ZAA Accreditation
Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia
Using ZIMS to help gather Welfare evidence for your ZAA Accreditation.
Updated: March 25
Contents
Introduction
The Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia (ZAA) uses the Five domains model to assess animal welfare. ZAA grants accreditation to zoos and aquariums that have clearly demonstrated their commitment to positive welfare. This document aims to help ZIMS users collate the information they record in ZIMS and present it as evidence as part of the ZAA accreditation process. This document simply acknowledges information that can be gathered from ZIMS and does not highlight the additional information that is external to this resource. For the purposes of ZAA Accreditation, data and observation records are beneficial where they demonstrate promotion of positive experiences.
Nutrition
1.1 Food Intake
The Condition of Opportunities to Eat Enough Food means negative experiences such as hunger are minimised and allows the animal to focus attention on activities (e.g., play) that may result in positive experiences.
1.2 Food Variety
Consuming a variety of food can generate positive experiences through various tastes, textures and smells, food types. and minimises negative experiences such as boredom and malaise from specific food types.
Nutrition: Evidence in ZIMS
Evidence of appropriate weight may be a good indicator that the animal is not subject to negative experiences such as hunger. Opportunities to eat enough food and access to a variety of food can be demonstrated in Feed Logs, and Notes/Observations.
- Animal weight graph – The animal graphing tool allows you to plot the weights of individuals at your institution singly or together on one graph. – help document
- Weight Comparison Report – Single Animal & Global Data is displayed on a Box and Whisker Plot – help document
- Survival, Reproduction and Growth report (only available for mammals) – use the body weights section to compare institution animals to global data– help document
- Weight monitoring report – The weight monitoring report collates information on weight and Body Condition Score (BCS) changes – help document
- Feed Log – feed logs can track amounts of food provided and consumed by individuals or enclosure occupants – help document
- Note Retrieval Report – Using Notes and Observations to record diet related information under the Diet Note Type and Sub Types allows you to carry out a note retrieval report to collate this information in one report – help document
- Also see Table
Environment
2.1 Thermal Range
An appropriate thermal range minimises negative experiences such as chilling or overheating. When thermally comfortable, animals can engage in other activities that generate positive experiences.
2.2 Substrate
Appropriate and varied substrates allow for physical comfort and minimises experiences of discomfort such as joint pain, skin irritation, and muscle tension. When physically comfortable, an animal can engage in activities that generate positive experiences.
Environment: Evidence in ZIMS
Evidence of Hot spots and Cold spots as well as Temperature minimum and maximum recorded in 24 hours can help demonstrate appropriate thermal ranges. Substrate provision can be recorded in the Enclosure module.
- Environmental Quality Graph – when environmental measurements are recorded in the Enclosure module they can be graphed in the Environmental Quality Graph – help document
- Consider understanding thermal ranges available in extreme seasons
- Substrates can be recorded in the Enclosure module for each enclosure.
- Also see Table
- Consider how and when substrates are utilised by an individual in promoting positive experiences when making records.
Health
3.1 Disease
Minimal or no disease minimises associated negative experiences such as breathlessness, nausea, and pain. This includes disease that is under appropriate treatment. When disease is absent or minimal, animals can maintain normal functional capacity and are able to engage in activities that generate positive experiences. assess for these have not yet been identified and are only included in case members wish to propose a method. Negative conditions are listed here to ensure that their presence remains relevant to the scope of assessment. Where neither positive nor negative options are required, these can be omitted from the assessment.
3.2 Injury
Minimal or no injury minimises associated negative affective experiences such as pain. This includes injuries that are under appropriate treatment. When injury is absent or minimal, animals can maintain normal functional capacity and are able to engage in activities that generate positive experiences.
3.3 Functional impairment
Minimal or no functional impairment minimises associated negative experiences such as pain and weakness. This includes impairments that are under appropriate treatment/support. When functional impairment is absent or minimal, animals can maintain normal functional capacity and are able to engage in activities that generate positive experiences.
3.4 Body Condition
Minimal or no functional impairment minimises associated negative experiences such as pain and weakness. This includes impairments that are under appropriate treatment/support. When functional impairment is absent or minimal, animals can maintain normal functional capacity and are able to engage in activities that generate positive experiences.
Health: Evidence in ZIMS
Information pertaining to disease, injury, functional impairment, and body condition can be recorded in ZIMS Medical and clinical notes can be copied to the Animal module using the Animal Care Staff Medical Summary box.
