February 8-13, 2010
Oglebay Resort
Wheeling, WV
In the Institutional Record Keeping professional training course students will take away a working knowledge of the Animal Records-Keeping System 4 (ARKS4), the ISIS Web site and other ISIS resources and develop an understanding of how AZA, ISIS, SSPs®, TAGs, PMPs, studbooks and institutional animal records combine forces through regional and global conservation management programs to manage captive populations.
Course Tuition
$850 for AZA Individual Members
$950 for Non-members
Course Registration
Download the Registration Form. Please note that you can use Adobe Acrobat Reader to type your responses directly into this form, print, and return by mail or fax. You may also print the form, write in your information and return by mail or fax. Each course has a registration form specific for that course.
Checks sent for course payment will be cashed immediately upon receipt as per standard business practices. Cashing your check does not indicate that you have been accepted into a course. You will receive an acceptance letter or wait list letter once acceptance decisions are made.
If you have any questions about your acceptance status, or for additional details please contact the AZA Professional Training Department or call (301) 562-0777.
Travel and Accommodations
Please wait until you are admitted into the course before making your reservations. You will receive a confirmation letter containing detailed information regarding your accommodations and transportation once you are admitted. For general information on travel and lodging, please see the Professional Training in Wheeling page.
Curious about the costs associated with this course?
The Institutional Record Keeping Cost and Logistics page will help you estimate the total cost of attending, including registration, hotel, and ground transportation.
Course Scholarships
The following scholarship opportunities are currently available to aquarium and zoo professionals for the Institutional Record Keeping course.
Course Credit
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Graduate Credit
Objective
Explores theory and mechanics of animal records-keeping at zoos and aquariums and the important role accurate records play in successful captive management. Promotes standardization of animal records management, improvement of the integrity of institutional records, and facilitates exchange of data among records keepers and member institutions.
Target Audience
Record keepers, registrars, ARKS users, curators, collection managers, records specialists, records managers, and information specialists. Class size limited to 28.
Course Topics
Introduction to Records and Data
- History and evolution of record-keeping
- Importance of accurate record-keeping
- Introduction of Data Entry Standards
- Principles and Applications of Records-Keeping – Births and Deaths
Overview of ARKS4-discussion of ISIS software and set-up
- Documenting notes in comment section
- Principles of birth accessions, death dispositions
- Data entry for birth accessions and death disposition
- Principles and Applications of Records-Keeping - Transactions
Principles of accessions and dispositions
- Data entry for all acquisitions besides births
- Data entry for all dispositions besides deaths
Data entry
- Taxonomy
- Estimating dates
Mechanics of Communication/Data Flow
- Basic communication skills;
- The whole brain approach-dominance of cerebral or limbic modes affect behavior
- Understanding behavior facilitates communication
- Communication with animal care staff-need for keeper training
- Life cycle of data
- Data flow and data quality
Groups
- Individual vs Group ID numbers
- Principals of data entry for groups
Recording Identifiers and Measurements
- Data entry - identifiers, measurements
- Records Challenges – taxon specific issues
Data Quality Overview
- Interzoo data checks
- Linking within the ISIS database
- Data Validation Report
ISIS Quality Control Tools, Website, Related Software
- ISIS Web site
- Studbook Library/Husbandry CD-ROM
- Data submission error reports, Missing Data utility
- Data quality housekeeping tools
Genetics and Demography
- Importance, terms and theory, impact of data
- Types of analysis and reports
Enclosure Data Entry
- Data entry- enclosures
- Setting up enclosure codes, enclosure tree
- Batch enclosure moves
Systematics and Taxonomy
- Relevance to population management
- Importance of identification of species/subspecies and accurate data entry.
Web Links - Useful internet resources
Permits and Regulations
- Government agencies requiring permits
- Regulation update
- Permitting procedures
- Documentation for government agencies
ARKS4 Reports
- Specimen, Taxon, Transaction and other reports
Studbooks
- Management of studbooks within the institution
- Relationship between SPARKS, ARKS and ISIS central database
- Impact of ARKS data quality on studbook information
- Studbook reconciliation tool on ISIS website
- Studbook Library CD
AZA Conservation Management Programs - SSP's and PMP's
- Cooperative, coordinated species management: SSPs and PMPs
- Purposes
- Studbooks-source of data, genetic and demographic analysis
Historical Records
- Importance and uses of historical data
- Identify sources of historical records
- Guidelines for entering historical data.
Records Management / Accessibility
- Definitions and principles
- Development of a records management program
- Systems for data recovery
- Access to records by public and the media
SIS Software
- Question and Answer Session.
Course Schedule
Download the course schedule (subject to change).
Course Instructors
Glenous Favata
Registrar
Toledo Zoo
Elisabeth Hunt
ISIS
Lynn McDuffie
Assistant Curator of Records
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Adrienne Miller
Curator of Collections Management
Audubon Zoo
Karin Schwartz
Biological Database Manager
Chicago Zoological Society
For additional details please contact the AZA Professional Training Department or call (301) 562-0777.