Zoological Parks Authority - Parliament of Western Australia - The ...

Zoological Parks Authority ANNUAL REPORT 2012
Agency Performance – Report on Operations
Directorate Reports
Animal Health Services and Research Directorate
Overview
The Animal Health and Research Directorate
includes the Zoo’s Veterinary Department,
Native Species Breeding Program, Reproductive
Biology Unit and Research Program.
During the reporting period, the Directorate
continued to focus on providing a progressive
health program for the Zoo’s animals and for
wildlife brought into the Zoo for assessment
and treatment.
Direct support for in-situ conservation included
the native species breeding-for-release
program and veterinary conservation medicine.
The Veterinary Department worked closely
with the Department of Environment and
Conservation (DEC) and other organisations
on the investigation of wildlife health issues
including the investigation of disease aspects of
the decline of Woylie populations in the wild in
Western Australia.
A total of 20 scientific communications including
refereed papers, book chapters, major articles
and conference presentations were produced
in 2011‐12 by Zoo staff and students and
collaboratively with external researchers.
Outcomes
Veterinary Department
The Veterinary Department is responsible for
the provision of responsive and preventative
health care for the Zoo’s animal collection,
the examination and treatment of injured
and confiscated wildlife, the provision of
conservation-based veterinary education
programs and conservation medicine for the
State of Western Australia.
The Zoo’s veterinary team averaged
21 clinical cases a day. The preventative health
care program included vaccinations, annual
health checks and pre-transfer examinations.
Prominent clinical cases included:
• A daily insulin injection treatment program
for a diabetic Javan Gibbon resulting in a
dramatic improvement in the health of this
genetically important breeding male.
• Anaesthesia of a 450kg Saltwater Crocodile
to enable examination and treatment of one
of his eyes. Keepers from Australia Zoo, a
consultant veterinary ophthalmologist and
a veterinarian experienced in crocodile
restraint were part of the team involved in
the capture, restraint and anaesthesia of the
4.8m long crocodile.
Veterinary check for a lion
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