The internet has a made a world of difference to the lonely lives of single humans, and now it could do the same for a rhino at the Prince of Wales Zoo.
The internet has a made a world of difference to the lonely lives of single humans, and now it could do the same for a rhino and a lion-tailed macaque at the Prince of Wales Zoo in Lucknow.
The two animals have been spending lonely lives, pining for a mate, for a long time now. But their loneliness might end soon with the help of a unique international species information system (ISIS).
“This comprehensive database could be the answer to most problems related to animal conservation and management internationally,” exults Renu Singh, director, Lucknow zoo. She says details of the zoo’s animals are being uploaded on the ISIS website.
“Once the basic data feeding work is over, finding mates for lonely animals here would be a mouse-click away,” she says.
Kanpur zoo director KP Rao puts it differently. “It’s like matching the kundli of the bride and groom online,” he says. “ISIS could prove to be the ultimate matrimonial website for animals worldwide,” he says.
Several Indian zoos are joining the ISIS network and this would help exchange information readily. Actual exchange or import of animals from foreign zoos can be done only through the Central Zoo Authority, says Renu Singh. Officials at both the Lucknow and Kanpur zoos hope the international database would help find mates for their single inhabitants.
“ISIS is unique, there’s nothing else like it anywhere in the world. The new Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) will be adopted by every institution that is serious about contributing to the preservation of animals,” Disney’s Animal Kingdom general manager Dr Beth Stevens says on the ISIS site.
“With ZIMS, we will be able to exchange core data of an animal, and also all kinds of information about husbandry, veterinary care, behaviour in a way that is very easy and less time-consuming than now. And all the data we find will be current... Instead of writing e-mails and calling up colleagues we can search for this kind of information in ZIMS,” says Dr Ulrike Rademacher, Wilhelma Zoological and Botanical Gardens, Stuttgart, Germany.
Established in 1973, ISIS has 735 member institutions in 74 countries on six continents. Its database provides information on two million animals belonging to over 10,000 species.
Member institutions are required to provide basic biological information (age, sex, parentage, place of birth, circumstance of death) to manage the genetic and demographic programmes.
“Without help, our earth could lose as many as one-fifth of all animal species. Our ability to help is dependent on the quality of our data. [ISIS software] will ensure that all those working to defend animals have an essential tool in this fight,” says William Conway, senior conservationist, Wildlife Conservation Society, on the ISIS website.
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