Professional work standards and practice - legislation and current minimum standards and best practice standards – SSSMZP, BIAZA Best practice

Holistic approaches to animal welfare

Life support systems - details of full spectrum of electromagnetic spectrum and importance.
Heat – infrared A, B, C: measuring provision, equipment and physiological, behavioural and welfare impact.
Light – ultraviolet A, B, C: measuring provision, equipment and physiological, behavioural and welfare impact
Filtration systems – aquarium, paludarium, large aquatic features – (penguin, sealion, cetacean) - water chemistry, Walstad method, sand/bead filter. UV/Ozone sterilisation, sumps.

Specific physiological needs Vitamin D Cycle, circadian rhythms, immune system benefits

Application and assimilation of existing literature Use of peer reviewed, scientific observations of natural history to inform husbandry and critical evaluation of published ‘care sheets’ and ‘husbandry guidelines’.

Complicated and advanced husbandry challenges and solutions Mixed exhibits , Handling and restraint of category 1 animals – debates for non-contact for safety versus need for trained staff in emergency situations. Keeping venomous species - legislation and laws, complications, liability

Advanced breeding techniques – rain chambers, AI, cloning

Large animal handling and husbandry

Advanced enclosure design – bioactive approaches and biotopes Planting of enclosures, plant husbandry and propagation

Acknowledgement of the business complications of advancing husbandry – financial implications, visitor expectations of visibility and proximity, keeper needs for maintenance and monitoring

This module will be assessed via a single assignment.

The assignment will require the students to produce a report of 3000 words that critically reviews current legislation against optimal animal welfare and use existing literature to inform and design a complete, justified set of husbandry guidelines for a given species including enclosure design, life support systems, diet, maintenance, health care and enrichment. The assignment will also critically evaluate modern advances in animal husbandry to support conservation and welfare (LO’s 1, 2 and 3)

The module will also involve a range of formative assessment techniques to assess learning and progress throughout the module including self, peer and tutor evaluation, targeted questioning and critical analysis of techniques and skills.

Although this intended as a face to face delivery module, there is opportunity and expectation that there is flexibility in the delivery of the theory elements and use of online and remote learning will be available as required.

This module will be delivered via classroom sessions (30 hours over 2 semesters) that will deliver theory via a range of methods such as traditional lectures, group activities, guest speakers, individual tasks, questioning, role play, modelling, kinaesthetic activities, short research tasks and tutorials and seminars to develop underpinning knowledge and understanding and practical sessions (30 hours over two semesters or as full time week blocks) involving a wide range of animal husbandry skills and experiences on our Animal Zone.

On top of this it is expected that students will partake in at least 140 hours of independent learning for this module. This will include, but is not limited to, preparation for classroom sessions (30hrs), extending classroom notes via extended reading and research (30 hrs), completion of tasks leading from classroom sessions and VLE based tasks (40hrs) and research, planning and completion of final assessment pieces (40hrs)

Technology enhanced learning: All module material will be made available electronically on a Microsoft Teams based virtual learning environment. This will include the ability for students to access some lectures remotely - either live or via asynchronous delivery of voiced over slides, screen capture demonstrations or in house produced training videos. This will also allow formative tasks and in class exercises to be completed and reviewed live. It will allow the linking of technology based supplementary material including, but not limited to, journal links, live seminars and conferences, you tube videos, animal live webcams at zoos and wild areas, online software such as Google Map layers and MINITAB. Use of collaborative learning platforms (e.g. Google whiteboard), Quizizz and other interactive learning, progress and assessment tools and the internet in general will also be used to enhance learning. The college has bookable laptops for student use in all teaching blocks for students that do not have their own hardware to access this material in classroom based sessions. Students will also have their own ProPortal page that can be used to monitor and track their pastoral and academic progress, career development and personal targets and is managed by the tutor through ProMonitor.

1. Critically review the current legislation against optimal animal welfare. Analysis Learning

2. Assimilate recent information on a specific animal and produce justified, brand new husbandry guidelines following modern, animal centred husbandry practises. application Problem Solving

3. Critically evaluate modern advances in animal husbandry to support conservation and welfare. Knowledge and Understanding Learning

ITC Facilities with internet access
Staffordshire University Library
Well-equipped classroom facilities
Rodbaston Animal Zone
~150 hectare managed college owned estate of mixed arable and livestock farmland, ancient woodland, wetlands, ponds, pools and grasslands
Appropriately equipped laboratory
Virtual Learning Environment
Learning Support Centre
Industry Links
Employer Links for Work Experience opportunities

Essential Reading

Hosey, G., Melfi, V. and Pankhurst, S. (2013) Zoo Animals: Behaviour, Management and Welfare. Oxford University Press


Recommended Reading

Rees, P. (2011) An Introduction to Zoo Biology and Management. Wiley-Blackwell

Ward, S, J., Sherwen, S. & Clark, F. E. (2018) Advances in Applied Zoo Animal Welfare Science. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science Vol 21. Issue sup1 [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10888705.2018.1513842]

Rose, P.E., Brereton, J.E., Rowden, L.J. et al. (2019) What’s new from the zoo? An analysis of ten years of zoo-themed research output. Palgrave Commun 5, 128 . [https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-019-0345-3]

Baines, F., Chattell, J., Dale, J., Garrick, D., Gill, I., Goetz, M., Skelton, T. & Swatman, M. (2016) How much UV-B does my reptile need? The UV-Tool, a guide to the selection of UV lighting for reptiles and amphibians in captivity. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 4(1): 42 - 63. Available online at: [http://www.jzar.org/jzar/article/view/150]

Animal Lighting Guides http://www.uvguide.co.uk/aboutus.html

SSSMZP - [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/secretary-of-state-s-standards-of-modern-zoo-practice]

BIAZA Policies and Guidelines - https://biaza.org.uk/policies-guidelines

Journals
Conservation Biology
Zoology
Zoo Biology
International Zoo Yearbook
Behavioural Ecology
Animal Behaviour
The UFAW Journal – Animal Welfare

NONE

In this module the student will critically evaluate modern husbandry practises and the increasing need to prioritise animal welfare when considering captive management techniques. The animals should thrive and not merely survive. This is of critical importance when looking to breed and possibly re-release endangered species as enclosures should be as near as possible to wild environments to facilitate successful reintroduction. This module will explore the subtleties and complications of the needs of the animals and the potential conflicts with visitors, keepers and management strategies. Ultimately allowing students to investigate and propose solutions to some of these complexities.