ABSTRACT

This chapter reviews the way in which European zoos and aquariums report on their contribution to protect animals from extinction through regulated breeding programmes. It also reviews the state of reporting practice by European zoos on their contribution to biodiversity conservation and their efforts to prevent species from extinction. The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), which is an organisation for the European zoo and aquarium community, proposed a fundamental change in the role of modern zoos to become active conservation centres. The EAZA is the organisation that is mentioned in the Zoo Directive as an example that has developed guidelines for the care and accommodation of animals in zoos. In order to study how and conservation programmes have been reported by zoos in Europe it was necessary to obtain a valid number of zoos in Europe. All interviewees stressed that they would appreciate even harder regulations that urge zoos to publish reports that are comparable within the industry.