Zoo Outreach Organisation

History

Z.O.O. started work in Mysore, India in 1985 with three main objectives,

	to provide technical and educational support to Indian zoos,
	to upgrade the public image of zoos, and
	to create a climate in which "Friends of the Zoo" and zoo volunteers would be welcome.

Z.O.O. was founded by Sally Walker, an American student of Sanskrit and Astanga Yoga in Mysore, who happened to visit the city zoo one day in 1981, fell in love with a tiger cub and has been associated with zoo and wildlife conservation, education and welfare activities since. Scheduled to return to the USA, she opted to stay in India where she founded the Friends of Mysore Zoo, Zoo Outreach Organisation and a number of other associations, networks and projects. Sally and the Z.O.O. office shifted to Coimbatore in 1987 to assist with a new zoo coming up there and to be closer to the major officers of Z.O.O.

Z.O.O. was founded with funds from the then Department of Environment whose scientific officials had appreciated the work done by the Friends of Mysore Zoo. New policies of government subsequently prevented the continuation of funding but local industrialists and zoos around the world come to the aid of the still young organisation. Z.O.O. had started its activities with the publication of two monthly magazines, ZOOS’ PRINT and ZOO ZEN. After a few years, memberships in Z.O.O. and subscribers to these publications clearly indicated that wildlife officers, protected area managers and field biologists had as much or more interest in the Society and its activities and publications as zoo personnel.

In 1991 Z.O.O. associated with the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group of SSC, IUCN whose mission includes using captive bred animals and other intensive management techniques to salvage small and fragmented wild populations.

Z.O.O. hosted the first national network of CBSG called CBSG, India. From that time many Z.O.O. activities have centred around the dynamic and effective CBSG processes, PHVA and CAMP Workshops. Zoo education has been a consistent activity, often focused on animal welfare and supported by both education and welfare grants.

In 1993 Sanjay Molur joined Z.O.O. as Programme Officer, adding a focus towards academics in colleges and universities as well as towards lesser vertebrates and invertebrates. By 1995 Z.O.O. had engaged an Entomologist, Dr. Daniel Ayyachamy, to coordinate invertebrate projects.

These activities have led to international and regional networks and associations, both taxon and subject based. Taxon networks include invertebratia, amphibia, reptilia, chiroptera and rodentia. Z.O.O. convened and hosted the Asian Regional Network of the International Zoo Educator Association. Z.O.O. has represented the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare UFAW for some years. Most recently Z.O.O. hosts CBSG, South Asia, an attempt to bring together conservation actioners in all the countries of the South Asian region for better communication in this emerging region. Z.O.O. now interacts closely with another registered society, Wildlife Information Liaison Development (WILD), which actively collaborates in implementation of projects in the field or in situ conservation.