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New Year animal audit at Durrell

9^th January 2012

Each New Year at Durrell kicks off with a momentous mathematics exercise, as all zoos, wildlife parks and aquariums are legally required to undertake a comprehensive animal audit.

Durrell’s total headcount for 2011 reached over 1600 individuals of more than 150 species and therefore the audit process proved to be a time consuming job for the keepers tasked with accounting for all of Durrell’s annual arrivals and departures.

Perhaps the most memorable departure during 2011 was that of Silverback gorilla Ya Kwanza who had been a popular resident at the conservation charity’s wildlife park in Trinity since 1993. Significant arrivals included 22 orange tailed skinks rescued following the invasion of Flat Island, Mauritius by the predatory Indian musk shrew; and of course Ya Kwanza’s replacement Badongo who arrived from France in July and is who is now settling in well.

Commenting on the audit process Durrell’s Animal Registrar Dr Amy Hall said “The annual head count is not only a requirement of our BIAZA and EAZA membership, but it is also a useful animal management tool. It is relatively simple to count our larger animals but the smaller ones can prove more challenging as they are prone to hiding or moving, fish in particular are tricky to tally up as they move continually.”

The data collated by the audit is submitted to the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), the national professional body for zoo management and animal welfare and is then available for review by the authorities who issue and renew the licenses for zoos and aquariums.
 

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