New Member: L’Aquarium Tropical de La Porte Dorée

L’Aquarium Tropical de La Porte Dorée in Paris, France, has recently joined Species360 as a new member, joining more than 360 aquariums that curate and share data as part of the global Species360 community.

The non-profit aquarium is unique as it is situated in a palace – the Palais de la Porte Dorée. The 91-year old Aquarium is home to around 9,000 animals and 500 species. L’Aquarium Tropical is committed to conservation and education and focuses its efforts on three strategic pillars:

• Raise public awareness of the need to protect species and tropical aquatic environments;
• Ensure optimal living conditions for species in the Aquarium’s care; and
• Participate in the conservation of endangered fish species through research studies, breeding programs and field work.

The aquarium, under the leadership of director Charles-Edouard Fusari, decided to join Species360 because he had previously used Species360’s Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

“I am aware of the advantages ZIMS provides in terms of zoological management, and as the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) Ex Situ Programme (EEP) coordinator of Bedotiidae fish family and it was necessary to use ZIMS for this purpose,” says Fusari.

L’Aquarium Tropical plans to use ZIMS to improve record-keeping practices, glean information to inform best practices, and keep track of populations more efficiently. The use of ZIMS will also place the Aquarium in a better position to support EAZA’s Taxon Advisory Groups.

“In terms of conservation, it will be great to be able to have a more global view on which threatened species are held in which institution and in which numbers. I think it will also facilitate the coordination of zoological institutions for ex situ conservation efforts of highly threatened species,” says Fusari. “When it comes to animal care, better record keeping will help with a better management of our animals and improve husbandry practices by gathering and analyzing long-term data.”

The Aquarium is also a member of the French Aquarium Curators Union (UCA) and the European Union of Aquarium Curators (EUAC).

 More than 24 institutions have become Species360 members in 2022, representing regions around the world. More than 1,300 aquariums, zoos, wildlife refuges, and conservation agencies comprise the Species360 global community, collectively contributing to the world’s most comprehensive database on more than 22,000 species.

To learn more about L’Aquarium Tropical, visit the website at: https://www.palais-portedoree.fr/l-aquarium-tropical