr. Stevenson introducing the concept of C.A.R.E.R

organisation. Examples of how more can be achievedthrough cooperation and communication, from in situpartnerships like the Madagascan Fauna Group to sharinginformation about breeding, rearing and nutrition of difficultspecies.

An acronym of (Mission, Annual Budget, Location, CollectionPlanning, Other, Legislation, Master Planning) was used toemphasis that within this system a zoo could, indeed must,retain its individuality, focused on its own particular mission.The zoo can retain its individuality, no matter what the size,while working together with others for conservation andwelfare.

Jayanthi Alahakoon of the National Zoological Gardens SriLanka and Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, gave apresentation on the remarkable elephant project atPinnawela. The project, situated in 24 acres of old coconutplantation some 85 miles NE of Colombo, is unique. It wasstarted some 20 years ago with the aim of providing homesfor orphaned and injured animals. The herd now stands at66 with some 22 being born in the herd. The first calf wasborn in 1984 and now second generation young are beingborn. The herd is guided by mahouts, tethered at night, andtaken into the coconut plantation and to the river during theday. A number of research projects have been carried out onthis unique herd of animals.

The Modern Zoo is a CARER : detailed examplessurrounding the theme were given, focusing strongly onanimal welfare, husbandry routine and cage environment,which must allow animals to express their natural behaviour.This provided an introduction to the session that containedsome excellent talks.

Adit Pal is an architect who trained in zoo design in theUnited States. He now works in India. He gave an excellentpresentation, using examples from our tour of the DhakaZoo. The talk focused on the problems faced in the climaticconditions on of South Asia. He explained how the zoo coulduse materials such as treated wood, which would be betterin the humid climate than steel and also provide a moreattractive appearance to the cages. He also focused onvisual barriers, animal friendly substrate, making suredraining could cope with the climate and generally makingthe enclosures more ‘animal friendly’. His talk was followedby one from N.V.K Ashraf on Zoo Horticulture. He explainedhow the use of plants could improve the cage from bothpublic and animal perspective and, especially in a countrylike Bangladesh with lush plant growth, how plants could beused as natural visual barriers. Both papers very muchfocused on the theme of enclosure versus cage, and howthe natural vegetation of the country can be used to goodeffect. They also introduced the concept of sight-lines sothat, when people viewed an enclosure through a viewingpanel, they saw the animal against an attractive and naturallooking backdrop. This greatly enhanced the educationalpotential of animals and enclosures.

After lunch the theme moved on to Zoos and BiodiversityConservation. I gave the opening presentation whichfocused on: Information on the Convention of Biodiversityand how zoos could fulfil the ex situ obligations of thisconvention. However zoos could also support work in the

field which led into the Conservation part of CARER.

Examples of how zoos can form partnerships to helpspecies and ecosystems were given, in particular the workof the Madagascan Fauna Group, which is funded and run bya consortium of zoos which carries out conservation work inMadagascar. Information on zoos support for tigerconservation projects through 21st Century Tiger was alsogiven. All zoos, big and small, can help field conservationprojects, for example zoos in England have joined forceswith English Nature to help conserve species of month, bycaptive breeding and habitat protection.

Dr. Anisuzzaman Khan from IUCN Banglasdesh presented apaper entitled “Capacity Enhancement and GoodGovernance of Dhaka Zoo for Biodiversity Conservation”.This provided useful background information on IUCNBangaldesh and its goals and objectives. IUCNBangladesh country office have been responsible for theproduction of a series of Red Books on the Threatenedspecies of the country, a most useful collection of books.They are also responsible for the production of theBiodiversity Action Plan for the country. The national zoo hasa link and synergy with the Action Plan especially throughwildlife and awareness programmes.

It was interesting to me, that the focus of the role of zoos inconservation was very much based on education, with somecaptive breeding. There were few if any suggestions fromthe South Asian delegates that zoos could work in the wild.For example, the work monitoring the migratory birds in theDhaka Zoo lakes was carried out by University people, withno links to the zoo staff.

Carrying on with the theme Sanjay Molur from Zoo OutreachOutreach and who also chairs the Declining AmphibiansPopulation Task Force, South Asia (DAPTFSA) of theAmphibian Decline Specialist Group IUCN SSC, gave apresentation on amphibians, with particular reference tothose in Bangladesh. B.A. Daniel, also from Zoo Outreach,spoke on the role of zoos in invertebrate conservation; 73%of life on earth consists of invertebrates; they have a hugeimpact on biodiversity and indeed on man. Both Sanjay andDaniel focused on the educational and awareness raisingrole of zoos in drawing the public’s attention to some of thefascinating facts surrounding invertebrates and amphibians.

