Flamingo Land is one of 370 members of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), actively partaking in responsible breeding of our animals as well as spearheading three breeding programmes.

Our Zoo Manager, Ross Snipp coordinates the breeding programme for the Warthogs and Hammerkop across the whole of Europe, and our Head Keeper of Hoofstock, Sam De Belle gathers all the information on the White Rhinoceros on an intercontinental scale.

The way this works is that each animal within EAZA zoos holds a record of its identity, with all the information on themselves and their parents. For each species there is a person or collection that collates the information into a studbook, and this studbook keeper is able to make breeding recommendations on individual animals, pair compatible individuals, and make decisions on which individuals will be non-breeding – all depending on how vulnerable that species is in the wild.

In order to do this, studbook keepers use purposely developed computer software programmes and one such programme is SPARKS (Single Population Analysis and Records Keeping System), which gives information on the animal demographics and genetics. Ross and Sam recently received comprehensive training with colleagues from across the globe during a visit to Artis Zoo in Amsterdam.

Upon her return Sam De Belle commented; “It has been such a good opportunity to meet other people in similar positions around Europe. This is a very valuable tool for the regional studbook keepers to have a global picture of the species.”

Breeding programmes for animals in zoos are vital to ensure viable populations can be maintained, both short term and long term. It is essential that all animal collections work together and Flamingo Land is proud to be part of these programmes which sees animals transported from one zoo to another on breeding loans, which provide a future for some of the world’s most vulnerable species.