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 Еuro-Аsian Regional Аssociation of Zoos and Аquariums (EARAZA) was established in 1994 to promote and strengthen co-operation in the professional activities of the zoological institutions of the former USSR under the circumstances of the political, economic and social changes .
Currently EARAZA represents 26 full members (zoos, breeding centres, zoo-botanical garden, ecological centre). The smallest collection is in Oka State Reserve Breeding Centre -8 species and 117 specimens, the biggest one is in Moscow Zoo -947 species and 5715 specimens. Kamchatka Zoo has the smallest square – 0,35 ha, Tallinn Zoo has the biggest ones – 86,5 ha. Moscow Zoo has the special breeding centre out-of- town. This additional territory has more than 200 ha square . The total number of vertebrate species in all EARAZA members is 1500.
The main objectives of EARAZA are:
- to improve the standards of professionalism of the staff of the institutions through meetings, conferences, and workshops ;
- to develop and implement the cooperative programs of management, breeding and re-introduction of rare and endangered species;
- to co-ordinate the implementation of the EARAZA programs;
- to assist the EARAZA members in carrying out exchanges of animals and, if necessary, in obtaining animals from the wild for accomplishing breeding programs;
- to promote education in the member-zoos, to print and publish newspapers, proceedings with the purpose of dissemination of the information about scientific and practical zoo achievements;
- to represent the interests of EARAZA on the international level;
- to co-operate with governmental and public organisations and with international conservation groups on any issues that may cover the activity of EARAZA.
The EARAZA Information Centre based on the Information Department of the Moscow zoo, that has been also approved by EAZA as its sixth Zoo Information Centre for the zoos of Central and Eastern Europe.
EARAZA Veterinary group has been established to assist the member zoos with acquiring veterinary medications and equipment and supplying the zoos with the information on the most important problems of the pharmacology and medicine of zoo and exotic animals. Export/Import group of EARAZA provides the member zoos with the help in the paperwork and shipments for international transfers of animals. Three EEP and one international Studbooks were established at the zoos of EARAZA. Owing to EARAZA support four regional zoos joined ISIS in 1997.
A number of regional programs are now under development. For instance, there are assisted reproduction program, which includes sexing of birds by kariological technique; breeding program for birds of prey; programs for creation the breeding population of bearded vulture Gypaetus barbatus in Alma-Ata Zoo and breeding population of Steller's sea eagle Haliaeetus pelagicus in Moscow Zoo.
EARAZA News
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