Representatives from the zoos of South Asia gavepresentations on their own collections. This range ofcollections was fascinating, as was the great difference inawareness to the role of the modern zoo, shown in thedifferent countries. Delegates from Indian zoos, with someten years of communication between zoos and zoolegislation in force, gave talks about new enclosures,education programmes and species management thatclearly showed the benefits of the three Cs. However, evenin the short time since its inception, SAZARC is alreadyshowing results. Muhammad Mansoor Qazi from theKarachi Zoo explained some of concepts of a new safaripark that was being built in Karachi and also of educationprogrammes, instigated since the first SAZARC Meeting.Uzma Khan, who is employed by WWF as education officerat the Lahore zoo in Pakistan, gave information on that zooincluding the education programme for schools now

successfully operating. R.K. Shreshta from Central Zoo,Nepal presented an overview of the recent improvements inthe zoo, giving the larger animals more space, focusing onNepalese animals, and their excellent educationprogramme for schools.

The third day began with my lead presentation on the FiveFreedoms of Animal Welfare. I used the new Manual ofZoological Parks in the UK and how the five freedoms canbe used as a basis for assessing zoos and animalenclosures, e.g.:• Freedom from Hunger and Thirst - Food and water,

not just quality and quantity but presentation,enrichment methods of presenting food.

• Freedom from discomfort - Suitable environment,stressing that animals need shelter, the correctsubstrate, climbing materials, changes to theenvironment, what the captive environment means tothe animal.

• Freedom from pain, injury or disease - Animal healthcare, it is essential that the zoo has a veterinarian withexperience with exotic species.

• Freedom to express normal behaviour - try andsimulate the time budgets shown in the wild, andsimulate feeding methods, eg browse for giraffesshould be tied up high, chimps can simulate termitedipping by dipping for yoghurt with sticks.

• Freedom from fear - Protection from fear and distress,mixed species exhibits, animals in adjacent cages,stress from public proximity and public feeding.

Adit Pal gave a presentation on how to design enclosureswith good welfare in mind and Uzma on methods ofenriching enclosures, and the abnormal behaviours thatwere observed in animals in poor enclosures; she stressedthe importance of both physiological and psychological well-being, and the importance of giving animals choices withintheir enclosures. Uzma is an outstanding person. Herinterest in zoos, zoo education and animal welfare resultedin her obtaining a scholarship to undertake the AnimalWelfare M.Sc. run in Edinburgh University; as part of thatcourse she carried out a project on nutrition in orang utansin UK collections.

The Indian zoos now operate within system of exchanginganimals between zoos, and not taking from the wild. It wasapparent, however, that the main suppliers of animals tomany zoos in South Asia were animal dealers and that muchof the stock was wild caught.

Research being one of the Rs in CARER, I gave backgroundinformation on the topic, explaining that you could carry outresearch on many topics, stressing that you did not need tobe a university graduate to carry out a lot of research. Thiscould range from work on diets, to enclosure design, tomethods of husbandry and handrearing. Animals’ activitycould be recorded by noting behaviour every 30 seconds,and the affect of changing enclosure design on an animalcould be measured simply by carrying out this sort ofobservational work. Research could be carried out toascertain if the public were getting the message from azoo’s interpretation. Research could also result in passingon knowledge and in information exchange. All zoos coulddo research, it could be carried out by staff, by training

volunteers and by cooperating with universities.N.V.K. Ashraf gave a presentation on the importance ofresearch in zoos, stressing that it could be an aid to goodmanagement, e.g. recording the response of an animal to achange in its enclosure, like the provision of a shade spot, orsome changes to encourage natural behaviour. Researchcould be carried out on animal records, this emphasised theneed for good records (e.g. fecundity, mortality, age at sexualmaturity, reproductive parameters). Research data couldoften solve a husbandry problem. A zoo could either createan inhouse team of researchers or simply collaborate with alocal university and they are often grateful for theopportunities zoos offer for providing potentially interestingprojects, he pointed out that many of the articles published inZOOS’ PRINT are the result of research projects.

M. M. Feeroz then gave a paper showing how work in thefield could help us manage zoo animals more effectively. Dr.Feeroz is an Associate Professor in the JahangirnagarUniversity and has many students working in the field. Hedid his Ph.D. research with David Chivers (Cambridge) onthe endangered Hoolock Gibbon in Bangladesh. Hepresented a fascinating paper giving much information on

Adit Pal giving a presentation on enclosure design based onwelfare

Ashraf talks about research in zoos

the primates of Bangladesh, their behaviour and ecology.From this he proposed changes to the way the gibbons werekept at the Dhaka zoo.

