Watch the recording of the 3rd annual Species360 Conservation Science Alliance Research Symposium

The presentations covered a variety of topics and species, but were all united by a common thread of shared data from ZIMS, brought together by our more than 1,400 Species360 members, answering questions no single institution or person could answer alone.

The topics covered:

• Animal care: Decades of records can refine what we understand about survival and lifespan. Clinical and post-release data can guide husbandry for cryptic species that are difficult to manage ex situ. Detailed breeding records can reveal what drives reproductive success, and where more consistent record-keeping would strengthen the evidence base.
• Conservation: Understanding how latitude and photoperiod conditions shape the lives of zoo-housed carnivores supports planning for the animals in our care. Filling knowledge gaps for understudied species gives breeding programs evidence they have been missing. Better data on threatened species held in human care supports the breeding and reintroduction work central to the One Plan Approach.
• Collection planning: Aggregated data allows the sector to ask direct questions about which species it holds, how those choices align with conservation need, and where collaboration could have the greatest impact

Every insight shared at the Research Symposium began with a keeper or registrar entering a record and a member institution choosing to share its data with the Species360 community. Thank you to our members whose data makes this research possible, and thank you to all of our presenters for speaking at the Symposium and sharing your work with us. And thank you finally, to everyone who joined us on the day, or was not able to due to time zone differences.