Research Vision
A world where the conservation and diversity of all plants and animals are assured.
Research Mission
To significantly contribute to the conservation of threatened species through applied scientific research.
Background
Increasingly, and in line with the World Zoo movement, Perth Zoo is no longer an ‘old-style’ traditional zoo but a conservation, research and education agency. This is a conscious strategic direction. The expertise of Zoo staff; the conservation and environmental imperatives facing our World; and the position of Perth Zoo as one of several important sites in the city of Perth, places it well to take a lead as a conservation, research and learning institution.
Perth Zoo has fostered research for many years. However the first formal research program was established in 1995 when Perth Zoo joined four Australian and one New Zealand organisation to form the Marsupial Co-operative Research Centre. As a result, from 1995 until 2003 Perth Zoo’s research focus was primarily native species (particularly marsupials).
This has given Perth Zoo a strong profile in breeding threatened and endangered Australian species for release into the wild. This was and still is undertaken in close consultation with the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC). This program, called the Native Species Breeding Program (NSBP) is now well established. Since the cessation of the Marsupial CRC, Perth Zoo has worked to broaden its research to include all areas of Zoo activity. Research, the Veterinary Department and NSBP now sit within the same Directorate of Animal Health and Research (AH&R).
In 2005 a Perth Zoo Research Business Plan was adopted to set the basis of the Zoo’s development in the area of research for the next 20 years linking in with the Perth Zoo Master Plan and the World Zoo Conservation Strategy.
Perth Zoo Research Culture
The culture of Research at Perth Zoo is one of innovation and enterprise. Perth Zoo staff are accustomed to initiating innovative solutions to achieve their research goals.
Perth Zoo strives for scientific excellence, encourages diversity of thinking and fosters strategic collaborations to further our research goals.
Research endeavour is supported through an active Research Committee made up of internal and external members. The Research Committee reports to the Board of the Zoological Parks Authority which also supports and encourages research at Perth Zoo.
Zoo staff are recruited and trained in a research culture which fosters links to external research organisations and researchers on an ongoing basis.
As a consequence, Perth Zoo has a vibrant research culture which underpins all of our activities.
Research at Perth Zoo is organised into six inter-relating Research Programs.
Each program was developed in response to identified needs of Perth Zoo, the Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA) the World Zoo Conservation Strategy and external stakeholders such as DEC, Western Australian Museum and local universities, through a process of consultative workshops and meetings.