Reza Khan, Bangladeshi but working as some sort ofdirector in the Dubai Zoo, gave a most useful presentationon large carnivores, their status in the wild and how theyshould be managed in captivity.

After lunch we moved on to Legislation, with an introductionfrom Sally who stated this to be one of the main reasons forZoo Outreach Organisation organising the first meeting ofSouth Asian zoos. She said that Bangladesh officials wereseriously considering creating zoo legislation for theircountry and there were also possibilities for Pakistan.

Sally has compiled a most comprehensive and usefuldossier of zoo legislation world wide, which is (or soon willbe) available on the Z.O.O.'s web site. I gave a talk on theZoo Federation and the inception of the Zoo Licensing Act inthe UK, with details of how it operated and what it hadachieved in improving UK zoos and Animal Welfare. Ioutlined the inspection process and the importance of

training inspectors and ensuring reasonable consistencyacross inspections. I emphasised the fact that theinspection, designed to be helpful and improve thecollection, checked how good a CARER the zoo was. Istressed that the inspection was designed to help the zooimprove, but that it had teeth, and if the zoo did not complywith the conditions laid down it would be closed. Otherpresentations were given on the procedure in India and SriLanka and the need for zoo legislation in Bangladesh, e.g.,Dr. R.K. Sahu on the Indian Zoo Act and Brig. H.A.N.T. Pereraon the National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka Act. It wasrefreshing to hear our host colleagues calling for legislationto help them improve their zoos; a process very similar tothat which resulted in the ZLA in the UK.

Sally had suggested going to the zoo and carrying out a‘mock’ inspection. I did this assisted by Uzma and wedecided to focus on the primates and large cats. I started onthe baboon group (housed in a cage with concrete flooring

and little climbing materials). We examined the facilities andasked lots of questions particularly about diet. Thishighlighted the great need for training. As well as stressingthe importance of balanced diets, Uzma and I explained howproviding climbing materials (branches, easy to get) andsofter substrates and interesting ways of providing food (thiscould be as simple as scattering it on the cage roof) theanimals' lives would immediately become more interesting.The message that cleanliness was not necessarily next togodliness, however, was more difficult to get across, and theconcept of bark flooring and deep litter is more than a mindstep away. Some of the Indian Zoo people then providedhelpful advice on how to prepare balanced diets, from easilyavailable local produce. Uzma and I recommended movingthe gibbons them to a larger and higher cage.

Wednesday was the fourth day and much of it wasdesignated to working groups, designed to move thingsforward within the region. As the focus was SAZARC, zooassociations was the theme of the day and I explained therole of the Federation of Zoos:

The main aims of the Federation are to improve standardswithin zoos, to improve communications between zoos andto encourage the conservation role of zoos.Miranda discusses Zoo Problems with Dr. Khan, Former Curator

Curator, Rangpur Zoo reporting on his zoo

Miranda conducting a 'mock inspection' with participants

An explanation was given of how the Federation goesachieving these aims, and its advisory committees. Ifocused a lot on standards, husbandry guidelines etc.Focussed on the fact that the Federation has become thevoice of zoos and is the body that the government turns to foradvice and help. A good association raises zoos to aprofessional level within a country or region.

One area is responsible acquisition and deposition ofanimals. Zoos should not take animals from the wild,exchange between zoos, try not to use animal dealers, andmake sure they know where their animals are going.Most of the rest of the day was taken up with SAZARCbusiness. Committee reports were given and discussioncentred around the topic of how to move the organisationforward.

R.K. Shrestha (who had been the host for the first meeting)provided a synopsis of his views on fundraising. Sallythanked Mr. Shrestha hosting the first meeting andsuggested he be given the honorary post of SAZARCConvener. Later it was suggested that until a Constitutioncould be formulated suitable for South Asia and a method forelecting a President decided, the Presidential positionshould be a rolling post, and would be held by the Director ofthe Zoo that would host the next meeting.

People then split into working groups as decided by aninteractive discussion held earlier in the morning:Veterinary and nutritionAnimal welfare, education and trainingSAZARC constitutionBangladesh group on BZA and legislation in Bangladesh.

Each group was asked to come up with objectives that wereachievable over the next year.

The Bangladesh Zoo Association was formally announced;they worked on their constitution and methods for enactingzoo legislation within the country.

