Expert workshop: captive breeding for bushfire recovery

Prior to the bushfires, the role of ex situ species management was an unexplored aspect of disaster response in Australia. The Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA) proposed a research project to determine whether ex situ management could be successfully employed for bushfire-affected species. ZAA also sought to make recommendations to the Threatened Species Commissioner and Federal Environment Minister to assist with funding prioritisation.

ZAA hosted an extensive workshop bringing together experts to assess and plan for the role that captive breeding and management could play in disaster recovery.

The workshops allowed ZAA and its members to review available animal care facilities and expertise, as well as predicting which affected species may require captive breeding support.

Priorities were then determined based on several aspects including, but not limited to, species vulnerability, likelihood of success, husbandry knowledge, historical breeding success and geographic spread. The workshop and resulting project provided a roadmap for how the zoo sector can play its role in the government’s wider drought and bushfire recovery actions.