Awards

In the 2006 ARAZPA awards, the Research Award went to the Zoological Parks Board of NSW for "Australian Marine Mammal Research Centre (AMMRC) Leopard Seal Program".

The Zoological Parks Board of NSW's Australian Marine Mammal Research Centre (AMMRC) has won the Australian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria Research Award for its Leopard Seal Program.

The award was in recognition of outstanding achievement by AMMRC in scientific research which showed the team's ability to add knowledge relevant to species conservation efforts and show innovation.

The Leopard Seal is one of the few Antarctic apex predators which can be studied directly. As a long-lived, large-bodied animal with a low reproductive rate, they aren't affected by local changes in the environment but like all apex predators they will be the first species to respond when there are large-scale changes occurring.

This is why they are a key species in understanding what changes are occurring in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean ecosystems.

At the commencement of this program the Leopard Seal was one of the least understood and studied of all the seals. Through tools developed with Leopard Seal at Taronga Zoo, the Leopard Seal Program has ensured that the Leopard Seal is now studied as an indicator species for the Southern Ocean Environment and used as a barometer for climate change, led by AMMRC, a joint venture by Taronga Zoo and The University of Sydney.

ARAPZA President, Trevor Long, said: "The awards show the community what their zoos and aquaria are doing for wildlife on their behalf. For too long Zoos and their magnificent staff have been hiding their light under a bushel."

"Australasian zoos and aquaria are doing great things, involving the community in wildlife projects, educating hundreds of thousands of school students about the needs of wildlife, operating as a focus for community support of wildlife projects and running successful, breeding, release, research and in situ conservation projects."

"These organisations are also the repositories of a massive resource of wildlife knowledge and capability. While some organisations just talk about wildlife, Zoos and aquaria are out there doing things from for wildlife from Antarctica to Vietnam and from laboratories to the Australian Alps."

"With people increasingly isolated from the natural world, Zoos are fast becoming an essential touchstone by which the whole community can reconnect with wildlife and help preserve a viable future for nature, ensuing that our lives will continue to be enriched and inspired for generations to come."

The Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria Awards were created 4 years ago to encourage the staff of member zoos and aquaria to strive for great achievements for wildlife on behalf of the community.

There are over 60 members throughout Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Oceania. long-lived, large-bodied animal with a low reproductive rate, they aren't affected by local changes in the environment but like all apex predators they will be the first species to respond when there are large-scale changes occurring. This is why they are a key species in understanding what changes are occurring in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean ecosystems. At the commencement of this program the Leopard Seal was one of the least understood and studied of all the seals. Through tools developed with Leopard Seal at Taronga Zoo, the Leopard Seal Program has ensured that the Leopard Seal is now studied as an indicator species for the Southern Ocean Environment and used as a barometer for climate change, led by AMMRC, a joint venture by Taronga Zoo and The University of Sydney.