We finished the day by introducing the concept of SpeciesConservation. It had become apparent to me that this wasgoing to be a tough one. As the concept had been difficult forsome UK zoo directors to accept as recently as ten yearsago, it was even more difficult in this region. So I gave thebackground information, stating what happened if you didn’thave coordination (zoo populations became extinct, public

opinion went against you etc.) and explained how theyworked, emphasising the benefits of managed populations,moving animals between zoos directly and the importance ofgood zoo records, especially on the origin of stock. This sortof planning was done regionally, but without the cooperationof individual collections, it was destined to fail. I gave someinformation on studbooks, their importance and how theyworked.

The last working day (day five) was Thursday. We decided todevote it to working on species coordination and finalizingthe work and reports of the working groups. It seemed to bea good time for a practical exercise which would help get thecoordination message across. From the briefing book Ipicked a section which contained details of the threatenedspecies of the region and the numbers held within theregion’s zoos. We started with the Himalayan Black Bear.Delegates were asked to work in groups of three and decideon moves using criteria such as: avoidance of inbreeding,space and suitable enclosures, climate, conservation need,educational value, logistics of moving sex ratio withincollections etc. The exercise worked well, and both Sallyand I were impressed at how well our messages had beenadsorbed. I then moved on to sloth bears, the message inthis one was that it should be managed as two separatepopulations, the Sri Lanka form being different from themainland one. Then we moved on to tigers. This messagewas clearly put forward by some delegates, keep pureanimals, identify them, make the studbook for the BengalTiger active and get a captive population managed. It wasagreed that this was a challenge that should be undertaken.I then give some ‘live’ examples using a SPARKS studbookprojected onto the screen.

Sally then gave a presentation on the role and work of CBSGSouth Asia and its continuing work and its futuredevelopment within the South Asian region.

After lunch the Working Groups finished their meetings andpresented reports. The working meeting concluded with theSri Lankan contingent inviting delegates to the next meetingin Sri Lanka and giving a presentation on the country and itszoos, a lovely setting. They anticipate some more zoosopening in the country in the next few years. BrigadierPerera was officially made the President of SAZARC.

We then went back to the lecture theatre for the closingceremony. This was very pleasant, with thanks being givenby everyone, especially to Sally for all her wonderful work,and indeed her inspiration which resulted in the setting up ofSAZARC. Sally was particular in thanking all the organizersfrom Bangladesh and the sponsors from Western countries,who had made the meeting possible. Brig. Perera,President of SAZARC, read out the Recommendations forBangladesh Zoos by the experienced zoo personnel ofSouth Asia, Sally Walker, and myself. Several participantsexpressed their thanks and satisfaction with the conference.We relaxed in the evening by going shopping, the next dayseeing the sites of the city.

I am most grateful for being able to attend the meeting and Ihope that the workshop plays a part in enabling the zoos ofthe region to move along the long hard road frommenageries to conservation centres. I have made manynew colleagues as a result of the meeting with whom I shallkeep in touch.

Curator, Dhaka Zoo

Training Committee, Chaired by Dr. R.K. SahuDr. R. K. Sahu gave a Report on theKeeper Training organized by his zooon behalf of India’s Central ZooAuthority for the western region of India.This could serve as a model for othercountries in South Asia. Dr. Sahu andone of his keepers who speaks Hindi,a sort of universal South Asianlanguage that many peopleunderstand, could be deputed to somezoos in South Asia to teach theirkeepers. It was also suggested thatkeepers could be sent from othercountries to some Indian zoos whichhad organized such training.

Training for SAZARC this year wasorganized around the theme “ZooManagement for Conservation andWelfare of Wild Animals” and consistedof invited experts to the meeting, e.g.-- Dr. Miranda Stevenson, UnitedKingdom — Principle Trainer foroverview and introduction of newmaterial such as collection planning,species coordination, etc.-- Adit Pal, Landscape Architect, NewDelhi – Zoo design for managementand welfare-- N.V.K. Ashraf – Zoo horticulture asmanagement for design and welfare ofanimals and Zoo research-- Dr. Reza Khan, Dubai Zoo –Management of Carnivores-- Dr. M.M. Feeroz - Field research asan aid to zoo management forconservation and welfare

These experts were reinforced bysome participants who were asked togive presentations on relevant topics inwhich they had experience andexpertise, e.g.-- Dr. R. K. Sahu, Ahmedabad Zoo –the Central Zoo Authority and IndianZoo Act-- Brig. H.A.N.T. Perera – the NationalZoological Gardens Act-- Jayanthi Alahakoon, PinnewalaElephant Orphanage, Sri Lanka –Management of an ElephantOrphanage-- R. K. Shreshta, Central Zoo –Marketing for the zoo

-- Uzma Khan, Lahore Zoo – AnimalWelfare and Environmental Enrichment

Veterinary Committee (for identifyingnew medicines and means forobtaining them) – Dr. G. K. DubeyDr. Dubey contributed a ten-page reporton some new techniques andmedicines which was included in thebriefing book. He reported on thesetechniques and requested other SouthAsian zoos to contribute to thiscommittee.

