Australasian leadership role for Hamilton Zoo

Hamilton Zoo director Stephen Standley has become a board member of the Australasian Regional Association for Zoological Parks and Aquariums (ARAZPA), indicating the zoo's leadership position in the Australasian region.

Stephen has been a member of the Australasian Species Management Programme (ASMP) Committee since January 2006 and was elected as chair of the programme on 18 November 2007. As chair Stephen gains an automatic seat on the ARAZPA Board, making him one of the two New Zealand members.

ARAZPA membership comprises over 60 zoos in the Australasian region, which encompasses New Zealand, Australia and Fiji. Its aim is to maximise the conservation role and raise the standard of its member zoos and enable these to jointly manage animal breeding programmes. Six staff at Hamilton Zoo coordinate some of these regional breeding programmes.

Mr Standley says that sitting on the ARAZPA board is an extension of the forefront position Hamilton Zoo has taken both in ARAZPA and zoo performance generally.

"Over the last two years Hamilton Zoo has taken on a leadership role within the membership of ARAZPA, especially with the management of breeding programmes for both native and exotic animal species and the development and implementation of minimum standards for the ARAZPA members. This not only assists the region's zoos and Aquariums, it also directly benefits Hamilton Zoo as we are able to ensure that the zoo develops in line with best practice. More importantly, the membership plays a significant role in the long-term viability of our animal populations, including many threatened native species such as kokako, brown teal and Hochstetter's frogs."

Last year, ARAZPA established an accreditation committee which is responsible for the assessment of minimum standards for all ARAZPA members. Mr Standley is one of two accreditation officers at Hamilton Zoo who can undertake site reviews of other New Zealand zoos and aquariums.

Mr Standley has also been a member of the New Zealand Conservation Management Group since April 2006. This is the New Zealand branch of ARAZPA and is responsible for all NZ native breeding programmes.