Celebrate! A letter to our members on the 50th Anniversary of Species360
- By Mary Ellen Amodeo
Dear Members and Partners,
Has it really been 50 years? Yes! Founded in 1974, Species360 is celebrating our 50th Anniversary!
When visionary leader Dr. Ulysses S. Seal spearheaded the launch of what today is nonprofit Species360, he set in motion an initiative that would change what is known about species worldwide. By partnering with regional and international zoo and aquarium associations, we have grown to include more than 1,300 institutional members worldwide, all recording and contributing data on husbandry, animal welfare, veterinary treatments, studbooks, population dynamics, and more.
Today, over 30,000 scientists use Species360 solutions to record and share vital data on the animals, plants, and environments in their care. Our mission remains as Dr. Seal and the founders intended: to facilitate international collaboration in the collection and sharing of knowledge on species and their environments to serve global conservation and management.
This focus delivers results: Species360 and its members increase demographic knowledge of species by as much as 800 percent, establishing one of the world’s largest sources of data on animals, and providing resources that improve the care and conservation of plants, animals, and their environments.
While this mission remains steadfast, our technology continues to evolve. Species360 solutions are more intuitive and accessible, our infrastructure more robust, our analytics more advanced. We have advanced longevity research, biobank management, the fight against wildlife trafficking, and so many other disciplines.
Recent achievements, detailed in our 50th Anniversary announcement (see the link below), underscore the immediate and long-term value of the scientific information and observations recorded and shared by Species360 members.
These achievements are possible only through the support and collaboration of member zoos, aquariums, and association partners.
Key leaders in our community offer guidance, envision new capabilities, and test new developments. I encourage you to learn more about these accomplishments in our 50th anniversary announcement.
As part of our celebration, we are providing each Species360 member institution with a customized press release that features your contribution to species knowledge. We’ve done this before with great success, and would like to extend the opportunity once again. Send us an email at Communications@Species360.org for more information and our team will help.
The biodiversity crisis now underway makes our work more important than ever. Thank you for your invaluable contributions to our mission. Your efforts impact animal welfare, conservation biology, education, advocacy, and policy-making.
With gratitude,
Jim Guenter, CEO, Species360
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