Species360 facts for kids
 |
|
| Formation | 1973 |
|---|---|
| Type | International not-for-profit organization |
| Purpose | Zoo and aquarium animal records database |
| Location |
|
|
Region
|
Global |
| Method | Membership |
|
Formerly called
|
International Species Information System (ISIS) |
Species360 is a non-profit organization that helps zoos and aquariums around the world. It was started in 1974. Its main goal is to keep track of wild animals living in human care.
Species360 manages a huge online database. This database helps zoos and aquariums share important information about animals. As of 2023, over 1,300 zoos and aquariums in 102 countries use this system. They use a special computer program called ZIMS, which stands for Zoological Information Management System.
ZIMS was created with help from 600 people globally. It holds information on 22,000 different animal species. There are records for 10 million animals and 82 million medical notes. Zoos use this data to care for animals. This includes knowing their age, gender, parents, and where they were born. It also helps with breeding programs and research to protect species.
Species360 works with many zoo groups worldwide. They have staff in different countries. These include the Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, Israel, the UK, and the United States. Their main office is in Minnesota, USA.
Contents
- Why a Central Database is Important
- What is ZIMS Software?
- ZIMS for Husbandry: Daily Animal Care
- ZIMS for Medical: Animal Health Records
- ZIMS for Studbooks: Managing Animal Families
- ZIMS for Aquatics: Water Animal Care
- ZIMS for Education: Learning About Animal Care
- Hortis by Species360: Plant Collection Management
- Conservation Science Alliance: Using Data for Conservation
- Who are the Members?
- History of Species360
- See also
Why a Central Database is Important
How Zoos Help Endangered Animals
Modern zoos and aquariums are like "gene banks" for animals. They help protect species that are in danger of disappearing. Sometimes, animals bred in zoos can even be returned to the wild. This has happened with animals like the black-footed ferret and the California condor.
Keeping Animal Populations Healthy
Zoos usually don't have enough space for a very large group of one animal species. To keep a species healthy, you need many animals to have enough genetic variety. This means many zoos must work together. They share knowledge about how to care for animals. This includes their food, health, and living conditions.
To manage breeding and animal groups, zoos need accurate information. They need to know about an animal's family history (who its parents are). They also need to know about births and deaths. Species360 helps collect all this important data.
Global Cooperation for Conservation
The records from Species360 are accepted by international groups. These include CITES, which helps control trade in endangered species. Many zoos in North America and Europe are members. The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) strongly suggests that all zoos join Species360. This helps everyone share data through ZIMS.
What is ZIMS Software?
Species360 offers different parts of its ZIMS software. Each part helps zoos and aquariums manage specific types of information.
ZIMS for Husbandry: Daily Animal Care
This part of ZIMS helps manage daily animal care. It tracks when animals arrive and leave. It also records what animals are needed or available. Keepers can log animal behaviors and feeding times. This system helps zoos meet rules for permits and government reports. It's used by curators, registrars, and animal care staff. ZIMS for Husbandry is the only real-time, global database for animals in zoos and aquariums.
ZIMS for Medical: Animal Health Records
This system keeps track of animal health. It records information about anesthesia, treatments, and tests. It also notes clinical observations. This part of ZIMS can replace other medical record systems. It helps veterinarians find information about thousands of wildlife species. This includes common medicines and their risks. It also helps manage biological samples for animal care and conservation.
ZIMS for Studbooks: Managing Animal Families
Studbooks are like family trees for animals. This system helps studbook keepers manage the genetics of small animal groups. It connects records from different zoos. This makes studbooks more accurate and up-to-date. It also makes the job of managing species easier.
ZIMS for Aquatics: Water Animal Care
This system is for marine and freshwater species. It combines the best ways to manage enclosures and animal records. It also provides helpful information based on data.
ZIMS for Education: Learning About Animal Care
This version of ZIMS is for schools and colleges. It helps students learn about animal care and zoo science. Students can practice entering their own data. They can also see data from other schools. LearnZIMS uses made-up data to teach how the system works.
Hortis by Species360: Plant Collection Management
Hortis is a special software for managing plant collections. It's the only cloud-based plant software in the world. Users can track their plants from anywhere using a phone, tablet, or computer. It helps staff work together and share plant data. They can use garden maps, add photos, and analyze their plant information.
Conservation Science Alliance: Using Data for Conservation
The Species360 Conservation Science Alliance works with other groups. They use the huge amount of data in ZIMS to answer important questions. This helps them take action to save species. They created the first Species Knowledge Index (SKI). This index shows what we know about the world's four-legged animals.
Who are the Members?
Many regional zoo and aquarium associations are members of Species360. Some examples include:
- Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)
- European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA)
- British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA)
- Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA)
- Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA)
- South East Asian Zoos Association (SEAZA)
- World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA)
History of Species360
In 1973, two people named Ulysses Seal and Dale Makey had an idea. They wanted to create an international database. This database would help zoos and aquariums work together to save animals. The International Species Information System (ISIS) was officially started in 1974. It began with 51 zoos in North America and Europe. More zoos have joined every year since then.
Groups like the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) supported the idea. They also received money from private groups and the United States government. For the first 30 years, the Minnesota Zoological Garden hosted the program.
Since 1989, Species360 has been a non-profit organization. It is guided by a Board of Trustees. These trustees are chosen by the member zoos. In 2016, the organization changed its name to Species360. This was because the old abbreviation, ISIS, was also used by a terrorist group. The new name helps avoid confusion.
See also
In Spanish: Species360 para niños
- List of zoo associations
