Leading region: Republic of Sakha (Yakutia);
Participants: Dalarna, Lapland, Krasnoyarsk krai, Heilongjiang, St. Petersburg, Khabarovsk krai
Contact person: Luka Nikolayevich Safonov, director of the “Orto Doydu” zoo, Natalya Safonova, deputy director; , , +7 (4112) 22-52-59
General information about the project
The project “Northern Zoos Cooperation” within the framework of the “Environment” program was initiated by the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and adopted as a priority project of the Northern Forum at the VII General Assembly in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province (China) in June 2005.
The goal of the project is to develop a system of inter-zoo ties, expand international cooperation in the field of preserving the flora and fauna of the northern territories and drawing the attention of public authorities to the activities of zoos in the field of preserving the flora and fauna of the northern territories.
The main objectives of the project are:
- the establishment of close links between the zoos of the northern countries and regions;
- development and implementation by members of the working group of joint programs for the breeding of rare species of the flora and fauna of the northern territories;
- facilitating the exchange of animals between project members;
- professional development of the staff of the organizations - members of the project through the organization of meetings, conferences, seminars on the most important problems of the zoo business;
- development of educational work;
- implementation of publishing activities to disseminate the latest scientific and practical achievements of the zoo business, as well as popularization of biological knowledge;
- cooperation with governments, public organizations and international environmental groups in programs related to the activities of zoos.
Project participants: Alaska Zoo, Anchorage (Alaska, USA); Ecological Museum of Flora and Fauna, Zelenegorsk (Krasnoyarsk krai, Russia); Park of flora and fauna "Roev Ruchei", Krasnoyarsk (Russia); Park of predatory animals, Orsa (Sweden); Ranua Zoo, Ranua (Lapland, Finland); Leningrad Zoo, St. Petersburg (Russia); Zoo "Amur" them. V.P. Sysoeva, Khabarovsk (Khabarovsk krai, Russia); Northern Forest Zoo, Harbin (Heilongjiang, China); GBU Republican zoo "Orto-Doydu" Yakutsk (Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) (Russia); Seversk zoo, Seversk, (Russia).
Work meetings held
The first working meeting was held in Anchorage on September 16-22, 2006, in which 6 zoos took part - the Northern Forest Zoo of Harbin, the Zoo of Ranua, Lapland; Zoo Anchorage, Alaska; Park of flora and fauna "Roev Ruchei", Krasnoyarsk Territory; Leningrad Zoo, St. Petersburg; Zoo Orto-Doydu, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). At the first working meeting, the composition of the working group, the purpose and directions of the group’s work were determined. During the work of the group, meetings were organized with employees of the Seward Center for Marine Life, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
The 2nd working meeting took place in September 2007 in St. Petersburg. The theme of the meeting was the educational work carried out by zoos. Thus, the staff of the Leningrad Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in Russia, gave lectures on the work of the scientific and educational department, by means of which various types of work are carried out with visitors and schoolchildren, from lectures to mass events. Also, the draft Charter of the Association of Northern Zoos, developed by the Leningrad Zoo, was reviewed. However, the registration of the Association was postponed indefinitely and the work was continued as a working group of the Northern Forum.
The 3rd working meeting took place in September 2008 in Yakutsk. The meeting was devoted to the role of zoos in the preservation of local (native) fauna and the characteristics of the maintenance of tropical animals in the northern zoos. The participants shared their experience in preserving rare and endangered animal species (Asian Siberian Grouse in the Yakut Zoo, brown bear and wolverine in Ranua Park, rare and endangered animals in the Krasnoyarsk Park of Flora and Fauna "Royi Ruchei", feeding habits of tropical animals in Harbin Zoo, Amur tigers and Kamchatka bears in the Park of predatory animals (Sweden)), as well as in the field of environmental education, including with social risk adolescents for the prevention of behavioral diseases.
During 2009 - 2010 information was exchanged between project members in the field of keeping and breeding wild animals in artificially created conditions; information was collected on research and educational work. The exchange of animals is actively carried out between zoos of Russia. So, the Leningrad Zoo received from Yakutia a native species of the Yakut cattle - the Yakut cow for demonstration on the contact area of the children's zoo, in turn from Leningrad Zoo to Yakutia arrived yak. Musk oxen are sent to the park of flora and fauna “Roev Ruchei” and the ecological museum of flora and fauna of Zelenogorsk from Yakutia, for keeping and further breeding.
The 4th working meeting of the project took place in August 2011 in the park of predatory animals Orsa Gronklitt (Sweden) at the invitation of the director Anders Björklund in parallel with the international bear symposium and the meeting of the active members of the Northern Forum working group on brown bears. The meeting participants got acquainted with the work of the park of predatory animals, methods of keeping, feeding and other aspects of the work of the park. In the course of analyzing the work of the group over the past period, it was proposed to step up activities in the field of exchange of experience on the maintenance of animals in an artificially created environment and in the educational direction.
The Vth working meeting of the international group “Northern Zoos Cooperation” under the auspices of the Northern Forum was held in the Krasnoyarsk Park of Flora and Fauna “Roy Ruchei” from September 3 to September 8, 2012. At the seminar, reports were presented in the field of veterinary support - “Endoscopic determination of the sex of birds in the collection of the Park "Roy Ruchei"; in the field of keeping and breeding - “Artificial feeding of predatory mammals in the park“ Roev Ruchei ”,“ Breeding of varana makrey in the Park “Royi Ruchei”, “Adaptation of giraffes from South Africa in the Park“ Royi Ruchei ”,“ Advances in the maintenance and breeding of some animal species in terms of the Yakut zoo “Orto-Doydu”, “Experience of keeping and breeding polar bears in the Ranua Zoo”, “Adaptation of penguins in the Park“ Roev creek ”,“ Enrichment of habitats and trainings of predatory animals in the Leningrad zoo ”,“ Formulation of compound feeds and rations feeding d machine interface bird under zoopitomnika Park "Swarms creek"; in the field of educational and informational activities - “On the release of the magazine of the St. Petersburg Zoo”, “Educational programs of the Park“ Roy Ruchei ”for children and teenagers”; in the field of landscape gardening work - “Development and creation of an individual style of the Park“ Roy Ruchei ”.
Work in 2016-2018
- During 2016, work on the exchange of information was continued.
There is a correspondence on animal welfare and other aspects of zoo activity, a Facebook page “Northern Zoos” is being maintained.
- Successful work on the rare species of carnivorous mammals - the polar bear.
The project in the Yakut zoo "Orto-Doydu" created a pair of polar bears for maintenance and breeding. The required zootechnical and veterinary work is being carried out, an additional compartment for the female is built with the funds of the guardian of the white dogs, which is necessary for separating her during childbirth and raising offspring. The result of this project was the reproduction of this species in 2016 in the Yakut zoo. The female of Kolyman brought offspring and successfully feeds on its own. Thus, the efforts of the project members have created a breeding pair of a rare species listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, the RS (I), and the international red book.
After determining the sex will be decided the fate of the bear. The male is a member of the project "Cooperation of the Northern Zoos" Khabarovsk Zoo. V.P. Sysoeva. The female will be transferred to the Leningrad Zoo.
For the effectiveness of the project, new meetings are needed with the support of the Secretariat and the regions of the Northern Forum.