Nutrition Committee, JayanthiAlahakoon, National Zoo, ColomboJayanthi reported on her associationwith Dr. Ellen Dierenfeld of the NewYork Zoological Society who hascompiled nutrition handbooks fordifferent regions of the world inassociation with experienced zoo vetsfrom those regions. Jayanthirequested SAZARC members to sendher their diet charts so that she cancompile such material for a similarhandbook for South Asia.

Database of species in South Asianzoos – M. M. Qazi, Karachi ZooM.M. Qazi had generated a current listof species and sex ratios held by SouthAsian zoo participants as well as someother South Asian zoos, which he sentfor inclusion in the Briefing Book. Dr.Qazi gave a report on his method andexperience in collecting thisinformation and urged the zoos tocontinue sending their data to him forimproving the database.

Conference Committee – M. S. Khan,Chairman, R.K. Shreshta (pastorganizer), R. K. Sahu, S. Walker(fundraiser and past organizer)Conference Committee successfullyorganized Bangladesh meeting,thanks to M.S. Khan who, althoughtransferred to another post, continuedto coordinate and promote the SAZARCconference. The committee nowneeds re-constituting. Suggested:Brig. H.A.N.T. Perera as Chairman,Sally Walker as Programme/Training/foreign fund coordinator; R. K.Shreshta and R.K Sahu as regionalfundraisers. Brig. Perera shouldappoint others from his team as thenext conference will be in Sri Lanka atNational Zoo.

Publicity and Communications,Zohare Shariff and Sally WalkerZohare Shariff has taken leave from thezoo business for some years. In hisabsence, S. Walker reported thedevelopment of a logo for SAZARCbased on decision of last meeting, abrochure for fundraising abroad, andthe production of only one newsletterdue to absence of contributions fromSAZARC members. She reportedhaving made presentations onSAZARC at several internationalmeetings and contributing an essay onSAZARC for the Encyclopaedia of theWorld’s Zoos which came out this year.

Conservation – Sally WalkerWalker was endorsed as ConservationCoordinator at last meeting ontemporary basis due to her experienceand role heading CBSG, South Asia.Walker reported on the updated List ofThreatened Species in South AsianZoos which had been included in theBriefing Book. She had included asubstantial session on speciescoordination and collection planning inthe Programme for this year whichincluded a Working Group session.For the coming year, the information inthe Threatened Species list will beenhanced with more information onindividual animals which would makepossible a systematic, scientificregional breeding programme for atleast a few species.

Sustainability Committee – R. K.ShreshtaThis is a new committee suggestedand Chaired by R. K. Shreshta. Itspurpose is to find ways and means formaking SAZARC an economicallyviable entity.

Core Committee as of 2002 meetingBangladesh – M.S. KhanPakistan – M.M. QaziSri Lanka – Jayanthi AlahakoonIndia – R. K. SahuNepal — R. K. ShreshtaRepresenting the region and theinternational zoo community – SallyWalkerNo changes in the Core Committeewere suggested but as Brig. H.A.N.T.Perera was endorsed as President, hemay be considered to serve Chair ofthe Core Committee and look after theinterests of all South Asian countries’zoos.

SAZARC Committee Reports

Committee & Working Group Reports -- Third Meeting of SAZARC, Dhaka

Bangladesh Zoo Association Working Group(Recommendations)Members : S.M. Khan, A.K. Saha, Reza Khan, M.S. Khan,A.K.M. Omar Faruk, Jatindra Nath Das, Feroz Md. ShafiqueIslam, Khudesta Akter Begum, Md. Salim Iqubal PrakashChadra Das, Md. Abdul Baset, Begum Shirina Khatun, Enam-ul Haque, A.T.S. Fazleh Elahi, S.M. Morshed, Sheikh AbdulGaffer (ADC), Mrinal Kanti Mitra, A.K.M. Fazlul Hoque, M.Mujaffar Hossain, Md. Abdul Mannan and Sally Walker(observer).A working group for the establishment of a Bangladesh ZooAssociation met and reviewed a Draft Constitution of theBangladesh Zoo Association. Copies of the Draft werehanded out and attendees were asked to give theircomments. The aims and objectives of the Association asstated in the Memorandum are:

Aims and Objectives1. for better cooperation and functioning of zoos ofBangladesh2. Generating support and making a start on national zoolegislation and standards for zoological gardens ofBangladesh3. Wildlife welfare4. Conservation breeding.5. Forming a Bangladesh Network of the IUCN SSC CBSG,Conservation Breeding Specialist Group6. Enhance activitiy between zoo, wildlife and academics ofthe country and even with other neighboring countriespertinent to raising the quality of management.

