Free ZIMS Training Courses
Elevate Your Skills in Animal Care and Conservation
Species360 offers free training courses for Species360 members and ZIMS Academy subscribers through the Nature Conservancy’s Conservation Training website, providing you with valuable resources to enhance your understanding of the Species360 Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS).
Not currently a Species360 member or subscriber? You can subscribe to our ZIMS Academy for Students which will give you access to the ZIMS training courses, as well as the LearnZIMS training platform. Learn more here.
ZIMS for Keepers and Aquarists Course
The course includes the following modules which
you can complete at your own pace:
Animal Care
Learn how to navigate ZIMS, complete animal searches, and enter basic information in the Animals Module.
Tools and Reports
Learn how to use tools and reports within ZIMS to view, visualize and extract data.
Enclosure Care
Learn how to navigate the Enclosure module, enter basic information in the Enclosure Module and how to use tools within ZIMS to visualize Enclosure related measurements.
The enrollment key is available through the Help Menu in ZIMS. If you have any questions about the course, please contact us at support@species360.org.
ZIMS for Medical for Non-Veterinary Staff Course
In 2025, we launched this new self-paced, online training course designed for anyone responsible for managing medical records at their institution. In zoos and aquariums where this responsibility falls to staff without a veterinary background, the new course equips them with essential skills to accurately enter clinical notes, samples, test results, and more in ZIMS for Medical.
The course also teaches users how to search for medical records, generate reports, and access global medical resources, ensuring they can confidently navigate and utilize ZIMS for effective medical record-keeping.
The course includes the following modules which
you can complete at your own pace:
Getting started
Learn to navigate ZIMS for Medical, set up medical preferences, manage medical roles, and share medical records.
Medical records
Understand how to add various medical records, including clinical notes, samples, tests & results, and more.
Searches and Reports
Learn to search for medical data and compile reports for informed decision-making.
Medical resources
Learn to access global medical resources such as Anesthesia Summaries, Drug Usage Extracts, Morbidity and Mortality Analysis, and Expected Test Results
The enrollment key is available through the Help Menu in ZIMS. If you have any questions about the course, please contact us at support@species360.org.
ZIMS Onboarding Course
In 2026, we launched a new onboarding training course for new Species360 members (or current members looking for a refresher).
The course is available free of charge to Species360 members and ZIMS Academy subscribers on the Nature Conservancy’s Conservation Training website. While it is designed for first-time ZIMS users responsible for setting up and managing their institutions in ZIMS, anyone is able to take it if they want to brush up on their ZIMS skills. The course provides a clear introduction to key administrative tasks required for a getting a successful start in ZIMS.
Participants will learn how to manage staff accounts and roles, maintain institution information, manage the enclosure tree, and add their animal collection into ZIMS.
By the end of the course, users will have the essential knowledge and confidence to set up their institution accurately and efficiently.
The course includes the following modules which
you can complete at your own pace:
ZIMS Basics
Institution/ Staff management
Enclosure management
Animal transactions
The enrollment key is available through the Help Menu in ZIMS. If you have any questions about the course, please contact us at support@species360.org.
Species360 Insights Course
Topics in this course include:
Husbandry Data
Species Event History, Animal Age Distribution, Weight Comparison Report, Taxon Advisory Group Export, Population Overview, Global Holdings by Animal Type.
Medical Data
Anesthesia Summaries, Drug Usage by Type, Expected Blood Test Results.
Population Data
Global Studbook Search Tool