Animal welfare is a priority for professionals working in a zoo. To guarantee this, it is essential that profiles such as veterinarians or caregivers are in continuous training and up to date with the experience of all centers in the development of methods, procedures with species, etc.

In order to keep these professionals up to date, the EAZA Academy carries out training in different fields, aimed at improving the professionalism of all the institutions that are part of this organization and for all sectors of this community of zoos and aquariums; from caregivers to veterinarians, educators or horticulturists.

A few weeks ago, the EAZA Academy BIOPARC Valencia was chosen to carry out one of its training sessions. Representatives from twenty-seven institutions from twelve countries attended, including members of the BIOPARC Fuengirola, BIOPARC Valencia y Gijón Aquarium.

“It has been practical and advanced training with limited assistance to make it practical and in which we have developed animal welfare monitoring plans. They have explained it to us and we have put into practice behavioral evaluation techniques, environmental quality evaluation systems, and lesser-known aspects of animal biology such as, for example, sleep stages,” explains Jesús Recuero, technical director. , veterinarian and one of the attendees at these days.

Through the academy of EAZA, this promotes the best care for animals that live in zoos, through these precise training to improve the quality of these professionals. In addition, they become a meeting in which ideas between different zoos can be exchanged. Something vital for continuous improvement, in all aspects, of the care of the animals that they help to protect and conserve.