Bangladesh Zoo Legislation Group (Recommendations)Members : Reza Khan, M.S. Khan, A.K.M. Omar Farouk,Jatindra Nath Das, Feroz Md. Shafique Islam, KhudestaAkter Begum, Md. Salim Iqubal

The Working Group began with an open forum for :* Sharing individual experiences* Need assesment* Issues identifications* Recommendations

A working process was developed to forward the task ofcreating zoo legislation for Bangladesh. Tasks wereidentified:

* Collection of all related Legislations (National, Regional,Global)* Review and study of all relevant documents.* Preparation of Working Documents* Formation of a Zoo Legislation Committee* Preparation of a Project Proposal for Bangladesh Zoo Act* Formation of Bangladesh Zoo Authority (BAZA)

Representatives for Working Group to formulate andpromote zoo legislation for Bangladesh :-a) Department of Livestock Servicesb) Department of Forestc) Department of Environmentd) Law Ministrye) Planning Commissionf) IUCNg) FEJBh) BELAi) BAU - 2j) Veterinary Collegek) Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka/CTG/

Rajshahi/Jahangirnagarl) A renowned Zoo Specialistm) Curator, Dhaka Zoo (Member-Secretary)

Recommendations:-SAZARC co-operation sought for facilitating the BangladeshNational Legislation Formulation for ZoosTo establish Bangladesh Zoo Authority (BAZA)Formation of National Network of all ZoosEnsure the Provision of Appropriate Insurance, Packages forZoo PersonnelLegal Adviser for each Zoo

Veterinary and Nutrition Working Group(Recommendations)Members : A.K.M. Fazlul Huque, Bangladesh; G.K. DubeyIndia; Khudesta A. Begum, Bangladesh; Ahmed ZiaurRahaman, Bangladesh; Mrinal Kanti Mitra, Bangladesh; R.K.Sahu, Bangladesh; Md. Salim Iqbal, Bangladesh; JayanthiAlahakoon, Sri Lanka

Veterinary recommendations :1. Vets should be appointed according to the size of zoos.2. Vet Facilities should be available 24 hours a day3. Vet Hospitals should be equipped with drugs,anaesthetic, antivenom etc.4. Zoo must have a quarantine and isolation facilities.5. Zoo hospital should have a O.T./P.M. Rooms, Indoor(Ward) facilities & laboratory facilities6. Zoo must be equipped with squeeze-cage, tranquilizingguns and relevant drugs and antidotes for humans as wellas animals.7. Training to be provided on Zoo & Wildlife medicine.(Diagnostic, Preventive & Curative) to the Zoo veterinariansand relevant concerned teachers of universities & colleges.8. Co-ordination should be organised between theuniversities & zoos9. Zoo caretakers should be screened for zoonoticdiseases for every six months.10. Exchange of healthy animals to be carried out tomaintain a viable population.11. Power of purchase of medicine to be provided to the zooveterinarian.12. Laboratory should be equipped with modern equipment& trained laboratory personnel13. Reference library and journals should be provided.14. Internet and e-mail facilities should be available at theZoo Hospital.15. Legislation is needed to deal with zoo animals sufferingfrom diseases like T.B., Anthrax, H.S etc.

16. Insurance/risk allowances for zoo vets.17. Extra allowance for Zoo Vets. such as rent freeaccommodation for the veterinary staff who will be on duty18. No sick, old or diseased animal should be exhibited.19. Accommodation should be provided for the sick/confiscated/rescued wild animals20. Incinerator for the disposal of carcasses.21. Pre-exposure vaccination for the Veterinary Staff.22. Zoo vets. should be transferred only within zoos.23. Incurable/suffering exhibits to be euthanized.24. Standard operative practises eg. Disinfection of cages,deworming, de-ticking, vaccinations etc.

Nutrition recommendations:1. Each animal should be fed with a balanced diet & cleanwater2. Food of exhibits should be examined by a VeterinaryOfficer, and should have sufficient power to accept/reject.3. Adequate vitamins & minerals should be provided for theexhibits.4. Sufficient research is required to upgrade the feedingschedule.5. Preparation/storage should be done under Hygienicconditions.6. Extra nutrients for breeding/young growing/old & senileexhibits.