Using various reports details can be retrieved easily.
- Complete Medical History report – A report that can retrieve all medical information for individual animals for a set date range, this can also be filtered to Clinical Notes. – help document
- Note retrieval report – It is possible to use this report if medical information has been copied to the Animal module in the form of an ‘Animal Care Staff Medical Summary.’ Note retrieval reports can be run by individual animal or by Taxa – help document
- Care and Welfare – Create and use Care and Welfare indicators and templates to track individual animals with any signs of functional impairment, indicators can be graphed once data is recorded. – help document
- Body Condition Score – BCS can be recorded and tracked in Medical ZIMS and the Animal module (Basic information). – help document
- Weight monitoring report – The weight monitoring report collates information on weight and Body Condition Score (BCS) changes – help document
- Also see Table
Behaviour
4.1 Exploration
Animals that voluntarily and confidently engage in activities to investigate the unknown, or encounter novel situations, can generate associated positive experiences such as a sense of novelty. Animals that are impeded or frustrated from the opportunity to explore may generate negative experiences such as boredom, helplessness, anger, or frustration.
4.2 Foraging/Hunting
Animals that voluntarily engage in species appropriate foraging/hunting activities can generate positive experiences such as excitation. Attempts to forage/hunt that are impeded or frustrated may generate negative experiences such as boredom, anger, and frustration.
4.3 Bonding
Animals that voluntarily and confidently engage in species appropriate bonding activities can generate positive experiences such as affectionate sociability, excitation, and playfulness. Impeding or frustrating bonding activities may lead to experiences such as boredom, frustration, and loneliness. generate negative experiences such as boredom, anger, and frustration.
4.4 Rearing Young
Ability to voluntarily engage in species appropriate rearing young (where relevant to the species) supports generation of positive experiences such as maternal reward and affectionate sociability. Impeding or frustrating ability to engage in rearing young may lead to experiences such as boredom, frustration, and loneliness.
4.5 Play
Ability to engage in species appropriate play activities on a voluntary basis supports generation of positive experiences such as excitation and playfulness. Impeding or frustrating the ability to engage in play may lead to experiences such as boredom, frustration, and loneliness.
4.6 Sexual Activity
Ability to engage in species appropriate sexual activities on a voluntary basis supports generation of positive experiences such as excitation and sexual gratification. Impeding or frustrating ability to engage in sexual activity may lead to experiences such as frustration and anger.
4.7 Refuge
Animals that are confident they have the ability to access refuge or engage in defensive activity when required (as opposed to actually having to express it) supports generation of positive experiences, such as feeling secure, protected, and confident. Inability to utilise refuge or inability to express defensive activity may lead to experiences such as frustration, panic, anxiety, and fearfulness.
Behaviour: Evidence in ZIMS
Evidence for behaviour related welfare can be recorded in various areas in ZIMS, including Care and Welfare, Enclosure module and the Animal module. Reports and graphs can help collate the data recorded, and in some cases provide comparable global data.
- Care and Welfare – to track Exploration, configure existing indicators such as ‘Use of Environment’ to monitor how much of the available space an animal typically makes use of. - help document
- Enrichment – use the enrichment tab to record and review enrichment items and sessions for animals. Enrichment that encourages Foraging/Hunting may be categorised as ‘Food.’ – help document
- Note Retrieval report – this report can be used to collate any notes recorded for your animals. Run the report separately to retrieve information that evidences foraging/hunting, bonding, rearing young, play and sexual activity. Filtering the report by various note types (Communication, Reproduction, Parental, Enrichment etc.) will help create a complete picture of behavioural observations for your individual animals or taxa. – help document
- Survival, Reproduction and Growth report (mammals only) – compare institutional animals to global data on Reproductive Lifespan and Average number of offspring per age/sex graphs as evidence of ability to engage in appropriate rearing of young. – help document
- Pedigree explorer – export pedigree explorers detailing descendants as evidence of Rearing Young. – help document
- Contraception – evidence of contraception methods may be useful to demonstrate the animal’s ability to engage in species appropriate sexual activities while still preventing unwanted births. – help document
- Enclosure module – Enclosure Status tab can be used to track ‘on exhibit’ and ‘off exhibit’ and the Furniture tab allows users to record information about any refuges provided for animals.
- Also see Table