| Summary: | Zoo accreditation and captive animal welfare have become issues of pivotal concern for
zoological facilities worldwide. In South-east Asia, many establishments have become the
focus of attention and their roles as centres of education and conservation have been
questioned. As such, there is a driving need for standards to be established in areas of animal
husbandry, enclosure design and animal welfare. With over 40 public and private zoological
parks in Peninsular Malaysia, the establishment of guidelines on zoo management is of
national concern.The Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 was gazetted to govern the
conservation, utilisation, trade and welfare of wild animals. Following this, audits were
conducted on various zoological facilities to evaluate their management practices and animal
welfare standards. The proposed national zoo accreditation program emphasises on providing
a suitable physical, physiological and psychological environment for the animals. Focal areas
include space requirements,provision of suitable furniture, substrate and enrichment, feeding
regime and diet, management of zoo records, improvement of waste management and
sanitation, and protocols for safety, biosecurity and disease monitoring. It is envisaged that
such a program, although laden with many challenges, will ensure the gradual improvement in
the welfare standards of captive wild animals in the country.
|
|---|