SAZARC Constitution CommitteeeMembers : H.A.N.T. Perera, R. K. Sahu, M.M. Qazi and M.S.KhanA SAZARC Committee was formed to review work done sofar on the SAZARC Constitution. The Draft constitution inhand, prepared by R. K. Shreshta in 2001 for the 2ndmeeting review, is an exact copy of the SEAZA Constitution.After discussion the Committee concluded that the matter ofeither revising the SEAZA constituion to fit South Asianconditions, or, of starting fresh with another Draft done onlyfor South Asia, was too important and too complicated tofinish in this meeting. Therefore it was agreed to continuereview and communicate by email. An attempt to finalise thematter will be made at the next SAZARC meeting.

Animal Welfare, Education, Training WorkingGroup (Recommendations)

Animal Welfare1 How to create conditions that are natural?

(Management, plantation)2 Social grouping of animal (animal exchange)3 Information about behaviour/habitat/requirements/hand

rearing4 Share the information e.g. enrichment/new techniques5 Execution of the law6 Highlight the value of wildlife7 SAZARC can stress the need of local legislation for

animal welfare.8 Research work that can improve animal welfare

(enrichment, nutrition barriers, sex ratio etc, socialbehavior, transportation of animal)

9 SAZARC can provide guidelines for enclosure design(visitor viewing area)

10 Holiday for animals11 Non feeding day/welfare implication?12 Standard for each species (minimum space

requirement, temp, soil type etc.)

Education:1. Good signage2. Education material3. Education Centre (posters, CD, Brochures, Video)4. Education through media (local & foreign)5. Ecological importance of species6. Information on various species (status, threats)7. How to get the information?8. Include Wildlife/Conservation education in school syllabus9. Resource persons for education10. Utilize the local staff to educate people. Don’t Wait !!11. Use animals for education12. Celebrate special day/special animal day/Senior animal day youngest/oldest animal13. Zoo Museum

14. Library/MembershipTraining:Training of all zoo personnel’s (Director, Curator,Veterinarian, Educationist, Supervisor & Keepers);Volunteers/teachers/NGOs; Fundraising; Workshop/Seminars; Friends Of the Zoo club; Exposure to other zoos;Proposal writing skills; Training for effective signage’s/educational materials)

SWOT AnalysisStrengthsSkilled Staff; Cooperation; Resources (Natural); DiversityWildlife, Climate, Habitats; Willingness; Availability ofmaterial education research; Formulate legislation; Goodrepresentation of Zoos; Courses; Networking

WeaknessLack of legislation; Lack of awareness; Lack of Funds;Transfer of Zoo Staff; Political instability; Lack of SAZARCConstitution and Officials; No animal exchange (policy)(indiscriminate breeding)

OpportunitiesWAZA, AZA, SEAZA, EAZA etc.; ZOO; Research; Exposure toother Asian Countries; Sharing/learning; Media

Practical Actions for individuals :AKM Lutfer Rahman, at Dhaka Zoo: would provide educationto visiting school groups.Dammika Malsinghe (Sri Lanka): would work on zoo designfor better welfare.M. Mujaffar Hossain: would work on zoo research with thehelp of postgraduate students and also help with a zooeducation programme.

Uzma Kahn: would start a studbook ofthe common leopard (most of whichwere wild caught), in Pakistan.Manzoor Qazi: would work onenrichment and education activities:focusing on signage and conservationinterpretation.

Personal Commitment ofIndividual Participants — 3rdMeeting of SAZARC, Dhaka

A.K.M. Lutfur Rahman Siddique,Fisheries Officer andDeputy Curator, Dhaka Zoo will :— help visiting school children’s aboutZoo education— help to improve signage of DhakaZoo.— help to modernize aquarium

Dr. Feroz Md. Shafiqual Islam, DeputyCurator Zoological Survey, Dhaka Zoo:I have been working from 17 April 2000in this field. Besides my job/duties, Iam always associated with the function& activities of Dhaka Zoo. I have alsoengaged with 3rd SAZARC workshopfor last 5 months. By doing this job Ihave gathered some experiences andmake some coordination among themembers of SAZARC membercountries. I would like to continue myjob in this field for long time. So, Ihope that if the organiser of SAZARCgive me the chance to work with them Iwill give you commitment that I do mybest for SAZARC as well as welfare ofwildlife and captive breeding of locallycritically endangered species in zoosof Bangladesh.

Md. Ali Akbar, Engineer, Dhaka Zoo &Participant of 3rd annual meeting ofSAZARC, DhakaI would be very happy if there is a ZooArchitecture branch in SAZARC and Iwould work there as a member underyour leadership and Adit Pal asArchitect.

Dr. A.N.M. Aminoor Rahman, AssistantProfessor (Vet. Medicine), School ofAgriculture and Rural DevelopmentBangladesh Open Universityi) Zoo education for school childrenand students through conventional anddistance mode.ii) Research on endangered specieswith Zoo personnels.

Dr. G. K. Dubey, Director, Bhilai Zoo,Indiai) To provide information on newmedicine relevant to wildlife Veterinarycare.ii) Communication with SAZARCmembers on veterinary problem thatyou come across & get adviceexperienced information to be sent tothe other members1. Successful treatment of a raredisease of an animal2. Hibanalia of Gavial etc

A.K.M. Fazlul Hoque, Department ofMedicine, Faculty of VeterinaryMedicine, Bangladesh AgriculturalUniversity, BAU. Mymensingh.The Department of Medicine, Faculty ofVeterinary Science, at BangladeshAgricultural University, Offers a courseon “Zoo Animal Medicine” to theVeterinary Science. I have beenteaching the course since 1990. I have,at present, two post graduate students.So, through my post graduate studentsI will be able to contribute in “TheManagement of Disease Problems” ofZoo Animals in the Dhaka ZoologicalGarden.

We have enough facilities in our facultyof veterinary science for diagnosis,treatment and prevention of diseases(bacterial, viral, parasitic, protozoanand non infectious diseases).

Dr. Khudesta A. Begum, U.L.O,Deputation, Dhaka ZooBangladeshI would try to practice three C’s at“Dhaka Zoo” as well as within theSAZARC.

If I get adequate training on Zooeducation & animal welfare by SAZARCresource persons then I could dobetter zoo education/research, animalwelfare. (e.g. freedom from pain, injury& disease) well as enrichmentpractices for captive wildlife/animal inDhaka Zoo.

Although, I have been doing these typeof practices without any training. Mytools were newsletters and personwho visited different zoos of SAZARC &Zoo personnel who attended SAZARClast few years.

Recommendations of Visiting ZooPersonnel to Bangladesh for their zoos —Presented during Closing Ceremony ofthe South Asian Zoo Association forRegional Cooperation – 3rd AnnualMeeting

Working Group : Brig. H.A.N.T. Perera, Director,National Zoo, Sri Lanka; Dr. M.M. Qazi, Director,Karachi Zoo and Safari Park, Pakistan; Dr. R. K. Sahu,Director, Ahmedabad Zoo, India ; Dr. MirandaStevenson, U.K. Zoo Consultant, Great Britain ; Ms.Sally Walker, Founder, Zoo Outreach Organisation,India.

1) Government should formulate zoo legislationincluding standards of animal care for BangladeshZoos.

2) The financial powers of the Head of the Zoo(Curator) should be increased so that life-threateninganimal emergency situations can be addressedimmediately and the zoo can operate more efficiently.

3) Training in all aspects of zoo management shouldbe organized for zoo personnel at all levels, both incountry and abroad.

4) There should be continuity of service of zoopersonnel, particularly Curator and Veterinarian, but(ideally) in zoo officers as well.

5) The public education potential of all zoos ofBangladesh is enormous; therefore, this function ofzoos needs to be strengthened with an EducationWing, designated officer, assistants, and infrastructureprovided.

6) Veterinary expertise to be more specialized for wildanimals; equipment such as tranquilizer gun, blowpipe, etc. should be provided.

7) Exposure to modern zoos in other countries ishighly advisable for in-charge and engineers and evenothers, for development of new ideas and expertise.

8) Nutrition for the animals needs immediate reviewand consultation with experienced zoos incollaboration with local universities.

9) The upcoming Bangaladesh Zoo Association ismuch appreciated by the international zoo communityand may be endorsed by the Government as a verypositive step for creating cooperation, communicationand collaboration between zoos.

10) The Bangladesh Zoos should cultivate a positiverelationship with the media.

11) Powers of Curator to take action on Class 3 and 4workers is strongly recommended.

Brig. H.A.N.T. Perera, newly elected President of SAZARC, readsRecommendations of South Asian Zoos for Bangladesh Zoos as

requested by government officials. Photos by R.K. Sahu

Dignitaries on the dias for closing function, Curator, Dhaka Zoo;President, SAZARC, Jt. Secretary, Dept. of Livestiock; DirectorGeneral, Dept. of Livestock; Patron, SAZARC; Principle Trainer

Participants and guests at the closing ceremony, SAZARC meeting